Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre has retired, which is a heck of a way to miss your first start in more than 16 seasons. I'm a Kansas City Chiefs fan, but Favre's presence made me usually ready to root for the Packers when they were playing almost anyone else. There's an obvious reason I'm a fan -- I can close my eyes and pretend all the cheers of "Brett!" are for me -- hey, I have a vivid imagination. Pipe down.
But watching Favre play was kind of like watching a regular guy play -- throwing on the run, throwing when you darn well shouldn't (he holds the record for interceptions, as well) and doing stuff that dolts like me would always advise players to do, figuring if we could only yell loud enough our voices would somehow be translated back through the TV and be heard by the guy we were coaching. Even though sports contests are called "games," it's hard to see much of an element of play in them most of the time. But Favre often looked like he was playing, like he'd be just as comfortable telling Artie to cut left behind the black Chevy or Cosby to have the driver of the J bus open the doors at 19th Street for a fake.
There's plenty to like about the Packers -- owned by the people of Green Bay instead of an egomaniac trying to live out jock fantasies far beyond him when he was younger. Storied history. Play outdoors. Won the first Super Bowl (they beat the Chiefs, so I debate that one now and again). All that's still there, but it may be awhile before they're as much fun to watch again.
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