The Packer Pundit

Packers are still
must-see TV
By Steve Lawrence
PackerReport.com
Posted Oct 14, 2006
The Packers aren't going to the playoffs, but it will be interesting to watch the team grow during the final 11 games of the season, PackerReport.com's Steve Lawrence says. At 1-4, the Green Bay Packers' remote playoff aspirations are about dead. But that doesn't mean there aren't good reasons to closely watch the final 11 games of the season, a stretch that kicks off Oct. 22 at Miami. Watch the team grow. Contrast that hideous outing in the season opener against the Chicago Bears and an ugly second half in a Week 4 loss at Philadelphia with what we watched Sunday in the loss to St. Louis. The zone-blocking scheme finally showed signs of life against the Rams. The secondary made too many errors, but it helped hold a potent Rams offense in check. The defense made two key fourth-quarter stops to give the Packers a chance to win. Greg Jennings might be in the rookie-of-the-year picture if not for the national media being in full-blown drool mode over Reggie Bush. Who knows what Green Bay's final record will be, but you'd have to consider it a successful season if there are a lot of good vibes surrounding this team as we start to think about 2007. -- More




Offensive line makes strides
By JASON WILDE / madison.com
It hasn't been easy being a Green Bay Packers fan these first six weeks of the NFL season, has it.

**A shutout loss to Chicago in the season opener.
**An 0-3 record at Lambeau Field.
**An offense that has turned the ball over 12 times
**A defense that has given up a mind-boggling 46 explosive plays.
**A 1-4 record entering today's bye, with the victory coming over the 0-5 Detroit Lions, the team keeping the Packers out of the NFC North division cellar.

But there is good news, and it has nothing to do with switching your car insurance: The much-maligned offensive line has gotten better. "That's one group that has improved," coach Mike McCarthy said before the team took the weekend off, with its next game Oct. 22 at Miami. "You can sit there and watch it. Week 1 through 5, they have improved." There's some snarky remark to be made there about how they couldn't have been much worse, but the point is this: If the line continues to improve, the Packers may not make it to .500, but it won't be that group's fault. "If you look from Game 1 to Game 5, we have improved dramatically. I like the direction we're going, and I think we're getting better," veteran right tackle Mark Tauscher said. -- More





The Following Post are from a series the Green Bay Post gazette is running on the 10 year anniversary of the 1996 Super Bowl Champion Packers.

1996's Super Season:
Packers' toughest opponent?
Themselves, on Thursdays
Offense, defense collided in practice
By Chris Havel / greenbay.gannett.com

To this day, the thing I look forward to most in practice is the actual competitive part. You hate to go against your defense all the time because that's not the defense you're going to see, style or pressure, but there's no substitution for goods against goods and bringing out the best. In those days, it was like, 'We'll see how good you are and you'll see how good we are.' That's not the style of defense we're going to play against on Sunday, but the bottom line is, 'Can you beat the cornerback across from you? Can you block these guys?' LeRoy Butler would always be running his mouth. He'd be talking smack. It brought out the best in me. I still look forward to those drills today, but it's not the same." -- Brett Favre

In 1996, the Green Bay Packers didn't sell tickets to the best game in town. That's because it didn't take place on a Sunday afternoon or a Monday night at Lambeau Field. It took place on the practice field every Thursday afternoon. That's when the Packers' No. 1 offense and No. 1 defense butted helmets. The players called it "goods vs. goods." It should have been "greats vs. greats," considering the top-notch coaching, the prime talent and the keen competition. Packers coach Mike Holmgren and defensive coordinator Fritz Shurmur would match wits to work on the 2-minute drill, the red zone and, occasionally, short-yardage situations. -- More



A decade later, team still super
By Chris Havel
Cast in the proper context, perspective can give clarity and meaning to perception. Consider the 1996 Green Bay Packers, winners of Super Bowl XXXI, a decade later. In 2006, it is abundantly obvious that. LeRoy Butler merits serious consideration for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The strong safety made 953 tackles in 12 seasons. He racked up 20½ sacks. He intercepted 38 passes. He invented the Lambeau Leap. He forced opposing offenses to game plan around him. He changed the way the game is played. Furthermore, Butler was every bit the good teammate he was the terrific talent. He promoted rather than discouraged safety Eugene Robinson as a defensive leader. He wasn't envious. He was about winning. Reggie White is gone. So is Fritz Shurmur, the salty coordinator, and Wayne Simmons, the hard-case linebacker whose toughness and talent were undervalued. -- More



Wolf savors the memories:
'We were the best team'
Packers' success followed his plan
By Chris Havel
greenbay.gannett.com
Ron Wolf calls the 1996 season the crowning achievement of his National Football League career. "Absolutely," he said. "When you have a group like that — players that played for each other and with each other — that's something you never forget. Then when you realize that we were the best team in football that year, it's special." The Green Bay Packers' former executive vice president and general manager set out in 1996 to build a team to win Super Bowl XXXI. What he built was a team for the ages.

The 1996 NFC Central Division champion Packers: Captured the franchise's first Super Bowl in 29 years. Extended to four their string of consecutive playoff appearances, a first in team history. Wolf's handpicked team capped a 13-3 regular season by winning three straight postseason games, including a 35-21 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI. "My goodness, time marches on," said Wolf, 68. "I can't believe it's been 10 years." -- More






So here's a snipit of video I found on the beautiful... hawt... Mrs. A. J Hawk. Now the dude that filmed this... mistakingly thought she was A. J.'s sister... ummm no. It's not much but I've never seen her in video... just still shots... and I think she's very pretty... here's your Hawkie hawtie... Laura --









Meet Crystal

Baltimore Ravens
Cheerleader

Birthdate: February, 11
Height: 5-8
Hair color: Blonde
Where I Was Born: Baltimore, MD
Where I Grew Up: Pasadena, MD
Where I Live Now: Pasadena, MD
Marital Status: Single
College: University of Maryland Baltimore County
Degree/Major: B.A., Social Work
Occupation: Student & Office Assistant
Children: 0
Pets: None
Hobbies: Shopping, traveling, coaching cheerleading, reading, playing cards, but most of all I enjoy spending time with my family and loved ones