Over the past 16 years many things have happened around the world. The Internet became a big part of our lives, Sept. 11 happened and led to a war and we stopped watching movies on tapes and went to DVDs. But one thing has always been the same, on Sundays in the fall, Brett Favre lined up under center for the Green Bay Packers. As I sit here now reminiscing on the finest years of my life, images of No. 4 running out of the tunnel waving a towel are scorched into my mind.

Graphic by Becky Ninneman

Favre was more than a quarterback; he was our quarterback. He was the everyday guy from Kiln, Miss. who could associate with the working class man in the Midwest. He started every game, played every snap like it was his last and enjoyed the game just as much as we all enjoyed watching him play it.

The Green Bay Packers were in a state of transition when Favre arrived from Atlanta. He was a good player in college, the second quarterback taken in the draft and his skill set was mostly unknown. But from his first game-winning touchdown to Kitrick Taylor to his final touchdown pass to Donald Lee, Favre has provided Packer fans with a wealth of memories.

I remember when Favre took over for Don Majkowski. Many Packer fans scoffed at the idea of this young gun taking over the team. As we all soon learned, he would give us 16 years of incredible highs and lows.

I think half the reason people love Favre so much is because he was a risk taker. As John Madden called him seemingly hundreds of times, “The Old Gun Slinger” took chances that many other quarterbacks would never have thought about. It is almost fitting that his final career pass was a gift-wrapped interception to Corey Webster in the freezing cold of Lambeau. Sitting in the stands that day I thought to myself “Is that the final pass?” and my fears have been confirmed.

Favre was an idol to many, an inspiration to others and a terrible actor in There’s Something About Mary. But one thing is for certain; he was a hero who will not soon be forgotten. The mystique that surrounds him even to this day is awe inspiring. Brett will of course go on to other things; he has often said that when he is all done with football he just wants to mow the lawn at his home in Hattiesburg, Miss. He will get the opportunity to do that now and one thing is for certain, the Packers will miss him for many reasons.

No. 4 is my first sports hero to retire. A small part of my fanhood goes down the dusty trail with Brett and I will miss those Sunday afternoons we spent together. To me for a short while when the Packers were on nothing else mattered because I always knew he was going to get us a victory. Now someone else will have to take on that role. Will it be Aaron Rodgers, another free agent or someone in the draft? I just don’t know yet.

As my good friend and Packers super fan Dan Lauth has said time and time again as we watched games together, “Brett Favre forever.”