Zero2Cool
18 years ago

By Chris Havel

There is a reason it takes two words to reference one area.

The locker room is a double-edged sword that cuts in whatever direction the players allow it. Seniority doesn't rule. Neither do ability, stability or credibility.

Majority rules.

It is why the NFL has winners and losers, champions and chumps. It may be the No. 1 reason if not a close second to coaching why some teams succeed and some fail.

When the regular season ends and the Packers and Bears shake hands and jog off Soldier Field, will Green Bay be a team on the rise? Will it be a team to get excited about? Will it be reasonable to think 2007 playoffs?

Or won't it?

In 15 seasons worth of locker rooms, I have seen the awe-inspiring and the awful. I have seen teamwork at its finest, friends at their best and men taking pride in their profession. I have seen envy, indifference and intolerance.

Which way is it going to fall for the Packers?

The early indications arrive today at noon when the Packers play the Dolphins at Miami's Dolphin Stadium. Coach Mike McCarthy's team is coming off a bye week. It should be fairly obvious whether the time off was well spent or misspent.

The Dolphins aren't very good right now. Neither are the Packers. Not now. Green Bay has played just well enough to get fans especially irate when it loses. Better to spend Sundays at the bedside of a doomed team, rather than "that damned team!"

The Packers, at 1-4, have a favorable schedule ahead of them and enough positives to build on behind them. This season doesn't have to be listed as a "rebuilding" casualty. Sorry, but I missed the "Season Under Construction" sign at Lambeau Field.

Ted Thompson, the Packers' general manager, wants to win. He prefers to do it by drafting, developing and directing talented young players. The players need to take it from there and finish the job.

To be fair, Thompson has succeeded in drafting a lot of promising, productive and potentially special players. The influx is so rapid it has almost gone unnoticed.

A.J. Hawk, Nick Collins, Brady Poppinga, Abdul Hodge, Corey Williams, Michael Montgomery and Will Blackmon need to impose their collective will.

Greg Jennings, Daryn Colledge, Jason Spitz, Tony Moll, Scott Wells and Noah Herron need to follow Aaron Rodgers' lead: Watch and learn from Brett Favre Rodgers so he can be ready to take over; the rest so they can be ready to follow.

Together, the Packers' youngest and brightest players have an opportunity to take the team's future into their hands. They can control their destiny, to a great degree, if they trust in Thompson and McCarthy, and if they want it bad enough.

It isn't going to happen by showing up, practicing hard, studying a bit and going home. Not a chance. It is more than doing your job. It is doing it together. Football is a young man's game, and the quicker the Packers' young players realize it and accept the consequences of daring to be great, they'll be just another team that doesn't quite cut it.

Majority rules.

Chris Havel can be reached by voice mail at (920) 431-8586 or by e-mail at chavel@greenbay.gannett.com


UserPostedImage
Rockmolder
16 years ago
Wow, this really looks familiar.

I'm being horribly bored at school, just browsing around some old posts, and this one seems to apply for this season aswell.

If you read this though, you'd think last year was indeed a fluke, as we're still waiting for alot of the young guys to step up and get this team back to greatness... and I couldn't agree more with the irritation of a team losing all these close games.

Hope just sinks to your shoes after losing 6 of these close ones in one season.
Greg C.
13 years ago
I remember that the Packers won that game. Darryn Colledge got thrown into the deep end of the pool at left tackle, because Clifton was hurt, and he got lit up by Jason Taylor early. Charles Woodson had a pick-six.
blank
wpr
  • wpr
  • Preferred Member
13 years ago
6 of the 15 players listed are gone. A few more could leave this year.

A.J. Hawk, Nick Collins, Brady Poppinga, Abdul Hodge, Corey Williams, Michael Montgomery and Will Blackmon need to impose their collective will.

Greg Jennings, Daryn Colledge, Jason Spitz, Tony Moll, Scott Wells and Noah Herron need to follow Aaron Rodgers' lead: Watch and learn from Brett Favre Rodgers so he can be ready to take over; the rest so they can be ready to follow.


