Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com
Published - Sunday, January 20, 2008
Why area fans love Brett Favre
For Sunday, January 20, 2008
We bleed purple, but ...
Judy Thornton is a Vikings fan.
“We bleed purple here.”
Before you start pelting her with large, hard chunks of cheese, listen to her story: She’s actually rooting for Brett Favre and the Packers, mainly because she once held hands with Favre.
“We live in La Crosse now, but we’re from Minneapolis,” she said. While there, she worked in the banquet room at a hotel that often catered sports events.
“I think it was the year after the Packers won the Super Bowl. They came to stay at the hotel, and we fed them all their meals. We were running out of food at the buffet, and he (Favre) walked up to me and said, ‘Will you take me up the service elevator? There’s a crowd in the lobby.’”
She said sure, grabbed his hand, and led him down a back hall.
“Do you know who I am?” he asked her.
“I think you’re a football player for the Green Bay Packers, because that’s who we’re waiting on,” she said.
“I’m Brett Favre,” he told her.
He was polite and grateful for her help, she said, and she appreciated that. “He was really sweet and so respectful.”
She and her family still are Vikings fans. “But as the Vikings are out of it, we really want (Favre) to win.”
To see Packers fans showing their colors, click here.
Favre was a good neighbor
Tim Burns as always been a Packer Backer. So it was good luck that when he lived in Green Bay, it was in the same neighborhood as Favre.
“We lived a few blocks from Brett Favre. I’d walk my golden retriever by him and he’d always talk to you.”
Burns, who now lives in West Salem, Wis., would like to tell you Favre asked him his opinion on plays, but that just wouldn’t be right.
Still, he knows from his own experience Favre is a good guy. Favre ended up moving out of Burns’ neighborhood, Burns said, because people discovered where he lived and were knocking on his door to get autographs.
“He had to move for more security.”
Burns was at last weekend’s game but gave today’s tickets to his son and wife. “I don’t mind the snow, but I can’t take the cold.”
An office full of momentos
Paul Przywojski has packed his office at Honda Motorwerks with so much Packers paraphernalia, it’s difficult to find room to squeeze in himself.
“At the beginning of the season, I said every time the Packers win, I’m going to bring three (Packers) things in. Now my office is completely full.”
But he’s got just enough room to display the two tickets he has for today’s game.
He has autographs and photographs, even ones he and his family had taken with Favre. When they used one of those photos as a family Christmas card, many recipients thought they manipulated the image to add Favre in, Przywojski said. “Everybody thought it was fake.”
Last chance to see a champ?
Gary Wrobel of La Crosse admits he has a Packers shrine in his home. Even better, he has season tickets and he will be at Sunday’s game. But he figures it will be hard to top last weekend’s game.
“That was just like being in a snow globe. It was warm. I didn’t even wear gloves. The excitement was about 10 times more than a regular game.”
Wrobel came by his season tickets honestly — he waited.
“We put our names (on the list) in 1962. We were on the waiting list until 1990. They sent a letter to me,” he said.
Wrobel posed for a photo with Favre in 1992. He has an autographed Favre jersey and even met Favre’s mom, Bonita, at a tailgate party in 1995.
Though Wrobel will give away tickets to loved ones for preseason games, at this time of year he’s the one sitting in the stadium at Lambeau Field.
“I’m 67 years old. This might be the last time I get to see a championship team.”
No arrogance about him
Jim Martin of La Crosse doesn’t have a Packers shrine. He doesn’t have season tickets. But he has faithfully watched every single game in which Brett Favre has played.
“I want to meet him really bad. I think he and his wife outside of football are cool. It’s his character. He’s had problems pretty much like all of us have,” he said, and Favre has dealt with those problems.
“He’s way different than the rest of these quarterbacks that I’ve watched. He has no arrogance about him whatsoever.”
Supporting Favres and breast cancer research
Dr. Kathleen Christian, medical director at the Center for Breast Care at Franciscan Skemp Healthcare, said her department is supporting Favre this week thanks to super fan Cindy Klar, who works there.
“She and her family have always been great supporters of all sports in our area. She has long been a Packers fan.
“She suggested that the staff of the breast center wear the pink No. 4 jersey in support of Favre as well as his wife, Deanna. Deanna’s story has impacted many women to get their screening mammogram and be proactive in their health care.
“In true Packers spirit, we here at the Center for Breast Care are decked our in pink No. 4 jerseys to say ‘Go Packers’ and promote breast cancer screening in the Coulee Region.”
My son looks like Brett
Kathy Meunier of Galesville, Wis., said son Tedd McDonah looks a lot like Favre.
And she’s not the only one who thinks so.
“He was working at UBC when he lived in town. It was an icy, snowy day, and he was carrying a sheet of heavy plywood to a man’s truck for him. Tedd slipped and fell. And the guy said, ‘That’s who you look like — Brett Favre. I didn’t recognize you until you were laying on the ground.’”
Now that her son lives in Tempe, Ariz., Meunier said she sometimes feel closer to him when she sees Favre on television. But she’d watch the Packers even if Favre didn’t bear a strong family resemblance.
“I’m a huge Packers fan. That’s the only television I watch. I remember when they were in the Ice Bowl.”
Saw Brett at the Brewers game
Terry Schaefer and son Tony had a close encounter of the Favre kind May 27, 1994. They went to a Brewers game and would get there early and park in the front row of the stadium. Then they hung around until everyone else was gone because Schaefer didn’t want to deal with the traffic.
“I don’t think there was a half-dozen cars left in that parking lot,” he said, when a door in the stadium opened and out walked Favre. “He came over and we talked, and we wished him well. Tony was wearing his Packers jacket and Favre took the marker and signed his jacket. My wife was a little upset, because that was his new spring jacket, so we kind of tucked it away,” he said, and bought 11-year-old Tony a different jacket.
Over the holidays this year, Tony dug out the jacket. And his dad says every time Favre plays, he remembers the encounter.
“Look at that right hand throw the football. I shook that hand once.”
He admits when he makes a mistake
Larry Wolf’s dining room is a shrine to the Packers. He has met Brett Favre a couple of times and has an autographed photo and jersey.
“The way he enjoys the game — he makes the game fun again. He respects the players and he’s all for the team. Money’s secondary, I think, with him. He’s not a glory hound. He admits when he makes a mistake.”
I used to drink with his dad
Mark Murphy surrounds himself with Packers memorabilia at home and at work. And if you try to park in his parking spot at Murphy Frame and Axle, you’ll find a sign indicates this is reserved for Packers personnel.
Murphy said he met Favre and his father, Irv, years ago. “I used to drink with his dad in Dallas after all those games they lost. I used to get invited to private practices.”
Murphy was at last weekend’s snowy encounter at Lambeau Field and said, “That was better than the Super Bowl itself.”
He’s not like these other yo-hos
Lori Fix of La Crosse never met Favre, but she has a wall of fame in her home. She’s been collecting for years and even bought Favre memorabilia at Holiday Fair in the La Crosse Center.
“I have one of the football cards from when he played for Atlanta and his name misspelled on there.
“I just think he’s such a down-to-earth person. He’s not one of these blowhard guys. He talks to the media. What he and his wife have done for Green Bay and Wisconsin, I just think he’s a great person. I think it’s great for the Packers. I’ve been a football fan for a long time, but even more so with Brett Favre. He’s achieved so much. And he seems to like Wisconsin. He’s so dedicated to the Packers. He’s not like these other yo-hos who say, ‘I don’t like it here so I’m leaving.’”
Even his mistakes have a style all their own, Fix said.
“What he’s overcome — he stepped up to the plate and took responsibility for drinking and taking prescription drugs. You respect him as a person. He’s honest as a person and as a player.”
I have Brett Favre’s pizza
“My brother’s best friend was enjoying himself on State Street in Madison when he saw Brett Favre ... getting a slice a pizza from a street vendor,” said Jennifer Strasser.
“Brett dropped his slice of pizza. Well, good ol’ Jer saw this. He ran over, scooped the slice of pizza off the ground and ran up and down State Street, yelling, ‘I have Brett Favre’s pizza, I have Brett Favre’s pizza.’
“And yes, Jer did eat the pizza. To this day, Jer tells people how he shared pizza with Brett Favre.”
Spitting image of Brett
No matter where he goes, Doug Aylsworth gets mistaken for Favre.
“I’ve been to a family night and two practices (in Green Bay) and at the practice, kids were chasing me,” he said, looking for an autograph. “I had players yelling out to me that I look like him. I have lots of different people want me to take a picture with them.”
