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Mark Streckert's avatar

What am amazing article. Only at Go Long are you going to find the in depth scoop with awesome sources and fantastic writing!! Tyler, this article alone was worth the price of my annual subscription!!!!

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Tyler Dunne's avatar

Love to hear it, Mark. Comments like this -- and from everyone here -- truly supply wind to our sails at Go Long. We only exist because people like you all are willing to hit pause on life and read a story for a half hour. Greatly appreciate folks spreading the word.

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Jeffery Zielke's avatar

That was an awesome article. I personally think Jordan will win more than Fave or Rodgers. He will be closer to Star in production.

It seemed odd or weird to me how well Jordan was received by his teammates. They absolutely love him! After beating the Bears in week one, during the post game interview Rashan yelling "quit playing with em" was eye opening. Clearly this team believes in and loves Jordan. I can't help but think that Rodgers was viewed as a dictator. Aaron's sometimes passive/ aggressive nature, calling out teammates in press conferences made it hard to love him as a teammate. I know they respected him but they didn't respond to him like they do Jordan.

Anyways, keep up the excellent work. I thoroughly enjoy reading all of your stuff.

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Tyler Dunne's avatar

Thank you, Jeffery! Sometimes, I think age has a lot to do with it, too. When I interned on the Packers beat way back in 2007, Favre's last season, it was so obvious to even a snot-nosed college kid (with hair!) that Favre was distant from everyone else. I think guys still loved his ballsy style and authentic leadership. That 2007 season turned out to be a wild and fun time. But he was a good 15+ years older than most. Rodgers was the one connecting with players on a personal level. Imagine it'd be the same effect for anyone in any job.

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Anthony Fiore's avatar

fantastic article tyler, i am so excited for the season

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Steffen's avatar

Tyler, another absolute gem of an - I hesitate to call it article , more of an in depth analysis and thesis on JL‘s current status and potential.

I am with Adam: I loved the insight, unbeknownst to me, that AR was able to welcome him, help him along and tutor him. It kind of reconciliates me with AR to some degree.

I also think that money changes people and it will change JL at some point. It remains to be seen when and how much.

But bottom line at the moment: if you are right (and you make a very convincing case) and all goes well, I am looking at the chance of experiencing excellence at QB play of the Green Bay Packers starting at the second half of my Uni time and possibly lasting until my retirement. I mean, how goddam lucky am I?

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Tyler Dunne's avatar

Appreciate the love, Stef.

Hey, I've never been confused for an Aaron Rodgers Apologist but credit where credit's due, right? This is a source who had a front-row seat to it all and has read our stuff at Go Long. Went out of his way to say Love isn't here without Rodgers. Still think it was unbelievably unprofessional what 12 did the summer of 2021 but it's admirable that he never let it out on Love. He genuinely tried to help him.

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Jeffery Zielke's avatar

I think we can thank the old gun singer for that. Favre was an absolute ass to Rodgers and perhaps Aaron decided he wasn't going to be like that towards Jordan.

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Mark Matlock's avatar

Great piece of reporting and writing, T. I am so eager to get the season started. If the Packers can stay reasonably healthy, they can go a long way.

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Tyler Dunne's avatar

Bob was right to be hard on the Packers after that loss to the 49ers: https://www.golongtd.com/p/ty-and-bob-pod-opportunity-lost

You never know how many opp's come around.

But I agree, Mark. The team's so young and so set up structurally for success that the Packers should be well-positioned for multiple cracks at a title.

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Adam G.'s avatar

Outstanding article. Don't doubt at all that he learned a lot from Rodgers, and credit to AR for being a willing tutor. And love the part about his demeanor. If I'm looking for leadership characteristics, projecting a level head is right near the top, and he acted like a leader even when things weren't clicking.

Can only hope the money doesn't change him. Financially his life has just changed in an enormous way. Both of his predecessors wore out their welcome to varying degrees (Rodgers much more than Favre), and its only natural that having money and the power that goes with it can change people.

