Brett Favre became the Green Bay Packers' starting QB when I was 20 years old in 1992. To put that in perspective, he has started every game in my adult life. I was living in Milwaukee at the time and had suffered through years and years of horrible Packer teams.
The year that he took over for Don Majkowki, I purchased not a replica, but an authentic Majkowski jersey. What a horrible mistake. The Magic man blew out his knee or something to that degree and Favre took over. At the time, I was angry that I wasted my money on the Majkowski jersey. I vowed that I would never make that mistake again.
But then, a couple of years later, Favre started putting up MVP numbers, and so against informed judgement, I jumped on the bandwagon and purchased a Favre jersey. Suffice it to say, I got my money's worth out of that jersey and it more than made up for my Majkowski mistake.
Anyone who lived in Wisconsin during Favre's wild years knows that he was always the life of the party -- Mark Chmura, Frank Winters and he living it up in Green Bay and Milwaukee. During his drinking years, Favre used to get behind the bar and serve free drinks to patrons, who absolutely loved him for his fun-loving spirit. He was the life of the party.
Like a lot of us when we were in our 20s, there was a time when partying was the only thing on our mind, myself included. But, there's a point when you realize that there is more to life. What I find most admirable and impressive was Favre's willingness to turn his life around in his late 20s. Favre decided that he didn't want his legacy to include getting drunk and partying all the time. He settled down, got married, had another child with Deanna Favre and became a true role model.
I think that's what I'll remember most about him ... that he grew up like most of us.