A Quick Gripe About Aaron Rodgers

                We’ve already gone over what a great quarterback I think Aaron Rodgers is, but there is one facet of his on-field demeanor that legitimately bothers me. Aaron has been outspoken about the fact that he thinks mental errors on the field are unacceptable. He has stated that since mental errors can be eliminated by simply spending more time preparing (knowing the playbook, knowing your assignment, familiarity with the game plan, getting your adjustments right), there is no excuse for them. In other words, if you’re making mental errors on the field, you’re not working hard enough off the field, and therefore you do not deserve to be on the field.

                He has also taken a ‘money where your mouth is’ approach on this, since he himself prepares tirelessly. The long hours he puts in (according to teammates, coaches, and himself) are a reflection of his commitment to excellence in the pursuit of perfection. As a result, he expects nothing less from his teammates. If you don’t know the game plan inside and out, then you better get back to the film room and figure it out before game time.

                I’m perfectly fine with all of that. In fact I think that it’s the only proper approach for a quarterback to take, as he needs to be the leader of this team both on the field and off. The problem I have is that Rodgers has frequently shown his anger with teammates during a game following a mental error on their part. Whether it’s an animated hand gesture, a lecture before they get back to the huddle, or even just a glare, he has made it known when he thinks a teammate has made an avoidable error. I see absolutely no benefit in showing up your teammates like that. I’d like to think that the player who just ran the wrong route or missed a blocking assignment or cut inside instead of out knows they made a mistake before they’re told. Players put their careers and livelihoods at risk when they make mental errors on the field, and they don’t need to be reminded of that by their teammate. There’s a reason the Packers have, like, a million coaches on the sidelines, and it’s their job to handle those situations.

                The Packers (because of their draft and develop philosophy) consistently have one of the NFL’s youngest rosters. Many of these guys are playing with little to no experience, and are called upon to carry out important assignments. These players need all the confidence they can get, and a scolding in front of millions of people from your quarterback is not likely to help that cause. Aaron is not perfect himself, and would likely not react well to John Kuhn throwing his hands up in anger after an off target pass.

                Don’t get me wrong, some of these players need some reminders every now and then to get their head in the game. Jermichael Finley, I’m looking at you. The fact is, on the field, out in the open, and in demonstrative fashion is not the way to go about reminding them. If Rodgers really feels the need to get after one of his teammates, he should do it in the huddle, away from the eyes and ears of the public. None of us would appreciate being scolded in front of our coworkers, let alone in front of our friends, families, and millions of strangers as well. These men are all adults, and deserve to be treated as such.

                One thing I used to love about Favre is that when one of his receivers made a mistake (dropped pass, wrong route, etc.), you just knew he was coming right back to them for a chance at redemption. It got to the point where I wondered why opposing defenses didn’t double cover the guy who just messed up. It was that predictable. Now Rodgers doesn’t necessarily hate on receivers for drops (physical as opposed to mental errors), but I’d sure like to see him have his teammates back after a mistake.

                Believe me, I’m not trying to say that Rodgers is a bad teammate by a long shot. I think he’s a great teammate and I think he treats his coworkers with respect. I remember punter Tim Masthay saying that Rodgers had gone out of his way to introduce himself and make Tim feel welcome. Long snapper Brett Goode has said the same, and has been known to sing karaoke with Rodgers on their free time. If the MVP of the league is going out of his way to befriend the team’s punter and long snapper, I’d say he's committed to solidarity in the locker room. It’s not a lack of respect, but rather frustration in the face of lofty goals that causes Rodgers to occasionally show up his teammates.

                I don’t want Rodgers to stop being a perfectionist. I don’t want him to stop expecting the same commitment from his teammates. I don’t even want him to stop calling out players if he thinks that’s what he needs to do as the leader of this team. All I want is for him to stop doing it in public. Keep internal discussions just that, internal. The whole world doesn’t need to know that the play didn’t work because Jordy ran the wrong route. Just get back to the huddle, call the next play and maintain a unified front.

                

A Fun Debate that Few Get to Enjoy

                So Aaron Rodgers was predictably voted the best player in the league by his peers. You didn’t need to be Nostradamus to see this one coming. Rodgers put up one of the, if not the best statistical seasons in the history of the quarterback position on his way to earning his first MVP award. I guess the players weren’t buying into ESPN’s ‘if Matt Flynn can do it in this offense, anyone can’ line of thinking.

Wanna see my penis?

The accolades got me thinking about how spoiled we have become as Packers fans at the quarterback position. Since the 1993 season, we’ve had a total of three players start at the quarterback position, and Matt Flynn started a total of two games in relief of Aaron Rodgers. Put their tremendous play aside, that figure is ridiculous. To put it in perspective, over the same time period, the Detroit Lions have had 21 different players start at quarterback, and the Chicago Bears have started a total of 24 at the position.

