Packers.com

Packers OTA Report: May 31

Wed, 31 May 2006 16:14:54 CST

Approximately 40 fans looked on as the Green Bay Packers took to Clarke Hinkle Field Wednesday for the first of 14 organized team activities.

"I thought the tempo was excellent," Head Coach Mike McCarthy said. "If you watch the clock, we're finishing each period with more than two minutes left. So I'm very pleased with the tempo.

"We're trying to get better as a football team. This is the third time that we've been able to practice the concepts and the different plays that we were practicing today and I thought we accomplished that. With our young guys, you're starting to see a comfort level in their play. We didn't see any pre-snap penalties. The ball wasn't on the ground. I thought it was a lot cleaner than it was in the second mini-camp, so I definitely think we made a step in the right direction today."

The Packers will hold two more practices this week before taking the weekend off. All practices, weather permitting, will be held on Clarke Hi..

Antonio Freeman Honored With Pop Warner Humanitarian Award

Sun, 28 May 2006 15:29:03 CST

As part of Pop Warner's National Awards and All-American Scholar Banquet at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort, Saturday, former Packers wide receiver Antonio Freeman was awarded the Pop Warner Humanitarian Award.

The Pop Warner Humanitarian Award is an award that was presented for the first time in 2005 (Arizona Cardinals WR, Larry Fitzgerald) and is given to an individual who has portrayed both outstanding athletic achievement and high humanitarian principles while serving as an inspiration to the youth of today.

Freeman was honored for his constant work for charities including his work on behalf of Big Brothers Big Sisters, the March of Dimes and "Coats for Kids."

About Pop Warner Little Scholars
Founded in 1929 and headquartered in Langhorne, PA. Pop Warner Little Scholars is the largest national youth football and cheerleading organization in the United States and the only youth sports organization that emphasizes academics as an equival..

Louisville Slugger Field To Add Statue Of Hornung

Sat, 27 May 2006 15:17:13 CST
"Golden Boy" Paul Hornung will join "Pee Wee" Reese at the front of Louisville Slugger Field.

A 7-foot bronze statue of Hornung, a Louisville native who won the Heisman Trophy at Notre Dame in 1956 and later starred for the Green Bay Packers, will grace the front of the park.

The statue, which will depict Hornung early in his career with the Packers, was commissioned by a group of Hornung's friends, led by attorney Robert Stallings.

The statue will be unveiled next week at Louisville Slugger Field.

Louisville sculptor Raymond Graf created the Hornung sculpture.

Graf also crafted a similar statue of Reese, another Louisville native, which marks the entrance to Slugger Field.

Hornung, 70, graduated from Flaget High School in Louisville. He was drafted No. 1 overall by the Packers.

Five Packers Share Thoughts on NFLEL Title Game

Fri, 26 May 2006 12:24:16 CST
On Saturday, five Packers representatives will take the field for the Yello Strom World Bowl XIV at LTU Arena in Dusseldorf, Germany (11 A.M. CDT, NFL Network), pitting the Amsterdam Admirals against the Frankfurt Galaxy.

Throughout the season, Admiral's standout receiver Chad Lucas has penned a diary for Packers.com detailing Amsterdam's road to the championship, as well as his personal journey.

Here's a look at the five Packers playing for the NFL Europe crown with their thoughts on the World Bowl and on completing the NFLEL season.

AMSTERDAM ADMIRALS
S Atari Bigby
Started all 10 contests at free safety and finished with a team-high 61 tackles (43 solo), with one interception among four passes defensed...Also posted five tackles on special teams.

On the World Bowl experience (as of Thursday morning):
"We've just been practicing and hanging out a lot, so far. We've dealt with the media a little, bu..

Packers To Hold 14 Practices On Clarke Hinkle Field

Fri, 26 May 2006 09:43:01 CST
Packers fans, are you ready for some football??

Beginning Wednesday, May 31, the Green Bay Packers will take to Clarke Hinkle Field, just across Oneida Street from Lambeau Field, for a series of 14 practices.

The OTAs (organized team activities), weather permitting, are free and open to the public and tentatively are schedule to last approximately two hours, beginning at 11:15 a.m. each day.

Check the schedule below for daily practice location updates.

Practices moved inside the Don Hutson Center due to weather or field conditions cannot be open to the public because of space limitations.

Below is a complete practice schedule.
- All information is subject to change.

Wednesday, May 31
11:15 a.m. - Clarke Hinkle Field (OUTDOORS)

Thursday, June 1
11:15 a.m. - Clarke Hinkle Field (OUTDOORS)

Friday, June 2
11:15 a.m. - Clarke Hinkle Field ..

