An article I wrote about the Packers winning the Super Bowl.

Pegger Packer

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I wrote this piece 4 or so days after the Packers won the Super Bowl, and yes, that's me jumping up and down like a fool in the picture (the Editor-In-Chief requested it lol).

The first half of the article is about my reaction to the Packers win, and the second half is me relating it back to our own local football team, who haven't won a championship since back in 1990.

Not sure if anyone will find it that interesting a read, considering the Manitoban-centric ending, but I figured I would post it anyways, for anyone interested in reading about a non-Wisconsin Packer fan's enjoyment of the Super Bowl victory.

The spoils of victory | the Manitoban

The spoils of victory
Championship teams are great, but hometown wins still the best

Marc Lagace
Feb 14

Feb. 6, 2011 will go down in my personal history as one of the greatest days ever. This was, of course, the day in which the Green Bay Packers defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV, bringing the Lombardi Trophy back to Green Bay, Wisconsin.

It holds extra significance in my life because it was the first time that one of my favourite teams, one of the three I follow with borderline obsessive passion, won a league championship during my era of fanaticism. No matter what happens, this past season will be ingrained in my mind for the rest of my life; I will likely talk about this to my children and eventually their children, taking on the role of “crazy old grandpa going on about his stories again.” Those damn hypothetical children have no respect for their elders, I tell you.

As great as this championship win feels, I still feel hopelessly removed from the celebrations. I’ve loaded my mp3 player with Packer-related remixes of popular songs; I’ve watched every post-game interview and made a point of watching the local TV coverage of the team’s plane arriving back in Green Bay on Monday. I PVR’d the “Return to Titletown” event that was held at Lambeau Field on Tuesday and even watched the NFL Network’s enhanced, condensed replay of the entire game on Wednesday. I contemplated, but held back on, buying all sorts of Super Bowl memorabilia: shirts, hats, door mats, cutting boards, commemorative framed photographs, glassware, wallets, etc..

But all that stuff couldn’t replace the feeling of being there at that game, or being there to greet the players as they came back home with the championship. Being a part of the legion of “Cheeseheads” who live outside of Wisconsin, I don’t think that I will feel the full effect of this sweet victory until I’ve made the ritual visit to the Packer holy land, Lambeau Field. It won’t be cemented until I’ve tasted the finest Wisconsin cheeses, perfectly grilled brats and cold Milwaukee-brewed beer that a Green Bay Packer tailgate has to offer.

And still, for all the joy the 2010 NFL season has provided me, I still can’t help but hope that the great success that the Packers have had this year could somehow transfer over to my own hometown football team: my beloved Winnipeg Blue Bombers. It was through my passion for the Blue Bombers that my sports fanaticism really blossomed. I can think of two games in specific that were directly responsible for jumpstarting my passion.

Back in 2001, when the Blue Bombers played the Calgary Stampeders in the Grey Cup, I was a casual football fan at best. It felt like my entire family gathered to watch that game at my aunt and uncle’s house, including some relatives who were in town from Calgary. As the Bombers last chance to tie the game with seconds remaining came to a crashing halt, I remember the dejected reactions of my Winnipeg relatives as my Calgary relatives basked in the glory of victory. It was in this moment that I first tasted the sour side of being a sports fan, and as I watched my Calgary relatives celebrate, I knew that I just had to live through those emotions with the Bombers.

In 2007, I would get my next chance as the Bombers took on bitter prairie rivals the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the 95th Grey Cup. Surrounding myself only with Bomber fans was little comfort when, for the second time, I witnessed my hometown team lose in the championship game. I felt numb, slumped on the couch as I watched the other team celebrate. The wounds just would not heal and I was faced with an important choice: do I accept the belief that my hometown team will never win a championship, allow my passion to fade and simply jump on the bandwagon whenever they’re doing well, or do I go all-in and fully commit myself to the team?

The answer was clear to me: all-in to win, baby. And so, in the following three years, I don’t think I’ve missed a single home game. Bomber related things started popping up all over my family’s basement rec room, to the point where a quick count reveals there are 47 blue and gold, bomber-related things within your peripheral vision when watching the television. Every summer is devoted to Bomber football, with everything else in my life being carefully planned around every Bomber game.