This unprecedented consistency at the most important position in the game is thanks to both the durability of starters Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre, and their consistently solid play. So that got me thinking even further about the comparison of these two players. Full disclosure before we get into it, although I’m not necessarily a Brett Favre hater, I’m certainly no Brett Favre apologist. Now let’s compare the first four years as a starter for each player:

Player	Total Yds	ATT	CMP	TDs	Ints	QB Rating	RSH YDS	RSH TDs	YPC
Favre	14825	2145	1342	108	64	86.9	797	7	4.3
Rodgers	17037	2054	1346	131	37	105.2	1136	16	4.8

It doesn’t take a genius to see that Rodgers has been the FAR superior player in his first four years under center. His numbers are better in literally every single category, and those years include both a Superbowl victory and an MVP award. Now I hear you. This ain’t quite apples to apples. Rodgers had three years of seasoning on the team before starting, compared to just one for Favre. So let’s try to get a little closer to a fair comparison. How about we compare years four through seven for each player:

Player	Total Yds	ATT	CMP	TDs	Ints	QB Rating	RSH YDS	RSH TDs	YPC
Favre	16061	2208	1351	145	56	94.7	706	8	4.2
Rodgers	17037	2054	1346	131	37	105.2	1136	16	4.8

Here again, although the numbers are marginally more even, Rodgers was clearly the better player. Favre overtook Rodgers in the completions and touchdowns categories, but needed 150 more attempts to achieve that. Rodgers was far more efficient, as evidenced by his passer rating that exceeds Favre’s by over 10 points. It’s worth noting that Rodgers' AVERAGE passer rating through his first four years as a starter is over 100, a feat that Favre failed to accomplish in even a single season until his 19th year in the league. Furthermore, Rodgers has clearly been more of a threat on the ground, tallying fully twice as many rushing TDs as Favre, gaining 430 more yards and averaging more yards per carry.

                Alright, alright, I hear you again. ‘Rodgers had more talent around him…The league has changed so much…Rules favor offenses now…You can’t even hit quarterbacks anymore…’ I get it. There may be some validity to some of those points, so here’s what I’m gonna do. I’m going to compare Aaron Rodgers first four seasons as a starter with the best four season of Brett Favre’s illustrious 20 year career. The years I’ve chosen to use include two of Favre’s three MVP campaigns (1995 and 1996), his final and arguably most efficient year as a Packer (2007), and his first season as a Viking (2009), which was far and away his best statistical season. Let’s take a look at the same table used in the two previous comparisons:

Player	Total Yds	ATT	CMP	TDs	Ints	QB Rating	RSH YDS	RSH TDs	YPC
Favre	16669	2179	1403	138	48	99.6	336	5	2.7
Rodgers	17037	2054	1346	131	37	105.2	1136	16	4.8

The data here speaks for itself. Again Rodgers trails in only passing completions and passing touchdowns, but those columns are mitigated by his higher completion percentage, higher passer rating, and more total touchdowns. Obviously I picked Favre’s four best seasons according to my own opinion, but you’re more than welcome to suggest four of your own, and I’ll draw up the same comparison. Not only were these the years that Favre was most efficient and productive as a passer, but the 2007 and 2009 seasons provide a more accurate comparison to Rodgers’ years, as they took place under the same league conditions. Favre's surrounding cast in 2007 was obviously nearly identical to that which Rodgers played with early on, further eliminating potentially disruptive variables.

                I didn’t write up this comparison to bash Brett Favre. My hurt feelings after he left town (and especially after he went to the Vikings) have been more than assuaged by the masterful play of Aaron Rodgers and the resulting Superbowl championship. Favre was more influential in fostering my love of football than any other player, and I’m truly grateful for that. I grew up watching him run around like a maniac on the field, and his love for his teammates and the game could not have been any more obvious. His iron man streak was absolutely ridiculous, and is a record that I honestly believe will never be broken. Favre’s a sure fire first ballot Hall-of-Famer, and Rodgers has a LONG way to go before a comparison of total career numbers would even be worth looking at.

Wanna see my belt?

Having said all of that, I believe that Rodgers is the better player. Although his career is only half over at this point, he’s shown that he has all the tools to be literally the best quarterback to ever play the game. Not only has he put up better numbers since the second he was given a chance to start, he has also shown more of a willingness to adhere to a system, take his coaches’ input to heart and strive for perfection. He also abruptly shut up all the critics who questioned his toughness by missing a total of one game due to injury in the last four seasons. About the only thing I don’t like about Rodgers is that he’s too smart to play the game for as long as I’d selfishly like him to.

I love Favre for everything he did for my team and my own personal love for the game of football. I still get chills every time I see a clip of his OT pass to Jennings in Denver or his virtuoso performance in Oakland the day after he lost his father. Even though I booed him until my throat was sore (from the nosebleeds) when he made his first trip to Lambeau as a visitor, time heals all wounds, and I’ll cheer him when he finally returns to retire the now-hallowed number four. In the mean time I’ll just sit back and enjoy the play of the new maestro in Green Bay. Reality is I probably won’t fully appreciate what we’ve had until Rodgers is gone and we’ve got some poor schmuck under center that has to follow in his footsteps.

