GREEN BAY, WIS. (AP) - With the NFL lockout in full swing, three Green Bay Packers players and the teams president will spend the next five days sharing a bus that will cover more than 700 miles as it crisscrosses Wisconsin and Michigans Upper Peninsula.

Did somebody say awkward?

Guard Josh Sitton, linebacker Desmond Bishop and backup quarterback Matt Flynn are traveling in close quarters with president and CEO Mark Murphy on the teams sixth annual Tailgate Tour, which left from Lambeau Field on Tuesday morning. All four insisted that the ride wont be a bumpy one because of the labor strife and court fight battle between team owners and the players.

I dont think it will be awkward at all, said Murphy, who was a union representative as a player with the Washington Redskins and is now a member of the owners negotiating committee. I miss the players, and to spend some time with them will be great. Im sure well have some discussions about the current labor situation, but I think everybody realizes its kind of above us all.

Murphy made no attempt to hide his intention to talk about the labor situation with the players. The lockout has been in place since March 11 except for several confusing days when it was lifted by a federal judge in a decision that has since been put on hold.

Im going to interact with the players. Well have a good, open discussion, Murphy said. Obviously with my background having been a player, having worked for the union and been a player rep, I can talk a lot about the issues. So Im looking forward to it.

Added Bishop: Im sure itll come up with Mark Murphy on the bus. We cant talk about too much, but Im sure itll come up. Everybodys talking about it _ the entire world is talking about it. So Im sure itll come up.

Coach Mike McCarthy, general manager Ted Thompson and several other members of the football staff saw the bus off. McCarthy and Thompson shook hands and chatted briefly with the players, with whom theyve had virtually no contact since the lockout began.

That was a little awkward. I havent seen em since the Super Bowl, said Sitton, whose position coach, offensive line coach James Campen, also came out to see the bus off. We havent talked for 50-some days now, so I didnt know the protocol. It was a little weird, but its all good.

While coaches and front-office staff are banned from having contact with players, there is an exception for charitable events such as the tour.

The group planned its initial stop for Marquette, Mich., on Tuesday followed by visits to three Wisconsin cities _ Ashland on Wednesday, Eau Claire on Thursday and Wausau on Friday _ before returning to Green Bay on Saturday. Community events are planned at each stop, with ticket sales benefiting a previously selected charity.

Its not going to be weird, Flynn said. This week is for the right reasons and a good cause. Thats why we came up here.

WashingtonTimes wrote:

Packers president Mark Murphy: We are going to retire Favres number

by Kareem Copeland

ASHLAND Former Packers quarterback Brett Favre has been a constant topic on the sixth annual Tailgate Tour and team president Mark Murphy was asked about the eventual retirement of the No. 4.

Eventually, hell come back into the fold. We are going to retire his number, Murphy said to a round of applause. He deserves that for what he did as a Packer. There are very few players in our history that had their number retired. He deserves it though. But its a very, very meaningful honor and we want to do it at a time when its meaningful for both him and the organization.

I think its probably going to be a few years. We want to make sure that hes really retired first. We made that mistake when he first retired after the 2007 season. Ironically, we were going to retire his number and have a big ceremony at the opening game that next season against the Minnesota Vikings. Little did we know hed end up playing that season for the Jets.

Former receiver Antonio Freeman elaborated on Favre and his relationship to the organization.

This is a league and a world of second chances, Freeman said. So, I think at one point in time well have to give Brett Favre a second chance to come back home. He did have a very meaningful career here. Im personally biased because he and I shared so many magical moments. He was my quarterback for, basically, my entire career. He was a guy who threw me all of my touchdowns.

Things like this, youre torn because as a player you see the drive to want to continue to play football, so you appreciate that. But you never appreciate the fact that he puts on purple on Sundays as his second career. So, thats a problem. But in due time, hell be back.

Since the Vikings were part of the Favre discussion, Murphy asked former defensive tackle Gilbert Brown to give his thoughts on the color purple.

Ive got two things about purple, Brown said. No. 1, grown men should never wear purple. Two, they look like 11 little Barneys out there. Three, the Vikings are horrible.

Murphy then added a little jab by saying, And also their stadium has a hole in it.

GBPressGazette wrote:

Things I liked best about the article were Gilbert Brown's two things about purple (1,2,3) and Mark Murphy's comment at the end... lol...

http://blogs.greenbaypressgazette.com/blogs/gpg/insider/2011/05/11/packers-president-mark-murphy-we-are-going-to-retire-favres-number/ 

GBPressGazette wrote:

Ive got two things about purple, Brown said. No. 1, grown men should never wear purple. Two, they look like 11 little Barneys out there. Three, the Vikings are horrible.