Monday, March 10, 2008

So Long

Ok, I know I'm a little behind the news in this post...I just wanted to choose my words wisely.

In just about every Bear/Packer game for the last 5 years, the TV station will bring up a statistic that shows the GIANT list of Chicago Bear quarterbacks that have been starters while Brett Farve has been the starter for Green Bay. The list is really endless. Green Bay will be facing the idea of someone other than Farve lining up under center for the first time in years. This new generation of Packer fans hasn't known anything different. There are kids graduating high school this year that have only seen him as the starter. He was an NFL iron man. He was a Bear killer too.

I remember that last game that Walter Payton played. You've seen this picture of him sitting on the bench on the side line, both hands on his head holding his helmet as he looked down at the ground. That was a sad day not only for a Bears fan but for the NFL. When teams have GREAT players that leave the game, like Farve and Payton, things change. Packer fans of today will talk about the good ole days when Farve played week in and week out. His legend will grow.

Since Walter left the game, we haven't had any running backs that have come close to playing like him. There have been some guys really run the ball for a year or two. They were short timers, they didn't last. Green Bay won't see another QB like Brett again. They will win some games, maybe even a Super Bowl, but it will never be the same.

It's fun, the banter between me and my Packer friends. I have said as a Bears fan I'm glad he's gone because he really owned the Bears over the years. But as an old guy and a football fan, the game won't be the same. So-long Brett and thanks for the thrills.

3 comments:

Keetha Broyles said...

Awesome post, Brian. You are truly a BIG MAN to say all this about the QB who was a Bear Killer.

But then - - - truth is truth and Brett was all those things you said. His playing was something really fun to watch.

Tina said...

My favorite memory of Brett was the game he played with the flu. He got a first down, walked to the sideline, threw up, took a drink, they put in the 2nd QB who only gained a yard or two, Brett went back in the next play and threw a touchdown. Cannot remember who they were playing, but that was priceless. Ironman is right. He'll be missed like Payton, Barry Sanders from the Lions and Joe Montana from the 49er's. I still miss Barry and Joe, those two are why I became a football fan.

Anonymous said...

great post. we cheeseheads are really going to miss the gipper