Brett Favre waffles; ESPN flips

ESPN, using its typically low-key approach with Brett Favre news, sent thoughts on today's developments from only 13 analysts:

"Legs are everything. One of the biggest myths is that our arms go dead. Arms don’t go dead. … But when your legs go bad, when your body stiffens up, when the joint pain gets so severe, especially lower extremities, you can’t protect yourself, and I think that’s the big issue here. If his ankle is bothering him as much as it sounds like it is, his fear is he can’t protect himself. I thought for sure he was going to play again because of the competitor he is … so there must be something pretty catastrophic going on with his body for him not to come back and play another season.”
-- NFL Live analyst Trent Dilfer

"It’s not like this football team is going to fall apart if he’s not there, and I think that’s what Brad (Childress) is trying to say. Then again, this guy is one of the all-time greats. To say that you wouldn’t miss him, that would be kind of silly.”
-- Sunday NFL Countdown analyst Mike Ditka

"The one thing No. 4 brought to the table every time he walked out on the football field – he was very competitive. He was never afraid of the moment and he embraced the spotlight and he played with tremendous passion. The teams that he played on, he always seemed to uplift the players. He took the players to a different level and that’s what greatness does. You bring players to a different level, and he was able to do that his whole career.”
-- NFL Live analyst Herm Edwards

"Nothing happens cleanly with Brett Favre, does it?”
-- NFL Live analyst Mike Golic

"Knowing Brad Childress like I do, he’ll roll his fists up and rally his troops the best that he can, but it’s going to be awfully tough to duplicate what Brett Favre did last year or what Brett Favre can do period.”
-- Monday Night Football analyst Jon Gruden

"Throwing the football is about great footwork. … Think about how many times that you have to drive through a throw and, if you don’t, the ball sails, or it’s not accurate. The magic that he’s had throughout his career may not exist. Players in the NFL, their minds control their body. You have to. When your body starts to control your mind, it’s time to go, and I think the mind and the body have come together and said ‘you know, I physically can’t do it.’ and I believe that’s why you are seeing it now.”
-- NFL Live analyst Merril Hoge

"We all know he knows how to play the game, but the way he assimilated into that Vikings offense a year ago, I thought he would come back for another year. It’s hard to leave the game when you have the talent that Brett Favre has. That’s why it’s surprising.”
-- Monday Night Football analyst Ron Jaworski

"They’re a team that can still win 10 games. They were right there with Tarvaris Jackson at times, and I think he’s probably matured a little bit at the quarterback position, learning, playing behind Favre. If he’s given the opportunity to be the starting quarterback again, then he probably will have his opportunity with a good offense and a solid defense.”
-- Sunday NFL Countdown analyst Keyshawn Johnson

"I think there’s some skepticism in certain circles and there’s other circles who absolutely believe the reports. … Brett has been consistent all summer long since he had that surgery on his ankle in May that he doesn’t feel great. We just didn’t want to believe him. Maybe he really doesn’t feel great and good enough to come back.”
-- Senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen

"Whatever they can do to further strengthen Brett Favre’s incentive to come into camp and play for the Vikings this season, they are going to do. … Now maybe ownership comes to him and offers him more money … whatever he wants to do is going to be alright with the Vikings. The important thing is getting him back, and again they will try to get him back before it’s official.”
-- NFL Insider Adam Schefter, on next steps for the Vikings organization

"He played so exceptionally well last year I didn’t think there was any question that he’d be back in a Vikings uniform, but there does come a time when your body says ‘enough is enough’ and no matter how mentally tough you are, how you’ve controlled yourself in the past, when your body starts to quit on you and starts to fail on you, there’s not a whole lot you can do. Father Time has won every battle with every guy who has ever played this game. It’s a matter of time. Brett has outlasted Father Time for 40 years now and it looks like Father Time has finally caught up to him.”
-- NFL Live analyst Mark Schlereth

"I don’t think fans here are ready to accept this is the final word … and you can’t really blame them.”
-- Monday Night Football reporter Michele Tafoya, who lives in Minneapolis

"I am still shocked. … I really believed that because of the way the season ended last year he would be compelled to come back – and I think he was. … The only way he ever retires is if he literally physically cannot play. And if he’s retiring officially today or in the near future, it’s probably, most likely and absolutely, will be because he cannot do it. I think that’s the only reason Brett Favre will ever retire for. He’s a physical phenom that we will never understand. … I also believe that he’s not retiring because of his general health. I think it must be a specific injury that he cannot get over and that’s it.”
-- Monday Night Countdown analyst Steve Young