Packers players excited about meeting Obama
Green Bay - Cornerback Charles Woodson told President Obama that the Green Bay Packers were coming to visit the White House.
Apparently, the president will welcome them with open arms.
Even though they knocked out his beloved Chicago Bears on the way to a Super Bowl XLV title, Obama extended an invitation to the Packers to visit with him at the White House on Aug. 12, a day before the team's exhibition opener at Cleveland.
After hearing Obama wasn't going to go to the Super Bowl unless the Bears were in it, Woodson told the team after its NFC Championship game victory over the Chicago Bears that "The president don't want to come watch us at the Super Bowl, guess what? We're going to see him."
Woodson then broke the team down with, "One, two, three... White House."
True to his word, the Packers went on to win Super Bowl XLV and earn the requisite White House visit. A fan of Obama's, Woodson holds no grudges over Obama's loyalty to the Bears.
"He is the president," Woodson said when asked about his admiration for Obama. "That says a lot about a president when you get (elected) to the damn White House."
Asked if he might offer to lend his speech-making talents to the president, "I don't write them. That's the thing, I just go from the cuff. I don't think I'd do pretty well. He's got to have some things laid out for him. I'm not very good with outlines."
Not surprisingly, the players were excited about the chance to go to the White House and meet the president. Even though their mantra is turning the page on last season, they weren't about to pass up this opportunity.
"You're going to go," safety Nick Collins said. "You're going to want that experience to go in the White House and get that tour. That's a childhood dream for a lot of guys. I can't wait to see it. I see it on TV, now i get to see it for myself."
Asked if it would a little strange because he's a Bears fan, Collins said: "We already know that. We're going to go in there and just have fun."
The chance to meet a president doesn't come around very often and for awhile it looked like the Packers wouldn't get the opportunity because the lockout complicated matters. Usually, a team goes to the White House in the spring, but the Packers had to squeeze it in during an offday in training camp.
Most of the players were more than happy to log the extra miles to see Obama.
Asked if he thought it was a big deal to him, tight end Tom Crabtree said, "Yeah, I think it should be for everybody. It's a special and unique opportunity. I think we're all looking forward to it."
Crabtree was referring to the players still on the roster. That's because those who left in free agency or were cut are not going on the trip.
General manager Ted Thompson confirmed that Wednesday afternoon.
"I was like, 'What's the deal with that?'" cornerback Jarrett Bush said. "The rookies, they weren't part of that deal. Guys like (Brandon) Chillar, Cullen (Jenkins)... it was a journey. We did that together. I guess that's just how they're going to do it.
"I understand the circumstances because other players are at camp, so that's that."
According to a club spokesman, a decision on whether all the players on the current roster are going is still being finalized.
As far as the opportunity to meet Obama, Bush and others said theu couldn't wait.
"I'm excited about it," receiver James Jones said. "I met him once, so I"m probably not as excited as the rest of the guys. But I'm excited to meet him again and rub it in a little bit because he's a Bears fan and we won the Super Bowl. It should be fun."
JSOnline wrote: