Posts filed under 'Packer fans'
March 4th, 2008
Official reports say Brett Favre has retired. Maybe he has; maybe he hasn’t.
His agent says “I don’t know” as to whether Favre will change his mind. Favre apparently has been leaning toward coming back, but now feels the Packers don’t want him back.
If that’s true, then there are a lot more questions to be asked.
Sounds like Favre was unhappy Green Bay didn’t pursue Randy Moss, again. Favre announcing his retirement just after Moss re-signed with New England might reveal his current mindset.
Favre might just be stubborn enough to stay retired, even if he knows he could play at least one more season. If he was going to retire all along, he should have, and probably would have, informed the Packers sooner so they could pursue some of the top free agents.
They’re all gone now. So, too, is Favre.
Maybe.
January 20th, 2008
The crowd of 72,740 is the largest in Packers’ history. And this is the third-coldest game in NFL history (minus-1 degree). If it was minus-20, they’d probably draw 100,000 fans. Green Bay fans, they’re hard to explain. — Matt Trowbridge
January 20th, 2008
Much has been made this week about Packer linemen wearing short sleeves in today’s near-zero weather conditions. That’s no big deal; I went to college in Grand Forks, N.D., and one day when it hit 100-below wind chill — yes, 100 beloaw — a dozen of us went out and played snow football for 2 hours. My roomate even played without gloves so we would let him play quarterback (we didn’t even bother to argue with someone so crazy). Anyway, the point is, when you’re playing, it never seems as cold as you’d think. But the fans, man, Green Bay fans aren’t deterred in the least. And that’s when it’s really cold, when you are sitting in one place, doing nothing. My feet are cold just sitting in the car on the ride up — my chauffeur, Reed Shreck, keeps turning the heat down. I couldn’t imagine sitting in the stands, rather than the heated press box, for 3 hours today. Yet a million Packer fans would squeeze into the stadium today if they could, and 90 percent of them will tailgate outside before the game begins. That’s just one of the reasons this non-Green Bay fan has to admit that Packer fans are the best in the world. The other is that they are so agreeable. I’ve got more friends who are Packer fans that fans of any other team, even of the teams I root for. They don’t talk trash like other fans. Their only apparent fault is the belief that Brett Favre can do no wrong. I remember once, a decade ago after Green Bay beat Chicago, a couple of Bear fans duct taped a Packer fan to a road sign — and the Packer fan didn’t press charges or even raise a ruckus, saying he deserved it for getting a little too cocky? What is it that makes Packer fans so agreeable? I’m used to sports teams causing as much angst as joy for their fans, but for some reason it seems to be all good for Packer fans. And that was as true last year when they started 4-8 as it is this year when they are 14-3 and counting — Matt Trowbridge.
January 18th, 2008
Packer fans may be the luckiest fans in the NFL (or at least the luckiest this side of New England). Go to a game in Chicago and, for years, the stands would be dominated by fans wearing jerseys of players who (thankfully) were no longer Bears. McNown. Salaam. Enis. Fans would run out and buy jerseys of the latest savior as soon as he was drafted, only to see him flop ignominiously. Packer fans, on the other hand, have been able to proudly wear No. 4 for almost two decades. Before that, Reggie White jerseys were a popular — and safe — bet. Now, when Chicago finally has a jersey-worthy player in Brian Urlacher, he turns sullen and stops talking. Favre, on the other hand, seems happier and more playful than ever. And that’s why Packer fans are so lucky. As a former Viking fan, I used to end ever season, no matter how promising at one point, white-knuckled mad. A feeling Bears fans are also familiar with. Although anyone who wants to scream over Lovie Smith or Gary Crowton or even John Shoop, I say at least you never had Mike Tice.
Now, all I care about are the Twins and Illini basketball. It’s sad having no one to cheer for in the NFL. Even worse than getting riled up. The Packers, though, get not only a surprise season for the ages, but the comfort blanket of watching Brett Favre. Packer fans keep telling me, this year and last year and the year before that, that as long as Brett Favre keeps coming back, they are happy no matter what happens. Imagine that, an angst proof team to root for. And one that may give its fans a surprise Super Bowl gift, followed by another season from Favre. Again, no sports teams fans have been this lucky since Michael Jordan retired from the Bulls.
January 17th, 2008
Thanks for the props, Jim Baumbach. I laughed out loud. And, yeah, we are a crazy bunch.
