The Packer Pundit: 10/16/2006

« Home | 10/15/2006 »

10/16/2006

Forced turnover
Thompson hasn't been shy
in overhauling Packers' roster
By Lori Nickel / journalsentinel.com
Posted: Oct. 15, 2006

"We had in our mind, like we talked about when I first got here, we would try to make this the best team with the best players that we could possibly have, and we tried to create competition at every position and I think maybe (the turnover), that's the result of it." -- Ted Thompson

thompson444 Mike Sherman's imprint is still visible on the Green Bay Packers. The former general manager and coach had the door and frame from Vince Lombardi's old office relocated to the new entryway of the head coach's office; he had three slabs of concrete, across which some of the greatest Packers once tread, moved from the old north tunnel floor to the new tunnel; and he played a big role in the design of the 64- by 120-foot, football-shape locker room when Lambeau Field's renovation was completed in 2003. But most of the players Sherman once filled that locker room with have been shown the door. When Ted Thompson took over as the Packers' general manager on Jan. 14, 2005, displacing Sherman from that role, an overhaul of the roster began. Thompson has cut dozens players or simply let their contracts expire. Others left in free agency or trades. We're not talking training camp bodies. They were big names. Javon Walker. Ahmad Carroll. Mike Wahle. Darren Shaper. Ryan Longwell. Constant roster change is the way things often work in the National Football League, and Thompson was braced to make changes the day he took over. -- More

Throwing a block party
By Steve Lawrence
PackerReport.com

“I’ve been telling you guys from week to week to week that it’s getting better and better and better,” offensive coordinator and zone-blocking guru Jeff Jagodzinski told reporters last week. “We’re going to continue to get better, and it’s going to get faster, and it’s going to get more fundamentally sound.”

Two third-down conversions against the Rams last week show how much the Packers' offensive line — which has protected Brett Favre better than any unit in the league — has improved since Week 1. Nobody will mistake the Green Bay Packers’ offensive line with such renowned groups as the Washington Redskins’ “Hogs” of two decades ago. Nobody will mistake rookies Jason Spitz, Daryn Colledge or Tony Moll with All-Pro guard Steve Hutchinson. Nobody will mistake center Scott Wells with Chicago’s Olin Kreutz. But the most pleasant surprise of a disappointing 1-4 start to the season has been the development of Green Bay’s offensive line. That was evident in their final game before last weekend’s bye. The Packers mounted their best running game of the year, with third-teamer Noah Herron posting his first career 100-yard game and the Packers finishing with 121 rushing yards, or a 4.7-yard average on 26 carries. -- More

At bye, good-bye to Favre fallacies
By Chris Havel
gbpressgazette.com
favre The Green Bay Packers' bye offered a welcome respite on several fronts. I wasn't required to place blame for a loss. I didn't have to sift through postgame comments, and separate the reasons from the excuses. I wasn't subjected to poor substitution patterns, 12 men on the field, would-be interceptions or blown assignments. I didn't have to use the words "Schottenheimer" and "inept" in the same sentence. Best of all, I didn't have to endure Brett Favre bashing on a local or national level. The prevailing misconception is Favre's presence in the starting lineup is retarding, handcuffing and hurting the Packers' ability to rebuild. I have heard Favre described as "selfish," "washed up" and "over the hill." I have seen him labeled as the problem, rather than the solution. That kind of talk is getting older than Favre. There are those in the national media calling for the Packers to trade Favre to a team willing to acquire a 37-year-old quarterback in return for a high draft pick or two. When a team makes such an offer, and I would be surprised, I gladly will expound.

Meantime, I will settle for destroying a fallacy. Favre is playing at a reasonably high level. If he weren't, the national media wouldn't be calling for his trade. They would be demanding his benching. They would note Favre's streak of consecutive starts shouldn't take precedence over the team's chance to win. They would whine that Favre's proximity to Dan Marino's record for most touchdown passes in a career (420 to 403) should be secondary to the Packers' development of No. 2 quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Those words are penned, the speeches written and the rants cued up. The trouble is, Favre isn't ready to stand down. Nor should he be. -- More

Meet Devon
Atlanta
Falcons
Cheerleader

Years as Falcons Cheerleader: 2
College: University of Georgia
Major/Degree: Administration of Leisure Services
Career/Profession: Proximiti

BACKGROUND:

Married or single: Single

Dance/cheer background: Danced since the age of three at Robison School of Dance. Training in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, pointe, and was a member of T&K performing company. Performed in the1996 Paralympic Opening Ceremonies and attended Dance Olympus/Dance America conventions. Cheered for 11 years, captain of high school football and competition squads, UCA all-star cheerleader and performed in London New Years Day Parade. Member of UGA football dance line and captain of Dance Dawgs (UGA basketball dance team).

Hobbies/recreational pursuits: Dancing, going out with friends, watching Golden Girls

The most influential person(s) in my life has been: My family

My favorite memory thus far as an Atlanta Falcons Cheerleader: Visiting the children's hospitals

One interesting fact my teammates might not know about me: I am addicted to spider solitaire

devon2 The best thing about being a Falcons Cheerleader: Being surrounded by a talented and successful group of friends and teammates