Random Thoughts

Some random thoughts at year’s end…

Don Meredith passed away this year. It reminds us of why we loved, and still love to this day, Monday Night Football. And, as Packer fans, we have to acknowledge how much a part of the heritage of the Packers includes Meredith. Without Dandy Don, the back to back to back titles in 64, 65, and 66 are not the same. That can be said about Monday Night Football. There was Dandy Don. And then everyone else. There are just some opponents that – Dang it! -  you just love. That was Don Meredith. Farewell, Don. The party’s over…

Oh that crazy Rex Ryan and his laugh a minute New York Jets. Ol’ Rex just can’t help himself. He’s always putting his foot in his mouth. Or his wife’s foot. Watch the video and you decide.

And this is the same Rex Ryan made famous (or maybe infamous) in HBO’s reality series “Hard Knocks”. Rex’s unedited assessment of his team was a must see. Yeah, Rex is a media star alright.

Speaking of video, the Patriots find themselves peripherally connected to former Offensive Coordinator and former Denver Head Coach Josh McDaniels and his disclaimer he was cheating by taping his opponent’s walk throughs. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree.

And going back to HBO and out of football if “Hard Knocks” was ‘Must-See’ then the newest installment “24/7” that goes into the locker room with the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals prior to the New Years Day Winter Outdoor Classic is ‘Can’t Miss’. It captures in a curious juxtapositioning 2 teams going in opposite directions One team is in the middle of a 12 game winning streak (The Pens) and another mired in an 8 game losing streak (the Caps). To see first hand the polarized differences between the two teams before, during and after each win/ loss is riveting. To be a fly on the wall and witness Caps Coach Bruce Boudreau’s blistering between period tirade (no less than 14 ‘F’ bombs dropped in a 30 second span) is to know what it’s like to be an athlete. And like Rex’s mom Bruce’s mom was equally mortified. Rex’s dad didn’t see what the f*** the f***ing problem was in the first f***ing place.

If there has been a better first round pick for the Packers than Clay Matthews III, please step forward.

The HBO Sports Documentary “Lombardi” is an absolute Must-See for anyone claiming to be a Packers fan. They got every detail right, and it is a fascinating look at the man behind the legend. For the younger generation this is a lesson in history. Remember when Blacks marrying Whites was illegal?

Tickets, anyone? The Broadway play “Lombardi” has also drawn rave reviews.

While we are on the subject of entertainment, how about another remake of “True Grit”, only this time starring a Fu Manchu sporting Aaron Rodgers facing off against an aging gunslinger. And the Fu Manchu wins.

Aaron Rodgers is being prompted to step forward.

And lastly let the final curtain fall on the “T Ocho Show”. This is nothing new for TV and it only says “Me too!” while tarnishing TOs reputation. THAT is no small feat either.

Memo to the NFLPA, the NFL owners, and their chief negotiators. Get the damn deal done. We love football too much.

How could so many coaches be in so far over their heads this year? Green Bay managed to kill off Brad Childress and Wade Phillips on consecutive weekends, while Josh McDaniels and Mike Singletary didn’t miss shooting themselves in the foot. Seeing Iron Mike lose the team was a painful process. Expect more heads to roll come the off season (Hello, Gary Kubiak??).

The 49ers will be QB shopping. Think they would entertain an Alex Smith for Aaron Rodgers deal straight up?

Was anybody aware that Packers Head Coach Mike McCarthy lobbied long and hard FOR Alex Smith over ARod back on draft day when he was with the Niners? Say “Oooooops”…

Mike McCarthy will most certainly get consideration as Coach of the Year for keeping a lineup decimated by injuries in every game and playoff contention. For that he deserves it.

How good can these Packers be if everyone on the IR comes back and can play? Holy Cow, what a warm and fuzzy notion that is. Ryan Grant. Jermichael Finley. Mark Tauscher. Spencer Havner. Justin Harrell. Mike Neal. Nick Barnett. Brad Jones. Frank Zombo. Johnny Jolly (suspension). Morgan Burnett. Quinn Porter. Josh Bell. Derrick Martin. Brady Poppinga. Brandon Chillar. Anthony Smith. That’s a helluva team right there.

Ryan Grant was quoted as saying he “…probably could have gone [played]…” against the Giants.

