That is, how much of a distraction did the events involving the tragic loss of Offensive Coordinator Joe Philbin’s son play into preparing for the Divisional Playoff?

If there was, no one in the Packers organization is going to dare admit it, which would be well played. For anyone on the Green Bay payroll to suggest as such would serve as a disrespect to the Giants and even a trivialization of the tragedy.

The Packers did not just lose. They had their faces stomped on with a hob-nailed boot. As recently as a few days ago, writers were still debating whether the 2011 Packers should be ranked as the best team in franchise history.

First off, the team actually had to repeat as World Champions before even presenting such an argument. Also it is impossible to compare apples to oranges – or this year’s team to a 1960’s Lombardi era team.

But even before Sunday I was having a hard time convincing myself that a team that finished a dead-last 32^nd in total defense could be the franchise’s best team ever, 15-1 regular season record or not.

Credit the Giants for making that conversation mute for good.

It was figured that the worst case scenario was that the Giants would light up Green Bay’s D again, but that Aaron Rodgers and company would keep pace and the game would be a high-scoring shootout decided in the final minutes.

Except it didn’t turn out that way.

The Packers’ offense came out flat with their worst performance of the season at obviously the wrong time. Aaron Rodgers finished the game with a season-low 78.5 QB rating. Obviously his rusty receivers didn’t help his cause. Jermichael Finley (whose stock clearly dropped this year) dropped several passes, Randall Cobb nearly fumbled on a kickoff return, Greg Jennings DID fumble following a reception (despite Instant Replay not reversing the call). The Packers came away a -3 in turnover differential; the team made more than enough miscues to lose the game to a talented and well-coached opposition.

And then there was the failed on-side kick attempt early in the second quarter, which screamed of a team in desperation and sent a message that the brain-trust didn’t figure they could beat Big Blue straight up. The well-disciplined Giants held their water and recovered, and Green Bay was fortunate that it didn’t result in points.

There was not one moment following the opening kickoff that I felt good about Green Bay’s chances, but I held hope when it appeared they would head into the locker room down only 13-10. To be only down by three, and receiving second half kickoff, after playing terrible in the first half – there was plenty of reason for hope.

That was before (1) failing to tackle Ahmad Bradshaw before he got out of bounds, and then (2) the Hail Mary.

Hakeem Nicks had his defender boxed out, and in all there were three Giants players to the Packers two. As the ball was still in the air, I knew what the result was going to be. Never has a Hail Mary been converted so easily. That little two play sequence was not just on the defense (two of them currently appearing in State Farm spots) but the coaching staff as well – a psychological as well as physical dagger.

Then there was Rodgers getting sacked on fourth and five with the score still just 20-13 early in the fourth – and suddenly a punt into the end zone didn’t seem so bad compared to the Giants getting it at the 45, bleeding clock and eventually scoring a FG.

When the Pack turned it over yet again on the next series deep in their own territory, the culmination of mistakes officially became un-survivable.

But going back to the rust the team showed, and the possible distraction leading up to the game in light of the Philbin situation. There is one prior parallel we can go back on, the 2005 Indianapolis Colts.

Like this year’s Packers, the ’05 Colts won their first 13 games and clinched the #1 seed in the AFC, and the debate became would Tony Dungy’s team elect to chase a 16-0 record, or rest Peyton Manning and many of the team’s other starters.

Playing all of the regulars, the Colts lost at home in Week 15 to the San Diego Chargers, which broke up the perfect season and made Dungy’s decision to rest Manning and others somewhat easier.

But on December 22, 2005, the Colts organization and the rest of the NFL fraternity was shaken by the news that Tony Dungy’s 18-year old son had been found dead in a Tampa, FL apartment. Dungy immediately left the team and then-assistant Jim Caldwell assumed the team’s coaching duties for the Week 16 game in Seattle.

The Colts lost that game, then Dungy returned for the team’s Week 17 game at home v. Arizona, which the Colts won to finish 14-2. Peyton Manning only played sparingly in both games.

But then came Indy’s home divisional playoff game versus the sixth-seeded (and eventual Super Bowl champion) Pittsburgh Steelers, where the Colts fell behind 21-3 and a late rally fell short in a 21-18 loss. That was the game best remembered for the Jerome Bettis fumble and Ben Roethlisberger saving the ensuing return from going for a touchdown, and then Mike Vanderjagt becoming the convenient scapegoat after missing a potential game-tying field goal.

The similarities between the ’05 Colts and ’11 Packers are obvious. Both chased the possibility of a 16-0 record much of the season. Both endured a horrible tragedy involving a coaching staff member late in the year. Both teams were in position to rest starters in Weeks 16/17 (or in the Packers case Week 17). And both came up flat and were one and done at home against an opposition riding a wave of momentum – and it will not surprise me at all if the ’11 Giants follow the path of the ’05 Steelers/’07 Giants/’10 Packers and win it all.

How much does the blame go on rust and how much on the obvious distraction that put the game of football in its proper perspective?

Probably a combination of both, in both cases.

I don’t question Mike McCarthy’s decision to keep Aaron Rodgers on ice for Week 17. Matt Flynn deserved an audition, and it was also a classic damned if you do/damedn if you don’t dilemma. What if Rodgers plays two series and got hurt? The second-guessing would be ten-fold what it is now.

And Joe Philbin found a need to return to the press box for the Division Playoff, citing the fact that his team is his family too. I’m sure that it in a small way it also serves to begin the healing process, as painful as it may be. It would have been even more painful for Philbin to be at home helplessly watching on TV.

Fact is, last year’s Packers peaked at the right time, while this year’s squad slowly became flawed and their weaknesses more apparent towards the end of the campaign.  What looked like an odds-on bet to repeat for most of the season became anything but.

The good news is that the Packers window is far from closed. Aaron Rodgers is at the peak of his career. The team knows what needs to be addressed in the draft: offensive line, featured running back, defense, secondary in particular. And Nick Collins’ injury way back in Week 2 proved huge.

What concerns me more is the Pack’s recent playoff record at home, now losing four of their last six. Lambeau Field is supposed to be as intimidating as any venue, especially at playoff time. Before 2002 the franchise had never lost at home, now they have lost four of their last six. Remember Michael Vick in the snow? Randy Moss and the moon? And now the Giants twice. The only two wins have been versus Seattle, the Al Harris interception after the ’03 season, and the divisional playoff win four years later.

As has been seen with other recent contenders such as the Colts, Steelers, Patriots, etc., not everything breaks right – especially with 11 other teams in the playoffs.

The timing of the Philbin family tragedy did hurt, but this team still isn’t far off – there will be other chances.

Update: Thanks to Twitter, this post caught the attention of Gatorade president Sarah Robb O’Hagan (@SarahRobbOh). She enjoyed our rundown of the funniest Gatorade baths ever, and she also sent me the wall mural from Gatorade’s headquarters with some of their favorite Gatorade baths of all-time. It’s very cool. You’ll see it at the end of the post.

