The Pope? President Obama? The Dalai Lama?

Nope.

Brett Favre’s arrival in Minneapolis inspired the media firestorm Tuesday afternoon that included news helicopters, wall-to-wall radio and television broadcasts and endless chatter on the Internet.

Really?

Didn’t most of us know this was likely to happen sooner or later? After he supposedly tweeted his retirement to teammates a couple weeks ago he then untweeted the retirement a couple days later, more or less saying he would play if his ankle was okay.

So, yeah Favre is back. One facebook friend posted the following status: “What — no posts about Favre? Are you people working or something?”

More likely the vast majority of the population (not including local news networks, ESPN or local sports talk radio outlets) has seen the Favre circus enough times where they knew it was just a matter of time before he flew to town on the Wilf family’s private yet. This time he came accompanied by three teammates, sent to encourage him to join the team in suburban Minneapolis …

Or were they? He hasn’t yet said he’s playing. Perhaps those potential teammates forced him onto the plane against his will. Perhaps he’s flying into town to, yet again, announce his retirement.

More likely, Favre is back for the season. Hereth likely ends this part of the soap opera for another preseason. One Green Bay Packers blogger has summed it up best, so far: “The Fake Suspense is Over: Brett Favre Returns.”

Let the season begin.