Maybe I should have more faith

While the title of this post could apply to every area of my life, today it applies to the Packers and...(though the words are hard to squeak out) starting... quarterback...Aaron...Ro..Rodgers.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a Pack fan above all, so losing Favre won't keep me away. Will I mourn, the first time I don't see our Brett run out of the tunnel in green and gold #4? Of course- what true child of the 80's who grew watching Favre as the staple of the Packers wouldn't?

So in reading John Clayton's article bestowing laudation upon Rodgers's throwing arm, I can't help but be pleasantly surprised, and still feel like I need to defend my baby.

Even with Jennings's, Driver's, and McCarthy's excitement and praise, Aaron's got a lot of living up to do come that first pre-season Sunday.

While you might feel as though you're missing something watching Packers minicamp without Favre, it's impossible not to notice how impressive Rodgers looks now that No. 12 runs the offense. He has a smooth, polished retreat from center. His feet are in good position for each throw out of three- and five-step drops.

And then you take notice. His right arm sets up naturally, and the ball comes out unnaturally fast. He doesn't possess an old Randy Johnson fastball, but, in baseball terms, his 6-2 body throws the fastball of a 6-5 pitcher. Sticking to baseball comparisons, Rodgers might not generate 99 or 100 mph on the radar gun, but he'd consistently hit 94 and 95, and sometimes 96.

"He has a cannon," wide receiver Greg Jennings said. "We call him the 'Human Jugs Machine.' He throws it like a Jugs machine every time.

And I would only caution Mr. Clayton in blaspheming the name of Favre.

The best evidence of how much Brett Favre's presence suffocated the attention of Packers outsiders resides in the right arm of Aaron Rodgers.

As it turns out, Rodgers has a very strong arm. He's had the strong arm since he's been in Green Bay. The football explodes off his hand on each throw in practice. Teammates have noticed it for years because they work with or against him in practice.

Thanks to the towering presence of No. 4, though, who knew?

Brett Favre did not drown out the presence of Rodgers on purpose. We've been preparing now for a few years to let go of the gunslinger, but it would help if Aaron didn't go down for the season after the first snap he plays.

We'll see if the arm can outweigh the injury prone. Bring it on!