Play.it Usa Forum

il commento di uno dei maggiori tifosi dei bears su un forum di green bay:

As a DIE-HARD Bears fan, I express my condolences to the GREATEST QUARTERBACK TO HAVE EVER PLAYED THE GAME for retiring.

Favre was the consumate Pro, a decent human being, and a great competitor. (I was secretly rooting for him to make the Super Bowl, to complete his career 1 last time)

"Favre" will forever send shivers down opponents spines (Especially the Bears), and will be forever remembered. He's a 1st Ballot HOFer for a REASON, and he'll be sorley missed--yes, even by Bears Fans.

ci sono notizie de "il berna"? :gazza:

si ritira un giocatore che ammiravo in una maniera sconfinata 
è un'osservazione banale, ma a Green Bay si chiude un'era

Rodgers l'ho visto contro i Cowboys quest'anno...non sembrava uno appena scongelato, anzi

buona fortuna a Brett per la sua vita d'ora in avanti...e grazie per tutto quello che ci ha fatto vedere in questi anni 

Brett, c'è ancora speranza?

FAVRE SITUATION SUDDENLY GETS WEIRD

As it turns out, that dark cloud in Wisconsin could quickly become a storm.

Brett Favre's agent, Bus Cook, has told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that Favre wanted to play another year, but that he felt like the Packers didn't want him.

Uh-oh. 

"I know he wants to play one more year," Cook said.  "I do not know much conversation there was and I don't think anyone forced him to make that decision.  But I don't know that anyone tried to talk him out of it."

Uh-oh.

"I think he wanted to play," Cook said. " I think he's still got it.  He knows he's still got it.  I think he felt he could play one more year.  I don't know if they told him they really wanted him to play.  That's just the feeling I got."

Uh-oh.

Asked whether Favre could be talked into returning, Cook said, "I don't know."

Well, maybe the media speculation that the guy who brought Favre to Green Bay, former G.M. Ron Wolf, might be whispering to Bill Parcells about trying to get Favre to Miami is more accurate than we initially thought.  Because if Favre wants to play another year and if it's not with the Packers, then maybe it will be elsewhere.

But if Favre doesn't play for the Packers in 2008, either because he's playing for someone else or not playing at all, we think that there could be an enormous backlash against the team.  Specifically, G.M. Ted Thompson could find himself in the crosshairs of the fans' criticism.

Never mind the fact that Thompson has done an excellent job; the perception that he ran off Brett Favre could be the quickest ticket out of town for Thompson. 

If, in the end, Thompson gets saddled with the brunt of the blame for Favre's departure, the pressure on Thompson to leave, too, will be tremendous.  And, as a practical matter, it will put him on an incredibly short leash if the team falters in 2008.

Al di là di questi rumors che secondo me hanno l'unico compito di riempire qualche pagina di giornale, devo ammettere che mi sento devastato dalla notizia, anche se questa era un minimo prevedibile.

Brett è stato il mio più grande idolo dopo Dan Marino. Non ho che da ringraziarlo per le splendide emozioni che mi ha lasciato nei 15 anni in cui l'ho seguito, tifando per lui.

mamma mia che tristezza... non mi sentivo così per il ritiro di uno sportivo da quello di Roberto Baggio
lo zio Brett rimarrà nella storia 

ChicagoSports, sito ovviamente molto seguito dai tifosi dei Bears e di tutte le squadre della Wndy City, apre su Favre e pubblica le impressioni rubate dal Tribune (con cui collabora per la pubblicazione articoli. 11 i link clikkabili con articoli, foto, biografia, impressioni, parerei dei tifosi... andiamo con qualche spunto.

Rick Morrisey apre:

Our loss.

I know that's probably heresy to most hard-core Bears fans, but it's true. Anybody who enjoys football, who likes flair and emotion and effort, liked Brett Favre. The NFL just became a colder place with word of his retirement after 17 seasons.

e chiude:

Whatever the case, it's our loss. It's everybody's loss.

Mike Downey:

It is 1992 and the Green Bay Packers quarterback is ... WHO?

Favor?
Farver?
Fayvra?
Never heard of him.

Brett somebody. Got him from the Atlanta Falcons for a 17th-round draft pick. I forget which college he is from. Ole Miss? Mississippi State? Southern Miss?

