Vikings make my day

Those of you who follow Packernet will certainly know how overcome with delight I am after yesterday outcomes of the NFL’s two conference championship games. I love P. Manning getting another shot at the ring and will probably be rooting for the Colts in two weeks. The Saints are a great story but not a great team, I think the Colts are a great team and certainly they have a great quarterback. Drew Brees may be a great quarterback someday, but his play in overtime only made up for a pretty mediocre game, albeit against a great defense in Minnesota. At this point I like the Colts big time.

I am stunned it took so long for evil Mr. Hyde to show his ugly mug but when Brett Favre threw the game away just as he did two years ago in Lambeau Field, it was awesome!  The greatest gift the Packers could have gave the Vikings was even more heartbreak in what is becoming one of sports’ most amazing tails of self-imposed heartbreak. The Vikings have lost five straight NFC Championship games and this one is very reminiscent of the 1998 season NFC Championship game the Vikings lost to Atlanta (of all teams).

The 1998 Vikings also had a retread quarterback who turned back the clock in Randall Cunningham and were within a field-goal of winning the game in regulation. Kicker Morten Anderson missed for the first time all year and the rest is history. Yesterday the only thing Favre had to do was run a few yards and slide. Get up, walk off the field and put on his NFC Champions hat. But nooooooooo! Evil Mr. Hyde shows up and Favre ends his storied career in Minnesota the same way he ended his storied career in Green Bay – a pick on his last pass in the NFC Championship game.

Simply poetic justice. Packers’ fans will never know the pain of Vikings’ fans as the Packers have won three Super Bowls, but Vikings’ fans just got a taste of the pain of Brett Favre that until 2008 had only been felt in Green Bay. He’ll walk you to the doorstep then slam the door in your face. When the Vikings’ play-by-play guys yells “I can’t believe what I just saw” I was dumbfounded. Are you a football fan? Do you know who Brett Favre is? Welcome to my nightmare.

By no means does this loss alone justify Ted Thompson for trading Favre, Aaron Rodgers has already done that by throwing for almost 9,000 yards and 60 touchdowns in his two seasons as starter and returning the Packers to the playoffs this year. Rodgers will start for the NFC in the Pro Bowl this Sunday. All this proves is that the ole’ gunslinger is the ole’ gunslinger. He is one hell of a football player, one of the greatest of all time, but he stuck around too long and he was playing for the wrong reasons. The two-year revenge tour is over and I believe so is Favre. He looked more like Arturo Gatti after a fight last night than an NFL quarterback after a game.

This was Favre’s one last shot at the Super Bowl and he certainly proved me wrong the way he played in the regular season, especially in December, but in the end not even he could overcome the Vikings cursed history of losing the big one. The Vikings remain without an NFL Championship since their inception in 1961. Four Super Bowl losses, five straight NFC Championship game losses including a 41-0 loss to New York after the 2000 season. It is a sad state of affairs in Minnesota, or soon to be Los Angeles.

Looking at the future of the two teams the Packers have a franchise quarterback who is only 26-years old and the Vikings have no clue right now who their quarterback will be next year. I would love to see Favre string the Vikings along all offseason like he used to do the Packers but after that beatdown I think he is done. Every team he plays next year will come after him the same way and at 41 he can’t take that beating for 16 games.

Aaron Rodgers and the Packers’ offense are still getting better and the emergence of Jermichael Finley and I think the rejuvenation of wide receiver Greg Jennings makes the Packers the most potent offense outside of Indianapolis. The run is done in Minneapolis and the student has become the master.

Let me have it, but I might need plastic surgery to remove the smile from face.

This entry was posted on Monday, January 25th, 2010 at 10:47 pm and is filed under Al Davis. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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  • http://jlworden1suddenlink.net LarryTex

    3-4, 4-3 doesn’t matter. Peppers is twice the athlete Kampy is and is 325 and 6-8. He IS a REGGIE type other than with the attitude aspect………..! Thats the facination; they only come along in a blue moon.

