While ESPN was prattling on about Brett Favre's performance in a random game from 1992, local Minnesota coverage was asking the important questions. Like who would you rather have at quarterback, Brett Favre or Fran Tarkenton? But most people missed that stellar convo, because of one opportunistic fan in the background. Take a look see....

I couldn't tell if that said "F**k Green Bay" or "F**k Green Day", but the middle foam finger was very impressive.

Tonight's game is supposed to set all sorts of cable ratings records, and we'll be live blogging all of the action here and at 12SD tonight. Below are the particulars, and the ratings from ESPN's largest Monday night broadcasts. Get your predictions in and I'll see you at 8:30 for the game!

Eagles-Cowboys (9/15/08): 18,608,000
Patriots-Ravens (12/03/07): 17,522,000
Giants-Cowboys (10/23/06): 16,028,000
Panthers-Cowboys (09/28/09): 15,705,000
Falcons-Saints (09/25/06): 14,999,000

Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings (ESPN, 8:30pm)- Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, Jon Gruden
Line: MINNESOTA -5, O/U 46

And thanks to Bodog, we even have some awesome prop bets for the game as well....

- How many times will Brett Favre’s wife Deanna be shown on TV during the Broadcast of Monday Night Football Week 4 of the 2009 NFL Regular Season? (Over/Under: 1.5)
- Brett Favre – Total Passing Yards Week 4 vs. the Green Bay Packers (Over/Under: 205.5)
- Brett Favre – Total TD Passes Week 4 vs. the Green Bay Packers (Over 1.5: +110/Under 1.5: -150)
- Brett Favre – Total Interceptions Yards Week 4 vs. the Green Bay Packers (Over/Under: 1)

There are certain monikers that stick with a team/player, and every time you hear some one utter the phrase, it makes you think of them and them alone. One of the more famous ones, "America's Team" has been associated with the Dallas Cowboys since 1979, and one that's unmistakable. Well that is until ESPN gets their hands on it. The "Leader" posted an article yesterday titled "The Great Debate: 'America's Team'", and is trying to make cases for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots (!), as the heirs to the title. Seriously....

It's time to rescind the Cowboys' honor and turn it over to the Patriots. The Cowboys are known for wanton spending and attention-mongering with zero results. The Patriots are widely regarded as the NFL's most efficiently run organization. Their owner, Robert Kraft, was a season-ticket holder who aspired to buy the team one day -- and did. The American dream and capitalism all in one.

What's more, the Patriots were formed in Boston, a.k.a. "The Cradle of Liberty" and crucible for the American Revolution.

They were an original member of the American Football League, which is celebrating its golden anniversary this year.

They changed their name to New England to reflect their meaning to a region where Pilgrims landed. Some teams, such as Minnesota and Arizona, claim a state. The Patriots claim six.

The Patriots wear red, white and blue. When they score, Minutemen line up behind the end zone and fire their muskets into the air.

They're loved. They're despised. They give a nation of sports fans plenty to talk about. They win.

They're called the Patriots, for crying out loud.

What's more American than all of that?

The thing that's so dumb about this isn't just that they've had the term since the 70s, but rather that they're just using Football teams. Shouldn't you consider the Yankees (perhaps more fans out there), the Red Wings (the American working man's team), and/or the Celtics?

As much as I hate the Cowboys, that nickname is theirs and theirs alone.

The Great Debate: 'America's Team' (ESPN)

Entering "Aaron Rodgers" into the Google search gets you some great photos of him with hippie hair, scraggly beards, and trash staches like the one seen at right. Aaron, bring this look back, man.

Felix Jones takes a knee in the end zone on the kickoff. Romo and the O will start at the 20. Barber rumbles for two straight eight yard carries.

"I just don't get how Witten can weigh anything any more....he plays tight end, wide receiver, fullback....he ought to get two paychecks." - John, after Witten gets a three or four yard catch. Barber gets dumped on 2nd and 4; it's now 3rd and 6 or so. Romo's pass is incomplete, the Cowboys punt, and the Packers bring it out to the 11.

Brandon Jackson rushes for a first down at the 26. Andrea gives us Favre Mention #4; Jackson gets another seven yards on the next play.

Rodgers hurls a bomb for 50 yards to Donald Driver, who is denied a touchdown solely by a Cwoboy defender making him jump straight up in the air. Brandon Jackson gets stuffed, Rodgers rolls out for a few. 3rd and goal -- and Anthony Henry gets his 2nd sack of the game. Here comes Mason Crosby again.

Kick is up, and good. 13-9, Cowboys.

As a Viking fan, I fully understand that you can't win with field goals. Good luck GB, if that's how you want to try it. - Jesse A

Dallas starts at the 20, Romo hits Witten for 5. Barber for a first, and then Romo hits Miles Austin for major yardage, and he's down at the 2 yard line. 1st and goal, Cowboys. That was a play they'd run for T.O. a lot. Barber brings it up to the 1. Marion Barber busts in again for the touchdown.

Kick is up and good, 20-9, Cowboys.

"I don't think Terrell Owens is going to medical school." - Al

"The first guy had to make it [cheese] somewhere and say, 'Stop, that's it!'" - John

Another three and out for the Packers, as Jay Ratliff brings Rodgers down on the 3rd down play. Adam Jones got fancy on the return but was tackled at midfield, with a flag.

"And Pacman Jones looking like Ms. Pac-Man on that return...." - Al

Cullen Jenkins ate up Felix Jones in the backfield on first down. Jenkins rushes Romo on 2nd, and forces him to rush a throw while still in the pocket -- which the refs flag. 3rd down is incomplete, punt by McBriar is a 65 yarder. Flags all over the place. Personal foul on GB, backs em up more. Grant rushes for a couple to end the third quarter.