Fit Kids Bash Hits Hutson Center

Thu, 25 May 2006 15:40:10 CST
Nearly 1,100 fourth-graders from the Green Bay School District enjoyed their year-end 'Fit Kids' bash Thursday, May 25, at the Packers' Don Hutson Center.

The bash was to celebrate successful participation in 'Fit Kids,' a joint effort between the Green Bay Packers, CBS 5 WFRV-TV and the Green Bay Area Public School District, featuring a year-long program with a curriculum that focuses on the whole child and each month covers a theme based on either nutrition, physical fitness or social health. It is the second year of the program for Green Bay schools.

The eight themes (introduced via video by Packers players) are Get Together, Get Out, Get Fueled, Get Cooking, Get Moving, Get Bendy, Get Happy and Get Fit.

Children who completed at least 75 percent of their 'Fit Kids' activities were invited to participate in several activities at the bash, including a variety of inflatables and a mini-golf course.

"The Packers are thrilled the children, both here..

Lucas, Nichols Named To All-NFL Europe League Team

Thu, 25 May 2006 14:55:37 CST
Packers wide receiver Chad Lucas and defensive tackle Jerome Nichols were named to the All-NFL Europe League team. The NFLEL made the announcement Thursday at World Bowl Media Day at the LTU Arena in Dusseldorf, Germany.

Lucas, who started nine of 10 games at wide receiver for the Amsterdam Admirals, led NFLEL with eight touchdowns in the regular season, while finishing second on the team in receptions with 27 for 440 yards.

Nichols, who started all 10 games at left defensive tackle for the Frankfurt Galaxy, tied for a league-leading six sacks, while also logging 29 tackles (27 solo).

Lucas, along with Packers teammates safety Atari Bigby, wide receiver Vince Butler and tight end Tory Humphrey, will go head-to-head with Nichols when the Admirals face the Galaxy in Yello Strom World Bowl XIV, Saturday May 27.

The NFL Network will broadcast the game in the United Stats at 12:00 PM ET.

****

Following is the All-NFL Europe League ..

Win A Helmet Autographed By Ahman Green

Wed, 24 May 2006 16:54:33 CST
Click here to enter!

**

NFLPLAYERS.COM is giving you the opportunity to win a helmet autographed by Packers star and four-time Pro Bowl selection Ahman Green.

This one-of-a-kind item is only available at NFLPLAYERS.COM. The more times you enter, the greater your chance to win. So be sure to come back and enter each day between now and June 30!

Edgar Bennett - Whatever It Takes

Mike Donnelly, NFLPlayers.com — Wed, 24 May 2006 12:27:31 CST
With the team concept always in mind, Edgar Bennett became one of the most productive running backs for the Green Bay Packers, gaining 3,353 rushing yards during his five seasons (1992-1996) with the storied franchise. Bennett was the team's leading rusher in the 1996 season when it won Super Bowl XXXI, and currently holds the all-time Packer record for most receptions in a season by a running back with 78, set in 1994.

When he hung up his cleats in 2000, Bennett combined his unselfish attitude with great football knowledge and has since made an even deeper impact within the Packers organization. The transition from retired player to a teacher of the game began with his appointment as the Packers' Director of Player Development, where he served from 2001-2004. In this advisory role, Bennett prepared players for all phases of the profession both on the field and off it and provided additional instruction specifically to Green Bay's running backs.

"It's extremely sa..

Football Only The First Act For Medicine-Minded Gado

Chris Jenkins, AP Sports Writer — Mon, 22 May 2006 19:19:24 CST
Prayers and a pocketful of Advil weren't enough to save Samkon Gado's cousin from what he can only assume was AIDS.

Three years ago, before his improbable rise from the practice squad to become the Green Bay Packers' starting running back last season, Gado returned to his native Nigeria to visit family members he hadn't seen since moving to the United States at age 9.

It was on that trip that he met a cousin who had just given birth despite being very sick. The father had been kidnapped and was being held for ransom.

Gado and his family prayed with the woman, giving her whatever medicine they were carrying. But three weeks after he returned to the U.S., Gado received word that the woman had died. The family assumes the father died in captivity and the baby was born with AIDS.

But, as was the case with several of Gado's cousins who died of AIDS-like symptoms, that's just an educated guess. There aren't enough clinics in Nigeria to properly diagnose ..

