It's official today: Brett Favre has announced his retirement from the Green Bay Packers, after 17 sterling National Football League seasons.
And I'm sad today. No, not because I'm a Packers fan. I'm not--my home town team has always been the Detroit Lions (and also the Indy Colts, because I lived in Indiana for a long time too). So I rooted against Favre and his team for a good chunk of his career.
But you know what? The last several years, Brett brought me around. How could you root against this guy, with his great zest for the game, his willingness to take chances, his grit and determination, how he obviously loved the game and hated to lose, no matter how old he got and how many years he played? You had to admire him. You had to respect him. His character and personality added a lot to the game. All fans of football and the NFL will miss him; but then, we'll always have the excitement and the memories he gave us for 17 years. So long, Brett...
