I know almost nothing about Josh Jacobs. I can't confirm I ever heard his league-leading name before the Packers picked him up (that's how irrelevant the Raiders are to me), and since they picked him up, I've essentially only seen his gametime. I'm not over-the-moon -- Aaron Jones to Josh Jacobs is such a downgrade in excitement, if the first five games are any indication -- but I guess I'm pleasantly surprised that he's just quietly doing his job. In losing the thrill of Jones, what better consolation than a guy who's playing tough, picking up hard yards, and not making any drama about it? If he keeps on like this, I'll appreciate him. I haven't seen ego, that's the thing.
It can all change so fast though. Doubs, the humblest on-field presence, skips practice in dissent of his targets. I seem to remember Clinton-Dix was released because of some locker room complaining; that incident stuck with me as a key development in my emotional distancing from individual players. The best you can hope for is to pretend a player's legacy is immortalized in purity, like Donald Driver's -- always a Packer, always a team player. You can't even hope Driver was actually always a team player, but at least he gives you the pretense to pretend. More likely you can remember players but only attach to the organization. Or maybe the aura of the organization. Even the organization is ugly. Do I really admire Gutekunst? What an ugly name. "Lambeau" -- that's a name. It's all about the facade.
Favre unretired, went to the Vikings, lied about some money, was addicted to some drugs, and supposedly assaulted some women. I haven't read much into these off-field allegations. Why would I? So I can confidently wear or tear my old Favre jersey? I'll just keep remembering Favre as the facade of my young fandom.
Favre: faith in the facade
Doubs: doubt in the double-cross
Lombardi: mythical creature. Soon no one will know Vince Lombardi ever again; only his myth will survive.
Even watching the Packers is pure invention, like math. Axiom: we all care whether the Packers come out on top. If Packers lose, then analyze their playoffs hopes. If they miss the playoffs, then analyze next season's prospects. You can always pretend next season looks good, at least as a Packer fan in the 21st century. If they win the Super Bowl... this is almost worst case scenario, since there's nowhere to go but down, and you're inarguably confronted with the emptiness of your hopes -- not the empty likelihood they're fulfilled, but the emptiness once they're fulfilled.
All I can count on is my desire to watch the games, desire to soak in the culture, and the hazardously ill-defined camaraderie I experience around the idea of the Packers. Is it more positive than negative? I have no idea. Does it depend on whether they're winning? Probably. It depends on whether they're on the up or the down, meaning every game every season roughly averages out, but to a different average depending on their win/lose ratio over the years. ChatGPT says the Packers have won ~63% of their regular season games in my lifetime. I think it's slightly off but in the right ballpark.
When listing the greatest myths in the sport you must include the Raiders. Their jerseys are top 5, maybe top 1. Sadly now they play indoors, and in exile, which really tampers it. Davante looks amazing in that uniform.
ReplyDeleteI haven't felt the Jacobs downgrade as much. I've been impressed by his patience and vision as a runner. I think once Love gets healthier he'll be under center more, then the offense will normalize. It is rough to see Jones look fantastic in purple. But he's already injured (surprise surprise).
Maybe I'm too glass half full, but I'm glad the Doubs thing simmered over already. I think he wanted to be featured in front of a home town crowd. There's a version of this where he does not act out, but the issue continues under the surface. I'm hoping the suspension leads to better production, similar to Jaire's situation last year.
The Favre myth is pretty insane. Watched him a little yesterday, and it's hard to imagine a more aesthetically pleasing QB.
The omission of Rodgers in this post is interesting. Has he been stripped away?
Favre: football's Federer
DeleteJones just felt like the perfect running back for my taste. Jacobs has shown less personality and maybe less versatility, but I get that I've only seen him in 5 games whereas I watched Jones for >5 years.
Rodgers was another hard lesson (maybe the last one I'll ever need) in not getting too attached to players -- not expecting them to remain Packers or remain pure in public perception.
My memory of Favre is as grainy as the old footage, which props up the legend. Rodgers is crystal clear, not only because it's more recent and I'm older, or because of the modern media, but because he was so measured on the field, compared to Favre's magic.
I don't know how to evaluate Rodgers. My base sentiment toward him is not super positive at the moment. Emotionally, I don't really want him to succeed. I'm sure as time backs us away from his career his positive Packer identity will shine through.
Not sure on what point specifically you were expecting Rodgers to make an appearance though.
There wasn't a specific point of omission for Rodgers. I was just curious what your thoughts were. It seems they're similar to when we last discussed this.
DeleteFavre has faded quite a bit for me, which I think follows the natural course of things as time has passed. But I put on that 2007 Packers-Cowboys game and was struck by his titanic presence.
Rodgers is a far more significant figure for me. I'm invested in his success with the Jets, though not optimistic.
Despite my base sentiment not being super positive for Rodgers right now, and not really wanting him to succeed, I don't actually dislike him. Bitterness is a decent word for it. I just feel dissonance and disappointment around how things fell out, and I don't NOT blame Rodgers, but I also don't blame him, and it hasn't stained his character too much in my mind. But it has stained a lot of associations with him in my mind, at least temporarily.
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