Prime's exclusive wildcard playoff game this Saturday night. Jordan Love and the Packers take on Caleb Williams and the Bears. Not a Prime member? Sign up for a 30-day free trial to stream the game. That's going to be COID for the touchdown.
NFC North rivals square off in the latest chapter of the NFL's oldest feud. The Packers and Bears and Prime's exclusive wildcard playoff game. Saturday at 7.30 p.m. Eastern, only on Prime. Sign up for a 30-day free trial today.
Restrictions apply. See Amazon.com slash Amazon Prime for details. Honey, do not make plans Saturday, January 24th, okay? Why, what's happening? The Walmart Wellness Event.
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Visit Walmart Saturday, January 24th for our semi-annual wellness event. Flu shots subject to availability and applicable state law. Age restrictions apply. Free samples while supplies last. Welcome into the Winkler-verse.
I'm Bart Winkler, Danny Parkins. Is our guest Today is we're going to talk Packers. and Bears, which I hate that we're talking about. For yet another time. Before I give you my whole sob story about this rivalry.
From a bear standpoint. It's exciting. You're the two seed. You're winning games that you don't think you're going to win. Very fun.
Does any of that matter if they lose to Green Bay, though, this weekend? Of course it still matters. Of course it's still matter. Like, if the Bears lose to the Packers. It will suck.
Like it, it just will. It'll be another chapter in the rivalry. It'll be, you know, the Bears are used to being the nail in this rivalry with the hammer, right? Like, it's just. Green Bay has dominated Chicago.
Feels like they should be Little Brother, but they are Big Brother. Like, it's just very upset. It's been decades and decades. Like, obviously, it will send the Bears into the offseason with a very sour taste, and it will, you know. A tinge of negativity.
But make no mistake, like the season is an A-plus Grand Slam success of a season. The Bears found their coach for a decade and they found their quarterback for a decade. Like We're good. Hey, so they're ahead of schedule in the rebuild, year two of Caleb, year one of Ben Johnson.
So, like, would it be easier? To get eliminated by the Seahawks or the Niners or someone like that than the Packers? Sure. But, like, oh, by the way, There's a world where the Bears beat the Packers, and then it's one of the most enjoyable seasons. It's probably the most enjoyable non-Super Bowl season in the history of the franchise.
So I just, you know. I It's a huge game. We can talk about your dumb thoughts on rivalries at some point. I'm coming in. I bought my plane ticket and ticket to the game yesterday.
Oh, wow. Good for you. Yeah, dude. My seats are. Excellent.
Uh, like, I'm gonna, I'm gonna, like, legitimately, like, be a factor in this game. Like, I'm gonna, I'm, like, legitimately, like, 1% of the outcome here is on me. Uh, I'm so close to the damn field. Like, this is, this is very exciting. And so, yeah, like, I just.
There's a lot to unpack here, but I don't want Packers fans to get too into their own head. Yes, it will hurt, but it will not ruin the season in a season in which we have the best coach and best quarterback we've had in forever. Danny Parkinson FS1 first things first first things first OT. And somehow in this weird Twist of life, you're boys with Greg Jennings.
Now that's. Yeah, yeah, Greg's awesome. Greg's my guy. I know. That's crazy.
I'm with you too. Although I had to invite myself on your show.
Well, that's my strategy is I keep. Tweeting like a sad, pathetic baby boy. And then it really is exactly what happened. I kept seeing your tweets. And I was just like.
Did this guy forget that he needs to do content? Can I just come into the Winklerverse here and do some content?
So we don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, but just, yeah, I'm just, I just want to talk sports with my friends. What's up, buddy? Let's look. I mean, well, and by the way, did I read correctly that your stance is rivalries are bad for sports?
So that's my new take. It's the worst take I've ever heard. Let me tell you why. May I? May I tell you why?
Yeah, it's the worst take in the history of takes. Go ahead.
So, Packers Bears, I've already hated for the entirety of my life. Even though it makes no sense. The Packers have been on top. I remember Mid-90s The local t-shirt shop in town. All of a sudden had the A huge like They moved a lot of merch because they took the Bears helmet.
and made it a handicap logo. Yeah. And was like, ugh. And I wore the shirt to school. Yeah.
during the spring. When there were no games to be had, that sounds awesome. What's the problem? I am just so tired. Of people that have taken this rivalry and made it their personality.
Okay. And I'm coming from a standpoint where Brewers Cubs? That hurt me. We won! The Brewers won.
And yet because they posed with an owl flag. And they didn't win another game. Cubs fans like actually won. They actually won that series. The Brewers won the baseball games, but the Cubs fans won that part of the rivalry.
Can I make a suggestion? What? Get offline! I can't. I made 57 bucks on Twitter last week.
But, dude, get offline. The Cubs won the series, but the Brewers won the baseball games. What are you talking about? No, they did not. Just like some people dunked on the Brewers for wearing an L flag.
Like, rivalries make sports better because it makes the games that otherwise, like if every game felt the same to the fans, like, what are we, what is this? The Matrix? Like, what is it? Are we computers? Like, we have emotions.
Green Bay, Chicago, Milwaukee, Chicago, Wisconsin, Illinois. We're neighbors. The scores, you know, radio frequency makes its way into Wisconsin. People marry each other. They work together.
They are neighbors. A Packer flag next to a Bear flag. It hurts when Craig Counsel goes from Milwaukee to Chicago. It hurts when the Packers luck into Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love and don't have to experience Rex Grossman and Mitch Trubisky and Craig Krenzel and all of the courts. It and you guys talk trash to us, and we talk trash to you, and proximity.
Like, if Packers Bears meant the same as Packers Jaguars or Packers Cardinals, what the hell is the point of any of this? Like, it's just supposed to make the game mean a little bit more. Like, sports are irrational at their base. Like, less hate in the world, more hate in sports. I don't want to hate my neighbor for real reasons.
I want to hate him because he roots for Green Bay. Like, what are you talking about?
Well, so, this is this is the take and the angle. Yeah. An experienced playoff loser.
Okay. I have had more heartbreaking playoff losses than you.
Okay. But do you mean because you have been to the playoffs more? Yes.
Okay, I've had more heartbreaking losses.
So you're saying the losses in like the NFC championship game to Tampa or Seattle mean more than losses to the Bears to you. But because playing the Packers is the Bears Super Bowl, that the rivalry means more to the Bears than the Packers? Is that the point? It's a little bit of a point. Yeah, that's a fine point.
The point is now, I am possibly, we don't know how the game's going to go, but I'm possibly going to have to experience that pain again. But now to the Bears. Who, yes, this game means more to Chicago than it does to Green Bay. There's no question about it.
Okay. Every relationship is not 50-50 all the time. Like, here's the thing: how old are you? I am, I think, a year older than you. Right.
So your entire existence in this rivalry, the Packers have been on top. Your entire existence. Maybe not 1990 or 91.
Okay, so like I don't, I remember started watching football like in 92, which was the first year of FARF.
So I when I was six. But like.
So basically, your entire life, you've been on top of this recovery. A game here, a season there, whatever, but for the most part, right? I don't want to give that up. Cool. Yeah, no shit.
But, like, that's what happens eventually. Like, so, like, in a world where it becomes an actual rivalry, like, in a world where this is a rivalry like, Um, Ravens Steelers is a rivalry, whereas, like, for the next 15 years, the next 30 matchups, the head-to-head record is 16 and 14, one direction or the other, with multiple times meeting in the postseason, with the coaches having a frosty relationship, with both teams having good quarterbacks, like with both teams picking in the late 20s, and then the games in week 18 always mattering. is good. That's good. That matters.
