woodbuck27
08-09-2006, 12:04 PM
Injuries rock offensive line
By BOB McGINN
bmcginn@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Aug. 8, 2006
Green Bay - The Green Bay Packers' young offensive line took a hit Tuesday when two of its members were injured and a third was declared out indefinitely.
Jason Spitz, the starting right guard, suffered what coach Mike McCarthy said was a bruised lower right leg. He was walking later with an ice bag taped on.
About 30 minutes later, backup guard-center Wayne Lucier walked off with what appeared to be an injury to his left ankle or foot.
Meanwhile, McCarthy indicated that diagnostic testing on the hamstring of backup right tackle Will Whitticker revealed significant damage.
"It's going to be awhile," McCarthy said, often a coaching euphemism meaning a long time.
Free agent Tupe Peko worked with the No. 1 unit at right guard. By the end of practice there were 11 healthy offensive linemen, one of whom was tackle Chad Clifton. He has sat out most of camp with a knee problem.
The coaches were to meet Tuesday night to determine how they'll line up Saturday night for the exhibition opener in San Diego. McCarthy offered no guess on how long Spitz and Lucier would be sidelined.
Junius Coston, who had been battling Spitz at right guard until Clifton's absence caused him to be moved to left tackle on Thursday, presumably will be moved inside.
"I wouldn't be surprised if I move back to guard for depth purposes," Coston said. "I'm here to win a job. (Versatility) was one of my selling points always. They're definitely getting their money's worth."
Peko, an eight-game starter for Indianapolis in 2004, was out of work in '05 and didn't arrive in Green Bay until July 28. He described himself as "fat" the first day, but in 10 days has improved his conditioning.
"I was 329, 330 when I got here and now I'm 320," Peko said. "I feel better. I have to lose more. I have to get my feet working better and learn all the plays."
Spitz was injured in a portion of practice without tackling. Lucier went down when the tackling was live.
"It was my fault," nose tackle Colin Cole said, referring to Spitz's injury. "I kind of thought the play was over and I kind of gave him a little whack and he may have lost his balance and went to try to balance himself on one leg and might have bent backward the wrong way.
"It definitely was nothing I was trying to do but mistakes like that happen. As soon as I got a chance I went up to him to see how he was. We're all teammates on this team."
Adam Haayer, a sixth-year tackle, was in Green Bay for a tryout Monday. He has played in 20 games for Minnesota and Arizona, starting five.
Rough stuff: Fearing injury and trying to keep the team fresh, McCarthy has been reluctant throughout camp to employ tackling in any segment of practice. According to running back Noah Herron, the first practice periods of tackling were Monday night.
He estimated that about 10 plays Monday night were live and then about 20 plays on Tuesday afternoon.
McCarthy informs the players a day in advance what each part of practice will entail.
"You can't go live all the time," Herron said. "The added element of taking somebody down to the ground makes the risk factors go way up."
In any event, Herron said the intensity on the practice field during live sessions wasn't as high as it was during the intra-squad scrimmage.
McCarthy is breaking from his 1-2-1-2 practice schedule with just one practice today after conducting just one Tuesday.
"We're going to take the next couple days and let them get their bodies back and get ready for San Diego," he said. "These next two Wednesdays we'll use the practices to prepare for a pre-season game."
Injury list: Safety Atari Bigby will undergo surgery in the next few days to repair a fractured right hand.
Wide receiver Greg Jennings sat out Tuesday with an injury in the hip and groin area but is expected back today.
Linebacker Brady Poppinga, in no uncertain terms, declared that he would make his debut Aug. 28 in Cincinnati. He's doing everything in practice except team drills.
"You will see No. 51 flying around then," he said.
Camp visitor:Sherman Lewis, the club's offensive coordinator from 1992-'99, is attending practice this week. He coached with McCarthy on Ray Rhodes' staff in '99. His son, Eric, is Green Bay's defensive quality-control coach.
"I like what I see," Lewis said late Tuesday. "They have a lot of good-looking athletes at the skill positions. Mike will need some more players but I think he'll be fine."
The West Coast passing game is similar to what Lewis coached in Green Bay but the zone running game is much different.
"I wish I had been exposed more to it," Lewis said. "We never had people with the expertise in it as coaches. It's a back running to daylight and the passing game comes off it. I'll tell you what. The linebackers must respond to the flow. I did studies of it in Denver. The run game benefits the play-action and movement game."
Counterfeit charges: Two men made and sold more than $10,000 worth of memorabilia bearing counterfeits of quarterback Brett Favre's autograph at a sports merchandise shop a few hundred yards from Lambeau Field, according to the office of state Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager.
Paul J. Vidani III, 59, of De Pere and Michael D. Van Lanen, 49, of Green Bay were charged Tuesday in Brown County Circuit Court with felony fraud, identity theft and trafficking in counterfeit trademarks, according to a news release from the attorney general's office. Van Lanen's wife, Cynthia, 50, has been charged with lying to investigators, according to the statement.
From December 2004 to January 2006, the criminal complaint says, Vidani's business made large, framed prints affixed with a "Brett Favre" hologram and sold with a certificate of authenticity at the Van Lanens' shop, All Sports Marketing, 2039 Holmgren Way in Green Bay.
If convicted of all the charges, the men face a maximum of 22 years in prison and up to $285,000 in fines. If convicted, Cynthia Van Lanen could be sentenced to nine months in prison and fined $10,000, according to the statement.
Ashley Johnson of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report from Milwaukee.
From the Aug. 9, 2006 editions of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
GO PACKERS ! HOLD THE FAITH in 2006 !
