Dianne Feinstein for her leading role in the Supreme Court nomination hearings on John Roberts. Feinstein (D - California) played the part of "over-the-top, concerned person of the common people" by asking the tough questions, or perhaps maybe they were not really questions, but self-praising anecdotes about herself. George Will of the Washington Post certainly thinks so in his Op/Ed piece:
Now, some people might think that detachment is a good thing in a judge -- that it might be the virtue called judiciousness. Never mind. Feinstein's real worry is, she said, Roberts's failure to explain how he planned to be "in touch" with "the problems real people have out there." She was dismayed by the inadequacy of his discussion of "the importance of reaching out to communities that he normally would not be in contact with, and spending time to understand the problems that average people face, in my communities of Hunters Point, of East L.A., of some of the agriculture areas of our state." ...
Feinstein should have been more fluent because she was talking, as senators are wont to do, about . . . herself. Some of her "questions" to Roberts were a familiar form of preening, of moral exhibitionism. They were an example of how liberals compete, mostly among themselves, in the sensitivity sweepstakes. She might as well have simply said: Look here, Roberts, are you or are you not in my league as a world-class reacher-outer to, and a stayer-in-touch with, plain people?
Cue the violin.
Will does a great job in this article highlighting the liberal's false "cause for the common man" - check out his full article.
27.9.05
3.9.05
Hurricane Katrina
It's a sad day when natural disasters that take the lives of many fall prey to political spin. The matters at hand are about life and death - not liberal or conservative. I don't believe I can be shocked any more when any sort of tragedy that takes place is quickly used towards a political end. When will people wake up? Perhaps never, for their ignorance and hatred blind their common sense.
Please take the time to donate to the red cross:
http://www.redcross.org
Please take the time to donate to the red cross:
http://www.redcross.org
24.8.05
22.6.05
Playboy
He's the Man...
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is at it again. The man certainly can be a charmer and at other times provide quite the quote. His latest?
PARMA, Italy (Reuters) - Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi repeated one of his most famous diplomatic gaffes on Tuesday by insulting the cuisine of Finland which Italy beat to host the new European Food Safety Authority.
"I've been to Finland and I had to endure the Finnish diet so I am in a position to make a comparison," Berlusconi told local dignitaries ahead of the inauguration of the EFSA in the northern Italian town of Parma.
Berlusconi didn't stop there though in order to pry away the hosting of the EFSA from Finland...
"I had to use all my playboy tactics, even if they have not been used for some time," said Berlusconi.
Well done, sir...well done.
25.4.05
Italian Futurists and the Sintesi
Recently, in my regional identities in Italian drama class we've been examining the Futurist movement that originated in Italy around the early part of the 20th century. It was a new "art" form that cast off all previous notions of what was "art". You can only imagine then, what these so-called "artists" proceeded to create. The movement created several manifestoes to lay out all that Futurism entailed. So, let them tell you what the movement was all about: Futurism emphasized...
Anyway, our teacher asked us to make a Futurist play. After hearing some examples of Futurist sintesi (that's the word for plays in Futurist lingo), I did not worry too much about my task. To let you know just how easy it could be, some plays could literally take 30 seconds long. Futurists were all about condensing and cutting to the chase. I guess I could enjoy them from that aspect, but they took it to the extreme. One play is just a dog crossing the street - that's it - curtain closes, go home.
Well, I proceeded to write a play roughly 10 minutes before class. Simple enough, right? Gibberish isn't that hard to spit out. That being said, here is my Futurist piece:
"Demonstratives"
Setting: A small park with benches strewn down a stretch of trail. Two old people are sitting on a bench watching those who pass by.
Old Man: It might rain tomorrow.
Old Woman: If the sky is red it might, but only in the morning.
Old Man: The people who walk past us are slowly dying in a pool of mixed passions. They live for all that is wrong.
Old Woman: What are we then, but mere pawns in a disillusioned game of life?
Old Man: Rather, we are what wills us…(a long pause)…it might rain tomorrow.
CURTAIN
Teacher's Notes: "About 20 years after Futurism, the Absurdists were the next big theatrical avant-garde; this piece seems to be a good mix of the two! (Absurdists were basically existentialists). Smudges are a nice touch!!"
I should add that I smudged the ink after I printed the document to give it a "Futurist" look. They were known for their odd artwork as well...So, pretty decent for someone with no previous Futurist experience eh? And I even mixed art forms in there! Funny, I didn't know I had any absurdist in me...
