REINVENTION: MILLER HIGH LIFE AND THE PACKERS
 |
| In the 1990s, Brett Favre proved that good 'ol Southern boys could compete with the new breed of technology-infused quarterback that threatened to dominate the NFL. |
Like Wisconsin’s beer of choice – Miller High Life – the Packers have caught up to the 21st century without compromising their old-world identity. High Life entered the American market in 1955. After flourishing for decades as a heavy, man's-man beer, High Life found itself at a crossroads in the early 1990s. As an increasingly calorie-conscious world turned to lighter beers, the heros at Miller were left with an ultimatum: change or die. But thanks to a successful ad campaign by Errol Morris, High Life had to do neither. Instead, it re-marketed itself with ads promoting the nostalgic, 1950s man-values it has always represented, and is today enjoyed by hipsters and grandfathers alike.
Similarly, the Packers reached a reckoning when the spread offense began taking over the NFL in the late 1990s. Enter Brett Favre, the most notorious and debated gunslinger in NFL history. The iron-hearted, "aw-shucks" Favre, who started an NFL record 297 straight games, successfully brought the Packers into the modern age without sacrificing any of the working class grit that the Packers had engrained in their legacy. As a Green Bay Superbowl champion and the official icon of Wrangler Jeans, Favre combined the downfield precision of a 21st century robo-hybrid QB with the everyday mentality of a good ol’ boy hanging out on the hood of his pickup. Today, Aaron Rodgers has brought Favre’s common-man gunslinger mentality to a new Green Bay squad, making the Packers appealing to the Green Bay faithful and newer fans alike.
MIKE MCCARTHY: THE AMERICAN COLONIST RE-LIVED
While every citizen worth his weight in McDonald’s quarter-pounders knows the much-celebrated legend of the American Revolution, few have as deep an appreciation for the mindset of the average colonist as does Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy. Raised in Pittsburgh’s gritty Greenfield neighborhood, McCarthy developed a fierce allegiance to his city and his Steelers while growing up. When it came time to venture into the world and make his fortune, McCarthy left the cloudy skies of Pennsylvania in search of more prosperous country. The wandering adventurer eventually landed upon the green and gold shores of Wisconsin’s Lake Michigan. Though his heart remained pledged to Pittsburgh, McCarthy thanked God for the land of opportunity he had discovered, and soon landed a fruitful job as Green Bay Packers head coach.
 |
| On December 16, 2011, Mike McCarthy destroyed a supply of Lionshead Kegs stashed in the back of his old friend George's 1981 Crown Victoria at the local Motel 6. |
As McCarthy settled into life as a Wisconsonian, his relationships back home began to show signs of strain. “Call us when you get home from practice, sweetie,” his mother would annoyingly ask. “Send us money when you have a chance,” begged his five siblings. “Ship us down a few crates of that famous Miller High Life,” his old drinking buddies demanded. When a bunch of his old high school teammates road-tripped to Green Bay and asked their old pal to show them around the city, McCarthy finally snapped. That night, under the cover of darkness, McCarthy and several Packers assistants snuck into the parking lot of the Motel 6 where his friends were staying. Dressed as Washington Redskins to throw off any potential witnesses, McCarthy’s gang broke open the windows of his buddy George’s 1981 Crown Victoria and ceremoniously smashed the numerous kegs of Lionshead Beer stashed there. Historians would later dub this event “The Green Bay Motel 6 Lionshead Keg Party.”
The act of defiance sent shockwaves across the Great Lakes and back to Pittsburgh, where McCarthy’s former constituents geared up for all-out war. After months of petty fighting with other lesser rivals (such as wild bands of Kansas City Chiefs, who viciously slaughtered innocent Packers fans roaming the frontier territories to the west) McCarthy and his rebel brethren finally arranged for an ultimate showdown with the Pittsburgh Steelers in Dallas, Texas. The winter was harsh that year (2011), and Packer and Steeler forces, miles away from the comfort of home, had to endure uncharacteristic Texas snowstorms while gearing up for the fight that would decide the fate of Pittsburgh’s renegade son.
Like the American colonists who had to turn on the home they once loved, Mike McCarthy was forced to separate the sentiments of his past with the reality of his present. So while most Americans can only relive the Revolutionary War experience through Mel Gibson’s accurate portrayal in The Patriot, true sons of liberty like Mike McCarthy have just a little bit more rebel in them than the rest of us.
TOMORROW: PART VI:: American History, True Blue-Collar Workers and The Pittsburgh Steelers
No comments:
Post a Comment