On the sidelines with Rich: A cold and windy day

By Rich Palzewic

Sports Editor

GREEN BAY – I wouldn’t say 25-35 mph winds and freezing temperatures are all that fun, but that’s what I had to endure at the Green Bay Packers’ game Nov. 15 against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lambeau Field.

The Press Times received credentials for the second time this season, so I bundled up with every warm piece of clothing I had and headed to Lambeau about 10:30 a.m. on game day.

Similar to the home opener Sept. 20 against the Detroit Lions, it was an eerie feeling driving down Lombardi Avenue with no traffic, fans tailgating and an empty parking lot.

The Packers organization, like many others across the National Football League, is not allowing fans for the foreseeable future because of the COVID-19 pandemic, so that meant an empty Lambeau Field as well.

Parking in Lot 6, I made my way to the COVID-19 screening tent for my temperature check – 96 degrees.

Good news – I was well enough to enter the guts of the stadium.

After going through security and grabbing my brown NFL vest, I next made my way to the media workroom

Because I was in no rush to get outside and stand in the elements, I enjoyed my pre-packed meal in the lunchroom with a few other media members spaced 6 feet apart.

Heading outside about 11:35, both teams were still on the field for pre-game warm-ups but soon headed inside.

With the National Anthem being played (with no flyover), both teams chose to remain inside for the duration.

When the Jaguars were introduced as a team, there were no “boos.”

I had to laugh – I saw a Jaguars player raising his arms up and down, as if to fire the crowd up, running out of the tunnel.

I learned from attending the game against the Lions – since I wasn’t allowed on the field like normal for pics, the end zones and the corner of the end zones which the Packers are coming toward are the best for taking photos, at least for me and my bottom-of-the-line camera.

Because I entered Lambeau in the south end zone, I had to book it to the north end for the opening kickoff.

This is when I felt I was going to get blown over because a 40-mph gust almost knocked me down the steps.

After a ho-hum start by Green Bay, I sprinted to the south end zone for the second quarter, just in time to snap some decent pics of Packers wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling catching a 78-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

After Jacksonville’s Keelan Cole returned a punt for a 91-yard touchdown five minutes into the second quarter, there wasn’t a peep in the stadium, except for a few audible cheers from the Jaguars’ bench.

Unfortunately, Rodgers’ 5-yard scamper for a touchdown around the right end eight minutes later was to the opposite side of the end zone where I was – bummer!

My goal at halftime was to get warm, which I accomplished.

It’s amazing – sitting through halftime at home watching the game on television is agonizingly slow at times, but when you’re attending a game in person, you barely have time to get inside, warm up and use the restroom.

By the time I got back outside, Jacksonville had already run a few plays.

The rest of the game I spent moving back and forth between the end zones.

I made sure after the game was completed, I was by the entrance of the Packers’ tunnel to snap a few pics.

This is the part I miss the most – rushing onto the field after the game and taking up-close photos.

I’m grateful to attend games, even if I have to spend the time in the stands snapping pics, but I miss being on the field and mixing it up with the players.

The game itself was pretty uneventful, with Green Bay pulling out a 24-20 victory to improve to 7-2.

It was probably a closer game than most expected, but with no fans in the stands, road teams don’t have to deal with crowd noise.

I was glad to get back inside, warm up and head home with no traffic again.

Even though it was cold and windy, I was happy to attend my 20th career game on the sidelines (well, in the stands at least) inside Lambeau Field.