Team MVP

As a resident of Wisconsin I would be remise to write anything in a public forum and not first talk about this weekend. What do you ask? happened this weekend. Well I will tell you. Sunday, or more accurately SUPER BOWL SUNDAY two very formitable NFL teams engaged in a trench warefare, the likes of which are rarely seen in todays football. With so many rules, protecting so many players, (and rightly so) its not often anymore you see the type of battle those who watched, experienced this weekend. Both teams fought with all of there might, but in the end there can be only one winner and The first loser. Final score Pittsburg 25, Green Bay Packers 31. What makes the victory by the Packers so much more appreciated, is not just that they fought and won against a formitable foe, but more that they fought all season against insurmountable odds. Week after week, The injured reserve list grew until 15 of the final 53 players were on injured reserve, not able to play the rest of the year. While Pittsburg came into this game worried that they would be without their starting Center, Green bay was without their top running back, one of there top recievers, and an entire defense that any team would kill to have in their lineup. Yet they never quite. What you heaard week after week was, injury was no excuse. As a team when one falls another is called to perform, and they did. But there were also those times when there was no one left to step forward. Then the Manager needed to sort through lists of others who were deemed expendable to others. Perhaps the misfits of the league. Some examples: Green who was released and driving home across country when his agent called - Turn around and get to Green bay, they need you today. There was also Walden, who was out of the league, not belonging to any one. He was at home residing himself to try again next season. Then the call. Green Bay needs you. Time after time Ted Thompson had to go back through years of notes on any player he may have ever had an interest in and bring them into camp. Then the coaches had until game time the next week to have them ready to step up. No excuses, its what championship teams do. And they did. By all accounts this team should have been down for the count at week six. While others were giving up, The packers dug deeper.
There are so many heros who contributed to this team from managers, coaches, to players, that it is impossible to look at this team as individual players. They are the definition of "TEAM".
Having said all of that, there are players who you can't help but be happy for. Individuals who exceled not just on Sunday but quietly and humbly for years. Players like Donald Driver who played year after year. He bagan as a 7th round draft pick. Essentially an unheard of receiver. He was indispensable to this team. A Player like Charles Woodson, who was invited to Green Bay to finish out his career quietly, who ended up having the season of a lifetime. Playing at a level few players ever achieve in there career. Finally, Aaron Rogers. The Packers have been blessed in the Quarterback position for decades. While Green Bay had one exceptional quarterback in Brett Favre, and no one can dispute he was great, other teams had 6,7,10 different quarterbacks in the same time frame. But just as the sun sets in the sky at the end of the day, a team must decide between past greatness or future exceptionalisum. Ted Thompson recognized the need to make a very unpopular decision and let number 4 retire. The Packers were a team and number 4 no longer wanted to be a team player, he wanted to be a premodona. We all watched over the last three years while number 4 disintegrated on and off the field, and the Man who did not earn or deserve to recieve the kind of critisisum he took quietly and humbly fullfilled the promise he made three years prior, when he was drafted. On draft day he was expected to be picked number one and unexplicably fell from 1 to 24. He could have been bitter, he could have been angry... instead he said to Ted Thomson - "You won't regret this" This is a Man we could all learn something from. At Superbowl 45, there was anything but regret. Aaron rogers, kept his promise to Ted Thompson and in doing so was awarded MVP of the game in his first Super Bowl.  Something number 4 could not achieve in his storied carreer. There will be many more for #12.
Make no mistake, I believe that Ted Thompson is the MVP of this team today. He found the players we needed to keep this team going. If he had not made that excrusiatingly difficult decision three years ago, we would not be the Super Bowl Champs today.
Here to TEAM MVP - THE GREEN BAY PACKERS