The Sports Fan Project

I defy anyone to name a United States’ stadium or arena from MLB, NBA, NFL, and/or NHL that is as unique as Green Bay’s Lambeau Field.

I’m a pretty well-traveled person who’s been to his fair share of major sports venues across the country at this point and I’m unsure any of the 110 others are quite like Lambeau.

I suppose a case could be made for Fenway Park or Wrigley Field that were wedged into neighborhoods of major U.S. cities when constructed during a different era.

That said, I don’t recall walking next to someone during my recent trip to Boston whose friends were tromping through some poor schmo’s front yard on his way out of the game.

Which is exactly what happened to my friend Dan and I as we left Lambeau on December 7^th following the Packers’ 28-21 victory over the Chicago Bears.

As we made our way to our car on that frigid northeast Wisconsin night, I noticed a trove of fans shuffling over the snow and grass of … I looked up and remembered where I was … someone’s yard!

(Sorry about that.)

Only in Green Bay does this happen!

A city that is nearly half the population of the next smallest in North America with one of the four major sports franchise (Buffalo’s next smallest), the quaintness of a major stadium sitting amid a residential and mixed-use area is truly worth the trip to Lambeau Field alone.

I’ve tried to explain to friends who’ve never been and I’ll do so again here: It’s like driving down any major two- or four-lane road in your community, past the gas stations, past the subdivision entrances, past the quick service restaurants, past the strip malls, and then – suddenly – there’s a historic NFL stadium on your left with a couple statues of iconic coaches from days gone by.

Crazy!

Why the Packers and Bears?

As I began plotting the 80 locales/events for my Around the World in 80 Sporting Events project, I knew a trip to Green Bay was in order.

Furthermore, I really wanted to experience it in December or January, what with the – cue your best John Facenda voiceover – “frozen tundra” and all (fun fact I just learned, frozen tundra was originally a reference to an Oakland Raiders at Cleveland Browns game). Additionally, I’d hoped to see the Packers host one of their longstanding rivals either the Bears or the Minnesota Vikings.

When the NFL released its 2025 schedule back in May, I was pleased to discover the Bears would pay Green Bay a visit in early December.

After discovering Dan, my long-ago work colleague from our days in Fairbanks, AK (now there’s a place that’s C-O-L-D!) who’d long-since relocated to his native Wisconsin, was able to attend the Bears-Packers’ game with me, it was a done deal.

I would get to experience famed Lambeau Field in December.

But First, Dan’s Basement

I knew Dan to be a big Packers’ backer – and all things Wisconsin, really – from our days working together. What I did not know was the magnitude of his support for his home state.

And then he led me to his home’s basement while noting that his wife, Jen, has essentially ceded control of that level to him in exchange for decorating the remainder of their lovely colonial situated between Milwaukee and Madison.

When I say it was a sight to see I mean it was a sight to see. My words will not do it justice so I’ll let this video that Dan allowed me to capture attempt to do so.

As I hope you’re able to tell there are years (and likely thousands of dollars) devoted to curating the collection of memorabilia and tchotchke in his basement.

The coup de grace, really, was his theater room within which he would normally view the Packers in 4K. I was going to be pulling him out of those cozy confines the next day for a game whose game time temperature was forecasted to be in the low teens.

I felt slightly sorry, but not sorry enough to boycott watching the Big Ten Football Championship game in said theater room. And, if I’m being honest, it was surrounded by all the Packers’ paraphernalia that I first believed Bloomington might have a chance at being its own version of title town in the forthcoming College Football Playoff.

Game Day

In ideal conditions the drive to Green Bay was just under two hours, but an overnight dumping of snow in Dan’s neighborhood meant for a slightly longer commute but we were still there in ample time to secure a prime parking spot and wander about Lambeau’s footprint.

It really is sort of carved out of a neighborhood or, perhaps, a neighborhood sprung up around it? Either way, it was somewhat disorienting to walk by house after house and then suddenly have a green monolith rise from the asphalt.

Unsurprising to anyone, despite it still being late morning, the grills were already functioning at a high level and tailgaters were out in force for the game that was flexed a couple weeks prior to the late-afternoon television window.

^{Clockwise from upper left, it was a gorgeous afternoon to check out Lambeau Field from all angles; across the street is the Don Hutson Center; believe it or not, this is the smaller of the two Green Bay Packer Team Stores; Dan and I with the Vince Lombardi statue; me and the Curly Lambeau statue}

Ever the trooper, Dan took a lap of Lambeau Field’s exterior with me. We dipped into one of the team stores to – believe it or not! – pick up one piece of Packers’ clothing my friend apparently did not have: a scarf. He said he wanted an extra layer of protection from the chill.

