 |
| Packer fans are everywhere! |
They are as widely diversified and unique as they are deep and strong. They come from every quarter of the globe and every Sunday they make the same pilgrimage. They are of one faith, and one belief, and in that singularity of purpose they stand united and tied at the hip to the same zealot either standing or sitting next to them. They come to praise and worship and to be healed at the same altar every Sunday and they know the man or woman next to them is there for the same healing experience.
No, we are not describing the next religious wave to hit the masses.
We are talking about the Green Bay Packers, and the fans that show up in droves to profess their undying devotion. The Packers themselves are so unique, so singular in the world of pro sports that it defies description. The Packers have no owner – they are a closed order society of individuals who have bought stock in them over the years and an elected board of directors to oversee the operation. Operating out of the miniscule hamlet of Green Bay, Wi. (Pop, 103,000 – not counting moose, geese and deer) the devotion and loyalty struck between this most unlikely of teams and their fans borders on fervent religious fanaticism.
 |
| St. Vince and Cheese Louise |
The word “fan” itself is a derivative of the word “fanatic”, and those that proclaim themselves fans of the Packers, the Packer backers stretch literally across the nation and around the world. Perhaps no other team inspires such loyalty in sports, and the fans at Lambeau field are some of the most knowledgeable, informed, and devout in the NFL. Play well here and you can be set for life. Play poorly and you’ll hear about it. Even a traitor can be welcomed back if enough contrition is offered.
But when it comes to the fans themselves each diehard bleeds his or her own special blend of green and gold every weekend. They recognize it in another and are all too willing to share in their devotion. Witness the tailgate parties where literal strangers are welcomed to share communion. The only requirement is the same green and gold inspired zealotry.
 |
| St. Vince (John O'Neill) and the papal ring |
Among the more colorful of the denizens that frequent the hallowed ground where Starr, Hornung, Lombardi and now Rodgers tread are a couple known simply as St. Vince and Cheese Louise. You’ve probably seen them at the various crowd shots taken from a Packers home game. St. Vince is the fellow that looks like the high priest of Lambeau bedecked in a very bright green cassock and collar, complete with a miter bearing the image of the legendary Vince Lombardi who comes adorned with a cheesehead scepter and a Super Bowl ring which he munificently allows his flock to worship and kiss. With his silvery beard he looks almost regal.
 |
| Cheese Louise aka Mary Beth Johnson |
His wife is the equally fanatical and maybe even more enthusiastic Cheese Louise, who attends every game sporting – and we are NOT kidding here – her trademark cheese bra, a yellow denim handmade cowgirl skirt, yellow and green cowgirl boots and her latest prized acquisition, a handmade Championship belt a’ la Aaron Rodgers, yellow leggings, the requisite goofy glasses, a handmade Packer necklace created just for her by an Oneida tribe Native American and tam-o’-shanter. Cheese Louise and St. Vince are your typical next door folks from suburbia who are married to each other for some 28 years whose devotion to each other is only exceeded by their devotion to the Packers. Their true identities are John O’Neill and Mary Beth Johnson, and when not stirring the masses they are retired, John from the Dept. of Corrections and Mary Beth from her career as an occupational therapist. They now split time between their homes in Arizona and near Green Bay, particularly when the Pack is home.
 |
| Cheese Louise in her Packer Cave complete with ride |
Mary Beth, or Cheese Louise as she prefers to be known, is in fact the Packers representative as the most loyal of fans in a contest sponsored by Vicks Nyquil. Vicks Nyquil began a contest via the social networking sites of Facebook and Twitter to seek out each team’s most loyal fan. “We (John/ ST. Vince and Mary Beth/ Cheese Louise) entered on a whim on the Vicks Nyquil Most Dedicated Fan page and encouraged some of the other crazier Packer fans to do so” said Mary Beth. “I was just hoping to win tickets for John or myself, but I never win anything.” Not so fast. The good folks at Vicks thought enough of Cheese Louise to in fact select her as the Packers’ rep in their Most Dedicated Fan contest. All the reps from each team can be viewed at Facebook/ Nyquil where Cheese Louise also resides.
Now comes the fun part. Cheese Louise has to create a touchdown dance, a game day face shot and display her Packer Cave to be considered. To vote, one must have a Twitter account, and then tweet #VicksMDFGreenBayFan. Fans are also encouraged to follow Cheese Louise at @gbcheeselouise on Twitter. “This whole Twitter thing is all new to me” said the spritely 59 year old Johnson with an easy laugh.
