Sitting in the middle of a nasty blizzard on three inches of fresh ice, Saturday, the wind peppering my face reminded me of the pain I felt on Thursday evening. The pain had not left me. And now, three hours into an eventual skunking on one of my favorite lakes, not even the consolation of a nine-tip-up-spread could take my mind away from the game. I reached for my cocktail but it was frozen. For some reason, my left thumb had turned bright red, and all around me the snow and the wind obscured the view. I might have been on the moon, but all I could think of was Brett Favre wincing on that damned moon-carpet in Dallas, Texas. Why aren’t these pike biting? I asked my friend, The Warden. He just looked at me with wind-bitten eyes and looked out at the spread and we sat there in silence for the remainder of the after-noon. So go my thoughts, today.
The Cow-Bells pistol-whipped us like a posse of reckless bandits, Thursday night. Watching the game at my Cousin Walter’s house I knew things were going to be tough when they announced that Woodsen and KGB were held back. And then Favre started hucking up bombs that stunk of desperation. There were moments of excitement mixed in there, sure, but even when we closed the gap, late in the third, the general feeling amongst the crowd at Walter’s was one of dread-full and imminent defeat.
I don’t want to focus on the mistakes and the missed opportunities, dear readers, but the tumble from 10-1 – that pleasant pedestal – is a tough one to take.
There were some bright spots that should be noted. Aaron Rodgers, for instance, showed great composure while bringing the offense back under control.
But the sad truth remains: Dallas was the better team. They still are the better team. And the road back to the Super Bowl will now likely travel through Dallas. And those pike still aren’t biting.
At least we have Oakland coming to visit next week. As one of the worst teams in the league, I expect The Packers will find the going a little easier, especially on defense. A win will clinch the NFC North Title and a playoff spot, and in all likely-hood, a home playoff game after a week’s rest. But you can’t take any of that for granted in this-here National Foot-ball League, so it’s important that McCarthy get the team back on track in a hurry. From his confident comments made this week, it appears he has lost little faith in the Green and Gold.
Much as the pain of this loss resonates within my soul this week, I too remain confident in this bunch. You look around the league and see teams that float up and down and then you see the few that stay near the surface. We are one of those teams this year. Some-how, we have found a way to ascend.
So, like fishing amidst a cantankerous blizzard, we must ride this one out and let the gloomies subside. Tomorrow that barometer will even out and the flags will start flying. My thumb will regain its fleshy hue and the cold will keep making ice. And then Sunday will come and the pain will be replaced with elation once again.
I could sure use a big win and I say we get one: Oakland, 9 – Green Bay, 33.
Until next week, then.
