Green Bay Weekend

So I flew out to Milwaukeee on Saturday. I actually flew through Cleveland and let me tell you that the Cleveland airport is kinda lame. I got to Milwaukee and read some Heidegger in the airport waiting for mi padre to show up. I got in the car and we drove up to see my Grandmother. We stopped along the way for some solid fucking butterburger action. We added some cheesecurds on top of that, but my dad only had like 2, so I got most of a whole fucking order. It rocked.

We hung out with my Grandmother the rest of Saturday, we took her to mass (which incidentally, was said by the most Irish person I have ever seen, he talked really fast and you could only understand like every third word) and then out to dinner at some decent brew-pub place that happens to be right be her place. My grandmother is doing alright, I think, at least as well as anyone that old who has pretty severe Parkinsons. She is confused about things and can hardly move, but you know. She is still able to read (she was halfway through Hillary's book) and she enjoys reading about the Packers, she is from Green Bay after all.

It is kind of sad, however, that she doesn't know anything about my parents' situation. I agree with my dad's basic reasoning, there is no reason that she needs to know, so why bother telling her. Still, its sad to hear her refer to my Grandmother refer to "Jacquie" as if she were still around and stuff. My dad even referred to having "two closings" (oh yeah, my Grandma is selling her house, or more accurately, my dad is selling my grandma's house) but I don't think she caught it at all.

More importantly, we got up early on Sunday morning, had a small breakfast at Julie's and saw my grandmother for a few more minutes. After that, it was off to Mecca. Let me tell you, though I am sure you heard it many times on the broadcast of the game, New Lambeau is just fucking incredible. Absolutely unbelievable. Blows my fucking mind. You will never believe this place. I mean whoa. The exterior is breathtaking. It preserves the simplicity that characterized Lambeau field, but more importantly, makes it classier, and more useful. We stood outside the gates and waited amongst the tailgaters. We got some programs, which are commemorative and totally sweet. Just before 10 they pulled down the "keep out" tape and let us towards the gates. I moved quickly up the stairs and was the first person through the second to last turnstyle on the right at the Oneida gate. I will always, enter Lambeau Field through that point. I will be able to tell my kids someday, I was the first person ever to enter a Packers game through that point. My dad was right behind me, we were 1 and 2 on the dial there.

Immediately inside the East gate is the entrance to the Atrium. It is wild, I mean, something you would never imagine seeing at Lambeau field. Its huge, like four stories high, with the Packer Hall of Fame, the Packer executive offices, and Curly's Place (a big ass sports bar, which, unfortunately, we didnt have time to get into). They are making it available for like weddings and events and shit, which in Green Bay will be big fucking biznuts I am sure. Who wouldn't want to say they got married at the Frozen Tundra (the answer, in case you are wondering, is Katie).

We walked the whole way around the stadium. It has come a long long way. We had a couple bratwurst at the excessive concession stands which now line the halls. There are probably twice as many as there have ever been before. With the exception of halftime (when you could have a billion stands and still a line at every one) there was never a significant line. At one point I ran up to the stands and got my dad a coke and myself a beer during the Viking's failed challenge and made it back to section 137, row 16, seat 3, before they were done reviewing the play. There are also fuckloads of bathrooms. It still takes a couple minutes but especially for the ladies things are much better.

I already explained that the Pack did not play well. Brett was bad, he didnt hit his spots, he was behind receivers, he was slow in the pocket, overall quite bad. I mean, that happens, but it doesnt happen to Brett Favre very often anymore. The rest of the team was not exactly up to snuff either, the o-line should be solid, having Tauscher and Clifton back, but they weren't run blocking extraordinarily well. For the most part the Viking pass rush was not a factor, only once was there significant pressure. That stupid little Hovan fuck was a non-factor and even though Brett is right that the media has blown that out of proportion. He is a dick though. If I were Mike Tice, I would be all over him. Acting like a gigantic moron in that fashion is distracting to your team and simply disgusting. It doesnt help you win the football game. Shut up and play. You are an average defensive tackle (not the world's sexiest position you Warren Sapp asslicker) on a subpar defense, very subpar. Keep running your mouth and watch the first in-sync offense you face roll up and down the field. Maybe I am wrong and you can have a winning team when Corey Chavous is the second best player on one side of the ball, but I doubt it.

The Packers defense is bad and I knew it was going to be bad, but me and my dad have determined that it may be worse than we thought. The corners are good, legitimately good. The problem, of course, is that the linebackers are awful. I mean, really fucking bad. Darren Sharper has the same skills as always, but we are hurting at strong safety too. In case you were wondering, being in a bad shape at the four positions in your defense that make the most tackles is a huge problem. On paper at least, we have a solid defensive line, or a potentially solid one. Joe Johnson, assuming he stays healthy, should be good, and the Gravedigger still rocks. Unfortunately, however, having the best run stopping noseguard in the world won't help you much if your interior backers can't make a fucking hit. Gilbert's responsibiluty is to occupy a couple blockers and fill the hole, make sure they can't get to Nick Barnett (the kid out of Oregon) and allow him to fill the B gap and stop the run where it starts. KGB is still solid, I would rank him as one of the top 5 pass rushing DEs in the league, but that is still a niche market when you don't have anyone to make regular tackles.

The comeback was nice at the end, even though we weren't really imagining that they would pull it off. At the point they failed to make a significant stand at the end of the 3rd quarter the game was over. It was still fun to watch. I could go into more specifics about the line, but I will save it for later. Suffice to say that it is always fun to have my dad buy me a couple bratwurst and a bunch of beer. I love watching football games there. I get all tingly every time I walk into Lambeau field and I would imagine that all the times I have spent in Lambeau field with my dad are among the best times anyone ever spends with their father.

Overall, it was very solid, I like going to Green Bay. It may be a tough year for Packer fans, but they have a beautiful place to watch a tough year. Oot.

Peace,

MB-K