For O’Neill and Johnson this all started back in New Orleans at Super Bowl XXXI against the Patriots. As John O’Neill explains it “I wanted to represent the spirit of Lombardi as it was the first Super Bowl post Vince. I wasn’t really sure if people would ‘get it’, or if there would be some backlash.” So his wife Mary Beth concocted the first of John’s papal robes for the event. Both had their doubts if it was too over the top. John was concerned that some would be offended by the obvious religious overtones of the get up. Not only did people get it, they ate it up whole. A throng of fans queued up to have a picture taken with the patron saint of touchdowns. A friend suggested that John charge a nominal fee for the photo op, and he did and collected “…several hundred dollars…”. After contacting Bus Cook, Brett Favre’s agent, John and Mary Beth decided to donate the proceeds to the American Cancer Society. Back home in Green Bay St. Vince reappeared the following year and has been a staple ever since. “The experience as St. Vince was so positive we decided to try it again the following season and it just took off from there.”
 |
| St. Vince and Bart Starr |
All of St. Vince’s frockery is stitched by hand by Mary Beth. “The hardest thing to make was the miter (the papal hat)” said Mary Beth. “The original miter was signed by so many of Lombardi’s former players- Starr, Hornung, Davis – that over the years it began to fade and become threadbare, so we wanted to keep that as part of our treasured collection.” St. Vince is working on his 5th set of robes and 3rd miter now. As John says “It’s a lot like being Clark Kent or Bruce Wayne. I take off the outfit and can slip back into complete anonymity!”
 |
| Cheese Louise (mary Beth Johnson)... and she admits she's no 'Angel' |
Cheese Louise was a bit tougher to develop for Mary Beth. “At first I was the ‘Guardian Angel’, but that really didn’t fit my personality.” It was a by chance visit to a cheese store in Denmark, Wi. some 5 years later where she caught a glimpse of a cheese bra, an item she immediately had to have. It wasn’t long until she accessorized the new look item and a new persona of Cheese Louise was born and has been in full voice ever since. “I’ve gone thru 3 cheese bras since I’ve become Cheese Louise, but the fellow that makes them doesn’t make them anymore. But the fellow that makes them, a farmer named Wayne, will still make one just for me and leave it for me on his porch when I need one” Johnson says, still marveling at the effect she and Louise and Vince have on other Packer faithful.
“Oh, it gets a little cold, especially in the winter.” By winter she of course means somewhere around the end of September in Green Bay. “I layer underneath when it gets colder but still have to take my over coat off to reveal Cheese Louise” said Johnson, an icon that has become as much a staple as St. Vince. Given the rather bulky fit Johnson has added one other element to the cheese bra. “Oh, I’ve had a couple near Janet Jackson moments” she said with a laugh, “so I added a ruffle to go across the top to prevent any mishaps.” She says “I still take the jackets off so people can appreciate the aged cheddar!”
 |
| John O'Neill and Mary Beth Johnson as their alter egos St. Vince and Cheese Louise |
Cheese Louise will be in attendance with St. Vince and about 70,000 of their closest friends when the Pack takes on Tampa Bay on Sunday. The Bucs are reeling. Any team importing Fat Albert Haynesworth, he of the bloated contract and waistline after flaming out famously in DC and the New England is a team in desperate trouble. Josh Freeman is all over the lot at QB and the outlook looks grim for the Bucs.
For the Packers settling a score from last year when the Bucs stole one out from under them will be this week’s challenge. The Bucs, as a team, have little else to offer by way of challenge for the Packers. Aaron Rodgers will continue his torrid streak, and don’t be surprised if new RB Brandon Saine doesn’t get a few looks as Ryan Grant falls further behind James Starks on the depth chart. With injured RB Alex Green in the fold now is as goes a time as any to start evaluating the future. Matt Flynn shined in the 4th quarter against the Vikings and the defense is looking to put together back to back dominating performances.
WR Jordy Nelson caused a mini stir this week with his comments that he is underrated because he is white, but this is really clutching at straws to try to blow this out of proportion. A lot of smack is talked on an NFL field, and truth is most fans would not get it nor would they really want to hear what their idols are hurling at each other. And a second truth is he is probably accurate. Respect is earned in the NFL and Nelson is beginning to earn his. As his yards after the catch average now leads the NFL at just a tick above 9 YAC Nelson will now have DB’s have to play him a lot tighter.
St. Vince will call down the heavens while Cheese Louise offers the moral support. The Packers will take care of the rest.
GREEN BAY 37
Tampa Bay 10
No comments:
Post a Comment