My "Last Day at Lambeau"
Favre's Last Day at Lambeau, the subject of an upcoming documentary by Michael Neelsen, has personal significance to CD Angeli. Read CD's story and listen to the interview with Neelsen LIVE on Cheesehead Radio Thursday night.
By tundravision
Next Thursday, the Cheesehead Radio gang will come out of their offseason slumber to bring you a very special interview with Michael Neelsen, the man behind the new documentary Last Day At Lambeau, a chronicling of the heartaching divorce of the Packers and Brett Favre. The film culminates with Favre's last appearance at Lambeau Field on October 24, 2010.
The entire idea behind Neelsen's film is very personal to me. You see, the whole idea of Favre's "last day at Lambeau" was my personal Packer Bucket List. Since 2001 on, I made it my mission to be at Favre's "last game" at Lambeau Field.
In 1992, I was blessed to have gotten some last-minute tickets to the Cincinnati Bengal game, and it was a beautiful autumn day. Like everyone else in the stadium that day, we were mesmerized by a young quarterback who had already been billed as "the quarterback of the future", who willed a last-second victory on the strength of his arm. Brett Favre was born that day as a Packer, and I was a fervent fan from that day forward.
As his career went into its twilight, and criticism mounted against Favre, I often rose to champion him, even in the years when I openly petitioned him to hang up his cleats. I knew the end was coming, and each year, I petitioned my limited network of family and friends for tickets to the last home game of every season. This was going to be my personal "Alpha and Omega"...I was there for Favre's first game, I was going to be there for Favre's last game. Hopefully, like the first, it would end with an inspirational Packer win (cue irony).
Some years were a little easier than others. If they had an off year, it was usually no problem for a cheapskate like me to get a ticket at face value. If it was a playoff run, it was quite a bit harder. But somehow, I managed to get myself in the bleachers for what might have been Brett Favre's last game.
In 2002, I scored some tickets for the home playoff game the Packers hosted against the Falcons. It was a terrible, terrible game, as the Packers lost 27-7, and my personal claim of "The Packers never lose when I'm at a game" fell apart.
In 2003, perhaps the most exhilarating stretch of four quarters I've ever been a part of, I went to the funeral atmosphere of the final game of the season against the Broncos, with the Packers needing a miracle to make the playoffs. I sat and put up with the world's most annoying Denver fan in front of me, who mocked all of us as his team was going to the playoffs despite losing, and the Packers were going home. When the Vikings lost in the final seconds against Arizona, a wave of excitement slowly built around the stadium, then exploded when the final score was announced and the Packers were division champions. Mr. Bronco left soon after with several explicatives for the folks who wished him a happy trip home.
Miraculously, I managed to get the prized family tickets for the Seahawks game the next week, and we all know how that one ended..with Al Harris making a miracle interception in overtime to win a game that looked to be in doubt. As the Packers went confidently into Philadelphia, no matter what happened, I had been at the game I wanted to be at.
The following year, 2004, I was there as the Packers lost to the Vikings at home in the playoffs, and stood what seemed to be just a few yards from Randy Moss wiping his butt on the goalposts. A very disheartening loss, but at least, if Favre retired, I would have been at his last game. With a new GM being brought in that offseason, I began to think there was a good chance it might have been.
After a miserable 2005 campaign, I watched the Packers win their season finale against the Seattle Seahawks. I was almost disappointed, as it set the Packers back a little in the draft, but I also felt strongly that with major changes coming, that was likely Favre's last game. It was nice that he finished with a win, and was a good time to hang it up.
As we know, however, he didn't. And in 2006 Favre and his new head coach fought their way to a .500 record, and that was the first "last game" I was unable to make.
Now, here's where some of the interesting psychology comes in to play. I really thought Favre should retire at this point, but in some ways, for my own Alpha/Omega mission, I wanted him to come back for one year, just so I could say I was there. It's funny, when you think about it, how we change how we look at the game depending on our perspective. We do it all the time when we play fantasy football, rooting for a touchdown to Jermichael Finley as opposed to, say, John Kuhn because it helps our own personal goals. I had my "Last Game at Lambeau" goal in mind for so long, passing up opportunities for other games (in warmer weather) just for the chance to be there in January, year after year.
But 2007 came along. It was a charmed season, a special season. Favre could do no wrong, and neither could the Packers. My finances were limited, but I scraped up scalped tickets to attend the Seahawks game after the first-round bye, figuring the Packers were doomed to head to Dallas in the next round. I watched the Packers and Favre get the win, and felt great that I had fulfilled my long-time goal .