NFL Europe Week 10 Recap: Five Packers To Play In World Bowl XIV

Mon, 22 May 2006 12:50:58 CST
Week 10 Results
Frankfurt 14, Berlin 13
Hamburg 34, Amsterdam 21
Rhein 21, Cologne 10

***

Butchie sends Galaxy Bowling
Courtesy NFL Europe.com

Free agent running back Butchie Wallace scored on a pair of touchdown runs as the Frankfurt Galaxy overcame an early 13-0 deficit to defeat the Berlin Thunder and qualify for a league record seventh World Bowl.

Wallace scored on a 3-yard run just before the first half and then found the end zone from the same distance for what proved to be the game's winning points with 5:28 remaining in the third quarter.

The game also proved memorable for Frankfurt's Arizona Cardinals-allocated running back Roger Robinson, who rushed for 133 yards on 32 carries. That gave him a season total of 1,087, which surpassed the league single season record of 1,057 set by Mike Green of the 2001 Barcelona Dragons.

Robinson also topped 100 yards rushing for the seventh time t..

McCarthy: Team Is Headed In The Right Direction

Nathan Hager, Packers.com — Sun, 21 May 2006 22:02:05 CST
Though the Green Bay Packers are 111 days from their opening game against the Chicago Bears, don't try telling that to anyone at 1265 Lombardi Avenue.

In fact, anyone that watched the team wrap up its second and final mini-camp of the offseason Sunday morning can clearly see that the Packers are doing everything in their power to prepare for a successful 2006 season.

Head Coach Mike McCarthy wasted no time in getting to know his team, and perhaps more importantly, his squad got to experience first-hand what his expectations are going to be for the upcoming campaign.

The first-year head coach said that despite all the information that has been thrown at his team in the last two weeks, he is pleased with their progress and excited about the upcoming OTAs (organized team activities) and training camp, which will start in July (the dates will be announced at a later date).

After five practices that started Friday morning, one thing is clear: the..

Colledge Takes Mature Approach To The Challenge At Hand

Nathan Hager, Packers.com — Sat, 20 May 2006 14:29:35 CST
For a man listed at 6-foot-4 and 300 pounds, one might think that Daryn Colledge's size would be the first thing to jump out at you.

But in the case of the Packers' second-round draft pick, there is one other revealing quality that just might set Colledge apart from the standard NFL rookie: maturity.

Yes, Colledge is big, fast and athletic -- everything you look for in a young offensive lineman -- but it also doesn't hurt that he has his sights set on the big picture, which is working hard and taking care of his family.

"My wife keeps me pretty focused," the 24-year old North Pole, Alaska native admitted. "There can't be any screwing around. I have a second mouth to feed and a family to start. I've got bills and a house payment to make so I have to keep my job."

Colledge shouldn't have a problem doing that, considering he's been getting his share of the repetitions at guard with the first unit in the Packers second mini-camp of the season.

NFL Europe Week 10 Preview

Fri, 19 May 2006 18:10:58 CST
Should the Rhein Fire defeat the Cologne Centurions on Saturday evening, the Frankfurt Galaxy will have to do something they have not done in Berlin since 2000 - avoid defeat on the road against the Berlin Thunder.

If they can achieve that feat with a win or a tie, it is the Galaxy who will grab the final berth in Yello Strom World Bowl XIV and face off against the Amsterdam Admirals on Saturday May 27.

After winning 32-19 in 1999 and 32-7 in 2000, the Galaxy has lost on each of its last five visits to the German capital. The good news is that all five of those losses have come since the Thunder moved from their original base in the German capital - the Jahnstadion - to the Olympic Stadium. With soccer's World Cup coming to that venue shortly, Berlin have been forced to move this matchup to Jahnstadion for their first game at the venue since 2003.

While his team has everything to play for and Berlin is only battling for pride, Galaxy head coach Mike Jone..

McCarthy Wastes No Time Setting Packers' Tone

Nathan Hager, Packers.com — Fri, 19 May 2006 15:20:39 CST
After directing his squad for the second mini-camp of the offseason, Head Coach Mike McCarthy obviously knows there is still plenty of work left to do, but he's also happy with the direction his team is moving in.

While offseason workouts generally serve as teaching tools for new players and a chance to polish up for the veterans, when you throw in a complete new coaching staff, the time everyone spends together becomes even more valuable.

So, in getting to know his team a little better and vice versa, McCarthy and his staff also made it clear that they will demand nothing less than a high level of intensity as well as precision when it comes to practice.

Friday served as a perfect example of how difficult it can be to stay sharp with so many new faces, but after what McCarthy termed an "OK" morning session, the afternoon results were much better.

