Packer Alumnus Alan Veingrad Hosting "Ultimate Jewish Football Experience" for Packers Season Opener

As fans of the Green Bay Packers, we know very well how unique the franchise is in the annals of the NFL and all of sports. Well, now get ready to add another unique event to the mix.

The Packers will take on the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, September 9, for the season opener. (Oh, and did we mention that that weekend is also Packer Alumni Weekend? Fan faves from years gone by will be heading to Green Bay.) That's not the unique part, however. That comes courtesy of former Packers offensive lineman Alan Veingrad who is offering football fans a chance to join him for "a weekend of Torah and touchdowns in the football capital of the world...", according to a press release about this event. More on that in a moment. But first, a trip down memory lane.

Veingrad the player
Veingrad was signed by the Packers as an undrafted free agent in 1986 out of East Texas State University (now Texas A&M-Commerce for those keeping track of such things). He was 6'5" and 277 pounds, pretty big for that era of the game. Veingrad made the team as the opening day starting offensive tackle and went on to play for the Pack for five seasons, from 1986–90. He started every game for the Packers during that period except for five games in 1987. Veingrad moved on to the Dallas Cowboys as a Plan B free agent for the 1991 season, where he helped Emmitt Smith win the NFL rushing title that year, and helped the 'Boys win it all the following year in Super Bowl XXVII. That's the football side of Veingrad. Well, that and he was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in April of 2010. Previous inductees include Jewish sports legends such as Sandy Koufax, Red Auerbach, and Hank Greenberg. We ran a post about that at the time here at packerfansunited.com, as a matter of fact.

The personal side
But there's also a personal story, as there is with every player. In fact, there's a great story about Veingrad's story (with me so far?) which ran in the New York Times in 2010. You can read that here. The short version is that Veingrad was and is Jewish, a rarity in both college football and the pros. At college, he may have been the only Jewish student on campus. While the object of some proselytizing, Veingrad retained his strong Jewish pride and dignity. As the Times' article notes, in his rookie season, through the invitation of a local businessman in Green Bay, Veingrad was able to connect with the small Jewish community in Green Bay which helped him survive the isolation of being the only Jewish player on the team. As he says, “Being Jewish left me open to a fair amount of good-natured ribbing and kidding, more the by-product of insensitivity than of malice. In the rough and tumble environment of an NFL team, a Jew is an outsider.”

Since his retirement after his seven-year NFL career, Veingrad has used his championship
experience to score big in the financial services industry. Veingrad also speaks to audiences across the country, relating his story of how the lifestyle he fell into after his retirement from professional football left a void that unwittingly lead him to embrace Torah and Mitzvahs. He shares his unique perspective on how the discipline of being a professional athlete set the stage for the process of him to become an observant Jew. (You can learn more about Veingrad via his own website.)

Season Opener Shabbat Weekend Experience

Now back to that "weekend of Torah and touchdowns" we mentioned earlier. And to get it all correct, I am going to quote from here on the press release details of the event as they were provided to yours truly. If interested, you'll find contact information at the end of the release for further information. It sounds like a great experience and a very unique time indeed. Well done, Mr. Veingrad, in putting together such a creative event for Jewish football fans...regardless of team denomination! :-)
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SUPER BOWL CHAMPION HOSTS 49ERS AT GREEN BAY, ULTIMATE JEWISH FOOTBALL EXPERIENCE!

Alan “Shlomo” Veingrad takes fans back to his old team and stadium for a unique and amazing Shabbat/NFL weekend
.

Former offensive lineman for the Super Bowl XXVII World Champion Dallas Cowboys, Alan “Shlomo” Veingrad has taken the story of his unique journey from the Super Bowl to Super Jew to audiences around the world.

Now Alan is offering football fans a chance to join him for an incredible weekend of Torah and touchdowns in the football capital of the world, Green Bay, WI.

The event takes place the opening weekend of the NFL season, with the game itself on Sunday, September 9, 2012.

For the first time ever in Green Bay, and perhaps the NFL, Jewish fans can have a football Shabbat weekend experience ten minutes from the stadium. The package includes game tickets and three nights with all meals at the Hyatt on Main, Green Bay’s premier hotel property. The hotel is going all out for observant guests, including kitchen “kashering,” a fully Glatt kosher menu, Shabbat arrangements, and a 24 hour Tea Room!

Beyond offering observant Jews the opportunity to enjoy the NFL with full kosher amenities, “Alan believes Jews with a modest interest in their Jewish background will come away from the weekend with a totally new take on their faith and heritage,” commented Michael Marcus, Alan’s partner in KSE Tours, the event promoter.

Friday afternoon Alan will host a private tour of Lambeau Field, the stadium where he had five great years before moving to Dallas and his Super Bowl championship. And for observant Jews in attendance, afternoon Minchah prayers at the stadium will be included!

Back at the hotel, it will be a full-fledged Shabbat weekend with plentiful portions of kosher food, good company, and a chance to spend up close and personal time with Alan.

On Saturday after Shabbat services, lunch and leisure time, Alan will give a presentation about a subject near and dear to him: “STRUCTURE IS THE KEY LIFE” -- What team sports offer for a few years, Judaism offers for life!

To top the day off, Alan will be joined by some of his former Packer player friends to preview the following day’s game at a Melava Malka (fourth meal!).  This “Chalk Talk” will provide rare insights for guests to learn about the next day’s match-up from a player’s point of view.

And what a match up it will be!

Two of the league’s premier teams and quarterbacks – Aaron Rodgers and Alex Smith – will square off in what could quite well be a preview of the NFC championship game. After a blow-out kosher tailgate party, guests will watch the game – with Alan – in seats most likely five to ten rows from the field!

