Bretsky
04-25-2007, 07:29 AM
No news not good news for Packer fans
Posted: April 19, 2007
Bud Lea
E-MAIL
The Major League Baseball season is in full swing. The NBA playoffs are about to start. Summer vacations are on most folks' minds. And people are still talking football.
Green Bay Packers fans are 16 weeks into withdrawal. It has been four months since the Packers defeated the Chicago Bears, 26-7, in Soldier Field.
Brett Favre hasn't thrown a pass. Not that we know of, anyway.
No one has returned an interception for a touchdown in months, and the defensive line hasn't sacked anyone. The season was so long ago that you can't even hear Rex Grossman whine.
This is jolting stuff. The Packers spent the better part of last December, winning four consecutive games, getting better every game, every possession, and then . . . nothing. Just a sudden stop and silence.
Devin Hester got the better of the Packers with an 84-yard punt return TD the first week of the season.
You can't do that to people. Fans are starving for news. Any kind of news.
General manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy must run into people all the time in Green Bay. They must be approached at the grocery store, at the car wash, restaurant, everywhere.
What's going on? Is there any truth about the Randy Moss rumors? Who's going to replace Ahman Green?
It's been an odd off-season. People who wear Packers gear at Bucks games at the Bradley Center and Brewers games at Miller Park ask why things have been so quiet in Green Bay.
And then comes the letter. It comes every year, just like the IRS.
Everyone who owns a season-ticket package at Lambeau Field got a message from Mark Wagner, who is director of ticket operations, that it's about time to pay up. He penned a rosy outlook for the 2007 season, and reminded us that the Lambeau Field experience, according to a national survey, remains No. 1 in fan satisfaction among 92 professional franchises in this country.
I wonder how many fans at Lambeau Field enjoyed the experience of watching the Packers lose, 26-0, to the Chicago Bears; lose, 34-27, to the New Orleans Saints; lose, 23-20, to the St. Louis Rams; lose 35-0, to the New England Patriots; lose, 38-10, to the New York Jets. The only home games to celebrate were a 31-14 whipping of the Arizona Cardinals, a 17-9 victory over the Detroit Lions, and a 9-7 victory against the Minnesota Vikings.
The Packers invoice, due May 16, points out that all seats in the Lambeau Field bowl will cost $5 more this season. This means the price per seat to watch the Green and Gold will range from $72 to $64 to $59.
Apparently, Packers fans don't care. Only 70 season ticket-holders canceled their renewals. The primary reasons, according to Wagner, were (1) some had financial problems and wanted their user fee (stadium) money returned, and (2) divorces.
Meanwhile, the waiting list to buy season tickets, is approaching 74,000. The Brewers and Bucks only dream they could have such overwhelming popularity.
Absence does make the heart grow fonder - if you play in Lambeau Field. Still, it will take a lot of things to go right to return the Packers' mystique to the historic stadium.
The Packers were 3-5 at home last season. Only the Detroit Lions, Oakland Raiders and Cleveland Browns treated their fans worse, each winning only two home games.
After starting off with a 1-5 record at Lambeau in his first season at the helm, McCarthy tried to explain the problem of not living up to fans' expectations.
"The anxiety of a young team, of knowing the history of Lambeau Field, to maybe being a little spoiled," the coach said. "You think you can almost go out there and play, and OK, still win the game.
"I think it's probably a combination of everything. The pressure to play at home, and the pressure to uphold the tradition."
Whatever. When the Packers opened the 2006 season at home against their long-time rivals, the Chicago Bears, they were out-coached, outplayed, outmanned, and shut out.
They weren't booed off the field. Packers fans rarely boo their team. Instead, a sellout crowd of 70,918 excited the stadium early on a beautiful September afternoon, leaving perhaps 15,000 hanging around at the final gun.
You rarely see fans give up in the first game of the season. Well, it was 26-0.
The 2007 regular-season schedule shows the Packers again will open at home. They will play the Philadelphia Eagles at noon on Sunday, Sept. 9.
Will history repeat itself?
This is going to be a tough opener. The Eagles are coming off a 10-6 season and Donovan McNabb should be in top shape after recovering from knee surgery. The Packers lost to the Eagles, 31-9, at Philadelphia last October. It was the fifth-consecutive game Favre lost to the Eagles.
It brought back bad memories. Nobody will forget that "fourth and 26" playoff game three years ago. As the game was winding down, the Packers were holding a 17-14 lead and the Eagles needed a prayer answered. They got it when McNabb completed a 28-yard pass to Freddie Mitchell on fourth down and 26 yards to set up a tying field goal, and then win it in overtime with another field goal.
The Packers play four of their first six games at home. The second game at Lambeau Field is at noon, Sunday, Sept. 23 against the San Diego Chargers, the outfit that produced the best regular season record (14-2) in the league last season.
Seeing LaDainian Tomlinson will provide a quick answer how much the Packers have improved their rushing defense that ranked 23rd in the league last season. On the other hand, the Chargers have Norv Turner running the show, and there's no better time to face an opponent with a new coach than in the first month of the season.
This is a Gold Package game, allowing Milwaukee season-ticket holders to see a quality opponent. These are committed fans, who travel 240 miles roundtrip from their homes to watch their favorite team. Last year, the Milwaukee fans witnessed the New England massacre and then had a two-hour plus drive home while listening to the post-game gripes on the Packers radio network.
The Bears come to town for a night game Sunday, Oct. 7. The Bears went on to the Super Bowl last year and have beaten the Packers in four of the last six meetings. But their NFC top-rated defense could be weakened without linebacker Lance Briggs and defensive tackle Tank Johnson. Maybe we'll see a touchdown or two by the Pack.
The other home games are against the 5-11 Washington Redskins, the 6-10 Minnesota Vikings, the 8-8 Carolina Panthers, the 2-14 Oakland Raiders, and the 2-14 Detroit Lions.
Stick around long enough and you'll see everything. It will take a lot of things to go right and salvage a winning season at home.
Posted: April 19, 2007
Bud Lea
The Major League Baseball season is in full swing. The NBA playoffs are about to start. Summer vacations are on most folks' minds. And people are still talking football.
Green Bay Packers fans are 16 weeks into withdrawal. It has been four months since the Packers defeated the Chicago Bears, 26-7, in Soldier Field.
Brett Favre hasn't thrown a pass. Not that we know of, anyway.
No one has returned an interception for a touchdown in months, and the defensive line hasn't sacked anyone. The season was so long ago that you can't even hear Rex Grossman whine.
This is jolting stuff. The Packers spent the better part of last December, winning four consecutive games, getting better every game, every possession, and then . . . nothing. Just a sudden stop and silence.
Devin Hester got the better of the Packers with an 84-yard punt return TD the first week of the season.
You can't do that to people. Fans are starving for news. Any kind of news.
General manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy must run into people all the time in Green Bay. They must be approached at the grocery store, at the car wash, restaurant, everywhere.
What's going on? Is there any truth about the Randy Moss rumors? Who's going to replace Ahman Green?
It's been an odd off-season. People who wear Packers gear at Bucks games at the Bradley Center and Brewers games at Miller Park ask why things have been so quiet in Green Bay.
And then comes the letter. It comes every year, just like the IRS.
Everyone who owns a season-ticket package at Lambeau Field got a message from Mark Wagner, who is director of ticket operations, that it's about time to pay up. He penned a rosy outlook for the 2007 season, and reminded us that the Lambeau Field experience, according to a national survey, remains No. 1 in fan satisfaction among 92 professional franchises in this country.
I wonder how many fans at Lambeau Field enjoyed the experience of watching the Packers lose, 26-0, to the Chicago Bears; lose, 34-27, to the New Orleans Saints; lose, 23-20, to the St. Louis Rams; lose 35-0, to the New England Patriots; lose, 38-10, to the New York Jets. The only home games to celebrate were a 31-14 whipping of the Arizona Cardinals, a 17-9 victory over the Detroit Lions, and a 9-7 victory against the Minnesota Vikings.