That means you feel something. That means you're alive. Like the game is supposed to matter. It doesn't mean that an NFC championship game would matter less. It means that the.
And let's put it this way. NFC championship game when you guys lost to Seattle or Tampa. Like, pick your NFC championship loss.
Now, imagine a hypothetical world where you would have lost that NFC championship game in 2010 to the Bears. My guess is that one would have been more painful. Yeah, and I don't I don't want like here I think this is the fundament fundamental difference With how we're approaching this weekend. You are are excited. You are Flying back.
You are going to impact the game. Yes, yes, and yes, and you should be. If I was in your shoes, I would be the same. I Am dreading this. I don't.
Because this is the same shit that's gonna happen all the time. They're not winning a Super Bowl. These Packers aren't going to win a Super Bowl. They're going to lose again. And it's going to be another thing.
And then people are going to have their list of all the heartbreaking losses in Wisconsin sports history. No, but I don't think. That The average Packer fan. is excited For this game and these playoffs. Here's my question: Are you only like I completely understand why Bears fans would be more excited for the game than Packers fans?
Because this is a massive game for the Bears. Yeah. And for the Packers, it feels like their latest playoff game. Like, that makes total sense. I get that.
But like, are you saying that the only games you're going to get excited for now are Super Bowls? Like What are you talking about? Like the only way you could be excited for a sporting event because of your like long story tradition is when you play for it. But honestly, not even a Super Bowl. Like only once you win a Super Bowl will you be happy.
Like you, you're not in, you know, you don't get up for big games. You don't enjoy sports anymore. What's happened to you? No, the Saturday night a couple of weeks ago, I didn't enjoy a minute of that. It was excruciating.
And the whole time the Packers were up, I'm like. They'll find a way to blow it. And they did. I don't, let me be clear. I don't want to be this way.
I don't want to be this way. I'm not proud of anything I'm saying to you. I'm not trying to say this to be like edgy or different. I am beat down. From Playoff losses from all my different teams who, oh, the Brewers, look at them.
Yeah, crazy. They made the playoffs, and then what happened? They lost. Oh, the Bucs. Oh, yeah, they lost again.
Oh, the Brewers. They won a championship five years ago. The one fleeting moment of joy I've had in my life in the last 30 years. Besides my kid and my family, and yeah, yeah, right, obviously.
Okay, so. Yeah. Well, listen, man, only one team gets to win a championship. This became a little bit more therapy than I expected. Only one team gets to win a championship.
Uh The world's a nasty place. This is a tough business that you've chosen. It's hard out there. Like Get some joy. From watching world-class athletes play for your entertainment.
And yeah, be pissed if you lose, but be happy if you win. Hey. It could you could miss the playoffs. You could not win double-digit games every year. Oh, the sweet release that would bring me.
Yeah, it's like you'd rather be a Jets fan than a Packer fan for a few years. It's like you'd rather be a Pirates fan than a Brewers fan. It's like you'd rather the Bucks rebuild than have Gianna. It's just insane. Like you're looking at gift horses in the mountain.
Wisconsin sports fans have had it. Really good. No, they haven't. They've had it really bad. You're out of your mind.
Prime's exclusive wildcard playoff game is Saturday night. Jordan Love and the Packers take on Caleb Williams and the Bears. Not a Prime member? Sign up for a 30-day free trial to stream again. That's going to be coincidental touchdown.
NFC North rivals square off in the latest chapter of the NFL's oldest feud. The Packers and Bears and Prime's exclusive wildcard playoff game. Saturday at 7.30 p.m. Eastern. Only on Prime.
Sign up for a 30-day free trial today. Restrictions apply. See Amazon.com slash Amazon Prime for details. Honey, do not make plans Saturday, January 24th, okay? Why, what's happening?
The Walmart Wellness Event. Flu shots, health screenings, free samples from those brands you like. All that at Walmart. We can just walk right in. No appointment needed.
Who knew we could cover our health and wellness needs at Walmart? Check the calendar Saturday, January 24th. Walmart Wellness Event. You knew. I knew.
Check in on your health at the same place you already shopped. Visit Walmart Saturday, January 24th for our semi-annual wellness event. Flu shots subject to availability and applicable state law. Age restrictions apply. Free samples while supplies last.
This is not a take. Or a feeling you can understand until you've been there. And I've talked about it a lot. I'm curious. I'm curious.
I'm genuinely curious. Do Wisconsin sports fans, by and large, like if you obviously they're not a monolith, like some will agree, some will disagree. But like, if you have the pulse of Milwaukee and the city and what, do you honestly think? that the majority of Bucks, Brewers, Packers fans, like people that are fans of all three, feel like over the last. 30 years.
It's been like Better than you've deserved, as good as you've deserved, or worse than you've deserved. I think I'm a little different than the Hive mind of a Wisconsin sports fan. I think most of them are Hesitant to ever admit their team lost. And if they do lose, they're going to be like. But you would say worse.
You would say it's been worse than you've deserved. Wisconsin sports has underachieved expectations in the last 30 years. Oh yeah. Any franchise with Farvin Rodgers for 30 years is winning at least two Super Bowls. The Packers did the bare minimum with those guys.
And I think, and I didn't mean this to be therapy either, but. I do this show not for content for others, but for therapy for myself. Which I respect. I respect that. Listen, it's a selfish enterprise.
I have no problem with that. I just think like. You could very easily. Gone from Brett Favre to not Aaron Rodgers. Oh, I know.
You know what I mean? Like you very easily could have gone from Aaron Rodgers to not Jordan Love. You very easily like Giannis could have been picked 13th. and not been on the board at 15. Like Your baseball team punches way above its weight class for what it spends.
Milwaukee, the Bucs win way above their weight class for the market and its attractiveness to free agency in the NBA. And your caliber of quarterback play as translates to your number of. Regular season wins, playoff wins, Super Bowl appearances, et cetera, is way above average of every NFL franchise for the last 30 years. You know what I mean? Like the Chiefs beat you, the Patriots beat you.
You're not first, but for being the smallest market in the NFL by far, again, not a traditional free agent destination, you punch way above your weight class. Like it's. You've had it remarkably good. Remarkably good. This I I I I can't convince you of this.
You have to live it. If this was like another bear season where you were in the playoffs, like if this was switched. Part of the reason this is so enjoyable is it doesn't happen a lot. That's part of the reason. I yeah, I and I and I get that and like every Everyone's got problems, right?
Champagne problems, right? Like Steelers fans are sick of Mike Tomlin because all he does is never have a losing season, but he underachieves in the playoffs. And like, I get that. I understand that the bar is higher in different places. And I do get it.
But I just, I'd like some, some. Semblance Realism. Like Like you don't. You guys hated when Rodgers got hurt, and you had to watch Brett Hundley for six games. I hate that we had to watch Clayton Toon this weekend.
Yeah, try six years. Yeah. You know what I mean? Ask a Jets fan what it's like to watch their quarterback situation their whole life. There is a club.
Danny, there is a club. And you guys just got into it. And you're looking around and you're like. This place is pretty nice. Yeah.
Dude, I've been here for 30 years. The food's not as good as you think. The service doesn't come around as much as you'd like. Yeah, I just think you maybe don't like sports. I think it's I think it's possible you don't like sports anymore.
I think you maybe should confront that. I think you might not like it. No, I do like it. I don't like. I was thinking this during Ravens Steelers.
I honestly was. I honestly was. I was thinking. This is a really fun game. I really am enjoying this.
Sports are a lot better when my team is not They're they're a lot better when my team is not playing. I like sports. I think what I don't like I don't like being a fan.
