When your favorite sports team wins the conference championship, you take personal pride in it. So naturally you run down to your favorite store to pick up championship gear. Oh there’s so much to choose from!

Which of these official championship items are NOT for sale in the official online NFL store?

Car flags

Water bottles

Key chains

Dueling beer steins

Baby bibs

Footballs

Okay, it was a trick question. You can get all those items with the official logos officially sanctioned by all the official officials!

I did look for  some items and could NOT find them anywhere. So if you hurry maybe you can get the rights and start making them before the big game!

Official Conference Champions Toilet Seat: For some reason I think this would appeal to Chicago fans.

Official Conference Champions Aromatherapy Candles : Your whole house can smell like your favorite middle linebacker!

Or my favorite…

Official Conference Champions Easy Feet: because it’s a car wash for your feet!

Madison "Packer house"

I’m a Packer fan, but my love for the Packers is apparently miniscule compared to some of you folks. For example, I would never paint my house green and gold.

I’ve seen numerous “Packer houses” over the years, and I believe even some Packer barns. Just doing a quick google images search brought up quite a few, including one right here in Madison! This house is so outlandish…I mean..awesome… it’s featured on the website roadsideamerica.com.

Then there’s a guy with way too much money who bought a house in Green Bay right across from Lambeau Field. He gutted the place so he has a wall of windows overlooking the stadium. It also has a lot of Packer accessories that put your little bobblehead collection to shame. (Read more about it here).

I bet you don’t have a urinal like this at your house. Or do you?

Packer fans sure have come a long way since the days of “The Pack Is Back” bumper stickers and those little green and gold styrofoam balls you put on your car’s antenna.

Oh and one more thing.

GO PACK!

The former Dallas Cowboy known as “Dandy Don” Meredith died last night after suffering for many years from emphysema. He was 72.

Now I’m not a real sports nut, as you may know, so I know Meredith mostly for his iced tea commercials. But a quick search of the internet turned up some interesting facts. First of all, he was the original Dallas Cowboy..signing an agreement to play for them before the team even officially existed.

He had a relatively short football career..retiring at age 31 because he said he had lost the desire to play. (He never unretired either, Brett).

Meredith was an early announcer on Monday Night Football, but quit that in 1984. (Really, that long ago?)

He also tried his hand at acting and was a regular on the TV show Police Story. And he starred in a 1976 TV movie  Banjo Hackett: Roamin’ Free. (Shockingly, it is available on Amazon.com).

Despite all of that, I’ll always remember him for being a Lipton Tea Lover.

I decided last night which team I’d like to win the World Series. I knew I didn’t want the Yankees to win, because…well, they’re the Yankee$$. The Texas Rangers? They used to be owned by George W. Bush. I know–they’ve never won a World Series, but I’m still bitter about the first eight years of this century.

So it was down to the Phillies and San Francisco. Last night I realized that the Phillies were in the series last year…because I recognized some of the players..in particular Chase Utley. I think Chase Utley is a very cool, very baseball name. They just had their chance last year, so I’m not rooting for them.

I decided I’m cheering for the San Francisco Giants after seeing who they brought out to sing the National Anthem– the Grateful Dead’s Phil Lesh and Bob Weir (along with Jeff Perhson who’s in the band Further with Weir and Lesh). Their arrangement was excellent, and they nailed the harmonies. It was very cool to see those two old hippies in Giants jerseys.

I couldn’t find video of last night’s anthem online…but I did find this one from Jerry Garcia Night at Giants Stadium in August (where you could get a Jerry Garcia bobblehead!)  They had a Jerry Garcia night–with bobbleheads?  Now I think they’re even cooler.

GO GIANTS!

OK, I’m the first to admit it. I’m not a big sports fan. In fact, I used to say my TV had an “S” Chip… no sports! But I live with not just a Packers fan, but a CUBS fan! Anyway, this has nothing to do with baseball or American football.

I’m sure you’ve seen videos from weddings where the bridal party dances down the aisle or the first dance is choreographed. Well, just see what some soccer players did after a goal!