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Brandt: Quick Hits From Indy: Day 5

Gil Brandt, Special to NFL.com — Mon, 28 Feb 2005 20:11:46 CST

The standout in today's drills was Georgia DE David Pollack. He was probably the best overall in all the timed drills.

There were 14 tight ends in total. Nine ran, four were medically excused, and one chose not to run.

The best time was by Notre Dame's Jerome Collins, who posted times of 4.65 and 4.66. And all of the tight ends ran a 4.90 or under, including Iowa's Tony Jackson (4.68, 4.75) and Colorado State's Joel Dreessen (4.75, 4.71). Three of the most promising tight ends in the 2005 draft class -- Virginia's Heath Miller, Stanford's Alex Smith, and Kevin Everett of Miami (Fla.) -- did not run because of injuries.

Smith did participate in the strength drill -- he bench-pressed 225 pounds 26 times. Oklahoma's Dan Cody had 32 lifts, and Lehigh's Adam Bergen had 25.

In other news, we learned that Rams left tackle Orlando Pace has changed agents, leaving the Poston brothers for Kennard McGuire. Not exactly a groundbreaking 40-yard dash time, b..

Green's Combine Memories

Dave Lawrence, Packers.com — Mon, 28 Feb 2005 18:07:55 CST

Over the past week, hundreds of prospects have eagerly traveled to Indianapolis to participate in the NFL's annual Scouting Combine, hoping to show the 32 teams just what they are capable of in order to become one of the valuable draft selections in April.

If you've seen any of the NFL Network's coverage of the events at the RCA Dome, you have an idea of the rigorous testing - both physically and mentally - that these athletes are put through.

Each one of the participants is extensively weighed and measured and put through a circuit of medical exams. They then have the opportunity to showcase their physical talent through a variety of speed, agility, and football-related drills.

On top of all of that - and perhaps even more important than the physical aspect - players have a chance for interview sessions with coaches, general managers, and other high-ranking team officials.

Seven years ago, Ahman Green was a speedy running back who had given u..

Brandt: Quick Hits From Indy: Day 4

Gil Brandt, Special to NFL.com — Sun, 27 Feb 2005 16:41:38 CST

I don't work for an NFL team anymore (my readers are who I report to now) but on Day 4 of the 2005 combine I huddled with four of the most influential people in the National Football League. Who better to sit and watch players work out with than Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and his son, Steve and head coach Bill Parcells, along with Raiders owner Al Davis?

I'm telling you, they should sell tickets or broadcast them on Sirius NFL Radio just so people can sit and listen to the stories they tell. It's also like a trivia session -- everyone tries to compare the prospects with someone who was already in the NFL, and it's a lot of fun. For example, Al Davis compared Mark Clayton of Oklahoma to Isaac Bruce.

Group 6 consisted of quarterbacks, which included Cal's Aaron Rodgers and Purdue's Kyle Orton. There were 13 of them, and 12 of them ran. The only one that didn't run was Arizona State's Andrew Walter, who was hurt. Also in that group was Matt Jones, a quarterback from A..

Brandt: Quick Hits From Indy: Day 3

Gil Brandt, Special to NFL.com — Sat, 26 Feb 2005 17:44:36 CST

Of the 18 running backs on hand, 14 of them ran. Marion Barber from Minnesota worked out but didn't run, and RBs Cedric Benson (Texas), Ciatrick Fason (Florida) and Frank Gore (Miami) aren't doing any of the workouts.

Everyone waited with baited breath to see how these running backs did, and they didn't disappoint. Two of them -- Notre Dame's Ryan Grant and West Virginia's Kay-Jay Harris -- clocked in at under 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash. Three more -- Auburn Ronnie Brown, Michigan State's DeAndra Cobb and Wisconsin's Anthony Davis ran a 4.4 or under. Brown especially helped himself out with his times.

Another name making waves is J.J. Arrington of Cal. When I look at him, I see a carbon copy of former Raiders first-round pick Napoleon Kaufman. Now Kaufman may have been a little taller, but otherwise they're exactly the same.

