Running Diary: Packers VS Seahawks: Sunday January 18th, 2015

As a huge Green Bay Packers fan a friend and I concocted an idea on Saturday night. It was over many drinks, more than I'd like to think about, and it may not have been the best idea. The idea being: "Hey, lets create a running video diary of our thoughts and feelings during the football game tomorrow."

Sunday morning when I woke up tired and more tired, we started the video diary. And we continued the video diary. My friend was all about it, he was confident and sure footed about the Packers game, I was all about it because I like to film and post videos... but had some hesitation because I was scared of how the game may end.

But, we did it.

A running diary partially filmed on an iPhone. Against everything in my body, I filmed a Vlog on my iPhone. I'm tired, emotional, somehow look more aged than normal, and stressed beyond any plausible belief. The Packers do that to me.

If you're interested in watching ... Here ye are:

(Go Packers 2015-1016)

THE PLAYLIST. RUNNING DIARY. TIRED JOSH. 

Aaron Rodgers

This will be my last desperate (and maybe pathetic) attempt to push the Green Bay Packers into the throats of any football fan. I’m well aware this is Seattle / Denver week, and I’m also well aware that I’m partially delusional to hold the Packers on such a large pedestal as I currently do. Lets be real, they’ve been getting their asses kicked for the last three years. Oh wait, what a perfect segway!

But first, a disclaimer: I love the Green Bay Packers. I really do. I have professional football love for Aaron Rodgers, and did I mention I love the Green Bay Packers. That’s why it kind of kills me to write this…

There aren’t many players in the NFL with distinct badass football moves. When I say moves I mean celebrations, not jukes, or hurdles that running backs do. We’re talking very specific association with one action and one player. The few that come to mind are Colin Kapernick kissing his dumb bicep, Cam Newton doing his Superman thing, and… wait. Is that it? I think it may be. But there used to be one more and it was Aaron Rodgers doing the “Title Belt” which somehow is now associated with State Farm Insurance as the “Discount Double Check” and this really pisses me off.

I hate to say this but, Aaron Rodger sold the fuck out (and not in the good way). Not only did he sell out but he stripped us all of seeing him toss a fake WWE belt around his waste for the next god knows how many years. We’ve lost the arrogance that any good celebratory move has. If you were or are a wresting fan you know how important “moves” are, it’s a calling card. It’s a moment for all of us to say, “oh shit, Aaron Rodgers is about to do something crazy”.

The mind blowing thing about all of this is that the Aaron Rodgers was literally set up to be stuck with the “Title Belt” association forever. If we recall, Clay Matthews draped a fake WWE belt over his shoulder when they won the Superbowl (picture above). He was primed to be stuck with it! What happened!? Why’d he sell it to State Farm Insurance!? Why’d he just give away the rights to something so great!? WHY!?

Was it the money? Maybe, but two years after he became associated with the belt he got the best contract in NFL quarterback history.  He had to know something big was coming, right? Or is that naive of me? Was it the fact he didn’t want to be associated with the WWE? Maybe, but I doubt it, because he wouldn’t have done the belt gesture in the first place. Was it the fact that he was hooking up his buddy at State Farm? No, probably not.

You know the worst part about all of this? It’s that he doesn’t even do the move anymore, he just stopped. He allows some moron on TV to do in front of him. He literally sold out, and I don’t know if he expected so many people to pick up on this but they did, and it sucks because we’ve been stripped of happiness, and I feel deep down he wants to do it. NAY, not think, he does want to do. Just watch his reaction against the Bears.

So what’s the deal? Why’d he go State Farm? How did this happen? Is it a coincidence that once he stopped the “Title Belt” they’ve been going down hill? God, I just can’t get into that.

Aaron Rodgers sold out. But not just sold out, he sold a longterm move, he sold an association. He stripped millions of kids around the world doing something awesome when they score a touch down on the playground. These kind of things come along once every so often so to see it is special, especially when it happens organically - that’s even more special. Dammit it pisses me off.

Go Packers.

Oh God, I just found this and it break my heart: Shit!

Love/Hate Relationship: The NFL

I can’t believe what I’m about to type but I’m going for it anyway; I can foresee a day when I don’t watch the NFL anymore.

