Packers struggle

I have been a Packer fan longer than I can remember. I remember the '60s when the Packers were winning games. They actually won two Super Bowls. But then Lombardi left and we entered the '70s and '80s.

Losing season after losing season ... that's the way the Packers should play. It was great. You knew what to expect, and when there was a win ... what a celebration! We were always so excited and we truly had something to celebrate.

Then the Packers had to spoil everything by hiring a general manager named Ron Wolf. What a mistake. Ron went out and got a quarterback by the name of Brett Favre and the team actually started winning.

He also acquired many other great players such as Reggie White so the Pack won games. We, as fans, didn't know what to do. Why, we even went to two Super Bowls and won one.

Well, thank God, the Packers' front office came to its senses and hired Ted Thompson, the man that brought us back to where we should be.

Ted made it his mission to make sure he got rid of the greatest quarterback in the NFL and he finally did. While he did make some mistakes along the way, like drafting a pretty good quarterback in Aaron Rodgers, and coach in Mike McCarthy, even assembling a pretty good defense, he stayed true to his mission by making sure he kept the offense terrible even with having some of the greatest receivers in the league like Donald Driver and Greg Jennings.

Thankfully we are back to the Packers I know. The ones from the '70s and '80s. The ones who have a very hard time winning a meaningful game.

I will say this; not only is Ted Thompson the greatest general manager the Packers have ever had, he is also the most arrogant.

Bob HumpaSturtevant

Sportsmanship is important

A thank you goes out to Racine Youth Sports for another great football season. Despite the weather this year all went well. As a parent with two boys who play football, I appreciate the opportunity that RYS offers all our kids in the Racine area. I do have some areas of concern that have gone without a response from RYS, however. Mainly, this league is for the kids, not us parents and coaches! RYS preached sportsmanship and the teaching of the sport.

Well, I have seen this year alone so much disrespect of the kids, parents and coaches, it is unbelievable. I've seen 9- and 10-year-old kids swearing at others on the field during the game, coaches calling other coaches names and swearing right in front of all the kids and parents, teams being built strictly for winning and accepting nothing less. RYS should also not let coaches add negative comments to game scores and summaries, especially when those comments aren't true, only hurtful. It only makes the coaches look worse than they already do for posting such comments. Last Saturday was the last game, and by far one of the worst I have ever seen. Coaches were ripping apart the referees and the calls they made, parents were being ejected from watching the game and coaches were belittling the team they defeated.

What does all this show our kids? Win at all costs? Bad sportsmanship starts with us adults, parents and coaches alike. My family is very fortunate to have some awesome coaches, Coach Ryan and Coach Jeremy, who have taught the Bantam Dolphins the game, how to handle losses and sportsmanship in general. I wouldn't let my kids play on a team that didn't teach these things. Please, let our kids be kids, and play for the fun of playing, not always the win!

Carol Brawner

Sturtevant

Make your choice

You have read, heard on the radio and seen on television the programs of health care and the Cap and Tax proposal. These two things will have a profound influence on your life. But something more crucial is about to happen to all of us affecting our loss of freedom and independence.

President Obama is a fine family man and a profound speaker, but his resume on what he has accomplished in his adult life is blank. He comes from a Chicago political background where you play hardball regardless of the outcome. In Washington, the Democrats have won the presidency and both houses of Congress. The discussion of the two bills mentioned is based on "We won the election and will do whatever we want to do regardless of what the minority has to offer."

Fortunately for all of us, there is another option. If you believe in freedom of choice and independence with a small federal government you can write your representative or vote for what you believe. If you choose a strong federal government and "cradle to grave" protection, that is your choice.

Either side - it is your choice. You make your own decision.

For those of you who chose a strong federal government please be aware of what you see in Washington today: absolute power. Your thoughts and vote may well be your last chance to express how you feel in this wonderful democracy.

Charles Knoedler

Racine