December 30, 2013 at 4:16 p.m.
Football is king at local taverns this week
Football is king at local taverns this week
Rodgers called for the ball, scrambled left and launched long, arcing pass to a wide open Randall Cobb for the winning touchdown.
The loyal fans packing Bucketheads in Rhinelander exploded with a mixture of joy and disbelief. They rang their cowbells viciously in support of the green and gold, remarking to one another about the magnitude of the play.
It's become a common scene in taverns around the Northwoods for football fans. On game days, people pack the local establishments to cheer on their teams alongside their friends and enjoy the special prices that accompany them.
Ross Dary said he loves to watch games at Bucketheads and does so as often as he can.
"The atmosphere is great and so are the cowbells," he said. "That really adds to the fun. I love all the noise and excitement."
Mike Hastreiter, owner of Bucketheads, said he tries to make sure everyone is having a good time when they watch a game at his place. Ultimately though, that's up to the team on the field.
"It's always a fun time," he said. "When Rodgers went out, people were a little down, but the crowd picked back up when they signed (Matt) Flynn. Packer fans never give up and that was evident with our fans here."
Hastreiter provides the cowbells for his patrons to help them cheer along. He also offers a variety of drink specials. Every time the Packers score, he hands out a free shot for everyone.
"We have a lot of fun here with our drink specials, and the flag game is awesome," he said. "After every penalty, we pick a new name and that person drinks for free. Everyone has a lot of fun with that. We're a great place to watch the game because we've added more televisions and there's always a lot of people here really invested in the game, which makes it fun."
That was the case Sunday during the Packers-Bears game. Dary said he enjoys talking football with fans when he goes to Bucketheads, but down the stretch it was all business.
"I knew we were a better team," he said. "I just wanted to see our offense come through and make the final score, which we did. It's good to have Rodgers back and have that confidence under center again."
Cross Country Bar and Grill is another popular spot to watch a game. Owner Erik Wierschke said he's put his own spin on the game-day experience and people really enjoy it.
"We do a lots of prizes and giveaways," he said. "Every time the Packers score, we pick a name and that person gets to kick a field goal for prizes. It's a lot of fun."
Before the game on Sunday, the crowd at Cross Country was already anticipating a Packers win and the atmosphere was intense.
"We already had a hundred people in here over an hour before the game started," Wierschke said. "Everyone is excited that Rodgers is playing. We had a big crowd and it was a lot of fun."
Now that the Packers have done their part by booting the Bears from the playoffs, attention will turn to the Wisconsin Badgers as they take on the University of South Carolina in a bowl game Wednesday.
Dary said he's hopeful for a Badgers win.
"They have a tough game ahead and they've struggled in bowl games, so it will be interesting to watch," he said. "I think they can pull it off though."
Hastreiter is expecting another big crowd for the bowl game.
"We're going to have the wheel to spin which everyone always enjoys," he said. "Every time the Badgers score, we spin the wheel again and there's a new drink special for everyone at the bar. I'm expecting a lot of the people who come in for the Packer games to come in for the bowl games, which should mean a really great time."
The Capital One Bowl will kick off at noon on New Year's Day.
Andy Hildebrand may be reached at [email protected].
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