As a lifelong Brett Favre fan March 4th, 2008 will go down as one of the saddest days of my life. Yesterday, one of the greatest decided it was time to hang it up and it truly marks the end of an era.

Favre was one of the last gun-slinging, non pre-Madonna quarterbacks (err read: JaMarcus Russell). He played the game with passion, youthful attitude, toughness and a will to win few, if any, have ever had. Unlike Tom Brady or Peyton Manning, Favre never had a great offensive line, or marquee wide receivers, but he always figured out a way to make it work. He was an “Iron Man” in every sense of the word starting and playing every game to win.

It’s funny because as I flip through the TV channels people are talking about his retirement like a death rather than him just giving up the game of football.

Favre was your average, everyday American yet so much more. He loved to party, battled with addiction, escaped a near death experience, played a career game the day after his father died, and almost lost his wife to breast cancer but every Sunday there he was in primetime jumping around the field like a little boy without a care in the world.

For the first time in my life someone new will suit up as the quarterback for the Green Bay Packers. It’s a chapter that has come to an end however the legend of Brett Favre has not died and will never die with many American families. His legacy will be passed from generation to generation because I personally want my kids to know how they should live their life in the good times and the bad and Brett Favre is a prime example of this.

My wife still gives me a hard time and says I hunt too much or I like to play too much golf. And she’s probably right, but it sure beats some of the things I used to do.

- Brett Favre