You live in Wisconsin and you hear your Packers are going to go with some Southern boy named Brett Lorenzo Favre at quarterback. You gulp. You had Bart Starr once, but now you've fallen to this?

Only then you watch him. He begins winning. He buries the Bears. He tames the Lions. He rips the horns right off the Vikings.

He takes you to a Super Bowl. He plays 17 seasons. He completes 5,377 of his passes for 442 touchdowns.

Everybody loves him, including Cameron Diaz in "There's Something About Mary."

[...]

But one wintry Tuesday you wake up and there it is: The news you have dreaded. Brett Favre is done. He has decided to retire. The biggest cheese of them all is toast. It's as if Elvis has left the building.

You take off your wedge of cheddar and put it over your heart. Green Bay football from now on will not be quite the same. No more No. 4.

There was something about Brett.

You won't ever forget him.

Or that the "v" comes before the "r."

David Haugh

The NFL is losing a legend. The rest of the NFC North is getting a boost.

Dan Pompei

There may be less competition in the division. But there also will be less drama.

I miss Favre already.

Il sondaggio:

It's about time -- good riddance (592 responses) 25.2%

He'll be missed -- he spiced up the rivalry (1496 responses) 63.8%

Bad news -- we've been beating him anyway (257 responses) 11.0%

Tifosi:

When you grow up watching someone play, never knowing what the game is without them, they become more than just a player. To football fans everywhere, Brett is a living legend. To us, the diehard packer fans who stuck by them no matter what, he is our legend, our family, our hero, our Brett.

Thank you Favre for all the beautiful moments you provided. Though a Dolphins fan, I ever loved his game, and so much rooted for him last season to win it all. What a way to bow out in style after one of his best seasons ever!

As a Bears fan, i've been waiting for this day for a long time after watching after all the times he killed us on the field. But even i will miss him, a truly great player who represented the game and the league with class and dignity.

ohhhhh, mi spiace un po' ne, ma dico finalmente è finito il tira e molla.

Un applauso alla sua carriera 

per favre non servono parole....grazie di tutto

già postato...ma questo è il momento giusto...

http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=GL7BzPNYVUc

un post di un tifoso vichingo:

Dear Packer Nation,

I'm as sorry to see Brett retire as anyone. I'll miss his childlike exuberance most people have lost by the age of 16 - exuberance that demanded that the business of the game fade into the distant background. I'll miss his gunslinging mentality reminiscent of a bygone era when playing quarterback was more about throwing touchdowns than it was about not throwing interceptions. Most of all, I'll miss Packer Week, win or lose which, in some unexplainable way, made me feel more connected with the NFC North than in opposition to the Green Bay Packers. Many Vikings fans seem to forget that before the state of Minnesota got an NFL team in 1961, most Minnesotans were Packer fans and that geographical and cultural proximity irrefutably bind us all in the NFC North.

In addition, I think the fact that Brett's final pass was an interception is perfectly fitting. He played without a fear of failure and, if he threw an interception, so be it. He understood that football wasn't to be played with painstaking care while wearing kid gloves. It was about having FUN. And that he did with a unique combination of probity and personality.

Thank you, Brett. You will be missed.


un post di un lion:

As a Lions Fan I'm used to seeing Favre beat us on a consistent basis and seeing him retire leaves a sorrowful lump in my throat. I always wanted the Lions to beat Brett, but at the same time wanted to see Brett always succeed.

I am not a GB fan, but I loved the way Brett played the game. He was not only one of the greatest football players but one of the greatest professional athletes of all time. He was also one of the few sports icons you could tell your kids it would be alright to admire.

Brett always dressed for the games, never was scared to fail and because of that usually succeeded. The game will never be the same now that Brett is gone and neither will GB. I know you will have your success, but a legend is gone and will be missed by all in the NFL.

Thanks for the memories Brett, and good luck to the Pack in '08!

mike holmgren:

"Brett's career accomplishments will be measured among the greats of the game for the balance of time. He truly was as gifted a player as I have ever seen, and as proud and amazed as I am of what Brett has accomplished on the playing field," said Holmgren. "The thing that impresses me the most is what kind of a man and leader he has become off the field since I have known him. I have taken great joy in watching him develop as a person and father - perhaps even more so - than as a coach watching his quarterback."

dd:

    "A part of me is sad to hear that my friend and long-time teammate Brett Favre is retiring from the Green Bay Packers. However, I am happy that Brett is able to retire by going out on top with his health intact.

