Monday, October 05, 2009

Green Bay Packers

I am going to attempt to blog while watching the Packer/Viking game tonight. We'll see how that goes.
But hey, why don't I take a moment and give you a little history. Being a Packer fan was just a part of your DNA if you were born in Wisconsin. It still is. If you live in Wisconsin and you are of sound mind, you're a Packer fan. I was a Bart fan for most of my childhood and a Brett fan for the past 17 years. And for my 50th birthday my friends Don & Carol presented me with my very own Packer jersey. I love it and wear it every time the Packers play.

Anyway, you may not believe this but I remember the Ice Bowl. We could only get two TV stations on the farm back then. NBC and CBS. And poor reception at that. The game was on CBS December 31st, 1967. I had just turned 11. I actually remember that Bart Starr touchdown with 16 seconds left to win the game. Packers 21 Cowboys 17.

But you have got to check out these weather conditions at game time-
The 1967 game, played on December 31 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, remains the coldest NFL game on record in terms of actual air temperature. The official game-time temperature was −13°F / −25°C, with a wind chill around −48°F / −44°C. Using the new wind chill index put into use in 2001, the wind chill was −36°F. The bitter cold overwhelmed Lambeau's new turf heating system, leaving the playing surface hard as a rock and nearly as smooth as ice. The officials were unable to use their whistles after the opening kick-off. As the referee blew his metal whistle to signal the start of play, it froze to his lips. For the rest of the game, the officials used voice commands and calls to end plays and officiate the game.
The University of Wisconsin–La Crosse (then Wisconsin State University–La Crosse) Marching Chiefs band were scheduled to perform the pre-game and half time shows. However, during warm-ups in the brutal cold, the woodwind instruments froze and wouldn't play; the mouthpieces of brass instruments got stuck to the players' lips; and seven members of the band were transported to local hospitals for hypothermia. The band's further performances were canceled for the day.

Wow, I can't imagine playing in such conditions... football OR a musical instrument! But the Packers definitely had the edge... playing on the frozen tundra.
What a game. What a story.
And still considered one of the greatest games in NFL history, due in part to the hostile conditions in which it was played, the importance of the game, the rivalry between the teams, and the dramatic conclusion.

YEEHHH! Packers score. Game tied!

Vikings score before the half. And you know what? Good for Brett. Can't imagine receiving his bullets. But seriously, someone needs to tell him he's turning 40 next week. "Brett, for crying out loud, you're turning 40 next week!"

Well now, I think we can see where this game is going. But hey, I ain't going no where till that fat lady sings. And she ain't singing quite yet.

Uhh-oh, she's singing.
Thanks for joining me everybody. It's been fun.
Vikings 30 Packers 23

3 comments:

Cindy (Applestone Cottage) said...

Hey Linda,
I live with the biggest Packer fan, and he isn't too happy tonight! This Favre thing has been tough on Dan, love the cute pic of you in the jersey! Cindy

NanAZ said...

Great post, Linda! I didn't watch the game because Terry went over to watch it at Don's house with some of the "guys". Because of that, I caught up on some of my HGTV shows, so I wouldn't have to watch them when Terry was home.

Thanks for sharing your experience with us.

Skerrib said...

Cripes, I didn't know they played games in friggin' subzero windchills. That's beyond hardcore.