Bulaga hurt?

[pittstang5]

I just don't see a better option than Newhouse at LT. We know TT won't bring a veteran in, Hell, I don't even know if there's any LTs out there that are worth a damn.

And I can't see the rookie coming in and playing any better than Newhouse, especially against guys like Jared Allen, Aldon Smith, etc, etc.

[Carolina_Packer]

Come on Dr. Andrews. Hope the 2nd opinion is good, but who knows. Geez, this timing is bad. The only guy out there worth a flip, Eric Winston, just signed a one year deal July 25th with the Cardinals. I know that's not the Packer way. The other options are Jared Gaither (27, but injury concerns and questionable desire) and Frank Omiyale (Journeyman). My guess would be that they fill from within. I don't know if they will just Bakhtiari a shot, move Newhouse back to LT or somehow Sherrod is cleared to play and is serviceable until he can work his way back into game shape. I'm hoping that Sherrod is healthy enough to go back in at LT, otherwise, I think they might give Bakhtiari a shot. I think Newhouse is better off staying at RT.

[pbmax]

Come on Dr. Andrews. Hope the 2nd opinion is good, but who knows. Geez, this timing is bad. The only guy out there worth a flip, Eric Winston, just signed a one year deal July 25th with the Cardinals. I know that's not the Packer way. The other options are Jared Gaither (27, but injury concerns and questionable desire) and Frank Omiyale (Journeyman). My guess would be that they fill from within. I don't know if they will just Bakhtiari a shot, move Newhouse back to LT or somehow Sherrod is cleared to play and is serviceable until he can work his way back into game shape. I'm hoping that Sherrod is healthy enough to go back in at LT, otherwise, I think they might give Bakhtiari a shot. I think Newhouse is better off staying at RT.

I think that is wishful thinking if Joe Bulaga's comment to Hub Arkush is any indication. Seems based on Bulaga being able to play after the injury. But Pat McKenzie is a former disciple of James Andrews so I think the odds of a different diagnosis is slim.

[Patler]

Will be interesting to see what they do.
Newhouse back to LT?
Or, does Bakhtiari gets the first look?
Maybe Datko gets a chance?

I understand Joe and Patler not wanting to patch LT with Newhouse again and instead try Bahk or Datko. But of all the spots on the team, LT gets the fewest rookie or inexperienced starts. The temptation to go with a known quantity is strong. McCarthy is not afraid to think outside the box at times though.

Just to be clear, my first option is Newhouse, I just raised the possibilities of the other two. I would immediately put Newhouse there, and assume he would start the season there; but, I would give Datko and Bahktiari every opportunity to prove themselves over the next month.

If there is a silver lining to this kick in the gut, it's that they have a long time to get ready to play without Bulaga, and they shouldn't be any worse than they were at LT last year (I know, I know, that wasn't very good.) I would hope that Newhouse might be better than last year, or that another lineman surfaces as a better option than Newhouse.

I will admit to being intrigued by Datko. He is a big guy who was stellar in pass protection as a Sophmore and Junior. He was projected as a sold 2nd round pick, who might move into the first round with a good Senior season.

[Old School]

The thing that frustrates me to the point of not knowing whether to shit or go blind is MM. He'll spin, dodge, duck, hide, rope a dope, cancel practice, and Mass on Sunday before he'll speak the truth. I guess if he can't sleep at night, he thinks the fans should suffer with uncertainty about the season. He's got a future in politics.

[Patler]

The thing that frustrates me to the point of not knowing whether to shit or go blind is MM. He'll spin, dodge, duck, hide, rope a dope, cancel practice, and Mass on Sunday before he'll speak the truth. I guess if he can't sleep at night, he thinks the fans should suffer with uncertainty about the season. He's got a future in politics.

What do you expect him to do?

[denverYooper]

The thing that frustrates me to the point of not knowing whether to shit or go blind is MM. He'll spin, dodge, duck, hide, rope a dope, cancel practice, and Mass on Sunday before he'll speak the truth. I guess if he can't sleep at night, he thinks the fans should suffer with uncertainty about the season. He's got a future in politics.

I wouldn't expect any less now that the season is underway. Any tightly run organization is the same way wrt message control when every bit of information can be seen as a competitive advantage.

[Old School]

Sometimes I think what passes for competitive advantage is paranoid overkill.

[Bossman641]

The thing that frustrates me to the point of not knowing whether to shit or go blind is MM. He'll spin, dodge, duck, hide, rope a dope, cancel practice, and Mass on Sunday before he'll speak the truth. I guess if he can't sleep at night, he thinks the fans should suffer with uncertainty about the season. He's got a future in politics.

Are you talking in regards to cancelling practice today? Apparently they had a team-building exercise (paintball, bowling, something) planned for today and had kept it a secret from the media.

[pbmax]

From Bob McGinn: http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/218380031.html

The Packers are expected to move David Bakhtiari, their prized rookie, into the lineup for Bulaga. Coach Mike McCarthy, who canceled a practice scheduled Monday afternoon, was using the day to decide whether to go with Bakhtiari at left or right tackle. Marshall Newhouse, the other starter, can play either side.

[Bossman641]

From Bob McGinn: http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/218380031.html

I wish I knew more about this quote. Is McGinn expecting them to move Bakhtiari or does he have an actual source.

[RashanGary]

In the long run, we do not have an LT on the roster we can count on. Bulaga either. He's a china doll, to quote Patler. The riskiest possible answer to this dilema is inserting a 6'4 1/2" 299 lb 4th round draft pick into the LT position and see what he's got. And that's the decision MM has come to. Honestly, if nothing else, I admire MM for the size of his balls.

[wist43]

This is soooooo simple - you guys are really dense!!!

Sitton will move to RG, Lang will move to LT, the Persian guy will move to RT, EDS will move to LG, Barclay will move to C - duh!!

From there, of course, it follows that Newhouse is your new Fullback, Datko your new TE, Sherrod is the new Quality Control guy in charge of breaking down tape, and Van Roten has excellent feet and will be tried at CB.

This is sooooo simple and obvious - how is it the rest of you can't see this????

[Upnorth]

Ahh yes, the Forrest Gregg theory. I remember when Gregg cut Dickie & Paul Coffman and a whole bunch of other "8-8 players." Team went 4-12 until they fired Gregg.

I was a Newhouse detractor way, way before it was cool. He doesn't finish plays, he kinda gives up too often. But he has ability. He looked pretty good in about half the games last year. There is no way the Packers are going to throw-away his experience and break-in a brand new great-white-hope at the critical LT position.

So after being a big newhouse supporter, I had been switched to the dark side. On the other hand no one else has proven anything at tackle so I say start Newhouse at LT and let camp / preseason determine is Barclay or Datko are teh starting RT.
In retrospece once EDS started at center they started to play a bit better, so the guards did not have to worry so much about the center which made the tackles better. Who knows maybe we will have a top 5 oline this year.



Oh yeah and awww crap!

[TravisWilliams23]

As bad as we all feel now, imagine what Rodgers must be thinking!

He's been on his ass waaaaaay too many times recently and it just got a little worse.