    "It has been a great honor to play nine years with the best quarterback in NFL history. To go into the record books with Brett by catching the pass that broke the all-time NFL yardage record will be a moment that I will cherish the rest of my life."

president mark murphy:

    "I have a tremendous amount of respect for Brett Favre and all that he's done for the Packers and the NFL. He has authored one of pro football's great careers.

    He's an exceptional competitor on the field and a great figure for the community off the field, in Wisconsin and Mississippi.

    Prior to coming to the Packers, I admired Brett Favre from afar and enjoyed following his career through the years, like many football fans. Once I arrived, all those thoughts were reinforced. He means so much to everyone that supports the Packers. We've been fortunate to have him as our quarterback.

    The Green Bay Packers are well positioned for the future. We have a great young team that is going to continue to improve. The quality of the football operations is in great shape. Our two key football people, Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy, are in place to continue their great work.

    It's a bittersweet time as we celebrate one of the NFL's greatest all-time players. We're happy for Brett and his family that he's been able to come to this decision. We wish him well and look forward to Brett being a part of the Packers' family for years to come."

riassunto della conferenza stampa:

We'll bring you the news as it's spoken here at Lambeau Field, so refresh your browser for the latest.

    * McCarthy said he got the call at 7 p.m. last night and he was "taken aback." Favre told him that it was "time for him to hang up the cleats." It was a conversation that was similar the ones McCarthy and Favre have had over the past month. "He just said he was mentally tired," McCarthy said. "Mentally tired was a constant;"
    * Thompson feels they did enough to make Favre feel that they wanted him back;
    * The realization that Favre wouldn't be the quarterback didn't hit McCarthy until this morning;
    * McCarthy: "I thought he was going to play. Last week was the first time retirement was spoken about. He was clearly wanted back;"
    * Thompson: "It's a little bit daunting knowing that Brett isn't going to be your quarterback;"
    * Thompson: "He pours everything he has into being an NFL player. That's draining;"
    * Favre never brought up Randy Moss to Thompson or McCarthy;
    * Thompson said he doesn't feel that Moss re-signing with the Patriots and Favre's retirement are related;
    * "He's a champion and wanted another championship," McCarthy said.
    * "Never one time did any player acquisition come up as a topic (with Favre)," McCarthy said. "This was a personal decision about whether Brett Favre wanted to be 100% in."
    * McCarthy spoke to Aaron Rodgers briefly this morning to tell him the situation. "I think he was a little surprised," McCarthy said. "He was more about, 'How is Brett doing. Is he OK?'"
    * Both Thompson and McCarthy declined to talk about their level of confidence in Rodgers, or any plans to add a veteran quarterback. "This is a celebration of Brett Favre's career," McCarthy said. "Those other things, we have plenty of time to answer those;"
    * "There's definitely a void," McCarthy said when asked if his team has been weakened today;
    * Thompson: "I know the fans are devastated today but the Packers will move forward."
    * Thompson said pleading with Favre, "a grown man," to come back wouldn't have done any good;
    * "It seemed like he was at peace with the way he went through the decision," Thompson said. "He knows there will come a day where he says, 'Dadgum, I can still play.'"
    * "I think all of would have liked to see Brett Favre ride out on top," McCarthy said.

That concludes the portion with Thompson and McCarthy.

Harlan is now at the podium.

    * "I don't think there's any doubt that he will go down as the greatest player in this great franchise;"
    * "He took some of the professional out of the NFL and I think sometimes we need that;"
    * "He was the greatest competitor that I've ever seen;
    * "I've always said that I felt the foundation that restored this franchise to an elite level was Ron Wolf, Mike Holmgren, Brett Favre and Reggie White. I find it sad that all of those people that have moved on;"
    * "I understand the pressures of being Brett Favre and what our fans expected of him;"
    * "The Green Bay Packers have to move on;"

Harlan has now finished. Waiting on Wolf.

