Being A Packer Fan: My 5 Superstitions During Gameday

The smell of nachos wafts through the air, as my relatives talk animatedly about the game on the screen. Clad in green and yellow jerseys, all are excited about the prospective win. I was barely nine years old, and probably couldn’t tell you the name of the other team we were playing. All I knew was that I was a Packer fan, having no concept of what that really meant.

I couldn’t tell you the score of the game we watched that day, I couldn’t tell you if we won or lost, all I can remember was a name: Randall Cobb. Growing up a child in the Midwest, sweet corn on the Cobb was a summer delicacy, especially if it was thrown on the grill accompanied by brats. Now I couldn’t tell you that Randall Cobb was a receiver, nor that he was 64th overall in the 2011 draft, heck I barely knew what the word rookie meant. I just thought that having Cobb as a last name was the funniest thing in the world.

Being fairly disinterested in the game, I brought out my guitar which I can no longer play, and wrote a song about him. I then looked my father dead in the eyes and told him that Randall was going to be a really good player, that would make a difference in Green Bay (most likely not as eloquently spoken as written above). Seeing my father's face light up at my interest, sparked my lifelong love for football, and most importantly the Green Bay Packers.

One thing that everyone points to as the special part of Green Bay is the fans. Rain or shine, snow or ice, Packers fans show up, they support their team and they are loyal. Traditionally, football has been a male-dominated sport, not only are all the players male but there are also proportionally more male than female fans in the NFL. This piece serves to add a female perspective to an NFL fan narrative, one that shares my own story of being a crazy Packer fan who bleeds green and gold.

Being a Packer fan means being part of a community, it fosters a sense of belonging and companionship. Being a Packer fan has created some of the best memories that I have with the people I love most in life.

Mother’s Day, 2016: Coming home from a trip to Door County, my Aunt, Uncle, mother, sister, and I are driving through Green Bay. I can see Lambeau from the window and beg my mother to make a pit stop so that I can witness the stadium in person. She agrees, only because my Uncle has to drop off some equipment at a friend's house. We pull into a gas station off the side of the highway, due to my mother's inexplicable small bladder. Patiently waiting in the car I bounce my leg in anticipation. My family walks out the door of the Kwik Trip one by one each wearing a Packer jersey, minus my little sister who is wearing a Viking shirt, an early indication of her rebellious free-spirited nature. A look of perplexity falls upon my face as my mom gets in the car handing me my Randall Cobb jersey (one that serves great importance later in this narrative).

“We’re going to Lambeau,” she says.

The words don’t quite resonate, but tears of joy start rolling down my cheeks. That Mother’s Day my mom bought us all tickets to tour Lambeau field. That was one of the best days of my life.

The Packers also fostered many happy memories between me and my father. Many times the Packers made father-daughter memories in the form of Sunday games watching in our living room. Such was the night we stayed up till the bitter end of the Lions-Packers game back in December of 2015, waking the whole house with screams of joy as Richard Rodgers came down with that ball.

Others were formed at Lambeau Field, such as the first Packer game I ever got to watch in person. Unfortunately, the Frozen Tundra lived up to its name that cold winter evening as the Packers took on the Cardinals in the playoffs, causing my father to dress in an all-red snow suit (my apologies to Mike McCarthy, perhaps if my father hadn’t worn red you would still have your job).

The Packers also hold a special place in my relationship with my boyfriend, a man who probably knows more about football than anyone else, at least in the state of Wisconsin. Just last year I got to take him to his first regular season Packer game at Lambeau where they beat the Rams ( I’m still mad that I didn't choose to buy the tickets to the Vikings game the following week). All jokes aside, it was an incredible experience, we made friends with all of the strangers around us, getting hugs and high-fives every time something happened in our favor.

Being a Packer fan takes a lot of heart, something that I will forever cherish.

You may ask where does this leave me now? You claim to be a crazy fan but haven’t yet given any evidence to back the claim. A completely fair assessment, so without further adieu I give you the ultimate set of Packer watching rules, that without a doubt, (knock on wood) (If you can’t tell I’m a little superstitious), will lead to our success even without the GOAT, Aaron Rodgers.

The 5 Rules for a Winning Packer’s Season:

*All backed by personal research

Rule #1: Make sure you aren’t wearing the opposing team's colors.

This applies in every capacity, from your underwear to your socks, your pants to your jewelry.

Rule #2: DON’T USE YOUR PHONE!!

In this day and age being on a phone is second nature. But through my research, I have found that the Packers win more frequently if you do not use your phone during the game. This includes commercial breaks!

Rule #3: It’s not over till it’s over.

There should be no commentary on the outcome of the game until the last play is called dead. This includes saying the Packers will win or lose, or that the lead or deficit is too big/small. In essence, any commentary on the outcome of the game is a jinx.

Rule #4: No using the bathroom when the offense is playing.

This rule is fairly self-explanatory, but I have found that using the bathroom while the offense is playing renders dire consequences.

Rule #5: Find your lucky jersey combo.

When I watch a Packer game I have two separate jerseys, one that is worn and one that is held. My childhood obsession with Randall Cobb led to my parents' difficult search for a jersey. I have had this jersey for over ten years and has been held in my hand for every Packer game in recent history. However, it is rarely worn. That is a job for a separate jersey.

While this season may be full of a lot of new names and faces, we as the fans will stay the same. Although I know that my rules are a silly list of superstitions, my family makes sure to follow them to a T any time they watch a game with me. And that is what being a Packer fan is all about. No matter someone’s age, gender, sexual orientation, or race, Packer fans make up a wonderfully loving and supportive community that I hope continues through the next couple of years of transition on the team. While this is just my story, and the circumstances that led to my love of the Green and Gold, I hope that by reading you recognize your part of something bigger than just being a fan of an NFL franchise, as a fan of the Packers you inspire love and community, something that you can take with you wherever you go.