I dont know if anybodys real, real excited about a fifth preseason game, except for the people making the money on that, but itll be exciting to be there because theres so much history and tradition surrounding Canton and the Pro Football Hall of Fame..
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In an off-the-cuff speech, just as he’d predicted, Favre spoke just over 36 minutes and devoted almost nine minutes to honor his father, Irv, who died in 2003 on the eve of one of his greatest performances: a 399-yard, four-touchdown game against the Oakland Raiders on Monday Night Football.
One of the highlights of Favre’s career was his stunningly effective performance in a 41-7 victory over the Raiders in 2003, when he threw four touchdown passes the day after the death of his father, Irvin.
Brett Favre’s 36-minute induction speech set a new Pro Football Hall of Fame record. When he learned this after his father’s passing, that became Favre’s new goal. “I said to myself I will make it to the Hall of Fame …”
And then the emotions hit. After a long pause and fighting back tears, Favre said, “This is tougher than any third-and-15”.
He also told a story he claimed to have never told anyone, about sitting outside his dad’s coaching office one day, waiting to go home, and he overheard his dad say to his other high school coaches regarding Favre’s recent rough game, “I assure you one thing about my son”. I hope I succeeded (sobbing).
Irv would have presented his son had he not died at age 58. Peyton Manning eventually surpassed some of Favre’s records, but no one could match his charisma or fan appeal. “So it was an easy choice”. Favre led the Green Bay Packers to two Super Bowls.
He said the Hall of Fame wasn’t a consideration in his mind until a revelation on the plane ride to MS for his father’s funeral following the Raiders game.
Packers Fans had a variety of things to look forward to during the Saturday night ceremony. He spent 2008 with the Jets.
A seniors committee nominee, Stanfel was considered one of the most technically sound blockers of his day, someone Hall of Famer Mike Ditka called “a hell of a football player”.
“Atlanta to Minnesota, 20 years”, Favre said summing up his career.
“And so then and there in that moment on that plane, I was determined for selfish reasons to get to this point to acknowledge how important he was”. Several current packers such as Aaron Rodgers and some former packers teammates such as Ahman Green. “It’s nearly like a home game for the Packers”. And that No. 4 did just not come in Packer gold this weekend.
“For me, it’s just a remarkable sense of pride”. And that started with Brett.
Favre also acknowledged Mike Holmgren, commending him for leaving San Francisco to come to Green Bay and “getting stuck with Brett Favre”. But Brett’s ability to do what he did was just remarkable. Green Bay had an terrible reputation among players and people were starting to wonder if the Packers could survive in the NFL’s smallest city.
Favre described an experience he had with his father and brother, watching the Saints’ last regular season game of the 1983 season, and seeing Kenny Stabler running out of the tunnel and intuitively knowing that’s what he wanted to become. Not that numerous fans flooding Tom Benson Stadium cared.
But more than the numbers, Favre will be remembered for the reckless abandon he played with.
Favre was the final speaker of the night and went well over a half hour with his speech. He followed Marvin Harrison, Orlando Pace, Dick Stanfel, Kevin Greene, Ken Stabler, Edward Debartolo Jr. and Tony Dungy.
Favre spoke the longest. So, as I bolted and ducked my head and made my way through all of our classmates, there was one person that caught my eye and one person only. “I don’t give a damn”.
Brett Favre is leading a class of eight members into the Pro Football Hall of Fame tonight in Canton, Ohio.
Just like his playing career, Favre stumbled, scrambled, laughed, cried, audibled and completely made up his speech along the way.
He closed with some advice. He was hard on young players but helped you grow and learn didn’t he?
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“I don’t regret anything”. That’s not to say it was ideal.
