Favre Finally Hangs Up His Cleats

We all knew this day would come sooner or later.

Brett Favre, the Green Bay Packers future Hall-of-Fame QB and the Bears’ perennial thorn in their side, has officially announced his retirement from football today. At age 38, Favre has decided he’s had enough of the game and is moving on, leaving the sport he loves on his own terms. Here’s the official statement from Packers’ General Manager Ted Thompson about Favre’s retirement.

After a couple of sub par years in 2005 and 2006, he made quite a comeback in 2007, leading his team to a division title in the NFC North and into the NFC title game, which they lost to the New York Giants. Being the competitor that he is, you’d figure Favre would want to leave the game on a high note – and he did.

I won’t go into all the details of how Favre has contributed to this sport. His records speak for themselves, but you can see for yourself on the Packers tribute page.

I think I will always remember Favre as a tough competitor who never gave up. His drive, grit and determination on the field made him special to watch. His cannon arm wasn’t so bad either.

Packers’ fans and the league will certainly miss Favre. Bears fans may not want to admit it, but they will miss him too.

Favre Retirement Watch Begins

Will Brett Favre retire -- or won't he? That is the question everyone is asking today after the Packer QB lit up the Chicago Bears for 285 yards during last night's nationally televised regular-season finale at Soldier Field.

I can see why Favre keeps vascillating on this issue. After watching last night's telecast, my feelings were also split. His performance against the Bears convinced me that he is still one of the best QBs in the game. His skills and the desire to compete are still there. And with four straight victories to end the season, Favre might be tempted to return to the team for one more season.

But Favre's tearful post-game interview may have spoken volumes about his mindset about retirement. NBC analyst John Madden said it best -- if Favre knows he is coming back next season, he would be dry-eyed. Instead, he fought back tears and kept his poise as sideline reporter Andrea Kremer asked questions about his future in football. Anyone watching the interview had to get the sense that Favre already knew the answer to the retirement question, and made sure his performance at Soldier Field on New Year's Eve in front of a national audience would provide a lasting impression.

For all the criticism that the NFL received about broadcasting this game in prime time, maybe the league knew something the rest of us did not. If, in fact, last night's season finale was Favre's last game in pro football, what better way to give him a sendoff than on national TV against the divisional rival Chicago Bears? You could not script a better ending than that.

Favre has said that he will make his decision within the next couple of weeks. Let the countdown begin.

Turnovers Kill the Bears -- Again

Fans watching last night's Bears' miserable effort against the Green Bay Packers on national TV must be feeling very uneasy. Normally, the last regular season game is used as a tuneup for the playoffs. But if last night's game was any indication, the Bears may be in trouble. In the 26-7 loss to their divisional rivals, the Bears looked nothing like a team that won 13 games this season en route to a division title and the best record in the NFC. Rex Grossman reverted to his mid-season shakiness, completing two of 12 passes and throwing three interceptions. Backup QB Brian Griese, whom fans have been clamoring to see play, fared slightly better. Despite throwing a 75-yard TD pass to wideout Mark Bradley for the Bears only score of the evening, Griese looked rusty in his half of play and threw two interceptions. Seventeen of the Packers' 26 points resulted from Bears' turnovers. As the story has been all season long, as long as Grossman and the Bears offense can limit their tunovers, the team will do well. But that is a big IF. The defense will take care of the rest, or so we thought. But last night, it was clear that the Bears defense still has holes in it, and that the team desperately misses lineman Tommie Harris and secondary specialist Mike Brown.

What is also troubling is the loss at home. All three Bears' losses this season came at Soldier Field, so home field advantage may not much of an advantage after all.

The Bears have two weeks to shake themselves out of these doldrums and get healthy. How they perform two weekends from now will show just what the team is made of. My guess is they will come out fighting, with a desire to wipe away the bad taste they put in fans' mouths that didn't come from champagne.