I've been to Rio De Janeiro on business, 3 times. If they want to do it right, the players need a couple of days to soak up the culture and amazing ambiance of the city, and beaches. I stayed in Ipanema, and was fortunate enough to be invited to a club with one of my Brazilian hosts, that was big in bossa nova. The night I was there, Astrud Gilberto was visiting family in Rio, and happened to go to that club with them.
The emcee asked her if she'd sing a song for everyone, and the applause and standing ovation got her on stage. She sang "The Girl From Ipanema," and I was totally mesmerized. I loved the song to start with, but hearing her, in person, just singing the song with a house band background, was just totally one of the greatest musical experiences I've ever had. She was so amazing.
I actually had tears in my eyes, so happy being there. The next afternoon, we knocked off early from work, and my host took me to this little bar by the beach. As we sat there, we watched these beautiful dark haired young ladies in bikini's heading home after a day at the beach. Then he told me that this was the bar where the guys who wrote the song actually did it, and what we saw with the young ladies was what they saw when writing it. It put it in perspective.
That was my first visit, and the next two visits were nearly as memorable, even though I never saw Astrud again.
Doing it right, the trip to Brazil for the Packers could be something they could use to cement their season through bonding. I hope that's what happens.
The trip to London was a joke. They didn't get that bonding time, and that probably didn't sit too well with the players.
