Positive Thinking

[gureski]

I am as critical as the next person so don't think I'm trying to judge anyone with this topic. I noticed that some of us are really down and feeling gloomy about things so I thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to toss out a positive subject.

For whatever reason, I was thinking back to the Buffalo Bills teams that went to four Superbowls and didn't win a single one. They had Hall-of-Fame talent on both sides of the ball and got to the big game four times and they still couldn't win. Can you imagine how hard that must be on the Bills fans? They're still trying to rebuild after that era and their prospects for success aren't any better than our own G.B. Packers. At least we, as Packer fans, got one Superbowl win to hold us over til the next championship team comes around. Thinking of the Bills and the fact that they still haven't been back on top since those glory days reminds me of how hard it is to win in the NFL, especially at a championship level. The Bills were a dominant team and it's been nearly 15 years since they really had any realistic thoughts of a championship. It puts things in perspective for us, Packer fans. We're really not doing so bad right now. Yeah, we had a couple of real ugly years in which it felt like rebuilding but this is nothing like the losing Packers of the 70's and 80's and it's nothing like the wait the Bills fans have endured over the last 15 years. I actually feel pretty good about where the Packers are, if you take an overall picture perspective. Sure, I wish we had a few more players going into this year but overall, the team is in a good position with a lot of talented young guys.

And then there is #4. Some have soured on him but you can't tell me that even those fans didn't love watching him play at some point in his career. I remember back when the Packers stunk and Joe Montana was the Golden Boy of the NFL. I recall Marino's face plastered everywhere. You couldn't help but be a bit jealous and wish that your team had a player like that. Now, we have our own star that the rest of the NFL wishes they had. Favre is still one of the most exciting players to watch play the game. To be a Packer fan and have been able to watch Favre every game....what a treat that has been.

And then there is the history of the Packers....

It's not just Favre. We all know the rich tradition that the Packers have as a franchise. The Hall of Fame, legendary players that took the field in G.B.. In many ways, the Packers are the envy of the NFL when it comes to tradition. Read a piece about the Packers and you'll likely find a player or media outlet referring to our rich tradition and the sanctity of Lambeau Field. All that and it's our team. How can you not feel good about that.

I think we should all step back every now and then and remember some of the good things I've mentioned. I'm sure that you could add some things to this list of your own and I hope you do. Just pause and smell the roses every now and then. Watch the sunset. Remember players like the Minister of Defense and Bart Starr. We are truly lucky when compared to the rest of the teams and fans out there. There is no greedy owner behind the decisions being made. We are unique. In many ways, the Packers are the envy of many cities and we are the benefactors, year after year. Yeah, we want the team to do well and we all have opinions about how they should get there but don't let things like that rob you of the daily joy involved in being a Packers fan. Eat your heart out Chicago.....put an astrick next to this..... (there's another great memory....After further review....)

[Oscar]

Nice read Gureski. I was watching a Pack. tribute on Youtube the other day...It was cool seeing some of the players like the Grave Digger....Reggie... And so many others.. Your are right...It's been a lil gloomy lately...

[wist43]

Positive??? That's me!!!

I'm positively hopeful that the Packers will win another SB b/4 I die. 8-) 8-)

I may be too old to jump off the couch... but, I should be able to remember what jumping felt like - so, that'll have to do... :) :)

[packinpatland]

Thank you. :)

[packinpatland]

Thank you. :)

[packinpatland]

Don't know why it double posted.

But I meant it both times. :wink:

[MJZiggy]

One must've been for me... :mrgreen: :glug:

[the_idle_threat]

Excellent post. Thanks! :cow:

[MTPackerfan]

Amen Brother!

[PackerBlues]

Great post. Even when the Packers were not competitive, there have been some great memories.

Sterling Sharpe making that awesome catch during that blizzard, with the field covered with snow.......not realizing that he wasnt quite in the end zone, lol......that was funny, and a great memory I will never forget.

Chuck Cecil, sitting on the sidelines.........he always had blood running down his face from the hit he had just layed on some chump.

Nobody is ever going to forget Freeman's "Miracle catch", and correct me if I am wrong, but wasnt that after he had been let go for a year and then re-signed by Sherman to add some depth at WR? Either way, Freeman showed the young guys and everyone else........never give up.

[woodbuck27]

Nice boost there G.

Yes... it's great to be a Packer fan. :)

[swede]

Great post. Even when the Packers were not competitive, there have been some great memories.

Sterling Sharpe making that awesome catch during that blizzard, with the field covered with snow.......not realizing that he wasnt quite in the end zone, lol......that was funny, and a great memory I will never forget.

Chuck Cecil, sitting on the sidelines.........he always had blood running down his face from the hit he had just layed on some chump.

Nobody is ever going to forget Freeman's "Miracle catch", and correct me if I am wrong, but wasnt that after he had been let go for a year and then re-signed by Sherman to add some depth at WR? Either way, Freeman showed the young guys and everyone else........never give up.

Chuck Cecil sure as hell could lay the wood on people. I'd make a wish we could time travel him to our present D but I can't remember if he brought good pass defense along with those devastating hits.

During the 80's players like Lynn Dickey, James Lofton, and characters on defense like Rich Wingo, Mad Dog, and Chuck Cecil made the game fun to watch again, even if we did lose a lot.



(Digging through these memories made me think about Bart Starr, the coach. Laugh at me if you want to, but I think that they fired Bart Starr about two years too soon. He hadn't had any experience as a coach before they made him HC and he had been learning on the job the whole while. His former players think that he was a pretty good coach.)

