Who will hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy in February 2012? Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

Yesterday, July 26, everyone was pretty giddy with the start of NFL training camps across the league.

The focus here, of course, was Green Bay. But it didn’t matter whether you were – Chicago, New Orleans, New York or San Francisco – the talk was all the same.

“Guys are flying’ around;” “Great to be back;” “Ready to get going;” “Super Bowl.”

Everyone is going to the Super Bowl, if you believe what players and coaches were spouting yesterday. Well, of course it’s great to hear that all are optimistic about going to and winning a Super Bowl. That’s the way it should be on the first day of training camp.

But now that the first day is gone, let’s get real. Let’s stop the talk and let’s just get down to brass tacks. Jacksonville is not going to the Super Bowl. Tennessee is not going to the Super Bowl. Cleveland is not going to the Super Bowl. St. Louis is not going to the Super Bowl.

To get to the Super Bowl may never happen for some teams in the NFL, such as Cleveland and Jacksonville, but I guess it’s OK to have goals and the set the bar high.

But let’s move on now. Let’s start talking about the nuts and bolts – the competitions within each camp where players are fighting for that 53-man final roster spot. Yes, let’s get real.

While the Chicago Bears have as good a shot at reaching the Super Bowl as just about anyone in the League, at least Brandon Marshall hit the nail on the head in his interview yesterday when asked about the words “Super Bowl.” Almost in awe, he said, “It’s real.”

Will Marshall, Cutler and company make it real? Well, they have to get by the Packers, Lions and Vikings to do it. Is that “real?” I can’t say yet.

All I can say at this point is that it truly is time to get real.

With help from his teammates, Aaron Rodgers could play for many more years in the NFL. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Aaron Rodgers. Green Bay Packers. Lifetime contract.

Those three should be and will be a reality if the Packers’ quarterback, Super Bowl champion and league Most Valuable Player has his way.

In a Q&A published this morning by the Green Bay Press Gazette, Rodgers doesn’t beat around the bush. He comes right out and says that there’s no other place he would rather be than in Green Bay, Wisconsin. In fact, he want s to be there for the remainder of his career.

Is there any question the Packers bean counters aren’t locked in a room at 1265 Lombardi Avenue trying to figure out a way they can make that happen?

Aaron Rodgers and Ryan Braun are best friends and Rodgers would certainly love to have a lifetime contract much like was given to Braun by the Brewers.

Like his good friend Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers, Rodgers wants a long-term contract that will essentially keep him in a Green Bay Packers uniform for the remainder of his playing days. And you can’t blame him. I’m sure Braun and Rodgers have talked about the fact that Braun has been thought of enough by the Milwaukee franchise to sign him to a contract that will keep him in a Brewers uniform for nearly the next decade.

Rodgers wants something like that.

Here’s some other highlights from Rodgers’ interview:

On his disappointment with the Pro Bowl:

“After the Pro Bowl experience, the things that happened at the hotel, during the week and then in the game, I just thought was so disappointing. Not only myself, the coaching staff that we brought, but to the fans. I mean, I’m sitting there, I bought six tickets as well so I have six people in the stands watching me in the game and I felt I was embarrassed for them so I just felt like it was the right time to say something like that.”

On the trappings of stardom:

“I think you can kind of prepare for some of it but there’s so many things that, opportunities and also temptations and then people trying to take advantage of you that you maybe didn’t see.”

On his achievements and if he still has the drive to succeed:

“I’d say it’s stronger now and I don’t say that to be cliché-ish. It’s just that when you win a Super Bowl, and I talked to other guys who feel the same way, when you win a Super Bowl, the next year you’re on such a high … Then last year losing in the first round of the playoffs, there’s just that empty feeling of regret that you’re not going to experience that same kind of high the Super Bowl was so I’d say personally that’s what I want.”

Aaron Rodgers stepped out from the shadows of Brett Favre and has brought a new enthusiasm to the Packers and the entire league. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

On his feelings toward those who didn’t believe in him when he took over for Brett Favre:

“Yeah, there were a bunch of people, whether they said it or not. That was a difficult time for the organization, our fans. I think the sentiment is that the Packers are doing pretty good now with that decision … But I don’t have any ill will towards other Packer fans or anything that happened that summer. It was such a character growing opportunity I think. It’s easier to say now than back then.”

On future contract talks:

“I think they’re an organization who is going to do what’s best for the organization. Obviously my representation, just like any representation, is trying to get the most money possible at times. I don’t see it being an issue. I want to be a Packer for life and I don’t see myself going anywhere else.”

On the potential for 2012:

“I think you’ve got to be, the kind of guys we’re going to add to the mix. The free agent guys. The rookie guys. Bringing a guy like Alex Green back into the mix. There’s a lot of young guys fighting for spots. I think Mike (McCarthy) has said it before about the talent level that we have. I’ll take this angle: This will be the most difficult cuts that we’ve had in eight years of me being here … The thing I look at is when I think of the schedule, I look at when we’re playing in Chicago, it’s a late game, so that will be a tough one late in the season. So it’s going to be a tough run. What we learned last year was you’ve got to be playing the right way at the end of the season, like we were in 2010 and the Giants were last year.”

And finally, one of the more interesting answers came when asked about the most difficult part of his job. His answer is very interesting. You would think it would be something like learning a new offense or studying a defensive scheme or getting his footwork down. No, it was none of that.

Here’s what he had to say about that:

“Turning it off. Finding ways to escape from being on all the time. Having to be in the mindset of that preparation and that focus when I’m at the facility, being able to turn that off. That doesn’t mean just when I get home at 4:30 or whatever. That’s being able to turn it off at midnight when I’m trying to fall asleep and I can’t. That’s probably the hardest part.”

It’s always good to hear from Aaron Rodgers and as we inch closer to the start of the NFL Training Camp, it’s even better to hear from him, especially when he provides such insight into his persona.

The hope of all Packers fans is that Aaron Rodgers will be winding up to throw bombs for years to come. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

There’s a reason Aaron Rodgers is a champion and the MVP of the league. Our hope is that he is around for many more seasons to come and that he stays injury-free. Packers fans, of course want Aaron Rodgers to walk away from the game a whole person without the problems so many others have experienced over the years.

And if you think Aaron Rodgers is ready for 2012, below are some highlights from 2011 that will surely get the juices flowing. No, the Packers didn’t repeat as Super Bowl champions last year, but the team went 15-2 on the season. There were plenty of highlights … enjoy …