'Develop from Within' Not Just for Players

                There was a big of a shake-up amongst the Packers’ offensive coaching staff this season, touched off primarily by the hiring of former offensive coordinator Joe Philbin as head coach of the Miami Dolphins. Philbin was with the Packers organization for a total of nine years, and spent five of those years as offensive coordinator. As one of only a few holdovers from the Mike Sherman era, Philbin’s talent must have been evident to Mike McCarthy, as the Chief of Staff not only kept him in Green Bay, but also promoted him to arguably the second most important job on the coaching staff. Following the tragic death of Philbin’s young son at the end of the regular season, he was likely in need of a fresh start. It was not long after that he accepted the top position in Miami, and McCarthy had some decisions to make. It seems as though Ted Thompson’s draft and develop philosophy has rubbed off on McCarthy, who restructured his staff almost entirely from within the Packers’ organization.

                Former quarterbacks coach Tom Clements was promoted to offensive coordinator, a position he originally interviewed for in 2006. Clements has been with the staff since leaving the offensive coordinator position in Buffalo in 2005, and has coached in the NFL since 1997. He’s a former NCAA national championship quarterback (Notre Dame – 1973) and compiled some impressive stats while playing in the Canadian Football League. Clements showed his intellectual ability by attaining a law degree while playing professionally in Canada, and even practiced law in Chicago for a few years before returning to coaching. Although McCarthy calls his own plays on game days, he does lean heavily on his coordinator for game planning. Said McCarthy, ‘Tom has been an integral part of our success and our staff, making it an obvious decision to promote him to offensive coordinator. He has earned this opportunity.’ Aaron Rodgers has been outspoken about his relationship with Clements as well, repeatedly stating his desire to keep the coach in Green Bay, and calling him a mentor as well as a personal friend. Clements had interviewed for multiple head coaching opportunities before accepting the coordinator position in Green Bay, including openings at Miami and Penn State (yeesh). Said Rodgers with regard to his potential return, “I’m feeling a little selfish when it comes to Tom. I have a real good relationship with him. It’s been a real good six years together. I want to keep it going. I think Tom deserves to take a jump though. I think it would be a seamless transition to have him as the offensive coordinator in Green Bay.” It seems safe to say that damn near everyone in Green Bay is feeling good about this promotion.

                Clements’ promotion of course left a hole in the staff at QB coach, which is an important job to say the least. This is the main problem with promoting from within, in that when you fill one hole, you create another. The chain of events in filling each hole and each subsequent promotion is borderline comical, but shows a serious dedication on the part of Mike McCarthy to help develop his coaching staff and give them opportunities to succeed. McCarthy genuinely wants his coaches to accomplish their career goals, even if those goals are achieved outside of Green Bay, as in the case of Philbin. Tight ends coach Ben McAdoo was promoted to quaterbacks coach, Jerry Fontenot was shifted from running backs coach to tight ends coach, Joel Hilgenberg was promoted from coaching intern to assistant offensive line coach, and two outside coaches were hired to fill in the remaining gaps. As I said, the coaching carousel is borderline comical, but shows a true commitment to comprehensive coaching development.

                This relatively major shake-up follows the pattern adhered to when wide receivers coach Jimmy Robinson left the club last year to take a similar position with the Dallas Cowboys that also carried an ‘assistant head coach’ designation. Former Packers running back Edgar Bennett was moved from running backs coach (the obvious fit) to wide receivers coach. Although one might instinctively question why a running back is coaching wide receivers, all parties involved made it clear that the job change was made with an eye towards comprehensive coaching development, as opposed to narrow-minded pigeon holing of employees. It makes great sense to me that a successful running backs coach could use not only his instructional expertise, but also knowledge of a different but closely intertwined position to hone the finer points with the players he now coaches.

                Although most of these moves may seem lateral as opposed to upwardly moving, they’re indicative of a culture not often enough seen in major companies these days. McCarthy is essentially saying to his coaches, ‘I thought enough of you to hire you, you’ve done a good job, now show me that you’re capable of more.’ I love that approach to managing your staff, and I’m of the opinion that Bennett did just fine with the wide receivers last year. Let’s see if this year’s staff is up to the challenge. My only other question would be where do I apply for that coaching intern program? I’m slowly accepting the fact that I probably don’t have quite enough arm strength to make the roster.

Give Grant the Respect he Deserves!

I mean look at this guy. Do you want to tackle him?

               Earlier I praised Ted Thompson for resigning Donald Driver for the right reasons. I praised his flexibility in drafting for need since the nucleus of a championship team was already intact. I even praised him for cutting one of my favorite players because of serious health concerns. But his obstinate refusal to bring back Ryan Grant has me confused and frankly annoyed.

                Ryan Grant was originally signed by the New York Giants as undrafted rookie free agent out of Notre Dame in 2005. He spent a year on the practice squad in New York before he caught the eye of Ted Thompson, who uncharacteristically traded a sixth round draft pick for him before the 2007 season. Grant was originally brought in to back up the perpetually disappointing Brandon Jackson and DeShawn Wynn. When Grant was forced into action due to injury mid-season, he responded explosively, and was named the starter in an ongoing search for a feature back midseason.

