Trap of the Day: Packers
Chicago Bears fans might want to direct their eyes away from the computer screen. Today’s feature trap showcases none other than the defending Superbowl champion, Green Bay Packers. Round of applause, please, for the champs.
This past Thursday, the NFL season kicked off with an absolute bang with two high-octane offenses putting on a show, displaying very few signs of off-season rust. The matchup between the New Orleans Saints and the home-team Packers came down to the final play as the Saints were stuffed on a goal line stand with no time remaining on the game clock. Lambeau field erupted in synchronized jubilation as Saints running back Mark Ingram was gang-tackled just inches away from giving his team a chance to send it into overtime. It was one of those moments in sports that inevitably sends a shock wave of chills streaming down ones spine.
I sat there and watched as NBC cameras panned outward to show Packer fans basking in the moment. I thought to myself, this truly is the personification of what a fanbase is supposed to represent. As a neutral sports fan watching the game, I couldn’t help but hop on the Packer bandwagon. The historic traditions, the immovable allegiance and the noise that cascades out of that stadium is second-to-none in American sports. Believe it.
It all started with the game’s introduction. Fans were asked to arrive early in order to pull off a crowd spectacle that rarely seems to strike success when other organizations try a similiar stunt. Everyone needed to be in their seat, but no worries, Green Bay hasn’t failed to sell out a game in over half a century. During the national anthem, this was the aerial sight to be seen from above the field:
No other franchise could pull this off. Bathroom breaks were taken care of, the beer gardens were empty and the silence during the national anthem was absolutely bone-chilling.
By the time the broadcast had finished up on national television, it looked as if there hadn’t been a single fan that had left its seat. Their team had dazzled up-and-down the field for four quarters and the fans stuck around to show their appreciation. This is what fan culture is all about folks.
Rest assured, I will be following the Packers Trap all season long. They won me over in a heartbeat.
-Geoff