Now, a Moment Where I'm Petty and Vindictive. . .

I hope you enjoy your golfing season, Green Bay Packers.

I know, I know, my Chicago Bears have been perfecting their golf game for a few weeks now. Ever since my Bears decided to fart all over their last few games, I had to come up with something different to keep me entertained for the remainder of the football season. This meant it was now time for me to root against the hated rivals of the Chicago Bears, the Green Bay Packers. It was my duty as a Bears fan to cheer against the Packers and earnestly hope that they didn't pull off a repeat Super Bowl win.

And now I'm very satisfied to see them booted before they even get to compete in the NFC Championship. Way to blow the playoffs, Packers.

I actually had a few discussions over the previous weeks how I was sure that the Packers would not be able to win the championship again even though they had an absolutely stellar regular season (looked like it would be an undefeated season almost right to the end). They had a lot of momentum and they're a championship calibre team (obviously), but an amazing regular season doesn't always translate to a championship run in the NFL. Of all the major American sports leagues, it is the NFL that the playoffs perfectly fit into the whole saying of "playoffs are a whole new season." It is a single elimination playoffs, which opens up huge opportunities for big upsets. It is also the sort of sport where you can do some pretty serious shuffling of your play calling and play style, and figure out what did and didn't work during the regular season. There are a few cases where you end up looking at some pretty different teams come playoff time (because they've drastically revised their style).

Plus history shows that sometimes the team that dominated the regular season takes a losers exit come playoff time. In 1970, you had a powerhouse Minnesota Vikings getting knocked out by the massive underdog team of the San Francisco 49ers. In 2005, you had a hot Indianapolis Colts team with a fantastic 14-2 record but ended up being shown the door by the very team they thumped in the regular season, the Pittsburgh Steelers. But back '95, Colts were the mediocre teams that squeaked out a shocking playoff win over the super powered Kansas City Chiefs. In 1997, the second season year old baby Jacksonville Jaguars sneaked into the playoff and then completely shook things up with a massive upset over John Elway's powerful Denver Broncos. So yeah, there is a pretty solid history of a powerful regular season team being knocked out in the playoffs. It happens enough that I was almost sure it would be the end results for the Packers. Or at least, I was really, really, really hoping.

The sweeter part is the big win by the Giants over the Packers is eerily similar to what the Packers did last year. Both teams went into the season as Super Bowl hopefuls, but had some pretty rocky stretches throughout the regular season (Packers last year and Giants this year). Both teams didn't clinch their playoff spot until the final week of the season (sadly, last year Packers clinched their spot by beating the Bears, which would then come back to haunt my team in the NFC Championship). Then they both made a remarkable and dominant run in their respective playoffs. It really hurts me to admit that the Packers played marvelously last year in the playoff. It makes me feel much better to note that they just got kicked out by a team that is following their formula. Giants were expected to have a good season but it wasn't anything spectacular, but they've had a hell of a playoff run so far. They've got some white hot momentum going into the NFC Championship, and I wouldn't be shocked if they have some pretty rings at the end of these playoffs.

This blog post isn't about the Giants' Super Bowl chances. No, this blog is about gloating over the Packers not being able to win a single playoff game this year. This blog post is about my joy that there season is done, and I don't have to hear any more Packers fans cheer and celebrate their dreadful team. The Packer talk is now done until next season.

Yes, I'm petty. Yes, I'm vindictive. But unlike most Packer fans today, I'm also really happy.