In May of 2011 I witnessed one of the greatest ways to honor to a former player, the Testimonial game.

Gary Neville played for my favorite English soccer team, Manchester United and retired earlier in the 2011 season. In May, former teammates, Neville’s brother, all flew to Manchester to play in a friendly match against Italian club Juventus. It was a big deal, the Theatre of Dreams – Manchester United’s home pitch – was filled with 42,000 fans, who wanted one last chance to say good bye to Neville.

How cool would this be in Green and Gold and Driver’s face?

From a fan’s perspective and the first time seeing such an event, I was mesmerized. David Beckham, who hadn’t played for ManU since 2003, was there. It was an All-Star type game filled with Neville’s closest friends and teammates from his 20 year career. Neville was subbed off of the field with 7 minutes left in regulation. I know some non-soccer fans might think, “They didn’t even let him finish the game?!” but being subbed off allowed Neville one last chance to soak up the fans love.

As it was announced that he was subbed off, he’s the lone player leaving the field and the fans generally take this time to show their appreciation. Standing ovations, sideline of players and coaches ready to embrace, is there a better way to celebrate a great career?

The testimonial game is unique to soccer and friendly games make it easier to execute. Players don’t slide tackle or go “cleats up” when you’re playing a game to honor someone. The NFL doesn’t lend itself to a game for show (see the Pro Bowl), but the Packers Donald Driver situation made me give pause.

I do not think the Packers should keep Driver active on game day just for the sake of being able to say “Donald Driver was active for his last game.” Now, before anyone gets too upset, I love Driver. He’s a great Packer. He is Packer People, has been a great ambassador for the team and for the game.

But I also love the Packers. And I am a firm believer that no player is above the team. While the Packers are playing for a birth in the NFC Championship game, active game day roster decisions should only be made with the idea of winning in mind; not the idea of honoring someone.

But I do agree with a part of the Packers should activate Donald Driver movement. He’s a great Packer, and he should be honored.

How great would it be to have a Driver testimonial at Lambeau Field? Imagine a spring time flag football game, with current and former Packer players.  Imagine former coaches or members of Driver’s family on hand, in the game, on the sideline. Now imagine it at Lambeau Field.

The Donald Driver Testimonial game will never happen; I can’t even begin to think of the logistics or CBA/contract issues that would arise. But it would be really freaking cool if it did happen. And, in my opinion, the most fitting tribute to a great Packer player.

Here are some tweets that I noticed were somehow absent from my timeline.

Seeing as they won’t say it, I will.

@coachpawsitive I will continue to run the ball. I will continue to run the ball.

@cedmissmemuch my ankle’s fine. I will continue to run the ball. I will continue to run the ball.

@alexspeedgreen screens aren’t just for windows.

@jjrouterunner TDs baby! Lemme just turn up field now.

@domhairpiece Halftime. Adjustments. Double cover the guy playing well. Cushions bad.

@waldenshere taking my aggression out the right way

@nickthehitperry I’d study my how to tackle book but I’d just get confused

@blanketshields I’d study my how to defend the pass book but I’d just get confused

@droppingthetakeover (its best if he doesn’t say anything)

@aworthyrook ball snap, then I move

@teamonmybackdoe today’s a good day for my groin to be great!

@rogerdictatorgoodell the nfl always wins.

@Babybulaga I need to take more naps, I’m getting worked out there.

@crosbymisskicks Oh, that was a dome.  Oops, my bad.

@dontcallmewoodchuck OH! Pass interference calls are bad! Got it! I’ll stop.

@dj everyday I’m hustling. Or I should probably start.

@cobbinstride they’re gonna use me more. Just u wait.

@nealthesteal I’m back.

@rajinator teach me how to “raji” above an injury

@neooldstarks how long does a toe take to heal?

@packersdroppedballcoach do I coach the recievers or the dbs? Who knows?

@qb1 I’m going to start discount double checking my accuracy and my internal clock

9. “Double time”

Who loves two minutes warnings? These refs! In week 2, the refs got so excited about the two minute warning in the Eagles/Ravens game that they called for it with 2:05 left. The broadcast cut to commercial, only to come back, have one play run and then have the real two minute warning.

8.  “Hats off to you”

In the NFL, if a player runs out of bounds and then back into the field of play, a member of the officiating crew takes off his hat and throws it to signify that the player cannot be the first to touch the ball. In replacement ref NFL, when a player does not run out of bounds, a replacement ref should throw a hat at the feet of the player, tripping him and then point and laugh. Which is what happened in week three to Cowboy’s Kevin Ogletree.

7. “I’m not reviewing that”

In week three, Joshua Cribbs fumbled the ball, but the refs ruled he was down by contact. Buffalo challenged the play. But the refs told Buffalo that it wasn’t reviewable. While recovery of a loose ball is not reviewable, down by contact is.

6. “Sure we’ll review that”

In week two, Steven Jackson fumbled and the Rams challenged the play. After reviewing the fumble, St. Louis was awarded the ball back, kicked a field goal and ended up winning the game by a margin of three. But if you read the point above, recovery of a loose ball on the field of play is not reviewable. What should have happened? The Rams should have been penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct, as the Packers were in preseason when McCarthy tried to challenge a play that was already being reviewed.

5. “I stopped the world and gave a timeout for you”

In week one, Seattle got to take an extra timeout with 30 seconds left in the game. The refs conferenced, and decided that the “extra” timeout wasn’t really extra, since when Seattle actually used its final time out there was an injury and an incompletion so the clock would have stopped anyways.

4. “Can’t stop, won’t stop”

In the week two game between Cincinnati and Cleveland, 29 seconds ran off the clock after Bengals QB, Andy Dalton threw an incomplete pass.

3. “Just giving time away”

In week three, the refs were in a very giving mood to the 49ers. Despite not having any timeouts remaining, the refs allowed San Francisco to challenge a call. They even decided to give them an extra timeout. (not sure where all this extra timeout stuff came from, but I’d like some). Since they now had an extra one, San Fran was then able to challenge another call later in the game.

2. “Mark it off”

The refs don’t only give out timeouts, but they also hand out free yards. In week three the replacement refs called a helmet-to-helmet penalty against Detroit on a Titans incomplete pass. Normally, this would cause the ball to be moved 15 yards from the line of scrimmage, but not with these refs. They decided that marking the yards off from the spot of the foul would be more fun, and gave the Titans 12 extra yards. This all happened in overtime, so the Lions were unable to challenge. The Titans went on to kick the game winning field goal on that drive.

1. “Touception”

Enough said.

There’s so many fun things that these refs have done. Warm memories that will fill our hearts for years to come. Even if they do sign a new deal today, I can’t imagine the regular refs will be back by tomorrow. So maybe if we’re really really lucky, we can add more to this list!

I’ve thought back to those moments, to that day, a lot since the Penn State/Jerry Sandusky story first broke. What kind of reaction is reasonable when you suspect, when you hear of, or when you witness a child sexually abused? For me, it was simple. Find the kid; take them to safety.

And so we sat in my apartment that night. Safe. Scared. Confused. I didn’t know what I was doing or what would come next. But for the moment we were safe.

With yesterday’s release of the Freeh Report, it seems apparent to anyone with a clue, that there was a systematic cover up and disregard for children’s welfare by Penn State University. It wasn’t just Joe Paterno; it wasn’t just one person. Blame lies with the janitors who failed to come forward, the man who had previously worked for PSU who decided that the 1998 case wasn’t sexual abuse, the Board of Trustees who never questioned why their employees were testifying before a grand jury or why a low ranking academic individual was given keys to the kingdom, blame lies with everyone.

Before the report, and sadly after, there are apologists for Penn State and the people involved. Sandusky is the monster, but don’t punish those who harbored him, who enabled him, who showed blatant disregard for children’s safety.  Apologists say there is no way others knew of the abuse; they talk about how hard it is to accept that someone you have loved, considered a friend, trusted, could do something so heinous.

I have seen this first hand. From my own gut reaction to race across town to having to be held back from causing physical harm to talking with police to late night counseling sessions. I didn’t care about the people I thought I knew. I now hated them; a deep, dark emotion has filled me since.

I have also seen someone else that I loved and trusted unable to accept what took me mere seconds to grasp. They saw a different story; they believed a different truth. I saw how their refusal to accept the truth hurt the victim. I saw it divide people at times and in ways that people should not be divided. Coming forward affected many lives. Some people were concerned with the child’s; some people were concerned with their own.

To this day, seven years later, we stand on different sides of the fence. And it breaks my heart. I can’t even imagine how that betrayal has hurt the victim. Getting over the abuse is a daily task, accepting the betrayal of someone who should believe them is just as hard.

I struggle with the discord these different truths have created in my life. I love her and give her my full support. And in doing so it means not supporting the people  - no matter who they are – who don’t believe her, who have stood in the truth’s way. It is not always easy. And I’d be lying if I’d say I was perfect at it.

So I realize that the people who continue to believe the Freeh report to be “just opinion” or believe that there is something acceptable in not being able to admit to yourself that your friend is a monster, are probably never going to stop lying to themselves and I realize how incredibly difficult it is. But I hope and pray that someday they do. Because you can’t undo the abuse, you can’t undo the past, but you can admit you were wrong. And the power that gives a victim is incredible.

Later this summer a middle aged man will leave a jail in Wisconsin a free man. It is a day she has circled on her calendar. It is a day that I wish for her, I could prevent from happening forever. But I can’t stop this day. But I can still curse his name. And I can still honor her.

Bears fan co-worker used the word brutal twice via texts on Christmas night and three times Tuesday morning.

Brutal.

That’s how she describes the Green Bay Packers. To her, the Packers are relentless, powerful and a team that stomps on its opponents (metaphorically, of course. No Suh’s on our team).

I wish I could introduce her to some Packer fans I know. The “one and done” “we don’t deserve the playoffs” crew. A lifelong Bears fan, former resident of Chicago, person who watched the game in a bar in Chicago, looks at the Packers and sees a great team. And shares that information freely. And yet some lifelong Packers fans look at the same team and see something that looks like it was scraped off the bottom of a shoe.

How did this happen?

It’s a trend that became clearer this week via twitter.

Drew Brees broke a record that stood for nearly 20 years, and apparently no one was supposed to talk about it.

I am not a Brees fan. I don’t know why. Maybe because I think it would be incredibly boring to have a beer with him. Maybe it’s because I’m an awful person. But I don’t secretly route for him. He’s just another quarterback on another team to me. I don’t care if he broke the record or if Brady would have made it there first. But I think breaking the record is cool. I think Brees throws a mean ball, and his accomplishments should be acknowledged. I feel the same about Rodgers.

I also have no problem with Tuesday morning certain people throwing Brees’s name into the MVP discussion. Rodgers should and most likely will win the award, hands down. But Brees is also having a great year. I don’t think he should win it, but I do think that he can be in the same discussion and I think he’s going to make a great runner up to Rodgers.

A lot of fans on my twitter feed were NOT okay with this line of thinking on Tuesday morning. From Monday night to Tuesday morning you were either all Rodgers or you were against him; there was no middle ground. By simply mentioning Brees I received tweets with stats telling me that there’s no competition. Half way through the day when I said that Brees had never won a regular season MVP award, I got “finally, I agree with you, he doesn’t deserve it”.

Somehow, by simply mentioning his name and the record, to some fans I was obviously saying that Rodgers didn’t deserve the MVP. My head was spinning. I went back to check my timeline; how did it get so confusing?

When did it become so complicated? Is it twitter? Is it because of the cold war that launched Rodgers into the starting position? Is it because it’s the holiday season and we’re all stressed out to begin with? When did we become so protective of our team that the mere mention of someone else’s name caused us to stick out our chests, pound them and yell loudly from roof tops? When did being a fan turn from a nice club to belong to where you were welcomed with all your idiosyncrasies, into a place where the phrase “you’re not a true fan” is uttered more frequently than “nice to meet you”?

Here’s something to remember: The Packers are the number one seed in the NFC and have lost only one game. We live in a world where we can interact with players via twitter and witness their interactions with fans and other players. The Packers are almost 25% favorites to win the Super Bowl. Rodgers is the leading candidate for the MVP. Donald Driver now has over 10,000 career yards, and Rodgers has thrown from over 40 touch downs this year. And a Bears fan thinks that this team is freaking AWESOME. These are good things. Like really good things. Let’s try to remember that.

This morning my long suffering Bears fan Co-worker, here after known affectionately as BFCW came into my office and asked me to write down my cell phone number. You know, just in case come Christmas evening something should happen that she’d like to gloat about. Oddly, the person who had my job when the company first started was also a Packers fan. I’ve met her, shareholder since 97, and BFCW and the original Jayme still stay in touch. Most of their communication though is BFCW leaving long “Bears rule, Packers drool” messages. Honestly, I’m pretty amped to have shared my very sacred digits and cannot wait for Christmas. BFCW and I have exchanged few words about the rivalry, most of them ending last year before the NFCC when she told me her editorial writer friend knew more about sports than me…but that’s a whole ‘nother conversation. I look forward to some fun goading, and I’m assuming after about midway through the second quarter a quiet phone.

Anyways, with the holidays and the layover of angst, and with the bears losing, on average, one player a week, this game seems to be flying under the radar. Or at least closer to the ground than the previous meeting when I spent my week making funny Jay Cutler pictures.

With the Packers having rolled most of this season – excluding last week – and the Bears struggling, this game should be a foregone conclusion.

According to Rob Demovsky, of the Green Bay Press Gazette, on a conference call with Green Bay press this morning Chicago linebacker and face of the franchise, Brian Urlacher discussed the Bears needing a change and the possibility of the recent Chicago quarterback switch being that spark.

Last week at this time, we were all laughing. “The Chiefs don’t have a coach. The Chiefs don’t even know which quarterback they’re going to have start the game.” Ah the good old days. Somewhere while we were all laughing, the Chiefs figured out something that Denver never could, Orton can actually throw the ball – well, sometimes. And the players decided to rally around Romeo over Todd – which if you’ve ever listened to George Carlin, who can blame them.

So will switching from Caleb Hanie, the hero/loser of last year’s NFCC to this guy

give the Bears the spark they need? (to be fair, Josh has since gone through a makeover and now spikes his hair).

Well, despite being born on the Fourth of July – aka the “Spark”-ler Holiday, I’m guessing that the man whose career td-int ratio is 35-41 won’t be dialing up any magic for the Bears.

So with the guy who looks like the oldest kid from Home Improvement (comparison thanks to THIS awesome website) at the helm, a recently waived “alleged” drug dealer facing federal charges and slew of injuries that makes even me feel bad for them, the Bears will hobble into Lambeau field Christmas night.

So despite their short comings, and despite it being the night of giving, do not let these bears fool you. They are the Bears. They should not be feared, but they should be hated. Because, like Stephen Colbert Bears are the number one threat to America and they should be dealt with as such.

I think I speak for all of us, that while ecstatic with the undefeated record, yesterday’s game was the kind of game that we’ve been waiting for.

I mean, on the surface there’s so many things to be excited about:

A 31-0 half time lead.

The fact that AJ Hawk was active, but not NEEDED and got more rest and time to heal.

Tim Masthay had 1, ONE, punt!

The Packers rushed for over 100 yards! They out rushed a team with Michael Bush, who was supposed to run similarly to Blount and just barrel through guys. Think about it, Ryan Grant had more rushing yards that Michael Bush. Ryan. Grant.

4 Interceptions by 4 different people.

For all those people concerned with yardage, the Packers did outgain their opponent. The total yards were close, but if you look at the stat by the half: the Packers had nearly double the Raiders yardage in the first half. Most of the Raiders yardage came in “garbage” time.

The Packers had more single player tackles on defense, than the Raiders had in total tackles!

Matt Flynn came in, not due to injury, in the THIRD quarter.

You basically didn’t even have to watch the fourth quarter. Frankly, I have NO idea what happened during it .

It would have been the most relaxing Packers game in a long time. But it wasn’t. The realization of late season, cold weather football, became apparent as player after player seemed to walk away from yesterday’s game with an injury. The most substantial being that of Greg Jennings. Jennings left the game after making a catch where he possibly twisted his ankle, having to be helped to the sideline. Fellow receivers Randall Cobb and Donald Driver helped move him to the trainer’s table. After initial workups, the doctor’s sent for the cart. And in perhaps the most heart wrenching scene, Jennings sat alone on the bench, towel over his head, his head clearly down. Jennings tried to cheer up the shaken crowd with the token thumbs up on the way to the locker room, but few good things happen when a player leaves the field on a cart.

Speculation has since run rampant. We won’t know the official diagnosis, or whatever McCarthy chooses to share, until the Packers press conference at 4 Lambeau time today. Yet, doctors, real and imaginary, have diagnosed Jennings with anything from a minor bruise to a completely ruptured MCL. Will he be back next week? Will he be back this regular season? Will he be back into for the Packers first playoff game? Will he be back for the Super Bowl?

Once all the M.D.s have decided that, even though they’re not sure how long he’ll be out, Jennings will indeed miss time, the discussion has morphed into two separate discussions. 1. Will the Packers be okay without Jennings? And 2. How long should Packers starters play?

First off, the Packers will most certainly “be okay” without Jennings, but their offense will change. As fans, and I think it has been sold to us this way all year, we tend to believe that all the receivers are almost equal; they guy who gets the ball is simply the guy who’s open. No one’s the favorite and no one’s more special. While yeah I’m pretty sure the open guy gets the ball more often than not, there are favorites. There is a level of trust, of unspoken communication and understanding that Rodgers has with each of his receivers, and to think that this level is the same for all of them is unrealistic. In a tight situation, who do you think Rodgers looks for more? Donald and Greg? Or James and Randall? (we’re on a first name basis here). And in a tight situation, who do you think the defense focuses more on? If it’s a must convert 3^rd and 18, the defense figures that Rodgers will go to his veterans and they double or play those players closer. That in turn, occasionally leaves receivers like Nelson, Jones and Cobb open. With Jennings gone, Rodgers is losing a valuable safety net, the Packers are losing a weapon, and the opposing defense is losing someone that they have to double cover.

Also, think back to the Super Bowl. I’m sure by now most of us have seen it (and if you haven’t, fly to Cincinnati, and we’ll have a viewing party), Greg Jennings on the sideline, telling his coaches what he’s seeing on the field. He’s there, pumped with emotion and adrenaline, not only cheering his team on, but helping to tailor the offense to catch the weaknesses that the opposing defense is showing. Nelson, Jones and Cobb are all great receivers in their own right, but I don’t think any of them have Jennings knowledge of the game.

Will the team die without Jennings, no. But I do think they will miss him. We will simply have to wait and see how long we’ll miss him for and how the team adjusts. Luckily this weekend the Packers are playing a team without a coach, so it looks like it will be a rest week either way.

But that brings me to my next point. Resting players. We’re getting to that point in the season, with the Packers having nearly everything locked up, when do they start resting their players? Do they rest them at all? Yesterday, Rodgers played long into the game. Many people, my best friend included, were screaming for MM to sit Rodgers. I was not one of those people. It was the third quarter, and while the Packers had been dominating, I still felt it was too early to sit him. I thought Flynn came into the game at the perfect time. But my heart did stop with every hit that Rodgers took. When, if ever, do we sit players? I have many thoughts on this. And hope to post them later this week. So if you read this whole article and have an opinion, post it below, I will include in my post later this week.

Well that’s what the last week has felt like for me.

As the Packers win more games and the 1972 self-obsessed Dolphins’ worry level grows, a common debate among pundits has been the level of importance placed on the idea of the Packers going 16-0.

These crazy announcers seem to think that’s all us fans care about.

Right now, wherever you are, ask for anyone in the room that is more concerned with a Packers perfect regular season record than with a Super Bowl victory to stand up.

I’m guessing no one stood up.

Cause, guess what, we’re not morons!

We all also remember the hoopla from 2007 when the Patriots went undefeated, and we all remember how it meant nothing since they didn’t win the Super Bowl.

And we’re not morons!!

I’ll admit, the idea of the Packers going undefeated excites me. Like a kid waiting for Christmas, I just know it would be great. And the homer in me KNOWS beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are going to do it too.

But over the span of the past four years or so, I’ve realized that my desire for immediate gratification is not something that Mike McCarthy or Ted Thompson really care about. Neither man seems overly concerned about one days glory; they both are focused on the big picture. Not that there’s anyone out there with this offer, but if asked I’m sure either would trade a regular season loss for another Super Bowl win.

So this weekend – a long holiday extended one – I’m raising my glass to you, stupid radio people. The ones who seem to think we fans think the season is only 16 games long. No one’s is arguing with you. No one wants to solely go 16 and 0. At best we want 19-0, at worst we want to win the last game we play, that game being in Indianapolis. So anytime you hear someone arguing against no one, think of these radio announcers and cheers them.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Nebraska comes to town for its first Big Ten game in a matchup of two top ten teams, the Brewers are HOSTING a playoff series, and the Packers will try to contain the Man, the myth, the….um…wide receiver… that is Tim Tebow.

Wow, I got a contact high just typing all that!

So, what really needs to happen is 1. Planning and 2. Drinking.

Planning: Saturday, I got that. Brewers game, perhaps wear that red and white Untuckem shirt that Alex Tallitsch threw at me as I arrived in Dallas last January; cover both my bases. Sunday though, that’s a little more complicated. Packers are my first love, my most true love; we’re joined at the hip. But I fear that the world will collapse if I am not following the Brewers game.