If you don’t currently know this, I’m a massive Green Bay Packers fan. When Brett Favre tossed an interception against the New York Giants during the 08-09 playoffs I cried. My friend Alex and I had mental breakdowns. We collectively went into the parking lot of our apartment and drank, bitched, groaned, screamed, and then drunkenly patted each other on the back. It was a low point in my life. I was 25 years old. I was a total loser.

The following morning Alex and I agreed that we loved the Packers too much (if there is such a thing) and both said we had to bring it in a little bit, and from that moment I did kind of bring it in. I dialed down my love, which actually translates to: I don’t drink that much during football games.

Years later I’m the slightly mature version of that human that once was, but I can feel the earlier version of me creeping back into my system. Last week when I found out Clay Matthews was injured I was pissed, then to see Randall Cobb, and James Jones get taken out in the same game I was irate. I went on a rant to anyone who would listen, only to be hit with the realization that I hate injuries in a football game. They’re obvious, common, and still infuriating.

I get it, injures are part of any sport, but the NFL seems to be leading the injury market… obviously. It’s a full contact “I want to rip your head off now” sport. I get it. I get that the NFL is a team sport. I get all the obvious things you could say but there is a growing issue inside of me that is having an adverse reaction to the NFL. The injuries are causing me to actually dislike the sport, for two reasons really. First reason being based solely on how brutal it is, the second reason because it causes the NFL to be completely sporadic.

I realize injuries have always been around but lately it’s really affecting me. Maybe it’s the media and the constant covering of sports. Maybe it’s the sports media constantly talking about neck injuries. Maybe it’s the sports media constantly talking about how to hit in the NFL. Maybe it’s the effing media! Maybe… But maybe not.

My awareness of how injuries impact a NFL game is literally hurting my viewing experience. Not only am I rooting for my team to properly execute, but also I’m rooting for my team to make it through the full 60 minutes without a serious injury. This inevitably makes me question whether I can put up with an extra layer of rooting.

Oh wait, shit, maybe I’ve reverted into the old version of me more than I thought. Are my emotions taking over? Is there any way to be more pragmatic about this approach? Am I just hiding my overbearing emotions somewhere deep in my soul? Is this normal?

So many questions, such little time. Hopefully I can one day find a perfect harmony to this balance but I think that means taking another step away from football and not care as much. If I keep taking these steps away I’m going to eventually find myself further away than I ever thought, unfortunately, I can envision this happening.

Until then… Go Packers.

Oh, and hopefully Jermichael Finley recuperates while he’s in the ICU from the neck injury he experienced yesterday. Effing, football.

The Greg Jennings Fall From Grace.

Ahhhhh, yes, football season, welcome back. I feel good about things. I’m ready to overly engage in minute details and look at everything as absolutes. This is the life of a football fan. I’m not proud of it, but it’s just the way it is. Oh, in case anyone has forgotten I’m a Green Bay Packers fan. Lets just jump right into this…

Greg Jennings recently signed with the Vikings. Cool. Happy for the guy, I’d take more money too. Then he started to talk about Aaron Rodgers and that he’s basically unapproachable due to his stigma and the Packer organization is basically afraid to point at him when things go wrong. Okay, fine, that’s cool. But now this —

A quote from an article I read on NBC:

“When I came over here, I was kind of brainwashed, there’s no ‘kind of’ to it. Being over in Green Bay, you’re brainwashed to think anyone in the division is tiers below. And so coming over here I meet the people within the organization and I’m like, ‘Wow, these are really great people.’”

And —

“It’s like everything that you know in Green Bay is like the best, the best, the best, the best, the best,” Jennings said. “And it’s like total brainwashing. And I think you don’t open your eyes to see what other teams have to offer unless you are in that position.”

Dude, what? What happened to this guy? How much did he hate being in Green Bay?

First off, this quote about meeting great people in another organization and seeming like he’s surprised. Huh? You’re a grown man that travels to play football for a living; you never met cool people in other places?

