[BostonCard]

True, but remember that the Broncos beat Indi week one 31-24.  So for them to win 24-13 represents an 18 point improvement by the defense.  That's not enough to win them the game against the Pats, but it will make it competitive.

BC 

[BostonCard]

True, but remember that the Broncos beat Indi week one 31-24.  So for them to win 24-13 represents an 18 point improvement by the defense.  That's not enough to win them the game against the Pats, but it will make it competitive.

BC 

[terry]

Skip Bayless doesn't care whether he's right or wrong. His goal is just to get attention. If you're talking about him, he already has won.

[terry]

Skip Bayless doesn't care whether he's right or wrong. His goal is just to get attention. If you're talking about him, he already has won.

[FarmBoy]

True, but remember that the Broncos beat Indi week one 31-24.  So for them to win 24-13 represents an 18 point improvement by the defense.  That's not enough to win them the game against the Pats, but it will make it competitive.

BC

Was Indy 18 points better or were the Broncos 18 points worse? Perhaps it's a mix of both, but in both games, the Offense scored 24 points and the difference was Indy's D vs. Denver's O. And Manning's late season swoon has been well documented, whereas there's less sign that the Pats are on a decline, especially after Saturday's game. (However, looking at the Pats boxscores of recent games, perhaps there is a chink in the armor with the poor rushing performance against BAL and the 17 total points on 231 yards of offense against the Jets. Actually maybe I'm just guilty of buying into the pro NE narrative you see elsewhere.)

This week can't move fast enough.

[FarmBoy]

True, but remember that the Broncos beat Indi week one 31-24.  So for them to win 24-13 represents an 18 point improvement by the defense.  That's not enough to win them the game against the Pats, but it will make it competitive.

BC

Was Indy 18 points better or were the Broncos 18 points worse? Perhaps it's a mix of both, but in both games, the Offense scored 24 points and the difference was Indy's D vs. Denver's O. And Manning's late season swoon has been well documented, whereas there's less sign that the Pats are on a decline, especially after Saturday's game. (However, looking at the Pats boxscores of recent games, perhaps there is a chink in the armor with the poor rushing performance against BAL and the 17 total points on 231 yards of offense against the Jets. Actually maybe I'm just guilty of buying into the pro NE narrative you see elsewhere.)

This week can't move fast enough.

[stupac2]

As an admitted Pats fan who thinks this is the best Pats team since 2007, Indy most certainly has a chance against the Pats. But the problem is one identified above, the Colts aren't going to be able to hold NE to 13 points. I'd be surprised if the Pats put up less than 30. The way the Colts were playing on defense was to shut down the Broncos' running game (which they eventually succeeded in doing), pressing the receivers to disrupt timing routes, and daring Manning to beat them deep. Manning couldn't. But if they try that against Brady they're going to get torched, because Brady still has enough arm to hit downfield. That go-ahead (and game-winning) TD to LaFell was a thing of beauty, perfectly placed 20-something yards downfield and between two defenders. Manning couldn't even hit open guys that far downfield.

I doubt that NE puts up 8,000 yards rushing again, but if Indy commits to stopping the run they'll be very vulnerable in the secondary. Colts -7 seems about right to me.

Anyway, I'll certainly enjoy the game because either way I don't lose. My home team or the QB who resurrected my college team, both good options.

[stupac2]

As an admitted Pats fan who thinks this is the best Pats team since 2007, Indy most certainly has a chance against the Pats. But the problem is one identified above, the Colts aren't going to be able to hold NE to 13 points. I'd be surprised if the Pats put up less than 30. The way the Colts were playing on defense was to shut down the Broncos' running game (which they eventually succeeded in doing), pressing the receivers to disrupt timing routes, and daring Manning to beat them deep. Manning couldn't. But if they try that against Brady they're going to get torched, because Brady still has enough arm to hit downfield. That go-ahead (and game-winning) TD to LaFell was a thing of beauty, perfectly placed 20-something yards downfield and between two defenders. Manning couldn't even hit open guys that far downfield.