But the very next day, I watched almost in horror as the Giants defeated the Cowboys in Dallas, meaning New York would be headed to Lambeau for the NFC Championship. Having blown my wad on the Seattle game, I desperately searched for a ticket, but there were none to be found anywhere near face value. For the second year in a row, I sat at home watching Favre's final game at Lambeau, a heartbreaking loss that I felt almost certain would be the last game in his career.
And I was almost right: as Favre announced his retirement from the Packers later that year, I knew that I had gambled and lost. And as Favregate unfolded over that turbulent offseason, it was clear that Favre would never suit up in Green and Gold again.
As Favre retired again after that season, I called my uncle in 2009 and asked for the family Viking tickets. I was given a resounding "no", as he planned to go to that game if Favre somehow managed to finagle his way into purple. I told him to keep me on a list if he came across tickets, as this wasn't a game I wanted to miss.
Three days before helicopters began following Brad Chldress to the airport, my uncle offered me the tickets, as it appeared all hope had been lost for the big matchup. Worst mistake he ever made, though he did scalp some tickets for himself, too.
The game itself was surreal in every sense of the world. And as I sat in the 35th row with my wife, I was deafened in one ear by the boos for Brett Favre, and deafened in the other by the roars for Aaron Rodgers. It was a playoff atmosphere, but notably different, more chilling. You could tell that this game was far from just another regular season win or loss, or even a rivalry matchup. You might even say that it was more important to many fans than even a sudden-death playoff game. Every possession, every pass, every penalty was seemingly life-or-death, not only to the fans, but to the players.
And as the game went on, it was a lot more death than life. The Vikings climbed ahead of the Packers that day on the frozen tundra, not necessarily on the arm of the traitor quarterback, but on the inspired play of the team around him. The game wasn't about Favre vs. Rodgers (and in fact, I felt Rodgers actually outplayed Favre that day), but Favre vs. Thompson. It was a crushing blow to the Packers' season, the feeling that somehow, Favre finally had played his way into a better position for himself, and the master plan the Packers had to move on without him was indelibly flawed.
It was a terrible feeling as a Packer fan who had endured the wrenching emotions the summer of Favregate had to offer. The Vikings were headed to the playoffs, and the Packers wilted away the rest of the season. And I walked out of the stadium as a man with a broken bucket list, a twisted goal of seeing Favre's last game at Lambeau, and watching him again pull out a win...but this time, over my beloved Packers.
You cannot deny the impact of that game on October 24, 2009. It was perhaps the most intense game I had been at since the early 1990's. Favre was the focal point of that game that day, and he had walked out victorious, head down, draped under Ryan Longwell's arm, as torrents of boos showered upon him from bitter, angry, betrayed fans.
Which brings us to the game that is the focus of Neelson's film, and a game I also managed to get tickets to. As I entered the stadium on that day in October of 2010, it was a far different feel. The Packers were fighting through injuries in the midst of a season of high expectations. The Vikings, who brought back a far-older Brett Favre, were struggling mightily. The game was important, but not for the same pride reasons as the year before, but because both teams desperately needed wins at that point.
But there was no doubt...this was going to be Favre's final year. This was the last time the kid I saw back in 1992 would take the field, with few clues from his play on the field that it was even the same man. We anticipated the game for so many reasons: redemption, revenge...all those feelings that now seemed to revolve around the guy under center on the other side, Aaron Rodgers. The kid was getting MVP talk, was having a solid year, really growing into his own. This was the game he needed to step up and face the ghosts that haunted him, exorcising them, and silencing his critics, once and for all.
In the end, the Packers prevailed, but not without a sense of irony. Favre had a miserable game, taking big hits in the backfield and throwing three picks. But Rodgers had an off day himself, with some scattershot passes seemingly thrown to invisible receivers, and a couple of uncharacteristic interceptions. In the end, it wasn't Rodgers who stepped up and took the crown away from Favre, but the defense that Thompson had been so carefully building since he first came to Green Bay in 2005.
Rodgers emerged from the game as the winning quarterback, but in the battle of Favre vs. Thompson, a winner could finally be declared, once and for all. Favre left the field battered and defeated, with a team that had lost faith in him. The Packers went on to win the Super Bowl.
And that day, again, I walked out of the stadium with twisted feelings. My Packers had won, had won an important game. But in the end, the man I had made it one of my life goals to see his Last Game at Lambeau had become far less than what I had always envisioned him as. He was a shell of himself, a man who looked like he wanted the game to end. I walked out having fulfilled my mission, yet the man himself was not even a second thought. He wasn't Favre. He was just another guy.
There may be no greater tragedy to come out of this divorce and climactic pair of games played between two rivals over the passion and ignorance of one man. In the end, Favre became what Packer fans would have never, ever dreamed of him during his tenure in Green Bay, or even when he went to other NFL teams.
Brett Favre became irrelevant. And in so many ways, my Alpha/Omega mission became irrelevant, too. That may end up being the hardest thing for me to forgive Brett Favre for.
