motife
05-09-2006, 06:22 PM
Coach McCarthy is here so we will begin now! - Posted by Chat Moderator of Packers.com
How steep in the learning curve for lineman to understand and excel at the zone-blocking scheme? - Posted by Ben of Iowa City
Number one, they've had some form of the zone blocking scheme in their past, so it's not totally foreign to them. Just like any scheme in football, it's specific techniques within the scheme that make a difference.
How does it feel to be head coach of the Green Bay Packers? - Posted by todd of Madison
It's truly an honor and privilege. It's the number one coaching job in professional sports. I plan to take full advantage of it.
Maybe more than any other profession a head coach of a professional team has a tremendous amount of pressure on them to succeed. How will you handle the pressure and how will you measure your success this season? - Posted by Larry W. Steed of Pocatello
You need to handle any situation you're involved in one day at a time with complete focus on the little things without losing sight of the big picture.
Mike which games are you looking forward to next season and why? - Posted by Rory Bevitt of Nottingham UK
I'm looking forward to the Chicago game -- the first one. We'll take them one game at a time.
Welcome to the Packers! I was wondering, what has been the biggest obsticle you have faced in moving from offence coordinator to head coach? Thanks for taking your time out of your day to answer some questions! - Posted by Josh of Idaho Falls, ID
Just the broader scope of your vision as far as the detail of all three phases, without taking your focus off of the offense.
Welcome back to WI coach, Are you going to be calling the plays during the game, or are you going to leave that to your offense/defensive coaches? Good Luck this season - Posted by Char W of La Crosse
I will be calling the offensive plays during the game. Bob Sanders will call the defense.
How does a team approach the first game of the season as far as making a game plan against the opponent? - Posted by Carlos Espinosa, Jr of Denton, TX
You have more time to prepare for your first opponent, but you also can over-prepare, so you have to stay focused on giving your players a detailed plan with reasonable volume.
Is Brett missing the next minicamp his idea or yours? It seems it's important to have everybody at the minicamps, so why will Brett be absent? Thanks for taking my question, and I'm looking forward to 2006! - Posted by Mike of Chicago
Brett's participation is a two-fold point. We want to make sure Brett has all of the offensive installation he needs to run the offense, but we also need to make sure Aaron Rodgers has an opportunity to develop. We have a distinct plan for Brett to reach all of the offensive installation targets, and we also have a plan for Aaron Rodgers to get all of the snaps he needs.
Who was the biggest suprise during the first minicamp? Congrats on being the coach. - Posted by David Rusche of Madison
There were no surprises, but we were very pleased with a lot of the players -- the veterans, the new players, etc. With their shape and the tempo we practiced at.
Mike, Mike Holmgren... Mike Sherman... Mike McCarthy... Can I have the job when you retire? Thanks, Mike. - Posted by Mike of Tucson, AZ
Go for it, and good luck. But I plan to be here for a while.
Can you give a short explanation of how you run a practice? - Posted by Michael Bookman of Schaumburg, IL
Every drill and every minute is detailed. You keep your finger on the pulse of a practice, particularly when it comes to the tempo and execution.
Is your relationship with Aaron Rodgers difficult as a result of your former team passing on him in favor of Alex Smith in the 2005 draft? - Posted by Aaron Shiffler of Los Angeles, CA
Not at all. Aaron and I talked about it upon my arrival in Green Bay. We discussed it as his opportunity to be the number one pick in the draft was a positive. He should hold his head high that he was considered for that pick.
Coach McCarthy, what was your fondest memory from your previous stint with the Packers? - Posted by Mike of Guadalajara, Mexico
The first four games of the season, where they all came down to the two-minute drill and Brett pulled three of them out for victories.
Coach, Did you scout Ingle Martin at the combine? If so, what stood out to you to draft him? Any other prospects stand out to you at the Qb position? - Posted by Rich of Middleton
I thought he was an excellent athlete with good arm strength. He was a very productive player on film.
