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.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Burial a courtroom drama with heart

Image
Willie Gary (Jamie Foxx) is a brash trial lawyer who is good at rallying a jury to his cause. Jeremiah O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones) is a quiet grandfather who is trying to ensure the business his family built remains viable after he’s gone. These two don’t appear to have much in common on the surface. But when they’re brought together by young lawyer Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie) brings them together, a connection is formed over their shared background of working hard to become self-made men. And it turned out that Willie was just who Jerry needed in his corner to win the fight of his life. The new Prime Video film The Burial, which opened in theaters October 6 and started streaming October 13, captures that trial against the Loewen Group that changed the course of their lives. The film is based on the true story and covers the trial, but more importantly captures the relationship between the men. The film plays out like a traditional courtroom drama. Foxx is solid as Willie Gary, while Ju...
Read more

Broncos Draft Targets

Image
  The NFL Draft is just a few days away. On April 25, the Denver Broncos will head into the draft in the midst of something of a rebuild. In the draft, the Broncos have the No. 12 pick in Round 1, then have a Third Round Pick, Fourth Round Pick, three Fifth Round Picks, a Sixth Round Pick, and a Seventh Round Pick. So, what might they be targeting? Let's dive in and look at possible positions. Quarterback : The team clearly needs a long-term quarterback. Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci are there but the team could certainly use someone else. Could they move up for Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy? Yes, they could. Will the take Bo Nix at 12? It's possible. Or will the Broncos wait until next off-season to make a move? Anything is in play for the Broncos in 2024, but quarterback is surely a need. Tight End: The team brought back Adam Trautman and still has Greg Dulcich, but it's still a need. Dulcich hasn't been able to get on the field and Trautman hasn't been great. Co...
Read more

Favorite Westerns, No. 43

Image
  Do you like a good Western? It's a classic genre in film and this year I've decided to look at some of my favorite Westerns. So, join me each Friday as I count down my favorite Westerns from No. 50 to No. 1. Rooster Cogburn : [ watching Mattie ford the river hanging on the back of her horse] By God. She reminds me of me. True Grit (1969) Starring : John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall, and Dennis Hopper Director : Henry Hathaway About: This is the third straight week with a film from Wayne. As you might guess, we're not done. As I've mentioned, he sets a standard for the genre. Here, we seen him bring to life an iconic character. This one is based on a novel, and it has endured. He's great as Rooster Cogburn, so good that he got a sequel in the same character. But this is a later film in his career. This is a different, more grizzled Wayne. He's still quite good and this is a film that really has stood the test of time. It's not the only ve...
Read more