Enemy Territory

Noticing one's brand is difficult at home, but incredibly obvious while on the road. We've been flying our Minnesota colors while vacationing in the NFC Central/AL Central/Big Ten region and, as Brian says, "Making friends."

Our first stop was Green Bay, WI. Home to just over 100,000 people and twice as many Packer fans. Lambeau Field is a mecca of sorts to those flying the green and yellow and there is nothing lukewarm about their affiliation or affection. Of course, we were not just around Lambeau but inside of it — on a tour led by an enthusiastic guy from Eau Claire. We got to see statues of Curly and Vince, a Heisman, sit inside a luxury sweet ($100,000 a year and it could be yours...) and walk down the Packers' tunnel to enter the field (the visitors' entrance was described as a "crack in the wall".) Then, after being warned not to walk on, roll in, touch, lick, or pick the stadium grass, we took sat down on our momentary "18 inches of aluminum pleasure" (what they call the bleachers), saw the scoreboard and yelled, "Go Pack Go!" Through it all, Eddie wore his Vikings hat. And was teased ever so gently by the tour guide — a lifetime Packers/Brewers fan who raised his eyebrows at Ed's national-league affection for the Cardinals, but collaborated with Ed on dislike for the White Sox/Yankees.

Now, I am not a football fan — I am a baseball fan. But there we were, standing in the tunnel to the field and the guide tapped a kid and said, "Now, just imagine you were standing here on game day about to play in front of 80,000 fans. Can you hear them cheering? You have to believe that you will hear them and then you just might." And of course, the gate opened and in piped a game-day recording and we walked up the tunnel, crossing over the bricks crossed by Lombardi himself. And I got goosebumps. And Eddie grinned, wide-eyed.

Now Bobber — he liked the helmets in the gift shop ($270), but refused to try on an actual uniform at the kidsfest thing they had going on outside the stadium. And I think he liked the players on bicycles. Oh, did I mention we visited on the first day of Packers training camp? Timing. Is. Everything.

We left Lambeau for Mackinaw City, Michigan set up camp next to a family from Troy, MI who immediately called our attention to our Twins' gear (it's okay — the daughter likes Scott Baker), offered to buy Ed some green and white Michigan State gear, and smiled at Bob's Vikings' pants/Twins' shirt combo this morning (it's okay — the dad liked Culpepper.) The boys are notably well-stocked in Minnesota gear, making us stand out while away from home. But Brian is right — it does help us make friends. Rivalries — especially in the Midwest — give strangers something to talk about and a common language to share without the nastiness of East Coast venom.

We have some pics that we'll post later this evening, if all goes according to plan. Now, we're off to water park extreme. We'll be in the straits area until we leave for Motown on Saturday morning.