We’ve heard from a great many of our readers in Wisconsin today, and it’s clear that a dark cloud has settled over the Dairy State in the wake of the news that quarterback Brett Favre will retire.

The word came earlier this morning.  We’ve concluded that Jay Glazer of FOXSports.com was the first to report it.  Per a media source, the Biloxi Sun-Herald, which widely was expected to break the news given writer Al Jones’ relationship with the Favre family, posted its own short item on the development after FOX’s offering went live.

Meanwhile, the lead story on ESPN.com creates the false impression that Chris Mortensen broke the story, even though we’re told that Mort acknowledged during the Man-Girl & Meatball In The Morning show that FOX had it first.

We’re also told that Mort speculated on-air that Favre’s decision was a reaction to the team’s failure to sign receiver Randy Moss, and that Favre then called Mort to say that, as explained in the ESPN.com article, Favre is simply worn out.

Personally, we think based on his demeanor late in the NFC Championship that the severe cold might have broken Favre’s football spirit, convincing him that he’s too old for this crap, and prompting him to decide to yield to a younger generation. 

It reminds us of the advice that Bill Parcells gave to linebacker Lawrence Taylor when L.T. feared that he had lost his stomach for the physical element of the game.  Basically, once a player starts having those kinds of doubts, it’s time to get out.

There’s also some speculation in media circles that Favre might be thinking about trying to land elsewhere for one last season, but we can’t see that happening.  Favre has previously said that he can’t imagine playing for any other team, and the Packers have a solid chance of contending again in 2008.

Though we knew it was inevitable that Favre would someday retire, we’re numb over it.  And we can only imagine how badly the card-carrying Cheeseheads are feeling today.