Bretsky
09-30-2006, 12:57 AM
FRIDAY, Sept. 29, chat transcript
Rick Braun
Packer Plus/Packer Insider columnist
Q: Lennie Durow of San Diego - Rick: Thanks for taking our questions. I know that FB is one of the easier positions to fill in the NFL but did the Packers make a mistake by letting Vonte Leach go with the expectations that Henderson would be fine returning from his Knee surgery? Also, what are your thoughts on Miree's experience in the zone blocking scheme. It appears that, although they may eventually do well, the current O Line and TE's weren't exactly suited for the new scheme.
A: Rick Braun - Let's start with Lennie and welcome to all. First off, I don't think cutting Leach was so much of a mistake. In fact, I think he would have been gone in the final camp cut if Henderson hadn't been injured. Simply put, Packer fullbacks have to catch the ball and Leach didn't. As for Miree, I've said it before and I'll say it again: I don't care if it's zone-blocking, gap-blocking, or even road-blocking, the most important word there is blocking, not zone or gap or whatever. And what's happening in the run game is there's not enough blocking. Blame the players, not the system.
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Q: Terry Chaney of Royal Oak, Mi - Did you notice a sygnificant difference in skill between A. J. Hawk and Earny Sims the detroit linebacker who was drafted four spots later?
A: Rick Braun - Terry, I didn't watch Sims as much, but I noticed Hawk closing like a race car on that sack, and I've also noticed Hawk doesn't seem to miss tackles. So, to answer your question (I guess), I think Hawk is coming on pretty well.
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Q: Brad Pelton of Milwaukee - Hey Rick, what in the world is up with all this ballhooey, snapfooey, skullduggery and slapskunkery? I mean, here we are with one of the greatest QB's of all time, and all everyone wants to say is blah blah this, and blah blah that, and he's blah blah blah. Why not just enjoy watching this great, GREAT QB and forget about all the other flimflamscamery. Agreed?
A: Rick Braun - Brad, I don't know if I could have said it better. I wrote a column about two years ago suggesting that time was short and to make sure everyone watched and enjoyed Favre. Now time is even shorter. Watch and enjoy.
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Q: kwed of dubuque - Rick, knowing now what you know about the team in 2006, if you were GM, would you have brought favre back? I am the biggest favre fan, but I believe thompson did the "safe thing". Great gm's don't play safe. If I am GM, I do not bring him back unless he tells me that he's in it for 2-3 more years.
A: Rick Braun - kwed, the problem with your question is that Thompson didn't "bring back" Favre but rather that Favre already had a contract and simply chose not to retire. Nothing safe or otherwise about it. And I don't think the Packers would be better off in teh future if Favre retired now. Rodgers will be better for having had more time to develop without all the pressure.
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Q: Lawrence Sena of Onalaska - Hey Rick, regarding the pending changing of the guard at fullback, how do you think William Henderson will be remembered by the Packers and by the NFL? Personally, I think that the NFL and the sports media owe him a HUGE apology for giving most of their attention (for many years) to a certain big running back from Tampa Bay who masqueraded as a fullback. How do you think Henderson will be placed in Packer lore??
A: Rick Braun - Yeah, Alstott was more of a big tailback than a fullback, but he was also blocking for Warrick Dunn a bunch of those years. Henderson will be remembered as a solid fullback. He wasn't a game-changer, but he brought his lunch pail to work and did his job -- rather well, although it's not a glamourous position.
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Q: Digger of Andover - Rick: On July 20th you wrote that you were septical of the '05 draft. Let's revisit that: Collins and Poppinga are starters albeit both are not living up to expectations in coverage. Last year, I really believed Collins would be the next Butler. I still think, if used properly, he could be a star. Let's face it, he is he only willing tackler in the d-backfield. Terrance Murphy gets a pass because he looked good before career ending injury. Underwood is hurt, but has flashed above average skills. Coston is still a maybe. Montgomery is in the D-line rotation. Finally, for all we know Rodgers may still be a legit starter someday. By comparison to Sherman's abomination of '04 (and '03 for that matter), '05 doesn't look all that bad. Now take into account '06 with 2 potential stars: Hawk and Jennings. I'm not ready to say "Ron Wolf who?" just yet, but at least Thompson has not humiliated himself ala your best friend Sherman.
A: Rick Braun - Digger, I'm not so sure Poppinga is the answer. he's sure had his problems in pass coverage and is already a target of opposing offenses after just three games. Collins almost seems to have regressed. He's been whipped in coverage too many times and needs to improve. Like Poppinga, he's been better in run defense. It was a tough break on Muprhy. But you also have to ask yourself this: If the Murphy thing doesn't happen, do they take Jennings? Yes, Underwood got hurt, but even though he was having a better camp he still wasn't expected to be anything more than a backup. Montgomery is adequate thus far, Coston still has played just three plays from scrimmage and won't add to that total unless there's an injury. Whitticker went from starter to cut. Not a good sign. We'll have a better idea of the 2005 draft in about another year or two. It's OK right now, but not great.
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Q: Jack of Denver - Even though the last victory tends to blur people's perceptions, I have a better feeling than most when watching the Packers play. If the Packers can just stop giving up big plays (which seem to all stem from Poppinga and the safeties) and if the lineman/FB can start hitting people when they block on running plays, this team could be pretty good. It sure seems like good coaching would make a big difference. Thoughts?
A: Rick Braun - Jack, I don't know about "pretty good." That might mean playoffs, and I don't think this is a playoff team. What I think should be the expectation is that they get better as the season goes on. Fans might do themselves a favor by looking at this team like the 1992 team. That team also was coming off a 4-12 season with a new coach and a lot of young guys. If the current team can develop like the 92 team did, things will be good in GB for years to come
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Q: Jeff of La Grange Park, IL - I think the Al Harris situation needs to be put to rest. Whether he's a superstar or on the decline, I think for political reasons we need to work with this guy and get him in the right frame of mind. On the flip side, he needs to understand if he doesn't cut it. Yea, you will be playing somewhere else, and for a much lower salary.
