It's Not Easy Being Green (and Gold)
I am a Green Bay Packer fan. I come by it honestly, both of my parents were born and raised in Wisconsin and I spent a lot of good times there,staying on my grandparents' farm. My great-uncles all rooted for the Pack as well. I own a Packer shirt,a traditional green baseball hat,a number 12 Aaron Rodgers jersey, a Lambeau Field sweatshirt and a Green Bay football Christmas tree ornament. I also have a wine glass with the G logo etched onto it and an Acme Packers blue and gold cap which was the former name and colours of the team.
I have been to Lambeau Field and have gone on the tour of the field two or three times. I've seen the Hall of Fame and eaten several good meals at Curley's Pub, a restaurant in the Lambeau Field complex. I even posed for a picture in front of the big statue of Vince Lombardi outside the building.
Green Bay fans are a devoted bunch. I know that some of them practice strange customs and tend to be mocked by people. We are a loyal bunch though. I don't know another team in country with a more loyal fan base. We prefer the Pack to win, of course, but if they go on a losing streak we do not abandon them to cheer for someone else. We may cuss out the coaches and bemoan under performing and injured players, but we keep rooting for them.
I think this comes from an assurance that the Pack will always be in Green Bay. Unlike any other team in the NFL the city of Green Bay owns the team. This is no longer allowed, there is a limit to how many owners a team can have. Green Bay was grandfathered when this rule was made. That means no one can take the team away. It's comforting.
The problem is I don't live in Green Bay or even in Wisconsin anymore. I live in Minnesota,home of the Vikings, the sworn enemy of Green Bay.
Many people think it's wrong to live in a state and not cheer for the local team. I disagree. I cheer for the Twins,the Wild and have even been known to root for the Timberwolves. I think the fact that I root for three Minnesota teams should be enough.
It's hard being a Packer Backer in purple and gold territory. Listening to Vikings Fans trash talk and complain about how the Pack cheats and is favoured by referees and other officials is depressing. Hearing about how the Vikes are going to pound Green Bay into the ground like a tent stake is irritating. Having to put up with hearing how Brett Farve had the best season of his career in Minnesota. I winced when I heard that if Minnesota got into the Super Bowl with Farve as quarterback he would be inducted into the Hall of Fame as a Viking.
While the rule is that as a Packer fan I cannot root for Minnesota most of the time, there is one case where it is acceptable and almost encouraged. Whenever Minnesota plays Chicago is is all right to cheer on the Vikes. I have also been known to favour Minnesota over a team I truly dislike, the New England Patriots.
Every fall I smile indulgently at the Vikings fans preening themselves for what they think will be a stellar season. If the Vikes go on a winning streak, their fans will be strutting around discussing plans for attending the Super Bowl. I know what will happen later in the season. The team will deflate, just like the dome they play in,leaving a bunch of crushed fans (the ones who did not jump off the bandwagon).
As a Packer fan, I can't wish that the Vikings go to the Super Bowl someday. If they do though, they will still have to win the Lombardi trophy. Until then they are just going to be 47 millionaires watching the game.
I have been to Lambeau Field and have gone on the tour of the field two or three times. I've seen the Hall of Fame and eaten several good meals at Curley's Pub, a restaurant in the Lambeau Field complex. I even posed for a picture in front of the big statue of Vince Lombardi outside the building.
Green Bay fans are a devoted bunch. I know that some of them practice strange customs and tend to be mocked by people. We are a loyal bunch though. I don't know another team in country with a more loyal fan base. We prefer the Pack to win, of course, but if they go on a losing streak we do not abandon them to cheer for someone else. We may cuss out the coaches and bemoan under performing and injured players, but we keep rooting for them.
I think this comes from an assurance that the Pack will always be in Green Bay. Unlike any other team in the NFL the city of Green Bay owns the team. This is no longer allowed, there is a limit to how many owners a team can have. Green Bay was grandfathered when this rule was made. That means no one can take the team away. It's comforting.
The problem is I don't live in Green Bay or even in Wisconsin anymore. I live in Minnesota,home of the Vikings, the sworn enemy of Green Bay.
Many people think it's wrong to live in a state and not cheer for the local team. I disagree. I cheer for the Twins,the Wild and have even been known to root for the Timberwolves. I think the fact that I root for three Minnesota teams should be enough.
It's hard being a Packer Backer in purple and gold territory. Listening to Vikings Fans trash talk and complain about how the Pack cheats and is favoured by referees and other officials is depressing. Hearing about how the Vikes are going to pound Green Bay into the ground like a tent stake is irritating. Having to put up with hearing how Brett Farve had the best season of his career in Minnesota. I winced when I heard that if Minnesota got into the Super Bowl with Farve as quarterback he would be inducted into the Hall of Fame as a Viking.
While the rule is that as a Packer fan I cannot root for Minnesota most of the time, there is one case where it is acceptable and almost encouraged. Whenever Minnesota plays Chicago is is all right to cheer on the Vikes. I have also been known to favour Minnesota over a team I truly dislike, the New England Patriots.
Every fall I smile indulgently at the Vikings fans preening themselves for what they think will be a stellar season. If the Vikes go on a winning streak, their fans will be strutting around discussing plans for attending the Super Bowl. I know what will happen later in the season. The team will deflate, just like the dome they play in,leaving a bunch of crushed fans (the ones who did not jump off the bandwagon).
As a Packer fan, I can't wish that the Vikings go to the Super Bowl someday. If they do though, they will still have to win the Lombardi trophy. Until then they are just going to be 47 millionaires watching the game.
Go Pack Go!
I think most teams should be owned by the city they play in. That would go a long way to pay for the new stadiums they seem to want. Would cover some of the deficits cities have also
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