Why I Love the Green Bay Packers

I, like most Green Bay natives, have a deep and forever growing love affair with the Green Bay Packers.

I'm not old enough to have my veins embedded in the historic days of Ray Nitschke or Bart Starr, but I've been around long enough to hear whispers of "The Cardiac Pack," remember Brett Favre's first touchdown pass, and to see the dramatic turn-around of a legendary franchise.

Quite honestly, it's all a young boy can ask for: A team that from 1993-2007, had lost more than eight games in a season just once.

It starts with consistency at each position, and continues on down the line through solid coaching, milestones, and even Super Bowls.

It's as simple as this: There are three things you have to love about the Green Bay Packers, even if you're not a fan, and even if you claim to hate these exact things.

1. Brett Favre

If you can put all the retirement drama, Vikings betrayal, and gossip aside, he's the best thing that ever happened to you, your city, and the entire NFL.

Favre came in after Don Majkowski went down, and the kid from Mississippi never looked back. He went on to grab all the major passing records, brought a Super Bowl back to TitleTown, and drew all of us in with his wit, charm, and Southern drawl.

2. They Won the First Two Super Bowls

Joe Namath, Schnoe Schamath.

All anyone talks about in the early Super Bowl years is the Jets and that lucky prediction, while failing to realize how dominant the first two Super Bowl-winning teams were.

The Green Bay Packers were absolute studs in the late 50s and through the mid-60s, and showed us all by winning the first two Super Bowls, quite handily.

Bart Starr to Max McGee, and Jim Taylor running over linebackers. It was perfect.

3. The Long and Short History

Green Bay has had terrific talent ride through town, and for one reason or another, retire or go to another team shortly after.

We've seen solid-to-great talents like Sterling Sharpe, Keith Jackson, Sean Jones, Robert Brooks, and Mark Chmura leave the game early due to retirement. Some were forced out by injury, and others left on their own terms.

On the other hand, we've also had guys like Andre Rison and Desmond Howard aid Green Bay to a Super Bowl, only to depart the next season.

But that's just the short history.

If you travel back in time, you have the greats, such as Starr, Taylor, Paul Hornung, Don Hutson, and Nitschke. There's even James Lofton, who, like Rison and Howard, left for other ventures after making a significant impact in Green Bay.

But none of this could ever sum up why one is a Packers fan, or what it is to be a Packers fan. It is living in Green Bay, seeing it all right in front of my eyes, and even stepping through the gates for my first game at Lambeau.

There isn't an easy way to explain it. It's surreal.

Having football in a small city like Green Bay is like having your own rocket you get to launch once a week. It's both ridiculous and awesome at the same time.

Having Brett Favre in Green Bay for 15 seasons was the icing on the cake, but nothing, and I do mean nothing, can touch the combination of the history, the present hype, and the aura of Lambeau Field.