Tulsa Packer Backers Remain Loyal In Good Seasons & Bad

There’s just something about loyal fans and in professional football, every game matters. One group of NFL Faithful has been there for years, every Sunday, in the good seasons and the bad.

News On 6 Sports Director John Holcomb has been covering one group of fans for over two decades.

Green Bay came up one win short of this year’s Super Bowl, but the Tulsa Packer Backers are holding onto some super memories from the past 25 years.

On championship Sunday, Tim Bartos was exactly where he wanted to be.

Bartos is one of several dozen Green Bay fans getting ready for the NFC title game showdown with Tampa Bay, tailgating in a parking lot on 71st street. This is nothing new - Tim has been at the helm of the Tulsa Packer Backers since its inception in 1995, and it was a quarter century ago when we first crossed paths.

Some things do change, but Bartos' passion for the Packers dates back to the 80's and is stronger than ever.As kickoff draws near there's excitement, anticipation and a prediction.

"Can I quote a movie here? Rocky 3: 'Pain,'" Bartos said.

The party grows larger inside Remington's Sports Bar, the official home of the Packer Backers on game days. Thanks to the way the Green Bay franchise is set up, most in green and gold are actually part owners of the team.

"I own a share and actually the club, we bought one for the club so everyone out here who is a member technically owns 1/500th of a share,” Bartos said.

The shareholders watch Tampa Bay take an early lead, and a defensive mistake means a double-digit deficit after two quarters.

This is how it goes for the Packer Backers, many of them living and dying by every play. Many wanting to just live it up, some maybe just wanting to die after that last-second touchdown by Tampa Bay, but there's one half left and most of these Packer fans have been here before.

Things turn Green Bay's way in the 3rd quarter…once down 18, the Packers made it a five-point game.

Green Bay had more chances, but ultimately came up short in a heartbreaking 31-26 loss.

Afterward, Bartos politely declined another interview, instead simply saying give Tampa Bay credit - they played well.

The Packer Backers were left to deal with the seemingly arbitrary: the calls that went against them and the anguish of being so close to celebrating another Super Sunday.