Packers try to keep their own

The Packers under GM Ted Thompson have always tried to retain their own valuable potential free agents rather than pull in outsiders. Them ya know is better than them ya don't...or something like that

That's why the Packers today issued qualifying tender offers to five of their own players: S Atari Bigby, CB Jarrett Bush, DE Jason Hunter, FB John Kuhn and WR Ruvell Martin. CB Tramon Williams, an exclusive-rights free agent, also was issued a one-year tender offer. Most of these offers are in the $1 million to $1.5 million range. Basically, the Packers reserve the right to match any offer each of these players might receive from another team by issuing these qualifying tenders. It's a preemptive strike before the free agency period begins at midnight tonight.

Who is on this list is as interesting as who isn't: WR Shaun Bodiford and TE Tory Humphrey. Bodiford is a player who always seemed to have a wealth of potential but he could never stay on the field; he's only played in six games over the last two seasons. Given that it would have cost the Pack a minimum of $1.01 million to continue to hope for that potential -- and given the depth of excellent receivers the Packers have on the squad already -- parting ways was the best option. As for Humphrey, his agent, Blake Baratz, is quoted as telling the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that "The Packers seem to want him back and he wants to come back." Baratz and the Packers have apparently already had discussions about Humphrey's return.

You can read the Packers' brief announcement about the tender offers here.

What's up with the Pack at the NFL Combine?

As any football fan knows, this is the time of year when we start dreaming. About young football players who can help transform our team. Especially if our team has a Top 10 draft pick. Which our team -- the Packers -- does. Number 9 to be exact. (For those of you old enough to remember, or enough of a music fan to get the reference, let's just say that, finally, Ringo Starr's prophetic statement came true: "number nine...number nine...").

So, with the NFL Combine going on in Indianapolis this weekend, what are the Packers up to? As you might well imagine, evaluating talent. Sitting at number 9 gives the Pack lots of options. According to some of the pundits, the top of this draft is deep on offensive possibilities, particularly offensive tackles. With LT Chad Clifton showing signs of wear and tear, and RT Mark Tauscher rehabbing from his season-ending knee injury, a tackle might be on the top of the Packers' list of needs. Although according to an article in today's Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, "The top three left tackles in the National Football League draft won't be available for the Green Bay Packers to take with the No. 9 selection based on a Journal Sentinel poll of executives representing 25% of the league." That doesn't mean a good tackle isn't available, of course. Nor does it mean that's the way the Pack would go anyway. "Best available athlete" is usually the standard operating procedure.

So what other needs could be met? Obviously, with the Pack's move to the 3-4 defensive scheme, nose tackles and linebackers become positions of interest. Some believe the pickings are a bit slim in terms of nose tackle talent. As for linebackers, again, not a lot there at the top of the draft.

Would the Packers take a running back at number 9? Not with the seeming commitment they have to Ryan Grant. A back or two farther down the draft certainly is likely.

A few of the mock drafts out there still have the Pack selecting DB Malcolm Jenkins from Ohio State. Mel Kiper said on ESPN the other day, without specific reference to the Packers, that Jenkins' draft position will depend upon his time in the 40-yard dash. A good 40 time would assure Jenkins of going in the top 10. (If you want to hear an interesting discussion of this issue, with specific mention of Jenkins and some others, check out Kiper's comments on ESPN radio here.)

So what will Packers GM Ted Thompson do with his pick? There's about nine weeks to go before the draft...so...stay tuned. But in the meantime, you can read a lot of what's going on in this Combine blog from the Journal-Sentinel's Greg Bedard. Check out Mike McCarthy's comments especially for his thoughts related to personnel, the change in defensive scheme, etc.

Two Days On: Favre Still Retired...and Talking

OK, OK, I know that headline reference is getting old very quickly. Won't use it again. Well, probably not.

Anyway, ol' #4 -- Brett Favre -- gave his first extensive post-retirement on-air interview today on ESPN with that network's Ed Werder. Defintely worth watching. Even if he is wearing a Jets cap. Check it out right here, and settle in for about 15-20 minutes.


If you want to read about the interview and some of his quotes, check out the story here. Brett makes it clear in the interview he loved being a Packer and loves the fans, but also admits that he was angry at Packers' management last year because of the way he felt he was treated. Like we didn't already know that. Still, Brett appears much more reflective than perhaps we might expect. Perhaps we'll see him in Green Bay to retire that jersey sooner that initially thought.

Packers Fan Fest
The Packers will host their annual fan celebration, Packers Fan Fest, March 13-14.

