Favre stays retired

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Unlike past years where the waffling ended in returning for another year, this year appears to be ending differently.

The decision is in: Brett Favre will remain retired.

After three months of serious consideration, surgery and rehabilitation, Favre will remain retired after all, forgoing a return for a 19th season in the NFL to play for his former rival, Minnesota.

Favre notified Vikings coach Brad Childress of his long-awaited decision, and Childress told the Minneapolis Star Tribune on Tuesday afternoon.

Childress said the daily mental and physical grind contributed to Favre’s decision.

Favre later told ESPN that it was the hardest decision he had ever made.

“I didn’t feel like physically I could play at a level that was acceptable,” Favre told the network. “I would like to thank everyone, including the Packers, Jets and Vikings – but, most importantly, the fans.”

ESPN also reported that Favre experienced soreness in both ankles and his left knee during his private workouts in Mississippi. The pain worsened, leading to doubts that Favre would hold up for an entire season.

“I had to be careful not to commit for the wrong reasons,” Favre told ESPN. “They (the Vikings) were telling me, ‘You went through all this, you had the surgery and you’ve got to finish it off.’ But I have legitimate reasons for my decision. I’m 39 with a lot of sacks to my name.”

The decision to not comeback again may be the biggest surprise.

Favre’s decision came as somewhat of a surprise – if that is possible anymore in a Brett Favre offseason retirement story that has taken numerous twists and turns – because once he had surgery to correct a partially torn biceps tendon this summer, his return to the field seemed certain. Favre said as much in his one interview addressing the topic with HBO a few weeks ago. (Source: Is it finally over? – Milwaukee Journal Sentinal)

Perhaps in the end it was the fear of a repeat of last year and the realization age was catching up.

Vikings kicker Ryan Longwell, a long-time Favre teammate during their days in Green Bay, told the Press-Gazette in a text message that Favre feared he wouldn’t hold up physically.

“His body wasn’t recovering from workouts,” said Longwell, who had been in regular contact with Favre this offseason. “And he didn’t want to take a chance of not making it through the season.”

Then again maybe Favre has other plans? That or he’s being classic Favre.

For reasons unknown, Favre plans to continue training, according to the NFL Network, which reported that Favre told his former position coach and confidant Steve Mariucci that he plans to keep throwing and working out. Perhaps that means a comeback isn’t out of the question, but Tom Curran of NBC Sports reported that the feeling among the Vikings is that “the door has closed” on Favre. (Source: Wear and tear derails Favre comback – Green Bay Press-Gazette)

If it is the end on a great career, here’s hoping the rifts developed can start being repaired.

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Wednesday Hero 07/29/09

This Week’s Hero Was Suggested By Deb

SSgt. Darrell “Shifty” Power
86 years old from Dickerson County, Virginia
E Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division
June 17, 2009

The world lost one of it’s true heroes a couple of weeks ago. Darrell “Shifty” Powers passed away on June 17 of cancer. “Shifty” was part of the famed E Co/2/506 of the 101st Airborne Division. Easy Company. The Band Of Brothers.

“I loved everything about my daddy,” said Margo Johnson, daughter of SSgt. Powers. “He never bragged about what he did in the war. And for a lot of years, he never even talked much about what he did – unless someone asked him about it. But he truly was a hero to me. Just like he’d been to the people who know him as a soldier in a [mini-series].”

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero 07/22/09

Assoluta Tranquillita did a post a few days ago and after last week’s Wednesday Hero felt it would be good to profile Sgt. 1st Class Gabe of the 178th Military Police Detachment, 20th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade. Is it wrong to be jealous of a dog? Be sure to read the Defend America article linked to in the post.

These brave men and women, and dogs, sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Decision on future by end of summer?

Image via Wikipedia

That was the word from officials at Mercury Marine to employees at a MANDATORY meeting this morning.

Mercury Marine officials hope to make a decision by the end of the summer on the future of the company.

During employee meetings in Fond du Lac this morning, Mercury Marine President Mark Schwabero said the process of charting the company’s course begins today.
“Nothing has been determined at this point, not one thing, other than we are trying to find the best thing that works,” Schwabero told employees.

Schwabero’s comments were relayed to The Reporter this morning by Mercury spokesman Steve Fleming.

“This is a complex process, we build a very complex and large product. With all that in mind, this is not something we can do in two days,” Schwabero said.

The company has been hit hard by the economy and needs to cut costs, Fleming said. Many of its facilities are under-utilized. For example, the Fond du Lac plant, which once ran three shifts and employed about 3,000 people, is now down to one shift and employs about 1,850, Fleming said.

Consolidation is an option.

The two biggest plants under discussion for consolidation are Fond du Lac and the MerCruiser plant in Stillwater, Okla. Stillwater employs about 380 people.
All options of consolidation are under consideration, Fleming said, including Fond du Lac operations moving to Stillwater, Stillwater moving to Fond du Lac or moving certain operations there and leaving others here.

But to say consolidation options only concern Fond du Lac and Stillwater is inaccurate, he said.

“We definitely are not down to ‘Are we closing Stillwater or Fond du Lac,’” Fleming said.

Negotiations are underway.

Negotiations with the union will now begin in earnest to determine what concessions employees are willing to make to keep the company viable.

While no decisions have been made, Fleming said the company is anxious to make a decision in a reasonable amount of time.

“I’m sure everyone wants to get this done by this summer,” Fleming said.

Following employee meetings this morning, Mercury officials plan to meet with local officials this afternoon to discuss their plans.

And apparently all options are on the table.

Employees — both union and salaried — were told this morning that Mercury officials are considering every option they can think of to find the solution that is best for the company.

So expect the meetings to continue.

Fleming confirmed that the company has been in discussions with government and economic development officials in Wisconsin and Oklahoma.

It’s fair to say there are more meetings planned with officials in Wisconsin and Oklahoma and anywhere else as the company considers other options, he said. (Source: Decision on Mercury Marine future could come by end of summer – FDL Reporter)

So what is Diamond Jim doing to keep Mercury Marine in Wisconsin?  Or will the outcome be like it was with Thomas Industries and Government Motors?

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