The Vaunted Golden Helmet

Paul Hornung passed. Brings back so many memories. That sweep of Lombardi top of mind again.

It is possible to get attached to other teams, I must admit. 

Of course, for me, when I see gold and green, my heart starts beating like a big bass drum. Red and white Badgers and blue and gold Marquette – same thing!

Ah, how my memory like my boot heels be wandering…

I took my father to a pro game once. It was 1973, or 1974 at Schaeffer Stadium where the Patriots played the Packers. We were Packers fans, but polite (this is before “Steal the Election” and all that – some respect in the other guys haus). As the Packers staged a comeback it became clear that we were fairly much surrounded by like-minded Packers fans – mild mannered Wisconsin “ex-patriots”. And we all had a grand old time talking about Lombardi days and Don Hutson Chevrolet.

The only other Patriots game I went to was an exhibition game vs…..the Packers. With Greg Spring? Jeff? Somebody was visiting…

In the 70s, with no TV, it was all about the box scores on Monday. Packers 3 Lions 0. Packers 9, Bears 12. Packers tie Lions or Bears 3-3. Slog. I suffered through many losses as the Packers exorcised the ghost of Phil Bengsten and inched toward a renaissance with Lyn Dickey and then Farve, who was always stymied by the San Francisco 49s (hiss) or Dallas Cowboys (hiss, hiss) on their way in the playoffs  When Bret Farve’s Packers finally burst past those Evil Empires, and played the Patriots in the Superbowl, I was Packer fan #1 in Boston. I made cheese and crackers for a Superbowl Party the Friday before at work. As we closed up the office that evening I grabbed the intercom to intone: “I have one word for you: “Vince Lombardi!” Drew a big G on a sheet and hung it out the window. All good fun – and we won.

That win was a elixir, and milestone. 

Then, well the Patriots got pretty darn good. I would challenge any among us: Would you not come to like a team if you lived in the town and they won 11 league championships and 6 Superbowls (even if they cheat with cameras and bicycle pumps and play golf with Pres Trump)? When the Pats played the Pack my mind would go into wavy gravy as cheers for green and yellow arose and I watched these little figures going back and forth across the grid. Every night on my knees I prayed, Lord don’t let the Patriots play the Packers in the SuperBowl. Prayer works! Naturally when Aaron took the team to the Superbowl – beer and cheese, oo-wee!

[When I first got to Boston I cheered Kareem and Bucks (well politely, wanted to try and keep my teeth) vs. the Celtics. Alas they lost (their coach, Tommy Heinsohn, died this week … boy I hated him…til I changed my mind).]

Once Dave said to me: “You don’t cheer for the Patriots, do you?” Well, yeah. Except when they play the Packers, and I hope they never meet in the Superbowl. I felt certainly he must have cheered for the 49s, after all they were so successful for many years. However, he is pretty unique. 

This is all said at the risk of being like the guy -the teacher-in Black Board Jungle who is Jazz records, and then the class starts throwing them around the room. A shellacking!

Golden Boy -AP