The Gatorade bath is a tradition like few others in sports.

After most monumental wins in football – specifically Super Bowls, national championship games, especially important and/or meaningful bowl games, or season-ending victories over hated rivals – such a celebration can be expected. The tradition began with the New York Giants in the mid-1980s and continues into today with no signs of slowing down.

While the sentimental among us enjoy the Gatorade bath because it symbolizes the triumph of a team of men on the field of athletic battle and the ultimate moment of shared jubilation and respect between coach and player, I enjoy Gatorade baths for a far different reason.

Pictures and videos of them can be laugh-lout-loud hilarious.

So here is my personal ode to the Gatorade bath, with the 28 funniest Gatorade baths of all-time, presented in no particular order other than saving the best ones for last.

Bob Stoops

Image source: AP Photo/LM Otero via Boston.com

Urban Meyer

Image source: SBNation

Nick Saban

Zombie Ken Whisenhunt

Image source: Revenge of the Birds

Kirk Ferentz

Image credit: AP Photo/Lynne Sladky via Boston.com

Jim Tressel

Image credit: Photo by Harry How/Getty Images via The Part Time Jock

Image source: Eleven Warriors

Gary Patterson

Joe Gibbs

Image source: Here

Tony Dungy

Image source: Stock Lemon Blog

Bill Parcells

Image credit: Peter Read Miller/SI via Hot Clicks

Greg Schiano

Image source: Today’s ACC Headlines

Image credit: Dill/AP via NY Daily News

Steve Spurrier

Image source: Eric Campos via GoGamecocks.com

Dave Doeren

Image credit: Andrew Weber-US PRESSWIRE via Chicago Tribune

Some Confused Ohio Bobcats

Mike McCarthy

Image source: Here

Cito Gaston

Image source: The National Post

Bill Curry

Image source: MTV.com

Rick Stockstill

Image credit: Chris Graythen/Getty Images via Boston.com

Frank Beamer

Image credit: Phil Coale/AP via Statesman.com

Image source: Boston.com

Eric Mangini

Les Miles

Image source: Here

Image credit: A. Messerschmidt/Getty Images via MTV.com

Image source: SECTalk.com

And I saved the best image last…

Marty Schottenheimer…like a boss

But no Gatorade shower can or will ever be quite as funny as the one in this video, all things considered.

Guy Morriss

Update: Actually, I was mistaken. I’m not quite sure how I forgot about one of my favorite Gatorade bath pictures of all time, but I did. Thankfully, loyal Tweeters like @jimkanicki are here to remind me of the error of my ways. For goodness sakes, this pic is the background of Spencer Hall’s Twitter page!

Here is the great Howard Schnellenberger (the man who laid the foundation at The U, for those too young to remember) being doused by his team at Florida Atlantic.

Random thought: I suppose I should change the number in the title to 29 considering that there are technically now 29 images and videos with the addition of the Schellenberger picture, but since one of the pics is an elephant peeing on Les Miles, we won’t count that as a Gatorade bath.

Update: And here is the picture of the mural at Gatorade HQ sent to me by Sarah Robb O’Hagan:

That line would make absolutely no sense to this American, but I kind of like it. The ‘passer’ in this case would had been Josh McCown, who Lovie Smith brought out of retirement over some guy named Brett and another guy named McNabb for the temporary assignment.

McCown fell short in keeping Chicago’s miniscule playoff hopes alive, but didn’t have that horrible a night for someone who spent the year on a high school coaching staff. And win or lose, McCown will always have a special place in the hearts of Packers Nation over this contribution eight years ago.

And who’s the team that Lovie makes it a point to target over any other in the National Football League? The Bears finish the 2011 calendar year going a perfect 0-4 v. the GBP.

During the telecast, Al Michaels proved once again why he is still one of the best PBP men in sports, even after three+ decades. Whether it was pointing out the TD/INT ratios of Favre ’04-’07 (96 TD’s/79 picks) v. Rodgers ’08-’11 (131 TD’s/37 picks) or noting GB’s two starting quarterbacks over the past 19 years (actually three if you count Matt Flynn’s start last year) versus the Bears’ 15 during the same timeframe.

The Great, Underrated Mike McCarthy

Then for the second consecutive GB appearance on SNF, Michaels again analyzed the methods and madness of Coach Mike McCarthy, noting that MM is still not a total household name among NFL coaches and mentioning his one-time stint as a Pennsylvania toll-taker to make ends meet. Michaels also notes McCarthy being the father of five kids, the youngest being four months old. That would be the second of McCarthy’s current marriage, which outside of a brief mention in a Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel story in October, was not announced publicly.

That’s the way McCarthy likes things, with zero fanfare.  It’s also what I happen to admire and respect about MM. While other coaches make brash proclamations that their teams simply can’t back up (won’t name names, OK, his initials are RR…), McCarthy manages to eliminate all the noise outside of 1265 Lombardi Avenue.

If we project a second consecutive Super Bowl appearance by the team, McCarthy is on pace (if not there already) to putting himself on the Mt. Rushmore of Packers coaches, right alongside Curly, Vin, and the Walrus.

Best thing is, one has to think McCarthy is perfectly happy in Green Bay and will stay put for several seasons to come. By contrast, by the time Super Bowl 32 rolled around the first speculations on what Holmgren might do with his next career move was already starting to surface.

Holmgren would go on to coach the 1998 season in Green Bay, with rampant rumors linking him with either the then-expansion Cleveland Browns or the Seattle Seahawks – Holmgren would eventually end up working for both franchises. During the ’98 campaign, a fan touched a nerve with Holmgren making mention of the Cleveland scuttlebutt (being fueled on pre-game TV shows), leading to a heated confrontation between the two in the tunnel at halftime of a game when the Packers were underperforming.

Circumstances are always subject to change with the next wire report. The Miami Dolphins or Dan Snyder in Washington could always open their checkbooks at anytime and make McCarthy (or anyone else) an offer so crazy that they would have no choice but to consider. Maybe someone jumps at that kind of offer, but I believe even McCarthy would refuse a hypothetical offer “too good to refuse.” The only other option I would see down the road is if McCarthy’s hometown Pittsburgh Steelers were to ever come calling – that would be a legit possibility, but at the present Mike Tomlin is as good a fit there as McCarthy is Green Bay.

Statue/Street Name Soon To Come?

And then Michaels (again) gets into the inevitable street naming coronation for McCarthy. During the SNF telecast from Atlanta earlier in the year Al suggested a toll-road (a nod to his toll-taking employment) and during the Bears telecast suggested an entire interstate.

Someone has to educate Al…

• First off, we don’t do tolls here in Wisconsin. When I make a list of things I love about the state, this is at the top of the list, along with the football team. By contrast, on New Year’s Day, the asking prices on the Illinois Tollway are set to NEARLY DOUBLE. As if a 7-9 Bears season and possible six-game losing streak is not enough.

• Second, most of our interstate segments have already been rightfully named after our veterans who have proudly served this country in previous wars. Our current servicemen in Iraq and Afghanistan will have sections of interstates named long before any Green Bay football coach, and rightfully so.

And getting past those two points, WHAT THE HELL is the rush of doing the street naming ceremony already? Naming a garbage dump after Scott Walker wouldn’t be a bad idea, but the McCarthy story is still in its early stages.

There are already several examples of these coronations backfiring. Holmgren Way went up not long after the Packers Super Bowl XXXI title – and at the time people were over the top giddy. That stretch of road got a little more awkward when years later Holmgren was on the Lambeau sidelines with the Seahawks trying to knock GB from the playoffs.

And then there is Favre Pass, dedicated before Brett cost the franchise a couple more chances at the Super Bowl (’03 at Philly, ’07 v. Giants) with his gunslinger act in overtime. Then he finished up his career as a Minnesota Viking, breaking the hearts of that fan base in New Orleans.

More recently, there was the ‘unveiling’ of the Albert Pujols statue outside his restaurant in St. Louis. That probably sealed up that $260 million contract with the Angels right there.

And finally, that creepy Joe Paterno statue. That sure seemed foolproof. 50+ years with university, 40+ years as the head coach – the most legendary coaching name in the history of college football. By the time that went up in State College, there was no way anything could happen for that to possibly go wrong?? And now there’s a stench even there – along with a 24/7 security detail to protect it.

One gets a feeling McCarthy himself isn’t excited about having his name going on Green Bay’s Walk of Fame anytime in the near future. I’m fine with Curly and Vin and even Bart Starr and some others from earlier generations being honored, as I don’t think there is much left to come out of those closets.

And in all probability there isn’t much in the McCarthy closet, but what’s wrong with letting the entire ‘McCarthy Era’ play out first, one which holds the promise of several more years and potentially more championships?

If there’s any sign of Mike McCarthy planning an exit strategy, Al Michaels will need pretty good odds to make a wager on it…

I’ve been a fan my whole life, but as any fan of the Green Bay Packers knows, tickets are hard to come by. I came into the tickets through a friend’s uncle, which is the standard connection for getting tickets, I presume.

Whenever I told people last week that I was going to the game, the reaction was almost universally “That’s awesome! Where’d you get the tickets?” Sure you can buy them online, often for the small sum of an arm and a leg, but how fans go about acquiring their tickets is often a story in and of itself.

My first Packers game

Scary Moment In Lambeau

Attending my first Packers game came in the very same week that I became a part-owner of that very franchise.

Last week I wrote a post that addressed this, as well as a few things Green Bay needed to do to move to 19-0 this season. On Sunday, the Packers ran the ball very well, caught the ball, made tackles, and went for the kill right away. It’s no surprise the Packers rolled over the Raiders 46-16 on Sunday to move to 13-0, but the one thing Green Bay was unable to do was the most important thing they needed to do: stay healthy.

I think being at the game helped my well-being when Greg Jennings went down with a knee injury on Sunday. I couldn’t see a replay, and I didn’t have to hear speculation that he might be done for the season. We saw him give a thumbs up to the crowd as he was leaving, which was good enough for me. Jennings limped off the field, but he did it under his own power, so I assumed they were holding him out because the game was well in hand.

Neither scenario turned out to be the case, as the latest report is that Jennings suffered a sprained knee and will only be out a few weeks, presumably back in time for the playoffs.

Good thing Jennings wasn't too hurt on Sunday.

Should Packers Rest Starters?

This presents the obvious question: do the Packers rest their starters for the playoffs?

The answer is complicated.

I don’t think they rest until they wrap up the #1 seed and home-field advantage, which can be accomplished next week at the now Todd Haley-less KC Chefs.

After that point, I think Mike McCarthy has to plan to treat the final two games of the year like pre-season games, reserving the right to keep his starters in if he chooses. They of course want to put an honest effort into every game, and there is no reason why the Packers shouldn’t win out.

I’m not being cocky when I say Green Bay is undeniably better than every one else in the league. They’ve proven it by winning 19 straight games.  Ideally, both the Bears game on Christmas and the Lions game on New Year’s Day will both be like the Raiders game this weekend, which will gave Matt Flynn over a quarter of game experience.

McCarthy has a head-scratcher the final three weeks of the season

If the Packers are up by 10 or more at halftime in either game, pull the starters. Green Bay proved against Oakland that they can get a bit lackadaisical with a big lead, so there’s no chance risking injury to any more of our studs. Give Flynn reps, work out the backup lineman, make sure the reserve secondary knows what it’s doing in coverage.

If it’s closer than 10, or if the Packers are trailing, keep the starters in. Chicago and Detroit are both playoff-caliber teams, so simulating a playoff game without it really counting could only give Green Bay valuable repetitions and experience. The drive that Rodgers put together at the end of the Giants game two weeks ago is not something he is called on to do very often, but he proved to himself and the team that he could, not that anyone was actually doubting him.

Yet, despite all of these accomplishments, I’ve always felt that Woodson has been one of the most underrated football players of my lifetime.

Perhaps it is completely illogical and totally contradictory to list such a bevy of accomplishments and then in the next sentence claim that Charles Woodson is underrated. Perhaps. I think it’s more a testament to just how great Charles Woodson is that, at least in the consciousness of fans, as interpreted by me, his consistent greatness has been underappreciated.

Anyway, lauding Charles Woodson for his career achievements was not the original purpose of this post (although perhaps it should be the purpose of a future post…). Rather, the purpose of this post is to highlight a great post-game speech by Woodson on Sunday after the NFC Championship Game.

Like many things Woodson has done, it has not gotten enough recognition because something else (in this case, Jaycutlergate) has stolen the headlines. But because Woodson called out none other than the President of the United States, something tells me this video will get plenty of play over the next two weeks.

In case you missed it, former Chicagoan and current POTUS Barack Obama said that he would be in Dallas for Super Bowl XLV if the Chicago Bears beat the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Title Game. The Bears, of course, did not beat the Packers, so President Obama ostensibly will remain in the D.C. for the Big Game.

At the end of his remarks to teammates after the epic Bears-Packers tilt on Sunday, Woodson has a few choice words for the Bear-loving Obama:

———-

Here is the transcript of Woodson’s speech to the team:

Hey. It’s time to think about one thing. One. For two weeks, think about one. One mind. Let’s be one heartbeat. One person. One goal. One more game. One. Let’s get it.

And check this: the President don’t wanna come watch us in the Super Bowl? [Other players hoot and holler] That’s right, that’s right, that’s right…we’ll go see him!

