Periphery Week 11
It's looking more and more like annual trip to Lambeau Field will be Dec. 9 against the Raiders. We wanted to hold out for Dec. 30 against the Lions, but looks like the Hawkeyes really do want to go bowling. So, duty calls.
I've been doing this Packer trip since 1992. I remember the first game. I think it was the season Favre took over as the starter. It was minus-10 against the then-Los Angeles Rams. My friend, Scott, and I planted the seed for this while we were at UNI. He is from Swaledale, up by Mason City, Vikings country. I'm from Dubuque, which, any given day, is Bears/Vikings/Packers country. My dad is from Wisconsin, so I got Packer pajamas every year for Christmas until about last year.
Scott lives in Des Moines now. So, he fires up the Toyota at about 3 a.m. Sunday morning, picks me up in Cedar Rapids and we're in Green Bay by 9 or 10. We scalp tickets, which has been a white-knuckler at least a few times, and we wander from tailgate to tailgate.
We've seen that Packer Pope guy, the Pack-a-lope and every variation of cheese headwear they've thought up. We've seen some of the more bawdy tailgate fun. And some of that loses it luster because of the layering of the winter clothes.
We eat Sunday night at the Brett Favre Steakhouse. Hit one of Fuzzy Thurston's old bars and pass out in some hotel room.
Monday morning, it's off to the Packer Pro Shop for Christmas presents. (Both of my kids have Favre jerseys. The girl doesn't wear her's.) We might hit Kroll's for a butter burger. Or we might go to the Hall of Fame for, I dunno, the 300th time. There's also this Packer "antique" shop. It's more junk that antique, but you'll find some really cool stuff. Like the Packers usher hat I bought a few years ago.
Then, it's into the Toyota. We take turns reading the papers and scan the radio for Packer talk. We stop in Madison for lupper and it's home.
If I smell like bratwurst, it's been a good trip.
So there, I'm not some high and mighty above-it-all pressbox creature. I'm one of you, for at least one Sunday a year, every year since '92.
As for tailgating this weekend, stay dry, people. It's cold and flu season. You don't want to miss work already, right?
From the iPod (All bands from Minnesota, I have a lot of them.):
"Toolmaster of Brainerd" -- Trip Shakespeare. "He held a job at the Buckeye Creamery, Toolmaster of Brainerd. He had a way with the old machinery, Toolmaster of Brainerd." I used to see this band when I was a sophomore or junior at UNI and had hair down to the middle of my back. Those were the days.
"Within Your Reach" -- The Replacements. "I never seen no mountain. Never swam no sea. Drownin' in this city. Well, it's really up to me. I can't live without your touch." Song No. 1 at our wedding reception. We thought it was cool BEFORE "Say Anything." I just went double '80s on ya'all. Replacements and Say Anything!
"Celebrated Summer" -- Hüsker Dü. "Then the sun disintegrates between a wall of clouds. I summer where I winter at, and no one is allowed there.
Do you remember when the first snowfall fell?
When summer barely had a snowball's chance in hell." Kids, you don't know what you're missing.
"Heavy Metal Boyz" -- Gear Daddies. "Everytime I come here, I count the hours 'til I leave. I used to call this home once. Now I find it hard to believe. Got out a head of that radio station. Still going strong I hear. My only real salvation, a few good friends and beer. I guess I never understood those small-town people. Mobile homes and simple joys, the heavy metal Boyz." These guys are (were?) from Austin, Minn. They went as high as an appearance on Letterman. When I was a junior at UNI, they played at Stebs (RIP, RIP) and we had them over for a keg. A year or two later, same deal during my one good year of grad school at the UI. They were really great guys who are probably knee-deep in their day jobs now.
"She's Not Alone Anymore" -- The Jayhawks. "Hitch hiked back from Blue Earth, she's not alone anymore. Shooting pool like before. That's too bad." First, this band is terrific. Really dug these guys when they were together. Second, I had to go with the "Blue Earth" reference because I worked at a newspaper in Fairmont, Minn., called the Sentinel. It was about 7 miles west or so of Blue Earth. I listened to that song a lot when I was driving to Blue Earth. Our coverage area dipped into Iowa. I covered games at Armstrong-Ringsted at Sentral of Fenton. It was the darkest football game ever. You hear stories of parents parking their cars around the field and leaving the lights on. Well, back in 1990, this was the truth at Sentral. I wish I would've kept the clip. I sometimes find myself pining for the simpler times.
Libation
Grain Belt Premium -- C'mon, you've drank it before, you know you have. C'mon, Mr. Bitter Beer Face. You can't fool me. I guess this beer is going through an identity crisis. It's gone through a few breweries and has recently been picked up by Schell Brewing in New Ulm, Minn. I'm not sure if the old recipe will be restored. I know some of you out there remember the old Grain Belt.
The boys at "Beeradvocate" give it 92 percent thumbs down. I think they're being a little frou frou here. Obviously, not all of them are head-strong midwestern boys.
From RifRafBoy: "This seems to be THE Minnesota beer. Ask any 40 something plus beer drinker about Grain Belt and they get a gleam in their eyes. I had an out of state buddy over, and I decided to treat him to some home grown beer. . . . I am told it used to be good when brewed by the original brewer. I won't buy this again."
"ADR" pines for the old days in his review: "I picked up a six pack last night and the salesperson told me there has been a mini "run" on this beer -- due to Minnesota Brewing's suspension of beer operations. Immediately, I could hear Joni Mitchell singing "you don't know what you've got 'til its gone"... Minnesotans could have easily supported this beer ahead of Coors Light. Another victim of macros and the people stupid enough to follow their hype."
I don't have it in the fridge, but I never turn it down.
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