Aaron Rodgers did it again. Of course he did it again. When doesn’t he anymore?
Give him an inch, a minute, and a single timeout, he’ll cut your team’s heart out, make you pose for a photo, and have it on his instagram account before you are even shaking hands.
I was #blessed to be in attendance to see it with my own eyes Sunday, thanks to the Bob and Brian Show on 102.9 FM in Milwaukee (a “side gig” I have been lucky enough to hold for 23 years now, being their dedicated “sports” guy every day) and listener/golf amigo Mike O’Neil and his company Entrematic which is HQ’d in Dallas and provided the luxury suite seats.
It’s too early to say “this is the Packers’ year” because the NFL’s grim reaper of injury is a relentless demon who is never satisfied with his body count. But that’s beside the point.
EVERY year with Aaron Rodgers.. should be your FUCKING year!
Again, I am not breaking any news here with you Packer fans. Rodgers is the greatest complete skillset player at QB the league has ever seen. And he’s doing it at a time in which the information overload has never been higher, the speed and ferocity of the defensive players… same.
Playing QB is like being a pilot. But the game in the 1970’s was like flying a single engine Cessna. Now, it’s like flying an F-22 Raptor, in a full combat zone. Rodgers is the best anyone’s ever seen.
Now, other legends can claim other QB “crowns” of sorts. Tom Brady is the greatest winner, and over-achiever. Favre the most durable. Montana the most clutch. Manning the most cerebral.
But look at how good Rodgers is.
He has ELITE level pre-snap decipher-ability.
He has ELITE level arm talent. Velocity, accuracy, release.
He has ELITE level in-pocket escapability.
He has ELITE level calm under pressure with game on the line.
He has PLUS level toughness. PLUS level downfield footspeed.
Even more important, who knows how to LEAD a football team from Monday through Saturday. Something that is proving to be even more difficult in the modern age of digital social-media nonsense hunting.
And despite all of this…. ALL OF IT…. he’s been to ONE… Superbowl. That’s a crime. And almost entirely not his fault. The Packers have failed him in providing either/or a top flight defense or dependable running game.
Rodgers should be able to sail through the regular season with a balanced team, only needing to pull out a FEW games with his surreal QB Ninja Skills, not every other one.
And I know that Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy have TRIED. And no, I don’t have any specific critiques of missteps on personnel. But the one, and only time it HURTS the Packers to NOT have an actual OWNER is right now.
It’s when those men responsible for wasting a generational talent like Rodgers’ career would otherwise feel the heat and urgency of a single billionaire calling them into his office to ask simply: “what the fuck? What… the FUCK!”
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Speaking of impatient billionaires, let’s talk a little Jerrah, shall we? Call him what you want, but my god his stadium is amazing. It’s easily the single best place to watch I football game I have ever seen.
Oh sure, Lambeau is great and all. Open air weather, mystique and history. But I don’t know why every new stadium wouldn’t be a replica of Jerryworld.
The GIANT TV right in front of your face, is absolutely perfect. I know places like the Meadowlands have 4-corners videoboards, and the new Falcons dome has the “halo” in the middle. But nothing beats a giant fucking TV that shows instant replays of every play right after it happens, and even LIVE feed of the game when it’s in action. (I sensed the delay was only 1/2 a second).
More than that, the usher staff was very helpful and friendly. The place was clean. The food was good, and the game presentation was spot-on. Best of all: it was 90 degrees outside…. and we were shirtsleeve comfy indoors in the AC.
Again…. why on earth would any new football stadium be anything BUT a retractable roof? It’s insane. And yet… I cringe when I think of the design model my team the Redskins leaked out about a year ago.
An open air, push-fans-away from the field wide bowl that looks like the old Tampa “sombrero.” No roof, not even any overhangs to save some of us from sun and rain. Why? Why would you do this?
Anybody who lives here in the DMV, KNOWS that we have all kinds of SHIT weather, and very little “nice” weather. We’ll be going from BLAZING hot in September, to 40 and rain come Thanksgiving. Or worse.
Indoor. Retractable. Roof.
Do I have to explain it in any more detail?
Jerry’s world looks to be incredible. But the design flaw of the sun being right in the players eyes for 3-3:30 kick offs is a fairly large mistake in my opinion.
Nice article, definite ninja/Jedi It’s nearly criminal the way Ted Thompson always fails to assemble a complete team (last year it was a lack of CB, this year a lack of OL) and wasting a HOF QB career.
Keep up the great work!
PS. I can’t help but notice that you didn’t ALE this game though.
Oh wow, I hadn’t seen those renditions for the new Redskins stadium. Those terrrriable. They make the Solider Field renovations look like a work of art.
One word for the new stadium: fugly
Traditionalists say football is meant to be played outdoors. But as a fan, I want to be comfortable. Dome or retractable roof all the way.
Rodgers has gone to 1 fewer super bowl than he deserved to go to. They definitely should have went to the super bowl in their 15-1 year where they looked unstoppable until playing the Giants. But other years, particularly the last 3 or so, Rodgers has been a shell of himself when compared to that 15-1 year. I’ve watched every one of his games. Many folks (maybe correctly) speculated it was the girlfriend making him lose focus. Now this year (sans girlfriend) he’s looking a bit more like his old 15-1 self.
We were just discussing at work how the Packers will have a 30-or-so year span of having two of the best quarterbacks to play (Favre and Rodgers), but only have 3 Super Bowl appearances and only 2 wins. The most painful was losing to the SeaHawks in the NFC Championship Game because big Mike does not like to keep the foot on the gas when ahead and gets all conservative – knowing his defense is never a top tier defense. His best weapon is the offense but he ALWAYS slows it down when they get ahead.
Your injury comment proved to be eerily prescient, Czabe. Was the NFL’s Grim Reaper with you in the luxury suite last Sunday?