First in a series of overrated/underrated commentaries

Whether it be challenging the host of a sports-talk radio program or arguing with the guy sitting on the next barstool over, sports fans are inherently inclined to voice their opinion. Arguing a point comes as second nature to those who spend time obsessing over the games men play for money. Which team should be atop this week's power rankings? Who is the best fantasy football player of all time? Should Coach X be fired? Will Tom Brady's marriage to Gisele Bündchen impact his play? Each of the aforementioned questions surely will be argued in the coming months. With that mind, the writers of Pro Football Weekly decided to tee off on multiple topics, as you'll read on this site in the coming days.

Most overrated story line: Brett Favre's on-again, off-again future — AGAIN!!!!!

There's no denying the extra spark Brett Favre would bring to the NFC North if he follows in Jay Cutler's footsteps and becomes the Vikings' starting quarterback before the summer grinds to a halt. Suddenly, a division that seemed really lackluster at the start of the offseason would be generating as big a buzz as any division in the league.

But until such a move becomes 100 percent official, all the back-and-forth speculation regarding Favre's throwing shoulder that we are currently being bombarded with is flat-out meaningless, as different media outlets across the country attempt to breathlessly outdo one another with the latest up-to-the-minute news flashes on "Good ol' No. 4."

Here's a case in point.

Driving home from work on Monday, May 18, one of the local sports-talk radio shows was going on and on about the report out of St. Paul that surgery for Favre's partially torn biceps tendon was expected to be performed later in the week. Instantly, the radio station was playing up the upcoming playing dates between the Vikings and Packers this coming season on the same level as the final "Seinfeld" episode. The next morning, however, ESPN (who else?) flexed its muscle with the news that Favre did NOT have an appointment scheduled with Dr. James Andrews and that he was nowhere near ready to commit to an operation.

Enough, already!

Yes, Favre's future is ultimately provocative fodder for pro football followers far and wide. But the endless innuendo leading up to his ultimate decision has become unnervingly excessive. Suffice it to say there are much more significant storylines worth pondering at the moment than the headache-inducing Favre rumors that unfortunately show no signs of slowing down any time soon.

Most underrated story line: The effects of changes in the NFL pension plan on NFL coaches

The fact that a number of NFL coaches' dissatisfaction over widespread changes in the NFL's pension, 401(k) and supplemental retirement fund was at least mentioned in the majority of advance stories on the recent league meetings is worth pointing out.

Too bad it was never mentioned in the lead paragraphs of any of those stories.

After all, what was more important: the city that will be hosting the Super Bowl in 2013, or potentially harmful changes in a pension system, with no forewarning, that deservedly has the NFL's assistant-coaching ranks up in arms?

"Having a pension is a big deal," says Larry Kennan, the staff director of the NFL Coaches Association in reaction to the league owners' vote in March to make the pension, 401(k) and current supplemental retirement plan non-mandatory for individual teams. "A lot of coaches are in the NFL instead of college because of the wonderful pension we have. For them to change it dramatically without any advanced warning is wrong."

Right on, Larry.

It's so wrong that a full-scale movement toward the more secure college ranks by said assistant coaches could become a fast-developing trend. Assuring this sadly under-the-radar group of NFL lifers a rock-solid retirement package with no strings attached should be a top priority. Forget that it's hardly the sexiest topic on the NFL news meter. Such blatant disregard for the well-being of hardworking NFL coaches far and wide is a disgrace that needs to be rectified as soon as possible.

In addition to what you can read on our Web site, PFW editors sounded off on 10 more "overrated/underrated" topics in the Preview '09 magazine by PFW and Yahoo! Sports, now on sale at newsstands across the country and online at PFWstore.com.