Rodgers Reminds Magic of Bird

[vince]

I am genuinely curious what trait convinced his teammates to follow and believe in Bart. While I can see the points that vince makes about Bart's humility and lack of (visible) ego, my own experience is that those that achieve at levels like this have a singular focus and drive that allows them to rise above the substantial efforts of others. Its hard to couple that with putting others literally first. Not just in public comments, but in actual day to day living. There are rare people for whom you feel terrible if you let them down and they never, ever let you know about it. But I do not associate that often with sports, especially football.

Yeah that's a tough one. Maxie hit on a bunch of 'em I'd say but it seems to me there's a long list of traits that exist in as many different degrees as there are people. Guys like Lombardi or Jordan to some extent are followed in no small part because of their strong personalities, high expectations and willingness to call their teammates/players out on the practice field, in the classroom and on the field/court. At the same time, a guy like Starr achieves the same status without possessing the superior athletic gifts nor does he call them out or get tough with his teammates. Different kinds of respect maybe but they both can work.

One guy can essentially be a bully and it works because he possesses the right combination of other traits to compliment that. Another guy can seem to be totally soft and that works because of his unique combination of other traits that compliment THAT. Then there's the approach that it's perhaps not the leader's traits as much as the leaders ability to be flexible in dealing with situations and personalities in different ways based on the teammates personality traits and the situation at hand.

Now there's a long-winded way of saying I don't have a clue. I suspect intelligence and heart (whatever that means) are two of the stronger determinants.

[George Cumby]

But, but, but.... He's too cautious with the ball!

[RashanGary]

We get a championship this year and the recognition Rodgers gets will come unglued!

[vince]

We get a championship this year and the recognition Rodgers gets will come unglued!

Aaron Rodgers is the Greatest Quarterback Ever to Play American Football

Before you call this missive a homer’s drooling homage to Rodgers, I draw my holy water from the three rivers of the Ohio, Allegheny, and Monongahela. When I was born the doctor wrapped me in Terrible Towels, with zero allegiance to the mythology of Lambeau Field or Vince Lombardi. Indeed, I still say my Men of Steel handed Green Bay the Super Bowl, thanks to a late game fumble by Rashard Mendenhall.

Sour grapes? You bet. But there’s nothing sour about the sugar-sweet game of Aaron Rodgers, who is a man alone in Lambeau. If there’s a professional proviso, he needs to win another Trophy named after the patron saint of football.

But if Green Bay wins this year’s Super Bowl, not only will his place in the NFL pantheon be amply archived, but it will be time to regard Rodgers as not just an immortal, but also the king of all NFL quarterbacks.

[vince]

This excerpt from the SI article on Cobb and his contract status.

Let’s face it, if you catch passes for a living, there’s really not a better gig in the NFL these days than being a cog in the Aaron Rodgers’ points-palooza in Green Bay. Cobb is well aware of the history No. 12 is making this season. Rodgers leads the league in a host of meaningful statistical categories, and his dominance in the past two months has been pace-setting, with 23 touchdown passes, two interceptions, a 9.72 yards per pass attempt and 132.2 passer rating in the Packers’ past seven games. When Rodgers gets on a roll, Green Bay gets on a roll.

“It’s definitely special what Aaron’s doing,’‘ Cobb said. “I see it week in and week out, and day in and day out. I think when it’s all said and done, he’s going to be the best quarterback in the history of this game, and arguably the best football player in the history of this game.

I'm trying my damnedest not to worry about what a simple thing like another helmet to the knee of Cobb might do to change where the dominoes might land.

[George Cumby]

Nice, quick read. Worth it.