People have different stories of success to tell. A
billionaire might be once a struggling college student who works to pay
for college. On the other hand, a successful businessman becomes the
number one in the market because it is a legacy that has been passed on
years. A crumbling football team becomes the next Super bowl Champions
because of one man (thinking that his former group does not need him
anymore) that has been drafted from the other teams.
However,
despite the many glorious stories in our lives, we cannot deny that
there are also stories of has-beens. For some, tables are turned and
the ones, always on top, become the strugglers. In American Football,
some are in this situation.
When the National Football League
started, the small-town teams dominated the game. Akron Pros were the
first champions of the league. However, more teams has been added to
the 11 founding teams and by 1921, the total number of members reached
22. By now, some of the teams no longer exist because they changed
locations or because the cities have their own teams. One of the most
successful teams back then that has retained their name is the Green
Bay Packers.
Yes, this team may have not started out to compete
not until the 1921. However, they hold the most number of titles in
NFL. According to the official site of pro football hall of fame, this
team won three titles in the period of where the winner was determined
through win-loss percentage. In 1933, where there was already an annual
championship game held, they grabbed another three titles for the years
1936, 1939 and1944. When AFL decided to operate their own league, this
team grabbed the 1964 title. When the two associations (AFL and NFL)
decided to merge, the deciding match for the champions is the Super
bowl and this team grabbed the 1966-67 titles. 1970 was the time when
both associations where not longer separate entities but they were
termed as conferences. The top one team from both conferences will be
the ones to meet in the Super bowl. In 1996, this team from Wisconsin,
grabbed their last (hopefully not the least) Championship title.
The
team might not be on the list as they always have been. New England
Patriots have been dominating the charts for the millennium. In 2007,
the New Yorkers made their mark. Despite the performance of the Green
Bay Packers, they still hold the most titles in NFL. They also have
their own sets of Hall of Famers like Brett Favre. He was one the
quarterback of the team and lead many division championships for this
their conference. This was because most of their wide receivers were
injured and they lost their coaches too. This caused their standings to
crumble. However, despite the downfalls, it is not the end of the
world. They still sell-out well on their hometown games.
Hopefully,
the glory that once roared in Lambeau Field will be once again heard in
the Super bowl matches that people are waiting for.
Freddie
Brister is a huge fan of the NFL and the Green Bay Packers. His love
for the game of football started with an older brother passing the
pigskin around in the backyard with cousins and neighborhood friends.
He later played in high school, college and coached high school
football for 25 years, before retiring to write for Sports Fan
Treasures. Check out his Green Bay Packers Merchandise