Mukwonago resident recalls Packer memories
Downs has been a fan through thick and thin
The Packers season has come to a bittersweet end after a near perfect season. But despite the disappointment fans surely feel, one losing season isn't enough to deter one Mukwonago fan from his lifelong dedication to the Green and Gold.
Jerry Downs has been a Packers fan his whole life. Now 83, Downs still makes a point to watch as many games as he can from his comfortable room in Linden Ridge or with family during their Packer parties. Most residents at Linden Ridge watch the game by themselves except when a game is on during dinner, when they watch it together in the dining room, Downs explained. On Packer Sundays, residents can be seen strolling through the halls wearing Packers hats and cheeseheads.
"It's always enjoyable watching the Packers," he said. "When they win, I like them very much." He added that he's still a fan when they lose.
Downs recalls the days when the Packers used to play at State Fair Park, where even then fans would pack the house. He said he had only one opportunity to attend a game at Lambeau Field during the Lombardi era, when he went with a group from Citizen's Bank of Mukwonago. While Downs enjoyed the game at Lambeau, "I certainly liked the old State Fair Park games."
Football was different back when games were held at State Fair Park, Downs remembered. Players didn't have all the protective gear like they do now, he said. Instead, uniforms consisted of a leather helmet with no face guard and ankle-high cleats with rubber spikes. Rules were different back then too, and players could get away with more than they do now, he added.
While many greats adorn the Packers' amazing legacy, Jim Taylor remains Downs' all-time favorite player. Part of the Lombardi era, Taylor was a fullback for the team from 1958-66, when he left as the franchise's all-time leading rusher.
"He was a tough football player," Downs said.
As for the 2011-12 team, Downs said his favorite player is Aaron Rodgers.
"He makes the team for me," Downs said. "He calls a good game."
Downs explains that he likes Rodgers because he is a smart quarterback who runs the team well. He's a good passer, and when he has to run, he's a good then too.
As for Mike McCarthy, Downs said he's "almost as good as Lombardi was."
Downs had predicted that the Packers would win the Super Bowl by 3 points.
Maybe next year.
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