It doesn’t matter how far he roams, Aylsworth said, his mug gets mistaken for Favre’s.
“I was in Hawaii on my honeymoon and a couple people had mistaken me for Favre.
“I’ve never met him, but he saw me once. He was quite stunned when he saw me. It was after a practice and he was a passenger in the truck. He had a bewildered look on his face.”
Switched at birth?
JoAnn Schroeder of Alma Center, Wis., thinks Favre may be a member of her family.
“Our son is the same age. They were both born on Oct. 10, 1968. I’m thinking the babies got switched at birth.”
Even funnier, Schroeder said, is most everyone in her family is a football fan except for her son.
“I wish they would win Sunday. I think they could beat the Patriots.”
Ran into Brett at a track meet
Avrie Walters of La Crosse was far from home when she had a Favre sighting. She was running the mile for the University of Wisconsin at the NCAA indoor track and field championship in Indianapolis.
“I got on the elevator and on the second or third floor, Brett Favre got on. I didn’t know what to say to him.”
He told her he was going to the 15th floor, so she got off, raced to her room, grabbed a camera and her roommate and went up to get her picture taken with him.
“It was real brief,” she said, but she has the photo to prove it.
The Packermobile
Mick Hawley of Hixton, Wis., has more than a shrine to the Packers: He has a Packermobile.
His son found him a Volkswagen bug in Oklahoma that hadn’t been damaged by road salt. Then Hawley had it detailed to look like a Packer helmet.
He also has a pontoon boat that features goal posts.
His biggest wish is that he would someday meet Favre.
“He’s a special guy. He’s so down to earth. He doesn’t think he’s any better than anybody else. I want to get his autograph so bad and I don’t know how to go about doing it. If I ever get his autograph on the car, I’ll clearcoat it and then never sell it.”
Hawley said he loves driving his Packermobile around.
“I feel good in it. I know Packer fans appreciate it.”
We saw the real McCoy
Alan and Nancy McCoy of Sparta, Wis., had their Favre moment in October 2004, when an acquaintance asked to bring Favre hunting on the McCoys’ property. They said yes, as long as they got to meet him. They shook his hand, got his autograph and talked hunting.
“He was shyer than the other guys (in the hunting party). We decided they were hunters on our land, we were going to treat them like hunters. We weren’t going to talk football. But then I said, ‘Those hills get steeper every year.’ He had that sheepish grin and said, ‘The football field gets longer every year, too.’”
“When we see that grin (on TV),” McCoy said, it’s a little more special. “We’ve seen it right face to face.”
Mom, Dad — It wasn’t that kind of grass
Kathy Anderson of West Salem, Wis., said nephew Paul Faherty was the biggest Packer fan she knew. He died last year at age 27, but if he was around today, she said he surely would have scored tickets to today’s game. “If Paul were here today, he would be paying beaucoup bucks to see the Packers.”
In a way, she said, he’ll be there anyway.
“I don’t think you would have met a more avid Brett Favre fan. He started to get into the Packers when he was about 7 years old. All the years the Packers didn’t do anything, Paul always stood by them. And Paul’s favorite band was Tom Petty, and they’re playing at the Super Bowl.”
Paul loved the Packers so much, he had a piece of Lambeau Field. When his parents found it, they were afraid it was marijuana and they tried lighting it on fire, Anderson said. Then Paul arrived home to tell them they had burned up his favorite memento.
In Norway, I posed as Bonita
“Brett Favre is almost the same age as my sons,” said Sally Severson. “Back in 2000, several of my husband’s cousins went with us to a family gathering in Norway. On the Southern coast of Norway, we stopped at a sports bar for supper one night. Two of us wandered around looking at the stuff on the walls. In the back room, there were several pool tables with some young men playing pool,” she said — and there was a wall dedicated to Brett Favre.
“I posed and Kathy took my picture. A couple of the young men grinned (or snickered) and, as we walked away, I turned back and said, ‘That is my son.’ Several mouths fell open as we left the room. So, somewhere in Norway, there are a bunch of young fellows who are convinced they saw Brett Favre’s mother!”
We ate catfish with Irv
Sue Kuhn was vacationing in New Orleans a few years ago and stopped in Kiln, Miss., to take pictures. A local drove up and offered to take their picture.