And then there's Maurice Clarett, formerly of Ohio State. My times on Clarett in the 40 were between 4.75 and 4.85. I consider..

Thompson Takes On The Combine

Dave Lawrence, Packers.com — Fri, 25 Feb 2005 18:23:03 CST

Nearly six weeks after being introduced as the Green Bay Packers' general manager, Ted Thompson met with reporters for the first time since that initial press conference and gave some insight into his first month and a half at the helm of the Green and Gold's football operation.

Speaking at the NFL's annual Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Thompson was able to shed some more light on his vision for the club's future. He has spent much of the past month getting reacquainted with the organization and diving headfirst into his first offseason as an NFL G.M.

Over the past six weeks, Thompson has worked to get up to speed not only with the players currently on the roster of the Packers, but has put his stamp on the team's personnel staff as they plot their moves to determine the 53 players that will be hitting the turf at Lambeau Field in the fall.

There is one roster spot that Thompson doesn't have much control over, but still seemed to be the one many interv..

Brandt: Quick Hits From Indy: Day 2

Gil Brandt, Special to NFL.com — Fri, 25 Feb 2005 17:17:45 CST

On Thursday, the first full day at the 2005 NFL Scouting Combine, we had 42 players meet the press in the NFL media interview room. That's the most player interviews in one day. And they had quite the audience as there was a record number of writers from around the country -- 269, up from 170 last year. Former Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett was among the players to be interviewed Thursday, while wide receivers Mike Williams (USC), Mark Clayton (Oklahoma) and Braylon Edwards (Michigan) headlined Friday's media sessions.

The most popular place at the scouting combine is Reebok's second-floor suite at the players' hotel.

Last night, we had over 60 players stop by, as well as Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis. One of the big attractions is the Foot Image Platform -- the eighth wonder of the world -- which studies the shape and structure of the human foot. Four digital images are taken of each foot while the player stands on the machine. From the images and meas..

Packers.com To Offer Live Video From The 2005 NFL Combine

Fri, 25 Feb 2005 14:11:41 CST

Beginning Saturday at 11 a.m. (CST), fans can tune into Packers.com and watch live as the NFL's top prospects battle for draft position in front of representatives from all 32 NFL teams.

NFL Network's live-streaming video from the NFL Combine at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis will be available here on the following days:

Saturday: 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. (CST)
Running Backs and Offensive Linemen

Sunday: 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. (CST)
Quarterbacks, Running Backs and Wide Receivers

Monday: 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. (CST)
Tight Ends and Defensive Linemen

Tuesday: 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. (CST)
Linebackers and Defensive Backs

Video can be viewed with the RealOne Player. Computer users with high-speed internet connections will have the best results.

To download a free version of RealOne Player, go to Multimedia and Internet Tools, or click here.

A Look At The Packers' Free Agents

Dave Lawrence, Packers.com — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 16:42:45 CST

The NFL's offseason is now well underway with most of the league's personnel staffs converging on the RCA Dome in Indianapolis this week to get a good look at the crop of players they will have to choose from in April's college draft.

However, next week will kick off another key portion of the shaping and re-shaping of teams' rosters as the free agency window will be thrown open Wednesday, March 2.

The Packers will no doubt be looking to improve their team through both of these avenues, the draft and by signing free agents. Before they can focus in on who they might be bringing in from the outside though, the Packers must address the status of their own free agents.

As the season of player movement is about to get underway, the Packers have 16 players that were on the roster at the end of the 2004 season that are scheduled to be free agents. Nine of those players will be unrestricted free agents (UFA), and will be able to sign with any team.

..

Kirwin: Some Players' Competition Not At Combine

Pat Kirwan, Special to NFL.com — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 16:39:56 CST

For an athlete aspiring to make it to the NFL, getting invited to the scouting combine is a big step toward being drafted in April, but it isn't a guarantee that the young men in Indianapolis this weekend will hear their name called at the draft podium.

