Can you believe it?

By now, most if not all Packers fans have either heard, read or seen Brett Favre's retirement speech. Very moving. But apparently, his emotions were too much for one of the right wing-nut radio jabberers (if you are also a right wing-nut, no offense intended). Laura somebody (sorry, folks, don't want to mention her name as that would be giving her the dignity which she obviously does not give to Brett). She spent a segment on her show the other day ridiculing Brett for the emotions he showed. She even has a "Soundbite of the Week" featuring one of Brett's comments interspersed with such words as "sniffle" and "snort." Curious though, that this "soundbite" doesn't actually provide sound, just text that they could play with. Hey, here's a tip, Laura: when you have something you deem to be a "Soundbite of the Week," maybe the point would be to actually have sound...ya think?

Not only that, she even has a poll on her site: "Did Brett Favre embarrass himself by crying at his retirement press conference?" So far, by a vote of 66% to 34% those responding (however many) are giving a resounding "No".

It's very odd that a crackpot such as this would even bother to comment about Brett. What's her point? Does she know what a football is? Does she know where Green Bay is? Had she ever heard of Brett Favre before? Does she understand the concept of human empathy? Would seem the answer to all those questions is no. Perhaps, then, her point was to drive traffic to her website where you can pay for the privilege of listening to this drivel? Sorry. No suckers here. And we certainly don't want to drive traffic there, so no links to it.

Let's get a modern cultural reference point on the relevance of Brett to Laura whomever. Let's use...Google hits and YouTube video posts! (Yes, very unscientific but still makes the point). A search on "Brett Favre" returns 3,520,000 Google hits and 1,390 YouTube videos. A search on the name of Laura who-cares returns 502,000 Google hits and 245 YouTube videos, some of which show her raving out at various targets. For comparison, there are 490,000 Google hits on the term "jock itch." So, by comparison, Laura whosits is closer to jock itch than Brett Favre in terms of her cultural relevance. And somehow, doesn't that seem very fitting in this context?

I guess when you need ratings the easiest thing to do is to latch onto a beloved icon and bash away. Fortunately, Brett is too big of a man to be sucked into such small-minded tactics that are the staple of such persons as this. And so are we. Just wanted to make our readers aware of this garbage so it can be avoided altogether.

The only question I have for Miss Laura: how the heck did you get so bitter about everything?

Harlan re-tells the story of Favre acqusition

One of the jewels of information which came out during the time between it became known that Brett would retire and his actual press conference was the story by recently-retired Packers' CEO Bob Harlan of how the Pack came to trade for him. Then-GM Ron Wolf had just started with the Packers and the Atlanta Falcons had just come to Lambeau to play. Wolf wanted to watch their back up QB, a first-year player by the name of Brett Favre out of Southern Mississippi. Wolf, while at his prior job with the NY Jets, had rated Favre as the best QB in the draft, and was set to take him. The Falcons nabbed him one slot before the Jets picked. Good thing, as it turned out, for both Wolf and the Packers. The Falcons got a first round pick in 1992...whoever that turned out to be. The Packers got Brett.

But for the rest of the enchanting story, go here. Worth the read.

Be your state or country's ultimate Packers fan
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel is looking "to find one fan to represent every state in the country, and every country in the world." The first fan from each state or country to e-mail them at packersworld@jsonline.com with the information they're looking for AND a photo will get a spot on their map. Who's the ultimate Packers fan? We all are. We are Packer Fans United! But if you'd still like your individual distinction and place in cyberspace, go here for more details.

Favre: "I know I can play, but I don't think I want to."

It was an emotional scene. About 20 seconds or so into his retirement press conference the finality of it all finally hit Brett Favre. "I promised I wouldn't get emotional...it's never easy...you know, it's funny, I've watched hundreds of players retire, and you wonder what that would be like...you think you're prepared ...," Favre said haltingly. At points, he couldn't speak, he was so taken with the emotion of it. At times, tears streamed down his face. "I'd like to thank the Packers, for giving me the opportunity as well. I hope that every penny...I hope that every penny that they've spent on me, they know was money well-spent." I don't think there's any question about that, Brett.

The bottom line was summed up in this statement: "I've given everything I possibly can give to this organization, to the game of football, and I don't think I've got anything left to give, and that's it."

