Leaping to the Frozen Tundra of Lambeau

I am a huge sports fan and more specific, a huge NFL fan. As a Minnesota kid, the Vikings have and always will be my squad. I don't remember the Super Bowl era where the team made four trips to the big game. I do have scars from memories of "almost" moments but will always believe that this is the year. As a fan of football however, there are teams and places that I have a super amount of respect for. Green Bay is at the top of that list. I've never been to Lambeau Field for a game but we did get the chance to take a tour which was special. Our guide did a phenomenal job of painting the picture of a stadium that can hold over 81,000 fans in a town of 107,000. The history of the team with names that helped shape the league such as Curly Lambeau and Vince Lombardi, you can absolutely feel the history of the organization when you step inside the hallowed grounds.

The iconic Lambeau Field

Lambeau opened in 1957 as New City Stadium for its first eight seasons before being renamed in 1965 in memory of Packer founder, player and long time head coach Curly Lambeau. The field is the oldest continual operating NFL stadium edging out their rivals Chicago when the Bears played their games at Wrigley Field from 1921-1970. Inside the stadium, sits bleacher seating, the only stadium to have such an arrangement. Grandfathered in, there are no railings in the lower bowl of the stadium. As our guide put it. "It was built for a butt every 18 inches."

As it was built, so it remains. Obviously, I made my Vikings fandom known to everyone in our group. They were actually really nice about it. I almost got the vibe that they felt sorry for me and our fan base. Like the cute little brother that won't leave you alone type of thing. Against my better judgement, I joined the group in a chant of "Go Pack Go", which felt incredibly wrong. "Good God, what have I done?" I thought to myself. Never in a million years did I think I would ever utter those words. The truth is I became a fan that day. Not of the team, but of what it represents and all those who have had the chance to be a fan of such an iconic organization. It's what every fan dreams their team could be.