[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 1 (Wednesday, January 3, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S28-S29]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   CONGRATULATING BRETT FAVRE FOR WINNING THE 1995 NATIONAL FOOTBALL 
                   LEAGUE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER AWARD

  Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I now ask unanimous consent that the 
Senate turn to consideration of Senate Resolution 207, a resolution 
submitted earlier today by myself and Senator Lott.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 207) to congratulate Brett Favre, a 
     native of Kiln, Mississippi, for winning the 1995 National 
     Football League Most Valuable Player Award.
       Whereas Brett Favre, a native of Kiln, Mississippi, is a 
     professional football player with the Green Bay Packers;
       Whereas Brett Favre has demonstrated extraordinary skills 
     as an athlete and has proven himself a leader and top 
     performer in the National Football League;
       Whereas Brett Favre has been named the Most Valuable Player 
     of the National Football League for 1995: Therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate of the United States 
     congratulates Brett Favre for the outstanding season he has 
     had as quarterback of the Green Bay Packers and for being 
     named the Most Valuable Player of the National Football 
     League for 1995.

  Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, it is with much pride that I submit a 
resolution congratulating Brett Favre for his outstanding 
accomplishment in being named the Most Valuable Player of the National 
Football League for 1995. Brett is a native of my State of Mississippi.
  He grew up in the Kiln community near the Mississippi Gulf Coast and 
starred as a student and athlete at Hancock Central High School. He 
first received national attention as quarterback for the University of 
Southern Mississippi, where he led his team to victories over such 
nationally ranked powers as Florida State University, University of 
Alabama, and Auburn University.

[[Page S29]]

  This year, Brett Favre set a National Football Conference record of 
38 touchdown passes and 4,413 total yards passing during the regular 
season. This is the third highest number of touchdown passes in a 
season in NFL history. He threw three more touchdown passes in Sunday's 
37 to 20 first round playoff victory over the Atlanta Falcons.
  Ironically, Brett was chosen for MVP over another outstanding 
Mississippian and NFL star, Jerry Rice. Jerry Rice is generally 
considered the best wide receiver and pass catcher in modern history. 
His accomplishments were noted when he was named MVP of the Super Bowl 
in 1987.
  Brett Favre's rise to the top of his profession in four seasons is a 
testament not only to his ability, but to his courage and determination 
to excel. Brett Favre has proven himself a leader and top performer in 
every capacity and his achievements during the 1995 season were 
awesome.
  I urge the Senate to join me in giving special recognition to this 
exceptionally talented young man and congratulating him upon receiving 
one of the highest honors awarded in his profession.
  I ask unanimous consent that the article about him and his award that 
appeared in the Clarion Ledger, January 2, 1996, be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the article was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                [From the Clarion-Ledger, Jan. 2, 1996]

Favre Reaches Top--Earning NFL MVP Honors Caps a Long Climb for the Kid 
                               From Kiln

                           (By Mike Knobler)

       Billy Ray Dedeaux remembers a time he told his fourth-grade 
     class to play touch football. One boy made a tackle, and 
     Dedeaux paddled him for it.
       Dedeaux had no way of knowing the boy was simply preparing 
     himself to become the world's best football player. And 
     that's exactly what Brett Favre has become.
       Favre was named the National Football League's MVP Monday 
     in a landslide vote over fellow Mississippian Jerry Rice. 
     Favre, the Green Bay Packers quarterback, got 69 of a 
     possible 88 first-place votes from a panel of sports writers 
     and broadcasters. Rice, the San Francisco 49ers receiver, got 
     10.
       ``It means everything,'' said Favre, who just completed his 
     fifth--and by far his most successful--regular season in the 
     NFL. ``It's like winning the Super Bowl, except it's an 
     individual honor. It's the National Football League, which 
     means it's the best player in the whole world. In this game. 
     And that's awesome.
       ``Think about all the great players you play with and play 
     against. It's overwhelming. It's hard to even explain how 
     much that means to win that and say, `God, MVP of the 
     league.' ''
       Back home on the Gulf Coast, Favre's family and former 
     teachers were pleased with the honor but not surprised. 
     They'd been hearing and reading for weeks that he was a 
     leading candidate for the award.
       ``At first, when they started talking about it, you didn't 
     think too much of it,'' said Bonita Favre, Brett's mother 
     ``But as the year went on, it didn't seem out of reach.''
       The MVP award carries with it the promise of more 
     endorsement contracts and more money for Favre, 26. That 
     means more work for his family in Kiln.
       Bonita pays all the bills and takes care of all the 
     accounts for Brett's three businesses: Favre Enterprises, 
     Favre Agricultural Enterprises and Favre Property Management. 
     There are lawyers and accountants to help, but Bonita handles 
     the day-to-day finances.
       Irvin, Brett's dad, runs the agricultural business, a 45-
     acre Black Angus farm behind the Favres' house. Scott, 
     Brett's brother, runs the real estate business, which owns 
     residential and commercial property in Mississippi and 
     Tennessee.
       Brett handles the football.
       ``Being the MVP won't change Brett,'' Irvin said. ``It'll 
     change his lifestyle a bit. This'll complicate matters more. 
     In the offseason, if you add all the days up (for his current 
     endorsements and charity appearances), it'd be a little over 
     a month. How much that'll increase and how much he wants that 
     to increase, I don't know. He won't really have any off time. 
     He'll be a busy man, and Brett doesn't really like that.''
       Brett set an NFC record with 38 touchdown passes and threw 
     for 4,413 yards. He guided the Packers to an 11-5 record and 
     their first NFC Central title in 23 years.
       The Packers beat the Atlanta Falcons in the opening round 
     of the playoffs and face the 49ers Saturday at San Francisco. 
     Gladys Haas will be watching that game on TV.
       ``I love to watch him throw that ball,'' said Haas, Favre's 
     kindergarten teacher. ``His father said to me one time after 
     things were going real nice for him, `Gladys, you started all 
     of this.' He was a dear youngster just like all 
     kindergartners are. Even at that age, I'd say he was an up-
     and-going youngster.''
       Favre was already a football prodigy by the time he got to 
     Dedeaux's class at Hancock North Central Elementary School. 
     Favre won a Punt, Pass and Kick contest in Biloxi. Dedeaux 
     watched Favre advance from PeeWee to high school to Southern 
     Mississippi to the pros.
       ``Any teacher dreams of a star student,'' Dedeaux said, 
     ``Brett and many others have made that dream come true. He's 
     a go-getter. He's always been very competitive, even in 
     elementary school.''
       Former high school math teacher Richard Streiff remembers 
     Favre as the A student who sat in the center of the front row 
     in class. he also remembers Favre as an unlikely candidate to 
     become an MVP quarterback in the NFL.
       ``I never dreamed he'd be a quarterback,'' Streiff said. 
     ``I thought he'd wind up as a defensive back at one of the 
     major universities.
       ``He's an excellent young man. I can't say enough nice 
     things about him as student and as a person.''
       Favre has a new teacher these days: Packers coach Mike 
     Holmgren. Favre admitted he owes much of his success to 
     Holmgren. Holmgren admitted he owes much of his success to 
     Favre.
       ``He does everything you can ask from a quarterback, and 
     he's still young and learning,'' Holmgren said.
       Last year, Favre nominated Dedeaux for the NFL's teacher of 
     the month award. Dedeaux won and received $2,500, plus $5,000 
     for the school Favre returns each spring and signs autographs 
     for sixth graders.
       That gives Dedeaux the chance to tell his story about the 
     kid who disobeyed his teacher and went on to greatness.
       ``Sometimes that's what happens when you become hardheaded 
     and don't listen,'' Dedeaux said. ``He was just making 
     himself tough.''

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on agreeing to the resolution.
  The resolution (S. Res. 207) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.

                          ____________________