January 12, 2004

Monday Morning Quarterback: Green Bay Packers Lose "Destiny Bowl" to Philadelphia Eagles, 20-17 in OT

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This is my second-to-last football quip until next season, commemorating a breathtaking playoff season for the Packers… the Super Bowl will finish it. It was good while it lasted, but alas… Green Bay’s Packers fell yesterday in what should’ve been a win – a dozen different times that I counted – to the Philadelphia Eagles 20-17 in overtime.

packers_eagles_2.jpgWith seconds left in the fourth quarter, the defense allowed an Eagles’ first down on a 4th-and-26 possession into field goal range, tying the game at 17-all and forcing the OT. Favre tossed a baddie any freshman QB would’ve been ashamed of and the field goal kick was sudden-death, despite a last-minute attempt at a snap-ball time-out. What a way to end a season.

Yet, it somehow feels just – and it’s alright to have to the Eagles team that’d been in this spot twice before, only to walk away heartbroken, watching an ecstatic Tampa Bay leave the field and burning an indelible image onto the hearts and minds of fan and player alike. I sincerely wish them good fortune on the road to Houston – not only will they need it, they probably deserve it. So, they’d better win and win again.

There’s always next year and I’m grateful we’ll never see the Packers leave Green Bay, since Title Town technically owns the team Despite its unique ownership structure as a big differentiator in professional sports, I’m endlessly amused when the cameras pan the stands searching for team owners and their reaction to the game’s biggest plays. It’s never as much fun as when they show the green-and-gold Pack fandom freezing bravely in playoff bleachers... die-hard to the end.

- Arik

Posted by Arik Johnson at January 12, 2004 12:47 PM | TrackBack