                Over the next 39 games, Grant would start and rush for over 3300 yards, averaging over 4.3 yards a clip. Add in 24 total touchdowns and 73 receptions, and even a casual fan could see that Grant was rounding into quite a nice starting tailback. Then came the seemingly inevitable major injury. Grant tore a ligament in his ankle in week one of the 2010 season, and would miss the remainder of the season.

                Still under contract for the 2011 season, Grant began rehabbing his ankle immediately, and returned to the field in week one. Coaches and players were outspoken about what great shape Grant appeared to be in, and he showed virtually no signs of being slowed by the offseason surgery. He averaged nearly five yards per carry during the first three weeks of the season, but simply wasn’t getting many attempts. The Packers’ offense is of course geared towards the pass, so I thought it might have simply been a function of game planning. As the season went on, however, it became clear that the coaching staff wanted to see the younger/bigger James Starks develop into their number one back.

Though Grant may no longer possess his 4.43 combine speed, he proved he hadn’t lost much by outrunning both Oakland and Detroit’s defenses for long touchdowns. On his touchdown against Detroit, he caught a quick screen pass in the left flat, weaved around some nice blocking, and simply outran and allegedly athletic secondary for 80 yards. Furthermore, Grant was not putting the ball on the ground. He finished the regular season with a total of one fumble. Yes he lost a fumble in the playoff game against the Giants, but the Packers were grasping at straws at that point in the game, and we can hardly put the blame on Ryan Grant for that clunker of a performance.

Now I am well aware of the fact that running backs (with a few notable exceptions) do not produce after the age of 30 anymore. The position is too physically taxing and there are just too many collisions to survive. Grant is not yet 30, but will be by next year. That being said, he is not the typical 29 year old starting tail back in terms of wear and tear. Going in to the 2012 season, the average number of career carries for any starting back age 29 or older is 1349. There is in fact only one player in that group of 11 that has less carries than Grant (who has 924, or a solid two seasons under the average), and that would be the late-blooming Fred Jackson of Buffalo at 817 carries, who just signed a two year, $8.7 million contract extension. Grant could be had for a fraction of that price, and Green Bay can certainly afford to pay him both in terms of cash available and salary cap space.

The Packers appear set to enter the season with the young James Starks, the younger Alex Green (who showed promise but is coming off major knee surgery), and the younger still Brandon Saine. This will easily be the least experienced position group heading into the season, and is no doubt cause for concern. I know the coaching staff is high on all three of these players (as they’ve stated repeatedly), but at some point it seems like all their praise may just be an attempt to cover up a glaring need. Youth is certainly your friend if you’re a running back, but aside from potential, that’s all this group has. Doesn’t proven performance count for something?

Grant has stated over and over again (both by himself and through his agent, Alan Herman) that he would like to return to Green Bay and is ready and willing to talk about a new contract. Grant is an intelligent man that has reportedly drawn interest from multiple teams this offseason (including the Patriots and the Lions), so I’d be shocked if he and his agent were truly out of line with their contract requests. The Packers have reportedly not even so much as called Herman or Grant to inform them they’ve moved on, which is a rather classless move in my opinion. It’s one thing to keep your options open in the event of injury, but I would think an open dialogue would be the least the organization could do for a player that’s been around for five years now.

Again, the NFL is a business first, and I do not envy some of the personnel decisions Ted Thompson has to make. He has wisely parted ways with several veterans in the past, and I’ve applauded him for doing so. This situation, however, feels more like a repeat of the Cullen Jenkins mistake (Thompson’s worst move as Packers GM in my opinion) than it does a repeat of the Al Harris release. I honestly feel that Grant should be resigned for fairly obvious football reasons. He knows the offense well, would know his teammates well, could mentor the younger backs during their formative years, and would be inexpensive. Unless Grant was absolutely horrible in some aspect of the game that isn’t visible on stat sheet or to an interested fan, I truly don’t understand the logic behind letting him go.

Grant seems genuinely hurt by the way the Packers have handled his free agency, and I don’t blame him. If the Packers have made up their minds to move on, let him know! If they’re waiting for an injury to strike before they bring him back, let him know! Now, there could easily have been communication between the parties that I’m unaware of since Grant’s last public statements (especially since I’m privy to precisely zero insider information), but I have been wholly unimpressed with the Packers’ approach to this situation. Let’s show some of our trademark class and treat a veteran player with the respect he deserves.

What's the Deal at Safety?

                With seemingly everyone wondering if Charles Woodson will move to safety this year, I figured I should probably take a closer look at the position group before I formed an opinion. After taking an extended look at the safeties and listening to what people within the organization had to say, my take on the Woodson issue is that the answer isn’t important. But let’s take a look at the players actually listed at safety before we get into that.