A: Rick Braun - The Harris thing this week was blown out of proportion. Nothing more, nothing less. He wants a new deal but hasn't played up to that thus far.
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Q: Doug of Dresher, PA - Rick, Do you see Koren Robinson picking up the offense and becoming the thrid Wideout?
A: Rick Braun - Well, he'll have to beat out Ferguson, who does know the system much better and doesn't have a suspension hanging over his head. Not much sense in guessing on it till we know what happens with the possible suspension. And the current offense doesn't exactly employ three wides very often. But he sure did make a nice catch Sunday.
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Q: Jack Johnson of Los Angeles - Rick: Hats Off to Mark Tauscher for giving his valuable time and effort to encourage kids to read. Shows that one person, especially an NFL star, can make a huge difference in people's lives. My related question is: which player or players in Packer history have been the biggest philanthropists?
A: Rick Braun - Jack, they've had a lot of good or even great guys over the years. Sorry, but I haven't really covered them long enough to make such a statement going back in Packer history. But, you're right: Tauscher's a darn good guy.
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Q: John of Elk Wa. - What is your impression of the secondary? For all the money they spent to upgrade the defense one would expect at least some improvment. It looks like it was money ill spent as Manuel can't cover and Woodson looks like he's coasting a bit. There's not much that can be done with Woodson but I would put Culver in the lineup in Manuel's place, he seems more instinctive. Your take?
A: Rick Braun - John, Manuel has been a disappointment so far. I really expected better and he's been burned a few times and missed too many tackles. He needs to improve. Woodson was burned a lot in that pre-season game at Cincy, but he hasn't been consistently torched in the three regular season games. Still, he's part of a unit that has been pretty wretched as a whole so far.
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Q: WILL of GLADSTONE, MI - Hi Rick, Where would this team be if Jim Bates was manning the Defensive side of the ball still.
A: Rick Braun - Well, Will, we could guess it would be better, but it would be just that: a guess.
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Q: Dave of Milwaukee - Rick, the Pack are currently playing 4 rookies on offense: Colledge, Spitz, Moll and Jennings. The chances of Jennings being a successful NFL player look good. The odds of the other three seem at least even. Wouldn't it be some story for TT if two of the rookie linemen became longtime starting guards and the third eventually took over for Clifton (his career appears as if it will be significantly shortened due to the major injury from Sapp). If this does occur can you think of the last time the Pack hit on 4 starters on one side of the ball in a single draft? Thanks.
A: Rick Braun - Dave, the short answer to your question is "no." But realistically I don't see a starting left tackle in the Moll-Spitz-Colledge trio.
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Q: jim of Oak creek - Hi Rick, is Miree that talented that he can over take william henderson or would he become the starting fullback more because of his understanding of the zone blocking scheme. See you at next year's father/son outing.
A: Rick Braun - Hi Jim! I think people are writing off Henderson a bit prematurely. He is only about five weeks out from surgery and should get better. Miree might have an advantage in this system, but let's all remember that he's still a guy who spent one year on IR and one on practice squad. That's not exactly an eye-popping resume.
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Q: terry wurster of sister bay, wi - Talk about a supposed position of strength being exposed as the weak spot, how about that defensive backfield? The one position that was addressed by Ted Thompson during the offseason, to the tune of almost $50 million in contracts, simply cannot run well enough to cover. Manuel at safety seems to run and cut in mud, woodson has no quicks, or for that matter,desire left, and although he has played very well in the past, Al Harris has lost some of his marginal speed and is going to get fried deep if left one on one. I like Collins as a safety and see some upside there, but as a cover man in dime or nickle, his footwork is really bad. Some of this might be attributable to coaching and scheme, but you can't coach speed. Seems as though the front office whiffed on this group of FA's, and could further compound this mistake by extending Al Harris' contract. What do you think, the assessment too bleak? Is there reason to hope for improvement? This reminds me of the 2004 sieve.(Just as an afterthought, wouldn't Steve Hutchinson have looked good for the same money they paid Woodson, and for a lot more years?)
A: Rick Braun - Terry, you're right. It's been a disappointment. But I think a pass defense is easier to fix than if they were getting the ball run down their throats. Collins is young, Manuel and Woodson are new to the system. Woodson hasn't been as bad in the regular season as he was in that Cincinnati game. I just wish he gave the impression he cared a little more. Maybe he cares as much as possible, but a lot of people have the same impression as you that he's coasting. Harris has always gone up against the best receivers and done well. But Roy Williams certainly got the better of him Sunday.
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Q: C'Bear of OviedoFL - Rick, What is the NFL and ESPN thinking when scheduling the PAckers for (2) "road" Monday night games? They knew going in the Packers would be a poor team, but why not schedule the 2 games at home when the PAckers have a real chance???
A: Rick Braun - C'Bear: I don't think the networks worry about who's home and who's away so much. But against those two opponents, you are right that the games could be ugly.
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Q: JP of Orlando - Rick, What is the general feeling among the state writers about Thompson and his abilities. It seems he seriously shys away froom the media at ALL cost...I've been saying siince last year, he manages from his own comfort zone and only getting players he eally knows...Bad sign!!
A: Rick Braun - JP, I think he'd rather be in his office watching players on film than talking to reporters, but he's gotten better since he's gotten here. And he's hardly the first GM ever to like players he knows a little better.
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Q: J Tark of Elk Grove ILL - Rick, Is there a develpoing story/issue with Harris and McCarthy/Thompson & the PAckers management??
A: Rick Braun - Shark, I think this week's story was overblown. I'm betting there will be more of an issue between Harris and a reporter than Harris and McCarthy/Thompson. Still, Harris has wanted a new deal and he's not been playing up to that so far.
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Q: Jerry of New York - Are you any relation to George Costanza's long-time nemisis, Lloyd Braun?
