Talk about aging well. I found this on some photographer's website who works in Mississippi. Too good to not post as a comparison.
I agree - hotter now.
I awoke on the morning of March 4th to a text from one of these friends, who later admitted she'd sat on it for half an hour as to not wake me up, to make sure I immediately knew, that our dear Favre was retiring.
My first thought was to email my Grandpa. I've mentioned him before, he is a life-long Packers fan. He grew up in Wisconsin and has been witness to every era of Packer greatness - the 30's with Don Hutson, the 60's with Lombardi, and 90's with Mr. Favre. I emailed him and this is what he said. I was touched.
It is a sad day for me. He was such a great player and person. Just think, every game since September 1991 when he went in the Bengal game and won it in the last two seconds he has been the Packer QB. I loved him, got mad at him, but always knew he would be in there fighting his heart out for the Pack. He is my favorite Packer of all
time and that goes back to 1936. We will not be as good with Rogers but we will
be good.
After all of it, all of this team's history, he is his favorite Packer of all time.
I kind of expected this. I don't know why, but there was something about his demeanor in the last few weeks following their loss to those-that-shall-remain-nameless in the NFC Championship. It was like he became his real age. He was beat up, both mentally and physically. Remember, he got pretty decently hurt mid-season, and that 38 year old body doesn't heal itself the way it used to. In his first public statement (which in typical Favre form was via a rambling voicemail left to Chris Mortensen of ESPN), Favre admitted that he'd feel that another season would be a waste without a Super Bowl win. Dramatic as that sounds, that's a brave admission. I am thrilled that he'll go out on his own terms, at the top of his game. He'll get to look back on his last season with incredible pride. He broke three huge records, and had his best statistical season ever. There were amazing moments. Remember that 80-something yard touchdown pass to Greg Jennings on the first play of overtime on Monday night in Denver? It was incredible.
And I think that he has reached a point where he trusts that his team will be alright without him. Maybe that sounds silly but I read a lot of Favre articles this year, and looking back, it seems like he was almost training his young team to go on without him. After some lean years, the Packers have rebuilt their defense into what I would say is a top 5 defense in the NFL. They found a great young running back. And of course, a group of solid young budding stars as receivers. This season, Favre didn't have to do it himself. He didn't have to put this team on his back. And now he can step back and look at this team and say, they'll be ok. So my bold prediction (which I am sure I will deny making on Week 5 when the Packers are last in the NFC North), is that that Packers remain a solid team in 2008. They certainly won't win 12 or 13 games, but 9, 10? I'm gonna stay positive for my Grandpa!
I will miss him so. A week rarely passed that I didn't mention him in this very blog. I love that his last season was so spectacular. No one is as cool as Brett....not even my Tommy. Thanks for the memories, Brett. Enjoy doing nothing.
