packinpatland
06-03-2007, 05:57 PM
Isn't this refreshing????
http://www.mlive.com/sports/kzgazette/index.ssf?/base/sports-2/1180764667134670.xml&coll=7&thispage=1
What a year it's been for Jennings
In life, some years are more eventful than others.
It's unlikely Greg Jennings has had many more exciting than the last 12 months.
A rookie season in the National Football League, the birth of his daughter -- even if he did nothing else interesting, the last half of 2006 and the first part of 2007 qualify as a life-changing period of time.
Friday night, the Green Bay Packers receiver joined other area sports celebrities such as Detroit Lions running back T.J. Duckett (Loy Norrix), former Major League Baseball player Mike Squires (K-Central), Western Michigan University football coach Bill Cubit and Broncos basketball coach Steve Hawkins, among others, in a charity softball game against local law enforcement and public officials at Homer Stryker Field.
The second-annual game raised money for the Douglass Community Association's programs.
``This is what it's all about,'' said Jennings, who's also holding the Greg Jennings Bowl-a-thon at 3 p.m. today at Airway Lanes, with proceeds benefiting Hoopsters, one of those aforementioned Douglass programs.
Jennings' star power has never been greater in his hometown. Friday, children of all ages -- young and too old to be children -- flocked to him, taking advantage of a chance to have their picture taken with the former K-Central and WMU star, or have his autograph scribbled on a hat or T-shirt.
In a few days, Jennings will be back in Green Bay, back in the Packers' offseason training program.
There, his star has risen, too, after a rookie season that saw him catch 45 passes for 632 yards and three touchdowns and bond with future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre.
``I think he just developed confidence in myself and from there we pretty much gradually got on the same page and ever since then we've been just rolling with it,'' Jennings said of Favre, who has mentioned Jennings in numerous newspaper articles when talking about the future of the franchise. ``As long as you stay on the same page as the quarterback and just catch the balls, you'll be all right.''
Though Jennings' career in Green Bay appears on solid ground, it's been a turbulent offseason for the Packers, beginning with rumors that the guy Jennings is ``rolling'' with wanted to be traded.
Jennings' take: Don't believe everything you hear or read.
``You know what, it was pretty much all false information,'' Jennings said. ``I was down there with Favre at his golf outing (in Mississippi). ... He's ready to go. He's up there with us at OTAs. All that's behind us.''
Favre's issue reportedly stemmed from Green Bay's inability to acquire Randy Moss, who plays Jennings' position and would likely have taken opportunities away from Jennings.
Jennings said he wasn't hurt by the Packers' or Favre's interest in the talented-but-troubled receiver.
``It was all fine,'' Jennings said. ``I have to take care of my side of it, I've got to take care of me. I need to prepare myself, coming off an (ankle) injury (last season), I have to do the things that I know I need to do to help my team win ball games.''
A year in the pros -- and in the fishbowl that is Green Bay -- has taught Jennings a number of things, including to be wary of the media, something he seemingly wasn't during his senior year with WMU.
``They have to do their job and we have to do ours,'' he said. ``That's why we have to be careful with what we say and the way we carry ourselves. ... Sometimes people can misperceive what you say. Pretty much speak clearly and you'll be understood.''
Of course, all of this, the NFL and the life that comes with it, means nothing now to 5-month-old Amya Gabrielle, Jennings' first child.
``That's the great part about it,'' Jennings said. ``When you go home, everything is just about being a parent, being a family, a father, a parent, a husband. ... It's great being a dad.''
_________________
http://www.mlive.com/sports/kzgazette/index.ssf?/base/sports-2/1180764667134670.xml&coll=7&thispage=1
What a year it's been for Jennings
In life, some years are more eventful than others.
It's unlikely Greg Jennings has had many more exciting than the last 12 months.
A rookie season in the National Football League, the birth of his daughter -- even if he did nothing else interesting, the last half of 2006 and the first part of 2007 qualify as a life-changing period of time.
Friday night, the Green Bay Packers receiver joined other area sports celebrities such as Detroit Lions running back T.J. Duckett (Loy Norrix), former Major League Baseball player Mike Squires (K-Central), Western Michigan University football coach Bill Cubit and Broncos basketball coach Steve Hawkins, among others, in a charity softball game against local law enforcement and public officials at Homer Stryker Field.
The second-annual game raised money for the Douglass Community Association's programs.
``This is what it's all about,'' said Jennings, who's also holding the Greg Jennings Bowl-a-thon at 3 p.m. today at Airway Lanes, with proceeds benefiting Hoopsters, one of those aforementioned Douglass programs.
Jennings' star power has never been greater in his hometown. Friday, children of all ages -- young and too old to be children -- flocked to him, taking advantage of a chance to have their picture taken with the former K-Central and WMU star, or have his autograph scribbled on a hat or T-shirt.
In a few days, Jennings will be back in Green Bay, back in the Packers' offseason training program.
There, his star has risen, too, after a rookie season that saw him catch 45 passes for 632 yards and three touchdowns and bond with future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre.
``I think he just developed confidence in myself and from there we pretty much gradually got on the same page and ever since then we've been just rolling with it,'' Jennings said of Favre, who has mentioned Jennings in numerous newspaper articles when talking about the future of the franchise. ``As long as you stay on the same page as the quarterback and just catch the balls, you'll be all right.''
Though Jennings' career in Green Bay appears on solid ground, it's been a turbulent offseason for the Packers, beginning with rumors that the guy Jennings is ``rolling'' with wanted to be traded.
Jennings' take: Don't believe everything you hear or read.
``You know what, it was pretty much all false information,'' Jennings said. ``I was down there with Favre at his golf outing (in Mississippi). ... He's ready to go. He's up there with us at OTAs. All that's behind us.''
Favre's issue reportedly stemmed from Green Bay's inability to acquire Randy Moss, who plays Jennings' position and would likely have taken opportunities away from Jennings.
Jennings said he wasn't hurt by the Packers' or Favre's interest in the talented-but-troubled receiver.
``It was all fine,'' Jennings said. ``I have to take care of my side of it, I've got to take care of me. I need to prepare myself, coming off an (ankle) injury (last season), I have to do the things that I know I need to do to help my team win ball games.''
A year in the pros -- and in the fishbowl that is Green Bay -- has taught Jennings a number of things, including to be wary of the media, something he seemingly wasn't during his senior year with WMU.
``They have to do their job and we have to do ours,'' he said. ``That's why we have to be careful with what we say and the way we carry ourselves. ... Sometimes people can misperceive what you say. Pretty much speak clearly and you'll be understood.''
Of course, all of this, the NFL and the life that comes with it, means nothing now to 5-month-old Amya Gabrielle, Jennings' first child.
``That's the great part about it,'' Jennings said. ``When you go home, everything is just about being a parent, being a family, a father, a parent, a husband. ... It's great being a dad.''
_________________