Brett had lots of thanks to give out. As for the fans? This part of his speech we should all hold dear: "I can't leave without saying thank you to the fans. When I laughed and when my family laughed, they laughed. When I cried, they cried. When I cheered, they cheered. When I threw an interception, well, you know. But it was a perfect fit for me. Little ol' Southern Miss, southern boy from Hancock County who had big dreams, no different than any other kid, to play here, and there's no better place to play. I had a conversation with Ron Wolf yesterday, and we had that discussion. To be thought of as one of the best players to play in this league, and to be mentioned within an organization that has players like Reggie White and Bart Starr and Paul Hornung and Willie Davis and Willie Wood and Herb Adderley and Jim Taylor, Ray Nitschke, Vince Lombardi. To be mentioned with those people, ... I'm honored. Really ... I am honored. I hope everyone knows how special this is and I truly appreciate the opportunity, and as they say all good things must come ... come to an end."

Brett admitted to finally watching TV last night and seeing some of the coverage of him. He said now he knows "what it's like when you die." In typical Brett fashion, he was bemused by that.

One Milwaukee sports reporter, who said he was in the back of the room in which the press conference was held, said even some of the most hard-bitten reporters in that room were holding back tears. Brett has always been a man everyone could relate to, in good times and bad. Today was a sad one, for sure. But it was also one where Brett seemed to be at peace with the decision. He also said he knows exactly what he's going to do next: "nothing." He's earned it.

Thanks, Brett..."4" Everything.

You can read the entire transcript of the retirement speech here.

Favre set to speak

In a little over one hour from the time of this posting, future Hall of Famer and Packers legendary QB, Brett Favre, will address the media at Lambeau Field. He will be accompanied by his wife, Deanna. It is there that he is expected to officially announce his retirement from the game. ESPN will carry it live, and it will also be streamed live via the Packers.com website. You can find the links for that streaming media page in the preceding post.

Several members of the morning radio team on WTMJ620-AM in Milwaukee were asking the question this morning, "Do you think he'll cry?" "Yeah, he'll cry." How could he not? But watching Brett all these years, he may just suck it up too and gut out what will undoubtedly be the most difficult professional moments of his life. Whichever way it comes out, you know it will be genuine Brett. He's never hidden his emotions, but he's also a person with incredible mental toughness. It should be an interesting news conference. It will also put some closure to this for Packers fans, many of whom admit they are still not over the loss to the Giants in the NFC Championship Game.

But, this is it, Packers fans. That age-old expression keeps coming to mind: "The king is dead. Long live the king."

Half-hour or so delay in start of news conference
There has been an announced delay of at least 30 minutes or so in the start of Brett Favre's press conference due to flight delay.

Favre will address media Thursday

According to a statement on the Packers' official website, Brett Favre will address the media tomorrow (Thursday, March 6) at 11 a.m. Central Time. Perhaps more importantly to Packers fans across the nation, Packers.com will broadcast the event "in its entirety and free of charge, LIVE from Lambeau Field," according to the statement. You will need the Adobe Flash Player in order to view the streaming media. No doubt if you are near a TV you can catch this on ESPN, as well.

The entire, but brief, story is here. The live media link is here. (Note: according to that page, "A live video window will appear on this page approximately 5 minutes before a scheduled live event. If you do not see the window above, please refresh your page." Remember folks, that's for the Packers page, not this one.)

Fan Remembrances
The blogs and bulletin boards are filling up with fan remembrances of Brett. Here's a sampling from PackersNews.com...which includes a posting from one of the readers and occasional posters here at PackerFansUnited.com, by the way. Yes...we're everywhere!

The morning after: the mourning after

The horror...the horror...

Apocalypse Now. Great movie. Marlon Brando as Col. Nutjob. Martin Sheen as the assassin. Dennis Hopper as...himself. A dark and chaotic journey into a surreal existence.

All those who feel this way today after hearing of Brett's retirement, please raise your hands. Yikes!