A: Rick Braun - Jerry, When I changed careers from politics (as the former mayor's chief of staff" and selling computers, I legally changed my name from Lloyd to Rick. I'm not a relation, I actually am the former Lloyd Braun.
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Q: Beanie of Boston, MA - As a life-long Packer fan who grew-up on the lower east side (LES) of Madison I certainly recall those ‘glory years’ of the 1970’s and ‘80’s. You know, those teams that truly gave ‘mediocre’ a bad name. Those memories and the recent turn of events has inspired me to write a song, a parody of sorts, a la Weird Al Yankovic he himself a classic dose of mediocrity. My song is being written to the tune of Don McClean classic “Bye, Bye Miss American Pie;†Don, not to be confused with coach extraordinaire and distant cousin Dave McClain. Here is my song writer dilemma – the line “The day the music died,†you know the Buddy Holly death reference in Don McClean’s song. Well, can you help me pinpoint the “day the music died†for the Packers? Was it the day they lost of Mike Holmgren; or the day Ron Wolf hung it up; or when Ray Rhodes was hired as Head Coach; or the day Mike Sherman was given the keys to the GM office; or Brett’s 5 interception play-off performance against the Ram’s; or the 4th and 26 against the Eagles; or Brett’s bonehead jump-ball that same day; or the blown game against the Jets taking home-field playoff advantage away; or Atlanta taking the Lambeau mystique away for good; or the day the tide turned and players looked forward to packing their bags and getting out from under the paper factory fog of GB – McKenzie, Sharper, Walker, Longwell…or…orâ⠬¦.? Hey, any help would be appreciated as I have a lot of verses (and minutes to) fill.
A: Rick Braun - 4th and 26. But you should do it as an original, not a parody.
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Q: Kevin P of Terre Haute, IN - How's it going Rick? Your Hoosier golf buddy is still backing the Pack. If I didn't dump them through the 70s and 80s, I guess I never will! Hope all is well with you. What direction, in your opinion, will the Pack take in next year's draft? It's a pretty safe assumption that they're going to have another very high pick. Quinn or some other QB? A stud RB? The LT position will need to be addressed sooner rather than later too. Fairways and greens to you!
A: Rick Braun - Hi Kevin. With 13 games left there is still a lot of time for the needs to become apparent. Anything I said now would be nothing but a far-fetched guess. But a stud RB would always fit. Keep hitting 'em long and straight.
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Q: JJ of Appleton - Rick, The game plan on offense for the Lions was good. With our offense in mind, how do the coaches effectively game plan to take advantage of Philadelphia's poor pass defense? Thanks.
A: Rick Braun - JJ, I'd expect them to throw a lot against Philly. McCarthy will always be a guy who wants to establish the run, but he's certainly been willing to throw it of late as the run has struggled.
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Q: Ryan of Milwaukee - Why foes the media get on Ahmad Carrol so much! He actually isn't that bad, yes he is physical and gets some penaltiesm, but if it wasn't for his deflection the Packers might very well be 0-3!
A: Rick Braun - To be honest, Ryan, I think Carroll gets a bad rap because of how he carries himself. He's young and brash and needs to mature a bit.
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Q: Dan Bushman of Hudson, WI - What would you say Mike McCarthy and staff are trying to put in place regarding anything from game strategy to overall team management (motivation, practice philosophy, "culture") that is a change from Mike Sherman? I am always curious about mgmt changes that are done to get a "fresh start" or "new path" or "new vision".
A: Rick Braun - Dan, I think one of the most noticable changes is that the McCarthy offense is probably a bit more conservative than the Sherman/Rossley offense that liked to throw long. McCarthy wants to run and run and run the ball, but I think he's finding out they can't right now. Thus, what we're seeing right now is a lot of what we saw in 1992 and 93 -- the original West Coast offense where short, 4- and 5-yard passes almost serve as the run game.
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Q: Terrell of Milwaukee - Rick do you believe that most facets of the the offense and defense is up to par after three weeks? Furthermore what can the coaches do to amp up the secondary? They are getting killed out there.
A: Rick Braun - Terrell, the run offense is far from good right now. As for the secondary, I would hope they let the starters know that they can be replaced. But I suspect the starters already know that.
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Q: Powerball of East Texas - Rick- Putting aside the miscues of the defense in performance, strictly from an athletic and speed level, do the Packers have better and faster athletes than the last few years? If so does this suggest some actual upsside as things progress. I know Hawk has raised some eyebrows early because he wasn't "dominant" but he seems to be someone who will be fundamentally sound and seems to be able to run anyone down. I also know Collins has had the lapses, but he has had some moments that jump out where he seems to have some pretty good potential. He closed on Bush hard in the New Orleans game, and he seems to be a hard crisp tackler. I'm clearly not blown away by the Packer defense in performance, but it sure does look like if nothing else a much faster one than we have seen in the past. But then again Shermans idea to fix a defense was to draft a punter in the 3rd round, and then search for the absolute most incompentent coaches in history to coach them. That's just my bitterness coming through for Sherman to entrust a defense to his Gin Rummy buddy's.
A: Rick Braun - Powerball, I'll answer your question if you give me the right six numbers for tomorrow's draw. OK, I'll say that the defense is faster at linebacker with Hawk and Poppinga, but I'm concerned about the speed at the positions that need speed -- particularly Harris, Woodson and Manuel.
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Q: Dave Verhasselt of Saint Paul - Rick, Given the recent comments regarding Al Harris---whoever said whatever....what are the odds of some veterans being jetisoned for more ammo in the next draft? It seems to me we've already seen the best of Harris, Biamila, Franks and a few others. None of them are young enough or talented enough to see the next contender in Green Bay, why not trade them to a playoff team now?
A: Rick Braun - The short answer is those three won't be traded because of the salary cap hit the team would take on the signing bonuses they got on their contracts.
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Q: Nick Puschnig of West Allis - What's up Ricky B? I have two questions for you. 1. What do you think are the chances of Charles Woodson moving to saftey in the next year or so? 2. Who do you think is a better softball pitcher, you or Ted Thompson?
