Surviving Sunday: Packers news, notes and links for the football deprived

Green Bay Packers defensive linemen just can't stop themselves from getting suspended the last two seasons.

Defensive tackle Mike Pennel will miss the first four games of the 2016 season for violating the league's substance-abuse policy. Last season the Packers started the season without Letroy Guion and Datone Jones due to marijuana-related suspensions.

Of course, Pennel's suspension has everybody speculating about B.J. Raji. Does Pennel's absence mean Raji is more likely to return? Can the Packers go into the season with Guion as their top defensive tackle with a bunch of unproven depth behind him?

In my opinion, Raji's situation remains the same as it was before the suspension. If he fits into the Packers' price range, Ted Thompson will bring him back. If he doesn't, Raji is gone. I don't think Thompson views Raji as he viewed Randall Cobb and Bryan Bulaga last season -- essential pieces that are worth risking big bucks on.

I'm sure Thompson will pick up a defensive tackle or two in this spring's draft, but I doubt he deviates from his draft board and reaches for one in the first round if Raji walks. Last spring we all had our eyes on inside linebackers and offensive tackles in the first round. Of course, Thompson spent his first two picks on the secondary.

Ted's going to do what Ted's going to do, suspensions be damned. 

Packers news, notes and links

  • The Packers will kick off the NFL exhibition season by playing the Colts on Aug. 7 at the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, OH. That means the Packers will play five exhibition games this season, bad news for a perennially injury-prone team.
  • You know what would make the Hall of Fame Game a lot more interesting? If Brett Favre and Marvin Harrison, who will both be inducted into the Hall over that weekend, suited up and actually played. If Favre hit Jeff Janis for an 80-yard touchdown to open the game, all of Packers twitter would have a collective heart attack.
  • Turns out Letroy Guion will have to earn his money. While his new contract is worth up to $11 million, only $500,000 is guaranteed. That's a helluva good deal from the Packers' end.
  • Did you know that Mike Holmgren never fired an assistant coach during his seven years with the Packers? That's quite the difference from Mike McCarthy, who has canned about a dozen during his tenure. When it comes to assistant coaches, I don't know if there's much for us in the blogosphere to say about them. We don't know exactly what they do behind the scenes. We don't know how they interact with McCarthy. i guess we just have to trust that McCarthy is making the changes because he thinks it will improve the Packers, not because he's looking for scapegoats.
  • Ted Thompson keeps his front-office personnel on a tight leash when it comes to speaking with the media. That's why I was surprised to see senior personnel executive Alonzo Highsmith appear on Lance Zierlien's podcast and "pull back the curtain" on the Packers' scouting process. It's worth a listen.
  • Aaron Rodgers returned to Twitter this week. He immediately tweeted God and made fun of Tom Crabtree.

Non-Packers links and other nonsense

  • I just discovered Joe Gagne's Funtime Wrestling Arcade, an amazing YouTube channel that reviews (hilariously) old school wrestling video games. My personal favorites growing up were Royal Rumble on the Sega Genesis and the Wrestlefest Arcade game. And yes, I owned a Sega Master System and frequently played "Pro Wrestling."
  • I've always enjoyed Bill Simmons, especially his podcast. But I'm not sure why Simmons is calling his new website "The Ringer." After Johnny Knoxville pretended to be mentally disabled to qualify for the Special Olympics in a movie called "The Ringer," you'd think that title would be removed from consideration.
  • Out of the Park Baseball 17 (OOTP) is set to be released on March 22. If you haven't played OOTP before, it's the best sports simulation game on the planet. I've wasted countless hours of my life playing this game, and I can't wait to fire up OOTP 17 on March 22. Check the game out. You'll thank me later.
  • Cancer update: I completed my second round of chemotherapy on Saturday afternoon. It's now 4:30 p.m.. Lambeau time on Saturday and I feel pretty good. Getting tired, but overall, not too bad. I've spent the entire day with my 2 year old and my wife, so it's been a good day. Last Sunday I went to an AC/DC concert. The damn cancer isn't going to stop me from pretending to be a badass rocker.
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Comments (28)

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Space Manatee's picture

February 21, 2016 at 06:43 am

An obscure Johnny Knoxville movie shouldn't stop someone from using a term that isn't offensive in its regular use.

Still, Bill Simmons is insufferable and almost always un-readable. That being said, he attracted some talent to Grantland so maybe this new site will do the same.

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NickPerry's picture

February 21, 2016 at 07:22 am

Always love the "Surviving Sundays", especially when I hear Adam is out there doing it, living life and kicking cancers ass!! Keep it up Adam, my prayers are always with you and your family.

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adamczech's picture

February 21, 2016 at 02:56 pm

Thanks.

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NickPerry's picture

February 21, 2016 at 07:31 am

I found it interesting Holmgren never fired a coach, I never knew that. But looking back at that staff it was really one hell of a staff. 5 went on to become Head Coaches, some more than once. Holmgren didn't have any time to fire them with all the promotions each year. What a staff in 1992! You really have to wonder what would and could have been had Holmgren stayed.

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4thand1's picture

February 21, 2016 at 07:52 am

Adam, I've always wanted to go to an AD/DC concert. It's on my bucket list. Hope you had a great time.