    * Wolf said he was surprised when he heard, but if Favre's heart wasn't in it, it was the right decision;
    * Wolf said he didn't see Favre throw the day he was supposed to scout him when he was with the Atlanta Falcons. "I didn't need to see him throw, I had seen every throw he made as a junior and senior in college;"
    * Wolf said he would never try to talk a player out of decision they had thought hard and long about;
    * On Favre's status among all-time great: "I think he's up there. I'd certainly say he'd be in the top five. For him to be referred to as the best player in that franchise, that's huge for him;"
    * On when he felt Favre went from good to great: "I realized that before we traded for him. For somebody in the game as long as I was, for me to say he was the best player in the draft, he's already a great player."

è vero...ci mancherà il suo "love of the game..."



Favre through the years
It wasn't just his greatness. The NFL has always had great players and it will have many more. Favre did not win as much as Tom Brady or put up numbers quite like Peyton Manning, though at his peak he was as good as either of them. No, what made Favre special — what will make even some Bears fans miss him — was that he loved the game.

He loved it more by the year. That is an extreme rarity in the NFL.

It's hard for fans to understand, because fans never tire of their playoff hopes and fantasy teams. But a lot of NFL players get beaten down, literally and figuratively.

Favre was different. You've heard of players playing every game like it's their last. Favre's appeal was that he played every game like it was his first. You would think that somewhere around the 400th touchdown pass, the thrill would wear off a little bit. That never happened with Favre.

With him, there was never relief, only joy.

As Favre ran off the field in his final regular-season game — with a 21-3 lead in a game the Packers didn't need to win anyway — he almost ran into a referee.

Most players would have apologized and gone back to the bench.

Favre? He high-fived the zebra.

This is what we will miss about Favre. It is what the NFL will miss.

Other quarterbacks will throw 80-yard bombs, and somebody else might even become the face of the Packers, but will they enjoy it as much?

And you wonder: was the NFL watching all those years?

The NFL earned the No Fun League label long ago; it is more accurate to say the league is humorless. How many NFL coaches ever crack a joke in a press conference, like their NBA, MLB and NHL counterparts do?

How many ever give the hint that they get paid to coach a kid's game?

I think the league fines players who don't take themselves seriously enough. I could be wrong on that. But the league has long fined players whose uniform was slightly off what the league mandated, so what's the difference, really?


This goes beyond self-aggrandizers like Chad Johnson and Terrell Owens. Favre never showed up his opponent. He just played with a joie de vivre (which he would surely pronounce "joy de verve").

The NFL is easily our most popular sports league. I know as well as anybody that the league doesn't need my marketing advice. But the NFL is always caught up in the present: winning the next game. The league churns through players like they are bodies, not people; no player is guaranteed to get his salary next year, and nobody cares what you did two years ago. It is the least sentimental sports league I have ever seen.

And as a business plan, that has obviously worked. Everybody watches the NFL, to the point where it is almost impossible to imagine the league dropping from its perch.

But sometimes it seems like the league is raking in all that cash and not really enjoying it all that much. Brett Favre was more than just a great NFL player. He was a player in a way we don't see in the NFL.

And that, as much as anything, is why he will be missed.

altro bel pezzo da fox.com


The records Brett Favre takes with him into retirement include: touchdown passes (442), passing yards (61,655), attempts (8,758), completions (5,377) wins by a starting quarterback (160), consecutive starts by a quarterback (253, 275 if you include the playoff games) and most MVP awards (3).

Hanging them up
Brett Favre
Green Bay Packers
Quarterback

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
G GS Comp Att Yds TD Int
257 253 5,377 8,758 61,655 442 288

Also:
Sound off on Brett Favre's decision
Watch sports stars pay tribute to Favre
PHOTOS: Favre through the years
Still, those numbers are woefully inadequate in measuring the man. His accomplishments as a quarterback might be quantifiable, but his virtues are not. There's a reason Brett Favre is regarded as a kind of national treasure, that the affection directed his way violates all demographic suppositions, cutting across all the usual divides of race, class, sex and geography. The American People, a much-abused term, can agree on the subject of Favre's overriding virtue: He defied time.

He stayed young doing a job that renders men prematurely old and broken. Until the very end, even his flaws remained those of a young man. At 38, there were still moments when he had the judgment of a 22-year-old, which is to say, an unreasonably bullheaded belief in himself. Consider his final pass, an errant one thrown on January 20 in sub-zero temperatures at Lambeau Field in overtime of the NFC Championship Game.