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Join Jersey Al Bracco, Jayme Joers, John Rehor, Kyle Cousineau, Amanda Lawson, and CD Angeli as we talk with Michael Neelsen, director of Last Day at Lambeau on Cheesehead Radio at 8:00 CST at BlogTalkRadio.
Comments (28)
April 01, 2012 at 08:42 pm
Great article, really enjoyed the read. It is amazing to think about how it all ended after watching a man be such a fixture/face of the franchise for so long. Very interesting perspective.
April 01, 2012 at 09:50 pm
Can we Get over this Favre thing, do you realize the PACKERS are almost 100 yrs old?
He was a great player, not a great PACKER!!!!!!
Just sayin!
I'd really like to see articals about great PACKERS!!!!
April 01, 2012 at 11:21 pm
Boy, I'm as disillusioned and disgusted with Brett and the way things ended as the next guy... But I have to think when it's all said and done and people have time to sit back and reflect, he'll be on the Mount Rushmore of great Packers. Just my opinion.
April 02, 2012 at 07:39 am
You'd better plan on a pretty big mountain if you expect to get the cell phone man a very good seat. As only the third best modern era QB, at present, for this storied franchise I don't figure Favre is a lock even for the HOF either the one in Canton or the one that counts!
April 02, 2012 at 09:34 am
The book hasn't been written on AR yet. There was a fantastic article here comparing their numbers at similar points in their careers last year. BF walked away with a Super Bowl ring, another Super Bowl Appearance, and three consecutive season MVP awards. He will be in Canton on the first ballot, and AR looks great, but has a lot left to accomplished to pass BF. And, no, I've nevet been a BF apologist.
April 02, 2012 at 11:01 am
First ballot. Book it.
Third best modern era QB... OK, I'm talking Packers. Once people get their hurt feelers out of the way (me included), and just look at the sheer numbers/wins "on the football field", a case could easily be made he's a top 4 all time Packer. Easily. Yes... We should have probably won one or two more rings with him, and arguably didn't because of him, but his #'s stand alone.
April 02, 2012 at 12:19 pm
sorry don, i think brent was exposed (pun intended) to be a pretty giant douche after all was said and done, but his impact to this franchise and fanbase can only be diminished to a certain point before it's apparent one is motivated by bitterness and revisionist fandom rather than reality.
put simply, you're flat out wrong here.
for people like my father, who went through around 25 years of constant disappointment, brent was a more-than-welcome reminder of what greatness felt like. to see my dad get so much joy from watching a packer play the way brent did helped me to appreciate being a fan as well.
for younger people like me, brent was the reason to stay interested, and the core of my pride as a packer fan for over a decade. in my lifetime, only reggie comes close as far as defining packer greatness. rodgers is making his case long-term (obviously his short-term greatness is undisputed), but to say brent'd have a 'hard time' fitting in the door of all-time greats is, well... either complete denial, or ignorance. i understand the pain/denial, but don't let it warp the facts so much.
JohnRehor
April 02, 2012 at 05:26 pm
You and Rocky the same person? Or are you both completely naive?
April 02, 2012 at 09:41 pm
Another blogger who can't handle a difference of opinion. You do realize that many readers are far more qualified to 'blog' than you may be. I've read a few of your 'opinions'. Nothing all that exciting. Sorry.
Jayme Snowden
April 02, 2012 at 08:35 am
Packers might be 100 years old, but I doubt CD is. And I find nothing wrong with feeling nostalgic about a great time in Packers history.
Personally I have a lot of Packers memories and stories to share, some with BR and some without. Just because a memory includes BF doesn't mean it doesn't include the Packers
April 01, 2012 at 11:40 pm
I don't have much more than 20 words available for BF (none very good). How could you possibly have 2,500 or more. You should have waited another 10+ years. I'm think'in most Packer Fans have moved way beyond those good 'ol days. It's only natural.
April 02, 2012 at 11:45 am
Had to look it up.
A "Farve-Focus" blog every few months??
From Dec. --- 2011.
http://cheeseheadtv.com/blog/is-it-time-for-the-prodigal-son-to-return
A little obsessive, maybe ??
Jayme Snowden
April 02, 2012 at 12:00 pm
This blog isn't about Favre per say. Its about the radio show that's featuring the director of Last Day at Lambeau and the author's memories of certain Packer games. It is possible to be about both Favre and the Packers. lordy.
April 02, 2012 at 12:15 pm
2500+ words of coincidence.
I'm convinced. ---- LOL.
Jayme Snowden
April 02, 2012 at 12:29 pm
coincidence? of what?
Yes, CD is a Favre backer. And is fighting to get him back on the team by writing a blog including memories from classic "Favre" games. This blog has nothing to do with a movie premiere, radio show guest, or being a Packers fan.