This game is making me sleepy. After a Jennings catch for a 1st down, the offense stalls again. Punt coming, and it goes into the end zone. Dallas will start at the 20.

"Jones....big, gaping hole for nine yards and a first down!"- Al

Couldn't have said it better myself. Romo bombs for Miles Austin again, and it's incomplete -- double coverage once again. Witten gets another first down at the 46 on a pass. Barber rushes past midfield to the GB 42. Owens drops one; Romo gets flagged for intentional grounding again because there was no receiver on 2nd down.

Romo goes cannon to Miles Austin, who rushes in for the 52-yard TOUCHDOWN! Kick by Folk for the PAT is up and good, 27-9, Dallas.

Can we all go home now?

Several of you have noticed that Al was talking about Don Rickles winning an Emmy. Never mind whether it's relevant. What I want to know is: what was he in that actually got him an Emmy? Not like I'm gonna watch the telecast.

if this game is making you sleepy, wait until next week and the magic of the Bears QBs. - JG

Aw, damn it. Three and out again for Green Bay, stops at Dallas 29 with 8:30 left to play. Zzzzzz.....

I don't think Green Bay is trying any more. Martellus Bennett brings one in for 37 yards. Barber adds 12 more and is over 130 yards rushing. Barber apparently fumbles, and Blackmon recovers. GB ball. There's still some effort there.

Rodgers has hit three straight passes and the Packers are fairly deep in Dallas territory. 3rd down right now is at the 23, 5 yards to go. 1st down to Nelson for the catch. GB gets 1st and goal, and a defensive holding wipes out an incompletion. Rodgers sneaks in for the score.

"But you don't do a Lambeau Leap when you're down by three scores." - Al
"No, but you do get ready for an onside kick." - John

Kick is good, 27-16, Cowboys. And the highly implausible scenario continues...

"That is NOT less filling." - Al, as shots of donuts pass across the screen
"But they do taste great." - John

Onside kick, unsuccessful. Tramond Williams got the ball, but before the 10 yard marker for onside kicks. Dallas ball. The Cowboys are just running it out now.

Packers have it back after a turnover on downs, and a lateral type trick play gets called back because of an illegal forward pass.

DeMarcus Ware wails on Rodgers for another sack.

"Mike McCarthy is looking for a play that you probably don't have." - John

4th down is no good, Romo kneels, and this thing is finally over. Cowboys win, 27-16. See you next week for Eagles-Bears.

Tony Romo is ready to rock. Are you? The Cowboys head to Green Bay, where Aaron Rodgers will start from the get-go. Last year, he took over for Brett Favre when the Gunslinger got hurt in Dallas, and had a pretty good game.

Sadly for Rodgers, I'm picking the 'Boys, 38-27. Who ya got?

(Apologies. I thought this game was in Dallas again. Why, I don't know.)

Also, I'm putting Favre mentions at an over/under of 12. John just can't help himself. Packers take the kickoff back to the 24 yard line.

Favre mention #1. Rodgers tosses low to Jones on the first pass. Ryan Grant bumrushes for 9, but then he fumbles, and Adam "Don't Call Me Pac-Man" Jones recovers! Jones goes back to the Green Bay 14. Here comes the Cowboys' O. Marion "The Truth" Barber rushes for 2. (Either AA or I were calling Barber "the Truth" before we were calling Paul Pierce that.)

Two straight throws to T.O. are incomplete, and here comes Nick Folk for a figgie try. Kick is good, 3-0, Cowboys.

Could have been worse, GB fans.

Will Blackmon takes this kickoff bad to the 26. Greg Jennings grabs some major yards after the catch on a short slant pass, he heads out of bounds at midfield. Ryan Grant gets 6 after the injury time out. Grant gets the first down on the next carry. Now, we have 3rd and 4 at the Dallas 29 as the Cowboys call time. Rodgers hits Jennings again, ball down at the 11.

Did Al not get the memo that Adam Jones doesn't want media people calling him Pac-man any more? 3rd and 6 at the 7, Rodgers scrambles, but can't find anywhere to go and Anthony Henry gets a sack.

Mason Crosby's 36 yard FG attempt is good, 3-3 tie.

Do you think Madden will make more Favre references or Kournheiser refer to Rodgers more tomorrow night for the Jets-Chargers game? - Anon

Madden will make more Favre references. Tony K will be too busy talking about Favre to mention Aaron Rodgers more than two or three times. Favre Reference #2, with a jersey shot. Felix Jones takes the ball up to the Dallas 19. Barber gets 2 yards, then picks up the first with another 10 -- as John notes, T.O. got a good block on Charles Woodson. Romo's throw to Patrick Crayton is dropped, and Al Harris is on the ground -- another injury time out.

Barber heads up to the 36 on the next carry. Witten makes his first catch of the night, and it's very close to a first down at the 49. Barber gets across midfield and picks up the first.

Oh, that would have been lovely if it had worked. Romo hands off the end-around to Patrick Crayton, who hurls one into the end zone for T.O., who is double covered -- but he had an OK shot at that. Not saying that was an automatic bring it in, but still. Barber breaks a bunch of tackles, gaining 20+ at the Green Bay 20.

Just seeing a Cowboy player getting smacked makes me feel warm. - SSReporters

Romo throws over Witten on 2nd down, but gets him at the 11 for a first down on the next play. Next play drives the Boys back to the 16, as the play fake doesn't work and Romo gets sacked by Aaron Kampman. Al Harris makes a nice open-field tackle on Barber to hold him to a yard. Romo throws it....and he's PICKED IN THE END ZONE! Nick Collins goes all the way out to the Dallas 43 and T.O. tackles him.

The first quarter ends with Rodgers recovering his own fumble.