Okay. You you yeah, I just hope I hope you heard what you said. There. I hope you heard that sentence. I like sports.
So go be impartial. Just start going to wi go watch minor league baseball. You know, go be a play-by-play guy. Go be a beat reporter where you're not allowed to have favoritism. You know what I mean?
Go go work for a team or something like that. Go go go do something in sales and just have like corporate tickets. You know, just like both you should attend Final Fours. Like Final Four, I just like events. You should just become like a big Kentucky Derby and Final Four guy.
Like you don't care about the horses that are there. You don't care about the teams that show up. You just like the event. You're in for the joy of the game. Not the names on the back or the front.
No. You're not in it for the names on the front of the jersey or the back of the jersey. You're just there for teams wearing jerseys. I'm not proud of it. I'm not proud of it.
I wouldn't be either. I wouldn't be proud of it either. It's an amazing niche you're trying to carve here. This is so This is I might not even post this. I'm so embarrassed.
Yeah, I just want you to be sure that you're unpacking. You literally said, I like sports, I just don't like being a fan.
Okay. That sucks. Congrats, man. Congrats.
Now, that's something I've heard gamblers say that before because they just have more money on a game than they care about their team. But that's not, I've never heard an actual fan who's had it really good be like, be like, oh man. I can't deal with another ninety win baseball season and another top five MVP finish for my franchise superstar in the NBA and another top fifteen quarterback leading my team to another double digit win season and playoff appearance in the NFL. I guess I have to stop being a fan. It's insane.
So, how who do you like coming out of the NFC? Yeah. I mean, listen, the Bears have a terrible defense, right?
So I don't think they're going to go on a run, but they could. Like, they can beat everyone. Everyone's flawed. The Rams are sputtering a bit. The Seahawks, I thought their defensive performance against San Francisco was amazing.
So I probably will pick Seattle. All year I thought the Rams were better. But I had the Rams one and Seattle two as my top two teams in the NFL. Seattle ending up with home field, and that performance against San Francisco, I thought was just so impressive. That was Fewest yards ever for a Niners team under Kyle Shanahan, fewest points, tied the fewest points since his first game.
With the Niners, they'd been the best offense in football since week 11 when Brock Purdy came back from injury and they held him to three points and 174 yards. Like it was just. Was incredible.
So I'll say Seattle comes out of the NFC, which is. Not a hot take, but like it is different than I felt for the last four months.
So that's where I'm at right now. Can I ask you a TV versus radio question? Do you get that a lot? Please, yeah, I got, yeah, I got like nine more minutes till my show call. What's up, buddy?
Anything you want? We'll tell everyone Bart Winkler said hi. Um, okay. Hey, there's this guy who doesn't like sports anymore. They're like, I don't know who that is.
Is that the guy who's been sad online for a month?
Well, thankfully, there's a large company of people that are just sad online. But yeah, go ahead. What's your question about T V versus radio? I find that Even in the small T V hits I do around here. I'll get on and they'll be like, wow.
That was really good. How did you know to say how that? T V is once you've done radio and then you do T V. I feel like it's a vacation. I feel like it's so much easier.
Two. Don't tell anybody.
Now you really can't post this. You're giving away the game. Yeah. Not only it's it and so, but and like what you're saying is definitely true. Like, I remember doing a local hit in Chicago once.
Um, where I was just like on a panel for like the end of a newscast. It was like me, the ho the anchor, and one other person. And we were supposed to do like a four-minute sports section or something like that. And They like a package, like a pre-produced piece in the previous segment had like crashed and not fired.
So, our four-minute segment, this is no joke. Was supposed to now become five minutes. And they were like And the producer was like, Do you guys think you can cover? And I was, I was doing five hours at the time. I was doing one to six.
I was like, five minutes. I can do it. What are you talking about? Like, and even in TV, like, sometimes they'll be like, I don't know if this Jalen Hurts convo is going to be able to go eight minutes. I was like, eight whole minutes?
Like, what are you talking about?
Like, I.
So, going from radio to TV is way easier than going from TV to radio because I've seen people that do TV go to radio. and be out of bullets after the first segment. And they have no idea, yeah, radio is much harder. Um There's no question. TV.
has its different difficulties. Like, My show's an hour. My first 20 minutes, I'm out there with Nick Wright, Kevin Wilds, and Chris Broussard. Like, Heavy hitters. We're going to talk about Two or three NFL games, stories, questions, topics, whatever.
I might only get the ball. Twice? You know?
So you gotta like. compact everything you thought about Ravens Steelers Into a Tight. 45 to 60 seconds, you know what I mean? You gotta like, but you also have to be active listening and participating and not just thinking about it. And then, like, after that segment, The segments are like 11 minutes, nine minutes, three minutes.
You're done. And then you're done.
So you got to be. Concise and tight, and you got to line it up with the right stat, and the right video, and the right question, and the right. Is this topic better for me to cook on or for Eric Mangini or Greg Jennings or Willie Cologne? It's like, so like, it's much more of an intricate puzzle. Because there's not like the free-flowing, ah, we'll figure it out as we get there.
Like, you know what I mean? The conversation will lead us to the best place. Like, you've got to like. Know where the best place is before it starts, and then just immediately be in the best place. Of the conversation.
So it has different challenges. But then when you get to doing it at the level that I'm doing it now, and that's not like me bragging, it's just like, There's a lot of really talented people that work on the show. Right? I have a researcher. Yeah.
His job is to basically support my takes. with facts and research. And he knows how I feel about. Caleb or the Seahawks defense or Justin Herbert or whatever.
So before I even get into the office. I have an email. Sense to me from my researcher about my takes but you know what i mean with interesting, like this is a career researcher. interesting facts, figures, presentation, like And then, do you think if I told him my take is I like sports, but I'm not a fan, he would just quit. Yeah, I think I don't know how he would support it.
I think it'd be a struggle, but you know, like, so it. But I found this my whole career in radio. And I'm sorry that we got to this late. I'm going to be happy to come back on whenever. When I started doing radio in Syracuse, I was running my own board and punching up my own calls.
And the only person I had was like an intern who was a call screener. Like I did the takes, the updates, ran the board, put the calls up, whatever. Then you got to Kansas City. And doing a solo show with a board op who also would screen the calls and do the updates. Got to bigger in Kansas City, got a co-host and got a better producer, got to pick Ben Heisler to be my producer who had done on-air stuff and so he could handle more things.
Then you get to Chicago and you've got a co-host and now you've got two producers. Right.
And like my producers were great at all the stops, but even like, then there's like a hierarchy there. Then you get to afternoons, and it's like, well, now Chris Tannehill is doing your sound. Like, he could work for Howard Stern or Joe Rogan or Dank. He's literally the best sounds person I've ever heard. And so now, and then you got Shane Reardon booking your guests and doing your bits and working the locker room for you.
Like, so the higher you go in the industry, the more people that are watching are listening, so there is more pressure. But the job gets easier. Because you have more help. And so I found that at every step of the way in radio. And I found that certainly going from radio to national TV.
Like there's way more pressure. Um But it's also easier because you have more help.
Well, I am proud of you if that matters at all. Dude, yeah, I'm a huge fan of your work.
So I'm going the other way, but you're. Oh listen, these things happen. Ebbs and flows, okay? Ebbs and flows. Like it's you're good at what you do.
You have interesting thoughts. You do not have a herd mentality. You do care. You do put in the work. Just just Do content.
And that one. Just do content and then- Was the holiday vacation?
