Well, the original plan was to center this column around the retirement of Brett Favre. “He must really mean it this time,” I told you guys on Saturday. So much for that.

Up until that report that Favre had announced plans to retire to Vikings representatives, I never for a second believed he actually wouldn’t play this season. He just wants to sit out of camp. For better or worse, that’s the deal Minnesota knew it was signing on for, and last season the team was rewarded handsomely.

But when he announced it? No way, I thought, would Favre let that cat out of the bag, only to change his mind two weeks later. He’s done, his ankle is taffy, and I was wrong.

But as Lee Corso would say, “Not so fast my friend.”

At this point, it seems more like a well-calculated negotiation ploy than anything else, if reports are to be believed (and if you don’t, I don’t blame you. LeBron the Chicago Bull says hello.) The scuttlebutt was that Minnesota offered Favre a three million dollar raise, which would allow him to bank 16 million dollars this season — otherwise known as a million per game. My point? His ankle would have to be in really, really bad shape to walk away from that kind of money and a Super Bowl ready team.

REALLY BAD SHAPE.

Favre had an absurdly good season a year ago. I did not say, “For his age.” He gave a performance that I’m not even sure younger, tri-time MVP Favre could have pulled off. Seven interceptions on 531 attempts? Averaging nearly eight yards an attempt?

Farve could have won the MVP a season ago and nobody would have batted an eyelash. He, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Philip Rivers were in a league of their own last season in terms of quarterback play. For Favre to still be in that kind of elite company is staggering.

Of course he’s coming back!

For all of the great things Favre did last season, the way it ended had to leave a wretched taste in his mouth. All season, he took care of the ball, made big plays, willed his team to victory.

Then, with one pass, his Shakespearian Tragic Flaw took center stage. Again.

Favre saw a very long field goal, didn’t trust it, and decided to gamble and try and stick a throw to win the game. And we know what happened.

If it were a miracle season, if Favre were the passer for a team that snuck its way into the NFC Championship, then I could see him walking away. It can’t be easy to take the hits he takes every week. At 40, it’s downright inhumane to expect it.

But a competitor like Favre is going to want to right the wrong, and with this team he can. Saints fans don’t want to hear it, but a Vikings/Saints game is a crapshoot. Minnesota boasts a breathtaking rusher named Adrian Peterson, an acrobat at wideout named Sidney Rice to go chase down Favre’s “street ball” throws and a jack of all trades named Percy Harvin who might just light the league on fire this year. The team’s got a fine defense and a good kicking game.

If someone declared the Vikings the favorite to win it all this time, well, I wouldn’t call them a fool for it.

Favre knows all of this. He can taste redemption. He won’t walk away. He’ll play.

Will he or won’t he?

He will.

Now that this is settled, we can move on to more captivating stories, like Albert Haynesworth’s fitness test. Will he or won’t he (pass)?

Sigh. Wake me up when the games start.