Minnesotans have long made sport of ridiculing Wisconsinites, specifically Packers fans, for their over-the-top, delusional support of their teams. Dan Barreiro's "Dairyland Diaries" and phone calls to Carl Gerbschmidt on KFAN are equally entertaining and insightful. Sure, some of the stories are taken out of context a bit, and Gerbschmidt is basically a cartoon character, but none of this would ring true if Packers fans didn't keep giving us ammunition.To wit: in the Feb. 11 issue of Sports Illustrated, I came across this letter to the editor:
As a mom I had tears in my eyes when I read the opening of your story on the Packers (Winter Wonderland, Jan. 21). The vignette of the Favre family saying grace together certainly contrasts with the Hollywood imaged of Tony (oh, how far you've fallen from your Wisconsin roots) Romo. What a great competitor, athlete, dad and husband Brett Favre is. -- Karen Schick, Muskego, Wis.So, because 27-year-old Tony Romo dates Hollywood starlets, he's apparently a poor role model, especially compared to the 38-year-old Favre. But wait a minute ... let's take a look at Breffarve as a 27-year-old (and even beyond). Super Bowl champion, yes, but also wild party animal (check), unwed father (check), Vicodin addict (check), alcohol abuser (check), etc.
Apparently, five years of exposure to those fine Wisconsin family values weren't enough to get Breffarve on the straight and narrow. I truly admire the man for the life that he's living right now, but like most of us, it takes some time to get it right. And the list of Breffarve's struggles dwarfs Romo's dalliances with Britney Spears or Jessica Simpson.
But in the minds of Packers fans like Karen Schick of Muskego, Wis., if Romo would return to his Wisconsin roots, he could restrain his wayward tendencies and become the paragon of moral virtue like Breffarve.
Or maybe Mark Chmura. Or Mossy Cade. Or James Lofton. Or Latrell Sprewell. Or any number of Wisconsin running backs suspended for a variety of infractions. Or Ed Gein. Or Jeffrey Dahmer.
Over the top? Perhaps, but not as much as the Karen Schicks of the world.
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2 comments:
As a fellow Packer-backer, I cannot endorse Mrs. Schick's sentiments. Her comment is indefensible.
However, I will admit that the Sportsman of the Year SI cover story from the week prior was spectacular and brought tears to mine eyes a few times.
Yes! I loved that story too -- showed me what a great guy Breffarve is, much more than sitting around a table saying grace with his family (an act that is played out in roughly 45,000,000 homes across America every night).
Breffarve remains the bomb, and I stick to my opinion that any Viking fan who claims to "hate" Breffarve because he plays for the Packers is as big of an idiot as you'll ever find. There's a guy who truly is cheering for laundry.
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