The Packers invoice, due May 16, points out that all seats in the Lambeau Field bowl will cost $5 more this season. This means the price per seat to watch the Green and Gold will range from $72 to $64 to $59.
Apparently, Packers fans don't care. Only 70 season ticket-holders canceled their renewals. The primary reasons, according to Wagner, were (1) some had financial problems and wanted their user fee (stadium) money returned, and (2) divorces.
Meanwhile, the waiting list to buy season tickets, is approaching 74,000. The Brewers and Bucks only dream they could have such overwhelming popularity.
Absence does make the heart grow fonder - if you play in Lambeau Field. Still, it will take a lot of things to go right to return the Packers' mystique to the historic stadium.
The Packers were 3-5 at home last season. Only the Detroit Lions, Oakland Raiders and Cleveland Browns treated their fans worse, each winning only two home games.
After starting off with a 1-5 record at Lambeau in his first season at the helm, McCarthy tried to explain the problem of not living up to fans' expectations.
"The anxiety of a young team, of knowing the history of Lambeau Field, to maybe being a little spoiled," the coach said. "You think you can almost go out there and play, and OK, still win the game.
"I think it's probably a combination of everything. The pressure to play at home, and the pressure to uphold the tradition."
Whatever. When the Packers opened the 2006 season at home against their long-time rivals, the Chicago Bears, they were out-coached, outplayed, outmanned, and shut out.
They weren't booed off the field. Packers fans rarely boo their team. Instead, a sellout crowd of 70,918 excited the stadium early on a beautiful September afternoon, leaving perhaps 15,000 hanging around at the final gun.
You rarely see fans give up in the first game of the season. Well, it was 26-0.
The 2007 regular-season schedule shows the Packers again will open at home. They will play the Philadelphia Eagles at noon on Sunday, Sept. 9.
Will history repeat itself?
This is going to be a tough opener. The Eagles are coming off a 10-6 season and Donovan McNabb should be in top shape after recovering from knee surgery. The Packers lost to the Eagles, 31-9, at Philadelphia last October. It was the fifth-consecutive game Favre lost to the Eagles.
It brought back bad memories. Nobody will forget that "fourth and 26" playoff game three years ago. As the game was winding down, the Packers were holding a 17-14 lead and the Eagles needed a prayer answered. They got it when McNabb completed a 28-yard pass to Freddie Mitchell on fourth down and 26 yards to set up a tying field goal, and then win it in overtime with another field goal.
The Packers play four of their first six games at home. The second game at Lambeau Field is at noon, Sunday, Sept. 23 against the San Diego Chargers, the outfit that produced the best regular season record (14-2) in the league last season.
Seeing LaDainian Tomlinson will provide a quick answer how much the Packers have improved their rushing defense that ranked 23rd in the league last season. On the other hand, the Chargers have Norv Turner running the show, and there's no better time to face an opponent with a new coach than in the first month of the season.
This is a Gold Package game, allowing Milwaukee season-ticket holders to see a quality opponent. These are committed fans, who travel 240 miles roundtrip from their homes to watch their favorite team. Last year, the Milwaukee fans witnessed the New England massacre and then had a two-hour plus drive home while listening to the post-game gripes on the Packers radio network.
The Bears come to town for a night game Sunday, Oct. 7. The Bears went on to the Super Bowl last year and have beaten the Packers in four of the last six meetings. But their NFC top-rated defense could be weakened without linebacker Lance Briggs and defensive tackle Tank Johnson. Maybe we'll see a touchdown or two by the Pack.
The other home games are against the 5-11 Washington Redskins, the 6-10 Minnesota Vikings, the 8-8 Carolina Panthers, the 2-14 Oakland Raiders, and the 2-14 Detroit Lions.
Stick around long enough and you'll see everything. It will take a lot of things to go right and salvage a winning season at home.