Shattered Image

I still remember when I was a junior in high school watching the Super Bowl. The Broncos finally made it to the big game, where they were to face the Green Bay Packers and their gun-slinging quarterback Brett Favre.

Favre was already fast becoming a legend. The Packers had won the Super Bowl the previous year and were looking to capture a second title. The Broncos, meanwhile, were led by John Elway, a great veteran looking for his first title. It was billed as a battle of two future Hall of Fame quarterbacks.

In that battle, Elway won. But I figured Favre would get more chances along the way and would probably go down as one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. But that feels like a long time ago now.

Favre ended his Green Bay Packers career four years ago with a tearful retirement press conference. Except he didn't retire. And when he came back, he was no longer a Packer. At 41, Favre is still playing despite attempted retirements for four years running. He holds almost every passing record (yards, touchdowns, interceptions, number of times killing a team in a crucial moment...), but he's no longer beloved.

Favre is still undoubtedly a Hall of Fame passer, but his legacy has been severely tarnished. A few months ago, I joked the only thing that could kill Favre's reputation more would be a sex scandal... enter this debacle from 2008 regarding texts and pictures. And now out of Minnesota comes word Favre broke his ankle. With the Vikings limping to a 2-4 start, finding himself surrounded by controversy, Favre's ability to compete on the field now appears to be in jeopardy.

The sad thing is this isn't new. Over the past few years countless numbers of star athletes have worn out their welcome, become embroiled in scandal, and broken down. Nowadays it is the rare athlete that goes out with a touch of class, still revered by fans and critics.

I always admired the way Elway left the game. After two Super Bowl titles, he walked away. He could have played on, probably still at a strong level, but he knew it was time to walk away. The same goes for Kurt Warner. Warner put on one of the most impressive performances I've ever seen in beating the Packers in last year's playoffs, but when his team came up short a week later, he walked away with his head held high.

If only Favre had managed to find the courage to go out the same way.

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