I have an unflattering vision in my head — a morose blue-collar bar in Green Bay on a random October weeknight with a dusty jukebox in the back corner. The bar is packed with defeated, middle-aged Midwestern men sporting foam cheese wedges on their heads and faded No. 4 Favre jerseys on their backs. Once proud and dignified, they sulk in this poorly lit bar, heads bowed in a collective sorrow. Then comes a song from the jukebox — Sinead O'Connor's "Nothing Compares to You" or the BeeGee's "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" — and all of patrons simultaneously link arms, shed tears, and sing every lyric while passing along a framed photo of "the ol' gunslinger." How can life go on without him? Wahhhh!

That's been the media's portrayal of the Green Bay fans for the past two months: "We're fans of Brett Favre. And oh yeah, the Packers too." And with every ESPN interview of the locals, the more that image transforms from gross exaggeration to potential reality.

Here's the deal, Green Bay fans. Favre's no longer a Packer. He's now an above-average 38-year-old quarterback with an alarming tendency to throw ill-advised passes playing for some fourth-tier team in the AFC. Meanwhile, you've got a 27-years-young former first-round pick at quarterback who has paid his dues, wants nothing more than to be the Packers starting QB, and is ready to compete.

Things aren't all doom and gloom, guys.

But here's the catch — Aaron Rodgers needs your support. I spoke with FOXSports.com's Alex Marvez in Green Bay this week, and he told me tales of Packer "fans" taunting Rodgers with comparisons to Joey Harrington while the kid's taking training camp snaps. Yahoo!'s Michael Silver shares an anecdote of a little kid telling Rodgers "You suck" as the QB jogs off the practice field.

In truth, Rodgers might suck. He might be the worst Packers QB since Randy Wright. But crying over spilled Favre isn't going to help. And there's a chance — yes, there really is — that Aaron Rodgers actually gives Green Bay a better chance to win in 2008 than ol' No. 4, himself.

The fact is the Packers were a 13-3 team last year that was an interception away (a horrible pass, mind you) from making the Super Bowl. Aside from Favre and reserve defensive lineman Corey Williams, the majority of the key players on that NFC North championship squad are back for another run. They're older, wiser and ready to repeat as division winners. Hell, whether it's Favre, Rodgers or Don "Magic Man" Majkowski taking snaps this season — Green Bay is going to be in OK shape heading into '08.

But guess what Packers fans? All this doom and gloom, all this fan negativity towards Rodgers during a Sunday night SCRIMMAGE, and all of this media attention and scrutiny can only hurt Green Bay. Blame management for letting the situation fester so deeply into the summer, or blame a thirty-headed cast of characters at ESPN following Favre's every breath like it was Watergate — but as long as you blame the new starting QB you will help crush your own Super Bowl hopes. Shrinks call it "self-sabotaging" behavior. And guess what Packerville? If you can somehow put those dreamy thoughts of No. 4 behind you for a bit, you may actually like what you see out of No. 12.

Sad songs may very well help heal broken hearts. But Pack fans, there's no need for such measures this season. Put those jukebox quarters away.

Because whether you believe it or not, your team is actually pretty darn good. Hell, they may be even better than they were last year. And absolutely no talk of retirement come February, either.

VOTE! Packers will be fine without Favre