So watching my guy, dude, I'm like. The judgment can come off air. I don't have to judge you on air. I'm just saying, just do content and network, and people will take notice and hire you, or you'll build this thing. Into a huge thing, and you won't need to work for anyone else ever again.
You're good at what you do. Just cheap content and network. Danny Parkinson's All right, buddy. I'm going to Not good. I have a person I talk to once a week or once a month.
I'm just going to bill, I'm going to pay you instead. And you can't afford me. You can't afford me. I know. First things first.
First things first. No, T. Thank you, Danny, for stopping into the Winklerverse. Prime's exclusive wildcard playoff game is Saturday night. Jordan Love and the Packers take on Caleb Williams and the Bears.
Not a Prime member? Sign up for a 30-day free trial to streak a game. That's going to be part of the touchdown. NFC North Rivals square off in the latest chapter of the NFL's oldest feud. The Packers and Bears and Prime's exclusive wildcard playoff game.
Saturday at 7.30 p.m. Eastern. Only on Prime. Sign up for a 30-day free trial today. Restrictions of Block.
See Amazon.com slash Amazon Prime for details. If you're an HVAC technician and a call comes in, Granger knows that you need a partner that helps you find the right product, fast and hassle-free. And you know that when the first problem of the day is a clanking blower motor, there's no need to break a sweat. With Granger's easy-to-use website and product details, you're confident you'll soon have everything humming right along. Call 1-800-GRANGER, clickgranger.com, or just stop by.
Granger for the ones who get it done. Danny Parkinson Former 670, the score host.
Now on Fox Sports One. What a guy. I'm telling you. None of what I tell him makes sense. And it shouldn't.
Only when you walk a mile in our Wisconsin sports fan shoes. Will he someday see the light? Um Spark Guy. Is somebody that contributes to this show quite a bit. Another Bears fan.
I also chatted with him about all this. And got a l got a little deeper. Um about Just exactly this rivalry and my feelings towards it. I don't know. I've kind of talked myself into the Packers winning, though, since I talked to Spark Guy.
We will see. We are brought to you by Happy Place M. Promo code is BART. 25% off each and every order.
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So check them all out. Heavyplacehemp.com. Yeah. We will keep rolling here on the Dan Shaney YouTube stream. And I will now bring you my conversation with Spark Guy, if you were a Parkinsaholic and there's no more Danny Parkins on this episode, if that's.
What you're waiting for, but may I interest you in a spark guy? Back into the Winkler verse is Spark Guy. And this is the the the Spark guy's not Putting out content on a blog. He's not got a radio show. But you don't need to be to be a guest.
In the Winkleverse, you just gotta be someone who likes sports. And Spark Eye likes the Bears, though. I do. I do. I would also say that I think.
But you like the box, right? I do. That's it. I'm like way more of a free agent when it comes to that though. I'm like everybody else our age.
There's tons of Wisconsin people, by the way, that I'm in my 40s that were Jordan guys, right? Like that was the easy way out. But I was always liking Chicago teams, but. My son get me, and I started as a little Bucks guy too, but like. My son getting me into Giannis was obviously, I mean.
That's one of those where a lot of great players have come through Wisconsin, but that's that's a hard guy not to be on board with. Although, in the last few months, that's a different discussion. He's been a little disappointing with his behavior, but again, I think it comes from him wanting to be liked. But I like that, but I think. But you're brewer no, you're are you brewers?
Cobs.
So why do why why do you listen to any of this? I but I'm from here. And I would argue this. I would say I have followed because of where I live. I'm also Just so you know this, a Packer season ticket holder.
Um what Yeah. Yeah. I am They played Milwaukee, dude. I grew up like that. Yeah, once in a while.
Yeah. And I'm not out there scalping them and stuff. Like I'm a good guy, but I would say this: it's like, you know I am I have followed the Packers as probably close as anybody. Like, I mean, I was thinking about that. Oh, sure.
I mean, I know every team. I know all the I know I know all the teams. I know all about all the Packer sagas and everything. I remember, I was here for it all, you know, and like all the. The good years, the in-between years, then.
Then obviously their run of success for the most part, or what they consider success. But I know, I mean, You talk Sam Congato. I know exactly 2005. I know how that season played out.
Well, so this is why we're talking.
So, Sparky, we've known each other through this medium for a long time. And you've contributed to plenty of show. And it's right into the Winklerverse. And yes, you are able to. Talk about these teams that you claim to not like.
Um but with the Bears The only time that I'm ever like online and I see something you say, and I just like want to jump through my phone and punch you. is when you're talking about The Bears. I think the first thing that's going to be different for you. is the Bears are in the playoffs. And Normally they're not.
And you've talked about this, where normally. You're in the playoffs, even if the Bears aren't, because. You hate the Packers and you can't wait for them to lose. And normally they lose.
So now that Could. Either not happen for you yet, or it could happen doubly good. Where you lose to the team, you actually. like.
So do you feel like these playoffs They have to be different, but even if this was the Packers versus The Buccaneers I think he would still be as hyped for this game because it's a chance for the Packers to lose. Is that right? No, I would say that. No, I'd be the first to admit, like, there's a heightened sense of anticipation for this game, being a Bears fan in Wisconsin. And not liking the Bears fans actually do like the Bears.
They just don't hate, just don't always hate the Packers. Yeah, for sure. I mean, if there's any team I follow more closely than the Packers, it's obviously the Bears. But I would also add, yeah, for my unique circumstances, it's like. I'm a Bears fan and In Wisconsin.
And the thing that, you know, I'm of the age where there were plenty of us. There are plenty of Wisconsin, just like right now, right? There's a whole generation of people living in Naperville. That are Packer fans, right? When I was growing up, like being a Bears fan in Wisconsin was not abnormal.
You saw Bears gear all the place, but as the years went on, People fell off. I can start calling people out that I was in the fourth grade with. Fifth grade with that one day turned out around that bear shirt and put on a Packer shirt.
So I'm to some degree one of the last men standing. I mean, and I would also add. For the dozens of text messages I constantly get during Bears and Packer games, this will be my only public comment on the game. You know, I will be referring to this for anybody that's reaching out to talk this week. This is my public comments, and I don't, because that's one thing I run into is like, everybody knows me as the Bears guy.
All their other friends are Packer fans, right?
So I get all of it, right? It's not just one person, I get dozens of them, right?
So, yeah, it's high stakes for sure. I'd be the first one to say that. The scale. Because I feel like you being a Bears fan in Wisconsin versus. Packers fans in Chicago.
I feel like Packers fans in Chicago Are under s like they understand that they are in somebody else's living room. But I feel like Bears fans and Cubs fans and whatever fans for that matter are like: Wisconsin's our playground. We own Dork County. We own Lake Geneva. We own Milwaukee.
It's a suburb of Chicago anyway. You've said that way too many times, and I think you believe it. I don't feel like there's. What I'm trying to get into is this rivalry and what it is. I don't think that there is mutual respect because I think.
The Chicago fan base demands respect from Wisconsin, but will under no circumstances ever give it. I I think you're talking about Two different dynamics. One being Cubs Brewers and one being Bears Packers. And I would actually argue that It's the flip situation to some degree. And you've gotten mad at me for saying this.
The Cubs Brewers now is a rivalry. Like, I think if you asked just most Cub fans, regardless of it. Oh, yeah, because it's a rivalry when you decree it to be. No, because the stress you talked about that happened this year. The stress, right?
Like the stress of where we now have a marked period of time where, by all objective measures, the Brewers have been better than the Cubs. And I think that that certainly started. It started in the 18 game. But then there was a bit of a falloff with both teams. But then the Brewers have gone on this most recent stretch, which then culminated in that playoff series.
