Why are you packer fan? Tell us your story

[GreenBlood]

I wish everybody could live in Green Bay but then it wouldn't be that small little town. But just do visit on a game day weekend end,,,,where all the bank tellers wear Packer jerseys, waitresses wear jerseys, all the small stores downtown have Packer signs in their windows. It's a cultural thing. It is a way of life. I am so blessed to live there. When my dad was transferred to Green Bay, I had to look it up on a map, had never heard of it and I lived in Milwaukee!

We lived there from '98 to '05. I'd go back in a heartbeat but housing costs are about twice where I am now. I'm renting a nice 2800 sq/ft country home right now at $750. The same house around Green Bay would be at least $1500. Too bad.

Things I miss: Pleasant summers, Iola Car Show, friendliest people I've known anywhere, Gallagher's Pizza, Chili John's... oh, and my Packers, of course! One of the coolest things was that the town is small enough that people generally think nothing of bumping into players, coaches, legends at the checkout at the Festival or wherever, so players don't feel like they have to hide all the time (well, the vast majority anyway.) It was kinda odd. I'd bump into Donald Driver frequently at Walmart and Bubba Franks 3 or 4 times at the Festival in De Pere, but never anywhere else.

The best was meeting Bart Starr outside Donut Connection on September 12, 2000. He was getting out of his truck while I was walking back out to mine. I said, "Good morning, Mr. Starr!" He smiled and said, "Good morning to you!" I was going to leave it at that, but he walked on over to me to shake MY hand and asked if I was going to vote that day. I told him I was and I'd be voting YES on the stadium tax. He told me he had his fingers crossed and we were just a couple of guys talking for about two minutes about whether we thought it would pass before he wished me a good day and went on inside.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but that just doesn't happen in other sports cities.

 

[Pegger Packer]

When i'm finished my exams (LAST ONE TODAY, WOOOT!) i'll write out the story of how i became a DIE-HARD packer fan!

 

[GreenGoldAngel]

Green Gold angel -In one of posts, your estimate of Green Bay's population in 1960 was 40,000. Here is the U.S census population of Green Bay,Wi. , since census were taken by US Government since 1860.

Historical populations--Census-Pop.%±--1860-2,276—1870-4,698-106.4%--18807,476-59.1%--1890-9,069-21.3%--1900-23,748-161.9%--1910-25,216-6.2%--1920-31,643-25.5%--1930-37,407-18.2%--1940-46,205-23.5%--1950-52,735-14.1%--1960-62,952--9.4%-1970-87,829-39.5%--1980-87,947-0.1%--1990-96,466-9.7%--2000-102,313-6.1%--Est. 2009-101,412-[15]−0.9%

I will accept the census, but my memory is when my dad first dove our family to show where our new home was and I still remember reading the Welcome to Green Bay sign at the city limits and they were claiming the populations was a bit over 40,000.

We may never know the exact number for the 50's and 60's. I have been researching where the census bureau got its number from. In some cases they included unincorporated areas around Green Bay, another source had them adding De Pere at one time.

Maybe the sign I saw was an okd one and the city saw no reason to take it down? And also I have learned to take U.S. Government agencies with a grain of salt.

Anyway until I can get information one way or the other from the chamber of commerce, I will defer to you.

 

[GreenGoldAngel]

I am behind on responding to posts on this thread. I am deeply sorry because your stories are wonderful. My computer is freezing up 3-5 times an hour, I have done a system restore now I'll try to clean up my hard dive and remove so programs that use up too much memory or may have brought me infections,

 

[GreenGoldAngel]

I was saying that's when I became a Packers fan. I think I was 9 when that happened. I didn't really have a favorite NFL team before that, but after I saw that I became a big Packers fan since.

I am sorry. I thought you were asking a trivia question (which is a good one) but it turns out that famous incident caused you to become a Packer fan. Thanks to you and sorry from me.

 

[waffles]

My dad was from Wisconsin, then moved down to Illinois.. and here I am. Also, I cant stand the bears or their fans.

 

[GreenGoldAngel]

My dad was from Wisconsin, then moved down to Illinois.. and here I am. Also, I cant stand the bears or their fans.

LOL. same thing happened to me but I escaped. Thanks for your story.