And Lord knows when the Blue Bombers finally make it to that promise land where confetti rains and trophies are raised for all to see, I’ll buy all the Grey Cup championship merchandise I can afford, I’ll blow off work to be there when the players arrive home at the airport, and for weeks you would find me running through the streets of Winnipeg singing the lyrics of Queen’s “We Are The Champions” at the top of my lungs.
 

Kitten

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Great writing! I can feel the emotion in that as well as the historical significance it had for you. Your emotions translate very well to the reader. It's obvious you love the team very much and reading that brought me back to that moment and made me feel it all over again! Thanks for sharing that with us!!! :)
 

Forget Favre

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Well done.

I am interested in knowing how you (And perhaps other fans of CFL) feel about the Packers calling themselves "World" champions when football is played in other countries?
World champions doesn't fit here.
American champions does, but it cannot be applied since America likes to think it is in the center of the universe and is the greatest country ever since the world began.
(I digress.)
Packers are World Champs? No.
America Champs? Yes.

I remember watching CFL on American TV during an NFL strike a long time ago. I enjoyed it. Wish I could watch it again.
 

beautifuleyes

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Would you guys believe Pegger Packer constantly doubts his own writing and thinks it's no good... he does this ALL THE TIME, OR he won't let me read his stuff until it is published cause he's afraid I'll say something is wrong with it! As you can see, his writing is AMAZING!!
 

IluvGB

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Excellent article!!,...How did I miss that your beloved Bombers won too?? :blink: teemanymartoonies for me ??!?!? :blink: ( when was this game,..that might help!)

I don't think my heart could take cheering for two teams...regardless of their locations!!!
But now my eyes have been opened that there is football in other parts of the world,.. I may have to keep one eye open and see how they do!!

So many great writers on this forum...wow!
 

beautifuleyes

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Excellent article!!,...How did I miss that your beloved Bombers won too?? :blink: teemanymartoonies for me ??!?!? :blink: ( when was this game,..that might help!)

I don't think my heart could take cheering for two teams...regardless of their locations!!!
But now my eyes have been opened that there is football in other parts of the world,.. I may have to keep one eye open and see how they do!!

So many great writers on this forum...wow!

Last time the Blue Bombers won was 1990. I wasn't even born :( BUT THE DAY THAT THEY WIN THE GREY CUP, ohhhhhh boy it's gonna be insane
 
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Pegger Packer

Pegger Packer

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Well done.

I am interested in knowing how you (And perhaps other fans of CFL) feel about the Packers calling themselves "World" champions when football is played in other countries?
World champions doesn't fit here.
American champions does, but it cannot be applied since America likes to think it is in the center of the universe and is the greatest country ever since the world began.
(I digress.)
Packers are World Champs? No.
America Champs? Yes.

I remember watching CFL on American TV during an NFL strike a long time ago. I enjoyed it. Wish I could watch it again.

For the record, I believe the CFL has a contract with NFL network to air one game a week. Last year, the first game they aired was the EPIC week 1 Grey Cup rematch between the Montreal Alouettes and the Saskatchewan Roughriders that was freaking EPIC (and I hate both teams).

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pqn-Uj9yPtE]YouTube - Best Opening game in CFL history[/ame]

That overtime TD catch by S.J Green for the 2pt conversion just might be the greatest catch I HAVE EVER SEEN EVER. I assume that the deal with NFL Network is still in place, so I suggest that anyone interested in watching some entertaining football during the NFL offseason should check out a game or two this summer!

Anyways, yes, I would still consider the Green Bay Packers the World Champions, despite the Canadian Football League never getting a chance to challenge for that title.

I WILL say, just for the sake of bragging about superiority, that the Green Bay Packers had a wide receiver named Milt Stegall on their practise roster in 1995, but he was cut due to a rather severe knee injury late in training camp......

Later that year, his agent would call him about signing a contract with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (my hometown team), and in the following 13 years, Milt Stegall would become the most consistent, most dangerous, and arguably one of the greatest receivers in "american" football history (should be mentioned in the same breath as Jerry Rice). His stats:

CFL Regular Season Career stats:
Receptions: 850
Yards: 15,110*
TDs: 147*

*Both are CFL records

I love that both of my favourite teams are connected by one of my favourite players of all time, and I'm infinitely grateful that I was able to witness Stegall's greatness first hand. :happy0005:


ANYWAYS, now I'm ranting about the CFL (expect plenty of this sort of stuff during the NFL offseason AKA CFL regular season!) (I'll keep it to the Atrium:thumbsup), but I'll reiterate that I consider the Super Bowl to be the more prestigious trophy to own, BUT the Grey Cup is the more awe-inspiring football trophy to look at!

