At long last, Brett Favre has announced what just about everyone had assumed since May — that the 39-year-old will indeed quarterback the Minnesota Vikings in 2009.

Favre always seems to find a way to make a simple process like retiring or playing interesting.

He couldn’t just sign with the Vikings at the end of July. That would have been too easy ... no drama in that.

No, Favre had to tell them no. He was going to stay retired. Yeah, that lasted nearly three weeks.

When Favre slipped on a Vikings helmet for his first practice after signing on Tuesday, he pushed the rest of the Brett Favre faithful among Packers fans overboard.

Play for the Jets, that’s fun, different and almost cute. Sure, we can be Packers and Jets fans.

Play for the Vikings, and images of Chris Doleman, John Randle, Cris Carter and Randy Moss pop into the heads of Packers fans.

Given the Bears relative ineptitude during Favre’s glory years in Green Bay, the Vikings became the chief challenger to the division crown year-in and year-out.

Packers fans hate the Vikings.

To root for Favre’s Vikings against the Packers would be heresy — immediate grounds for revocation of your Packers fan club card.

Last year, Favre wanted two cracks at the Packers to punish general manager Ted Thompson for mishandling his final years in Green Bay but couldn’t get his way.

Like a spoiled teenager that kept asking until finding the weak link in the parental chain, the polarizing Favre is getting his wish in 2009.

Favre’s new team will host his old team Oct. 5 on Monday Night Football at the Metrodome.

The teams rematch Nov. 1 at Lambeau Field.

They will be two of the highest rated NFL games in history with half of the nation rooting for Favre and the other half rooting for the Packers defense to knock Favre into oblivion.

The line has been drawn in the gridiron.

Just the way No. 4 wanted it.

*Of Central importance: While I was on vacation, the St. Louis Cardinals became the class of the National League.

As much as it pains me to admit it, there isn’t much hope for Chicago Cubs fans let alone Milwaukee Brewers fans to salvage this season.

The Cards always had the best front end of the starting rotation in the division. After adding Julio Lugo, Mark DeRosa and Matt Holliday at the trade deadline, St. Louis turned a below-average lineup into a powerful one.

Barring an injury to Albert Pujols, Chris Carpenter or Adam Wainwright, you can pencil in the Cards as division champ.

*Book it (21-18): Tiger Woods’ 14-0 record with a 54-hole lead in major tournaments met its match as he dropped to 0-3 when I pick him against the field in a major. However, Favre’s about-face on retirement adjusts the prediction record from a week ago.

This week, give me the Cubs to do no worse than a split in a four-game series vs. the Dodgers.

Mike Larsen can be reached at mlarsen@kenoshanews.com