Letters for George: The Pack is Back!

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

The Pack is Back!

Fans celebrate the Packers' 31-25 Super Bowl win aainst Pittsburgh [Source: Green Bay Press-Gazette]

Dear George,

According to the Green Bay Press-Gazette, about 35,000 people – a third of the total population of the city – lined the streets in 19-degree temperature on a supposed workday to welcome home the Super Bowl champions who arrived by motorcade on Monday afternoon. One participant, Hannah Eliot, said, “Other teams have some fans who are this crazy and this dedicated. But ALL Packers fans are this crazy and this dedicated.” Pamela Orth, principal at Green Bay’s Holy Family School, stood with her children holding a hand-lettered sign proclaiming, “We (Heart) the Pack.” Team President Mark Murphy was at the front of the first bus, leading staff and players in waving to the crowd. Fans went berserk when they spotted the Lombardi trophy, awarded to the Super Bowl Champions and named after the legendary Green Bay coach who led the Packers to victory in the first two Super Bowls. Team colors could be seen everywhere – on clothing, on signs, painted on faces, even on the sweaters worn by dogs in the freezing weather. A hand-lettered sign proclaimed that one of the neighborhoods on the route would now be known as “Mr. Rodgers’ Neighborhood,” in honor of quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Green Bay schools closed at noon on Monday, and parents were informed beforehand that no one would be marked absent if they didn’t come in at all. Thousands of children, as well as their teachers, were among the crowd greeting the team. The motorcade wound up at Lambeau Field, and the police used steel railings to block fans’ entry to the player areas. Police lieutenant Jeremy Murski observed that there wasn’t a single problem incident with the crowd, commenting, “This reaffirms that Green Bay Packer fans are the class of the NFL, if not all of professional sports.” Fan volunteers and staff were busy shoveling the snow out of Lambeau Field for today’s “Return to Titletown” celebration. The 50,000 seats were completely sold out by Monday night. The governor will attend and the festivities will be televised live on Packer network stations throughout Wisconsin. I wish we could be there. Katja and I cheered for the Packers in Super Bowl I in 1966, and we’re just as excited this time around in Super Bowl XLV.

Love,

Dave

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Thurs., June 6. D Day, WWII. On this day in 1944 Allied troops invaded the beaches of Normandy, France, the turning point of the war in the European theater. /// Fri., June 14. Flag Day. Americans celebrate the meaning of their nation’s flag, honor traditions associated with its care, and educate others about its significance. /// Sun., June 16. Father’s Day. The day to recognize, honor, and celebrate the sacrifices and accomplishments of fathers. /// Wed., June 19. Juneteenth. Also known as Freedom Day and as Emancipation Day, Juneteenth celebrates the abolition of slavery in the U.S. /// Fri., June 21. Summer Solstice. The longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the beginning of the summer season. /// (Source: wincalendar.com)

FAMOUS QUARTERBACKS

Johnny Unitas was a ninth-round draft choice of the Pittsburg Steelers in 1995, but he was cut before he ever threw a pass and played semi-pro football for $6 a game. After the season, Baltimore Colts coach Weeb Ewbank signed Johnny for $17,000 as a backup quarterback. He got his chance in the fourth game when the starter was injured and went on to be Baltimore’s starter for the next 17 seasons, accumulating a record seldom matched in NFL history. Unitas passed for 40,239 yards and 290 touchdowns, and his record of at least one touchdown pass in 47 consecutive games stood for more than 50 years. He led Baltimore to four championship titles, was selected NFL Player of the Year three times, and was named to 10 Pro Bowls. Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979, Unitas has consistently been listed as one of the greatest NFL players of all time. (nfl.com; wikipedia)

MY WEEK (Mon., 10/28 - Sun., 11/3/24)

Unhappy with my hearing aids, I contacted an audiology clinic and made an appointment for next week. At Advanced Poetry I rearranged the tables to be more compact and enhance hearing, then read “Learning Masculinity.” Katja was sick, tested negative for Covid, and got two Rx’s from the doctor. The cardiologist said my heart was fine. I asked him if I could drink whiskey, and he said to continue whatever I was doing. I enjoyed “The Night of” on HBO, and Katja and I watched Razzle-Dazzle (a dance mockumentary) and The Marlow Murder Club on PBS. We enjoyed Kamala Harris’ cameo on SNL. The Bengals got their first home win over the Raiders, 44-17. The end of Daylight Savings Time required its usual annual adjustments.