Surprised that the Cowboys drafted Felix Jones ? He was only part of one of better RB tandems in college football the past couple years. - JG

I suppose that statement by Al comes from the sense that everyone thought Jerry Jones would trade up to get Darren McFadden instead. Jennings catches it, gets to about the Dallas 40. Rodgers tosses a jump pass to Jennings while avoiding the sack...and dare I say, that was Favre-like. First down at the 25. Favre Count: 3. 3rd and 4 is incomplete to James Jones, and Crosby will come out again.

Figgie try is up....and good, 6-3, Pack.

"That's a good area to have bookends, your tackles and your corners and the Packers have good bookends at those positions." - JM

WTF? What other position could be considered a "bookend"? - Lucas

I swear, John's lunacy doesn't even faze me any more.

OK, that 2nd down play was a little wonky. Romo's getting sacked, Barber catches the throw, but gets hit and it's knocked in the air, and Tony Curtis comes up with it. Barber takes the next carry out to midfield. Cullen Jenkins pounds Romo to the ground on 3rd down, and we'll get a punt, which Mat McBriar shanks. GB gets it at its own 29.

Who isn't in that Diet Pepsi Max ad? So that's what Chris Kattan's been up to these days.

Good job on Rodgers for making Greg Ellis whiff on the scak, but the completion is coming back on a holding call. The 3rd down pass to Jennings is short, and it's punt time.

"Four flags, one hat, and a bean bag." - AM, after the punt return with two calls for blocking in the back on the Cowboys.

S2N can't catch a break, 3 weeks in a row of absolutely crap games. - SSReporters

Dude, I'm falling asleep here. Someone throw deep. I'm dying for the flex weeks to start. Barber barrels for a first down.

"Barber bangs his way through." - Al (via SSReporters)

And Felix Jones goes scampering down the sideline for 60 yards and the TOUCHDOWN! What was that I was asking for about excitement? Kick is good, 10-6, Dallas.

I had an instant SouthPark flashback when Madden said Jones' td was a scissor play.

"Know what the Dallas Cowboys call him? The oldest lookin' rookie in the history of the NFL." - John
"Kinda like LeBron James...he came in and he looked like he was in his eighth year in the league." - Al

Greg Oden wants you whippersnappers up there to pay him some mind.

"DeMarcus Ware chasing you will make you throw ducks." - John, after a weak 3rd down through by Rodgers.

Adam Jones receives the punt, doesn't get much, and the Cowboys will have another chance to score before halftime. Barber catches the short pass from Romo, then gets whacked on the rush. Witten comes up with the pass at the 23 of Green Bay.

"If you give Tony Romo that kind of time with those receivers, he's gonna eat you up." - John

With Fava beans and a nice Chianti, say?

That "NFL Stories" ad with the Chiefs groundskeeper is a bit off. I thought the stinky things he'd be chasing off the field would be the players themselves, not skunks. Romo hits Curtis at the 13, Barber picks up the first down with a carry at the 12. Romo hits Barber at the 5, with about 30 seconds left on the clock.

Romo then manages to fumble it once again after faking on the play action and holding it too long. Why did I start this moron instead of Philip Rivers tomorrow night?

I have a question. Why is the TE always referred to as being owned by the QB? It's always "his tight end", but you never hear it for any other position.

As a former TE my sophomore year in high school, I demand equality. - Jesse

You played in high school. You know the hierarchy. The QB owns everyone else.

Folk hits the FG, 13-6, Dallas. Kick off returned by Will Blackmon to the 27 with the half ending at the same score.

See you in the 2nd half thread.

Every time that the Cowboys and Packers get together all of Sports Media decides to hype the game by bringing up the 1967 NFL Championship game, or the "Ice Bowl" as it's better known as. It's arguably one of the greatest games ever played because of the conditions (-13 Degrees, -36 with wind chill factored in) and the intenrivalry between the two teams.

You've probably seen highlights from the game on NFL Films, but WTMJ in Wisconsin is doing something even cooler (pun intended) this go around. They've made available a retrospect that they did on the game three years ago which featured clips from the original radio broadcast....

The Packers hosting the Cowboys. Doesn't the wind chill just spiral downward in the room when you hear those words?

The Packers hosting the Cowboys. Can't you just imagine Bart Starr falling behind Jerry Kramer into the south end zone to win a record third consecutive NFL championship and thousands of fans jumping onto the field before Starr could have ever considered doing a Lambeau Leap?

(Never mind that celebration hadn't been invented until 26 years later.)

41 years ago, Newsradio 620 WTMJ carried the game considered by many to be the greatest the sport has ever seen. Three years ago, Newsradio 620 WTMJ rebroadcasted that classic contest. Now you can enjoy it on demand, anytime!

Ice Bowl: 1967 NFL Championship Game Audio

No full broadcast of the game on film or audio exists, so this is about as close as you're going to get. The game itself featured twelve future Hall of Famers (players and coaches) and it's a great way to spend an afternoon if you've got nothing else to do.

Packers-Cowboys: Listen to Ice Bowl (WTMJ)

I refuse to say his name, but the decision to air a certain quarterback's first game as a Jet as their main game of week one, seemed to work out swimmingly for CBS this past weekend. The numbers are still coming in but Sports Business Daily is reporting an 11.0 for the single game on the network, and according to Variety, that's the highest total CBS has seen in the last nine years....

Earlier in the day, the Eye posted its best opening-day NFL average in nine years courtesy of Brett Favre's debut with the New York Jets. The net's regional coverage during the 1-4:15 p.m. ET window, which was highlighted by the Jets against the Miami Dolphins and the New England Patriots against the Kansas City Chiefs, averaged an 11.0 household rating/24 share in the metered-market overnights -- up 4% from last year's 10.6/23 and up 24% from an 8.9/20 in 2006.

Pretty amazing, but I don't think they're out of the woods just yet. CBS has the ratings boom of the Pats-Jets next weekend, which everyone will be watching, but after that they don't get #4 back for three weeks. The Jets will be on Monday Night Football during week three, FOX during week four and then have a bye week five.

