I’m not sure I’ve ever felt worse for Packer fans than I did after last night’s game. Sure, I felt badly for all of us during the 70s and 80s. I felt bad for us when Jerry Rice clearly fumbled in the playoffs in the 90s and the officials considered him down. But this was particularly harsh. Our beloved QB Brett Favre leaves in 2008 and ends up on the rival Packer fans hate with all their might. Then, in the first showdown in Oct, the Packers get outplayed and lose in good part because of Favre. That hurt, but we still had the more important showdown at Lambeau to look forward to. So, then that game comes and the crowd is jacked up and the boos are loud. In a way, maybe we were thinking a Packer win would somehow return this whole messy situation at least to a balance point. But then Favre, of all people, has a fantastic game, shreds the defense and Packer fans are left to watch as THE most fair-weather fans in all of sports (if there can be such a distinction), jump around and taunt classy GB fans – who just absorbed it.
We didn’t have anything to do with Favre’s retirement indecision or personal conflicts between Favre/management. We didn’t have anything to do with Brett Favre’s decision to maneuver his way to the hated rival. We just follow closely the team we love. And last night, I just plain felt badly for Packer fans, the greatest fans in any sport.
packergeeks 
November 2, 2009 at 3:22 pm |
As a devout Packer fan I don’t want to take part in any type of pity party. I want my team to get mad and get better. I hope this loss resonates as much with the players as it does with the fans. I want them to be kept up at night, like we are, wanting revenge. If they do their jobs from this point on we’ll see the Vikings again, and next time we’ll just have to be better. As for crying about how much it hurts, that’s exactly what the queens fans want. I for one am not going to give them the satisfaction.
November 2, 2009 at 3:54 pm |
Dave-that’s an excellent mind set. Let’s hope against hope that somehow it occupies the mind of one Mike McCarthey. I’m with Joshy. I put this loss on his back.
November 2, 2009 at 4:28 pm |
We are going to prevail in this thing. Seriously, we almost have to prevail. In his heart of hearts, Favre is completely aware of what he’s already done and what he continues to do. All these new Vikings “fans” will feel like massive idiots the instant this team goes south. What are they going to do when Favre retires? This type of “fandom” is very simply unsustainable. They get the last laugh this year (all though even that is uncertain, maybe we’ll meet again in the playoffs), but what happens after that? In a way, the people that I really feel sorry for is them. It’s easy to jump on the bandwagon, but it’s really hard to get off when it flies off a cliff.
November 2, 2009 at 5:12 pm |
SJofMKE, I consider myself an optimist and I agree with your whole take on this. That game was tough to watch, and while a completed comeback would have felt a whole loit better than a loss, the way the team came back and gave themselves a good chance to win reminded me that the entire story is far from over. In the best scenario this game leads to the Pack getting on a roll and we meet again in the playoffs and beat them. In the long run Rodgers and the entire team will have many oppurtunities to “justify” the Favre divorce. On the flip side, everything feels like its coming up aces for the Vikings but they haven’t actually won anything yet. We’re on the short end right now, no question, but there is a long way to go and I too get the feeling that there will be some twists in the plot that work out for us before its all said and done.
November 2, 2009 at 5:37 pm |
“Packer fans are left to watch as THE most fair-weather fans in all of sports” Andy, please explain this to me? I would like to see you evidence, or is it just your biased opinion????
November 2, 2009 at 5:44 pm |
I’m trying to look on the bright side. Yes, these losses were ugly – even more so because it was the Vikings and especially because of Favre. But I think there are some positives.
One, I think both games showed that Aaron Rodgers is the better QB. I’m not saying that he doesn’t have multiple areas where he needs to improve – but he played very well considering the problems with the O-line and running game. Just imagine if Favre was in that position. It could have been the Rams playoff game all over again.
Two, winning these games might help Favre get over the whole situation and finally go away. Especially if the Vikings don’t win the SB this year (and with their defense I find that an unlikely proposition).
Three, I think this has a chance to light a fire under some of these guys. And if not at least light a fire to change things up whether coaching staff and/or players.
