Rodgers Continues to Steam Roll Opponents and his own Team.

[Deputy Nutz]

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/130753208.html


Speaking out: Rodgers continues to speak openly about a couple of mistakes tight end Jermichael Finley made during this three-touchdown performance against the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

Rodgers remarked after the game that Finley had made a couple of mental errors and when asked about it Wednesday did not back off his comments.

"I think I hold everybody to the same standard," Rodgers said Wednesday. "I hold myself to a high standard. I think the mental mistakes are the ones that I believe can be cured through preparation.

"And as gifted and talented as that boy is - and he's an incredibly talented man, the big fella - I think he needs to tighten it up a little bit with some of the mental mistakes."

Rodgers didn't detail what the mistakes were, and they definitely weren't apparent to those not privy to the Packers' plays. Whatever the case, there weren't that many, and they didn't hurt Finley's production.

"A mental mistake by him can easily turn into a touchdown, which it did during the game," Rodgers said. "So you have to kind of understand, you're dealing with an extremely gifted player. So we're talking about one or two plays.

"But I think he can be great, and I wouldn't be saying that if I didn't believe he could be one of the greatest tight ends to ever line it up."
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Rodgers shouldn't be saying it to the press regardless. Finley is the Packers number one priority to resign and Rodgers is tossing him under the bus. I don't think Rodgers likes to share the spot light with anyone else.

[RashanGary]

Aaron Rodgers rapport with Finley

AR is in the elite group of Packers who prepare at the highest level
AR is in the elite group of Packers who's most accountable on the field and in the offseason
AR is in the elite group of Packers as far as being simply a great player
AR is a friend


With all of that in mind, I think he has enough rapport to do something like this.


In the past, the QB wasn't in the elite group who prepare (especially in the offseason.) He wasn't one of the most accountable players on the field working in the offense, he was a great player and wasn't a friend. That type of guy doesn't have the right. AR is walking a thin line, but it's not quite inappropriate IMO. We'll have to see how Finley reacts. It will say something about whether or not Finley has that kind of relationship with AR.

[pbmax]

You can see where his self editor caught up with him mid sentence and said you should have gone with 'kid' rather than 'boy'. Time to compensate.

I think Rodgers has shown he has an understanding of leadership. He clearly won over his young teammates in his first three years. He took over starting in a very precarious position and managed it very well even among veteran teammates. So I am going to give him the benefit of the doubt on this topic.

I much prefer things like this to be handled behind closed doors. That said, there is a tremendous media surge to annoint Finley as the second coming of Kellen Winslow, Sr. Pair that with an overabundance of WR talent, and some tempering of expectations might be necessary in public to keep the peace. Should it be the coach's job? Ideally, but coaches have had trouble with this situation before and it might take the QB to sort it out player by player.

Someone has to stand up as the public leader on the offense and the QB is a natural fit. Finley I thought has handled himself well so far this season, but Rodgers might think its time to focus on where they are right now.

As for the spotlight, he won a Super Bowl without Finley. He can have all the spotlight he wishes to. There are a lot of Ford dealers around.

[swede]

You can see where his self editor caught up with him mid sentence and said you should have gone with 'kid' rather than 'boy'. Time to compensate.

Howard Cosell could have used that self-monitoring system to find a word other than "monkey" to describe an elusive African-American runner one Monday night in the dark past. I cannot remember who he thought the "monkey" was,* but I do remember the player in question could sure run. Howard deflected the criticism by assuring everyone he referred to his grandchildren as "monkeys", and given Howard's physiognomy, his description of the offspring's offspring may well have been apt.

As far as Rodgers and Finley...meh. Writers got to write stuff. If they get lucky, they get to write new stuff about the other stuff they wrote, as in: "Finley says he's 'not worried' about Rodgers racial epithets and lack of respect!" (Complete story page 2)

*I checked. It wasn't hard to find. Did you remember it was 1983? Did you remember it was the Redskins? DId you remember it was Alvin Garrett?

[pbmax]

Howard Cosell could have used that self-monitoring system to find a word other than "monkey" to describe an elusive African-American runner one Monday night in the dark past. I cannot remember who he thought the "monkey" was,* but I do remember the player in question could sure run. Howard deflected the criticism by assuring everyone he referred to his grandchildren as "monkeys", and given Howard's physiognomy, his description of the offspring's offspring may well have been apt.

As far as Rodgers and Finley...meh. Writers got to write stuff. If they get lucky, they get to write new stuff about the other stuff they wrote, as in: "Finley says he's 'not worried' about Rodgers racial epithets and lack of respect!" (Complete story page 2)

*I checked. It wasn't hard to find. Did you remember it was 1983? Did you remember it was the Redskins? DId you remember it was Alvin Garrett?

I remembered Alvin but then became cofused about Alvin Roberston also playing running back. Other names under consideration: Joe Washinton, who I always think of first and then remember its not the correct answer.

[Old School]

So Finley is so good; he's now above criticism. Say what you want about AR mentioning a Finley lapse in public, but who is the team leader? Maybe he's trying to motivate Finley to be all he's capable of. Let's not forget how many times he praised Finley and his ability - in public.

Go back and read the article about Finley's rehab and take note of the personal issues he worked on. More than one Packer player has said that AR chews out people in practice for 'PRACTICING" less than perfect. Fans at practice have heard it.

