Number 4

I've watched the Packers as long as I can remember. One of my earliest memories is of watching a Packer-Viking game with my dad in 1979. I made my parents buy me football cards in 1980, 4 years before I start collecting baseball cards, and baseball was my true love. When I go into Wisconsin bars, restaurants, and supper clubs, I always get a kick out of the old pictures of Lombardi's Packers. The pictures are a little crusty now, and they always make me think of the great memories they must provide to the owners. When I become a crusty old man, this will be my crusty old picture. I'd post it here in the blog, but I don't want to fool around with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's copyright.

Because my membership in the Packer fan club stretches back to 1979, I experienced my fair share of misery. By 1991, I had given up on Packer quarterbacks. I had always wanted a Packer jersey up to that point, but I had sworn off Packer quarterbacks as the name and number on it. When the Packers acquired Brett Favre, I remember blurting "who the hell is he, and why did they blow a first rounder on him," to my dad. Hell was still a no-no at that time. Dad, a Raider fan, just said, "don't let your mother hear you talk like that." I can remember cursing under my breath when Don Majkowski got hurt and Favre first broke into the line up, completing his first pass to himself on a batted pass. He seemed special, but I was very guarded. I'd been hurt by the likes of Don Majkowski, Randy Wright, and Lynn Dickey. Still, Favre was one of the most exciting quarterbacks I had ever seen. He fully won me over, though, in the last game at County Stadium against the Falcons. It was then I knew he was the real deal, which is why the picture linked above will be the picture on the wall when I'm a crusty old grandpa.

We Packer fans have beeen extremely fortunate. We've had two of the greatest quarterbacks in the game's history. I feel fortunate to have experienced Brett's entire career. On some game days I find myself gasping for breath when I think of the post-Favre era. The guy is a pleasure to watch play, and he is a good guy off the field. In fact, watching his maturation off the field has been almost as enjoyable as his maturation on the field. Tonight, on the occasion of his 200th consecutive start, I reflect on the fact that we have a very finite number of games left in which to enjoy the play of Brett Favre. And I would like to thank Ron Wolf for bringing him to Green Bay, and I'd like to thank Brett Favre for bringing us all along for a terrific ride on his back.