Green Bay Packers: America's Team

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

What NFL team can truly claim the title of "America's Team"?

More years ago than I care to think about, a former Miss America went to work for CBS Sports. Her name was Phyllis George, which I only remember because she also used to be the spokesman for Oster, which was based here in Milwaukee.

She was the one who started calling the Dallas Cowboys "America's Team" on national broadcasts, a term that stuck in the craw of fans of old-line NFL teams like the Chicago Bears, Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions and [BIAS ALERT!] the Green Bay Packers.

For many years, I've been saying there are far more people who dislike the Cowboys than like them, and there are far more people who follow that Packers than any other team. As evidence of that, back in the 1990s, a reporter from Green Bay used to distribute an e-mail newsletter. Remember, in the 1990s, most of you didn't have computers at home at all, let alone an email address. Jeff Ash's newsletter had over 5,000 subscribers around the world - including Australia and Moscow. It evolved into a website called The South End Zone which is still one of the best resources for Packers and NFL statistics and trivia.

Well, fans of other NFL teams have been vindicated. Sorry, Dallas fans, the results are in.

A poll by the well respected Public Policy Polling recently determined that twice as many fans in the nation chose the Packers as their favorite team, from a list of nine. The group surveyed 700 American voters from Dec. 16-18, 2011.

22% of poll respondents said the Packers are their favorite team with 11% saying the Cowboys.

Our Chicago friends will probably be amazed (as was I) that only 8% said the Bears. 8% was also the results for the New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers. 7% said the New Orleans Saints, 6% said the New England Patriots, 4% said the Washington Redskins while only 2% reported the New York Jets as their favorite teams.

Oh, incidentally, 22% also reported that the Dallas Cowboys are the team they hate the most.

Sorry, Texas. The Green Bay Packers are now officially America's Team.

 

[ShelbyMichalek]

Agreed!

 

[BethCooks4U]

Duh! I've been saying exactly that for years!

 

[lt1jane]

I agree also, if for no other reason than they are the only team owned by their fans. Anyone in America who can afford it and chooses to may buy stock in the team. You will never receive dividends, and I think you can vote at the annual shareholder's meeting, but you can tell people that you are an NFL owner. The Packers are the only team you can buy a piece of (there is a sale going on right now until February I think). That alone qualifies them in my book as America's Team.

 

[chefa]

The Cowboys ceased to exist for me when they fired America's Coach! I'd rather see the Packers win any day!!!!!!!

 

[esavvymom]

Hardly a scientific survey - only 700 Americans????? Really?Doesn't count. Sounds like a political caucus! Haha.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

That's about the size sample taken on any national poll.Sounds more like a disgruntled Panthers fan.

 

[esavvymom]

That's about the size sample taken on any national poll.

Sounds more like a disgruntled Panthers fan.

Who?? Actually, it is the Bears. Haha. My DH was reading your post over my shoulder.....loudly disagreeing. . He is from Bears country.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

I try to not participate in Bears bashing.Their fans do a pretty good job of it themselves.Did he read where I said I was also amazed that Da Bearse only scored 8% of respondents? I thought it would be higher, too.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Last night, Da Bearse played America's Team on NBC's Sunday Night Football. It was a close game in the first half, the Bears actually outplayed the Packers, at least, statistically. The score was 14-3 at the half, though, because although the Bears had better stats, the Packers had the advantage in the only statistic that matters - points. In the second half, the 2010 Northern Division Champion Bears were completely outplayed by the defending World Champions.Today, just for grins, I listened to the Chicago sports radio stations. See my previous post - I don't have to bash the Bears - people in Chicago do a pretty good job of it themselves.