According to an email from the Packers:
"For the popular autograph sessions, we've got a great lineup of our current players, including Atari Bigby, Nick Collins, Mason Crosby, Donald Driver, Ryan Grant, Al Harris, Cullen Jenkins, James Jones, Aaron Kampman and Ryan Pickett. And it's always great to see our alumni, with this year's group including Donny Anderson, LeRoy Butler, Willie Davis, William Henderson, Jerry Kramer, Dorsey Levens, Jan Stenerud, Frank Winters and Ron Wolf.

Fans also will be excited to meet our coaches, particularly new defensive coordinator Dom Capers and his staff, at the Friday night meet-and-greet. On Saturday, the coaches' strategy sessions will be particularly interesting, especially when the "Defense 101" session discusses the new '3-4' defense the Packers will employ in 2009.

An attraction not to be overlooked is the exclusive tour through the team's locker room on Saturday. Fans can see behind-the-scenes areas not offered on the regular stadium tour. Also, admission to the Packers Hall of Fame is included as part of the event.

Tickets are available, and priced again at $85 per person. It's an event for the whole family, and kids 6 and younger enter free with a ticketed adult, so please bring along the young fans in your family. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster online, over the phone and in person."

For more info on purchasing tickets and a complete listing of Fan Fest activities, just click here.

24 Hours Later: Favre Still Retired

It's now about 24 hours since the news broke that ol' #4, Brett Favre, announced his re-retirement. And the news is: he's still retired. But...didn't we hear that once before? Hmmm...

The general consensus among all the sports TV and radio pundits is that this time it just might stick. Why? Sure sounds as if Brett found out that his body was finally giving out after 18 years being the gunslinger.

You may recall reading comments after the end of the season that Jets' sources were strongly suggesting to Brett that if he wanted to return that he should have surgery to fix the elbow/shoulder problems which basically became very apparent down the season stretch. Brett just wasn't able to throw the ball with the zip and accuracy for which he was famous. And it didn't appear as if Brett was too anxious to go under the knife and re-hab just to essentially get one more year of play in to spite Packers' GM Ted Thompson. He'd already done that. Heck, in Favre's interview with ESPN's Ed Werder (see yesterday's post for link), he said that he really didn't care whether his stats were better than new Packers QB Aaron Rodgers, he just wanted to have the Jets win more games than the Packers. He succeeded in that latter goal. He got his personal revenge on Thompson that way, at least.

So, how are we going to know that Brett actually stays with his decision? As one Green Bay sports reporter noted, a clue will be as to whether Brett does decide to have surgery or not. If so, that might be a precursor to yet another comeback. How likely is that? Based on Favre's comments, this time it sounds like he might actually have realized it's time to hang up the cleats for good.

But we thought once before.

Judge for yourself. You can listen to a bit of Favre's teleconference below.



If you want to read Brett's retirement non-press conference comments, you can do so here. You can also see lots of links to lots of other related comments.

One of the better clips is a "burn" from sports guy Jim Rome about how Favre blew it with Green Bay, not vice versa. Watch for yourself.



Statement from the Packers
The Packers took a good portion of yesterday to come up with their official statement. It's short and sweet, which is probably for the best.

Congratulations to Brett on a remarkable career. The Packers organization wishes him and his family well. Brett always will hold a special place in Green Bay Packers history, and we remain committed to retiring his number at an appropriate time in the future.

Favre retires...again

According to breaking news from ESPN.com, ol' #4, Brett Favre, is reprising his role as a retired QB. ESPN is reporting that Favre told his agent, Bus Cook, to inform the Jets of his decision. Some TV reports were indicating that there had apparently been an initial informal feeler to see if the Jets would release Favre so that he could have the possibility of playing with another team, likely the ViQueens. The Jets denied that request, apparently. (Thank you, Jets.)

Of course, Brett couldn't resist apparently sticking it once again to the Packers. According to the report, "In an e-mail to ESPN's Ed Werder, Favre indicated that he had no regrets about leaving the game with the Jets rather than with his old team, the Green Bay Packers." Read the rest of the article to find out more about exactly how much spite Favre actually had and has toward Packers' GM Ted Thompson.

From the sounds of things, Favre will not be holding Retirement Press Conference - Part II.

There has as of yet been no official comment from either the Jets or the Packers about this news.

One might also expect, given the loathing which Favre holds for Thompson, that as long as Thompson is GM of the Pack there will probably not be any willingness on Favre's part to participate in any Packer-related events, number retirement ceremony, etc. Too bad Brett can't get let go, as it will do him far more harm in the long run than it will the Pack.

Read the ESPN.com story here.

Retirement Advice from other QBs
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel ran a great article several days ago in which it interviewed several former NFL QB greats regarding their transitions from the playing field to retirement, as well as any advice they might have for Brett.

In light of today's breaking news, you might find this article an interesting read. Check it out here.

