It has been a busy few weeks at Everyday EMS Tips headquarters in central Wisconsin. I have been consumed with Packers fever as my team charged through the playoffs and won Super Bowl XLV. Honestly it has been hard to think or do anything other than watch Packers football, read about Packers football, and talk about Packers football.
I am a Packers Fan!
I am a Packers fan for these reasons:
1. I grew up in Green Bay. During my formative years as a football fan, the 1980s, the Packers were awful. Despite the awful play and poor coaching of mediocre players every fall I was lucky enough to go to a game or two. I vividly remember the first time I walked through the tunnel into our section and saw the green grass. I had never seen grass so green.
In 1989, my freshmen year in college, Don Majikowski led the “cardiac pack” to a 10-6 finish under coach Lindy Infante. It was a great season of thrilling finishes and comebacks that I enjoyed watching with my cadre of college friends. We tasted Packers success and we loved it!
2. I am an owner. The Packers are the only community owned major sports franchise. I own stock in the Packers. The team, run by a board of directors, from the community belongs to its community. I take great pride in ownership.
3. The team got better. The Packers have been on an amazing almost 20 year run that has featured only two starting quarterbacks, some of the best wide receivers in the game, a hall of fame lineman in Reggie White, three Super Bowl appearances, and two Super Bowl victories. Not only is it easy to cheer for and support a winner, it is also a lot of FUN!
4. Growing the fan base. Packers nation is always getting bigger and adding more supporters. My son has become a Packers fanatic. Every game day we don our Packers shirts and take our assigned seats in front of the television. When the Packers make a big play we both leap out of our seats yelling and swinging our arms wildly. When bad things we both quickly transition from sullen disappointment to cheering for the Pack to turn things around.
The only thing better than watching the Packers is watching the Packers with my son. We brought him to his first game ever this season – a win against San Francisco in December. He was on the edge of his seat the entire game watching every play, pointing out formations and players, and scanning the stadium walls that list the retired jersey numbers and Packers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Back to normal …
My focus to all things non-Packers is slowly returning. I have a mess of ideas and post submissions to schedule in the days to come, but first I need to go watch the Super Bowl, again … this time without all the stress of what will happen at the end of the game.
