I have been doing some thinking on how the impact of Mr. Waffle aka the great former QB of the Packers has skewed fan sentiment towards Aaron. When Brett initally retired Aaron had a huge and insurmountable task to take the wheel from a highly loved and respected captain. In all likelyhood Aaron would have went the way of Griese and Aj feely (sp) a quality QB who would always be planted in the shadow of a giant.
Last year when Brett changed his mind and the long painful divorce began and ended the fanbase split. One side agreed with management and quickly went to Aaron defense. The other went to Bretts defense with the feeling he was run outta town.
This year with Brett going to the Bitches across the river it has split the fan base again. But not in a way that one would think. Brett has alienated even his most passionate backers and has succeeded inb general to push the rest of the Packer Fan base firmly into the green and gold corner. The Giant has fallen and Aaron now shines in his own spotlight. Just look at the shift in sentiment. No longer are we comparing what was but focusing on what can be.
I personally would have loved Brett to stay retired but I would like to thank Brett because he has given us something that Elway and marino never did for their teams. A reason to hate loath and despise if even for a season. Allowing us to love hope and share and dream with a new QB and light the future. Where it ends and were it goes who knows.

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There's no doubting that the antics of one Brett Favre have shifted the majority of fans closer to Rodgers. If Favre had simply retired (the original retirement) Aaron would have been looked on far more critically in following Favre's example.

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That's a very interesting stance on the issue and you're going to get much contention from many posters here.

I don't necessarily think that Brett's pushed more fans towards Rodgers as it is that the fans' loyalty to the team remains strong, while the desire to watch Favre would wane somewhat. Sure, Favre was great for us, but now that he's finally left home and has started touring the NFL teams like a hitchhiker, the fans' attention is slowly turning back inwards, and whattyaknow, we got a pretty good QB running the show here who's just getting started. Brett is old news, as far as the Packers team is concerned.

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While I will completely buy the notion that this has helped Aaron in the realm of fan approval, I will also contend that last season it put an additional burden on Aaron to "justify" the faith and decision that MM and Ted made with him instead of caving to Brett's desires to return whenever the hell he "felt" like it.

But JB.. that isn't an angle that I have heard on the site before and is very very possible across the entire fanbase. +1

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+1 Interesting, sensible post! I LIKE

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I just joined this site, but can already tell the fans here have a great grasp on what it means to be Packer fans. This posting is a great example of someone who I think "gets it". Great job and I look forward to reading what the rest of you have to say soon.

Nick

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I don't really know if the Favre situation has helped or hurt Rodgers this year. To me it has only hurt Favre. The fact that Rodgers played well last year and appears to only be getting better helps him more than anything Favre could do (even though, I must say, Favre couldn't be any lower to me at the moment). I don't disagree and think it is a valid point, but at least for me, they are separate issues.

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now this one, this is the post i agree with.

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Indecision off the field, too set in a rash decision on it is Favre right now, I think any fan split regarding Brett was just sentiment anyway - Ted Thompson's decision making (and drafting, we draft pretty swell) was spot on.

Now I don't think Brett Favre is a "traitor" or anything, because cases like his prove loyalty in sport is a) Two-way and b) almost non-existant. Can't fault the guy for "wanting to play" can we.

I think there is even more pressure this season on Aaron Rodgers for so many reasons

a) Signed a big ass deal
b) Came up a little short when closing off games
c) Brett Favre is now arch-divisional-nemesis - if the Minnecocks do well, I mean superbowl-well and we do not have a great season, out comes the Rodgers question again because of Favre getting them to the playoffs/bowl
d) There will forever be Favre-first, Green/Gold second fanboys n girls.

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I never doubt the power of perception. My idea in this post was to point out that Farves saga has imho provided an avenue for Rodgers to be judged on his own merits more than just being tgwff (the guy who followed farve)
As I sad Farves large shadow is now human size and Rodgers can get on with being him. I agree that the pressure is not off by any means and maybe amplified. I think though that he can handle it.
I am so looking forward to this season and seeing what will happen with our guy aaron.
Thanks for the positive and critical comments of my post. Typing on a Crackberry is hard but this site makes it worth it.

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