Seems like you are a no B.S. type of guy and a straight shooter. I like that! A welcome change. In the past it seems like players sometimes questioned where they stood on the team and in some cases didn't get the messages being sent to them (Cletidus Hunt). I don't see issues like that happening quite as much under your watch, do you? - Posted by Joe Speslik of Cleveland, WI
No, that is not my intention at all. The best communication is consistent communication.
Now that you're back, what impresses you most about the renovated Lambeau Field? What changes have you made, in addition to the new weight room? Have you taken over Coach Sherman's office? Do you have any favorite memorabilia on display in your office? - Posted by Todd Julian of San Dimas, CA
A number of things impress me about the renovated Lambeau Field -- from the flags that light up at night, to the new offices to the better facilities for players. Just some minor changes to the offices. Yes, I am in Coach Sherman's old office. In my office, I have a number of pictures of my teenage daughter.
Who was your favorite team growning up? - Posted by Spencer Deacon - age 16 of Crystal Lake, IL
It was my hometown Pittsburgh Steelers, but now it's the Green Bay Packers.
So, where did you come up with the phrase "Packer People?" - Posted by Darrell of Waterloo
This business is always going to be about people. People win and people lose. Without good people, no matter what your talent level is, you're never going to experience success.
Who are the coaches or mentors along the way who have been most influential in your coaching style and methods? - Posted by Rhonda of McHenry, IL
I have been very fortunate to work with a number of coaches, both head coaches and assistants. I've been fortunate to work with Marty Schottenheimer, Jon Gruden, Marvin Lewis, Mike Nolan and Paul Hackett, just to name a few. There are a bunch of them.
It's been awhile since the Packers have roughed-up opponents and intimidated them. Do you think the addition of Rock Gullickson will make the Packers the most physical team in the division? If so, I'd be glad. - Posted by Deano Julian of Simi Valley, CA
That is the goal, and he is definitely the man for the job.
Hello Coach, Who decides the dates and times for the traing camp, and when will those be released. I would like to take a trip to Green Bay and enjoy "Training Camp" - Posted by Steve Karr of Champaign
We're working on those right now and they will be released in a couple of weeks on packerstrainingcamp.com.
can we get the frozen tundra advantage back immediatly...maybe win 6-8? - Posted by casey of Arcata
The Lambeau Field advantage is a primary focus for our football team. We have the best home-field advantage in the NFL, and we need to use it.
Is Samkon Gado going to play a bigger role this year? - Posted by Mike of Appleton
He certainly will have the opportunity. He has been in our offseason conditioning program since March 20, and has done an excellent job. That carried over to the field last weekend during our mini-camp.
Mike, I think it's great that you're doing this chat session, and I look forward to your leadership in the Packers organization. My question is this: (besides the run-first / zone-blocking scheme of things) how does your version of what I refer to as the "Midwest-coast" offense vary from other variations on the Bill Walsh - based theme? Thanks for taking my question, Vince - Posted by Vince Cuilla of Millersville, MD
The Bill Walsh-based started out with a split-backfield offense with the running concepts to fit that concept. Ours is an I-backfield alignment with running concepts to fit the formation.
How confident do you feel in our 2006 NFL Draft class? - Posted by Daniel Kopan of Houston, Texas
Very positive, not only about the draft class but all of our players. We had an excellent start at the first mini-camp. We got things to look the way we wanted them to look and guys competed with passion. We'll be looking to stack successes as we move into the next mini-camp.
What is the best part of being the Packers head coach? - Posted by Betty of Stanley, Wis.
Interacting with fans as I am doing with this chat. I'd love to stay longer, but I have been a bit under the weather the past two days and am going to have to call it a night. We'll do it again soon. Thanks for all of your great questions -- there were way more than I expected. Of course, with Packer fans, I've learned not to be surprised by the level of support. Go Packers!
