woodbuck27
06-22-2006, 11:03 AM
Harris' threat handled carefully
McCarthy refuses to speak his mind
By TODD ROSIAK
trosiak@journalsentinel.com
Posted: June 21, 2006
Green Bay - There wasn't much reaction Wednesday from the Green Bay Packers' camp with regard to Al Harris, as the team wrapped up its 14th and final day of voluntary off-season practices.
Harris said Tuesday night that he'd consider not showing up for the start of training camp on July 28.
He signed a six-year, $18.635 million contract extension in September 2004 but has skipped all the team's voluntary workouts over the past few months to demonstrate his unhappiness with the deal.
Following practice in the Don Hutson Center, coach Mike McCarthy said he wasn't interested in publicly sparring with Harris.
"I'm not going to discuss contracts. We don't do that in the media. I don't believe in communicating through the media," he said. "All the conversations I've been a part of as far as Al Harris I've been told over and over again he's nothing but a true professional. He's always comes in shape, (been an) extremely hard worker and I don't think that's going to change."
The Packers have been without both their projected starting cornerbacks - Harris and Charles Woodson - throughout June.
Woodson, who signed a seven-year, $39.03 million deal with Green Bay in the off-season, did not show up last week or this week, despite McCarthy's hopes he might.
Skeleton crew: Aside from Harris, the Packers' secondary was also sans cornerbacks Jason Horton, WillBlackmon, Ahmad Carroll, Mike Hawkins and Jerron Wishom and safeties Mark Roman, Marquand Manuel, Marviel Underwood and Nick Collins on Wednesday.
That left them with just five defensive backs - cornerbacks Patrick Dendy and Therrian Fontenot and safeties TraBoger, Tyrone Culver and Atari Bigby.
"We were worried about it, obviously, because we slowed some things down and put some water breaks in between periods," said McCarthy. "But it's a great opportunity for all those guys and I think they had a good day."
Roll call: Quarterback Brett Favre was excused and left town Tuesday.
Running backs Ahman Green and Najeh Davenport, linebacker Tracy White, center Wayne Lucier, tight end BubbaFranks, wide receiver Robert Ferguson and defensive tackle Corey Williams were also absent.
Injured but present were running back Arliss Beach, tight end Garrett Cross, linebackers Brady Poppinga and NickBarnett, center Chris White and tackles Adrian Klemm and Chad Clifton.
Center Scott Wells and defensive tackle Colin Cole returned.
Injury update:
McCarthy said he expected Clifton and Klemm to be ready to participate at the open of training camp.
Green and Davenport, meanwhile, he wasn't so sure about.
"I would say if we had to go play a game in training camp that I think those guys would be ready," he said. "We're just going to be smart on an individual basis."
McCarthy also said Poppinga appears to be ahead of schedule in his recovery from knee surgery.
From the June 22, 2006 editions of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
McCarthy refuses to speak his mind
By TODD ROSIAK
trosiak@journalsentinel.com
Posted: June 21, 2006
Green Bay - There wasn't much reaction Wednesday from the Green Bay Packers' camp with regard to Al Harris, as the team wrapped up its 14th and final day of voluntary off-season practices.
Harris said Tuesday night that he'd consider not showing up for the start of training camp on July 28.
He signed a six-year, $18.635 million contract extension in September 2004 but has skipped all the team's voluntary workouts over the past few months to demonstrate his unhappiness with the deal.
Following practice in the Don Hutson Center, coach Mike McCarthy said he wasn't interested in publicly sparring with Harris.
"I'm not going to discuss contracts. We don't do that in the media. I don't believe in communicating through the media," he said. "All the conversations I've been a part of as far as Al Harris I've been told over and over again he's nothing but a true professional. He's always comes in shape, (been an) extremely hard worker and I don't think that's going to change."
The Packers have been without both their projected starting cornerbacks - Harris and Charles Woodson - throughout June.
Woodson, who signed a seven-year, $39.03 million deal with Green Bay in the off-season, did not show up last week or this week, despite McCarthy's hopes he might.
Skeleton crew: Aside from Harris, the Packers' secondary was also sans cornerbacks Jason Horton, WillBlackmon, Ahmad Carroll, Mike Hawkins and Jerron Wishom and safeties Mark Roman, Marquand Manuel, Marviel Underwood and Nick Collins on Wednesday.
That left them with just five defensive backs - cornerbacks Patrick Dendy and Therrian Fontenot and safeties TraBoger, Tyrone Culver and Atari Bigby.
"We were worried about it, obviously, because we slowed some things down and put some water breaks in between periods," said McCarthy. "But it's a great opportunity for all those guys and I think they had a good day."
Roll call: Quarterback Brett Favre was excused and left town Tuesday.
Running backs Ahman Green and Najeh Davenport, linebacker Tracy White, center Wayne Lucier, tight end BubbaFranks, wide receiver Robert Ferguson and defensive tackle Corey Williams were also absent.
Injured but present were running back Arliss Beach, tight end Garrett Cross, linebackers Brady Poppinga and NickBarnett, center Chris White and tackles Adrian Klemm and Chad Clifton.
Center Scott Wells and defensive tackle Colin Cole returned.
Injury update:
McCarthy said he expected Clifton and Klemm to be ready to participate at the open of training camp.
Green and Davenport, meanwhile, he wasn't so sure about.
"I would say if we had to go play a game in training camp that I think those guys would be ready," he said. "We're just going to be smart on an individual basis."
McCarthy also said Poppinga appears to be ahead of schedule in his recovery from knee surgery.
From the June 22, 2006 editions of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel