Greg Jennings rags on Green Bay, but not Packers

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... ay-at-all/

I laughed when I saw this. Most people don't realize how much of a rural area Green Bay is in, and how small it really is. 104k population, and the greater Green Bay area/region has 305k total people, with Green Bay being the 'big' city in the area. It's a full two-hour drive north of Milwaukee with no traffic, in the middle of nowhere. It's a rural area and feels like it. Bothell feels more big city-ish than Green Bay does in some ways, despite having a third of the population. (Yes, I've actually spent time in Green Bay from when I lived in Wisconsin in the 90s.)

I totally get where he's coming from, ragging on the educational system and such. Good luck finding nice private schools if you have money and want a superior education for your kids in that area, lol.


Yes, I'm biased against Wisconsin. Deal with it, and hate on Greg Jennings; not me. 8)

IIRC I posted this once before here, but I had a coach who played most of his career with the Packers. He said the biggest challenge was being African American there. There's so little racial diversity that he basically spent his life in a fishbowl, as if you were an AA male over six feet and in reasonably good shape everyone from across the street knew you played for the Packers. The fans supported the heck out of the players and the team, but in terms of social life, it was really, really challenging for him (and according to him, for many of the AA players).

EDIT: It would be interesting to see the stats, but just thinking about it very briefly the Pack do seem to be disproportionately white as a squad. That's likely not true or likely just chance, but kind of a fun idea to spitball if this might have something to do with it.

Popeyejones":3axbzw7o said:

IIRC I posted this once before here, but I had a coach who played most of his career with the Packers. He said the biggest challenge was being African American there. There's so little racial diversity that he basically spent his life in a fishbowl, as if you were an AA male over six feet and in reasonably good shape everyone from across the street knew you played for the Packers. The fans supported the heck out of the players and the team, but in terms of social life, it was really, really challenging for him (and according to him, for many of the AA players).

Click to expand...

That is completely correct, and I saw more racism in rural Wisconsin than I have anywhere else I've lived, including Miami which is like 18% white.

I repeat: most people don't realize just how rural that area is. Population is actually misleading, because a 104k population in a 305k greater area doesn't sound that small, but it IS in this case. It hasn't been touched or permeated by a big city, it's like a collection of small towns strung together. You have more entertainment in suburban areas around big cities than the city of Green Bay itself does in a lot of situations. It's a joke.

A good way to visualize living in the Green Bay area as an NFL player is to think of it like this:

Funny story:

Back when I was living in Edmonds and mowing the front lawn one day, I was wearing my old Hasselbeck jersey and this older lady came up to me and the conversation when like this:

Old Lady: "Hi, you guys are playing great this year"

Me: "Oh yeah, Hawks are playing real well"

OL: "Do you live here during the off-season as well?"

Me: "Oh ha, yep, year around!"

OL: "My grandson is a big fan, would you mind signing something for him?"

Me: "Ha, well, umm, I'm not sure he would want mine"

OL: "Oh, I'm sure he'd love it!"

Me: "Well, I'm not an actual member of the Seahawks..."

OL: "Oh... (walks away"

I'm not tall (6' in 1" heels), but I have a good bit of meat on me and being black in a predominantly-white, upper middle class neighborhood with a Seahawks jersey on I finally figured it all out.

^^^^ :lol: :lol:

Jesus.

There are way too many stupid people in the world.

That's pretty funny. You should of signed it.

SonicHawk":17pt10b1 said:

Funny story:

Back when I was living in Edmonds and mowing the front lawn one day, I was wearing my old Hasselbeck jersey and this older lady came up to me and the conversation when like this:

Old Lady: "Hi, you guys are playing great this year"

Me: "Oh yeah, Hawks are playing real well"

OL: "Do you live here during the off-season as well?"

Me: "Oh ha, yep, year around!"

OL: "My grandson is a big fan, would you mind signing something for him?"

Me: "Ha, well, umm, I'm not sure he would want mine"

OL: "Oh, I'm sure he'd love it!"

Me: "Well, I'm not an actual member of the Seahawks..."

OL: "Oh... (walks away"

I'm not tall (6' in 1" heels), but I have a good bit of meat on me and being black in a predominantly-white, upper middle class neighborhood with a Seahawks jersey on I finally figured it all out.

Click to expand...

Wait, why were you wearing heels?

Laloosh":14ml446o said:

Wait, why were you wearing heels?

Click to expand...

He's Sam Bradford from the Pro Football Mock Facebook QB conversations.

As much as Jennings might be right, I'm not a big fan of players talking trash about their old team, coaches or city.

If GB would have matched the 45 million contract, Jennings would have had no problem continuing to not be happy in GB's rural surroundings.

Their airport has nonstop direct service to Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis, and Atlanta. That's IT! Amazing for a pro city.

You could probably build yourself a pretty kick ass McMansion to hole up in there though. Make your own night life.

CANHawk":3l5v5v4c said:

You could probably build yourself a pretty kick ass McMansion to hole up in there though. Make your own night life.

Click to expand...

Just how many people live in that area that you want in your own custom night life scene, do you think? These people spend their winters riding snowmobiles from bar to bar and hunting.

RolandDeschain":1zcty4yr said:

CANHawk":1zcty4yr said:

You could probably build yourself a pretty kick ass McMansion to hole up in there though. Make your own night life.

Click to expand...

Just how many people live in that area that you want in your own custom night life scene, do you think? These people spend their winters riding snowmobiles from bar to bar and hunting.

Click to expand...

Thats a bad thing versus sitting in traffic inhaling exhaust fumes all summer, winter and dealing with everyone wanting to be treated with political correctness.

So if Bothell feels like it has more action despite having a smaller population what city on Washington does Green Bay feel like..? Would u say Shelton..? I been there once and that city is DEAD.

Aberdeen probably is close unless they brought a new industry there since I was there last.

Well, Shelton and Aberdeen are kind of dramatic examples, but in a word..."Yes."

There are a lot of differences, many of them kind of subtle, between a city or town that is in an overall rural part of a state compared to one near a major population center. It's hard to explain.

Aberdeen is a little too run-down for Green Bay. Green Bay might be a small town but it's not overly poor/trash.

dopeboy206":3ml2j6a8 said:

So if Bothell feels like it has more action despite having a smaller population what city on Washington does Green Bay feel like..? Would u say Shelton..? I been there once and that city is DEAD.

Click to expand...

I live in Shelton. It's a dying town, but survives on old people and retirees from more wealthy surrounding areas.

Think of it as a Walmart with a small town attatched at the hip.

I get a very Eastern WA vibe from GB (only been once). I got the same WTH feeling waiting in GB as I did in Spokane or even Yakima. I imagine Butte and GB being similar in that the entire city gets locked down fri-sat because "it's the weekend and the beer-a-flowin".

EXACTLY, SouthSound!

Rural dump in the middle of nowhere, population be damned. :thirishdrinkers: