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Learn to be Favre-lous

December 15, 2005

 

The Favre Academy

By Darth Reagan

 

Try this one on for size. You are the owner of a company that has just lost a big contract to a competitor and you know this could spell the end of your business. It was only 10 short years ago that your company set atop the business world and now it looks doomed. Or…. You’re the Principal of a high school and your school test scores have fallen below average for the first time in years. Or….You are the reigning Salesperson of the Year for 10 consecutive years but in 2005 you have struggled to stay in the top half of the group. Regardless of the circumstances, we all have our own battles each and every year but before making any drastic decisions I recommend taking a class at The Brett Favre Academy where you will learn to:

 

1. Take responsibility for your successes and failures

2. Take on extreme hardship and stay positive

3. Never blame others

4. Keep your perspective in tact

5. Always Win

 

Think about it. How easy would it be for any one of us to stand up and say, “I could succeed if it weren’t for him/her or management, the weather, the economy, you name it”? It must be easy because we see it happen all of the time (See T.O., Clinton Portis, Stephon Marbury, Gary Payton). But you won’t see it from Brett Favre. He won’t say it because he doesn’t believe it. Instead, he believes that he is the leader of a team with a losing record rather than a team of losers. Favre knows that he’s never been forced to return, forced to lace them up every Sunday or even show up for that matter. He has chosen to be there through thick and thin. That is why he stands up after every bone crushing hit behind the “Swiss Cheese Heads” the Packers call an offensive line. He shows up every week, regardless of the pain or his team’s record. He’s a leader.

 

We all know he came from the humblest of backgrounds to achieve enormous accomplishments in the NFL. 3-time MVP and Super Bowl Champion to name a few. That is incredible enough. However, we must remember the look on his face during pre-season practice while his family was ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. I for one will never forget it. He looked concerned, scared, sad and angry all wrapped into one. For all he knew, his family had been lost to the storm. Once again, he stood up in front of the cameras and spoke the truth. He spoke of his family staying together to fight the storm. When the news arrived that his family was alive he simply said, “Now we will rebuild our lives together”, while never once succumbing to the media’s call for an end of the world speech. He’s a leader.

 

As the season has moved on for the Packers many have questioned Favre’s ability to compete as a QB in the league. I’ve heard everything from “he needs to retire” to “he should’ve retired 2 years ago”. True football people will tell you the truth behind the matter and it is simple. The Packers have no running game, are riddled with injuries and have absolutely no defense. Those certainly aren’t the makings for a successful season under center. But Favre doesn’t go there. Again, in true form he stands up and says they have a good core group that is making progress. Never blaming others for his failures.

 

Now we see Favre at the end of a difficult season. He’s still standing and he’s still firing lasers down the field. The media is now trying to script his retirement party but he won’t show his cards. Instead he shows an ability to keep perspective on the season. He tells people that the Packers will go on, they will win many games and many more Titles. The fans will have another great QB wearing the green and yellow. It was Bart Starr before him and there will be many more after himself. Last but not least, he reminds people that we are talking about a game. Just like work is not our life, football is not Favre’s life. 

 

Finally, I take a look at Brett Favre and I see a guy that is worn out but not beaten. He relishes the fact that he plays a sport that punishes the teams that make even the smallest of mistakes and rewards those that make the plays. He likes the fact that once you walk onto the field you have to earn it and if you don’t you will walk off defeated. It’s all on the line every Sunday regardless of last year’s or last week’s performances. Favre relishes the competition but he doesn’t sacrifice his character to achieve success. Instead, his character has made him into the ultimate winner during one of the toughest seasons of his career. Favre knows that you must take the good with the bad in life and never complain as if you are the only person with any misfortune. Therefore, he will never truly lose. Instead, he will always win in the end.

 

I know one thing for sure. I admire him more today than ever. Class dismissed.

 

 

Contact Darth Reagan at darthreagan@thehighcourtofsports.com.