Secondly, I’ve been to Green Bay just once for a Packers game. The place is small as shit and I feel that being in the smallest market in the NFL an organization needs to implement some form of mindset like “win win win.” The Packers (fortunately) have been good or fun to watch for the last 18 years (give or take a few years). If you’ve ever been Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin, which is a suburb of Green Bay, and also the location of Lambeau field then you’d know that the Packers are the pride and glory. That mindset Greg Jennings is cutting down is crucial.

I still like the guy, he seems like a good dude and is a good football player. But come on, let it go. He’s starting to seem desperate.

-Enter girlfriend analogy about having remorse so you keep cutting her down because you secretly love her still-

I love Football season.

Dear 49ers Fans --

Lets just excuse the bitter aspect of everything for a second because I am a Green Bay Packers fan.

I hopped on Facebook today and noticed my friend just posted a picture of Alex Smith with the tag “Who’s got it better than us?” I stared at it for a long time trying not to think what I was about to think but I thought it anyway —

You can’t use the phrase “who’s got it better than us” only when the 49ers win. That’s just not right. You either commit or you don’t commit. That phrase is the most ridiculous phrase ever uttered from any fan base that has actually lost games. You either gotta double down on the stupidity or abandoned it completely… just like Aaron Rodgers and his title belt move… um… I mean discount double check.

Are we all clear about this? Does this make sense? Any time I talk to San Francisco fans about this I never get an explanation as to how people can act like this phrase doesn’t exist. Where was this just the other week when you lost? I’m confused.

Now back to bitter Packers fan mode. Go Packers.

10 minutes later: I just read the origins of this saying and I can kind of appreciate it from a family point of view, but still… You can’t just sometimes use it.

Green Bay Packers: Rational Reminders

I’ve been a little reluctant to write anything about the Green Bay Packers simply because I kind of don’t know what is happening to them. Last Thursday I was talking with my friend Ottford while they were playing the Chicago Bears and we collectively may have gone through a rollercoaster of emotions that only those who are in psychotic relationships go through. One minute we were basically giving up all hope and conceded that nothing good is going to happen to this team. The next moment their defense was playing better and we talked us into the idea that they have figured out how to play and everything is okay.

We’re sports fans, this is how it’s supposed to be, right?

Moving forward I’ve made a list to keep me sane while this football season is active, these are things that I need to remind myself because without this list to knock sense into me I may look back at this time in my life as an embarrassment. An embarrassment because I cared so much about things out of my control…

Reminder 1: The Packers had a historically horrible defense last year, why would they have pulled a total 180 this year?

Reminder 2: Their offense will pull their shit together.

Reminder 3: Even though Donald Drive has never dropped a pass in his entire life and is the most reliable player on the Packers, Aaron Rodgers obviously knows something I don’t know because he’s not passing to him every play.

Reminder 4: They’re going to get a running game. No they won’t. Yes they will. No they won’t!

Reminder 5: They won the Super Bowl when they were 9-7 and season long team momentum has never seemed so important. It’s okay if the Packers lose games.

Reminder 6: The Packers have the best quarterback in the NFL.

Reminder 7: Jermichael Finley will always piss me off; I shouldn’t be surprised about his rock hands.

Reminder 8: Once again: I’m not playing on the team so for me to think that I have a single bit of control makes me reverse insane. Just accept whatever is happening (This is a crutch… but seriously I need to actually believe this).

With these year long reminders I think I can successfully remain okay with what’s happening, win or lose – or at least pretend to be okay with things.

(Arrogant) Packer Fan Prediction.

And so it begins. Yesterday the NFL released their regular season schedule and I can’t help but speculate on what the Packers season is going to look like and anticipate the season. I’m excited to play Monday morning quarterback and somehow be smarter than the coaches for 5 or 6 days, it just feels right.

As I looked over the regular season schedule I started to feel a bit arrogant and realized that I’ve been spoiled for 2 years. I need to remind myself that The Packers division has gotten a bit stronger and it may be foolish of me to sleep on some teams (Bears, Lions, not you Vikings). The strong division is a good thing. In Wisconsin I knew this old disgruntled coach that loved playing stronger teams because he’d say “It’ll keep you honest” and that’s all I can hope for The Packers this year… They stay honest.

