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Packers Thank County For Use Of Nitschke Field

Mon, 30 Jun 2003 13:34:54 CST

The Green Bay Packers, through Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer John Jones, today expressed their deep appreciation to the Brown County Board and county officials for reaching a 16-year agreement enabling the team to continue to use the Ray Nitschke Practice Field as an integral part of the team's football operations, including its training camp tradition.

"Nitschke Field has been a significant staple of Packers football and training camp," Jones said. "We are grateful to Brown County Executive Carol Kelso, Board Chairman Ken Simons, the County Education and Recreation Committee, chaired by Ron Antonneau, and the County Board for helping the Packers to commemorate one of the greatest players in the organization's distinguished history. This is a win for the fans, for the community and for the Packers. We appreciate working together.

"Training camp and Lambeau Field are an economic boon to the area and we are excited about being able to continue ha..

HOF Statue Looking For New Home

Mon, 23 Jun 2003 11:43:23 CST

One of the most recognizable and most photographed Packer objects in the country is up for sale.

The 22-foot tall statue of the wide receiver, currently outside of the former Packer Hall of Fame, stands on top of an 11-foot long football, and is looking for a new home.

The statue, made of sculptured concrete with a tough acrylic finish, was recently refurbished by the Packer Hall of Fame, which has an investment in the statue of more than $38,000. The Hall of Fame is looking to recoup that investment and is now accepting bids from interested parties.

The successful bidder will be determined by the Board of Directors of the Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame, Incorporated. The Board will consider the amount of the bid for the statue, intent, and location of use and the agreement to become a corporate sponsor of the Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame.

The "Receiver" was unveiled June 8, 1985 in recognition of the professional forward pass - an element ..

Driver To Be Recognized At Packer Hall Of Fame Banquet

Mon, 23 Jun 2003 11:36:44 CST

Wide Receiver Donald Driver, the 2002 Green Bay Packers' most valuable player, will be honored at the 33rd annual Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame Induction Banquet Saturday, July 19, 2003 at the KI Convention Center in downtown Green Bay.

Driver developed into one of the league's most explosive playmakers in his fourth NFL season. He hauled in a NFC second best 9 touchdown catches and was voted as a first alternate to the NFC Pro Bowl squad. Driver led the Packers in 2002 in both receptions (70), and in receiving yards (1,064).

Retired Packers radio broadcaster Jim Irwin and former linebacker Mike "Mad Dog" Douglass will be inducted into the Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame that evening.

Cocktails are at 5:30 p.m., dinner and program will begin at 7:00 p.m. Individual tickets for the banquet are $95. Tables of 10 are available and seating is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Early reservations are recommended. To purchase tickets, call Gwen Borga at (920..

Packers Sign RB/FB Tate

Fri, 20 Jun 2003 11:23:55 CST

The Green Bay Packers have signed running back/fullback Adam Tate, second-leading rusher for the Frankfurt Galaxy in the recent NFL Europe League season, as a free agent, GM/Head Coach Mike Sherman announced Friday.

Tate, 6-1 and 230 pounds, rushed for 207 yards in 53 attempts, a 3.9-yard average, and 2 touchdowns, with a long of 40 yards. He also caught 10 passes for 87 yards, 8.7-yard average, with a long of 19 yards.

The 25-year-old University of Utah alumnus originally was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted, rookie free agent April 22, 2002. He subsequently was placed on waivers Aug. 26 and was out of football for the balance of the '02 season.

As a collegian, Tate gained 1,479 yards rushing in 320 attempts over two seasons at Utah, despite sharing time at running back. He also registered 19 rushing touchdowns, a total which ranks seventh on the school's all-time list, including 12 as a senior in 2001, third on the university's single-..

Packers Sign WR/KR Brian McDonald

Wed, 18 Jun 2003 15:54:42 CST

Continuing efforts to upgrade their return game, the Green Bay Packers have signed Brian McDonald, the NFL Europe League's No. 2 kickoff returner, as a free agent, GM/Head Coach Mike Sherman announced Wednesday.

McDonald, 5-9 and 178 pounds, averaged 27.8 yards for 14 kickoff returns as a member of the Frankfurt Galaxy during the NFLEL's recent 10-game season, finishing close behind league-leader Kendall Newson of the Rhein Fire, who posted a 28.7-yard average for 15 runbacks.

McDonald, who also played wide receiver, caught 19 passes for 312 yards, a 16.4-yard average, and closed out the season ranking 10th in the league in combined net yards gained with 745, including 43 yards for 5 punt returns, an 8.6-yard average.

The 24-year-old University of Louisville alumnus had launched his professional career with the Louisville Fire of the AFL2 in 2001 and set the league's record for all-purpose yards with 3,289. He finished the '01 season with 83 receptions fo..

Packers Waive QB Zak Kustok

Tue, 17 Jun 2003 16:25:43 CST

The Green Bay Packers have placed first-year quarterback Zak Kustok on waivers, GM/Head Coach Mike Sherman announced Tuesday.

The 6-1, 218-pound Kustok, signed Feb. 7, 2003, originally had signed with the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent April 26, 2002, following completion of a three-year varsity career at Northwestern University. Kustok, who completed 507 passes for 6,822 yards and 42 touchdowns for the Wildcats, later was placed on waivers Aug. 26 in the Dolphins' roster reduction to the 65-player limit and was out of football for the balance of the season.

Five quarterbacks remain on the Packers' roster following Kustok's departure. In addition to starter Brett Favre, they include Doug Pederson, Craig Nall, the recently-acquired Akili Smith and Eric Crouch.

Packers Claim K Owen Pochman

Mon, 16 Jun 2003 12:06:02 CST

The Green Bay Packers have claimed placekicker Owen Pochman, a third-year professional, on waivers from the New York Giants, GM/Head Coach Mike Sherman announced Monday.

The left-footed Pochman, who spent the 2002 season on injured reserve with a knee problem, essentially served as the Giants' kickoff specialist in 2001. Handling those duties in 10 games overall, he kicked off 45 times, posting 2 touchbacks. The strong-legged Brigham Young alumnus also missed the two field goals he attempted, from 63 and 55 yards.

Pochman, 6 feet and 180 pounds, delivered five of his kickoffs in the Giants' 2001 season finale against the Packers (Jan. 6). Previously the author of a school-record 56-yard field goal as a senior at BYU, he also attempted a 55-yard field goal in the second quarter that sailed wide left.

Also a capable punter, Pochman stepped in for injured Giants punter Rodney Williams at Arizona (Nov. 11, 2001), punting 5 times for a 29.2-yard average, wi..

Nall Named Quarterback Of All-NFLEL Team

Fri, 13 Jun 2003 17:42:14 CST

The Frankfurt Galaxy dominated the NFL Europe League's individual honors for the 2003 season on the eve of their battle with the Rhein Fire in World Bowl XI (Saturday, June 14, 12:00 PM ET, FOX), while a player who called Scotland's Hampden Park, site of this year's championship game, his home in 2003 received the league's accolades as well.

Buffalo Bills running back Ken Simonton (Scottish Claymores) won the voting for Offensive MVP after leading the league with 871 rushing yards and finishing fourth with 39 receptions.

Galaxy safety Rashidi Barnes, in his second year with the team, was named Defensive Most Valuable Player by the league's head coaches after finishing the season as joint league leader with four interceptions and posting 45 tackles.

Head coach Doug Graber was recognized for leading the Galaxy to a league-best 6-4 record and a record fifth appearance in the NFLEL championship game when he was named as the league's Coach of the Year.

..

Packers Augment Depth, Talent At QB, Agree To Terms With Akili Smith

Fri, 13 Jun 2003 16:00:31 CST

Augmenting their experience and depth at quarterback with training camp only five weeks away, the Green Bay Packers have agreed to terms with former Cincinnati Bengal Akili Smith as a free agent, GM/Head Coach Mike Sherman announced Friday.

The 6-foot-3, 230-pound Smith, Cincinnati's first-round selection in the 1999 draft (the third player chosen overall), had been placed on waivers last week, ending his four-year tenure with the Bengals.