We also paid homage to the three statues in front of this revered ground. One of the namesake coach for the stadium, Curly Lambeau, another from the man who turned the place into Titletown, Vince Lombardi, and a final one that pays tribute to the stadium’s famed “Lambeau Leap.”

Warmth, Glorious Warmth! (And Food😊)

With a Lambeau lap complete and not wanting to lug my merchandise purchase into the stadium (the gates weren’t open yet, anyway), we made our way back to Dan’s vehicle, stashed our stuff, and headed out in search of food.

While I’m certain had we asked enough tailgaters we would have found some benevolent Wisconsinite who’d offer us a spare Bratwurst but we opted instead for the indoor (re: warm) dining comfort of a Buffalo Wild Wings.

The joint was jumpin’!

So much so, that when asked by the host if we were OK sharing a table with another 2-top, we readily agreed.

Our newfound friends were a grandfather-granddaughter pair. A high school senior from the Milwaukee area, she was attending her first Packers’ game courtesy of her grandfather (a retired attorney with Harley-Davidson) who said he takes his grandchildren on a senior year of high school weekend getaway of their choosing.

The two seemed to be enjoying themselves, though he might have been dining at BWs for the first time ever based upon his order (burger, fries, salad, and 15 wings). She ordered her own meal, which meant grandpa was taking a container of about a dozen wings back to the car for the hotel.

Dan and I later agreed that we were both flabbergasted when we heard to his order and were unsurprised when a large portion was left uneaten.

Game Time

^{Clockwise from upper left, my view of the American flag at midfield during the performance of the “Star-Spangled Banner;” the pregame view behind me to the east; the gate we entered; the view the south where an additional deck was added several years ago; the view across the field to the west as the sun slowly sets; the Packers are happy to note their successful history; some of the names and numbers of Packers’ Hall of Famers on the north face of the stadium.}

Our stop for lunch meant forgoing a visit to the Packers Hall of Fame, but that means there’s a reason to return, preferably in the fall to check out the magnificent colors of nearby Door County.

By the time we returned to the main parking lots they were overflowing with revelers, most of whom were clutching a beer in a green, yellow, or blaze orange-mittened hand. I’m fairly certain few of these fans were feeling the full effects of the rapidly declining temperatures.

Then again, most of the folks attending Packers’ December home games are well-accustomed to these elements. In fact, I felt somewhat out of place without a pair of bib overalls, but felt my base layer, fleece-lined pants, and heated vest – along with typical winter outer wear – would be enough to keep me warm.

I was not wrong.

Though the feels-like temperatures by game’s end during the 6 o’clock hour dropped to 5-degrees, I never felt uncomfortably cold.

Solid Seats and a Fantastic Finish

When I shopped for tickets on the secondary market for this game, I didn’t want to be in the recently added upper ring beyond the south endzone. In looking at images of the stadium they seemed so far away, not unlike many of the other massive NFL stadiums. I wound up nabbing a pair in the northeast corner which put us on the Bears side of the field, but also provided some glimpses of the low winter sun as it set beyond the far side.

As for the game, it harkened back to days of yore. In a rivalry that dates to 1921, the two teams were scheduled to play each other twice in a 3-week span during the regular-season’s final five weeks and with first-place in the NFC North on the line, there was a fair amount of feeling each other out during the early going.

Following a scoreless first quarter, the Packers took a 14-3 lead into the locker room when quarterback Jordan Love found Bo Melton for a 45-yard touchdown. To see Melton score his second career touchdown in person was pretty cool as I spent a few years serving alongside his father, Gary, on the National Education Association’s Board of Directors.

As is fairly typical for NFL divisional rivalries, the Bears made it a game in the second half, eventually tying the score at 21 apiece with eight minutes left in the game. Green Bay bled as much clock as possible before scoring a go-ahead TD with just over three minutes left, setting up a frantic finish.

The Bears drove to the Packers’ 23-yard-line by the time the 2-minute warning arrived. Then, rather inexplicably, they ran the ball on three straight plays gaining a total of nine yards, setting up a fourth-and-one from the Green Bay 14-yard-line. Both teams called a time out to increase the tension even more among the 78,124 frigid fans.

Chicago quarterback Caleb Williams faked a handoff (of course, right!?!) and rolled left, lofting the ball toward the back of the end zone for tight end Cole Kmet, instead his pass found the hands of Green Bay defensive back, Keisean Nixon, which sent the majority of the crowd into a frenzy and heading out into that cold dark night.

The 210^th all-time meeting between these two went to Green Bay.

The 211^th, two weeks later, went to the Bears, 22-16, which helped secure Chicago the Division Title and home field for the 212^th meeting in the NFC Wild Card Playoff where the hosts rallied from an 18-point halftime deficit to win, 31-27.