Canty, 30, was cut by the New York Giants last week in a cap space saving move. Canty has gotten a lot of early interest from not only the Packers, but the Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguares, Tennessee Titans (who have reportedly offered him a contract already) and the Seattle Seahawks. According to NBC Sports, Canty has also given the Carolina Panthers the impression that he would give them a “home town discount” in order to sign there. Canty, of course, was a high school football star in Charlotte, N.C.,  he’s been on record saying he would like to return home and play in Carolina.

There’s no secret that the Packers have struggled on defense the last few seasons, particularly on the defensive line.

The 6-foot-7, 317 pound Canty would give the Packers tremendous size up front and would naturally be able to clog up holes, making Desmond Bishop, A.J. Hawk and the other linebackers’ jobs much easier.

Canty, of course, has experience playing in the 3-4 defense, as he played with the Dallas Cowboys for four seasons where he had 102 tackles and 10 sacks while not missing a single game.

If you remember, the Packers were interested in signing Canty back in 2008. However, Canty was searching for more money than the stingy Packers were willing to give up, thus he signed in New York.

It’s early in the offseason process, however, according to Pro Football Central the Packers are the favorite amongst the interested teams to land the services of Canty.

If all goes well on Wednesday and Thursday, you could see the Packers offer Canty a contract.

November 25, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith (11) paces the sidelines during first quarter of their game against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) started the game instead of Smith. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Jason Hirschhorn covers the Green Bay Packers for Lombardi Ave. He has previously written for Hail to the Orange, College Hoops Net, Mocking the Draft, LiveBall Sports, and the List Universe. He is currently a senior writer for Beats Per Minute, an indie-music webzine. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/JBHirschhorn.

Yesterday, the San Francisco 49ers sent backup quarterback Alex Smith to the Kansas City Chiefs. In return, San Francisco receives the 34^th overall pick in the upcoming draft and a conditional third round selection in 2014 that could convert to a second rounder depending on Smith’s playing time. That’s a large haul considering the dearth of demand around the league.

But it’s a robbery considering Smith’s low volume production.

While Smith finished with his most efficient year as a pro (he led the league in passer rating at the time he was benched), the former 49er has yet to produce a single season with 3000 or more yards passing and 20 or more touchdowns. Even Smith’s 2012 projected out to a full season – 2779 yards, 21 TDs, and 8 INTs – wouldn’t provide 3000/20 volume.

For the 49ers, Smith was more of a passenger of the ship than its captain. It begs the question: is a quarterback that is only efficient when he doesn’t take risks worth such a major investment?

There aren’t any great comps for the Smith trade, which is easy to understand. Teams with quarterbacks of any discernible quality rarely allow them to leave. Of the few occasions when a team did trade a quality quarterback, only the trades of Brad Johnson and Matt Cassel provide any insight into what the Chiefs can expect with Alex Smith.

Even though he lead Tampa Bay to a Super Bowl, Brad Johnson was never the most imposing passer.

In 2001, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers acquired Brad Johnson from Washington. An off and on starter, Johnson was a moderately efficient passer who the Buccaneers felt could optimize their talented but underachieving roster. In comparison to Smith, Johnson was a higher volume passer but less efficient. Regardless, Johnson was no one’s definition of a franchise quarterback. Rather, he was a quality short term solution to a prolonged quarterback shortage in Tampa. In Johnson’s first season as a Buccaneer, Tampa actually regressed, falling to 9-7 and third in the NFC Central. That led to head coach Tony Dungy receiving his walking papers and Tampa trading a truckload of draft picks for Jon Gruden. A year later, Tampa improved to 12-4 and won their first championship in franchise history. While that might imply the Johnson trade was a sterling success, it’s important to remember how much Tampa relied on their defense. That year, the Buccaneers lead the NFL in yards given up, points allowed, and points scored by a defense. By comparison, the Tampa offense finished 24^th in yards and 18^th in points scored. While Johnson provided leadership, he didn’t provide all that much in the way of an aerial attack. If Johnson’s performance is any indication of what the Chiefs can expect from Alex Smith, the Chiefs’ defense will have to improve dramatically, especially given the high draft picks Kansas City parted with.

