25 Random Things...

Ok, so on Facebook I was tagged to write 25 random things about myself. I really didn't have time and told one of my friends that tagged me that and then I got nagged and I guess I cracked under the peer pressure! Anyway...here is what I wrote for those few people I know that don't have a Facebook account:

Some of these are things that only very few people know!
1. my favorite television show is 24 - I own every season on DVD...Jack Bauer rocks and there need to be more Americans like him
2. I love football...both college and NFL
3. My favorite teams are Alabama and Green Bay Packers in reference to #2
4. I sometimes call local sports talk radio shows as Southern Cheesehead
5. I married the only boyfriend that I ever had. Marriage is a journey and has rough spots sometimes, but thankfully my hubby believes in God's grace and forgiveness and loves me for me
6. I've never broken a bone in my body
7. I've never learned to ride a bike (mainly because I was scared of #6 changing...my mom broke her arm riding a bike and I associated that and never learned)
8. I was offered a full scholarship to Liberty University my senior year of high school for voice and turned it down because I didn't feel God was leading me there...many people believe that it's because it was 11 hours away from Ernie and my Daddy...those were considerations, but the Lord didn't want me there - period
9. I was born a red head...it turned blond by the time I started school and now it's strawberry blond along with some "enhancements" to cover the gray!
10. I have 2 older brothers
11. My oldest brother is 12 years older than me
12. I was born on a national holiday...July 4th and yes, it's my favorite holiday and my kids believe the fireworks are for my b'day
13. If you know me then you know I'm very outgoing and never meet a stranger, but I used to be shy and hide behind my mother's skirts!
14. My Grandmother lived with us most of my life
15. I never met my mom's parents because they died before I was born
16. I LOVE 80's music even though I know it was mainly cheesy and over produced and the videos were even worse
17. I've met Bret Michaels of Poison and have my picture with him
18. I got married in 1992 (that makes almost 17 years...Glory to God!)
19. I'm still good friends with all 7 of my bridesmaids and had some part in almost all of their weddings too
20. We're praying about and considering adopting a child from Mexico
21. I'm about the only person in America that doesn't think Andy Griffith Show is funny and don't like watching it
22. Two of my friends I have been close friends with for over 30 years
23. I went to a Packer game in December at Lambeau Field when it was 6 degrees and LOVED it!
24. I'm a big fan of Brett Favre and have seen him play live 5 times at 3 different fields
25. My children are the greatest and most challenging all at the same time. It truly is the hardest task I've ever undertaken but I wouldn't trade it for anything in this world.

A Favre-less Monday Night Football in Lambeau...

As I turned on ESPN to watch the game last night and saw the team run out of the tunnel it just didn't feel right. I knew it was coming, but I still wasn't prepared for how wrong it was to not see #4 running out of the tunnel with them. Don't get me wrong - I'm glad this whole ordeal is over, but it hardly ended as most of us Packer fans desired.

I won't even mention how the commentators didn't even "commentate" on the game...all they did was rehash all the off-season drama between the Favre thing and Chad Johnson - you would have never even known there was a game going on in the background. But the thing that frustrated me the most last night was how "Korn-ball" and the rest of the commentators were so "shocked" that the Packer fans supported Rodgers when he took the field. Get it through your heads, people, I've said it before and I'll say it again - this has NEVER been about NOT liking Aaron Rodgers. It has ONLY been about the fact that given our choice as Packer fans - we believe that Favre is the better QB right now. I believe that Coach McCarthy felt the same way, but at the end of the day the Green Bay Packers sign his paycheck so it didn't matter because he had to do what Thompson and Murphy wanted to do when it was all said and done. He did and I'm afraid we'll all pay for it. Give us Packer fans some credit, people - the city owns the team and we're all insanely passionate for the Pack. Nothing will change the way we feel about our team - not even extreme egos in upper level management in the organization and trading our starting QB that we've grown to love and accept as family. We'll always consider him part of the Packer family, but we'll support any and all players that suit up in the beautiful green and gold.

Granted, Rodgers wasn't horrible last night, but I don't see how we could be better than a .500 team this season. I hope that I'm wrong, but I don't believe that I am. The defense looked really good, but that wasn't really a question - there are a lot of issues on offense - not the least of which is at running back with Grant injured and, of course, back up QB.

Furthermore, how much impact can ONE player make? I'm referring to Favre at the Jets. They're still basically the same three win team from last year. I asked former QB, Jay Barker (who I have a huge amount of respect for as a brother in Christ) that very question this morning. He brought up a great point about the fact that there is now automatically more stability with Favre in the huddle which can make a huge impact immediately. I agree with him, but I'm still not convinced that it's enough to make them an instant success...better maybe, but if they win four games it's better. People's expectations are way out of control. I'm a fan, but I'm also a realist.

If some crazy miracle happens that some people have incorrectly predicted and the Jets meet the Packers in the SuperBowl while Favre is still starting for the Jets it will not be a conflict of interests for me. Please quit asking me and the other Packer fans this question...it was asked of a fan last night during the game. The answer is the same - we're Packer fans FIRST and Favre fans second. We will ALWAYS pull for the Pack no matter who is traded or playing for the other team...even someone who ended up larger than life for us for 16 years in a Packer uniform. Again, thanks 4 the memories, but GO PACK GO no matter what!!

Just when you thought it was safe to cheer for the Bucs...

