But his presence was bigger than just his on-field accomplishments. Without even counting all that Charles Woodson has done and all the people he has touched within the communities where he has lived and worked, let’s just look at what he was able to do for his teammates.

During the 2010 Super Bowl XLV run, Woodson was larger than life among the team. His post-game speeches inspired that team to greatness. When he was injured midway through the Super Bowl, he stood with tears in his eyes to give a halftime speech that moved his teammates on to the franchise’s fourth Super Bowl win. His “One Mind, One Goal, One Purpose, and One Heart” rallying cry lifted the Super Bowl team to great things and has cemented Woodson’s words not only in Packers lore, but also onto the team’s Super Bowl XLV ring.

Now that Sir Charles is gone from Green Bay, the team must move on with new leadership and a new outlook. Who will be that leader? Aaron Rodgers? Clay Matthews? B.J. Raji? Who will inspire their teammates to great things?

That remains to be seen. The days will turn to months and it will be a new season. Charles Woodson will be with a new team, the Packers will have a new identity.

We await the new rallying cry.

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The Green Bay Packers Super Bowl XLV win over the Pittsburgh Steelers is tied as one of the two highest-rated Super Bowls. Last year’s Super Bowl XLVI won by the New York Giants over the New England Patriots also attracted 111 million viewers. Super Bowl XLVII brought in 108 million viewers. Pictured above is Packers WR James Jones with the Lombardi Trophy. Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

The Green Bay Packers are still tops – well, at least they are among three other teams that have the distinction of playing in the most watched events in television history.

The Packers defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV, which tied Super Bowl XLVI featuring the New York Giants and New England Patriots for the highest number of viewers for a single television event – 111 million.

Sunday night’s Super Bowl XLVII won by the Baltimore Ravens over the San Francisco 49ers rang up 108 million viewers. Not bad, but those numbers place that event third place overall.

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco poses with the game MVP trophy.
Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

While football viewership declined overall this season, I don’t think National Football League officials are too concerned. This was the fourth year that the Super Bowl game has crested the 100 million threshold. What’s more concerning is that NFL officials have publicly declared that the game is seeing fewer stadium sellouts because the television experience has improved so greatly. With the decline in total television viewership, does that signal a lessening of the league’s stranglehold on overall popularity? Those will be interesting numbers to follow in the coming years.

Feb 6, 2011; Arlington, TX, USA; Green Bay Packers cornerback Charles Woodson celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy following Super Bowl XLV against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Cowboys Stadium. The Packers defeated the Steelers 31-25. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE

The current struggles of the 2012 Green Bay Packers have caused many members of the media to question the legitimacy of the 2010 Super bowl champion Green Bay Packers.

The fact that many of the same players are on this year’s club, has caused some to view the 2010 Packers as just a good team that got hot at the right time. Quite frankly this is incorrect, and insulting to those who played so hard to become champions of the National Football League.

While it was an incredible run, make no mistake they were the best team in football that year, and I can prove it.

First, the Packers suffered through an injury bug like no other that year when 16 players ended up on season ending injured reserve. These were not just regular players either, but players like Nick Barnett, Ryan Grant, and Jermicheal Finley, all of whom were expected to make major contributions to the success of the Green Bay Packers.

Feb 6, 2011; Arlington, TX, USA; Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews during Super Bowl XLV against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Cowboys Stadium. The Packers defeated the Steelers 31-25. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE

Just as amazing, the Packers at no point in their 20 games that year trailed by more than 7 points. To put this in perspective, no team had done this since 1962. Just take a second and think of all the great teams, Lombardi’s Packers, Walsh’s 49er’s, the undefeated 72’ Dolphin’s, or the 85 Bears – none of them can say that.

The Packers lost last week to the Giants by 28 points, the 2010 Packers lost all 6 of their games by a combined 20 points. Of those losses, two of them were in overtime, two of them were without their star, (the real MVP of the NFL that year) Aaron Rodgers, and none of the loses were by more than 4 points.

Also there is a common belief that Aaron Rodgers went on an incredible run during the playoffs in 2010. While his play was phenomenal, his passer rating during that 4 game stretch was only 8 points higher (109.8) than his rating for the entire season (101.2).

The Packers offense was ranked fifth in passing that year, and was in the top five in every passing category there is. The offensive line gave up 38 sacks, but got much better as the season went on. While their running game was a weakness for most of the season, they did score 11 touchdowns and got much better when Starks got healthy. Starks even led the NFL in rushing during the post season with 315 yards (which was 85 yards better than anyone else).

The Packers defense that year was ranked fifth overall. They were second in the NFL in sacks (trailing only Pittsburgh by one) and second in interceptions (trialing only New England by one).  They also held opposing quarterbacks to a 67.2 rating, which was tops in the NFL by almost six full points. Finally and maybe most important, they were second in the NFL in points allowed, giving up only 15 points per game.

Fittingly enough even in their biggest game of the year, Superbowl XLV, the Packers had to meet adversity head on, losing almost their entire secondary to injury, including their captain, Charles Woodson, and star receiver Donald Driver. They would once again overcome the injuries and left Dallas that night victorious.

So the 2010 Packers were champions of the world, and raised the Lombardi trophy. As you can clearly see it was not by accident, or by catching lightning in a bottle. They were a very talented team, that could do everything well, played hard all the time and persevered in even the most difficult situations.

Now that my friends is the stuff from which true champions are made.

That’s all I can figure was the case with my home town’s officials as they, in the middle of the night, removed the championship flags that had flown for nearly the past year.

They went up the pole about the first part of March 2011 and flew throughout the year.

And though the Green Bay Packers Super Bowl XLV flags that slapped in the breeze in the town of Minocqua just below Old Glory itself, had grown thin and worn, they were removed too soon.

It was only a couple of weeks that the Packers had disappointingly lost to the eventual NFC Champion New York Giants at Lambeau Field. The sting was still prevalent, and still is.

But the Super Bowl is still five days away. When the flags were removed, the Super Bowl was a good 10-12 days away.

See more after the jump … and while you’re at it, don’t forget to Like Lombardiave.com on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

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As a bonus, I’ve also thrown in a couple of clips that show what it’s like NOT to win a championship, courtesy of Pittsburgh Steelers fans.

So, before the Packers take on the New Orleans Saints Thursday night, take some time to watch these videos I found while surfing through YouTube.

Jump to the videos here …
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Al Harris

It’s no secret that Packer Nation was rightfully upset when the Green Bay Packers released star CB Al Harris last season.  He was one of the good guys..the gifted athlete with the morals and character that epitomize the way we expect Packers players to act.

Al Harris was openly disappointed with the decision by management to be released to free agency.  He wanted to retire as a Packer.  And we wanted him to stay.  But the universe doesn’t always abide by our hopes and wishes and Al went on to sign with the Miami Dolphins.  Even then, Al took out a full page ad thanking the Packer Nation for treating him as family and professed his love for the Packers and fans forever.

Well, this week, the universe has obliged this most gracious man.  The Green Bay Packers GM has announced that Al Harris will also receive a Super Bowl XLV ring!  This news literally brought tears to my eyes.

It’s people like Al Harris that have given the Green Bay Packers the reputation of honorable and upstanding men.

Great move by the management team.  Congratulations Al Harris, you are always a Packer to us!

The Green Bay Packers won Super Bowl XLV over 70 days ago. The Super Bowl “high” we felt has continued on and doesn’t appear to be dying down anytime soon.

There has been a lot of talk about the upcoming draft.. speculation of who Ted’s first round pick will be (psst… OL, please), and a whole lot of previously disgruntled Packers fans’ admission of the true genius that we have now come to love. It’s amazing what a Super Bowl win will do to send a singular person’s stock to rise sky high.

As we continue to have hopes for an agreement between the NFL owners and Players Association, waiting for news, shaking our heads in disbelief that they have STILL not been able to come to terms.. I’m starting to feel a little disgruntled myself. Not with the team and not with the fans.. but there are a few outstanding celebrations that have been put on hold for months now.

When are we going to see our team make the dutiful trip to Washington DC to meet with the President? When are we going to get to see the diamond encrusted, gaudy, but rightfully earned Super Bowl ring.. and where is the Twitter-controversy-fed Super Bowl Team photo? (more…)

It’s no secret that Football fans are some of the most enthusiastic, passionate and committed fans in the world. None more so than those of the Green Bay Packers. A true Cheesehead will bleed green and gold and represent the pack regardless of their location. I should know I am one of the only known packer fans living in Scotland. Location has little impact on the spirit of a Cheesehead particularly when your commitment pays off queue the Super Bowl.

Of course in the hour of glory pride and joy comes to all packer fans but possibly none more so than on Lombardi Avenue itself. Just type into You Tube ‘packers Lombardi avenue celebration’ and you will witness the sheer ecstasy of being a packers fan. Lining Lombardi Avenue all the way to Lambeau Field is honking vehicles and fans screaming with joy.

The unbridled passion for the pack is nothing new of course, It stems from none other than Vince Lombardi himself. Lombardi’s commitment to his team and the game was the example fans now lead by. Let’s not forget he turned a team – who had lost all but 2 of their 12 games in 1958 – into one of the best teams in league within the space of a year. Commitment and passion is why the name Lombardi resides on the Avenue.

The Lombardi spirit lives on in each and every packers fan, win or lose we will represent and most of all inspire confidence in the players making us the flesh and blood of the packer body. No matter what team you represent or where you are in the world you can’t deny that the Cheesehead is a rare breed.

“People who work together will win, whether it be against complex football defences, or problems in modern society.”- Vince Lombardi

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I remember December 20, 2009 like it was yesterday. Here’s a recap of one of the best memories a guy could ask for. Ben Roethlisberger broke a Steelers record for passing yards in a single game with 503. Aaron Rodgers threw for 383 yards and three touchdowns while running for another score. Any guesses as to what happened on this date? Yep, you guessed it. It was Packers vs Steelers, at Heinz Field.

It was the first time these two historic teams had played in years and it was epic. Epic for obvious reasons, but even more so because I was there. Watching these two teams go up and down the field with zero regard for the opposing defense was enough to make a guy forget his extremities were numb. (more…)