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Training Camp Report: Historic Practice At City Stadium Has Its Moments

Mike Spofford, Packers.com — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 22:39:16 CST

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The atmosphere was inviting, but it fizzled a bit at the end.

Tuesday night's historic practice at City Stadium was attended by nearly 3,500 fans, and they were treated to several highlights on both sides of the ball. But the 2 1/2-hour workout was marred somewhat by the offense's sloppy finish during the two-minute drill, when three drives produced no points and a slew of mistakes, including pre-snap penalties, that frustrated Head Coach Mike McCarthy.

"The two-minute mechanics is always a little rugged first time out, if you look in the spring, you look back to last year," McCarthy said. "I've experienced that. But there's no excuse for false starts, whether it's guys not concentrating because they're tired and so forth."

On the No. 1 offense's two-minute possession (trailing 21-17 with 1:31 left on its own 40)..

Last Year's Rookies Adjust Less, Improve More In 2nd Camp

Mike Spofford, Packers.com — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 09:41:18 CST

It is often said that the biggest jump an athlete will make is from his first season to his second.

If that is indeed true, it bodes well for a Packers team that had as many as five rookie starters at times in 2006.

But there must be more to it than that. There has to be rationale behind the cliche. And in talking to members of the 2006 draft class about the first few days of training camp this year compared to last, they all believe their projected improvement begins with a comfort level about how training camp itself works.

"Obviously when you're new to something, you don't really know what to expect," said linebacker A.J. Hawk, the team's first-round draft pick last year. "This year I had an idea of what was coming next, what we were working on, and what we're trying to get out of it.

"I think that's the biggest thing. Now I understand why we're doing certain drills and what we want to get out of it, and that helps. Because obviously the number ..

Training Camp Report: Offensive Line 'Miles Ahead' Of Last Year

Mike Spofford, Packers.com — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 13:57:54 CST

Last year at this time, the Green Bay Packers had a veteran, established running back and a new blocking scheme that took some getting used to.

This year, the Packers are trying to establish a backfield, and that quest took a bit of a hit on Monday when the team found out Vernand Morency's knee injury from the opening training camp practice is more serious than originally thought.

Head Coach Mike McCarthy didn't go into specifics about Morency's injury but said he'd be out a couple of weeks, which will leave rookie second-round pick Brandon Jackson as the No. 1 back, and lead to more extended looks in practice for P.J. Pope, Noah Herron and combo back Corey White.

But while the Packers continue exploring possibilities in their young backfield, it's important to remember that the other half of last year's equation has changed as well.

The zone-blocking scheme is no longer new to Green Bay's five entrenched starters up front, and they're already noti..

Korey Hall Training Camp Diary - Part I

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 11:04:22 CST

Rookie sixth-round draft choice Korey Hall is going through his first NFL training camp, and Packers.com will chronicle his thoughts and experiences throughout the next several weeks in this training camp diary.

Hall was a linebacker at Boise State but is being converted to fullback by the Packers. He's also being looked at as a potential regular on all the special teams units, where he excelled as a college player.

In this first installment, Hall discusses how training camp practices are different from the spring workouts, and how he's doing with his new position.

I knew it was going to be a big step up coming into training camp, but it's turned out to be an even bigger change. When I was here before in the mini-camps and OTAs, that was definitely a step up. And then you mentally prepare yourself for what it's going to be like coming in here -- how tough and how hard they're going to hit, and how much studying you're going to have to do -- and then ..

Training Camp Report: Rodgers Clicking With Receivers; Favre To Miss Three Practices

Mike Spofford, Packers.com — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 13:02:35 CST

Whether it was Aaron Rodgers' precise throws or some great catches by the wide receivers, or a little bit of both, the offense had a dynamite team period with Rodgers at the helm on Sunday morning.

Brett Favre missed the practice due to a death in the family, so Rodgers took the snaps with the No. 1 offense and showed the poise with his feet and the zip with his arm he displayed during OTAs in June.

During one impressive team (11-on-11) period, Rodgers rolled to his right and threw an intentionally low ball in traffic to James Jones, who made a nice sliding catch. Moments later Rodgers fired a quick slant to Shaun Bodiford, who laid out in full extension to haul it in. Then Rodgers found Carlyle Holiday when he got a step on Jarrett Bush on a deep seam route and hit him in stride for a big play.

