The Packer Pundit

Brett Favre Moments
Packer Pundit / Patrick Stuckey

The Four things in Life you can count on are...
Death / Taxes / Over Priced Gas / and someone asking Brett Favre if he's going to retire this year. Seeing how this is like the 4th Installment of Number 4's Retirement Season... I decided to put together this little tribute...

My Top 4 Favre-a-rite Brett Favre Moments
Now the nice thing about doing a 'Brett Favre Tribute Top Anything' is that Brett has been playing for so many years now that he provides a plethora of moments to choose from. Okay... my co-workers bet me I couldn't use the word 'plethora' in a sentence so now that I got that out of the way...

Favrelously Sharp-e
versus the Lions
1993 Playoffs / January 8, 1994
Pontiac Silver Dome

It was freaky deaky freezing cold in Pennsylvania... Green Bay... and Pontiac... but Pontiac had the Silver Dome where it was a cool 72° all day long. I was married to Ex 2 at the time and she just didn't get me and the Packer obsession thingie. She couldn't understand my pulling the Lazy-boy in front of the TV... wearing my #34 Packer Jersey... and screaming at the Television as if I expected them to actually hear me and do what I said. (And that was just during the commercials). I was suffering from what was mis-diagnosed as TMJ but latter turned out to be just an abscessed tooth.

The game went back and forth and it looked pretty bad in the 3rd quarter when the Pack got down by 17. George Teague (Rookie) turned the game around with a 101 yard interception return for a Touchdown. I jumped out of that Lazy-boy and I swear I ran right along with him right into the End Zone!

Then later in the 4th the Lions took a late lead in the game going up 24-21. Brett brought the team down field and with just 55 seconds left in the game... Brett rolled right... then was pressured by the Lions... he scrambled to the left then spotted Sterling Sharpe deep down the right sideline. Favre HEAVED the ball across the field and against his body and momentum... hit Sterling right on the money a few steps in the End Zone to give the Packers the lead and eventually the win.

My jaw was inflamed by the end of the game but there was No way I was leaving till all the high-lites had rolled (Including Holmgren giving Teague a game ball). After the game... Ex 2 rushed me to the hospital emergency room because my jaw was hurting so bad (remember... they thought it was TMJ). It was then I first learned the wonder and delight of percacette.

Additional Story Link

Favrelously Super
in New Orleans
Super Bowl 31 / January 26, 1997
New Orleans Super Dome

And who says Brett can't play in a Dome? My first two Favre-a-rite moments both took place indoors. Likewise... I watched both games indoors and still in that same Lazy-boy. That reminds me... I need to contact Canton and see if they want it as an archive.

Well... long before Katrina tore apart 'The Big Easy'... native son Brett Favre had a Super Super Bowl. The opening drive for the Packers... ended in a perfectly thown and 'audibled' 54 yard bomb to Andre 'Rent Me' Rison. Remember how Brett checked off the original play and audibled to that one? It's amazing what useless knowledge my brain will retain.

Green Bay jumped out to an early 10-0 lead but before the quarter ended... Patriot QB Drew Bledsoe tossed two short TD's to go in front 14-10. In the second... Brett out did his first quarter toss by throwing an 81 yard bullet/bomb to Antonio Freeman. The 81 yards is STILL a Super Bowl record.

The game see-sawed back and forth until Desmond Howard ran back a patriot kick 99 yards to seal the deal. Brett also had a 2 yard run for a TD. In all Brett finished 14-27 / 246 yards / 2 passing TD's and 1 Running TD.

Very Super Additional Story Link



Bearly Able to Play
November 12, 1995 / Lambeau Field

The week before this game... Brett badly injured his ankle versus the Vikings in (of course) a Dome. Brett had to leave that game and it was doubtful he would be able to play versus the Bears... thus ending the streak. Well... we all know Brett played... and not only did he play... he played spectacularly on that gimpy ankle of his.

Now of the Four 'moments'... this one is probably the least remembered yet I feel it says more about the heart and charactor of Brett. Most people would have sat the Bear game out... but the Packers needed a win badly (they had lost 2 in a row and needed the win 'just' to gain a share of the division lead) and Brett isn't most people.

That is to say...
most people don't throw 5 touchdowns in a game.
That is to say...
most people don't complete 25-33 for 336 yards.

The Packers won the game... went on to win the division... beat the 49ers in the playoff but then fell to the dreaded Cowboys in the Championship game. This playoff run set the stage for next years Super Bowl 31 victory... and THAT'S all because of the heart of Brett Favre in game 11 of 1995.

Additional Story Link

This One's for Big Irv
December 22, 2003
Monday Night Football / Oakland, CA

How could I have a Top Anything list of Brett Favre moments and not include the emotional and heart tugging game Brett played the week of his father's untimely passing. Anyone who has lost a parent... or a family member... can relate to the 'numbness' that takes over the body... for Brett to play through all that emotion... all that hurt and heart pain... is truly remarkable.

Let me set this up again. As was the Packer's want under Mike Sherman... we sucked early and had to fight our way back into the playoffs. 2003 was no exception. The Packer's HAD to win this game or their improbable run to the playoffs would never have happened.

We are all aware of Brett's love and devotion to family and especially Big Irv he was not only his dad... but his high school coach. His passing was sudden (heart attack) and of course unexpected... yet Brett Cowboy'd up... and put in yet another Herculean effort. Of course it didn't hurt to have all your receivers (especially Javon Walker) catch everything you threw up... and I mean everything. Javon had a career night with 124 yards and catching 2 TD's... one a spectacular circus catch he made in the end zone between 2 Oakland D-backs. That pass was... let's face it... one that should never have been thrown... yet Favre tossed it on a wing and a prayer... and the prayer was answered!

Brett finished the game with 4 minutes left with a 154.9 passer rating... he was 22-30 for 399 yards and 4 TD's.

Additional Story Link

The Packers went on to win 41-7... the Vikings still could have won the division if it wasn't for the prayer Arizona QB Cade McNown three up on the last play of the game. Then of course came the Al Harris OT interception after Hasselbeck guaranteed a Seahawk victory... and then the 4 and 26 play which... well... if Sherm would have had a set... would never had happened because we were killing the Eagles on the ground and Sherman punted on 4th and inches in their territory instead of going for the jugular and the win... like winning teams do.

But that's another story for another time...

Lastly...
I'm posting this "Tribute to Brett" set to Skynard's 'Free Bird'.

I jacked it from YouTube and it was submitted by lobotomypartydotcom and runs about 9:27.

Enjoy!