Please call 888.222.6141 or email info@ksetours.com for more information, including rates and group discount options.

Packers rookie orientation camp wrap up

I'd like to offer a complete rundown of all the happenings at this past weekend's Green Bay Packers rookie orientation camp. But, alas (when was the last time you saw that word in a blog that wasn't dated from the Middle Ages?! Wait, did they have blogs then...?), I find that the best summary around is that offered by -- not surprisingly -- the Green Bay Press Gazette.

So, without further ado, check out all the latest news and camp wrap up here. We'll get around to talking about bits and pieces of it throughout the week. But for now, get yourself up to speed and check back here often to see if any new pithy (another great word!) insights are waiting for you.

So what's been going on in Green Bay lately?

Hello, again, Packer fans! We're back in the saddle after being away for a while. It wasn't for lack of interest or things to discuss -- you know, there was the draft, Nick Collins, Donald Driver, Anthony Hargrove, rookie signings and orientation class, etc. were all in play over the last few weeks -- but rather because I was otherwise occupied on matters a whole bunch of time zones away. Since returning, have been playing catch up. You know how it is. Anyway, enough of the logistics. Let's do a quick overview just to get back in the swing of things, shall we? We'll start with the draft and leave further topics for later.

Packers 2012 Draft
As every true Green 'n' Gold Packer fans knows by now, the Packers took the following players in this year's NFL draft: LB Nick Perry (1st round), DE Jerel Worthy (2nd round), CB Casey Hayward (2nd round), DT Mike Daniels (4th round), S Jerron McMillian (4th round), LB Terrell Manning (5th round), T Andrew Datko (7th round) and QB B.J. Coleman (7th round). As of yesterday, which was the start of a three-day rookie orientation camp, all of the draft picks have been signed. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's great Packers reporter, Bob McGinn, broke down the draft this way. (And if you want to read what head coach Mike McCarthy had to say about yesterday's first day of rookie orientation camp, check out this report by the Green Bay Press Gazette's Mike Vandermause.)

The Pack also signed 14 undrafted free agents: West Virginia G Don Barclay, Minnesota RB Duane Bennett, Virginia Tech G Jaymes Brooks, Winston-Salem State FB Nic Cooper, San Diego State C Tommie Draheim, Wake Forest TE Cameron Ford, Minnesota TE Eric Lair, Holy Cross T Mike McCabe, Tulane LB Dezman Moses, South Dakota State WR Dale Moss, Vanderbilt S Sean Richardson, Buffalo WR Marcus Rivers, Southern Utah CB Dion Turner and USC RB Marc Tyler. If you want to see McGinn's great review of each of these players, go here.

Comments:
GM Ted Thompson went into the draft with 12 picks and wound up with eight. Going against form, he traded up a few times, although he stayed firm at #28 in the first round to take Perry. As readers here know, it was this blogger's opinion that if Wisconsin center Peter Konz was available at the time -- despite the needs on defense -- the Pack would take him. After losing C Scott Wells to the Rams and LT Chad Clifton to age, it was thought that having a chance to get a player like Konz who could anchor the middle of a line for the next decade would be too big a plum to pass up. I, and others, were wrong.

Apparently, the consensus among Packers' staff was that the deficiencies on defense last season were so large that that's where the emphasis of the draft needed to be. Judging by the picks, that's exactly what took place. It was apparent that the status of Nick Collins was also in question as the team went into the draft. As it turned out, the Packers wound up releasing the Pro Bowl safety after the draft because of concerns over last season's neck injury. While Collins may still play with another team, the Packers did not want to be the team where his career ended because of a catastrophic injury. Thank you, Nick, for all your great play for the Packers. You will truly be missed...as last season clearly showed.

That's it for the moment, Packer fans. Lots to catch up on. We'll get there before the season kicks off...I promise you. Thanks for reading.

Go Pack Go!!!

Packers' 2012 schedule released

Ah, yes, the smell of a fresh schedule is in the air! Let the games begin. Well, the preseason games will begin Thursday, Aug. 9 at San Diego. Actually, all the preseason games are on Thursday this year, and all against AFC opponents. The regular season starts a month later, at Lambeau, versus the 49ers in a 3:15 p.m. Sunday game.

The Packers will appear five times in primetime night games, which is the most allowed to any team. They open the season with three out of their four first games at home, but then play only once at home in both October and November. The bye week for the Packers comes this year during Week #10, November 11. Prior to that date, they have the Cardinals at Lambeau and then come out of the bye on the road against the Lions. The Packers finish the season with five games in December, three of which are at home. The Pack finishes the regular season against the ViQueens in the Humpty Dump...or wherever that team is playing this year.

We'll ponder what the implications of this schedule may be over the weeks and months ahead.

For now, here's your schedule, week by week. You can also always find the link in the righthand column under, appropriately, the "Links" heading. If you want a PDF version, you can grab one here, courtesy of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Go Pack Go!!!

