Monday, January 10, 2005

Vivid Example of Excellence

Brett Favre may retire after a long disappointing season. Having lost his father, his brother in law, discovering his wife has cancer and finally enduring the sudden death of Reggie White, it would be easy to understand Favre not thinking football is the most important thing in life. Other tragedies have hit the Packers organization, the death of Ray Sherman's young son, and the death of team VP Mark Hatley. Add to it all that the Packers defense has been struggling all year, forcing Favre and the offense to win games playing from behind. Pressure, stress, emotional drain.

If Favre retires, we will all understand. We hope not, not yet. But if he does, we will have had the privelege of watching an all time great, a guy who has been an example of toughness, perseverance in the face of adversity, humility, class and a guy who just has a lot of fun. George Will once said something to the effect of "professional sports serve society by providing vivid examples of excellence". Few have been as vivid as Brett Favre.

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