If you want more info on the Italian Futurist movement, you can always find stuff about them online.
the power, force and motion of machinery combined with the contemporaryNow, this wasn't all that it entailed, for the Futurists also
fascination with speed while at the same tim denouncing 'static' art of the past
and the passeist (or old-fashioned) establishment.
promoted the glorification of war, the denigration (raping) of women and theWell, I guess you could say that Futurists were the antithesis of the hippie movement from the 60's. Oh, and they also produced some pretty crazy plays and poems. Basically, gibberish and nonsense were viewed as "higher art". No joke...there were some real nutjobs in the genre.
favoring of Fascism while also using the vilification of artistic tradition 'to
destroy the museums, libraries and academies of every kind'.
Anyway, our teacher asked us to make a Futurist play. After hearing some examples of Futurist sintesi (that's the word for plays in Futurist lingo), I did not worry too much about my task. To let you know just how easy it could be, some plays could literally take 30 seconds long. Futurists were all about condensing and cutting to the chase. I guess I could enjoy them from that aspect, but they took it to the extreme. One play is just a dog crossing the street - that's it - curtain closes, go home.
Well, I proceeded to write a play roughly 10 minutes before class. Simple enough, right? Gibberish isn't that hard to spit out. That being said, here is my Futurist piece:
"Demonstratives"
Setting: A small park with benches strewn down a stretch of trail. Two old people are sitting on a bench watching those who pass by.
Old Man: It might rain tomorrow.
Old Woman: If the sky is red it might, but only in the morning.
Old Man: The people who walk past us are slowly dying in a pool of mixed passions. They live for all that is wrong.
Old Woman: What are we then, but mere pawns in a disillusioned game of life?
Old Man: Rather, we are what wills us…(a long pause)…it might rain tomorrow.
CURTAIN
Teacher's Notes: "About 20 years after Futurism, the Absurdists were the next big theatrical avant-garde; this piece seems to be a good mix of the two! (Absurdists were basically existentialists). Smudges are a nice touch!!"
I should add that I smudged the ink after I printed the document to give it a "Futurist" look. They were known for their odd artwork as well...So, pretty decent for someone with no previous Futurist experience eh? And I even mixed art forms in there! Funny, I didn't know I had any absurdist in me...
If you want more info on the Italian Futurist movement, you can always find stuff about them online.
23.3.05
It's Madness Baby!
Representin' my school
It's a great time to be a University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee student. Not only representing mid-Majors in the Big Dance, in only their second tournament appearance, the UWM Panthers have managed to shock opponents and entertain audiences with their uptempo style of play.
They've knocked off 5th seed Alabama and 4th seed Boston College. Bruce Pearl has been the hottest coaching name mentioned in the nation. The only true Cinderella team left (N.C. State has the goods in Julius Hodge). What lies ahead for these Panthers? Just the #1 team in the country - Illinois!
This game appears to be a blowout on paper, yet one would assume the last two teams also had it in the bag as well. Nevertheless, this is March Madness. Anything can happen. While the more reasonable side of me tells me that UWM has no chance, I'm reminded of that 'Nova - Georgetown upset 20 years ago.
This tells me that no matter what happens...March always brings about some peculiar outcomes.
GO UWM!
16.3.05
24.2.05
16.2.05
Get Excited!
Spring training is right around the corner. Usually this means more of the same for the Milwaukee Brewers...how bad will they be this year? NOT this season! Excitement has been bubbling all over Milwaukee as new management and young players converge to build upon an organization that appears to be on the rise! Don't believe me?? Ask the experts:
MILWAUKEE BREWERS
What must go right: The Brewers swapped closer Dan Kolb and center fielder Scott Podsednik when their value was high, and in return, they got outfielder Carlos Lee and hard-throwing Jose Capellan. That means Milwaukee has to find a new closer and fill other holes around ace pitcher Ben Sheets and a decent young lineup. Nobody expects them to win 105 games like the Cardinals did last year, but they might get a whiff of the front-runners in the NL Central this summer. And, believe it or not, for the first time in years, the Brewers might be on the verge of having a window of opportunity to contend.
What could go wrong: Sheets's status -- will he sign a long-term deal, or won't he? -- will be a priority for the organization in the months to come; an inability to lock him up would be devastating for the Brewers. It stands to reason that the better the Brewers play this year, the more likely it is that Sheets will feel comfortable remaining in Milwaukee, rather than waiting until after the 2007 season to sign long-term with someone like the Yankees or Red Sox.
The X-Factor: The Brewers have a wave of talented infielders on the verge of reaching the majors together -- first baseman Prince Fielder, second baseman Rickie Weeks and shortstop J.J. Hardy. While Hardy might open the season with Milwaukee, it's possible that Fielder and Weeks will arrive sometime later in the summer, depending on how they fare in the minors and depending on the needs of the team.
