GBRulz
09-27-2007, 07:15 PM
Minnesota, here we come! Packers fans hit the road
By Mike Hoeft
mhoeft@greenbaypressgazette.com
Tracey and Mindy Young of rural Pulaski will be among a tide of Green Bay Packers fans inundating Minneapolis this weekend.
They’ve been planning the trip since before Labor Day, in part to celebrate their seventh wedding anniversary, as well as to see friends who remain such despite being Minnesota Vikings fans.
The game has taken on added significance with the prospect that quarterback Brett Favre will eclipse Dan Marino’s NFL record of 420 touchdown passes.
“I hope the Packers can keep this momentum going,” Mindy Young said. “As much as I wanted him to break (the record) at home, the selfish part of us wants him to do it this weekend so we can see it.”
Favre also is continuing his streak of consecutive starts and is two interceptions shy of George Blanda’s NFL record of 277.
“I'm also nervous because the Packers don’t have a great track record at the Metrodome,” she said.
Packers fans in other areas of Wisconsin and Michigan also are headed to Minneapolis this weekend.
Tom Armani, a student at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, picked up four tickets for $200 on eBay over the summer and will bring his roommates.
Armani said he’s considering getting a poster made with a “241” and “421” representing Favre’s possible recordsfor straight games played and touchdown passes.
“It hit me right as the season started that I could be witnessing some kind of history,” he said.
It will be his first game in Minnesota. He typically watches games at home wearing the same Favre jersey he’s had since Super Bowl XXXI.
“We only allow Packer fans over, and they have to be wearing a Packer jersey,” he said. “Grilling out takes place after the game when we’re not knee-deep into the TV.”
Kristi Evans, a Wisconsin native who lives in Marquette, Mich., and her 9-year-old son will be going to Sunday’s game, wearing green and gold. They got tickets through neighbors who are Vikings season ticket holders.
“I’m ashamed to say this is the first Packers game I will attend in person. But what better time to finally get to one? … It could be one of those events my son will remember for the rest of his life. We will both be able to say we watched one of the greatest quarterbacks ever play.”
David Magnani, a Packers fan who has lived in the Twin Cities since 1982 and attends every Vikings-Packers matchup, said he never buys tickets in advance.
His strategy?
“We tailgate until about 10:45 a.m. and then I put on a Viking sweatshirt and a Viking hat over my Packer gear and take off by myself to score tickets,” Magnani said.
“The key is that hundreds of tickets will be sold the day of the game, and my goal is to buy those tickets from a real seller before they sell them to scalpers. If there are lots of people selling and few buying, the strategy is to stay close to the Metrodome and buy tickets right before the game.
“It’s always interesting when we get in the Dome and the people sitting next to us realize they sold their tickets to Packer fans,” he said.
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070927/PKR01/70927166/1978
By Mike Hoeft
mhoeft@greenbaypressgazette.com
Tracey and Mindy Young of rural Pulaski will be among a tide of Green Bay Packers fans inundating Minneapolis this weekend.
They’ve been planning the trip since before Labor Day, in part to celebrate their seventh wedding anniversary, as well as to see friends who remain such despite being Minnesota Vikings fans.
The game has taken on added significance with the prospect that quarterback Brett Favre will eclipse Dan Marino’s NFL record of 420 touchdown passes.
“I hope the Packers can keep this momentum going,” Mindy Young said. “As much as I wanted him to break (the record) at home, the selfish part of us wants him to do it this weekend so we can see it.”
Favre also is continuing his streak of consecutive starts and is two interceptions shy of George Blanda’s NFL record of 277.
“I'm also nervous because the Packers don’t have a great track record at the Metrodome,” she said.
Packers fans in other areas of Wisconsin and Michigan also are headed to Minneapolis this weekend.
Tom Armani, a student at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, picked up four tickets for $200 on eBay over the summer and will bring his roommates.
Armani said he’s considering getting a poster made with a “241” and “421” representing Favre’s possible recordsfor straight games played and touchdown passes.
“It hit me right as the season started that I could be witnessing some kind of history,” he said.
It will be his first game in Minnesota. He typically watches games at home wearing the same Favre jersey he’s had since Super Bowl XXXI.
“We only allow Packer fans over, and they have to be wearing a Packer jersey,” he said. “Grilling out takes place after the game when we’re not knee-deep into the TV.”
Kristi Evans, a Wisconsin native who lives in Marquette, Mich., and her 9-year-old son will be going to Sunday’s game, wearing green and gold. They got tickets through neighbors who are Vikings season ticket holders.
“I’m ashamed to say this is the first Packers game I will attend in person. But what better time to finally get to one? … It could be one of those events my son will remember for the rest of his life. We will both be able to say we watched one of the greatest quarterbacks ever play.”
David Magnani, a Packers fan who has lived in the Twin Cities since 1982 and attends every Vikings-Packers matchup, said he never buys tickets in advance.
His strategy?
“We tailgate until about 10:45 a.m. and then I put on a Viking sweatshirt and a Viking hat over my Packer gear and take off by myself to score tickets,” Magnani said.
“The key is that hundreds of tickets will be sold the day of the game, and my goal is to buy those tickets from a real seller before they sell them to scalpers. If there are lots of people selling and few buying, the strategy is to stay close to the Metrodome and buy tickets right before the game.
“It’s always interesting when we get in the Dome and the people sitting next to us realize they sold their tickets to Packer fans,” he said.
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070927/PKR01/70927166/1978