A PROMOTION BASED ON SPITE MIGHT NOT BE A WISE BUSINESS STRATEGY.

During the off-season, the Packers dealt Aaron Rodgers and a number of other older players to the New York Jets.  Note, dear reader, that I was in the Time to Move On camp.

The Green Bay Packers had a chance of making the playoffs, but two loss-of-composure penalties on defensive players in scoring situations helped the Lions put up points, and two ill-timed turnovers, the final an interception airmailed by Aaron Rodgers at the end of the game, put an end to those hopes, which, all the same, were stronger than I had anticipated.  "Best case scenario, the new quarterback continues to develop, the young receivers gain experience, and the transition to another quality quarterback occurs. First, though, let's see what the remaining four games bring."

The transition, though, will not go away.  "It’s a period of contemplation in the world of Green Bay Packers star Aaron Rodgers, who at age 39, is mulling retirement more seriously than ever before."  If popular sentiment mattered, the sense I'm getting is that he and Harry Sussex going on a Magical Mystery Tour would be just fine.  Perhaps he gets full range of motion back in his thumb, and his ribs heal, but I keep having those memories of a battered Bart Starr hoping to find the magic again.

Let's say that Popular Sentiment in Packer Nation was that Mr Rodgers had behaved badly.

If you needed a reason to watch a Jets game this season, here's a good one.

Jack's American Pub on Brady Street is hosting an NFL season-long promotion.

Anytime the Jets play a game and lose, the pub will pay everyone's drink tab.

"We created something to get people in the door to watch a lot of our old Packer alums," said Emily Ho-Abegglen, marketing director at Jack's American Pub.

It's a deal that sounds almost too good to be true.

"I just think it's a great publicity stunt," said customer Matt Mikulak.

"Great idea. I think it'll draw some people in," said Milwaukee resident Peter Kessel.

There are a few rules. You must start a tab 15 minutes before the game starts.

Then you have to stay for the whole game, and Rodgers must be in the starting lineup.

This deal does not include food or top-shelf liquor. And if there's a Packers game at the same time, the deal is off.

"We like to, you know, be a little risky, and I think it's a fun way to communicate and interact with our customers," Ho-Abegglen said.

With the promotion gaining nationwide attention, the bar is expected to be busy.

The poobahs of pro football scheduling put both New York teams in the Meadowlands for September 10 and 11, with the Giants hosting the Cowboys on Sunday, and Jets hosting the Bills to open Monday Night Football.

Mike McCarthy's Dallas Cowboys served the Giants rather roughly on Sunday.  Aaron Rodgers carried the Stars and Stripes on for Monday's opening ceremonies.  Let the spite begin.

[A patron's modified Packer jersey] read, “Beers on” with Rodgers name right beneath it. The promotion had gone viral, with Jack’s American Pub making headlines across the country, if not the globe. The bar was giving Packer fans an opportunity to do what 31 other teams’ fans had done for nearly two decades; cheer against the future Hall of Famer.

Then, a lot of patrons at the American Pub started buying a lot of drinks.

Milwaukee's Jack's American Pub offered to pay the drink tabs of nearly all its customers if the New York Jets lost Monday night, Sept. 11 vs. the Buffalo Bills, and Aaron Rodgers left the game just four minutes in with an ankle injury.

On Monday night in Milwaukee, revenge was a drink (or a few) best served cold.

"The relationship ended, and it was toxic," said Gretchen Turner. "It needed to end, but I'm curious to see how he's gonna do, how he's gonna perform."

There wasn't a table or a barstool without a tab inside Jack's American Pub.

The bar announced that since Aaron Rodgers had started the game, the promotion was on, and patrons might have figured that with the backup quarterback on and playing a system modified for all the former Packers, the drinks (but not the beer nuggets or hot wings) would be on the house. "'Thank God he was able to start,' said Berk Dogan. 'Unfortunate injury, but you're playing a powerhouse like the Bills. It's almost a guaranteed free tab, so why would you not be here?'"  The Gods of Football had other plans.

So, uh, we were live on the air at Jack's when the Jets won, and everyone realized they weren't drinking for free after all pic.twitter.com/VCZJNGBaym

— A.J. Bayatpour (@AJBayatpour) September 12, 2023

Aaron Rodgers is out for the season with a torn Achilles tendon. We'll see whether Jack's American Pub comes up with other promotions.  The Packers?  Among the draft choices they obtained in the Aaron Rodgers deal, placekicker Anders Carlson made five conversions and an end-of-the-first-half, 52 yard field goal that stirred up the groundlings at Soldier Field.  The new quarterback, and the revamped defense acquitted themselves well.  I'm still reserving judgement, but when it dawns on Chicago's sports pundits that the Bears still suck, and the Packers fielding better personnel and outcoaching the Bears has a lot to do with it, the season is off to a good start.

SECOND SECTION:  Ed Driscoll on Insta Pundit has additional coverage from Jack's.