TODAY: Green Bay wraps up the preseason against the Titans for a fifth consecutive year. Beginning with a Dec. 16, 2001, regular-season clash in Nashville, this marks the seventh time the teams have met in less than five years...Following the contest, the Packers need to make their final preseason roster reduction, to 53 players (by 3 p.m. CDT Saturday). All exemptions expired on the first date, unlike previous years...Today marks the 46th edition of the Bishop's Charities game, a series with roots in the Lombardi Era. The Packers look to break a three-year losing streak in the series, bidding for their first win since 2002. Green Bay is 24-20-1 all-time in Bishop's Charities contests...Green Bay engages in a unique weekday matinee contest. The Packers rescheduled the game for a 3 p.m. kickoff to avoid going head-to-head with previously scheduled high school games. This marks the first time NFL teams will play a preseason day game, defined as a kickoff before 5 p.m. local time, in five years. The last instance was Aug. 31, 2001, when the N.Y. Giants closed their preseason at Baltimore in a rematch of Super Bowl XXXV. The preseason contest kicked off at 12 noon that Friday.
MILITARY HONORED TODAY: Approximately 75 Wisconsin veterans who received purple hearts, from all branches of the military services, will be on the field prior to the game to be recognized and take part in the national anthem. Those individuals represent the more than 300 Wisconsin military veterans who have been awarded purple hearts. The Packers are working with the Wisconsin Air National Guard (out of Madison), who determined which individuals would come today to represent their brethren. to arrange today's program.
PACKERS HELP CELEBRATE 'PLAY FOOTBALL MONTH': For the third straight year, USA Football has teamed with the NFL and NFL Players Association to kick off the start of the football season with Play Football Month - the "World's Largest Youth Football Celebration." Play Football Month was created as a grassroots campaign to promote the sport of football at all levels - from youth leagues to the NFL - and includes clinics, skills competitions, scrimmages, picnics and parades for football fans in communities throughout the country.
-To kick off the campaign, USA Football plans to award $500,000 in equipment grants to eligible youth football leagues throughout the month. Available equipment grants include a $25,000 grant and five hundred (500) $1,000 grants.
-NFL teams also are donating more than 100,000 preseason game tickets to youth organizations and military personnel during the month.
-In Green Bay, the Packers are celebrating Play Football Month by hosting approximately 300 members of the Duck Creek and East River Pop Warner teams at today's game by supplying complimentary tickets. Also, four teams will line up next to the Packers and Titans on the field for the national anthem. At halftime, the teams again will take to the field for a scrimmage. Earlier this month, at the Aug. 19 game against the Atlanta Falcons, four other area Pop Warner teams competed at halftime. In addition, Lambeau Field will adorn a special USA Football logo on the playing surface.
ROSTER MOVES
GREEN BAY: The Packers Thursday released guard/tackle William Whitticker (No. 78) and guard Mookie Moore (No. 57).
OTHER GAME INFORMATION
TODAY'S NATIONAL ANTHEM: The 132nd Army Band from Madison, Wis., will perform our Star Spangled Banner.
FLY BY: U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopters from the 147th Aviation Battalion in Madison, Wis., will buzz the stadium following the national anthem.
AT THE GATES: The team is distributing 2006 Miller Lite magnetic schedules and Festival Foods roster cards.
HALFTIME ENTERTAINMENT: After the Coldwell Bankers "Take it to the House" promotion, local Pop Warner teams from the Duck Creek and East River programs will compete on the field.
POOL REPORTERS: As appointed by the Professional Football Writers of America, Cliff Christl of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is the primary Lambeau Field pool reporter...Mike Vandermause of the Green Bay Press-Gazette is the alternate.
NEXT WEE:K The Packers and Bears renew one of the richest rivalries in all of sports with a 3:15 season opener at Lambeau Field, Sept. 10 on FOX...Tennessee, earlier that day, will host the N.Y. Jets and their new coach Eric Mangini, a noon CDT kickoff on CBS.