"I thought this morning was a little sloppy, but I thought it was better this afternoon," he said. ..

Rodgers Making The Most Of His Opportunity

Nathan Hager, Packers.com — Fri, 19 May 2006 15:17:09 CST
Aaron Rodgers has finally gotten his chance.

No, Brett Favre hasn't retired, but with his excused absence from the Packers second mini-camp that opened Friday, Rodgers served as the number one quarterback for the Green and Gold.

The 6'2, 223-pound signal caller hasn't received many opportunities to work as the starting quarterback and that obviously has made it even more difficult to prove his worth as the 24th overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft.

However, Rodgers has worked very diligently this offseason and by all indications, the second-year man out of California seemed to accommodate himself quite nicely.

"I put in a lot of hours learning the offense, getting into the weight room, and working on the field," Rodgers said. "Obviously it paid off in the first minicamp and I think it will in this one as well."

Head Coach Mike McCarthy has certainly taken notice of his young prospect.

"He's comfortable, he's been here since March ..

Packers Will Close Preseason On Friday Afternoon

Wed, 17 May 2006 18:41:00 CST
Fans, you'll want to ask your supervisors for a few extra hours off. Labor Day weekend just got a little more exciting.

Asked by the league to move their preseason finale, the Packers now will play their final tuneup for the 2006 season by hosting Tennessee in a 3 p.m. contest, Friday, Sept. 1.

The motivation behind the unusual kickoff time, a weekday matinee? The Packers chose to bow to high school football.

"High school football is huge here," said team President Bob Harlan, who has lived in the area since 1971. "All along, with the original Thursday date and now the 3 p.m. kickoff on a Friday, we didn't want to go head-to-head with the high schools."

And in previous instances when the Packers have played on Friday night, the community has been stretched thin. Each Lambeau Field game brings several thousand visitors to Green Bay. That combined with dozens of schools hosting football games throughout the area can make traffic an issue.

T..

'Best Of The Class' Saluted At Lambeau Field Atrium Wednesday

Wed, 17 May 2006 14:07:38 CST
GREEN BAY PACKERS, FOX 11, PREVEA HEALTH, MARIAN COLLEGE WELCOMED AREA'S TOP STUDENTS

The Green Bay Packers, WLUK TV Fox 11, Prevea Health and Marian College Wednesday hosted the "Best of the Class" in the Lambeau Field Atrium.

Nearly 200 of the top students from 85 Northeastern Wisconsin and Fox Valley schools attended and were congratulated for their efforts inside and outside the classroom and were wished well in their future endeavors.

Among the speakers addressing the group were John Jones, the Green Bay Packers' executive vice president/COO; Steve Prestegard, Marian College's director of public relations and marketing; and Deb Mauthe, Prevea Health's vice president of human resources. Fox 11's Tom Milbourn and Brooke Bradley emceed the event.

Jones advised the students to utilize the values that have allowed them to excel thus far in life, saying, "The values you have developed with your families have served you well. They have been yo..

Packers Hold Employee Blood Drive At Lambeau Field

Jeff Harding, Packers.com — Tue, 16 May 2006 16:17:52 CST
The Green Bay Packers opened its doors to the American Red Cross, Tuesday as several of the organization's employees lined up to participate in the Green Bay Packers Employee Blood Drive.

"It's always nice for a company to put on a blood drive for its employees," said Dave Liethen, Donor Recruitment Representative for the American Red Cross. "It makes it convenient for them and they are able to donate easily without any distractions such as worrying about getting home late or having to pick up the kids from day care."

According to their Web site, the Red Cross collects, screens, processes, tests, transports and monitors approximately 22,000 blood donations daily from across the nation.

Leithen also added that about three percent of the American population donates blood on a regular basis, while there is a 97-percent chance that in your lifetime someone you know will need a blood transfusion.

"The Packers as an organization are always mindful of ..

NFL Europe Week 9 Recap

Mon, 15 May 2006 15:46:26 CST
Week 9 Results
Amsterdam 17, Frankfurt 12
Hamburg 13, Rhein 10
Cologne 25, Berlin 7

***

The Amsterdam Admirals have booked their place in Yello Strom World Bowl XIV after downing the Frankfurt Galaxy 17-12 in Week Nine of the season. Which team become the Admirals' opponents in the final will not be discovered until next week, with both the Galaxy and Fire still alive. Rhein's hopes were severely dented, however, as they lost their game to Hamburg 13-10.