Earlier that day, Favre had victimized Giants cornerback Corey Webster for a 90-yard touchdown. But now it was the quarterback's turn to play the sucker, as Webster recognized the veteran committing a rookie mistake, telegraphing his pass down the sideline. The cornerback waited forever on that interception. "It felt like a century until that ball arrived," said Webster.

Well, perhaps not a literal century, but certainly, a long time coming. Even in defeat, Favre had an ability to slow the clock. Corey Webster was 10 years old when Favre made his first start for the Green Bay Packers. That was September 27, 1992, also an election year. An upstart governor from Arkansas was running against George Bush the Elder. South Africa was still under white rule. The cell phone was an oddity. The internet was, for most people, still a secret.

No game ages men as mercilessly as professional football, which systematically inflicts orthopedic and neurological ruin on its most dedicated performers. Quarterbacks, whose success depends on an ability to take the blindside hit, are the most vulnerable. Again, it's worth repeating the words of Joe Namath, who on the eve of Super Bowl III declared: "The name of the game is 'kill the quarterback."

So it was. So it shall ever be. Game plans are devoted to the quarterback's destruction. But across all those years, Favre proved indestructible. Or something like it. His consecutive game streak is to be regarded as a singular accomplishment, even more extraordinary than Cal Ripken's.


Ripken was never body slammed by Reggie White. You may recall the play, back in '92. Favre was making only his seventh start when White crunched him into the turf, a deliberate attempt to remove him from the game.

"That's his job," said Favre, who suffered a separated shoulder on the play.

In the interest of symmetry, recall Favre's more recently separated shoulder just this past season. It was Week 13 against the Cowboys. In between those two shoulder injuries, he survived more concussions than he'd care to admit (a half dozen by the time he was 27), five surgeries, turf toe, an arthritic condition in his hip, bone chips in his left ankle and fractured vertebrae. In college, he had 30 inches of intestine removed after a car wreck. He also played through emotional trauma — the death of his father and the diagnosis of his wife, Deanna, with breast cancer (now in apparent remission).

All that, and he still played like a kid. So remember Corey Webster's interception if you must, but nor should you forget a play from the previous week. It was third and eight. The Packers were playing the Seahwawks in the divisional playoffs. Favre had been flushed from the pocket and stumbled. Still, he managed to keep his footing, and more than that, his composure. For most quarterbacks, these would be desperate moments. But for Favre, even at 38, they were full of possibility. As he fell, he flipped the ball to his tight end for a first down.

And when was the last time you saw something like that?

When you were a kid.

On the Web - Brett Favre
By Dave Heller
Tuesday, Mar 4 2008, 11:34 PM
This post is - much like Brett Favre's career - quite long. We've gone around the web to find an extensive compendium of links as people react to Favre's retirement. Now, there's a lot of stuff to read here so don't feel you have to digest everything in one sitting. Feel free to bookmark this post and go over everything at your own pace. With that said, let's get right to what people have written ...

National Websites

CBSSports.com

Pete Prisco writes that Favre had flaws, but that's probably why he was so beloved.
Mike Freeman says Favre is a Hall of Famer, but Freeman doesn't place Favre in his all-time top 10 quarterbacks.
Clark Judge thinks Favre's last pass - that ill-fated interception against the Giants - is the reason he retired. Judge also says that Aaron Rodgers is better off having sat behind Favre for three years and not thrust into a starting role for a losing team in his rookie season.
ESPN.com

Simply put, Wright Thompson is going to miss Favre.
Gene Wojciechowski doesn't blame Favre for leaving the game.
Mike Sando says "gunslinger mentality" properly defines Favre.
Pat Yasinskas gets reaction from the man who paved the way for Favre to start (thanks to an injury), Don Majkowski. Yasinskas also recalls a fun-loving moment between Favre and Terry Bradshaw in 1996.
John Clayton says it is hard to see the Packers as a Super Bowl type team in 2008 without Favre. Clayton also offers a short Q&A on the impact of Favre's retirement.
Jeffri Chadiha thinks Favre will regret retiring.
A few ESPN.com experts give their take on where Favre ranks among the all-time best QBs.
Mel Kiper Jr. had Favre with the same draft grade as ... Dan McGwire (who ended up being selected 17 picks before Favre).
Pat Forde takes a look back at Favre's heroics while at Southern Mississippi.
Foxsports.com

