macbob
  • macbob
  • Veteran Member Topic Starter
14 years ago
Campen's quote at the end on running the ball (It just comes down to pride; moving your guy one-on-one) seems out of synch with MM. Heck, everyone knows it's got to be pad level.

http://www.packers.com/news-and-events/article_ketchman/article-1/Campen-dogged-in-pursuit-of-his-dream/0a8f66b9-9919-4a93-b3c3-0fe0353cfda7 

A decision made for him by his coach at Sacramento City College changed Packers Offensive Line Coach James Campen’s life forever. Coach Jerry Sullivan decided Campen would become a center.

“Coach Sullivan asked me what I wanted out of football and I said I wanted to play professional football,” Campen said. That’s when Sullivan told Campen he would be moving to center.

“I struggled with that,” Campen said of the awkwardness of snapping a football. “I was getting my butt whipped every day.”

Campen stuck with it, became proficient at it and won a scholarship offer two years later from Tulane. All of a sudden, Campen was on track to pursue his dream.

What if he hadn’t agreed to the position switch?

“If I was a stubborn person, I don’t believe I would’ve scholarshipped to Tulane,” Campen said.

That means he wouldn’t have signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 1986, which means he wouldn’t have come to the Packers as a Plan B free agent in 1989, which means he wouldn’t have become a starting center for the Packers. All of that, of course, means that if Campen hadn’t listened to his coach at Sacramento City College, he likely wouldn’t be coaching the Packers offensive line today and that means he wouldn’t be wearing a Super Bowl ring on his finger.

One decision changed everything; life can be funny that way.

“I’m sure I would’ve been successful doing something. It just wouldn’t have been football,” Campen said.

That means he wouldn’t have been doing what he loves.

“I love football. I really knew I loved it,” he said.

He loved it enough to sit in the blazing New Orleans sun for four hours, waiting for coaches to come back from a golf outing and work him out as an undrafted free agent. Jim Finks, then president of the Saints, looked through his window and saw Campen sitting in the sun. When Campen was in his fourth hour, Finks mercifully came outside and said he would conduct the workout. When the workout was complete, Finks signed Campen to a contract.

It is with that same dogged passion that Campen pursued a coaching career. When his playing career ended, he went back to Shingle Springs, Calif., tucked in the heart of California Gold Rush country, and volunteered at his high school alma mater, Ponderosa High School, to help coach the offensive line. His offer was gratefully accepted.

By year three, he was also Ponderosa’s defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach. By year five, he was Ponderosa’s head coach.

The NFL, again, was his target.

“I had stayed in touch with a lot of coaches,” he said, including the names Jon Gruden, Andy Reid, Dick Jauron and Mike Sherman, then head coach of the Packers. “I called coach Sherman and I said I believe I’m ready now and I’d like your opinion. He said to come on out. One thing led to another and he hired me as assistant offensive line coach and quality control coach.”

That was 2004 and he’s been with the Packers ever since.

Now, he’s targeting a new challenge.

“We want to be able to run the ball,” he said. “The run game allows you to do more things and be balanced in your offense. We want to get it going early instead of late, like last year.

“It just comes down to pride; moving your guy one-on-one. That’s certainly something we’re going to emphasize in our room, the attitude to run-block. We need to get better at that and finish harder. When those things happen, that’s when the big runs happen,” Campen said.

In at least one way, Campen would seem to be on a run.

Packers.com wrote:

Pack93z
14 years ago




“We want to be able to run the ball,” he said. “The run game allows you to do more things and be balanced in your offense. We want to get it going early instead of late, like last year.





Exactly.. couldn't have said it better myself.. wait.. maybe I have.



“It just comes down to pride; moving your guy one-on-one. That’s certainly something we’re going to emphasize in our room, the attitude to run-block. We need to get better at that and finish harder. When those things happen, that’s when the big runs happen,” Campen said.





"The oranges are dry; the apples are mealy; and the papayas... I don't know what's going on with the papayas!"
macbob
  • macbob
  • Veteran Member Topic Starter
14 years ago
sigh... [wallme]
zombieslayer
14 years ago
Yup. No way we can win a Super Bowl without 15+ rushes. [roflmao]
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macbob
  • macbob
  • Veteran Member Topic Starter
14 years ago
sigh... [wallme]
Nonstopdrivel
14 years ago
Pride be damned. You do what works. And based on the results we have seen from the offensive line over the past few years, I don't consider Campen exactly a credible source anyway. His offensive line allowed our quarterback to get hit 16 times in his first 34 dropbacks in the Super Bowl.
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macbob
  • macbob
  • Veteran Member Topic Starter
14 years ago

Pride be damned. You do what works. And based on the results we have seen from the offensive line over the past few years, I don't consider Campen exactly a credible source anyway. His offensive line allowed our quarterback to get hit 16 times in his first 34 dropbacks in the Super Bowl.

Originally Posted by: Nonstopdrivel 



I haven't been overly impressed with the performance of the OL under Campen and wouldn't be extremely upset if he was no longer the coach. Don't know that I'm entirely being fair, but not concerned about it.
Pack93z
14 years ago
I have personally gone on record in 07 and numerous times there after.. Campen should be replaced.. his success rate at developing talent is very low.







sigh... Bang Head

macbob wrote:





Hey.. I had to.. haven't touch that subject in a while.... you can win many ways in the game, but on offense having balance only increases the probability.



That said.. it is mostly for humors sake.
"The oranges are dry; the apples are mealy; and the papayas... I don't know what's going on with the papayas!"
macbob
  • macbob
  • Veteran Member Topic Starter
14 years ago

Hey.. I had to.. haven't touch that subject in a while.... you can win many ways in the game, but on offense having balance only increases the probability.



That said.. it is mostly for humors sake.

Originally Posted by: Pack93z 




I knew what I was risking posting the article. [palm]

Someone at work was arguing about procedures for doing something. We were telling her "this is the way it's done." Even after we showed her in writing what the process was, she kept saying, "no, that's not the way it works."

One of my coworkers, on hearing who we were discussing it with, said "forget it. Doesn't matter that you're right, you're not going to win the argument. You're best off just doing it yourself."
zombieslayer
14 years ago
Campen should have been let go. Agreed with Pack93z, and I've been on record agreeing here.

Campen's flaws almost got Aaron killed. 51 sacks is not acceptable, and we're still not that much better. Ted has been drafting OL consistently. Check his drafts. It's up to the coaches to develop them.

It's like if someone supplied you money to invest and you consistently fail to produce. It's not the supplier who's at fault. It's you.
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