"I thought Aaron made some very good decisions and throws, particularly in the blitz drill," Head Coach Mike McCarthy said. "I thought he had two big plays. He had ..

Training Camp Report: Williams, Harrell Taking The Right Approach

Mike Spofford, Packers.com — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 12:27:56 CST

The starting battle between defensive tackles Corey Williams and rookie first-round draft pick Justin Harrell promises to be a spirited one, but both players are approaching it with the right attitude.

Williams, a fourth-year pro coming off a seven-sack season in 2006, said he's simply going to play hard, do his job every day, and let the depth chart take care of itself. Williams was in the lineup with the No. 1 defense for Saturday's opening practice, but he said he's not going to let the competition get in the way of being a good teammate.

"I'm going to try to help my teammates," Williams said. "Justin, he's a great guy, he's a hard player. If there's something I can help him with, I'm going to help him."

Meanwhile Harrell, who was in pads Saturday for the first time since last September due to the ruptured bicep sustained his senior season in college, is just focusing on getting back into football shape after the long layoff.

Harrell participate..

Notebook: Feature Back Or By-Committee, McCarthy Just Wants Production

Mike Spofford, Packers.com — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 18:17:54 CST

With all the attention on the Packers' running back situation entering training camp, Head Coach Mike McCarthy said on Friday that he has no preference whether the offense goes with a feature back or a back-by-committee approach.

For McCarthy, who experienced both systems as the offensive coordinator in New Orleans earlier in his career, what matters is how productive the ground game is, not who's doing the producing.

"I've done it both ways," McCarthy said in his pre-training camp press conference. "It doesn't bother me (how it works out)."

The Packers enter 2007 needing to replace departed free agent Ahman Green, who left for Houston after finishing his Green Bay career second on the all-time rushing list.

The top two running backs coming into camp are Vernand Morency and rookie second-round draft pick Brandon Jackson, and if someone is going to emerge as a feature back, it will more than likely be one of those two.

If it becomes a back-..

Plenty Of "Other" Things To Watch In Camp

Mike Spofford, Packers.com — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 14:02:46 CST

The elements of this year's Packers training camp that will receive heightened attention already have been well-documented.

There's the running back situation, where Vernand Morency and Brandon Jackson enter as the top two options, both looking to be named the feature guy. There's the kicking job, where incumbent Dave Rayner will be challenged by rookie sixth-round draft pick Mason Crosby. And there's the starting safety spot currently held by Marquand Manuel that Marviel Underwood, returning from a 2006 knee injury, rookie third-round pick Aaron Rouse, and others, have their eye on.

But there will be plenty of other things, call them under-the-radar items, that could be just as intriguing to watch as training camp unfolds. Here are a few of those:

The nickelback battle
In theory, the third cornerback for the nickel package is going to be on the field for less than half of the defensive snaps, but it's a vital position the Packers want someone to..

Numbers Will Make For Tough Roster Decisions

Mike Spofford, Packers.com — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 13:59:17 CST

Eighty-seven players. Fifty-three spots.

That's the basic math facing the Green Bay Packers as they begin their 2007 training camp. General Manager Ted Thompson and Head Coach Mike McCarthy have preached competition at every position, and they've established that to an even greater extent than last year.

It's a given that several players who made the final roster, or were on it at some point, last year won't make it this year, and unforeseen injuries will always be part of the final analysis. But the return of players from injury and the addition of free agents and draft picks have the Packers in position to improve their depth in 2007, but it will come at the expense of some difficult cuts at the end of camp.

The first NFL-mandated roster reduction, to 75 players, comes on Aug. 28, two days before the Packers' final preseason game at Tennessee. The final roster reduction, to 53 players, is due two days after that game, on Sept. 1.

Here's a positio..

Live Press Conferences Exclusively On Packers.com!

Thu, 26 Jul 2007 16:02:14 CST

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Friday, July 27:
Mike McCarthy: approx 12:00 p.m.

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Keep checking back during the Packers' Training Camp for archived
Through extensive work in the offseason strength and conditioning program, mini-camps and organized team activities, the Packers are coun..

CEO Search Committee Getting Started

Mike Spofford, Packers.com — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 15:44:27 CST
The search committee leading the selection of the next chief executive officer of the Green Bay Packers met for the first time on Wednesday morning, officially launching a process that includes working with the executive search firm Spencer Stuart.

