The fans drive the league. The players and owners should think about that a bit more. Despite the importance of the fans, few make the pages of the NFL history books. No one is to blame for that as it is far too difficult to single them out. Sue Wallen did impact the early Green Bay Packers, and she is remembered. Until football salaries exploded, many football players spent the season in hotels. They just couldn't afford all the homes. With year to year contracts, they never knew where they might live each year. Many had to bolt town as soon as the season ended to start their offseason jobs. There was no home for many players during the season. Sue Wallen provided a little bit of home for many early Green Bay Packers at the Astor Hotel into the 1940s. Sue worked the front desk. She had seen every Packers game played since 1919. She knew all there was to know about every player. When coach Curly Lambeau needed to locate a player, he called on Sue. During World War II, she corresponded with dozens of players. Letters came in from all over the world. The first thing a Packer said when he ran into a teammate far from Green Bay was, "Have you heard from Sue?". She listened to their problems, sent them money, gave them advice and helped them all with warm affection. She was a fan, a friend, a receptionist, even a Mom. None of which was a part of her job description at the Astor. At one point, the hotel changed management and Sue was going to be let go. The Packers rose up in revolt and threatened to tear the new owner apart if Sue left.
It takes the "town team" atmosphere of little Green Bay to have a story like that of Sue Wallen. The quaint nature of the Green Bay Packers really annoys me as a Vikings fan. The Packers are hard to hate. Not like the Bears. There used to be more little town teams and more fans like Sue Wallen that truly were part of the team. Now, there's just the Packers.
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