                There is not a heck of a lot of experience at the safety position on the Green Bay Packers (the distinction between Free and Strong safety in Dom Capers defense is negligible, according to multiple members of the coaching staff including Capers himself). Only two of the five players at the position on the current roster have ever played a snap at safety, and one of those (Morgan Burnett) has started only 20 games and is only 23 years old. Take a look at the vitals for each of the five players below:

Player	Years in the League	Height	Weight	Age	College
Charlie Peprah	7	5'11"	203	29	Alabama
Morgan Burnett	3	6'1"	209	23	Georgia Tech
M.D. Jennings	2	6'0"	187	23	Arkansas State
Anthony Levine	1	5'11"	199	25	Tennessee State
Jerron McMillian	R	5'11"	215	23	Maine

It’s clearly a young position group. There are numerous reasons for optimism, but plenty of room for concern. Here’s my short take on each player.

                Charlie Peprah has by far the most experience of any safety on the team. He is very familiar with the defense, has played in huge moments, and has filled in admirably over the past two years. The operative phrase there is ‘filled in.’ Peprah has physical limitations (mainly speed and agility) that have prevented him from being looked at as a starter at the NFL level. He’s a low ceiling guy that doesn’t offer a lot beyond mostly solid play. He’s not a game-changer and probably never will be, but you could do a lot worse at safety and many teams do.

                Morgan Burnett holds probably the most assured role on the team going into 2012. Coaches have raved about his physical abilities since he was drafted by Green Bay in the third round of the 2010 draft. He was given the starting job at safety in his first game as a pro, showed tremendous promise at times, and was promptly lost for the season in week four to a torn ACL. Burnett bounced back nicely in 2011, starting all 16 games and notching some impact plays. He’s got ideal size for the safety position, and has a very high ceiling. Coaches are excited about his potential this season and will give him every opportunity to hold on to a starting spot.

                M.D. Jennings (or ‘the doctor’) is the most intriguing player at the position and possibly on the team.  A classic ‘diamond in the rough’ for Thompson, Jennings not only made the 53-man roster as an undrafted rookie free agent, but was also activated for 15 games. Although the playing time was strictly on special teams, Jennings clearly showed enough to the coaching staff to earn both a roster spot and a chance to get on the field. This year he’ll likely battle Peprah for a starting spot opposite Burnett, and is using a reportedly strong OTA/minicamp performance to make his presence felt. Never one to read too much into off-season programs (especially since Burnett and Peprah haven’t even been participating due to rehabbing injuries), I’m anxious to see what Jennings can do with the pads on. He’s most definitely undersized, but smaller players have made it happen at safety (just ask Jimmy Leonhard).

                I’d be lying if I said I knew much about Anthony Levine. I know that he’s a tad bit undersized, was not good enough to make the active roster last year, and is also two years older than both Burnett and Jennings. Although he has one year of practice squad experience with the team, I think he’s a long shot to make the 53-man roster. His best chance is to tackle like a maniac and grab a roster spot on special teams.

                Jerron McMillian was a three year starter at Maine with 92 tackles and 11.5 tackles for loss in his senior season. He’s known as an aggressive tackler that knows how to use his size. He ran a 4.5 40 yard dash at the combine, despite his solid 215 pound frame. I’ve never seen the young McMillian play, but Ted Thompson thought enough of him to draft him in the fourth round. With poor tackling across the board for the Packers last year, I’m guessing they were drawn to his aggressive nature and willingness to attack the ball carrier. He’ll get plenty of looks as a potential starter if he’s able to grasp the defense early on.

                For all the talk of Charles Woodson moving to safety, I think the Packers have enough talent among their ‘true’ safeties to put together a nice starting tandem. Now, if the injuries begin to pile up again, that may be another story. For now, Woodson to safety is mostly irrelevant. Mike McCarthy has stated specifically, “Charles’ role on our football team may change somewhere between six and eight percent compared to where he’s played in the past.” This statement is meaningful in that McCarthy directly states that Woodson’s role will not change much, and also in that he does not say, ‘Charles may play six to eight percent more safety compared to just cornerback in the past.’ Meaning, the letters in front of Charles name on the depth chart mean much less than his actual responsibilities on the field. His role has been more fluid than the typical player for some time.

Charles Woodson is a special player whose resume dictates as many playmaking opportunities as possible. He has played (and will continue to play) multiple positions on the Packers’ defense, including safety. The defense has a package called ‘corner okie’ which is simply a base defensive call with Woodson moving from corner to safety. They’ve used this in the past and will use it in the future. Woodson’s ball skills, tackling skills, pass rushing skills, and play reading skills make him an ideal candidate to hang out near the line of scrimmage. From there he can cover the quicker slot receiver, blitz, jump a route, drop back in coverage, or attack the ball carrier on a running play. The idea is that Woodsen needs to be on the field, and the defense can be adjusted to make that happen.

You can call Charles Woodson a safety if you want, but for now I’ll just call him a playmaker. All the talk of his takeover of the position is disrespectful to the true safeties on the current roster. Let’s hope they use it as motivation to master the defense, tackle with purpose, execute their assignment, and hold down their position.

Hargrove v. Goodell (and 31 Filthy Rich Owners)

Roger Goodell was not shy in his punishment of the players allegedly involved in the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal. The commissioner alleges that the team had a system in place in which players and coaches contributed to a pool of money that was paid out to players as a reward for injuring certain opponents. Current Packer Anthony Hargrove received an eight game suspension for his alleged involvement. He received the second longest suspension among players because he lied to league officials during their investigation.

Hargrove is currently appealing his suspension on the grounds that he was told to lie by his coaches and team officials, and that he never participated in a ‘pay to injure’ system of any kind. Hargrove’s appeal is heard and decided on by the one and only Roger Goodell, the very person who meted out the suspensions in the first place. This is asinine to say the least. Why even allow for an appeals process if the arguments are not going to be heard by an impartial third party? Where is Shyam Das when you need him (probably in Bud Selig's executive torture chamber in the bowels of Milwaukee's Lake Park Bistro)? It seems obvious that Goodell is taking a hard line on this issue in order to protect the league against future financial consequences. The NFL is not exactly being portrayed as concerned for the health of its players by the NFLPA right now, as evidenced by the class action law suit and massive media attention it is facing surrounding concussions. Goodell wants to send the message that the league cares about player safety (I do not believe they do) and that it will be proactive in making the game as safe as possible considering its violent nature.

                A bounty system has no place in the NFL. It is against the rules and puts careers and lives in danger unnecessarily. I believe two things about bounty systems; players and coaches who are involved should be punished, and that their existence is far more prevalent than anyone would like to admit. The Saints have been made an example of, and that is fine, but there needs to be some sort of checks and balances in the process to keep the commissioner in line. Goodell has literally no reason to change his suspensions or even entertain the arguments of those appealing to him. The only thing keeping Goodell in check at any time is fear of retribution from the NFL owners, his employers. In handing out harsh punishments in this particular case, Goodell has done the bidding of the owners (again – his employers) in order to protect their long term financial interest. It strikes me as rather hypocritical of Goodell to increase Hargrove’s suspension based on the fact that the player simply carried out orders given directly to him by his employers in order to protect their financial interests.

                With regard to the eight game suspension, it will likely be upheld. It could be reduced based on evidence, but the public would have no way to know if and when that might happen, since the league is being at least reticent, if not dishonest in sharing the actual evidence supporting their suspensions. A more likely possibility would be that the suspensions are delayed, pending an ongoing legal battle (a la the Starcaps case of Kevin and Pat Williams). This would prove to be extremely expensive for the players, and the NFL (with its cavernous pockets) would likely come out on top. My suggestion to Hargrove would be to take your lumps, make your opinion known, serve the suspension, and come back with a chip on your shoulder the size of Roger Goodell’s ego.

                From a Packer standpoint, the suspension is really not that bad. Yes we lose our best free agent acquisition at a position of need for half the season, but there are more than enough capable bodies to fill in for eight games. We signed two other free agent defensive linemen (Philip Merling and former Packer Daniel Muir) and drafted two more (Jerel Worthy and Mike Daniels). Defensive line is a physically taxing position to say the least, and the line advantage often comes down to who’s got more gas left in the tank in the fourth quarter. There are worse things than a fresh set of motivated legs being injected into the defensive line group for the stretch run to close out the season (and hopefully beyond). The suspension allows Hargrove to be with the team, have full access to the facilities, and participate fully in practices. There is no reason to think that he won’t be both physically and mentally prepared once his opportunity to play arrives.

                Don’t hold your breath for the NFL to fix their appellate system, since the owners no doubt want to maintain total control. Goodell will continue to do their bidding at every turn (with the occasional, inconsequential decision that goes the players’ way for purely PR reasons), and he will do so to the tune of approximately $20 million per year. Let’s be real, at that price, I can’t really blame him. It is just football afterall.

Nick Collins: Fleeting Transcendence

                In what will forever be remembered as the signature moment of Nick Collins’ NFL career, he drew a flag from not one, but three officials. The infraction he was guilty of was leaving his feet in celebration, and it cost the Packers 15 yards on the ensuing kickoff. Nobody wearing green and gold gave one shit. Collins had just picked off a Ben Roethlisberger pass (errant thanks to pressure from big Howard Green) and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown, giving the Packers a 14 point lead in Superbowl XLV they would never relinquish.

                Collins was drafted by the Packers in the second round of the 2005 draft (51^st overall) out of Division 1-AA Bethune Cookman. Though not exactly a football powerhouse, the school of roughly 3500 students has sent several players to the NFL. He had a good but not great college career, and his selection on day one of the draft was roundly criticized by the draft ‘experts.’ Mel Kiper described Collins as ‘very raw’ and ‘a reach in the second round.’ While Kiper’s assertion that Collins was ‘raw’ was probably accurate, he turned out to be anything but a reach in the second round.

