About a week ago (August 7 at 9:08 a.m. to be exact) I woke up to a Facebook message on my phone from my uncle, a devout Green Bay Packer fan, breaking the news to me that John Kuhn, the star fullback for the Packers, was released from the Green and Gold and has signed on with the Black and Gold—the New Orleans Saints. The Saints! My uncle reminded me that at least it's some consolation that Kuhn didn't sign on with the Bears, but this was not enough to mend my broken cheesehead heart.
The Green Bay Packers are a stand-up team with many talented players. Aaron Rodgers, Clay Matthews, and Jordy Nelson are only some of the most well-known, but the list of the Packer’s greatest players is extensive. However, John Kuhn, the fullback you can always count on with a lumberjack beard and the face of a sweet baby chipmunk, has long been my favorite. It's true—there is nothing more satisfying when watching a Packer game than when Rodgers sneaks the ball to Kuhn, who makes some major yardage with it, and you join the fans in the stands to proudly exclaim, “Kuuuuuuuuhhhhhhnnnnn!” the glorious chant Number 30 is known for. Kuhn scores a touchdown, does a Lambeau Leap, and the world is right again. And even if we lose the game, at least you got to chant Kuhn’s name as he made a great play. Kuhn—what a guy.
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So as you can imagine, when I heard that Kuhn will no longer be making Lambeau Leaps, nor will I have any more opportunities to proclaim his heart-warming chant, it had me like…
To make the struggle even more real, my dad, also a devout Packer fan from whom I’ve inherited my cheesy Packer blood from, sent me an article confirming the tragedy. The article even included a farewell letter to the Packer fans written by the great and beautiful John Kuhn himself. Cue Toni Braxton’s overly dramatic song “Un-Break My Heart” and pass me the tissues.
One week later, I still don't know how I'll get through this season without seeing the green 30 on my screen or chanting Kuhn’s name as he scores a touchdown for the Packers. So to assist my grieving process, and in response to Kuhn’s farewell letter, here is a goodbye letter of my own, straight from my broken cheesy heart:
Dear John,
I didn't want to see you go. None of us did. But you've been given a great opportunity to join another team and to bring them as much joy and success as you have brought Packer Nation. You're the best thing that's ever happened to the Saints—including Drew Brees—but the Pack just won't be the same without you. You helped make our team the greatest, and for that, we will always be grateful. Thank you for making every game a little brighter, even in snow and rain.
I'm sure I speak for the heart of Packer Nation when I say that you will be missed and we wish you all the best on your new (Orleans) adventure! Know that I, and probably many others, will continue to wear your jersey on game days, and now and then I might even pay attention to a Saints game just so I can shout, “Kuuuuuhhhhnnn!” at my television screen; because even though you've traded your Green and Gold for Black and Gold, I like to think you'll always be a Packer at heart. At least, you'll always be a Packer to us.
Love,
Maggie Fiore, a cheesehead in mourning
