It's probably a sign of instability, but as I sat down to watch the Minnesota-Green Bay game last Sunday, I experienced amazement and then annoyance as the Packer cheese-heads actually booed their soon-to-be-Hall-of-Fame former quarterback, Brett Favre, as he took the field in Green Bay in another team's jersey for the first time.
Were they kidding? Was it good-natured ribbing? I hope so. Otherwise, they're telling a guy who was about to demonstrate over the ensuing three hours how well he can play that he can't be forgiven for not staying retired after a down season with the New York Jets.
Remember? It was the Packers who traded Favre to the New York Jets when he was unwilling to be a 39-year-old backup. Favre didn't jump to another team for money or better nightlife or whatever. The Packers traded Favre because the team didn't want him anymore, even though, as he's demonstrated throughout the first half of the 2009 season, he's still a rare talent.
Sure, the way Favre stretched out his decision to retire or not to retire after his 16th season with the Packers was irritating and ultimately frustrating to Packer fans and management, but the bottom line was clear. Favre wanted to stay in Green Bay, but Green Bay wanted Aaron Rodgers.
Please don't complain, cheese-heads, that Favre was booed for signing with the hated Vikings instead of one of those NFL black holes such as Kansas City or Oakland or Washington. The Vikings offered Favre the best chance for an old quarterback to win. After all, there's no better cure for a sore throwing arm than having an Adrian Peterson to hand off to. And winning, Packer nation, is what Favre has always been about. Surely you noticed that during all those years he was wearing your jersey and not theirs.
Packer fans, quit embarrassing yourselves. Just shut up, please, and tip your cheese-wedge hats to the best player you ever had. He deserves no less.
How quickly they forget
Begging the pardon of my Europe counterpart, but ...
Super Bowl victories by Green Bay Packer quarterbacks: Bart Starr 2, Brett Favre 1. And that's on top of the five NFL championships that Starr won before the Super Bowl became the de facto NFL championship starting with the 1970 season.
Or how about Don Hutson, who in 11 seasons caught a then-NFL record 99 touchdown passes, helped lead the Pack to three NFL titles and still holds records for most seasons leading the NFL in passing (8), most consecutive (5), most seasons leading NFL in receiving yards gained (7), most consecutive (4), most seasons leading league in TD catches (9), most consecutive (5) and most seasons and consecutive seasons leading league in scoring (5)?
By those numbers alone, Starr and Hutson are the greatest players the Packers ever had. By coincidence, each graduated from the University of Alabama, Hutson in 1935, Starr in 1957, and attracted little attention from the pros, Hutson signing as a free agent, Starr as a 17th-round draft pick.
And neither felt the need to go all diva on us. Only thing missing from Favre's ensemble of one Super Bowl ring and most consecutive quarterback starts ... is the purse.
DoDDS Europe Sports Blog?
When I first noticed that Stars and Stripes had finally seen the need for a Europe sports blog, I was excited at the prospect of being able to read more in depth coverage of sports within DoDDS Europe. For the last few years, I have admired Dave Ornauers dedication to DoDDS Pacific sports. One can clearly see his genuine interest and dedication to this unique branch of high school sports reporting. I assumed that the Europe sports blog would be on par with Ornauer's. What fans of DoDDS-Europe sports received was a gross disappointment. We've seen a handful of articles regarding football in Europe, apparently the only sport that students in DoDDS-Europe play. Updates are infrequent and barely ever concern significant events in DoDDS-Europe sports. Cross Country European Championships were on Saturday, the complete results of which have not even been seen in Stars and Stripes. Tennis Europeans were Thursday and Friday. All we've heard about is the upcoming championship football game. Did I mention that volleyball Europeans are Additionally, I was not aware that the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings were teams in DoDDS-Europe. Maybe I'm just missing something.
Stripes Europe DID cover DODEA Europe tennis, XC events!
Doddsrunner, please click here for coverage of the DODEA Europe cross-country meet, and here for coverage of the finals of the DODEA Europe tennis tournament. Rusty was on site at Schweitzingen, while Mark Patton handled the tennis at Wiesbaden-Nordentsadt. Rusty has more than twice the DODEA school load than I have out here, 28 schools to 12. We are also two very, very different types of people and coverage men. Rusty might not feel the need for me to defend him, but I did. Please remember that once we go away, and we're not spring chickens any more, the coverage might go away with us.
RE: Stripes Europe DID cover DODEA Europe tennis, XC events!
I realize that there was coverage of both the DoDDS Europe Tennis Tournament as well as the DoDDS Europe cross country meet. This is to be expected. However, there is an undeniable imbalance with regard to coverage given to football as opposed to other sports especially cross country. The DoDDS Europe Sports blog is merely a reflection of this unfortunate circumstance. I realize that different reporters have different styles, but it seems to me that Pacific cross country, although admittedly a smaller yet more spread out program, garners much more attention and discussion from its respective reporters than DoDDS Europe cross country does. Like those who have also commented on this post, I am not trying to criticize. I am merely stating an obvious imbalance in DoDDS Europe sports coverage.
European Sports Blog
I agree with DoDDS Runner, the European Sports Blog is meager at best. Football get a disproportionate amount of the coverage and one would assume that 95% of the DoDDS student population is in Germany. I realize that S&S sports writers are volunteers but it seems the coverage could be more professional. Finally, what was up with that blog on the Packers fans? Had nothing to do with Europe or DoDDS. I guess the common link was football. Which brings us back to the main problem.
i concur.
i attended schools in and played sports in both dodds pacific and europe so i try to follow both. but there isnt much to follow on the europe side of stars&stripes sports.
not trying to blame anybody. just stating facts.
Zama -- Ramstein Connection
Congratulations to Mike Jorgenson (QB) of Zama HS (JAPAN) and Will Canfield (RB) of Ramstein AB. The two were best friends in Germany during 8th Grade and remain very close via FB and email. This year, as sophomores, the boys helped lead their teams to respective Far East Class A and European DIV I Football Championships. Well done two of the three Amigos !!!!!
All Europe Cross Country?
It's good to see that once again Stripes has chosen to honor our football and volleyball all region and all conference players. However, cross country is also a fall sport. All Europe teams were decided on October 31st when the first fourteen runners of each race crossed the line. Where are their names? Dare I ask if their pictures be printed as well?