There's no other way,,,

Just over three weeks ago within the walls of Lambeau Field there was a growing rumble of words becoming clearer every second.   There were a few minutes left in the game versus the Giants, but the crowd was already looking forward.  The Packer nation had spoken.

“The Bears Still Suck”

We wanted another shot at those opportunistic sons of bitches.  They stole a division title that should have been ours.  Instead a few mistakes and some ill-timed injuries practically gifted the Bears with the NFC North crown.  The essential idea was that Bears didn’t so much win the division, but the Packers just lost it.

Two weeks ago was an intense release of frustrations.  The Packers needed a win to get in and they just happened to be playing the team that stole what was rightfully theirs.   Lovie Smith had his starters playing the whole time in a game that meant nothing to his team.  However, we would soon learn why he tried everything in his power to win that game.  There is no way in hell that he wanted to play these Green Bay Packers. 

The Packers were now a different team than they were in September.   They were no longer disjointed and undisciplined.   They had overcome the rash of injuries.  This team was now a force to be reckoned with.   These Green Bay Packers were dangerous.  That game in week 17 was not meaningless for the Bears after all.  If they wanted to make it to the Super Bowl, they had to stop the Packers from being on the other side of the bracket.

Only the Packers weren’t going to have any of that nonsense.  The defense shut the Bears down while the offense scored in the clutch.  All they had to do was get in the playoffs.  Once that happened, the regular season didn’t matter.  The playoffs is where the question of “who is better” is sorted out.

This Sunday we will get our answer once and for all.   The rightful winner of the division will be crowned.  The best in the NFC will be known.  The oldest rivalry in professional football would write its most epic chapter yet.  There is no better way to settle this feud than to play in the NFC championship game.

The truth is that the Bears don’t actually suck.  They were good enough to get the job done this season.   They were good enough to get a win over the Pack.  They were good enough to earn a first round bye.   They are not to be taken lightly, but that isn’t anything I would worry about with this Packers team.

By the end of the game third quarter this week, most Packers fans were looking towards the next game.   The same reaction overcame majority of the cheese-head nation.   Sure, we would love to knock around the Seahawks, but that wasn’t going to satisfy our need to prove a point.   We wanted them one more time.  We WANTED the Bears.  We would not be satisfied if it was any other team.  I can’t think of any other way this season could become any more storied.

Bring on the history…

Bring on the rivalry…

Bring on the feud….

Bring on the Bears…. 

Is it Sunday yet?

Destiny is calling...

The expectations were high.  A city, a state, and a nation of followers all had the same goal in mind.   Reaching this pinnacle of excellence was not going to be a surprise.  It was what was meant to be.

Are they meant to achieve the ultimate goal?   Are they merely pretenders?   Were the expectations too lofty?  In less than a week, destiny will show its hand.   On the shore of Lake Michigan, there will be an epic showdown like never before seen.  The outcome has yet to be determined, but one thing is for certain:  It was meant to be.

Two men will finally shake off criticism they may never have deserved.  Validation may be 60 minutes away.

Another may be rewarded for more than a decade of devotion. 

A folk hero can write another chapter.

A field general is on the verge of finally taking his place as the proper heir to the throne.

Under the direction of a defensive virtuoso

A hungry cub will stalk his prey,

While a hungry monster waits to claim his next soul.

A snubbed warrior can send a message to the naysayers.

A season of missed opportunities and close calls can be atoned for. 

Fallen brothers will be avenged.

Disappointment will be replaced by pride.

One obstacle remains to be overcome before anything truly becomes history

A step by step process comes down to one task…

It's time to go bear hunting.

Don't Ever Look Back.... well, except this one time :)

Seven years.  That is how long it had been since I had stepped foot in Valders, WI.  It is a typical Wisconsin village with a population of 948 people.  There is nothing special about it unless a shit ton of limestone gets you excited.   That might be the case for geologists and chalk companies, but not for anyone who grew up there.  So, in summation, Valders is a dinky little hole.

                Seriously, I didn’t ever realize just how empty Valders is.  Now that I have three years in Green Bay and seven in Whitewater under my belt, I can see just how bored I would be if I lived there.  This is especially alarming since I have often said that both Green Bay and Whitewater didn’t have much to offer as well.  It literally takes like 40 seconds to drive through town.  However, you do have to go 25 or the one cop in town will pull your ass over because he has nothing better to do.  Then again, if real crimes happened, he wouldn’t know how to deal with them.  Writing speeding tickets is easy.

                The local Piggly Wiggly in Valders turns out to be a lot smaller than I remember it being.  I must have become spoiled with the Super Wal-Marts and Woodman’s that I have had in my life since I went to college.  When I was a kid, the place seemed so damn big to me.  Hell, the entire town seemed big.  It is literally a 5-10 minute walk to anywhere you want to get.  The real laughable point about the grocery store is that it closes at 8 pm every night.  Holy crap!  I could not live in Valders at this point in my life.  I really appreciate the luxury of being able to get things when I want to.  The problem is that the gas stations aren’t even open past 11 pm.  There is just nothing there.   Now I know why most of the people at the reunion were living in other parts of the state.  

                On a side note, I am currently viewing the climactic ending of a SyFy Channel movie called Swamp Devil.  It is utterly exhilarating.  There is this giant man shaped creature made of plants chasing after some women played by actresses who aren’t good enough to be in real movies, but also not willing to run the train in the porno industry.  Everything I just told you makes it clear that this is not exactly “The Exorcist” that I am watching.  I am not exactly sure why I expect it to make any sense or to follow any code of logic, but I just found myself criticizing it as if I was let down.   All I understood of it is that for some reason this Swamp Devil couldn’t cross the county line.  In the 20 minutes I watched, they didn’t explain why this was.  There is a good chance that such a movie never bothered to explain it in the first place.  So, what is with the county line?  Was Swamp Devil released on bond before his day in court?   Is he wearing an ankle bracelet and is on house arrest?   Is there a restraining order?   Maybe a mystical curse doesn’t allow it?  Spoiler alert!  The monster jobs on a truck to attack a woman, but dies when it crosses the county line.  There.  Now you saved two hours.

                To get back on track, let me simplify this weekend’s events into one statement.  It was a relief.  There was a moment of enlightenment when I realized that we all were in the same boat.  Now, some people may have met their goals in life, but nobody from my class was living it large with a private jet with super models hanging from both arms.  Many of us were grinding out 40 hours a week in cubicles.  Others are busting their ass in a classroom.  Some are still furthering their education.  The thing we all seemed to have in common is that we are working hard for what we got.  Nobody suddenly fell into some money or found a career that has them immediately set for life.  The post college landscape was the same for all of us.  It was a relief to know that I was not alone.  However, I may be only one of two or three people to still own a Jon Waack Fan Club shirt.  Maybe I should get those reprinted and sell them on Ebay.