Favre Retired Again (A Guest Blog by my Dad, Dan Smith Sr.)
I’m not a vindictive person (yes I am, like everyone else, but nobody will admit to it), but what a fitting way for Brett Favre to leave the NFL if he should decide to really really really really really retire after the 2009-2010 season with the Vikings. I must at this point in time declare that I am a lifelong Green Bay Packer fan. And though I would like to say that being a packer fan doesn’t influence what I am about to write, that would be like saying I’m not vindictive.
I was a teenager in Wisconsin in the 60’s, left for Florida in the early 70’s, and waited for the Tampa Bay Bucs to come to Florida in the 80’s so that I could watch my Packers live and on TV. Along came Brett Favre in the 90’s. A good old country boy similar one of my boyhood idol Bart Starr. Then WE won the Superbowl again, but we lost the next one to the wildcard broncos even though we were a 11 point favorite. That was the beggining of the end.
With our opening round lose to San Francisco the following year we were kicked out of the playoffs before they began for several years. We finally got back into the playoffs following the 2001 season and managed to beat those same 49ers before losing to the greatest show on turf St. Louis Rams. The following year was a total disaster in the playoffs as we lost our first ever home playoff game in franchise history to the Atlanta Falcons. The following year was a little redemption in the first round we beat the “I want the ball, we’re going to win” Seattle Seahawks only to lose on a 4th and 26th play to the Eagles.
When we lost at home to the arch-rival Minnesota Vikings the following year I was devastated. This was the year we drafted the guy that many predicted to be the 1st pick in the draft but he fell all the way to us at 24th, along came Aaron Rodgers. We all assumed that Brett would tutor Arron to become his seccessor. But Brett said “It is not my job.” After two years of mediocrity, the Pack had a regular season where all the bounces went our way and ended up 13-3. Even in the post season we got a break because the number 1 seed Dallas Cowboys lost to the N.Y. Giants which meant we got to host the NFL Championship.
I don’t have to tell most of you how when the Giants missed the field goal at the end of regulation and we won the coin toss I thought it was destiny that Brett Favre would once again lead us to the Superbowl. Then on second down, the “pick” happened and history was written. For three years Favre had done nothing to squelch the rumors of his retirement, but this year was different, he actually did retire.
The packers drafted not one but two quarterbacks in the following draft and everything that happened after that is unclear to everyone including Brett and Ted. Just more unclear to some than others. Brett was traded to the Jets and after a great start of the season and an injured shoulder, Brett declared his love to the Jets organization and a vow that he could never ask for a release. The Jets drafted Mark Sanchez, a quarterback, and Brett decided he could ask for his release since the Jets would have to grant it. Of course Brett wasn’t asking for his release to sign with another team, he couldn’t do that until after training camp. When camp broke he immediately signed with the Vikings.
Brett was able to beat the Packers twice, but still not able to keep the Pack out of the play-offs. After the Vikings dismantled the Cowboys, they went to New Orleans. Despite five turnovers, the vikings were driving for the winning field goal in the final minute of regulation. They probably needed five yards to make the field goal attempt for Ryan Longwell (a former Packer) more comfortable and Brett had ten yards in front of him to run, but NO he said to himself “Once a Packer always a Packer,” and to the delight of all Packer fans, threw across his body right into the hands of a New Orleans defender. This was his last throw as a Packer because in overtime New Orleans would take the ball down and win the game with a field goal.
Thanks for the memories Brett.