Published: July 11, 2008 11:42 am         

Favre an itch Baltimore should numb

Brett Favre can't stop. But he needs to.

He's put the Green Bay Packers squarely on the spot with its loving and community-ownership fan base. He's made a basket case out of Aaron Rodgers, he's got Packers switchboard operators to the point that their fingers are bleeding, he's got all of Wisconsin in a frenzy, he's made it necessary for us to see John Clayton's mug on TV every night (and, really, that poor little fella needs to go on a red-meat and beer diet immediately), and he's got Packers coach Mike McCarthy backpedaling and babbling as he's being grilled by children at the Boys & Girls Club of Green Bay.

All because Brett Favre felt an "itch" and reportedly sent Packers general manager Ted Thompson a text message to get a gauge on the organization's feelings about his coming back.

In an unrelated development, former head coach Brian Billick reportedly was feeling an "itch" as well, although, naturally, he used the Latin term for it, and sent Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome a text in which he said he was re-considering the Ravens' firing of him and thought, maybe, he'd like to return as the head coach.

Newsome reportedly didn't waste any time by texting back. Rather, he immediately called Billick to tell him if he ever contacted the Ravens organization again, he would see that he is charged with misuse of a telephone. Too bad it took as long as it did to discover he was misusing a headset.

Speaking of the Ravens, now that Favre is trying to determine if his is an itch that needs scratched, the talking heads are saying if the Packers don't welcome him back (and their silence has been deafening), Baltimore could be a place that would.

Well, there are a couple of ways you can look at this, naturally. The Ravens drafted Joe Flacco to be the future - to be their Giant Joe, if you will, to that black and gold team's Big Ben (Blech!). It would be rare, particularly since Flacco was drafted out of Delaware, for a rookie quarterback to step in immediately and make an impact in the NFL, although as we saw in Miami years ago and in Pittsburgh not long ago, it is possible. In Flacco's case, though, it's not likely, although there is an opinion on joeflacco.com (and I am not making that up) by Tony Lombardi, of something called "The Bleacher Report," that both of the Ravens veteran quarterbacks, Troy Smith and Kyle Boller, "will give way to Joe Flacco by about the 12th game of the season provided the offensive line has shown signs that they can adequately protect the key to the Ravens' future."

Without future Hall of Famer Jonathan Ogden, that's a mighty big provision. However, even though the Ravens appear to be building for the future, there is still a defensive unit in Baltimore that can still win a championship. We saw how Billick was able to waste the prime years of that defense's career; are you willing to trust Smith with possibly its final year together?

If Favre announces he's coming out of retirement and the Packers aren't interested, do the Ravens pull an Orioles (pre MacPhail) and sign the aging great for his star power (as though The Castle needs any more of that), for the perceived immediate gratification he would provide, and for the future Hall of Famer being a potentially great mentor for Flacco?

Frankly, reports out of Green Bay indicate Favre was never much of a mentor to Rodgers or any young quarterback the Packers brought in to be his successor. In fact, old Brett was even classy enough to tell the Gulfport (Miss.) Sun Herald that he'd be tempted to come out of retirement if Rodgers was injured, which just had to give Rodgers the warm and fuzzies, no?

But a lot of the greatest ones seem to be like that. What makes them great is born from a certain selfishness, I guess, which is why it must be so hard for them to ever let go.

As for any immediate gratification the Ravens might receive by signing Favre (and I'm not even considering the salary cap, because I don't even pretend to understand it), it worked once for them with Steve McNair, but only for one season. Which is all the more reason Favre shouldn't be on the Ravens' radar. It's just time - Hall of Fame-filled defense or not - for this organization to produce the first real quarterback in the franchise's history. Keep in mind, the best quarterback in Ravens history just retired from the NFL, but we don't see Trent Dilfer with an itch to return to Baltimore, do we?

And don't misunderstand. That the Ravens let Dilfer walk just months after he quarterbacked them to a Super Bowl championship for one year of Elvis Grbac is merely a testament to what a dope Billick was about to become. Still, it's time for a fresh new direction for the Ravens, and with head coach John Harbaugh, a real offensive coordinator in Cam Cameron, and a potentially big-time quarterback such as Flacco in tow, the time to start heading toward that future is now.

There are going to be bumps in the road, but look for the Ravens to be a much more refreshing product on the field this season, and look for them to improve to the point that they could possibly finish .500.

As for that itchy Brett Favre, I think a little girl in that Boys & Girls Club of Green Bay the other day might have said it best. Young Miranda, whom the Associated Press reported was sporting a green Care Bears T-shirt and black curly hair, said "If Brett Favre comes back, that would be fine. If he doesn't come back, that would be all right, too."

Yes, either one would be all right. As long as he frees us and does it soon.

Contact Mike Burke at mburke@times-news.com.