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| The N.F.L. Grows a Little Quieter |
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Source: Associated Press
June 15, 2008
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Imagine sitting at the head table for dinner the night before the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 2013.
Brett Favre cackles through six days’ worth of pure gray stubble, and Michael Strahan flashes that gap-toothed grin after someone brings up that phantom sack — that someone probably being Warren Sapp, laughing with delight through all five courses.
But do not stay up too late. You will need to save your strength for the next day’s induction speeches, which are bound to exceed their allotted time.
“Probably a lot of foolishness will be talked about, will be my guess,” said the veteran Green Bay Packers tackle Mark Tauscher, who helped protect Favre from the likes of Strahan and Sapp for the better part of a decade. “Those guys are great characters and very good football players. I’m sure there’ll be a lot of great stories exchanged — and most of them will be embellished quite a bit.”
Their stories may be embellished, but their football résumés certainly do not need to be.
Favre, Strahan and Sapp have retired, costing the N.F.L. three potential first-ballot Hall of Famers with extra-large-sized personalities. Last week, offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden also retired, joining the former Baltimore teammate Steve McNair in retirement. Many expect guard Larry Allen to retire, and the future of linebacker Junior Seau is uncertain.
Sports talk radio and football Web sites are already buzzing with speculation that the Class of 2013 may be the Hall’s best ever. They are even wondering which of these players may not make it in on the first ballot.
Top players retire from the N.F.L. every year, and the league’s popularity never seems to wane. But professional football will not be as much fun without Favre, Strahan and Sapp — players whose exploits on the field were exceeded only by their ability to yap off it.
Discussing his longstanding friendly feud with Favre last season, Sapp said it was a shame there were not more colorful rivalries in today’s game.
“It’s just not that way anymore,” Sapp said. “These ’80s babies have taken over the game, and it’s just a different game now. That was something special.”
If Allen and Seau join Favre, Strahan, Sapp and Ogden in retirement, the N.F.L. will lose a combined 27 first-team All-Pro selections.
Favre, Strahan, Sapp, Ogden and Allen all have Super Bowl rings. McNair came close with Tennessee, and Seau is among the best players to never win a championship.
“Now that my career is over, I look up and look back and realize the career that it’s been,” Ogden said. “Just the fact that I’m mentioned with Brett Favre; Larry Allen, who I loved watching when I was in college and he was a young guy; Junior Seau, a guy who, my goodness, played 18 or 19 years; Strahan, all these guys. It’s just really a blessing to be mentioned in the same breath as them as potential Hall of Fame guys.”
Ogden was not a nationally recognized personality like Favre, Strahan or Sapp, and did not want to be. He was content with silencing the opposing team’s top pass rusher every week.
Ogden told Ravens General Manager Ozzie Newsome he was retiring a few weeks ago, but he wanted the decision to remain private.
Ogden said he preferred to walk away without a news conference, but Newsome would not let him.
Ogden’s approach was in sharp contrast to Favre, who kept Packers fans on edge for months by repeatedly flirting with retirement over the past several off-seasons. Even after finally announcing his retirement in March, Favre dropped hints that his decision was not final.
“There are always second thoughts, but that’s not saying I am coming back,” Favre said in April. “It’s never a clear-cut decision. It’s something I can’t expect everyone to understand.”
Strahan set the N.F.L.’s season record of 22 ½ sacks in 2001, getting the last one in the regular-season finale when Favre fell late in the game. Many believed Favre took a dive for a player he respected, something both players have denied.
Strahan said he would be honored to go into the Hall with Favre.
“That would be great,” Strahan said. “I hope he makes it the same year as I do.”
Strahan was joking.
“If that is the case, then that would be phenomenal,” Strahan said. “You would go in with some of the greatest players, if not the greatest quarterback, to ever play the game, so that would be a phenomenal treat.”
Favre had an even more celebrated relationship with Sapp, especially during Sapp’s days in Tampa Bay.
Sapp announced his retirement in uncharacteristically low-key fashion, posting a two-word message — “I’m done” — on his Web site, qbkilla.com, a few days after the season. For Sapp, it was the first time in a long time that he had little to say.
Sapp, a defensive tackle, and Favre seemed to relish their confrontations on the field.
“We were both after the same thing, both after a championship, and our teams being on top of our games,” Sapp said last season. “It was just one of those deals where it was just a combative thing, but I think a little admiration between us, too.”
Sapp said he did not see similar friendly rivalries taking root with the next generation of players, taking some of the fun out of the game. But Tauscher said new stars and stories were bound to emerge.
“Obviously, those guys are going to be tough to replace,” Tauscher said. “But the thing about this league is, there’s always somebody coming around the corner. Those guys are obviously legendary guys and great football players, great with the media. But you guys have to cover something, and I’m sure something will come up.” |
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