When I was a little kid, my uncle thought it was funny to put in the movie Jaws while he was babysitting. Since I was a cowardly little four-year-old, I hid behind the chair. But I couldn’t resist peeking around the corner to see what was going on, even as that shark swallowed one of the guys whole.
That’s what it’s like to be a Packer fan this year. As ugly as it gets, I can’t turn away from the screen.
Now I’m no sports junkie columnist, but I do enjoy (or used to, anyway) watching the Packers. So consider this from an average fan’s point of view. This year has been particularly painful for Packer fans. Now 2-8, they have virtually no chance of making the playoffs. A true Packer fan still thinks they can make it to the Super Bowl. Even if by some miracle they made it in (as in the rest of the NFC Central teams lose all their games and the Packers win the rest), do they really deserve to make it in this year?
Statistically, the Packers don’t look too bad. They’ve actually outscored their opponents overall. On paper, they look like a winning team. On the field is a different story. If it’s close, the Packers lose. This team just cannot find a way to win.
No one is more frustrated right now than Brett Favre. The future hall-of-famer made a big statement without saying anything by skipping the post-game press conference Monday night. If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all, I guess. After everything this guy has been through, he deserves a winning season to cap off his career. Too bad his teammates can’t deliver.
A few brave souls have suggested benching Brett Favre and starting a raw Aaron Rodgers in his place. That would the dumbest move ever. Why replace a veteran, three-time MVP quarterback with a rookie kid? If Sherman tried that, he would need bodyguards on the sidelines. I don’t think Favre is to blame. He threw for 227 yards and two touchdowns last night. There isn’t another quarterback in the league who could do the same with the troubled receiving corps he has.
I have a proposal, although from what I’ve gathered so far, few people agree with me.
Fire Mike Sherman. No one likes to see heads roll, but when it comes down to it, the head coach is supposed to take responsibility. The Packers could just as easily be 8-2, and Mike Sherman would be a hero. At 2-8, he should get the same credit: a king who let a dynasty collapse. Ray Rhodes got canned after one 8-8 season in 1999. I think the difference is the players like Sherman. Rumor has it Favre said he will retire if Sherman is not head coach next year. But face it, Favre’s not coming back no matter what. He wishes he wouldn’t have come back this year. And if the Packers are already losing the cornerstone of the team, why not start with a new foundation as well? A new coach for a new era.
Yes, I’m done playing Tuesday morning quarterback. Now it’s time to get ready to watch next week’s train wreck known as the Green Bay Packers as they take on the chaotic Philadelphia Eagles. Is the season over yet?
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