Those within TV or radio earshot of Wisconsin over the last 24 hours were bombarded with non-stop coverage yesterday of this momentous event. You heard or saw it all day long and went to bed with it being talked about. And you awoke this morning to your radio and TV once again reflecting on the aftermath of Brett's announcement that he was done. It's exhausting. One friend, known to joke about sticking one's head in the oven over dramatic events related to the Packers -- such as losses to Da Bearz, for example -- was asked by a buddy if he was going to have "an oven party" last night. The reply was that he was too depressed to even make it to the oven. So it is in Packerland. We have become Mudville. There is no joy.

OK, OK...we have to snap out of it, people! And forget all the finger pointing related to the Pack not getting Randy Moss and that's why Brett retired. Moss wanted to stay in New England, as is obvious by the fact that he turned down more money, according to reports, to sign with the Eagles. As one Packers reporter said this morning, the Packers played this situation "right down the middle." Meaning that they were not going to put undue pressure on Brett one way or another. As GM Ted Thompson said, it was Brett's decision. So, as the Packers reporter noted, if Brett decided to return, great. But if he didn't, the Packers have a first round draft pick who's been riding the bench for three years, absorbing everything possible from the greatest QB of all time, and being coached the last two years by one of the better QB coaches in the league, who just also happens to be the head coach, Mike McCarthy. The reporter noted that the Packers are anxious to see exactly what they have while Aaron Rodgers has two years left on his contract. They need to see him play this year to determine whether they will want to ride this pony and re-sign, or cut bait and go in another direction.

It's Mr. Rodgers' Neighborhood Now
Yes, this is the direction of the conversation now, as it needs to be. We are now in the Aaron Rodgers era, kids. And it's scary, because no one yet knows what we have or what that means. Fortunately, he's had time to mature and get playbook smart. But he hasn't played much. And the last two seasons, as most any fan will tell you, he's gotten hurt almost immediately during or after what little game time opportunities he did have. According to Wayne Larrivee, who is the radio voice of the Packers, he has no doubt that Rodgers has the mental make up to do the job, as well as the physical tools to be a good QB. His opinion is that he will do well with the Packers, although he also acknowledged that the glare of the spotlight will be intense. Following a legend is not easy. It may be impossible. The pressure to perform well immediately will be extreme. Fan tolerance...we'll have to see.

Then there is the matter of durability. We won't see another Packers QB -- likely any QB anywhere -- surpass Brett's string of consecutive starts. And that's the thing, Larrivee said, that will be missed most: knowing that week after week the same guy will always be there. We haven't even been able to say that about Rodgers as a backup, let alone as a starter. Which means the Packers also better scour the wires or deal for an experienced backup. Who do the Packers have on the roster currently as possible backups to Rodgers? Veteran Craig Nall and first-year free agents Dalton Bell and Jerry Babb...yup...better start looking.

Ted Thompson will, one would assume, now also be looking to pick up a QB in the upcoming draft, as well, although probably in the second (where the Pack now has 2 picks) or later rounds. Who are the prospects there, after you get by Matt Ryan, out of Boston College, who is a top 5 pick? Brian Brohm from Louisville who also is a likely first round pick. There is also Andre Woodson of Kentucky, Chad Henne of Michigan, Joe Flacco of Delaware (who, according to scouting reports, sounds a lot like a raw young Brett Favre in terms of arm strength...and wildness), John David Booty of USC, Erik Ainge of Tennessee, Colt Brennan of Hawaii, and a host of others which offer some intriguing possibilities. It would seem that this would be a unique draft for the Packers in this regard: having to draft a QB who would not only be a serviceable backup, but also potentially a starter should Aaron Rodgers fall flat or get injured. Fortunately, there is a bumper crop of QBs who just could fill that bill.

This is different, isn't it? Talking about something we haven't really had to deal with since 1992. 1992! Wow. It is surreal. But real it is.

Favre says he was "mentally tired"

In a message Brett left on ESPN's Chris Mortensen's voicemail, he said he was "mentally tired." That statement confirms that he was ready to step aside. "I know I can still play," Brett said, "but it's like I told my wife, I'm just tired mentally. I'm just tired." That's the sign it's time to go. You still can do it. But do you want to do it? The answer Brett gave himself? "No."

You have to respect the fact that he goes out on his terms, without injury or a decline in skills. In fact, Brett had one of the best years of his career, and set NFL milestone after milestone in the process.