November 18, 2012; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel (7) is sacked by Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap (96) and defensive tackle Geno Atkins (97) in the first half at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

More recent was the case of Matt Cassel. Cassel barely played in college or in New England prior to 2008. That was the year Tom Brady tore his ACL in week 1, clearing the way for Cassel’s first meaningful snaps since his senior year of high school. To the surprise of many, Cassel played well, throwing for almost 3,700 yards and 21 touchdowns while leading the Patriots to an 11-5 record. By the following season, Brady had healed and Cassel had been acquired by Kansas City. As with Brad Johnson, the early returns were disappointing. Cassel had as many interceptions as touchdowns, and the Chiefs went 4-12. In 2010, Cassel’s touchdown total increased by more than 10 while his interceptions were reduced by over 50%. Not coincidentally, the Chiefs won the AFC West for the first time since 2003. Unfortunately, that’s the best it got for Cassel in Kansas City. His next two years were a cocktail of injuries and unmet expectations, finally culminating in the aforementioned Alex Smith acquisition. Unfortunately for the Chiefs, both Brad Johnson and Matt Cassel suggest that this was a bad trade for Kansas City.

Now, the more pressing question for Green Bay: how will this trade affect the Packers? Or more specifically, how will the trade affect the Packers’ draft?

Dec 29, 2012; Bronx, NY, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers quarterback Geno Smith (12) warms up prior to the start of the 2012 New Era Pinstripe Bowl against the Syracuse Orange at Yankee Stadium. Syracuse defeated West Virginia 38-14. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

As I wrote about earlier this month, the Packers will be greatly benefited or hurt by how many teams select quarterbacks in the first round. Any quarterback taken before the Packers’ selection will be a reach in terms of raw value, not to mention it keeps a player the Packers may desire on the board. Prior to the Smith trade, Kansas City was widely believed to be a possible destination for a rookie quarterback. The Chiefs had been connected to West Virginia’s Geno Smith, a quarterback with both speed and pocket passing skills not too unlike new Kansas City coach Andy Reid’s old protégé, Donovan McNabb.

Now with the Chiefs out of the quarterback market, it stands to reason that one less quarterback will be selected prior to Green Bay’s pick. The consequences of this are too remote to decipher at this time, but as we’ve seen it only takes one player to fall to change a franchise. Take the Packers for instance. In 2005, due to a confluence of a favorable draft order and quarterback demand, Aaron Rodgers fell from the top 10 to the mid-20s. The Packers snatched him up, and three years later the Packers were rewarded for their foresight and patience with a true franchise quarterback. But the Packers struck again in 2009, when B.J. Raji fell to pick 9 due to false reports of a positive drug tests. In just two years Raji became the most important defensive lineman on Green Bay’s Super Bowl winning roster.

There is another angle to the Alex Smith trade. The strength of the 2012 draft lies in the second to third round, where there is little to no drop off in value from player to player. Smart teams will try to maximize the amount of picks they can get for those rounds through trades. Had Kansas City not traded for Alex Smith, they might have drafted Geno Smith at number one. They also might have drafted another player and tried to trade back into the late first for another shot at a quarterback. The Packers were in prime position to be that team that trades back for more picks in that uber-valuable draft range. While that could still happen, there’s one less team vying for the Packers’ pick.

Charles Woodson bids goodbye to Packers Nation. Where will his journey take him?
Raymond T. Rivard photograph

With the news this morning that the Green Bay Packers had decided to release Charles Woodson, he said he’s looking ahead and that wants to play with a contender.

Who wouldn’t? There isn’t anyone more deserving than Woodson. I, for one, would love to see him go out with a winner – just so it isn’t against the Packers.

With two years still left on his Packers contract, one would expect that Sir Charles would want to sign a new contract for at least a couple of more years in the big leagues. Given that he’s 36, he’s easily got two seasons left in the tank. It’s unfortunate the Packers and he couldn’t come to a meeting of the minds on a restructuring of his contract, but we can certainly understand why that didn’t occur. Woodson is a proud guy and when you think about it – with the right team, there’s no reason why his isn’t worth every penny of that $10 million.

With Woods gone, the Packers’ defensive backfield takes on a whole new look.
Raymond T. Rivard photograph

So, who will Woodson consider?

The first team that comes to mind is the Kansas City Chiefs because former Packers front office player of personnel guru John Dorsey is now the Chiefs’ general manager. Should they pursue Woodson, the first job of Dorsey would be to convince him to play for a team that won two games last year. However, with new head coach Andy Reid in the house, Woodson might see the opportunity for the Chiefs to go from worst to first in a hurry. So, that’s one possibility.

However, others who have been mentioned in the early going have been the Broncos, Patriots and 49ers. Of those, the worst landing spot for the sake of the Green Bay Packers would be the 49ers for obvious reasons. Easily as disappointing would be to see Woodson in a Vikings, Lions or Bears uniform. That would be tough.

Seeing him land in the AFC would be the best case scenario, but one never knows how these types of player movements turn out.

