Days of Brats and Cheese

For those who must know right away  
http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/


Some thoughts on all things Green Bay.......

Like the Grateful Dead and Star Wars folks (i am one of each)  The Green Bay Packer Fans are dedicated, loyal, fanatic and full of very unique traditions.

Green Bay has only 102,000  residents, but the Packers Ticket Waiting List has over 75,000 names on it.  Mary and I are at about 45,000 and slowly moving up.  The girls are closer to 70,000 and holding.  I know most of you are Bear fans and not expecting math to be a part of todays discussion.

Big cheese for a small town.  the Packers were born in 1919, the idea of local journalists, meat packers, and an athletic dandy named E.L. Curly Lambeau. The Packers claim 12 NFL championships, the first in 1929, the most recent in 1996.  They won the first 2 super bowls in blowouts. They beat the Dallas Cowboys in the "Ice Bowl", regarded as one of the greatest games in NFL history.  Local streets are named after former coaches and the people of Wisconsin are Shareholders in the team, there is no majority owner.  And yes, Mary and i are among those who own one share of the team. We elect a board of directors each year and they run the day to day of the team.  If you ever doubt the packer place in NFL history, the Super Bowl Trophy is named after Vince Lombardi, Packer coach from 1959- 1968.  The Packers are
the "Chuck Berry" of football, it begins and ends at the corner of Oneida street and Lombardi Ave.

We are still getting over the "divorce" with Favre.  He proved to Green bay management that he can still play very good football and the Packers proved that Aaron Rodgers is the best Non-Favre that we can get.  We all thought it would be a one year rebound love with the Jets and then retire, but Brett keeps crying, retiring and coming back.  Enough already.  He was great in Minnesota last year, but he also was the losing QB of the 2007 and 2009 NFC Title games, throwing game ending interceptions both times. Maybe he should go home and play with his tractor.

The 2010 packers are looking very good in pre season.  The offense is booming and the defense is hoping to improve upon last years dominant season.  Ahhh, theres the catch.  Al Harris and Charles Woodson are the best DB tandem in the NFC, but they are a year younger than god and the young backups are not ready.  Williams, Underwood, Bush, and Prepah are an awful bunch of young Defensive Backs and may as well be playing ball for an Appleton high school.  We need young DB's of the future, not guys who provide an escort service to opposing wide receivers.  The offensive line is holding together, but  Tauscher and Clifton are held together by duck tape.
The pack has had trouble getting younger players on the offensive line and defensive backfield to mature and step up, stay tuned.

Grace has been to Green bay  4 times so far, and she's  nuts for it.  Brats are her favorite meat so far, and all three daughters love the Cheese Curds.
Grab your lucky Packer Shirt, grill some Brats, eat some cheddar, and pour a pint.  As brother Barry always tells me this time of year, "Life returns to Normal"
    

During my first year of bad health 2007 - 08, my good friends Drew and LadyK worked with the Favre Web Site. Upon hearing of a Chicago Cheesehead being ill, Favre, Leroy Butler, Frank Winters, and Gilbert Brown all sent me nicely framed autographed pictures from the mid 1990's super bowl team.
Classy move for pro jocks and very damm kind, classy move by my friend Drew. I plan to DJ that boys wedding sometime soon. 
Go Packers.

Jim

Next time....... Music and that Great Gretsch Sound