Numerically speaking: It's a mind-boggling set of numbers that flew under the radar last year, along with the rest of the Brewers -- Sheets struck out 264 batters and walked only 32 in 237 innings
Yes...maybe not this year...but it's only getting better Milwaukee!
MILWAUKEE BREWERS
What must go right: The Brewers swapped closer Dan Kolb and center fielder Scott Podsednik when their value was high, and in return, they got outfielder Carlos Lee and hard-throwing Jose Capellan. That means Milwaukee has to find a new closer and fill other holes around ace pitcher Ben Sheets and a decent young lineup. Nobody expects them to win 105 games like the Cardinals did last year, but they might get a whiff of the front-runners in the NL Central this summer. And, believe it or not, for the first time in years, the Brewers might be on the verge of having a window of opportunity to contend.
What could go wrong: Sheets's status -- will he sign a long-term deal, or won't he? -- will be a priority for the organization in the months to come; an inability to lock him up would be devastating for the Brewers. It stands to reason that the better the Brewers play this year, the more likely it is that Sheets will feel comfortable remaining in Milwaukee, rather than waiting until after the 2007 season to sign long-term with someone like the Yankees or Red Sox.
The X-Factor: The Brewers have a wave of talented infielders on the verge of reaching the majors together -- first baseman Prince Fielder, second baseman Rickie Weeks and shortstop J.J. Hardy. While Hardy might open the season with Milwaukee, it's possible that Fielder and Weeks will arrive sometime later in the summer, depending on how they fare in the minors and depending on the needs of the team.
Numerically speaking: It's a mind-boggling set of numbers that flew under the radar last year, along with the rest of the Brewers -- Sheets struck out 264 batters and walked only 32 in 237 innings
Yes...maybe not this year...but it's only getting better Milwaukee!
28.1.05
13.1.05
21?
20? HIT ME! No, actually I'm not talking about BlackJack...
Yea, the 13th of January means it's my birthday...21 now...I feel sooo old! Ha, I have plenty to learn - I'm sure all who know me can attest to that fact...
Anyway, I'm gettin ready to head out for dinner with some fam...
Yea, the 13th of January means it's my birthday...21 now...I feel sooo old! Ha, I have plenty to learn - I'm sure all who know me can attest to that fact...
Anyway, I'm gettin ready to head out for dinner with some fam...
12.1.05
Fascists Unite!
Pablo Di Canio and Benito Mussolini - Good Friends??
Italian calcio (football/soccer) and Italian politics have been meshed before...but is this latest incident too far? Apparently, Lazio star and team captain Pablo Di Canio was pictured at a match between Lazio and Roma after he scored a goal that ensured his side 3 points.
It's known in Italy that Lazio fans have an extreme die-hard neofascist rank among them called the Irriducibili. In fact, Il Duce, himself, used to frequent Lazio events which may be another reason the Irriducibili still reside as Lazio fans. So, as Pablo Di Canio has blown this gesture off as not a political statement, but rather an acknowledgment to a group of his supporters, the rest of Italy are talking about this latest incident in this professional's glittered past (IHT, 1/11).
Call of Duty: Finest Hour
Ok, I've been raving about this game for quite some time now...I just got my hands on a copy a couple days ago and I've had some time to play it here and there.
So, let me just start by saying that this is the most UNBELIEVABLE war game I have had the pleasure of playing. I don't consider my self a "gamer" but I do like to sit down on my little brother's Xbox and play for a few.
In Call of Duty: Finest Hour, you assume the roles of a number of different characters from Russia, Britain and the U.S. The storyline places you in a war scenario as it appeared to the average citizen/soldier. While the storyline is good, it takes a backseat to the intense action. Literally, this game makes you feel like you are in the warzone...For instance, a large mortar goes off right near you...all of a sudden you are shaken, your vision becomes somewhat hazy, you can't hear anything and you seem to move in slow motion. Such jarring effects definitely give this game an edge compared to other games - such as Medal of Honor, etc.
The game is sure to get better the more I play and most of the reviews I have read have given this game the thumbs up. I'm sure the game has its glitches, but doesn't every game have at least some problems? Plus, I am not the uber-dork when it comes to gaming, so I am positive that my untrained gamer eyes have missed some obvious gaming intricacies.
Anyway, the game is great - so go out and buy it and let me know what you think!
So, let me just start by saying that this is the most UNBELIEVABLE war game I have had the pleasure of playing. I don't consider my self a "gamer" but I do like to sit down on my little brother's Xbox and play for a few.
