WHAT HILLARY CLINTON LEARNED FROM BRETT FAVRE

by Jarrett Carter, Stet Sports Blog

Don't think for a second that last night's emotionally-charged speech in Denver by Hillary Clinton was just a big "gotcha!" to democratic voters around the country. Clinton and Barack Obama have serious beef; bigger than competition, bigger than values, and more importantly, bigger than money.

Sounds familiar?

So it shouldn't be surprising that the candidate who didn't want to leave quietly, who wanted to give it everything that she had in spite of all odds and most people being against her, said and did the right things for a bigger goal. In Favre's case, it was a final shot at playing his way out on his terms. And Clinton, in a unique way, is doing the same thing.

The summer of Favre brought new perspective to the art of negotiation, and Clinton was the first to put its lessons into action. Favre taught the world that if enough people like you, and you make enough noise, you can come out with not quite what you wanted, but with the satisfaction that you did it your own way.

His noise got him to New York. Hers earned a national spotlight to position herself as a tenacious yet ultimately graceful loser who is committed to something bigger than her own ego and the egos of her supporters.

History will be kind both, and we will be forgiving of the non-stop drama and the media circus that twirled about their stories for most of the summer. We will remember how Brett resurrected a Jets franchise from laughing stock to respectable opponent, and we will remember Hillary's appeal to conscience of the democratic voter, and not his emotional bond.

And they both will be remembered as unscathed champions, mindful of their own legacies and masters of winning the approval of an adoring public while feeding their own secret wishes of success.

At the same time, and at just the right time.