Smith joins veterans Doug Pederson and Craig Nall and first-year players Eric Crouch and Zak Kustok in the competition for the right to back up 12-year starter Brett Favre at quarterback.

The 27-year-old San Diego native had been active for one game during the 2002 season, completing 12 of 33 passes for 117 yards as Cincinnati's starter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 29. He also rushed 4 times for 5 yards.

In his four seasons with the Bengals the former University of Oregon field general passed for 2,..

Packers Sign 6th-Round T Brennan Curtin; 7th-Round WR/KR DeAndrew Rubin

Thu, 12 Jun 2003 17:11:56 CST

The Green Bay Packers today signed sixth-round choice, tackle Brennan Curtin and seventh-round pick, wide receiver/kick returner DeAndrew Rubin, GM/Head Coach Mike Sherman announced Thursday.

Curtin, an imposing 6-9 and 315 pounds, the tallest athlete ever drafted by Green Bay, played mainly at right tackle at Notre Dame. A three-year letterman, he played in 28 games with 17 starts in three years with the Fighting Irish. In 2002, he helped the Irish rush for 249 yards vs. Stanford, the most rushing yards the Cardinals had given up at that point in the season.

Earlier a four-year starter at offensive and defensive tackle at The Benjamin High School in North Palm Beach, Fla., he was the first player in school history to start on both sides for four years. Curtin was a USA Today honorable mention All-American pick as a senior and one of 10 offensive lineman on Atlanta Journal-Consitution's 'Super Southern 100' team. He earned all-conference honors three times.
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Mellon Appointed Packers Transfer Agent

Tue, 10 Jun 2003 15:52:12 CST

Mellon Investor Services (MIS) has been appointed transfer agent and registrar for Green Bay Packers, Inc. Under the terms of the agreement, MIS will manage all stock transfer activities for the organization's 4,748,910 shares of common stock outstanding, which are held by 111,507 shareholders.

"What makes the Green Bay Packers and their story so unique is that the team is literally owned by its fans," said Julian Clark, president and chief executive officer of MIS. "We look forward to providing those fans with innovative Web- and phone-based customer service resources that are available on demand and delivered with the highest levels of quality."

Green Bay Packers, Inc., has been a publicly-owned, non-profit corporation since 1923, when its original articles of incorporation were filed with Wisconsin's secretary of state. The corporation is governed by a board of directors and a seven-member executive committee.

MIS, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mellon..

Brett Favre Celebrity Softball Game This Weekend

Thu, 05 Jun 2003 17:37:15 CST

The Fourth Annual Brett Favre Celebrity Softball Game presented by Bergstrom Automotive will be held Sunday, June 8, 2003, at Fox Cities Stadium in Appleton, Wisconsin. The game will begin at 1:00 pm. All proceeds will benefit the Brett Favre Forward Foundation. The mission of the Foundation is to provide aid to disadvantaged or disabled children who reside in Wisconsin.

"I am very excited to be hosting this celebrity softball game for the fourth straight year. Each year we have received tremendous support from the community enabling us to continue to provide significant dollars to local charities," said Brett Favre, president of the Brett Favre Forward Foundation and quarterback of the Green Bay Packers.

The softball game will be broadcast and promoted by the Post-Crescent, WBAY-TV (ABC) and Cumulus Broadcasting. The softball game will feature the following Green Bay Packers with the offense against the defense. The following Green Bay Packers are schedul..

It's Graduation Time For Many NFL Players

Wed, 04 Jun 2003 19:50:59 CST

Graduation time is here, and once again, NFL players are earning their diplomas.

Many of the players who earned their college degrees this spring did so through the Continuing Education Program of the NFL Player Development Department, which is headed by NFL Vice President of Player and Employee Development and Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Haynes

One of the 2003 NFL graduates is Green Bay Packers running back Ahman Green, who received his diploma from the University of Nebraska on May 12. Green, a two-time NFL All-Star who eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the third consecutive season in 2002, fulfilled a promise he made to his parents and himself when he earned his degree in geography.

"A lot of guys make it to the NFL and say, 'OK, I'm successful. I don't have to get my degree,'" says Green. "Now I can say I'm successful at my sport but I've also got a degree to fall back on."

