It's as certain as April snow–the inevitable over-analysis of the Packers upcoming schedule.Â
Who among us doesn't look at it the moment it drops, assigning “W's” and “L's” next to each tilt in trying to figure out how we expect Green Bay to finish? It's a fool's erand because, well, we don't even know who's going to be on the team come game one (there's that thing called “The Draft” that has yet to happen, among other possible roster-shaping moves). Then, of course, come the games themselves and the inevitable injuries that re-shape a season–think of recent years during which the Packers lost Aaron Rodgers. So yeah, it's fun to dream and we all do it but in all honesty, it's time better spend giving the lawn a vigorous spring raking.
Something else that's as predictable as spring snow piles in Wisconsin is the grousing by Milwaukee season ticket holders about the games they get.
“I'm surprised you're not talking about Milwaukee gold package,” a texter wrote early Thursday morning as Doug Russell and I chatted up the new slate as “Wisconsin's Morning News” was just geting underway Thursday morning. “The two clunker games they gave to the Milwaukee people suck.”
Really?
Gold package games this time around include the Broncos September 22 and the Raiders October 20th. Both are Sunday/noon affairs. Green season ticket holders get the Vikings, Eagles, Lions, Panthers, Washington and the Bears. The September 26th game against Philly is a Thursday night affair and the October 14 scrum with Detroit happens on a Monday night.
Divisional games are usually the best of the slate, and this year's other tilts aren't exactly sexy, be they Gold or Green. Carolina's Cam Newton is always fun to watch. The Eagles are contenders. Washington looks to be a mess. Oakland and Denver? Meh. But to think Mark Murphy and his 1265 cohorts are in cahoots to screw over Milwaukee fans with lackluster fare is folly.Â
A formula is in place and has been since the Packers moved all of their home games back to Lambeau in the 90's: Milwaukee fans get the first pre-season game as well as numbers two and five of the regular slate. It's the league that sets the order, dates and times. That being the case, the front office's hands are tied and there's no “deep state” effort to put the scheduling screws to Gold holders. None. Nada.
That doesn't keep some Milwaukee fans lfrom barkin'.  If it isn't the quality of the foes, it's when the games happen. Some will beef that the  first game comes too early, when Green Bay can still be in the throes of what passes for summer and those metal Lambeau bleachers are like sitting on hot skillets. Others will complain that second comes too late–winter can get to Titletown before Thanksgiving. And heaven forbid the Gold slate packs a night fray, whereupon some of the faithful will bemoan the fact they'll be getting home from the scrape at 3 a.m. or later. Heaven forbid, they may have to take the next day off. Egads.
So, is there any way to please the the Pack's Milwaukee season ticket base?
No one's out to screw you, Gold package holders. No star-chamber is involved. Don't like how it works? There's a long, long line of folks on a list that would LOVE to get their gloms on what you own. Feel free to let go if you aren't enamored with what you're getting or how the process plays out.
The Raiders and Broncos are hardly legacy foes, the kinds of opponents that roil the rivalry blood the way the Vikings, Bears or Cowboys do, but it's the way the proverbial NFL cookie crumbled this time around. What Gold package fans have is a chance most of the Packers faithful would give their eye-teeth to own–tickets to see our beloved franchise in person.
So stop beefing about it.Â