Tag Archives: Lambeau Field

The Weekend That Was

July 26, 2022 – 8:35 am
Lambeau Field, Green Bay WI 07/23/2022

On Saturday, along with several family members, I attended the soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Manchester City. It was an historic evening as this was the first soccer game ever played at Lambeau Field. The weather was very dicey, as play was suspended twice for lightning in the area when a wave of some pretty severe thunderstorms swept over the stadium. This in turn led to the match being shortened by 5 minutes in each half. Man City scored the only goal (there were several that were disallowed due to offsides), and the capacity crowd was treated to some outstanding Premier League play.

My daughter’s boyfriend was with us, and he was particularly excited. He was ranked the number 2 soccer player in the state of Wisconsin his senior year of high school. This led to him getting a full ride to Davidson College, where he was named to the All-Rookie team in the Atlantic 10 Conference.

Milwaukee Air & Water Show 07/24/2022

On Sunday, I was at lakefront with my son-in-law and two grandsons for the Milwaukee Air & Water Show. This was the first time that I had been there for the actual show (I work downtown, and have always enjoyed going outside on my lunch breaks to watch the Blue Angels practice over the city), and will definitely try to make it a regular trip going forward!

By andylwellman | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Something’s Gotta Give

January 7, 2015 – 6:45 pm

While it’s not the proverbial “irresistible force meeting immovable object”, a streak will end on Sunday at Lambeau Field. The Cowboys roll into town having posted a perfect 8-0 road record this season, pitted against the Packers on perfect showing in home games. Someone has to lose, thus ending their streak. Vegas likes the Pack, as do I, but it should still be an exciting game between two of the better teams in the NFC.

The real interesting game will be the one between the Seahawks and the Panthers. A Carolina win coupled with a victory for Green Bay would mean the NFC Championship Game will be held on the Frozen Tundra. We can always hope.

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NFC North Division Championship Game…

December 23, 2014 – 1:57 am

…AGAIN!

For the second time in as many years, the NFC North crown will go to the winner of a head-to-head match up in the last game of the regular season. And once again, the Green Bay Packers will be playing in that game. Last year it was against the Bears at Soldier field, where the Pack prevailed in what is arguably one of the greatest comebacks in the Aaron Rodgers era. This year, it comes down to a single game at Lambeau Field against the Detroit Lions, a team that beat us earlier this season. In that game, the offense wasn’t particularly sharp, much like they haven’t been in the last two weeks while going 1-1. The games weren’t blowouts by any means, with our defense keeping us within winning distance each time.

But that has been against some pretty bad offenses, and when we faced a formidable defense in Buffalo, we lost. Detroit is similarly good on that side of the ball. Yesterday, Rodgers started the game already under the weather while also taking some painful shots from Buccaneer defenders. Hopefully he will be able to get healed up this week, as much as can be expected this time of year anyway, and playing before the home crowd with the offense put up the kind of numbers we saw against the Bears, Eagles and Falcons.

For while both teams are already in the post season, this game comes down to the difference between a first round by and at least one playoff game at home, or going on the road in round one. Personally, I wouldn’t be that disappointed with the wildcard berth, except that would mean that the Lion’s would get their first win in Wisconsin since 1992, because when Green Bay won their last Superbowl they were on the road throughout the playoffs, and I’m still disappointed with how the team handled the last time they had a first round bye.

Regardless of the outcome of this game though, the road to Superbowl would appear to run through Seattle, a daunting task for any team right now.

By andylwellman | Posted in Andy Wellman, Green Bay Packers | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (2)

I’ll Take It!

December 2, 2014 – 2:17 am

If yesterdays game at Lambeau Field truly was a Superbowl preview, as many in the media claimed it would be, I would be more than happy with that. Even if the score were reversed, there’s no denying that it was an excellent example of NFL football at it’s highest level. Two great quarterbacks with two outstanding head coaches, provided a chess match to behold. In the end the home team prevailed, but the game was actually closer than the final score would indicate, and when all was said and done, one of the MVP caliber QB’s was just a little bit better than the other.

