Being a sports fan, there are just some athletes who stand out more than others. They amaze you with their ability to make things happen when it seems impossible.
These are the players you look forward to watching on TV, or better yet, when you have a chance to make it to a game. Great quarterbacks like Joe Montana and Dan Marino or wide receiver Jerry Rice come to mind almost immediately when I think of outstanding athletes. And there are many more I don’t have room to mention.
But sadly, one of the all-time great players of my lifetime has decided to hang up his jersey and come home to Mississippi.
I am sure all of you might have guessed by now that I am talking about Brett Favre. He was an amazing player, and one I will not soon forget.
I shed a few tears myself last week as I watched his final press conference as an NFL player. It was an emotional time for a man who has given his heart and soul to the sport he loves so much.
The first time I saw Favre on the football field was in 1991 at Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala. It was my senior year in college, and he led the University of Southern Mississippi to a come-from-behind win over my alma mater, the University of Alabama.
Being a big football fan, you could tell even then that he was going to go on to bigger and better things. He was special.
While I was furious about some of the play-calling of Alabama’s new head coach, Gene Stallings and fussed all the way back to Tuscaloosa, Favre’s prowess on the football field stood out in my mind. And I have followed his career ever since.
From his brief stint as an Atlanta Falcon to his long career with the Green Bay Packers, I always enjoyed sitting down on Sunday afternoon or Monday night and seeing what great plays he would make next.
I know Atlanta probably wishes they had kept Favre, but Green Bay wound up being a good home for the South Mississippi native. Favre seemed to thrive there in the frigid winter temperatures.
During his 17 seasons in the NFL, Favre set some impressive records. His records include: most career NFL touchdown passes (442); most career NFL passing yards (61,655); most career pass completions (5,377); most career pass attempts (8,758); most consecutive starts among NFL quarterbacks (253; 275 total starts including playoffs); and most career victories as a starting quarterback (160).
But despite his records, he was just a popular guy who was well respected.
I am not the only one in my family who is a big Brett Favre fan. My brother-in-law, who many believe resembles Favre, also enjoyed watching him play the game.
My sister got her husband a Favre football jersey for Valentine’s Day because we were all a little sad to think about another football season without seeing him on the field.
Actually, there are many folks back home in Gordo who are Green Bay fans. It’s kind of hard to root against a team whose uniforms easily could be mistaken for those of your high school team. Gordo folks just love the green and gold and that wide-eyed G.
But trust me, it was not the uniforms that attracted folks to Green Bay. It was Favre. He was a Southern boy who made it big, and it was just hard to root against him.
I know many Mississippians were proud to see another Manning in this year’s Super Bowl, but I was a little disappointed. I wanted Favre to get another shot at the big game before he packed it up for good.
Favre and the Packers went to the Super Bowl twice. He led Green Bay to a win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI and then lost to the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXXII.
Although he didn’t get the chance at another Super Bowl, Favre still went out a winner, leading the Packers to an incredible season.
He also had a great run in the NFL. Few athletes are physically able to play as long as he did.
Favre is a year and a day younger than I, and I don’t know many people my age who would still be able to handle that much wear and tear on their bodies.
Granted, Favre probably could have played another couple of seasons, but no one can blame him for his decision to go home after one of his more stellar seasons as a winner.
I know Favre will be remembered in the hearts of many Mississippians, Southerners and people all over the country as one of the greatest quarterbacks ever to play the game. And I have no doubt we will one day see his name in the NFL Hall of Fame.
Congratulations, Mr. Favre, on a great career, and thanks for all the memories.
