Aaron Rodgers' Personal Life Is Out Of Bounds

Last week it was announced that Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and his girlfriend, actress Olivia Munn, had broken up.  As soon as I read the headline I immediately debated whether to comment or weigh in with my take on athletes' personal lives.  Plenty of others already have and with social media what it is today, that is no surprise.

So, as you can see, I'm weighing in.  A public service announcement to any who came here looking for hard-hitting Packers news or draft coverage: This might be a good time to remind you that the Cheesehead TV NFL Draft Guide is available for just $8.99 and is a phenomenal collection of draft coverage directly related to the Packers.  

When an athlete goes pro, he or she steps into a world that a very small percentage of people venture.  Most of what they do on the field is televised.  Every highlight, lowlight and everything in between is available to the masses.  With technology what it is today, most of that content is easily found with a few clicks of a button.  

That also includes things that happen off the field, court, rink, etc.  Whether it's fair or not, pro athletes become celebrities and their privacy is diminished.  Fans idolize or loathe them, depending on the circumstances and take an interest in what they do.  That has been the case as long as pro sports have been around and these players have to know and understand what comes with being in that type of spotlight.  The expectation of privacy, whether fair or not, is diminished.  Charles Barkley famously once said "I'm not a role model".  Hopefully someone told Charles that by simply being a pro athlete, you are exactly that even if only to one kid or person out there.

Most of us don't know these players as people.  We see what they do for their team and, if we're a fan of that team, we put them on a pedestal for providing positive entertainment in our lives.  Then we hear about someone getting a DUI or being involved in domestic violence and all of that perception of the person we looked up to is diminished in an instant.  For all of the negative stories that come out, we also hear about players donating time and money to charitable causes.  Or taking time to speak or act on important social issues.

Whether for good or bad, the personal lives of these players should be left alone.

Rodgers used to do a weekly radio show with ESPN Milwaukee's Jason Wilde.  Every Tuesday when the players had the day off, Rodgers would join Wilde to talk about football, the Packers, himself and sometimes things unrelated to football.  While it was a rare glimpse into Rodgers' thoughts, he was always careful what he shared about his personal life.  He's made it known that he wants privacy and feels strongly that his wishes be respected.

Not everyone obliges.  As soon as the news of Rodgers and Munn's break up hit the streets, the tweets and posts rolled in.  Some saying they were glad the couple was no longer so that Rodgers can now focus on football.  Some were more direct and said they expected Rodgers to stop choking in big games now that he doesn't have to worry about what is going on with his girlfriend.  Sadly, much of this came from Packers fans.

It shouldn't have been a surprise.  When Rodgers and Munn began dating, fans immediately questioned what affect the relationship would have on Rodgers' play.  Whenever he hit a rough patch or the Packers lost a game, there were those who immediately blamed Munn for being a distraction.  They took to social media and commented directly at her for this, hiding like cowards behind the anonymity of the Internet.

Fans can do and say what they want.  Having a Twitter of Facebook account gives us all access to our friends and followers and a platform to share our thoughts.  But it extended beyond fans.  The Chicago Tribune posted an article about Olivia Munn and her boyfriend splitting up.  Somehow the Tribune forgot the name of the guy who has carved their beloved Chicago Bears up time after time for the past nine seasons, with more to come.  Trolling at its finest from from a reputable source.  That's the world we live in.

It's easy to expect these athletes to handle all of the attention, both positive and negative.  The rationale that they're highly paid and that it simply comes with the territory reeks a bit of envy.  But they're people just like we are.  When we experience a loss, a tragedy or a triumph in our lives, we desire some control over how we deal with it.  To many of us, we are able to retreat and handle the situation as we need.  Someone like Aaron Rodgers obviously has a tougher time doing that.  His face is all over the TV and his name is everywhere on the Internet.  

My writing this is hardly going to effect change on how much privacy is given to athletes.  My hope is that it promotes discussion about the topic and gives some a chance to ask themselves what their approach is to privacy for public figures.  Aaron Rodgers is going to return as quarterback for the Packers next season and he's likely going to play at a very high level.  I don't expect "the break up" to have much affect on his play (sorry to Bears, Vikings and Lions fans).  As soon as he throws an interception or makes any miniscule mistake, many will pounce on this as the reason.

Don't be that person.  Walk a mile in his shoes and ask yourself what you'd want if it were you.  Leave him alone, let him heal.  