                Collins was immediately thrust into the role of starting free safety following the departure of potential Hall of Famer Darren Sharper. While those were some big shoes to fill, Collins and Green Bay had other concerns at the time. After having suffered through band aid replacements at safety (Marquand Manuel, Bhawoh Jue, Mark Roman, etc.), the team was in desperate need of some upgraded play at the position. Though Collins had an uneven season as a rookie, he showed tenacity by piling up a career high 84 tackles and forcing two fumbles. He clearly won the favor of the Green Bay coaching staff with a hard-nosed style, firm commitment to proper tackling, and a willingness to listen and learn. His starting spot as the quarterback of the defense was never so much as challenged for the rest of his career.

                In year two of his pro career (frequently referred to as the ‘leap year’), Collins turned in a sparkling stat line. He started all 16 games, picked off three passes (returning one for a touchdown), forced two fumbles, and broke up 10 passes. The young player quickly became a leader on the defense. The numbers were no fluke, as he would go on to amass 21 interceptions and four touchdowns in his six year career. He earned Pro Bowl honors in three consecutive seasons, and would miss a total of only three games due to injury. The Packers had found their difference maker at the safety position. And in a flash, it was all over.

                Following a seemingly innocuous tackle attempt on Panthers' running back Jonathan Stewart in week two of the 2011 season, Collins remained on the turf. The familiar scene of players and doctors huddled around a motionless player (along with the sick feeling, pangs of guilt, and immediate moral inventory) was plastered across the HD screen. He was carted off the field, but was able to give the customary thumbs up to the crowd. I remember thinking, ‘Damn, I hope this is only a week or two type thing. He should be fine.’ The sobering reality was that Collins had suffered a fractured vertebrae that would require spinal fusion surgery. Potentially career-ending. Thud.

                While Nick’s wife Andrea and three children (Jenajah, Nick Jr, and Nmar’e) were no doubt elated to hear that he would have full range of motion following the surgery, he still had a desire to play. He rehabbed during the rest of the season and the entire offseason, working to get back to the field. The Packers organization quickly took a conservative, wait-and-see stance. Coach Mike McCarthy went so far as to say, ‘That’s probably one of the worst parts of your job. Walking out on the field looking over a player, especially when it didn’t look very serious … and this is not about me. I’m just talking about, if that was my son, if Nick was my son, I would not let him play.’ In the end a comeback was not to be, as the Packers released Nick Collins on April 25^th, 2012, citing potentially life threatening health concerns.

                I would no doubt have loved to see Collins back on the field, but I applaud the Packers for doing what certainly seems to be the right thing. They treated their player as a person instead of property, something not often seen in today’s NFL.  ‘36’ gave us more than a few electrifying plays during his time as a Packer, and played a huge role in winning Superbowl XLV. He stayed with the team throughout the season last year, taking on a mentor/coach type role, and has expressed interest in coaching at the NFL level in the future. His career was cut short by injury, but at six years, he managed to play about three years longer than the average NFL player. He can walk away from the game having made several million dollars, won a championship, received well deserved personal accolades, and still play catch with his kids. Thanks for the great memories Nick, good luck with rest of your life, and I hope to see you roaming the sidelines at Lambeau with a clipboard and headphones in the not-too-distant future.

Ted Thompson Drafts for Need?!

The Packers’ offense in 2011 was virtually unstoppable. With the league’s most valuable player at the helm, veteran and young talent on the perimeter, and consistent play up front, the group was able to amass a league-best 35 points per game. That total would be good enough for the second most prolific scoring offense in the history of the NFL (second to the 2007 Patriots, eventual Superbowl losers to the Giants). These staggering statistics make it no surprise that the team went 15-1 in the regular season, the best record in the history of the franchise. The flipside, of course, is the overall disappointing and occasionally horrendous play of the defense, which collectively allowed a league-worst 6585 total yards. So with the league’s best offense and arguably worst defense, it was clear what side of the ball needed to be addressed during the offseason. Most folks outside of Wisconsin would therefore not have been surprised to see the team go heavy on defense in the draft. However, anyone that has followed the Packers’ drafts during the Ted Thompson era should have been surprised when the stubborn GM did just that.

                Ted Thompson has an undeniable history of drafting for the best talent available, regardless of need. Not only has the GM been outspoken about this strategy year after year, but his picks have clearly been talent based. In 2005, his first pick as GM was Aaron Rodgers out of Cal with the 24^th pick in round one. While we can all look back and applaud his decision now, it was less than universally cheered at the time. The team had 3-time MVP Brett Favre on the roster, coming off a season in which he threw for over 4000 yards and had a quarterback rating of 92.4. In the years to follow Thompson steadfastly refused to draft according to perceived team need, particularly at the top of the draft. In fact, it was not until 2010, with the selection of Bryan Bulaga, that Thompson’s first round pick coincided with an immediate team need. He drew heat for refusing to select offensive linemen to fill the voids created by the departures of Mike Wahle and Marco Rivera (though he did give those positions attention during the later rounds), and also for continuing to draft receivers even though the position seemed to be stocked. Although not all of his picks turned out to be gems (like every GM in the history of football), nobody could have described Ted Thompson as a slave to need.

