I'm so excited for the start of the regular season that it's taking all of my will power to keep the wings out of the oven today. Long-time readers will know I'm a hot-wing connoisseur, and that I make up a large batch of wings for just about every regular season game. They are a staple of my game-day routine, and game-day treats - be they hot wings or crock-pot-based - are a frequent topic of this blog.
I've already bagged a couple dozen wild eagles with my twelve-gauge* and have their wings all de-feathered and prepped, sitting in the ice-box. The special 'opening day' extra-hot hot sauce (made from a combination of raptoid gizzards and Naga Jolokia puree) is steaming in shed number two and causing the down-wind neighbors to weep profusely. And although I like a dry wing, I must wait, I must be patient. Gotta keep those wings out of the oven until at least Saturday afternoon, timed perfectly for completion at 3 p.m. Wisconsin-standard-time.
While a large portion of the suits have picked the Pack to win it all this year, and with good reason, the team must tackle each game as a season unto itself, dear readers. We can't be looking past anyone like we did with Tampa last year, and we certainly can't count our eagle eggs before they've hatched. But that's kind of pessimistic, dear readers, and there's a better way to look at this approach...
I saw a good quote from Mark Twain on a knick-knack the other day, when me and Mooney stopped for breakfast at a strange diner on the Polish Heritage Highway in the central parts - "Put all your eggs in one basket and then WATCH THAT BASKET!"
I like this line of thinking. It's riskier, it's more aggressive, but still balanced and realistic in a sense. At some point you've gotta feel good with what you've got and unleash it. The team may be young-ish, but the key parts have the maturity to seek great rewards, I think.
You will hear alot over the next few days how the Packers offense will be unstoppable and how Jermichael Finley will draw double-teams, freeing up Greg Jennings and the receiving corps to carve up the deep routes for Ronnie Rodgers. I believe these assessments are fine and accurate, and I look forward to watching the show, no doubt. These are not the eggs that worry me. I believe they'll hatch as expected.
But let's allow the mind to wander a bit and let's assume this team is something special. To me, that kind of confidence will only be obtained once I see the defense ran-sack a few opponents. I want to see them shut down Squeeky Kolb and the rest of Andy Reid's dinky-dunks. That's really the main question-mark this year, ain't it? Can we stop folks when we needta? We should be able to stop the Eagles, even on the road. After weeks of watching the back-ups and the blah packages, I'm looking forward to the Charles Woodsen show, to seeing what The Puppet-Master can do with his second year at the controls. That is the basket I'll really be watching, and that is the basket of gass we'll need to burn the eagle's nest to the ground, along with the rest of the NFL, on the way to lofty heights.
Mark it, folks: Green Bay 33 - Philadelphia 20.
Good luck with your wing sauces, and have a great pre-game weekend!
Until next time, then,
FG
* - False.