  • iccyfan

    LarryTex Says: “Peppers IS a REGGIE type other than with the attitude aspect!”

    Unfortunately, your disclaimer is a whopper…

    I counter with, Milton Bradley is a Roberto Clemente type other than with the attitude aspect or,

    Jeff George was a John Elway type, other than with the attitude…

  • http://jlworden1suddenlink.net LarryTex

    I could go along with ya iccy until the George/Elway line. Thats a real stretch. While Elway was what he was, I never could stand the guy because of the Baltimore deal and still think of him as a “cry baby” who Balt should have stood their ground and made him pitch in MLB. If ever there was a NFLer I detested it was him.

  • Larry

    Sorry LT I don’t agree…Peppers is closer to 290 (not a big deal) and is 30. $’s to pry him loose would be HUGE. You underestimate the difference between outside LB and 4-3 defensive end. The Pittsburgh OLB are 245 and 265. The ability to run and cover is critical besides the pass rush talent.

    Mock drafts (best we have) show GB can get the 5/6th best OT or 2nd best CB or 2/3 best safety. (See Fox sports site) with #23. In round 2 there are some quality LB’s. I say this because if we can shore up greater weaknesses then Capers can blitz more with some level of confidence.

    Yes I know the chicken or egg argument but in your case the the price of Peppers is one expensive risk.

  • Devil’s Advocate…

    Seems Bus and Butt have stooped to new lows. They say things even out….. I remember Allen putting several shots to QB’s legs last year. Think he put one QB out for 3-4 weeks. We started the year w/everyone bitching about the calls Brady would get for anyone even touching his legs to whining about one play…… There were lots of shots to the legs and heads etc. etc. etc. all year. No one’s saying anything about those……. enough of the purple pouting already!!!!

  • roy jamison

    Last year I stupidly said we ought to take a OT and CB in the first couple rounds of the draft. So, TT takes my advice and drafts Lang and Underwood in the 4th and 6th rounds. So, this year I’m spinnin’ the bottle…even tho there is a couple of drops of Rev. Jack’s finest left…And it comes out QB and LB. So, I’m gonna peg those positions in the 4th and 6th rounds.

  • Rick

    First,I just want to say that I am really enjoying the conversation and debates on this particular comment page. Little to no name calling and some great information and ideas thrown about.

    Second, About what the Pack needs. We have a great offense. Needs depth at tackle. maybe a switch of pass RB too.

    Defense is what we need to upgrade. We have a conference to win. Win the conference go to post season, don’t win it and then you have to get lucky. Martz is one and done but Cutler will be slinging it. Lions are not so lowly after another draft and offseason to mature. Vikings were on of the best 4 teams in the entire league. We need to win the division.

  • Rick

    typo – switch of pace RB

  • Rick

    darn dyslexic typing

  • Pack4life

    For those who are saying no to Peppers. WHAT IS THE ALTERNATIVE YOU PROPOSE??
    The Status quo is teams will double CMIII and dare someone else to beat them (see the AZ game. Also Jolly is facing jail time.
    It wont be a long term deal because of the impending lockout. The 600 lb gorilla in the room are the greed mongers like Jerry Jones etc.

  • Rocky70

    ” For those who are saying no to Peppers. WHAT IS THE ALTERNATIVE YOU PROPOSE?? ”

    Joey Porter, Brad Jones, 2010 2nd rd. pick ………… None of these options is high risk …….. Pepper’s middle name is ‘high-risk’ & ‘over-paid’ ………… Peppers at this stage in his career is the type of FA that a team puts up with for a couple seasons & then dumps to cut their losses …………. Let some other team do the ‘sign & fail’ ………..

    The OL has to be priority with the emphasis on both LT & RT ………. The same names along with a couple of newly drafted OLineman will pretty much guarantee that the OL will again be in a state of flux & experimentation leading into TC ………. TT needs to be bold & consider a RFA……… Penn of TB.