What’s going to be interesting is watching the teams line up for his services. Without a doubt, this is a Hall of Fame player – the type of player that just doesn’t come around off the street very often.

Stay tuned.

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Kansas City Chiefs inside linebacker Jovan Belcher died today of an apparent gunshot after he allegedly killed his girlfriend earlier this morning. Michael Hickey-US PRESSWIRE

The Kansas City Chiefs have won just one game this season, a huge disappointment from the expectations the team had heading into the 2012 season.

But that statistic pales in comparison to the news this morning that linebacker Jovan Belcher reportedly shot himself at the team’s training facility after allegedly killing his girlfriend earlier in the morning.

The team released this statement this morning: “We can confirm that there was an incident at Arrowhead earlier this morning. We are cooperating with authorities in their investigation.”

However, various news sources have confirmed that it was Belcher who was involved in the “incident” and that it was his girlfriend who was also killed in the murder-suicide.

Just recently the team’s website posted this story about Belcher, emphasizing how his drive and determination have stood out during the season.

The news out of Kansas City is sure to cast a pall over the entire league in this important week 13 and only goes to show that, despite the cheers and honor all of these men receive during the year, they have demons and struggles that they all have to face. They are human after all. It doesn’t matter the amount of signing bonuses and number of accolades they may receive, they also have to endure all the troubles and tribulations that we all face on an everyday basis.

We here at lombardiave.com are saddened by this news and send our thoughts and prayers to the families of these two individuals who died so tragically and suddenly.

It was unclear this morning whether the team would play its scheduled game against the Carolina Panthers Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.

Stay tuned to Arrowhead Addict and FanSided.com for more on this developing story.

Aug 30, 2012; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers running back Alex Green (20) scores a touchdown against Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Tysyn Hartman (46) during the second quarter at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-US PRESSWIRE

As a team, the Packers played well in their 24-3 win over the Kansas City Chiefs tonight.

More importantly, there were several players fighting for jobs who stepped up tonight and not just with a play here and there – but with big plays.

Starting with Tori Gurley’s catch to the two yard line early in the game and right on through the 12-yard touchdown Jarrett Boykin caught from Graham Harrell, there were big plays all night. Even add the sack by Terrell Manning late in the game and it only adds to the personnel drama that’s about the be played out. Manning has been the invisible man – silent all camp until tonight’s sack.

It’s great these players have made their case, but it surely makes cuts by GM Ted Thompson all that more difficult.

Will TT surprise us once again and pull a trade?

How he responds over the next 24 hours will surely be a story – a big story.

Stay tuned.

But in the meantime, here are game stats, courtesy of Sports Illustrated.

Passing

Harrell

#6 QB

CP/AT	YDS	TD	INT
13/15	223	2	0

Rushing

Eachus

#45 RB

ATT	YDS	TD	LG
21	99	0	18

Receiving

Boykin

#11 WR

REC	YDS	TD	LG
5	82	1	21

• Scoring Summary

1st Quarter

Ryan Succop 26 yard field goal, 2:11 Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards in 6:04
Kansas City 3-0

2nd Quarter

Alex Green 2 yard TD run (Mason Crosby extra point is GOOD), 7:33 Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards in 3:22
Green Bay 7-3

Alex Green 17 yard TD pass from Graham Harrell (Mason Crosby extra point is GOOD), 0:50 Drive: 10 plays, 93 yards in 4:37
Green Bay 14-3

3rd Quarter

Jarrett Boykin 12 yard TD pass from Graham Harrell (Mason Crosby extra point is GOOD), 10:12 Drive: 7 plays, 77 yards in 4:48
Green Bay 21-3

4th Quarter

Mason Crosby 37 yard field goal, 14:52 Drive: 8 plays, 42 yards in 4:01
Green Bay 24-3

Chiefs

Kickoff Returns	NO	AVG	TD	LG
Baker	1	42	0	42
Wylie	1	38	0	38
Arenas	1	37	0	37
Draughn	1	34	0	34

Punt Returns	NO	AVG	TD	LG
Wylie	1	10	0	10
Arenas	1	0	0	0

Kicking	FG	LG	XP	PTS
Succop	1/2	26	0/0	0

Punting	NO	AVG	IN 20	LG
Colquitt	4	42.5	4	56

Packers

Kickoff Returns	NO	AVG	TD	LG
Borel	1	23	0	23

Punt Returns	NO	AVG	TD	LG
Borel	2	-0.5	0	0

Kicking	FG	LG	XP	PTS
Crosby	1/1	37	3/3	3

Punting	NO	AVG	IN 20	LG
Masthay	5	41.2	3	49

Graham Harrell could convince coaches to commit to him with a good night tonight. Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE

Graham Harrell is still the backup quarterback to Aaron Rodgers. At least until the Green Bay Packers conclude tonight’s game with the Kansas City Chiefs.