The Packers will hold a news conference at the 3 p.m. Central time today. You may be able to hear or see it via streaming media at Packers.com. Of course, tune in to ESPN and other programs or online resources and you can also read, hear and/or see much more on this retirement of a legend. This is what classifies as a major sports news story, so coverage is already plentiful.

If you want to read and hear more about the message Brett left for Mortensen, you can check it out here.

If you'd care to express your view as to whether or not you agree with Brett's decision, you can have your say in our latest poll in the righthand column, right below our PackerFansUnited.com store link.

Breaking News: Favre to retire

According to a report by Jay Glazer on FoxSports.com, Brett Favre is set to retire. The news is being reported also by local Milwaukee media. As of this time, there is no announcement or confirmation from the Packers.

However Lance Allen, sports reporter for WTMJ TV in Milwaukee, while doing an on-air telephone interview with his news team, said he was text messaging Brett's brother, Scott, during the on-air time and was asking if the rumor was true. At approx. 8:35 a.m., Lance reported that Scott just wrote a text message back that "It's true."

More details to follow as they become available.

It's the day we all dreaded. The end of an era. We will not see anyone like this again.

You can read the Jay Glazer report here.

More on the Corey Williams trade

As reported here last evening, the Packers traded "franchise player" Corey Williams to Cleveland for a second round pick in this year's draft. Was a head scratcher, given the salary cap room the Packers have even considering the number of defensive linemen the team has on hand. Of course, now the Pack will have about $6-$7 million more to add to the war chest, which will now total about $24 milliion.

What is emerging, according to an article in today's Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, is that the Packers will get the Browns' second round pick, which sits at #56 overall. The Packers have the 30th pick in the first round, as well as their own pick at #60 in the second round.

Let's review: with the acquisition of the Brown's selection, that's now three picks for the Pack within the first 60 players. We are all aware of GM Ted Thompson's penchant for accumulating draft picks. But, could he possibly break form and use this handful of ammunition to perhaps move up for the first time in his tenure to grab a pick in the top portion of the draft? That's the speculation in this article. Of course, nobody on the Packers' staff is commenting. It's also noted that this is supposedly a deep draft which -- if Thompson stays true to form -- would seem to lead one to believe that Thompson will stay put, or perhaps even use some of these picks to move down and acquire even more picks in later rounds.

To read more on this, check out the article here.

Corey Williams traded to Browns

Breaking news: the Packers have traded defensive lineman Corey Williams, to whom they just applied their franchise player tag, to the Cleveland Browns for a second round pick. With all that salary cap room...go figure.

Keeping with the Ohio theme, at least in terms of names, the Packers signed offensive tackle Joe Toledo, a 2006 fourth round pick by the Dolphins.

More details on both of these moves may be forthcoming. Stay tuned.

Favre retires! Oops...guess, not quite yet

This is good. Apparently there was an inadvertent posting today of a Brett Favre retirement announcement on the Packer's official website. It came and went before too many people saw it. It was somewhat like an Internet equivalent of a newspaper prematurely publishing an obituary of a famous person for whom they already have the obit "in the can." Oops.

But rather than explain it here, why not just read this blog entry from the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel about the gory details, including comments from Brett's agent about it, and some explanatory comments from the Packers' PR director about the faux pas. You can even see an image of what the announcement looked like...so you won't be entirely shocked when that sad day actually does come.

Free Agency Underway

The NFL's free agency period is now underway. Some of the top players who were going to be eligible have been tagged with their team's franchise player designation effectively removing them from the pool of available players. So who's left, and would the Packers have any interest in any of them? See for yourself here.

NFL Combine underway

The 2008 NFL Combine is underway in Indianapolis. It's the place where prospects can make or break their spots in the draft. If you're a hardcore fan -- and I'm guessing if you're reading this blog you qualify -- you can check out all the goings on on the NFL Network. If, also like most fans, you don't have access to the NFL Network you can check things out online here.

It's interesting to ponder what the Packers might do in the draft. Our online poll here at PackerFansUnited.com is almost evenly split between those who see the Pack's greatest need in the draft as an offensive lineman and those who see the greatest need at defensive back.

