BETTER GET USED TO IT, GREEN BAY

The stuff of schadenfreude -- that's a German word for taking pleasure in the misfortune of others -- was on full display for football fans last night.

The first NFL exhibition game (sorry, preseason game) was last weekend, but no season is truly underway until Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers have had their first three-and-out series on offence, followed by a quick score for their opposition.

Green Bay, God love 'em, got that out of the way in less than five minutes last night. Sure, the games don't count yet, but the Packers were already showing the form they will need to be in if they're planning to carry out the grand scheme that will enable them to have brothers-in-law A.J. Hawk and Brady Quinn, the Notre Dame quarterback, on the same team next season. San Diego needed just five plays to score on its first drive -- despite two penalties and having a touchdown taken away on a replay review.

As for Hawk, he had a great welcome-to-the-NFL moment when San Diego's all-world tight end, Antonio Gates, left him spinning like a top on a fairly straightforward seam route.

Anyway, we come not to bury Brett Favre, but to praise him. If anything, you have to respect him for saying a while ago that this was the most talented offence he's ever played with. Sure, it's hogwash, but by saying it, Favre was probably trying to deflect attention away from his rookie NFL head coach, his Swiss cheese offensive line and his inexperienced backs and receivers, and put the onus on himself. That's what a veteran player is supposed to do. Never mind that the the 1996 version of Favre would be hard-pressed to do much with what Green Bay currently has around him. It's not his problem if no one buys his line of malarkey. At least he tried.

Let's not get too cocky. My Minnesota Vikings don't get underway until Monday against Randy Moss and the Raiders, and that presents all sorts of potential calamity.

That's all for now. Send your thoughts to neatesager@yahoo.ca.