But Harrell’s plight is no different than many others who are considered on the bubble tonight.

As you watch the early progress of tonight’s game remember to keep an eye on these players: So’oto, Gurley,Borel, Tyler, Richardson, Muir, Merling, … and how Ted Thompson figures out the running game is anyone’s guess.

Who emerges from the field of those who are not locks?

Will it be Harrell? Richardson? Gurley?

We’ll see in about three hours.

Here’s the list of changes as provided by the Packers public relations department:

PACKERS ANNOUNCE CHANGES TO TRAINING CAMP SCHEDULE

The Green Bay Packers have announced changes to their training camp schedule for Aug. 12-14.

The Packers’ two practices on Aug. 12-13 that were originally scheduled for 7 p.m. at Ray Nitschke Field have been moved to 11:15 a.m. Practice on Aug. 14 has been shifted from 3:30 p.m. to 11:15 a.m.

TRAINING CAMP SCHEDULE FOR AUG. 11-30 (REVISED TIMES IN BOLD/ITALICS)

Saturday, Aug. 11                                     7 p.m. (Pads)

Sunday, Aug. 12                                      11:15 a.m. (Pads)

Monday, Aug. 13                                     11:15 a.m. (Pads)

Tuesday, Aug. 14                                    11:15 a.m. (Pads)

Wednesday, Aug. 15                                No practice

Thursday, Aug. 16                                    Preseason game vs. Cleveland Browns, 7 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 17                                         No practice

Saturday, Aug. 18                                     No practice

Sunday, Aug. 19                                       11:15 a.m. (Pads)

Monday, Aug. 20                                      11:15 a.m. (Pads)

Tuesday, Aug. 21                                      11 a.m. (Helmets)

Wednesday, Aug. 22                                No practice

Thursday, Aug. 23                                    Preseason game at Cincinnati Bengals, 6 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 24                                         No practice

Saturday, Aug. 25                                     No practice

Sunday, Aug. 26                                       11:15 a.m. (Pads)

Monday, Aug. 27                                      11:15 a.m. (Pads)

Tuesday, Aug. 28                                      11 a.m. (Helmets)

Wednesday, Aug. 29                                No practice

Thursday, Aug. 30                                    Preseason game vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 6 p.m.

* All practice dates, locations, times and dress are subject to change. All times CDT.

Giving Aaron Rodgers alleys in which to throw through is the offensive line's responsibility. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

When Marshall Newhouse was escorted off the Lambeau Field turf by Green Bay Packers’ medical personnel near the end of the team’s scrimmage Friday night, it wasn’t a good sight.

While the Packers’ offensive line starters, from left to right, are solid, any kind of injury to any of them places the team in jeopardy. When Newhouse went down, the Packers had to reach deep into the bench for replacements. Yes, it’s only the first week of Training Camp and it’s certainly not time to roll into panic mode, but the depth on the line must be recognized.

Behind Marshall is last year’s first round draft choice, Derek Sherrod, who has been a project and is coming back from a broken leg he suffered against the Kansas City Chiefs near the end of last season. Andrew Datko, a seventh round pick this year is also a project and coming off a couple of surgeries to his shoulders.

Behind them are the likes of Tommie Draheim and Don Barclay, two other rookies, are trying to make the team.

Needless to say, the experience on the line beyond the starters is minimal. When you’re trying to cobble together a unit that’s responsible for protecting the league’s Most Valuable Player, that’s not necessarily a good thing. Couple that with a unit that has to try to put together a consistent rushing game – at least enough of a rush to keep the Peppers and Allens at bay – the Packers have their work cut out.

It’s inevitable that there will be injuries along the line. Rarely, if ever, does a team make it through an entire season with its offensive and defensive lines intact. So, when the injuries occur, the next man in line has to step in without a discernible drop-off.

Packers guard T.J. Lang knows all about stepping in. He did so last year when the Packers lost Daryn Colledge to free agency. Here’s what he had to say when Newhouse went down during the scrimmage:

“But we have a young offensive line and that’s what we’re trying to do in training camp. We’re trying to get as many guys ready to play as we can. Injuries are part of the game. The next man has to step up, go out there and play. If somebody goes down, that’s what we’ll have to do.”

In theory, he’s right. Let’s hope that in practice, he’s also right.

