Packers Radio Network's Larry McCarren on Favre: "It was excellence on display week in and week out"
CANTON, Ohio -- Green Bay Packers legend Brett Favre will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio on Saturday, August 6th, and leading up to that big honor, we are taking a look back at the quarterback's career. Packers Radio Network Analyst Larry McCarren saw all of Favre's games in Green Bay.
"This Hall of Fame thing, first ballot, I mean, there's never been a more deserving guy. I mean, he was a special player. He played the game his own way. Just truly one of a kind. That he's going in on the first ballot came as no surprise -- but it's still terrific," McCarren said.
"It was fun to call the action because you never really knew what was going to happen, because we all did this, 'Brett is great' and then we'd go 'Brett, what were you thinking?' And that was just part of the mystic. I mean, it was fun. It was unpredictable -- but most of all, it was excellence on display week in and week out," McCarren said.
Brett Favre
"He injected a renewed enthusiasm, not that the fans ever left, but he re-injected a new enthusiasm for Packers fans. They had, and this might be an overused word, but I really think this is true. He gave them hope that, you know what, we're back. We can beat the big guys. We're not just talking about 'oh, if we could only win a game.' We are talking about winning Super Bowls again," McCarren said.
Brett Favre
"There's other people involved -- Ron Wolf certainly, bringing him here, Mike Holmgren coaching him up and we could go on, but he was the guy who went out and did it. I mean, that's a different deal now. He's the guy that with guys coming at him and getting knocked around and trailing by umpteen points in the fourth, he's the guy who did it, and I think we are all thankful for that. That beautiful stadium, I don't know if you can call it a stadium anymore, that beautiful symbol of Packers football, Lambeau Field and all the new things, Ron Wolf has said, 'Brett Favre built it,'" McCarren said.
Brett Favre
"I think he always came across as an 'every man' -- awe shucks, let's go out and give it our best -- like the guys before the big bowling tournament or the softball game or what have you. I think that 'every man' part of Brett Favre resonated with people in Wisconsin. I mean, he was one of them and what better kind of guy. He's one of us. He's a regular guy, and yet he's the NFL's most valuable player," McCarren said.
"Here's a guy -- and the number may be off, but I think it's pretty close, that didn't miss a game for 20 years. 20 years, you know? I mean, at a position where you are a target -- where they're coming after you, where every defensive coordinator in the league for 20 years got up there and said 'we gotta put pressure on him. We gotta knock him out of the game. We do that, we beat the Green Bay Packers.' Well by golly nobody could do it. 20 years," McCarren said.
Brett Favre
FOX6 News will be in Canton when Favre is inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Look for reports from FOX6's Ted Perry and Tim Van Vooren beginning Wednesday, August 3rd.