At Section 123 – 08/08/15

Hey all – Happy Glorified Practice Day!  This day officially begins where the rest of the calendar year seems to go fast as we look forward to football games.  And that also means Fantasy Football is coming up – fast.

• Seriously, 70,000+ people for a practice?  I still can’t think of another fan base in sports like Packer fans.  I saw numerous campers in the vacant lot across Lambeau Field last night.  My gripe?  Bring the scrimmage back – better yet – bring in another team to scrimmage.  If you’re going to charge $10 for the ‘practice’ plus concessions, add more things to the event, not reduce.   The main thing I’m a proponent of this event is they’ll get people who can’t get to games to Lambeau.  I wonder how many fans show up for a Lions, Bears or Vikings ‘Family Day’?  Combined – not up to what will fill Green Bay today.
• Some Packers Training Camp thoughts as we start with the Glorified Practice tonight.
  • I miss night practices
  • LB injuries or holding back to keep guys healthy – big thing to watch as the pre-season games commence.
  • Will the Packers keep 5 or 6 WRs?  I think 6.
  • Start keeping an eye on the depth and where guys will be lined up, specifically on defense with the Nickel/Dime packages.  On offense, who will be in the slot, will Randall Cobb/Ty Montgomery be in the backfield?
  • The starters are mostly set aside of linebacker.  Do the Packers keep Clay Matthews inside?  Does rookie LB Jake Ryan step up along side Sam Barrington?
  • I’ve heard NT B.J. Raji looks sharp early also – having him in the middle is the #1 key to the Packers defense this year, especially early with Letroy Guion suspended.
  • I’ve heard rave reviews of WR Ty Montgomery.  The offense is going to be SCARY good this year.
  • But, wait, it’s a huge deal that QB1 Aaron Rodgers has thrown 5 picks in practice, well according to the World Wide Leader.   They need him to live up to what Tennessee QB Marcus Mariota is doing in practice, I mean what is Rodgers thinking!!  Please…

• John Calipari – you are as delusional as much as you are a slime ball.  Some of your Kentucky players were relieved they lost a game, nevertheless in the Final Four to Wisconsin?   Here’s the article Link –

  Look clown, nobody believes you and this article.  You’re going to sit there and tell us some people in that group did not want to be a part of history by going 40-0 and winning the National Championship?  Hogwash, Johnny…if that helps you sleep at night – but hey, thanks for the laugh.

•  Is it me, or do I sense a possibility of Patriots owner thinking of possibly removing Roger Goodell as NFL Commissioner?  He facing Tom Brady in court is the only thing that makes the deflating football thing interesting on August 12th.
• Keep an eye on the prospects the Milwaukee Brewers brought in from their mini-fire sale last week.  Most are located in AA Biloxi and are paying dividends already.  A baseball rule of thumb is if you can produce consistently in AA, you can play in the Major Leagues.  LHP Josh Hader, CF Brett Phillips, RF Domingo Santana (in AAA), RHP Zach Davies (in AAA) – see you in Milwaukee, soon.

  If I had my wish – try to trade Ryan Braun and Jean Segura in the off-season if possible.  Brauns’ contract may be too hard to move, but a large market team may have the capacity to take that on.  Re-build this team from scratch much like the Chicago Chubs and Houston Astros did recently.

• Gotta love a good baseball mini-scuffle – especially when it’s internal!  See this video – Scuffle

  Great stuff, Detroit!!  I’d be pissed too if I was a player and saw that bullshit effort, though.  Next time, please swing a little more if you’re going to confront your guy – if merely for our entertainment value?

• I’ve seen some pundits say the Chicago Bears could be the worst team in the league this year.  They won’t be far off, but I don’t think the worst.  That honor goes to Jacksonville or San Francisco.  In terms of the 49ers, has anyone had a more screwed up off-season than the Niners?  Look at this list from a stout defense not even 2 years ago – gone:
  • Patrick Willis
  • Justin Smith
  • Dante Whitner
  • Aldon Smith
  • Parrish Cox
  • Chris Borland
  • Chris Culliver

    And on offense, the 49ers lose Frank Gore, Michael Crabtree, Mike Iupati, Stevie Johnson?  You’re best pickup in the offseason was Reggie Bush?  Oy…I think you may want to keep the Stanford Cardinal on speed dial.  This team is playing for the #1 draft pick in 2016.

• Aldon Smith, dude, just get some help.  In a span of 3 years – 3 DUIs, 5 additional arrests.  After this last DUI, you had to know the team was going to finally cut ties.  The fact that you point the blame on anyone else besides yourself screams of the issues you have.  And he should not be allowed back in the NFL. Ever.
• The NFL is wrong to not allow the late Junior Seaus’ daughter fully induct her father in to the Pro Football Hall of Fame this weekend.  They are so concerned about the concussion post effects that they feared she would go off on that.  Instead, they are ‘allowing’ an interview with her at the end of the induction so they can control the questioning…poorly handled, Shield.
• College Football starts in 24 days.  Two things I’d like to see happen more with College Football
  • 8 or 16-team playoff
  • More league games early
  • SEC play in the North in November.  I guess we’ll have to see Georgia/South Carolina/Florida at Missouri for now.
  • Bring back some old rivalries in the non-conference (Texas-Texas A&M, Penn State-Pittsburgh, Nebraska-Oklahoma) come to mind.

• Wisconsin vs. Alabama – 27 days out.  On paper, that game will be close if you look at the talent levels, but with both teams having enough holes to fill, this could be a closer game than the 10.5 favorites the Crimson Tide currently are.  I’ll save the prediction for a couple weeks out.
• Good on the Big Ten for no longer scheduling FCS teams aside of their existing contracts.  However, I think North Dakota State could beat a few teams in the league.  Minnesota?  Iowa?  Illinois?  Purdue?    Add this thought – will this expand the FBS is other conferences decide to no longer add FCS (1-AA) schools to the schedule?  Could you see the Missouri Valley move up?
• Dumbass of the week
  • Calipari.  For the idiotic remarks for Kentucky losing
  • Aldon Smith – for obvious reasons.  I can’t even rip on this guy because he obviously doesn’t get it and needs help in the worst way.
  • The Minnesota Vikings – by promoting their Family Day by showing a picture of Adrian Beatyourson with his son.  You couldn’t show anyone else on your team???
• Winner is Calipari.  I can’t promote the Vikings any more and Aldon Smith dug his own hole – again.  So John Boy, you’re the dumb ass for trying to make us believe your guys were relieved to lose to Wisconsin in the Final Four.

That’s it for the week, by this time next week, we’ll have our first Pre-season game in the books at New England.  Hope the PSI levels are to Tom and Aarons’ liking.

Talk next week!

-n