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Tyler Dunne's avatar

Well said, Adam. And appreciate the kind words.

Only Love can control that element of it all, but Calhoun knows him pretty damn well and doesn't expect him to change. I think that three-year wait was so humbling and -- at times -- so maddening, that it'll be hard for Love to stray from who he is.

Tend to forget what the kid went through, too. Losing your father in such an unimaginable way brings a permanent perspective.

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Rocket Rog's avatar

The people who have deemed Jordan Love as the next Luckman, Unitas, Staubach, Bradshaw, Montana, Favre, Rodgers and Mahomes are out of their minds. Love played a full season and played well in half of those games. You have left earth orbit, Tyler. This is a love letter and while this gushing story could prove to be prescient, it’s more likely to become an embarrassment to your football judgement. I appreciate the time and energy you put into this, Tyler,

but you’ve really made a rush to bad judgement.

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Tyler Dunne's avatar

Good day, Rog! Obviously appreciate your sentiment here.

My first thought goes back to a point Cowherd makes at the top of his (excellent) podcast with Ethan Strauss: https://www.houseofstrauss.com/p/hos-colin-cowherd-f45

I think Colin made such a fresh point that gets lost in today's sports media. So many people thinking about sports, writing about sports, talking about sports, etc. are petrified to take a chance. They live in great fear of being "wrong." When... why? If you're wrong, you're wrong. I have been here at Go Long. Obviously you hope to be more *right* than "wrong* and I'll stand by the track record here. Our second-ever piece at the site in Dec 2020 focused on the Packers' QB blueprint: https://www.golongtd.com/p/the-green-bay-packers-have-a-plan

Since then, the more I learn about Jordan Love, the more conviction I have on the quarterback. Genuinely believe the Packers struck gold here. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I'm not afraid to take this one to the next level.

Everyone can judge however they'd like. Not fearful here.

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Tom Miller's avatar

Just another excellent article by Tyler Dunne, who was mentored for part of his career by another great, Bob McGinn. Just one question, does a receiver come out of his brakes or breaks? Keep up the great work Tyler.

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Tyler Dunne's avatar

That freudian slip always gets me. Thanks for the catch, Tom! (And thank so much for reading everything here at Go Long.)

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Mark O'Keefe's avatar

Tyler, long-time Packers fan and new subscriber here.

I remember the great podcasts with McGinn at the JSOnline when you first started there. You were in awe of your hero but you weren't afraid to speak your mind and occasionally challenge Bob. I respected that, so did Bob and the podcast was as entertaining as it was informative. You drew McGinn out. His articles were great (except when he prematurely said Reggie White was washed up) but we didn't know his quirky and interesting personality until you brought it to the airwaves.

Kudos to you for your entrepreneurial vision and drive. I'm a former journalist myself and even covered the Packers one year before the old ocean liner of print journalism hit the immovable iceberg of the Internet and sunk the business model as if it were the Titanic. I marvel at and respect your deep reporting, your ability to get quotes and new insights by actually talking to people a long time, earning their trust. This article was no exception. I don't know how you have the TIME for such in-depth reporting and writing while running a business and raising a family but I salute you and am glad to be a subscriber.

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Scott Clendening's avatar

Great article. I'm a huge Love supporter, but from what I can tell he's still hopping!

https://twitter.com/Peter_Bukowski/status/1823775582485619080

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Robert Zielke's avatar

The hype surrounding Love is intense. As a Vikings fan, I can only hope they're wrong. Good insights though, we'll see how it goes.

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Adam G.'s avatar

Ha...as a Packer fan, it's humorous thinking about rival teams' fans (especially Bears fans) looking at GB fans and thinking they're some kind of lucky fools if they have three straight franchise QBs. (They're not wrong, Favre-to-Rodgers was already an incredible run)

Having watched Favre and Rodgers and seeing how good they were at their peaks, can say there were a few times late last season when thought Love was so good, almost flawless even, that it may have been even better than those two. It's hard not to be excited, but we'll see.

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