Favre's exit leaves Clemens' lacking

Brett Favre and Roger Clemens - two of the greatest athletes of their generation, or any generation, for that matter - let the world know this week that they have retirement on their minds.

Favre went first, curling up on ESPN's couch for some deep self-analysis. Unshaven and looking sullen, like Tony Soprano making a reluctant visit to his psychiatrist's office, the Packers' quarterback spilled his guts, confessing his self-doubt and lackluster motivation to reporter Chris Mortensen, who probed Favre's psyche with the deftness of Dr. Jennifer Melfi. Even though Favre said he hadn't yet made up his mind, it's obvious he has. The man is as good as gone.

Clemens appears to be taking the opposite approach. While Favre has spent the last several years stiff-arming questions about his retirement, Clemens has quietly fed the "will he or won't he?" debate for nearly three years now. He showed up at the Houston Astros' minicamp this week, telling reporters he still hasn't made up his mind about playing next season. Unlike Favre, however, it seems like a safe bet that Clemens will be back. And maybe the next. He's like Barbra Streisand, right down to the expensive blond dye-job, in that his farewell tour seems to be of the open-ended variety. No matter how many times Clemens gets that one last standing ovation from the fans, he keeps climbing back on stage for yet another encore.

The most glaring difference between the two is that Clemens has been brilliant late in his career, while Favre has clearly slipped a notch, if not three or four. Clemens easily could have won his sixth Cy Young Award last year, when he led the majors with a 1.87 ERA. Favre, trying to lead a Packers squad that was beleaguered by injuries, had the worst season of his career, throwing 29 interceptions.

It will be a shame, though, if Favre heads back his farm in Mississippi while Clemens continues to huff and puff his way through another remarkable season, all the while hinting that he might return in 2007, if only some team promises him a lifetime supply of pistachio ice cream and a burnt orange Hummer with University of Texas wheel covers. Because even though, deep down, we knew it was bunk, Favre always made us feel like he was one of us. Clemens just made us wonder where he might be cashing his next paycheck.