A few of the mock draft sites that are up and running have the Packers selecting DOMINIQUE RODGERS-CROMARTIE, a cornerback out of Tennessee State. Yes, he is a cousin to Antonio Cromartie, cornerback with the Chargers. "DRC's" stock apparently went up with a standout performance at the Senior Bowl. He would not be forced into a starting spot with the Pack, but could learn behind two of the best in the game, Charles Woodson and Al Harris. One of the scouting reports on him says that "even though he has to bulk up he is a rare athlete with terrific height, leaping ability and ball skills." While both Woodson and Harris have been great, both are also aging; Woodson just turned 31 and Harris will be 33 by the time next season ends.. For as good as Harris played most of the season, we may have also gotten a glimpse of the start of his decline during the NFC Championship Game. The Pack will definitely have to find a top-notch replacement and Rodgers-Cromartie might in fact be a great pick if he is available when the Packers pick at #30. Some mock drafts have Rodgers-Comartie moving all the way to be a top 10 pick. If he's gone, and the Packers are targeting a CB, other names mentioned in this selection for the Packers are Aqib Talib out of Kansas (also noted in at least one mock draft as a possible top 10 pick), Reggie Smith from Oklahoma, Tracy Porter from Indiana, and Antoine Cason of Arizona, who was mentioned in several mock drafts. Very interesting, the number of drafts that have the Packers going with a cornerback with their first selection.

As to other possibilities, various mock drafts have the Packers selecting: underclassman Felix Jones, the "other" RB out of Arkansas; Dan Connor, LB from Penn State; Jeff Otah, OT, Pittsburgh; Gosder Cherilus, OT, Boston College; Sam Baker, OT, USC; Pat Sims, DT from Auburn ...among others. Our friends over at Packer Chatters have the Pack taking Erin Henderson, OLB, out of Maryland based on the assumption that all the top defensive backs will be gone by the time #30 is on the clock.

One of the possibilities which hasn't been widely discussed, at least in terms of a first-round pick, is tight end. Now that Bubba is gone and Donald Lee essentially the only legitimate tight end on the squad, and with this draft apparently deep in tight end talent (albeit with no exceptional standouts), the Packers could indeed pick up a TE in the second round; the first round might be a stretch. Of course, GM Ted Thompson always says he goes for the best player available not need. Maybe there will be an exception to that rule this draft. There is a good article about the tight end possibility at PackersNews.com. It also has a sidebar article profiling seven of the top TE prospects.

Brett and Ted talk

After reports emerged that Brett might be a bit miffed that he hadn't heard from GM Ted Thompson since the end of the season -- even though Brett and Head Coach Mike McCarthy have spoken -- Ted apparently picked up the phone and called Brett. Of course, Ted isn't saying much about the conversation other than to say Brett still hasn't made his decision to return and, further, that he's earned the right to take his time with the decision. Last season, Brett decided by Groundhog's Day. A couple years ago, things went into April. Let's hope Brett decides soon so the Pack knows how to proceed in free agency and plan for the draft. Odds still have him coming back for one more run.

Breaking News from GB: Williams gets Franchise tag, Bubba released

The offseason moves are now officially in gear. In what comes as a true surprise -- especially after virtually no contact with his agent -- the Packers slapped the franchise player tag on DT Corey Williams. It was almost a forgone conclusion that the Pack would not want to come up with the coin needed to re-sign Williams as he became eligible for free agency. By being designated with the franchise tag, according to the Packer's website, "Williams has a one-year contract tender offer at the defensive tackle franchise number set by the NFL. The Packers maintain a right of first refusal to match any team's offer received by Williams." The Pack has been increasingly impressed with Williams over the last two seasons. And, given Williams'reaction after the Pack's upset loss to the Giants in the NFC Championship Game -- where he knelt on the frozen tundra for a while as if to take it all in, just in case it was his last game in a Packers uniform -- it would seem he'd like to stay. It will be interesting to see what the final salary numbers are when the dust settles.

In the other move of the day, and one which fans could probably see coming, eight-year veteran TE Bubba Franks was released. Always a sentimental favorite, Bubba was not the same player over the last few seasons that he had been early in his career, although this last season was a bit of a redemptive one for him. He was again a solid blocker and also showed the good hands which made him such a red zone threat for so many years. Bubba's stats show that he was one of the most productive tight ends in Packers' history. Thanks and farewell, Bubba. We will miss you.