Sept. 9 - 49ers, 3:15

Sept. 13 - Bears, 7:20

Sept. 24 - at Seahawks, 7:30

Sept. 30 - Saints, 3:15

Oct. 7 - at Colts, noon

Oct. 14 - at Texans, 7:20

Oct. 21 - at Rams, noon

Oct. 28 - Jaguars, noon

Nov. 4 - Cardinals, noon

Nov. 11 - Bye

Nov. 18 - at Lions, noon

Nov. 25 - at Giants, 7:20

Dec. 2 - Vikings, noon

Dec. 9 - Lions, 7:20

Dec. 16 - at Bears, noon

Dec. 23 - Titans, noon

Dec. 30 - at Vikings, noon

Packers 2012 draft board musings

Folks, you know I'd normally be all over the pre-draft musings which are running amuck this time of year. With the draft only a couple weeks away, well, things kick into high gear for most of the football pundits. And yours truly is generally there among them, at least from the Green Bay Packers side of things. Although, thankfully for myself and my readers, I have avoided going into the round by round mock scenarios. I mean, really, who the heck knows? Let's be honest. Once you typically get past the first few picks in Round 1, it's a crapshoot. On the other hand, it does keep lots of folks employed working out all the ifs, ands and buts of who might do what at what pick, blah blah blah.

Also, to be honest, other than indicating areas of need for the Packers -- which Ted Thompson, Mike McCarthy and crew know much better than any one of us on the outside looking in -- really, we can just sit back and watch, right? Yes, the Packers need a pass rusher, hopefully both on the defensive line as well as at outside linebacker to bookend Clay Matthews. Then the team needs some defensive back help, particularly if Nick Collins does not return from his neck injury of last season. Supposedly, he and the Packers will meet this week to discuss his recent tests, doctors reports, etc. Collins is reportedly optimistic. But head coach Mike McCarthy, when asked about this recently, seemed to be very wary of exposing Collins to another injury which could have life-altering, let along career-ending, implications. Stay tuned on that front. But regardless, the Packers need d-back help after being burned big time all last year.

On the offensive side of things, the Packers will need to add depth along the offensive line, especially at center where Scott Wells has departed and aged veteran Jeff Saturday was signed as a free agent. Several mock drafts have Wisconsin center Peter Konz available to the Packers with the 28th pick. If he's there, I'd hope the Packers draft him as he could anchor the middle of the line for the next decade. If he's gone, I wouldn't be surprised to see Thompson play out his usual M-O and trade down for additional picks...although, with compensatory picks for losses in free agency, the Pack already go into the draft with 12 picks...which means Thompson could actually move up if there's a player he really wants to go after that could be an immediate starter and impact player.

No doubt the Packers will also look for skill players: receivers, running backs and, yes, a quarterback to develop. I know I'm going to show my homer cardinal-and-white colors here, but if Russell Wilson from Wisconsin is available late in the draft, he could be a great pick up for the Packers. McCarthy likes to develop smart quarterbacks and Wilson is that. Undersized? Yeah, so's that guy with a last name of Brees. If a QB has the smarts and athletic ability of Wilson, and he's there late, he'd be a great grab.

Now, why am I doing all this pre-draft writing so, well, pre-draft-y? Because yours truly will not, for reasons which don't matter much to anyone but me, have computer access at that time to do my usual real-time draft posts over the course of the days' events. So it goes. I probably won't even be able to do a summary until well after the draft has come and gone. I know. I'm disappointed, too. But, we'll do a recap at our earliest availability. Which will have the advantage of all the cheers and boos having passed and perhaps some better insights having come along. So we'll have that going for us. Which is nice, as Carl Spackler might say.

So, Packers fans, in case we don't catch up again until after the draft, make sure you are well stocked with your favorite beverages and snacks to see you through what soon becomes the mind-numbing blitz of all things draft. Do your best to send up good vibes for the Packers so they can add the pieces that will get them back to the Super Bowl again this season.

Say it with me: It's great to be a Packer fan! Go Pack Go!!!

Saturday signed Friday to play Sunday with Packers

I can't really take credit for that headline concept (darn it!). That was more or less an ESPN line. Something to the effect that "Jeff Saturday signed Friday to play Sunday." Well done, es-pen, well done indeed.

Anyway, the point of all the above is that veteran, venerable, free agent center Jeff Saturday was signed by the Green Bay Packers yesterday. He will replace the recently departed (in a team sense, not the final demise sense) Scott Wells. While some thought GM Ted Thompson should have re-signed Wells -- who is about 5 years younger than Saturday -- Thompson obviously had a different idea in mind.

It has been the speculation here, and elsewhere, that the Packers might just draft Wisconsin center Peter Konz if he's available when the Pack picks at #28 in the first round. Despite an abundance of needs on the defensive side of the ball, being able to now have a veteran mentor such as Saturday work with a rookie such as Konz who, by the way, can also play guard, might just be the ticket to a decade of offensive line stability for the Packers at the center position. The flip side of that argument, however, is that now that the Pack has a solid center in place they might be less likely to spend a 1st round pick on a center when other needs -- especially defensive line and outside linebacker -- are so clear.

But...wait a tick!...the Packers also announced a second free agent signing yesterday: D-lineman Daniel Muir. Muir actually began his career with the Packers. After moving on, he's become a serviceable player with other teams. Now, he's coming back to where it all started.

As someone said on Twitter yesterday, it's been 80 degrees in Wisconsin in March and Thompson signed not one but two free agents...in the same day...surely the apocalypse must not be far behind.

Packers 2012 home and away games announced

While we won't know the actual NFL schedule for the upcoming season until the end of this month, the NFL was kind enough to release the home and away games for each team. We obviously already know that we play our NFC North division opponents. But what about the other games? Here's how things are going to fall, in no particular order, for the Green Bay Packers in the 2012 regular season:

Home: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans.

Away: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, New York Giants, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts.

The season will open with the Super Bowl Champion Giants playing at home against an as-yet unnamed opponent. It could very well be the Packers, but it's not a lock. This game will occur on a Wednesday, Sept. 5, instead of the usual Thursday opener. The reason? It was moved so as not to conflict with the last day of the Democratic National Convention and a likely primetime speech by President Obama.