A: Rick Braun - Hey, Nick: If Manuel continues to struggle, I could see Woodson at safety as early as game 8-10. That's just me talking, though, not McCarthy or Sanders. As for question No. 2, My ERA is far superior.
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Q: Dave of Milwaukee - Rick, can you tell us how influence the special teams coach has on the success of the unit. In other words, is it coaching or the talent level of the teams backups? And where does the ST coach have his best opportunity to make a difference in the game? Finally, any thoughts on the current ST coach, Mike Stock. Thanks.
A: Rick Braun - Dave, I've wondered the same thing myself. John Bonamego came to GB after having the No. 1 special teams in Jax'ville and couldn't come near duplicating that. It helps to have a special returner, but I truly believe that the mark of the good special teams units is how well they cover kickoffs and punts. Stock has been around a long time and had a lot of success. And they did cover better against Detroit -- at least on punts.
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Q: Craig of Muscoda - Rick, Do you think that the win against the Lions (in Detriot which even throughout the 90's the Packers had problems winning there) is more because of improvement by the Packers, or because Detriot is a weaker team than either of Green Bay's first two opponents?
A: Rick Braun - Craig, Detroit's not good. That being said, the Packers were better. I went into that game thinking the Packers had to play a near-perfect game to win. They were far from perfect and still won -- on the road! I'm taking that as a good sign. Also, it looks like New Orleans is a bit better than most gave it credit for.
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Q: David, Lt Col, USAF of Undisclosed Overseas Location - I listen to the game over the internet this past weekend and every weekend I can -- but it is tough to see the Pack over here on television. The Packers offense sounded like it did fairly well against the Saints and Lions. My question is this -- based on the records of the 2 teams that have beaten the Packers (both 3-0), do you think the Packers are better than many of the critics are saying they are? I read a lot of doom and gloom over the internet and hear very little positives. Yet, it is tough to judge them yourself when you can't watch them "over there". Thanks for taking my question.
A: Rick Braun - David: First off, let me thank YOU for your service to our country. Without guys like you we all wouldn't be able to indulge in such insignificant things as watching football. As I just said to Craig from Muscoda, I think the Saints were sold a little short, so maybe things weren't quite as bad as they seemed. Still, that pass defense is a concern and they're not able to run it much just yet. But back to back 340-yard passing games from Favre sure ought to shut up the "he should have retired" crowd.
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Q: D Slovachek of Evansville - What is going on with our lack of pass defense? Is it a lack of talent , or system failure?
A: Rick Braun - D: Right now I'd say I'm more worried about the talent than the system.
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Q: Frank of Stamford, CT - How can we avoid Westbrook and Smith totally exposing us given the problems Poppinga and Collins have had in coverage so far. You have to think Andy Reid will be attacking those soft spots.
A: Rick Braun - If I knew for sure how to do that I'd be making a lot more money as a coach. But a Westbrook/Poppinga matchup in the pass game has to be avoided at all costs. And any coach worth a dime would be looking to attack those soft spots.
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Q: Jim of Xenia,Oh. - Rick,Our defense can be truly good this season,the lb's and dl could be the strength of the team,but the weakness seems to be in the secondary with Collins the only bright spot,the cb's have underacheived,do you feel that Woodson has anything left and Harris is slow,Carroll will never improve and can you see any improvement in this bunch besides,Collins?
A: Rick Braun - Jim, if this secondary is to improve it will have to come from within. That means Carroll (who's not as bad as people thing but does need to mature) may eventually be a big part of the puzzle. Manuel was a backup all of his career until stepping in last year. And he hasn't been good thus far. As the season goes on, look for Jarrett Bush and Tyrone Culver and Charlie Peprah to possibly get more reps.
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Q: James Nell of Chicago - Rick, how many snaps has Ruvell Martin got at WR in the regular season? I don’t want to be one of those fans that are overly impressed by a few good receptions in he preseason, but I was on he Donald Driver bandwagon from the very start. My track record on WRs is sullied by my early enthusiasm for Charles Lee. Ruvell Martin is 6’4 and McGinn calls him “intelligent and awareâ€Â. I don’t want to see him lining up at WR now because new guys run the wrong routes more than older guys and that results in those killer interceptions. But I am concerned he will get lost behind Ferguson, Robinson, and David Martin, and then left exposed like Hunter Hillenmeyer. Do the Packers value him as I think they should? Robert Ferguson came on a bit in 2004 until he took that hit from Darius. He wasn’t the same last year. Was he hurt or physically setback some how? Is it my imagination that he looks more fluent this year in his routes?
A: Rick Braun - James, Martin probably won't see much time unless/until there's an injury. The offense uses two TEs more than it uses three WRs and rarely uses four WRs.
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Q: D Slovachek of Evansville - Hi Rick, thanks for the chat.Can you tell me why some teams seem to excel at special teams , while others seem to consistently do poorly? I can't believe talent varies all that much--is it coaching ? System? Bad Karma? Seems our special teams have been poor for a long time, and Ive not seen much improvement this year.
A: Rick Braun - I think it's a pretty obvious answer: the players. And I note that the recent roster decisions have put significant emphasis on the player's special teams abilities.
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Q: Ty of Milwaukee - Hey Rick.., I think Monday night a lot of people like myself are going to focus on that secondary of ours and look for some major improvement. I would think McCarthy has Schottenheimer on a short leash after a dismal start. Would you agree that if this unit doesn't come together this year and play more consistent that it would be a huge dissapointment considering the talent we have back there..? I don't want to jinx the guy but Carrol looks like he might be turning the corner...? Your thoughts..? Favreforever-
A: Rick Braun - Ty: I agree with you. It needs to improve, and if it doesn't jobs should be at stake. McCarthy's first NFL job was on the staff of Marty Schottenheimer. Hiring Kurt back after he'd been run out of Green Bay a year earlier was probably out of some loyalty to Marty. Kurt Schottenheimer is a good guy, but in his two years here the pass defense has really struggled.
