Cliff Christl : Packers worst team in NFL
WEDNESDAY, April 12, 2006, 11:47 a.m.
Are the Packers the NFL's worst team?
Without Brett Favre, the Packers might be the least talented team in the NFL.
They have no elite players and Favre would be the only one who would even fall in the "very good' category. Ahman Green and Javon Walker did at one time, but it's unrealistic to think they'll play to that level in Green Bay this season.
How many other good players are there on the Packers' roster?
Donald Driver. Chad Clifton. Mark Tauscher. Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila. Aaron Kampman. Al Harris. That's six total. And Favre would make seven.
Nick Collins figures to reach that level this season. Nick Barnett is a maybe. So is Bubba Franks. It's wait and see with Ryan Pickett and maybe Samkon Gado.
But that's a pretty short list. In fact, how many other teams have a shorter one?
WEDNESDAY, April 12, 2006, 11:38 a.m.
The Packers' needs
No question, the Packers have huge holes at guard and center. But all it will take is three competent players to fill them. And they may even have them on the roster. The same is true at linebacker. The Packers need help there, but only part-time players. With Nick Barnett in the lineup, the other two linebackers don't even have to stay on the field on third downs and some second downs.
That's why these needs are more pressing and will be much more difficult for the Packers to fill:
1) A big-play receiver
2) A pass rusher
3) A durable, breakaway running back
4) A starting corner or at least someone who can push Ahmad Carroll for the job
WEDNESDAY, April 12, 2006, 11:28 a.m.
Woodson & Arrington
My guess is that if the Packers signed Charles Woodson and LaVar Arrington it would be enough to convince Brett Favre to play another season. It wouldn't do anything for the Packers' gaping holes at guard and wide receiver, but it would fortify the defense and perhaps give the Packers a shot at winning the NFC North.
Obviously, Woodson and Arrington would have to stay healthy, something they haven't done as of late. On the plus side, Arrington won't turn 28 until June and Woodson won't turn 30 until October. That means they could each give the Packers two or three good years.
But once players hit the 27, 28 age mark, they usually start to decline. And there's some evidence that's already occurred with Woodson and Arrington. So they wouldn't have the same impact they had when they entered the league. That's why teams probably are hesitant to meet their contract demands. They probably aren't worth from $10 to $14 million in guaranteed money.
But if Thompson could get a commitment from Favre that he'd keep playing if the Packers signed both, it might be worth the risk.
TUESDAY, April 11, 2006, 3:14 p.m.
Favre and retirement
I guess everybody knows now why Brett Favre can't make up his mind about next season. His heart is telling him to play; his head is telling him to retire.
TUESDAY, April 11, 2006, 3:13 p.m.
Montreal & football
I've always been fascinated by the Canadian Football League. In fact, two of my favorite players as a kid were George Dixon and Garney Henley, both of whom were cut by Vince Lombardi and wound up becoming Hall of Famers in the CFL. Also, high on my list of sporting events that I still want to attend is the Grey Cup. My plan is to take the Grey Cup train across Canada to the host city. A few years back, I read the book, "The Grey Cup," and learned that the train ride isn't the big deal and fun-filled excursion that it once was, but I'd still like to do it.
Anyway, during my visit to Montreal this past weekend, the highlight for me was visiting Percival Molson Memorial Stadium. I've now seen seven of the eight CFL stadiums. And I was more struck by this one than any of the others. In fact, if I was given a choice right now of watching a pro football game in any stadium in the world, I'd pick Percival Molson.
It just radiates an aura that has been lost with all the newfangled stadiums built with only one purpose in mind: To generate as much revenue as possible.
Percival Molson was built in 1915 and seats just over 20,000 fans. It sits in the foothills of Mount Royal on the McGill University campus. And part of what makes it so charming and cozy is that one end abuts an old brick building and the other a small park.
The Alouettes played there from 1947-'67, but left for more spacious and newer digs. Fans were turned off and the Alouettes eventually folded in the late 1980s for nine seasons. When they resumed playing in 1996, they first used Olympic Stadium, a large, cold, ugly edifice in a bad neighborhood miles from downtown. Once again, they were greeted with indifference. But since returning to Percival Molson, an Alouettes' ticket has become one of the hottest in town.
TUESDAY, April 11, 2006, 2:31 p.m.
The Packers' uniforms
Spent the weekend in Montreal. Didn't get to the hockey game. Scalpers were asking $300 for good seats. But every time I saw a Canadiens' jersey in a store window, I was reminded that of all the storied franchises in sports, the Canadiens have the best looking uniforms. Yes, even better looking and more stately than the Yankee pinstripes. The Canadiens' red, white and blue colors are striking and the "CH" logo portrays history and tradition like no other.
On the other hand, I couldn't help but think that the Packers have the ugliest uniforms of all the storied pro franchises in North America. The "G" would be fitting, only if the name of the city was simply Green. The gold is really mustard yellow. And the green wouldn't match if the uniforms were truly trimmed in gold.
Vince Lombardi might have been a heck of a coach, but he had no taste for uniforms or colors. In 1959, he approved the basic design and color scheme that's still being used today. Before that, from the 1920s through 1958, the Packers wore a variety of different uniforms, all of which would give the Packers a more dignified and befitting look today.
In their infinite wisdom, Ron Wolf and Mike Holmgren considered changing the uniforms in the early 1990s, but buckled to fan sentiment. Good thing Wolf didn't run his football team the same way. Or the '90s might have been as ugly as the team's uniforms.