By BOB McGINN
bmcginn@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Aug. 8, 2006
Green Bay - The Green Bay Packers' young offensive line took a hit Tuesday when two of its members were injured and a third was declared out indefinitely.
Jason Spitz, the starting right guard, suffered what coach Mike McCarthy said was a bruised lower right leg. He was walking later with an ice bag taped on.
About 30 minutes later, backup guard-center Wayne Lucier walked off with what appeared to be an injury to his left ankle or foot.
Meanwhile, McCarthy indicated that diagnostic testing on the hamstring of backup right tackle Will Whitticker revealed significant damage.
"It's going to be awhile," McCarthy said, often a coaching euphemism meaning a long time.
Free agent Tupe Peko worked with the No. 1 unit at right guard. By the end of practice there were 11 healthy offensive linemen, one of whom was tackle Chad Clifton. He has sat out most of camp with a knee problem.
The coaches were to meet Tuesday night to determine how they'll line up Saturday night for the exhibition opener in San Diego. McCarthy offered no guess on how long Spitz and Lucier would be sidelined.
Junius Coston, who had been battling Spitz at right guard until Clifton's absence caused him to be moved to left tackle on Thursday, presumably will be moved inside.
"I wouldn't be surprised if I move back to guard for depth purposes," Coston said. "I'm here to win a job. (Versatility) was one of my selling points always. They're definitely getting their money's worth."
Peko, an eight-game starter for Indianapolis in 2004, was out of work in '05 and didn't arrive in Green Bay until July 28. He described himself as "fat" the first day, but in 10 days has improved his conditioning.
"I was 329, 330 when I got here and now I'm 320," Peko said. "I feel better. I have to lose more. I have to get my feet working better and learn all the plays."
Spitz was injured in a portion of practice without tackling. Lucier went down when the tackling was live.
"It was my fault," nose tackle Colin Cole said, referring to Spitz's injury. "I kind of thought the play was over and I kind of gave him a little whack and he may have lost his balance and went to try to balance himself on one leg and might have bent backward the wrong way.
"It definitely was nothing I was trying to do but mistakes like that happen. As soon as I got a chance I went up to him to see how he was. We're all teammates on this team."
Adam Haayer, a sixth-year tackle, was in Green Bay for a tryout Monday. He has played in 20 games for Minnesota and Arizona, starting five.
Rough stuff: Fearing injury and trying to keep the team fresh, McCarthy has been reluctant throughout camp to employ tackling in any segment of practice. According to running back Noah Herron, the first practice periods of tackling were Monday night.
He estimated that about 10 plays Monday night were live and then about 20 plays on Tuesday afternoon.
McCarthy informs the players a day in advance what each part of practice will entail.
"You can't go live all the time," Herron said. "The added element of taking somebody down to the ground makes the risk factors go way up."
In any event, Herron said the intensity on the practice field during live sessions wasn't as high as it was during the intra-squad scrimmage.
McCarthy is breaking from his 1-2-1-2 practice schedule with just one practice today after conducting just one Tuesday.
"We're going to take the next couple days and let them get their bodies back and get ready for San Diego," he said. "These next two Wednesdays we'll use the practices to prepare for a pre-season game."
Injury list: Safety Atari Bigby will undergo surgery in the next few days to repair a fractured right hand.
Wide receiver Greg Jennings sat out Tuesday with an injury in the hip and groin area but is expected back today.
Linebacker Brady Poppinga, in no uncertain terms, declared that he would make his debut Aug. 28 in Cincinnati. He's doing everything in practice except team drills.
"You will see No. 51 flying around then," he said.
Camp visitor:Sherman Lewis, the club's offensive coordinator from 1992-'99, is attending practice this week. He coached with McCarthy on Ray Rhodes' staff in '99. His son, Eric, is Green Bay's defensive quality-control coach.
"I like what I see," Lewis said late Tuesday. "They have a lot of good-looking athletes at the skill positions. Mike will need some more players but I think he'll be fine."
The West Coast passing game is similar to what Lewis coached in Green Bay but the zone running game is much different.
"I wish I had been exposed more to it," Lewis said. "We never had people with the expertise in it as coaches. It's a back running to daylight and the passing game comes off it. I'll tell you what. The linebackers must respond to the flow. I did studies of it in Denver. The run game benefits the play-action and movement game."
Counterfeit charges: Two men made and sold more than $10,000 worth of memorabilia bearing counterfeits of quarterback Brett Favre's autograph at a sports merchandise shop a few hundred yards from Lambeau Field, according to the office of state Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager.
Paul J. Vidani III, 59, of De Pere and Michael D. Van Lanen, 49, of Green Bay were charged Tuesday in Brown County Circuit Court with felony fraud, identity theft and trafficking in counterfeit trademarks, according to a news release from the attorney general's office. Van Lanen's wife, Cynthia, 50, has been charged with lying to investigators, according to the statement.
From December 2004 to January 2006, the criminal complaint says, Vidani's business made large, framed prints affixed with a "Brett Favre" hologram and sold with a certificate of authenticity at the Van Lanens' shop, All Sports Marketing, 2039 Holmgren Way in Green Bay.
If convicted of all the charges, the men face a maximum of 22 years in prison and up to $285,000 in fines. If convicted, Cynthia Van Lanen could be sentenced to nine months in prison and fined $10,000, according to the statement.
Ashley Johnson of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report from Milwaukee.
From the Aug. 9, 2006 editions of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
GO PACKERS ! HOLD THE FAITH in 2006 !