That Fire loss means that, in all likelihood, the game between Amsterdam and Frankfurt was a dress rehearsal for the World Bowl. In order for the Galaxy to make it into the championship game, they have to defeat a Berlin Thunder team in Week 10 that has not won a game since Week Five. For the Fire to take that spot they have to defeat Cologne and hope that the Thunder upset the Galaxy.

"We a very happy to be in the World Bowl again," said Admirals head coach Bart Andrus after h..

Mike McCarthy Celebrity Golf Open Raises Money For Cystic Fibrosis

Jeff Harding, Packers.com — Mon, 15 May 2006 14:55:59 CST
The Green Bay Packers 65 Roses Sports Club hosted the Mike McCarthy Celebrity Golf Open, Monday. Proceeds from the tournament and silent auction, now in its 18th year, are donated to St. Vincent Hospital's Cystic Fibrosis Center and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Wisconsin.

Since its inception, the tournament has raised over $450,000 for research efforts.

"It's for an excellent cause and anytime you get an opportunity to help somebody, you want to take full advantage of it," said McCarthy.

Dozens of area businesses help to sponsor the event, with Humana taking the lead by sponsoring the event since its inception.

Featured guests this year included McCarthy, several assistant coaches, Packers players Rob Davis and Aaron Rodgers and staff from the organization, plus more than 144 golfers who had a chance to mingle and hit the links with the Packers.

"The Packers have been involved in this for a long time so we are very excited about bei..

NFL Europe Week 9 Preview

Fri, 12 May 2006 15:08:55 CST
BERLIN THUNDER (2-5-1) at COLOGNE CENTURIONS (3-5)
RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne, Sunday May 14, 4:00 p.m.

SERIES NOTES
Overall: Cologne leads 3-2
At Cologne: Cologne leads 2-0
At Berlin: Berlin leads 2-1
Streak: Berlin 1
This Season: Cologne 13 at Berlin 24 (Week 5)

TELEVISION
US: DELAY/ NFL Network (4:00 p.m. ET, Sunday May 14).
GERMANY/NETHERLANDS: DELAY/NASN (10:00 p.m. CET, Thursday May 18)
UK: DELAY/NASN (1:00 p.m. BST, Thursday May 18)
Play-by-play announcer PAUL BURMEISTER is joined in the broadcast booth by former Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl XXX MVP defensive back LARRY BROWN.

COACHES
RICK LANTZ has lost three games in a row for the first time in his NFLEL head coaching career. Won a World Bowl ring in 2004 and guided the Thunder to the title game last season... DAVID DUGGAN is in his first season as an NFLEL head coach and is still chasing back-to-back wins. Won two World ..

Driver Excited About Contract Extension

Jeff Harding, Packers.com — Fri, 12 May 2006 14:33:23 CST
Having registered at least 80 receptions and 1,200 receiving yards in each of the last two seasons, Donald Driver and the Green Bay Packers have agreed to a contract extension.

"I take my hat off to the Packers organization first of all for even looking into it," said Driver, who had two years remaining on the contract he signed in 2002. "I really appreciate what they did because they didn't have to do it. I'm happy that I'll be a Packer for at least another four years."

The extension comes on the heels of Driver's most productive season in which he set career bests with 86 receptions and 1,221 yards, and will keep him entrenched within a community he has grown to love.

"I've always said that once I got to Green Bay I knew I wanted to retire here and that I always wanted to be a Green Bay Packer," said Driver, a native of Houston, Texas. "The tradition here is tremendous and the people here are like no other."

Driver, 31, begins his eighth seas..

New Fullback No Stranger To Long Odds

Mike Spofford, Packers.com — Thu, 11 May 2006 10:51:29 CST
A few months ago, Ben Brown was one of roughly 1,000 highlight tapes of longshot prospects stacked in John Dorsey's office at Lambeau Field.

Dorsey, the Packers' director of college scouting, said of those 1,000 tapes he receives each year, only one player every three or four seasons is signed coming into training camp.
So far, Brown has beaten those odds.

This week the Packers signed Brown, a 6-foot-1, 246-pound fullback from Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kan., as a nondrafted free agent after he took part in the team's first mini-camp on a tryout basis.

Brown is still a long way from achieving his lifelong dream of playing in the NFL, but he's already made it farther than most with his background could ever imagine.

"We wanted to see if the NFL was too big for him, and he fit right in," Dorsey said. "It wasn't too big for him at all.

"He's got great odds to overcome, so does he have the perseverance to do this? Time will tell."

