Farewell A-Rod, thanks for the memories

It’s been a tough couple of days for Wisconsin sports fans. The firstseeded Bucks find themselves on the brink of elimination after falling behind 3-1 in their opening playoff series against the eighth seeded Miami Heat. The Brewers have lost four of their last five games, during which most of the things that had been behind their early success have, hopefully only momentarily, disappeared. And, after weeks of knowing that this would eventually be the case, the Packers and Aaron Rodgers have parted ways.

I wanted to spend a bit of time reflecting on the last topic on that list. Even with the writing on the wall and the knowledge that this was probably the best move for both parties, I don’t think anyone can really fault me for feeling a bit bittersweet about the whole situation. It will be strange to have someone new under center on Sunday afternoons, an adjustment that cheeseheads have fortunately not had to make very often over the past three decades. And while I could spend time going over the many accolades and fun memories that his wizardry on the football field has brought about, there’s something else that I think that I will also remember number 12 for. There are some fans that may not agree that this parting belongs anywhere on the same list as the recent Milwaukee teams’ woes. They may state that they are happy that Rodgers and the baggage and drama that accompanied him are now in New York. And I suppose I get that sentiment, to an extent. I won’t pretend that I agree with Rodgers on everything he’s spoken about publicly, or maybe even a majority of things. I think there are many who could say the same. And that’s because Rodgers has freed himself to just be...well, himself.

I can remember feeling like I had been punched in the gut when Ryan Braun publicly apologized for having used performance enhancing drugs. It was a reaction not so much from the knowledge that he had used PEDs, but more so because he had repeatedly lied about it and that I had believed him, defended him even. I felt like I had been duped, both in the specifics in this situation, but also in who I thought Braun was as a person. Because, of course, I had built up an unrealistic and unfair ideal that I had believed that Braun would live up to. My initial gut reaction to his supposed betrayal was largely a betrayal of some made up version of him that hadn’t ever existed.

They say that you shouldn’t meet your heroes because they will only disappoint you. But that is because they are often portrayed to us as these paragons of virtue, role models that everyone should be able to look up to and aspire to be. And while these are certainly things that these public figures can aspire to put on themselves, if they so choose, the fact that it is thrust upon them is both slightly unfair and also makes it very easy for us to forget that these professional athletes are merely human like we are. They are no more infallible than any other person on this Earth, nor are they merely a commodity or numbers on a stat sheet. It’s a bit of humanity that is easy to forget.

But Rodgers has made it a little easier to remember. His willingness to speak his mind on the Pat McAfee Show, regardless of whether or not you agree with him, gave people better insight into who he is as a person, rather than just reciting the boiler plate answers that a PR team drafted up. It made it easier to see him as he is, as an individual person. His addressing of how he perceived the Packers organization treated veteran players on their way out also speaks to this need to see players as humans, not just the numbers on their backs. And that’s not just a lesson that should just be relegated to the realm of sports.

So while I’ll remember Rodgers for the great quarterback he is, for his amazing feats and incredible wins and heartbreaking losses, I’ll also appreciate him as someone who could also be himself, even if others would rather he not be. A reminder that our heroes are just people too, no greater and no less, and making them out to be either of those is not particularly fair to them or to us.

Also, just a quick shoutout to a real MVP in my life, who’s lifelong support has allowed me to write silly columns like these for you to read (and really if you have any complaints you should probably just forward them along to her for encouraging me). Happy birthday Mom, and thanks for always being a hero I know I can count on!

A C ertain Point of V iew