November 2, 2009 at 6:01 pm |
Ah, Yea Right. The Vikings had the NFL for extra time — twice — to sell out a home playoff game last year. Now, the entire state is purple and people who have never heard of Chuck Foreman are making Super Bowl plans.
November 2, 2009 at 6:21 pm |
sfhayes, where is your evidence???
November 2, 2009 at 6:28 pm
Yea Right – I live in Minneapolis and can attest that the Vikings had to petition the NFL twice for extra time to sell out a PLAYOFF GAME. Couple this with the fact that they asked the NFL for extra time once the week before in order to sell out the last game of the season and I think it makes for a compelling story.
It was only after a local group of TV stations, large companies (one of which I work for) and other entities with commercial interest in seeing that game on TV bought the remainder of the tickets that the game was not blacked out.
There is your evidence.
November 2, 2009 at 8:47 pm
I live in the Cities too. My 4 year old son knows more about football than the average Viking fan. Mark my words….before the end of the year there will be a “Favre Hankie” that they will all be waving in the dome. That is the extent of their fandom….”what team is doing well? Really? Is there a hankie?”
November 2, 2009 at 6:05 pm |
This week and the Dallas game will prove if this is a playoff caliber team or not.
They need to bounce back with a decisive win at Tampa and put together a strong showing against Dallas and get a victory. The Tampa game needs to be a 4 quarter, never in doubt victory. A win versus Dallas will show that they belong in the upper half of the NFC (although Dallas is not as strong as originally thought, in my opinion).
The penalties must be addressed, but I feel as though the coaching staff is not that concerned with them as it is a recurring theme.
The running game needs to put something together that allows the passing game more time to develop. I fully expect to see Green playing more snaps this week.
Rodgers needs to get rid of the ball when he is outside the pocket. I would rather take the no gain than the 4-7 yeard sack when he is outside the tackles.
Seeing the smiles on all the MN people at the MKE airport this afternoon made me want to vomit.
November 2, 2009 at 7:20 pm |
Yea Right – what Nick/Steve said. I’d also throw in there issues with getting a new stadium – something which, if not resolved soon, could lead to the relocation of the team. And, related to this, being the least valuable franchise in the NFL according to Forbes.
Hear you Trav. 2 victories in a row would help big-time. I keep reminding myself that despite the difficult road ahead, we are still 4-3. I really want the running game to get going and I want McCarthy to make sure he finds times to run the ball even if we’re behind.
November 2, 2009 at 8:04 pm |
Fair weather is exemplified by the lack of sellouts in the ninties and early zero’s. Packer fans could go to Minn and get a ticket at the gate anytime, many times below ticket price if you waited until the start of the game. Good times and bad the Packers sold out every game since the 60’s. That. my friend, is the distinction. And GB is around 200 k population and Minnie is how big?
November 2, 2009 at 11:05 pm |
I have little faith in McCarthy right now. I think it’s going to be a long December.
November 3, 2009 at 10:06 am |
Yea Right, I live in Minnesota and while there are some very die-hard Viking fans there are also a lot of them who are very fair weather. Not being able to sell out a play-off game? Perfect example. When the Vikings are doing well, you can’t go anywhere without seeing purple. When they aren’t doing so well, then you’d never know the Vikings were the local NFL team. The husband of a friend is a Viking ‘fan’. He tried to convince me that the Packers had been in 5 Superbowls and that the Vikings were in SB III.
November 3, 2009 at 7:58 pm |
You mean the Vikings weren’t in SB III? 😉
November 4, 2009 at 3:44 pm |
Packer fans are hysterical. I love how because you guys have run out actual X’s and O’s things to say you turn around and put it off on Vikings fans. Please, anyone that has been to a game in Minnesota should know that Vikings fans don’t go to Vikings games because the Metrodome is an awful venue, not because there is any lack of support for the team. As there is absolutely no atmospheric value to the Dome, the opportunity cost of not going to a Vikings game just doesn’t hold up when you have a better view from your bigscreen. Have the Packers had a better history as a team than the Vikings? Of course! But honestly how relevant are the Packer teams of old now when there isn’t a single player on their roster who was present for the 1996 Superbowl.