You can read more of the details about both of these personnel moves here.

Tractor Watch 2008

As some of you may recall from prior years, many Packer fans have come to refer to this time of year as the "Tractor Watch," a euphemism coined by WTMJ radio in Milwaukee to refer to Brett Favre's penchant for riding his lawn tractor when not playing football. The theory goes, the more you see Brett on his tractor back in Mississippi the longer his decision to retire is in flux. Got it?

Which brings us to the latest report, this one by WTMJ TV4 out of Milwaukee: Brett is still undecided. (Didn't we already know that?) But the news was more that while Brett mended fences with GM Ted Thompson last season after what Brett felt was Thompson's failure to sign Randy Moss, "sources close to Brett" (that's the standard phrase these days) indicate that Brett is now a bit miffed at Thompson once again. This time, it's because Thompson hasn't contacted Brett since the end of the season. Yeah, seems a bit childish, if true. Sometimes a GM just can't win. Leave the guy alone and let him make his decision, or contact him and be accussed of undue pressure.

Most fans and pundits feel Brett will be back. But he seems to be taking more time than what he initially said would probably be a fairly quick decision. Granted, he's earned the right to take as long as he wants. But let's hope he decides soon...whether or not Thompson calls to say hello.

Wahle signs with Seahawks
After indicating last week that he would really like to re-join the Pack, free agent guard Mike Wahle instead signed a multi-year deal with the Seahawks, rejoining instead his first head coach.

It's a Ball world after all

As had been widely speculated in media reports of recent days, Russ Ball was named the Packers new vice president of football administration/player finance yesterday. He had held a similar job for the last few years with New Orleans. Ball replaces Andrew Brandt who resigned several weeks ago to pursue other opportunities. Brandt became well known and respected for the manner in which he conducted contract negotiations and handling salary cap issues.

Ball has a number of contacts within the Packers' organization, including head coach Mike McCarthy, whom he worked with when McCarthy was with the Saints.

Why is this guy important to the average fan? Because he's the money man, so to speak. He will be the point man on contracts and will thus be responsible for helping manage the Packers' salary cap to keep the team competitive. Aside from GM Ted Thompson, he'll be the one most directly responsible for making sure the Packers can match up with anyone on the field. Yeah, at least in this regard, it's a bean counters' world, too.

You can read more about Mr. Ball here.

Could Wahle return to Pack?

What goes around comes around, as the saying goes. Usually, that's something that's said regarding a negative. In this case, maybe not. There's a report today that former Packer guard Mike Wahle might return to the Packers. Recall that Wahle was one of those one who got away in free agency in 2005 when GM Ted Thompson decided not to open up the vault to keep him. Wahle wound up going to the Panthers on a five-year $27 million deal. The Panthers released Wahle yesterday, and it didn't take Wahle long to let it be known he wouldn't mind coming back to the Pack.

Aside from rehashing the well-worn discussion that Thompson never should have let Wahle leave in the first place because the Pack has been looking for a left guard basically ever since, and the fact that the Packers have a glut of young but still questionnable guards on the roster, the reunion between Wahle and the Pack might be dependent upon Wahle playing for a lot less than he's been accustomed to. Admittedly, the Packers need a solid guard. Perhaps one of the youngsters will emerge yet to take on that role. But so far...? Wahle could fill that gap until the young players develop. On the other hand, in order for those players to develop, they need reps and playing time, which they would not be as likely to get if Wahle moved into the starting spot.

What to do? Begin by reading this article.

Let the draft talk begin!

With the Super Bowl already a distant memory...football fans' thoughts turn to the NFL draft. Which, if you read our post here yesterday, was already part of the present discussion. In fact, we're also a poll through this month (righthand column, just below the PackerFansUnited.com shop link) asking what you think the Pack's greatest needs are. Be sure to vote.