Excluding kickers and punters, who are rarely drafted, there were 327 players invited to the combine last year. Offensive players made up 171 of those invites and defense called 156 athletes to attend. Even with extra selections due to "compensatory picks" awarded by the NFL for players lost during free agency from the year before, there are about 260 players drafted every year. So not every player in attendance is going to be selected.

This is serious business and some football players fall out of "draft favor" during this weekend. There are also two other forces at work for a draft class, but I'll get to those after you take a look at the breakdown of the 114 football players that came to Indianapolis last year a..

Brandt: Quick Hits From Indy

Gil Brandt, Special to NFL.com — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 16:28:17 CST

The players have begun arriving in Indianapolis and several have started the process of being measured up. Only one player didn't show up from the contingent that arrived on Wednesday -- guard-tackle Willie McNeill of North Carolina.

The first thing that happens when the players arrive is they get introduced to their group leaders.

There are 12 of them -- two for each position, as well as two assistants. Each works for an NFL team. As an example, Mickey Marvin works for the Raiders; Hal Athon for the Redskins. The leaders chaperone the players from the minute they arrive, taking them around.

Of the 60 offensive linemen that weighed in, 57 tipped the scales at over 300 pounds. Here are some of the superlatives from that group:

Heaviest O-lineman:
Pittsburgh tackle Rob Petitti, 347 pounds

Lightest O-lineman:
LSU center Ben Wilkerson, 298 pounds

Tallest O-lineman:
Washington St. tackle Sam Li..

Pro Shop Named 'Golden Business Award' Winner

Dave Lawrence, Packers.com — Thu, 24 Feb 2005 10:27:57 CST

The Green Bay Packers are no strangers to receiving awards for their success on the football field, and likewise, being recognized for achievements away from the gridiron is nothing new to the organization.

Along those lines, the Packers Pro Shop was recently named as a Golden Business Award winner for 2004, an award sponsored by Partners in Education.

Partners in Education is a business and education partnership serving the 10 area school districts in the Greater Green Bay area - Ashwaubenon, De Pere, Green Bay, Howard-Suamico, Luxemburg-Casco, Pulaski, Seymour, West De Pere, Wrightstown.

Through the affiliation with the Partners in Education program, the Pro Shop for the past seven years has been providing local high school students with the opportunity to gain valuable experience as employees in their operation at Lambeau Field.

This year, the Pro Shop has employed five students from Green Bay's Southwest and Preble High Schools in their "co-op"..

Draft Preparations In High Gear

Dave Lawrence, Packers.com — Tue, 22 Feb 2005 14:11:31 CST

Although the 2004 NFL season has been finished for more than two weeks now and the last game played at Lambeau Field took place more than a month ago, by no means have the halls of the Green Bay Packers offices been a quiet place as of late.

For much of the past month, and continuing through the draft in late April, the team's scouting department has been logging office hours comparable to those the coaching staff puts in on a weekly basis during the season to put in that week's game plan.

Leading up to the league's annual Scouting Combine that kicks off this week in Indianapolis, General Manager Ted Thompson and his personnel staff have spent countless hours in the Packers' draft room poring over files and video footage of hundreds of college football players that will be available for selection later in the spring.

Danny Mock, the Packers' college scouting coordinator, explained the process that will lead the team to choose which players will be coming to..

Letters To Lee Remmel

Fri, 18 Feb 2005 12:19:37 CST

Mr. Remmel, I've been a Packer fan since the days of Tobin Rote, Babe Parilli & Fred Cone and I maintain that Brian Noble was one of the all-time Packer greats at linebacker, yet he has never been voted into even the Packer Hall of Fame. Are you able to shed any light on this? I'd surely appreciate it. - Mike (Onalaska, WI)

Mike, I can only speculate with respect to this question. To begin with, some players do not receive the recognition they deserve, possibly because their team - or, in this case, their defense - was not successful as a unit. Whatever the case, Brian was not accorded Pro Bowl or All-Pro honors during his nine-year career, which might initially explain why he has not been enshrined in the Packers Hall of Fame. On the other hand, he does share a club record, having led the team in tackles in four different seasons, 1986, 1987, 1989 and 1991, a significant accomplishment.

