"Known 4, What?"

Despite being a life-long athlete and a sportscaster for more than two decades, I rarely discuss sports during the weekly Pep Talk. But there is an exception to every rule, right? Brett Favre has finally retired, for good, I think. Now it’s time to tell a story about the super guy within the great player.

Denver Broncos fans will never forget Super Bowl XXXII, played in San Diego. On January 25, 1998, the John Elway-led Broncos defeated Green Bay 31-24 for the Broncos’ first-ever world championship. Remember, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen proclaiming, “This one’s for John!”

Well, the first week of the two-week break between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl, I was dispatched to Green Bay, Wisconsin to give fans in the Denver television market a flavor of the Packers, the city of Green Bay and the incredibly faithful Packer fans.

I was an outsider thrust into the Packers’ world. Nobody rolled out the welcome mat more than Favre. Local sports media usually develop a decent bond with the “name” players because they spend so much time together. But when an out-of-town journalist shows up, it can be tough since there’s no history and there’s a level of inherent mistrust about the media. Not for Brett Lorenzo Favre, a guy’s guy from Mississippi.

In each and every Run to Daylight presentation, the Comeback Coach talks about “teamwork being the key to success.” That we need to reach out and help one another and truly believe - not just give lip service to - “one good deed leads to another.”

The Green Bay Packers starting quarterback went out of his way to help me, an out-of-town sportsguy, find good stories: he always was available; made suggestions about other players to interview; had recommendations for good restaurants in town. He went out of his way to be friendly. He didn’t have to.

The record book shows an incredibly durable quarterback who played 18 seasons, threw 464 touchdown passes and connected with receivers for more than 65,000 passing yards, the latter two, NFL career records.

But I won’t remember Favre – who wore #4 throughout his career – for his performance on the field. I will remember his incredible kindness off of it. Ya know, we all have a label, we’re known “as” something: quarterback, motivational speaker, housewife, businessman – whatever. But what are we known “for?”

This week, be known “4” kindness and generosity. Trust me, others will remember those wonderful traits about you long after memory, of your other accomplishments, has faded with time and memory.