I was born in 1959.. I'm a Packer fan, not by any sort of choice... it's how I was raised. There is no band-wagon... I've lived through it all.. and remember it all very well; going all the way back to the last half of the Lombardi *bow your head* era. I'm the guy who still gets a rush seeing the green-n-gold take the field.. and still gets misty-eyed driving by Lambeau.
At nearly 50, I don't get near as emotionl as years past.. and mostly, that's been a blessing. This year however, the emotion has been taken over by critical analysis. There are some eerie similarites here, to the Packer organization of the early 70s. As my father (rest his soul) use to rant.. "The damn Finlanders have taken over".. "Hey Toivo.. dis is fun eh" .. "Yah Oino, we gots be bosses of da Packers".. "Look at our fancy team, eh"..
True football MEN, like, Lombardi / Starr / Wolfe / Favre built decade-long records fielding respected, successful, even awe-inspiring teams. A Hall of Fame aura came to be taken for granted. Then a handful of uncharismatic, uninspiring, arrogant-with-ignorance "men" come in and revel in it all, as if they're a part of it.. when in reality, they're its un-doing... in over their heads, and too head-strong to care.
I'm not gonna rant by name, specifically.. because (like the early 70s), horrible decision makers aren't sent packing until the damage is done.. profoundly. All I'll point out, is that TT and MM (Murphy) have already set into motion an attitude of, "Aint MY fault" that is permeating the organization.. right down to the players. Winning intangilbles are illusive and delicate.. these "managers" cannot foster, that which they don't even understand. *sigh*
As for #4 ? .. well.. total incompetence could explain away telling a proven winner, still playing Pro-Bowl caliber football that he's not wanted.. OR, total incompetence could explain away handling the whole thing in a demeaning, circus-like way. I have to ask though.. what explains away doing BOTH ? Forget what keeping Favre off the team does to a team immediatley; as in the obvious difference in how the entire team sees itself (yeah.. like it or not, he made players on both sides of the ball dig a little deeper; a little more often).. consider what the lasting effects might be ? How do other players see themselves in the eyes of "managenent" who take their own petty egos as more important than winning, now ? If that's the regard they show HIM.. who are WE, to them ? Is this the Packer team; the special Packer team we were oh so happy to find ourselves playing for ?
Nope.. it's the Packers of the 70s.. and the Packers of the next decade will be lucky to be the .500 Packers of the 80s. It's already been set into motion. Toivo and Oyno are immune; no matter how poorly they've done thier jobs.. Ironic that they pretty much fired someone, who was the best ever, at his job.
The guy has not thrown for over 300 yards all year :lol: He is about done so please no more Favre fairy tales.
We have issues with defense and special teams not QB. Brett's leadership was big but not the overwhelming factor in this years record...age is also not something that has merit in this debate.