In Call of Duty: Finest Hour, you assume the roles of a number of different characters from Russia, Britain and the U.S. The storyline places you in a war scenario as it appeared to the average citizen/soldier. While the storyline is good, it takes a backseat to the intense action. Literally, this game makes you feel like you are in the warzone...For instance, a large mortar goes off right near you...all of a sudden you are shaken, your vision becomes somewhat hazy, you can't hear anything and you seem to move in slow motion. Such jarring effects definitely give this game an edge compared to other games - such as Medal of Honor, etc.
The game is sure to get better the more I play and most of the reviews I have read have given this game the thumbs up. I'm sure the game has its glitches, but doesn't every game have at least some problems? Plus, I am not the uber-dork when it comes to gaming, so I am positive that my untrained gamer eyes have missed some obvious gaming intricacies.
Anyway, the game is great - so go out and buy it and let me know what you think!
8.1.05
Non me lo so spiegare...
Un po’ mi manca l’aria che tirava
O semplicemente la tua bianca schiena..nananana
E quell’orologio non girava
Stava fermo sempre da mattina a sera.
come me lui ti fissava
Io non piango mai per te
Non farò niente di simile...nononono
Si, lo ammetto, un po’ ti penso
Ma mi scanso
Non mi tocchi più
Solo che pensavo a quanto è inutile farneticare
E credere di stare bene quando è inverno e te
Togli le tue mani calde
Non mi abbracci e mi ripeti che son grande,mi ricordi che rivivo in tante cose...nananana
Case, libri, auto, viaggi, fogli di giornale
Che anche se non valgo niente perlomeno a te
Ti permetto di sognare
E se hai voglia, di lasciarti camminare
Scusa, sai, non ti vorrei mai disturbare
Ma vuoi dirmi come questo può finire?
Non melo so spiegare
Io no me lo so spiegare
La notte fonda e la luna piena
Ci offrivano da dono solo l’atmosfera
Ma l’amavo e l’amo ancora
Ogni dettaglio è aria che mi manca
E se sto così..sarà la primavera..
Ma non regge più la scusa...
5.1.05
Better Days
When I woke up this morning I just knew I should have stayed in bed. I woke up at 6:45...an hour too late to make it on time for work. Compound that with snowy roads and an hour+ drive to work - I should have just turned around and went back to bed.
I work in the Health Services department of a large financial organization. That being said, I come into contact with alot of people with health needs and know when something arises with an employee.
Today the bad news came around noon when the Health Clinic learned that a company employee took his own life this morning at his home. Sad sad news...its the second time in 3 weeks that an employee has died.
The day didn't get any better when another employee came into the clinic to see one of the nurses. After stepping into one of the exam rooms, the employee broke down - he yelled and slammed his fist on a counter and threw some papers onto the floor. This out of friction he has encountered with his manager - a problem that apparently has been ongoing for over a year. Being the only male in the health clinic (I'm not a nurse...I just help out with corporate health events and FMLA and DI cases), I was left to guard the door and make sure that nothing happened.
It was sad to see this man so frustrated that he broke down and even cried, but it became very tense after he claimed he should shoot his manager. Things eventually settled down and he was allowed to go home. Employee relations contacted him at home and held a conference call with him to make sure that everything was alright. Sometimes we act irrationally and say things we don't mean, yet people still are responsible for their actions.
After these incidents, the day carried on in a somber manner. Having even one of these events take place is bad enough, two is extreme. Hopefully the day will get better...after all it's the beginning of a New Year, not to mention it's always easy to laugh looking at how some people would like to claim "disability" just to get out of work!!
Happy New Year everybody....
I work in the Health Services department of a large financial organization. That being said, I come into contact with alot of people with health needs and know when something arises with an employee.
Today the bad news came around noon when the Health Clinic learned that a company employee took his own life this morning at his home. Sad sad news...its the second time in 3 weeks that an employee has died.
The day didn't get any better when another employee came into the clinic to see one of the nurses. After stepping into one of the exam rooms, the employee broke down - he yelled and slammed his fist on a counter and threw some papers onto the floor. This out of friction he has encountered with his manager - a problem that apparently has been ongoing for over a year. Being the only male in the health clinic (I'm not a nurse...I just help out with corporate health events and FMLA and DI cases), I was left to guard the door and make sure that nothing happened.
It was sad to see this man so frustrated that he broke down and even cried, but it became very tense after he claimed he should shoot his manager. Things eventually settled down and he was allowed to go home. Employee relations contacted him at home and held a conference call with him to make sure that everything was alright. Sometimes we act irrationally and say things we don't mean, yet people still are responsible for their actions.
After these incidents, the day carried on in a somber manner. Having even one of these events take place is bad enough, two is extreme. Hopefully the day will get better...after all it's the beginning of a New Year, not to mention it's always easy to laugh looking at how some people would like to claim "disability" just to get out of work!!
Happy New Year everybody....
