Favre Sends Congratulations to Another Future HoF

Former Packers quarterback Brett Favre sent his congratulations to newly retired defensive end Michael Strahan of the New York Giants.  The two are forever linked by Strahan's controversial sack of Favre at the end of the 2001 season.  The sack gave Strahan the single-season sack record of 22.5 sacks, breaking Mark Gastineau's longtime record of 22.  It is constantly disputed whether or not Favre took a dive to give Strahan the record.  I remember the game well, and I personally would not be surprised if Favre indeed gave Strahan the record, but then again, Favre's a competitor and never lets anything go easy.  Anyway, Favre told SI's Peter King in his Monday Morning Quarterback about his thoughts on Strahan's retirement: "If you see him," Favre said, "tell him, 'Congratulations, great career …' and tell him he was one hell of a player." "I just laugh at it," he said. "I don't even think about it. There are so many plays in that season, and in his career, that people can focus on, and if they focus on that … Shoot, people can have their own opinion. I'm glad he has the personality, which I do too, to be able to say, 'So what?' " "I was a little bit shocked. I guess the timing is good, after winning a Super Bowl. I hate to say it in comparison to me, but he's still got a lot left. When you played that team, it's amazing a 15-year vet is the guy you have to be most concerned with taking out of the game. That's the way it was with us this year. And that's what offenses attempted to do with him, I always thought. "I mean no disrespect, but I think his personality and charisma, in some ways, gives people a false impression of the type of player he is. He's so likeable and polite and well-spoken and funny — he's not the [Lawrence Taylor] type — that you almost lose sight of how tough and ferocious he is. He doesn't really fit the mean defensive-end, Deacon Jones-type guy. Tremendous player, good friend. I hate to see him go. He went out with a ring. Pretty awesome." I think Favre's comments most accurately sum up Strahan's career.  I never really liked Strahan.  Back when the Giants played the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV, I was a Ravens fan and despised him.  And I'm not going to forget the fact I am also a Philadelphia Eagles fan, which makes liking Strahan even harder.  I have an extreme dislike towards all Giants players, Strahan moreso than others, but as I grew older and started understanding the game more, I realized what a great player he really was and I came to respect him. But I still cannot stand him.