Well, I guess this was written in the stars long before the dawn of time. It was apparently inevitable that Brett and Randy would eventually be united on the football field. There are two factors in this reunion that are going to wage war.

We're three games into the season of my beloved Packers and even after a devastating loss to the Bears, I felt I needed to lift my spirits a little so I figured I would share a few happier thoughts with you from a man's man perspective.  Sorry ladies but this one is for the guys to make us feel better after last night.  Win or loose, tailgating at a Packers game is the best!  I love getting up early on Sunday mornings to pack up the grilling gear and coolers into the truck before making the trek to Lambeau Field for a solid three and a half hours of hardcore tailgating, beer swilling, bratwurst eating and cigar smoking.  The smell of thousands of grills going all at once is enough to make any real man happy. 

It's a real treat to enjoy the games but some of my best moments have been in the parking lot sharing the pre-game ritual with the other thousands of fan-actics there supporting their team in their own unique fashion.  There is an "art" to tailgating and my years of setting up and tearing down our makeshift outdoor kitchen, usually in a half drunken state, has blessed me with some insight on how to do it up right.  I don't want to chastise anyone that takes part in the ritual of tailgating but there are some simple rules that if you are a real man you must follow. 

First and foremost, as much as society shuns smoking, cigars are a part of my tailgating so I don't hesitate to light one up with the boys while the grill is heating up.  Depending on how well your team plays that day, you may or may not be able to burn a celebratory stogie afterwards so why risk it?  It's a great conversation starter and I've met tons of people who simply stop by to see what kind of wonderful cigar they smell.  You brought extra sticks so go ahead and torch one up!  Which brings me to another very key point in that first statement, GRILLS my boys, real grills are what you cook on when tailgating!  Not some George Foreman thingy or one of those hot griddles your grandmother makes pancakes on.  Fire, whether by propane or charcoal is the only way to cook a pregame feast and that is a pure and simple fact handed down to me by men who charted those waters years before my existence.  Just because some dude sautes bean sprouts in a white wine reduction sauce on his portable hibachi it doesn't make it right for tailgating.  Steaks, burgers, chicken wings and an endless variety of sausage is what should be searing and smoking on your grill while you guzzle cold beer and puff your cigar. 

Brady's video podcast, The Atrium, has a new format this season. If you haven't checked it out yet you can watch the latest episode at http://theatrium.greenbaypackernation.com.

When you're done watching, don't forget to leave a comment. This goes for our video podcast The Atrium and our audio podcast 5th Quarter. We want to hear your thoughts.

So watch, listen and above all comment.

I just read a post on Bleacher Report and the claim was made that whoever wins the game tonight will prove themselves to be the dominant force in the NFC North.

Is that really true?

Well, if the Packers beat the Bears around the field and win handily (2-3 interceptions and 5-6 sacks), one could easily make a case for their "dominance" in the division.

I've been thinking about the rumors going around about the Packers trading Hawk for Marshawn Lynch. I think it's become clear over the past several seasons that A.J. is always going to be they type of consistent player you spend a third round draft pick on, but never live up to his 5th round expectations. In addition, he's just not good enough in pass defense to fit really well with the 3-4.

Here's a short video report by Rob on the situation with Al Harris.

This one goes out to BJ Raji:

"First of all, how ya doin' you are a really big dude and all but listen, you have to put in a better performance than you did last Sunday night. Man, a lot of people are depending on your ability to collapse the middle of the pocket and you didn't show a lot of that. I know it is the preseason but you're a competitor who is in his second year and they just moved Ryan Pickett to put you where you're at, it's time to represent!

No one was more excited about you being moved to nose (where you belong) than me. I thought you would be the unsung hero of this year's successful team and I still do but you made me wonder a little bit. OK, OK I gotta have faith, I know. But this ain't no George Michael song, this is the NFL and when it's throwdown time we all want to see you throw down. You're speed and agility along with your size and low center of gravity make you a rare commodity in the NFL and especially important to a 3-4 defense that is predicated upon the NT. Unfortunately, Sunday night, being rare just meant you hadn't been cooked enough...you were still bleeding. 

Well training camp is here and here are a few variables I think will be very important, though little spoken/written about in the success of the team.

1. Recovery of injured players - And I am not just talking about whether Al Harris will be 100 percent. One of the most important players coming back from injury is Justin Harrell. With the loss of Johnny Jolly, Harrell has to get on the field. 

The anticipation is really building now. With only 13 days left until training camp, I'm starting to feel like a kid who's eagerly awaiting Christmas. So, let me tell you about some of the things we're unwrapping this season on GPN.

Mike Davidsen's latest article on the Top Five Most Exciting Games of the Past Three Seasons revealed a side of my Packer fan nature that I have never been conscious of before.

I'm a bit of a grudge holder.

Seeing Brett connect with Greg Jennings to beat the Broncos in overtime continues to elicit great satisfaction from me. And, the satisfaction didn't just come from sticking it to the Broncos in the waning minutes of that game. No, it went far deeper than that. And farther back too.