Rodgers believes that preparation and practice determine how you play on Sunday. And nobody studies and prepares more than he does. Nothing wrong with expecting 100% from everybody. While he waited for a diva to wear out his welcome, he wasn't sitting on the bench scratching his behind. He was preparing for greatness. The Packers can be darn glad they have him.

[MJZiggy]

How many times do we whine because players don't say anything original in interviews and just repeat the company line? He said what was on his mind and said it honestly. If Finley has a rebuttal, I'm SURE we'll hear about that. Rodgers very rarely says things like this to the press. And he's not blaming Finley for his own mistakes, he's holding him accountable. So now instead of whining because the players say nothing, we're going to whine because they say something? Geez.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

Good put him in his place.

[mraynrand]

You can see from game film that Finley has lined up incorrectly, that he's had Rodgers tel him where to line up and that in the NO game he totally missed a blocking assignment that led to a sack. And that's just the stuff I recall off the top of my head. Imagine what the coaches are seeing.

Rodgers is complimenting Finley and admonishing him at the same time. It's a good leadership technique. The public aspect of it? Who knows - maybe it's because Finley doesn't listen in private. Some players respond well to a little public calling out. Others throw temper tantrums and do sit-ups during interviews with the press.

[bobblehead]

Finley works pretty hard. Finley didn't have a problem with it. I don't have a problem with it. ARod also pointed out that his best play in the NFCC last year was tackling Urlicker so I think he holds himself accountable too.

[mission]

Rodgers with the classic build-break-build. Can't perform as a top leader without this basic principle.

Finley's response:
http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/130808448.html

“He’s the quarterback. What he said was maybe one or two plays. … That’s his job. He’s the quarterback of this team and if he sees something, it’s his job to express it.”


“I can improve upon it, but I think I play my game, play fast and go for the ball when it is in the air. Every day, you can get better. You never want to come to work and say, ‘I’ve got this made’ and relax because there’s a guy behind you that’s shooting for you. I would never get comfortable. That’s one thing you never have to worry about me.”

[mraynrand]

That's about as perfect a response as you can get from Finley right there. No Press sit-ups in his future.

[vince]

So Finley is so good; he's now above criticism. Say what you want about AR mentioning a Finley lapse in public, but who is the team leader? Maybe he's trying to motivate Finley to be all he's capable of. Let's not forget how many times he praised Finley and his ability - in public.

Go back and read the article about Finley's rehab and take note of the personal issues he worked on. More than one Packer player has said that AR chews out people in practice for 'PRACTICING" less than perfect. Fans at practice have heard it.

Rodgers believes that preparation and practice determine how you play on Sunday. And nobody studies and prepares more than he does. Nothing wrong with expecting 100% from everybody. While he waited for a diva to wear out his welcome, he wasn't sitting on the bench scratching his behind. He was preparing for greatness. The Packers can be darn glad they have him.

Well said Old School. Rodgers knows this team and is embracing a strong leadership role by having the confidence to say what he needs to to expect and get greatness from a guy who has no ceiling.

[Joemailman]

Finley seems to be growing up. Having his team win a Super Bowl without him may have been the best thing that could have happened to him.

[vince]

Rodgers shouldn't be saying it to the press regardless. Finley is the Packers number one priority to resign and Rodgers is tossing him under the bus. I don't think Rodgers likes to share the spot light with anyone else.

www.FavreRats.com

[RashanGary]

Finley seems to be growing up. Having his team win a Super Bowl without him may have been the best thing that could have happened to him.

Yup. It's hard to think you're above the team when the team achieved the highest goal without you. A few Packers have found that out the hard way. Finley gets to find it out when he's 24 and has a great career ahead of him.

And Finley likes to work through the media. It works both ways.


All that said, Finley is one of the special talents in the NFL. Some guys have a natural feel for space. When the ball is up, they can judge it and go get it. They have a sense where they are in relation to the ground, the ball and everything else going on around them. . . . It gets better with practice, but I think a good deal of that is born. Finley happens to have that special sense of what it is to be connected to the earth and the way things work. On top of that, he's a dominant athlete. There are not very many Jermichael Finley's in the NFL.

The Packers know what they have there. They want the best of Finley and Finley wants it too. I think he likes the challenge, honestly. He has that edge.

[Joemailman]

"A mental mistake by him can easily turn into a touchdown, which it did during the game," Rodgers said. "So you have to kind of understand, you're dealing with an extremely gifted player. So we're talking about one or two plays.

"But I think he can be great, and I wouldn't be saying that if I didn't believe he could be one of the greatest tight ends to ever line it up."

This is throwing a guy under the bus? Sounds more like trying to get the best out of a guy. Now some will argue that this is the job of the coaches, not the QB. If MM had said this, I doubt it would be an issue. My guess is that MM doesn't have a problem with Rodgers doing it. If he does have a problem with it, you won't hear it again.

[Brandon494]

www.FavreRats.com

this!

[gbgary]

this is the first i've heard of this. my knee-jerk here is i wish AR wouldn't share this with the press. keep it in the room and in the huddle. i can't think of one positive aspect here.

[pbmax]

this is the first i've heard of this. my knee-jerk here is i wish AR wouldn't share this with the press. keep it in the room and in the huddle. i can't think of one positive aspect here.

This is actually a replay of remarks he made after Sunday's game, a replay after he was asked about them again Wednesday. So there is nothing really new here, just a repeat.