Thursday, March 6, 2008

Farewell to a Legend

Unless you have been asleep for a while, everyone heard this week that Bret Favre, quarterback of the Green Bay packers football team, has announce his retirement after 17 years in the league. He will be missed.
I won't bore you with all of Favre's stats, that's easy to look up if you are interested. Suffice it to say that he was a prolific quarterback, holds several important records, was Pro Bowl and All-Pro several times, made it to the Super Bowl twice and won the coveted game once.....something Dan Marino, Jim Kelly and several top-notch quarterbacks never did.
No, what I will remember about Favre was not the records and stats, but how he played the game. He loved to play the game, loved to take chances, and he loved to win. Favre was tough, too. He holds the record for consecutive starts for a quarterback in regular seasons and when including playoffs as well. Guts. A certain confident air about him. A player that endeared himself to the public for his grit, determination and will to win. We love winners. We loved Favre.
Now, at age 38, Favre is calling it a career. He says he has lost the passion for the game and it is time to move on.....even after coming back this past year from a tough year in 2006 to post one of his best years in 2007.
But has Favre really retired? For someone who has shown the passion he has for the game for these so many years, what will happen when the regular season approaches again late this summer/early fall. Will the lure be too much for him to be able to set aside a part of his life that has been so important to him? It will be interesting to see. Other athletes retire and come back. Will Favre be one of them, or can he really move on the the next step of his life which he richly deserves?
In any case......and for now.....we wish Favre good luck, and extent many thanks for the joy of watching this great man play a great game. Favre was a player's player, a man's man, and a fan's thrill. Good luck to one of the best, if not the best.