Photos: Jordan Schatz/DC Spotlight Newspaper
August 15, 2011
By Jordan Schatz
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama welcomed the Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers to the White House Friday,though, not necessarily with open arms. Obama, the former senator of Illinois and a die-hard Chicago Bears fan, was perhaps less than pleased to have the Packers visit as they are the bitter rivals of the Bears. Green Bay defeated Chicago in the NFC championship game to advance to Super Bowl XXXXV.
"I'm just gonna say it," Obama said early in his speech. "This hurts a little bit."
Gathering on the WestLawn before a crowd of enthusiastic fans, some of whom were wearing cheese hats made famous by Packers’ fans, Obama congratulated Green Bay on overcoming an injury-filled season and beating the AFC champion Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25 in the Super Bowl.
Aaron Rodgers, the MVP of the Super Bowl, presented the president with a personalized jersey on behalf of the Packers and defensive star Charles Woodson gave Obama a framed certificate that confirmed that thepresident was part owner of the team.
The Packers are the only publicly owned team in sports and feature over 100,000 stockholders with a share of the team.
“Even a Bears fan can admit that the relationship between Green Bay and its team is something special,” Obama said.
He added, "If I’m a part owner, I think we should initiate a trade to send Rodgers down to the Bears.”
