Packers Memo: A Big Night at Lambeau

Most of the United States will celebrate as Thanksgiving, and it's a very good time to stop and say thanks for the many blessings in our lives.

Joining the list of people to be thankful for expands a lot for Green Bay Packer fans tomorrow night as we salute and appreciate three men who rank as the best three quarterbacks ever to pilot a team in the nearly 100 years of the National Football League.

Brett Favre returns to Lambeau dressed in Green and Gold to see his #4 jersey retired, never to be worn again.  Favre entered the Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame last summer and is widely expected to join the Pro Football Hall of Fame next summer.

Favre won Super Bowl XXXI and took the Packers to another one.  More important, he became the cornerstone of the rise of the Packers from the depths of the post - Lombardi era.

Favre made the Pack relevant again.  His gunslinger, never-say-die approach electrified every one of us fans.  I vividly remember his first appearance when he came off the bench to lead the team to a come from behind win over Cincinnati.  Starting with the next Sunday, he started each of the next 296 games.

During his Packer career, Brett Favre came to know Bart Starr, another southern gentleman and Packer star from an earlier era.  Favre asked the Packer administration to include Starr in the festivities.

Starr, whose number #15 is already retired and is in both Halls of Fame, for his legacy as the Vince Lombardi's quarterback and 5 NFL titles including the first two Super Bowls.

In the last year, Starr has had some health setbacks, but worked diligently in rehab for a return to his Wisconsin home away from home.

While it would be great to see the latest MVP and Super Bowl winning quarterback join the two on the field for the half-time ceremony, I know Aaron Rodgers will be busy working on second half adjustments to make sure the host team beats the Chicago Bears.

In any case, the three greatest quarterbacks for one team in NFL history will have an opportunity to meet and pose for a photo.

As a life-long Packer fan, I'm sure there will be many of us expressing thanks for a team we consider to be our own and the qualities of so many good players to walk through the locker room.

Starr, Favre, and Rodgers. That's some trifecta, especially when you consider the last two have taken the team to an amazing plateau of excellence for more than twenty years.

Thank you, Bart.  Thank you, Brett.  And, thanks Aaron for bringing this Packer fan so much joy and so many great memories.  Go Pack!