Thanks to Coach McCarthy for taking time to join us and to all of you who submitted questions...there were hundreds. - Posted by Chat Moderator of Packers.com
How steep in the learning curve for lineman to understand and excel at the zone-blocking scheme? - Posted by Ben of Iowa City
Number one, they've had some form of the zone blocking scheme in their past, so it's not totally foreign to them. Just like any scheme in football, it's specific techniques within the scheme that make a difference.
How does it feel to be head coach of the Green Bay Packers? - Posted by todd of Madison
It's truly an honor and privilege. It's the number one coaching job in professional sports. I plan to take full advantage of it.
Maybe more than any other profession a head coach of a professional team has a tremendous amount of pressure on them to succeed. How will you handle the pressure and how will you measure your success this season? - Posted by Larry W. Steed of Pocatello
You need to handle any situation you're involved in one day at a time with complete focus on the little things without losing sight of the big picture.
Mike which games are you looking forward to next season and why? - Posted by Rory Bevitt of Nottingham UK
I'm looking forward to the Chicago game -- the first one. We'll take them one game at a time.
Welcome to the Packers! I was wondering, what has been the biggest obsticle you have faced in moving from offence coordinator to head coach? Thanks for taking your time out of your day to answer some questions! - Posted by Josh of Idaho Falls, ID
Just the broader scope of your vision as far as the detail of all three phases, without taking your focus off of the offense.
Welcome back to WI coach, Are you going to be calling the plays during the game, or are you going to leave that to your offense/defensive coaches? Good Luck this season - Posted by Char W of La Crosse
I will be calling the offensive plays during the game. Bob Sanders will call the defense.
How does a team approach the first game of the season as far as making a game plan against the opponent? - Posted by Carlos Espinosa, Jr of Denton, TX
You have more time to prepare for your first opponent, but you also can over-prepare, so you have to stay focused on giving your players a detailed plan with reasonable volume.
Is Brett missing the next minicamp his idea or yours? It seems it's important to have everybody at the minicamps, so why will Brett be absent? Thanks for taking my question, and I'm looking forward to 2006! - Posted by Mike of Chicago
Brett's participation is a two-fold point. We want to make sure Brett has all of the offensive installation he needs to run the offense, but we also need to make sure Aaron Rodgers has an opportunity to develop. We have a distinct plan for Brett to reach all of the offensive installation targets, and we also have a plan for Aaron Rodgers to get all of the snaps he needs.
Who was the biggest suprise during the first minicamp? Congrats on being the coach. - Posted by David Rusche of Madison
There were no surprises, but we were very pleased with a lot of the players -- the veterans, the new players, etc. With their shape and the tempo we practiced at.
Mike, Mike Holmgren... Mike Sherman... Mike McCarthy... Can I have the job when you retire? Thanks, Mike. - Posted by Mike of Tucson, AZ
Go for it, and good luck. But I plan to be here for a while.
Can you give a short explanation of how you run a practice? - Posted by Michael Bookman of Schaumburg, IL
Every drill and every minute is detailed. You keep your finger on the pulse of a practice, particularly when it comes to the tempo and execution.
Is your relationship with Aaron Rodgers difficult as a result of your former team passing on him in favor of Alex Smith in the 2005 draft? - Posted by Aaron Shiffler of Los Angeles, CA
Not at all. Aaron and I talked about it upon my arrival in Green Bay. We discussed it as his opportunity to be the number one pick in the draft was a positive. He should hold his head high that he was considered for that pick.
Coach McCarthy, what was your fondest memory from your previous stint with the Packers? - Posted by Mike of Guadalajara, Mexico
The first four games of the season, where they all came down to the two-minute drill and Brett pulled three of them out for victories.
Coach, Did you scout Ingle Martin at the combine? If so, what stood out to you to draft him? Any other prospects stand out to you at the Qb position? - Posted by Rich of Middleton
I thought he was an excellent athlete with good arm strength. He was a very productive player on film.