Now, I seem to recall already seeing a NBC promotion for the Packers hosting the Saints at Lambeau Field for the first actual Thursday night game of the season. Given that the Saints are on the home schedule, this seems like a fit. Which begs the question: could this season start with the Pack kicking off things away versus the Giants and then at home the following week against the Saints, with then about a 10-day break until game #3? Could be. And might not be all bad. Often better to catch some of the better teams early in the season rather than late. Of course, other teams could say the same about playing the Packers, too.

Anyway, the season is no cakewalk. The NFC North, with the exception of the hapless ViQueens, will be better than last season, with both Da Bearz and Lions making some roster moves. And the rest of the schedule is enough to also look at each game as a battle.

It's obviously too far from the start of the season to have a feel for how things could go. But you just know that it's going to be one heckuva ride regardless.

Go Pack Go!!!

Packers Matt Flynn will soon get his free agent deal

Still playing catch up here, Packers fans. Wrote yesterday about the loss in free agency of Pro Bowl center Scott Wells to the Rams. Speculated a bit about how the Packers may try to replace him. (See that post for more.) But thought we'd just do a brief bits and bites thingie (that is official blogger-ese, by the way) about some other things going on with the Green Bay Packers at the moment. Let's begin with another free agent, shall we?

QB Matt Flynn on tour
Perhaps the biggest speculation prior to the start of free agency was whether or not the Pack would franchise tag their backup QB, Matt Flynn, in the hopes of getting something for him when he left. Apparently, without a firm sign-and-trade arrangement in hand (and which more or less violates the spirit of the tag concept anyway), the Packers weren't willing to gamble with a reported $14 million tag on Mr. Flynn. If they couldn't unload Flynn they'd be stuck with the contract. So...no tag and Flynn is on his free agent tour. Likely spots for him to land? Anywhere Peyton Manning doesn't. It has been highly speculated that Flynn would probably wind up in Miami. Yet today, it's reported that 49'ers free agent QB Alex Smith was paying a visit to the Dolphins. Hmmm. The other likely team for Flynn is the Seahawks.

It was generally regarded that most if not all free agent quarterbacks looking for a starting job would wait until Manning signs and then the scramble would begin. Flynn's father, however, has just said that his son's decision will come soon. So perhaps waiting for Manning to sign isn't going to be part of the plan after all.

While Flynn's actual playing time has been brief he's obviously been impressive when given the chance. As in franchise record-setting-game impressive, let's remember. Analysts, however, wonder whether he could hold up for an entire NFL season as a starter. No one knows. (Although I think I remember similar concerns being expressed about a guy currently wearing #12 for the Packers and who has seemed to do pretty well.) But Flynn's smart, has had time to season behind another great quarterback (hmm, where we have seen that model before?), and is ready to lead. I have no clue where he'll wind up. Wherever it is, he certainly won't have the offensive talent around him he had in Green Bay. But I think he'll do well, at least as compared to what passes for quarterbacking in many places in the league. He may or may not wind up being a top-tier QB; many factors determine that, some of which he has no control over. But he'll do well, I believe. And I wish him good luck. He was fun to watch and he was a true security blanket knowing he was behind Aaron Rodgers.

(There's still more to catch up on...and will do so in upcoming posts. Please keep checking back for more, or follow @packfansunited on Twitter...you'll then know when we have a full update here.)

Yes, Packers will need a new man in the middle

My last post here nearly a month ago -- sorry for taking so long (various busy-ness), but it is the offseason, right? -- dealt with the notion that it was likely the Green Bay Packers would lose their Pro Bowl Center, Scott Wells, in free agency. And that in fact, is just what happened. It was reported yesterday that Wells agreed to a deal with the St. Louis Rams. We wish Mr. Wells the best and thank him for his great service to the Packers. This last season, arguably, was probably his best as a member of the Pack. Viewed by some as a bit undersized, he made up for that with attitude and technique. A lot players would do well to model themselves on Wells' work ethic.

But now what? Where do the Packers go from here? There really is no heir apparent for the position. They have a player or two, perhaps, that could fill in for a brief time, but they are not your prototypical center. Evan Dietrich-Smith can be serviceable, but he is better suited to guard. The only other player on the roster with center credentials is rookie Sampson Genus. OK...moving right along...

The Packers will obviously have to address this position in the draft and/or free agency. There are a number of good centers available, 13 at last count (if the reference list is current). Reports circulated last month that the Packers had talked with former Texans center Chris Meyers' agent, Drew Rosenhaus. Other than that, who knows? A few of the free agents are a bit long in the tooth and would be stop gaps at best. But, as is typical with the Pack, you don't hear much about who they are talking to or what they will do. GM Ted Thompson would be a great poker player as he keeps things very tight to the vest, indeed. He could bring in one of these centers to act as a veteran mentor to a rookie and may well in fact do just that if the price is right.

But whether or not they acquire a free agent center, it's the opinion here that the Pack will look to the draft to fill their need. I'm of the admittedly hopeful opinion that the Packers will draft Wisconsin center Peter Konz, generally regarded as the best center prospect in this draft. And, in fact, there are some mock draft boards out there that have Konz being selected by the Packers with the 28th overall pick. There's also some speculation that he may not last that late in the first round. Would the Packers move up to get a player that could anchor their offensive line for the next decade? You bet. While it normally goes against Thompson's draft tendencies, he has moved up on occasion in recent years when there is someone he sees as unique, e.g., Clay Matthews. Konz is 6'5", 313 lbs, and was a three-year starter for the Badgers. Another plus for Konz: he can also play guard...and we know how much the Packers like players who can play multiple positions. If Konz is off the board, the next best centers are supposedly Ben Jones of Georgia and Michael Brewster of Ohio State.