What it was, was football

It's Super Bowl Sunday, one of the most hyped and overrated days in all of sports. The 43rd variation on the theme takes place later today in Tampa. Regrettably, the only connection today for Packer fans is in the name of the trophy: the Vince Lombardi Trophy. And, as even those who aren't major sports fans probably know, it's the Steelers vs. the Cardinals. All the prognosticators say the Steelers will win because of their tremendous defense. True, defense usually wins championships and the playbook says that if you get to Cardinals' QB Kurt Warner he can be rattled and make mistakes. But Philadelphia knew this two weeks ago. And still, Warner lit them up. This is a Cardinals team that has an explosive offense, got hot at the right time, and given its history is proof positive of the adage that even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while.

My head tells me the Steelers will indeed win because they are the better team. But the Cardinals have beaten better teams on the way to Tampa. I like the underdog. I won't predict a score. But I will be rooting for the Cardinals despite my long-standing appreciation for the Steelers. Let's just hope it's a good game throughout. I'm looking forward to seeing Springsteen at halftime and to putting on the 3D glasses for that commercial...yes, I entertain easily. But when the Packers aren't there to generate the real excitement, this is all we have left.

Let's put the game in perspective
Sometimes -- especially when something becomes just a bit overblown -- it's useful to view it from a fresh perspective. Nothing could do so better as regards football in general than Andy Griffith's famous monologue, from 1953 no less.

Here's audio of that famous bit, to which someone has also attached some animation. I'm also providing the transcript below for those who need a bit of help understanding Griffith's accentuated Carolina drawl. Enjoy!

What It Was, Was Football

It was back last October, I believe it was. We was a-goin’ t’ hold
a tent service in this college town.
And we got thar about dinnertime on Saturday And different ones
of us thought we ought to get us a mouthful to eat before
that we set up the tent.
And so, we got down off of the truck and followed this little bunch of
people through this small little bitty patch of woods.
And we come up on a big sign, says “Get somethin’ to eat here!”

And I went up and got me two hot dogs and a big Orange drink.
And before I could take ary mouthful of that food this whole raft of
people come up around me
and got me to where I couldn’t eat nothin’ up like—
and I dropped my big Orange drink. I did!

Well friends, they commenced to move and they wasn’t so much
I could do except to move with ‘em.
Well, we commenced to go through all kinds of doors and gates
and I don’t know what all, and I looked up over one of ‘em
and it says “North Gate”, and we kept on a-goin’ through there,
and pretty soon we come up on a young boy.
And he says “Ticket, please…” And I says “Friend, I don’t have a ticket.
I don’t even know where it is that I’m a-goin’.” I did!

Well he says “Come out as quick as you can.”
And I says “I’ll do ‘er—I’ll turn around the first chance I get.”
Well, we kept on a-movin’ through there and pretty soon everyone
got where it was that they was a’goin’ because they parted
and I could see pretty good. I could!

And what I seen was this whole raft a people a-settin’ on these
two banks and a-lookin’ at one another acrosst this purty little
green cow pasture! Well, they was! And somebody had took
and drawed white lines all over it and drove posts in it and
I don’t know what all! And I looked down there and I seen
five or six convicts a-runnin’ up and down and a-blowin’ whistles!
They was!

And then I looked down there and I seen these pretty girls
a-wearin’ these little bitty short dresses and a-dancin’ around,
an’ so I set down and thought I’d see what it was that was
a-gonna happen. I did!

And about the time I got set down good, I looked down there
and I seen thirty or forty men come a-runnin’ out of one end
of a great big outhouse down there! They did!
An’ everybody where I was a-settin’ got up and hollered!
And about that time thirty or forty come a-runnin out of the
other end of that outhouse and the other bank full—
THEY got up and hollered!
An’ I asked this feller that was a-settin’ beside me, I says
“Friend, what is it that they’re a-hollerin’ for?”
Well he whopped me on the back and he says
“Buddy, have a drink!”
Well, I says “I believe I will have another big Orange.”
An’ I got it and set back down.
An’ when I got back down there again, I seen that them men
had got in two little bitty bunches down there.
They had—real close together--and they voted! They did!

They voted and elected one man apiece.
And them two men come out in the middle of that cow pasture
and shook hands like they hadn’t seen one another in a long time.
And then a convict come over to where they was a-standin’ an’ he
took out a quarter and they commenced to odd-man right there!
They did!

Well, after a while I seen what it was that they was a-odd-mannin’ for.
It was that both bunches-full of them men wanted this funny-lookin’
little punkin to play with! They did, and I know friends that they
couldn’t-a eat it ‘ cause they kicked it the whole evenin’
and it never busted!