Without further adieu I give you the most accurate (bias) prediction I possibly can. You don’t need to watch a single game this season because this is how the Green Bay Packers season will unfold:

Week 1: 49ers at PACKERS: Packers win 27-17 to open the season. Randy Moss scores 2 touchdowns and we remember he’s playing again. Aaron Rodgers is currently considering bringing back his championship belt move. By the way, last year I realized how many 49ers fans I have and that scares me.

Record: 1-0

Week 2: Bears at PACKERS: Packers have been in the heads of the Bears players for 3 years now. Although I’m always scared of the Bears in some weird Midwestern way the Packers win 20-13.

Record: 2-0

Week 3: PACKERS at Seattle: Matt Flynn does his best A Rodg impression but unfortunately A Rodg does his best Matt Flynn VS Detroit impression. Packers win in some kind of shootout.

Record: 3-0

Week 4: Saints at PACKERS: Any single joke about the Saints and their insanely mentally fucked up team could work here. This game is a shoot out but the mentally complete Packers win 45-31.

Record: 4-0 and Aaron Rodgers was just named player of the month.

Week 5: PACKERS at Colts: Peyton Manning hangover. Packers win.

Record: 5-0

Week 6: PACKERS at Texans: Uh oh, do I sense a stumbling block from the seemingly always-pesky Texans? Yeah, actually I do, but I sense a win in the 4th quarter.

Record: 6-0

Week 7: PACKERS at Rams: Sam Bradford is to busy admiring what a good team looks like. Packers win 30-10

Record: 7-0 and everyone starts recognizing how easy their schedule has been.

Week 8: Jaguars at PACKERS: Blaine Gabbert is picked off 5 times and Aaron Rodgers is the official front-runner for MVP.

Record: 8-0

Week 9: Arizona at PACKERS: I see this game turning into a shootout that Aaron Rodgers comes away winning 31-24 and I officially begin to worry that this schedule is way to easy.

Record: 9-0

Week 10: BYE WEEK: My buddy Ottford and I brag to each other about how good the Packers are but we’re both worried about their awesome record and don’t acknowledge that they were 9-0 the previous year. We’re trying to avoid a jinx, but then I try to reverse the jinx by saying they may lose and Ottford proceeds to get pissed at me.

Record: Still 9-0 and narrowly escaped a jinx.

Week 11: PACKERS at Detroit: Matthew the Staffinfection is having a killer year, he’s somehow managed to stay healthy and the Lions are still fun to watch. Megatron will exploit the Packers for 2 touchdowns but we’re still in their heads. Packers win.

Record: 10-0

Week 12: PACKERS at Giants: I get to the bar early for this game and decide I’m going to pace myself… by halftime I’m drunk. Fortunately the Packers win this game; unfortunately everyone knows that Eli Manning is waiting for the post season to win another Super Bowl. This win almost means nothing but fortunately it’s against a good team.

Record: 11-0

Week 13: Vikings at PACKERS: Thank God we’re in Green Bay because the Metrodome is contemplating breaking down. If the Packers lose this game it’s only because Adrian Peterson runs for 200+ yards… But they win by a lot.

Record: 12-0

Note: I’m getting worried because this is very similar to last year.

Week 14: Lions at PACKERS: Upset Alert! WTF!? Detroit wins 27-24 and Packer fans are starting to realize that their secondary is still depleted… like last year. Packer fans are starting to worry about the Lions… like last year. Congratulations Stafford.

Record: 12-1

Week 15: PACKERS at Bears: Truth be told I’m worried. I think the Packers are a bit bruised from their loss last week and what’s even scarier is that Jay Culter is clicking with Brandon Marshall. My worries manifest into reality and I feel that I cause this loss. ESPN goes crazy stating it’s been nearly 2 years since the Packers lost back to back games.

Record: 12-2 

Week 16: Titans at PACKERS: Pissed and on a mission the Packers try to get their grove back, somehow. They’ve been exploited in their secondary and honestly I don’t think their running game is looking too good… If this were a better team that may matter. Packers win 35-20

Record: 13-2

Week 17: PACKERS at Vikings: Vikings don’t have a chance. The Packers are playing to win their division with style. Aaron Rodgers passes for over 400 yards and enters into the post season with a first round bye.