Seems like you are a no B.S. type of guy and a straight shooter. I like that! A welcome change. In the past it seems like players sometimes questioned where they stood on the team and in some cases didn't get the messages being sent to them (Cletidus Hunt). I don't see issues like that happening quite as much under your watch, do you? - Posted by Joe Speslik of Cleveland, WI
No, that is not my intention at all. The best communication is consistent communication.
Now that you're back, what impresses you most about the renovated Lambeau Field? What changes have you made, in addition to the new weight room? Have you taken over Coach Sherman's office? Do you have any favorite memorabilia on display in your office? - Posted by Todd Julian of San Dimas, CA
A number of things impress me about the renovated Lambeau Field -- from the flags that light up at night, to the new offices to the better facilities for players. Just some minor changes to the offices. Yes, I am in Coach Sherman's old office. In my office, I have a number of pictures of my teenage daughter.
Who was your favorite team growning up? - Posted by Spencer Deacon - age 16 of Crystal Lake, IL
It was my hometown Pittsburgh Steelers, but now it's the Green Bay Packers.
So, where did you come up with the phrase "Packer People?" - Posted by Darrell of Waterloo
This business is always going to be about people. People win and people lose. Without good people, no matter what your talent level is, you're never going to experience success.
Who are the coaches or mentors along the way who have been most influential in your coaching style and methods? - Posted by Rhonda of McHenry, IL
I have been very fortunate to work with a number of coaches, both head coaches and assistants. I've been fortunate to work with Marty Schottenheimer, Jon Gruden, Marvin Lewis, Mike Nolan and Paul Hackett, just to name a few. There are a bunch of them.
It's been awhile since the Packers have roughed-up opponents and intimidated them. Do you think the addition of Rock Gullickson will make the Packers the most physical team in the division? If so, I'd be glad. - Posted by Deano Julian of Simi Valley, CA
That is the goal, and he is definitely the man for the job.
Hello Coach, Who decides the dates and times for the traing camp, and when will those be released. I would like to take a trip to Green Bay and enjoy "Training Camp" - Posted by Steve Karr of Champaign
We're working on those right now and they will be released in a couple of weeks on packerstrainingcamp.com.
can we get the frozen tundra advantage back immediatly...maybe win 6-8? - Posted by casey of Arcata
The Lambeau Field advantage is a primary focus for our football team. We have the best home-field advantage in the NFL, and we need to use it.
Is Samkon Gado going to play a bigger role this year? - Posted by Mike of Appleton
He certainly will have the opportunity. He has been in our offseason conditioning program since March 20, and has done an excellent job. That carried over to the field last weekend during our mini-camp.
Mike, I think it's great that you're doing this chat session, and I look forward to your leadership in the Packers organization. My question is this: (besides the run-first / zone-blocking scheme of things) how does your version of what I refer to as the "Midwest-coast" offense vary from other variations on the Bill Walsh - based theme? Thanks for taking my question, Vince - Posted by Vince Cuilla of Millersville, MD
The Bill Walsh-based started out with a split-backfield offense with the running concepts to fit that concept. Ours is an I-backfield alignment with running concepts to fit the formation.
How confident do you feel in our 2006 NFL Draft class? - Posted by Daniel Kopan of Houston, Texas
Very positive, not only about the draft class but all of our players. We had an excellent start at the first mini-camp. We got things to look the way we wanted them to look and guys competed with passion. We'll be looking to stack successes as we move into the next mini-camp.
What is the best part of being the Packers head coach? - Posted by Betty of Stanley, Wis.
Interacting with fans as I am doing with this chat. I'd love to stay longer, but I have been a bit under the weather the past two days and am going to have to call it a night. We'll do it again soon. Thanks for all of your great questions -- there were way more than I expected. Of course, with Packer fans, I've learned not to be surprised by the level of support. Go Packers!
Thanks to Coach McCarthy for taking time to join us and to all of you who submitted questions...there were hundreds. - Posted by Chat Moderator of Packers.com