But anyhow what I was a-tellin’ was that both bunches-full wanted
that thang and one bunch got it an’ it made the other bunch
just as mad as they could be and friends I seen that evenin’
the awfullest fight that I’d ever seen in my life!
I did! They would run at one another and kick one another
and throw one another down and stomp on one another
and grind their feet in one another and I don’t know what all!
And just as fast as one would get hurt they’d tote him off
and run another’n on!

Well, they done that as long as I set there but pretty soon
this boy that had said “Ticket please…” he come up to me and
he says “Friend, you’re gonna have to leave because it is that
you don’t have a ticket.” And I says “Well, alright…” an’ I got up
an’ left. An’ I don’t know, friends, until this day what it was that they
was a-doin’ down there, but I have studied about it, and I think it’s
some kindly of a contest where they see which bunch-full of them
men can take that punkin an’ run from one end of that cow pasture
to the other’n without either gettin’ knocked down—
‘er steppin’ in somethin’ !

Kevin Greene joins coaching staff

Although this will be his first full-time coaching gig, former linebacker Kevin Greene says now is the time to get on this side of the game. The opportunity to join his former coach in Pittsburgh and Carolina, Dom Capers, as part of the new defensive coaching staff at Green Bay was too good to pass up. Greene will coach outside linebackers. Assistant head coach/linebackers Winston Moss will have his title restructured to reflect that in addition to still retaining his assistant head coach title he will coach inside linebackers.

While Greene may not have a lot of coaching experience -- he did have some volunteer coaching experience with a variety of teams over the past five summers -- you can't question his linebacker credentials as a player. He was one of those guys that always brought an attitude and backed it up with his tough-as-nails play. As an article in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel points out, "Greene personified the 3-4 outside linebacker in Capers' blitz-happy defense, finishing third on the NFL's all-time sack list behind Bruce Smith and Reggie White. His understanding of the position will help potential outside linebackers Aaron Kampman, Brady Poppinga, Desmond Bishop and Jeremy Thompson adjust to a new position."

In the move to the 3-4, Greene's background could be invaluable. Linebackers play a much larger role in this defensive scheme and the Packers are going to have to maximize the play they get from that unit in order to be successful. If nothing else, having Greene in your face should up the intensity for those players.

You can read a really good article about Greene here.

Peter King says Favre done
In an interview on ESPN's Pardon the Interruption yesterday, Sports Illustrated's Peter King -- a favorite texting buddy of Brett Favre -- said he thinks Brett is done. He said Brett knows that he can still play. According to King, Jets' doctors recommended strongly, though, that if Brett wanted to continue to play he should have surgery to repair his shoulder. Brett said no. For King, that told him Brett had decided to hang it up. The only other possibility was if Brett could play "where he really wanted to be." When pressed by PIT co-host Tony Kornheiser as to where that would be, King didn't say Green Bay. Instead, he said Minnesota. The follow-up question about why Minnesota, of course, was not asked. But we all know that would only be to be able to play the Packers twice and stick it to GM Ted Thompson.

What's the likelihood of this happening? Possible, one supposes, although not probable. The Packers had a provision in their trade deal with the Jets that if the Jets traded Favre to the ViQueens that the Packers would get three first round draft picks from the Jets as "poison pill" compensation. But, if the Jets cut Brett, any team would be free to sign him. However, as King noted in his interview, any team doing so would just be picking up a one-year bandaid at best; and would any team really want to do that?

Let's just hope that King is right and Brett decides, once and for all, to hang up the cleats. It's what he should have done last year when he first announced his retirement. He could have gone out with a lot of class and dignity and the undying affection of Packer fans everywhere. Instead...well...you know.

The drama isn't done yet. But in the next few months one would hope so.

2009 Draft
It's mid-January, Super Bowl week, and the best that most Packer fans can do these days is start thinking about the NFL draft.

For those who want to get an early start on the speculation, check out Mel Kiper's early line on the 2009 picks with his initial mock draft. At this point, he has the Pack taking CB Malcolm Jenkins out of Ohio State. You can see all of Kiper's picks here.

While starting to find replacements for Al Harris and Charles Woodson is not a bad idea, given the move to the 3-4 scheme, one might think that the Packers' need for linebackers and nose tackles might take a higher priority. One other definite need going into this draft will be to find solid offensive tackles. LT Chad Clifton started to show definite signs of wear and age this last season and RT Mark Tauscher is a question mark after his season-ending knee injury, as well as his age.

We'll keep you posted on other mock drafts as they pop up.

A few moments with Dom Capers

The Packers' new defensive coordinator, Dom Capers, didn't waste much time getting in the swing of things. He met with reporters today for about 30 minutes.

