Minnesota Vikings: The Brett Favre Charade

It's that time of year again.

For what seems like the 10th year in a row, Brett Favre keeps his team and fans guessing, as he has yet to confirm whether he will be returning to football for the 2010 season.

This year, Favre is citing imperfect health as a source of quitting the business.

The 19-year veteran had minor surgery on his left ankle from an injury he suffered in the NFC Championship game against the New Orleans Saints last season. He says that the ankle isn't recovering as quickly as he had hoped, and he isn't sure if he'll be able to run on it in time.

Despite his hesitations, it's highly doubtful that Favre won't make a return to the NFL and Minnesota Vikings for his 20th season.

It's a possibility that Favre is playing the waiting game as an excuse to skip out on the Vikings' training camp.

The camp begins July 30, and Favre does not seem likely to make an appearance. Last year he cited possible retirement as a reason for not attending, and this year it appears that the ankle injury is his excuse.

Honestly though, does Favre really need to attend training camp?

After 19 years of playing in the NFL, you know what training camp is about. Chances are, Favre isn't going to learn anything new, so why not just allow him to recover?

In addition, he had an extremely successful season with the Vikings. He knows his offense and how to run it.

Expect this off-season to look oddly similar to Favre's past seasons. Favre has consistent hesitation, but he's not really fooling anyone. We'll see him in gold and purple come this fall.