My Week that Was - April 29

Aaron Rodgers warming up. 10/3/21 dwm

 The biggest news in Wisconsin this week was finalizing the trade sending Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets.

 Rodgers had a great run with the Packers but it was time on both sides for a change.  Green Bay has a young, promising quarterback named Jordan Love.  

 Aaron Rodgers gets a new set of teammates and the biggest stage in the world to show he has at least one more big season in his right arm.

 Rodgers' departure wasn't as prolonged as Brett Favre's but it seemed to follow the same script.  

As a life-long Packer fan who grew up watching dreadful results for nearly 20 years, I didn't know very much about the guy with the funny name we traded for in 1992.  In his first appearance, Favre led the Pack to a come-back win over Cincinnati in his first appearance.  He played with high energy, enthusiasm and the attitude he wouldn't come out of a game.

Favre won the hearts of fans even though his gunslinger tendencies could result in interceptions instead of touchdowns.  When Brett's run was finished after a rescinded retirement that led to his trade to the New York Jets, a young player named Aaron Rodgers took over.

A-Rod took better care of the football than Favre so my blood pressure was lower as it was unlikely he'd throw it to the other team.  Rodgers was excellent.  I still rank Bart Starr as the greatest Packer quarterback, followed by Aaron and Favre.  Five years after 12 retires, he'll join the other two in the Hall of Fame and his number will be retired.

Good luck to Aaron and best wishes to Jordan Love.  It's his fourth year but will be his first as a starter, so fans need to be patient with the young man.  It's extremely rare to have two Hall of Fame caliber players back-to-back, never mind, three in a row, so let's not worry about that. It's time for Love in Green Bay.  

 

Go Pack, Go!

 

As Rodgers walked off stage left, the Milwaukee Bucks had a less graceful exit, losing to the Miami Heat in 5 games.  The Bucks won more regular season games than any other team in the NBA this season and were matched up against the lowest seed in the Eastern Conference.  However, it's a good match-up for the Heat and in particular their star player, Jimmy Butler.  

 

Giannis was hurt in game 1 when he fell on his lower back.  The team rallied to a win in game two, providing hope, this was after all, the best team in the league.  Giannis returned in game 4, they had a big lead and lost.  At home in game 5, they had another big lead and lost again.  It's a bitter disappointment for the team and its fans.  This is a good team but losses like this demand change.  I expect we'll see it before the 2023- 24 season tips off in October.

This week I spent three days on the Prairie Ridge campus.  The second was for my eighth pizza party while the third was to participate in the campus' first Variety show.

It was a packed house of residents with lots of staff members looking on as residents and employees took turns sharing talents previously unshared.

I was signed up to perform when co-workers asked me to join them and six others to sing the Brady Bunch theme, substituting the words of Amazing Grace for the store of Mike and Carol Brady (try it, it fits).  That was fun and started the program with a smile to let the audience know this show was celebrating people willing to stand on stage.  

My latest pin representing 128 donations. dwm

 Friday I returned to the Red Cross, hoping I'd be able to leave a pint of blood this time.  In addition to the computer checking me in, I was also on the paper list of donors, so Paul asked me a few questions and tested my  hemoglobin before I was on my way to meet a new phlebotomist.

 She was nearing the end of her training, almost ready to solo.  It seems to me starting work drawing blood must be one of the most intimidating first weeks ever.  Even if you're 100% successful the person giving blood is going to have some pain.

 Unfortunately, she didn't quite get my vein.  Her trainer made adjustments but there still wasn't a good flow of blood, although my pain subsided.  The needle was under the skin this whole time, but the supervisor made a couple moves and blood was flowing freely.  A few minutes later I reached 16 gallons.

If it's been 56 days since you last gave blood, consider rolling up your sleeve, aren't a few moments of pain worth it to help someone who can't survive without your blood?  Have a great week!