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October 2008 - Posts
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The story broke yesterday just before kickoff, Brett Favre has been allegedly calling Packer opponents to offer his insight as how to beat his former team. According to FOX Sports, Jay Glazer, Favre had a lengthy conversation with the Detroit Lions coaching staff just before the Packers faced their divisional foe earlier this year. There have been whispers that this same scenario holds true for other Packer opponents yet no one officially is confirming the rumor. After their 28-21 loss to Houston, members of the Detroit Lions, who were questioned about the report, would neither confirm nor deny the accusation.Last night, after the Jets fell in overtime to the Oakland Raisers, Favre texted Sports Illustrated writer, Peter King, “The story is total BS”. King reported the text on NBC before the Seattle/Tampa Bay game.
Here’s the conundrum, Brett has done and said so much that each action now looks as if he’s a bitter and full of spite;* Brett retired and swore that no one drove him out of Green Bay. A few months later, Brett’s mother, brother, close media friend and, to a certain extent Brett himself, then come out and blame Thompson for his ugly departure.
* When the story originally surfaces that Brett’s thinking about returning to the Packers, Favre texts his friend Al Jones, of the Biloxi Sun Herald to say, “The story is just a rumor. It’s not true.”
* Brett goes on FOX with Gretta Van Susteren and states that it’s not about playing for anyone else, it’s about the Green Bay Packers and how he just wants to play football. Later it comes out that Brett’s called both Darrell Bevel and Brad Childress of the Minnesota Vikings about possibly quarterbacking their team.
* Brett states in yet another interview that all he wants to do is play, for anyone, yet in the end he isn’t returning any other teams phone calls who would like to inquire about his services. It wasn’t until he was forced out of Green Bay that he finally spoke with the New York Jets and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
* Brett states that Aaron Rodgers is a close friend of his and he holds no animosity towards him. As the season draws on, Brett places a call last week to Tony Romo to discuss Romo’s pinkie injury yet has NOT contacted Rodgers at all regarding his shoulder injury, his performance, to wish him well, nothing.
* Now this, a call that might or might not have been placed and yet another text that says it’s all BS.
I’d certainly like to know more information about this report before I pass my own judgment. I’m almost certain that we’re going to hear more about this in the coming days, God knows the New York media won’t let it die quietly.
If this story holds true, it’s not against any specific rules within the NFL but it’s certainly out of the spirit of sportsmanship within lockerrooms. Its one thing if you go to another team and your playing a former employer, absolutely you do everything you can to give you team an advantage. Even if another team contacts you, then you’re going out of your way to propel your own animosity. Also, it’s understandable in today’s day and age with players having the same agent, friendships, it’s not uncommon to have one player call another and say, “Hey so and so, I’ve got this team coming up this weekend, can you give me something, some insight as to how I can perform better?” That’s not out of the realm of possibility. BUT, to solicit other teams in an effort to sabotage your former team, that’s crossing the unwritten line.
I for one am hoping that this is nothing more than a distorted rumor because if it turns out to be true, the 3-time MVP has sunk to a new low of classlessness.
When Brett told Van Susteren, “Let me worry about tarnishing my own image”, isn’t it ironic that the perception, right or wrong, seems to be just that….tarnished!
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Growing up on a farm, you get to know your neighbors intimately. While the distance between your house and the next driveway is longer than most, the tether of young friendship is a bond that age, distance and maturity could never break. That was the bond shared by Packers offensive tackle Mark Tauscher and his neighbor, childhood friend, extended brother, Troy Schmidt (37).
Their fathers were best friends and each cared for the others children as if they were their own. Totaling 8 kids between them, these patriarchs had great games of catch, football, baseball, kickball, basketball, whatever activity you can think of, they did it together. There wasn't a winter night that went by that all of the kids didn't play "all out" games of basketball inside the machine shed that Mr. Tauscher had specially built for just such occassions and activities.
As Mark traveled forward in his football career, first at Wisconsin and then into the NFL and his home state team the Green Bay Packers, Troy grew into his adulthood first as a boyfriend and eventual husband to his wife Ann and then as a father 5 times over. Troy, residing in Colby, kept his Wisconsin roots close to his heart and landed within the Marshfield School System as a social sciences teacher at Marshfield High School. He had been teaching there since 1997.
At 1:30 a.m. this past Friday, October 17th, the Wood County ’s Sheriff’s Department was dispatched to a train/car accident. A mini van, for whatever reason, had stopped on the tracks at a railroad crossing and was hit broadside then pushed several hundred feet down the tracks. When the oncoming train stuck that minivan the life of Taucher’s lifelong friend Troy Schmidt ceased to exist.
Not sure whether or not to tell Tauscher before he faced the Indianapolis Colts, the decision was made to fill Mark in on the loss of one of closest friends. The loss affected Mark in a deep way. The usual path of concern was taken; phone calls to family and additional friends to see how they were coping, a phone call to the parents of his friend to offer his condolences and arrangements to be there for Ann and the kids.
