The Lass Word: It Really Is Our Team

We live and die with them every week and wouldn't have it any other way.

Thanksgiving is a day to be thankful.  For family, friends and good health of course.  When it comes to football, I’m thankful to be part of a fan base I believe is truly unique.  Every sports fan feels a strong connection to his or her team.  But the fact that Packer fans can take ownership of their team in a very literal sense is specific only to us.  

 

As I write this, the franchise is offering one of its infrequent stock offerings.  Followers of other teams pretend to laugh at us for throwing our hard-earned money at something they feel has no value.  Yet we know they would jump at the chance to buy a piece of actual, real, legitimate ownership of their team.  Symbolic as it may be, that certificate of stock is a small part of what assures our team will never leave us.  

 

I’m thankful for Lambeau Field.  For the decision to modernize the periphery with the atrium and the Titletown District et al, but yet keeping the historical, traditional feel of the stadium bowl.  I was watching the Steelers/Chargers game at the magnificent SoFi stadium in Los Angeles Sunday night.  I thought to myself, wow, I’d really like to see a game there.  One game.  It looks like an awesome place to visit.  Kind of like a trip to Disney Land, which, by the way, is not far from there.   

 

But it wouldn’t feel like “home” to me.  It’s so shiny and dynamic and high tech.  It would be like staying at a fancy hotel.  You would enjoy the experience, but eventually you long to get home and sleep in your own bed.  The vintage feel of Lambeau connects with the Packers’ history of struggle for survival, frozen tundra, blue collar fans and small town devotion.  We put on our heavy coats, fur-lined hats complete with ear flaps, and gloves.  We breathe smoke in the frigid cold.  We sit on bleachers.  We are fighting the elements as our team fights for victory on the field.  Our players play a tough game for fans that endure a tough environment.  This is not mere entertainment.  This is a joint effort. 

 

I’m thankful for thirty consecutive years of Hall of Fame caliber quarterback play.  It’s a streak no other team can match.  A streak that may come to an end after this year.  We don’t know what the future holds, but that stretch has brought us three Super Bowls and two championships.  We are spoiled to the point where we believe anything short of the title is a disappointment.  Nothing wrong with that.   

 

I’m thankful I’m not a Detroit Lions fan.  There have been fifty-five Super Bowls played.  The Lions haven’t come close to playing in any of them. 

 

I’m thankful for the skill of Davante Adams, the beer-chugging, fun loving spirit of David Bakhtiari, the humble gratitude of Aaron Jones, the patience of Jordan Love, the creativity of Matt LaFleur, the leadership of Marcedes Lewis, the poise of Adrian Amos, the persistence of Rashan Gary, the inspiration of De’Vondre Campbell, the courage of Brian Gutekunst, the financial prowess of Russ Ball, and the management expertise of Mark Murphy. 

 

None of them are perfect.  Who of us is?  But, collectively, they enable us to wear our team merchandise proudly.  We don’t win it all every year, but we’re in it every year.  Falling short is frustrating, but at least it’s a fall.  Fans of franchises like the Jets, Jaguars, Texans and Giants would give anything to be close enough to success to be able to fall. 

 

I’m especially thankful for fans like you who faithfully read articles like this, written by folks such as us, and who support sites like CHTV.  Here’s wishing you a safe, healthy and joyous Thanksgiving.  Let’s hope the rest of the season gives us even greater things to be thankful for. 

 

 

 

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE.

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Ken Lass is a former Green Bay television sports anchor and 43 year media veteran, a lifelong Packers fan, and a shareholder.

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Comments (9)

Fan-Friendly This filter will hide comments which have ratio of 5 to 1 down-vote to up-vote.
SanLobo's picture

November 25, 2021 at 05:27 pm

Hmm, as a Packers fan, I’m thankful the Lions are in our division.

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Coldworld's picture

November 25, 2021 at 07:37 pm

The lions and Bears were pretty indistinguishable, but the Lions have more and earlier picks ahead of them and clearly saw this year as a necessary step to building from scratch. Looking at the two teams, I’m not sure that the Lions aren’t in the better long term position if the new leadership can take advantage of cap and picks.

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SanLobo's picture

November 25, 2021 at 09:16 pm

Cold. It was humor.

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Coldworld's picture

November 25, 2021 at 11:26 pm

Lol, I just felt like making that comment after today and the door seemed open.

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PatrickGB's picture

November 26, 2021 at 12:04 am

I love this site and read it every day. I even listen once in a while. There are some pretty smart folks who respond too.

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HawkPacker's picture

November 26, 2021 at 09:26 am

Yeah Patrick I would certainly agree. I am thankful that we have these great articles to read and just as good if not more entertaining are the commenters. There are a wide range of views, many that I almost always agree with and others not so much.

Let's all be thankful that we have a great team to follow, intelligent writers at CHTV and great commenters as well.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.

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Packer_Fan's picture

November 26, 2021 at 09:28 am

Yes. And I am buying stock for my family Go Pack

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KnockTheSnotOutOfYou's picture

November 26, 2021 at 05:18 pm

My work and life is very hectic and my free time limited. I am not able to get on CHTV nearly as often as I'd like. The writers and the fans make it an amazing experience for this life long Packer fan. There are a lot of writers for various football outlets using anonymous aliases here. The fans mostly tend to be extremely knowledgeable and die hard albeit emotional. LOL!

I like frequently our knowledgeable fans inspire these anonymous and not so anonymous writers with topics to write about. I want to thank all the CHTV writers and the fans for their contributions in making CHTV the best Packer internet site.

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mrtundra's picture

November 28, 2021 at 08:42 am

I want to see how the cap affects each team in the NFC North, this off season. The Packers team will look differently than it does now, for sure. Will Aaron Rodgers still be here, next season? I'm guessing no, but that is all because of his draft day antics and the whole "Last Dance" thing. If GB comes up short in a Super Bowl run, this time around, maybe he stays. Who knows?
As for Minnesota, signing everyone under the sun and now facing a $45 million cap hit from Kark, alone, they will look differently than they do now, as well. Last off season, a lot of the talk amongst their fans, was of getting rid of Kark, through either a trade or just releasing him and eating his salary hit. Now that he is playing somewhat better, their fans will probably have second thoughts about getting rid of him. I am glad the vikings are in our division, as well as the Lions and the Bears. Please extend Zimmer and Spielman!
I do not know what the Lions and Bears salary cap situation is. How can a team, like the Lions, get high draft picks each year and still never be in contention for a Championship, let alone the NFC-North crown? Is the Lions' mgmt.'s strategy to lose and get the number 1 draft pick, next Spring? Seems like an awfully expensive plan, if that is their plan.
The Bears cap situation is also a mystery to me. I hope they extend Nagy and not fire his sorry ass. The Bears organization has to be one of the worst run entities in sports. Was Khalil Mack worth what they traded for? I'd say no. Did they reach for a QB in Fields? Maybe.
I love the Packers and am thankful for their organization and for their history. Yes, we have been spoiled with great QB play for the last 25 years. It shows that the people running the show are the best in our division. Remember that the vikings had a chance to pick Rodgers in that draft, twice, and did not. That's about the only thing I am thankful for, regarding the vikings. GO PACK, GO!!!

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