Sunday, December 04, 2005

Packers: Take Your Ball And Go Home

I try to keep the content of this blog fairly erudite. Discussing matters of importance and depth, I attempt to make people think and encourage them to respond in a dialogue that hopefully enriches everyone.

Sometimes, however, I must use this space for other reasons.

This post is one of them.

Since I moved to Wisconsin back in August, I have been waiting for this day. My first Bears/Packers game in Wisconsin. As a life-long Bears fan, I relished the notion of being that one jerk in the bar in Wisconsin pulling for the Bears. If they lost, I would have to shut up and go home.

This, thankfully, was not an issue.

Granted, the Packers are just about the shittiest team in the league right now (not to mention the rampant injuries and Favre being an old man), but the Bears are for real. Read the recap of the game and see what I mean.

I have been taking considerable joy this year hearing Packer fans whine and moan about their team. But the happiness that I feel today is worth it.

Now, I must face the prospect of a Bears playoff run in the same year that the White Sox won the World Series (believe me, that last one has still not completely sunk in).

These are the problems you don't mind having.

2 comments:

Frema said...

Da Bears!

Anonymous said...

You knew I'd eventually find this and comment, right?

I mean, I do comment on nearly everything else, and being a Packer fan...well, it seems that I need to stand up for my team.

But not so much to you. I expect the "Screw you, Favre" to come pouring out of your fingertips. I mean, after all, this is the man and the team that has owned the Bears at Soldier field for years, including an embarassment on Monday Night Football when the stadium was "retooled and reopened." Apparently, someone forgot to tell Favre.

No, my friend, I need to defend the Packers to...Packer nation.

It's true. Just like having to defend Mike Davis to Hoosier-nation or Notre Dame's firing of terribly mediocre and (ironically) white bread Tyrone Willingham to the rest of the nation. It's time to belly-up-to-the-bar (something Wisconsin knows about) and take a look at this flawed team.

But first, a big "Fuck you!" to Dan Shanoff in Boston who writes for the Globe and ESPN's Page 2. The Packers need to bench Favre like you need to keep mouthing off. Aaron Rogers is, much like the line of back-up quarterbacks that have preceded him, not the answer in Green Bay. He's a Ted Tedford creation, and we've seen how well THOSE have worked out in the NFL. Akili Smith, anyone? Ryan Leaf? Oh yes, Aaron Rogers is the wave of the future! The dude was skipped by 23 OTHER teams. He's garbage. Instead, trade him, sit on your draft picks, get some decent fucking cover men, and wait for Brady Quinn.

Okay, my ND-inspired rant is over (still, shut up, Shanoff, you putz).

Packer Nation needs to realize that there are going to be down years. Serious. They also need to realize that, when you've got a depleted offensive line, a fourth-string running back fresh off the practice squad, receivers who have seen NO action until this year, and a secondary that has always been shoddy at best, you're going to lose some games. You're going to lose a lot of games! But you need to realize, you've still got your ace-in-the-hole: Brett Favre. Instead of bellyaching about losing to the Bears (who, once again, only managed to beat you based on the strength of their defense which, when any sort of irregularity pops up, falls apart and the team looks VERY mediocre) beg, plead, sell your blood, do whatever it takes to convince Brett Favre that he is, in fact, having fun and that he can come back one more year, at least until Brady Quinn, who will have had two years of tutelage under Charlie Weis (I think we've seen the brains behind the Patriots' Super Bowl rings, America...although give Bill Belichick credit for hiring Weis in the first place...and then St. Joe alum Kevin White for snatching him up at ND). Then, let Favre go. Or, let him stick around for yet another season while Quinn practices (to avoid the David Carr syndrome) for a swan song, farewell tour.

Hell, maybe you'll get lucky and the Bears will hiccup while you're at Soldier Field and Favre can go out leading them once more to victory.

P.S. Thank you, Bears, for beating the Carolina Pussthers. Anyone who shuts the talking heads up around here does get at least one positive in my book, even if you are the Bears.