But there’s a bright side. You, as fans, are now free agents. Many of you will still follow the Rams – which is perfectly understandable – but for many others it’s a rare opportunity to actively, actually select your new favorite team.
Allow me to make a suggestion: The Green Bay Packers.
For at least ten reasons:
1. Missouri and Wisconsin have a lot in common. Each is a Midwestern, flyover state that values loyalty. Speaking of which….
2. Built-in geographic rivalries. As a Packer fan in Missouri, you’ll be cheek-by-jowl with Bears fans, and close to Vikings followers (many of whom are Iowans). What’s the point of liking a team if you can’t dislike its rivals? And what's better than disliking rivals conveniently located right next door?
3. The Packers’ long history and tradition of success. Green Bay has won 13 NFL championships, more than any other franchise. Still….
4. You won’t be bandwagon-hopping. The Packers, while generally successful for the past two decades or so, haven’t won a championship in five years. So you won’t be accused of frontrunning. Because….
5. Packer fans, like Rams fans, know what it’s like to endure long stretches of on-field futility. Stretches that go by names like “the 1950s,” “the 1970s” and “the 1980s.”
6. Lambeau Field. Best venue in all of football. Never domed, never carpeted by artificial turf.
7. Tailgating. Nobody gets ready for a game like Packer fans, and there’s always room for more. One of the features of pre-gaming in in Green Bay is….
8. Better beer. Don’t take this the wrong way, loyalists of mass-produced Missouri libations, but … let’s just say, for example, that Wisconsin’s own New Glarus Brewing turns out superlative products. Give me a Spotted Cow any day.
9. Practically ZERO chance of the Packers ever moving. Which is due to….
10. No billionaire owner. The Packers have nearly 361,000 shareholders (including me) but none of them can arbitrarily uproot the franchise. We want the Packers in Green Bay; we NEED the Packers in Green Bay.
You don’t have to decide right away. There are a lot of teams to choose from. Take the time to grieve the loss. But when you want to put yourself back out there, give us a call. We’ll listen. A new relationship just might work for you. We could have a lot of fun together!