27.12.04
Lessons from the Minister of Defense
For those fans of the NFL, Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles and even the Carolina Panthers, yesterday's news of the death of Reggie White came as a shock.
At 43, Reggie White was not necessarily old in any terms, yet he passed away early Sunday morning. While the cause of his death is still unclear, the impression he left on earth is indelible.
Reggie White was arguably the best defensive end to ever play the game of football. But instead of focusing on the way he played the game, the path the "Minister of Defense" led is one that others should strive to follow. His strong personal convictions and his devotion to his faith, family and football speak even louder than his actions on the field.
He was a man of impeccable character and truly was unwavering in his beliefs. The admiration gathered from all those who knew him speaks for who he was not as a football player but as a person. I feel honored to have been able to watch him play for my beloved Green & Gold and only give more credit to him for the way he lived his life.
If you want more information on Reggie White from those who knew him click http://espn.go.com/classic/s/Whitememories.html
At 43, Reggie White was not necessarily old in any terms, yet he passed away early Sunday morning. While the cause of his death is still unclear, the impression he left on earth is indelible.
Reggie White was arguably the best defensive end to ever play the game of football. But instead of focusing on the way he played the game, the path the "Minister of Defense" led is one that others should strive to follow. His strong personal convictions and his devotion to his faith, family and football speak even louder than his actions on the field.
He was a man of impeccable character and truly was unwavering in his beliefs. The admiration gathered from all those who knew him speaks for who he was not as a football player but as a person. I feel honored to have been able to watch him play for my beloved Green & Gold and only give more credit to him for the way he lived his life.
If you want more information on Reggie White from those who knew him click http://espn.go.com/classic/s/Whitememories.html
25.12.04
Buona Natale!
Merry Christmas everyone! I trust everyone will have a safe, fun holiday as we gather together with family and friends.
Let's not forget our soldiers who are currently fighting to defend our freedoms...
May we never forget the sacrifices they make each and every day.
Let's not forget our soldiers who are currently fighting to defend our freedoms...
May we never forget the sacrifices they make each and every day.
12.12.04
Sound Familiar?
Coming up to exam week there are more similarities in this comic strip than just my name.....
2.12.04
Quote of the Day
I found a great quote while reading a passage from Tacitus on Agricola - a man who Tacitus diverts much praise...anyway, I can see the relevance of this quote even in today's age...
That is the crowning injustice of war: all claim credit for success, while defeat is laid to the account of one.
Everyone....take note...28.11.04
A Tribute to Brett Favre - Overcoming Adversity
Here's an article from ESPN on Brett Favre - my idol when it comes to football. Never in the NFL (or maybe all of sports) has there been anyone better, tougher or played at a higher level...
Sometimes, when the sky is falling in pieces all around you, all you can do is laugh.
A week ago, Brett Favre was needling his mother, Bonita, who was in the middle of a book tour to publicize her New York Times best-seller "Favre."
"You're not a spring chicken anymore," the Green Bay Packers quarterback told her.
"You sound like I sounded some years back, talking to you," she responded.
"Well, if that's the case," the son told his mother, "then you won't listen to me like I didn't listen to you -- so we're even."
One day later, Bonita was flat on her back in a Madison, Wis., hospital complaining of severe stomach pains. And with that piece of bad luck -- food poisoning was ultimately the diagnosis -- her streak of consecutive book signings was stopped at seven. Bonita sat out the signings scheduled for La Crosse on Thursday and Green Bay on Saturday.
Her publicist, Zoe Feigenbaum, insisted she would continue this week.
"She's a tough one," Feigenbaum observed. "She wants to keep going.
"She's a Favre."
Indeed.
In his 13th season with the Packers, Brett Lorenzo Favre has become synonymous with triumphing amid adversity. In sport, courage and heroism are often overstated. But the depths of the adversity that has visited Favre's life and the level of performance with which he has responded is, upon inspection, quite breathtaking.
Favre leaves the field with his wife Deanna one day after his father passed.In the last 11 months, Favre has lost his father, Irv, to a heart attack; lost his brother-in-law, Casey Tynes, in an all-terrain vehicle crash on his estate in Mississippi; and learned that his wife, Deanna, had breast cancer. Favre has played through a series of injuries this season -- concussion, bruised hamstring, sprained hand, sprained thumb -- but on Monday night he will step on Lambeau Field against the St. Louis Rams and start his 200th consecutive game, an amazing NFL record he continues to push further and further out of reach. By any measure, Favre's success under duress surpasses all understanding.
How does he consistently rise to these great occasions with such poise and precision?
Last week, Favre sat down for an introspective interview with ESPN's Suzy Kolber for an NFL Countdown feature.
