Say Hey, Green Bay!

A small yoga studio on the east side of Appleton offered eloquent evidence of the 2025 NFL draft’s influence on Wisconsin.

There, Friday afternoon, a friendly yogi centered her class with the following metaphor:

“We’re going to build a foundation first,” she said as we settled onto our mats. “Just like the city of Green Bay did in the years leading up to the draft.”

I opened an eye. “Wait, what now?” I thought. “Was that an NFL reference in a yoga studio?”

With a deliberate intonation, she went on to describe how it took years of careful preparation for city as small as Green Bay to host an event as big as the NFL Draft and she encouraged us to apply that same patience and dedication to our yoga practice.

That the young woman was not a football fan made her reference to the draft even more profound and unexpected. That my daughter Katherine and I were heading up to the draft later that day made that hot yoga class even cooler.

Way to go, Green Bay!

More than 600,000 people attended the 2025 NFL draft over the three-day period. They came from all over, and from right down the road.

I worried, as we hustled up Ridge Road toward Lambeau Field, that the rain and cooler temperatures might keep fans away. I knew it wouldn’t faze Packer fans, because we’re a hardy bunch and we know how to dress so we can enjoy ourselves completely (ahem, Cam Ward). But, I wondered about some of the warm weather folks.

I soon realized that, if you build a historic stadium, man it with heroes, and fill it with memories of iconic moments, the people will come.

And they did. They arrived at Lambeau’s door as innocent as children, longing for the past. And, if I haven’t overstayed my welcome in Field of Dreams quoteland, that smattering of rain became the magic waters that reminded everyone of all that once was good and could be again.

Go Pack Go!

I love that our First Round pick was named Golden, and that he wants to buy back his grandma’s house for his family.

I love that Golden’s Texas teammate Barryn Sorrell and his family paid their own way to Green Bay on Wednesday. They spent the whole second day in an empty Green Room, and then came back for the third day. I love that, when he finally got the call that he’d been drafted in the fourth round, it came from inside Lambeau Field. I love that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell came back on stage to welcome him, and that Barryn did a Lambeau Leap on his victory lap around that stadium.

I love that he wore shorts for that last day of the draft, because he can handle the weather (ahem, Cam Ward). I love that his older brother Avery, an investment banker at Goldman Sachs, his mom, dad and godparents all joined Barryn for the whole four-day experience.

I love that he choked up as he introduced his family during his post-draft interview.

“I’m just very passionate about these people, man,” he said.

If you don’t have time to watch this 18 minute video, fast forward to the 9 minute mark and listen to him introduce his family. The family lost a son, Barry “Tyler” Sorrell six years ago on the Fourth of July, and Barryn honored that brother, too, in his emotional remarks.