And the Brewers win in that playoff series in the way that they did, and the way that it all played out, and a lot of the things that were said. That's where all of a sudden, now it is a true rivalry. You have to have those moments. I would also argue that on the flip side, it's somewhat been similar for the latest generation of Bears and Packer fans. Everything they hear about has to be the corny.
You know, montages they do between highlights between commercials of Halice and Lombard. That doesn't mean anything to most people. They just like skip 40 years. Yeah, skip, right?
So I'd be the first to say. Both? were one-sided rivalries. I would not say even two years ago. Most Cubs fans would be like, we hate the Brewers.
They would be like, oh, you know. Like we play them, they're in our division, we've had some good games, but they don't hate them. What's gone on now over the last six months, especially with that playoff series. I think going into next year, Cubs fans, regardless of where they live, even the ones in Florida, they don't like the Brewers, right? It's a real Brewers fans have hated the Cubs.
from day one of inner league play. Like it was one-sided. It's always kind of the same thing I say about the badger football team. They don't really have a rival, right? Like, Sometimes it gets dicey with Iowa, sometimes it gets, but Minnesota never felt like a rivalry because they just beat them all the time.
And then we were, Wisconsin wasn't in the same plane as like Ohio State.
So it's like the Brewers did, the Brewers now have a rivalry, and I see them kind of open their eyes up, and they're like, What's all this hate? This is what a rivalry is like. And then on the flip side, The Packer fans haven't. They haven't been challenged by the Bears for good reason. Like, they just the Bears haven't been able to string together a few seasons where they dominate them and.
Mm-hmm. 30, 40 years, right? They had a couple stretches with lobby, but it was like two years, you know? I just I I I don't want I don't like it. I don't I don't like the rivalry.
Okay. And I don't know that I ever have. And I think that Part of me not liking the rivalry. admittedly, like has something to do with oh crap the bears might be good now Obviously. I haven't said this any time in the last 30 years.
Yes.
So obviously I'm processing those feelings and emotions. Um But I think with the Brewers and Cubs, you know, that, at least from my point of view, was a rivalry. And I grew up loving the Cubs. And I would love to still have two teams. I would love to have an NL team and an AL team.
But we our stupid asses had to move. Because the Cubs are my first favorite team. They were on TV, Brewers weren't. They were on like sixteen times a year if they played at home on a Sunday. And the Cubs I would watch every day.
I didn't go to summer camp or anything, I watched baseball every day. I watched the the Cubs and then I watched Two Hours of The Simpsons. And then I watched the Braves. And that was my growing up. And then obviously, okay, so the Brewers switch.
So I've never liked that I've had to give that up because Samberg and Dawson, and those are my guys. I love those teams. I never liked that I had to give that up. And then I never liked that it just developed or devolved into this. This thing where you can't even go enjoy Brewers' Cubs games.
I feel like there's a nice part, like there's a nice part when rivalries are whatever. Maybe when both teams suck, that's when the rivalry's good because then it's just like, ah, whatever. But when there's stakes on the line, like two Saturdays ago, three Saturdays ago, that felt like a playoff game. And there was way too much into it. And it's not even losing the game that bothers me.
It's. The aftermath. It's that we're going to have to hear about that game, especially if the Bears win again this weekend.
Well, then doubly for the rest of my life. And I've talked about this even before this turn. There's too many people that make this rivalry their personality. Like you meet somebody Um You know, I married into a Bears family. Could I imagine every time I saw them us talking shit about Packers Bears?
No. I would have not, no way. No way.
So, yeah, when the game's on, but even two days before we got married, Randall Cobb caught the fourth-down pass. And we got married at Lambeau and Bears Bears fans everywhere. Bears fan, Bears Packers didn't come up at my wedding. We didn't play the Bears still suck. Like it doesn't consume my life.
And I see all these other people whose life it does consume. You meet somebody at a summer barbecue. Oh, it's my cousin Steve. He's from. Give me a city.
Gurney. No, give me a different one. Give me a different one. Lombard. He's from Lombard.
Oh, that means your bear's fat. Hey, Caleb paints his nails there, eh? What did that I mean that's something like you can't even say hi to the fucking guy?
So I hate the rivalry that it takes up. Too much of people's personalities. And now the rivalry for me isn't even... It's not even Oh, I hope we win. I just don't, we desperately cannot lose.
And now my kid. is super into it. Where he's yelling at his older cousins because they like the Bears. I don't know. I just.
And I'm not even, I'm not even, and I hope you know this, I'm not trying to like soften. myself up so I can deal with the loss. On Saturday, if they lose. I just, I don't, I don't, I don't like it. And a lot of that was, honestly.
The realization I had during Brewers' Cubs. I didn't enjoy any of Brewer's Cubs. I didn't enjoy the wins. I didn't enjoy the losing. I didn't enjoy game five.
I did get tossed out of the stadium. I don't talk about that. But that happened. Um I don't enjoy it. I don't enjoy it.
And then it was just like, then it happened. It was like, oh, did it really even happen? 'Cause now we're onto the Dodgers, but then they did the L flag.
So now that Chicago's found a way to get the upper hand again, it's like we didn't even win that series. Because they took a picture with an owl flag. Which made total sense to do. But for some reason it didn't. Help me out here.
I do think there is an element of you processing. I don't think you're trying to soften it.
So I'm not saying that. But I think there's an element of you are processing. And again, I got to take my wheels and go back. I never, as a little guy, saw the Bears lose to the Packers in a meaningful way for many years. And then the magic man went over the line.
And whether you're 50 years old or you're 10 years old. That is the opportunity for everyone in your life, even if they're adults, to just shit on you for the next year. And I remember it was hard for me to process. Like, that's just how this goes. And you're obviously, um, Much older than I was at that point to come to that point of view, right?
But it doesn't change the fact. This is the first time you've been confronted with: like, this isn't, there's a possibility that they have it together.
So I think there is an element of that. And yeah, that's the hardest part, right? Like, I do think, though, there is an element. Where it's like they did have the upper hand because they played in the NFC title game and they won the Super Bowl. There was an element where the rivalry was kind of.
would have been put to rest. But again, leading into that. Was the rivalry really there? The Bears had been to the Super Bowl four years earlier, but that coincided with a couple down years for the Packers. I think it is kind of a perfect storm over the last 34 years where it hasn't been.
Continuous Bears Bears have underachieved, and we'll get to that later on why the whole sucking chant because it ties in, but I'm like. It has been odd, and you consider some of this to happen during the division, but those blips of Bear's success when it was. Oh six. Um uh eighteen like Some of these blips happen when the Packers completely fall off. It's not like, but this has been a year where the Packers haven't completely fallen off.
They've actually competed for the division. The only time I can really think of that happening was like. 2001. And they both made the playoffs and they didn't play each other. And that was that, right?
So it's a new year. But the Packers beat him twice. Was that that year? Yep. Yep.
13 and 3, 12 and 4. I think the end of the Bears lost to the Eagles and then. The Kurt Warner six interception far game happened the next day.
So.
So, what should I do? Should I just keep being a bitch, or should I just shut up? I think that is one thing I would say. Where, if I've popped off a little bit and I've said some stuff in the last few weeks. It's largely trying to kind of Teach some of these fans that, at least on the Packer side.
of how to handle it as someone that's handled it all the time. When you lose, you just lose, right? And I don't think you did that, by the way. I don't think you did that at all. Like, the game happens.
But I don't know. We lost. I did see some people getting very celebratory, and then I would get mad at them. Yeah. When we win.
Like we one thing I don't understand in all the years of doing these shows or podcasts or I'm just thinking of like the live ones where we've been crushed. Which somehow always are my best number views in a show. But I've been on when the Brewers lose the playoffs. I've been on when the Bucs get bounced. I've been on when the Packers get bounced.
And what always happens is there are. Fans from the other fan bases. That will find us. and grind us or it's celebrate on us. When my if if the Packers beat the Bears.
on Saturday. The very last thing I'm going to do is try to find Bears fans. And rub it into them. They're already dealing with the loss. I'm not feeling any better.
By grinding on somebody else. I don't know why people do that. I just want to move on with my life. And I don't know why people do it. I know Packer fans will do it, though.
That's like, I wish we could just watch this game and go on our merry way. But even with Packer fans being like. This always pissed me off. Um, oh, Packers beat the Bears. I can't wait to listen to the score tomorrow and see what they say.
Meanwhile, I'm doing a show at 6 a.m. Talking about the Packers. It's not like I'm not talking Packers Bears. I'm talking Packers Bears. But nobody wants to listen to Packers radio.
They all want to listen to the Bears. I don't like that part of it. Which maybe is just more of a human nature thing than any sort of rivalry. Um, but I just I don't I don't like it and I'm not gonna participate in it. I'm not gonna say all week I don't like the rivalry and then take victory lap upon victory lap should I be afforded that opportunity.
I'm not going to do that. I just don't like the, I just want the game to happen. But it's not going to happen. And even with like the Packers and Vikings or Packers and Lions or or whatever. Um This one's going to have legs for a long time because either the Packers are going to beat the Bears and make that regular season game meaningless, or the Packers are going to lose to the Bears and suddenly this little thing will never go away.
It'll be like the instant replay game or Randall Cobb I already alluded to or BJ Raji. It'll be one of these things that we'll never be able to as Packer fans escape. And I don't think my whole life should be Having to deal with two losses back in the winter of 2025, but that's how it's going to be. It is. It just is.
I think you're, like I said, I think I learned that at a young age, though, when I was this rivalry dumber, or is this just what rivalries are? And I can't handle them because I don't like them. I don't like When we took out, I didn't care about the Pacers at all.
Okay, fine, we'll play the Pacers.
Now I hate them more than anything. I just want to be able to lose to a team and go on, like I said, my merry way. Last year, when they lost to the Eagles.
Okay, fine. I mean, I don't like the Eagles, but We can just move on with our life. We can't move on with our life after this. This is going to stick with us for the rest of our life. Either way.
That s sucks. I mean, there's... Which I briefly will say, like, I do think that because of the lack of success. Bear fans are probably a lot more line. With you, as far as mentality goes, because we like no one will say the Bears are good.
Everyone wants the McCasky's heads. They're constantly booing at games when it doesn't go well. Like, it's a pretty self-critical fan base. And I feel like of the Packer fans, like, You are pretty self-critical of your own team. You're not just here to pom-pom and come up with all the different ways that 2010 is the same as this year.
So I think we do have that in common. But I also think you can look at it negatively or you can look at the positive of it. Like, I get to ask that all the time, too. It's like everybody else ditched the boat that I was on as a Bears fan 30, 35 years ago. They started trailing off.
Next thing you know, Packers are in their second Super Bowl with Favre, and there's nobody left but me.
Well, don't you wish you had done that? I'm like, no, I have a different view of it. I embrace some of that. I mean, I look at the last, and again, I'm not doing this to rile you off, but I'm being honest with you. I look at the last 15 years.
I look at the last 25 years. I've been in various times a fan of Basically, every player in every team there is. Because I do have that attitude about it. Like, um, I'm definitely, I do not like the Packers, I do not like the organization, I do not like to a large degree fan base recently. Like, I'm gonna cheer against them in the playoffs, and I think.
Most Most fans would say the same thing. I mean, think about, just to get a taste of it, think about how Lions fans behaved for the last couple of years. You'd want to see them win a Super Bowl over your team after all the things. You'd be like, no, when it came down to that game. You'd be probably cheering for the Bills over the Lions in the Super Bowl if that universe had happened.
So I've, I mean, I enjoy it. Like, it's fun to kind of watch it all play out. And like, we haven't gotten bit yet.
Now, that's the last thing as a non-Packer fan, as a hater of the Packers, like. Every year you could get bit. Right.
And I think this year's an example of that as well. Like, there's no dominant team.
So if you're going to take that on, but it's fun when it's working, it's a good time. How do you think you're going to react? If the Bears win v if the Bears lose. If the Bears win, so there's she just gonna be like a raging dick. First off, no, I think it's informed my behavior in the past that, like, Like, if you're going to go and exult the team winning as an expert hater myself, because then we're going to be hating the Bears the way, and then the Bears are going to lose to like the Rams.
And you're going to have Tagger fans being like, ha ha ha, you're going to be like, leave me alone. This is our thing. I mean, you can go through my phone when the Bears beat the Packers. I am battle weathered enough to know. That would have been an absolutely dumb thing to do, right?
But I don't, I also don't, on a personal level, I don't engage in that stuff. Because short of winning a Super Bowl, it's always going to end terribly, short of winning a World Series. And I never want to personally have that kind of interactions with people where, like, You know, I'm going to be disappointed. Let's say the Cubs did beat the Brewers and then they lose to the Dodgers. In that moment, I'm going to be.
I'm going to be pissed the Cubs lost. And then I'm going to get 10 text messages from Brewer fans. It's like, well, I would have started it, right?
Now, that said, I would say Packer fans are a little bit different. They're pretty arrogant with their 30 years of so-called success.
Well, if you're in a friend group that has like you're the only Bears fan, yeah, I mean, but that's every group I'm in. Yeah, well, you're gonna get shit on that. Yeah, but then I just don't participate.
So then when they win, it's like you kind of set the tone. You're like, I didn't say anything.
So then usually people are pretty good about it. But on a on a Um On a social media side, or like, you know, when I, when I, when I put the spark hat on, like, I'm going to probably be like, I will comment on people that are saying dumb stuff, right? Like, I'm not going to go out there and just start like blasting people. Remember this, remember that? Win or lose, somewhere along the way, you are commenting that Milwaukee is a suburb of Chicago.
I know it. But if people are minimizing and say, but I think on some level, like they, that is an insult, right? That is an insult. But it's usually followed by a previous insult.
So if you're the one insulting back, it's not that big of a deal. But I do think, I again, we always talk about this. If you go down to Chicago, And you talk to most people in Chicago. I don't think there's an overall negative perception of Milwaukee. I think most people in Chicago have positive things to say about Milwaukee.
And again, I know that it gets turned around. I think most people in Milwaukee like Chicago. Oh, I disagree with that. I totally, and I don't know. I think maybe it's because you're closer to the shore as Shorewood, Dad.
You're going to interact with, you know, a different, different demographic of people that kind of have their shit together, but you start moving away from Shood, and it is pretty unanimous that, like, you know, Chicago, and then obviously we're not going to get into that, but then you get all the political rants and all the other stuff. No, I think there's a big disdain for. For Chicago from most. People in the greater Milwaukee area. And there's going to be pockets.
Now, if Chicago would have stayed in Wisconsin. Yeah. Then, yeah, I would give you the suburb argument. I'm going to ask you this. If the different states But that's it.
That's what I always tell my buddies that could be crafted. Like, why do I like Chicago? I'm like, it's an arbitrary border. Like some guy made it. Like not signs look different.
It's arbitrary. It's not real. It's not a river. It's just a line that you can't even see. If the Bears played the Patrick, feel it.
