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Thoughts on a Retired Legend by the Voice of the Golden Eagles
John Cox shares his thoughts on the retirement of former Southern Miss quarterback Brett Favre.
Brett Favre

Brett Favre

March 5, 2008

Favre's Career at Southern Miss Get Acrobat Reader

The Voice of the Golden Eagles, John Cox, who has been behind the microphone for 30 years describing the action, shares his thoughts about former Southern Miss and NFL legend Brett Favre, who announced his retirement on March 4, 2008:

It seems strange to me that Brett Favre is now retired. It just doesn't seem possible. I thought and hoped that he would play forever. But while it is exciting to be able to sit back and celebrate his career and his many accomplishments at Southern Miss and in the NFL, on the other hand, you wonder will we ever see someone quite like him ever pass this way again.

People often ask me, "Did you know that Brett Favre would be as good as he turned out to be?" And tell them that anyone that says that they did is lying, but what I did see while watching him play at Southern Miss was a player that had the drive, the passion, the heart and the ability to be the best and who would never ever give up.

There is little doubt, that Brett Favre is the most famous player to ever wear a football jersey at Southern Miss, but it wasn't always that way. In fact when Favre was finishing high school at Hancock North Central, hardly anyone knew who he was.

When he first began two-a-day practices at Southern Miss as a 17-year old freshman in August of 1987, he was just another name on a list of incoming players, but it didn't take long to realize that he was something pretty unique. During one preseason Saturday scrimmage, Favre put on quite a show, throwing the ball with confidence, with accuracy and throwing that now famous Brett Favre "fast ball". After that he was no secret.

The first game that season was against Alabama and Favre did not see any action as the Golden Eagles lost 38-6. The following week Coach Jim Carmody, with the offense struggling, saw his team fall behind at halftime to Tulane and summoned Favre, the third string quarterback off the bench in the third quarter. Favre proceeded to ignite the Southern Miss offense and led the team to a come from behind 31-24 victory over the Green Wave. The legend of Brett Favre had begun.

As a sophomore in 1988, Southern Miss, now under new Head Coach Curley Hallman, would run up a 10-2 record, losing only to Florida State and Auburn. Favre would pass for 2,271 yards that season to set a school record and also throw 16 touchdowns that year. That team would advance to the Independence Bowl and defeat Texas-El Paso 38-18 to finish a remarkable year.

In 1989, the Golden Eagles opened the season on national television against sixth ranked Florida State in Jacksonville, Florida. Favre would hit tight end Anthony Harris with a short touchdown pass in the game's final minutes to lead Southern Miss to a 30-26 win.

Shortly before the 1990 season, Favre was involved in an automobile accident that threatened to sideline him for the year. Just over a month from the start of the season Favre had to have 33 inches of his small intestine removed. But although he missed the first game of the year, he returned for the second game of the year and helped lead the team to a 27-24 win over Alabama. The team finished 8-4 that year and played in the All-American Bowl.

It was a career at Southern Miss that included wins over Alabama, Auburn, Florida State and many others, but also a career in which many times, he would find a way to lead the Golden Eagles back to victory when it appeared that it wasn't possible. Tell him he couldn't do it, tell him it couldn't be done and Brett Favre was his most dangerous.

He played the game the way it was suppose to be played while he was at Southern Miss, with a flair for the dramatic, a sense of history and with a love of the game few have ever had. The things we watched him do in the NFL, he did at Southern Miss. Racing around with his helmet off to celebrate, lifting his teammates into the air and diving into a pile into the end zone. Other than being older and grayer, the Brett Favre of the NFL, was the Brett Favre of the Golden Eagles.

"I remember the final time playing at Roberts Stadium and how I wished it never had to end," Brett told me once. "I wouldn't trade those four years for anything in the world."

"Pride and tradition. Heart and commitment," Favre said that day. "That's what Southern Miss football is all about. A collection of players that bonds together into a team, believing in themselves when no one else did. A reaching that final goal, that dream against all odds."

It is hard to imagine football without Brett Favre. I know I'll miss watching him play, just like millions and millions of other fans.

Southern Miss will always be a part of Brett Favre and Brett Favre will always be a part of Southern Miss.

Thanks for making every play special. Thanks to No. 4.