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Rick Braun
Packer Plus/Packer Insider columnist
Q: Lennie Durow of San Diego - Rick: Thanks for taking our questions. I know that FB is one of the easier positions to fill in the NFL but did the Packers make a mistake by letting Vonte Leach go with the expectations that Henderson would be fine returning from his Knee surgery? Also, what are your thoughts on Miree's experience in the zone blocking scheme. It appears that, although they may eventually do well, the current O Line and TE's weren't exactly suited for the new scheme.
A: Rick Braun - Let's start with Lennie and welcome to all. First off, I don't think cutting Leach was so much of a mistake. In fact, I think he would have been gone in the final camp cut if Henderson hadn't been injured. Simply put, Packer fullbacks have to catch the ball and Leach didn't. As for Miree, I've said it before and I'll say it again: I don't care if it's zone-blocking, gap-blocking, or even road-blocking, the most important word there is blocking, not zone or gap or whatever. And what's happening in the run game is there's not enough blocking. Blame the players, not the system.
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Q: Terry Chaney of Royal Oak, Mi - Did you notice a sygnificant difference in skill between A. J. Hawk and Earny Sims the detroit linebacker who was drafted four spots later?
A: Rick Braun - Terry, I didn't watch Sims as much, but I noticed Hawk closing like a race car on that sack, and I've also noticed Hawk doesn't seem to miss tackles. So, to answer your question (I guess), I think Hawk is coming on pretty well.
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Q: Brad Pelton of Milwaukee - Hey Rick, what in the world is up with all this ballhooey, snapfooey, skullduggery and slapskunkery? I mean, here we are with one of the greatest QB's of all time, and all everyone wants to say is blah blah this, and blah blah that, and he's blah blah blah. Why not just enjoy watching this great, GREAT QB and forget about all the other flimflamscamery. Agreed?
A: Rick Braun - Brad, I don't know if I could have said it better. I wrote a column about two years ago suggesting that time was short and to make sure everyone watched and enjoyed Favre. Now time is even shorter. Watch and enjoy.
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Q: kwed of dubuque - Rick, knowing now what you know about the team in 2006, if you were GM, would you have brought favre back? I am the biggest favre fan, but I believe thompson did the "safe thing". Great gm's don't play safe. If I am GM, I do not bring him back unless he tells me that he's in it for 2-3 more years.
A: Rick Braun - kwed, the problem with your question is that Thompson didn't "bring back" Favre but rather that Favre already had a contract and simply chose not to retire. Nothing safe or otherwise about it. And I don't think the Packers would be better off in teh future if Favre retired now. Rodgers will be better for having had more time to develop without all the pressure.
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Q: Lawrence Sena of Onalaska - Hey Rick, regarding the pending changing of the guard at fullback, how do you think William Henderson will be remembered by the Packers and by the NFL? Personally, I think that the NFL and the sports media owe him a HUGE apology for giving most of their attention (for many years) to a certain big running back from Tampa Bay who masqueraded as a fullback. How do you think Henderson will be placed in Packer lore??
A: Rick Braun - Yeah, Alstott was more of a big tailback than a fullback, but he was also blocking for Warrick Dunn a bunch of those years. Henderson will be remembered as a solid fullback. He wasn't a game-changer, but he brought his lunch pail to work and did his job -- rather well, although it's not a glamourous position.
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Q: Digger of Andover - Rick: On July 20th you wrote that you were septical of the '05 draft. Let's revisit that: Collins and Poppinga are starters albeit both are not living up to expectations in coverage. Last year, I really believed Collins would be the next Butler. I still think, if used properly, he could be a star. Let's face it, he is he only willing tackler in the d-backfield. Terrance Murphy gets a pass because he looked good before career ending injury. Underwood is hurt, but has flashed above average skills. Coston is still a maybe. Montgomery is in the D-line rotation. Finally, for all we know Rodgers may still be a legit starter someday. By comparison to Sherman's abomination of '04 (and '03 for that matter), '05 doesn't look all that bad. Now take into account '06 with 2 potential stars: Hawk and Jennings. I'm not ready to say "Ron Wolf who?" just yet, but at least Thompson has not humiliated himself ala your best friend Sherman.
A: Rick Braun - Digger, I'm not so sure Poppinga is the answer. he's sure had his problems in pass coverage and is already a target of opposing offenses after just three games. Collins almost seems to have regressed. He's been whipped in coverage too many times and needs to improve. Like Poppinga, he's been better in run defense. It was a tough break on Muprhy. But you also have to ask yourself this: If the Murphy thing doesn't happen, do they take Jennings? Yes, Underwood got hurt, but even though he was having a better camp he still wasn't expected to be anything more than a backup. Montgomery is adequate thus far, Coston still has played just three plays from scrimmage and won't add to that total unless there's an injury. Whitticker went from starter to cut. Not a good sign. We'll have a better idea of the 2005 draft in about another year or two. It's OK right now, but not great.
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Q: Jack of Denver - Even though the last victory tends to blur people's perceptions, I have a better feeling than most when watching the Packers play. If the Packers can just stop giving up big plays (which seem to all stem from Poppinga and the safeties) and if the lineman/FB can start hitting people when they block on running plays, this team could be pretty good. It sure seems like good coaching would make a big difference. Thoughts?
A: Rick Braun - Jack, I don't know about "pretty good." That might mean playoffs, and I don't think this is a playoff team. What I think should be the expectation is that they get better as the season goes on. Fans might do themselves a favor by looking at this team like the 1992 team. That team also was coming off a 4-12 season with a new coach and a lot of young guys. If the current team can develop like the 92 team did, things will be good in GB for years to come
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Q: Jeff of La Grange Park, IL - I think the Al Harris situation needs to be put to rest. Whether he's a superstar or on the decline, I think for political reasons we need to work with this guy and get him in the right frame of mind. On the flip side, he needs to understand if he doesn't cut it. Yea, you will be playing somewhere else, and for a much lower salary.