 

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Jason is a freelance writer on staff since 2012 and also co-hosts Cheesehead TV Live, Pulse of the Pack and Pack A Day podcasts.  You can follow him on Twitter here

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Comments (43)

Fan-Friendly This filter will hide comments which have ratio of 5 to 1 down-vote to up-vote.
NickPerry's picture

April 10, 2017 at 06:42 am

I gave you a "Thumbs Up" because I agree 100% Jason. I actually feel bad for some of these guys when things like family, relationship, or other private matters are exposed and everybody has an opinion. They've never met the person being dragged through the mud yet they feel they have the right to weigh in, sometimes on a very personal level. Relationships are difficult enough but to have your every move photographed, tweeted, written about, must be difficult as hell. Especially when it's being done from some gutless person you KNOW wouldn't say or do it to Rodgers face. I call em "Keyboard Warriors" and they're everywhere, even here.

When you beat a woman, child, get busted, or do something else stupid you best be prepared to have it blasted all over the Net. When you break up with a partner of 3 years you deserve to the time to get over it, process it, and heal.
But when your brother is having his 15 minutes of fame, or a man is dating and now breaking up with his girlfriend, there's a thing called boundaries. Nowadays people don't respect that, hell they don't even know what it means.

Rodgers will have his opportunity to "Payback" the Chicago Tribune and given Rodgers sense of humor he'll probably thank the Tribune after the game when he throws for 4 TD's in another Packers Victory.

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RCPackerFan's picture

April 10, 2017 at 06:51 am

I just don't get the amount of people that are saying "Good, now they broke up we can win a super bowl".

Yeah, cuz it was Olivia's fault that the defense gave up a TD in OT to the Cardinals, after Rodgers threw 2 Hail Mary's to get them to OT.
Yeah, it was her fault when the simply ran out of healthy bodies against the Falcons and the defense gave up points nearly on every drive.

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Bearmeat's picture

April 10, 2017 at 07:01 am

Agree 100% with the comments above. Rodgers personal life is exactly that - personal. What he does with his time, and what he believes about the world around him is for him to know, and for those whom he chooses to share it with. That's it.

As long as he isn't physically hurting another person through his actions, my only concern as a Packers fan is how he plays on the field.

I have not ever understood the whole "People" magazine culture.

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dobber's picture

April 10, 2017 at 10:41 am

There are those who choose to live their lives much more out in the open. People who heavily promote products, causes, or political perspectives. People who tweet non-stop. People who bounce from high-profile love-interest to high-profile love interest. People who speak candidly on others.

If you're someone who lives your life in the open like that, then you're actively making your business part of pop culture, and by extension, everyone's business. If you're someone who lives quietly and out of the spotlight, then I tend to agree that your privacy should be respected. But let's not forget that we live in an era of "break the story first" and "speculate before proof". There are few winners in the echelon of celebrity in this era, and everyone sacrifices something for the gaudy returns of the high life.

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Lphill's picture

April 10, 2017 at 07:05 am

I don't think Rodgers relationship good or bad had any effect on his play , I think once he is on the field his focus is football and nothing else. But some people thrive on drama in the news and you can't change that.

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Chris YB's picture

April 10, 2017 at 07:15 am

The fact that we need to say all that is a testament to how boring and hollow our lives have become and how desperately we wish to be part of something important and meaningful like the lives of our so-called celebrities (as if the fact that they were on TV somehow made their lives more meaningful than ours...). And Packer fans are no different than the rest of our 'People'-obsessed Western society (with the exception, perhaps, of that weird notion that it is a good thing for the Pack since 12 will now be able to focus on football... Unbelievable...)

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croatpackfan's picture

April 10, 2017 at 07:42 am

Agree with Jason, and just want to add few simple thoughts and wishes. I wish Aaron will find soul mate soon, because it will make him happier and better person. I do not care who that will be, if he will be happy. How he will consume his happiness that is on him and his life partner.
And I'm sure he will play equally good (excellent) no matter if he is in relationship or not.

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VollmerLV426's picture

April 10, 2017 at 07:55 am

I miss the days before social media and when everyone had a computer in their hand at all times. Yes, it can be nice having information at your finger tips but I would gladly go back to making breakfast and opening up the newspaper to the sports page. Then latter in the day retreating to the local bar to discuss the events of the day. Its so bad now that even at a bar no one talks to each other anymore and everyone stares at their phone the whole time. We are losing something as a species. The personable "social" aspect of our daily lives. Everything is focused on the negative. We're losing our manners, our respect for others, and our ability to function and think on our own without google. My only and first thought on Aaron and Olivia was....I hope they are both ok and I wish them well. Anything else is no ones business.