As Mark takes the field of play today, he’ll carry with him the memories of his friend Troy, a heavy heart and the knowledge that Troy’s brother will be watching him in the stands here at Lambeau Field. After the game, win or lose, Mark wants to spend some time with the neighbors he’s known all his life, with his extended family, to share, remember and console one another as they prepare to say goodbye to Troy later this week.
For more information related to this story, CLICK HERE
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We're advancing every day in the world of technology. The wonderful Web Cam has finally reached the Bubbler.
If you can't make it to the game, feel like you're AT the game and watch Packers OT LIVE. That's right, we've placed a web cam inside Curly's Pub so you can see the crowd, the food, the players and the show. So sit back, relax and enjoy the view.
The web cam takes a still photo every 10 seconds inside Curly's Pub
CLICK HERE to view the cam!
The web cam will turn on 15 minutes AFTER the game ends.
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The key to this game is simple, run Ryan Grant and keep Peyton Manning and the Colts offense off the field.
The Colts come into this contest with the 29th ranked defense against the run in the entire NFL. The Packers aren’t much better but the difference is the running backs.
Joseph Addai, the Colts premier back, is out with an injury along with Mike Hart the rookie. That leaves Dominic Rhodes to carry the entire load. The Packers defense looked a little better last week but not enough to proclaim them as “arrived”. Aaron Rouse should be back this week but let’s face it, they’re a M*A*S*H* unit on defense. Atari Bigby won’t return, Al Haris is still out, A.J. Hawk is still nursing a groin injury, Ryan Pickett is a game time decision at best and how effective can he really be with a strained tricep muscle? KGB has been non-existent, Justin Harrell is back but will he play and if he does, how effective will he be? Michael Montgomery has a bad ankle and Jason Hunter has a hamstring strain and he’s going to be absent as well. That said, Tramon Williams and Charles Woodson will have their work cut out for the with man coverage on Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne. That leaves Anthony Gonzalez, the rookie from Ohio State. Will he play a factor in this game before it said and done?
Again, if Ryan Grant can get 25 carries, chew up yardage; keep the offense on the field with first downs and long drives all the while putting point on the board, that’s the method to the Packers madness this weekend. If it all falls into place, the Packers will walk into the bye week with a win.
The x-factor in all of this; the Lambeau Field crowd. It’s going to be a decent day, a late afternoon start (3:15 p.m. CT), they should be primed and ready to make some serious noise and that just might disrupt Manning’s offense. A few false start penalties could prove the difference between continuing a drive and stalling one out, thus putting the Packers offense back on the field.
No turnovers, a good run game, loud crowd will add up to a Packers victory.
Oh yeah, stay healthy. This team can’t afford any more devastating, nagging injuries
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Tony Romo says that after speaking with Brett Favre, about his broken pinkie finger and playing with pain, he had a revelation to attempt to play this coming weekend. Romo admired Favre while growing up in Wisconsin and says that the words of the 3 time MVP inspired him.
The question was posed to Aaron Rodgers on Wednesday, “Did Brett call you after you hurt your shoulder in the Tampa game?” “No”, Rodgers replied.This set off local and national discussions about Brett and his honesty. Here we go again?Brett had said, all along, that Aaron was his friend and that he has absolutely no problem nor animosity towards the Packers new signal caller. The question becomes, if Aaron’s such a good friend, why didn’t Brett call Rodgers?If Brett Favre wakes up and decides not to brush his hair that day, we’ll (media and fans) take that as some type of slight towards the Packers as if he’s saying, “I’m living my life more freely now under Coach Mangini and I didn’t like the way Ted Thompson made me groom myself”. True isn’t it?I’m one that has been less than complimentary towards Brett throughout most of the saga that transpired during the off season. This, this non-call, who cares! I’m sorry conspiracy theorists but this is no big deal. Brett’s a grown man and can call who he wants. I think to myself, what if I was in Brett’s position would I call Rodgers? Let me see, I’m friends with a guy at work. He’s been groomed to take my position for some time by the company that I work for. While I’ve grown close to him, I’m not necessarily fond of the idea that he’s here to specifically take my job. I know that he had nothing to do with where he was chosen and it’s not his fault that he was brought in to observe me, learn from me and ultimately become the next “me” for less money but still. I know he’s watching me, desiring to be me, to be in my position. He covets what I have. He’s my friend but there are limits. Now, you throw into the mix a very ugly and public divorce from that company. I hate the manager of my former company for the way he handled my ousting. I understand why he did it but it just sticks in my craw. On top of it all, my friend is now doing what I used to do for the company that, currently, I despise. Would I call my friend to make him better for that company? Honestly, I don’t think so.That said, why would Brett call Rodgers? Just to prove he’s the bigger man? Just to prove that there’s no animosity, just as he said, towards Rodgers? Why? To appease us (the media and fans)? No, this is a no brainer, who cares.
Brett woke up today, went to practice today, he’s preparing for the game on Sunday. I feel like a cop, “Move on, there’s nothing to see here.”
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