Regular season record: 14-2

Can’t really pinpoint what happens from here but all I can think and say is that they have to avenge their 2011 season. I’m already worried that they some how get bounced in the playoffs like last season.

I think the main issue is that I have to remind myself that the Packers hit a great streak in 2010-2011, when they won the Super Bowl, and I can’t expect that every year - now they have a bullseye on their backs like the Patriots.

Fuck it. They win the Super Bowl.

2013 Super Bowl Champions: GREEN BAY PACKERS

Random thoughts: Rodgers absolutely brings back the belt. Clay Matthews shocks the world with a short haircut. The Packers develop a running game. Donald Driver comes in 2nd on Dancing with the Stars.

Full Discretion: I'm Slightly Worried About The Packers

I’m worried that the Packers had a bye week.

I’m worried that Aaron Rodgers was so good he sat out the final week of the season and may be rusty.

I’m worried that the Giants still have players on it that won the improbable Super Bowl in 2008.

I’m worried that if the Packers beat the Giants they face a team that I actually really like (get that out of your head). They face a team that is very good (get that out of your head). And lets be honest, the 49ers are in an odd way a Cinderella team even though they had a first round bye.

I’m worried that tomorrow FOX is going to broadcast some ridiculous stat saying the Packers are 76-1 in temperatures 34 degrees and under. What they aren’t saying is that they’re a lot worse when it’s 35 degrees.

I worried that even if the Packers make it to the Super Bowl they’ll probably have to face the Patriots (jumping ahead!) And the Patriots have a potent offense that I feel is changing the game; their tight ends are amazing.

I’m worried. Okay!

I’m worried that I’m worried.

Wasn’t I confident 2 weeks ago? Yes. But now the bad teams are weeded out and watching the good teams reminds me that the Packers actually have company. The odd part about my feelings are that I still have some lingering issues with Brett Favre, for some reason he has put a stamp of doubt in my head about the Packers, much like he did every time they played a game against anyone. I have to remind myself that Aaron Rodgers doesn’t make the same mistakes.

Reminder, Reminder, Reminder.

I’m not going to finish this off and say that win or lose they had a good season, the sports fan truth is that I want them to never lose again, but we know that can’t happen. I’m realizing I’m a tad bit invested, there was something great about last season and the miracle wild card run to the Super Bowl,  and now watching a team that has a bull’s-eye on their back is nerve-wracking, but at the same time it’s also a major compliment to have the bulls-eye.

I must forget about my worries and push forward… Tomorrow will be a major measuring stick for the Green Bay Packers. I’m excited, I can’t be worried. I must remind myself I have no control over the situation… Or do I? No, No, I can’t worry about control over a game that I’ll be watching on TV.

No matter what Sunday’s outcome is I will have to remind myself this is a great season - if they lose I’ll force that fact in my head. If they win… Well, I’ll worry about that later.

Time To Get Ahead Of Myself.

Jerry Rice fumbled! I had to get that out before I mention it 8 more times before this post is over.

Last night I had coffee with someone who’s from the Bay area and a huge 49ers fan. Within 5 minutes of conversation we were unintentionally talking about football and discussing the turn around that the 49ers had this year. Then I laid out a fact that opened up conversation for about 10 more minutes:

“I’m from Wisconsin”

In the world of two football fans who are relatively the same age our minds went to the same area, the area of late 90’s NFL when Brett Favre was smoking the 49ers almost every season (At least that’s where mine went).

For me that time period was somewhat a changing of the guards (briefly) as the NFL saw the dominate 49ers take a back seat to the up and coming Green Bay Packers.

In 1994 – 49ers won the Super Bowl.

In 1995 – Packers beat the 49ers in the first round of the playoffs then lost to Dallas.

In 1996 – Packers beat the 49ers in the playoffs (Again) and went on to win the Super Bowl.

In 1997 – Packers beat the 49ers in the playoffs (Again!) and went on to lose to John Elway (who did his best Tim Tebow impression) in the Super Bowl.

