Sharks can smell one drop of blood in one million drops of water. They can also smell blood in the water from a quarter-mile away.

If you're a gambler, you want to be a shark.

Brett Favre announced this week that he will return to Green Bay for his 16th season in the National Football League. For sharps, this was the equivalent of slitting his wrists and tossing himself in the Gulf of Mexico.

"The Green Bay Packers are very pleased that Brett has come to this decision, and look forward to a successful 2006 season," Packers general manager Ted Thompson said Tuesday in a statement to the press.

Mr. Thompson, you took the words right out of my mouth.

While Brett's decision is music to the ears of Cheese Heads, it should also be celebrated throughout the gambling community. His return means another season of awkward releases on ill-advised throws into double-coverage. It means another year of John Q. Bettor overvaluing what he brings to the table, and another year of tearing those watered-down lines to shreds.

I'm already planning to buy my Christmas presents with earnings from his six-interception performance in Seattle on Nov. 27. My 2007 will begin with a bang when Chicago shuts Favre and the Pack out on New Year's Day.

Favre's return wasn't just welcomed by gamblers.

"Great players are always good for the book," said Jason White of Bodog." With Favre being 24 TD's behind Marino for the all-time career TD passes category there is a great opportunity to create some great storylines around what normally may have been a meaningless football game at the end of the season. Any time there is something that would get that kind of media attention it is good for sportsbooks."

White also stated that having the Packers veteran QB back under center will help balance the action on Green Bay games.

"People like to bet against young QBs, like Aaron Rodgers, regardless of the line," White said. "So unless Rodgers came out of the gate hot there really could have been some really one-sided decision."

I'm not trying to knock Brett Favre. I have as much love and respect for him as any football player I've ever seen. And I'm a Bears fan. He's a Legend, and nothing can change what he's accomplished.

But there is no mercy and little nostalgia in the Gambling World. Give no quarter and expect none in return. And the facts are that Favre is a past-his-prime, now overrated, all-or-nothing quarterback behind a shaky offensive line, on a team with no defense coming off a four-win season.

Ripe.

The Packers finished 4-12 last season, and were a horrendous 5-9-2 against the spread. They are a meager 14-18 SU and 12-19-2 ATS over the past two years.

The chart below clearly displays a correlation between the Green Bay quarterback's declining play and the Pack's declining record:

Over five years, Favre's rating has reduced by nearly a quarter while his interceptions have nearly doubled.

The media is going to take every opportunity to label Favre as "selfish" or "hanging on too long". Those claims may or may not be true, but what were Green Bay's other options? Mr. Rodgers?

The Packers are clearly rebuilding. New head coach Mike McCarthy inherits a defense in shambles. Ahman Green is coming off a knee injury. And don't forget the lingering bad blood from the Favre-Javon Walker feud (until Walker is traded).

Favre will also be without the familiar groin of center Mike Flanagan, who became the third starting offensive lineman to leave the team in two years. Favre's sack total doubled from 12 in 2004 to 24 in 2005.

Amidst this turmoil, Favre will likely take it upon himself to try to win games. What the soon-to-be 37-year-old doesn't realize is that his arm strength and accuracy have obviously declined. Throw in his spotty mechanics and belief of his own immortality, and things could get real ugly real quick.

Furthermore, Favre is within reach of several of Dan Marino's all-time passing marks. If the Packers fall from the playoff race early, the onus will likely shift to assisting the franchise quarterback in his quest for the records.

The reigning division champions, Chicago, couldn't be happier. The Bears have won three of four against the Pack, including the two savage beatings they doled out last December. Chicago opens and closes the upcoming regular season against Green Bay, and there's a good chance that Favre won't make it out alive.

My birthday is this Friday, and this is one of the best presents I could receive. Aaron Brooks is a Raider, Kurt Warner is a Cardinal, Dante Culpepper is a Dolphin and now Favre is back with the Packers. It's almost too good to be true. These turnover-prone signal callers will be ATM machines this fall and winter. I smell the blood in the water.

Now if we can just find a way to get Buffalo to sign Kerry Collins.

Questions or comments for Robert? E-mail him at robert@docsports.com or check out his Insider Page here.