DO THE PACKERS LIKE THE CHOICE OF SLOGANS?

Red State contributor Teri Christoph is less displeased now that "End Racism" will be replaced as the end zone slogan during the Super Bowl with "Choose Love" and "It Takes All of Us."  Her characterization?  "Only marginally better."

Packer Nation are embracing the "Choose Love" phrase.  Whether or not the Chiefs are the first team to win three straight Super Bowls, Packer general manager Brian Gutekunst is making no small plans.

GUTEKUNST, WHO WAS hired as GM in 2018 to replace Ted Thompson, is in Phase 2 of his tenure. The first included maximizing the remaining years of Rodgers' career in Green Bay. To that end, the Packers reached the playoffs every season from 2019 to 2021 and twice reached the NFC Championship Game before he traded Rodgers to the New York Jets in April 2023.

The second part is built around Love, who Gutekunst picked at No. 26 after trading up in the first round of the 2020 draft.

And it meant going young, especially on offense, once it was clear Love would take over in 2023.

A year after Gutekunst drafted receivers Christian Watson (second round) and Romeo Doubs (fourth), he went heavy on skill positions in the 2023 draft with receivers Jayden Reed (second) and Dontayvion Wicks (fifth), plus tight ends Luke Musgrave (second) and Tucker Kraft (third). The Musgrave pick was one he had acquired from the Jets in the Rodgers trade.

The payroll office is no longer burdened by Aaron Rodgers's contracts.  And yet, Mr Gutekunst's personnel choices must still be measured against Jack Vainisi's.

Gutekunst's plan was in place: Give Love young teammates he could grow up with.

"That's a little bit of the idea, right?" Gutekunst said after the 2023 draft. "That's important for those guys to grow together. And we took some guys last year that I think have really done a nice job in their first year. We're excited for their growth.

And so the Super Bowl goes on.  Chiefs coach Andy Reid spent some time in the Packer organization, with Mike Holmgren, as well as some time with Philadelphia.  Off the field, there are people carping about "Lift Every Voice and Sing" being part of the opening formalities.  The political economy of football's gladiator labor market might be reason enough for so doing.  Enjoy the game.  I can already predict that the referees will inject themselves into the outcome, and not in the same way that the clowns get into the circus act.