Let the circus get under way in earnest.

Brett Favre is prepared to report to the Packers over the weekend following a talk with general manager Ted Thompson on Thursday. Thompson reiterated during a shareholders meeting earlier on Thursday that if Favre returns, it will be in "a different role."

So the debate continues about how the Packers will deal with the quarterback situation if Favre and Aaron Rodgers are on the roster.

Meanwhile, Commissioner Roger Goodell urged the Packers to explore trade opportunities. Tampa Bay has been most often tied to Favre as a possible trade destination.

At the shareholders meeting, CEO Mark Murphy said the team wants "to be fair to Brett, but we also must act in the best interest of the Packers."

Favre had a lengthy interview July 14 with Greta Van Susteren of Fox News Channel, which aired different segments of the conversation in Mississippi three straight nights.

Favre admitted that he was "guilty" of retiring early because he wasn't 100 percent committed to continue playing shortly after last season ended. Yet, he was blunt in his criticisms of the Packers, particularly Thompson, for how they treated him and demanded a decision on his playing future sooner rather than later. Favre made mention of "half truths" spoken by Packers officials and revealed a lack of trust he has in Thompson for his role in not landing free-agent receiver Randy Moss in the 2007 offseason, among other decisions he made that countered suggestions made by Favre for the benefit of the team.

The Packers were open to having Favre back after he had second thoughts about retiring shortly after his tearful press conference in Green Bay, but Favre decided to stay retired and the organization moved on without him.

After preparing Rodgers the entire offseason for the starting job, the Packers stayed firm with their plans of moving forward even when Favre contacted head coach Mike McCarthy on June 20 and expressed that he was thinking about making a comeback.

Less than a month later, the league's oldest franchise and its most celebrated player were at loggerheads. The Packers wouldn't budge on their commitment to Rodgers as the starter, and Favre wasn't accepting of a backup role after starting a league-record 275 straight games.

"Why?" Favre said sternly to Van Susteren in the interview.

"They've been preaching about, 'We want to protect Brett's legacy,'" he added in some of his most scathing comments toward team management. "How does that protect my legacy if I'm a backup? 'Brett, we'll welcome you back, we'll pay you $12 million (his salary this year), but you have to hold a clipboard and (wear a) ball cap.' That's probably better for them as opposed to letting me go somewhere and me coming back (and beating the Packers), then their legacy, the management, could be in jeopardy. Let me worry about that. You don't worry about my legacy. It's a bunch of bull; it's all it is."

Adding fuel to the firestorm was Favre's detailing in the interview the involvement of Packers offensive line coach James Campen, a former teammate of Favre and a close friend, as a go-between. Favre said Campen had to skip a family vacation in Hawaii a few weeks earlier to make an unannounced visit on the team's behalf to Favre's home near Hattiesburg, Miss.

"He says, 'You know, I know they told you they're moving on and playing there is not an option. Playing here in Green Bay is not an option, which that's what they want. They want to move on. But I'm telling you, if you reinstate or you force their hand, back them in a corner, they feel like they have no other option, they're going to accept you back.' And he said, 'Just telling you.' And I said, 'OK.'"

McCarthy told The Associated Press on July 12 that the club wanted Campen to visit Favre as a friend, not on behalf of the team. McCarthy accused Favre and his representatives for turning Campen into an "intermediary" and putting the assistant coach "in a tough spot."

CAMP CALENDAR
Players report July 27. Camp opens July 28 with the first of five scheduled two-a-days -- all in the first 12 days. An intrasquad scrimmage will be held at Lambeau Field on Sunday night, Aug. 3.

Copyright (C) 2008 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.