Of course, with the Packers' need for outside linebacker help opposite Matthews, they could go that direction instead in the first round. If that's the strategic decision, it's hard to argue with, especially if they can pick up a player such as Jones or Brewster in the second or third round.

But for what it's worth from this viewpoint, if Konz is available at number 28...well, this blogger's fingers (and toes) are crossed for that pick.

(There are bits and bites of other Packers-related news to catch up on...but we'll do that in later posts. Happy St. Patty's day to you!)

Packers may be looking for a man in the middle

As the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine gets underway today, reports have been circulating for some time that fans of the Green Bay Packers may see a new man snapping the ball to Aaron Rodgers next season. It seems that there may soon be a parting of the ways between Pro Bowl center Scott Wells and the team.

Wells is an unrestricted free agent. He is also 31 years old. Reports are that the Packers will meet with Wells' agent and make a bottom line offer. The Pack will definitely not use a franchise tag for Wells, which is in the neighborhood of $8.4 million for an offensive lineman. If the Pack can get Wells at the number they want, it will be a done deal. If not, look for someone else at center. That's the bet here. Be sure to check out Bob McGinn's great article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel about Wells' situation here.

But who would it be if not Wells? The Packers do not have a designated heir apparent at the position. They may be able to have Evan Dietrich-Smith fill in for a while. But the Packers may be looking for a free agent (roughly 13 centers, if memory serves, are on the market) and/or a draft pick.

The latter is intriguing because there is a great draft prospect in this year's draft: Peter Konz from the University of Wisconsin (Go Badgers!). He's the best center in the draft, which begs the question as to whether or not he'll be around when the Packers make their first round pick at #28. At least one mock draft so far believes so, from the venerable waltersfootball.com no less. Here's what they have to say: "This may not seem like an obvious choice for the Packers, but Scott Wells, their stud center, is a free agent. Green Bay is close to the salary cap and will be using its franchise tag on Jermichael Finley, so it may not be able to re-sign Wells if he receives a huge contract elsewhere. If Wells leaves, Peter Konz will become one of the favorites to be selected at No. 28."

If the Packers could get Konz they could be set with a prototype center for the next decade. Wells was no doubt the best offensive lineman the Packers had this season. He's a scrapper and plays with pride. But at 31 and undersized, will the Pack ante up the money he likely will want to stay? I doubt it. And if the Packers can get Konz at #28, it would be a gift that would keep on giving for a long time to come.

Mr. Rodgers does the Super Bowl right

Fans of the Green Bay Packers would have preferred to see QB and NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers suited up, on the field, and leading the Pack to victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI. But, the Giants unfortunately interceded along the way and allowed Rodgers instead time to opine from the NBC pre-game show. And by all accounts, Rodgers did just fine behind the mic.

Bob Wolfley, sports columnist with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, has a great article about Rodgers' TV foray here. The article also recounts comments Rodgers made yesterday during his weekly radio show on WAUK-AM (540), including his view about a new quarterbacks coach (former QB coach Tom Clements has been elevated to offensive coordinator, replacing Joe Philbin), a career in broadcasting after his playing days are done, and more.

The article is worth checking out.

Packers still defending champs!

Yes, it's true. At least until about 9 p.m. (CT) tonight, the Green Bay Packers are still the reigning Super Bowl Champions. Then they will become last season's champion. (Sigh)

This isn't the way it was supposed to go this season was it, Packer fans? Nope. Not when you go 15-1. Not when you have one of the most explosive offenses in the history of the league. Not when you have the league's Most Valuable Player (awarded last evening, by the way), QB Aaron Rodgers, throwing to arguably the best receiving corps in the league. Unfortunately, the worst-ranked defense in the league finally did the Pack in. And the rest, as we know, is history. The team with the best record this season is sitting home watching the big game just like the rest of us.

So, kudos to Mr. Rodgers on his MVP season. Unfortunately, there was no one on the defensive side of the ball this year that could help carry things the way Rodgers and company did offensively. Let's hope GM Ted Thompson addresses that matter in the offseason. You have to believe so. The Packers are still a young-enough team to have a window for competing for the Super Bowl each season, as long as they don't let it slip away as they did this year. Lessons learned. We hope.

Now, as to the game today between the Patriots and the Giants, what do things look like? Well, frankly, I could care less which team wins. Really. I'll watch, of course. But it matters not a whit to me which team takes home the Lombardi Trophy. Don't care for the Pats and for the second time in the last four or five years the Giants have left a really bad taste in my mouth after sending our beloved Packers down to defeat...at Lambeau Field no less. So, if the game could end in a tie through some cosmic hocus pocus, that would be great. Even better if they could both lose. But the probability of that happening is of such a metaphysically minute nature as to make it not even worthwhile to consider...I hate it when that happens!

But, anyway, what's my call for the outcome? The Pats are favored by 3 points. But the Giants have the momentum, much as the Packers did going into the game against the Steelers last year. So, as much as it pains me to do so, I have to conclude that the Giants will win tonight's game.

Don't have a score prediction because, well, I just don't care. I'll be watching mainly for the commercials.

Packers GM Thompson named Sporting News Executive of the Year

For the second time in the last five years, Green Bay Packers General Manager Ted Thompson has been named Executive of the Year by The Sporting News. Thompson received 14 votes, twice as many as the next closest exec. Voting is done by a panel of 32 coaches and executives.

You can read more about this latest award for Thompson here.

Giants up-end Packers to go to NFC Championship

The bottom line on the season for the Green Bay Packers: 15-1-Done.

