America's Team

[Greenday]

So as to not continue a giant derailment of the Tebowing thread, I figured we might as well just have a thread for this.

Lately, someone decided to claim that the Packers have taken the name of "America's Team" away from the Cowboys. I have two issues with this:

1. The Cowboys were never America's Team. Just because some stupid group from NFL Films decided to call them that doesn't make it so.
2. Most people do not care about the Packers, nor do they root for them. Most football fans DO seem to like Aaron Rodgers and who can blame them? He's a very likable guy and he's a God-tier QB. Plus he isn't old like Brady or Manning. But it's not like most of America is rooting for them.

To be America's team, majority of American football followers need to be rooting for you. The last America's Team to be was the New Orleans Katrinas. And that was for maybe a playoff game or two and the Super Bowl that year they won. It wasn't split like usual. It was most of America rooting for them because of sympathy for something completely non-football related and really didn't have much to do with the team.

[mikoyan29]

In my mind there is only one America's Team and that's the Yankees. No so much because everyone roots for them but more because they are so woven into the fabric of American culture.

[Greenday]

In my mind there is only one America's Team and that's the Yankees. No so much because everyone roots for them but more because they are so woven into the fabric of American culture.

You know, I thought about going there and saying the Yankees were America's Team, because let's face it, the Yankees are all that is America: successful, rich, powerful, the best. But I figured I'd just stick to football.

[Giggle Goose]

If I had to choose "America's Team" it would definitely be the Packers over the Cowboys. One thing they have going for them is the whole thing about being publicly owned....unlike my hometown team where money just gets thrown around to fix problems. I'm looking at you, Redskins!

[Greenday]

If I had to choose "America's Team" it would definitely be the Packers over the Cowboys. One thing they have going for them is the whole thing about being publicly owned....unlike my hometown team where money just gets thrown around to fix problems. I'm looking at you, Redskins!

I'd prefer the Packers over the Cowboys, but it's like people think there HAS to be an America's Team. I don't see one football team that would make sense to describe as America's Team.

[Giggle Goose]

I'd prefer the Packers over the Cowboys, but it's like people think there HAS to be an America's Team. I don't see one football team that would make sense to describe as America's Team.

Yeah, I get what you're saying there. Like with the Cowboys...ok, so you got a nod in some dumb little movie decades ago. Then the Packers get the glory from some random survey. Get over yourselves!

[blas87]

I never said they HAD to be America's team. That was taken out of context, and hatred of Tim Tebow and his worshippers.

If you want the honest truth, you won't find a team that everyone will agree on.

[BlaqueKatt]

To be America's team, majority of American football followers need to be rooting for you.

actually the reason people refer to the Packers as "america's team" is because they are publicly owned, you can buy stock in the packers, all the other teams have actual private owners, so the packers are truely "america's team" because they are owned by americans.


The Packers are the only non-profit, community-owned major league professional sports team in the United States.

also:

The Packers' fan base is famously dedicated: regardless of the team's performance, every Packers game at Lambeau Field has been sold out since 1960. Despite the Packers having by far the smallest local TV market, the Packers have developed one of the largest fan bases in the NFL. Each year they consistently rank as one of the top teams in terms of popularity. The Packers have one of the longest waiting lists for season tickets in professional sports with about 86,000 people, meaning there are now more names on the waiting list than there are seats at Lambeau Field. The average wait time for season tickets is said to be over 30 years; yet since the team estimates only 90 tickets are turned over every year, if a name were to be added to the list today the estimated wait would extend well over 955 years. For this reason, it is not unusual for fans to designate a recipient of their season tickets in their wills or place newborn infants on the waiting list after receiving birth certificates.

[blas87]

And those who do have season passes, it's been passed on for years and years, and if they don't want to or can't attend every game, they sell those tickets on craigslist for mucho dinero. Ask my little brother.

[Greenday]

actually the reason people refer to the Packers as "america's team" is because they are publicly owned, you can buy stock in the packers, all the other teams have actual private owners, so the packers are truely "america's team" because they are owned by americans.

I still don't see how that makes them America's team. Wisconsin's team, sure, that'd make sense.

[Hyena Dandy]

So the other owners are not Americans?

Also, the stock is very rarely sold. And being a shareholder in the packers really is little more than a token.

You can make a reason for every team to be 'America's Team'.

And because of that, none of them can be.

[BlaqueKatt]

I still don't see how that makes them America's team. Wisconsin's team, sure, that'd make sense.

um the stock isn't just sold to people that live in WI.....

[Hyena Dandy]

BK's right on that, but the Stock doesn't really do much for you. I have stock. I have no effect on the Packers. They're huge in Wisconsin, but they're not America's Team. I really think there can be no America's Team because you will never get a near-unanimous vote for any team. I guess the Saints after Katrina. The Giants when they played the Patriots in the Superbowl (I like the Patriots, but I can see that). Before that... I can't really think of anyone who had all that support.

I mean, you don't call publically traded corporations "America's Company".

[senor boogie woogie]

The Packers club has been around since the literal beginnings of professional football. They are actually a small remnant of what football was back in the early times, teams that played in smaller communities in the Midwest, which has survived depressions and wars and are successful today.

The Packers are also where the great Vince Lombardi was the coach, with the Superbowl trophy named after the man (for our non American friends out there.)

I like the Packers set up. Basically the town owns the team and sells shares. There is no arrogant owner, just the people making the decisions. Green Bay is the smallest city by far which has an NFL team. I have never been to Green Bay (been to Wisconsin with parents) but I can't help thinking that it has somewhat of a college feel to it but only with NFL players. Small midwestern city, traditions, community spirit, etc. There is probably something special which is difficult to describe which seperates Green Bay from the much larger markets.

Dallas has always been the a**hole team. I dont think anyone outside of Dallas and parts of Texas actually like them. They had a bad reputation for dirty play, druggie players, a do whatever attitude. There was a sense of great arrogance there. It is a Texas thing perhaps. Their owner, Jerry Jones is disliked by many, not as much as Al Davis was, but just not liked.

Around 1960 or so, there was talk about placing an NFL franchise to Dallas, which was furiously opposed by the Redskins organization. They wanted to keep the game in the East and not spread out all over the country.

I dont really care who wins the Superbowl anymore. I came from from Memphis, Tennessee where there was no NFL and no teams for hundreds of miles to cheer for. Memphis tried for 30years to lure a team to the city, and lost badly to the expansion Charlotte/Jacksonville teams. Then the Oilers went to Nashville, Memphis' biggest rival.

I was happy when the Saints won two years ago. They have an outside shot of winning it again this year. I wanted New Orleans to win for two reasons. For one, hsitorically they were an AWFUL football team. Just shit, bad, awful, inept, just worthless. I dont know how or why New Orleans people could watch that stink every fall.

Secondly is because of Katrina. For a while there, there was talk about just abandoning the city altoghter and moving thre team somewhere else, but they are still there and won it all. Besides, the legendary Superdome is there. Ugly 1960's-70's stadium that has had more championships in college and NFL to anywhere.

[Greenday]

um the stock isn't just sold to people that live in WI.....

Yea, but I bet if you looked at who owned stock, the majority would be Wisconsin.