  • Devil’s Advocate…

    I’ll go out on a limb and predict that the Pack will resign Kampy. They’ll use him at LB on running downs and DE on passing downs. I’ll also predict a probowl for him. So now, instead of using picks and/or F/Agency (and money) to replace him, they can use some of that money to resign the players they need to resign and use the picks for a stud CB, DE or LB to rush the QB along w/Kampy and CM3, and/or a lightning fast and quick RB/KR. OL and S would be possibilities also. So, there’s five positions they can pick the best player available. (The Pack needs some speed, so I hope that is kept in mind) I think the OT’s are fine for another year and Tausch 2 or 3 maybe. That said, give them training camp and preseason off. Let the other guys play til about the 3rd game and then work in Tausch and Clifton fresh and ready for the streatch run. That also allows the Pack a better chance to evaluate the other guys. They could do that for all the older guys, we all know Wood, Driver and some of the others can play…… lets keep them fresh for when it matters!!!

  • Rick

    P4L,
    I say we already have a 4-3 DE in Kampman that was trapped in a the wrong scheme for him. Peppers would be the same thing. I do agree in the a real 3-4 OLB is necessary. I mentioned earlier that using the new RFA rules because of the uncapped year we can give up a 1st and 3rd round pick and aquire a talent like Merriman from the Chargers. That would be be my top choice for OLB

    As for Jolly and the Po Po, the Raiders gave up a 1st rounder for Richard Seymour a veteran 3-4 DE. He is now a FA. He does not want to stay in Oakland according to sources. We are 3-4 defense in need of a solid 3-4 DE. We have salary room for a veteran friendly pay incentive and Capers scheme. I say we go for the veteran for a more solid rotation with fresher legs and depth in case we lose a player to either injury or law enforcement.

  • Rick

    DA- I agree resign and rest Clifton and Tauscher

  • Rocky70

    This guy is already getting alot of attention as a late 1st rounder ……….. He’s on the Packer’s Senior Bowl team ………. Same as CM3 last year.

    ” OLB: Brandon Graham, Michigan (6-1.0, 263) Short, yes, but this guy can rush the passer all day and in his sleep. And he’s also fairly strong at the point of attack so he can play on the strong side. Just a really good football player with a ton of experience. Exactly the type of guy Thompson likes. And while the Packers have high hopes for Brad Jones, Graham could instantly provide the kind of compliment to Clay Matthews the Packers are currently lacking. Is in the same mold as Pittsburgh OLBs James Harrison and Lamar Woodley. “

  • Sammy

    DA-you need to change your name as you are not a devil’s advocate…your drivel is the majority not an alternative view which is what a devil’s advocate is. Your perseveration of Favre just shows your sickness. Favre does not play on the Packers so let it go.

    I think the Pack should get a handicap draft pic as a survey of NFL players revealed that Green Bay is third on the list of least desirable clubs to play for behind Oakland and Buffalo. All things being equal, a player is going to play for 28 other teams before the Packers….ouch! They just don’t know what they are missing.

  • jonnyfootballhero

    Sammy – is there a website to see the list of least desirable clubs to play for?

  • Rick

    This is a pdf I found about a year or two ago. I can not link it so I copied here.

    http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/sports/20081025_RHODEN_DOCUMENTS.pdf

    It is the NFLPA actual 2007 survey results.Copy that and see what the players said. We finished 4th overall as where players wanted to play. and McCarthy shocked me be being 6th on the coach the players would like to play for.

  • Rick

    I guess the link works now. It was revised in April 2008

  • packer_bob

    For those of you of the betting persuasion, I like the Saints plus the points.

    If Indy wins, and I think they are a vulnerable team for one that perhaps could have finished the season undefeated, I think it will be a narrow victory.

    I don’t know if I’d bet the Saints to win straight up, but I definitely like them plus the points.

    Any wins, you can donate a portion of the duckets to your favorite charity, so long as your favorite charity is me. I need the money way more than Haiti does.

    Any losses, feel free to write me a nasty post on here. What a bargain!

