Packers set for a real ring-ding tonight

Members of the World Champion Green Bay Packers will tonight receive the individual keepsake that every NFL player and coach longs for: their Super Bowl ring. In a private ceremony at Lambeau Field, members of the Super Bowl winning squad, as well as coaches and staff, will finally receive their prize. Yes, there was of course the money winnings. But the ring is what they all want. The final design has been a closely-guarded secret; word is that it will somehow represent all four of the Pack's Super Bowl wins as well as the franchise's NFL record 13 overall championships.

The Lambeau Field Atrium, typically open to the public year-round during regular business hours, will reportedly be closed at about 4 p.m. today to allow for preparations, with the ring ceremony set to start around 7 p.m.

To get a flavor of what the rings mean to current as well as former players, you'd do well to read this great article in today's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel by Lori Nickel. While the players tonight are filled with anticipation, the players of past Packers championship teams are full of appreciation. LeRoy Butler, legendary safety from the Super Bowl XXXI championship team, is quoted in the article as saying, "When you actually put it on, you feel like you're not even worthy of it."

I won't detract from the rest of the article by trying to paraphrase it here. It's too good. Be sure to read it for some real insights into what this piece of jewelry really means to the players. And just know that, as each of the players, coaches and staff receive their rings, the great winning tradition of the best franchise in sports -- the Green Bay Packers -- continues.

Say it with me: It's great to be a Packers fan!

Packers - ViQueens Game 2 Preview

Perhaps this post should be subtitled, "The Day the Earth Stood Still: Brett Favre Returns to Lambeau Field." Others have taken to calling this day Favre-a-Palooza and Favreaggedon. OK, headbanging...yes, the ultimate end-times battle...um, no. Sure, the game will likely be another ratings winner for Fox Sports. They are supposedly going to even new lengths to hype this game via a "Favre cam," a camera dedicated to following Favre all over the field, including the sidelines.

The question which has dominated Wisconsin sports media all week, both print and broadcast, has been how the fans will react -- should react -- when Ol' #4 enters the playing field. The growing consensus seems to be that, as there will be no individual introductions of ViQueens players, fans should -- as they usually do -- boo vociferously the entire 'Queens team, including Favre, when they enter onto the Frozen Tundra. Yes. Definitely. And, just as vociferously, cheer the Pack -- and especially, Aaron Rodgers -- when the players are introduced.

On ESPN, the pundits discussed how Favre will handle the game. Favre admits to being nervous. Not surprising. Tom Jackson said Favre's comments about his current team being the best he's ever played on -- and thus disrespecting the Reggie White-led Super Bowl teams -- really left fans with a bad taste in their mouths (paraphrasing)...as if there wasn't a bad taste there before.

Former Packers LeRoy Butler and Gilbert Brown spoke to the Favre situation and comments recently as well. Butler said "If you're not in Green 'n' Gold then I don't root for you." Brown, speaking to Favre's "best team" comment on ESPN radio earlier this week, said Jared Allen "couldn't hold Reggie White's jockstrap." Gilbert always did have a way with words. When asked if he would look forward to sacking Favre if he had the chance, he said he would definitely do so. "I wouldn't do the 'Grave Digger' on him (Brown's post-sack celebration move) but I would fart on him." Thank you, Gilbert. May we have another?

Anyway, lots of verbal banter on both sides of things. But to the Packers' players credit, they just seem focused on the task at hand. And well they should. If they beat the 'Queens today they go to 5-2 on the season and travel to Tampa Bay for what is expected to be another win next weekend, taking them to 6-2. The 'Queens, on the other hand, with a loss today will be 6-2 with their bye week coming up. Thus, the Packers and ViQueens could essentially be all tied up 2 weeks from now. That's if the Pack wins today.

The bottom line today
The spread is the Pack by 3, the old home field advantage line. The teams are a little different than when playing a few weeks ago. The Packers are arguably a bit deeper, especially on the offensive line and defensive backfield. The ViQueens are arguably a bit weaker, particularly in the defensive backfield and at receiver. The Packers need to reprise the great defensive job they did on 'Queens RB Adrian Peterson.

But they need to find a way to get pressure on Favre. Interesting stat: the Packers blitzed on just 16.7% of passes in the first meeting in Minnesota and the results, as we know, were not good; you can't give Favre time to throw. Last Sunday in their game at Pittsburgh, the Steelers blitzed Minnesota an estimated 60% of the time. Result? Steelers got to Favre and got a win. It's a definite balancing act for Packers defensive coordinator, Dom Capers. S Atari Bigby was out for the Pack last time around and there were major communication breakdowns in the defensive backfield. It's been bandied about that that was one of the main reasons Capers didn't blitz more in that game: he just didn't trust the backup safety, Derrick Martin, to be in proper cover positions. But Bigby's back. LB Aaron Kampman has begun playing some down pass rush positions and getting to the QB like the good ol' days. Rookie LB Clay Matthews shows he knows how to create some problems. If ever there was a time when the defense can show that the last couple games against mediocre opponents weren't just flukes, this is it.

I think the offensive line will help Ryan Grant -- and maybe even Ahman Green -- to get some runs going; that will help the passing game. I believe that they will do a better job protecting Aaron Rodgers. And I believe the Packers defense will do enough to keep Peterson and Favre in check.

Favre is wearing that funky purple. As Michael Corleone in The Godfather II told his brother Fredo after a betrayal, and we can say to Favre (until the time he returns in his retirement glory to Green Bay, of course): "You're dead to me. You're nothing to me now; you're not a brother, you're not a friend; I don't want to know you or what you do." Boo every time Favre touches the ball. Let him hear the wrath of Lambeau and Lombardi!

It will be a close one, as most of these games are. The home field advantage will count for a lot today. In fact, it might just be the difference.

We're drinking the Green 'n' Gold kool-aid again, Packers fans. We can do no less. Packers 20 - ViQueens 17.

Go Pack Go!!!

Happy Birthday, Lambeau Leap!

It was 15 years ago today that the now infamous Lambeau Leap made its debut.

Here's how it happened. The Pack was playing the then L.A. Raiders. The Raiders had just made a short pass completion. Safety LeRoy Butler put a big hit on the receiver who then fumbled the ball. The late, great Reggie White picked it up and started rumbling and stumbling toward the end zone. As a Raider was attempting to tackle him -- riiiiiight -- or at least push him out of bounds, LeRoy came near enough to Reggie where he could get a lateral...which Reggie did, of course. LeRoy then streaked the remaining 25 yards to the famous south end zone (famous, of course, because it was the end zone for the winning TD in the Ice Bowl game as well as the Instant Reply game, among others) for the touchdown. He kept running and made the first Lambeau Leap in history. It was the first of what would become many for the Packers since then.

As Paul Harvey (for those of who might remember him) would say, "And now you know the rest of the story."

LeRoy's view

There's a concise and insightful analysis of the Packers' loss at New Orleans and more courtesy of retired Packers safety LeRoy Butler here. Bottom line: he called the loss a "collective effort" with players not prepared, but coaches, etc. needing to share responsibility. Having said that, Butler also said "there was nothing wrong with the game plan," that it was the same plan which shut down Peyton Manning and the Colts. Anyway, some interesting comments for you to check out.

Injuries hit again
After having a spate of injuries early in the season, and then seemingly getting a bit healthier as of late, the Pack took a hit coming out of the Saints game. The safeties, especially, came out banged up. Aaron Rouse, Atari Bigby, Charlie Peprah and Nick Collins all are dealing with ailments. Also on the defensive side of things, Johnny Jolly came out dinged up.

On the offensive side of the ball, the most concerning injury is that of RT Mark Tauscher, who left the game after the second play Monday night. He was undergoing tests yesterday to determine just how bad the hamstring injury is but the fact they were doing an MRI indicates it is likely to keep him out of at least this week's game against Carolina. Tony Moll filled in for Tauscher and for the most part did an adequate job. Also nicked up are TE Tory Humphrey and RB Brandon Jackson.

You can read more about the injuries here.

As Butler says, the Packers are the most talented team in the Division, which might not be saying much this year. And the Packers certainly aren't demonstrating that fact either. But injuries going down the stretch run, combined with inconsistent play, may seal the Packers fate...unless they turn it around starting this Sunday.

A 1992 flashback

No...not that kind of flashback. This one came courtesy tonight of The NFL Network: the Sept. 20, 1992 game between the Pack and Bengals in which Wisconsin's own Tim Krumrie crunched then-starting QB Don Majkowski's left ankle allowing a 2nd-year player by the name of Brett Favre to enter the game. (I know, that was a long sentence...take a breath and start reading again when ready...)

This game marked Brett's first win and first game-winning comeback all rolled into one. It was also Mike Holmgren's first victory as Packers' head coach.

One of the interesting comments made by the NBC announcers (Jim Lampley and Ahmad Rashad) was that "You live and die with somebody like Brett Favre" after he fumbled inside the Pack's own 30, down 10-3 late in the third quarter. That statement applied as well in that first game as it did in the last. But we wouldn't have had it any other way.