Aaron Rodgers started out the game a little bit shaky. He was not his usual hyper accurate self, missing his targets relatively badly, and probably costing the Packers one, if not more, touchdowns. But he eventually settled down and started making those spectacular, in-stride-between-the-defenders-hands passes that we had become so accustomed to. While the red zone efficiency left a lot to be desired, it did result in a rather large time of possession advantage for Green Bay. Sometimes the best defense against Tom Brady is to keep him off the field.

And speaking of defense, the Packers aren’t getting nearly enough credit on that side of the ball. They held a Hall of Fame caliber quarterback and his offense, one that had shredded the likes of Denver and Indianapolis, to only 21 points. If anyone had said that New England would only score three touchdowns on Sunday, I would have said that’s a win. Because when all is said and done, you simply can not discount the home field advantage that is Lambeau Field.

Of course, the Superbowl is played at a neutral site, and that might lead to a totally different result. Here’s to hoping that we’ll be able to see it that’s the case come February.

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Hey Mike, Halloween is on Friday

October 28, 2014 – 1:39 am

So what was with those “tricks” in last nights loss to the Saints? Was it the bright lights of primetime? Or facing off against your former employer? Whatever the case might have been, those were two of the most inexplicable play calls I’ve seen from you in quite some time. First and goal from the 2 yard line and you’re going to call a pass play to Julius Peppers??? And not a nice little fad to the back corner where Aaron could float one in there, but a bullet crossing route with a guy draped all over him. That’s a difficult catch for an experienced wide receiver or tight end, so what made you think that a defensive lineman would give you the best opportunity to convert that into a touchdown? Why would you think to just give away a down in a game that was going back and forth, each team exchanging equal blows.

Which brings me to the other act of “trickeration”, the onside kick. Again, you’re in a close game where every possession is worth it’s weight in gold, and you’re going to take the chance of giving Drew Brees a short field at home? Maybe somehow, perhaps, you forgot what was going on, or maybe you were confused? A touchdown pass to a defensive player is neat when you’re blowing someone out in your own stadium, and an onside kick is not “cute”, it’s a serious play that’s used when you have very little time left and you need to score or generate a swing in momentum.

So, if you’re not going burn those two plays in the furnace at Lambeau Field, at least lock away in a glass case that says “use only in case of emergency” and give the hammer to Ted.

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Packers Post Game: 2013 Wildcard Playoff Edition

January 6, 2014 – 6:14 pm

Well, the 2013 season finished a lot later than I had expected. After it was revealed that Aaron Rodgers had broken his collar bone in October, I held little hope that they would even win one game without him. The fact that they still had a shot at a division title going into Week 17 was nothing short of miraculous. So many things had to come together for it to happen that this group started to have that “team of destiny” feeling to it. Of course the 2003 Packers had that same feeling until “4th and 26”.

And so the Green Bay Packer’s season came to an end yesterday on the “frozen tundra” of Lambeau Field. A place that used to be a guaranteed W but has hosted the end of the Packers post season in 5 of the last 9 playoffs. And for the second year in a row, it came at the hands of the San Francisco 49er’s, a team that is fast becoming for Aaron Rodgers what the Dallas Cowboys had become to Brett Favre. But instead of being thoroughly run over, as was the case last year in the City By The Bay, the Pack held their own. After being beat up and bruised all year long, and limping into the playoffs against an arguably superior opponent, the team managed to acquit themselves quit well in a close 23-20 loss.

The day after, I find this game leaving me with an unusual feeling. They were playing with house money, and while I always want them to win, the loss doesn’t leave me with a bad taste in my mouth, like what which would have been had they lost to the Bears the week before. A game that they would have been just as likely, if not more so, to lose. It was a game of dichotomies. While the defense rose up to twice deny the Niners a touchdown inside their own 10 yard line, and came away with a momentum generating turnover, they also could not get the timely third down stop and allowed San Francisco to bleed the clock while getting into position to kick the game winning field goal with no time remaining.

The offense started out miserably, found it’s rhythm and was able to keep up score for score, but then couldn’t find the end zone from 1st and goal at the 9. A score that would have given the Packers a four point lead and forced San Fran to score a TD to win the game. Aaron Rodgers had another miraculous escape to complete a 4th down conversion, but in the end the miracles ran out, and now we’ll have to suffer the arctic cold wondering what might have been, what needs to happen in the off season and dreaming of the warm summer days of mini camp.

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