    I’m also taking the over on the number of times they show Archie Manning in the stands, which currently stands at 2 and a half. Which half of him they intend on showing is anybody’s guess.

  • http://Orlando Mark

    Great thanks Rick. The survey was taken after we went to the championship game and a 16 yr. record of success. After the ’08 season there would have been a different outcome.
    More importantly it shows the Saints and Vikes as bottom third in regard and those teams had no problem attracting the best free agents. We have an up and coming team and QB. And, there are many opportunities for veterans to step in and be rewarded like Chillar, Pickett and Woodson so I don’t believe TT should have any problem selling the Packers to FA’s if he wants to.

  • Devil’s Advocate…

    Actually Sammy, I chose that name way back last spring when the majority wanted TT/MM gone. Just haven’t changed it…… maybe I should.
    Butt Farve………… The best choice for him was MN. The worst choice for the Packers and their fans was MN. He made (his) choice. Now he’s put himself directly in enemy territory. When he joined the enemy, against us, he lands in the same catagory as Cutler and whoever else. I think it’s time to give out his number if he comes back next year. Give the guy something to really play for……. the Vikings ring of honor!!!! He hasn’t been a Packer for a while now. 7 INT’s, coaching up all the WR’s and Viking players, helping his one time enemy and against us…… Doesn’t sound like the Packer’s Farve!!!!

  • Packer’s Advocate…

    New name………… I’m a Packer fan, not a Butt Farve/Minnesota Vikings fan!!!!!!!!!!!

  • iccyfan

    DA – You’re wasting your time trying to explain your Favre position! Sammy’s obviously a huge Packer Fan, no doubt whatsoever, but he has a different mindset when it comes to Favre (one shared by many others I know). I lean more your way, but one things for certain, the two sides are NEVER going to share common ground.

  • Rick

    DA is now PA, yea!!

  • Rick

    Brett Favre left our team in the lurch each off season but had so much good will and support from us the fans that we let it slide. In fact his ability on the field generally overcame the drama off of it.
    Then the retirement press conference came and the Packers moved on.

    Drama…just drama ensued.

    Brett looked at his best spot to play, his best shot at a Super Bowl and it was with the nemisis of his old team. He did not care more about the fandome then he cared about himself and his career of wanting another super bowl and being the go to guy.
    So he tried to force his way.
    This is the beginning of our play

    TT said nay nay.

    The Jets said okay

    Got hurt and missed playoffs and the Jets said Olay

    Vikings picked him up and said yea

    Lost in the playoffs on an interception again and is now a drama viqueen.

    Next time he is insincere about his retirement, I hope his eyes are not filled with tears but visene.

    -It is hard rhyming with viqueen-

  • Rick

    pb,

    I looked up the prop bets you mentioned like the Archie Manning you mentioned.

    There are some pretty weird ones. How many songs will the Who perform at half time?

    One site says there may be up to 1000 prop bets available for the game.

    Wow. I may have to print some off so the wife can pick one. She is always winning the March Madness pool with almost zero bball knowledge.

  • Packer’s Advocate…

    Rick, you ever spend any time at Packer Palace????? There’s a rhyming-poem guy over there too. Just wondering if your one and the same????

  • Rick

    Nope , brain dead from work. I am the original Rick , except no substitute

  • Rick

    typo – accept no substitute.

  • Packer’s Advocate…

    Farve, not a typo………. Butt not a typo…….. No typo’s here!

  • Packer’s Advocate…

    Admin. Al………. The page is getting really long. Could it be time for you to start us in a new direction?????? Or does that come Sunday???