Another interesting aspect of this game were some of the names involved: Edgar Bennett, Jackie Harris, Bryce Paup, Terrell Buckley (who, characteristically, dropped a sure interception...but, to be fair, he also had a punt return for a TD...but then also, characteristically, fumbled a punt at a critical time in the game), Ken Ruettgers, Robert Brooks, Johnny Holland, Vince Workman, Brian Noble, LeRoy Butler, Sterling Sharpe (who caught Brett's first NFL TD pass), John Jurkovic, Harry Sydney, Tony Bennett, Ed West, Chris Jacke, Tootie Robbins, and Sanjay Beach (who goes down in football history as being the receiver who caught Brett's first pass...other than the deflected one which Brett caught himself, of course.)

It was also fascinating to see just how bad Brett looked for much of that game...lots of fumbles, lots of sacks, lots of missed throws, lots of "What the heck is going on out there?!" (to quote the late, great Vince Lombardi). But you also saw those flashes of what would make Brett the greatest QB the game ever saw: a rocket arm, a never-give-up attitude, and a guy that could take a pounding and still keep coming back.

It was an interesting glimpse back in Packers history...and at the start of a legendary career.

Oh yeah...if you recall, the Pack won 24-23 with 13 seconds to go on a bomb down the right sideline from Brett to Kitrick Taylor, and a PAT by Jacke. The throw was a classic. And so was Brett's response: just as he did in his Super Bowl win, Brett took his helmet off and ran around like a little kid. Wow. It was the first of many "Wows" we had as Packer fans with Brett at the helm.

You can read more about this legendary game here.

Bits & Pieces

Nothing of major importance to report today. Just bits and pieces...this and that...miscellaneous stuff...you get the idea.

Brooks & Butler in PHoF
Packer greats Robert Brooks and LeRoy Butler took their place alongside other Packer luminaries when they were formally inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame on Saturday evening. Both earned their spots with years of dedication to the team, on and off the field, and exceptional play. (Despite rumors to the contrary, Butler did not earn his place in the Hall for inventing "The Lambeau Leap.") You can read a nice article about Butler here.

Training Camp at "City Stadium"
For the first time in nearly 50 years, the Packers will practice at "City Stadium," the team's former home from 1925 through 1956, when they take to the field on Tuesday, July 31. The last time the team practiced there was Aug. 5, 1961, when the team held an intra-squad scrimmage. City Stadium is now the home football field for Green Bay East High School. But once upon a time, it saw the likes of such legendary Packer players as Don Hutson, Curly Lambeau, Arnie Herber, Tony Canadeo and Clarke Hinkle, among others. One hopes the young Packer players of today will appreciate and sense the history that surrounds them on that old field. It is anticipated that there will be a large crowd on hand for this historic one-of-a-kind practice session. You can read more here.

New Charity Cap Campaign
For the last few years, the Packers have teamed up with American Family Insurance in the creation of a special cap design from which a portion of the proceeds goes toward a designated charity. Over the last two years, the cap campaigns have raised nearly $1.5 million for charities fighting breast cancer and heart disease. This year, the goal is to raise money to support service men and women, veterans and their families. Cost of the cap -- a very nice black washed cotton design -- is $15, with $5 from each sale going towards the charity effort. You can learn more about the cap campaign here. Or if you just want to cut to the chase and order your cap now, go here.

That's all for now. Over and out...

"From Pigskins to Pink Ribbons"

That's how former Packer, LeRoy Butler, was described in a feature story during tonight's NBC Nightly News "Making a Difference" segment. The story featured one woman's experience with LeRoy and his Foundation for Breast Cancer. Kym Lindau, essentially at the end of her rope financially as a result of her cancer, wrote a letter to Butler as a last resort. As reported in the story, "Butler was so moved he picked up the phone" and told her she was approved for funds. Those funds helped Ms. Lindau keep her car, her house, and her horses. More importantly, Butler helped her keep her dignity.

It was a very moving story and a great profile of LeRoy Butler. LeRoy was a class act as a Packer and he has continued to be someone who contributes to the community as a member of the Packers alumni. He did and does make a difference.

If you want to learn more about the LeRoy Butler Foundation for Breast Cancer, just click here.

Packers Hall of Fame Welcomes Brooks and Butler

Two of the cornerstones of the Packers' success in the 1990s were named to the Packers Hall of Fame today, and will be officially inducted this summer. Wide receiver Robert Brooks and defensive back LeRoy Butler -- fan favorites during the Super Bowl years as well as now -- will take their rightful place among other Packer greats.

You can read the official announcement, and become reacquainted with each of these players, by going here.