So the very worst part of Saturday was not what happened on Jonah Field.

The very worst part of Saturday was finding out a minute before kickoff that Larry Birleffi had died.

He was 90, but not to me. I'll always remember him from that night in November 1967 (Nov. 18, I had to look it up) when Peggy Jane the Mom and the three of us were huddled around the radio in our living room on Curtis Street in Laramie.

Of all of his 37 years of broadcasting football and basketball, that was the single night I'll remember the most.

Wyoming beat UTEP in El Paso, 21-19, and a Sugar Bowl berth was secured.

Can you imagine? Wyoming in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on New Year's Day.

The Biffer was as big a part of Wyoming sports lore as any one achievement or any one person -- he truly was one of a kind.

And even though he held a journalism degree, his passion and loyalty for Wyoming sports was never questioned.

And the world is a much sadder, more cynical place without him.

 

So Brett Favre has retired and the earth continues to spin. The wind continues to blow and deadlines need to be met.

I have said this so many times it's easy to repeat -- Brett Favre doesn't owe anybody anything -- not the NFL, not the Packers, not the City of Green Bay.

Anyone who has watched him start a single NFL game, throw a single pass, escape a defender one time, has seen greatness itself.

That's all on the field. Off the field, he is a regular guy -- son, husband, dad. He was the highest profile human in all of Wisconsin and beyond.

If he wants to drive his tractor, he should be able to. If he wants his daughter to go to one school instead of two, he should be able to. If he wants to golf and hunt, he should be able to.

All we can say is thanks.

At least they can't say they weren't warned --

 

Monday, January 7, 2008

So it's halftime, the Pack trails 27-17 and Brett's hurt.

The house is aglow with Christmas; the candles are lit; the dog and the friend are both asleep -- and snoring -- and life is not all bad.

We began the evening at an impromptu stop at a sports bar that had advertised the game -- only thing is, we already had planned to watch the game in the cozy confines of the homestead, where we also get the NFL Network.

We ordered takeout from the newest pizza place in town and I liked it very much -- the pizza is not anything like "franchise" pizza. Didn't get one topping that I ordered, but the old-school style pizza was very tasty.

The salad had those incognito "slivers" of white onion that are scary because they are hard to see. The bread knots were fabulous and the wings were orange but not deadly.

Life is good. The Packers may not win; Brett may in fact not have the feeling back in his fingers for awhile; but really, will 10-2 be that bad?

In the big scheme, no.

Shhh. Everyone else is asleep.

The 2007 Super 25 has been chosen and will be announced in print tomorrow  (Friday) morning.

I do almost nothing anymore except marathon talking, but it's still one of my very favorite nights of the entire year and without question the coolest thing the Star-Tribune sponsors of them all.

Why?

Because you can play at the littlest high school in the state and be selected. You can play on a team that may not get much notice and still be named.

Sure, we have alums who are in the NFL (Brett Keisel and Brady Poppinga) but we also have had guys in the past for whom even four-year college is beyond their grasp.  And then their dads come up to us afterwards and their moms are crying and they say, "this may be the biggest thing that ever happens to him -- thank you."

And when they go to the Super Bowl and the media guide says, sometimes in bold, was picked to the Casper Star-Tribune Super 25, then for sure,

It's the coolest.

And it's coming tomorrow. And then tomorrow night, moms and dads and grandparents and coaches will gather together at the Holiday Inn and we'll treat them like they deserve to be treated.

And it will be awesome.