The Green Bay Experience

So, my father and I finally made our way to Lambeau Field. He has been a huge Packers fan for a long time now, and I have always wanted to see this field (well that and Aaron Rodgers). Let me just say, if you ever have the chance I would jump on it, because there aren't many places like it.

Granted I have not been to a lot of NFL stadiums, just Gillette and now Lambeau, but I have traveled to a lot of MLB parks and done a lot of tours, and Lambeau just has a whole different feeling then everything else. One of the best parts of the trip was the stadium tour. At first it was like any other tour, showing you luxury boxes you'll never afford, giving you the historic background, and so on, but there was two things that set this tour apart from any other I had ever been on. One, was the tour guy. It was this old guy who the entire time acted like he was Vince Lombardi. He'd get in your face, yell about how pumped you should be and would sprint when he was done talking (it's ok you didn't have to run after him). They also take you through the Packers Hall of Fame, which was really cool.

Anyways, the 2nd thing (and the biggest part for me) was the fact that they take you down near the players locker room, and let you walk through the players tunnel. My picture's don't do it justice, but while you are walking down the tunnel they are blasting crowd noise into it. I'm don't think I have ever been that jacked up in my life, all I wanted to do was sprint across the field and hit someone. Also, we learned that one of the original parts of the stadium that is still left after renovations is the tunnel, so you are walking on the same concrete as Reggie White, Vince Lombardi, Bart Starr, Aaron Rodgers, oh and some trader that I refuse to mention in this post.

Maybe it doesn't sound like that big of a deal to other people, but if you have ever been on that ripoff of a Fenway tour then you'd understand all that people want to do when they go on a tour like this is run down the player tunnel and onto the field.


Going to the game is also an interesting experience. The game started at noon, but my father and I headed in at 8am.... We weren't the only ones. By 9am the entire parking lot is full, and these people take their tailgating to a whole new level. People converting ambulances into mobile tailgating temples, which I though was badass.

The people there are amazingly nice, and the knowledge level is through the roof (unlike some other NFL fans you see). If you didn't bring a car, it's not that big of a deal, they got live music, food, and beer all for a $25 flat fee. Tell me another place that does that.

When you get in the stadium is very loud, and there really isn't a bad seat in the place. During the game, the only way I can explain it is the feeling of a college football game. They had 4 student bands going, male/female cheerleaders (really should get rid of that), metal benches (which I would imagine have to be rough when it is -40 during the winter), and crazy crowd noise.

I wish they had won, but the experience of seeing an overtime game at Lambeau Field is something I won't forget, and you really couldn't ask for much more.

But now for the all important question that everyone keeps asking me. Let me just say, YES I AM STILL A PATRIOTS FAN. When the Packers play them I will still be rooting for the Patriots, I won't like doing it, but I will. I will admit that I am envious of their better stadium, and fans though.