Two years after he co-founded the Packers with Curly Lambeau, George Calhoun began writing a piece called The Dope Sheet, which served as the official press release and game program from 1921-24.
Honoring Calhoun, the first publicity director, the Packers are running this weekly feature as their release, which is being made available to fans exclusively on Packers.com.
A complete edition of the Dope Sheet will be available each week during the season in PDF format, located in the Packers.com Game Centers.
Here are some highlights from the Week 11 Dope Sheet:
THIS WEEK'S NOTABLE STORYLINES:
-With memories of Antonio Freeman's incredible overtime catch to defeat the Vikings in 2000, Monday Night Football returns to Green Bay to televise one of the NFL's fiercest rivalries.
-Two clubs slow out of the gates are each coming off enormous road victories against quality teams.
-In the rain on Nov. 6, 2000, Freeman somehow caught Favre's deflected pass on the ground, after battling Cris Dishman, then got up and turned the play into a 43-yard score.
-It's Minnesota's first trip to Lambeau Field since the Vikings ended Green Bay's 2004 season in the playoffs, 31-17. It's also Minnesota's first trip to Green Bay with former Packers safety Darren Sharper.
NATIONAL TELEVISION: ABC's Monday Night Football will air the contest. Al Michaels, who has called more memorable events than any American sportscaster since joining ABC in 1976, teams up in the booth with analyst John Madden, a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of
- Sam Ryan, a college sideline reporter since 2002 continues to pinch-hit for Michele Tafoya, who is on maternity leave. Fred Gaudelli is the producer, Drew Esocoff directs and Elias Sports Bureau's Steve Hirdt heads up the statistics. A Packers game will air to the largest possible audience for the 21st time since 2004.
INTERNATIONAL TELEVISION: In addition, ESPN International will broadcast the contest in three languages to more than 180 countries.
NATIONAL RADIO: CBS Radio Sports/Westwood One will air the game in English from Green Bay, with Marv Albert (play-by-play), Boomer Esiason (color), John Dockery (sideline) and Jim Gray (pregame/halftime). Plus, announcers Clemson Smith Muniz, Alfredo Bejar and Armando Alavera will broadcast the game in Spanish from New York City.
PACKERS RADIO: Milwaukee's WTMJ (620 AM), airing Green Bay games since 1929, heads up the 62-station Packers Radio Network, with versatile Wayne Larrivee (play-by-play) and two-time Packers Pro Bowler Larry McCarren (color). Spanning five states, the network covers 50 markets in the upper Midwest. The broadcast also is available to NFL Field Pass subscribers on packers.com.
THE DOPE ON THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT:
Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings:
All-time regular season: 44-43-1
All-time postseason: 0-1
All-time, Lambeau Field: 14-15-1
Streaks: Packers have won three of last four in regular season
Last meeting: Oct. 23, 2005, Metrodome; Vikings won, 23-20
Last meeting, Lambeau Field: Jan. 9, 2005; Vikings won, 31-17 (2004 NFC Wild Card playoff)
Last meeting, Lambeau Field, regular season: Nov. 14, 2004; Packers won, 34-31
COACHES CAPSULES
Mike Sherman: 57-38-0, .600, sixth NFL season, sixth with Packers
Mike Tice: 28-33-0, .459, four-plus NFL seasons (all with Vikings)
Head to Head: Tied, 4-4
vs. Opponent: Sherman 7-5 vs. Vikings; Tice 4-4 vs. Packers
MIKE SHERMAN...Is in his sixth year as the Packers' 13th head coach.
-Is no stranger to adversity, having overcome several hurdles each of the past three seasons to win a trio of NFC North titles.
-Since the 1993 collective bargaining agreement, teams have made 84 coaching changes and only Sherman's tenure has produced winning records in each of its first five seasons.
-Over their first five regular seasons as an NFL coach, since 1970 only Chuck Knox, George Seifert, Joe Gibbs and Mike Ditka produced better records than Sherman (53-27, .663).
-In 2004, his team became only the ninth in NFL history to reach the playoffs after a 1-4 start. In 2005, is attempting to steer his club to the playoffs after an 0-4 start; since 1990, only the 1992 Chargers have accomplished that feat.
-Has led the Packers to three straight division titles and four consecutive playoff appearances.
-Is 6-0 against teams in the Super Bowl the previous season.
MIKE TICE...Officially named the Vikings' sixth head coach Jan. 10, 2002.
-In 2004, led the team to its first playoff berth and first postseason victory since 2000.
-Has been associated with the team since 1992, playing tight end from 1992-93 and 1995, coaching the tight ends in 1996 and the offensive line from 1997-2001. Tice added the title of assistant head coach for the 2001 season and was made the interim head coach for the Vikings' last regular season game of the 2001 season against Baltimore.
-Tice is the first Vikings alumni player to hold the title of the franchise's head coach. In five seasons coaching the offensive line, Tice guided five players to 10 Pro Bowl appearances.