*someday I might ask where screen names come from....waffles?....I'll never figure that out!

 

[GreenGoldAngel]

Oh my gosh that's so cool! I'm from Roscoe, IL! I'm only 21 so I barely remember the Wagon Wheel, my mom and I used to walk around it when my sister danced at dance connection when it used to be in Rockton.

Anyway so my dad is from Indiana and after college/military he moved to Milwaukee and was located there for quite sometime and I suppose he must have fallen in love with the Packers there. My mom is from Oconomowoc and my moms side of the family is completely obsessed so I was basically born into the Packers. I was only 8 when the Super Bowl happened and at that time I didn't appreciate it them as much as I do now! But the main thing I can remember is Desmond returning that kickoff!

So it's been pretty cool being born into a Packers family! Especially since I live in Illinois, so glad I didn't have to be a Bears fan!!! ( They are soooooooooo annoying, especially right now!) I go to Purdue so I normally have to watch games online since the Bears get picked over the Packers here.

My first trip to Lambeau was my sophomore year of high school when they lost to the Giants (Favre had a concussion, went out, came back in and threw a TD and then left the game. And my second trip was my senior year of high school when they killed the Queens 35-0 (I think,) But yeah it was so school the first time. After going through Chicago and by Solider field, (I played a lot of soccer throughout Chicago) it was so cool parking on someone's lawn and being able to see the stadium from the neighborhood!

I have tickets for the Bears vs Packers game for Week 17 for my girlfriend and I (who is unfortunately a Bears fan) but I am so so so so so so excited I can't wait!!

Anyway, sorry for the novel but that's my story!

Every story, memory is interesting to me and others. It is part of your life and will always will be. Thank you for sharing.

 

[GreenGoldAngel]

My story is in the introduction part of this forum, please look it over, but I have a great story to tell:
My brother has a very good friend who lives in Rochester, MN of course he's a devout Viking fan. My brother's son once gave his son a Packer hat as a friendship token. He loved that hat and wore it all the time to his father's dismay. It wasn't about the team, it was about friendship with his buddy from Wisconsin.
He always rooted for the Packers and when they offered stock we bought "Luke" an ownership in the Green Bay Packers.
Luke still cheers for the Packers, obviously, he's an owner. Football is alot of things to alot of people, but I think the best part of the NFL is fans getting together to share. Even if your team is short on talent, doesn't make the fans short on talent.
BTW. Luke's dad paid off a $100 bet on a Vikings/Packers game with pennies. So he's okay with Luke being a Packer fan, he'll never be. Good for him.

One of the great regrets in my life was that I did not buy a share of Packer stock when they were last offered. I envy "Luke". I remember a number of Packer players bought a share so that they could say that they were Bretts boss.

I had to look it up but a $100 in pennies weighs over 55lbs!. Thanks for the story.

 

[GreenBlood]

Another thing to note about Packer fans being EVERYWHERE in the country/world. Every road game the Packers play, it seems 25-40% of the crowd are Packer fans. You always hear the commentators talking about how nobody travels like Packer fans, and that's probably true, but you never hear them talk about the fact that probably half of those Packer fans or more are actually LOCALS who are Packer fans.

 

[Incubes12]

Another thing to note about Packer fans being EVERYWHERE in the country/world. Every road game the Packers play, it seems 25-40% of the crowd are Packer fans. You always hear the commentators talking about how nobody travels like Packer fans, and that's probably true, but you never hear them talk about the fact that probably half of those Packer fans or more are actually LOCALS who are Packer fans.

Haha, just take another read through this thread. Its pretty obvious that were everywhere.

 

[GreenGoldAngel]

Another thing to note about Packer fans being EVERYWHERE in the country/world. Every road game the Packers play, it seems 25-40% of the crowd are Packer fans. You always hear the commentators talking about how nobody travels like Packer fans, and that's probably true, but you never hear them talk about the fact that probably half of those Packer fans or more are actually LOCALS who are Packer fans.

100% true, The Arizona Cardinals hated playing the Packers because they (Cardinals) always felt like they were on a road game.

 

[GreenGoldAngel]

I love all the personall stories that have been posted. But why have only 5% of vistors bothered saying why they are Packer fans? Is it because you think your story is not interesting? I can't buy that. All of your stories are interesting. Think hard about when you were a kid. Think about how parent, relativves, friends, players made you decide to become a Packer fan. If it was just the color of their uniforms...thats good. A lot of people have mentioned that. If the Brett Favre era turned you on, that's fine. Like I continue to say, all your stories are interesting to me and others. I would like to reach at least 10% of visitors to make a post. I don't care if you became a Packer fan to impress a girl friend. Everyone who is a Packer fan has to have a reason why. So please continue posting to keep this thread alive.

Thanks to you all.

 

[DoubleC4]

I have lived in Nebraska my whole life so it's all Huskers down here. However, one day my dad was watching football and i was pretty young and i just fell in love with the Packers. I was always a bigger college football fan until I started watching the Packers and Brett Favre. Even though Favre was a big reason I started liking the Packers, I found out I loved the Packers more than I loved Favre when everything went down with him. Now I get more excited on Packer Sundays than Husker Saturdays. I'm known as the "Packers Kid" to everyone because all I do is wear Packers gear. Now my dad and I take the ten hour drive from Lincoln to Lambeau once a year. I love the Huskers but I love the Packers more!

 

[GreenGoldAngel]

I have lived in Nebraska my whole life so it's all Huskers down here. However, one day my dad was watching football and i was pretty young and i just fell in love with the Packers. I was always a bigger college football fan until I started watching the Packers and Brett Favre. Even though Favre was a big reason I started liking the Packers, I found out I loved the Packers more than I loved Favre when everything went down with him. Now I get more excited on Packer Sundays than Husker Saturdays. I'm known as the "Packers Kid" to everyone because all I do is wear Packers gear. Now my dad and I take the ten hour drive from Lincoln to Lambeau once a year. I love the Huskers but I love the Packers more!

What a wonderful thing for you and your dad to share. Thirty years from now you will be remembering all this. Hey, welcome to the Big Ten (12 teams=big ten)...maybe you will become a Badger fan? No chance of that happening, I know Nebraska fans live and die with their team. Thanks for posting.

I had a g/f who was a DD, but I don't think that is related to the Packers.

 

[JBlood]

The greatest man I have known was a die-hard Badger and Packer fan. My Dad was right in virtually all things important, so I thought it a good idea to follow in his foot steps as much as possible.

 

[packerfan4ever]

I was born here but wasn't a packerfan my big brother was,so Sundays the pack was on,my oldest son was a fan and he goes mom you want to watch a game with me,I said no can't get into it,well one day everyone was gone it was a sunday and I must of missed the pack game because I was watching the Cplts I forget who they were playing,but I liked the q.b,the next Sunday I thought I would watch a pack game and see why everyone was big on the q.b there,after that I have been a fan can't wait for Sundays bye week is rough I try and get autos when ever I can,go to draft day tent day fan fest ,I have a lot of good stuff,also have Greg Jennings auto that is why I'm not doing the contest,I would probley lose but would like some one else to have a chance.

 

[GreenGoldAngel]

The greatest man I have known was a die-hard Badger and Packer fan. My Dad was right in virtually all things important, so I thought it a good idea to follow in his foot steps as much as possible.

It thrills me to hear your Dad like that, The most honorable men I have known in my lifetime were my father and grandfather, but by some strange twist of fate I was the first one to even hear of the Packers, and the first one to a game. The year after I went to the game, Lombardi arrived and I had about 70 relatives join me as Packer fans. I will not call them bandwagon jumpers,,,,there was just not newspaper coverage of them at the time and everyone was engrossed with the Milwaukee Braves. Nobody in my family and we all lived in Milwaukee, did not even know where Green Bay was. Thanks for posting. I thinking we are providing people with some interesting stories, which may cause them to remember stories that they had forgotten.

 

[GreenGoldAngel]

The greatest man I have known was a die-hard Badger and Packer fan. My Dad was right in virtually all things important, so I thought it a good idea to follow in his foot steps as much as possible.

