Brett Favre informed a congressional committee on Tuesday that he has Parkinson’s Illness.
That Favre, a swashbuckling Corridor of Fame quarterback who performed 20 seasons within the Nationwide Soccer League, now suffers from a mind dysfunction that causes unintended or uncontrollable actions conjures up unhappy recollections of Muhammad Ali in his later years.
Favre made the announcement throughout testimony earlier than the Home Methods and Means Committee as a part of an ongoing investigation of a welfare misspending scandal in his residence state of Mississippi. Favre doesn’t face felony fees and has repaid greater than $1 million in talking charges funded by a welfare program within the state. He stated he misplaced an funding in an organization “that I believed was creating a breakthrough concussion drug I assumed would assist others.”
Most of us seemingly winced upon listening to this information. However few of us have been shocked.
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Like so many gamers again within the day who returned to the sector after their “bell was rung,” you’ll be able to solely marvel what number of concussions Favre suffered throughout his profession. He informed a radio viewers he might have had “hundreds” of concussions in his 20 years within the NFL. Whereas an apparent exaggeration, he informed one other radio station host that he had reminiscence loss associated to the a number of concussions he suffered. He as soon as was requested by NBC what number of video games he would have missed below the present-day concussion guidelines and answered, “So much.”
When individuals say Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa ought to retire after struggling his third concussion, they’ll level to examples like Favre and his many concussions – though there is no such thing as a direct connection between concussions and Parkinson’s. Among the many elements suspected of accelerating the danger of Parkinson’s – head accidents in addition to publicity to pesticides and herbicides and the place you reside.
We’ll save that argument for one more day.
Right this moment, we must always bear in mind Favre for the pleasure he introduced not solely followers in Inexperienced Bay, New York and Minnesota, however throughout the NFL. He was a colourful, fierce competitor who performed with pleasure and abandon – throwing 508 TD passes in addition to 336 interceptions.
I used to be lucky to have many a press-box seat to observe Favre, beginning with a university soccer recreation on Sept. 2, 1989 at Jacksonville’s Gator Bowl when Favre’s Southern Miss workforce performed Florida State. The Golden Eagles upset the sixth-ranked Seminoles with Favre tossing the game-winning landing go with 23 seconds remaining. Instantly, these of us planning on writing about FSU switched gears to seek out out extra about this QB with the humorous final identify that was pronounced “Farve,” resulting in many misspelled headlines by means of the years.
Because the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat author for The Tampa Tribune within the Nineteen Nineties, I lined quite a few Packers-Bucs video games and the eventual sub plot that was Favre vs. defensive deal with Warren Sapp. I additionally was in New Orleans when Favre helped lead the Packers to victory towards the Patriots in Tremendous Bowl 31.
An MVP tie between Brett Favre, Barry Sanders defined
Maybe the largest connection is the story of how a sportswriter helped Favre win his third consecutive MVP trophy in 1997, not by making a TD catch or throwing a block however by forgetting to show in his poll.
These MVP awards have been voted on by a panel of fifty sports activities writers and broadcasters who lined the NFL and tabulated by the Related Press. I used to be one in every of Tampa Bay’s representatives and really voted for Barry Sanders that season after the Lions working again rushed for two,053 yards, averaged 6.1 yards per carry and scored 11 touchdowns.
Upon discovering my poll below a stack of papers on my desk within the sports activities division, and realizing the deadline had handed, I ran to AP Sports activities Author Fred Goodall’s workplace (positioned in the identical constructing) to plead my case. Sadly, the ballots had been tabulated – 18 for Favre, 18 for Sanders – and a tie declared.
The truth that 13 different voters didn’t flip of their ballots helped assuage my ache. It additionally eased my thoughts when each gamers graciously shared that MVP award. Favre stated, “I am honored to be voted (MVP) once more and … to be up on a pedestal with him is wonderful.” Sanders added, “He jogs my memory plenty of Michael Jordan. Irrespective of how profitable he is been, he is nonetheless at all times essentially the most aggressive particular person on the sector.”
This is hoping that Brett Favre can nonetheless maintain all three trophies and bear in mind these days years from now.