Not surprisingly, he said he was excited to be in Green Bay. He said some more interesting things, as well.

If you want to read some excerpts, check those out here.

For the full transcript, go here.

It's official: Capers and the 3-4 now in Green Bay

The hire of Dom Capers as offensive coordinator seemed to come out of the blue. It was a fast and furious romance over the weekend between head coach Mike McCarthy and his new defensive coordinator. It must have been a magical weekend. Because not only did the Pack hire Capers, McCarthy also has already made the decision to run the 3-4 defensive scheme with which Capers is most well-versed.

But in McCarthy's press conference earlier this afternoon in which he made the Capers announcement official, he also gave indications that the team would use both 3- and 4-man fronts.

It will be worth your time to read the transcript of the press conference for more insights on the Capers hire, personnel considerations, other staff hires, etc. It's the whole enchilada right here.

Polls Underway
By the way, for about the next week we're running a pair of polls in the righthand column as to whether you like the move to hire Dom Capers or not, as well as your opinion of the 3-4 in Green Bay. Let us and other fans know what you think by taking a moment to respond to the polls. And best of all...they're FREE!!!

The Capers solution

That's what Packers head coach Mike McCarthy is hoping for right now. He's hoping his hire yesterday, as being reported in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel and elsewhere this morning -- will be the solution he needs to resurrect a pathetic defense. Enter Dom (not DON!) Capers. McCarthy wanted someone with experience and with Capers he gets that in spades. Capers is an experienced defensive coordinator who is immersed in the 3-4 scheme, but who has also run 4-3 and hybrid schemes. Capers has also been a head coach with two teams.

Capers has a reputation as a no-nonsense type of coach and a very good defensive coordinator. While discipline isn't something which has been a problem for the Packers defense, perhaps accountability this last season was. Capers will help bring a greater sense of that to the unit.

Wayne Larrivee, the radio voice of the Packers, was asked this morning on 620WTMJ radio in Milwaukee, what he thought the Capers hire would mean for the defense. He acknowledged Capers' primary experience with the 3-4 scheme, but that he was the kind of flexible coach that could work with the Packers 4-3. Larrivee also said that it could be a hybrid type defense at times. Larrivee also noted that running that type of scheme would mean the Packers would have to get a few different types of players than they have now, but it would also allow the Packers to use their best defensive players in different ways, as well.

The needs on defense probably won't change much: defensive linemen and linebackers are key needs. But it might be the type of those players that is different under a Capers-run scheme.

From the perspective of this writer, I think this is a good hire. Some say the big cats -- Nolan and Williams -- got away and that the Packers are having to settle for perhaps a second tier level of coach, especially since the Packers were the first to contact Capers about a D-coordinator position. But given the wealth of Capers' coaching experience -- 38 years overall, with 23 in the NFL -- he might be just what the doctor ordered. McCarthy spent two days with Capers and the two obviously felt comfortable with one another and what the direction of the team needed to be and how things were going to be accomplished.

If you want to read the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel article about the hire, you can do so here. There has as yet been no official announcement from the Packers. Once that official announcement is made by the team, PackerFansUnited.com will be running a poll to ask whether you like this hiring decision or not. So keep checking back for further updates.

The Capers caper is now afoot

Dom Capers, former head coach with Carolina and Houston, and someone who has spent most if not all of his coaching career on the defensive side of the ball, is the latest candidate to interview with Packers head coach Mike McCarthy. Sometime this weekend, they'll have a face-to-face. Most of Capers' experience is running a 3-4 defense, which has not been the Packers scheme the last several years. Still, Capers is one of those out there with a well-respected name.

Still, he may be off the board soon too. A report in today's Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel says, "The Rocky Mountain News has reported that Capers is all but a lock to become the Denver Broncos' defensive backs coach under newly hired coordinator Mike Nolan, but apparently the lure of becoming a coordinator again was enough to get Capers in for an interview."

So, we'll see where this one goes. Jim Haslett is still under consideration, the recently dismissed coaching staff at Tampa Bay may have a possibility or two within it, and of course you can bet McCarthy is awaiting the outcomes of tomorrow's playoff games to see who he might finally be able to talk to.

You can read more here.

Still no defensive coordinator for the Pack

Of the top names initially mentioned as likely prospects for the open Packers defensive coordinator position, arguably the top two are now off the board. Mike Nolan, who was said to be a lock for the job, took the same job with Denver. Today, Gregg Williams accepted the defensive coordinator position -- as many had also projected -- with New Orleans.

So, we're starting to get to option number three. That supposedly is now Jim Haslett, who interviewed with Packers head coach Mike McCarthy on Monday and Tuesday. Haslett is first waiting to hear, however, whether he will be named the Rams new head coach, a position he held on an interim basis this past season for 10 games. According to reports, it seems as if St. Louis wants to go in a different direction. And so far, the Packers are the only team that has shown an interest in Haslett for either a coordinator or head coaching slot.