I doubt that NE puts up 8,000 yards rushing again, but if Indy commits to stopping the run they'll be very vulnerable in the secondary. Colts -7 seems about right to me.

Anyway, I'll certainly enjoy the game because either way I don't lose. My home team or the QB who resurrected my college team, both good options.

[teejers1]

I fear the Pats in a blowout,

BTW, if someone was going to tell you that Indy was going to lose in the playoffs, would you prefer a 7-10 point loss in AFC Championship game to the Pats, or a 28 point beat down at the hands of the Seahawks?

Of course, that assumes Seattle beats Green Bay.  That game could well be a barnburner, and I wouldn't be shocked if Green Bay wins.  Can't say the same for Indy, even with the great (and beloved . . . well, here anyway)) Luck at the helm.

[teejers1]

I fear the Pats in a blowout,

BTW, if someone was going to tell you that Indy was going to lose in the playoffs, would you prefer a 7-10 point loss in AFC Championship game to the Pats, or a 28 point beat down at the hands of the Seahawks?

Of course, that assumes Seattle beats Green Bay.  That game could well be a barnburner, and I wouldn't be shocked if Green Bay wins.  Can't say the same for Indy, even with the great (and beloved . . . well, here anyway)) Luck at the helm.

[BostonCard]

No shame in losing, or getting blown out in the SuperBowl.  As a San Diego fan, I remember when the Chargers were blown out by the Forty-niners (I think it was one of the biggest blowouts in the history of the Superbowl).  Yeah, it sucks to lose, but you are never left to wonder what would have happened had you won the earlier playoff game.  A narrow playoff win for NE would leave you wondering if Luck could have pulled his magic against Sherman et al.  (Speaking of which, the Stanford storylines alone would be awesome).

I agree with you that I fear the Patriots are likely to win convincingly.  But who knows.

BC

[BostonCard]

No shame in losing, or getting blown out in the SuperBowl.  As a San Diego fan, I remember when the Chargers were blown out by the Forty-niners (I think it was one of the biggest blowouts in the history of the Superbowl).  Yeah, it sucks to lose, but you are never left to wonder what would have happened had you won the earlier playoff game.  A narrow playoff win for NE would leave you wondering if Luck could have pulled his magic against Sherman et al.  (Speaking of which, the Stanford storylines alone would be awesome).

I agree with you that I fear the Patriots are likely to win convincingly.  But who knows.

BC

[CTcard]

BTW, if someone was going to tell you that Indy was going to lose in the playoffs, would you prefer a 7-10 point loss in AFC Championship game to the Pats, or a 28 point beat down at the hands of the Seahawks?

Is that really even in question? Personally, as either a competitor or a fan, I cannot see how it could be possible to NOT want your shot at whatever the highest possible level of achievement could be. And I would strive/cheer to win each and every game, regardless of what comes next.


And after that I apologize.
There is no right or wrong way to be a fan - and how we all cheer is more based on some deep visceral reaction that any logical plan.

[CTcard]

BTW, if someone was going to tell you that Indy was going to lose in the playoffs, would you prefer a 7-10 point loss in AFC Championship game to the Pats, or a 28 point beat down at the hands of the Seahawks?

Is that really even in question? Personally, as either a competitor or a fan, I cannot see how it could be possible to NOT want your shot at whatever the highest possible level of achievement could be. And I would strive/cheer to win each and every game, regardless of what comes next.


And after that I apologize.
There is no right or wrong way to be a fan - and how we all cheer is more based on some deep visceral reaction that any logical plan.

[FarmDad.01]

There is no right or wrong way to be a fan - and how we all cheer is more based on some deep visceral reaction that any logical plan at all.

