Photos From The Green Bay Packers vs Chicago Bear NFL Thanksgiving Monsoon Football Game • November 26, 2015 • Green Bay Editorial Photographer

I usually try and do my blog post from covering a Green Bay Packers game the day after the game.  Sorry this one from the Green Bay Packers vs Chicago Bears game on Thanksgiving night is a few days late.  It’s taken me almost a full week to come to grips with the Packers losing their second home game in a row to a division rival and it’s taken me almost that long to dry out from the wettest game I’ve covered in my over 20 years of covering the Packers.  The Packers Thanksgiving game wasn’t you average game either.  At halftime the Packers honored Super Bowl and future Hall of Fame quarterback quarterback Brett Favre by retiring his number and unveiling his name and number in the stadiums ring of honor.  To make it even more special Ice Bowl era quarterback Bart Starr also stepped foot on the field for what his family says will be his last trip back to Green Bay.

For about a week before the game I nervously looked at the extended forecast and saw the potential for rain and temps in the mid 30s.  I don’t mind shooting in the cold, but I hate shooting in the rain.  The morning of game day the weather was gloomy and damp and I thought to myself if it stays like this the game it won’t be bad.  Well, the weather didn’t just stay damp and gloomy.  About mid afternoon what I will call the Great Thanksgiving Monsoon of 2015 moved in.  I have the proper gear to keep myself and my great dry, but when your out in the elements for over 5 hours covering pregame and the actual game it’s a tad tough to keep all your glass from becoming a sponge.  I brought a fleet of lens clothes with to clear the water from my camera lenses and eye glasses, but with the wind and the rain it was a never ending H2Oapalooza.  By halftime my lens clothes had become just damp wash clothes.  When the special moments at halftime happened I couldn’t even really see through my gear.

At some point during a difficult situation you just have to say ”UNCLE”.  I said uncle about midway through the 4th quarter and just wanted the game to end before I laid down in the north end zone in the fetus position.  Well, the game did end and not in a good way for the Packers.  I waddled my damp self up to the media workroom and rung myself out and was happy to see that the editors found a couple nice moment in my take from the day.

I usually caption all the photos from the games, but not from this one.  I just need to get this blog done as quick as possible and move on.  Hopefully the Packers move on this week and kick the Lions and get their season back on track.

Thanks for looking!

Mike