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Pastimes : Green Bay Packers -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: SE who wrote (1029)	12/11/2000 9:43:55 PM
From: SE	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1150

Wags by Len Wagner Monday, December 11, 2000 "A Winter Frolic" If you watched closely Sunday -- and I know many of you likely did not have an opportunity to do so -- you may have seen fun overcome frustration. With Brett Favre having a Shane Matthews-type of game, matching Detroit's Charlie Batch blunder for blunder and perhaps even surpassing him, the Packers found frustration to be their toughest foe. But, other than for Favre, whose misguided missiles left him a somber soul for three quarters, the Packers seemed to express themselves in smiles -- some wider than others, of course. The Packers' expressions seemed to be telling everyone, especially the Lions, that they were in their element. This was Packer football: cruel cold (temperature in the teens), bitter breezes, a full house of crazy but ecstatic fans roaring unwavering support, and knowing that Favre has done little to irk Mother Nature -- therefore it was just a matter of time before he would regain his frigid magic. They were enjoying the game, as if at least some of the pressure was being released in favor of frolic. Oh sure, they still are within mathematical reach of the playoffs. But even the players, human beings that they are, know deep in their mindset that the odds are stacked pretty high against them. So now they can just play -- with winning, especially against old rivals like the Bears and Lions, a bonus, a good way to finish up a bumpy season, and, well, who knows. . .? After all, the Packers now have won three of their last four games, five of their last eight. They are 7-7 with a good chance to finish 8-8, numbers that appeared quite improbable not too many Sundays ago. Their chances of beating the Vikings on that turf in the Twin Cities dome are not much better than Ralph Nader being a compromise pick for the presidency. But their chances of beating Tampa Bay in Lambeau Field on Christmas Eve are considerably better than flipping a coin for the decision. Whether or not any of this is enough to boost them into the playoffs, the team and coaches do deserve some non-financial accolades for their late season run. Sunday's 26-13 triumph over the surprisingly tame Lions also was another tribute to the grit this team has employed as a major weapon in lieu of superior talent. Only in the Carolina loss was there an inexplicable grit dip. As for Favre, Sunday he was the epitome of both the grit and fun aspects of this wintery outing. His passing -- well, he might as well have been throwing Nerf balls for most of the game. But he did show some of that recklessness that endeared him to us in glorious seasons past. His 15-for-36 accuracy -- without many drops -- was one of the statistically poorest efforts in his crackerjack career. But he also enriched his MVP reputation by coming through when he had to near the end of the game with a couple of big bombs: a 29-yard strike to a crossing Antonio Freeman and a beautiful 45-yard rainbow to Billy Schroeder that put that Pack on the Detroit 4-yard line. And then he pitched a deadly short shot to Ahman Green for the crucial touchdown. It was Favre's 26th straight victory when the temperature is 34 degrees or less and that familiar boyish grin at game's end spoke volumes. So who was concerned? Nobody, as long as Batch kept throwing passes to the Packers. At least Favre, despite his difficulties, tossed only one interception. Batch gave the Packers three, though one was hardly his fault as Darren Sharper scooped a bobble off the tips of the grass. But he actually had another one erased by a penalty and saw Nate Wayne drop one right in his overly-greedy hands. Thus, for the second straight week, the Packers pulled back on their blitz defense and concentrated on coverage against a less than threatening pass game. It worked well, another credit to Coordinator Ed Donatell and his battered but frisky troops. Beating the Bears and Lions in consecutive games has produced a merry mood in Titletown, a sort of early Christmas aura. It's scary to think what conquests of the Vikings and Bucs in the next two weeks would produce. Footnotes: Is Allen Rossum a legitimate candidate for team MVP? . . .Josh Bidwell has just one punt longer than 50 yards this year. A native Green Bay lad, Kevin Stemke, who punts for the University of Wisconsin, was given the Ray Guy Award as the nation's best collegiate punter last week. A possible draft choice? . . .Perhaps we can live with a mistake or two from Ahman Green, considering the current high level of his play, not to mention his potential as he gains experience. . .What is the prime post-season need on defense: a strong pass-rushing lineman or a dominant linebacker? ---------------------------( ADVERTISEMENT )--------------------------- Get your sports tickets (yes even Packer tickets) from OpenSeats.com southendzone.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- South End Zone Mailing List southendzone.com SouthEndZone-subscribe@egroups.com SouthEndZone-unsubscribe@egroups.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- == Over 2,600 subscribers in 14 countries. Tell all your friends! ==