My picks

Go, Pack, Go!!!

Although I am not highly invested in any particular professional football franchise, if I were to pick my team it would be the Green Bay Packers. My inclination to them has slowly increased over the years, with this year being significantly enjoyable. When I was very young I was not too fond of the Pack. I hated the cheese heads and I thought their colors were ugly. However all this changed on Monday 22 December 2003.

In the fall of 2003 my cousin, Brett, and I decided it was time we attend our first professional football game. After looking into various options we decided we would see the Packers play the Oakland Raiders in a Monday Night Football match-up at the Oakland Coliseum. The Raiders were defending AFC Champions, and Green Bay always fielded a decent team - we thought it would be a good game.

Unfortunately, the previous season's success was short-lived for the Raiders. By the time our Monday Night game came around, the Raiders were bottom-dwellers in their division with only 4 wins and no hope of making the playoffs. Nonetheless, we made the road trip from Salt Lake to Oakland excited to see an NFL game as well as one of the all-time great quarterbacks - Brett Favre.

The day before the game we heard the unfortunate news that Brett Favre's father had passed away. There were rumors that Favre would not play in order to be with his family. Now, this may sound very cold-hearted, but although I was saddened to hear of the death of his father, I was now more concerned that I may not get to see Favre play!

Fortunately, when we showed up at the stadium on Monday night, number 4 in the mustard yellow helmet was suited up ready to play. What followed was incredible...!

Favre played like a man possessed. He threw deep pass after deep pass and his receivers reeled in each one of them. In the first half alone, Farve totaled 4 touchdowns and nearly 400 yards passing - numbers rarely seen for an entire game. I was impressed!

It was an historic night. Favre battled through emotional turmoil and turned in one of the best performances of his career. In fact, even wikipedia.com (yes, wikipedia is the source of all truth!) called the the evening, "One of the defining moments of Favre's career and arguably his greatest game ever." And I was there to witness it all!

Anyways, ever since that wondrous night, I have cheered for the Pack.

And thus, my picks for the Super Bowl...

Today the AFC and NFC Championships will be played: Chargers vs. Patriots and Giants vs. Packers respectively.

Who I want to win: I will be cheering for the Packers (of course) and the Chargers (I am a big Eric Weddle fan. Did you see his awesome interception in the Divisional Playoffs against the Colts?).

Who I think will win: I think we will see a Packers vs. Patriots match-up in Super Bowl XLII. This would truly be an awesome Super Bowl. What could be better than watching two of the greatest quarterbacks ever face-off in the biggest game of the year - with the additional intrigue of the possibility of the Patriots completing an undefeated season? It would be great!

Enjoy...