My Journey to Green Bay to see the Green Bay Packers!

Welcome back Westminster P.E. students. My second journey takes me to Green Bay, Wisconsin to see the Green Bay Packers play. That's right...The Green Bay Packers! I can't believe that I have this unbelievable opportunity to visit the "crown jewel" of the National Football League to see the Packers play. I am excited that I have the opportunity to share with you this unique experience. This place is special. So buckle up and enjoy the journey with me!

What is it that makes Green Bay so special? It's...The Frozen Tundra,Vince Lombardi, Bart Starr, The Ice Bowl, 3-time Super Bowl Champions, 12-World Championship, Brett Farve, The Lambeau Leap, it's Pride and Tradition like no other, ...you get the picture...this is the place to be.



This is one of the most recognizable NFL team logos in the country. Appears to me that some football school in Athens, Georgia liked it so much that they decided to use it also.




Is this awesome or what! Can you believe that this is the dressing room for the Packers. It is absolutely immaculate and every locker is ready for game day on Sunday.




This is where All Pro quarterback Aaron Rodgers gets ready every Sunday for the big game. Green Bay fans love Rodgers. He received the loudest ovation when he was introduced prior to the start of the game. He is now the new hero of Green Bay. Seeing him play for the first time was impressive. He has a cannon of an arm and is accurate with all the throws he makes.




This is the new Lambeau Field Atrium. It is amazing!
Attached to the east side of Lambeau Field, the Atrium offers a number of dining, entertainment and retail options for Packers fans of all ages. Inside the Atrium offers The Packers Hall of Fame, Curly's Restaurant, coaches and administrative offices, stadium tours, (I did the stadium tour - awesome), the two-story Packers Pro Shop, and much more. The Packers are very proud of this facility and deservedly so.




This panoramic photo really depicts Lambeau Field and Green Bay. This is Green Bay weather that I was wanting to experience. It had everything but the snow and ice which I really didn't want to experience! Cool, damp, dreary, foggy, windy...perfect ingredients for Green Bay football. The two statues are of ledgendary coaches Vince Lombardi and Curly Lambeau. You had to wait several minutes to get your picture taken at this spot - very popular photo location. This is my favorite picture that I took.




Westminster softball community Coach Pete Wellborn joined me on this trip. We had a great time and loved every minute of it. We were on our feet walking around and absorbing all we could during every minute of the experience. We were like "kids in a toy store" and we never wanted for it to end!




The most famous street in Green Bay named after the greatest coach in NFL history - Vince Lombardi. The Super Bowl trophy is also named after Coach Lombardi.




It was an honor to have my photo taken beside the Lombardi statue. He and Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant are my two most admired coaches.



Visiting the Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame was a real treat. They have unbelievable displays of  Packer memorabilla from it's beginning to current day. You can stay in there for hours and still not see it all.



Coach Wellborn receiving an autograph from Jim Taylor, the famous Hall of Fame and All Pro Packer running back for the Packers. Taylor is the first player in the NFL to score the first rushing touchdown in Super Bowl history.





It's game night against Brett Farve and the Minnesota Vikings! The moment I have been waiting for. This was a great experience as I got to get on the field for 30 minutes to watch pre game warm ups. Seeing the players from just a few yards away was pretty cool. These players were huge and they can all run fast! I got to talk to a couple of players briefly and wished them good luck.





Guess who's back in town...Brett Farve!! The much anticipated return of Brett Farve to Lambeau Field was unreal. There was a "buzz" going around Lambeau all night knowing that Farve was "in the house." This man was a true hero to all Packer fans for many years, however his decision to leave Green Bay to play for Minnesota was not very popular amongst the Green Bay faithful. Unfortunately for Farve, he was booed loudly all night. Farve almost pulled off another "Green Bay miracle" as he drove his team down the field with only seconds to play. He was magical on the last drive and threw a momentarily game winning touchdown pass only to have it over-turned as the receiver barely landed out of bounds to nullify the TD. Seeing Farve in action was a treat. The man can still throw it. Many believe that he will go down as the best NFL quarter back ever.....time will tell.




Down, set, hut....Farve getting ready to find an open receiver!



