The Game

Every year, there's a game or two that haunts you. The game your team should have won, but didn't. The game that might keep you out of the playoffs, or deny you home field advantage, or a first-round bye, because you lost when you should have won.

This was not one of those games.

Dallas was clearly the better team on the field. Yeah, saying that sentence is going to haunt me, too, but this was not a game the Packers should have won but didn't. Dallas's offensive line was simply better. Their defense was simply better. Their running game was great. They're a better team than the Packers are right now.

That much grudgingly admitted through clenched teeth, we had a great time watching our first-ever Packers game at Lambeau anyway.

Wanna see some pictures? Thought so. Click them for bigger versions.

Heading in:


Like that sign:


Me and the wife (she's the short one):


Pregame:


The field looks a lot bigger on TV than it does in real life. I think that's the "camera adds 15 pounds" rule.

Great big cheers whenever another group of Packers came out for warmups:


The theme song from "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood" came blaring over the sound system as warmups got started. Made me wonder whether Aaron Rodgers notices it, and what he thinks. Me, my eyes would be rolling so far back into my head they'd fall out my butt.

Here's another wide shot:


Note the Cowboys fan in the foreground. There were lots of them. I'd estimate at least 10% of the crowd. More than I expected. I wonder if it's because it was a Milwaukee season ticket game.

They were better than Cubs fans. I'll give them that much.

I never did find out what this guy's sign said:


Elvis was in attendance. He didn't look well:


Throwback jersey:


I myself was wearing a Ray Nitschke jersey. There were several Hornungs in attendance. Also one Seth Joyner and one Jan Stenerud. I didn't even know they made a Stenerud jersey.

He's gotta pay his way in like everybody else now:


This guy was actually calling somebody else's hat "stupid:"


Lining up:


Incomplete pass, field goal. Story of the game.

One guy way up front would hold up a McCain sign during pauses:


Somebody else took the sign away from him later and ripped it up. I saw some cops talking to people after that, but don't know if anything came of it.

In one way, it's better to watch a football game in your own living room. You get a much closer look at everything.

But there are advantages to being there in person, too. For example, I could clearly see when the safety was too far inside to offer any help covering Jennings, especially late in the game. You can't see that on TV.

Of course, the Packers never got to take advantage of that, so maybe I'd be better off in my living room, sparing myself the frustration.

Another thing: that crap unsportsmanlike penalty they almost called on the Packers in the first half? Yeah, they picked up that flag because me and the guy in front of me both yelled "Pick it up!" You're welcome.

Ditto that first intentional grounding penalty on the Cowboys. The crowd was going nuts, so they threw the flag. It was either that, or the umps conferencing long enough to get a good look at the replay screen.

Last but not least, we go for more traffic with a cheerleader photo:


It was the wife's idea, I swear.