First of all, let's get one thing straight: there are many Wisconsin women who love sports, from football to hockey, and there are plenty of couples who enjoy watching sports or attending sporting events together.

However, there are other local ladies who simply do not give a flying puck about sports and feel that they "lose" their husbands or partners for a few months, or more, to the television during sports seasons.

It seems Packers season poaches the most partners and potentially creates the most tension inside households. Some fans, like Terry's husband, spend hours every weekend in front of the television, cheering / yelling, drinking and completely absorbed.

"I am a stay-at-home mom," says Terry, who asked that her last name be withheld. Terry has two children and lives in the northwestern suburbs. "Besides the actual Packers games, my husband will spend time when he gets home from work on his 'fantasy football' work."

But Terry says even though her husband watches the games every Sunday, along with pre- and post-game programming, that's only a piece of the situation for her.

"The issue is this 'right' that many Packers fans believe they are born with to watch the games every week, no matter their other responsibilities or obligations," says Terry. "Once again, I, the mom, will have to keep the kids busy and all season I do not have any help again."

Terry says there's one more fact that frustrates her even more than the time spent and the lack of assistance during the Packers season.

"What really bugs me is that I was never asked if I minded watching the kids so he can sit on his butt in front of the TV for hours, it is just assumed that he gets to watch the games. And since my kiddos are so young and they are not gonna quietly sit for those four hours or more, I need to plan an activity," says Terry.

Cory Antross had a former boyfriend who was really into sports, and because he was basically absent from her life during Packers season, she decided to take the old "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" approach.

"His family's entire life revolved around The Packers, and I went to games with him, but I simply did not care and I still do not care," says Antross.

Terry can relate to trying to support sports-watching in the early stages of her relationship with her husband.

"In the beginning – ha – I tried to get into the whole thing. 'Hey, is there beer and snacks? I'll be there.' But even before kids, I could never get my interest up in the game. After the kids, and every season for a while, I decided that damn it, I'm gonna try and get into this cult that most Wisconsinites have in their blood. But every year the same thing happens. First, it's boring and I just don't care, and second, my 5-year-old and 3-year-old aren't interested either so I'd better find something else to do."

Terry says she has mixed feelings about the fact her husband stays home to watch the games, except when it's an "important game" for which it's assumed he will go out with friends. On the one hand, he doesn't drink as much at home or spend as much money as he does when he watches the games in bars. But on the other hand, the screaming and swearing makes Terry seem she and the kids can't stay during a game in their home, so she has to take them somewhere during the game.

"Another issue I have with this sports Sunday crap is the yelling and swearing. I know Packers fans are passionate, and I can gripe all I want about the yelling, but it doesn't matter. If the Packers lost the ball, that is a worthy tragedy that merits swearing and screaming so I'd better get those kids out of the way."

Amanda, who also requested her last name be withheld, lives with her husband and three kids in Brookfield. She is bothered by the level of emotion her husband displays over football.

"He's very calm and 'it's all gonna work out' when I have a problem, or our son is struggling at school, but if the Packers lose a big game, he's actually p*ssed for the rest of Sunday, sometimes into Monday. Once he even told me he was 'suffering a depression' from the loss. Give me a break," she says.

Both Terry and Amanda admit that not being raised with sports is a big part of why they don't care about them. Amanda's dad never had football on TV or baseball on the radio, so it is not something she developed an interest in or a tolerance for.

"I think sports is a topic that should be discussed between couples before they get married, because I have a lot of friends, like myself, who resent their husband's commitment to the sport and, honestly, might have reconsidered marrying him if they really understood what it means," says Amanda.

"And I wish for my husband sometimes that he had a wife who could get into it. I think he would really like that."