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JerseyAl's picture

April 10, 2017 at 08:04 am

"We're losing our manners, our respect for others, and our ability to function and think on our own without google."

I say this ALL THE TIME...

Seems it's much more fun for people to be assholes than to be kind.

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VollmerLV426's picture

April 10, 2017 at 08:21 am

Sad thing is....I even find myself getting angry and upset the more I get involved with social media lol. Now I limit myself the best I can. Its a social cancer and the only cure is in short supply....common sense lol.

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VollmerLV426's picture

April 10, 2017 at 08:31 am

Here's an experiment....go on a world news blog and write an article about how much you love ponies and hate serial killers. In a couple of minutes you will have at least a dozen negative comments from people who disagree with you lol.

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dobber's picture

April 10, 2017 at 08:50 am

This is the "look at me" era. It's all about garnering attention and social media provides way too many platforms to make it happen.

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Ferrari Driver's picture

April 10, 2017 at 12:14 pm

Jersey Al says:
April 10, 2017 at 06:04 am

"We're losing our manners, our respect for others, and our ability to function and think on our own without google."

I say this ALL THE TIME...

Seems it's much more fun for people to be assholes than to be kind.

Especially when the person is able to hide behind a computer rather than being face to face.

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rdent's picture

April 11, 2017 at 10:46 am

Al, I agree and do not do Facebook, Twitter or any of the sort,nor do I waste a minute of my life watching any of these "Hollywood" shows,I have no interest in these people's lives, although they are celebrities and chose to be, they still deserve respect and privacy.

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Handsback's picture

April 10, 2017 at 08:41 am

Entertainers include athletes, except athletes are too busy training and getting ready for games they don't usually get that star treatment that movie/TV/internet actors and actress get. They have to perform from a physical aspect where let’s say the other thespians use their mental or creative side. Athletes also aren't living in Hollywood/LA/NY where a lot of attention is focused.
You don't have players that have several assistants that call the press to say so and so will be eating at McDonalds on Wilshire Blvd. and arrange to have the press show up. Only to have the actor say "Can't you leave us alone?" Believe me it happens all the time.

Sport figures are risking their bodies to entertain us and they are followed out of respect. Most of the people that follow football played it at some time in their life and are in awe at some of the things these players can do. So when the downtime comes for any athlete, you leave them alone. They have a life and work hard at their craft. Rodgers and the other players deserve their privacy, and frankly I don't care who he is dating and where he lives. Give them peace....they earned it.

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TarynsEyes's picture

April 10, 2017 at 08:51 am

"We're losing our manners, our respect for others, and our ability to function and think on our own without google."

This has always been an issue in society, so let's not kid others and one's self. Google simply makes it easier and expanded the depths and expanse for society to do such and allowing mice to roar as lions in repercussion safety.
We read such here in the comments toward anyone at anytime because of opinion and yet the more holy than Thou comes in play because of an article about Rodgers break up.....geez.
Have the owners and writers here so easily forgotten many of the vile things allowed to be posted...often...here about Munn and what you should do and not do to Rodgers.
Your attempt to disgrace these illl mannered tools on Google needs first to cleansed of disgrace at home first, as the moment a new girl is on his arm, this articles premise will surely wane after each loss.
Sanctimonious hypocrisy.

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Bearmeat's picture

April 10, 2017 at 09:36 am

Nice to meet you, Pot. My name is Kettle. :P ;) :D

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TarynsEyes's picture

April 10, 2017 at 09:44 am

This Pot has never attacked but has been compelled to sink to such behavior in defense of self, much to my dismay, way to often...which I'm sure will be attempted soon via comments in support of your assumption.

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Bearmeat's picture

April 10, 2017 at 09:51 am

Ok Taryn. I was mostly joking in my snarky response above. But I fail to see how you could not call your original post anything less than an attack on the commenter above you:

"Your attempt to disgrace these ill-mannered tools on Google needs first to cleansed of disgrace at home first, as the moment a new girl is on his arm, this articles premise will surely wane after each loss.
Sanctimonious hypocrisy."

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jasonperone's picture

April 10, 2017 at 09:58 am

So just to be clear, who is sanctimonious? And how do you suggest that we clean things up here at home first?

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Bearmeat's picture

April 10, 2017 at 10:12 am

Exactly. That comment implies some serious shade, then the commenter claims to be sanctimonious herself. It's rather annoying.

