Packers and Politics

Yesterday I chronicled how I ended up choosing to be a Green Bay Packers fan. For the past 33 years I have chosen root for them through the good times and the rough times (because that's what a true fan does). Sometimes someone on the team does something I don't like, either on or off the field, but I still support my team. I enjoy football as a game, but really, it's rooting for my team that I enjoy most about football. After the Packers are done playing for the season, I'm basically done with football. If they aren't in the Superbowl, I'll still watch and try to pick a team to root for, but mostly I just watch for the commercials.

The interesting thing is when you think about what it means to be a sports fan. They don't need me, in particular. And there's nothing I can do individually to really affect the outcome of any game, no matter how much or how loudly I cheer. I don't know any of them personally and I have no financial stake in their success or failure. And yet I have chosen to support them as my team.

Which is fine when it comes to sports. Really, most fandom is the same way.

But I got to wondering about politics and I was thinking that sometimes we treat our political parties the way we treat our favorite sports teams. We support them because we chose to sometime in the past. Maybe we support our party because that is who our friends support. And we watch the TV commentators on the cable news networks and boo the other "team". 

And sometimes we are loyal to our chosen party to a fault. We aren't always as discerning as we ought to be, just because we are supporting "our team". We have become "fans" of our political team.

People sometimes talk about sports becoming too political. I wonder if it's also the other way around. It may be that politics has become like a sport to us.

Something to think about.

A Packers Evangelist

I'm a Green Bay Packers fan because I chose to be. And because of the influence of a great friend.

I didn't watch football when I was growing up so I didn't really root for any team in particular. When I was attending Bethel, one of my best friends, Marty Fischer, was a big Green Bay Packers fan, having grown up near Green Bay. My other best friend, Kevin Orme, was a big Chicago Bears fan, having grown up in Wheaton, just outside of Chicago. Both tried to recruit me to cheer for their team. I told them that I would just be a fan of both teams! "Um... no. You can't do that," was the response. (It was later before I would fully understand why.)

When I would watch Packers games with Marty, he would talk to me throughout the game, giving me background on the players and the team. He would answer my questions about football, which were many and no doubt annoying. He shared his love of the Packers with me, and then he invited me to visit him at home over school break. While there, we visited the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame at historic Lambeau Field, and there was no going back.

A couple of observations about this. One today and one tomorrow.

First, it was the "evangelistic" fervor of a friend who shared his passion and love for his team with me that led me to become a Packers fan. There is a strong parallel here for Christ-followers who want to share about Jesus with someone else. 

The most effective way to really evangelize (ie. share your faith with someone) is to come alongside them as a friend and explain over time why you love Jesus. As you share your passion and love with them, answer questions and so on, you can't help but influence them to explore the claims of Christ. Perhaps they will learn to love Jesus, as well, and choose become a follower of Hims. 

But you're going to have to start sharing. 

Seattle Packer Article

Brian Gotter posted this picture of him at Lambeau Field last week next to Darth Packer. How cool is that!

He also has a blog post today reprinting an article from the Seattle Post Intelligencer (of all places!) about the Green Bay Packers. It's a heartwarming look at the Packers and what it means to be a Packer fan. Those who have never lived in Wisconsin cannot fully appreciate the level of devotion to their team that Packer fans have, but this article will give you a taste.

So Much to Be Thankful For

Well, we had a perfectly lovely family Thanksgiving today. It was a real treat to be able to just stay at home and be together as a family rather than traveling and visiting relatives somewhere. Too many times 'relaxing vacation' and 'relatives' just don't mix. Kind of like ketchup and peanut butter - both great on their own - they usually just don't go together all that well. (Of course this doesn't apply to my relatives who read this blog... I'm talking about the other relatives!)

Instead or going somewhere, we stayed home and enjoyed a great meal of turkey, gravy, corn, sweet potatoes (for me), baked potatoes (for the rest), dinner rolls, and sparkling grape juice, followed (much later) by pie - Oreo cream (for the rest) and coconut cream (for me). We then enjoyed watching the Packers win their tenth game this season! 10 and 1 now, they take on the Cowboys who are also 10-1 next Thursday evening. That will be their toughest game yet and I don't know if we'll win it, but even so, to be 10-1 at this point is amazing.

While I'm certainly happy about a Packers' win, I'm deeply thankful for many things so much more significant: a wonderful wife whom I love so much, two great kids who are growing into great young men, a church that I love and that I am excited and privileged to serve, a great community to live in and raise my family, a new house that we will be moving into (someday!), and a fun youth group that accepts and loves one another. And most of all I am thankful for the love of Jesus and the fact that I can walk with God each day and that He loves me no matter what!!!

One final note: We did get some sad news today - Dolores Madison passed away this morning. Pastor Tim has some very poignant comments over on his blog about this and he says it so much better than I could. Please take a moment to read them. Our thoughts and prayers are with Dean and family.

E-mail, the Packers, and Brian Gotter

Many in Minnesota will remember Brian Gotter, the former meteorologist on the WCCO 4 morning news who moved back to his native Wisconsin last year where he now works for WTMJ. He is one of the most personable, enjoyable and consistently funny (often hysterical) people I have ever seen on the news. He often shared about his family both on screen and the WCCO blog. He now blogs from WTMJ and his blog, "Welcome Back, Gotter" is always amusing and fun to read.

Rosalie and I became big fans of Brian as he was a true Packer fan. WCCO always had Packer talk on Monday mornings as Brian bantered with Bill Hudson and Karen Leigh, and they often featured Packer video as well. Less so this year, although I have been informed by WCCO that they intend to do better. But I digress...

I wrote to Brian last year before he left, expressing my appreciation for his work and sadness that we were losing him from the local market. He responded quickly and warmly with kind words. I wrote again today in response to his blog post ("Packer Nation") and was greeted within minutes by another warm, personal response.

How cool is that? Certainly he has plenty to do without answering fan mail all the time. I feel bad because I have people I haven't written to in weeks or longer! I am inspired to try and return personal email as soon as possible, not waiting for later until I 'have more time' to write (like that is going to happen!)