Mark Kriegel says that no matter what, Favre played like a kid.
Contributor Michael Rosenburg says Favre loved football more each year, which is rare in pro sports.
NBCSports.com

Tom Curran says Favre's final interception could well have summed up the uniqueness of the quarterback's career.
Mike Celizic compares Favre to John Wayne.
Michael Ventre joins the above-mentioned Chadiha as those thinking Favre will sit back sometime this season and wonder why he retired.
John Madden, known as someone who often professed his liking of Favre, shares his thoughts on the QBs retirement. Madden says Favre brought Titletown back to Green Bay and says without Favre, the Packers just aren't a big draw for the networks.
NFL.com

Adam Schefter says Favre acted like one of us.
Vic Curucci takes a look back to Favre's arrival in Green Bay, which had Jon Gruden originally wondering why the Packers traded a first-round pick for him.
Pat Kirwan says it remains to be seen whether or not Rodgers can lead the Packers to the playoffs, but one thing is for sure: It will never be the same at Lambeau Field.
Ira Miller says Favre was compelling to watch.
SI.com

Peter King, overseas with a USO/NFL tour, thinks Favre just didn't want the spotlight on him anymore. He also supplies this quote from Tommie Harris of the Bears, who is visiting the troops in Afghanistan: "There was no one like Brett Favre. I remember playing him once and seeing him jump in his offensive linemen's faces. He just wanted everyone always to be their best. He's the competitor I always want to be, the kind of competitor I want to show my teammates every game.''
Don Banks says that unlike Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith and Dan Marino, Favre knew when to walk away.
Paul Zimmerman says Favre could have been greater.
Andrew Perloff isn't sure if the Packers would be a playoff team in '08 even with Favre.
Jim Trotter notes that while today is about Favre, tomorrow and the next day and the next day, etc., is about Rodgers.
The Sporting News

Dennis Dillon says the NFL just won't be the same in 2008.
Clifton Brown hopes Favre won't regret his decision.
Vinny Iyer says Favre left the Packers in good hands.
Yahoo Sports

Dan Wetzel says it's time to celebrate Favre's toughness, although he hopes Favre doesn't suffer any long-term physical ramifications.
Michael Silver says Favre did the Packers a favor by retiring, because that gives Green Bay its best chance to succeed in the future.
Jason Cole and Charles Robinson answer five questions in a point/counterpoint article on Favre. The questions include such things as: Was the timing right and will his legend remain intact.
Other Websites

Pro Football Weekly publisher Hub Arkush is in mourning, saying watching Favre play was the greatest gift over the past two decades.
USA Today's Skip Wood says it is not just Green Bay who will miss Favre.
USAToday's Michael Hiestand says Favre might be too irresistible to pass up for television.
Mickey Spagnola of DallasCowboys.com just can't bring himself around to believing Favre is retiring.
Forbes.com says thanks to a loyal fan base, Favre's retirement won't effect the Packers' value.
Voices around the U.S.