After posting the best record in the NFL coming into the NFC Divisional game at home, the Packers played what was arguably their worst game of the season. Six (or eight, depending upon who's counting) dropped passes. Passes off target. Missed tackles. Miscommunication. No pass rush. Soft pass coverage. Inability of the defense to get off the field on third down. Some questionable play calling. Giving up a no-time-left-on-the-clock-half-time Hail Mary touchdown. Four -- four! -- turnovers.

The list could go on and on. The ways in which the Packers handed this game to the NY Giants reached nearly epic proportions. That's not to take anything away from the Giants. They did exactly what they needed to do. They stifled the Packers' offense and made the defense look inept. Congrats to the men in blue. (Although I will be rooting for the 49ers this coming weekend. After all, rooting for the Giants at this point would be nearly as bad as rooting for the Cowboys. Ewwww...)

Looking back to 2002, the Packers have since lost four of their last six playoff games at Lambeau Field. Wow. The invincibility of the frozen tundra sure ain't what it used to be.

Now what?
Looking ahead, the Packers will have to address their defense...the last-ranked overall defense in the league, by the way. The loss of Cullen Jenkins left a bigger hole in the pass rush than was clearly anticipated. They need to get an outside linebacker who can balance out Clay Matthews and prevent defenses from keying on stopping him. They clearly need to address secondary issues. If Nick Collins is unable to return, there are major issues at safety. Charles Woodson will likely have to play more of that position than cornerback regardless of whether Collins returns or not. There was a drop off for some reason in the level of corner play by Tramon Williams this season. Ditto for Sam Shields, who actually was replaced in the starting lineup yesterday by Jarrett Bush. There are personnel issues that need to be addressed, it's as simple as that.

The offense was the second-greatest scoring offense in the history of the NFL. They had a 200+ point differential over their opponents. Whether venerable LT Chad Clifton hangs up the cleats after this season remains to be seen. Other than that, the offensive line seems in fairly good shape, although you can never have enough depth across the line. The receiving corps, despite their epidemic of drops yesterday, is the best in the league, although whether veteran Donald Driver returns is an open question. TE Jermichael Finley did not have the year he was hoping for going into free agency. My guess is he returns. The running backs, for the type of offense the Packers run, are adequate; and don't forget, rookie Alex Green was on injured reserve all season so we have yet to see what he can do. The quarterback...c'mon. Who would you rather have game in and game out than Aaron Rodgers? No one. Back up Matt Flynn will be off to bank some big dollars in free agency, so either Graham Harrell will get moved into the backup slot or the team drafts another one to fill Flynn's role.

So, this is it. This is what one-and-done feels like when the expectations were of a second consecutive Super Bowl appearance and victory. Not good. At all. Credit has to be given to the Giants for showing up. But as happened at Kansas City several weeks ago, the only way the Packers lose is to beat themselves. And they did just enough of that yesterday to make a good Giants team come out on top by a score of 37-20.

A final thought
On that last point about the score, I Tweeted immediately after the Giants beat the Falcons in the Wild Card game that the Pack would need to score at least 38 points to win this game. Guess I was on the money: if the Pack had scored 38, the final tally would have been 38-37 Packers. So it goes...for predictions...and the Packers' season.

Packers vs. Giants in Divisional Playoff - Who Goes to the NFC Championship?

In a little more than 3 hours from now, the Green Bay Packers will take on the New York Giants at Lambeau Field in the last of the NFL Divisional Playoff games. The winner will take on the San Francisco 49ers who upset the New Orleans Saints in a great game in 'Frisco yesterday afternoon. If the Packers win, the Niners will come to Green Bay for the NFC Championship; if the Giants win, the Niners will host the Championship game.

Let's just get this out of the way right now. The Giants will not be going to San Francisco, nor will the Niners be hosting a Championship game. The Packers are going to win this game today. Period.

That's not to say it will be a cake walk. Far from it. Remember that in Week 13 of the season the Packers got a 3-point victory in the Meadowlands (is it still the Meadowlands?). It was a struggle. But a win. Just like it will be today.

The Packers are listed as 7-1/2 point favorites today. They are as healthy as they've been all year long, coming off their first round bye. QB Aaron Rodgers has had two weeks to rest. But the team and coaching staff is also coming off a week of high emotions following the drowning death of offensive coordinator Joe Philbin's son, Michael. Philbin, it was just announced, will resume his coaching duties today. According to coach Mike McCarthy, Philbin had written the game plan for this game during the Packers bye week. Assistant coaches were spreading out Philbin's work amongst themselves this week in his absence to make sure everything was covered just in case Philbin wished to take a leave of absence. McCarthy, as most know, does the offensive play calling. So it's been a different week of preparation, for sure. Still, McCarthy and players all said that practices were sharp. Perhaps there was a focus and intensity that was brought to bear by this tragedy. Certainly, the team will be playing for their coach and his family, as well as for themselves, today.

The Packers weren't getting much love from most of the national media this week. Most are talking about the Giants' rolling into the playoffs, peaking at the right time, much as the Pack did last season. The Giants had a dominating defensive performance last week against the Falcons, and their two-headed running attack of Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs tore up the Falcons defense. The latter, in particular, scares the bejeezus out of me.

The Packers, let's be honest, have not had great luck stopping the run this season. Or gettting a pass rush on the quarterback. Or stopping big plays. They are the 32nd-rated defense in the NFL this season, giving up more yards than any other team. Not good. In fact, you can't get any worse. But while they tend to let teams run up and down the field, they do usually get turnovers and come up with a stop when they need it. It's definitely living on the edge. As we saw in that lone embarrassing loss at Kansas City a few weeks ago, if the Packers don't get turnovers on defense the other team has a chance, particularly if the offense sputters.