If the Bears played the Packers in the playoffs like they are. And you left your house. Would you get to Soldier Field faster or would you get to Lambo faster? You know, I was just doing this with my kid because he's like. He wanted to know what the closest team to us was.
And I Showed him on Google Maps. I said it's Chicago. Yeah. He said, then why do we like the Packers? I said, because it's Wisconsin.
They moved from Milwaukee. They left us. They should have never played here. I hated that. But they wouldn't exist then.
I know. I'm glad they got out. I mean, three games a year in Milwaukee to survive. I go back to my real roots. I go back to my real roots.
They should have just stayed in West Dallas, they should be playing at the fairgrounds. That's even worse.
Okay. So Green base sucks. Yeah. Yeah. Makes sense.
At AEW the other night. It was a Saturday night. And the Packers had just lost. To give the Bears the NFC North.
So at a non-sanctioned football thing. For people to start looking at their phones and chant Green Bay sucks. I have no issue with that. For the Blackhawks to play the Red Wings. In a hockey match.
And then for the crowd to chant, Green Bay sucks. That's insane. Yeah. We just respectfully disagree. I mean, I just, I think if the, I think if the White Sox beat the Twins on a Tuesday night by 5-3 and And they're walking out of the stadium, they should chant green bass socks.
I think, one stupid. No, I think it makes perfect s first off. I'll explain how the chant makes perfect sense, but secondly, I'll also explain the origins. One, One, it's a compliment, right? I just explained and said that, like, it is a one-sided rivalry at this point.
And a lot of the burning in your stomach that you feel is like maybe it's now two-sided.
Okay. So, like, but I'd be the first to say there's no, it's a one-sided rivalry. I mean, before this whole stretch started, the Bears had like a 20-some game advantage head-to-head. And now the Packers have like that 15-game advantage. That's how lopsided it's been.
So that's one where it comes from. But I think the thing that Chic. And then the other part is just to get it out of the way. It's the same thing as when, again, you're in grade school. If you let somebody know it bothers you, they're just going to keep doing it.
And like there's been so much work up about it. Yeah, of course. You're going to piss them off. They'll keep doing it. But I think there's a big difference.
What was the refresh my memory? What was the What was the um The uh Polka song that the Packer fans had that you mentioned. It's the Bears Still Suck. The bears still suck. Yes.
It's the green base. People are claiming just randomly plays at weddings throughout the state. But it did when. Especially even the first few years of Holmgren, like before, because the Packers didn't, and this is revisionist history as well. The Packers really got a foothold the Super Bowl year.
Because prior to that, the Bears had been dominating for about a decade. They split in 92. They split in 93. In 94, the Packers won both games. But then they both made the playoffs.
So it still felt like a big rivalry. 95 happened. They played that awesome Monday night game where the dude jumped out of the stands and caught the ball. Bears lost by three. And then they played that Lambeau game where Reggie got healed and Brett Favre played with 30 injuries and they won by a touchdown, right?
They both made the playoffs, or the Bears didn't make the playoffs, but the Bears had a winning season.
So going into 96, you had two winning teams, right? You had two winning teams. Packers had made the NFC title, but they had upset the Niners. That's why 96 was such a big deal because the Packers just took off. and they won the Super Bowl.
After that point, though. 2010 happens, right? There's that one Super Bowl, but from that point on, It's a lot of the criticisms I've had with the way the Packers develop their organization. Packer fans and the Packer organization have a completely inflated view of what their success is. Like it's all regular season.
It's all built on a style. That works in the regular season, but isn't built on toughness and again, isn't built on that football toughness Shorewood dad loves. It's built on crossing routes and drawing pass interference. And every year it falls apart in the postseason. The one year it didn't fall apart.
You had Nick Collins, who maybe would have changed the trajectory of the franchise in that regard. Because once he left and they had some injuries, then they went back to being the worst defense. The point is. Bears fans know. The Bears suck.
Like, they're on the radio. They're calling for the McCaskies to sell. They want this coach out. They want a quarterback. The Bears suck, and their fans would be the first to say it.
The problem is that they have why Packer Green Bay sucks makes sense. Is Packer fans are pretty blissful that in their own way they suck? It's been a marked 30-year stretch of like lack of what success would be. This rivalry would be much different, and they wouldn't be chanting that if, like, the Patriots and the Bills, the Patriots won six Super Bowls. The Packers haven't.
They haven't even made one in 15 years.
So the whole idea is like, yeah, you dominate us, but we know we suck. Maybe this is, and I'm trying to figure out what we accomplished, and maybe nothing. But what I think I'm a little closer at realizing Maybe I can't enjoy the Packers-Bears rivalry. Because Bears fans aren't my rival. My rival Are the stupid Packer fans?
And And that's where I think, like I said, I think it's less of us coming to terms with how we can put aside our disagreements. And by the way, I would say. I don't think anything of that inherently has to do with like the fans themselves or who they are as people, but they've had a long stretch of live mind of Packer fans. Yes.
And like you, you run into it as well with all of the analogies. Like, even anyone defending the Packers for not winning a Super Bowl in the last 15 years. I'm not down with you. I can't. They've had the level of success that Because I go back to what I say.
You give any franchise. 15 years of Favre and 15 years of Rogers. Yeah. Every franchise. What about the Browns?
What about Maybe there's one that fucks it up. Yeah. But every franchise with 15 years of Favre is winning a Super Bowl with Favre. And 15 years of Rodgers is winning a Super Bowl with Rodgers.
So far for Rodgers, 30 years, the minimum is two Super Bowls, and that's what the Packers had, which doesn't make the Packers any better. It just makes them normal. Mm-hmm. Not infallible. We can criticize our team.
Criticizing our team doesn't mean we're not fans.
So I think we did accomplish something. I've realized. Why I'm not going into this rivalry and this weekend. In an exciting way because If the Packers Lose Not only will I be upset that Bears fans will be celebrating. But I'll be upset that there'll be too many Packer fans who are still going to say, Oh, well, we had a great run, let's get him next year.
And if the Packers win, I'm still going to hear from Bears fans in the same way, just in a different they'll spin it like they spun the L flag. They're good at that, and there's more of them. And then the Packer fans are going to have to be like, See, we beat the Bears. And they're going to think everything I've said about LaFleur, like, I'm not calling for LaFleur to be fired. After all the guys get hurt, I'm like.
Hey, you played like shit against the Browns, dude. What the fuck are you doing? But no. I don't know why I argue with every single Packer fan that's out there because I am not for every Packer fan. I don't want to be.
I don't want to be for every Packer fan. I want to be for Packer fans that are realist. and that have expectations. And where things make sense. I don't want to be a Packer fan for Joe and Betty Packer down the street.
Wearing their cheese heads to church. I'm not for you. And you're not for me. But on Saturday, we're all rooting for the same team. We have to do it together to Beat these losers.
They are losers. I think the final thing to say is, I think, you know, I appreciate you keeping it. It was eye-opening for me. I have therapy this week, and I don't know what I'm going to talk to her because I feel like I'm in a pretty good spot. She could have never unlocked this.
Why well, that's why you keep me around because, like I said, I have never gotten on one of your shows, post-game or otherwise, and just been dumb and just talk crap. And I do think I have a perspective. And like I shared with you earlier, I was on with you right after they got Parsons. And I said that was unpacker-like in a positive sense. No matter how this season turns out, no matter how next season turns out, same thing with Lillard and the Bucs.
It doesn't mean the result. If it was the right move or not, Parsons was the right move. But I think the final thing to ask is how you feel about the overall dynamic. You've staked your claim on a couple things. And it's kind of a no-win because I have to be careful.