{I hadn't thought about this before, but Bart's personality was a lot like Mike Sherman's. He might have been on the way to becoming at least that good of a coach before they fired him and brought in Forrest Grumpp}

[Scott Campbell]

Forrest Grumpp}


I ran into Forrest about 10 years ago up at Jackson Hole. He was as gracious as could be. Like you, I was expecting grumpy.

[mmmdk]

A team should always be committed to winning in the future; to be the best. I do enjoy the Olympic spirit...at the olympics but this is the NFL and the Packers should be striving to win it all - at all times. Granted you don't win super bowls every year but you gotta believe you will - ALWAYS.

So I can under no circumstances agree with the alledged "positive" thinking of this thread; looking nostalgically at the glorious Packer past is done at the Packer hall of fame or watching a nostalgic Packer game on dvd from time to time.

Look to the future with a winning attitude and the Packers do have a tradition of winning; in the past, now and in the future.

Some will probably say I misunderstood - not so - this thread is sooo about the past and nostalgic wailing; that it feels like putting the Packer winning ways in a museum.

[the_idle_threat]

Some will probably say I misunderstood - not so - this thread is sooo about the past and nostalgic wailing; that it feels like putting the Packer winning ways in a museum.

Michael, you certainly arrived at a different understanding from this thread than I did. :?

[gureski]

A team should always be committed to winning in the future; to be the best. I do enjoy the Olympic spirit...at the olympics but this is the NFL and the Packers should be striving to win it all - at all times. Granted you don't win super bowls every year but you gotta believe you will - ALWAYS.

So I can under no circumstances agree with the alledged "positive" thinking of this thread; looking nostalgically at the glorious Packer past is done at the Packer hall of fame or watching a nostalgic Packer game on dvd from time to time.

Look to the future with a winning attitude and the Packers do have a tradition of winning; in the past, now and in the future.

Some will probably say I misunderstood - not so - this thread is sooo about the past and nostalgic wailing; that it feels like putting the Packer winning ways in a museum.

Since I wrote the initial post that started this thread, I think I'm best able to state what this thread is about. It's not about the past. It may strike up memories of the past but this post is not meant to tell people to forget today and concentrate on yesterday. The past is just so great that people can't help but feel good about it. We can even be proud of the losing years. THat's how lucky we are. That's not a bad thing. That speaks to the greatness of this franchise and how lucky we are as fans. You think other teams can boast sell-out crowds for teams that stunk? Fan loyalty like the Packers? The tradition....the names that put on the Green and Gold? This post is about TODAY. It's about the state of being a Packer Fan....TODAY.

This thread is to remind you that winning in the NFL is hard to do, especially at a championship level. This thread is to remind fans that the Packers are doing quite well in the overall scope of things, when compared to the rest of the NFL. How do you think it feels to be a Cardinals fan? How about Lions fan? The Bills had 4 cracks at a Superbowl and a roster filled with pro-bowlers and hall of famers and they got nothing! They still have nothing. Winning and going to championship games isn't easy. Don't forget that.

The point is to step back every now and then from the fanaticism that we all fall victim to and pause long enough to enjoy why we are fans. If you can't stop and smell the roses every now and then why bother admiring them? Why bother obsessing over how the roses were planted and whether the right fertilizer was used and the condition of the soil and whether or not the right help was brought in to cultivate the roses.... If you can't stop every now and then and remember why you get so riled up to begin with.....if you can't stop and realize the joy involved in just rooting for your team and how proud you can be of this specific franchise....the Green Bay Packers.....then what is the point of wanting the team to win?

Each of us loses out on so much, regarding the Packers, if all we do is obsess on the negative. Recharge your batteries every now and then by remembering why you love the team. Stop and take in the overall picture and in the process you may remind yourself why you get so pissed when the team lets some FB from Atlanta slip through their fingers. IN a way, doing what I'm saying should revitalize your senses and re-energize your desire for the team to do well. It's not at all about forgetting about winning now and just looking at the past. It's about not getting so negative over moves not being made now that you forget how fortunate we are, as Packer fans. Don't lose out on what is most important. This is our team and we love it. Don't get so upset that you forget that and why you love the team.

[packinpatland]

Thanks, again.

I can't even begin to imagine being a fan for a team that has never won titles or super bowls, or been blessed with the players the Packers have had and still have.
Imagine being a Viking fan. Oh my God, it's just too difficult........can't do it.

[BallHawk]

It could always be worse....

You could be a Cubs fan.

:wink:

[mmmdk]

Some will probably say I misunderstood - not so - this thread is sooo about the past and nostalgic wailing; that it feels like putting the Packer winning ways in a museum.

Michael, you certainly arrived at a different understanding from this thread than I did. :?

No problemo, idle, you have to cut the nostalgic rah rah (which is 99% of the thread) though plus kill the wailing violins. It's no biggie from where I stand; I merely emphasize that striving for winning is paramount for any franchise. Without winning there would be no Green Bay Packers anno 2007; Packers survived due to winning though the decades.

Win in the past, present and future; the point in this thread is trivial and hence has a barren point.

[cpk1994]

It could always be worse....

You could be a Cubs fan.

:wink:

or a Vikings fan. :)

[mmmdk]

It could always be worse....

You could be a Cubs fan.

:wink:

or a Vikings fan. :)

LOL - all true :D