Obviously the second part of the speech, in which Woodson calls out President Obama, is the part everyone will focus on. And if the Packers do end up winning the Super Bowl, you can bet Woodson’s comments will be brought up again and again when the team visits the White House as champions.

However, as with most things Woodson does, the flash often overshadows the fundamentals and intangibles he brings to the table.

What makes this a great speech is not the gotcha phrase at the end, it’s the sentiment expressed at the beginning. Green Bay has won five straight games – all of them essentially elimination games and three of them road playoff games – to get to the Super Bowl. They’ve done it with a host of starters on injured reserve. There is no chance they would be in this spot without playing as one, which is exactly what Woodson implores them to do for two more weeks and one more game.

That’s leadership. When it comes from your most talented, experienced, and decorated player, it’s invaluable. That’s Charles Woodson. And this is just one more example of why he’s one of the best football players of his generation. We all know that he does things on the field that few guys can do. What separates Woodson is that he does them off the field too.

Think Mike McCarthy appreciates Woodson? Look at the ear-to-ear smile on McCarthy’s face while Woodson is speaking:

I’m sure McCarthy probably has laid awake more than a few times this year and thanked his lucky stars that he has guys like Woodson, and Aaron Rodgers, and Clay Matthews, and Donald Driver, and others that he can count on for both their talent and their leadership? It’s the reason why the Packers are where they are.

One.

Of course, less than two weeks from now Woodson and the Packers will be facing another team that knows a thing or two about leadership and sticking together in big games. That’s part of what makes Super Bowl XLV such a fascinating matchup. As a certain New York Jets linebacker might say: can’t wait.

**********

Previous previews: Detroit Lions. Chicago Bears. Minnesota Vikings.]

Way back in January, I remember watching the Wild Card playoff game between the Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers alone in my house. I’m not sure exactly why I was alone, but there I was – just me and a stash of Leinenkugel’s Original beer.

I do not like Leinenkugel’s Original beer. That didn’t matter though after the Packers ended the first quarter with two turnovers, down 17-0. It also didn’t matter after a brief foray into a comeback that the Cardinals quickly shot down, as they went up 31-10 in the third.

No, at those points in the day, Leinie’s was my one and only true friend in this world. It might’ve been the only thing keeping my heart from punching its way out of my chest during the rest of that freaking game.

Then came the comeback: the onside kick; Larry Fitzgerald; the second comeback; the missed field goal; the missed opportunity; and whatever the hell that last play was. It was there, and it was gone, and the season with it.

God, going through all this stuff makes me wonder if the game actually happened. Then again, maybe that was the beer.

Ever since that game ended, I can’t seem to stop it from rattling around in my head. The more and more I think about it, I see that Wild Card playoff game as the framework for this upcoming Packer season in a nutshell.

I believe the same promises, the same pitfalls, the same emotional blender from that game, which covered all corners of the sport of football – and revealed so much about this Packer team – will shape this coming season.

And here we are. The Packers have spent the summer in the crosshairs of high expectations, right where they left off.

Green Bay Packers Offense

For its part, the offense, so cold-blooded and efficient for most of that playoff comeback, shouldn’t miss a beat.

Of course, it begins with Aaron Rodgers. Equal parts calm and cocky, he is perfect for this offense and franchise and has plenty left to prove.

As a whole, the offense should be able to go wherever they want on the field with a better (they have to be better, right?) offensive line, a deep receiving corps. and tight end Jermichael Finley.

Finley, who blossomed at the end of last year, could be one of the toughest players to defend this year. His oft-used Twitter acronym, “Y.O.T.T.O.”, which stands for Year of the Take Over, suggests he is aware of this. That, or he’s really into predicting alien invasions.

If the running game can be honest, we’ll call it a balanced attack.

Green Bay Packers Defense

So if the offense is the sure thing, the rest is a blind guy throwing darts at a wall. Okay, maybe that’s an overstatement. The defense isn’t as ragged as Kurt Warner and the Cardinals made them out to be. They aren’t “29-33, 379 yards and five touchdowns” bad, but they were exposed that day, and it is a problem.

With veterans Al Harris and Atari Bigby out at least six weeks, it looks like the secondary will be made up of rookies Morgan Burnett and Sam Shields, with veterans Tramon Williams, Nick Collins and Defensive Player of the Year Charles Woodson – and no, it does not get old saying that – being relied upon even more. The backups feature more unproven young bucks, meaning growing pains should be expected and Woodson will have to continue playing utility knife.

A good pass rush would help a secondary possibly in need of fewer seconds of coverage time, but, uh, the Packers could use some new blood there, too. Clay Matthews was brilliant in pass rushing last year, but the combed-over Dom Capers needs to dig more sacks up out of his 3-4 scheme.

Nothing may have stopped Warner that fateful day, but something more than one sack for a loss of four yards might’ve helped a bit. Onus will be on Cullen Jenkins and another linebacker to emerge alongside Matthews.

Green Bay Packers Special Teams

Then there are special teams. Sometimes I wish the Packers would just forego this idea of the necessity of special teams altogether, because there are times it seems as though they’d be better off doing such. The eventual choice at the always-up-in-the-air punter position, between Tim Masthay and Chris Bryan, will hopefully bring some continuity to the unit due to head coach Mike McCarthy’s insistence that punters be field goal holders as well.

If this has been Mason Crosby’s problem then I am a) still not believing it, yet b) optimistic that a consistent holder will help the inconsistent Crosby. Because damn, missed field goals are the worst. As are shanked punts, and, oh, momentum-killing kickoffs returned to the 42-yard line.

In summary, special teams: that annoying little part of football that always ends up being a big deal. I do not trust you, special teams, but when you give me memories like this (about the 36 second mark), I must respect your importance.

Overview

Looking back, I don’t think I appreciated that playoff game enough. I mean, it was a playoff game and I was watching alone. I should’ve been watching somewhere, with someone, anyone. What the hell was I thinking? I’m thinking maybe I was nervous; or maybe I wasn’t nervous enough; maybe I substituted hopefulness for overconfidence. Whatever the case, I took it for granted. I wasn’t ready.

And with the team that’s being built here, nothing should be taken for granted; every bit of the quest should be enjoyed. The hype doesn’t mean a thing. All one can do is hope that a team like this catches enough breaks, avoids costly injuries, and plays as close as they can to their fullest potential.

Just the thought of everything working out shouldn’t be taken for granted. The Packers are not perfect, but they have something here, something that makes everything about this season exciting. I’m ready to see where they take us.

Only one thing’s for certain: I won’t be drinking Leinenkugel’s Original this time around. That stuff is gross.

**********

- Dom Capers photo courtesy of http://www.steelersuk.com/
- Finley photo courtesy of AP Photo/Paul Connors.

