The 2004 Packers have every opportunity, and all the talent and momentum to make a run at the Super Bowl. But win or lose, this season has been another success story.

Your team just cannot win a championship every season (despite what The Boss and his Yankees believe). If they did win a championship every year, what fun would that be? There needs to be bumps along the way, adversity. They were abundant in 1996. Brett was coming off a very public addiction to painkillers, and a drinking problem. They were eliminated from the playoffs the previous 3 seasons by the hated Cowboys. Leading receiver Robert Brooks was lost in Game 7. They suffered two straight frustrating losses in November to the same dispised Cowboys, and the Chiefs. There was plenty to overcome.

But this season, there is much more this team has already overcome.

The 4th and 26 play cost Ed Donatell his job, which certainly rippled over to this season. After an inspired opener in Carolina, the Pack dropped 4 straight, including 3 home games. They finished 4-4 at home. Mike Sherman was forced to call offensive plays.Our two top rookie defensive backs, Ahmad Carroll and Joey Thomas, got into a fist fight in September. Darren Sharper, an unquestioned top veteran leader, was outspoken and negative in the press. Brett Favre went though more personal tragedy. The Pack was embarrassed at Phily in a key NFC game in December, and loses another big game to Jacksonville at home. Reggie White passes away.

With the amount of parity in this league, and the aforementioned adversity, to make a 9-2 run, win the Division, and secure the 3 seed in the NFC, the 2004 Packers'''' season should be celebrated as one of the finest turnarounds in the team''''s storied history.

Javon Walker''''s breakthrough season was my personal favorite for this season. I drafted him very high in Fantasy this season, boasting that he would have 75 catches, 1200 yards, and 10 TDs. Many thanks to Javon for making me look like a prophet. After a modest first two games, Walker exploded for 198 yards against Indianapolis, which was one of the craziest games in Packer lore. His athleticism was finally translated into results, and those made Javon a Pro Bowl starter and a bona fide star in the NFL.

Quietly, Donald Driver returned, and perhaps even surpassed his 2002 campaign. He is the Packer speed threat for years to come, a perfect complement to the more possession recievers of RobertFergusson and AntonioChatman, and the acrobatic Walker.

Statisically, Ahman Green had an off season. But he did miss games, and wasforced out of others because of the Packers need to catch up. For example, as the Colts could not be stopped, the Packers had no choice but to abandon Green and the running game. Same for the Titans contest. Najeh Davenport also emerged as a punishing change-of-pace to Green. His 171 yards against the Rams was one of the best individual performances of the season. Tony Fisher kept rolling along as a reliable third down and special situations back. His catch and run at Minnesota was one of the key plays of the game, setting up the game clinching score. Davenport and Fisher could start--and most likely soon will--for many teams in the league.

And of course, Brett Favre just kept rolling along. Our 13th season with #4 at the helm, and clearly his legend grew even larger this year. 4000 yards, 30 touchdowns, and countless more memories. He''''s still having fun, and perhaps the only thing that would send him to retirement is a Super Bowl title. But even with that, he still seems to be having the time of his life, and believe this team is capable of a bigger run than the 96-97 team.

So again, appreciate the Pack for what they have accomplished, and how far they have come since that lonely Monday night in October. I made my 12th trip to Lambeau this year, and the mystique is still there.

Enjoy the playoffs, and keep a positive outlook!!