"I wish I had an answer," Favre told Kolber. "I don't know. The most talented players don't always succeed. It's more what's inside. So much of a professional athlete's success depends not necessarily how you deal with good, but how you deal with the bad.
"It was kind of a wake-up call. When it hits you directly, it makes you realize how precious life is. There was a time when I thought football was the most important. Football will be over at some point -- the family goes on.
"When you lose someone, or when there are setbacks, it kind of puts it in perspective. When you lose a family member or something tragic happens, that stays with you forever. You never get over it."
Favre is 35, already graying gracefully around the temples. His place in football history is more than secure. He's led his team to a Super Bowl victory and is ranked among the top five in four major passing categories: touchdowns, attempts, completions and yards. He has thrown for 365 touchdowns, meaning only Dan Marino (420) has more. Think of all the territory that takes in; Favre has seen his passes reach the end zone safely more times than Elway, Unitas, Montana's and so many other great quarterbacks.
But it isn't the quantity he producers year after year, it is the sterling quality of his numbers when things are less than perfect. Some of his finest seasons came when he was, by his own admission, drinking too much. He won the first of three NFL MVP awards while he was addicted to painkillers in 1995. There have been memorable contests when Favre entered games listed as questionable with formidable injuries.
"You just never know what the next day is going to bring," Favre told Kolber. "That goes for football, goes for off the field, and I gave up a long time ago trying to predict the future and trying to deal with things I couldn't deal with. There is only so much I can do. You know, the old saying, when it rains, it pours. When it comes, it comes in bunches. It seems that way in my case.
"I have been asked the question, 'How do you focus on football with everything else going on?' I would think it's much easier. It enables you to escape for a brief period of time to kind of get away. You have to go back and deal with it, but it's a good escape."
“
The most talented players don't always succeed. It's more what's inside. So much of a professional athlete's success depends not necessarily how you deal with good, but how you deal with the bad. ”
—Brett Favre
Last Dec. 21, Irv Favre, 58, died of a heart attack while driving near his home. The Packers were 8-6 and competing fiercely for a playoff berth. Twenty-six hours later, under the bright lights of national television, Favre memorably torched the Oakland Raiders for 399 yards and four touchdowns in a 41-7 victory.
Favre led Green Bay to a 31-3 victory over the Denver Broncos in the regular-season finale, then guided the Packers to a 33-27 overtime win over Seattle in the first round of the playoffs. Favre couldn't quite carry the team past the Philadelphia Eagles in the divisional playoffs, when Green Bay fell, 20-17 in overtime.
Before the season, Favre said he thought the Packers were committed to reaching the Super Bowl, but Green Bay responded by losing four straight games after an opening victory at Carolina. The last of those losses, at home to Tennessee, was a game colored by more grief for Favre. On Oct. 6, Tynes was killed in an ATV accident in Hattiesburg, Miss. He was 24.
Eight days later, Favre discovered that Deanna has breast cancer. She had found a lump during a self-examination.
"I know that I handled it worse than she did," Favre told Kolber. "Learning of her diagnosis was like "Ah, where do we go from here?' I'm sure that deep down inside, she was probably really scared, and probably still is.
"But I felt helpless and still feel helpless. I want to go in and cure it right now -- I can't do that -- and that's pretty much the most difficult part."
Three days after the diagnosis, the Packers were 1-4 and playing at Detroit. If ever there was a chance for a distracted performance, this was it. Favre was polished and professional; he completed 25 of 38 passes for 257 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. The Packers won, 38-10.
Two days before the game against Dallas the following week, Deanna underwent a lumpectomy Oct. 22 at Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. Favre responded with another terrific game against the Cowboys, completing 23 of 29 passes for 258 yards and two more touchdowns. Since then, Favre has been a bit uneven -- he threw three interceptions against the Redskins, but burned the Vikings for four touchdowns -- but the Packers are riding a five-game winning streak.
Favre and the Packers have won four five straight games.The most recent triumph, a gritty 16-13 victory over the Houston Texans, was typical Favre. The young Texans led 13-3 in the fourth quarter, but Favre rallied the Packers with three scoring drives. Ryan Longwell's 46-yard field goal as time expired followed a drive in which Favre completed six of seven passes -- the only miss being an intentional spike to stop the clock.
Packers head coach Mike Sherman said Favre, "gives you the confidence that he is going to do something special in those situations."
This has been the most difficult of his 14 NFL seasons, according to Favre. Tougher than 1999, when he played most of the season with an injured thumb and the Packers missed the playoffs with an 8-8 record. Tougher than last season when he played with a broken thumb and his father died.
These days, he and his daughters, 15-year-old Brittany and five-year-old Breleigh, are rallying around Deanna, who is still confronted by three months of chemotherapy and six weeks of radiation treatment. The prognosis after early detection, however, is optimistic.
"My wife is healthy, she's in the prime of her life," Favre said. "You think that it happens to other people, but it happens to everyone. God, he deals you with some blows that at some times you think you can't handle -- and there have been some things in the last year that we thought we couldn't handle -- but we've dealt with it up until this point."
Have these travails affected the choice between continuing to play or retire?
"(Deanna) keeps saying, 'Don't worry about me -- keep playing.' " Favre told Kolber. "I don't foresee my wife saying to me that it's time to give it up unless I just really suck, pardon my French.
"But there's times that I walk on and off the field thinking I'm the best and when things like the loss of my dad and Deanna's diagnosis and the loss of her brother come about, you go, 'God, I don't know if I've got it anymore. I don't know if I can go out there and lead us through the two-minute drill anymore.'
"I've got other things to worry about and (Deanna) says they're going to be there either way, so why not do something that you know you can do? She has said to me numerous times this year, 'I don't know if this is your last year or what, but it's your decision. I want you to play the best you've ever played,' which is probably putting more pressure on me than I can deal with because I don't know if I can play as good as I've played in the past.
"But I've told her that I would give it a try. There's still a lot of football to play, and we've fought our way back, so we'll see what happens."
Sometimes, when the sky is falling in pieces all around you, all you can do is laugh.
A week ago, Brett Favre was needling his mother, Bonita, who was in the middle of a book tour to publicize her New York Times best-seller "Favre."
"You're not a spring chicken anymore," the Green Bay Packers quarterback told her.
"You sound like I sounded some years back, talking to you," she responded.
"Well, if that's the case," the son told his mother, "then you won't listen to me like I didn't listen to you -- so we're even."
One day later, Bonita was flat on her back in a Madison, Wis., hospital complaining of severe stomach pains. And with that piece of bad luck -- food poisoning was ultimately the diagnosis -- her streak of consecutive book signings was stopped at seven. Bonita sat out the signings scheduled for La Crosse on Thursday and Green Bay on Saturday.
Her publicist, Zoe Feigenbaum, insisted she would continue this week.
"She's a tough one," Feigenbaum observed. "She wants to keep going.
"She's a Favre."
Indeed.
In his 13th season with the Packers, Brett Lorenzo Favre has become synonymous with triumphing amid adversity. In sport, courage and heroism are often overstated. But the depths of the adversity that has visited Favre's life and the level of performance with which he has responded is, upon inspection, quite breathtaking.
Favre leaves the field with his wife Deanna one day after his father passed.In the last 11 months, Favre has lost his father, Irv, to a heart attack; lost his brother-in-law, Casey Tynes, in an all-terrain vehicle crash on his estate in Mississippi; and learned that his wife, Deanna, had breast cancer. Favre has played through a series of injuries this season -- concussion, bruised hamstring, sprained hand, sprained thumb -- but on Monday night he will step on Lambeau Field against the St. Louis Rams and start his 200th consecutive game, an amazing NFL record he continues to push further and further out of reach. By any measure, Favre's success under duress surpasses all understanding.
How does he consistently rise to these great occasions with such poise and precision?
Last week, Favre sat down for an introspective interview with ESPN's Suzy Kolber for an NFL Countdown feature.
"I wish I had an answer," Favre told Kolber. "I don't know. The most talented players don't always succeed. It's more what's inside. So much of a professional athlete's success depends not necessarily how you deal with good, but how you deal with the bad.
"It was kind of a wake-up call. When it hits you directly, it makes you realize how precious life is. There was a time when I thought football was the most important. Football will be over at some point -- the family goes on.
"When you lose someone, or when there are setbacks, it kind of puts it in perspective. When you lose a family member or something tragic happens, that stays with you forever. You never get over it."
Favre is 35, already graying gracefully around the temples. His place in football history is more than secure. He's led his team to a Super Bowl victory and is ranked among the top five in four major passing categories: touchdowns, attempts, completions and yards. He has thrown for 365 touchdowns, meaning only Dan Marino (420) has more. Think of all the territory that takes in; Favre has seen his passes reach the end zone safely more times than Elway, Unitas, Montana's and so many other great quarterbacks.
But it isn't the quantity he producers year after year, it is the sterling quality of his numbers when things are less than perfect. Some of his finest seasons came when he was, by his own admission, drinking too much. He won the first of three NFL MVP awards while he was addicted to painkillers in 1995. There have been memorable contests when Favre entered games listed as questionable with formidable injuries.
