There's no doubt that there are a lot of excited Yoopers right now: No, not because all that snow is missing the U.P. and hitting the Lower Peninsula instead, but rather because their favorite football team is playing in the Super Bowl this Sunday.
Take a walk down the street of any town in the Upper Peninsula during football season and there is one thing you are very likely to see: A Green Bay Packers hat, jersey, sweater, coat or car decoration. Heck, you might even see a house painted in the green and gold. Why? Well, despite being a part of Michigan (thanks to the Toledo War), a lot of football fans in the Upper Peninsula have endeared themselves to the Packers. For some, it's practically a hop skip and a jump to Green Bay and for almost every Yooper, it's closer to head there than it is to drive down to cheer on the Detroit Lions.
When the Packers win during the regular season, moods in the work place are a bit elevated and talk between fans gets excitable and charged. And in the playoffs? It's almost impossible to contain a Packer fan when a victory comes their way.
So when the Packers marched through the Falcons and the Bears to earn a shot at the Super Bowl title against the Pittsburgh Steelers, it was no surprise that some fans were practically foaming at the mouth in anticipation.
The wait is almost over, and the Upper Peninsula is gearing up for one heck of a Super Bowl Sunday.
Even if you're not a fan of the green and gold because of their proximity, or the way linebacker Clay Matthews simply crushes opponents, then maybe you should be because of the Michigan connection. Three of the Pack are former members of Central Michigan University's program: defensive back Josh Gordy, defensive end Cullen Jenkins (who played for Belleville High outside of Ann Arbor) and outside linebacker Frank Zombo (who played high school ball at Sterling Heights Stevenson). And that's not all. Greg Jennings was a receiver at Western Michigan (and Kalamazoo Central High School before that) while tackle T.J. Lang played for Eastern Michigan (and high school ball at Birmingham Brother Rice). Nick McDonald, a guard, was a standout for Grand Valley State University (and played high school ball at Henry Ford in Sterling Heights) and, of course, speedy corner back Charles Woodson was a Heisman Trophy winner for the University of Michigan.
Admittedly, the Steelers aren't too shabby with Michigan connections, through not as solid as those in Green Bay. Pittsburgh boasts tackle Flozell Adams from Michigan State, veteran quarterback Charlie Batch from Eastern Michigan, wide receiver Antonio Brown from Central Michigan and linebackers Larry Foote and LaMarr Woodley of the University of Michigan. Out of those five, only Woodley (Saginaw) and Foote (Detroit Pershing) played high school ball in the state.
Many Yoopers have been cheering the Pack on for generations. The Pack and the U.P. have been tied together for a very long time, in fact, with the Green Bay gridders having played their first-ever road game in Ishpeming on Oct. 19, 1919--back when they were known as the Indian Packers and long before they won titles in Super Bowl I, II and XXXI. And the ties that bind don't stop there. In 1968, legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi (who the Super Bowl trophy is named after) had a daughter get married in Escanaba at St. Anne's Church.
When you break it down, there are plenty of solid reasons why Yoopers take pride in the green and gold. And one thing is for certain, come Sunday a large contingency of them is going to be packed around televisions cheering the Pack on every step of the way.
Sam Eggleston is the managing editor of the U.P. Second Wave and a full-time freelance writer. He was born and raised in the Upper Peninsula. His dad, Mark, is a Packer fan. He cheers for the San Diego Chargers, though wishes the best to Green Bay this weekend. He can be reached via email.
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