Peter Platten, a member of the team's Executive Committee and chairman of the search committee, said the process has no definitive timeline, but the initial discussions have centered around the background the search committee is looking for in a new CEO.

"We want to emphasize that we look forward to finding the best possible person to lead the Green Bay Packers franchise into what we really consider a very challenging future," said Platten, noting that all 11 members of the search committee are or have been CEOs in their careers.

"There are quite a few characteristics that we're looking at right now. The search firm will interview all 11 people on the search committee and will give a composite of what everybody t..

Research Revealed Unique History To Fazzino

Mike Spofford, Packers.com — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 14:09:08 CST
Renowned artist Charles Fazzino has produced commemorative artwork throughout the sports world, for stadiums, Super Bowls, and very recently, the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in San Francisco.

But one thing that struck Fazzino, through his research in preparing for his commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Lambeau Field, was the history attached to both the Packers' beloved stadium and the franchise in general.

"I think that's what really separates it from all the teams I've done - it has so much history, and the fact that the team is owned by the people, by their fans," said Fazzino, who was on hand in the Lambeau Field Atrium on Tuesday for the unveiling.

"Also the metamorphosis of the stadium and what it's gone through. It hasn't been taken down. They've had two or three iterations through the years of changing the field and changing the stadium, so I thought that was very interesting too."

Fazzino focused on capturing all the history ..

Butler and Brooks Shine at Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Mallory Steinberg, Packers.com — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 11:27:48 CST
Titletown was aglow with former Packers greats on hand to honor LeRoy Butler and Robert Brooks in their induction into the Packers Hall of Fame on Saturday. In the company of former teammates, such as Gilbert Brown and Santana Dotson, and current Packers standouts, both Brooks and Butler were excited to take their place in Packers history.

"When I was driving up, I actually started feeling nervous like I was preparing for a game," Brooks said. "Now we're here, going to the Packers Hall of Fame. It's awesome. I have old teammates and coaches that came up to support me. It's a great honor."

"Other than winning a Super Bowl, this is pretty special," Butler said, echoing Brooks' excitement. "This is great. I brought all my daughters up, my mom and a lot of family members. They all really like it."

As co-inductees, Brooks and Butler shared more than their time as teammates. Both are credited with the creation of the famed "Lambeau Leap."

"Going in with ..

Longtime Neighbors Sell Family Land To Packers

Mike Spofford, Packers.com — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 09:33:01 CST
Don and Mary Terrien have lived on Valley View Road, adjacent to the south end of Lambeau Field, for 38 years, parking cars on their lawn and getting to know generations of Green Bay Packers season-ticket holders.

So when it came time to sell their property, the Terriens felt the buyer who would be most neighborly to their friends and longtime acquaintances would be, well, their longtime neighbor.

The Terriens recently called the Green Bay Packers with an offer, and they've sold their property at 971 Valley View, a 2-acre plot that includes their house and adjoining vacant lot, to the club.

"It's the right people to own it," said Don Terrien, a sales representative for Klement's Sausage for the past three decades. "They would take care of my neighbors, take care of my reserve parkers, and I needed someone to do that."

Packers Vice President of Administration Jason Wied said the organization will use the property for additional parking, and those wi..

Packers Fan Memories

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 12:38:31 CST
Read the 'Packers Fan Memories' archives or Submit your own favorite memory

This Week's Photos

Hey Packers fans, here's your chance to share with other fans from around the world your favorite memories of the Green and Gold!

Each week, Packers.com will post a feature called 'Packers Fan Memories.'

This week's edition includes a couple from Arizona, a first-time Lambeau experience for two children, and a cold Sunday family reunion.

The Game I'll Never Forget: DeShawn Wynn

Mike Spofford, Packers.com — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 17:07:46 CST
It's the dream of every NFL player to get to the Super Bowl, but rookie DeShawn Wynn got about as close as any football player could before turning pro.

A standout running back for the Florida before being drafted by the Packers in the seventh round this past April, Wynn played a key role in the Gators' 41-14 victory over Ohio State in the BCS National Championship Game.

