AllGreenBayPackers.Com

Part 1 of this two-part article can be found here.

Dallas Texas Super Bowl Baby! The day was finally here. The cellphone alarm woke my cousin Pete and I up around 8:30AM. We each took a quick shower, changed into our game day attire, and headed downstairs for the free breakfast at the hotel.

Once again, there were plenty of Steeler Jerseys to be seen, with just a spattering of Green and gold mixed in.  We joined a couple of fellow Packer fans about our age, introduced ourselves and talked Packers while we ate breakfast.  These two fans were originally from Wisconsin, but had both re-located after getting married (to Alabama and North Carolina, I believe).

They talked about some of their early memories in Green Bay and were eager to hear our stories about how we became and stayed Packers fans while living in New Jersey. We had planned to get out earlier and make it over to the NFL Experience, but ended up talking with these guys for almost an hour.

One of the guys was convinced my cousin would make the perfect Vince Lombardi, in a fedora and topcoat and kept coming back to that during the conversation. They randomly threw a little Packers history trivia at us, probably figuring what do a couple of guys from Jersey know, but of course, we handled it all without a problem.  Read more... (4579 words + 19 images, estimated 18:19 mins reading time)

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As Jermichael Finley now famously said at the Packers’ 2010 family night scrimmage, “I’ve got ONE word: Dallas Texas Super Bowl, Baby.” OK say, so it’s five words. But who cares?

What an excellent adventure it was. As I sit down to write this, I realize that at this time last week, I was on Texas I-30, driving to Cowboys Stadium. A battle between two teams with the most respected organizations in sports awaited, and the game did not disappoint. Especially if you were a Packers Fan.

Since returning to reality back home in NJ, work has kept me inundated and unable to properly enjoy or reflect on that weekend (really, I could have used a week off after the game – I’ll have to remember that if there’s a next time).

So as I sit here on this football-less Sunday, I’m going to look back and properly reflect on my experience. And as Elton John said, “I hope you don’t mind if, I put down in words….  how wonderful life is when the Packers are Champs.” Sorry Elton…

3:00AM Saturday, Feb 5th. RING! RING! RING!  The alarm goes off. “You have got to be kidding me”, I think to myself. But there was no hesitation. I jumped out of bed and into the shower.  I was on the road by 3:45 to catch a 6:20 flight out of JFK airport in NY.  Read more... (2594 words + 9 images, estimated 10:23 mins reading time)

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By the time you read this post, I am hopefully on my way to Dallas – God and Mother Nature willing. As such, it may be quiet around here for a few days. Perhaps one of the fine writers who grace this site with their work may have something they want to share with you (if they can overcome that nervousness and excitement we’re all feeling).

As for myself, while I will bring a computer with me, I don’t plan to spend my two days in Dallas in front of one.

I plan to revel in this experience, which could very well be a once-in-a-lifetime for me. I will surely be depositing more money in Jerry Jones’ wallet, as much as that thought displeases me. I want to meet as many of you great Packers fans as I can, including some superfans who will be there, like St. Vince, Steve “The Owner” Tate & a host of others. I want to share Packers stories with you and eagerly listen to yours. For those of you in Dallas, PLEASE be sure to make the Cheesehead TV Meetup at Sherlock’s in Lincoln Square Mall, Arlington, TX. Saturday at 8:00. Please stop by and say hello.

This has been a special two weeks for me here in NJ. I actually hear, on a daily basis, the Packers being talked about on the local  TV stations.  For someone who goes back to pre-internet days, when the only Packers news I could get was from an already one week behind Packer Report that was delivered to my house every Tuesday, my head pops up every time I hear “Packers” on the TV. It’s just surreal, when all you’re used to hearing is “Giants” and “Jets.”  Read more... (438 words + 3 images, estimated 1:45 mins reading time)

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My wife and I moments after the Packers punched their ticket to the Super Bowl.

My wife and I made the trek to Chicago last weekend to watch the NFC Championship game between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears. In addition to seeing the Packers win and go back to the Super Bowl, we met some new friends, discovered a Packers bar in the heart of Bears territory and left with memories that will last the rest of our lives.

This is the uncut and unedited story from our trip. Enjoy.

Never Get in a Car With Strangers (unless they’re Packers fans)

It was about 6 p.m. on Saturday when I realized this trip was going to be a fun one. That’s when I piled into John Rehor’s car with my wife, Corey Behnke and Wally Pingel to try and find Will’s Northwoods, a famous Packers bar in Chicago.

In most situations, getting into a car with three people you know only through Twitter and met in person just an hour ago is a bad idea. But these people were Packers fans — fun Packers fans! What’s the harm in climbing into a car with the co-founder of Cheesehead TV, one of the most well-known Packers bloggers out there, and a man responsible for designing Packers-themed web sites?  Read more... (2289 words + 1 image, estimated 9:09 mins reading time)

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Chill out, Cheesehead Nation.

First, I’m just as upset as anyone over the Packers’ loss to the Lions as anyone. It shouldn’t have happened. The Packers easily were and are the better team.

With that out of the way, I’m telling my fellow fans to lay off the head coach.  Mike McCarthy had an off game and made some mistakes.  He is human. Had that 4th and 1 play connected, we would all be calling him a genius. So back off.

The only thing more shameful than the performance of the Packers this past week has been the conduct of some of their fans on sports talk radio and the internet.

The Packers are 8-5 and you want McCarthy canned?  Really?  Do you think you can do a better job? Do you want to put in all those hours that the job of an NFL coach demands?

No? Then shut up.

So many fans are willing to bash McCarthy for this and that, but when it all comes down to it, they can’t say they could do better. It seems like every time the Packers lose a game, that “McCarthy HAS to be fired! OMG!”

Excuse me.  I didn’t realize we expect the Packers to go 16-0 every year. My bad.

The bottom line is the Packers should be much worse than 8-5 given all the injuries.  The Packer have enough starters on IR to form a baseball team with more players on the bench.  Read more... (649 words + 1 image, estimated 2:36 mins reading time)

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From time to time, I plan to bring you stories about some special Green Bay Packers fans and how their lives have been affected by their love of the Green and Gold.  I’ve always been fascinated by people’s personal Packers stories. Special moments, Packer memories, childhood influences, they can be anything, as long as the Green Bay Packers are a big part of it.

The other day, I happened to mention on twitter that I had been to a wedding reception where the bride and groom were introduced to the FOX NFL Football theme. I thought that was pretty cool until Adam Czech tweeted me back about his own experience.  I encouraged him to write about it in more detail, and here it is…

Adam Czech:

You know those E-Harmony commercials on TV? Where the man and the woman stare lovingingly into each other’s eyes while explaining how E-Harmony helped them find their ideal mate? My wife and I would be perfect for one of those spots.

Problem is, I don’t think the folks at E-Harmony would go for my commercial. Instead of staring lovingly, I would open the commercial with video of my wife and I at our wedding reception. The spot would start by showing us being introduced to “Bang the Drum all Day” blaring over the PA system. I would follow with clips from our wedding recdeption, where guests had to chant Go Pack Go! if they wanted us to kiss.  Read more... (1311 words + 1 image, estimated 5:15 mins reading time)

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