NFL Europe Week 8 Recap

Mon, 08 May 2006 15:01:51 CST
Week 8 Results
Centurions 20, Admirals 13
Galaxy 16, Fire 14
Sea Devils 38, Thunder 14

It's all change at the top of the NFL Europe standings after three games in Week Eight that each provided a shock result. The consequences of a loss by Amsterdam, Frankfurt's victory over Rhein, and a belated first win of the season for Hamburg, is that the two teams heading for Yello Strom World Bowl XIV may not be known until after Week 10 - just seven days before the championship game kicks off.

The Admirals had been sitting alone on top of the standings since Week Five when they ended Rhein's undefeated start to the season. However, the loss of league-leading quarterback Gibran Hamdan to a broken ankle meant that Amsterdam were forced to go into this week's contest with the Centurions with untested Jared Allen (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) at quarterback. Cologne's defense took advantage of Allen's inexperience, intercepting him three times and sacking him..

Packers Mini-Camp Report: May 7

Roger Anderson, Packers.com — Sun, 07 May 2006 21:54:00 CST
The first step is usually the hardest.

But having now completed it, first-year Head Coach Mike McCarthy hopes that when the Packers' second mini-camp starts May 19, the footprint from that step will still be around.

Having met with his players, and having instilled within them and his coaching staff the direction the team is headed, McCarthy is confident that the installation of the first and second down offense was a success. And in less than two weeks he'll be back at it again.

"When we come back for the second mini-camp we're actually going to go back and repeat it, particularly for the young guys," McCarthy said. "So our first and second down offense will be repeated, the foundation of it, in the second mini-camp, and then we'll introduce third down. Once we get to the OTA we're going to go back and repeat it again."

The organized team activities that McCarthy was talking about will take place in two- and three-day segments from May 31-June 2..

Packers Mini-Camp Report: May 6

Roger Anderson, Packers.com — Sat, 06 May 2006 03:01:55 CST
It was a logical fit that on the second practice of the second day of mini-camp, Head Coach Mike McCarthy would implement the second installation of his new offensive system.

"Everything we do has a progression," McCarthy said. "You always want to stack so you're able to build ... and I think it makes the learning curve easier."

Not even 16-year veteran Brett Favre is immune to that learning curve, engaging McCarthy in conversation over the first two days of camp to clarify strategy and language changes.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Packers appear to be remolding a unit, which was ranked No. 1 against the pass a year ago, into an even stronger engine with different parts. In Friday's early practice, rookie free agent Tra Boger intercepted a pass thrown over the middle and ran toward the right corner of the endzone before reversing his direction and sprinting back across the left half of the field for a score.

Favre recovering from com..

Desire To Win Brought Favre Back

Roger Anderson, Packers.com — Sat, 06 May 2006 14:17:05 CST
The decision Brett Favre made to return to Green Bay this season wasn't easy, but it was rather simple.

"Ultimately I still wanted to play, I still felt like I could help this team win," Favre said. "I wondered what it would be like at home on Sundays next year and saying I could be doing that, I could be helping that team.

"Regardless of what decision I made, there will be regrets at times."

On the field inside the Don Hutson Center Friday, Favre began his 16th NFL campaign throwing completion after completion, moving in and out of the pocket and seemingly enjoying the nearly two-hour practice.

"He's eager," Head Coach Mike McCarthy said. "He's going to be challenged mentally in a way that he hasn't been challenged in a while because we have changed the offense. I think that's healthy.

"Brett Favre is a football player and I think he's in the environment that he belongs in."

The thought of that environment being another city ne..

Hawk Lands In Green Bay

Roger Anderson, Packers.com — Sat, 06 May 2006 14:04:10 CST
But flying back to Columbus for graduation

A.J. Hawk plans to stay in Green Bay for a long time, his entire career in fact. But first thing's first: College graduation.

"I'll definitely be on the phone with some guys and the coaches to make sure I know what I missed," Hawk said about missing the team's second mini-camp in two weeks and the first six days of organized team activities in order to attend school at Ohio State and finish his last exam June 9. "I need to get a good base and a good feel for the defense."

As advertised, the fifth pick in April's draft has had a flair about him on the practice field, flying around on a first-team defense that ranked seventh in the NFL a year ago.

"I want to get a good feel for the defense and make sure I feel comfortable so I can run around and just play and not be thinking out there," Hawk said of his first experiences as a Packer. "All the rookies have to get in their playbook and make sure we kno..

Freedom Shrine Dedicated In Lambeau Field Atrium

Fri, 05 May 2006 15:57:33 CST
The Green Bay Exchange Club, a local service organization, Friday formally presented to the Green Bay Packers the area's newest Freedom Shrine. The display will be located in the Lambeau Field Atrium and available for all visitors to see.

