GREEN BAY Charles Woodson took it personally last week when he heard that President Barack Obama would attend Super Bowl XLV in North Texas if his beloved Chicago Bears beat Woodsons Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game. So, the Packers veteran cornerback did something about it.

First, he referenced Obamas Super Bowl travel plans in his post-game speech following Sundays 21-14 victory over the Bears, which sent the Packers to Super Bowl XLV to face the Pittsburgh Steelers. Then, when he learned that the President would be in Wisconsin Wednesday for a post-State of the Union visit to a Manitowoc energy company, he pulled a few strings and made sure Governor Scott Walker and Green Bay mayor Jim Schmitt hand-delivered a signed No. 21 jersey to Obama upon his arrival.

Woodson even personalized his autograph.
To President Obama
See you at the White House
Go Packers
Charles Woodson

As most know, the winner of the Super Bowl is traditionally invited to the White House to meet the President afterward. Last year, Obama welcomed the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints to Washington in August.

Asked about the jersey Wednesday, Woodson laughed about his gift and joked that the President owes him one now.

I voted for him. So why is he not a Green Bay fan? That was really the thinking behind it, Woodson said of the jersey. I jumped on his bandwagon a couple years ago and voted for him. So for him to (plan to) only go to the Super Bowl because Chicago was there, I thought, It's not fair to me. I'm a voter. I'm a taxpayer. So I want him to root for the Packers as well.

In his post-game speech to the team after the win over the Bears, Woodson had hollered, Check this: If the President dont want to come watch us in the Super Bowl, guess what? Well go see him! He then gathered the team together to and shouted, White House on three. 1 2 3 White House!"

In Manitowoc, Obama had some fun of his own with the whole thing, joking about the reception he received from Packers fans upon his arrival and assuring the crowd that he hadnt come to Wisconsin "because I lost a bet" on the NFC Championship Game.

I've only been on the ground for an hour. I've got three jerseys," Obama said. "One of them is from Woodson and he just said, 'See you at the White House.'

Sunday was a tough day for Bears fans. But even if it didn't go the way that I wanted, I'm glad to see that one of the greatest rivalries in sports is still there. And we will get you next year. I'm just letting you know. (But) in the spirit of sportsmanship, I wish you 'good luck' in the Super Bowl."

This isnt the first time the Packers have interacted with the Bears highest-profile fan. When they played at Washington on Oct. 10, quarterback Aaron Rodgers was invited to the White House the day before, where he met Obama. Rodgers said he loved what Woodson said in the post-game pep talk.

He took the words kind of out of my mouth. I was wanting to say something like that, Rodgers said. I was going to say more, Hey, we'll still invite you (to the Super Bowl), President Obama. A few of us had the opportunity to meet him in Washington the night before we played the Redskins. And that was a lot of fun for us. I know he's a big Bear fan, but we'd love to see him there (in Dallas).

"Jason Wilde" wrote: