Favre in Charge

And now, they play against God.

A stretch, perhaps. But only if you haven't been to Green Bay.

Big-time pro athletes don't come more admired than Brett Favre.

Pro sports franchises don't come more endearing than the Green Bay Packers. Fercripesakes, the team is community-owned.

After a splendid 13-3 regular season, the Packers are recipients of the national hug as they commence Saturday their march to the desert and the inevitable fight for the soul of civilization against the remorseless New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.

Wondering what the striking TV/movie scriptwriters were doing with their free time? Now you know.

The Seahawks couldn't be more unwelcome if they were Mr. Potter plotting against George Bailey in "It's a Wonderful Life."

The hiss has started in TV network headquarters. By the time it sweeps across a fruited plain desperate for feel-good sports stories (not you, Roger Clemens), the Seahawks will think they are in a hurricane.

All the Seahawks did was win a playoff football game. Soon they will be seen as dastardlies who tie widows to railroad tracks.

The feel is similar to the Super Bowl two years ago, when they went up against the national darling Steelers and Jerome Did-You-Know-He's-From-Detroit? Bettis. Even last week, the Seahawks were eight-hanky underdogs to the Washington Redskins, who were on an overwrought crusade for a slain teammate.

But in terms of sloppy sentiment -- which is, as you know, much more important to a game's outcome than countering a zone blitz -- this may be the worst, because even cranky sportswriters can't work up literary snarkiness to flick at Favre and the Pack.

Please don't think the Seahawks will do it for any of us.

The team's two most important figures, coach Mike Holmgren and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, came to Seattle from Green Bay and will go long with hosannahs about team and town.

Calling Lambeau Field "the greatest venue in all of sports," Hasselbeck, after the 35-14 win over Washington, needed only to add light background music and sepia-toned photos to complete his impromptu Ken Burns mini-documentary.

"I remember the first time I went back there, it was a huge deal to me," he said. "Green Bay, Wisconsin, is a special place to me. If it wasn't for that organization, I would have never gotten a chance. I would be wearing a suit to work every day. They helped me to fulfill my dream of playing in the NFL.

"The people there are the same way. From Brett to (coach) Mike McCarthy, who was there when I was there, to the people in the front office, to the people who work in the pro shops, everybody.

"It's just a special thing, when you get to play your friends."

Stop, Matt, just for a moment. I'm getting all verklempt.

There. I'm better now. Soft-focus lenses do that to me every time.

Holmgren was no less effusive. Cue the eye moisture.

"I'll probably have to say it a number of times this week -- Green Bay is a special place for people that like football," he said. " It is very unique. When my family was there, we had a wonderful time. We have fond memories.

"Now we have to go back and play them. We're very excited about the opportunity."

If the Oakland Raiders were alive today, they would retch.

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