But I can't imagine the offense sputtering today. And I might be alone in this view, but I think the much-maligned Packers' defense will have its game of the season today, as well, much as the 31st-ranked defense of the New England Patriots did last night against Denver. Granted, we're facing Eli Manning and a potent offense, not Tim Tebow and the Broncos. But the Packers can put up points. With one exception on the season, more than each of their opponents. That trend continues today.

I said immediately after watching the Giants dismantle the Falcons last week that the Pack would need to score at least 38 today to win. I'm sticking with that.

I'm calling it Packers 38 - Giants 31.

Go Pack Go!!!

Packers outlast Lions 45-41 in season finale

Wow! What a game. In a game that seemed to take forever to complete, the Green Bay Packers beat the Detroit Lions in a record-setting game, 45-41, to finish the regular season 15-1.

For the first time ever, an NFC North team swept the division. That would be the Packers. Also for the first time ever, a Packers quarterback threw for more than 400 yards (480 to be exact) and 6 touchdowns...by the way, that would be backup QB Matt Flynn who started and played the entire game (Aaron Rodgers was held out and wasn't even active today). Not a bad way to audition for more than a few teams in need of a quality starting QB next season.

WR Jordy Nelson also moved into third place today behind Sterling Sharp and Don Hutson with 15 TD catches on the season; Sharp had 18 and Hutson 17. Pretty good company to keep.

Combined, the Packers and Lions generated more than 1,000 yards of offense and 11 touchdowns. Yowza.

The Packers were once again able to generate turnovers and convert them into points. But once again the defense was also gashed. Guess we should be used to that by now.

Anyway, the Packers can now take a week off before learning who the first team to meet them in the playoffs will be. Seven players were rested today for the Pack. The first playoff game should be a doozy.

Maybe I'll post more on this tomorrow...if there's anything new to say. This was a game, because it was seen as not having much to play for for the Packers, that was only seen by a small regional TV audience. Too bad. If you missed seeing it, you missed one of the great performances ever by a Packers quarterback. Just hope Flynn doesn't sign with a divisional opponent. Would hate to have to play this guy twice a year.

Packers vs. Lions Preview & Season Finale

In the finale to the 2011 NFL regular season, the Green Bay Packers host the up-and-coming Detroit Lions. Oddsmakers have installed the Pack as 6 point underdogs -- underdogs! -- primarily because Green Bay is expected to rest many of starters throughout the course of the game and Detroit is playing to lock up the #5 seed in the NFC playoffs, which is expected to give them a more favorable playoff match up in the Wild Card game; if they drop to #6 they will likely wind up playing the Saints against whom they don't match up as well. Oh, the over-under for this game is 41.5 points.

From the Packers' perspective, the goal is to get out of this game without injuries. But, they'd also like to win...just in case Detroit winds up coming back to Lambeau Field in a few weeks as part of the playoffs...you don't want to give the Lions any confidence about winning in Lambeau, where they haven't won, by the way, for the last 20 years. But let's be honest: Detroit is coming on. Whether or not we'd want to see them again in the playoffs is a toss-up right now. Although you have to think every other team is hoping they don't have to meet the Pack before the NFC Championship Game, either.

Anyway, while head coach Mike McCarthy indicated he was preparing to play all three quarterbacks today, it seems to be a toss-up whether Aaron Rodgers will see any action at all. There were indications from McCarthy that he was going to start backup QB Matt Flynn. And, Flynn, with free agency around the corner and a paucity of quality quarterbacks in the league, certainly has a lot to play for from a personal standpoint.

In addition to the what-will-they-do aspect of this game from the Packers' standpoint, there is also a subplot of Aaron Rodgers' record-setting passer rating on the line. I won't go into detail on that here, as the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Tom Silverstein and Tyler Dunne have already written a great article about that.

So, without further ado on this New Year's Day 2012, what's my call? I'm calling it 24-23 Packers.

Go Pack Go!!!

Packers beat Bears for 4th time in 2011

Fans of the top-seeded Green Bay Packers got their Christmas wish Sunday night with a Green-n-Gold-wrapped victory over the Chicago Bears. It was actually the fourth time in the 2011 calendar year that the Pack beat Da Bearz. But who's counting? OK, we are, of course.

The Pack's 35-21 win was more or less similar to the team's 13 earlier wins this season: a fast start, followed by nada, followed by another offensive surge, particularly in the second half. Oh, and the Packers' defense continued to give up huge yardage and was unable to stop the run. Against better teams, going into the playoffs, the weaknesses on defense might just be enough to trip up the Pack on their way to the Super Bowl, particularly if the offense loses its magic as it did in Kansas City.

But let's take a look briefly at something that did get fixed, at least for a game and relative to the loss against the Chiefs: the offensive line. The line didn't give up a sack (at least until scrub time late in the game) and also didn't commit a penalty. Head coach Mike McCarthy said in his press conference Monday that he'd be giving a game ball to the entire O-line for their effort Sunday night. It was a patchwork line, and they held up against what is unarguably the best part of the Bears' defense. Kudos have to especially go to LT Marshall Newhouse. After a subpar performance against KC, one for which I and others called him out (although this blogger was far more genteel than many commentators, particularly those in the Twitterverse), Newhouse performed well, and we have to acknowledge that. Great job, Mr. Newhouse. Also, T.J. Lang, who had to move from left guard to right tackle, also did an outstanding job, as did RG Josh Sitton, who had been struggling of late. Scott Wells was his usual reliable self at center and Evan Dietrich-Smith played well moving into Lang's usual spot at left guard.

