Green Bay Packers: A team with its own ‘Following’

Anyone who has fallen for the National Football League’s Green Bay Packers can understand how important it is knowing everything about the franchise – in a good way.

Anyone who has been hooked on the new FOX thriller “The Following,” will understand how becoming obsessed – in a bad way – can overtake those who have a common calling.

There is an in between for good and bad and I’m not about to compare Packers fans to the sick, demented and obsessed characters who “follow Joe” in the television series. But as Packers fans, we all know how our love of the team is undying and forever. We would go the lengths of earth to know anything, to see anything and to be associated with this fine organization.

It’s a love few can understand, something that’s in our blood and has been passed down from generation to generation.

So, in honor of our own “following,” I’ve scoped the Internet for some of the most famous Packers fans. One of the best sources was a previous post on Total Packers from which I got much of the information below.

Yes, there are millions of us. There are so many of us that if you’ve signed up for season tickets, it will take you like 1,000 years to get into Lambeau Field. If you live in cities far from Green Bay you will be able to find a corner bar somewhere to watch the game with fellow Packers fans.

I know we’re all famous in our own way, but these are celebrities, in no particular order, who have also expressed their love for the Packers … enjoy.

• Greta Van Susteren – The Fox television personality is a Wisconsin native who not only interviewed Bret Favre (remember that?), but she is a team stockholder and openly follows the team.

• Pat Morita and Chris Farley – Yes, I know both have passed on and are enjoying the Packers games up there with Vince Lombardi, but they have to be mentioned because of of how large they were when they were alive. Farley, the Madison native was always a huge supporter of the Wisconsin Badgers and Green Bay Packers, and Morita even mentioned on his IMBD page that he loved the team – and remember when Brett Favre spotted “Mr. Myagi.” at a Packers game?

• Larry the Cable Guy – his wife is from Wisconsin … the git ‘er done guy doesn’t needs to know that it’s important to follow his better half’s favorite team.

• Matt Kenseth – We’re all familiar with the NASCAR champion from Wisconsin. He developed a big friendship with Brett Favre and no doubt still follows the Green and Gold.

• Joan Jett – Who could deny this rocker from being a friend of the Packers? When she fell in love with the “G” on the Packers helmets, the leader of The Runaways knew that it was the Packers who were going to be her team.

• Dennis Leary – Though he became a Packers fan to tick off his brother when they shared a room growing up, that doesn’t matter – we’ll accept him into our “Following.”

• David Ortiz – “Big Papi,” whose wife is a Wisconsinite, has been a Packers fan for years – and like Larry the Cable Guy, we respect his decision to catch the Packers bug from his wife.

• Erin Andrews – the ESPN celebrity sideline reporter grew up a Packers fan and a Brett Favre fan in respect to her father, who was a huge Bart Starr fan.

• Dick Schaap – We know that the late Mr. Schaap worked with Jerry Kramer in writing his books, so it’s really a natural that he, as one of the foremost sports journalists of the past few decades, would be a Packers fan.

• Tony Shaloub – The actor who was most famous for his starring role on “Monk,” was born and raised in Green Bay and is a season ticket holder.

• Frankie Rayder – the model extraordinaire who has been depicted in just about every important magazine. She was born and raised in River Falls and has been a devout Packers fans her entire life.