According to a report in today's Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, "It's possible McCarthy will wait until after this weekend to see if any assistant coach prospects become available. Among those would be Philadelphia secondary coach Sean McDermott, Pittsburgh linebackers coach Keith Butler and Baltimore special assistant Vic Fangio."

McDermott is said to be an intriguing possibility given that he's been part of the Jim Johnson defensive coaching staff with Philadelphia for several years. But league rules preclude any team from talking to McDermott until the Eagles are out of the playoffs. That's why McCarthy might wait out the weekend results before making his decision. If the Eagles beat Arizona, as is expected, waiting until after the Super Bowl to see if McDermott is even interested in the position would be too long of a wait, in all likelihood, for the Packers.

It will be an interesting next few days. Unfortunately for the Packers, the decision as to whom eventually fills the key defensive coordinator spot is not entirely in their own hands.

You can read the Journal-Sentinel article here.

Mike Golic's Lambeau Field fan story

On the Mike and Mike in the Morning ESPN radio show today -- also carried live on ESPN2 -- former NFL D-lineman Mike Golic (of Mike and Mike fame...but is he the first one or the second one?) and his counterpart, Mike Greenberg, were discussing -- for whatever reason -- Lambeau Field. Greenberg's memory was of his first time as a reporter driving to Lambeau, which he said was "in the middle of nowhere." But then he went on to say that about a mile or so away from the stadium you start to smell the brats and sauerkraut. Golic added that he had played at Lambeau a few times, but when he later was broadcasting from there he'd sometimes join the fans for the tailgating festivities. Nothing better, he said. Although he did note that about the only other stadium that has as good a smell is Kansas City "with all the barbecue." Greenberg then asked Golic if he'd ever seen the tailgating in San Francisco. "White wine, lobster...". Golic and Greenberg quickly agreed that "No, that's just not right." (I may be paraphrasing here, but that is the sense of it. As it rightly should be.)

But the highlight of Golic's Lambeau stories was another from his broadcast days. He said that one time he was up in the press booth which, he noted, is so close to the last row of fans that if it weren't for the glass you could reach out and touch them. Anyway, he said that right below them this one time was a bunch of guys, said it looked like maybe a bunch of fathers and sons. As the game went on, Golic said he and his colleagues in the press box were noting that these guys were "really pounding the beer down." At one point, Golic said, one of the guys who looked as if he was barely of drinking age started really "horking." (BTW, isn't that one of the better -- and perhaps even under-used -- euphemisms for vomitting that's out there? Go ahead, use it the next time one of your buddies blows chow. Impress your friends!)

Sorry, back to Golic's story. He said that this young guy was "horking everywhere." People were standing back and giving him room, of course, and then were patting him on the back making sure he was OK. But, Golic said, the really impressive thing was what happened next. This young fellow then proceeded to walk down the steps (which in itself may have been a pretty impressive feat given what had just happened). Golic said the folks in the press booth thought the guy was leaving to go clean himself up. But then, Golic recalled, they see this young man coming back up the steps "with a full tray of beers." "We applauded the guy," Golic added.

That, my friends, is one of the classic boot and rally stories. There are, no doubt, many more that help contribute to Lambeau's lore.

It's great to be a Packers fan!

Packers Fan Fest March 13-14

The Fifth Annual Packers Fan Fest will be held in the Lambeau Field Atrium Friday and Saturday March 13-14.

Packers Appearing: Mark Murphy and other members of the Packers staff.

Current Players: Nick Collins, Donald Driver, Aaron Kampman and Al Harris. More to be announced.

Packers Alumni: To be announced.

Tickets are priced at $85 per person and are good for both days of the event. Children 6 and younger are free. Tickets will go on sale at 9 a.m. on Jan. 21 through Ticketmaster and can be purchased online, over the phone and in person. Those ubiquitous Ticketmaster fees will also apply. (Sorry, folks. There's no bigger unregulated monopoly in the U.S. than Ticketmaster.) A direct link to online ticket sales information can be found at www.packers.com.

You can read more about the entire event, schedule, etc. here.

Slocum named new Special Teams Coordinator
The Packers are apparently promoting Shawn Slocum to take over special teams. He previously served as an assistant under retired former coordinator Mike Stock for the past three seasons. Let's hope he learned what not to do.

You can read more about that staff move here, including information about the search for the team's new defensive coordinator.