Twitter: twitter.com/griffingotta Email: griffingotta@gmail.com

[Editor's note: I am happy to introduce yet another new writer to you. Kurt Allen is the latest to join the MSF team, and like Griffin Gotta is based in Wisconsin. Any more cheeseheads and we may just have to spin off a new site with coverage of the Packers.

Kurt has a lot of experience creating content online and will be covering a wide range of stories for us in the coming weeks and months. He is also an avid Tweeter and you can follow him here.

Enjoy his first piece below.]

———-

We now preempt regularly scheduled offseason programming to bring you the latest developments in the saga of Brett the Purple Dinosaur.

Well it sure took long enough.

In another major development a few weeks back, there were unconfirmed reports that Deanna Favre has renewed her membership at a Twin Cities area health club for another year. You could cue the Dragnet music on that, although I’m sure Mrs. Favre could afford to swallow her membership fee for a year if forced to do so.

But if you have spent the last week in a coma, which is probably the only way possible to avoid the Brett Favre newsfeed, really not much has changed.

Realizing early in the week that he had still not yet ‘retired’ this off-season, word leaked that Favre was busy sending text messages to Vikings teammates that he had decided he was through, this time for real. Of course no one was buying it.

The next day Favre was back working out with his high school team when ESPN’s Ed Werder, I guess the lone man on the planet able to get any access to #4, actually got a couple words with Favre that were aired on TV before Brett made his getaway in the old pick-up truck.

Bottom line is a big letdown for Tavaris Jackson fans, pending an examination on Favre’s ankle by Dr. James Andrews early next week. The most likely outcome still has Brett returning for a 20th season, although I wouldn’t put all of what’s left in the 401K on it.

I have been covering the Favre ‘retirement’ fiasco for 2 ½ years now. Actually, it has gone on much longer than that. As an April Fool’s joke in 2002 I reported on Favre ‘retiring’, and actually crashed my server. At the time BF was 32 and still very much in the prime of his career, although several disastrous playoff performances were still to come.

Just nine months later, the first Favre ‘retirement watch’ began.

The Packers were hosting the Atlanta Falcons in a Wild Card round game on a Saturday night in January, 2003. The Falcons had what was considered a then-emerging QB named Michael Vick (he’s for another column) but were given little chance that night, a snowy one at Lambeau. At the time Favre was something like 35-0 when playing at home with the temperature below 34 degrees. It was assumed that Brett would shine while Vick froze like a popsicle.

Wrong answer.

Vick ran wild that night, proving that it was going to take more than a dusting of snow to slow him, while Favre was the one left bruised, flustered, and wearing the Lambeau turf on his back. Brett was at the airport and on his jet heading back to Mississippi seemingly within minutes of the final gun, leading to speculation that possibly Favre could pull a Barry Sanders and announce a shocking retirement.

Of course Favre returned for the 2003 season, which culminated in a dramatic overtime win in the Wild Card round (thankfully scored by the defense) before the infamous 4th and 26 game in Philadelphia and Favre’s pop-fly for an INT on the first play of overtime. What many forget was that before 4th and 26, Green Bay had a chance to ice the game on what was 4th and about three inches. Seemed like an easy enough quarterback sneak, but by this stage in his career Favre wasn’t doing quarterback sneaks. Packers punt, and the rest was history.

2004 would end with another uncharacteristic home playoff loss, this time to the 8-8 Minnesota Vikings in the infamous Randy Moss ‘Moon Over Lambeau’ game. Lost in that uproar was the fact that Favre was the one really left exposed that night, throwing four INT’s to go along with the six picks he threw in the playoff loss at St. Louis following the 2001 season.

That spring, addressing the fact that even the Favre era would eventually have an expiration date, General Manager Ted Thompson jumped at the chance to draft Aaron Rodgers after he unexpectedly slipped to the 25th overall pick of the 2005 Draft. That fall the wheels came off completely in Titletown (a.k.a, the Samkon Gado era), and by mid-season the Packers were well on their way to a dismal 4-12 campaign, leading to speculation that Favre at age 35, would either (a) retire or (b) try to force a trade to a contender, with the suggestion of Favre in anything but a Green Bay considered unthinkable among the Packers fan base.

Favre did return, and seemed rejuvenated in what was considered a rebuilding year in 2006, with the team winning its final four games to finish 8-8. The season ended with Favre posing for photos with teammates after the season finale in Chicago and breaking down during a subsequent interview with NBC, which set the stage for his annual retirement watch to become the national spectacle it is today.

That laid the groundwork for what I still consider to be a memorable season in 2007, with the team emerging far ahead of schedule in Year 2 of the Mike McCarthy era despite management not making the acquisition of Randy Moss that Brett apparently so dearly wanted. Still the year culminated in that magical snow-filled night with Favre throwing three TD’s as the team rebounded from an early 14-0 deficit for a 42-20 win. This led to what I now call the ‘Four-below Game’, played in icebox conditions against the New York Giants, a game no one in Packerland expected the home team to lose.

But thanks to yet another overtime pick by Favre, after Green Bay won the coin toss, thus making Corey Webster the Packers answer to Bucky (bleepin’) Dent, the Pack did lose. This led to the 30-month soap opera still going strong today, complete with his own header on ESPN’s bottom line and his four-part series with Greta Van Susteren on FOX News, and his equally awaited appearance with Joe Buck last year.

At this point I will say what I have said for the past several years: Brett Favre owes the Green Bay Packers absolutely nothing. I would consider his 16-year resume with the Packers in fact to be pretty darn good, and arguably he is THE most iconic figure in the 90+ year history of the franchise. OK, maybe Coach Vin and Curly Lambeau are at the top, and also put the likes of Hutson, Starr, Nitschke, Taylor and Hornung in the conversation as well.

However, for as historic an institution as the Packers are rightfully considered, it must also be noted that the franchise was next to irrelevant for an entire generation with mostly dismal seasons from 1968 through 1991, the rare Lynn Dickey or Don Majkowski contribution notwithstanding. And as much as Lambeau Field is now considered a landmark and a shrine, it was basically a bare-bones faciltiy throughout the 1970′s and 80′s. It may even come as a shock to many younger fans that the team played a portion of its home schedule at Milwaukee County Stadium (an awful venue for football) as recently as 1994.

And, by the way, Coach Lombardi retired from the Packers only to eventually resurface coaching another team. Ditto for the late, great Reggie White, who returned for what turned out to be a quiet, forgettable season with the Carolina Panthers in 2000.

It was the bold trade of then-GM Ron Wolf that send a first round draft pick in 1992 to Atlanta to acquire Favre, a second-round pick the previous year who did not make a good first impression on Falcons coach Jerry Glanville. Along with the hiring of Mike Holmgren as coach the same year, and the stunning free agent acquisition of Reggie White the following year, the very culture of the franchise changed dramatically. No more was Green Bay talked about as a ‘threat’ as a possible destination to underachieving players among other organizations around the NFL, as it had been previously.

