30 Day Baseball Card Challenge

Monday, November 8, 2010

Sayonara Salute #2: Al Harris

Today the Packers released twelve year veteran cornerback Al Harris and I'm a little bummed. I understand why they did it. His knee injury was pretty severe and he's 36 years old. Plus his replacements (rookie Sam Shields & Tramon Williams) have played fairly well during his absence.

But Harris gave Packer fans six quality seasons and two Pro Bowl appearances... and his presence will be missed (at least by me). I still remember getting Mike McKenzie and him mixed up because of their hair... and there was a time when many felt that the Packers had two of the best lockdown cornerbacks in the league in Harris and Woodson.

So... today, I'm dedicating this post to #31. Thank you for the memories and I wish you the best of luck wherever you go. On one condition... please... please... please... don't sign with the Vikings or the Cowboys!

Unfortunately, I don't own any memorabilia cards, rookie cards, or autographed cards of Mr. Harris. However, I do have all of his Packer Police set cards from 2004 to 2009. Hopefully Santa Claus brings me the 2010 team set, so I'll have his last card too.

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Speaking of Christmas... Santa brought me an early Christmas present last night. Hopefully everyone out there enjoyed watching the Dallas Cowboys get their bottoms whooped by the Pack.

It was so bad... I actually felt bad for them at several points in the game. Then I remembered all of the times I had to listen to my obnoxious buddies who are Cowboys fans rub it in about their 8 Super Bowl appearances... and how they're going to win the Super Bowl this year (and every other year)... and how eight of their players made the Pro Bowl last year... and this and that... and that and this.

Well my friends (and students)... your team is now 1 - 7... hopefully now you'll stop talking smack.

Now... before you say that I'm just as bad as them, because I'm blogging about it today. Let me just say this. I didn't call/text any of them last night to rub it in. This morning, I didn't mention the Packers game to any of my students. I didn't even wear any of my Packer's gear.

In fact... the only time I rubbed it in was when one of my students came into my classroom sporting his Tony Romo jersey... and busted out... "we still have won 10 of the last 15 meetings!"

I just smiled and said... "45 to 7, now go sit down."

Now... I'm not saying that the Packers are going to win the Super Bowl... because the Packers need to worry about winning one game at a time. But, I'm damn proud of the way they played last night.


Aaron Rodgers threw 27 completions out of 34 attempts, passed for 289 yards, threw 3 touchdown passes, and ran for 27 yards. Charles Woodson had a sack, forced a fumble, and batted a ball (w/Hawk) that was intercepted by Clay Matthews. Speaking of Matthews, he had another amazing performance makings some key stops, adding one more sack to his league leading total of 10.5, and like I mentioned earlier... intercepting one of Kitna's passes and returning it 62 yards for a touchdown.

Sure makes up for the 41 - 7 annihilation of the Hawks by the New York Giants hours earlier. Who would have thought the Rams would be on top of the NFC West after nine weeks. The last 8 weeks should be pretty interesting... hopefully Hasselbeck and company figure things out and make it interesting.

Now... Monday's question of the day... Will anyone claim Harris off of waivers? If so... who? Please don't say Dallas or Minnesota... anyone but them.

Good night y'all... time to go watch the Steelers and the Bengals play.

1 comment:

SpastikMooss said...

Man, I loved Al Harris too (he and McKenzie are both on my random card want list, part due to the hair, part due to the play, including Harris' time in Philly).

I could see a Philly reunion for Harris, that'd be cool. As much as I love the guy I wouldn't want him on the Browns or Pats though, where young secondaries are coming into their own through playing time.