"You just never know what the next day is going to bring," Favre told Kolber. "That goes for football, goes for off the field, and I gave up a long time ago trying to predict the future and trying to deal with things I couldn't deal with. There is only so much I can do. You know, the old saying, when it rains, it pours. When it comes, it comes in bunches. It seems that way in my case.
"I have been asked the question, 'How do you focus on football with everything else going on?' I would think it's much easier. It enables you to escape for a brief period of time to kind of get away. You have to go back and deal with it, but it's a good escape."
“
The most talented players don't always succeed. It's more what's inside. So much of a professional athlete's success depends not necessarily how you deal with good, but how you deal with the bad. ”
—Brett Favre
Last Dec. 21, Irv Favre, 58, died of a heart attack while driving near his home. The Packers were 8-6 and competing fiercely for a playoff berth. Twenty-six hours later, under the bright lights of national television, Favre memorably torched the Oakland Raiders for 399 yards and four touchdowns in a 41-7 victory.
Favre led Green Bay to a 31-3 victory over the Denver Broncos in the regular-season finale, then guided the Packers to a 33-27 overtime win over Seattle in the first round of the playoffs. Favre couldn't quite carry the team past the Philadelphia Eagles in the divisional playoffs, when Green Bay fell, 20-17 in overtime.
Before the season, Favre said he thought the Packers were committed to reaching the Super Bowl, but Green Bay responded by losing four straight games after an opening victory at Carolina. The last of those losses, at home to Tennessee, was a game colored by more grief for Favre. On Oct. 6, Tynes was killed in an ATV accident in Hattiesburg, Miss. He was 24.
Eight days later, Favre discovered that Deanna has breast cancer. She had found a lump during a self-examination.
"I know that I handled it worse than she did," Favre told Kolber. "Learning of her diagnosis was like "Ah, where do we go from here?' I'm sure that deep down inside, she was probably really scared, and probably still is.
"But I felt helpless and still feel helpless. I want to go in and cure it right now -- I can't do that -- and that's pretty much the most difficult part."
Three days after the diagnosis, the Packers were 1-4 and playing at Detroit. If ever there was a chance for a distracted performance, this was it. Favre was polished and professional; he completed 25 of 38 passes for 257 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. The Packers won, 38-10.
Two days before the game against Dallas the following week, Deanna underwent a lumpectomy Oct. 22 at Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. Favre responded with another terrific game against the Cowboys, completing 23 of 29 passes for 258 yards and two more touchdowns. Since then, Favre has been a bit uneven -- he threw three interceptions against the Redskins, but burned the Vikings for four touchdowns -- but the Packers are riding a five-game winning streak.
Favre and the Packers have won four five straight games.The most recent triumph, a gritty 16-13 victory over the Houston Texans, was typical Favre. The young Texans led 13-3 in the fourth quarter, but Favre rallied the Packers with three scoring drives. Ryan Longwell's 46-yard field goal as time expired followed a drive in which Favre completed six of seven passes -- the only miss being an intentional spike to stop the clock.
Packers head coach Mike Sherman said Favre, "gives you the confidence that he is going to do something special in those situations."
This has been the most difficult of his 14 NFL seasons, according to Favre. Tougher than 1999, when he played most of the season with an injured thumb and the Packers missed the playoffs with an 8-8 record. Tougher than last season when he played with a broken thumb and his father died.
These days, he and his daughters, 15-year-old Brittany and five-year-old Breleigh, are rallying around Deanna, who is still confronted by three months of chemotherapy and six weeks of radiation treatment. The prognosis after early detection, however, is optimistic.
"My wife is healthy, she's in the prime of her life," Favre said. "You think that it happens to other people, but it happens to everyone. God, he deals you with some blows that at some times you think you can't handle -- and there have been some things in the last year that we thought we couldn't handle -- but we've dealt with it up until this point."
Have these travails affected the choice between continuing to play or retire?
"(Deanna) keeps saying, 'Don't worry about me -- keep playing.' " Favre told Kolber. "I don't foresee my wife saying to me that it's time to give it up unless I just really suck, pardon my French.
"But there's times that I walk on and off the field thinking I'm the best and when things like the loss of my dad and Deanna's diagnosis and the loss of her brother come about, you go, 'God, I don't know if I've got it anymore. I don't know if I can go out there and lead us through the two-minute drill anymore.'
"I've got other things to worry about and (Deanna) says they're going to be there either way, so why not do something that you know you can do? She has said to me numerous times this year, 'I don't know if this is your last year or what, but it's your decision. I want you to play the best you've ever played,' which is probably putting more pressure on me than I can deal with because I don't know if I can play as good as I've played in the past.
"But I've told her that I would give it a try. There's still a lot of football to play, and we've fought our way back, so we'll see what happens."
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