I do think there's a world where the Packers can make the Super Bowl and win the Super Bowl this year. I also think there's a world where the Bears can make the Super Bowl and win the Super Bowl this year. I think it's a very light. Squad, you look at the number one seed. In each conference, you got Darnold.
Do you trust him? I know that defense is playing well. Denver, same thing. Do you trust Bo Nix? But that all leads me to...
I have to be careful to say this, but I also think if I'm honest with myself as a Packer hater. Bears beating the Packers is the obviously best result. The Packers beat the Bears. Obviously, I won't like that. But that also ensures that LaFleur's around.
And I don't have a lot of, I don't think that if you ask Bear fans what they were scared of, if they're scared of Matt LaFleur, I think Matt LaFleur is scared of Matt LaFleur, but I think why is every Bears fan like, yes, fire him, yes, fire him. I wanted to be the coach here forever. They're not going to do shit with him. It's soft. I mean, isn't that your criticism of it, though?
And, like, for all the talk about Ben Johnson, like, They play tough. I mean, the Packers just do not. They're just not. They don't play tough. It's just like it's football at the end of the day.
And as you know, it's won and lost in the trenches. They don't play in the trenches. Like they just, they just don't have that edge. And it's. Yeah, so it's one of those where it's a tough situation for the Packers because I agreed with you at the beginning of the year.
I'm like, this guy should be on notice. Like they wouldn't have, and I'm the one that said it. They haven't had the playoffs in three years if not for playoff expansion. And like they're, they're not doing, they're not on a different trajectory, you know? I don't really think we need to give predictions.
I don't care enough. We'll see what happens. Whatever happens, happens. What does it matter what we think?
Well then what are we doing? What did we just do? Do you want to give a prediction? I don't like that they're playing on Saturday night. I think that bodes poorly for the Packers.
For the game? I mean, I just got to look. If they were playing on Sunday at three, I'd say, oh, yeah, Packers away. I mean, I'm going to have to wait until 24 hours before the game to understand what I think. Cause, like I said, I was very negative on them at Lambeau, the Bears.
I need to see how the teams look when they take the field. And, like, I need to see the line. I need to go on covers.com and see who's betting on who. And I have some early indications that the public might be back on the Bears, which makes me nervous as a Bears fan.
So I got to see how the line-that's that's how I would determine it. If I, before the game started, I felt pretty good before that Saturday night game because. People were all over the Packers.
So we'll see how the public goes down, which way the line moves, because there's guys out there that make a lot of money on this that are smarter than we are.
So.
But Well D was this good for you? I think so. Like, yeah. I think there was nothing to hash. I think you and I are pretty similar fans when it comes to holding your teams accountable.
Oh, yeah, you're certainly not a part of infrastructure. You're a part of the Winkler versus much as the next guy. Yeah. I've just seen a lot of your tweets and I've been like, man, fucking asshole, bitch. What was it?
The suburb one? That was true. You know that gets me. You know it gets me. But.
But it's funny. Like, it's funny. It's not. I would say it if I was from Chicago, I would say it all the fucking time. And it's like, Milwaukee's great.
I love Milwaukee. I love Milwaukee, but it's like when people get like, You see all the stuff that's that's pretty nasty stuff, too, when you think about it from a societal or you know other aspect of the way people are about. I just I think if you were in my world, you'd see a little bit different view of how Wisconsin looks at Chicago. Where I'm at, because I'm further west than you. You know, like I think most of the people where you are.
Have actually been to Chicago.
Some of them have lived in Chicago. Like most of the people out this part have, you know. I even, when I go to Chicago, I even take the train. Like a like a real lib. No, I think this was helpful.
And I, like I said, now I have something that when I'm going to start getting the text if I haven't already, since I've been off the phone, what do you think of the game? What do you think of the game? I'm just going to send them a link of this and they can watch it and they can find out all my opinions on the rivalry and everything else. But I think I'm a good guy because at the end of the day, I do give you an honest assessment. And I'm like, there's a lot of things, you know, if you, like I said, if you're setting the agenda, I'm writing the script because I told you guys he hasn't made the playoffs.
without expansion. I would be more nervous if they get rid of them. If they get rid of LaFlora and they start going after it, because policy, you know, getting Parsons was a big deal, right?
So Well, let's talk Saturday night. I want my kid to grow up and play football, basketball, baseball, and like the same things I like, but if he doesn't, that's fine. I just want him to be a good person. Hmm, good person or f star quarterback? I'll have to get back to you on that one.
Good person for me. Our super.
Well, dude, start quarterback. I don't want my kid playing football. Oh, I want him nothing. I love football. I want to be one of those people.
I want football more than anything, dude. But, like, you know. I want his brain to just fully be there. I want to be one of those dads that Is grinding my boy. To throw more passes.
You know, you gotta be better than this. Your last name is not a luxury. The times is a privilege, not a right. Them boys is having the times that they lie. In West Canada, Texas, there's laws.
Laws against killing. Laws against staling. Football is a way of life. You ain't deserve to be a Shorewood Greyhound with an arm like that. You take that winkler off the back of that jersey.
And then the other like a Nancy boy. The other dads. They talk and they're like, man, this Winkler quarterback's struggling, but guess what I found out? Where are you at? In West Canaan, Texas?
Surely. That's how they talk in Shorewell? That's how every football parent talks. Guess what I found out? Winkler's dead.
Didn't even play high school ball. He played the soccer sport. A foreigners game.
Well his priorities really at. Hey, if Winkler wants to keep playing, we can always use a field goal kicker. What is wrong with you? We don't need a socc son of a son of a soccer player in our field. All right, so we'll find out what happens this weekend.
I'm going to tag the episode with some voicemails from David. In Buffalo? Has a lot to say. Looks like If you just heard that on my phone. Uh we just made a purchase.
Oh, eighteen dollars a month for Spotify. Mm-hmm. Great. Is that the going rate? That seems high.
Um Carl's place is the sponsor of the voicemail line, 402-915-BART, 402-915-2278. And we'll hear from David now. There was some commentary tonight on CBS Sports HQ about the teams that Trey Young could get traded to. Trey Young is the most overrated player this side of Kyler Murray in Pro Sports. The other thing I wanted to say about him was I guess he wants out, and it was funny because they had some NBA analysts on tonight, and they were talking about the teams he could be traded to.
It was hilarious. The Clippers, the Kings, Uh they made they mentioned the wizards as well. I mean, really. I mean, why not just trade them to a team in Antarctica? How about Siberia?
I mean, does Greenland have a a team that Adam Silver is looking to expand to? I mean, look, I know Juneau, Alaska is not applying for that expansion franchise anytime soon, but Trey Young could play the five probably on that team. All I know is this. If you're being mentioned with those teams, I mean, that is the equivalent of like Greg from Michigan beating you in the Jim Rome smack off with. his positive takes.
And by the way, I've been around so long, I remember when mister Positive was mister Negative probably. Anyways, dude, it's great to be back on. I'm going to have some more takes about the NHL and the PGA Tour probably in the coming days. Thanks again for the time, dude. I missed calling into your show because you actually let us talk about whatever we wanted to, and it seems like the other network really wants to stay on script a lot.
I'm guessing that's code for they don't have many topics prepared and Their content isn't as good as they think it is out. David. And that's a wrap. Wednesday night. January 7th if This is when you're listening to this.
I'll be doing a Bucks Warriors post. And um Should have another episode by the end of the week. Yeah. Thank you, as always, for stopping, like, and subscribe into the Winklerverse. Yeah.
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