Delp took me to the Green Bay Packer's playoff game this weekend. Delp got his mits on some tickets through some sort of unscrupulous deal involving three roosters, two bushels of cantalope, and a drunken bet during a Canadian curling competition. In any case, since he knew that I had recently been converted to football, he decided to try and convert me further from a Bears fan to a Packers fan by taking me to a playoff game at Lambeau Field.
We got there nice and early in the morning, so I could get the whole tailgating/warm-up experience.
As a new Wisconsonian, I ate the curds and drank the Leinies (out of a can, no less) in Green Bay.
Packers' fans are a rowdy bunch, but are a fine group of green-and-yellow folks. After every play in which the Packers got a touchdown, made a first down, or Bigby got a sweet tackle, everyone would congratulate each other in a perpetual 360 degree high-fiving celebration that lasted the whole game (except for the first minute-and-a-half). Even in the bathroom at halftime there was high-fiving, which I thought was verboten in areas containing urinals, but I didn't yet fully understand the passion Green Bay fans have for their team.
Seahawks fans weren't treated badly either, to my surprise, though plenty of taunts were thrown their way during the game (again, except for the first minute-and-a-half). Also, much like the Catholic church, Packer fans follow the tradition of Early Indoctrination.
Watching the game at Lambeau field was awesome, and makes you realize how small the field really is and how big the players really are. The crowd was well represented on the Jumbotron. In fact, at one point in the game I actually saw Cullen's mom up on the Jumbotron holding a sign that said "Iowa luvs (hearts) the Packers!" That was cool. I couldn't snap a pic of that fast enough, but here's another one of Delp.
It snowed like a madman at the game and by half-time the field was covered in snow, such that they had to put away the brooms and pull out the shovels to clear the 10-yard increment lines. But the snow seemed to be the Packers superpower, as after the first three minutes of the game (where the Hawks scored two touchdowns) it started snowing, and the more it snowed the more amazing Green Bay played.
I'm especially glad the Packs got the snow-boost, because at about 40 seconds into the first quarter I could see the look in Delp's face wondering whether the Packer fumble-for-14 to the Seahawks was all my fault. I knew he was considering sacrificing the Bears fan to the Packer fans to change Grant's luck. Fortunately it didn't come to that.
Seeing the Packers at a playoff game in Lambeau field in the snow was the greatest sporting event I'll probably ever witness. And I have to say that I'm sorry Muncher, Tim, Brian, Devon, Rex (well, not Rex), Brian#2, and Orton, but I have officially been converted to the Great Wisconsin Green Machine.
I'll miss your mustache, Kyle.
Go Pack Go!
PS: Favorite player of the game: Bigby (#20). That guy's like an American Gladiator out there.
