Nonstopdrivel
13 years ago

Master and commander: McCarthy, Rodgers embrace Super win
 
Associated Press
Published: Feb. 7, 2011 at 10:08 a.m. Updated: Feb. 7, 2011 at 01:29 p.m.

DALLAS -- There's no better excuse for a short night's sleep than winning a Super Bowl.

A bleary-eyed Aaron Rodgers glanced at the Vince Lombardi Trophy on Monday morning and talked about collecting a few more. So did his coach, Mike McCarthy.

Rodgers led the Green Bay Packers to a 31-25 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers for the storied franchise's fourth Super Bowl title and 13th NFL championship. Before accepting the game's MVP award and a car, Rodgers spoke of the next goals for him and the team.

"I guess I ran out of motivations, huh?" Rodgers said with a chuckle. "I always look for challenges. The challenge goes to repeating. We've got one, so now what? Let's go get another one."

Rodgers guided the Packers to three straight road victories in the playoffs before Sunday's win over Pittsburgh that made Green Bay the second No. 6 seed to win a Super Bowl. He threw for 304 yards and three touchdowns against the Steelers' second-ranked defense, and the Packers displayed a resilience that marked their season.

Green Bay had lost 16 players to injured reserve heading into the Super Bowl, then defensive leader Charles Woodson (collarbone) and veteran receiver Donald Driver (ankle) went down Sunday.

The ability to rally when faced with adversity will serve the Packers well as they defend their first title since the 1996 season.

"I think the core and nucleus of this team is intact to make a run like this for a few years," Rodgers said.

McCarthy, who along with general manager Ted Thompson built these Packers, agreed with the quarterback he bypassed in the 2005 draft while the offensive coordinator in San Francisco -- something Rodgers frequently reminds the coach about.

"This is an excellent football team I feel will grow and get better," said McCarthy, who carried the Lombardi Trophy in one hand into a conference room. "You give a good message that it's about the team and growth and development."

And confidence. McCarthy had so much faith in his team that he fitted the players for championship rings the night before the Super Bowl. Rodgers missed that, however, saying he was taking a shower.

Somehow, he'll probably get his ring size measured.

"We've talked to the football team about being real confident and this was an opportunity to express that," McCarthy said. "The measurement of rings would have a significant effect on the team the night before the game."

Rodgers and McCarthy have a solid relationship, certainly stronger than coach and quarterback shared when Brett Favre was taking snaps in McCarthy's first two years with the Packers. Rodgers jokes that he still carries a grudge for not being drafted by the 49ers -- Rodgers was a college star at Cal and grew up a Niners fan -- but he's thankful to be working with an offense-minded coach with a keen eye for talent.

And Rodgers is over having to sit for three seasons behind Favre before getting a chance to start.

"That's kind of been my career journey, waiting for opportunities and then making the most of it," Rodgers said.

"Mike is a players' coach. He thinks there's a negative connotation to that, but to me it means he allows input from his players. He allows input in the schedule and the way we do things and he sets up a routine that allows players to be successful, and allowing the coaches to coach."

The future for Rodgers, McCarthy and the Packers is murky because of a potential work stoppage as the union and league negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement. If labor issues get settled and 2011 is a normal NFL year, Rodgers can't wait to get started on defending the crown.

There is, after all, much improvement to be done.

"Being a perfectionist," he said, "there are plenty of things to work on and plenty of time to work on them."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press



Someday they'll figure out a way not to mention "him" in every article. Maybe.

