Brett Favre Retired Today

I watched Brett Favre's retirement press conference today while I ran on the treadmill. It was obviously an emotional decision for him to walk away from a game that he has been so committed to his whole life.

He said he was tired. He said that he did not want to put the effort in to play another season. He said that the stress was mounting with each game. He said that the enjoyment had left the game.

The reporters seemed puzzled, probably because any of them would give their right arm for a chance to play one game as an NFL quarterback. Why would he "quit"?

I guess I can relate a little bit to his situation. Bear with me for a moment.

Brett Farve's main reason to play is because the "want to" has to be there. He doesn't need the money. He has all of the records. He's won a Super Bowl. The hunger to pay the price to play has to be there. It's not anymore. So its time to walk away and find something else to do. Something that you enjoy doing.

This winter I made the decision to run a marathon. I've done it before...a long time ago. I know what is involved. The hours of preparation. The daily grind. The mental discipline. The endless training. All for the few hours some Saturday morning when I'll try to cover 26.2 miles...because it's fun.

But if the whole marathon experience has lost its appeal, if it no longer holds the mystique, if it is no longer fun, then why do it?

A marathon, like pro football, demands intensity over many months. You cannot just show up at the starting line having faked or skipped the training and expect to finish.

Brett Farve must have looked at another upcoming season and asked himself if it was worth it. The training, preparation, the practice and the risk of injury, all for the fun of Sunday afternoons and the chance to win another Super Bowl.

He decided it wasn't worth it anymore.

And so he walked away.

Good for him.

Football fans will miss him. He was fun to watch.

But for the people who matter most, his family and close friends, his walking away from football will mean he has more time to spend with them. If he hasn't discovered it already, I'm sure he will find that the greatest blessing is not in the locker room, but in the family room. That's where the greatest game is played.

Brett, don't ever walk away from that one.