If you add to that the fact that the first game back is against the Bengals, the second against the Raiders and the third against the Chiefs....it'll be week nine at the earliest before they get a potentially good game (based on how the Bengals looked Week One). Also, Don't even get me started on the potential NBC Flex games in Denver (Week 14) and Seattle (Week 16). I'm not saying people will stop seeking out the Patriots entirely, and there are a few games people will definitely watch regardless (PIT-NE: Week 13), but CBS definitely won't be setting in records like they did last year. Especially when the other networks (Fox, NBC, ESPN, NFL-N) take both teams away from them a total of 11 times this season

Football a touchdown for NBC (Variety)
NFL ratings roundup (Sports Media Watch)

I got a little behind there at the end of the half let's do a little rapid fire commenting and show you that Peterson truck stick on Al Harris....

Kornheiser sounds like Bill Swerski tonight. I'm surprised he hasn't asked retorically what the score would be if Brett Farve played the Vikings by himself. (Via Anon)

Anybody else think of "To Catch a Predator" the way Jaws said that LOVES young quarterbacks. (Via Anon)

What's with the band on the sideline? although it does go perfect with the high school caliber football we're seeing. (Via Anon)

Someone should tell ESPN that there are other Metallica songs than Fuel. (Via The Brain)

Hi, I'm Tony Korniheiser, with Mike Tirico. Welcome to "Monday Night Favreball" (Via PM)

8:43- So let me get this straight? ESPN replaced "Jacked Up" with something called "Sunday Thunder" that featured two highlights and one was of the Bears defense making boring tackles? FAIL. Second half is getting underway shortly....

AA, you've failed to realize that simply making a tackle has become a spectacular feat for my Bears. (Via PM)

Touche'.

"I'm going to put a Favre moratorium on the Second Half. You only get five mentions!"- Mike Tirico

Liar. Vikings ball to start the half. There goes Jackson again....gain of eighteen on a scramble. He follows it up with a nice pass in rhythm to Berrian who almost breaks it. Woodson gets him by the shoelaces. Another Jackson completion and this is a drive. Oh wow! Berrian had the ball tipped to him in the back of the endzone but he can only get one foot down.

Vikings get a FG and it's 10-6 now.

8:55- "Our cheese curds are saltier than your cheese curds."- Tony Kornheiser

Go away please. Packers ball and Rodgers opens up the drive with a strike to Driver, but there's a penalty. 3rd and 9....complete but short. The Pack will punt. Allison goes for six yards and it will be Vikes ball near their own 20. Let's here "Fuel" again by Metallica! Commercial.

"Driver! He got Winfield to bite, and says 'good night!'" - Mike Tirico (Via Jay and JFein)

"Tries to get it to his fullback, Thomas Tapeh but Collin Jenkins was knocking him on his bottom."- Mike Tirico

Great pass to from Jackson to Sianicoe and he is blasted! Fumble...wait, incomplete. Wait again, it was a catch and the ground caused the fumble. Either way...it's a challenged and it's incomplete. Sorry I dosed off there for a second.

9:10- Great! A Michael Phelps mention!!! Keep it up guys....you're doing great. Jackson on a third and long hits Chester Taylor and he picks up the first.

Michael Phelps' performance in the Olympics was Favre-esque. (Via PM)

The drive stalls out and Kluwe punts again. Blackmon gets loose!

"Cutting back, he needs two more blocks. He got one.......he got the other one! Touchdown Green Bay!"- Mike Tirico

Great call on that one by Tirico and a great return. 17-6 Packers with 6 minutes left.

"He was too pooped to leap."- Tony Kornheiser

9:19- Those are pretty boring cheerleader uniforms. Is this a BYU game or something? (Via Mal)

I'm pretty sure the Packers don't have official cheerleaders anymore and that they use local highschool kids. I could be wrong though.

"And the Packers saying to the Jets if you trade him at all you lose you first born for fifty three years or something like that."- Tony Kornheiser

Why did we just get a picture of the 0-0, 1st Quarter scoreboard at the bottom for about 15 seconds? (Via Bazooka Jones) Good question, but here's the picture....


So unfunny. Jackson is crushed with a blindside sack but KGB was offsides on the play. 3rd and 6 for the Vikings and Jackson gets another scrambling first down. The Vikes are out to the 40 now. Nice little drive. Another first down as Peterson goes over 100 yards and Minny is in GB territory.

Jackson picks up some more yards and it'll be 3rd and 1 to start the 4th quarter. 17-6 Packers after three.

9:31- Vikings come up short on third down and it'll be 4th and 1. They're going for it.....Jackson throws....

Sidney Rice is wide open for six! They go for two and...no good. 17-12 now.

Great play by Jackson and it happened right as Tirico and Jaws were saying they would have kicked the Field Goal. They were right, but hopefully it shuts them up a bit.

"Way to second guess yourself after they score the touchdown. That's twice you've done that tonight."- Tony Kornheiser

Blackmon brings it out past the twenty and here comes Aaron Rodgers again. Tavaris J. is now a stellar 8 for 21 passing and the Packers defense seems to be running out of gas. Rodgers to Humphrey for about seven and Grant picks up the rest for a first down while Tony waxes ecstatic about Tennis celebrations. Great play by the Vikings defense and the Packers lose four. A short pass is picked up as well and it'll be 3rd and long....Driver catches it but well short. Packers to punt.

The lack of a down and distance on screen has been annoying, and the worst part is that it's not like they don't have room. There's plenty of room on each side. (Via Bazooka)

I know we've covered it, but it needs to be said again so it gets fixed. Just a tiny spot on below the game clock would be fine, but it should be on there.