It thrills me to hear your remember your Dad like that, The most honorable men I have known in my lifetime were my father and grandfather, but by some strange twist of fate I was the first one to even hear of the Packers, and the first one to a game. The year after I went to the game, Lombardi arrived and I had about 70 relatives join me as Packer fans. I will not call them bandwagon jumpers,,,,there was just not newspaper coverage of them at the time and everyone was engrossed with the Milwaukee Braves. Nobody in my family and we all lived in Milwaukee, did not even know where Green Bay was. Thanks for posting. I thinking we are providing people with some interesting stories, which may cause them to remember stories that they had forgotten.

 

[JBlood]

Very kind comments, GGAngel, and I'm happy that you too thought much of your Dad and Granddad. We're lucky, lucky people.

 

[red4tribe]

I'm from New York with no connections whatsoever to Wisconsin or other Packers fans, but nonetheless I am a die-hard Packer fan. When I was 6 years old, in 1998, I saw my Dad watching football. He was watching the Giants-Packers game and I asked him which team was better, the yellow or blue team? He kinda laughed and said the yellow team. And thus I became a Packer fan. I remember crying after the loss the 49ers in the playoffs that year.

 

[GreenGoldAngel]

I'm from New York with no connections whatsoever to Wisconsin or other Packers fans, but nonetheless I am a die-hard Packer fan. When I was 6 years old, in 1998, I saw my Dad watching football. He was watching the Giants-Packers game and I asked him which team was better, the yellow or blue team? He kinda laughed and said the yellow team. And thus I became a Packer fan. I remember crying after the loss the 49ers in the playoffs that year.

It maybe not be manly to admit shedding tears, but the Packers are so much of my life, and seeing the Packers reminds me of all my relatives that have passed on. Thanks for posting.

You do have an indirect connection...Lombardi played for Fordham, and then coached at West Point, so the NY ties are there.

 

[Texpackerfan]

I've lived in Texas my whole life and have never been to Wisconsin.

When I first started getting into football around the 4th grade, I was reading a lot about the NFL and learning about the game and its history. One of the teams I picked up on was, of course, the Green Bay Packers. I was also fans of the Oakland Raiders and the San Diego Chargers. But it was when I read the biography on Bart Starr that solidified my interest as a Packer fan. Over time I lost interest in SD and the Raiders but maintained my interest in GB. Granted, this was 1981 and they weren't that good at the time. But I guess knowing their history made the team so attractive to follow even when they weren't making the playoffs.

I remember (either that year or the next) I would tell people my name was Lynn ****ey when he started becoming a productive QB.

 

[GreenGoldAngel]

I was born here but wasn't a packerfan my big brother was,so Sundays the pack was on,my oldest son was a fan and he goes mom you want to watch a game with me,I said no can't get into it,well one day everyone was gone it was a sunday and I must of missed the pack game because I was watching the Cplts I forget who they were playing,but I liked the q.b,the next Sunday I thought I would watch a pack game and see why everyone was big on the q.b there,after that I have been a fan can't wait for Sundays bye week is rough I try and get autos when ever I can,go to draft day tent day fan fest ,I have a lot of good stuff,also have Greg Jennings auto that is why I'm not doing the contest,I would probley lose but would like some one else to have a chance.

cute, funny, and strange,. You actually waited until the house was empty to sneak a peek at a Packer game....that is cool, awesome, kicking! I want to thank you for the whole story except for the part were you didn't enter the contest for the Jennings picture...you might have won and given it to me! Best wishes.

 

[GreenGoldAngel]

I've lived in Texas my whole life and have never been to Wisconsin.

When I first started getting into football around the 4th grade, I was reading a lot about the NFL and learning about the game and its history. One of the teams I picked up on was, of course, the Green Bay Packers. I was also fans of the Oakland Raiders and the San Diego Chargers. But it was when I read the biography on Bart Starr that solidified my interest as a Packer fan. Over time I lost interest in SD and the Raiders but maintained my interest in GB. Granted, this was 1981 and they weren't that good at the time. But I guess knowing their history made the team so attractive to follow even when they weren't making the playoffs.

I remember (either that year or the next) I would tell people my name was Lynn ****ey when he started becoming a productive QB.

Love your story...calling yourself Lynn ****ey during the dry years I can understand, He was a good QB surrounded by a poor defense. He was fun to watch. Thanks for your story. Hope you get a chance to go to Green Bay someday.