By Leslie Galbreath
Those who know me well know that I have a few great loves in life – family, friends, reading, running and Green Bay Packers football.
Perhaps that seems a bit odd for a Muncie-born Hoosier, but the Packers are a family tradition. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, my father has been a lifetime fan. Through the golden years and then the 30-some odd years that followed, we’ve been watching games and cheering for the cheese. In fact, the Packers seem like family to us. Each year, we trek to the frozen tundra to see a game and it’s like a reunion. Each year, it’s more exciting than the year before. Lambeau Field is a must for all sports fans. There’s just nothing like it.
We’ve had some tough seasons. And, most recently, some drama. Ahem…#4 (he who will remain unnamed in this post). But through it all, we’ve held out hope that Aaron Rodgers, some seasoned veterans (Donald Driver) and a slew of new talent (Clay Matthews) could bring some life back to our much-loved franchise.
But I digress…
This year, we beat the Chicago Bears to earn a wild card berth to the playoffs. Possibly the best ‘6 seed’ in the running. But playing away at Philadelphia yesterday, we knew it would be a battle. So, my husband and I geared up and settled in for an intense game. And an intense game was exactly what we got.
Now, watching a Packer game at the Galbreath house is serious business, my friends. It’s flags in the yard, pregame strategy, jerseys, face paint and lots of enthusiastic communication toward the announcers and coaches on the television if you know what I mean. Yesterday was no exception.
What a great game. Rodgers was sharp, the defense was huge and James Starks ran for over 100 yards – where’s this guy been all year? The Eagles rallied in the 4th, but we sealed the deal with Tramon Williams making an amazing interception in the end zone.
I don’t know what it is about Packer football that gets under your skin, but there’s a magical feeling and respected tradition associated with this team that’s unmatched by any other (in my humble opinion). Packer fandom is infectious – just ask my husband.
I suppose for a Monday morning quarterback, I’m a little warm and fuzzy. But as a lifelong Packer fan, today is for enjoying the moment. GO PACK GO!
PS – Thanks for indulging me.
Congrats on the Packers win, Leslie. I, too, am a Packers fan via family tradition. Both my parents grew up in Wisconsin, and though I grew up in faraway New Jersey, our family continued to root for the Packers. In fact, my first memory of watching football was the 1967 Ice Bowl with Dallas that gave Green Bay its second three-peat. Still the best game ever.