One can hope.
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Zero2Cool (1h) : 49ers might be down their QB, DL, TE and LT?
packerfanoutwest (15h) : Jaire Alexander says he has a torn PCL
Zero2Cool (20-Nov) : Even with the context it's ... what?
Mucky Tundra (20-Nov) : Matt LaFleur without context: “I don’t wanna pat you on the butt and you poop in my hand.”
beast (20-Nov) : We brought in a former Packers OL coach to help evaluate OL as a scout
beast (20-Nov) : Jets have been pretty good at picking DL
Zero2Cool (20-Nov) : He landed good players thanks to high draft slot. He isn't good.
Zero2Cool (20-Nov) : He can shove his knowledge up his ass. He knows nothing.
beast (20-Nov) : More knowledge, just like bring in the Jets head coach
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : What? Why? Huh?
beast (19-Nov) : I wonder if the Packers might to try to bring Douglas in through Milt Hendrickson/Ravens connections
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : The Jets fired Joe Douglas, per sources
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : Jets are a mess......
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Pretty sure Jets fired their scouting staff and just pluck former Packers.
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Jets sign Anders Carlson to their 53.
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : When you cycle the weeks, the total over remains for season. But you get your W/L for that selected week. Confusing.
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : the total and percentage are the same as the previous weeks
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : the total and percentage are the same as the previous weeks
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : the totals are accurate..nrvrtmind
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : I don't follow what you are saying. The totals are not the same as last week.
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : ok so then wht are the totals the same as last week?
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : NFL Pick'em is auto updated when NFL Scores tab is clicked
Martha Careful (19-Nov) : The offense was OK. Let's not forget the Bear defense is very very good.
packerfanoutwest (19-Nov) : Who updates the leaderboard on NFLPickem?
beast (19-Nov) : Has the Packers offense been worse since the former Jets coach joined the Packers?
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Offense gets his ass in gear, this could be good.
Zero2Cool (19-Nov) : Backup QB helped with three wins. Special Teams contributed to three wins.
bboystyle (18-Nov) : Lions played outside thats why. They scored 16 and 17 in the only 2 outside games this year
Zero2Cool (18-Nov) : The rest of the NFL is catching up to Packers ... kicking is an issue throughout league
packerfanoutwest (18-Nov) : Packers DL Kenny Clark: We knew 'we were going to block' Bears' game-winning field goal attempt
Zero2Cool (18-Nov) : Lions seem to be throttling everyone, but only (only) got 24 lol maybe the rain is why
Zero2Cool (18-Nov) : Packers vs Lions game doesn't seem so bad.
beast (18-Nov) : Dennis Green "They are what we thought they were, and we let them off the hook!"
Martha Careful (17-Nov) : comment of the day Z2Cool "Bears better than we want to admit. Packers worse than we think. It's facts."
Mucky Tundra (17-Nov) : my worst case scenario: Bears fix their oline and get a coach like Johnson from the Lions and his scheme
Zero2Cool (17-Nov) : Bears get OL fixed amd we might have a problem
buckeyepackfan (17-Nov) : Pretty sure they already have scouting reports on guys who aren't even starting for their college team. The future is now for me.
buckeyepackfan (17-Nov) : I tend to let Gute and Co. Worry about the future.
beast (17-Nov) : That's great news and Packers need to keep upgrading their OL, DL and DBs this off-season, so missing one guy doesn't kill them
beast (17-Nov) : That's great news and Packers need to keep upgrading their OL, DL and DBs this off-season, so missing one guy doesn't kill them
buckeyepackfan (17-Nov) : Jaire and Evans Williams are both ACTIVE! Good news.
Martha Careful (17-Nov) : The badgers really need to change the whole offensive scheme. No draws no screens plus the quarterback is marginal
Cheesey (17-Nov) : If the Badgers had a decent QB, they would have won. The guy can't hit a wide open receiver
Martha Careful (17-Nov) : chop block
Martha Careful (17-Nov) : there was a very questionable job Block call that upon viewing replay was very borderline
beast (17-Nov) : How so? (I didn't watch)
Zero2Cool (17-Nov) : Badgers got hosed vs Oregon
packerfanoutwest (16-Nov) : damn,he hasn't played since week 2
Mucky Tundra (15-Nov) : poor guy can't catch a break
wpr (15-Nov) : wow. That three different things for the kid.
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