Archive for April, 2011

Offense … that’s been Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy’s mantra through the first two rounds of the 2011 NFL draft. I guess that’s not surprising considering their penchant in recent drafts to do the same. Derek Sherrod at offensive tackle is a great pick … offensive tackles don’t grow on trees and when one presents in the first round, you have to snatch him up. He’s a solid pick. Howver, I really like Thompson’s second rounder, Randall Cobb. Here’s a guy with size, speed and durability who will be highly valued when Donald Driver finally hangs them up and James [...]

  With the draft continuing today, what should the Packers do with their picks? Trade them for better picks. It may cost a lot to trade up, but it’s worth the risk. One has to look back no further than two years ago to see why. Coming off a depressing 5-11 season, the first season without Favre, the Packers entered the draft with several needs. After selecting B.J. Raji ninth overall, Ted Thompson felt it necessary to draft quality over quantity. He proceeded to trade the Packers’ second and third round picks (along with the Jets’ third round pick received [...]

Derek Sherrod was the logical pick for the Green Bay Packers tonight. As the NFL draft’s first down wound down toward the Packers’ enviable 32nd pick, it became evident that Sherrod would be selected. Aaron Rodgers no doubt breathed a deep sigh of relief to hear Sherrod’s name called by the commissioner. With the selection, the Packers solidified both ends of the offensive line. With another one or two offensive linemen in the second, third or fourth rounds, the Pack will add more depth and competition. With the aging Clifton ready to step aside and Bryan Bulaga already penciled in [...]

It is no secret that Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is at the top of his game. In just three seasons as the starting quarterback, he has passed for 12,394 yards with just 31 interceptions. How were the Packers able to get Aaron Rodgers? It was much more complex than the 24th overall pick of the 2005 NFL Draft. First, Rodgers had to fall all of the way to the 24th pick. That was not a likely event, as there were only three quarterbacks drafted in the first round that year. Those drafted were Alex Smith, selected with the [...]

I thought it was Christmas yesterday. With all the political upheaval in the state of Wisconsin the past three months, the state’s image among others in this great nation has taken a nosedive. No matter on which side of the aisle one resides, it’s been a brutal time in America’s Dairyland. So, when the message from the Green Bay Packers popped into my email yesterday, at least a small smile appeared on my face … a smile that grew into a grin after opening the message. Attached was a pdf from the team with the title “2010 Green Bay packers [...]

Google NFL draft experts and you come up with the usual suspects – Kiper, CBS, McShay, Bunting, Kirwin, and even TheFootballExpert – as well as a very nice website, Jersey Al’s AllGreenBayPackers.com. Everyone has their picks and have been changing them daily for the past three months. Who will go number one? Number two? Who will be the first quarterback picked in this pass-happy league? Who has the best upside, the fastest 40, the most reps in the lifting marathon? Does it matter? Yes, it  matters. Teams are built and broken through brilliance and idiocy through the course of this [...]

But owners vow to appeal With the news about Judge Nelson ending the lockout, it looks like things could be setting up for an agreement soon … That’s good for us, the fans. Pending the appeal to the higher court, it looks to me like the owners are being painted into a corner. The courts have ruled twice in favor of the players and I doubt the owners’ appeal will stand. I’m no lawyer, but I would hope the owners are huddling right now for damage control and mapping out a plan toward settling this issue. The really good news [...]

I just finished reading a column with a list of the 10 most stressful occupations – it didn’t include either football players or football bloggers in the list … I wonder why? As the newly-hired editor recently brought on to bring my “expertise” to lombardiave.com, my goal is to offer a fresh perspective to the website, as well as to draw a crowd. Though I’m not expecting a mass rush to my blogs, I’m at least going to try to offer something different – a look at football through the eyes of a fan – a fan who looks not [...]

I just got a chance to take a look at the Green Bay Packers 2011 schedule and I am so excited!  Not only do we get to play in the season opener on Thursday, September 8th, but we get to celebrate every major holiday on the calendar watching the Packers play! Seriously, could it be any better than that? Thanksgiving day we play the Lions at Detroit.  On Christmas day we take on the Bears at Lambeau and on New Years day, we finish out the regular season at home against the Lions. The Packers have only one Monday night game [...]

The Green Bay Packers won Super Bowl XLV over 70 days ago. The Super Bowl “high” we felt has continued on and doesn’t appear to be dying down anytime soon. There has been a lot of talk about the upcoming draft.. speculation of who Ted’s first round pick will be (psst… OL, please), and a whole lot of previously disgruntled Packers fans’ admission of the true genius that we have now come to love. It’s amazing what a Super Bowl win will do to send a singular person’s stock to rise sky high. As we continue to have hopes for [...]