Talk about cognitive dissonance --

BALTIMORE. Growing up, I idolized the Johnny Unitas / Raymond Berry / Gino Marchetti Colts. And continued doing so even thru QB Bert Jones' team, until Family Irsay packed the franchise into seven Mayflower Vanliners in the middle of the night and moved to Indy. Peyton is gifted, but he inked to do classless commercials for Papa John's (CEO John Schnatter: I'm going to cut employee hours to evade Obamacare) and Nationwide (I'm losing feeling in all my toes.... hm hm hm hm hm HM hm hm hm). But now the Colts are QB'd by Mr. Luck -- and I'm a Stanford Dad -- so I root for them once more.

GREEN BAY. The Pack beat my Colts in a 1960s NFL championship game when PK Don Chandler pulled a FG left that the zebras ruled good. Next year, the NFL raised the uprights to their current height so no such hometown error could be made. Then the sainted Lombardi left to coach the Washington Native Americans, with scant success. Did you know his family tried to change the name of the NJ Turnpike's Vince Lombardi rest stop, just below NYC, because it was where gay men cruised travelers and long-distance truckers? No success in that effort either. Finally, root for Brett Favre? That choke artist?

NEW ENGLAND. Any franchise that gave chances to football mutts like Gino Capelletti and Steve Grogan can't be all bad. Not to mention hiring Raymond Berry to coach. I can't really rant against Bill Bellicheck, since I cheered Al Davis for similar push-the-envelope coaching stunts (plus, Davis rewarded penalties that injured opposing stars -- like when DE Ben Davis broke Joe Namath's face after the whistle, to incur only 15 yds unnecessary roughness). Current Pats QB Tom Brady is a Michigan grad, like me, though I graduated much earlier.

Will root hard for Andrew, but if New England wins I want them to grab the Lombardi Trophy. Most appropriately awarded at the NJ Turnpike rest stop where I'm told Roger Goodell fills 'er up.

SEATTLE. No flies on the franchise or on any of the players, but Coach Pete Carroll? That's my deal. [/font]

[FarmDad.01]

There is no right or wrong way to be a fan - and how we all cheer is more based on some deep visceral reaction that any logical plan at all.

Talk about cognitive dissonance --

BALTIMORE. Growing up, I idolized the Johnny Unitas / Raymond Berry / Gino Marchetti Colts. And continued doing so even thru QB Bert Jones' team, until Family Irsay packed the franchise into seven Mayflower Vanliners in the middle of the night and moved to Indy. Peyton is gifted, but he inked to do classless commercials for Papa John's (CEO John Schnatter: I'm going to cut employee hours to evade Obamacare) and Nationwide (I'm losing feeling in all my toes.... hm hm hm hm hm HM hm hm hm). But now the Colts are QB'd by Mr. Luck -- and I'm a Stanford Dad -- so I root for them once more.

GREEN BAY. The Pack beat my Colts in a 1960s NFL championship game when PK Don Chandler pulled a FG left that the zebras ruled good. Next year, the NFL raised the uprights to their current height so no such hometown error could be made. Then the sainted Lombardi left to coach the Washington Native Americans, with scant success. Did you know his family tried to change the name of the NJ Turnpike's Vince Lombardi rest stop, just below NYC, because it was where gay men cruised travelers and long-distance truckers? No success in that effort either. Finally, root for Brett Favre? That choke artist?

NEW ENGLAND. Any franchise that gave chances to football mutts like Gino Capelletti and Steve Grogan can't be all bad. Not to mention hiring Raymond Berry to coach. I can't really rant against Bill Bellicheck, since I cheered Al Davis for similar push-the-envelope coaching stunts (plus, Davis rewarded penalties that injured opposing stars -- like when DE Ben Davis broke Joe Namath's face after the whistle, to incur only 15 yds unnecessary roughness). Current Pats QB Tom Brady is a Michigan grad, like me, though I graduated much earlier.

Will root hard for Andrew, but if New England wins I want them to grab the Lombardi Trophy. Most appropriately awarded at the NJ Turnpike rest stop where I'm told Roger Goodell fills 'er up.

SEATTLE. No flies on the franchise or on any of the players, but Coach Pete Carroll? That's my deal. [/font]

[FarmBoy]

Living in NE, I'm enjoying hearing the supreme confidence of the local fanbase. No one gives the Colts even a chance in this one. Everyone has booked their tix and packed their bags. Hopefully the Pats don't bother to show up to their coronation.

The local sports radio was making much ado about Luck not fitting the image of a winning QB and how that will hold him back. You can't have that beard and be that nerdy and expect to win a Super Bowl, apparently. Well, here's more fuel for the "Luck is a Dork" storyline

http://www.foxsports.com/buzzer/story/in...ble-011415

I just hope he's able to get The One Ring, before the dark load (in hoodie) stops him.

[FarmBoy]

Living in NE, I'm enjoying hearing the supreme confidence of the local fanbase. No one gives the Colts even a chance in this one. Everyone has booked their tix and packed their bags. Hopefully the Pats don't bother to show up to their coronation.

The local sports radio was making much ado about Luck not fitting the image of a winning QB and how that will hold him back. You can't have that beard and be that nerdy and expect to win a Super Bowl, apparently. Well, here's more fuel for the "Luck is a Dork" storyline

http://www.foxsports.com/buzzer/story/in...ble-011415

I just hope he's able to get The One Ring, before the dark load (in hoodie) stops him.

[terry]

It seems to me that any fan without pre-existing allegiances would really like what the Packers represent.

The Packers are the only NFL team that is still in a small town. They are a throwback to an earlier, simpler era.

The Packers are the only team that is owned by real people instead of a narcissistic rich guy. In 1950, the Packers sold stock to people in Green Bay to save the team. The fans responded and oversubscribed the stock offering, buying enough shares to keep their team in Green Bay. The owners now are fans who own stock. My grandfather was one of the leaders of that stock drive. I'm a shareholder, as are my mother, my brothers, my sister, and my kids.

The Packers have a long, rich history. The Packers' 13 NFL championships are by far the most of any team. The Packers remain the only team to win three straight championships, and they did it twice. The Curly Lambeau era and the Vince Lombardi era gave us two of the great dynasties in sports history, and both of them came during formative years for the NFL. There's a reason the Super Bowl trophy is named after Lombardi.

The Packers have contributed more than any franchise to the NFL's legends and aura. Lambeau. Hutson. Nitschke. The frozen tundra of Lambeau Field. Starr. The Ice Bowl. Hornung and Taylor running the power sweep. The first two Super Bowls. Lombardi. Brats and cheeseheads.

The Packers will be the underdog against Seattle. The Packers haven't played well away from home, and they are vulnerable to a defense like Seattle's. But come on, how much fun is it to root for a team owned by a Microsoft billionaire and coached by Cheaty Petey Carroll of the Tro.jans? Yeah, I like Sherman and Baldwin. But really, that's about all that franchise has going for it. Channel your inner Packer, folks!

[terry]

It seems to me that any fan without pre-existing allegiances would really like what the Packers represent.

The Packers are the only NFL team that is still in a small town. They are a throwback to an earlier, simpler era.

The Packers are the only team that is owned by real people instead of a narcissistic rich guy. In 1950, the Packers sold stock to people in Green Bay to save the team. The fans responded and oversubscribed the stock offering, buying enough shares to keep their team in Green Bay. The owners now are fans who own stock. My grandfather was one of the leaders of that stock drive. I'm a shareholder, as are my mother, my brothers, my sister, and my kids.

The Packers have a long, rich history. The Packers' 13 NFL championships are by far the most of any team. The Packers remain the only team to win three straight championships, and they did it twice. The Curly Lambeau era and the Vince Lombardi era gave us two of the great dynasties in sports history, and both of them came during formative years for the NFL. There's a reason the Super Bowl trophy is named after Lombardi.

The Packers have contributed more than any franchise to the NFL's legends and aura. Lambeau. Hutson. Nitschke. The frozen tundra of Lambeau Field. Starr. The Ice Bowl. Hornung and Taylor running the power sweep. The first two Super Bowls. Lombardi. Brats and cheeseheads.

