John's Random Review

The pic is from Laura’s brother-in-law, taken on the field during a game in the late nineties.
He’s a pro photographer who was college roomates with the son of the Packers former VP, Bob Harlan. We stole it in a xmas gift exchange a few years ago. The packer stuff is always stolen several times during those things.

See, i told you so! Its a FRIGGING SHRINE!

We live in Washington state, and we still got to one game a year at Lambeau. If possible, we go to any Green Bay game in Seattle as well. We are pretty die hard fans! (did you see the shrine?!) At the end of last year, we didn’t think Favre would quit. I’ve always told everyone i know that Favre won’t retire, he’ll play until he gets injured in a way that he just has to quit. I’m talking loosing an arm and a leg, as i’m pretty sure he’d continue with only one or the other.

We discussed this whole stupid thing during our vacation this weekend because we saw it everywhere. Here’s what we think:
Brett, you can come back to the Pack if…

1. You schedule a press conference, in Green Bay, at the same location as your retirement press conference.
2. At said press conference, you tell everyone that you are sorry, you were wrong. Crying optional, at this point it couldn’t hurt.
3. You tell everyone you’re willing to come to camp, and that you see that there’s another guy who could be the starter, but you will work your ass off during camp to prove that you deserve the starting job.
4. If you don’t win back the starting job, you don’t quit again. You’ll get your chance when Rodgers hurts himself midway through the first quarter of the first game.
5. You take a pay cut. If this is really about you really want to play football, make it about football, not money. It doesn’t even need to be a real paycut. make it 1%. i’d be a fan of 1/17th, the pay for one game. The amount to me doesn’t matter, I just need some symbolic act.

We’re kindof sick of all of this text messaging, and stuff through your agent, and stuff from your brother or from former players or former coaches or whatever. Be a man about it already.

Brett Favre retires. A sad day in the NFL. The best reflection of my feelings is from Making Peace With Favre’s Final Days, from Jeff Bercovici@Deadspin:

Sadness. Maybe Green Bay will get another quarterback as great as Favre during my lifetime, but I doubt it. More likely, I will be sitting in front of a TV with my son 15 years from now, completely ruining his enjoyment of the game by explaining to him, in patient detail, how the starting QB whose jersey he saved up his lawn-mowing money to buy is in reality a weak-armed numbnuts unfit to hold Favre’s jock. Is this how it feels to be a Bears fan?

Well, presuming that “baby Atari Bigby” is a boy.

Sitting on the couch with my wife, fidgeting with a football as GB takes the field after the OT kickoff:

Me: You know, Favre only gets paid for four quarters of football…
Laura: and…?
Me: Are you ready? Favre’s done with this game, he’s going home! (mimics throwing a deep pass with the football)
Laura: what?
Us, as Favre chucks the ball downfield: Go! GO! GOOOOOOOO!
Me: see, told you!

True story!

So earlier i stated that the goal for this trip was to get back to WA with one win in the two games we went to this weekend in ‘sconsin. Well, we went 2 for 2 on that goal! The brewer game (aside from the frigging parking fiasco) was awesome too. We got to see (future NL MVP!) Prince Fielder hit home run #48 on the year (he hit #49 and #50 tonight!), we got to see (future NL Rookie of the year!) Ryan Braun hit a home run, got to see lots of run production, lots of offense, some great defense, and a sausage race! We also saw some of the funniest signs i’ve seen at a sporting event, with the clear winner being a couple rows behind us, with the “I (HEART) E-5″ ryan braun sign! It was very handy when he had an error later, and a home run to avenge himself after that..

Best off all, the cubs lost today, and the brewers won again, so its down to 2 games back with 5 to go! how close can you idiots make this!

Updated:Here’s the flickr photo set for the brewer game!

For our “paper” anniversary this year, the wife and i bought each other tickets to sporting events. We had to be in WI this weekend for a wedding in Green Bay, so i bought the Packer tickets for today, Laura bought Brewer tickets for tomorrow. I told people at work that I’d be happy getting one win over the weekend. Well, check that off the list! It was a beautiful day in green bay, 80+ and sunny at noon for the game. Sunny all game, so I got a little sunburned on my arms and my neck. Was an awesome game, back and forth with a great finish. Nick Barnett FTW! Favre got career TDs 418, 419, and 420, tying Marino’s all time record. After Barnett returned the INT to inside the 1 and the win seemed imminent, half of the crowd was chanting “Pass! Pass!” so favre could get #421. The Lambeau crowd can have a short memory, apparently, as no more than 5 minutes earlier the packers were right there trailing by 4 points on 4th and goal at the 1 and and incomplete pass ended a promising drive with 0 points.

Updated: Here’s the flickr photo set for the Packer game!