Enter 1998 -

The 49ers beat the Packers in the playoffs on a fluke drive that ended up with Terrell Owens (who dropped 47 passes this game) catching the game-winning pass with no time remaining. In TO’s defense it was a great game winning catch.

The asterisk on this game was the fumble Jerry Rice had but it was not called a fumble. As a matter of fact this play was a huge part in why we have Instant Replay today. Anyway…

My San Francisco friend and I went on to talk about the possibilities of the 49ers and Packers meeting again this year in the Playoffs… and I really want this to happen. It just so happens the 49ers pulled a 180 this year and are relevant again. The only chance they have to meet is the Championship game which determines who is going to the Super Bowl – which makes it that much better.

Can you imagine the nostalgic conversations that every analyst will have if these two teams meet? I can already imagine FOX calling Brett Favre and asking him to comment on the game, to which Favre writes “NO” on his middle finger, snaps a picture of it, and sends it by snail mail to the FOX producers.

Not to get ahead of myself because both 49ers and Packers have tough roads ahead… But I want this! I want to see Aaron Rodgers get his over due personal 49ers revenge for not picking him in the NFL draft… And I want the game to end with Donald Driver catching a game-winning touchdown a la TO style… Only Driver won’t start crying to anyone who’s willing to look at him.

Please football Gods – make this happen.

Adios Jinx: The Perfect Green Bay Packers Season

I’m a sports fan, and being a sports fan means I believe in random superstitions and raw emotion generally tanks logic more than I’d like to admit. I occasionally believe in random jinxes and from time to time am afraid to admit this to myself simply because I feel to embarrassed…I’m a sports fan.

In my world you walk a fine line between gloating and creating the ultimate jinx, it’s actually tough not to cross the two - The reason we worry about a jinx is because we have a personal investment in the team, we actually care. The reason we gloat is because we’re so proud as if we’re actually quarterbacking the team.

I’ve turned the other cheek and am very careful not to create commotion in my jinx world; I’ve played it safe because I’ve been burned before.

I’ve played it cool… I’ve played it smart… I didn’t want to jinx a single person… I didn’t want to jinx my team. But today that changes.

Fuck you potential jinx. Today I announce what I’ve been thinking all NFL season:

The Green Bay Packers are going undefeated. I want them to go undefeated. I never want them to lose.

Somewhere my friend Alex just got very pissed off with me for “calling it” but I had too, and I know he’s thinking the same thing too, but neither one of us want to be responsible if they lose.

I hate it when ESPN starts with the Miami Dolphin undefeated 72’ season talk at weeks 2 and to be honest I’m sick of them leading off shows with “Looks like the Dolphins can pop the champagne” once the 5-0 whoever lose their game. I don’t want to hear about it anymore, I want to hear about the 2011 Packers going undefeated - all the way through the Super Bowl.

Here’s why they’ll do it:

The Offense: Is it just me or do these guys really like each other? If the Packers were on Hard Knocks I bet we’d see them playing monopoly with each other’s families. Why is it important for them to like each other? Duh, they want each other to succeed.

Aaron Rodgers: It’s a good time to be QB in the NFL; A Rodg is experiencing that right now. As long as he’s going… the Packers will not lose.

Well, wait… I’ll stop, that’s it, that’s why they’ll go undefeated. The A Rodg led offense is so good that it’s tough to keep up with them at this moment in time, the only way you can come close to beating them is by keeping them off the field.

Why they won’t do it:

Injures: That’s it.

Old me would have just given myself the Larry David skeptical stare down and asked why I just opened the door on a potential jinx of injuries, poor Rodgers play, bad offensive play, and the perfect season. New Me is the guy staring back at Larry David confident in whatever I just said – knowing the only way to this machine down is through the unfortunate injury.

The Packers are good and my logic is telling me nobody can stop them, they’re currently like the opening sequence of Last Boy Scout where Billy Banks is running down the field shooting everyone because nobody will stop them… The Packers are him - minus the gun.

Today I denounce a jinx. ESPN please start prepping any and all clever things you have to say about the Miami Dolphins and Green Bay Packers. The Packers are going 16-0.

I say this with confidence.