The Packers will be the underdog against Seattle. The Packers haven't played well away from home, and they are vulnerable to a defense like Seattle's. But come on, how much fun is it to root for a team owned by a Microsoft billionaire and coached by Cheaty Petey Carroll of the Tro.jans? Yeah, I like Sherman and Baldwin. But really, that's about all that franchise has going for it. Channel your inner Packer, folks!

[washingtonismoney]

Can't bring myself to root for a team with multiple 59ers over a team with some of my favorite Stanford players ever. Can't do it, sorry terry.

[washingtonismoney]

Can't bring myself to root for a team with multiple 59ers over a team with some of my favorite Stanford players ever. Can't do it, sorry terry.

[Bruce Wang]

Sherman + Baldwin - Carroll - Kal dropout > Packers' Neat Ownership - Annoying fans - douchey Kal dropout^2

Sherman and Baldwin's continued success is immensely important to the image of Stanford football.  Go Seachickens!

[Bruce Wang]

Sherman + Baldwin - Carroll - Kal dropout > Packers' Neat Ownership - Annoying fans - douchey Kal dropout^2

Sherman and Baldwin's continued success is immensely important to the image of Stanford football.  Go Seachickens!

[CornFed]

Terry, I am all-in on Packers to win.  I grew up geographically bereft of a home team and picked the Pack as a 7 year old because of the neat "G" logo (which I think Lombardi had a hand in designing, right?).  First year I became a Packer backer, I think they went 1-11.  From that point on they gave a young boy more joy and more bragging rights than I could have dreamed possible.

Publius, in your formula Packer fans are a negative?  Compared to Seattle fans?  Really?  I think you need to spend some time reflecting on that and get your head straight.  The TD leap alone is one of the funnest phenomena in professional sports.  And they OWN the team.  Seattle fans have moved from "sad sack" to entitled loudmouth infant in a nano-second. 

[CornFed]

Terry, I am all-in on Packers to win.  I grew up geographically bereft of a home team and picked the Pack as a 7 year old because of the neat "G" logo (which I think Lombardi had a hand in designing, right?).  First year I became a Packer backer, I think they went 1-11.  From that point on they gave a young boy more joy and more bragging rights than I could have dreamed possible.

Publius, in your formula Packer fans are a negative?  Compared to Seattle fans?  Really?  I think you need to spend some time reflecting on that and get your head straight.  The TD leap alone is one of the funnest phenomena in professional sports.  And they OWN the team.  Seattle fans have moved from "sad sack" to entitled loudmouth infant in a nano-second. 

[2 for 2028]

Terry, I am all-in on Packers to win.  I grew up geographically bereft of a home team and picked the Pack as a 7 year old because of the neat "G" logo (which I think Lombardi had a hand in designing, right?).  First year I became a Packer backer, I think they went 1-11.  From that point on they gave a young boy more joy and more bragging rights than I could have dreamed possible.

Publius, in your formula Packer fans are a negative?  Compared to Seattle fans?  Really?  I think you need to spend some time reflecting on that and get your head straight.  The TD leap alone is one of the funnest phenomena in professional sports.  And they OWN the team.  Seattle fans have moved from "sad sack" to entitled loudmouth infant in a nano-second.

Most of the Packer fans I know are awful.

[2 for 2028]

Terry, I am all-in on Packers to win.  I grew up geographically bereft of a home team and picked the Pack as a 7 year old because of the neat "G" logo (which I think Lombardi had a hand in designing, right?).  First year I became a Packer backer, I think they went 1-11.  From that point on they gave a young boy more joy and more bragging rights than I could have dreamed possible.

Publius, in your formula Packer fans are a negative?  Compared to Seattle fans?  Really?  I think you need to spend some time reflecting on that and get your head straight.  The TD leap alone is one of the funnest phenomena in professional sports.  And they OWN the team.  Seattle fans have moved from "sad sack" to entitled loudmouth infant in a nano-second.