The Chicago Sun-Times' Jay Mariotti is left wondering why Favre would retire right now.
Ray Ratto of the San Francisco Chronicle says Favre probably isn't the best QB ever. But there's nothing wrong with that.
John Tevlin of the Minnesota Star Tribune reports that in North Hudson, which is on the Wisconsin-Minnesota border and where Favre's image is everywhere in the local taverns, the realization of the QBs retirement was tough, but finally accepted.
Don't count Ann Killion of the San Jose Mecury News among those as accepting the retirement, holding open the door for a Favre return.
Johnette Howard of Newsday says there's no debate: Favre was the player most fun to watch.Charles Bricker of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel is another who isn't convinced Favre has played his last game.
The Atlanta Journal Constitution's Furman Bisher says Favre drank his way out of Atlanta.
Bill Plaschke of the L.A. Times says football has lost its face.
Cedric Golden of the Austin Statesman thinks Favre will learn to live with this decision.
Scott Adamson of the Anderson (S.C.) Independent Mail says there will never be another one like Favre.
The Dallas Morning News' Rick Gosslein says Favre made his mark on football and vice-versa.
The Baltimore Sun's Rick Maese says this is the end of an era as Favre will be the last pro athlete to receive the benefit of the doubt.
Plenty of stories from the Hattiesburg (Miss.) American: At some point, Favre will be honored by the state; local fans are sad to see the end of his career; people saw a different side of Favre in Mississippi; ex-Southern Miss coach John Carmody says Favre was a throwback.
Peter Finney of the New Orleans Times-Picuyane says the one word to describe Favre is indestructible.
Jim Armstrong of the Denver Post - who witnessed John Elway's retirement - has two words for Packer fans in regards to Aaron Rodgers following in Brett Favre's shoes - Brian Griese.
The Washington Times' Tom Knott says Favre wasn't the best-ever QB, but the NFL certainly won't be as fun without him.
The Tampa Tribune's Ira Kaufman says Bucs fans already have suffered their first loss of '08 - not being able to see Favre play at Raymond James Stadium.
The Palm Beach Post's Greg Stoda says Favre was better than Marino.
The St. Paul Pioner Press' Bob Sansevere says Favre's retirement is good news for the Vikings.
On a similar vein, the Chicago Tribune's David Haugh says Favre's retiring is the biggest move for the Bears this off-season.
Staying with the Tribune, Dan Pompei says Favre's numbers don't tell the whole story.
Paul Oberjuerge of the San Bernadino Sun opines that Favre was the most-loved player in NFL history - but not the best.
The Houston Chonicle's John McClain can see Favre coaching at the high school level.
Green Bay native Errin Connor writes in the Daily Orange (Syracuse U.) that Favre deserves a proper send-off.
Jeff Miller of the Orange County Register says Favre's retirement snuck up on everybody.

Reaction from other players & coaches

Ahman Green told the Lincoln (Neb.) Journal Star that Favre's retirement was "a long time coming."
Darren Sharper says he isn't certain Favre won't come back. Meanwhile, Antonio Freeman calls this the end of a great era.
Punter Jon Ryan appreciates the little amount of time he was able to spend with Favre.
Former Packer teammate Billy Lyon says Favre always acted like a big kid, playing pranks.
From newest 49ers Isaac Bruce: "He played 17 years and always had new receivers so his motto was ‘if you get open, I am going to give you the ball’. That gives {a) guy incentive to get open, work hard and make plays for him."
Here are some quotes from current Eagles and former Packers coaches Andy Reid and Marty Mornhinweg.
Quick - which player injured Majkowski opening the door for Favre? How about ex-Badger Tim Krumrie. Anyway, about that game, Bengals owner Mike Brown said of Favre: "We gave him his first opportunity to shine."
Giants coach Tom Coughlin and cornerback Corey Webster (who picked off Favre's last pass) weigh in.
The Bears react.
Tony Romo says he has always had nothing but the highest regard for Favre.
Ron Wolf told the Palm Beach Post that everything he did in Green Bay was based around Favre.
Former Northern Dakota State tight end A.J. Cooper never played a regular-season down with Green Bay, but Favre left a good impression with Cooper (who Favre called "Fargo") in his short time with the Packers at training camp in 2006
Reaction from other sports

A small item in this Red Sox notebook notes that "David Ortiz spent a portion of the morning consoling his wife, Tiffany, a die-hard Green Bay Packers fan, after news spread that Brett Favre had elected to retire." The Boston Herald has much more on Ortiz's reaction and also that of Racine's Dan Kolb.
Former Brewer and Favre look-alike Geoff Jenkins staged a mock press conference regarding Favre's retirement.
Video

Here is all the results from a search of "Brett Favre" on YouTube. Included is a clip of Favre and Mike Holmgren in the movie "Reggie's Prayer," which starred Reggie White.
NFL.com has a number of videos: Tributes, highlights through the years and 2007 highlights.
Blogosphere

The Fanhouse's Bruce Ciskie compares Favre's retirement to that of hockey great Patrick Roy's.
The Sporting News' Sporting Blog takes a look at the bright side of things now that Favre is retired.
Packers Gab wasn't shocked by Favre's retirement.
Brats and Beer is stuck in denial.
Green Bay RailBird Central honors the void Favre will create by posting a large white space in its blog.
A couple of posts from the Wisconsin Sports Bar. An ode to Favre based on a Bob Dylan song and reasons to love Favre.