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<span style='font-size:21pt;line-height:100%'>Hancock pays tribute to Favre</span>

By DOUG BARBER
THE SUN HERALD

KILN - One year ago, Hancock High School athletics director and head football coach Rocky Gaudin conceived an idea to honor Hancock's favorite son - Green Bay Packer quarterback Brett Favre.

Gaudin had taken his football team up to Columbia High School for spring scrimmages and on that day Columbia favorite son and NFL Hall of Famer Walter Payton was honored with a statue at the football field.

Saturday will see the fruition of Gaudin's idea.

On Saturday, a statue of Favre will be unveiled at Hawks Stadium on the Hancock High campus. And Hawks Stadium will be formally named "Brett Favre Field."

Before the noon ceremonies, four high schools - Biloxi, Hancock, Pascagoula and St. Stanislaus - will conclude spring training with a jamboree by scrimmaging each other in varsity and junior varsity action. After the ceremonies, the teams will scrimmage against each other for another two hours.

Mississippi State head coach and former Green Bay assistant coach Sylvester Croom will be one of the speakers at the ceremony. He will be joined at the podium by Southern Miss head football coach Jeff Bower, and ESPN and ABC sports announcer Robin Roberts, a Pass Christian native.

Brett Favre will be in attendance with his family, and his brother, Scott, will be one of the speakers.

<a href='http://www.sunherald.com/mld/thesunherald/sports/8614545.htm' target='_blank'>SUN-HERALD: Favre honored by Hancock High School</a>

<span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>Field of football dreams</span>

HANCOCK HIGH HONORS BRETT FAVRE

By DOUG BARBER
The Sun Herald

KILN - Saturday's tribute to Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre didn't leave the former Hancock North Central star speechless.

But the three-time NFL Most Valuable Player admitted it was a humbling experience.

On Saturday, Hancock High School renamed its football stadium Brett Favre Field in honor of its most famous alumnus. At the same time, a life-size bronze statue of Favre was unveiled. It will greet every fan who enters Brett Favre Field.

"This is truly an honor," Favre said. "I wasn't lying to the crowd when I said I was a little bit embarrassed and no doubt humbled by this. I've always done what I love doing to the best of my ability. There are a lot of persons who do that but don't get honored with a statue like this.

"I'm thankful for what has come my way. But this is amazing. This was unexpected. It was a surprise until a few weeks ago."

Favre prepped at Hancock North Central High, a few miles north on Mississippi 603, before the high school moved to its present site near Interstate 10. He starred at Southern Miss from 1987 to 1990, leading the Golden Eagles to a memorable victory over Florida State on national TV in 1989, a year after directing USM to a 10-2 record.

From there, he was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons but found fame and fortune at Green Bay. He has been a three-time MVP winner and directed the Packers to a win in Super Bowl I in January 1997.

The festivities for Brett Favre Day began with a football jamboree involving Hancock, Biloxi, Pascagoula and St. Stanislaus.

Then began the formal ceremony, presided over by Pass Christian's Robin Roberts, who currently hosts "Good Morning, America." Southern Miss coach Jeff Bower, Mississippi State coach Sylvester Croom, former Hancock junior high coach Joe Shaw and Favre's brother Scott shared memories and anecdotes with the crowd.

"He was born to play this game and is a credit to Irvin (Favre)," Bower said.

<a href='http://www.sunherald.com/mld/thesunherald/sports/8623905.htm' target='_blank'>SUN HERALD: Hancock renames field after Favre</a>