Iron Mike
03-19-2008, 02:12 PM
If not.....
Deep in the south in '69
On an early October morn
Unbeknownst to anyone at the time
A legend there was born
Nothing remarkable about him
Nothing special, no not yet
He was part French and Choctaw
They named the baby Brett
His beginnings were quite humble
No thoughts of future fame
But as the boy grew older
You could tell the kid had game
Even with his father as the coach
His full talents were still unknown
Because the high school ran an offense
They called the old wishbone
In college they wanted him to play
As a rangy defensive back
But Brett was resolute, insisting
That he would play quarterback
He was buried as a freshman
Far down on the team's depth chart
But by the very third game that year
He got a chance to start
He led the team to victory
His waiting now was over
And his reputation also grew
He had played with a hangover
In the summer before his senior year
A car wreck, contusions, cuts
They took out part of his intestine
But he still had plenty of guts
For six weeks later he took the field
Against the storied team from Alabama
Led his team to a comeback win
His first larger-than-life panorama
The Falcons took him in the second round
But his abilities were not brought forth
And after just a year with them
He was traded to the frozen north
And there it was, in Green Bay
Where this legend would be carved
For sixteen years the terms synonymous
Green Bay Packers and Brett Favre
It was not long before he started
Amidst some boos and cheers
It would be the start of a very special streak
That would last for sixteen years
He had a rocket for an arm
And that aw-shucks southern drawl
Every game he played with zest
You know he had a ball
The Packer fans soon fell in love
Where did we get this ringer
Green Bay didn't have a new sheriff in town
No, they had a new gunslinger
He was a blue-collar hero
Hard-working, rugged, tough
No fur coats or limousines
Or any of that fancy stuff
He did not act like royalty
Before whom all must kneel
But in a way he was a king
His castle, Lambeau Field
Some players are not likable
Some engender fear
But Brett was the type of player
With whom you'd like to share a beer
He was a fierce competitor
But he played the game with joy
Although he was a man among the men
You saw inside a little boy
Who after throwing a touchdown pass
Would jump and scream and yell
And when faced with triple coverage
He'd fling it, what the hell
He made plays that were impossible
That no human could explain
He played through much adversity
Some sorrow and some pain
He was a most valuable player
He achieved record-setting goals
And the ultimate victory
Winning one of two Super Bowls
But perhaps the greatest game he ever played
That showed what he had inside
Was when he played a football game
The day after his father died
Four touchdown passes in the first half
A 41-7 victory
His performance an inspiration
For the entire world to see
You saw an athlete par excellence
And a son so filled with love
He played the game of his career
For his father up above
Packer fans already adored him
They could not love him more
But on that cold December night
He was loved from shore to shore
He played football for a living
What appealed to us, the mob
Was that he never made it seem
Like to him it was just a job
He had that competitive spirit
He played it clean and hard
He'd play the same in the Superdome
As he would in your back yard
And just like every one of us
He was imperfect, with some flaws
But his striving for perfection
Was what garnered our applause
And at the twilight of his career
Many thought it was time to go
He came back for another year
And man was it a show
The gray-bearded grizzled veteran
Led an inexperienced crew
But once again he showed us all
The amazing things that he could do
Against all of their enemies
He led the charge, attack
He reminded everyone again
He was leader of the Pack
They exceeded all expectations
The season was a charm
And most of the team's good fortunes
Rested on ol' Brett's arm
Calendar said he was thirty-eight
But he played like twenty-one
That ever-infectious grin of his
Showed he was having so much fun
And with the old gunslinger
Fans hopes they were a'raisin'
They knew he would not go down
Without both guns a'blazin'
We wished for a Cinderella story
A happy ending of that sort
But though they came so awfully close
The Packers fell just short
And perhaps it was meant to be
Though it makes one almost cry
That his career would come to an end
On a pass that went awry
So now he's said it's time for him
To move on with his life
To devote more time to things he's missed
Like his children and his wife
We greet this with mixed emotions
For he is deserving of a rest
But selfishly we wonder how
We'll get along without the best
Our heads say we're overreacting
After all, football's just a game
But our hearts know with Brett not there
It will just not be the same
So we bid goodbye to the gunslinger
As a warrior, none were braver
We thank you for the joy you brought us
And for all the memories we will savor
We can picture you enjoying retirement
With perhaps but one small hitch
Every Sunday come September
The fingers will start to twitch
And when your time on Earth is done
And you're at the pearly gate
We see St. Peter toss you the ball
And say "Brett, it's 3rd and eight"
If you can complete this one last pass
This final game you'll win
If you can score a touchdown
Into heaven we'll let you in
And Brett drops back so comfortably
One more time the ball he flings
Right through the seraphim and cherubim
Just beyond their outstretched wings
And into a waiting angel's arms
The pass so pure and sweet
Even among the angelic crowd
No one can believe this feat
Heavenly trumpets blare the sound
Angels cheer and laugh
God instructs His assistant
To get Brett's autograph
So while on earth all football fans
His passing they will weep
Brett will enter the Eternal Football League
With, of course, a Lambeau leap!!
