How 'Bout a Little Something for Vince?

OK, the second week of Organized Team Activities (OTAs) has ended, with two more weeks to go. Brett Favre has been on hand for both, and will be on hand for the next two, and seems reenergized by the challenge of having to learn a new system. Several key players still are no shows, although apparently for acceptable reasons. Players who were part of the MASH unit brigade last season are making their comebacks and starting to practice. On the flip side of that equation, no injuries of note. Kicking competitions are getting a bit more involved. Donnell "Deadweight" Washington was finally shown the door. And Coach McCarthy is happy because he's been able to "install" various parts of his system and the team is getting it.

So, with all that "no news is good news" news, let's take a break from looking at what will be for the Packers and take a moment to reflect on what was.

Yesterday and today at the North Hills Country Club in Menomonee Falls, WI, the 36th Annual Vince Lombardi Golf Classic is taking place. It's one of the longest-running two-day tournaments in the country. Proceeds go to support the organization "whose sole purpose is to raise funds for cancer research, education, patient care and early detection at the Vince Lombardi Cancer Clinic , Gene Therapy Research Laboratory and Cancer Counseling Center - St. Luke's Medical Center, Milwaukee, WI. Proceeds from this year's Dinner Ball, Golf Classic, Lombardi Walk for Cancer, Milwaukee Food & Wine Experience and Block of Granite Program will bring the amount raised by the Lombardi to over $9.5 million," according to the event's fact page.

Needless to say, the event is attended by a plethora of the Lombardi Packers: Bart Starr, Max Magee, Zeke Bratkowski, Jerry Kramer, Gary Knafelc, Fuzzy Thurston and others, as well as Packers from other eras, such as Lynn Dickey, Don Majkowski, Frank Winters and Tim Lewis, as well as some of today's Pack including Mark Tauscher, Aaron Rodgers and Coach Mike McCarthy. Other sports and entertainment celebrities also are on hand: Bob Uecker -- Mr. Baseball, as Johnny Carson used to call him -- is worth the price of admission alone.

Given that today's area morning weather is cool and rainy, you can bring a little sunshine to the event -- no matter what part of the Packer Universe you reside in -- by making a donation to the charity. If you feel so inclined, just click here to go to their donation page.

And if you plan ahead, maybe next year you can even be on hand for the event yourself, either as a spectator or a player...although the ante for the latter takes a bit more coin, as they say.

Now, back to your regularly scheduled blog programming...