It has taken me some time to write a little summarization of the Packers 2010 Super Bowl season, not because of a lack of words, but that empty feeling that I felt after that amazing victory, I really just wanted to savor that moment. I mean, I wish the Packers season would have never ended, it was just that great! This 2010 Packers football season brought our family closer together more than I'll say, since the 2007 journey. The one person that changed that this year is our daughter Rae, who is currently 10. She really did not get into football last year, as she was just to busy with friends and extra school activities, to sit down and watch a football game. But that totally changed this year for some reason. As a lifelong die-hard cheesehead myself, I can get jacked up over a Packers song, a new shirt, poster, or seeing another Packer Fan at the local store! I just live and breathe all things Packers all year long. Rae, however, took a new love for the game this year. It started with the preseason game against the Seahawks on Saturday night. That evening Rae came and sat with me in the living room and now and then she would ask simple questions like; how many players on a team, or what does the hand signal mean by the referee, etc? She even said she like the uniforms of the Seahawks, I told her I kind of did too. We talked about Matt Hasslebeck and Mike Holmgren and all the other Packer connections that were on their team at some time, and she was so interested that she did not leave my side the entire game. We got in a zone, we cheered, and I think Rae found out how much fun it is to be a Packers Fan. Rae can even say she learning the calls on the field....everyone can be proud of that!
Let's just say the next preseason game against the Colts, was amazing. I actually attended this Thursday Night showdown at Lambeau where we put up 59 points and looked stunning on all aspects of the game. To me, besides the Super Bowl XLV Victory, this was the best team played game overall. Yes, it was preseason but it was a thing of beauty. And Rae was at home watching this game and texting me and telling me; to stand up so she could see my #1 "The Packer Fan" jersey on TV, that really added to the awesomeness of the evening.
By Rae getting into the Packers and wearing all her Packers gear on game day was great, but Rae took it even further herself. She started to design cool Packer pins and shirts and give them away to anyone she say wearing a "G". She started having superstitious rituals, where she had to wear the same Packer socks, headband and bracelets. For a moment I thought I had created the next Packers monster, and I still just might have. This year I can say we never missed a game, that includes going to church, other family events and work commitments. However, I did have to leave during the Miami and Washington games, both went to OT and the Packers lost...ugh. That is when I thought a jinx was in place. But again Rae came to the rescue and said it was only two losses and that we would beat the Vikings twice. She was right, we did and won 4 in a row.
Rae's determination on watching all the Packers games by my side and as a family this season, made this Super Bowl victory extra special. The day after the Super Bowl she wore all her Packers stuff to school, PROUDLY and we live in Vikingsland. She is so brave and wanted to rub it in so bad! She now has more friends for doing so, as they want to come over and watch the Packer games with her, how cool is that! I wish I could do that again! I had to thank her for finding me the coolest Packer stuff online, for cheering and jumping up and down louder than anyone during all the Packers games, it really felt like winning this Super Bowl was the greatest single event since 96'. (Just a side note: That 96' Super Bowl my brother and I celebrated a little harder, only because it as the "first" Super Bowl we had seen the Packers in.) And I think Rae felt that same experience this year and I only hope that the Packers don't make her or myself for that matter wait 14 years for another chance to hoist the Lombardi Trophy in Green Bay. Although, we already have plans on watching the upcoming draft together and our annual trip to Packers Family Night. Rae is the ultimate Packers Fan! Love you sweetie, GO! PACK GO!
So let's get to my thoughts on the Packers team and the season as a whole. Well we certainly had some shaky times. First off, all the players that went on IR, to all the close games and the ones we let slip away, mostly by beating ourselves. And then there is Aaron Rodgers who is the Super Bowl XLV MVP quarterback! Without his play this season and his determination to be more to the TEAM than..uh you know that "other" guy, Rodgers deserves everything he gets from this day forward. He plays with a calmness that puts me at ease while watching him and the rest of the Packers play. I am honored to have him as the Packers QB, I just hope that they make more posters of him for my Packers Shrine walls.
The Packers offense was a machine at times, scoring at will and making any game close. Jennings, Driver, Jones, Nelson, Lee, Jackson, Starks, Kuhn and even Rookie Andrew Quarless had a nice season. It was so great to see Donald Driver finally get a Super Bowl ring. My main concern is with James Jones, who is a nice receiver but his sure TD drops are a killer and he needs to work on that during this offseason.
The Packers defense is the GREATEST! And they proved it by winning a World Championship! Clay Matthews and Charles Woodson are proven leaders and now TV superstars! Tramon Williams, Nick Collins, A.J. Hawk, Desmond Bishop, Sam Shield and B.J. Raji, Cullen Jenkins did what they do BEST, cause havoc! I really think that next year we will be better than last year on both sides of the ball. REPEAT! REPEAT! REPEAT! I want to Thank You All SO Very Much! For complete numbers on the year see them here: http://www.packers.com/team/statistics.html
We will see you all very soon!
The Road to Super Bowl XLV: The Packers were 4-8 in McCarthy's first season before winning their final four games. In 2007, they scored 31 or more points in eight of their 10 games prior to the NFC Championship Game, where they were upset by the New York Giants. In 2009, the Packers started out 4-4, then went 7-1 before losing an overtime shootout at Arizona in the playoffs. This year, they were 3-3 before winning 11 of their final 14 games, including six in a row at the end to win Super Bowl XLV.