Most of the Packer fans I know are awful.

[SUBuddha]

I was born and raised (other than a couple years in AK) in the Seattle area. I have been a fan since the start of the franchise. I cannot over state how great it would be for the Stanford brand to have Luck and Fleener vs. Sherman and Baldwin in the Superbowl. The major drawback for me is I do not get to watch the game this year.

[SUBuddha]

I was born and raised (other than a couple years in AK) in the Seattle area. I have been a fan since the start of the franchise. I cannot over state how great it would be for the Stanford brand to have Luck and Fleener vs. Sherman and Baldwin in the Superbowl. The major drawback for me is I do not get to watch the game this year.

[Bruce Wang]

I'm just going to leave this here.

http://nesn.com/2015/01/andrew-luck-is-k...s-at-line/

[Bruce Wang]

I'm just going to leave this here.

http://nesn.com/2015/01/andrew-luck-is-k...s-at-line/

[FarmBoy]

The Packers fans "owning" the team has got to go down as one of the greatest sports marketing gimmicks of all time.

http://deadspin.com/5866292/the-feel-goo...he-packers

[FarmBoy]

The Packers fans "owning" the team has got to go down as one of the greatest sports marketing gimmicks of all time.

http://deadspin.com/5866292/the-feel-goo...he-packers

[CornFed]

The Packers fans "owning" the team has got to go down as one of the greatest sports marketing gimmicks of all time.

http://deadspin.com/5866292/the-feel-goo...he-packers

So what?  In tax analysis ownership is typically determined by who has the "risks and benefits" of the asset.  In reality that would confirm your cynicism.  In the experience of Packer fans, though, those risks and benefits are clearly theirs.  They feel like owners and no other fans in the NFL can be said to have made a more dramatic contribution to their team (unless they are very big pizza fans).

The first distribution of public "stock" was in the 30's and immediately the Packers became a dynasty.  I believe the second issue of stock was immediately prior to the true dynasty that was the 1960 Packers.  And I believe that the next issuance was in the mid- to late-80's.  Wouldn't claim that a dynasty ensued, but the team ascended to elite status from the low base to which they had sunk.  Do you think that the infusion by fans of a couple hundred million bucks had no effect?  Regardless of your sense of the value of their investment, I would say that Packer fans have made a much bigger contribution to the success of their team than the Seattle fans do by yelling their lungs raw.

BTW, I totally agree that a Seahawk vs. Colts Super Bowl would be sweeter than sweet!  Since I made the transition in fan loyalty to the 49ers in 1981 when I moved back to the Bay Area, I am not deeply invested in the Packers being in the Super Bowl.

[CornFed]

The Packers fans "owning" the team has got to go down as one of the greatest sports marketing gimmicks of all time.

http://deadspin.com/5866292/the-feel-goo...he-packers

So what?  In tax analysis ownership is typically determined by who has the "risks and benefits" of the asset.  In reality that would confirm your cynicism.  In the experience of Packer fans, though, those risks and benefits are clearly theirs.  They feel like owners and no other fans in the NFL can be said to have made a more dramatic contribution to their team (unless they are very big pizza fans).

The first distribution of public "stock" was in the 30's and immediately the Packers became a dynasty.  I believe the second issue of stock was immediately prior to the true dynasty that was the 1960 Packers.  And I believe that the next issuance was in the mid- to late-80's.  Wouldn't claim that a dynasty ensued, but the team ascended to elite status from the low base to which they had sunk.  Do you think that the infusion by fans of a couple hundred million bucks had no effect?  Regardless of your sense of the value of their investment, I would say that Packer fans have made a much bigger contribution to the success of their team than the Seattle fans do by yelling their lungs raw.

BTW, I totally agree that a Seahawk vs. Colts Super Bowl would be sweeter than sweet!  Since I made the transition in fan loyalty to the 49ers in 1981 when I moved back to the Bay Area, I am not deeply invested in the Packers being in the Super Bowl.

