When last we saw him, Mark Chmura was trying to figure out how to prove to a jury that he really didn't climb into a hot tub with a bunch of minor girls who were dressed in bikinis and were drinking as part of a post-prom party.

He was 31 at the time and his pro football career was over. But he was still a big enough name to climb into the hot tub and to go into the bathroom with one of the girls and allegedly have some kind of sex with her. A jury found him not guilty, which is a far cry from innocent.

And now Chmura, the former tight end for the Green Bay Packers, is back in the news. This time it's for criticizing Brett Favre.

Talking about his former teammate Chmura said: "He's a selfish guy. He's a very selfish guy." Chmura went on to say how Favre was hurting the Packers with his indecision about whether to play next season or not.

Last week Favre was quoted as saying, "What are they going to do, cut me?"

Chmura weighed in on that one. "With a quote like (that) it's all about him. People that don't think that it's all about him are fooling themselves."

And then Chmura went on to complain about what he was really angry about, that Favre never rushed to his side to comfort him in his hour of need during the trial.

I can't believe what I'm hearing from Chmura, and from a bunch of other Favre bashers. Let's be clear about something. None of us knows what's going on between Favre and the Packers. And it's clearly their business to keep things quiet. We can guess, but we don't know.

Favre is a guy who has demonstrated a lot of things, including incredible football skills, a devotion to his family and enough courage for a platoon or soldiers in the heat of battle. And among his admirable qualities is his action in support of a team goal, winning.

Favre is a guy who has willed himself onto a football field with injuries and heartbreaks that would have sidelined your average accountant or retail clerk. He's had sprained ankles, a broken thumb, a concussion, and still he's played. He's been physically and mentally exhausted, and still he's played. He's had a father die suddenly and still he's played.

He's got a charitable foundation that has raised and donated millions to breast cancer research and relief for victims of Hurricane Katrina.

If there is anyone who thinks that Brett Favre has played the game of football for self-promotion or self-aggrandizement, they ought to have their peculiar brand of reality checked at the door.

And if there's anyone who has watched Favre closely over the years, we've seen a man who has turned from one of the world-class playboys of the western world into a devoted family man. And we've seen him develop a sense of country humor that can be delightful. His comment about the Packers cutting him was clearly made in jest. That's not a thing he'd ever say, or even feel, seriously.

And for those who have been screaming like banshees about forcing Favre to retire, they ought to get some kind of perspective.

The goal of each football season, including the next one, is to win enough games to get into the playoffs. Go down the roster of quarterbacks in the NFL.

Favre is at least the third best quarterback in the league. I'm talking about putting all the quarterbacks on the same team with a group of teammates who can block, run and catch, a group that was sorely missing from the Packers last year.

You might put Tom Brady ahead of Favre and you might put Peyton Manning ahead of him. But that's it.

What that means, of course, is that the Packers have somebody who is still the third best quarterback in the league, and could arguably be the best.

That is not someone you force to retire so you can begin some fantasy rebuilding program. And for Mark Chmura, that is not someone you take cheap shots at unless you are bound and determined to prove once and for all that you took one too many hits to the helmet.