I was born in the summer of 1982. Obviously, despite my genius IQ level, I do not remember the 1982 Brewers season. When I was three months old, apparently I developed colic. I also apparently developed the ability to control baseball games. When I was happy and not screaming my head off, the Brewers won. (you’re welcome for game one, BY THE WAY!!). However, apparently I was less accommodating for games 6 and 7. (Oops! My bad!). I have spent nearly my entire 30 years on this planet knowing that it is up to me, solely me, to right this wrong. So I can’t ignore their playoff games, and G-d help me, I CAN NOT cry! (if you know me, I really do cry a lot, it’s the girl/thyroid problem/ex-acting major/emo thing I have so carefully crafted into my persona). So somehow I have to find a way to get both games and the CHTV chat running in my room.  I’m not sure how this is happening, but its happening.

Drinking: This one is a lot less complicated to figure out. Only drinking alcohol that comes from the great state of Wisconsin. Sorry Corona and Newcastle, you’re going to have to wait. I’m also thinking the High Life is really the only way to go. I then thought “champagne of beer” in my head, and now the song Champagne Supernova is stuck in my head. I’m already having trouble focusing.

Somehow in the mix of all of this though the Packers game versus Denver has been moved to the back burner. Now now, before you write in, I’m not forgetting it, in my heart it’s still the most important, but with some much going on, there’s only so much room on the front of the stove. If the Packers were playing someone besides Denver, this might not be the case. But come on, it’s Denver, at Lambeau…really?

How did that happen? Remember when Denver was good? Is John Elway the new Michael Jordon? He caused heartache for my team, and then years later went to the front office and the team stunk up the place! The thing is, I have to admit, I haven’t seen the Broncos play. Except for when the red zone channel flipped over to the Broncos fans cheering like they won the super bowl when Timmy ran out on to the field only to line up in the slot. As I’m typing this, the Tebow-ites (new nick name, spread the word) have just put up their first billboard in the Denver area! After knowing this, I don’t need to see them play to know they have issues. Their quarterbacks are three of my least favorite people: Orton, Quinn and Timmy. Really? Maybe they should look into Brohm next.

So here are my thoughts: The Packers will win, obviously. The Badgers will win; I really dislike Corn. And the Brewers will win their opening game; we’ll see about Sunday.

So this weekend, no matter which sport/team is your cup of tea, follow it with a beer. Live it up. It’s Bender Weekend. And make sure to tune in for next week’s edition of drinking games, which will probably be titled, “My Head Hurts”.

I’m not one for introductions; I much prefer just showing up to the party and letting people figure out who I am. Going to run this thing pretty much the same. So here goes nothing.

Roster cuts have to be made by today. They also have to be made by next Sunday. It’s a fun time of the football year. Well fun if you’re not losing your job. For argumentative fans, who are by now most likely growing tired of watching future UFL stars run around in their teams uniforms, the cuts and final roster predictions can offer a much needed distraction.

Current fun discussions include: how high has Ryan Taylor climbed after his miraculous/fantastic/amazing game of three catches? How many people with ability to catch the ball will the Packers keep (TEs & WRs), 9? 10? 12? 20? Can Ricky Elmore find anything? (like his way to the practice squad)? And who’s the goat we have to keep? Bush, Lee, Underwood? When will Quinn Johnson get the boot? How many people should we plan on sending to the IR this year?

I am not good at these discussions. Not sure if it stems from my “faulty math” or my inability to plan anything in advance, but whenever I start to list out my roster, I’ve used up all 5-3 spots before I get to special teams. Therefore it looks like my little corner of the blogging world will be the only one in which you won’t see a 52+1 man roster. The only insight I can provide is that the Packers will make a move that surprises people and they will keep football players.

But those 54-1 rosters, they’re everywhere. Feel like people started publishing them on the first day of practice, and they get updated more than a draft board. So, for our first drinking game of the season, I propose to you, the game of 53. Between now, and September 4^th, drink when you say 53. (as to not encourage alcoholism or drunk driving, drinking soda/water/milk/juice will be permitted during the hours between 6 am and 6 pm). For added fun, it is rumored that Cheesehead Radio will be having a roster preview show tomorrow night. Will I make it through the show?? Only one way to find out.

