If there is one thing that I understand fairly well, it is Green Bay Packers fans.
Being one myself, it is easy to feel what you feel, say what you say, and think what you think with regards to the team we pour our hearts and souls into. Day after day, week after week, year after year, the green and gold pumps through our veins. It is who we are.
When the Packers win, we celebrate in unison. When they lose, we collectively slam our heads against the wall trying to figure out what went wrong. I am one of you, and have a full understanding of the highs and lows that are associated with being a Packers fan.
We all felt the same after the debacle against the Seahawks this past Thursday to kickoff the 2014 season.
A blowout loss on national television against the defending Super Bowl champions to start the season. Not exactly the way the Packers wanted to come out of the gate.
After the game, your voices were heard. Loud and clear.
Yet another loss to an NFC West team. More proof that other teams have passed by the Packers. The Packers can’t beat good teams. All of these and more are some of the edited versions of comments that were being mentioned all over Twitter and Facebook after the game.
I should know. I was right there with you.
Packers may be Super Bowl,contenders by the end of the season. But right now, they have a long way to go.
— John Rehor (@jrehor) September 5, 2014
It is frustrating to see the team you live and die for lose, even more so when they get embarrassed. Unfortunately, getting their asses kicked is something that has happened to the Packers against the upper echelon teams for some time now.
It’s great to go out and beat up on lesser opponents. Good teams are supposed to do that. Losing to a better team is ok too (Well not really, but you know what I mean). But losing to better teams and getting destroyed in the process? That seems to have become the norm for the Packers.
The 49ers, the Seahawks, and the Giants. These are teams which for whatever reason have the Packers number right now. The roadblocks that this team continues to run into when trying to reestablish themselves as one of the best teams in the NFC.
The reality is at this moment, there is at least one team in the NFC that is head and shoulders above them. After one game, Seattle looks every bit like a Super Bowl winning team that is ready to add another one. Sadly, the Packers do not.
This is the part where a choice has to be made. A choice where you, the fans, decide how to proceed with this season.
One option is to give up. Admit defeat. Admit that Green Bay is light years behind the other teams in the conference. Succumb to the fact that there is no reason to think that Super Bowl dreams are nothing more than that-dreams.
The other option is to put this one game game behind you. Remember that one game does not make a season. Remember that there are still 15 more games to play, and a lot can happen between now and then.
I’ll admit, I’m torn on which path to choose. Whichever one is chosen, I know I will have plenty of company on the journey for the rest of this season with my fellow Packers fans.
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John Rehor is a writer at PackersTalk.com.
He can also be heard as one of the Co-Hosts of Cheesehead Radio. ---------------------
24 responses to “Your Voices Are Heard Loud and Clear Packers Fans”
They’ll lose to the Jets.
I have a feeling they will as well. Hope I’m wrong.
The issue is not the loss. Nor is it that it was a bad loss. The issue is that it is exactly the same loss by the same team we’ve been watching for several years now.
The difference is that for whatever reason, so many of us drank the Kool-Aid with especially enthusiastic willingness on this one: “We’ve got safeties now.” “This is the best O-line I’ve ever played/coached with.” “That’s the best group of WR in the league.” “Eddie Lacy can carry them through a whole game.” “We’re ready.”
We’ll do fine with the 8-8 and 9-6 teams. Unless we’ve all completely mis-analyzed this group, they’ll likely win the division. And then when it comes to playing an elite team, we’ll outsmart ourselves. We’ll get outcoached. We’ll avoid throwing to 1/3 of the field. Our pedestrian (but multi-purpose) O-line will almost protect our QB. Our wide receivers won’t get open. Our stud RB will lower his head to get one yard that doesn’t matter and get concussed. Our CBs will try to strip the ball instead of tackling. Our entire organization will get their butts kicked without knowing why, and the response will be “we’ve got to get some things cleaned up.”
As currently managed and coached, this team has reached a practical ceiling. It’s a very, very high ceiling, and most other fan-bases would be thrilled with it. What we are seeing is a team managed and coached by a philosophy that is better than 95% of the other philosophies. Unfortunately, the trophy we want is held by the team with that one philosophy that is better than ours. The question is whether you want to blow up something this good just to beat those three teams.
They’ll lose to the Jets.
I have a feeling they will as well. Hope I’m wrong.
The issue is not the loss. Nor is it that it was a bad loss. The issue is that it is exactly the same loss by the same team we’ve been watching for several years now.
The difference is that for whatever reason, so many of us drank the Kool-Aid with especially enthusiastic willingness on this one: “We’ve got safeties now.” “This is the best O-line I’ve ever played/coached with.” “That’s the best group of WR in the league.” “Eddie Lacy can carry them through a whole game.” “We’re ready.”
We’ll do fine with the 8-8 and 9-6 teams. Unless we’ve all completely mis-analyzed this group, they’ll likely win the division. And then when it comes to playing an elite team, we’ll outsmart ourselves. We’ll get outcoached. We’ll avoid throwing to 1/3 of the field. Our pedestrian (but multi-purpose) O-line will almost protect our QB. Our wide receivers won’t get open. Our stud RB will lower his head to get one yard that doesn’t matter and get concussed. Our CBs will try to strip the ball instead of tackling. Our entire organization will get their butts kicked without knowing why, and the response will be “we’ve got to get some things cleaned up.”