Not to defend Favre’s constant drama tendencies, but #4 should never be looked at in a negative light by Packers Nation, and I believe the crowd at Lambeau made a mistake last year in their attempts to literally boo Brett right out of the stadium during the Vikings regular-season visit. It only served to play into Favre’s hands and propelled him into a huge game that night. A thunderous standing ovation would had been more appropriate, and may have gotten to Brett’s emotions to the point of having a four interception game, rather than a four touchdown game.

Bottom line, pro football is a business, and for a while Ted Thompson was the most hated man in Packer Nation. He also made his own defining move that will likely put the stamp on this franchise for the majority of the coming decade. Not too many franchises get the opportunity to replace one legend for potentially another legend, and Aaron Rodgers looks to be heading down that path. Don’t believe me? Just ask the Denver Broncos fan base, who since 1999 have been looking for their worthy successor to John Elway. The QB who was thought to be real deal asked out before even entering the prime of his career, as Jay Cutler can now be found in the NFC North Division.

Then there’s the Favre angle. Even though under contract, Favre was nudged out the door. Basically he was fired. At that point it can very well be argued that BF should be able to choose his next employer, and the franchise that he saw as being most comfortable with and knew the coaching staff happened to be the Minnesota Vikings. I don’t fault Favre for that, just for not being more direct in his exit strategy and beating around the bush. I also said two years ago that if Ted Thompson’s best trade offer on the table happened to be from the Vikings, that he should had made made the trade and gotten it over with.

A very similar situation transpired this past off-season in the NFC East. Somehow the Philadelphia Eagles were able to deal Donovan McNabb to a division rival without a PR debacle being played out. McNabb identified the Washington Redskins as a landing spot, and the two teams made a deal.

As it was, Favre was forced to take an awkward one-year sabbatical playing for the New York Jets before deeking another retirement, eventually paving the way for his long-awaited free agency freedom and the chance to join the Vikings, a move that worked pretty well, actually very well (as in thr best stats in his entire career), until that ill-fated play late in regulation in New Orleans.

So how does the final chapter end?

Favre is the type who will continue to play until the uniform is ripped off him. Maybe he finally gets back to and wins that long awaited second Super Bowl and can finally head off into the sunset without regrets. The Vikings certainly have the supporting cast.

But it’s also more possible that the story does not have a happy ending. Favre has defied the odds of the injury reaper for 19 years, avoiding major injury and perhaps even playing through major injuries (although you can argue that he had to resort to his Vicodin addiction to get through the 1995 campaign). But keep rolling the dice and snake-eyes sooner or later comes up, and a devastating injury would finally take out the final guesswork and end Favre’s spectacular career.

Injury at some point claims nearly all in the NFL, including quarterbacks. Back in the day Dan Marino was considered the iron-man, starting every game for a decade until on a simple dropback his Achilles gave way, and suddenly the Miami Dolphins were forced into emergency plans.

I really wish against a Joe Theismann/Michael Irvin like ending for Favre. And certainly if such an event occurred in Green Bay, and the golf cart was coming out, there would not be a repeat of Philadelphia fans on Michael Irvin as he laid on the Veteran’s Stadium turf in 1999.

Or things could end simply because Favre succumbs to a drastic decline in performance. Even with the great ones the drop-off is often not gradual; in fact, think hockey-stick graph. Jerry Rice was inducted into Canton this weekend, and he incredibly kept producing past age 40, but when his time came it came quickly. The odometer is so high for Favre, who will soon be age 41, that the gasket, or the transmission, or the motor, can blow at anytime.

So if he comes back, enjoy Favre for what could be one FINAL go around, and wish him the best. This time next year the statuses of not just Favre, but the entire rank-and-file, will be under question given the current labor situation.

But that’s a column for another day…

**********

(By the way, I find it interesting to not that the photoshopped image from a couple years ago of Favre in a baby-thingy with the message ‘Let Me Play…’ has now been revised to ‘My Ankle Hurts…’ and T-Shirts with that image are currently being sold at the Wisconsin State Fair for $11.99; It makes for a great cleaning rag. Another good seller is the 4-way Favre jersey, with the colors of each team he’s played for. Someone is raking in at least a few bucks off that un-licensed material.)

A story in yesterday’s Journal-Sentinel provides yet another example, and honestly doesn’t make a damn bit of sense from the Packers’ perspective.

A longtime Packers employee, Mike Wood, was fired by the Packers because McCarthy claimed that Wood told him not to “lay an egg” a couple of days before the epic Packers-Vikings game at Lambeau. Wood claims that he said nothing of the sort and merely told the coach to have the team ready to “kick some butt.”

I wonder why the hell it even matters, especially in relation to the employment of a loyal, 22-year employee.

Of course, this is the same coach who famously pushed for another longtime Packers employee to leave…but I digress.

Here is an excerpt from the story in all of its absurdity:

Longtime Packers employee Mike Wood fired for alleged comment to Mike McCarthy — (Journal-Sentinel)

Wood said he was sitting in a maintenance cart in a stadium tunnel when McCarthy was talking with members of the grounds crew.

With the season’s most-hyped game only three days away, Wood said he yelled to McCarthy, “Hey coach, let’s get the boys ready to kick some butt this weekend.”

…

Wood said he was told that McCarthy thought he heard him make a comment along the lines of “don’t lay an egg” in the game.

…

Reached for comment, the Packers released a statement: “The organization has standards of conduct that apply to all employees, full-time and part-time, in order to maintain a respectful workplace. Mr. Wood’s supervisors determined he made an inappropriate comment, and he was relieved of his duties.”

If there is not more to the story, like say Wood trafficking Packers’ playbooks to opponents or something, then this is just an asinine move by McCarthy and the Packers.

Florio has a great take on the firing of Mike Wood by the Packers over at PFT that echoes most of what I thought immediately after reading the story. In addition to wondering why McCarthy was even worrying about something like this during such a pivotal week for the franchise, it sounds like it was a snap decision with no due diligence whatsoever:

And here’s the most obvious question the native sons and daughters will be asking:  Why not meet with the guy and hear his side of the story?  Maybe Wood is telling the truth.  Maybe McCarthy, his blood pressure likely sky high as his plan to nudge Favre into retirement was about to explode in his face once and for all, didn’t accurately hear what Wood said.

I think a 22-year veteran of the organization — which, it should be noted, is a hell of a lot longer than McCarthy has been there — deserves to at least face his accuser.

As reported, this story makes McCarthy look like a petty jackass on a power trip. Even if the guy did say “don’t lay an egg,” I don’t see why it would bother McCarthy that much. (This is especially true in hindsight, considering McCarthy and the Packers did lay an egg against the Vikings, and then laid a whole carton of them last week against Tampa Bay.)