As the teams now have an additional week of practice under their belts, here’s what I’d like to see tonight:

1. Can Bush or Lee separate themselves and show that they can have more than good practices?

2. Will Alex Green be able to “go in motion” aka take over Nance’s spot on the roster?

3. So, um, who’s going to play D line? In a more serious note, what is the Packers plan besides Neal to make up for the loss of Cullen Jenkins? Who can step up behind Neal? Or will it be more of a rotation adjustment?

4. Can Cobb have a repeat performance? Will he be the nail in the Swain coffin?

5. There’s that whole thing at linebacker…again, who will separate themselves?

6. Lang or Sherrod, will the carousel countinue?

7. Speaking of the O line, what the deuce is up with the guy who sounds like a German Beer and Newhouse?? And can anyone lower on the depth chart help Harrell stay on his feet?

8. Tight Ends, are five worth keeping?

9. No INJURIES!!!

and an additional one for the Cards… 10. Who the hell is Kevin Kolb??

What will you be looking for tonight? Share your thoughts here, and come chat with me and fans from all corners of the globe on the Cheesehead TV Game Day blog.

My internet connection came back about 5 minutes before “kick off” (can you call the JUGS machine working as a kick off??). I was frantic. Barely kissed SB goodbye as he went out to take his parents to dinner for all their help, I was focused on figuring out how I would possibly be able to watch the game and help moderate the blog on ONE computer screen. Let’s just say, I did not have things together. Watering the yard, ordering dinner, getting wine, watching the Packers, chatting it up on line…my head was spinning. By the time I had settled down, the practice was over. During the first commercial break I went outside to move my sprinkler into its final spot for the night, and when I came back the stadium was empty.

As the chat, and our Packer night came to a screeching halt, some other semi-Packers related news began to come across my twitter feed. At the same time as the sky turned black about Lambeau, the 2011 Hall of Fame class was being inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton, OH. My twitter feed almost in an instant went from tweets of disappointed or wet Packers fans, to people in awe of Shannon Sharpe. Unable to switch to the NFL network, as while the TV was on the wall, it was hooked up to nothing, I immediately scheduled my day on Sunday to find that speech and watch it.

I’m a rather “young” Packers fan. While as I’m in the last year of my 20’s I don’t feel that young, in Packers years, I’m a pup. When I was very young, the house was always full on Sundays, but by the end of the day most people were upset or throwing things at the TV. Before I was old enough to understand the ins and outs of football, I was able to pick up on the dramatic change in the moods of my relatives on fall Sundays. It’s sometimes hard to pinpoint when exactly I fell in love with the Packers. But I think this moment comes close.

Anyone who lived in the Greater Milwaukee Metro Area, and perhaps the state of Wisconsin, in 1992 will probably remember the “How many catches will Sterling have?” commercials. The number would float across the screen, perhaps attached to a balloon or bubble, where would he end up? 100? 102? 104? And every week that number went up. Now I was 10, I had no idea how freaking amazing it is for one receiver to have that many catches in a season, nor did I fully comprehend the magnitude of breaking a record that hadn’t been touched for 8 years. I just liked the balloons. And I liked them even more the next year, when Sterling broke his own record and caught 112. I didn’t understand technique or routes or why he always had a towel on his head, I just knew I liked those commercials, I liked that it made my family happy, and I liked winning.

So when Sterling got hurt, my main concern was whether he’d look like Frankenstein with the bolts in his neck. Realizing that this person who had pretty much reached mythological status in my head would not be returning to my team, I started to actually learn about football, and – and probably not by coincidence – the team started playing better. But always in the back of my mind was Sharpe, this person who should have been. So I embraced his brother. I didn’t even hate Shannon when he unfairly beat the Packers in Super Bowl XXXII.  Because somewhere I knew that Sterling was happy.

So Sunday, I finally sat down and watched the brother, and my first Packer player love, share the stage at Cannon. If you haven’t seen the speech, I highly recommend it. But even if you don’t have time to watch the whole speech – as it is rather long – watch Sterling’s intro and the subsequent hug between the two brothers. While Shannon asked the HOF committee to take Sterling’s career into account the next time they sit down to vote, I doubt Sterling will ever get in, “fate dealt him a different hand.” I believe that this day was almost just as sweet for Sterling as it was for Shannon. And the little girl in me, who sat and watched those balloons, or bubbles, float across the screen almost 20 years ago, came out and once again was all smiles.