This is what Green Bay is all about....Tradition and Pride. Never will you find a place that captivates football like Green Bay. A small town of only 105,000 residents that absolutely loves their team. Their lives center around the Packers. It is their way of life. I am taking away a Green Bay experience of  a lifetime. I will cherish the time I spent in Green Bay, Wisconsin and the Green Bay Packers. This place is special.

**A special thanks to Mary Bartels and Betsy Mitchell. These two wonderful Packer employees provided outstanding field and stadium tours that I will always remember. Thank you for your Packer hospitality! You two are the best!**

Thank you Westminster students for checking in and reading my blog. This blog is for you and I hope you enjoyed it.  Next stop...I am going this weekend to "Happy Valley'" Penn State to see Penn State vs Michigan. Please check in next week for the Penn State blog!

....until next time...keep your eye on the ball....

Thank you,
Coach McGuire

First stop...Lincoln, Nebraska to see the Cornhuskers play!

                                                                        

Hey there Westminster PE students...I hope you enjoy my blog...here you go.....and hello from Lincoln, Nebraska. Home of the Nebraska Cornhuskers!



It is my desire to attend six college football games, and one professional football game throughout the 2010 season. I have a burning desire and curiosity to find out what it’s like to experience the atmosphere of games in parts of the country that I never imagined I would have the opportunity. I’ve always wondered and dreamed of what it’s like out there. What’s the college football atmosphere really like in Baton Rouge, Louisiana particularly on a Saturday night. I want to feel their energy and unrelenting passion as the Golden Band from Tigerland strikes the first four notes of “Tiger Rag.” What’s the experience like in Happy Valley, Penn State where legendary coach, Joe Paterno, has roamed the sidelines for fifty-eight years? What’s it like to sit with 95,000 of your closest and passionate fans in “The Swamp,” and perform the Gator Chomp with them? Imagine yourself surrounded by the San Gabriel Mountains at the Rose Bowl – the Granddaddy of all college football stadiums, where the sky above the bowl’s rim mirrors the UCLA powder blue home jerseys. It’s discovering why, ”there is no place else like Nebraska” where you sit among the red clad faithful – perhaps the most faithful fans in college football and learn of their proud tradition. These mysterious places, along with others, intrigue and fascinate me to a level beyond imagination. I want to feel the energy of their afternoon, partake in their college traditions and culture, and most of all, experience the ultimate dream of a lifetime. I want to experience the mystique that all these special places offer to make a dream come true.

So come along Westminster students and be a part of my journey each week......

First stop...Lincoln, Nebraska...home of the Nebraska Cornhuskers! Enjoy the pictures and the journey.......

What an awesome stadium!  On Saturday afternoon, 85,000 people will be wearing red to cheer on the 'Huskers! This place is going to get real loud.

Very respectful fans that display outstanding sportsmanship. This saying is displayed at every entrance into the stadium. Nowhere else like Nebraska! 







Inside the Nebraska Hall of Fame Room. Some of the greatest players ever to wear a Nebraska uniform are displayed in this room.





Before the players run onto the field, they touch the horseshoe for good luck!







Touchdown!! In the Nebraska end zone. What a thrill.



 














This is the indoor practice facility...can you believe it! A full length indoor football field. They have to practice indoors in the winter due to very cold temps!





These are my friends that I tailgated with before the game. They are from Suwanee, Georgia and are Big Red fans! Super nice family. I had some of the best mid-west BBQ that you could imagine. Thanks Lori, Joe, Connor, and Lauren - you made my day!

 



Moments before the start of the game. You could really feel the excitement building before kickoff...almost time for the game to begin...can't wait.

 

Game Day in Lincoln. Can't believe that I am here to see the 'Huskers....900 miles from Atlanta. It was a beautiful "sea of red" on game day...never seen so much red in my life!

 



This was soooo cool...once Nebraska scores their first points of the game, children and students release a red balloon into the air. It was an incredible sight...thousands of red balloons released at the same time. Awesome tradition!

 



I got a chance to watch practice the day before the big game. These players were huge...must eat lots of corn!

 




....here come the Texas Longhorns

  




....here come the 'Huskers




Texas getting ready to score a touchdown. Texas upset Nebraska by a score of 20 - 13 in a hard fought game.










Thanks Nebraska for allowing me to get off to a great start. It was a trip that I will always remember.

........next stop...Green Bay, Wisconsin to see the Green Bay Packers play ....see you next week!