9:43- When Stu calls the Broncos-Raiders game "Old School" is that code for "shitty"? Peterson picks up about seven yards on first down with a nice run but....another flag.

"This is a big drive for the Vikings here."- Ron Jaworski

Thanks Ron....great analysis. Jackson to Peterson and we get a little skirmish after the play. Timeout Vikings....8:51 left. 3rd and 1 and it's incomplete...Wade was held but no call. Another punt and it's all the way to the Packers twenty.

"Lollipop yes, Lazer no."- Mike Tirico

I'm not really sure why Tirico turned into a 5-year old kid when describing that punt, but it was highly entertaining. And there's penalty number seventeen as the Vikings encroach.....

RYAN GRANT BREAKS ONE! Oh man what a cut back near the goal line and he gets all the way to the two. 1st and Goal Packers. And another penalty! Good lord. Rodgers keeps it on first down...no go. Second down....

TOUCHDOWN! Rodgers on the sneak and he goes into the crowd with a Lambeau Leap. Great spike too. 24-12 Packers.

9:57- Great here comes the Favre-Rodgers comparison. Tirico finally says what everyone is thinking when he says....

"It's a great storyline, it's a great point, but let's not do this week after week."- Mike Tirico

Amen. 5 minutes to go and a pass interference gets the Vikings out to midfield. Jackson again with the scramble and he adds another 18 yards. He decides to then follow up those two good plays with a near interception. He's inconsistent to say the least.

3rd and long....tipped but Shiancoe grabs it about a yard short of the marker. 4th down....Jackson sneaks....got it! That was a long yard. Incomplete on first down but Mills grabs a pass for another first on second down. Great pass under pressure there. 1st and Goal. Jackson scrambling yet again and he pulls off some great moves to pick up a yard or two. Another penalty....defensive holding. 1st and Goal again....

TOUCHDOWN! A.P. goes up the middle for six. 24-19 with 2:39 to play. And the Vikings will get another 15 yards on their kickoff because of a leaping/leverage penalty.

10:08- Onside kick....Ohhhh! Nothing....out of bounds. Great attempt though. The Vikings have one timeout left and the 2 minute warning, so they might get another shot here. Jackson for nothing and Minnesota calls timeout. Jackson again for nothing and another penalty. Holding! The Vikings decline it but the clock is stopped because of the penalty. The booth doesn't seem to understand that but that's not surprising. Timeout and the Vikes will get the ball with 2 minutes left.

Has ESPN moved Wendi Nix to Boston yet, and have her camp out in the parking lot of the Patriots facility ? So we can get 24 / 7 Brady. (Via JG)

Not yet. She was in Green Bay all day today at her other condo. Allison takes the punt out to the thirty and here we go. First down....Jackson to Berrian for seven but he's in bounds. Second down....Jackson to Peterson for the first down over the middle. And Tavaris spikes it with 1:08 left. Second down....

Interception! Game over. And Mike Tirico gives Atari Bigby the business for not just going down after the pick. There was no one even close to make a play on that ball....terrible pass.

"We get the Packers twice more on Monday night."- Tony Kornheiser

Kill me now because that was just dreadful. If you're not trashed from playing the "Brett Favre Mention" Drinking Game, see me in yet another thread for our second game of the year sure to be even better with the Three Mikes on the call!

Final: Packers 24 - Vikings 19

Who: Vikings at Packers
Where: Lambeau Field
Spreads: Packers -2, O/U 37.5 and Broncos -3 O/U 41
Announcers: Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski and Tony Kornheiser

Well MNF is finally back on-air and I couldn't be happier to be bringing you yet another season of live-blogs. Comment early and comment often because this is a full interactive website. Say something that makes us laugh or provide me with some announcer quotes and you'll say your name in this space. It's that easy!

The kickoff is coming up and we'll get things going with the Vikings and Packers soon....

"Brett Favre number four, he was a three time MVP, the only one in the league. How about this? Four times three equals twelve, Aaron Rodgers number."- Stu Scott
"Well you gotta remember what I used to see sixteen minus eight equals zero."- Steve Young

AA, I hope you got that exchange on Count Down b/w Stu, Steve and Emmitt. It started out with Stu talking about Tarvais Jackson "between the ears". It was a strange segment. (Via Anon)

I have it recorded, so it very well might be the MNF Video of the Day tomorrow. I can't wait to see it though.

"Steve, I couldn't agree, uh, I couldn't disagree with you if I wanted to."- Emmitt who then immediately disagrees with him

"Hi Brett, Hi Diana."- Mike Tirico

Emmitt is already in midseason form! (Via Anon)

Seriously. Those thoughts just don't seem to put themselves together in the right order do they?

7:08- Whooo! It appears the new Metallica album is our bumper music for the night and that couldn't make me happier. The first three songs released are pretty badass.

Hank Williams wants you "really" ready for Monday Night Football. So demanding...geesh. Here comes the kickoff. Packers get the ball first and we'll get to see Aaron Rodgers right away. Jordy Nelson brings it out to the 28 and we're underway...

Oh great a Sara Palin reference (
Via Anon)

"I call this the great gamble of the 2008 season. It's like John McCain picking Sarah Palin."- Tony Kornheiser

Ugh...here we go. Rodgers completes a few passes and the Pack is already approaching midfield and right on cue there's a holding penalty on Clifton. I really really like the no graphics at the top of the screen, but it's going to take awhile getting used to.

Jared Allen with a Family Guy reference...nice. FUMBLE! Rodgers drops the snap but gets it back. Oh man...on the next play Rodgers gets drilled into the ground after the whistle but no flag. That drive stalled out quickly and hey....a Derrick Frost sighting! That leads us to our first commercial break.

Hey, get ready to see this damn Brett Farve Wrangler Jeans commercial ALL night tonight. You could make up a drinking game off it and be plastered by halftime. (Via Lammy742)

The O/U is officially set at 14.

