Getting close to Favre

1 comment March 4th, 2008

I was in Canton, Ohio, in November to speak to sister sites about Web-first publishing. I had the opportunity to visit the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I had the picture below taken. (That’s the ball Favre threw to break Dan Marino’s touchdown.) It’s the closest to Favre I’ll likely ever get. And I may just have to book plane tickets five years out because I am sure Favre will be inducted when he’s first eligible.

Favre retiring?

1 comment March 4th, 2008

I hoped I wouldn’t have to post to this blog until next season. But news reports of Brett Favre’s retirement force me to post some comments here. If the reports are true (and they just might be … here’s Ted Thompson’s statement), it’s a sad day for Packers fans like me. I was 15 when Favre first took Lambeau Field in relief of an injured Don Majkowski. Say what you will about Favre (and some of you will), he is one of the best QBs in the game. And I will be sad if the last game I watched him play was the loss to the Giants.

Let’s play the game!

Add comment January 17th, 2008

Two full days of interviews with Packer people, 3,000 questions about playing in cold weather. Enough already! I’m sure the players just want to play the game by now.

You can tell game day is approaching. Walking into Lambeau Field by the docks, there were a couple huge semis there already from TV stations. The production that goes into those productions is immense, and impressive.

We learned today that Nick Barnett has a gold streak down his hair, like a Mohawk, because he couldn’t cut his hair after the last game but he wanted to — but you can’t after you win.

We learned why the linemen don’t wear sleeves here — Frank Winters told Chad Clifton you just don’t way back when Clifton was a rookie. DT Ryan Pickett said the rule is if you’re over 300 pounds, you can’t — and a lot of guys are over 300 pounds, he said.

It’s been snowing all day here, mindful of the Seattle game. Packer weather, midweek.

In the spotlight

Add comment January 16th, 2008

The Packers are getting the pub, as they say in the business.

Favre, McCarthy, Grant, Driver and Jennings all met with the media for at least 10 minutes each Wednesday. Thursday, it will be McCarthy, both coordinators and special teams coach plus Barnett, Clifton, Hawk and Pickett.

The nation can watch McCarthy, Favre, Driver, Harris and Kampman live this Friday at 2:40 p.m. CST on the NFL Network.

FYI — I’ve got a motel room for $61 tonight on Oneida St. It will cost more than $200 per night this weekend, with a two-night minimum.

Introduction

Add comment January 15th, 2008

Welcome to Pack Smack, rrstar.com’s blog about the Green Bay Packers, the surprise team of the year. We had a brainstorming meeting Monday about how we would cover the team as it prepares to face the New York Giants in the NFC Championship game Sunday.

This blog is just one part of our coverage. Reed Schreck, our NFL writer, will blog. I (Anna Voelker, assistant managing editor for online and huge Packer fan) will blog. We’ll reported information here, and we’ll have some clearly biased stuff here. (Hey, I did say I was a fan.) We’ve also asked Thomas Bona, a business reporter and Giants fan, to blog with us Sunday during the game. That should be fun.

Our goal with Pack Smack is to have fun, entertain, give you behind-the-scenes stuff (Reed will be in Green Bay starting Wednesday) and engage you in good conversation. We even invite the Packer haters to share their thoughts here. Just keep your comments clean.

Itchin’ to get going

Add comment January 15th, 2008

Heading off to Green Bay for two days Wednesday morning. Miami would be nicer, of course — or Glendale, Ariz. Maybe in another week or so…

There will be plenty of media availability with coaches and players the next two days. We’ll blog some of the comments that jump out at you, and add some observations about how the Packers are dealing with preparing for another big game.