Nolan as D-Coordinator...Not

According to reports, the info which had led this writer and others to say that former 49ers head coach Mike Nolan would be named as the Packers new defensive coordinator seems to have been, hmmm, not as inside and reliable as initially thought. But hey, even the Green Bay Press-Gazette was saying that Nolan was an 80-90 percent lock.

Anyway, the NFL Network was reporting late last night that Nolan would be named the new defensive coordinator at Denver, which has been known to pay assistance coaches very well.

Whether it all came down to money or something else, we may never know. Nolan had been the special teams/linebackers coach in Denver from 1987-'92.

So, at this point it's really anybody's guess as to who may land the gig in Green Bay. Former Jacksonville Jaguars coordinator Gregg Williams and Philadelphia Eagles secondary coach Sean McDermott are said to be front runners. Williams interviewed with Packers head coach Mike McCarthy on Friday. McDermott can't be be talked to under league rules until the Eagles are out of the playoffs, whether that's another week...or longer.

Winston Moss, one of the lone assistants to be retained in the Packers purge of their defensive coaching staff, is still in the running. But he is also interviewing for a few open head coaching slots, including St. Louis and Oakland.

So, what seemed like a quick pick, isn't. Stay tuned.

Read more here if care to.

Ted Thompson Says...

If you want to know what Packers GM Ted Thompson has to say about the 6-10 season and what he sees ahead for the team, you have to check out Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel sports writer Tom Silverstein's article in today's edition. Silverstein interviewed Thompson for 90 minutes prior to Mike McCarthy canning most of the defensive coaching staff so that is not part of the conversation.

Thompson is always guarded in what he says. But there are some interesting aspects of the Q&A, particularly when talking about his having two losing seasons out of his four at the helm compared to no losing seasons between 1992 and 2004 when he took charge, comments about Justin Harrell, having the youngest team in the league for the third straight season, how fans feel about him, and certain personnel moves including, of course, the Brett Favre thing.

Check it out here. It will perhaps tell you some things you wanted to know, but will also leave you with questions still unanswered. That's Thompson, who says in the interview that, "I would like most of the people to understand that we're trying to do the right thing." This writer, for one, believes that. But that doesn't mean we're satisfied.

That also seems to be the point of Mike Vandermause's commentary in the Green Bay Press-Gazette. The title alone tells you where this article is going: "Thompson gaffes contribute to down year". Vandermause is sports editor of the Press-Gazette. And his insights are always a worthwhile read. When he starts comparing some of Thompson's personnel moves to those of former GM/Coach Mike Sherman...well...yikes! You know it can't be good. Read it out for yourself here.

And then hope this next season he and McCarthy get their acts together.

Happy 75th B-day, Bart Starr!

As Packers fans, we should not let this day -- January 9 -- pass (no pun intended...wait for it) without wishing a very Happy Birthday to Packer great and Hall of Famer, Bart Starr. Bart turns 75 today.

While all the talk and focus these days is about the place, eventually, of Brett Favre in Packers and NFL history -- both well established, of course -- any discussion related to the Packers best QB really has to start with Starr.

As Tony Kornheiser said on ESPN's Pardon the Interruption program today, Favre has one Super Bowl ring, Starr has two plus three other NFL championship rings. Now...how do you rate the best Packers QB???

Mr. Starr has been one of the greatest members of the Packers community since he first joined the team in 1956 as a 17th round draft pick (yes, you read that right...17th round...but things were a bit different back then). He has been a quarterback, coach, and good will ambassador for the team, being one of those former "Glory Years" players instrumental in helping get the Brown County funding referendum passed for the renovated Lambeau Field.

Starr has also been involved in the broader Wisconsin community since his playing days. For more than 40 years, he and his wife, Cherry, has been involved in promoting and helping fund the Rawhide Boys Ranch near New London, WI, "a faith-based, non-profit residential care center dedicated to changing the lives of troubled teen boys."

Above all and always, Bart Starr has been a class gentleman. The majority of players in today's NFL could take Starr for a role model on and off the field. If only...

You can read more about Starr here.

Happy Birthday, Bart! And may you have many, many more.

Nolan front-runner for Packers D-coordinator

Reports are circulating that former San Francisco head coach Mike Nolan is likely to be the Packers new defensive coordinator.

According to an article in the Green Bay Press Gazette, "Two NFL sources said Tuesday that coach Mike McCarthy appears likely to bring in Nolan to replace Bob Sanders, whose firing was announced Monday. One source said word at the Cactus Bowl, the all-star game for Division II seniors in Kingsville, Texas, is the move is all but done. Another said there appeared to be at least a 90 percent chance Nolan will join the Packers."

If Nolan is named as the coordinator, he will rejoin Packers head coach Mike McCarthy whom he hired as offensive coordinator with the 49ers.

