Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers majored in history (with, apparently, a 3.60 GPA) and thus was able to answer a Civil War question effectively (starting at 54 seconds in):
We like Aaron Rodgers.
(h/t to Of Battlefields and Bibliophiles)
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The Edge of the American West 
20 comments
December 15, 2011 at 7:42 am
Western Dave
I TA’ed Tom Brady when he was a sophomore in a 400 level history class when Brady was a sophomore. He got a B.
December 15, 2011 at 9:16 am
Anderson
Since the video is “currently unavailable,” a brief indication of the question and answer would be helpful.
He’s a great player, but his eyes creep me out — he looks like a sniper. Similar job in some respects, I guess.
December 15, 2011 at 9:19 am
silbey
Hmm. The video is still working for me. Odd. In any case, he was asked about his favorite generals and responded with Lee and Jackson, while noting that he was glad that the North won the Civil War.
December 15, 2011 at 12:44 pm
Ralph Hitchens
His was a good enough answer. There was a lot to admire in Robert E. Lee, particularly (as he alluded to, sort of tangentially) Lee’s postwar role, which certainly had a positive effect on the reconciliation process. Stonewall Jackson was a great general less for his tactics than for his mastery of operational maneuver.
December 16, 2011 at 10:30 am
rea
I, too, majored in Random History.
December 16, 2011 at 11:38 am
silbey
@rea Hah!
December 16, 2011 at 12:26 pm
Western Dave
I believe Rea was in Random House for a degree at Harvard College.
December 16, 2011 at 1:18 pm
kevin
Western Dave, what year was Brady when he took that course?
December 16, 2011 at 10:16 pm
TF Smith
Random’s historian would be Smollett, I believe…
December 18, 2011 at 4:40 pm
politicalfootball
Is it my imagination, or would Rodgers have potentially caught some flak if he’d responded “Grant and Sherman” and explained their virtues equally intelligently? It’s much more politically correct to admire Southern generals, I think, though Rodgers was wise to make explicit his overall pro-Union sympathies.
December 19, 2011 at 10:05 am
John Emerson
Benjamin Butler.
December 20, 2011 at 5:20 am
rea
Many a decent Southen household was reduced to eating soup with forks, after Butler stole all their spoons.
December 20, 2011 at 3:15 pm
Vance Maverick
The clip struck me as being open to the interpretation that Rodgers was expressing Southern sympathies, at least on a sentimental level, and hastily protecting himself with the assurance that he was glad the North won. (In this interpretation, pf, that would be the “politically correct” part.) But the evidence is skimpy either way.
December 20, 2011 at 5:47 pm
John Emerson
My actual favorite Union General is John “No Relation” Emerson.
December 21, 2011 at 5:16 am
rea
John “No Relation” Emerson according to Wikipedia, was only a major. Another John Emerson, however, owned Dred Scott.
December 21, 2011 at 7:16 am
John Emerson
And married Anita Loos and treated her badly. We are legion.
John Emerson was also a colonel. I have given him a brevet promotion. He founded the Emerson Electric company, which is now a multinational or part of one.
December 21, 2011 at 7:55 am
politicalfootball
(In this interpretation, pf, that would be the “politically correct” part.)
Yes, as I noted, this was a wise choice. You can’t be sympathetic to the Southern Cause.
My question is: Why is it that, among non-professional historians especially, one seldom hears admiration expressed for Yankee generals? Personally (in my non-professional opinion) I don’t think Southern generals were particularly admirable compared to their Northern counterparts, but there seems to be something impolite about expressing admiration for, say, Sherman.
December 21, 2011 at 8:09 am
ari
Why is it that, among non-professional historians especially, one seldom hears admiration expressed for Yankee generals?
Because the Lost Cause is hard to kill.
December 21, 2011 at 9:37 am
silbey
I also think that popular history is about 10-20 years behind academic historians in terms of general opinions. Thus, for example, military historians of WWI have a much more positive view of Haig (the British commander) than the popular conception.
December 21, 2011 at 6:10 pm
TF Smith
Rea –
As long as they weren’t eating soup with a knife…
De Oppresso Liber