You must be logged in to see this image or video!


*obligatory image featuring mounties in a Canadian post*

Super Bowl is great and all, but 98 going on 99 years of Grey Cup legacy is nothing to scoff at. and just LOOK AT THAT THING. THAT's a trophy that you would need two hands to lift over your head, and isn't that the way it should be?
 

JBlood

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Nice article. Some of us were big John Ryan fans during the short time he played for us so we already kind of like the Blue Bombers. Now we like them even more. Keep up the good work.
 

Forget Favre

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For the record, I believe the CFL has a contract with NFL network to air one game a week. Last year, the first game they aired was the EPIC week 1 Grey Cup rematch between the Montreal Alouettes and the Saskatchewan Roughriders that was freaking EPIC (and I hate both teams).

YouTube - Best Opening game in CFL history

That overtime TD catch by S.J Green for the 2pt conversion just might be the greatest catch I HAVE EVER SEEN EVER. I assume that the deal with NFL Network is still in place, so I suggest that anyone interested in watching some entertaining football during the NFL offseason should check out a game or two this summer!

Anyways, yes, I would still consider the Green Bay Packers the World Champions, despite the Canadian Football League never getting a chance to challenge for that title.

I WILL say, just for the sake of bragging about superiority, that the Green Bay Packers had a wide receiver named Milt Stegall on their practise roster in 1995, but he was cut due to a rather severe knee injury late in training camp......

Later that year, his agent would call him about signing a contract with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (my hometown team), and in the following 13 years, Milt Stegall would become the most consistent, most dangerous, and arguably one of the greatest receivers in "american" football history (should be mentioned in the same breath as Jerry Rice). His stats:

CFL Regular Season Career stats:
Receptions: 850
Yards: 15,110*
TDs: 147*

*Both are CFL records

I love that both of my favourite teams are connected by one of my favourite players of all time, and I'm infinitely grateful that I was able to witness Stegall's greatness first hand. :happy0005:


ANYWAYS, now I'm ranting about the CFL (expect plenty of this sort of stuff during the NFL offseason AKA CFL regular season!) (I'll keep it to the Atrium:thumbsup), but I'll reiterate that I consider the Super Bowl to be the more prestigious trophy to own, BUT the Grey Cup is the more awe-inspiring football trophy to look at!

You must be logged in to see this image or video!


*obligatory image featuring mounties in a Canadian post*

Super Bowl is great and all, but 98 going on 99 years of Grey Cup legacy is nothing to scoff at. and just LOOK AT THAT THING. THAT's a trophy that you would need two hands to lift over your head, and isn't that the way it should be?
Thank you for the response and the highlights.

I agree. That was an amazing catch! Wow!
And your fans are nuttier too! 1:50 LMAO!

Even though I love the Packers and the fact they won the Lombardi, I gotta "say" that the grey cup is nicer. I wish we had that instead of the typical dumb looking "Football on a stick." I think the winning trophy shouldn't be so obvious.

And I understand Doug Flutie was part of the CFL for a bit as well.
 

PFanCan

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I lived in Calgary for a few years and went to several CFL games. Even saw Doug Flutie at a half-time show when he was given an award for something.

During my brief stay, I learned that CFL fans are just as passionate and nutty as their American NFL counterparts. The games were loud, exciting, and extremely fun.

I also like a couple of the rules differences from the NFL and wish they would be adopted:

1. Endzone is 20 yards deep, not 10 yards.
2. Punting team gets a point if the returning player cannot get it out of the endzone.
 

Forget Favre

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I lived in Calgary for a few years and went to several CFL games. Even saw Doug Flutie at a half-time show when he was given an award for something.

During my brief stay, I learned that CFL fans are just as passionate and nutty as their American NFL counterparts. The games were loud, exciting, and extremely fun.

I also like a couple of the rules differences from the NFL and wish they would be adopted:

1. Endzone is 20 yards deep, not 10 yards.
2. Punting team gets a point if the returning player cannot get it out of the endzone.
And did I see a player in the posted vid. return a FG try for a TD?
If that's the case, NFL should have that one too.
I also like the double OT. That's how it should be. No tie games.
NFL looks wimpish compared to the CFL.
 

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