Another day...another twist - I had just started last night doing research on the Tampa Bay Bucs so that I would know more about them since I'm 24/7 Packers. I wake up this morning to find the city that never sleeps was making a deal last night with small town Green Bay! Now I've got to start the research all over again.

I must tell you that my last memory of the Jets isn't very fond. It was a Sunday afternoon in December of 2006 with snow on the ground and 6 degrees at Lambeau Field. This southern girl froze her buns off watching the Jets beat the Packers by 4 touchdowns. Yes, you read that right - FOUR touchdowns. It was not my first Packers game at Lambeau, but it was my first regular season Packers game at the TRUE frozen tundra. It was memorable of course...I looked like the Michelin Man (as you can see above)! That was the last time that I got to see Brett play live at Lambeau and now I'll be watching him in green and white instead of green and gold.

I guess I better go and brush up on my Jets information and get ready to yell J-E-T-S Jets, Jets Jets!!! I'm glad I don't have to watch them play my Pack this year...Go Pack Go!!!

Happy Birthday, #4, ten days early...
On October 10th, Brett Lorenzo Favre will turn 38 years old, but don't tell him that or he might start believing that he's old for his profession. Ok, you knew I was going to post on Brett Favre's incredible weekend once again...especially since my Tide lost AGAIN - I'll get to that later.

I must give props to an article I read from SI.com about Favre and how his stats this year compare to his MVP "prime" years. It's nothing short of amazing...truly amazing. I hate to put anyone on a pedestal because I'm sure that he'll make his mistakes this year as well, but as the article points out - he's practically doing it by himself offensively because we have absolutely no running game and this is the youngest team in the NFL.

Jimmy Johnson and Howie Long yesterday during the halftime report gave Favre props and put him in the top 3 QBs in the NFL today...that's some nice company - not to mention MUCH younger. Now Jerry "The Joke" Glanville is trying to get in on the action by saying over the weekend that he didn't have any control over trades in his contract. What? Are you kidding me? It is well documented that Glanville used to make fun of Favre and actually take bets against him in practice when Brett would claim he could rifle the pigskin into a certain section of the stadium. Glanville, take heed to Lincoln's quote stating that it's better to be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt!

May I also take a minute to mention that Dan Marino is really a class act?! He has shown quality character through his comments and the way that he has handled himself. I was also impressed with the Vikings fans. As much as they hate the Pack I wasn't quite sure what to expect with Favre breaking the record there, but they handled themselves well and gave credit where credit was due.

I'm hesitantly optimistic being 4-0. I'm still concerned about the lack of a running game because four games into the season it hasn't improved even slightly. We also had a few injuries yesterday - one being Al Harris who is one of the best CBs in the league and we've got Chicago Sunday night. I know they have left a lot to be desired so far this season, but they always seem to bring their A game when they play us and no one hates them more than the Packers fans - they even have a song about them which gets stuck in your head if you've ever tailgated at Lambeau.

As far as my favorite team in the NCAA...well, we're finally finding out that we weren't as good as our 3-0 record dictated...exactly as I thought. It also further substantiates my theory that Shula wasn't as good of a recruiter as some people thought. Saban and his coaching staff have done their best at getting someone else's recruits prepared and we've come up short the past 2 weeks. Here's to homecoming week!

IS THERE REALLY AN AMERICA'S TEAM ANYMORE?

I'm well aware that I'm probably going to get crucified by the Cowboys fans out there for bringing up this question, but I think it's a fair topic.

As long as I can remember, the Dallas Cowboys have been known as "America's Team". I remember growing up and watching football with my dad. I remember the glory years for Dallas under Tom Landry - before I show too much of my age (which is 29 of course) be aware that I was very young, but I do still remember Landry pacing the sidelines in a grey suit and usually a hat. I didn't know as much about football as I do now, but I knew that they won a lot and were everywhere - they were always on tv which is why I believe they were America's team.

...notice I said "were"...let's face it - they should no longer be considered "America's Team". I went to Wikipedia to do a little research (I don't know why I went there - it's a stupid concept when anyone can go in and change the info and we consider that a valid source) and thought that it was interesting to find that they are called that because of a "large fan base that lives outside its immediate local area" and the term actually came from an NFL highlight film. Wikipedia also references their national following being represented by sold out games, etc. Someone answer the question, "when was the last time that Lambeau Field wasn't sold out or season tickets weren't sold out?" There are people that have been on season ticket waiting lists for over a decade for the Pack!

Now, before you go accusing me of being a "homer" and thinking that my Pack needs to be dubbed "America's Team" you need to scroll back up and read. My point is that I don't think that anyone deserves that term anymore. I think that times have changed so it makes it even more difficult to name any one team "America's Team". We now have NFL Sunday Ticket or whatever your cable/satellite provider offers so that we can watch lots of games. We're no longer forced to watch whatever the network decides. Also, there are more networks showing NFL games and we now have ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN News...not to mention the internet (thanks, Al Gore - ha!).

I'm also not trying to belittle the Cowboys. I understand the incredible amount of success that they've had overall for over 40 years. They've been to "the big dance" and they're tied with two other teams for the most wins, but doesn't that further solidify my point? Why aren't those other teams (San Francisco 49ers and Pittsburgh Steelers) screaming to be called "America's Team" if they've won as many Super Bowls?

I love football - both college and NFL...this is my favorite time of year, but the NFL has transformed since I first started watching it as a kid with my dad - some good and some not so good. Maybe it's time that we accept that there isn't a true America's Team anymore...it's not our grandfather's NFL!