A: Rick Braun - The Harris thing this week was blown out of proportion. Nothing more, nothing less. He wants a new deal but hasn't played up to that thus far.
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Q: Doug of Dresher, PA - Rick, Do you see Koren Robinson picking up the offense and becoming the thrid Wideout?
A: Rick Braun - Well, he'll have to beat out Ferguson, who does know the system much better and doesn't have a suspension hanging over his head. Not much sense in guessing on it till we know what happens with the possible suspension. And the current offense doesn't exactly employ three wides very often. But he sure did make a nice catch Sunday.
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Q: Jack Johnson of Los Angeles - Rick: Hats Off to Mark Tauscher for giving his valuable time and effort to encourage kids to read. Shows that one person, especially an NFL star, can make a huge difference in people's lives. My related question is: which player or players in Packer history have been the biggest philanthropists?
A: Rick Braun - Jack, they've had a lot of good or even great guys over the years. Sorry, but I haven't really covered them long enough to make such a statement going back in Packer history. But, you're right: Tauscher's a darn good guy.
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Q: John of Elk Wa. - What is your impression of the secondary? For all the money they spent to upgrade the defense one would expect at least some improvment. It looks like it was money ill spent as Manuel can't cover and Woodson looks like he's coasting a bit. There's not much that can be done with Woodson but I would put Culver in the lineup in Manuel's place, he seems more instinctive. Your take?
A: Rick Braun - John, Manuel has been a disappointment so far. I really expected better and he's been burned a few times and missed too many tackles. He needs to improve. Woodson was burned a lot in that pre-season game at Cincy, but he hasn't been consistently torched in the three regular season games. Still, he's part of a unit that has been pretty wretched as a whole so far.
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Q: WILL of GLADSTONE, MI - Hi Rick, Where would this team be if Jim Bates was manning the Defensive side of the ball still.
A: Rick Braun - Well, Will, we could guess it would be better, but it would be just that: a guess.
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Q: Dave of Milwaukee - Rick, the Pack are currently playing 4 rookies on offense: Colledge, Spitz, Moll and Jennings. The chances of Jennings being a successful NFL player look good. The odds of the other three seem at least even. Wouldn't it be some story for TT if two of the rookie linemen became longtime starting guards and the third eventually took over for Clifton (his career appears as if it will be significantly shortened due to the major injury from Sapp). If this does occur can you think of the last time the Pack hit on 4 starters on one side of the ball in a single draft? Thanks.
A: Rick Braun - Dave, the short answer to your question is "no." But realistically I don't see a starting left tackle in the Moll-Spitz-Colledge trio.
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Q: jim of Oak creek - Hi Rick, is Miree that talented that he can over take william henderson or would he become the starting fullback more because of his understanding of the zone blocking scheme. See you at next year's father/son outing.
A: Rick Braun - Hi Jim! I think people are writing off Henderson a bit prematurely. He is only about five weeks out from surgery and should get better. Miree might have an advantage in this system, but let's all remember that he's still a guy who spent one year on IR and one on practice squad. That's not exactly an eye-popping resume.
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Q: terry wurster of sister bay, wi - Talk about a supposed position of strength being exposed as the weak spot, how about that defensive backfield? The one position that was addressed by Ted Thompson during the offseason, to the tune of almost $50 million in contracts, simply cannot run well enough to cover. Manuel at safety seems to run and cut in mud, woodson has no quicks, or for that matter,desire left, and although he has played very well in the past, Al Harris has lost some of his marginal speed and is going to get fried deep if left one on one. I like Collins as a safety and see some upside there, but as a cover man in dime or nickle, his footwork is really bad. Some of this might be attributable to coaching and scheme, but you can't coach speed. Seems as though the front office whiffed on this group of FA's, and could further compound this mistake by extending Al Harris' contract. What do you think, the assessment too bleak? Is there reason to hope for improvement? This reminds me of the 2004 sieve.(Just as an afterthought, wouldn't Steve Hutchinson have looked good for the same money they paid Woodson, and for a lot more years?)
A: Rick Braun - Terry, you're right. It's been a disappointment. But I think a pass defense is easier to fix than if they were getting the ball run down their throats. Collins is young, Manuel and Woodson are new to the system. Woodson hasn't been as bad in the regular season as he was in that Cincinnati game. I just wish he gave the impression he cared a little more. Maybe he cares as much as possible, but a lot of people have the same impression as you that he's coasting. Harris has always gone up against the best receivers and done well. But Roy Williams certainly got the better of him Sunday.
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Q: C'Bear of OviedoFL - Rick, What is the NFL and ESPN thinking when scheduling the PAckers for (2) "road" Monday night games? They knew going in the Packers would be a poor team, but why not schedule the 2 games at home when the PAckers have a real chance???
A: Rick Braun - C'Bear: I don't think the networks worry about who's home and who's away so much. But against those two opponents, you are right that the games could be ugly.
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Q: JP of Orlando - Rick, What is the general feeling among the state writers about Thompson and his abilities. It seems he seriously shys away froom the media at ALL cost...I've been saying siince last year, he manages from his own comfort zone and only getting players he eally knows...Bad sign!!
A: Rick Braun - JP, I think he'd rather be in his office watching players on film than talking to reporters, but he's gotten better since he's gotten here. And he's hardly the first GM ever to like players he knows a little better.
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Q: J Tark of Elk Grove ILL - Rick, Is there a develpoing story/issue with Harris and McCarthy/Thompson & the PAckers management??
A: Rick Braun - Shark, I think this week's story was overblown. I'm betting there will be more of an issue between Harris and a reporter than Harris and McCarthy/Thompson. Still, Harris has wanted a new deal and he's not been playing up to that so far.
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Q: Jerry of New York - Are you any relation to George Costanza's long-time nemisis, Lloyd Braun?
A: Rick Braun - Jerry, When I changed careers from politics (as the former mayor's chief of staff" and selling computers, I legally changed my name from Lloyd to Rick. I'm not a relation, I actually am the former Lloyd Braun.
