Remembering the Old Days

Posted by Mike Wendt on May 4, 2010   Jump To Comments

Brent has been in the news lately. He told the world that he’d need surgery in order to play this upcoming season, and yesterday, reports came out that he told a teammate that he was 100% sure he was going to retire after last season. As more and more signs point to his eventual retirement, I began to think about what the game would be like once he finally did hang up the shoes. Sure, the Favre coverage gets old after a while on TV, but I think deep down, people in Wisconsin will miss it once it’s gone. This got me thinking about my favorite Favre moment during his time in Green Bay.

A few of my friends and I decided to buy tickets to the Seahawks vs. Packers playoff game in 2007. We thought it would be cool to watch Favre in what could be his last game (little did we know). There were four of us going to the game, but we bought six tickets, with me and a friend buying two tickets each in hopes that we could sell the extra pair on gameday to make some spending cash. We got to Green Bay six hours before the game, and did what any other Packer fan does in that situation, we started tailgating in an adjacent parking lot, as the stadium parking lot wouldn’t open for a few hours. Once we got into the parking lot, my friend and I decided to try and sell our extra tickets. Even though we managed to receive a ceast and decist letter (see below) from the Green Bay Police Department, we managed to sell the pair to make $10 each in profits. Not exactly worth our time. We rejoined our friends and tailgated until it got closer to game-time. Favre was having arguably the best year of his career that season, so we decided to paint MVP on our chest and go shirtless throughout the entire game. (Sidenote, if you don’t remember the weather that game, just Google Image the words “Favre Snow”.

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We got into the game. The Packers played the worst football I’ve ever seen in the first five minutes in the 1st quarter. After receiving the opening kickoff, Ryan Grant fumbled twice, and after only 3:54 the Packers were losing 14-0. It looked as if we might be witnessing Favre’s last game. But then the snow began to fall and Favre began to muster up some of that old magic. He responded with a quick touchdown drive, and on the Packers next posession, Grant found the endzone tying the game at 14 a piece.  Favre tossed his second touchdown of the game early in the 2nd quarter, and the Pack took the lead 21-14. After the Seahawks made it 21-17, Favre delivered one of the most memorable plays of his career (see the 2:57 mark of this clip). He took a snap out of the shotgun on 3rd and 6 from the Seahawks 24 yard line. After looking to the endzone, he avoids a sack, and stumbles out of the pocket looking like a wounded gazelle. Somehow he ended up keeping his balance and shoveling a pass to Donald Lee, who picked up enough for the first down. The Packers went on to score and they never looked back, winning easily in a 42-20 blowout in what turned out to be Favre’s last victory as a Packer.

Yours truly is the sexy M in this picture

Favre not only added another chapter to his legacy in that game, but he’s probably the reason Ryan Grant is still in town. If Favre doesn’t lead the Packers back against the Seahawks, Grant doesn’t save face by racking up 201 yards. Had the Packers lost, I think Grant would have been kicked out of town.

As it ended up, Favre made the mistake in the next game and Ryan Grant kept his job. Although these days he dresses in purple, if he does call it quits, the NFL will be losing one of its most intriguing aspects. As for me, give me two more Rodgers/Favre games in the fall. Who knows what we’ll see. Maybe Rodgers will get his revenge, or Atari Bigby will send Favre out on a stretcher. All I know is the NFL is much more fun to watch when Favre is under center.

Got a good Packer story to share?  Send them to me at wendt@brentfavre.com