UserPostedImage
Fan Shout
bboystyle (12m) : Tom*
Martha Careful (8h) : RIP Packer Safety Tim Brown
beast (27-Apr) : Yeah, but also some of the wording suggestions Jax only pranked called the QB, not the others... and if he had an open spreadsheet & 3 calls
beast (27-Apr) : Thank goodness he's not leaving the Turtle in the Red Tide
Mucky Tundra (27-Apr) : Cowboys 1st round pick Tyler Booker will indeed be bringing his pet turtle to Dallas with him
Mucky Tundra (27-Apr) : that contained all prospects info and contact
Mucky Tundra (27-Apr) : beast, according the Falcons statement Jax came across it on an ipad. If I had to guess, probably an open spread sheet or something
Zero2Cool (27-Apr) : Simmons put up an emoji with cheese.
beast (27-Apr) : Not sure anyone is interested in Isaiah Simmons... Collin Oliver might of taken his potential slot
beast (27-Apr) : I'm going with Jax Ulbrich is not telling the whole truth... he accidentally came across it? Why would a defensive coordinator have a QB #?
Zero2Cool (27-Apr) : He's not that great, but final piece of the script.\
Zero2Cool (27-Apr) : If we add Isaiah Simmons, book your Super Bowl tickets
Mucky Tundra (27-Apr) : Colts 1st round TE Tyler Warren also got prank called, was that Jax Ulbrich as well?
Zero2Cool (27-Apr) : Jax Ulbrich, Jeff Ulbrich’s son, released an apology for his role in the Shedeur Sanders prank call.
Martha Careful (27-Apr) : apparently he did not participate in practice or play on the east west shrine game nor the NFL combine. The kid was a mediocre spoiled brat
Mucky Tundra (27-Apr) : Yeah that one that was a super wounded duck that Sanders supporters are highlighting to prove a point
Zero2Cool (27-Apr) : Shough is the guy who missed guys at combine isn't he?
beast (27-Apr) : It's not official until I'm dead! I have a chance still! (Not really)
Mucky Tundra (27-Apr) : I could feel my body decomposing in real time when I read that
Mucky Tundra (27-Apr) : @MIKEYSAINRISTIL Tyler Shough will officially be the last person drafted to the NFL born in the 1900’s
Mucky Tundra (26-Apr) : saw the tweet, he meant the city
Mucky Tundra (26-Apr) : Was that for the team or the city?
Zero2Cool (26-Apr) : Adam Schefter @AdamSchefter · 3m Draft grade is in: Green Bay gets an A. The people, the city, the venue were all superb. NFL Draft’s next
Zero2Cool (26-Apr) : Matt LaFleur says Jaire Alexander is participating in #Packers offseason program, which has been conducted virtually during this first week
Zero2Cool (26-Apr) : ✅ ...
buckeyepackfan (26-Apr) : Check
Zero2Cool (26-Apr) : Matthew Golden cahanged 81 to 22??
TheKanataThrilla (26-Apr) : Sam Howell to Vikings...guess no Aaron
Martha Careful (26-Apr) : 1 round 7 min, with one extra minute if there is a trade. 2nd round 4 minutes, 3rd -3, 2 thereafter IMO
Martha Careful (26-Apr) : Agree
dfosterf (26-Apr) : Great idea imo
dfosterf (26-Apr) : 1st round to 7 minutes with one extension
dfosterf (26-Apr) : NFL comissioner wants to shorten the 2st
Mucky Tundra (26-Apr) : @jalenreagors They’re discussing if Sheduer can go back to college on NFL Network LMFAOOOOO
beast (26-Apr) : Great point Martha
beast (26-Apr) : Buddy Ryan used to say if a candy bar goes missing, there are two to blame, Rex and Rob 🤪 jk 😁
Martha Careful (26-Apr) : Bum Phillips used to say there are two ways to get better. Get better players or get players to play better. We have a new DL coach
Zero2Cool (26-Apr) : Yes. Look at the losses last year. They can win.
beast (26-Apr) : Can Packers win with their current DL?
bboystyle (26-Apr) : waiting for a pass rusher.
dfosterf (25-Apr) : 5 minutes between picks in the 3rd
dfosterf (25-Apr) : 3rd. Hate this phone
dfosterf (25-Apr) : 4rd
dfosterf (25-Apr) : 5 minutes in the 4
dfosterf (25-Apr) : 7 minutes between picks in the 2nd round
Martha Careful (25-Apr) : Sorry to bitch, but the headline writers in that section absolutely mislead, or don't know how to read. It is maddening
Martha Careful (25-Apr) : No thanks. Not a dependable guy to be in the right place and run the right route. Dumb as a box of rocks.
Zero2Cool (25-Apr) : Losing 2nd round pick for a one year rental, not ideal. Especially a headcase.
TheKanataThrilla (25-Apr) : Pickens for Jaire may be interesting. Definitely not sure we want Pickens long term.
dfosterf (25-Apr) : No.Absolutely not
Please sign in to use Fan Shout
2024 Packers Schedule
Friday, Sep 6 @ 7:15 PM
Eagles
Sunday, Sep 15 @ 12:00 PM
COLTS
Sunday, Sep 22 @ 12:00 PM
Titans
Sunday, Sep 29 @ 12:00 PM
VIKINGS
Sunday, Oct 6 @ 3:25 PM
Rams
Sunday, Oct 13 @ 12:00 PM
CARDINALS
Sunday, Oct 20 @ 12:00 PM
TEXANS
Sunday, Oct 27 @ 12:00 PM
Jaguars
Sunday, Nov 3 @ 3:25 PM
LIONS
Sunday, Nov 17 @ 12:00 PM
Bears
Sunday, Nov 24 @ 3:25 PM
49ERS
Thursday, Nov 28 @ 7:20 PM
DOLPHINS
Thursday, Dec 5 @ 7:15 PM
Lions
Sunday, Dec 15 @ 7:20 PM
Seahawks
Monday, Dec 23 @ 7:15 PM
SAINTS
Sunday, Dec 29 @ 3:25 PM
Vikings
Sunday, Jan 5 @ 12:00 PM
BEARS
Recent Topics
4h / Green Bay Packers Talk / Mucky Tundra

27-Apr / Packers Draft Threads / Mucky Tundra

27-Apr / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

27-Apr / Green Bay Packers Talk / Mucky Tundra

27-Apr / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

27-Apr / Around The NFL / bboystyle

27-Apr / Green Bay Packers Talk / Mucky Tundra

27-Apr / Packers Draft Threads / Mucky Tundra

27-Apr / Green Bay Packers Talk / Martha Careful

27-Apr / Packers Draft Threads / wpr

27-Apr / Packers Draft Threads / wpr

27-Apr / Packers Draft Threads / wpr

27-Apr / Packers Draft Threads / wpr

27-Apr / Packers Draft Threads / wpr

27-Apr / Packers Draft Threads / wpr

Headlines
Copyright © 2006 - 2025 PackersHome.com™. All Rights Reserved.