Brett Favre on Tough Love, Parenting, and Telling the Truth

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Go to music gives dot org to donate and get your own shirt. This is our American stories. Much of what's been known about legendary NFL quarterback, Brett Favre, has been kept between the goalposts. So Greg Hengler took the three and a half hour long drive south from here in Oxford, Mississippi, where we brought him to St. Jude. He broadcast this show and sat down with Brett in his Hattiesburg, Mississippi, home. Here's Brett on tough love, telling the truth and having a parenting style that's different than his father's.

And this is part two of our five part series. I don't know. I don't really want to.

It was the first year out of retirement. And I ended up loving it. But I felt like I was really tough on the kids. I didn't pick. My dad and the other coaches picked a lot. You big sissy.

Not so much me. But, and that, of course, at that time, that's all I knew. Now, looking back, as a coach, or as a person in that position doesn't have to be a coach, could be a teacher. I think our job is to mentor rather than pick. I mean, in some respects, it's like bullying to where some of those kids didn't even want to come around. And don't get me wrong, I would joke around with these kids, but it would always be in a playful manner. And I knew that whoever it was could handle it. In fact, it may even help with team bonding.

But I would be really demanding on what I knew they were capable of only because I knew what they were capable of. It's just like talking to your kids. And you say, and I'm bouncing all around, but like my 20 year old daughter.

And I use this example all the time. Like first or second year of American Idol, we're in Green Bay. And I'm studying, but we got American Idol on.

And we love watching. And I don't know if it was when the show was over, and she's probably eight. She comes over and she said, dad, I want to try out for American Idol.

What do you think? I said, no. She said, why? I said, you can't sing. I said, you're terrible. And I was just telling her the truth.

I said, trust me, if I let you try out, someday you're going to say, what were you thinking? And I knew what she's capable of. And I mean, she's a smart kid. If she wanted to be a doctor, she could. She wants to be a lawyer, she could. But she's not going to be a rocket scientist. And I felt like if they were not, there's a reason for it. Not studying, not paying attention in practice. But when they did well, or did something that I'd been trying to coach them to do, I would reward them.

I'd hug them, put my arm around them. Great job. And that's where my dad lacked. When you did something right, you were supposed to do it that way. You didn't say anything. No. Damn it. About damn time, you know, something like that. Yeah.

And that's all I knew. And I was determined that, I didn't think I'd ever coach, but if I did, that I would build them up as well. I mean, it's all right to get on their ass, but they got to know that when they do well, that you love them.

The same can be said for life. I don't say this with any regret, because I don't. But he never told us he loved us. But again, that was his, I don't think any drill sergeant at the end of the day says, I really love you guys.

He may say it in a joking manner. Like, now get your ass out and give me. So my mom, of course, was kind of the caregiver, told you she loved you and, oh, don't worry about your dad. And then when he walked in the room, you know, it was all, it was tough, tough love. And I didn't have, I was determined if I had boys, I would tell them I loved them as much as possible. Now I had two girls and I told them I loved them. And dad, I know, I know you don't have to tell me, but tell them over and over again. Now, am I a perfect parent?

Absolutely not. But my dad was, I don't know if it was the way they were raised. I'm sure part of it was. My grandfather was real mellow, but he was up in, people change. You know, you know, people may be old family members that like, you're not just the tough guy that you once were, you know, maybe with the grandkids, like where was that when I was a kid? So going back to my dad, when I had Brittany and Brealey, he didn't want to spend very much time with them. He didn't have patience.

Kids running around screaming, he'd start yelling and then I'd have to yell at him. And then it was just, it was bad. But, you know, like I told people, I knew he loved me, us. He didn't have to say it. Now, as I got older, I understood it more and more. Sometimes through his yelling and screaming, that was his way of, it's kind of like saying, well, you're supposed to be able to do that. You know, good, you know, good job, but hell, that's what I've been coaching you to do. That was his way of saying awesome. That was just the way it was. And again, it drove me. And I don't even know what I was being driven by.

You know, maybe I was, it was driving me. You know, like I'll get him to say nice job, proud of you, without even knowing it. But it's funny, when he would come up to Green Bay, he'd retire. And this is just kind of a funny exchange between us, but he would get in the truck after the game.

It'd be a good game. Let me tell you, well, you'd have completed 30 if you'd have thrown three more better passes. I'm like, look, for someone who never threw the ball, don't tell me how to throw. And he'd just shut up. There was nothing he could say. You know, it was the truth. Why'd you miss that read?

I'm like, I don't even want to hear it. You never coached me one thing about reading. It was hitting the tackle and dummy and doing monkey rolls and, you know, which I wouldn't trade it. It worked out. But don't tell me how to throw. But up until the end, I mean, he was determined to coach me up. Now, all of a sudden, he's going to coach me up on the ins and outs of the passing game.

He didn't know shit from Sean Nola when it came to the passing game. And you're listening to Brett Favre talking about his dad, who was his coach when he was in high school, and they never threw the ball. And we're going to continue, if you'd like to hear more on Brett Favre's life, this is part two of a five part series.

Brett Favre's story, this one about his father, about parenting, about love and discipline here on Our American Stories. Looking forward to spring break, graduation and girls nights out? Get outfitted today at Lulu's. Lulu's is all about providing on trend looks for any occasion, whether it's a current trend or a closet staple, you can find it at Lulu's. And when you make an account with Lulu's, use code Lulu's Fan 20 to save 20 percent off your first order. That's Lulu's Fan 20. Place your order today at Lulu's dot com.

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