I have a copy of the "1997 Official Media Guide." On page 299 i..

Players Not The Only Packers Going To Europe

Dave Lawrence, Packers.com — Thu, 17 Feb 2005 17:37:27 CST
Earlier this week, the Packers announced they would be sending 19 players to NFL Europe for a chance to get a closer look at them in game action. Green Bay's allocation of 19 potential future stars led the NFL, although the 32 franchises combined to provide 266 players to the six teams of the developmental league, whose training camp will get under way in Tampa in the next few weeks.

However, the product on the field is not the only area the Packers will be supplying NFL Europe with up-and-coming talent. Two men with ties to the Green Bay equipment department will be plying their craft abroad in the coming months.

Cale Kirby - who has worked as a season-long intern on equipment manager Red Batty's staff each of the past two seasons, as well as on game days and training camp back in 2002 - will serve as the assistant equipment manager for the Frankfurt Galaxy this spring.

Also, the equipment department for the entire le..

Concession Stand Award Winners Honored

Thu, 17 Feb 2005 09:13:32 CST
Levy Restaurants at Lambeau Field, the stadium's food service operator and caterer, hosted an awards ceremony Wednesday evening to honor four outstanding non-profit organizations that operated concession stands during the Green Bay Packers' 2004 season to raise funds for local charities.

Along with providing all premium dining at the stadium, Levy operates 60 concession stands, which in 2004 were staffed by volunteers of 63 non-profit organizations, collectively raising more than $700,000 to support local causes. All volunteers were certified and trained by the non-profit and Levy Restaurants before taking over the stands, but some showed outstanding levels of excellence in service and operations at the designated concession area. This ceremony celebrated four of the top organizations.

Jim Dalton, director of operations for Levy Restaurants at Lambeau Field, presented the four awards, which included a cash donation of up to $1,000 by Levy Restaurants and th..

Longwell: Give It All You've Got

John Raffel, NFLHS.com — Wed, 16 Feb 2005 10:25:30 CST
In his high school football days, Ryan Longwell accomplished a lot with his foot. As a professional football player, his foot is still scoring a lot of points.

Longwell just completed his eighth season as kicker for Green Bay. He became No. 1 on the team's all-time field goal attempts list earlier this season against Chicago, and finished the season with 250 attempts. His 346 career PATs are also a team record.

"For a kicker to be in one place for eight years, I feel confident in my abilities," he said. "I'm better prepared and want to keep improving. I'm more effective than I ever have been."

Longwell is first on the club's all-time scoring list with 964 career points and ranks first in team history with 206 career field goals.

He stands as the fifth-most accurate field goal specialist in NFL history at 82 percent. Longwell has led the NFL in points scored since he came into the league in 1997.

Longwell played his high school footbal..

William Henderson's Pro Bowl Diary - Part IV

Tue, 15 Feb 2005 17:27:58 CST
William Henderson had a great week in Hawaii, even if his NFC squad fell short in the Pro Bowl with a 38-27 loss to the AFC.

The fullback, in the first Pro Bowl of his 10-year career, and the rest of the Packers in the game - Ahman Green, Marco Rivera, and Javon Walker - all contributed to the cause, but came up just short.

As always, Henderson made his presence felt on special teams, making two tackles and forcing a fumble in punt coverage. Green added a special teams tackle of his own and ran for 25 yards. Walker caught four passes, and Rivera helped block for 155 rushing yards by the NFC running backs, but it wasn't enough for the NFC All-Stars to match the AFC's firepower.

Back on the mainland (and still very tired from the travel), Henderson checked in with Packers.com for one last Pro Bowl Diary entry.

Pro Bowl Diary, Part IV - February 15, 2005

I wasn't extremely happy with the outcome because we didn't win the game..

Allocates Look To Follow In NFLE Alumni's Footsteps

Dave Lawrence, Packers.com — Mon, 14 Feb 2005 12:59:27 CST
The Green Bay Packers are sending 19 players to NFL Europe this spring, looking to develop some more future talent to later be on display at Lambeau Field. The 19 players the Packers have allocated to NFLE is a record and is part of a record 266 players allocated by the 32 teams around the NFL.