7:19- Man it's loud at Lambeau tonight. Peterson picks up 3 on his first carry which is followed by a Jackson scramble for two. Back to the graphics. I'd really appreciate a down and distance somewhere other than on the field, ESPN....thanks! Jackson runs again and picks up a first.

"I like to see a quarterback take a run option when nothing else is available."- Ron Jaworski
"That's because you couldn't run."- Tony Kornheiser

First, what the heck is Jared Allen wearing on his head? Second, did he just intro one of his teammates as "Ray 'When I'm Not Playing, I'm Enjoying a Bubble Bath' Edwards"? File that under Too Much Information. (Via Mal)

Nick Barnett follows him with the longest lineup intro ever and while he's doing that Chester Taylor gets another Vikings first down.

"Last year he was the Rookie of the Year and he went over a million yards like nine times."- Tony Kornheiser channeling his inner 12-year old girl

Jackson goes down on a sack from Aaron Kampman and Guitar Hero star Chris Kluwe punts it back to the Packers. Timeout.

7:29- "He sits and listen when people like me talk about him."- Tony Kornheiser
"Especially you talking about him."- Ron Jaworski
"I know nothing!"- Tony Kornheiser

Fumble! Jackson loses the ball butt it bounces directly to Greg Jennings who gets a first down. The Umpire gets rundown and there's a 12-men in the huddle penalty on the Packers to boot. That was fun. 1st and 25 now. No wait....another penalty on the Packers. Make that 1st and 33 after a hold.

"If they go any further back they'll be in Michigan."- Tony Kornheiser

After a run and a great play by Ced Griffin on a WR Screen and it's only 3rd and 28 now. And there goes the drive. Another punt.

You should keep a tally of how many times Brett Favre is mentioned tonight. Just including the game (not pregame), I think I've heard about 4 references to him. (Perhaps another idea for a drinking game?) (Via Jay)

Approved!

OK - if the Three Stooges keep thinking about What Would Favre Do (WWFD) on every play, then should we wonder what call Cosell or Michels would make? Give it a rest fellas. (Via Mal)

Also approved.

7:38- PETERSON JUST DESTROYS AL HARRIS ON A RUN!!! Whoooo and he gets to the corner on the next play! 35 yarder!!! Man he is fun to watch. Taylor gets another chance and even more yardage gained on the Packers via the ground.

And that's the end of the first quarter.....0-0.

And Jacobs just flattens Carlos Rogers again....oh wait, it's AP over Al Harris. (Via SS)

Haha. Thanks for reminding me...a-hole! Tirico talks about his radio show, which is slowly becoming a weekly feature, and here's a FG attempt for the Vikings....

Good. 3-0 Vikings, 13:35 to go in the 2nd.

7:50- Green Bay ball on the 30 to start the drive. Brett Favre tribute.....DRINK!

RODGERS GOING DEEP! Jennings got it!!! 56 yarder down to the Vikings' six. That was a heck of a throw young man and of course the booth immediately says it was Favre'esqe. Apparently "Less is More" actually means "Hammer Stories To Death". 2nd and goal and Rodgers is dropped for a sack....wait flag....defensive holding.

1st and goal now from the one. Grant goes nowhere and we've got another flag. Offsides and man does that ref have one hell of a lisp. More Jaws and Tony bantering and Grant gets blasted again. Hey Packers, breaking news....the Vikings are pretty good up the middle, or so I've been told. Another run, this time to the right and Grant almost gets in. 3rd and Goal....Rodgers scrambles....

Touchdown Packers! Rodgers to Hall on a fadeaway. 7-3 Packers, 10 minutes left to go.

"That's exactly the kind of pass Favre would have thrown. Does it remind you of him at all?"- Tony Kornheiser
"Yes, but you've got to let it go, Tony."- Ron Jaworski

Seriously. He's really driving me crazy and I think he's doing it on purpose.

7:59- What's with all the flags? Does Donaghy have the under on this game or something? (Via Mal)
I didn't see this many flags at the Olympics. (Via Anon)

It's really out of control tonight. That's five for each team so far.

"Gonna throw down here...Oh boy....TOUCHDOWN! COREY HALL!" - Mike Tirico

That's the 1st time I heard "oh boy" as a quarterback is scrambling. (Via J Fein)

Good catch. He was out of his seat on that call. Vikings ball at their own 20 and Jackson throws it away on first down. A run for a yard and it's 3rd and 9. Jackson to Berrian deep....incomplete, but there's more laundry on the field. Pass interference and the ball goes all the way out to the 50. Jackson up to again! Incomplete though.

He's just Favring it all over the field tonight. Sorry, I was channeling my inner-Kornheiser. Vikings getting ready to punt again after a nice play from Bigby.

"It's all about penetration." - Ron Jaworski (Via SS Reporters)

Damn straight it is, Ron! Wait.....so there's ANOTHER game tonight??? Why didn't anyone tell me?!?

8:09- Ryan Grant breaks one for twenty and Ron Jaworski promptly discusses the Rodgers throw from fifteen minutes ago. I'm pretty sure someone told Tony to cool it with the Favre stuff because he's been silent for about 5 minutes now.

Wait, sorry....back to the "gamble" speech again about Rodgers. Driver gets a nice pass from #12 and the Packers are rolling now. Tony and Ron start arguing about the Favre decision by reciting their script from the preseason.

Crosby hits a 42-yarder and it's 10-3 with 3 minutes to play.

8:19- Are these ten-minute commercial breaks the way for ESPN to make up for not turning a football game into Oprah in the 3rd quarter? (Via Hollywood Wags)

Yeah they do seem longer this year. Jackson throwing deep to Berrian again and wow....Berrian got mugged and no call. 3rd and short and the Vikings don't pick it up. I'd go for it, but they're punting....2 minute warning hits first though.

