8/7/2019 My Dad The Ice Bowl Chicken by Jason Warner

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My Dad The Ice Bowl ChickenbyMy Dad The Ice Bowl Chicken on Friday, January 21, 2011 at 11:43pm

My Dad ... The Ice Bowl Chicken

By Jason Warner

1-20-2011

Theres no place else in the world that my Dad would like to have his unused Ice Bowl tickets on display than at the ProFootball Hall of Fame. Yes, I said unused. According to my research Lambeau Field was sold out on December 31st, 1967with minus 40 degree wind-chill temperatures as the Green Bay Packers defeated the Dallas Cowboys in the NFLChampionship Game. Reports claim that a crowd of 50,861 gathered at Lambeau field that day.

Well, let history note that a crowd of 50,861 minus 2 gathered on the frozen tundra that day. Minus 2 of this guys parents,that is. Ever since I can remember, I would hear the stories about why my parents didnt make the 3 hour trek to watch

the most famous football game in American History. Oh, and how the story changed. For roughly two decades I wasconvinced that my mother was pregnant with my oldest sister and my father chose not to go because he was looking outfor his unborn child and his wife. As his eldest son, I thought the world of my father and hoped someday I would do

something as caring and special for my own wife.

That was until I found out that the gestation period for women was 9 months and dates were not lining up. I thenquestioned my father; Dad, how could mom have been pregnant if the Ice Bowl was in December 1967 but Jackie wasntborn until mid -October 1968.

As the years passed, stories changed and so did the location of the tickets. They moved from behind the glass in mymothers China cabinet into their own safety deposit box at the bank where they have remained for the last 15 years, otherthan 2 days of sunlight. At one time, my sister got hold of them and was able to snap a couple photos of them and tossthem on EBay to see what they might go for. That experiment was short lived when my dad made her pull them afterreaching a quick $3500. This infuriated my father, and he claimed I wouldnt sell those tickets if someone gave me amillion dollars .

In 2006, we got the tickets out again and framed duplicates of the tickets along with a framed picture of the classic goal-

line stance for his birthday. I then asked my dad if he would consider offering up the originals to either Hall of Fame.Surprisingly, he was eager and excited about the notion that other Packer Fans or football fans in general would be able to

share in a part of history because of his misfortune. After consulting with members of the Green Bay Hall of Fame and ThePro Football Hall of Fame, I came to find out that individuals cannot retain ownership rights and display items in the Hall.However, they told me that if my father wanted to donate them, they would be happy to have them. With much dismay,they went back to the safety deposit box once again.

So the quandry stood, my dad was not selling the tickets for less than 1 million dollars and the only other place that hereally wants to see them go is not able to take them without giving up ownership interest. So, until we bury them with himthey will remain in the 3x11 inch steel box at the community bank for nobody to appreciate.

And then it happened! The old man buckled. After years of fables, my dad slipped and the truth came out and hit me likea ton of bricks. Speaking of my mother, he said, she wanted to go, but I chickened out. Im the one that folded. HolyCrap, the very story that I heard about for 37 years was untrue and he threw my mother under the bus doing it. So, myentire belief system had been shattered at that very moment. This information led me to question my father even more

about my existence.

Fast Forward to 2011, I offered my dad the one hundred and twenty second way that I could help him sell the tickets if hewas interested. I told him that we might be hard pressed to find an individual that would want the tickets for 1 milliondollars so my dad said, Great! End of discussion, I will keep them. However, I shared with him the idea that I could

probably work on finding 1 million people to throw a dollar at the story of My Dad The Ice Bowl Chicken with theunderstanding that they were the contributors of the tickets into the Hall of Fame. My dad wanted to make sure that if thiscrazy idea actually was put into place that money will not be received unless the million dollars is reached. I thought thatwas a fair request and typical of my dad. So since we were negotiating, I thought it would be only fair to throw out my finalstanza to him. Well, my only stipulation was that you request the sign above your tickets to read...

8/7/2019 My Dad The Ice Bowl Chicken by Jason Warner

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she wanted to go, but I chickened out. Im the one that folded

The Ice Bowl Chicken

Almost Loyal Packer Fan

After years of asking for forgiveness and not permission from my father, this was the first time I have asked for permission

and received it. So, its this childs dream to take the keys from that bus that he used to run my mother over with for 40years. Thanks for the permission dad to drive your fabled story bus about the time you didnt go to the Ice Bowl. This timethe driver will clarify the truth and he has a pen in his hand.

I love you Dad, but this ones for mom!

Jason

Your Favorite Son

Oh, and we have no intention on attempting such a feat and understand how it would lookupon my family if we did. That would be ridiculous. But that's what make stories, stories!