"It's kind of unreal at the moment, and you're kind of soaking it in," Wynn said of playing in a football game with the highest of stakes. "Just going out there seeing the atmosphere and seeing how it's done big-time was interesting."

Wynn put together a big-time performance, to be sure. He was the game's leading rusher, with 19 carries for 69 yards. His 2-yard touchdown run on the opening play of the second quarter gave Florida a 21-7 lead.

Late in the third quarter, Wynn ripped off a 17-yard run for a first down that got the Gators out of a field-position hole. Then in the fourth..

Letters To Lee Remmel

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 15:20:44 CST
When did the Packers Women's Association (PWA) form and begin their charitable work? Thanks! - BobbieJo, Waukesha, Wis.

Dear BobbieJo: There is no specific answer to this question for the simple reason that the Packers organization has been unofficially involved in the community for as long as most people can remember, supporting and, in some cases, conducting charitable endeavors. It thus would be difficult to come up with a "beginning" date.

For the official answer, however, I refer you to Sherry Schuldes, our manager of family programs, who reports, "The Green Bay Packers officially created a community relations department in 1992 when Mark Schiefelbein, now director of administrative affairs, was hired back from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

"When I started the family programs department in 1996, I took over the community relations from Linda McCrossin," Schuldes said. "The Packers already had a strong commitment to the community. And donations wer..

The Game I'll Never Forget: Korey Hall

Mike Spofford, Packers.com — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 16:47:12 CST
Korey Hall didn't do anything particularly noteworthy in his Boise State Broncos' 43-42 overtime upset of Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl last Jan. 1.

But simply being a part of a game that will go down as one of college football's greatest makes it the most memorable of Hall's career.

"I didn't even really have that great a game. I didn't have any picks or a ton of tackles or anything," said Hall, who for the record had three solo tackles, three assists, and tipped a pass Oklahoma QB and new Green Bay teammate Paul Thompson that led to an interception.

It was the final game of Hall's four-year career as a Boise State linebacker, and perhaps his last as a linebacker, period, after being drafted in the sixth round by the Packers, who are converting him to fullback.

Hall recalled how his team embraced the underdog mentality but didn't sell itself short.

"It was a real big game for us, and everybody on our team felt like we deserved a shot in tha..

The Game I'll Never Forget: Mason Crosby

Mike Spofford, Packers.com — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 15:16:26 CST
A game-tying field goal. Then a game-winning kick. All part of a total of 20 points put up over the final 2 1/2 minutes by two rival schools.

No wonder Mason Crosby, who also turned 21 that day, will never forget his Colorado Buffaloes' 2005 season opener against Colorado State.

"It was one of those games with everything, total excitement the whole time," said Crosby, the kicker drafted by the Packers in the sixth round this year. "One of those games that just sticks in your mind, and one of my best experiences playing football."

Most of a record crowd at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colo., was pretty down after three quarters, with the home Buffs trailing 21-10. But the rally started with a long touchdown run and two-point conversion in the opening minutes of the final period.

Then, with just 2:32 remaining in the game, Crosby was called upon to drill a 48-yard field goal to tie the score at 21. It appeared one more score should win the game, right? B..

Stitching Will Stabilize New Surface

Mike Spofford, Packers.com — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 14:20:29 CST
Watch the progress: Packers.com Lambeau Cam

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Two of what might be the world's largest sewing machines are making their way, very slowly, around Lambeau Field these days.

The stitching of the new DD Grassmaster playing surface began last week and is expected to be completed by the end of the month, in time for the Packers' annual Family Night scrimmage on Aug. 4.

The stitching process is being done by automated machines protected by a tent covering. The machines have 6-foot-wide rows of needles, with the needles spaced just 3/4 of an inch apart, and they push synthetic fibers more than 7 inches underground and loop them back up just above the surface. After doing a row of stitches, the machines move forward 3/4 of an inch and do it again, repeating roughly every 12 seconds.

The process will help to stabilize the sand base underneath the natural grass playing field, allowing for the new Lambeau s..

Think You Know The Packers' Roster?

Mike Spofford, Packers.com — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 13:19:40 CST
Between now and Sept. 1, the Green Bay Packers' 2007 roster will take shape, and when it's finalized with 53 names, it will certainly look different than it does now with 87 players.

But one of the interesting aspects of the large, training camp roster is seeing how many different schools, conferences and levels of college football the players come from.

For the record, of the 87 players on the current active roster (not including newcomer Carl-Johan Bjork, who has been designated for the practice squad), 69 come from Division I-A college football programs, seven from Division I-AA schools, eight from Division II teams, and three from other programs, according to all current NCAA alignments.

How well do you know the makeup of the Green Bay roster as it relates to the current college football landscape? Here are 10 trivia questions, some more difficult than others, to test your knowledge. Remember, this encompasses all 87 players coming to training camp, inc..

The Game I'll Never Forget: Allen Barbre

Mike Spofford, Packers.com — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 10:18:18 CST
As reported extensively when he was drafted by the Packers, offensive lineman Allen Barbre put his athleticism to good use at Missouri Southern State University as a gunner on punt coverage, rare duty for a 300-pound player.

But perhaps his most unique, as well as emotional, moment as a collegian came when he lined up for one play in the offensive backfield during his junior season.

Back on Oct. 1, 2005, Barbre's Missouri Southern team took on Truman State University, a Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) rival, just four days after head coach John Ware had died in his office of a massive heart attack at the age of 46.

The sudden death of Ware, who had coached at Truman for 19 seasons before taking over at Missouri Southern in 2004, stunned both schools, and the homecoming contest included pre-game ceremonies to honor the late coach.

"He was a great influence on my life he made a big impact on my life," Barbre said. "It was real..

Harlan Recalls His Own Visit To City Stadium

Mike Spofford, Packers.com — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 10:38:45 CST
Packers Chairman Bob Harlan has his own rather vivid memory of City Stadium.

Back in 1955, while a sophomore at Marquette University, Harlan came with friends from his dorm for a weekend in Green Bay. On Sunday, he headed over to City Stadium to see the Packers take on the Chicago Cardinals to witness his first NFL game.

He didn't plan to, but he ended up "sneaking" into the stadium for free, and as a college kid he wasn't about to complain.

"I got up to the gate and I was looking for somebody to buy a ticket, and a bunch of people were just kind of moving through the gate," Harlan said. "So I just got in the middle of them and kept walking and walking, and the next thing I knew I was in the stadium.

"They had a fence that surrounded the field at that time. It was right up against the back of the Packers bench, and I just leaned up against that fence and watched the whole game. Nobody even asked me if I had a ticket."

Tickets won't be requ..

Week-By-Week Notes On 2007 Schedule

Mike Spofford, Packers.com — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 11:46:06 CST
Now that it's July, the 2007 regular season is officially just two months away (OK, two months and one week until the Sept. 9 opener against Philadelphia, but who's counting).

With the team coming off a four-game winning streak to conclude 2006, a certain quarterback returning for his 16th season as the starter, and a roster loaded with young, improving talent, there's plenty to look forward to in 2007. Here's a week-by-week glance at some notes, tidbits and storylines to pay attention to as the upcoming season approaches.

Sunday, Sept. 9, vs. Philadelphia
Eagles head coach Andy Reid has been the most successful of the former Packers assistant coaches who have piloted another team against Green Bay. Including playoffs, Reid (one of Brett Favre's former quarterback coaches) is 5-1 with a five-game winning streak that began with a 17-14 win on a rainy Monday night in 2003. That was the last time the Eagles came to Lambeau Field, and Donovan McNabb beat the ..

Lombardi's LB Trio Among All-Time Top 10

Mon, 02 Jul 2007 15:59:11 CST
Which linebacking corps is tops in NFL history? The trio of Ray Nitschke, Dave Robinson and Lee Roy Caffey of Vince Lombardi's Packers ranked sixth, according to the NFL Network series NFL's Top 10, which aired on Wednesday evening.

The 60-minute show analyzed the best linebacker groupings and featured fresh interviews with former coaches including Mike Ditka and Jim Mora.

The show counted down the Top 10 linebacking corps in league history, and the oldest of the bunch was the Packers' trio from the 1960s that includes one Hall of Famer in Nitschke and two other members of the Packers Hall of Fame in Robinson and Caffey.

The three were Green Bay's primary starters at linebacker from 1964 to 1969, helping lead the Packers to three straight league championships, including Super Bowls I and II. In those two Super Bowl victories, the Packers' linebackers combined for 38 tackles, and during that six-year span each of the three was named All-Pro and sele..