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Q: Beanie of Boston, MA - As a life-long Packer fan who grew-up on the lower east side (LES) of Madison I certainly recall those ‘glory years’ of the 1970’s and ‘80’s. You know, those teams that truly gave ‘mediocre’ a bad name. Those memories and the recent turn of events has inspired me to write a song, a parody of sorts, a la Weird Al Yankovic he himself a classic dose of mediocrity. My song is being written to the tune of Don McClean classic “Bye, Bye Miss American Pie;†Don, not to be confused with coach extraordinaire and distant cousin Dave McClain. Here is my song writer dilemma – the line “The day the music died,†you know the Buddy Holly death reference in Don McClean’s song. Well, can you help me pinpoint the “day the music died†for the Packers? Was it the day they lost of Mike Holmgren; or the day Ron Wolf hung it up; or when Ray Rhodes was hired as Head Coach; or the day Mike Sherman was given the keys to the GM office; or Brett’s 5 interception play-off performance against the Ram’s; or the 4th and 26 against the Eagles; or Brett’s bonehead jump-ball that same day; or the blown game against the Jets taking home-field playoff advantage away; or Atlanta taking the Lambeau mystique away for good; or the day the tide turned and players looked forward to packing their bags and getting out from under the paper factory fog of GB – McKenzie, Sharper, Walker, Longwell…or…orâ⠬¦.? Hey, any help would be appreciated as I have a lot of verses (and minutes to) fill.
A: Rick Braun - 4th and 26. But you should do it as an original, not a parody.
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Q: Kevin P of Terre Haute, IN - How's it going Rick? Your Hoosier golf buddy is still backing the Pack. If I didn't dump them through the 70s and 80s, I guess I never will! Hope all is well with you. What direction, in your opinion, will the Pack take in next year's draft? It's a pretty safe assumption that they're going to have another very high pick. Quinn or some other QB? A stud RB? The LT position will need to be addressed sooner rather than later too. Fairways and greens to you!
A: Rick Braun - Hi Kevin. With 13 games left there is still a lot of time for the needs to become apparent. Anything I said now would be nothing but a far-fetched guess. But a stud RB would always fit. Keep hitting 'em long and straight.
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Q: JJ of Appleton - Rick, The game plan on offense for the Lions was good. With our offense in mind, how do the coaches effectively game plan to take advantage of Philadelphia's poor pass defense? Thanks.
A: Rick Braun - JJ, I'd expect them to throw a lot against Philly. McCarthy will always be a guy who wants to establish the run, but he's certainly been willing to throw it of late as the run has struggled.
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Q: Ryan of Milwaukee - Why foes the media get on Ahmad Carrol so much! He actually isn't that bad, yes he is physical and gets some penaltiesm, but if it wasn't for his deflection the Packers might very well be 0-3!
A: Rick Braun - To be honest, Ryan, I think Carroll gets a bad rap because of how he carries himself. He's young and brash and needs to mature a bit.
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Q: Dan Bushman of Hudson, WI - What would you say Mike McCarthy and staff are trying to put in place regarding anything from game strategy to overall team management (motivation, practice philosophy, "culture") that is a change from Mike Sherman? I am always curious about mgmt changes that are done to get a "fresh start" or "new path" or "new vision".
A: Rick Braun - Dan, I think one of the most noticable changes is that the McCarthy offense is probably a bit more conservative than the Sherman/Rossley offense that liked to throw long. McCarthy wants to run and run and run the ball, but I think he's finding out they can't right now. Thus, what we're seeing right now is a lot of what we saw in 1992 and 93 -- the original West Coast offense where short, 4- and 5-yard passes almost serve as the run game.
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Q: Terrell of Milwaukee - Rick do you believe that most facets of the the offense and defense is up to par after three weeks? Furthermore what can the coaches do to amp up the secondary? They are getting killed out there.
A: Rick Braun - Terrell, the run offense is far from good right now. As for the secondary, I would hope they let the starters know that they can be replaced. But I suspect the starters already know that.
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Q: Powerball of East Texas - Rick- Putting aside the miscues of the defense in performance, strictly from an athletic and speed level, do the Packers have better and faster athletes than the last few years? If so does this suggest some actual upsside as things progress. I know Hawk has raised some eyebrows early because he wasn't "dominant" but he seems to be someone who will be fundamentally sound and seems to be able to run anyone down. I also know Collins has had the lapses, but he has had some moments that jump out where he seems to have some pretty good potential. He closed on Bush hard in the New Orleans game, and he seems to be a hard crisp tackler. I'm clearly not blown away by the Packer defense in performance, but it sure does look like if nothing else a much faster one than we have seen in the past. But then again Shermans idea to fix a defense was to draft a punter in the 3rd round, and then search for the absolute most incompentent coaches in history to coach them. That's just my bitterness coming through for Sherman to entrust a defense to his Gin Rummy buddy's.
A: Rick Braun - Powerball, I'll answer your question if you give me the right six numbers for tomorrow's draw. OK, I'll say that the defense is faster at linebacker with Hawk and Poppinga, but I'm concerned about the speed at the positions that need speed -- particularly Harris, Woodson and Manuel.
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Q: Dave Verhasselt of Saint Paul - Rick, Given the recent comments regarding Al Harris---whoever said whatever....what are the odds of some veterans being jetisoned for more ammo in the next draft? It seems to me we've already seen the best of Harris, Biamila, Franks and a few others. None of them are young enough or talented enough to see the next contender in Green Bay, why not trade them to a playoff team now?
A: Rick Braun - The short answer is those three won't be traded because of the salary cap hit the team would take on the signing bonuses they got on their contracts.
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Q: Nick Puschnig of West Allis - What's up Ricky B? I have two questions for you. 1. What do you think are the chances of Charles Woodson moving to saftey in the next year or so? 2. Who do you think is a better softball pitcher, you or Ted Thompson?
A: Rick Braun - Hey, Nick: If Manuel continues to struggle, I could see Woodson at safety as early as game 8-10. That's just me talking, though, not McCarthy or Sanders. As for question No. 2, My ERA is far superior.
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Q: Dave of Milwaukee - Rick, can you tell us how influence the special teams coach has on the success of the unit. In other words, is it coaching or the talent level of the teams backups? And where does the ST coach have his best opportunity to make a difference in the game? Finally, any thoughts on the current ST coach, Mike Stock. Thanks.
A: Rick Braun - Dave, I've wondered the same thing myself. John Bonamego came to GB after having the No. 1 special teams in Jax'ville and couldn't come near duplicating that. It helps to have a special returner, but I truly believe that the mark of the good special teams units is how well they cover kickoffs and punts. Stock has been around a long time and had a lot of success. And they did cover better against Detroit -- at least on punts.
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Q: Craig of Muscoda - Rick, Do you think that the win against the Lions (in Detriot which even throughout the 90's the Packers had problems winning there) is more because of improvement by the Packers, or because Detriot is a weaker team than either of Green Bay's first two opponents?
A: Rick Braun - Craig, Detroit's not good. That being said, the Packers were better. I went into that game thinking the Packers had to play a near-perfect game to win. They were far from perfect and still won -- on the road! I'm taking that as a good sign. Also, it looks like New Orleans is a bit better than most gave it credit for.
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Q: David, Lt Col, USAF of Undisclosed Overseas Location - I listen to the game over the internet this past weekend and every weekend I can -- but it is tough to see the Pack over here on television. The Packers offense sounded like it did fairly well against the Saints and Lions. My question is this -- based on the records of the 2 teams that have beaten the Packers (both 3-0), do you think the Packers are better than many of the critics are saying they are? I read a lot of doom and gloom over the internet and hear very little positives. Yet, it is tough to judge them yourself when you can't watch them "over there". Thanks for taking my question.
A: Rick Braun - David: First off, let me thank YOU for your service to our country. Without guys like you we all wouldn't be able to indulge in such insignificant things as watching football. As I just said to Craig from Muscoda, I think the Saints were sold a little short, so maybe things weren't quite as bad as they seemed. Still, that pass defense is a concern and they're not able to run it much just yet. But back to back 340-yard passing games from Favre sure ought to shut up the "he should have retired" crowd.
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Q: D Slovachek of Evansville - What is going on with our lack of pass defense? Is it a lack of talent , or system failure?
A: Rick Braun - D: Right now I'd say I'm more worried about the talent than the system.
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Q: Frank of Stamford, CT - How can we avoid Westbrook and Smith totally exposing us given the problems Poppinga and Collins have had in coverage so far. You have to think Andy Reid will be attacking those soft spots.
A: Rick Braun - If I knew for sure how to do that I'd be making a lot more money as a coach. But a Westbrook/Poppinga matchup in the pass game has to be avoided at all costs. And any coach worth a dime would be looking to attack those soft spots.
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Q: Jim of Xenia,Oh. - Rick,Our defense can be truly good this season,the lb's and dl could be the strength of the team,but the weakness seems to be in the secondary with Collins the only bright spot,the cb's have underacheived,do you feel that Woodson has anything left and Harris is slow,Carroll will never improve and can you see any improvement in this bunch besides,Collins?
A: Rick Braun - Jim, if this secondary is to improve it will have to come from within. That means Carroll (who's not as bad as people thing but does need to mature) may eventually be a big part of the puzzle. Manuel was a backup all of his career until stepping in last year. And he hasn't been good thus far. As the season goes on, look for Jarrett Bush and Tyrone Culver and Charlie Peprah to possibly get more reps.
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Q: James Nell of Chicago - Rick, how many snaps has Ruvell Martin got at WR in the regular season? I don’t want to be one of those fans that are overly impressed by a few good receptions in he preseason, but I was on he Donald Driver bandwagon from the very start. My track record on WRs is sullied by my early enthusiasm for Charles Lee. Ruvell Martin is 6’4 and McGinn calls him “intelligent and awareâ€Â. I don’t want to see him lining up at WR now because new guys run the wrong routes more than older guys and that results in those killer interceptions. But I am concerned he will get lost behind Ferguson, Robinson, and David Martin, and then left exposed like Hunter Hillenmeyer. Do the Packers value him as I think they should? Robert Ferguson came on a bit in 2004 until he took that hit from Darius. He wasn’t the same last year. Was he hurt or physically setback some how? Is it my imagination that he looks more fluent this year in his routes?
A: Rick Braun - James, Martin probably won't see much time unless/until there's an injury. The offense uses two TEs more than it uses three WRs and rarely uses four WRs.
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Q: D Slovachek of Evansville - Hi Rick, thanks for the chat.Can you tell me why some teams seem to excel at special teams , while others seem to consistently do poorly? I can't believe talent varies all that much--is it coaching ? System? Bad Karma? Seems our special teams have been poor for a long time, and Ive not seen much improvement this year.
A: Rick Braun - I think it's a pretty obvious answer: the players. And I note that the recent roster decisions have put significant emphasis on the player's special teams abilities.
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Q: Ty of Milwaukee - Hey Rick.., I think Monday night a lot of people like myself are going to focus on that secondary of ours and look for some major improvement. I would think McCarthy has Schottenheimer on a short leash after a dismal start. Would you agree that if this unit doesn't come together this year and play more consistent that it would be a huge dissapointment considering the talent we have back there..? I don't want to jinx the guy but Carrol looks like he might be turning the corner...? Your thoughts..? Favreforever-
A: Rick Braun - Ty: I agree with you. It needs to improve, and if it doesn't jobs should be at stake. McCarthy's first NFL job was on the staff of Marty Schottenheimer. Hiring Kurt back after he'd been run out of Green Bay a year earlier was probably out of some loyalty to Marty. Kurt Schottenheimer is a good guy, but in his two years here the pass defense has really struggled.
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