-Played quarterback at the University of Maryland from 1977-1980.
-Over his 14-year NFL career, Tice caught 107 passes for 894 yards and 11 touchdowns. Tice played three seasons with the Vikings (1992-93, 1995), 10 years with the Seattle Seahawks (1981-88, 1990-91), and one season with the Washington Redskins (1989), making 109 starts in 177 games played.
THE PACKERS-VIKINGS SERIES: Few, if any, rivalries in sports have exhibited more parity. These clubs have split 89 meetings overall (44- 44-1).
Of late, the Packers have held a slight edge, 7-5 since Mike Sherman took Green Bay's reins in 2000.
-In 2003, the home clubs in the series were 0-2. The last time that happened was 1991.
-Over the last 11 seasons (1994-2004), these teams have accounted for nine division championships (NFC Central 1994-2001, NFC North
2002-04).
NOTABLE CONNECTIONS...Fifth in Packers history with 36 interceptions, Vikings safety Darren Sharper spent his first eight NFL seasons (1997- 2004) in Green Bay...Minnesota coverage coordinator Chuck Knox Jr. spent the '99 season as the Packers' defensive assistant/quality control...Packers DT Colin Cole originally signed with Minnesota as a rookie free agent in 2003 and spent separate one-week stints on the Vikings' 53- man roster that season...Packers RB ReShard Lee spent a few days with the Vikings at the end of the 2005 preseason...Green Bay TE Donald Lee and Minnesota CB Fred Smoot were teammates at Mississippi State...Green Bay director of research and development Mike Eayrs (similar capacity, 1985-99) previously worked for the Vikings...T Bryant McKinnie (Vikings) and TE Bubba Franks (Packers) were college teammates at Miami (Fla.)...Minnesota's head trainer Chuck Barta and Packers assistant trainer Kurt Fielding were classmates at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse...Vikings running back Michael Bennett rushed for 1,681 yards in his only season as a Wisconsin starter, 2000, second in Badger history; a former Milwaukee Tech High School star, Bennett's uncle is former Packer Tony Bennett...Other Wisconsin Badgers ties include Vikings RB coach Dean Dalton (assistant 1986-87) and All- American DE Erasmus James (2001-04).
LAST MEETING (AP): Oct. 23, 2005, Metrodome; Vikings won, 23-20.
-Prodded by Mike Tice's stern halftime speech, the Vikings came back from a 17-0 deficit to beat Green Bay 23-20. Paul Edinger kicked a career- and franchise-long 56-yard field goal as time ran out, lifting momentum-starved Minnesota past the Packers.
-After a flawless first half by Packers quarterback Brett Favre, Daunte Culpepper (23 for 31, 280 yards, two TDs, no INTs) came to life.
-Ryan Longwell tied it at 20 with 24 seconds remaining on a 39-yard kick after missing two earlier field goals for the Packers. After the kickoff, Culpepper threw a 14-yard pass to Mewelde Moore and a 12-yard pass to Robinson - who stepped out and stopped the clock with 2 seconds left on the Green Bay 38.
-Favre was busy thinking about overtime when he turned to watch Edinger's winner. His teammates were just as shocked. And the Packers returned to Wisconsin in much worse shape. Carted off with severe injuries were receiver Robert Ferguson (knee, second quarter) and running back Ahman Green (quadricep tendon, fourth quarter).
-Culpepper was constantly under pressure in the first half and Green Bay notched five sacks.
-Green Bay took a 7-0 lead early in the second quarter when Donald Driver made a 22-yard catch in the corner of the end zone by cradling the ball against his right elbow.
-Driver broke four tackles on a 40-yard play that set up a 4-yard TD toss from Favre to Antonio Chatman late in the second quarter that made it 14-0. Koren Robinson returned the subsequent kickoff 72 yards, but Nick Barnett forced a Moore fumble on the next play and Kabeer Gbaja- Biamila recovered.
LAST MEETING, LAMBEAU FIELD (AP): Jan. 9, 2005, Lambeau Field; Vikings won, 31-17.
-Randy Moss caught two TD passes and the Vikings rolled to an upset victory over the stunned Packers. Green Bay had swept the season series, including a last-second victory at the Metrodome two weeks prior to clinch the NFC North crown.
-But Daunte Culpepper threw four TDs - giving him 11 and no interceptions against Green Bay on the season - and the Vikings picked off four Brett Favre passes after managing only 11 interceptions all season.
-Minnesota scored on its first three possessions, jumping out to a 17-0 lead in avenging two 34-31 losses to the Packers, who entered the playoffs as the NFC's hottest team.
-The Packers lost Pro Bowl receiver Javon Walker in the first half and left tackle Chad Clifton in the third quarter, but pulled to 24-17 on Najeh Davenport's 1-yard plunge with 13:37 left. Then two costly Packers infractions set up Culpepper's 34-yard touchdown toss to Moss, giving the Vikings a 14-point cushion with 10:18 remaining.
