Packers Daily Links 7.10.10
Bryan Bulaga's ceremonial first pitch at last night's Chicago White Sox game highlights our daily spin around the world of Packers football ...
First round draft choice Bryan Bulaga threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Chicago White Sox game last night as they hosted the Kansas City Royals. Bulaga is an Illinois native ...
Fifth round draft choice Andrew Quarless reportedly signed with the Green Bay Packers yesterday. We're proud to announce CheeseheadTV was the first media outlet to break this news. "Quarless’ four-year deal included a $182,425 signing bonus, and has a maximum value of $2.7 million dollars," writes Brian McIntyre. While blessed with a lot of natural ability, Quarless has a long way to go before he'll be a contributing factor to the Packers this season. He'll be one of the players you'll definitely want to keep an eye on during training camp to see how much he progresses.
While free agent running back Brian Westbrook has recently said he'd have "no problem" playing for division-rival Minnesota, former Packer and current National Football Post analyst Matt Bowen says the Packers should give this injury-plagued yet dynamic player a look. "The same could be said for Mike McCarthy’s Packers," writes Bowen. "Adding a veteran presence that can still provide production from a situational role before camp is a bonus, a luxury and something that could turn into a steal." If (and this is a big if) the Packers were to sign Westbrook, I see them almost having to keep four running backs on the roster this season. Because of Westbrook's injury and concussion history, he could go down at any time and the Packers don't want to be short handed at the position if that happened. The Packers have kept four halfbacks on the roster before, although they more often go with three.
A conversation with safety Charlie Peprah is shared by Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Peprah reportedly had contract offers from both the Atlanta Falcons and the Packers this offseason but chose Green Bay. “I enjoy the scheme here," said Peprah. "A lot of defenses, the offense dictates to them. They just try to defend what the offense does. Capers is like, 'we're going to come at you with our stuff and you have to game plan for this defense.' And I like that approach, that attacking rather than just sitting back. That was good for my skill set. And you saw the turnovers we had last year, so it was just a fun defense to play in.” Peprah faces an uphill battle to make the roster once again, although he's been in that position before. He's likely going to have to make an impression on both defense and special teams if he's going to crack the 53-man roster this season.
A nice story on a local woman who just received season tickets after a forty year wait is provided by the Green Bay Press-Gazette. "She is one of 126 members of the team’s season ticket waiting list — which had 83,881 names as of Thursday — who will have new season tickets," writes John Styf. "And it’s all that her family has heard about this week." The article points out that 99.4% of season ticket holders renewed last year.
Packers "Glory Years" legend Jerry Kramer is interviewed about the possibility of a new Vince Lombardi movie by Rick Rietbrock of NBC affiliate TMJ-TV in Milwaukee. "Kramer talked to Packers president Mark Murphy about filming some scenes at Lambeau Field and around Green Bay," writes Rietbrock. "They would like the movie to debut in lat January of 2012 between the conference championships games and the Super Bowl." As has been mentioned before, Robert DeNiro is on board to play the role of Lombardi.
In advance of the Packers Hall of Fame induction ceremony on July 17, the career of Greg Koch is chronicled by Mike Spofford of the Packers official website. "It's just an honor to be included in a fraternity of guys with names the likes of Jimmy Taylor, Bart Starr, ... you just go down the line and it's like an NFL who's who," said Koch. "To be included in that fraternity, I'm very honored."
Former Packer LeRoy Butler was named the 21st best player in the history of Florida State University football in a countdown by the Orlando Sentinel. "The Jacksonville native moved from safety to cornerback before his senior season to replace Deion Sanders," writes Jason Galloway. "He was a second-round pick by the Green Bay Packers in the 1990 NFL draft and was selected first-team All-Pro four times in a 12-year career."
Former Packer Kenneth Pettway is profiled in Edmonton Journal as he now plays in the Canadian Football League. "Pettway recorded four tackles in the eight games with Green Bay, but was released when he tore his anterior cruciate ligament," writes reporter Chris O'Leary. "He joined the Eskimos this season, earning a spot on the defensive line thanks to a strong training camp. A healthy scratch in Sunday's loss to the B.C. Lions, Pettway said it was hard to be relegated to cheerleader in what he hoped would be his Canadian Football League debut." Best of luck to this former Packer as he fights to make his career north of the border.
The 5K run sponsored by the Packers on the first day of training camp already has 1800 registrants and will be capped at 3000. "The computer-timed run is highlighted by a neighborhood route that ultimately takes participants into Lambeau Field and around the famed gridiron," the Packers said in a press release yesterday. "The event has a special finish line located in the parking lot - a replica of the team's 50-yard line, which will be created on a partially sized field, painted to mirror Lambeau Field on game day." I was thinking of doing this. Anybody want to race me?
Everyone's entitled to their own opinion, but in an effort to elminate any confusion, Quarless' signing isn't an indication of anything as a post on Acme Packing Company says. "With the deal he's getting a nice $183,000 signing bonus which seems pretty nice considering he was drafted in the fifth round," according to the author with the username Trevor R. "I think its sign that they plan on keeping him around or they will throwing away almost $200K." Signing bonuses for draft choices are nearly predetermined based upon where they were drafted and the money the player who was drafted in the same position the previous year received.
Jamie Dukes of the NFL Network did his countdown of the top five quarterbacks in the league, and NFL.com's Frank Tadych noticed a certain Packers quarterback wasn't included. "I know Dukes is a big Phillip Rivers guy, but he didn’t crack the Top 5," writes Tadych. "Aaron Rodgers isn’t on the list, either." Neither was Brett Favre if anyone's wondering.
A bunch of polls on the state of the Green Bay Packers are provided at Packers Lounge.
Have a good weekend, everyone.
Comments (6)
July 10, 2010 at 09:55 am
Big Ben and McNabb?
Did I wake up a few years ago this morning?
July 10, 2010 at 10:34 am
If movie is ever done they should consider using some of Lombardi's actual players in sneak cameo shots. Seeing the likes of Bart Starr, Willie Davis, or Forrest Gregg driving the team bus, folding towels, or seeding the field could prove great fun for players and fans alike.
July 10, 2010 at 12:16 pm
Brian if I might add, there's also a tweet going around from Andrew Brandt from NFP that Reggie Bush expressed concern to go to the Packers back in '06. His agent urged them to trade up for them and Bush expressed discontent in going to the Saints. I know that these things are already over with and you can't do anything about it but it's definitely something interesting to think about.
July 10, 2010 at 12:17 pm
edit: "him" not "them"
July 10, 2010 at 12:52 pm
Jamie Dukes is perhaps the least informed NFL personality on TV. Instead of saying anything intelligable he simply talks loud as if his conviction based on noise somehow supercedes his inability to grasp reality. I turn the channel when Dukes talks.
Nothing to do with him ranking or not ranking Rodgers, he's simply an uninformed idiot that knows nothing about talent and less about the game. Shocking he's a former player.
July 10, 2010 at 03:17 pm
I agree 100% I also can't believe anyone would give Matt Millen a job.