Brett Favre, Brett Favre, Brett Favre, Brett Favre, Brett Favre, Brett Favre, Brett Favre, Brett Favre, Brett Favre, Brett Favre, Brett Favre, Brett Favre, Brett Favre and Brett Favre.

Rodgers and the Packers go on the attack again. Incomplete on first down, nowhere on second but a first down on third down. Rodgers hits Jennings again and calls timeout. Ball at the Minnesota 36. Rodgers scrambles for twenty one and the place goes crazy. Great decision there. 1st down and Rodgers throws the ball away....well no....it's caught somehow but out of bounds. There's a penalty anyway.

"He looks like Jack Black, only bigger."- Tony Kornheiser

His pop culture knowledge knows no bounds! Green Bay throws a screen and then wussilly lets the clock rundown for a FG which is subsequently blocked by the Vikings.

10-3 Vikings at the Half and I'll see you momentarily in a new thread.

Great catch by reader DH this afternoon. He forwarded on a link of the Colts' schedule that showed their September 14th game against the Vikings was going to be played at Lambeau Field. Well with a little bit more sleuthing, I uncovered that ESPN has moved the Vikings permanently to the their new home in Green Bay (click for larger)....


We all know that ESPN really wants to move all operations to Green Bay anyway (I think there are a few rooms available at Wendi Nix's condo), but that is too funny. It's obviously a simple mistake, but imagine the horror on Vikings Fans' faces as they click on their team's schedule and see their home field is that of the hated Green Bay Packers. Of all the stadiums and teams they could have made this mistake with. Good times ESPN.com!

Minnesota Vikings Team Schedule (ESPN)

All the way back in June, ESPN decided to send every single member of it's Football team to Green Bay for the Monday Night opener on September 8th. By the end of July, that whole and today the troops have been officially called off. Via the JS Online....

ESPN no longer plans to send the entire "Monday Night Countdown" crew to Lambeau Field when the network carries its regular-season opener on Sept. 8, when the Packers play host to the Minnesota Vikings.

That game had been scheduled as the time Favre's number would be retired by the Packers. But Favre changed his mind and decided to continue his career, prompting the Packers to postpone the number retirement.

Just as they did last season, the "Countdown" broadcasters - Stuart Scott, Emmitt Smith and Steve Young - will be on site at Lambeau, and the sites of all the other "Monday Night Football" games throughout the 2008 season.

Seems like the smart decision, but I was kind of looking forward to see how they put together a set that fit seventeen people. I'm also just happy that Emmitt is going to be there. When I turned on Countdown last night, I was borderline mad that Ditka was in for him. I know they're trying to phase him out, but try to make it happen as slow as possible please.

In other programming news: The NFL Network is going to carry the rest of the New York Favres' preseason games live.

Change in game plan (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)

(P.S.- Sorry about the headline....I'd been saving that one for awhile.)

Troy Aikman owns a lifetime record of 9-1 against the Packers, but apparently he hasn't hammered Brett Favre over his career. The ex-QB and FOX analyst was on the 2 Live Stews radio show today to talk all things NFL, but he had some interesting things to say about Aaron Rodgers and the flip-flopping Brett Favre....

"This has been going on for over a decade. Going into '96, the Super Bowl that he won. He talked about it prior to that game that if he won that Super Bowl he may in fact retire. And since that time it's been twelve years now that we've talking about whether or not Brett's going to retire.

He [Aaron Rodgers] has been there all of season, they drafted him in the first round, they told him that he was going to be a starter this year. And I think you risk losing him for the rest of his career, however short that maybe with Packers, to get one more season out of Brett Favre. Do you go on to win the Super Bowl? Well maybe you do, but they could very easily go 4 and 12 as well."

Interesting take and pretty spot on. I definitely don't agree with the notion that Aaron Rodgers should be the starter, but I can't believe I forgot how long Favre has been contemplating leaving the game. I was in Highschool in 1996?! Good lord. Someone seriously needs to Nancy Kerrigan this guy so we can all move on....including him.

Troy Aikman Tired Of Brett Favre, Supports Aaron Rodgers (You Been Blinded)

I've honestly been trying to avoid Favre over the past few days as much as possible. I think it's only fair for our collective sanity. Well I saw this item over at PFT and thought it was interesting enough to pass along. The Packers recently sent out season tickets and guess who's on the Game One edition....that's right Brett Lorenzo Favre....

Now obviously the planned this ahead of time because the Pack are retiring his jersey that night, but how odd would it be if he was on another team? What if said team was the Vikings? Interesting (not really but nothing else is going on).

Packers Season Ticket Holders Get A Surprise (Pro Football Talk)

Well there's no surprise here, but Chris Mortensen is reporting on NFL Live that Brett Favre has talked to Coach Mike McCarthy and is interested in coming back to the Packers. We all know Mort's track record in regards to "Breaking News" but if there's one guy he's got an in with it's Favre.

The interesting thing is that Al Harris is in the ESPN "Carwash" today and has had stuffed dropped in his lap all day long. On First Take they asked him about Aaron Rodgers comments about Green Bay's fans and now they're piling the Favre news on top of him as well. He seems very at a loss for words today.

It's not fair to Aaron Rodgers, but at least he's starting this nonsense now and not during Training Camp. I blame Strahan taking Favre's job at FOX for all of this.

With the biggest story now missing from Green Bay, WGBA (based in Milwaukee) is ridding itself of every sportcaster that was located in the city. And with that move two of Green Bay's most prominent local hosts are out of the job....

Sports anchors Ted Stefaniak and John Burton will soon leave WGBA, Channel 26, Green Bay. The station's sportscasts will be done out of Milwaukee.

