A FOOTBALL STORY

I would like to tell you a story . A story about football . You may not think it a good story but my pain compels me to tell it . The story starts in 1977 as a Packer fan is born .

I was born somewhere in California but it wasn't long before my parents settled in Colorado .

My earliest memory of football was watching a Packer game with my father as he described a woeful Packers team . I believe that was in 1981 , which would have made me 4 . I was instantly enamored with the underdog Packers and they're brilliant green uniforms . Now I say 1981 and that could be inaccurate but my second memory of football is the 1982 strike year . One of the only times the Packers won the division in the 70's and 80's . As they stunk out loud more often than not back then .

Anyway the years between 82 and 87 spawned the emergence of ESPN in all of it's glory . Because of ESPN and all of it's programing I began to learn of the history behind the Packers . Lombardi , Lambeau , The Frozen Tundra , The Ice Bowl , Super bowls 1 and 2 , Ray Nitschki , Bart Starr , Paul Hornung , and on and on and on . Needless to say by 1988 i have matured from an infant who giggled at the guys in green to a full fledged young Cheesehead .

Now in 1988 at the tender age of 11 I am already talking good smack . Despite the fact that the Packers are still atrocious . Consistently finishing with less than 7 wins . That being said I am now more in love with the Packers than ever before . The reason ??

Well I would be remiss if I didn't mention the fact that at or around this time the greatest .video game of all time was released . That's right , the first Super Tecmo Bowl to include all 32 teams . This was not only my favorite game ever , I played it so much it allowed me to be familiar with every player of note the Packers had to offer .

6 and 10 superstars like Keith Woodside and Darrel ( touchdown ) Thompson , the "Magic Man" Don Majikowski , hard hitters like Mark Murphy , Brian Noble , and Chuck Cecil . By the way I don't care how many penalty's Chuck received for leading with the crown , or how many guys burned him deep , Chuck Cecil was the shit . Plus the video Packers featured my favorite player then , and still today . Sterling Sharpe . The only jersey I will wear that doesn't have my name on it .

So anyway I got mad cheese love now . I love the Majic Man and Sterling is my hero . 1989 comes around and t he Pack make the Playoffs !! Only to get crushed of course but whatever , we are getting good ! 1990 uhm wait no we are not . We still suck but in a meaningless game vs the Tampa Bay Bucs Majikowski is hurt and some guy named Favre comes in to replace him . Favre ?? We are bringing in a guy who can't spell his own name ?? Sure enough his first pass ends in a deflection which he catches himself for gain of negative 7 . Oh boy here we go .

But in the years to come old Brett Favre turns into the savior . Winning his first start in comeback fashion against the Bengals and from there it was on . The winning seasons began and life was good . Then Sterling Sharpe broke his neck and had to retire. A sad day in my life . That guy was gonna set records . All time records .

Anyway after a couple years of getting crushed by the Cowboys in the playoffs the Packers finally get around them and win the Superbowl in 96 . My hangover will be legendary . Don't believe me ? Ask my brother at http://curiousmojo.blogspot.com/ he was there , he can confirm the fact that I passed out during the entire 3rd quarter . He can also confirm my miraculous rebound to somehow enjoy the 4th quarter despite copious amounts of gluttony .

1997 of course brought the third ( and unprecedented ) consecutive MVP award for Brett . Now loosing the Superbowl to the Broncos was pretty harsh but it was not the worst thing that happened in t he NFL that year . No that would be the splitting of the MVP award between Favre and Barry Sanders . Now Favre had a great year , no doubt , but Barry Sanders was clearly the MVP that year and the extra Favre love was a joke .

Between 98 and 2006 the Pack were good but not title contenders . Well maybe 98 but Steve Young , T.O. and the worst call of a Jerey Rice fumble ruined us . But we still won a lot of games and life as Packer fan was good . Then , after the first non - winning season since Favre came around the Pack had a decision to make . Keep the ageing gunslinger that can't decide if he wants to play or not , or , go to the young prospect who is dying to play . After much debate the Packers let old Favre come back . A magical 13 - 3 regular season ensues and the last ditch Favre effort runs all the way to the NFC Championship game before coming to a close .

Wow , what a way to end it all . Except for the fact that B. Favre aint done . He decides to come back ....... after the Pack have givin the job to young Aaron Rodgers . But he is playing for the New York Jets ??? At this point I said to myself " you know what , I don't care if he plays for another 20 years , he got me a Superbowl in my lifetime and he can do as he pleases . "

That was until this year , 2009 , when he signed with the Minnesota Vikings . What ??? !!! The freaking Vikings ??? Are you kidding me ?? There is only one team that Packer Fans hate more than the Chicago Bears , and that is the Vikings . How on gods green earth has this happened ??

So after 16 years of defending his misspelled name , rooting for him despite his many interceptions and fumbles , I HAVE TO WATCH HIM GO UNDER CENTER FOR THE FREAKING VIKINGS ? AGAINST THE PACKERS ?? ON MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL ?? IN A PURPLE UNIFORM WITH PINK CLEATS ?? ( the cleats are actually cool as they are for breast cancer awareness )

Some say I should root for the man cuz of all the things he did for my team . I say nay ! I am a Packer fan first and foremost , I appreciate the things he did for us but now that he has sided with the enemy I hope he gets jacked the hell up .

Can't beleivehe is wearing purple , I think I'm gonna be sick .