(April 19, 2011) --- The NFL released their schedule today so football fans from New England to San Diego and Seattle to Miami will have the opportunity to see where and when their favorite team won’t be playing this year.
With the NFL lockout going into its sixth week, the league thought it would be a good time to take the focus off of the owner’s battle for everyone’s money and instead put it on a sop schedule... even if the hypnotizing influence on football-starved fans will last but only a few days. Psychologists say the effect is similar to the “What If” syndrome lottery ticket-holders experience when they first stare at that little piece of paper they just bought from the 7-11 hoping for the big-bucks while knowing deep-down they’ll still have to show up for work the next week.
But despite the league’s current labor dispute, it is a noteworthy schedule, especially for Green Bay Packers fans.
Not only will the Packers be playing in the league’s first game of the season (Thursday, September 8, 2011 versus the New Orleans Saints)... but they will also be playing in the league’s last game of the season (Sunday, February 5th, 2012 in Super Bowl XLVI).
And according to league historians, this will be the very first time one NFL team will play on all seven major U.S. holidays. This season Green Bay is scheduled for Thanksgiving Day (at Detroit), Christmas Day (Chicago), New Year’s Day (Detroit), End of Daylight Saving Time (at San Diego), Give A Homeless Person a Hug Day (Minnesota), National One-Hit-Wonder Day (at Chicago), and Ear Appreciation Day (Tampa).
Although the Minnesota Viking are scheduled to play with the Redskins, Raiders, Panthers, Cardinals, Broncos and Chiefs in 2011... Brett Favre has hinted that this will finally be the year he officially plays with himself.