Nolan has 11 years experience as an NFL defensive coordinator, which is obviously a plus. The Press-Gazette notes that, "As a head coach, Nolan had some problems with players on the offensive side of the ball, but as a defensive coordinator, he has a reputation for being a high-energy, optimistic leader whom players like."

This writer has also received information from a source with close connections to the Packers indicating, in so many words, that Nolan is the leading candidate and likely to be named soon as the new defensive coordinator.

You can read the Press-Gazette article here.

A closer look at the Packers defensive coaching massacre

Were the Packers right to fire so many defensive coaches in one fell swoop, as happened over the last two days? According to a poll in today's online Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, 88% of more than 3,500 people responding so far give a resounding "Yes!".

But beyond that, what do we make of this? According to yet another great article by sports writer and Packers analyst Bob McGinn in the Journal-Sentinel, the purging of the defensive staff is of historic proportions. McGinn writes, "Other than a regime change involving an entire staff, the Packers have never witnessed anything like this from a sitting coach."

Given the massive bloodletting that went on -- McGinn's article recounts prior coaching purges over the decades -- there is a bit of a curious note to it all: neither head coach Mike McCarthy or GM Ted Thompson met with the press or even agreed to answer questions about the firings. The announcements came in the form of a news release only.

So far, none of the fired coaches has made any statements.

One of the facts to emerge is that there was apparently a split in the defensive coaching staff that started early in the season. McGinn reports, basically, that there was a faction on the same page with defensive coordinator Bob Sanders and another faction on board with linebackers coach/assistant head coach Winston Moss. Basically, Moss and some others didn't like the scheme Sanders was running.

Local Wisconsin sports radio and pundits have obviously been kicking this topic around since the news broke. One reporter made the comment that head coaches typically don't get more than 2 bad years in a row before they themselves are shown the door. The point was made that with this major house cleaning on the defensive side of the board, McCarthy will be pulling out all the stops to make sure this dismal season is not repeated because, as the reporter said, "the wolves will be at his door then."

Related to this, though, is the whole topic of personnel. Wayne Larrivee, the radio voice of the Packers, was interviewed about the situation and made the point that by cleaning out most of the defensive coaches the new coordinator will be free to build his own team of assistants. That might also mean a change in scheme from 4-3 to 3-4. If so, Larrivee pointed out, that has personnel implications because players suited to the one scheme usually are not suited to the other. Larrivee offered the example of Corey Williams, who was arguably the key Packers defensive lineman in 2007. As we also know, he was traded to Cleveland after the season for a second round pick after the Pack had placed the franchise tag on him. Larrivee noted that Williams was great in the Packers 4-3 scheme, but his production was not the same this past season in Cleveland's 3-4 scheme. Interesting.

Whoever gets the defensive coordinator job will have a huge task ahead of them. They will need to assemble a staff, devise a scheme, and make sure the right players are in the right places to make it all click. If it falls flat, the head coach and a lot of others might also be putting their homes up for sale in and around Green Bay.

You can read McGinn's article here. Like all his articles, it's well worth the read.

Lots of coaches available
The good news for the Packers in this situation is that it's a buyer's market, so to speak. There are a lot of excellent, experienced coaches available. Among the names being floated, along with the un-fired Winston Moss, is former San Francisco 49ers coach Mike Nolan who was the defensive coordinator with Baltimore before heading west to become San Francisco's head coach. Nolan is also the guy who hired Mike McCarthy to be his offensive coordinator and then also allowed him to get interviewed for the Packers head coaching job a year later. Reports are that Nolan looks like the leading candidate for the job but there are no certainties of any kind at this point in the process and there may well be several factors working against Nolan, including cost.

Cost also factors in the discussion of a few other possible coordinators. Gregg Williams who was with Jacksonville and Washington over the last few years is in the mix, as is Eagles secondary coach Sean McDermott. Some reports indicate that McDermott could be a hot property given his long tenure under Eagles defensive guru Jim Johnson. But the Pack can't talk to him as he is still under contract with the Eagles and could only do so with the team's permission once Philly is done playing.

Former Detroit head coach Rod Marinelli is available, as is Jim Haslett. There are other possibilities as well. You can read more about all the candidates here.

Packers confirm defensive firings

In a news release issued by the Packers, they confirm the firings -- reported here and elsewhere earlier -- of the entire defensive coaching staff with the exceptions of assistant head coach/linebackers coach Winston Moss and quality control assistant Joe Whitt Jr. Also fired was strength and conditioning coach Rock Gullickson.

Head coach Mike McCarthy is quoted as saying, "These are difficult decisions. I hold each of these men in high regard on a personal level, and I want to thank them for their service to the Green Bay Packers."

Stay tuned for more as the story develops.