Interestingly, at least if you are a hardcore fan, there are already mock drafts starting to pop up. This one at rivals.com has a mock first round courtesy of Frank Coyle of draftinsiders.com. Who does he say the Pack will pick at #30? Running back Felix Jones of Arkansas. He's an underclassman who, needless to say, ran in the shadow of that other Razorback RB -- and possible #1 pick -- Darren McFadden. Still, Jones carried the ball 133 times for 1,162 yards (8.7 yards average per carry) and 11 touchdowns. He also had 16 receptions for 176 yards. So, not too shabby for a #2 back. Doyle says this: "The Packers will look to address their backfield early in this deep class. Jones would give them an impact weapon in several roles." Doyle has Jones as the third back picked, behind McFadden and Illinois RB Rashard Mendenhall.

While Ryan Grant really distinguished himself after getting the starting nod, most of the other backs the Packers had on the roster either didn't have a chance to prove themselves because of injury, or just didn't pan out at all. As this season proved, you can never have enough running backs, and you never know which one will rise to the top.

Patriot-ism ain't what it used to be

It's the day after. The day after the heretofore unbeatable Patriots finally succumbed and tasted a most bitter defeat at the hands of the Giants. Some thought that the Giants had a legitimate shot going in. Others expected the Pats to blow the Giants off the field. Having seen how the Giants handled our beloved Packers, however, I was among the camp that felt the Giants could pull off the upset. We knew their blitzing defense could be the difference if it was able to get to Tom Brady. And they did. Often. The only question would be whether the Giants' offense could peform. And they did enough, just as they had done against the Pack two weeks earlier.

All this shows what many Packers knew a couple weeks ago and still know now: the Pats were vulnerable and, had the Packers played at the level they were capable of, could have beaten them as well. But the Giants had all the momentum behind them. And I have to say, while I know some Packers fans were rooting against the Giants because they beat the Pack, I was rooting for them for that same reason. At least this way we can say we lost to the Super Bowl Champs. (I know, it's all a rationalization, but...)

So, here's to the Giants! And to the Manning brothers, back-to-back Super Bowl Championship quarterbacks! And here's to the 1972 Miami Dolphins who can still live in that exclusive neighborhood called "Undefeated." And here's to our Green Bay Packers, who gave all of us a heckuva ride...and a look at what's to come.

What's ahead for the Pack?

Given the replies to the last poll here at PackerFansUnited.com, the unanimous conclusion of those voting was that the Packers will be better off next year with Brett still at QB rather than Aaron Rodgers. I have to agree. One more year. Brett hasn't given any indication as to what his decision is, but is there any Packer fan out there who really believes Brett would retire with his last pass being an interception in overtime in the NFC Championship game?

So, let's assume that Brett does come back. What then are the Packers' greatest needs? GM Ted Thompson isn't one to do much with free agency, although he has the salary cap room this season to play in that market if he thinks there is a real difference maker out there. But based on his past history, look for Thompson to mine the draft as he has year after year. So, the latest poll question here (see the righthand column under the PackerFansUnited.com store link) asks you: what is the Packers' greatest need in the draft? The poll is open this entire month, so be sure to cast your vote and let us know what you think.

10 years later, Wolf still blames Holmgren for SB loss

It's Super Bowl week and all converation is not necessarily about the Patriots vs. What-Should-Have-Been-the-Packers. Some talk is about What-Should-Have-Been-Wins. In this case, it's about that loss by the Packers to Denver in Super Bowl XXXII. And, in particular, it's about then-GM Ron Wolf blaming then-head coach Mike Holmgren for blowing it by failing to make obvious adjustments. As it turns out, some of the other coaches, although not named, apparently raised this issue with Wolf a few years ago. And players, who have no problem being named, basically concur. The Pack was favored to win by 11-1/2 and lost in a 31-24 upset to the Broncos.

As you'll no doubt recall, it was widely speculated that Holmgren's mind was not where it should have been. Which was on the field in San Diego. (He did admit to losing track of downs when the Broncos scored on what amounted to a freebie to go ahead with less than 2 minutes to go.) Instead, it's claimed, Holmgren was distracted by the possibility of a new job in Seattle. We know how both the game and the job deal turned out.

It all apparently still eats at Wolf, who famously said in the locker room after the game, "We're a one-year wonder, just a fart in the wind." There are a lot of his comments, and those of others, to chew on in this article by that great sportwriter, Bob McGinn, of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. You definitely will want to check it out. But have your antacid ready. We are still working on the loss to the Giants...and now we have to re-live SB XXXII? Brutal, man, brutal.