Brett Farvruh (for all you There's Something About Mary fans,) retired earlier this week and delivered quite an emotional, tear filled, lump in throat, lip quivering, give me a hankie bro...speech on ESPN.  While listening to Laura Ingraham's talk radio program on Friday she made several comments that basically called Favre a baby and his speech a self indulgent blubber fest.  She asked what happened to the days of Lou Gehrig where an athlete was sad, gracious, tough and poised.  Say thank you, say good bye, and take your millions upon millions and ride off into the sunset...with some dignity (so maybe I paraphrased and added a little to that last part.)  Her point was that it, (Favre's speech) was twenty minutes of one of the most respected and gifted athletes ever to play the game of football that crying like a twelve year old girl and that she thought it was more self serving than it was showing gratitude for having the glory, the accolades and the monstrous levels of cash flow. 

Is she just being obtuse?  Cynical?  Does she have a point?  Are athletes with their catered foods in the locker rooms, private jets, special clauses in contracts, everyone all but throwing rose petals at their feet, becoming big muscular wimps?  I played baseball for nearly twenty years.  When I wasn't able to play anymore it really hit me hard. I didn't watch baseball for a year. I still smell my glove sometimes and I can still tell you what it feels like to have those stitches on a baseball drag across your fingertips right at your release point.  But I didn't cry.  No I didn't play pro ball.  I didn't have millions of dollars in endorsements and aside from a few people no one will probably ever remember I walked across those chalk lines for so many years.  That doesn't mean, however, that I did not have the same passion and love for the game that Favre had for football.  Hell, baseball was better to me than most of my ex-girlfriends and I know a few guys reading this just laughed. 

What isn't a laughing matter is the way our athletes, especially at such an early age, are told that they are special.  We have athletes that don't want to ride in the same jet as their teammates.  Some athletes speak in third person.  Touchatt thinks that's ridiculous.  Other athletes won't sign autographs or won't go to a certain college unless their friends get admitted to the same school.  What example does this set for everyone is in this cradle to grave, gimmie gimmie gimmie, somebody owes me, give us more government programs society?

Look, we all know Favre is a tough S.O. you know what.  Unless I'm mistaken the guy set the record for most consecutive starts.  You cannot accomplish something like that in the NFL unless you play hurt, a lot.  But I can kind of see the point people have when they say they thought it was a bit self serving.  Go back and read the transcript of the press conference, or watch it.  Count how many times he says "I" or "me".

I think athletes need more pine tar, Lenny Dykstra cheeks full of chaw, John Wayne attitude, Pete Rose, Johnny Unitas, "Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing" kind of attitudes.  These guys are supposed to be top tier physical specimens and tougher than most guys you'll find in a bar talking about how they could have went pro too (or guys in newsrooms blogging about a Hall of Fame quarterback.)

I don't know.  I say less whining more center ice fighting.  I will miss Favre and so will the game.  Thanks for the memories and highlights, enjoy your seat in the hall.  Touchatt is only one man with one blog, but Touchatt wants people to think, yell and laugh at his thoughts.  Touchatt thanks you for stopping by.  Touchatt will stop typing now.  Touchatt...out.