[terry]

The Packers fans "owning" the team has got to go down as one of the greatest sports marketing gimmicks of all time.

http://deadspin.com/5866292/the-feel-goo...he-packers

Wow, this article completely misses the point.

Stockholders in the Packers have the same the kind of influence on operations that stockholders normally get -- they vote for members of the Board of Directors. The Board then selects executives, who make the operating decisions.

My grandfather was elected to the Packers' Board of Directors and served on the Board's Executive Committee for many years. He was one of people who made the important decisions for the team, such as hiring Vince Lombardi. If the Packers' shareholders had thought my grandfather was doing a bad job, they could have voted him off the Board of Directors and put someone else in his place.

It's true that Packers stock is not an investment. The Packers are a non-profit corporation. The stock can't be traded and doesn't pay dividends. But that's not the point. Packers shareholders did not buy stock because they wanted to make a profit. They bought Packers stock because they wanted to save their team. Back in the day, other NFL franchises were folding due to lack of funds. Packers fans saved their team by buying it. A deep-pocketed owner can move his team whenever if he chooses -- Bob Irsay, Al Davis, Art Modell. Packers fans kept their team in Green Bay by buying it. That's why Green Bay is the only small-town franchise still in the NFL. Without ownership by the fans, the franchise would have gone bankrupt or been moved. Instead, the team is still in Green Bay. No other fan base has had that kind of impact and influence on their team.

[terry]

The Packers fans "owning" the team has got to go down as one of the greatest sports marketing gimmicks of all time.

http://deadspin.com/5866292/the-feel-goo...he-packers

Wow, this article completely misses the point.

Stockholders in the Packers have the same the kind of influence on operations that stockholders normally get -- they vote for members of the Board of Directors. The Board then selects executives, who make the operating decisions.

My grandfather was elected to the Packers' Board of Directors and served on the Board's Executive Committee for many years. He was one of people who made the important decisions for the team, such as hiring Vince Lombardi. If the Packers' shareholders had thought my grandfather was doing a bad job, they could have voted him off the Board of Directors and put someone else in his place.

It's true that Packers stock is not an investment. The Packers are a non-profit corporation. The stock can't be traded and doesn't pay dividends. But that's not the point. Packers shareholders did not buy stock because they wanted to make a profit. They bought Packers stock because they wanted to save their team. Back in the day, other NFL franchises were folding due to lack of funds. Packers fans saved their team by buying it. A deep-pocketed owner can move his team whenever if he chooses -- Bob Irsay, Al Davis, Art Modell. Packers fans kept their team in Green Bay by buying it. That's why Green Bay is the only small-town franchise still in the NFL. Without ownership by the fans, the franchise would have gone bankrupt or been moved. Instead, the team is still in Green Bay. No other fan base has had that kind of impact and influence on their team.

[terry]

Can't bring myself to root for a team with multiple 59ers over a team with some of my favorite Stanford players ever. Can't do it, sorry terry.

I can justify rooting for Aaron Rodgers because he had no other offers besides C.al, spent only two years at C.al, left before graduating, and usually identifies his alma mater as Butte Community College. If he prefers to identify as a Butte alum instead of a C.al alum, that's good enough for me.

And remember, Seattle has Marshawn Lynch, a C.al guy who has a hit-and-run conviction and a DUI arrest. I'd rather root for Rodgers than Lynch.

[terry]

Can't bring myself to root for a team with multiple 59ers over a team with some of my favorite Stanford players ever. Can't do it, sorry terry.

I can justify rooting for Aaron Rodgers because he had no other offers besides C.al, spent only two years at C.al, left before graduating, and usually identifies his alma mater as Butte Community College. If he prefers to identify as a Butte alum instead of a C.al alum, that's good enough for me.

And remember, Seattle has Marshawn Lynch, a C.al guy who has a hit-and-run conviction and a DUI arrest. I'd rather root for Rodgers than Lynch.