Their terminations were confirmed this morning by Jim Thomas, corporate marketing vice president for the Milwaukee-based Journal Broadcast Group, which owns the station.

“We’re going to begin producing the sports out of the Milwaukee newsroom (of WTMJ),” Thomas said.

Appearing on WGBA for sports segments in newscasts will be WTMJ’s Lance Allan, Rod Burks and Jessie Garcia. Those segments may be live or recorded.

Both Stefaniak and Burton have been with the network in some capacity since the mid 90s so I'm sure it's come as a shock to them. It's amazing that one man retiring is more than likely the cause of this. Sure they're going to say it's the dwindling economy to the news, but if Favre was still there I'm sure these two gentlemen would still be employed.

Channel 26 dumps sports anchors (Green Bay Press-Gazette)
Dear Green Bay: Your Sports Don’t Matter Now (Sports by Brooks)

It always amazes me when people watching the same game draw two entirely different conclusions on the contest. Normally it's reporters covering different teams that notice certain nuances and rarely reporters on the same beat. That wasn't the case this morning as I was flipping (or clicking rather) through some of Green Bay and New York's coverage of the game.

The publications are the NY Daily News, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal and the Green Bay Press-Gazette. All took stabs at FOX's coverage of last nights Pack loss and both came up with something completely different.

Bob Raismann (NY Daily News): "Neither Joe Buck nor Troy Aikman overplayed the weather angle. In a game contested at such a high level, under miserable conditions, the voices let the pictures take care of that story.

There were other issues to deal with, like Plaxico Burress' matchup with cornerback Al Harris. The plot was visual, with Fox's cameras offering telling replays of the confrontation, which often played on after the whistle, and Aikman making the point - in the second quarter - that the Packer coaching staff "sure should think about" giving Harris some help covering Burress.

OLIVER'S TWIST: Pam Oliver, working Fox's sidelines, tried selling a conspiracy theory in the second quarter."

Bob Wolfley (Milwaukee J-S): "Fox did a good job during the broadcast keeping viewers informed about the temperature and wind chill index during the course of the game. The game started at minus-1 degree with a minus-23 wind chill, and it was minus-4 and minus-24 late in overtime, according to the Fox thermometer."

Warren Gerds (Green Bay P-G): "In the booth, Buck and analyst Troy Aikman let the action play out, rather than say anything cute about the cold.

They had plenty to work with — the battle between Giants receiver Plaxico Burress and Packers defensive back Al Harris, the wowing 90-yard touchdown catch of Packers Donald Driver and the unfolding answers to the main mystery, "How will the quarterbacks perform in the numbing cold?"

Despite the outcome for Green Bay, the viewing was entertaining, perhaps more so when the Fox camera caught three "Bikini Girls" dancing in the stands in their yellow outfits."

Now for a fourth view. I don't mean to pick on you Warren and Bob (NY Post), but the last part of each of your quotes sound like they talked about the Weather a lot. I too didn't think they "overplayed" it, but it did get annoying at some points.

Since I was sans-internet for the game I couldn't really take "notes" on the contest but I don't think it was the weather that was the deciding factor on whether the broadcast was bearable or not. Maybe since Warren and Bob cover the Packers they didn't notice just how in love with Brett Favre FOX was. Look I understand it was possibly his last game, but I think Joe Buck's love of Favre surpassed Jim Nantz' love of Tom Brady during last night's contest. I honestly didn't think that was possible.

I know that you have to take certain angles and story lines during a contest, but Joe Buck was just flat out rooting for Brett Favre. I got the sense that Buck and Aikman truly thought that the Giants couldn't, wouldn't, and shouldn't win that game. I'm actually rather glad they did today.

ELI MANNING = UNSTOPPABLE

Joe Buck dreams of these hands reaching out to caress him, as do Peter King and John Madden. Hopefully this game should be better than the previous one. Document the atrocities and bring the funny in the comments, folks.

If you have a beverage, drink for:
1) Eli Manning Face
2) "Gunslinger" references
3) Any time Brett Favre is "just having fun out there"

You people are going to hear about this one all day, but I figured I'd put it up as well. A Pardeeville, Wisconsin man was charged with disorderly conduct last Saturday for taping a jersey to his son after the kid refused to wear it during the Packers win over Seattle. From WiscTV.com via Cake Rocks the Party....

Sheriff's Lt. Wayne Smith said Mathew Kowald was cited for disorderly conduct for the incident involving his 7-year-old son at their home in Pardeeville this past weekend. Kowald was accused of restraining the boy for an hour with tape and also taping a jersey onto him during that time.

The father was arrested on Monday after his wife called authorities. Kowald was taken to the county jail and held until Wednesday, when he pleaded no contest, paid a fine of $186 and was released.

Kowald defended his actions in a phone call to WISC-TV, saying that he did tie his child up but that it was in a playful manner.

Wow....sounds like you were really joking around. What's even better than the description is the video of the news report where they get audio from Mr. Kowald. At one point the station has to bleep out a word describing his son (sorry for the quality, but it's worth a few)....



You stay classy Green Bay!

I Was Going To Write A Defense Of Packer Mania (Cake Rocks the Party)
Man Arrested For Forcing Son To Wear Packers Jersey (WiscTV.com)

This video is just fun. A 43-year old reporter from Wisconsin is attempting the Lambeau leap.....what could possibly go wrong on live TV?

You thought he was going to give up right? Boy was he determined and you could see that fall coming.

Fox 6 Milwaukee's Ted Perry Unsuccessfully Attempts Lambeau Leap (Fan IQ)

Like it says above. Leave the worst of the announcing team in comments, and OMDQ will be here for Jags-Patriots after this one. Oh, and the picture is from the last time these teams met in the playoffs, when Al Harris made Matt Hasselbeck eat his "We'll take the ball and we're gonna score!"

Over/under for Favre Fellating by announcers: 15.