LIFE'S BETTER IN THE MOUNTAINS

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

We Just Bought Some Stock

We bought a new stock this week.  It will never go up in value.  It cannot be sold but can purchased as a gift for someone else.  It does not pay dividends.  Once you own the stock it can be transferred only within your family.  It has not been available for the past fourteen years and will no longer be available after February 29, 2012.

So what does this stock do for us?  Well, all modesty aside, we are now part owners of the Green Bay Packers.  This team, in relatively small Green Bay, Wisconsin (population 105,000) is the only publicly owned team in the National Football League.  We fell in love with the Packers when we moved to Wisconsin many years ago.  A good friend with season tickets provided the opportunity to attend games at Lambeau every year.  We loved seeing the outstanding quarterback Brett Favre before he threw his adolescent temper tantrums, retiring and un-retiring and took his football and moved on to play for two other teams.

Since Brett moved on, we have seen that a quarterback can be immensely talented, have a deep love for the game, be as enthusiastic as a teenager, and still be a grownup.  Aaron Rodgers is unbelievably talented and after leading the team to win the Super Bowl last year, he has led them to an unbeaten season this year.  (I was actually sort of wishing Eli Manning might have beaten him.  I'd hate for their first loss to be during the playoffs!)  Watching this team is so much fun.  You will see Rodgers chatting with the opposing team.  The players seem to be having fun as well.

The fans certainly enjoy the team, especially when they do the "Lambeau Leap" after a touchdown.  Lambeau Field is outdoors and when there is snow during the season, local people vie for the opportunity to work with shovels clearing the stadium.  Every summer the fans line up several persons deep at the fences surrounding the training field to watch the players in training camp.  Little kids stand at the gate with their bicycles.  Many of the linemen will take a kid's bike and ride it to the fieldhouse.  What a wonderful sight...a three-hundred-pound player on a kid's bike.  The excited kid runs alongside.  More often than not the Packer riding the bike stops to autograph it for the kid before going into the locker room.  And pose for a photograph if Dad or Mom brought the camera.


(Both photographs from the Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel)

Aaron Rodgers and his winning smile.





 My two favorite players, Rodgers on the right and Donald Driver on the left.


So what will we get from our new stock?  Although we are not likely to do so, we can attend the annual meetings that precede the training camp.  We have voting rights.  So why would we bother to purchase stock that will never appreciate in value and that we cannot trade or sell?  Because the stock sale is to raise money for renovations at Lambeau Field.  And, as I mentioned before, because technically speaking, the stock makes us  team owners.

Next Packer game, I can more honestly say they are MY Packers.  I will be glad when the season is over and I can wash my Packer shirt.  (I don't dare wash it for fear it will jinx the team.)  Of course I wear it only on game day.

16 comments:

dr momi said...

Haha....a great tribute to a GREAT team. Congrats on your stock purchase!! Go Pack!!! (I'm 30 miles away from Green Bay.)

Busy Bee Suz said...

Good for YOU!!!! Years ago, my husband flew to GB to watch the packers vs dolphins! He explained this team 'ownership' to me, and I thought it was a great idea!!!!

I'm going to ignore the not washing your jersey for an entire season deal. :) YOU know how I am.
xoxo

Ms. A said...

Golly, I had know idea they were a publicly owned team. Shows you how much I know about football.

Ms. A said...

Make that "no" idea. Holy cow, I hate when that happens. *blush

Karin said...

The status of a facebook friend was just the same - and now I know why he did that! Cool! Have no idea how much their stock is though! Don't need to tell you to 'have fun' - you obviously are!!

Kathryn Magendie said...

What fun! This just made me sit here and grin. :-D

Anonymous said...

How can you NOT love a community-owned team that plays in an outdoor stadium to sellout crowds in blizzard weather?!
When we moved up there one of our son's friends invited him to go to a game. We had to go out and buy the kid a snowmobile suit so he could go!

A friend's son was always obsessed with the Packers. When he was in high school, he put himself on the waiting list for season tickets. By the time he made it to the top of the list, he'd moved to Illinois. Didn't matter--he'd become an airline pilot by then. Doesn't miss a game.

Congratulations on your stock purchase. Your "We could survive in that weather" credentials are impeccable.

Tipper said...

My daughter would have liked for me to buy some too-just so she could say she owned part of them too : )

My Mind's Eye said...

WTG on your new venture!
Mom says I keep her too busy to watch NFL but she does watch
N. C. State University games.
We'll be honorary cheerleaders for your team!!
Hugs madi and Mom

Anonymous said...

How great is that? Good for you! Do you get to sit in the owner's box? ;)

George said...

Congratulations. I think Green Bay has some of the greatest people in the world, especially when it comes to their football team.

NCmountainwoman said...

Thanks for your comments everyone.

dr. momi - I'm sure you feel the excitement. We loved WI, but are quite happy to be out of the winter weather.

Suz - You cannot imagine the magic at Lambeau Field. It's like nothing I have seen before. Or since.

Ms. A - Yep. No big moneybags telling the team what to do.

Karin - When you retire, little things make for excitement.

Kat - Yes, we are grinning here as well.

Merrilee - We also had winter gear for those frozen stands.

Tipper - Glad to see there is a new generation of Packer Backers.

Madi - OMG Here I thought your mom was such a sensible person. The Wolfpack? Well, I guess if that's her only flaw...

Jane - Somehow I don't think so. There's no box to hold two hundred thousand stock holders.

George - I agree. There is such a good atmosphere in Green Bay.

Janet, The Queen of Seaford said...

What fun!! My husband's father's family is from Wisconsin....so the Packers have had a special place in our hearts. It is truly a unique team and loved by its town. What fun for you to have been able to get the opportunity to buy some stock!! Go Green Bay.

Rudee said...

That's a great idea. What fun you'll have telling everyone you're an owner of the GBP!

sheri said...

Ha! Hubby was just telling me about this so when I started reading your post I knew before you said it: Green Bay Packers! Gotta love the Packers!! They are my favorite team, well after the JETS. We are season tickets for the JETS so I must stay loyal! Living in CT most everyone here is a Patriots fan! I have become smitten with the Packers this year and am a huge fan! 13-0 so far, not bad!! Go Packers (oh, and go JETS)

Sheri Shvonski said...

I should have used this other "sign in" account to post my comment......