The Freedom Shrine is a collection of original historic American documents photographically reproduced and attractively displayed in thousands of locations throughout the United States, including many area schools, the Brown County Courthouse and the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

The purpose of the Freedom Shrine is to encourage young people to gain a deeper understanding of the events that took place in the building of America. The display will nicely complement the educational component of the Packers Hall of Fame, as well as be a noteworthy stop on Lambeau Field's popular stadium tours.

Packers Executive Vice President/COO John Jones accepted the display from Green Bay Exchange member Bill Bauknecht, who presented ..

Packers Mini-Camp Report: May 5

Roger Anderson, Packers.com — Fri, 05 May 2006 22:32:58 CST
On Friday the Green Bay Packers took their first collective step in a new direction.

With first-year head coach Mike McCarthy leading the way, the team officially opened the 2006 season with a non-contact practice session inside the Don Hutson Center. The session opened the first of two, three-day mini-camps in the month of May.

The practice got under way with quarterback Brett Favre breaking a huddle on the North end of the Center, but with no defense to oppose him. And first-round draft choice A.J. Hawk was running drills on the opposite end without the restrictions of an offensive blocking scheme, or a helmet to hold back his hair.

Taking their place on the first-string offense were three-year veteran Scott Wells handling the center duties and second-round draft choice Daryn Colledge lining up at left guard. Samkon Gado was in the backfield and would burst through the line and sprint downfield on the first play from scrimmage.

For McCarthy, the..

Fresh Start For Green And Gold, McCarthy

Roger Anderson, Packers.com — Fri, 05 May 2006 21:01:53 CST
There were nearly four months of paperwork between Mike McCarthy being named the Green Bay Packers head coach, and Mike McCarthy getting the chance to coach his team on a football field.

On Friday, during the Packers' first mini-camp practice of the 2006 season, he used that opportunity to evaluate both his players' abilities and his own approach.

"It felt great to get out there ... everybody's excited to be out there, because this is what it's all about; coaches coach and players play," McCarthy said. "Obviously the meetings are important, the off-season programs are very important, the individual time with the coach and players are important, but this is the closest thing we have to the game so this is what everybody looks forward to and it's an exciting time."

McCarthy has seemed to carry excitement in his back pocket since being named the organizations 14th head coach on Jan. 12. At that time he released a missi..

NFL Europe Week 8 Preview

Fri, 05 May 2006 20:20:02 CST
COLOGNE CENTURIONS (2-5) at AMSTERDAM ADMIRALS (6-1)
Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam, Saturday May 6, 7:00 p.m.

SERIES NOTES
Overall: Amsterdam leads 5-0
At Amsterdam: Amsterdam leads 2-0
At Cologne: Amsterdam leads 3-0
Streak: Amsterdam 5
This Season: Amsterdam 20 at Cologne 15 (Week 2)

TELEVISION
US: DELAY/ NFL Network (8:00 p.m. ET, Saturday May 6).
GERMANY/NETHERLANDS: LIVE/NASN (7:00 p.m. CET, May 6)
UK: DELAY/NASN (5:00 p.m. BST, Monday May 8) Play-by-play announcer CHRIS CARLIN is joined in the broadcast booth by former Minnesota Vikings and Barcelona Dragons quarterback JAY WALKER.

COACHES
DAVID DUGGAN is in his first season as an NFLEL head coach and is still chasing back-to-back wins. Won two World Bowl rings as defensive coordinator of the Berlin Thunder in 2001 and 2002... BART ANDRUS is the reigning NFL Europe League Coach of the Year. Has won 13 of his last 18 games in charg..

Packers.com Live Chat To Welcome Head Coach Mike McCarthy

Fri, 05 May 2006 14:02:51 CST
This Week's Chat:
Who: Head Coach Mike McCarthy
Date: Tuesday, May 9, 2006
Time: approx. 5:00 p.m. CT

****

Friday marks the official beginning of the on-field portion of the Mike McCarthy era as he and his new coaching staff hit the field inside the Don Hutson Center for the first of the Packers' two May mini-camps.

With the entire team together for the first time since McCarthy took over as head coach, this is surely to be an exciting time for the players, the coaching staff and especially you, the fans.

On Tuesday, May 9, McCarthy will stop by to field some of your questions and talk about his first full mini-camp as head coach, his vision for the future of the Green Bay Packers and how he plans to return the team to glory.

If you plan to take part in the chat, which will begin at approximately 5 p.m. CT., please be sure to remember the following tips:

Be courteous and..