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TarynsEyes's picture

April 10, 2017 at 10:21 am

How about banning someone who violates the the expected manners of civility being mentioned in that quote immediately, instead of letting it dictate many a direction of conversation. Or are we afraid of participation decline.

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Bearmeat's picture

April 10, 2017 at 10:30 am

I will agree with you there. Jersey Al, to his credit, is VERY slow with the ban-hammer. There are several (who I will not mention), who have deserved it for years IMHO. To my knowledge, Cow is the only one who's gotten hammered. And good riddance.

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dobber's picture

April 10, 2017 at 10:43 am

"How about banning someone who violates the the expected manners of civility"

Just what are those manners anymore? Ask 100 people and you'll probably get 100 different answers. Ask the same 100 in a week, and the answers may be significantly different.

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jasonperone's picture

April 10, 2017 at 10:45 am

Taryn, that's fine and Al reads these comments so your comments are not falling on deaf ears. I can't speak for him but after years of working under his guidance I can tell you that he's all about promoting discussion regardless of the take. Short of personal attacks, he doesn't ban.

But we're not dealing with any personal attacks here. Your comment was directed at, I assume, us the writers and staff because we don't delete negative comments directed at Rodgers/Munn and then publish an article suggesting that we honor someone's privacy. It's just my take. It's not officially endorsed by CHTV and we're not taking a stance as an entity. Therefore, dissenting opinions are allowed. Always have been. Al absolutely mandates that and we as writers agree! We want the discussion.

So, did I miss a personal attack that needs to be addressed or was this merely an opening to bring up this gripe? Also, I still am not clear on who is sanctimonious?

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John Johnson's picture

April 10, 2017 at 09:22 am

Thing is Aaron had always been mum about his personal life until he started dating Munn. Not only was she famous, but for quite a while they appeared everywhere together, frequently getting photographed during public make-out sessions. In comparison, Tom and Giselle were pretty low-key during their courting. Two famous people (one being Hollywood based) and a very public relationship- that's gonna equate to people being in your business once there's a break-up. His brother has assisted in making their lives more public as well. None of this is the fault of Google.

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Ferrari Driver's picture

April 10, 2017 at 12:22 pm

I had never heard of her prior to dating Aaron Rodgers. Worst case is that he provided exposure to "up" her career.

However, she did say she never knew he played football prior to meeting him. I take that remark with a grain of salt.

On the negative side it reminds me somewhat of Sheryl Crow marrying Lance Armstrong at the height of his fame.

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John Johnson's picture

April 10, 2017 at 01:01 pm

She had some fame and a career before Aaron. She appeared in quite a few movies and TV shows before him (including Magic Mike). There is also stuff she was known for before Aaron, but I'd rather not get into that. And I highly doubt she didn't know he was before meeting him. Even if you're not a football fan he's one of the most famous athletes in the states and was known for his commercials.

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MarkinMadison's picture

April 10, 2017 at 01:04 pm

The gist of the comment seems to be that these women wouldn't be much without the guys they dated.

Before Munn and Rodgers got together she was a regular on GQ or Maxim's hot list, one of the two, I can't remember which. She also did a few acting jobs, including a stint on the Daily Show. Her first big role in a well known movie was in Magic Mike, which came out before she was dating Rodgers. I don't doubt that she got more exposure out of the relationship than Rodgers. I do doubt that it had much of an impact. The trajectory was already there.

And Crow was very well established before she was involved with Armstrong (they were never married). During her career she had about 17 pop hits. All of her top hits were well before she got involved with Armstrong, and she only had a couple during the relationship. She's been focused on Country music for a while now.

Bottom line, leaving Rodgers' personal life alone also means not taking shots at the women he dates. These are high profile people. Not surprising they date other high profile people. Just because you've never heard of them doesn't mean you should be reading into motives. Because if you're calling Munn a gold digger you're also calling Rodgers a sucker. Just leave them alone.

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stockholder's picture

April 10, 2017 at 10:45 am

Personal Life? Keep it on the football field then. Stay out of endorsements. Lime light. And away from teenagers. As long as A-rod loves money, his personal life won't be out of bounds.

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WKUPackFan's picture

April 11, 2017 at 06:11 am

And here we have stockholder displaying a perfect example of what Jason is referencing. Someone who, without any facts, makes a claim that because AR "loves money" his personal life should be public fodder.