“After our photo session, he suggested that we go to Favre’s on the Bayou for lunch. The only person in the place, besides the bartender (Brett’s cousin), was his dad, Irv. We sat in the bar, drank beer with him, ate the catfish lunch that he suggested, talked football and snapped some photos. He was a great guy and we’ll never forget our time with him!”
Keep that purple scarf off my Brett
Linda Kouba has been a Brett Favre fan for years. Want proof? Check out her desk in the Logan Middle School office. Besides the cardboard cutout of Favre, her entire area is filled with Packer memorabilia. And she doesn’t just keep it up during the season.
“This stays up throughout the year. When I first got (the cardboard cutout), one of the teachers used to drape him with a purple scarf. I would just get livid.”
She collects much of the memorabilia herself, but her passion for the Favre is well known, so she gets lots of gifts, too.
She said she knew Favre was special from the beginning. “He just had that spark. I’ve always admired him. I think he’s the greatest quarterback that has ever played the game, and over the years he has matured into the kind of man I admire. I’m just pretty much a fan.”
Got to know Brett through business
Pete Marr of Sparta, Wis., was in the licensed sports apparel sales and marketing business during the 1990s and early 2000s when the Green Bay Packers became customers.
“One day in 1996, my phone rang with a request to start developing a line of Brett Favre apparel. Brett wanted to start with a simple white cap with a football and ‘4’ embroidered on the front. We made the caps, Brett wore one during his TV press conferences, and the caps were a huge hit.”
That ended when his corporate sponsors objected, Marr said.
“In the meantime, however, I became fairly closely acquainted with Brett. I was at his home several times. I have met his wife, Deanna, his daughter, Brittany, and his mother, Bonita. I’m disappointed to not have had the opportunity to meet Irv. Per a couple of Brett’s stories, he was quite a guy.
“Even when Brett was 26, 27 and 28 when I knew him, his personality was infectious. It was difficult to imagine someone of that stature being so ‘common.’ He was fun to talk to. I’ll never forget how he fully explained salary cap to me and how the clubs manipulate it so that it works for them.
“Though I wouldn’t describe it as a shrine, I do have a large amount of Brett Favre memorabilia in my home office and my rec room/bar.”
A shrine most would be proud to own
Paul B. Apfel said friend Ken Koeller is “a fanatic even more so than most. We traveled to Kansas City together, watching that amazing game. We then went to the Minnesota shutout a week later and then we traveled this last weekend to the snow bowl divisional playoff game! He has been to five games total this year alone!
“When I was unable to watch the Packer vs. Cowboy game, (Koeller) came through for me by inviting me up for steaks and a seat on his couch, which is in a room of such shrines most would be proud to own in their own home.
“I kid you not, the man must have dozens of mini helmets with player autographs, a Brett jersey on the wall, framed photos of No. 4 all around the room. I even saw a digital clock with a rotating message, which was in a likeness of the Packer score board!
“I can say with some jealousy, I wish I had some of the moments this guy has had.”
I told our friends I could die now
Scott L. Andersen said he was lucky enough to score tickets to a Packers preseason game last year.
“After the game, we hung around the stadium for about an hour. We then walked across Lombardi Avenue toward our van parked a quarter-mile away. Traffic was still heavy and as we walked along the cars and trucks, my friend says, ‘Hey, isn’t that Brett Favre?’ I said, ‘Don’t mess with me, Jeff!’ (Jeff knows Brett is my hero). We continued walking past a white pickup truck and Jeff looked over and said, ‘It IS Brett!’ I spun around and we both waved. Brett actually smiled and waved back! As we were walking away, I told our friends I could die now, a life fulfilled. ... It was a small thing but totally awesome!”
Don’t make me choose between QB and wife
Luke Alvin would give up his wife for Brett Favre.
No, he’s not married. That’s just a warning for anyone in the future who may consider filling that position.
At 23, Alvin’s Packers watching days are all about Favre. He’s the only Packers quarterback he’s known, but Alvin can tell there’s something special about him.
“He plays with so much heart. He truly loves the game. I think that’s one of the strongest appeals. You feel like you know him. I could see him at a family gathering.”
All stories copyright 2000 - 2006 La Crosse Tribune and other attributed sources.