And here is a hope that Justin Harrell can stay healthy enough to contribute. We hate hearing “1^st Round Bust” tagged on him almost as much as he does.

If Tom Coughlin’s Giants fail to make the playoffs and he gets the axe it will raise Green Bay’s coaches kill to the legal limit. They may draw scrutiny for contributing to Mike Singletary’s pink slip.

BJ Raji is worth every cent. During his rookie year he often looked like, well, a rookie. He is now the beast that GM Ted Thompson thought he was getting.

Ted Thompson may well be in line for Executive of the Year given how well he mined the Undrafted Free Agency Pool this year.

After stepping back and evaluating the work of one Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy we recognize that it is much easier to sit behind a typewriter and criticize than it is to keep an NFL team afloat in the midst of injuries. We admit it – we are humbled.

And everyone who saw Josh Sitton getting voted by the fans to the Pro Bowl please raise your hand? Josh was the Packers most dominant and consistent player on a much maligned Oline this year. And then the NFL coaches give him a royal screwing as they overlook the top fans vote getter at the G position. Sheeeeeesh!

Kudos to Greg Jennings, Charles Woodson, Nick Collins, Chad Clifton and Clay Matthews III for being voted by the fans to the Pro Bowl.

Aaron Rodgers is NOT in the Pro Bowl? WTF????

Here’s hoping the powers that be include Tramon Williams in the future. He deserves it.

The ‘Feel Good’ story of the year is the emergence of FB John Kuhn. How cool is it to hear the Lambeau Field Faithful collectively call for “Kuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhn” on every goal line play? Can you say “Fan Favorite”?

Where has the biggest disappointment in the NFL been this year? Dallas? San Diego? Cincinnati? Denver? At QB in Minnesota?

Is there any truth to the rumor that Vikings owner Ziggy Wilf was seen scaling the dome at the ’Dome with a jackknife minutes prior to the roof’s collapse? Sources indicate he had also purchased one way tickets to Los Angeles earlier that day.

And will someone in Hattiesburg please tie Brett to his tractor for once and for all? WITHOUT a cell phone. Brett… it’s time, buddy.

A Division winner with a losing record that keeps a team with a 10 – 6 record home for the playoffs is just plain wrong. And dumb. Time to revamp. But get the damn CBA deal done first.

Vegas has established the odds at the Packers looking for a Special Teams Coach as off the boards. They will not accept a wager on this one.

The laughter in Green Bay was still resonating when the NFL postponed a game in Philadelphia because of snow. Make that postponed BEFORE the snow had started falling.  POSTPONED!
                                                         It turns
                                                       out Philly got

wacked with a game day blizzard that dumped some 12 inches of white stuff. Green Bay residents commonly refer to that amount as a “light dusting”.

The Super Bowl has been scheduled for a game at the New Meadowlands in New York. What if it snows? Or there is snow in the forecast?

Donald Drivers 61 yard catch and run and juke and shove and spin and dance and score was another reason to love Donald. And it only ranks third on the NFL’s Plays of the Year nominees. Behind DeSean Jackson’s walkoff TD punt return against the Giants (#1) and Dan Connolly’s 72 yd kickoff return (#2) against the *gulp* Packers. A less than impressive moment.

Admit it. Aren’t we jealous of how healthy and unaffected by injuries all year long the Bears have been?

Admit it. It was frustrating waiting for the Bears to shoot themselves in the foot this year. It was sort of like reading the sequel to “Waiting for Godot”.

Admit it. Wouldn’t it be beyond ecstatic to see the Bears shoot themselves in the foot now?

Is Tramon Williams rise as spectacular as it is unexpected?

A J Hawk has very quietly become a rock at LB on defense, leading the team in tackles this year.

Has Desmond Bishop’s emergence suddenly made Nick Barnett expendable?

The Lambeau Leap is so great that seeing other players from other teams do it makes it look dumb. Except in Green Bay. All imitators can find their own thing.

Who else views the end of the Packers’ season as the dawn of the next ice age?

Green Bay vs. Chicago on the last day of the season in Lambeau with each team having something large at stake. It doesn’t get any better than this does it?

Yes, it does.

A Green Bay win vs. Chicago on the last day of the season in Lambeau with each team having something large at stake would definitely ring in the New Year very well. THAT would be best of all.