April 02, 2012 at 12:47 pm
Please, the subject is BF. "Spin" it any direction you wish. It's still about BF. ---- Bloggers!!
Jayme Snowden
April 02, 2012 at 12:49 pm
BLOGGERS!!!!!
JohnRehor
April 02, 2012 at 05:24 pm
Its OK Rocky, you go ahead and think what you want. This blogger has a response for you.
BLOGGERS!
April 02, 2012 at 12:43 am
Thanks for sharing your "Last day at Lambeau." That last day happened to be my first day at Lambeau. Everything about that day was magical. I went with my bro and I will never forget that day.
April 02, 2012 at 10:51 am
I don't, nor I did, have the same feelings for Favre as you do, CD, I was never even close to being near him, all I knew about him was seeing him on TV. He was an important reason to why I became a Packers fan, but I never took him as more important than the organization as some did.
But, with this article, I'm able to understand and feel what you're trying to pass. Great work, man, I mean it.
April 02, 2012 at 01:38 pm
You said it well RS. +1 for you. +1000 for CD.
I personally have no love lost for the dongslinger. Things evened out in 2010. TT won. BF and the Vikes lost.
It's ok.
Rodgers is still a better QB. Remind me how much I loved BF when AR is enshrined in Canton.
April 02, 2012 at 02:03 pm
Wow...I guess the Favre posts always do evoke a lot of disagreement. I'm old enough to remember the Packers for about one year before Favre came, but I can say this: the sentiment about the team changed in my house when Holmgren, White, and Favre came on the scene. Instead of being (sigh) Packer fans who bleed green and gold (and unfortunatley bleed a lot), we were PACKER fans and darn proud of it. Lets be honest...Majik didn't get his nickname because he was sparkly and fun to watch. Favre was EXCITING. He and the rest of the team returned the Packers to glory. He shattered records (good and bad) and he was our QB...riiight up until, ALMOST the end. And then we got TT, Aaron, McCarthy, and the glory days continue...maybe even get better. Right now, Aaron is equally good (time will tell if he's better long term...) and seemingly a man of much better character (so far). But I don't believe Aaron is good to the exclusion of Brett being good, or vice versa.
I disowned Brett as soon as he went to the enemy (and Oct. 24, 2010 was the best game of my entire life), but now that he's for real retired I can look back on 1993-2007 and smile. It was a good ride. I think he will and should be first ballot HOF, and I think we should retire his number in the next couple years. It ended unfortunately; pride does that to men. But eventually we have to forgive and move on. And moving on to Aaron Rodgers is pretty good.
April 02, 2012 at 07:16 pm
Oh, Rocky...
You're seriously spending your time on a Packer website, dictating your preferences as to what content is provided to you, for free? Please.
Bob Wolfley, JSOnline April 2 http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/145825935.html
Doug Moe, Wisconsin State Journal, April 2
http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/145825935.html
CD Angeli, CheeseheadTV, April 1
http://cheeseheadtv.com/blog/my-last-day-at-lambeau
Whether you find the subject palatable or not, this is Packer news all around the state. And we're lucky to have the creator of the film sitting down with us live on Thursday night to talk about it. It's a film I have a lot of interest in, and wanted our readers and listeners to know why.
The most interesting part, Rocky, is as you battle to silence any discussion of Favre, discrediting those who choose to write about him, you are the one who seems to be the one most unable to let go of the past.
As for me, Mr. Neelson and I have a thread in common, as he stated in his WSJ today:
"He did not want to take a side, and said the finished film was less about which side was right than the complicated relationship between sports heroes and their fans.
"'I would like to think the film might help people get over it,' Neelsen said."
I'm over it, and would heartily like Packer Nation to be over it, too.
Finally, if you don't like 2,500-word pieces, skip my stuff. I write 1,500-2,500 words per article, Favre-related or not.
PackerAaron
April 02, 2012 at 07:21 pm
Don't pay any attention to the likes of Rocky, CD. They aren't worth the time. Your writing is.
April 02, 2012 at 10:17 pm
Nagler (once again) to the rescue.
But who needs rescuing? B/R is not a back-slapping fraternity of fellow bloggers like CHTV. It's more like the 'real world'.
April 02, 2012 at 10:11 pm
You're right & I do (skip your blogs).
Again, a few more years & more Packer fans may be interested.
Your chase after Favre's "last game at Lambeau" demonstrates an 'obsession'. Many might say an unhealthy obsession.
April 03, 2012 at 11:39 am
BubbaOne was right all along. At least partially right.
April 08, 2012 at 09:17 am
Wow. Don't feel I even need to see the documentary now. Nice article. Thanks for sharing your experiences.