Brilliant. Except if you would've actually read my post, I thought I made it pretty clear I really don't have a dog in this fight. I follow the NFL for the same reason most do: gambling, or, perhaps you call it "fantasy football". Brett has been very very good to me there, so it's not personal.

BTW, the beloved Pack selected Mandarich between Aikman and Sanders. And who is the all time season leader in yards? None other than Lynn Dickey, 1983 -- now THAT guy was a warrior, if you happened to check the lines and defense HE had to work with. (Didn't whine so much as Brett, tho'.)

But it's worth pointing out, as long as the "Vikings, Lions, and Bears" are brought up here: the NFC central sucks balls most of the time. Could that have something to do with the Packers/Favre's remarkable ascendancy yet overall pretty mediocre track record of success? Holy cow, he's far behind Jim Kelly if all you care about are the rings. And if you're a "fan" of a team, shouldn't that be the only thing that matters?

I'm not the first to notice how the "everyman" BS also made him -- and yes, not to put to fine a point on it, other famous "everymen" white QBs prior and current -- shockingly impervious to criticism, all the way down to the unpleasant fact that he singlehandedly did his damndest to play his team out of the NFC title game.

http://www.slate.com/id/2179277/

The same country that makes Larry the Cable Guy rich produces the same sort of cretin that would vote for Brett as Governor in a heartbeat. THAT is my beef -- the awkward man-love for Brett long ago crossed all acceptable sports boundaries.

Ha ha, those Bears, they sure do suck, though, right? Hey, whatever makes you feel better, though I might add: Super Bowl 07, and owners of two straight. STILL without a QB.

Addendum: Even Brett himself, in an AP story on his retiring, said he'd like to have finished his career on a high note with a Super Bowl WIN. He added, however, that, "getting to the Superbowl just to lose it would be the worst thing imaginable"

So in the end, I am merely echoing the great One's own sentiments.

Mantonat wrote:

If you are a true fan of the Packers and Favre, wouldn't you wish the absolute best for them - which would have been beating the Giants and at least having a shot against the Patriots?

Well, duh! Of course! Had the Pack WON (vs. the Giants) I would have full tilt pulled for them against the Pats.

What I was referencing was my retrospective impressions. Having LOST to the NY Giants, they'd clearly have been little match for the Pats - and like would have been thumped by one of those classical blowout scores.

In other words, what the NFC Championship game showed me is that the Pack simply was not ready for the Big Show.

I could see it from early, since NO Pack team ought to be looking the part of lily-livered Florida dainties on the frozen tundra of Lambeau. If you play for GBay, you better damned well look the part - especially in a championship game ("Ice Bowl' anyone? Recall how Bart Starr and crew handled it?)

Favre looked battered, vulnerable and inefective - apart from shivering nonstop - and I did not (as an old line Pack fan) derive much satisfaction or encouragement from that.

Again, had the Pack won, I'd have backed them all the way - come what may. But the result and appearance of the team in that game showed: a) they weren't going to win it, and b) they wouldn't have beaten NE.

I hate to see Brett go, but it is/was going to happen sometime. I have a hard time believing that once Brett sees spring/summer workouts on TV, he's not going to have second thoughts (He's never had a problem changing his mind or admitting he made a mistake). Does anyone seriously believe the thought "I've got the rest of my life to sit on my ass", won't put him back in pads one or two more years? Of course, now that I say this, I've probably sealed his retirement. Oh well.

If this is the end, I'm prepping to watch A.R. do his damnedest to be as hated as #4.

I was engaging in a little sarcasm there. I thought you'd have read enough of my posts by now to detect it.

Gotcha!

The Giants and Packers were very evenly matched. I think that the Pack would have beaten the Pats just as the Giants did had they gone to the superbowl instead.

Put Favre back in good weather and he'd have ripped the Pats secondary apart. It wouldn't have been as close as the Superbowl we did see.

Packers fan since 1966? If so, how can you possibly say this: "So, in the matter of a choice between the Pack winning the NFC and going to the SB to be notch # 19, or losing and having the better team take care of business and knock off the Pats - I preferred the latter."

If you are a true fan of the Packers and Favre, wouldn't you wish the absolute best for them - which would have been beating the Giants and at least having a shot against the Patriots? If you have any doubt that your team could mop up the field against anyone, you're not a true diehard fan. Sounds like you are more of a fan of hating the Patriots than of loving the Packers. Oh well, I'm not even from Wisconsin and I would have loved to have seen Favre take on the Pats. Would have been a great game, win or lose.

I know, I know - the Giants were the only ones with a defense strong enough to keep Brady off balance and thus have a chance at victory. But after all, fan is short for fanatic, so you have to believe - despite the odds or stats.