Seriously though, if you’re a head coach and you can’t handle someone telling you not to lay an egg, you might want to get into another profession.

Anyway, it’s a good thing I don’t work for the Packers because I’d surely get fired for this:

Get a clue McCarthy. Firing loyal employees for no good reason is not the way to make fans forget about the fact that you’ve turned the Packers into nothing more than a mediocre franchise while Brett Favre has helped to turn your division rival into a juggernaut.

At this point I think it’s safe to say that Mike McCarthy’s tenure with the Packers has been, at best…scrambled.

Update: I didn’t catch this earlier, but Mike McCarthy has responded, and it was actually more than just “Cluck, cluck, cluck,”…although not by much.

As reported by Greg Bedard at the Journal-Sentinel (via 620WTMJ):

Question: Can you talk at all about the story in this morning’s paper?

McCarthy: “Well, really, I haven’t seen the story. I’m not really abreast of what was in the paper, so I don’t really…I’m not in charge of the maintenance department, I can tell you that.

Question: It concerned a comment this maintenance worker supposedly made to you and then a couple days later he got fired.

McCarthy: “Well, I did not fire anybody in the maintenance department, I can tell you that.”

There on the ring of honor, beside Rams greats like Marshall Faulk and Merlin Olsen, and other St. Louis football icons like Dan Dierdorf, were digital displays providing scores and stats from around the league.

Packers fans delighted in seeing the Minnesota Vikings trailing San Francisco late at home. Former Packers quarterback Brett Favre was having a yeoman’s day, completing 50 percent of his passes for a pedestrian 221 yards.

At the same time inside the Edward Jones Dome, new Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers was hitting big plays to Donald Driver and Greg Jennings, and leading the Packers to a 36-17 win.

Rodgers had a sparkling passer rating of 126.9 by virtue of his 13-for-23 day with 269 passing yards and touchdown tosses to Driver and fullback John Kuhn. Rodgers also ran for a score, and picked up another 38 yards with his legs.

What the thousands of Packers fans in St. Louis were unable to see was the switch in Favre’s head they had grown so accustomed to seeing for 16 seasons get flipped.

Favre had engineered 39 fourth-quarter comebacks for the Packers, displaying the intangible ability to take over a game when it was on the line. Sure he lost a few along the way, but his talent for dominating a game, and the exuberance in which he did so, is what made him a sure-fire Hall of Famer. It’s also the reason he grew to become arguably the most beloved player in Packers history.

Now donning the purple of the hated Vikings, Favre reminded Packers fans of his greatness, and proved to the rest of the league that he still has it.

Taking over at their own 20 with 1:29 remaining and trailing by four, the Vikings were without a timeout. Favre, who had been 18-of-36 for 221 yards with a touchdown and interception, engineered a 10-play, 80-yard drive to lead the Vikings to an improbable win.

Two weeks before his 40th birthday, Favre led his 40th career fourth-quarter comeback. He was 6-of-10 on the drive, with two incompletions as a result of having to spike the ball to stop the block. The drive ended with a remarkable 32-yard fastball to Greg Lewis in the back of the end zone with just two seconds remaining.
Favre had done it.

He pumped left, rolled right, avoided a sack by skipping backwards, then rifled a pass with pin-point accuracy between two defenders. Lewis did his part, too, laying out for the ball, and getting both feet in bounds.

Following a review, the touchdown was upheld, and the Vikings knew now why their coach had pursued Favre so heavily.

Brad Childress was often chastised for dissing the two quarterbacks he had in camp, incumbent starter Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels, a player they traded for to push Jackson for the starting job. But, at the end, there was Jackson right next to Favre giving him a congratulatory hug.

Even Jackson realized that neither he nor Rosenfels would have led the Vikings to a victory that day.

Brett Favre is Brett Favre for a reason. He’s a bonafide Hall of Famer for a reason.

As well as Rodgers has played for the Packers, they are still a team that has won just eight of 19 games since Favre led them to 13 wins in 2007. People are still second-guessing the decision of general manager Ted Thompson and head coach Mike McCarthy not to welcome Favre back after he changed his mind about retirement in June of 2008.

On Sunday, the old, grey-haired quarterback gave those naysayers another reason to say, “I told you so.”

**********

* – Brett Favre photo credit: City Pages

The first implosion I witnessed on Sunday came when the Packers had the chance to put a stranglehold on the game with a third and goal at the Jags’ 5 late in the 2nd quarter. And yet somehow, during a Jags timeout, the offense failed to relay to their tight end what play they were about to run. The ensuing disaster led to a sideline meltdown involving Aaron Rodgers, Mike McCarthy and rookie Tight End Jermichael Finley and a chip shot field goal in lieu of a touchdown. It would prove to be a costly error in yet another close loss.

At the start of the second half, the wheels started to come off, this time on the defensive side of the ball. The Jags lined up on their second play from scrimmage, and the Packer defense left a wide open weak-side slot receiver. In the ensuing confusion, David Garrard managed to connect on a 35-yard completion, leaving the Green Bay defense only one option. Scream at each other.

Unfortunately, yelling at each other seemed to be the only answer the players could come up with on Sunday. The whole demeanor of the team seemed to say “This is not MY fault, this is YOUR fault.” It was such a heart wrenching sight to see, since the reality is, they should be saying “this is OUR fault.”

Forget the lousy defense, forget Aaron Rodgers, forget the lack of short yardage grit, and forget the inability to close out games. This team stinks because they are not a team. At least, they don’t play like one and they sure as hell do not act like one. Come on fellas, this is December! This is when teams that have as much talent as you do are supposed to come together and get wins. Or at the very least, come together after your losses, find ways to mend, and learn HOW to win. At least that’s what the good ones are supposed to, and the last four weeks have more than exemplified that this team has no business calling itself good because they seem to have no idea how to win games.

Some people might say the residual effect of the Brett Favre drama is rearing its ugly head, but I would hate to believe that summer drama would manifest itself in November and December. This team had time to shake that debacle off, and move on. What they face now seems like an inner turmoil that has managed to break the team from the inside like water frozen inside of a rock.

So what’s the cause and how can we fix it? Perhaps the close losses have begun to haunt the locker room and maybe all the finger pointing has reached its boiling point. Maybe the coaching staff isn’t doing it’s job or maybe injuries have stalled the team this year. While these are all contributing factors to the mediocrity, heck downright lousiness, of the 2008 season, the real cause of the Packers’ problems is a lack of leadership.

My only hope is that this was the high water mark for the Packers’ frustrations and what follows can be a turning point for the young Packers. As I recall, in 2006 the Packers started winning again after a 4-8 start led to a very similar spat of inner turmoil. We all knew who the leader was who pulled them out of that disaster but he can’t help us anymore. So, the only thing we can ask ourselves is who will it be now? Who can bring this talented young team together and get them back into the win column? I think we all know who it should be, but is #12 ready for it?