  • roy jamison

    If you haven’t read McGinn’s article on Vince’s grandson in the JS it is a great read. He’ll be on the sidelines for the Saints.
    http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/83511127.html

  • Sammy

    johnnyfootballhero,

    i think the list of least desirable places to play was a link on the news section…packer gazette maybe of this site. it was a survey of 300 plus veterans and was taken prior to the beginning of this year. i remember the top five as being:

    oakland..obviously because of the crazy owner
    buffalo…sited as small market, bad weather
    green bay…small market, bad weather, lack of a large african american community
    cleavland…probably weather, difficult area to live
    detroit…obviously a difficult place to live, even with a dome, depressing and impoverished. i was surprised it was more desireable than gb.

    i did not see the construction of the study to see if it was correctly executed but it looks about right at face value.

    many players make more money off of the field with endorsements in large markets. as many players are black, rich, and young…need i say more about the difficulties green bay presents.

    and weather, i lived in eau claire, wisconsin for 20 years plus, born there, now in arizona. wisconsin people are the best but that weather is a negative for many players who were raised in the south. however, many players love gb once they make it to the team, community. but woodson would not have come if some other team such as san diego matched our offer. he was sited in the report as loving gb and thanking God that he was somewhat forced to take the job via default.

  • jonnyfootballhero

    Sammy – Thanks for the breakdown of the article. Very interesting, but kind of depressing at the same time. I have been known to be pretty hard on TT for his lack of premium FA aquisitions, but I have to admit that it’s hard to know what kind of moves he’s trying to make behind closed doors to bring in FA’s. It really is too bad that GB ranks so low of teams that players would like to play for. But, I could understand wanting to play in Miami or San Diego over a place like Buffalo or GB. Women, beaches, weather, clubs, shopping…. that stuff all looks pretty good to a young, rich athlete. I guess I can’t blame them for wanting more than just a nice community to live in. Hopefully TT strikes gold in the draft again this year. Last years draft, IMHO, was his best since he got here.

  • roy jamison

    Sammy, after spending the first 24 years of my life in Eau Claire, I hear ya. It does take a certain kind of player to want to be part of the Packers. If I’m selling a young guy, no matter what their background…I’m tellin’ him that the big city can be a big distraction. It’s easier to focus on your career and make yourself a better player, who will last longer in the NFL, in Green Bay than any other city. I’d have a little slide show, with players like Pacman who love the limelight, didn’t want to live in Green Bay, and became jokes. Then, I’d show a few successful guys like Willie Davis, Bart Starr, Reggie etc. and maybe a few lesser known players who built a little nest egg in Green Bay and are living the good life which is nowhere near Attica.

  • http://Orlando Mark

    Allright I’ve read enough crap about how free agents won’t come to Green Bay. Ron Wolf took over a team that won 1 div. title in 25 yrs. with a nobody at QB and an aging stadium. And, he brought in the best free agent ever. We’re in much better shape now so it’s pretty lame to say we can’t compete with other teams. How many times were we on national broadcasts. Our guys have just as much chance to be recognized as anyone else. The Vikes and Colts don’t have big markets but Manning and Peterson are in every commercial. Hell LA is a big market and they don’t even have a team. Sorry about the rant but I’m not giving TT any excuses this year.

  • Rocky70

    I wish someone would name the 2009 FA that wasn’t grossly overpaid & brought his team to new heights ……….. Haynesworth ? ……. Igor ? ……. Canty ? ……. Just a name or two to convince anyone that free agency is more than a ‘ploy’ used in video games ………. It’s so easy to spend someone else’s $$$$$ especially when there are no repercussions to a risky signing by the wheeling & dealing fandom.

  • http://Orlando Mark

    Darren Sharper.

  • http://Orlando Mark

    It could easily be argued that we could have won 3 close games with a better safety. Cincy, Tampa and Pitt. I think he cost $2million. Bush cost $1million.

  • Rocky70

    ” It could easily be argued that we could have won 3 close games with a better safety. Cincy, Tampa and Pitt. ”

    Pure unadulterated hindsight …………

    But I’ll give you credit for one 2009 FA signing that actually worked ………… And the rest are ………….. ??

  • http://www.cheeseheadhq.blogspot.com Gbpfan

    Just got a pleasant surprise when I looked on your link list page and noticed that I’m there. I have a feeling that you guys are main source of traffic, so I just wanted to say thank you to the editors of this site for putting my blog on the list.

    Go Pack Go!

  • http://jlworden1suddenlink.net LarryTex

    It has been misreported that I am a Bush suporter, I’m not. He is a Packer and what we have to go battle with. However, I do feel that the critique of him is somewhat unfair in that he is criticized for being mistake and penalty prone on the STs, lousy cover on the nickle (although, I have made the case for the “inches” by film), and not tough enough at safety. Because of Bush the criticizm of Atari has been minimal, sobeit. Hey, I’ll go along with an upgrade, but I’m not going to attack him for lack of talent when he is busting his ass to make my TEAM a better team. My god, guys, who else on the team plays more positions trying to help and can never zero in on one responsibility? For what we are asking him to do, he’s value at a Mil.

  • Rick

    Rocky- I am not going to look it all up to say I disagree but these comes up off of the top of my head s none top pay FAs that really helped their teams
    Darren Sharper – Saints
    Brett Favre – Vikings – He is 5th highest paid QB
    Pat Williams – Vikings
    Jared Allen – Vikings – I know he was 1st round trade but a FA hired gun none the less
    Hutchinson – Vikings
    Kurt Warner – Cardinals – now retired
    Cedric Benson – Bengals
    TO – Eagles and again at Dallas
    Chad Pennington – Dolphins went 11-5
    Randy Moss- Patriots again a trade but a nice one
    Richard Seymour- Raiders won 4 games when he showed up and actually played D
    David Gerrard – Jaguars resigned him and he made the probowl

  • Rick

    I mean to say these are not the top FA contracts of all time and when signed they helped their team. Hutchinson was the top guard contract but that has been surpassed and Brett is only the about the 5th highest paid QB this last year.

  • Rick

    LarryTex,
    Bush played his heart out but he again and again was shown to be the weak link in our injury reduced backfield. He is a great special teamer. He adds depth to the CB department and that is why we signed him to the 3million two year contract. He was better than anybody we could have pulled off the street to help and had room to grow in the system with Capers.

    That being said, he was focused on so he looked worse then he probably was; but he was ALWAYS the guy that misplayed the defense scheme, got out of position and let us get scored on.

  • Rick

    Mark – In an earlier post you refered to the best FA every. Do you mean Reggie?

    I thought he said he came because when the Packers played them Brett just impressed the heck out of him and how Holmgren ran an offense made him feel like he could win with that on the otherside of the equation. I may be wrong though I have slept many times since I read the articles from then.

  • Sammy

    Roy,
    I like your approach and it should work with many players. I would also have the prospects talk to guys like Woodson who did not want to come to GB but are glad that they did. I’m only afraid that a 24 year old, whom is rich, would be hard to convince GB is the shit.

    And to Mark, I would never give TT an excuse. I don’t think he is the guy and many on this site wash his balls too much. I hope he makes a move or two in FA to fill some holes now. We can be just a few players from the SB if the moves are made, and with some luck. There is always some luck involved. Peace.

    Iccy, thanks for seeing that although my views differ from most, including you, I am a hardcore Packer fan. And I can tell you got intelligence. My brother and I think you work for Iowa State as a prof or something. Are we close?

  • http://Orlando Mark

    Rocky, totally hindsight, the only way you can evaluate what happened and see what worked and why. The point was and is there are FA’s out there that can make a difference. Also you can get them cheap if other teams think they’re washed up and you take a chance. Good scouting is crucial and fitting the player to the system.
    Rick, I meant Reggie. He said he came because god told him to. Strangely it was also to the team that paid him the most and the GM who wouldn’t take no for an answer.
    Sammy, we can only hope. If you read what I said about Sharper you can see how close we are. I player, db, pass rusher or returner and we have home field. You can see what a help that was to the Saints.

  • http://jlworden1suddenlink.net LarryTex

    Your point well taken, Mark, about the (1) player; could be one of several. You’re right about Bush, Rick, he wouldn’t be out there (on D) if not for the injuries to Lee and Blackmon. However, I’ll never trash one of our own.

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