News flash stockholder: Endorsements are a part of a player's professional life. AR makes a lot of money because he is one of 4-5 people on the planet who has a skill that millions of people want to see. Complaining about how much money he makes is as goofy as the fake outrage about Kershaw's salary being more than the Padres roster.

Complants about how much money athletes, actors, etc. make are rooted in jeolousy, nothing more. Stop being jeolous of people who have more talent, work harder, and are smarter than you. You should be used to it.

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NickPerry's picture

April 11, 2017 at 06:50 am

"Endorsements are a part of a player's professional life. AR makes a lot of money because he is one of 4-5 people on the planet who has a skill that millions of people want to see. Complaining about how much money he makes is as goofy as the fake outrage about Kershaw's salary being more than the Padres roster."

Completely agree WKU, completely agree. Rodgers is close to a once in a generation type player who probably turns down most endorsement deals that come his way. I live in California so I have no idea what he might endorse locally, but these guys are given the opportunity to endorse products and make SO MUCH MONEY, Rodgers great grandchildren won't have to worry about money. Just because he does some commercials, makes millions doing it doesn't mean his life should be an open book.

Living in Los Angeles and for a time in Beverly Hills I watched the Paparazzi RUN down Robertson Blvd chasing a "Star" to take a damn picture. Each time that happens I wonder what it must feel like to not even be able to go shopping or eat lunch without these knuckleheads trying to plaster it on TMZ. It has to get tiring. So much for the right of privacy.

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WKUPackFan's picture

April 11, 2017 at 08:49 am

Thanks Nick. Individuals with unique talent in areas that people want or need are going to be highly compensated. The best heart transplant surgeon is undoubtedly highly compensated. Does that mean his/her private life should be an open book? I guess some people think yes.

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Community Guy's picture

April 10, 2017 at 10:56 am

thanks so much Jason for the overdue topic. i hope that we can apply the same rights of privacy to all folks, not to just aaron rodgers.

also, for an idea of what it takes to get real privacy these days, i recommend the film "Snowden".

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Anita Stratton's picture

April 10, 2017 at 11:17 am

My problem with this subject, aside from the fact that it's none of our business, is also the "hah-hah-I'm-so-clever" memes commenting about how the Packers will win the Super Bowl now that she's gone. As if all women have the supposed Yoko Ohno effect, and we're always to blame for failures of the player or the team. The last time I looked, RODGERS ISN'T THE PROBLEM. Injuries, lack of depth, shitty play calling by the coach, bone headed moves by teammates at crucial moments (see: Seattle playoff loss). I don't see Olivia Munn having an effect on all of that.

Next time you think you're too damn clever for your own good, stop and consider how sexist and insulting you sound.

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Since'61's picture

April 10, 2017 at 11:46 am

Living with the NYC media all of my life I find any of this overhyped media melodrama to be trivial and insignificant. In this part of the country it is ridiculously easy to find a celebrity from any field of endeavor imaginable in the media somewhere. And that was true long before the computer, the mobile phone or social media. The bigger the celebrity the more they have been exploited by whatever media exists at the time. Mickey Mantle, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Joe DiMaggio, Johnny Unitas, Joe Namath and so many more were all fodder for the media and all suffered in their personal lives because of it. For me, it's reached the point where I just tune it out unless some horrendous crime has been committed. I'm a live and let live guy. As for Aaron Rodgers I wish him the best in whatever he does in his personal life as long as it's legal and I'm very grateful that he plays for the Green Bay Packers. Beyond that, live and let live.
Thanks, Since '61

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Matt Gonzales's picture

April 10, 2017 at 04:06 pm

The trolling culture of the Internet has gotten just disgusting. The average person does not get pages of "I knew he was gay" comments for breaking up with his GF or fat jokes for having a rummage sale. Most athletes are pretty regular guys - the main difference is when they show up at the office millions of people are watching.

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Coby Cuzzocrea's picture

April 10, 2017 at 09:35 pm

I agree whole heartedly .WHILE it's true I'm a true die hard fan,I also believe in the sanctity of anonymity &PRIVACY.Ifeel a person has a right to be treated with dignity & respect and most of all Love & Pride and treated as equal.While Rodgers did have a girlfriend who am,I,to Judge some 1 on their performance because of their Girlfriend..Rodgers is a great ball PLAYER No One can deny this,but what is happening is people if they are true fans need to be just that fans ,&not worry about some 1s personal life.Rodgers private life is Just that PRIVATE.I will always support RODGERS n I will respect his wishes,after all he has feelings to.While its true he can afford the finer things in Life that doesnt make him less of a person.He deserves Privacy,and I will stand by and be a fan and let it be known as a fan that I,support him,as a Human being,and when appropriate I WILL SHOW MY LOVE FOR HIM AS A PLAYER FOR THE GREEN BAY PACKERS & I WILL LET HIM SEE HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE HIM as a GREEN BAY PACKER PLAYER..GO Aaron RODGERS & GO PACKER'S GO

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al bundy's picture

April 10, 2017 at 10:36 pm

All I know is this is none of my business. Having it the news, both are public people, but from that what happened and why is between them. I hope they both have success.