Jacksonville started strong. They scored on their opening drive with a 30 yard touchdown pass to Dennis Northcut. Maurice Jones-Drew ran well on the dive and David Garrard, the Jags’ quarterback, looked comfortable in the pocket and was virtually under no pressure from the Green Bay defense.

The Packers’ first possession got off to a dismal start. However, Ryan Grant ran the ball well and James Jones had a huge reception, the first of the game for the Packers. In spite of Green Bay’s impressive red zone statistics, they were stopped and had to settle for a field goal attempt by Mason Crosby, which was good from 22 yards out.

Mike McCarthy, a coach who doesn’t use the challenge flag all that often, challenged a completed pass made by Jacksonville in the second quarter. The call was overturned, which set up a Jacksonville field goal attempt. The ball was 51 yards out, but hit the left upright and bounced back into the center of the field. Jacksonville was still on top, 7-3.

Because of the missed field goal, Green Bay took over on downs. A personal foul (roughing the passer) against Clint Ingram of Jacksonville and good running by Grant put Green Bay in good field position. On this drive Ryan Grant had his first 1,000 yard rushing season. Aaron Rodgers connected with James Jones to put the Pack on top, 10-7.

Green Bay went into the locker room after the first half with a 13-7 lead.

The third quarter of the game was virtually defunct. Both teams handled the ball poorly and as a result, neither side scored. There was a positive for Green Bay, however. Their defensive line had not been doing so hot for most of the season, but during the third quarter, they were able to put pressure on Garrard.

The fourth quarter is where the Green Bay collapse finally happened. The Jags started out the quarter by stopping the Packers’ fourth down attempt. On Jacksonville’s subsequent drive, after taking over with good field position, Jones-Drew scored a touchdown, putting them on top of Green Bay, 14-13. The score was set up by a fourth down conversion by Garrard.

Green Bay answered by putting up 3 points late in the fourth. The Packers were unable march down the field with as much authority as they had earlier in the game. A few dropped passes and a sack of Rodgers made a try for 7 impossible for Green Bay. Crosby’s kick put the Packers up, 16-14.

Jones-Drew scored his third touchdown of the season just inside the two-minute warning. This fortuitous event was set up by a 40 yard pass to Northcut and aggressive running by Jones-Drew. The Jacksonville offense came alive in the fourth quarter and the Green Bay defense seemed to take a nap.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Aaron Rodgers has no two-minute drill poise. Sure, this loss was not entirely his fault, but he didn’t help. Driver and Jones both made good catches to keep the drive alive. However, Rodgers put a pass too high, and it was intercepted with only 40 seconds left in the game. The booth reviewed the call, but anyone with eyes could see that it was a spectacular interception of a poorly-thrown ball.

Jacksonville took their victory knee, sealing the Packers’ fate. There will be no appearance in the playoffs for the Packers. This game was as much of a disappointment as many others had been this season. However, some good things happened. It was the first time in a while that I had seen the entire team come together. The offense played with passion even though they could not translate that energy into points and the defense even found it in themselves to stop the run some of the time and put pressure on Garrard.

But I can’t help but die a little inside after watching so much promise vanish in the final 15 minutes. Even though Green Bay is first in the NFL in scoring fourth quarter points, past success could not inspire victory. Maybe I should ask Santa to give the Packers some fourth quarter courage. With the outcome of Sunday’s game, it really looks like they need it.

by Ryan Russell

After watching the latest press conference with Green Bay Packers head coach, Mike McCarthy, I have concluded that Brett Farve is, in fact, a gigantic tool (as many of the more intelligent NFL analysts have suggested).

Perhaps it’s because I have always thought that Brett Favre was vastly overrated, but I agree with both the decisions made & positions taken by McCarthy, Murphy, and the Packers organization in light of the drama that has unfolded.

Figuring out who the “asshole” is in this situation depends solely on what you believe. Did Favre decide to retire only to change his mind a few months later, or did he plan this entire clusterf#$k from the beginning? If you believe the latter, that his “retirement” press conference was a tear-soaked hoax designed to either relieve him of any offseason duties or simply to gather as much as much attention as humanly possible, then you must agree that Brett is the asshole.

Watch this clip from his appearance on Letterman on April 24th, less than 60 days after he cried like a bitch and declared his retirement (for the supposed last time).

It seems to me that whether or not he knew in March that he wanted to return, he most definitely knew in April. He waited to apply for reinstatement until late July because he is a self-centered dick, and he didn’t want to go to mini camp. Mike McCarthy is a standup guy, who treats all of his players the same. Brett Farve thinks he is better than everyone else and “owed” something from his team, as well as his teammates. I can only imagine how pissed off Brett had to be when McCarthy came to town and started treating him like he was a football player, instead of a living legend.

It is my estimation that Brett tried to manipulate the Packers into giving him what he wanted: special treatment. Favre seems to have expected all along than when he got older, he would be allowed the type of leniency that was awarded to Nolan Ryan or fat-cheater-douche Roger Clemens. When it was made clear that the Packers, in an effort to perhaps WIN again, would not allow any “I’s” in their “team”, I believe that Favre tried to rig the system and trick the organization into giving him his way.

If this is true, and Farve screwed with the heads of the players, coaches, and fans for his own selfish self interest, than it should not be forgiven OR forgotten. He should be remembered as the big-game losing, not-as-smart-as-he-thinks-he-is TWAT whose fame and recognition are based on little to nothing.

Obviously, he was a pretty good quarterback at one point. He did win 3 MVP awards from ’95-’97, and he did win A Superbowl. But he only won one Superbowl. Trent Dilfer won one, too.

He also holds the league record for career passing yards and completions, but those records seem somewhat insignificant considering he also holds the record for the most pass attempts, as well as interceptions (288 to date). It seems like simple logic to assume that WHOEVER has the most pass attempts, will also have the most completions AND interceptions. If Favre had those “positive” passing records without the “negative” ones, I could forgive his arrogance. Similarly, if he had a handful of Championship rings, i think he could get away with some of his horse-shit. Unfortunately, neither of these situations are the case.

He did win 13 games last year, something he hasn’t done in over a decade. He also threw for 4,155 yards, ending his season with an impressive 95.7 QB rating after connecting on 66.5 percent of his passes. Not to shabby, considering that he hadn’t produced as many passing yards since the 1998 season and had not earned a higher QB rating since 1996. In addition, his completion percentage last year was his career best. Seriously.

This information ultimately poses the question: is Brett Favre getting better (despite years of gradual decline), or is Mike McCarthy an intelligent and successfull head coach whose rules about team unity (and equality) should not be fucked with?