In 2004, the Packers roster - along with most of the other NFL teams - was peppered with players who once honed their skills across the Atlantic Ocean. Nine alumni of NFL Europe had a hand in the Packers NFC North Division title.

Overall, 265 players with past NFL Europe experience spent time on the rosters of NFL teams in 2004 and five of those players - including Green Bay guard Marco Rivera - were active participants in Sunday's Pro Bowl. Over the past nine seasons, 16 different former NFLE players have been selected to the NFL All-Star game.

Of the 19 Packers that will be heading to Tampa for training camp in early March, three of them spent time on the team's..

William Henderson's Pro Bowl Diary - Part III

Fri, 11 Feb 2005 18:31:47 CST
As a 10-year veteran, fullback William Henderson has seen just about everything in the past decade with the Green Bay Packers. He's played in two Super Bowls, won one Super Bowl ring, and played a key role on eight playoff teams, six of them division champions.

Sunday though, Henderson will experience something new, playing in his first Pro Bowl after getting an overdue selection to the NFC's all-star team for his performance during the 2004 season.

Henderson became the first fullback in NFL history to serve as the lead blocker for a 1,000-yard rusher in seven straight seasons this year, as Ahman Green ran for 1,163. The bruiser also caught 34 passes out of the backfield for 239 yards and three touchdowns, and continued his stellar special teams play with 12 tackles on kick coverage.

Henderson will be joined in Hawaii by three Green Bay teammates - Green, Marco Rivera, and Javon Walker. This season marked the first time a pair of Packers running backs..

Fans Line Up Early For Fan Fest Tickets

Dave Lawrence, Packers.com — Wed, 09 Feb 2005 11:28:21 CST
Green Bay Packers fans once again proved their undying love for their team Wednesday, buying up all 3,000 tickets to next month's inaugural Fan Fest in less than three hours.

With tickets going on sale at 9:00 a.m., die-hards began congregating near the box office windows hours in advance as if they were lining up for tickets to a playoff game. Many were prepared to camp out all night, armed with blankets and layers of clothing to help them brave the sub-freezing temperatures.

Two men at the head of the line - Randy Brandt of Mauston and Wayne Pavlat of Algoma - said they both arrived at Lambeau Field at about 1:00 a.m. Wednesday to secure their place in the line.

"We got up here about the same time and I said to him, 'You came from further away, so you go first,'" Pavlat said.

"Some other people starting showing up at about 3:00," said Brandt. "They wouldn't let us in the parking lot until later. There were a lot of people driving around the st..

William Henderson's Pro Bowl Diary - Part II

Tue, 08 Feb 2005 14:26:09 CST
As a 10-year veteran, fullback William Henderson has seen just about everything in the past decade with the Green Bay Packers. He's played in two Super Bowls, won one Super Bowl ring, and played a key role on eight playoff teams, six of them division champions.

Sunday though, Henderson will experience something new, playing in his first Pro Bowl after getting an overdue selection to the NFC's all-star team for his performance during the 2004 season.

Henderson became the first fullback in NFL history to serve as the lead blocker for a 1,000-yard rusher in seven straight seasons this year, as Ahman Green ran for 1,163. The bruiser also caught 34 passes out of the backfield for 239 yards and three touchdowns, and continued his stellar special teams play with 12 tackles on kick coverage.

Henderson will be joined in Hawaii by three Green Bay teammates - Green, Marco Rivera, and Javon Walker. This season marked the first time a pair of Packers running backs..

Shareholders' Meeting Set For July

Dave Lawrence, Packers.com — Tue, 08 Feb 2005 11:27:35 CST
The Green Bay Packers have announced that their annual shareholders' meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday, July 27 at 10:00 a.m. The meeting will be held less than a block from Lambeau Field at the Resch Center, and will be open to ticketed shareholders plus a guest.

Henderson In Hawaii - Day 2

Fri, 04 Feb 2005 19:03:59 CST
Build-up to the 2005 Pro Bowl kicked off Friday with Green Bay Packers fullback William Henderson taking part in a press conference in Honolulu.