                After seven years of consistent strategy (and one world championship to show for it), I expected nothing but the same for the 2012 draft. When asked my opinion on who we might draft, I’d simply throw my hands up and admit total ignorance. I’d scoff at the so-called draft experts insisting Green Bay was drafting a pass rusher to complement Clay Matthews. When Thompson did just that with his first round pick of Nick Perry (OLB from USC), I thought, ‘Oh, that’s nice. Talent happened to coincide with need at the top of the draft this year.’ When he traded up to draft Jerel Worthy near the top of the second round, I thought, ‘Huh, they must REALLY like that guy.’ It wasn’t until the Packers traded up two more times to draft defensive players at positions of need, and refused to draft an offensive player until the seventh and final round, that I was forced to admit that Ted Thompson was drafting for need. Now I have always been a fan of Thompson’s draft for talent strategy (ok, maybe not always, but most of the time at least), but I have to admit that I found this draft both refreshing and exciting. It’s clear to me that TT recognizes that the core of the team is intact, and there comes a time when you have to get more specific with talent acquisition. The team went 15-1 last year with a downright bad defense. The pass rush was anemic, and the defensive line looked complacent at best. The talented secondary had a bit of a down year, with safety being the thinnest of positions in the back. Not one, but all of these needs were met with picks in the early to middle rounds of the draft. It’s a virtual certainty that one or a few of these picks won’t work out, but they will at the very least increase competition within position groups that simply have to get better.

                Thompson showed maturity in going against his typical strategy, and did what he thought he had to do to get his team back to the Superbowl. Having never once given in to pressure from Green Bay’s rabid fan base in the past, I continue to believe that the decisions made in this year’s draft were purely football based. Yes the Packers are owned by their fans, but there is a reason the organization pays big bucks to retain the type of talent that Thompson has shown. Count his decision to address current needs as one of many reasons for optimism in the 2012 season.

Reinstate Johnny Jolly

Johnny Jolly has applied for his ban from the NFL to be lifted after a two year absence from the league. It has been a tumultuous two years for Jolly, having been arrested twice (making a total of four codeine-related arrests), battling a severe opiate addiction, serving six months in prison, and being granted early release from his six year sentence. Jolly has been released on 10 years of ‘shock probation,’ in the hopes that his prison term has opened his eyes to the possible, even likely, results of his continued abuse of codeine. He has expressed remorse for his actions, admitted his addiction, actively sought help, and now wants to play again. I, for one, think he deserves another chance to play in the NFL.

                Now, a chance to play and a roster spot are two vastly different things. I’m not suggesting the Packers clear room for Jolly on the roster and hand him back his starting role. Although he proved himself to be a dynamic player on the defensive line during his four year career in Green Bay (two years as a full time starter), there is no guarantee he’ll be able to play with the same speed and intensity after such a long time away from the game. A prison regimented diet, twice daily workouts, and a reported weight of 332 lbs (just seven lbs over his playing weight) are reasons to believe he may have kept himself in something resembling football shape. These reasons, from a strictly physical standpoint, may be enough to earn him a tryout with the team that still retains his rights as an NFL player.

                Jolly has served his time with both the state and the NFL. The nature of his crimes were not of violence, or harassment, or malicious intent (as is so often the case these days), but of addiction. Both of his parents battled addictions to crack, and it is no secret that addiction is a hereditary trait. While genes do not excuse the actions of a player who repeatedly broke the law, Jolly’s transgressions do not show a lack of character or intentionally disruptive behavior. In other words, we are not talking about Pacman Jones here, who by the way is back in the league and the headlines.

                The Packers have a history (though not necessarily an extensive one) of granting players with substance abuse problems a second chance. Koren Robinson and Anthony Hargrove are both players who battled alcoholism (and NFL suspensions as a result) that went on to be signed by the Packers. Let’s also not forget the very public pain-killer addiction of one Brett Favre. These players all admitted their problems, sought treatment, and went on to produce at the NFL level. The very same path that Jolly appears to be on.

                From a purely financial standpoint, a tryout for Jolly would be essentially risk free. His history of arrests and addiction render any signing bonus out of the question, which means the player could simply be cut, resulting in no financial recourse for the organization. Additionally, Jolly has expressed his strong desire to return to the NFL. If a formerly productive, extremely inexpensive, hungry for redemption player is knocking on your door for a chance to compete, I think you’d be a fool to turn him away.

                All of this may be purely academic if Roger Goodell decides not to reinstate Jolly, but I do not believe that will be the case. The commissioner has enough issues right now with the NFLPA, and does not need to add one more point of contention. I believe Jolly’s suspension from the league will be lifted, and the decision will be in Green Bay’s hands (as the owners of his NFL rights on the Reserve/Suspended by the commissioner list) as to whether or not he gets a second chance. Here’s hoping he laces them up one more time and once again wreaks havoc up the middle for opposing offenses.