I catch myself doing this all the time, and once in a while I am able to reflect upon it and come full circle in my thinking.
Sitting in a cold tree stand last night, listening the to the wind howl and a baron woods for the most part, my mind was wandering about many topics.. the economy, home budget adjustments, how to pay for Christmas.. then as I became tired and frustrated with that.. my mind moved to football and more directly, this Packer team.
No stat sheet or internet available, I started to reflect upon the early 90's and more in the crosshairs, 1992-1995.
I remember the 1992 season as being on of great joy.. coming off a coaching tenure of excitement yet frustration in Lindy's group.. sometimes coined the Cardiac Pack.. the 92 season was a breath of fresh air, new coaching fundamentals, a guy on the sideline that was a tyrant yet brought a game plan that you could see that worked on offense. They finished, as I looked it up this morning 9-7.. but progress..
Fast forward to 1993.. could they take the next step.. Favre was named the starter for good, holes and depth being filled in; including a major one in Reggie White.. but in my mind I remember being a little let down with the team, expected more. Again.. I thought yesterday, knowing Favre and Holmgren never had a losing or 500 season.. that it must have been the same.. yep 9-7 but a step.. the playoffs.
But the year that I distinctly remember is 1994.. I remember Sean Jones being added.. Paup becoming a threat in the pass rush and White coming off a strong year.. expectations were very high for that growth we were waiting for.. and it was an up and down year.. we progressed a bit but Favre has great year but we were still losing games.. I remember being frustrated that year.. why weren't we taking the next step.. year three of this coaching staff.. year four of this GM and the team is not elevating.. yes Brett was growing into a full blown star.. but the team was average in the standings..
Then it came.. the Falcon game with all the chips on the line.. we needed a win to have a chance at the playoffs that year.. disappointing for a team that should have grown... and guess what.. you knew.. right then that this team, this collection of a brass nutted GM.. a fiery yet players coach and a band of players was going to get it done someday.. you just knew it. I was there.. it was electric an atmosphere I have ever been in.. amazing, I wish I could have bottled that energy.. speechless for the most part yet today.
We went on to get crushed by the Cowboys in the playoffs that year.. a trend that would be familiar to us by that time.. but there was something about that Atlanta game.. an under performing team breaking through..
1995 we took that step in growth that we striving.. it ended short that year but we were on our way, the window opened to the Superbowl than cold but thrilling day in Milwaukee against Atlanta...
Why bore you with these wandering thoughts of a cold and twisted mind.. we are only in the fourth year of Ted's control and third of a bright and creative coach in Mike... might not have the noted fire of Holmgren but just as dynamic of an offensive mind.
I bore you because back then, before they became legends and Superbowl champs, that crew of Wolf, Holmgren, Favre, White and others.. had disappointments, underachieving seasons and games.. just as this group is going through today..
Will this group make that next leap?
Will they have a signature game yet this season?
We don't know.. I wish we did.
But that is part of the reason we love this game.. you never know what is going to happen..
Think back to 1994.. or post season 1995... things didn't look all rosy then at times either...
It is a good thing we had patience... Superbowl 31 was in the waiting for that patience.
"The oranges are dry; the apples are mealy; and the papayas... I don't know what's going on with the papayas!"