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Spock's picture

April 11, 2017 at 09:30 am

Frankly, the only "social media" I do is blogging on CHTV. RAH (Robert H. Heinlein) in one of his books had one of his characters say that "the sign of a society in decline is a lack of manners". I believe we are currently in that phase and it bothers me immensely. You see it every day in people being rude, "flipping off" strangers for minor indiscretions, using the "f" word without a thought, etc. I worry about the direction our world is taking. I wish I could see a turn around in sight, but, sadly, I do not. People aren't just hiding behind their keyboards, they are now being jerks in public. What will our future hold? There HAS to be a backlash coming, and THAT might even be worse. Sigh, I guess I'm just getting old and depressed at the world "we were going to change" when I was growing up. Okay, I'll step down off my soapbox now.

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rdent's picture

April 11, 2017 at 11:18 am

Spock, sad but true, our society as a whole is in decline, although I do not blame today's youth, instead I say "what is wrong with parents these days?"For a large number of kids starting over a decade ago, gone were the days of child- parent interaction, children were set in front of the t.v. or computer. Imo this is why Facebook and Twitter and texting for example has become a permanent part of the insensitive society we now live in.

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ThxJackVainisi's picture

April 11, 2017 at 10:05 am

It would be great if public people could preserve their privacy but that's extremely difficult in the world we live in with the omnipresence of social media. The caveat I'd add regarding this topic is if a public person truly values his or her privacy he should be extremely careful with his use of social media as well as being very guarded in his public statements about his private life. That goes for both members of a celebrity couple if they want to protect their privacy. Olivia Munn was not careful in her public comments about their relationship, as she discussed their relationship a lot publicly, including their sex lives. I don't think there's anything wrong with that - in fact I found Munn to be forthright and funny. But I don't think Rodgers can justifiably complain (not that he has as far as I know) about lack of privacy when Munn herself violated their privacy.

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marpag1's picture

April 11, 2017 at 01:04 pm

Me, I blame Peter King.

I'm not being entirely serious, of course. But in a lot of ways, the evolution of Peter King is an interesting case study of everything that has gone wrong with sports media. I used to spend a lot of time reading stuff at ESPN, SI, CBS etc. I sure as heck don't anymore. But back then, you could actually learn something about the game that you didn't know before. Now they're not even talking about things that you would even want to know.

When King started writing his Monday Morning Quarterback column, it was mostly about... y'know, football, and it was tremendously popular. But somewhere along the way, the topic of conversation changed from "football" to "what Peter King wants to talk about," and from there it changed to just "Peter King." His columns were jammed packed full of outright bullshit, like the hassles of poor Peter King as he was traveling through airports, or what his favorite craft beers were, or his favorite latte at Starbucks. He devoted ungodly amounts of time to crap like his grandkids T-ball games and whatnot. And even when he did talk about "football" it wasn't really about football at all. It was about how his boy, Brett Favre, was such an inspiration to our fine fighting men and women in Iraq.

Things have gotten far worse since then.

Seriously, go to any of those websites now, even during the football season, and look at the dozen or so articles showing on their main page. Count how many of those articles have NOTHING AT ALL to do with actual football. Oftentimes the overwhelming majority of them are complete and total pablum right on their face. Ooh, that wacky Gronkowski is spiking watermelons in the WalMart parking lot! Jim Harbaugh wears khaki "Dad pants." Here's how twitter reacted to Tom Brady's new haircut. Look at this cool meme about Bill Belichick as Darth Vader. Ooh, OBJ parties with Bieber on a boat!!

I certainly don't mind if people want to debate FOOTBALL, and they can go at it pretty hard for all I care. But sports media - mainstream, at least - is dead. Has been for years. It's been replaced by a bunch of gossipy old ladies who don't like football, but prefer to tell stories about their neighbors. And apparently that's what most people want to hear.

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