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adamczech's picture

February 21, 2016 at 02:57 pm

It had been 17 years since I last saw them and they haven't slowed down!

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Rustyweezee's picture

February 21, 2016 at 07:57 am

I didn't know Lance Zierlein has a podcast. I like to listen to podcasts while at work, so I went looking for it with my Downcast app, couldn't find it, went to Itunes, couldn't find it. If I can figure out how to listen to the link without using data to stream it, that would be ideal. Otherwise, I can just listen to it here. The compromises we make...

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JerseyAl's picture

February 21, 2016 at 08:49 am

Saw AC/DC last summer. One of the loudest of the many concerts I've been to. And gained much appreciation for Angus Young.

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dobber's picture

February 21, 2016 at 09:58 am

Worked two AC/DC shows in the 90s on their "Razor's Edge" tour at Alpine Valley. Excellent in concert. Still have a small stack of Angus Young dollar bills that I picked up....

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WKUPackFan's picture

February 22, 2016 at 11:43 am

Cool! November 1978, first Van Halen world tour, opening for Black Sabbath, Municipal Auditorium, Nashville, TN. Van Halen rocks, Ozzy passes out in the wrong hotel room, Sabbath is a no show. Chaos ensues.

Concert rescheduled a few days later, Van Halen rocks again. Great experience for an 18 year old.

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Ferrari Driver's picture

February 21, 2016 at 10:48 am

Adam,

I've added you to my prayer list and wish the best for you during your treatment and recovery.

I used to watch pro wrestling when I was a kid and later on the internet. An old time Packer player "Dick The Bruiser" and Vern Gagne were among my favorites.

Excellent article and insight, as usual.

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adamczech's picture

February 21, 2016 at 02:58 pm

Thanks.

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EdsLaces's picture

February 21, 2016 at 12:15 pm

I'm going to see Bullet For My Valentine this week in Pittsburgh although I'm sure most of you dont know who that is haha.

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adamczech's picture

February 21, 2016 at 02:59 pm

I've heard of them......might have even seen them open for another band when they were first starting out. Have fun!

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EdsLaces's picture

February 21, 2016 at 04:10 pm

I have a little brother with Cystic Fibrosis. Growing up around that has made me appreciate every day that I have on this earth. I try and do something fun with the family as often as I possibly can. A couple concerts a year, a packers game, mud runs, just about anything really. People seem to take life for granted sometimes. As I'm sure you know the best thing to do is grab up Ur family and have fun. Good luck. God bless.

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adamczech's picture

February 22, 2016 at 08:42 am

A good friend of mine has two daughters with CF. I'll keep your little bro in my prayers.

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EdsLaces's picture

February 22, 2016 at 11:09 am

Thank you .

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Ibleedgreenmore's picture

February 21, 2016 at 01:39 pm

Man is it football yet, oh I know its not but baseball is not the same thing.

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Amanofthenorth's picture

February 22, 2016 at 09:57 pm

With that said, the Brewers have a plan and are executing it which is rather interesting to follow.

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Pack88's picture

February 21, 2016 at 03:00 pm

Adam: Glad to hear you are doing well with the chemo! I also liked AC\DC- last time I heard "shhok me all night long live' I thought I would be deaf- it was so loud and so badass!
DE Cooke

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ShawnO's picture

February 21, 2016 at 04:03 pm

What about mike daniels on the DL?

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Ferrari Driver's picture

February 21, 2016 at 04:06 pm

Adam,

Are you able to handle the expense involved in your treatment.

If you need a little help, perhaps you could establish a site where a few of us that are able will be able to help you out a bit.

I'm sick of contributing to loosing presidential candidates.

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Space Manatee's picture

February 21, 2016 at 04:51 pm

I believe he's mentioned having a Caring Bridge site and I think you can donate through that.

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Ferrari Driver's picture

February 21, 2016 at 07:51 pm

Got a link...thanks

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adamczech's picture

February 22, 2016 at 08:45 am

I do not have any type of donation site set up.

I do have a Caring Bridge page where my wife and I provide updates, but nothing where we collect donations. Anything you donate through the Caring Bridge site goes to Caring Bridge, not me (not trying to discourage people from giving to Caring Bridge -- it's a great site -- but just wanted to make that clear).

I appreciate the thoughts and the offer to help, but we're just not ready at this time to accept donations from others, If we ever get there, I'm sure the info will be posted on CHTV. Again, can't thank you all enough for the kind words, prayers, positives thoughts, etc.

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Thegreatreynoldo's picture

February 22, 2016 at 09:03 am

Perhaps MM has fired about a dozen assistants not because he is scapegoating them but because MM is not that good at selecting assistants in the first place? (Edit: just to be clear, I am not claiming that MM is a bad judge of assistants - I've written that IDK know much about assistants and can only judge the talent provided versus the results - I just brought up the thought.)

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NickPerry's picture

February 22, 2016 at 04:55 am

That's an excellent point, one the rings true probably more than most think. Hasn't McCarthy's staff always seemed like the "Who's Who" of Who's Not's? Not that they might not be good coaches, more because who the hell has heard of most of them. Even several Packers fans probably never heard of Getsky before the hire this week.

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WinUSA's picture

April 04, 2016 at 10:52 am

How do idiots like this get to remain on this site?

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