Live Press Conferences On Packers.com!

Fri, 05 May 2006 09:16:49 CST
Click here for live VIDEO!

Keep checking back for archived audio and video of all press conferences.

***

Live Press Conference Video Schedule
* all times Central and subject to change

Friday, May 5:
Mike McCarthy: approx. 4:40 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Saturday, May 6:
Brett Favre: approx. 12:20 p.m. - 12:45 p.m.

***

Tired of waiting for 10 second clips on the late-night news to find out what's going on with the Green and Gold?

Be sure to join Packers.com this season as we provide streaming video coverage of the Packers' press conferences in their entirety and free of charge, live from the Lambeau Field media auditorium. ..

Packers Continue Offseason Workouts, Prepare For Friday's Mini-Camp

Mike Spofford, Packers.com — Wed, 03 May 2006 16:12:54 CST
As a veteran strength and conditioning coach, Rock Gullickson possesses a belief in emphasizing free weights versus machines that is supported by more than his experience as a powerlifter and an undersized college football player.

There are books, studies, and even his own research behind it as well.

Gullickson focused his graduate studies at South Dakota State in the mid-1980s on how athletes, particularly football players, get stronger. A humble but well-respected expert in the field, Gullickson had begun designing workout programs in school and has stuck to his core belief from the beginning.

"When I first got interested in the field, I did a lot of reading and research," Gullickson said. "I didn't see a lot of research that backed the idea that simply training with machines could do what free weights do.

"I spent time in the library and watched body builders train and came to my own philosophy on how to do things the best way."

Gullick..

Healthy Woodson Will Hit The Ground Running This Weekend

Tue, 02 May 2006 16:51:00 CST
A healthy Charles Woodson will hit the FieldTurf running this weekend.

When the Packers open their first mini-camp Friday in the Don Hutson Center, Woodson won't be watching from the sideline. The team's medical staff has cleared him for full participation.

"My health is fine and I haven't lost any speed," said Woodson, whose 2005 season ended when a teammate broke his fibula Oct. 23 vs. Buffalo. "I'm completely healed. There was really nothing I could do about that. But as far as my health is concerned now, everything's fine."

An X-ray taken in early January showed new bone growth in the leg. Since, Woodson has been enthusiastically training for the 2006 season, mostly in the Houston area. That training went up another notch once negotiations with the Packers heated up early last week.

"It just kind of all started to make sense," he said. "It all fell into place. My agent and I were just talking back and forth and I said, 'You know what? Now that ..

NFL Europe Week 7 Recap

Mon, 01 May 2006 16:45:13 CST
Week 7 Results
Amsterdam 18, Hamburg 17
Rhein 27, Berlin 24
Frankfurt 17, Cologne 10

Week Seven of the NFL Europe season pitted the league's top three teams against the bottom three, and the narrow margin of victory in each of the game paid testament to just how close each franchise is in terms of talent. It took field goals on the final play of the game by both Amsterdam and Rhein to squeak past Hamburg and Berlin, while the Frankfurt Galaxy took their first lead of the game with under three minutes remaining and held on to it to down Cologne.

The league-leading Admirals took on winless Hamburg in a game that to all and sundry looked like a mismatch of epic proportions before kickoff. By halftime Amsterdam, who had averaged 30 points per game through the season, were trailing 17-3 and an upset looked to be on the cards.

A rally in the second half brought two more field goals by kicker Ryan Killeen, and then after Gibran Hamdan (..

Packers.com Draft Day Challenge Prize Winners Announced

Mon, 01 May 2006 14:02:04 CST
Over a two-week period, more than 9,600 Green Bay Packers fans took part in the Packers.com Draft Day Challenge in an attempt to predict the identity of the Packers' first selection in the 2006 NFL Draft.

Of that pool, 5,354 individuals correctly predicted that Ohio State linebacker A.J. Hawk would be the Packers' first pick.

The correct picks came from all 50 states, including 1,809 from Wisconsin, and 18 countries world-wide (Australia, Belgium, Canada, Columbia, Germany, Denmark, Guatemala, Spain, France, Great Britain, Japan, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Rome, Sweden, Thailand, Yugoslavia and the United States.)

From the pool of 5,354 finalists, Packers.com randomly selected three prize winners. They are:

Davon Jackson of Capitol Heights, Maryland, Melissa Colton of West Allis, Wis., and Gabe Munez of Las Cruces, New Mexico.

The prize packages won by these three contestants are listed below, followed by the names of the 5,354 finalists and a ..