As currently managed and coached, this team has reached a practical ceiling. It’s a very, very high ceiling, and most other fan-bases would be thrilled with it. What we are seeing is a team managed and coached by a philosophy that is better than 95% of the other philosophies. Unfortunately, the trophy we want is held by the team with that one philosophy that is better than ours. The question is whether you want to blow up something this good just to beat those three teams.
Mobile quarterbacks have been the Packers kryptonite
Mobile quarterbacks have been the Packers kryptonite
Packers have failed to modernize like the Seahawks. Let’s face it, Seattle and San Fran have better, quicker, harder hitting defense; they also know how to catch up with the passing game, not continue to run into a solid defensive line. And we have Rogers, arguably the best QB in the league. What happened to the old Packer “winning is the only thing” attitude. If current coaching and management can’t change, let’s change them! Tired of same old thing.
Learning from past successes as well as failures are important. I think that Aaron Rodgers should learn from successful QBs like Joe Montana. Joe Montana was known as the “Comeback Kid” because he would successfully take the team to a come back from behind win. He also was very clever and often unpredictable. I think that Aaron Rodgers should be more unpredictable and fake his opponents in order to win more games.
Packers have failed to modernize like the Seahawks. Let’s face it, Seattle and San Fran have better, quicker, harder hitting defense; they also know how to catch up with the passing game, not continue to run into a solid defensive line. And we have Rogers, arguably the best QB in the league. What happened to the old Packer “winning is the only thing” attitude. If current coaching and management can’t change, let’s change them! Tired of same old thing.
Learning from past successes as well as failures are important. I think that Aaron Rodgers should learn from successful QBs like Joe Montana. Joe Montana was known as the “Comeback Kid” because he would successfully take the team to a come back from behind win. He also was very clever and often unpredictable. I think that Aaron Rodgers should be more unpredictable and fake his opponents in order to win more games.
The loss would be easier to take if they would have played the WHOLE field but by going into the game being SCARED of Sherman they lost the game before it started! You can not be affraid of one man so much that it makes you play on half a field there is no room for it in football! McCarthy needs to grow a set and call plays to attack Sherman not bow down and kiss his cleats.
The loss would be easier to take if they would have played the WHOLE field but by going into the game being SCARED of Sherman they lost the game before it started! You can not be affraid of one man so much that it makes you play on half a field there is no room for it in football! McCarthy needs to grow a set and call plays to attack Sherman not bow down and kiss his cleats.
TT has not shown much in the draft or the coaching is downright bad on both sides of the ball
Very frustrating start to the season. We can only play one game at a time. Let’s see what happens against the Jets. The Jets are no where near as good as Seattle but they do play physical. Thanks, Since ’61
TT has not shown much in the draft or the coaching is downright bad on both sides of the ball
Very frustrating start to the season. We can only play one game at a time. Let’s see what happens against the Jets. The Jets are no where near as good as Seattle but they do play physical. Thanks, Since ’61
I don’t care if the Pack goes 15-1 now, Until they play the Hawks in the play offs and prove that they are not SCARED of one man win or lose they will always be a disrespected team plain and simple.
I don’t care if the Pack goes 15-1 now, Until they play the Hawks in the play offs and prove that they are not SCARED of one man win or lose they will always be a disrespected team plain and simple.
Remember last season when we lost the first game to the 49ers and everyone said all the same things that are being said now? Remember when everyone got all clenched up because the Red**** were coming to town for the home opener and they had been to the playoffs the previous year and we were about to go 0-2 and there was certain doom approaching?
Remember when we laid the effing beatdown on the Red**** because they weren’t in our league and we’re still better than every team in the league except 3 or 4 squads and we’re not going to lose to one of those lesser teams at home if 12 is taking the snaps? That’s what’s going to happen against the Jets. If you think we are a flawed football team look at the effing Jets. We’re 9.5 point favorites and it isn’t going to be enough. If week 1 was a replay of the last 2 week 1s get ready for fire and brimstone week 2 second edition. It’ll be a Packers blowout and maybe everyone will calm the hell down.
Remember last season when we lost the first game to the 49ers and everyone said all the same things that are being said now? Remember when everyone got all clenched up because the Red**** were coming to town for the home opener and they had been to the playoffs the previous year and we were about to go 0-2 and there was certain doom approaching?
Remember when we laid the effing beatdown on the Red**** because they weren’t in our league and we’re still better than every team in the league except 3 or 4 squads and we’re not going to lose to one of those lesser teams at home if 12 is taking the snaps? That’s what’s going to happen against the Jets. If you think we are a flawed football team look at the effing Jets. We’re 9.5 point favorites and it isn’t going to be enough. If week 1 was a replay of the last 2 week 1s get ready for fire and brimstone week 2 second edition. It’ll be a Packers blowout and maybe everyone will calm the hell down.
“It’ll be a Packers blowout and maybe everyone will calm the hell down.”
Sure-until they lose again (which they will), then it’ll be the end of the world again. Such is the cycle of Packer fans. High as can be after a win, lower than low after a loss.
“It’ll be a Packers blowout and maybe everyone will calm the hell down.”
Sure-until they lose again (which they will), then it’ll be the end of the world again. Such is the cycle of Packer fans. High as can be after a win, lower than low after a loss.