Deep in the south in '69
On an early October morn
Unbeknownst to anyone at the time
A legend there was born
Nothing remarkable about him
Nothing special, no not yet
He was part French and Choctaw
They named the baby Brett
His beginnings were quite humble
No thoughts of future fame
But as the boy grew older
You could tell the kid had game
Even with his father as the coach
His full talents were still unknown
Because the high school ran an offense
They called the old wishbone
In college they wanted him to play
As a rangy defensive back
But Brett was resolute, insisting
That he would play quarterback
He was buried as a freshman
Far down on the team's depth chart
But by the very third game that year
He got a chance to start
He led the team to victory
His waiting now was over
And his reputation also grew
He had played with a hangover
In the summer before his senior year
A car wreck, contusions, cuts
They took out part of his intestine
But he still had plenty of guts
For six weeks later he took the field
Against the storied team from Alabama
Led his team to a comeback win
His first larger-than-life panorama
The Falcons took him in the second round
But his abilities were not brought forth
And after just a year with them
He was traded to the frozen north
And there it was, in Green Bay
Where this legend would be carved
For sixteen years the terms synonymous
Green Bay Packers and Brett Favre
It was not long before he started
Amidst some boos and cheers
It would be the start of a very special streak
That would last for sixteen years
He had a rocket for an arm
And that aw-shucks southern drawl
Every game he played with zest
You know he had a ball
The Packer fans soon fell in love
Where did we get this ringer
Green Bay didn't have a new sheriff in town
No, they had a new gunslinger
He was a blue-collar hero
Hard-working, rugged, tough
No fur coats or limousines
Or any of that fancy stuff
He did not act like royalty
Before whom all must kneel
But in a way he was a king
His castle, Lambeau Field
Some players are not likable
Some engender fear
But Brett was the type of player
With whom you'd like to share a beer
He was a fierce competitor
But he played the game with joy
Although he was a man among the men
You saw inside a little boy
Who after throwing a touchdown pass
Would jump and scream and yell
And when faced with triple coverage
He'd fling it, what the hell
He made plays that were impossible
That no human could explain
He played through much adversity
Some sorrow and some pain
He was a most valuable player
He achieved record-setting goals
And the ultimate victory
Winning one of two Super Bowls
But perhaps the greatest game he ever played
That showed what he had inside
Was when he played a football game
The day after his father died
Four touchdown passes in the first half
A 41-7 victory
His performance an inspiration
For the entire world to see
You saw an athlete par excellence
And a son so filled with love
He played the game of his career
For his father up above
Packer fans already adored him
They could not love him more
But on that cold December night
He was loved from shore to shore
He played football for a living
What appealed to us, the mob
Was that he never made it seem
Like to him it was just a job
He had that competitive spirit
He played it clean and hard
He'd play the same in the Superdome
As he would in your back yard
And just like every one of us
He was imperfect, with some flaws
But his striving for perfection
Was what garnered our applause
And at the twilight of his career
Many thought it was time to go
He came back for another year
And man was it a show
The gray-bearded grizzled veteran
Led an inexperienced crew
But once again he showed us all
The amazing things that he could do
Against all of their enemies
He led the charge, attack
He reminded everyone again
He was leader of the Pack
They exceeded all expectations
The season was a charm
And most of the team's good fortunes
Rested on ol' Brett's arm
Calendar said he was thirty-eight
But he played like twenty-one
That ever-infectious grin of his
Showed he was having so much fun
And with the old gunslinger
Fans hopes they were a'raisin'
They knew he would not go down
Without both guns a'blazin'
We wished for a Cinderella story
A happy ending of that sort
But though they came so awfully close
The Packers fell just short
And perhaps it was meant to be
Though it makes one almost cry
That his career would come to an end
On a pass that went awry
So now he's said it's time for him
To move on with his life
To devote more time to things he's missed
Like his children and his wife
We greet this with mixed emotions
For he is deserving of a rest
But selfishly we wonder how
We'll get along without the best
Our heads say we're overreacting
After all, football's just a game
But our hearts know with Brett not there
It will just not be the same
So we bid goodbye to the gunslinger
As a warrior, none were braver
We thank you for the joy you brought us
And for all the memories we will savor
We can picture you enjoying retirement
With perhaps but one small hitch
Every Sunday come September
The fingers will start to twitch
And when your time on Earth is done
And you're at the pearly gate
We see St. Peter toss you the ball
And say "Brett, it's 3rd and eight"
If you can complete this one last pass
This final game you'll win
If you can score a touchdown
Into heaven we'll let you in
And Brett drops back so comfortably
One more time the ball he flings
Right through the seraphim and cherubim
Just beyond their outstretched wings
And into a waiting angel's arms
The pass so pure and sweet
Even among the angelic crowd
No one can believe this feat
Heavenly trumpets blare the sound
Angels cheer and laugh
God instructs His assistant
To get Brett's autograph
So while on earth all football fans
His passing they will weep
Brett will enter the Eternal Football League
With, of course, a Lambeau leap!!