Green, an Omaha native, left Nebraska in 1997 after r..

Packers Sign Fifth-Round DT James Lee; First Draft Pick In Fold

Wed, 04 Jun 2003 17:36:31 CST

The Green Bay Packers have signed defensive tackle James Lee of Oregon State, one of the club's two fifth-round selections in the 2003 NFL draft, to a multi-year contract, GM/Head Coach Mike Sherman announced Wednesday.

The 6-5, 325-pound Lee, nicknamed "Big Griz" for the growl he emits at the line of scrimmage, is the first of Green Bay's nine draft choices to be signed.

A two-year letterman, he played in 23 games for the Beavers, including all 13 contests as the top reserve defensive tackle during the 2002 season - among the latter the Insight.com Bowl. He closed out the '02 season with 29 tackles (19 unassisted, 7 for loss), broke up 3 passes, recovered 1 fumble and forced another.

Lee's best overall production came in a 59-19 victory over Fresno State, when he led his team with 32 defensive points (3 tackles, 2 for loss, 1 fumble recovery and 1 pass broken up).

Earlier a two-year starting defensive tackle at Douglas McKay High School in Salem..

Packers Sign OT Marcus Spriggs As Free Agent

Tue, 03 Jun 2003 10:17:08 CST

Acquiring a versatile veteran who has started at both left and right tackle in the NFL, the Green Bay Packers have signed six-year pro Marcus Spriggs as an unrestricted free agent, GM/Head Coach Mike Sherman announced Tuesday.

The 6-4, 310-pound Spriggs has played in 47 games overall, with 18 career starts, since being selected by Buffalo in the sixth round of the 1997 draft. A Miami Dolphin the past two years, the University of Houston alumnus started four games in 2002 in place of injured starter Mark Dixon - the first of them against the Packers In their "Monday Night Football" matchup with the Dolphins Nov. 4. He also played in a reserve role in each of Miami's 12 other games.

In the latter process, he saw extensive action at left tackle on Sept. 29 at Kansas City following the injury to Dixon, which occurred in the Chiefs contest.

A year earlier, Spriggs started Miami's opening game of the 2001 season at Tennessee (Sept. 9) and suffered an ACL/MCL in..

Packers Sign RB Lamar Smith, WR/KR Antonio Chatman

Mon, 02 Jun 2003 11:54:12 CST

Adding experienced depth to the offensive backfield and return potential to the special teams, the Green Bay Packers have signed veteran running back Lamar Smith, a 10th-year veteran, and Antonio Chatman, a record-breaking Arena Football League performer, GM/Head Coach Mike Sherman announced Monday.

The 5-11, 230-pound Smith, who spent the 2002 season with Carolina, has rushed for nearly 5,000 yards (4,792) over his NFL career. In 2002, a workhorse for the first 11 games, he emerged as the Panthers' leading rusher with 737 yards in 209 attempts, a long of 59 yards and 7 touchdowns, closing out the season with 904 total yards from scrimmage before being given a paid lead of absence on Nov. 29 and eventually being placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury Dec. 18.

Originally selected in the third round of the 1994 draft by the Seahawks, with whom he spent his first four NFL seasons, the 32-year-old Houston University alumnus had his most productive experience ..

World Bowl Race Explained

Mon, 02 Jun 2003 10:07:27 CST

The race for places in World Bowl XI at Hampden Park, Glasgow, on June 14 could go right down to the final game of Week 10.

With one week remaining, one team (Frankfurt Galaxy) has clinched a place in the championship game and three others remain in the hunt for the second berth. Amazingly, none of the three chasing teams truly controls its own destiny. All three teams will need to rely on other results going their way even if they win their final game.

Here is a final reminder of the NFL Europe League's tiebreaker system.

NFLEL Tiebreaker System

If two or more clubs finish with identical won-lost-tied percentage, the following steps will be taken until a winner is determined:

1. Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games among the tied clubs).
2. Best points differential in games between tied teams
3. Best points differential in all games
4. Best net touchdowns in games between tied teams
5. Best net touch..