One for the Dads

OK, I cannot assume that only the fathers are into football, in fact my wife knows more about football than I do, but I had to get your attention with a snappy headline.

This last weekend the Packers got beat by the Vikings and that is a particularly sore spot with most Wisconsinites. In fact, I don’t event watch football and it even stung me a little. But outside the game I have an opinion about Brett Favre. When Farve played for us I thought he was pretty amazing and even though he now plays for them, you cannot deny his amaz-ability. That part is not so much opinion as much as fact. But when it came time to retire I even gave him the benefit of the doubt with his on-again off-again retirement. When he went to the Jets we all sighed and let him go. Bye Brett, we’ll miss you. Then he was off again. Then back to Green Bay, whom throughout the ordeal I have gained respect for. They stuck to their guns and supported this new kid Roger Aarons (just kidding, I know it’s Aaron Rodgers). That is what a team is supposed to do. When Brett left he left, the organization did not crumble, in fact they went on and got a new guy who is doing OK, he’s got some room to learn but who doesn’t. When Farve was told that the Pack would stick with Rodgers, like a spoiled child he left and as a little insult he started nosing around Minnesota. Now I like Minnesota, I’ve got friends there and I love the twin cities. But they are a rival team in football. If Brett would have gone to any other team (except Chicago) he would have been sent with blessings, like with New York. I think that his decision was a sad display of childish behavior and a poor example for our children. We idolized this guy:  Brett moved up the list of popular baby names, we even named street for him not to mention the thousands of kids with #4 jerseys. Then this. I think it’s a classless example of how athletes today are all about the money and not honor, or the legacy they leave behind.

conversely lets look at another Great Quarterback from Green Bay; Bart Starr. This guy was the epitome of class. He left the game only to return to the game as a coach, where else; Green Bay. He made his name in Green Bay and he gave back what he got. Starr is a true example for kids to look to when thinking of real champions. In his retirement he even started a home for troubled kids, continuing to give back to our state. I respected him in the game, and even more out of the game.

When I talk about sports heros to my son, do I mention Jordan (Basketball), Favre (Football) or Bonds (Baseball)? No. Though they were the tops in their fields, no pun intended, they had little or no integrity. Jordan was a gambler and had a huge ego thinking he could be the best at anything, maybe he was (OK, not baseball though). At least he was great at having an ego. Bonds was a cheat, he abused steroids and his passion for being famous outweighed his passion for being good. I will tell my son about other sports heroes.  Maybe about the kids we see at the gym. Kids who maintain good grades, act respectfully, stay healthy, avoid negativity and lead by example. I will tell him about those real people. We have heroes around us everyday. We don’t need an overpaid, drugged up  power mad brute who doesn’t have the strength to look into a child’s eyes and say: “It’s OK to be like me” with a straight face.  I’ll name a street after our heroes, your kids. They earn my respect every day.