That offensive line enabled QB Aaron Rodgers time to throw for 5 TDs on the evening. They still didn't open up much ground for the running backs, but that's something that is more on the coach and the playing calling than the players; they just don't get called on to make that part of the game work very often. But looking ahead to January at Lambeau Field, they need to make sure they can strike a better balance between the run and pass. Make no mistake, with Rodgers at the trigger, the receiving weapons available, and McCarthy calling the plays, this will still be a pass-first offensive attack. But getting yards on the ground is going to be key to sustaining drives and running the clock.

Defensively, the Packers are what they are after 15 games, as many others have noted. This is pretty much what we have: no pass rush, linebackers susceptible to being burned over the middle, and D-backs who sometimes bite and give up the big plays. But, this is also the defense that generates turnovers. After getting none against KC, they again generated two against Da Bearz. When they get turnovers, it is certainly a key to a team win and when they don't...well, it doesn't help, does it?

We'll have a bit about the Lions coming to Lambeau in a future post.

For now, just savor yet another win over the hapless and hopeless Bears. It's great to get two in a season...but four? Oh baby...it doesn't get much better than that.

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

Packers vs. Bears: A Christmas Gift

As fans of the Green Bay Packers, all we want for Christmas today is a Packers' win. Well, that and a total beat down of the Chicago Bears...oh, and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Is that too much to ask? Naaaaaahhhhh.

One of the other things readers of this blog may want today is a brief preview. Frankly, that's what this writer wants, as well. Let's make both our wishes come true, shall we?

The weather at Lambeau Field for tonight's game will be balmy for this time of year, in the low 30's. Field conditions will be good, relatively speaking. It is winter, after all. The spread on the game is anywhere from 11-1/2 to 12-1/2 points depending upon who are you looking at, and the over/under is set at 42 points.

The challenge for the Packers tonight will be keeping a very good Bears defensive line from wreaking havoc on a patchwork offensive line for the Packers. If Da Bearz have any chance tonight it is getting penetration on the line, disrupting the running game and pressuring the quarterback. They may very well do that now and then throughout the game. But can Da Bearz decimated offense score any points? Not many.

I always give Da Bearz 10 points for a defensive turnover leading to a touchdown, plus a special teams play leading to a field goal. Will they score any more with new old QB Josh McCown under center this week for the first time? Not likely. He's got nobody to throw to and nobody to hand off to.

Will the Packers score more than 10 points. You bet. The Pack was embarrassed in Kansas City last weekened when they sleep-walked through the game. I had said in that preview the only way the Packers would lose against the Chiefs was if they didn't show up; they didn't. Think that will happen two weeks in a row? Not a chance. No doubt head coach Mike McCarthy ripped his team a new one all week long after they let the possibility of a perfect season slip through their fingers. But now they can focus on the main goal: securing home field advantage throughout the playoffs with a win tonight. A return to the Super Bowl is in sight. Last season, the Packers started to peak at the right time, following a loss at New England. Perhaps this loss at KC will be the same kick-start the team needs to begin its repeat run to the Lombardi Trophy.

So, what's my score prediction? I'm calling it 27-10 Packers.

Go Pack Go!!!

And in the spirit of Christmas...Ho Ho Ho!!!

Chiefs wanted it more: Packers winning streak ends

I said in my preview/prediction that all the Green Bay Packers needed to do today to beat the Kansas City Chiefs was show up. Well, they didn't. And the 13 game in-season winning streak, the 19-game winning streak going back to last season, has come to an end as a result. The Chiefs beat the Packers 19-14 today in Kansas City.

To be fair, it was apparent the Chiefs wanted this game more than the Packers did. They played with more intensity on both sides of the ball all day long. Yes, Kansas City had multiple trips inside the red zone into the 4th quarter and only came away with field goals. But the defense had no pass rush at all and Chiefs' receivers had no defenders within 10 yards of them most of the day.

Of course, the Packers offense was out of whack, as well. Receivers were dropping passes left and right. QB Aaron Rodgers was under assault in the pocket every time he dropped back to pass. Even head coach Mike McCarthy's play calling seemed off. The only drive that even remotely resembled the typical Packers' offense didn't occur until the last few minutes of the game. And, I don't know about you, but one of the early warning indicators for me about a pending Packers' loss is when Mason Crosby misses field goal attempts early. Yes, they were 50-yards plus, but still, we know Crosby can make those, too.

Anyway, perhaps ending the perfect season talk now will get the team refocused. In this case, it's focusing on the Christmas night game at Lambeau vs. Da Bearz, who got beat badly by Seattle today.

One of the concerns going into that game, though, will be the health of the offensive line. LT Marshall Newhouse, again replacing the injuried Chad Clifton, was beaten like a rented mule most of the day by the Kansas City pass rush. Starting RT Bryan Bulaga came up with a knee injury and didn't return to the game. His replacement, rookie Derek Sherrod, was also injured and wound up being taken off the field strapped to a cart with an air cast on his right leg. Not good.

In his post-game comments, coach McCarthy said rightly that "the opponent outperformed us." Every which way, that's for sure. It was a sad way for the winning streak to come to an end. But, if this is the type of team we all think it is, it's an opportunity for another streak to begin. Better to lose today than against Da Bearz or Lions. Perhaps it will re-light the fire under the team.

The Packers didn't secure the playoff homefield advantage they sought today. But they can do so against Da Bearz next Sunday night. Now, wouldn't that be a great Christmas present? You bet. Bring 'em on.

Go Pack Go!!!