Football can be a hugely polarizing topic in the United States. And If the title of my article turns you off, fine. But I am just here to explain why one NFL team has unfailingly set important precedents for other teams. I am not writing to convince anyone to become a cheese head. I simply feel the need to explain why Packers fans consistently rank among the best fans in the NFL.
What it comes down to is the unselfishness and humbleness of our players. The quality of men that grace the Frozen Tundra justify our ferocious love for this small-town team. To start, Aaron Rodgers is a passionate supporter of the MACC Fund, which stands for "Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer." This is a charity that Rodgers got involved in almost immediately after he signed. Everything Rodgers does, from winning Celebrity Jeopardy to various advertising campaigns, he consistently and ardently gives back to the MACC Fund, and he interacts with the affected children on a regular basis. Our beloved quarterback lives modestly and doesn't even have an Instagram page to his name.
That being said, the success of our team doesn't rely on supermodel girlfriends or any huge media scandals, it relies on a home-grown, long-established connection between the fan and the team. This is a statement you can't say about every team in the NFL, especially because Green Bay has a population of a mere 100,000 residents. The fact that some of the most amazing athletes in the league have been or have become loyal to the Packers says more about the culture of the team than anything else. Every time I have gone to a home game at Lambeau field, win or lose, the experience was filled with love and compassion.
The other week when I attended a home game against the Minnesota Vikings, there were tons of purple-clad fans around us. I hadn't been to a Packer game since I was 15 years old, and I'd somewhat forgot about the nature of the Lambeau experience. Minnesota is a long-time rival of the Packers, so I thought that it would be of bad taste to associate with the Vikings fans around me. However, after seeing one couple attempt a selfie, my father leaned forward, reached across the row, tapped the man on the shoulder, and offered to take a few pictures of the two of them. This was typical Wisconsinite behavior: going out of one's way to do a service to another person, no matter the jersey they wore. I do think a lot of NFL teams and fans have a lot to learn from the Packers and their fans. Think about it, just because your star player can get out of anything defamatory with his money certainly does not mean he is someone to be revered. Just because your fans have the most combative chants doesn't mean they are above the label of "offensive." Just because you can't bear to offer to take a picture of a couple in the rival jerseys doesn't make you a better fan. Take a step back. Think about the people wearing chunks of cheese on their heads to back up their small-town team. Think about the millions of dollars Rodgers has raised to fight childhood cancer. Then, next time you cross a cheesehead, think twice.
