Someone brought Giovanni Bartocci’s story to my attention last week.
It disappeared into the ether until I was digging through my email last night and I laughed to myself, “Oh yeah, that crazy bastard.”
Bartocci is a Green Bay Packers fan. He’s also one of those guys. There’s something not quite right about him, but there’s something awesome about him at the same time.
His story goes something like this.
He was born in Italy, but fell in love with the Packers at 14, while visiting an aunt in New York. Three years ago, he moved to New York City and in 2009, he made his first trip to [intlink id=”183″ type=”category”]Lambeau Field[/intlink] — solo.
He got wasted, wore a cheesehead, went shirtless in single-degree weather and generally endeared himself to the locals.
When the Packers made [intlink id=”1425″ type=”category”]Super Bowl XLV[/intlink], Bartocci decided to go to Dallas, even though he didn’t have a ticket.
He somehow finagled an all-access field pass and watched the game from the Packers’ bench. When the Packers won, he ran onto the field and joined the celebration with players, coaches and the various camera and media types who were there trying to do their jobs.
How all of this happened, I have no idea, but you can see him in the background of Aaron Rodgers’ Disneyworld commercial, right when the Super Bowl MVP utters the iconic phrase.
Bartocci also got to touch the Lombardi Trophy, so basically, he lived out every Packers fan’s dream even though he wasn’t even sure he was going to get into Cowboys Stadium when he left New York.
Now, if you really want to get a feel for what I’m talking about when I use the phrase “crazy Italian bastard,” then check this out. It’s the video Bartocci shot of the final moments of the game and the ensuing celebration.
It might make you nauseous, but it’s quite entertaining.
I think I want to go on a bender with this guy.
You can check out Brett Michael Dykes’ full profile of Bartocci at Shutdown Corner.