Henderson, who was representing the players set to take part in the All-Star Game, was joined at the press conference by Atlanta Falcons head coach Jim Mora, who will also serve as the coach for the NFC squad in next Sunday's game.

Here are some of the highlights from the Q&A session:

William Henderson: "It is a pleasure to be here and actually I am a very humble guy, so I thank you all for welcoming me and my teammates to Hawaii. I am looking forward to going out and playing football and keeping it as simple as possible. I am a football player. I love the game and I love every aspect of it. I believe in going out and being part of a team.

"As Coach Mora sends us out next Sunday, we will go out and play football at its finest. We hope to represent the NFL and our family in a positive way. I m..

Packers Youth Football Camps Return In 2005

Dave Lawrence, Packers.com — Fri, 04 Feb 2005 16:05:44 CST
Green Bay Packers Youth Football Camps are back in 2005, and they promise to be better than ever. Building off of a successful summer in 2004 that saw more than 350 kids participate in camps all over Wisconsin, this year's camps will run from mid-June through July in six different locations around the state.

Each camp runs for a week (Monday-Friday) with locations in Janesville, Madison, Mequon, Waukesha, Green Bay, and Kenosha. Children from the ages of 6-14 will receive instruction both from local college and high school coaches, as well as some heroes from Green Bay Packers history.

Included on the 2005 list of Packers legends that will appear at the camps are Green Bay Packers Hall of Famers linebacker John Anderson and safety Johnnie Gray.

For more information on dates and costs for each camp, click here. Registration is open now and those who sign up before April 8 will receive $..

William Henderson's Pro Bowl Diary - Part I

Thu, 03 Feb 2005 17:13:38 CST
As a 10-year veteran, fullback William Henderson has seen just about everything in the past decade with the Green Bay Packers. He's played in two Super Bowls, won one Super Bowl ring, and played a key role on eight playoff teams, six of them division champions.

Next Sunday though, Henderson will experience something new, playing in his first Pro Bowl after getting an overdue selection to the NFC's all-star team for his performance during the 2004 season.

Henderson became the first fullback in NFL history to serve as the lead blocker for a 1,000-yard rusher in seven straight seasons this year, as Ahman Green ran for 1,163. The bruiser also caught 34 passes out of the backfield for 239 yards and three touchdowns, and continued his stellar special teams play with 12 tackles on kick coverage.

Henderson will be joined in Hawaii by three Green Bay teammates - Green, Marco Rivera, and Javon Walker. This season marked the first time a pair of Packers running ..

Packers' 2005 Opponents: A Look Ahead

Dave Lawrence, Packers.com — Wed, 02 Feb 2005 11:37:55 CST
While the 2005 NFL schedule won't be released for another few months, we do know which teams will be on the slate for the Packers' 16 games this fall. Included on the list are the annual six games against NFC North foes, a full run through the NFC South and AFC North Divisions, and the reigning champions of the NFC East and West.

The Packers will see many familiar faces and places in 2005, but they will also play in some new venues - making their first trip to Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium to play the Ravens and Cincinnati's Paul Brown Stadium to square off with the Bengals.

As a result of their third straight division championship won in 2004, the Packers will face one of the league's tougher schedules with four of the seven other division winners from last season. The Pack will also meet the NFC's representative from each of the last three Super Bowls.

Here's a quick look at the Green Bay Packers' 2005 opponents:

Atlanta Falcons
2004 R..

Second Annual 'Jerry Parins Cruise For Cancer' Set For Saturday, June 11

Tue, 01 Feb 2005 14:18:55 CST
Nearly 1,200 bikers and several Packers players and staff members last year took to the pavement for the inaugural 'Jerry Parins Cruise for Cancer,' -- a motorcycle ride to benefit cancer patients and families throughout Northeastern Wisconsin.

This year's event is slated for Saturday, June 11. Check back with Packers.com often as further details and event highlights will be forthcoming.

Inaugural 'Jerry Parins Cruise For Cancer' A Huge Success