Without much hesitation, I’m comfortable saying that Aaron Rodgers is in the toughest position of all NFL players who had to follow in the footsteps of a legend. First of all, nobody who has taken over for a legend has played in 2008 with the 24/7 news cycle, multiple TV networks, newspapers, internet, etc. Second of all, not too many of the teams chose the replacement guy over the legend after the legend wanted to come back. Anyway, enough pity for Rodgers — let’s get down to the meat and potatoes. Rodgers has done a pretty good job handling all the press coverage of the incident, yet there is one thing he’s not handling too well: the language Favre fanatics are choosing to employ against him.
“I understand it to some point if I put myself into a Favre fanatic’s shoes,” Rodgers said of getting booed. “The things I can’t understand, the things I really take personally, is when I’m driving up to the (parking lot) gate and punching in my punch code and somebody says ‘F.U.’ to me. That kind of bothers me. Or when a little kid is yelling swear words at me. That kind of gets to me. The boos, they expect a high level of play and they miss Brett Favre. I understand that. But the ‘F.U.’ and the little kids saying swear words to me, I don’t understand that.”
Very well said, young man. Rodgers seems to be handling all this about as best as you can. And mature comments like that certainly elevate him in my eyes and only makes the fans look worse. Funny thing is, had Favre really remained retired, wouldn’t all these same fans be behind Rodgers rooting for him to lead the Packers to greatness? Seems a bit strange to me. Then again, these are Packers fans we’re talking about.
(via FanHouse)
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Rodgers better have tough skin & he appears to have it. It may get worse. Farve better have some too as NY fans won’t be so googly eyed over his wreckless play as Packer Fan was.
Even the great Steve Young spent his whole career trying to live up to the legend of Joe Montana. If he, a Hall of Famer, had a rough time, you can only imagine what Rodgers and his successors will have.
Remember, UCLA basketball fans were still looking for a worthy replacement for John Wooden after thirty years.
There is no one I am rooting harder for this year than Rodgers. Hopefully he can shove it in old man Favre’s face.
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