Lionel Aldridge's story is that of a spiraling demise and rise back.

Brain injuries caused by persistent blows to the head is the topic of the times. Dozens of former NFL players have filed a lawsuit against the league for not helping them understand and deal with these injuries.

However, for one former player, the late great Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Lionel Aldridge, his suffering was brain-related, but not football-related.

Aldridge began suffering from the effects of  paranoid schizophrenia in his early 30s, a chronic mental illness that would eventually cause him to spiral into despair and a life on the streets. He lost everything, his family, his money and even his Super Bowl ring.

But his life didn’t end tragically. He eventually got the diagnosis and help he needed to turn his life around. When he died at age 54 in Shorewood, Wisconsin in 1998, he had come full circle and was helping others.

The story of his life was chronicled on the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame website by Scott Schalin, who gives an honest recounting of the man known as a giant teddy bear. Read it here or below.

The Mad Ride of Packers Hall of Famer Lionel Aldridge

Sometimes you have to go through hell to get to heaven. In the case of Lionel Aldridge, he took the reverse path.

Aldridge was born on February 14, 1941, in Evergreen, Louisiana, and was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fourth round of the 1963 draft after a standout college career at Utah State.

While Packers coach Vince Lombardi was always wary of starting rookies, Aldridge cracked the vaunted Green Bay lineup in his first professional year. He quickly became a cornerstone of the staunch and stingy defenses of the 1960s playing right defensive end opposite fellow Louisiana native and future Pro Football Hall of Famer Willie Davis.

Although the NFL didn’t log official stats for tackles during Aldridge’s era, he was renowned throughout the league as a solid tackler that helped anchor that stout Packers’ defensive line.

With the Packers, he played prominent roles in three straight NFL championships with wins over Cleveland in 1965, and Dallas both in 1966 and ’67. Perhaps it was that 23-12 victory in the 1965 title game that epitomized the smothering Green Bay defense of the era, as the Packers held legendary Browns’ running back Jim Brown to just 50 yards rushing in what would be the future Hall of Famer’s final game.

Aldridge continued contributing to the team’s historical run of championships, helping Green Bay to victories in Super Bowl I (a 35-10 dismantling of the Kansas City Chiefs) and Super Bowl II (a 33-14 shellacking of the Oakland Raiders).

Aldridge enjoyed an 11-year pro career, playing his first nine seasons in Green Bay and his final two with the San Diego Chargers. The six-foot-three, 255-pound beast was named an All Pro in 1964 and was inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame in 1988.

Still, even a physical shell as imposing as Aldridge’s could not protect life’s most fragile wonder: the brain.

After retiring in 1973, Aldridge turned to broadcasting. He became an analyst for the Packers and then for NBC, where he would work Super Bowl VII following the 1973 season.

Things were seemingly going as well off the field as they had on it.

But then, something changed. Something suddenly didn’t seem right.

His longtime friend Jim Irwin, who had broadcast Packers games for 29 years before retiring after the 1998 season, told the New York Times, “Lionel was a terrific success story that had some holes in it. He was a big, friendly teddy bear,” who experienced mood swings as a player. “He’d be ‘up’ one day and then the next day he’d snap at everybody.”

Irwin recounted an instance after Aldridge retired and was doing the color commentary on a Packers’ broadcast. “I asked him the first question of the day, and he stared straight ahead,” Irwin recalled. “He never took his eyes off the 50-yard line for the next three and a half hours and never said another word.”

Unbeknownst to Aldridge, his family or his friends, the former defensive star for the Packers was experiencing the beginning phases of paranoid schizophrenia. The Mayo Clinic describes paranoid schizophrenia (PS) as a chronic mental illness in which a person loses touch with reality.

The most prominent PS symptom is auditory hallucinations or “hearing voices” along with severe delusional behavior, the fear of persecution and sensing usually irrational things that others don’t. There is no specific cause as to what triggers PS in adults, but both genetics and environment likely play roles. Football has never been blamed for Aldridge’s PS.

PS symptoms are more common and severe primarily because they attack a person in the later years of life, usually after the age of 30.

Aldridge was barely into his mid-30s when the episodes began. By the early 1970s, he began to hallucinate. Then, the voices started echoing through his brain.

On the website Guideposts (www.guideposts.org) Aldridge wrote frankly and frighteningly of his illness.

One of the most frightening signs that there was something seriously wrong with me was the voices I began hearing in 1974.

At first, they were just stray, nagging worries that dogged me through the day; self-doubts that we all have from time to time. They seemed to rise up out of nowhere—vague thoughts with an accusing edge, ‘You really don’t work very hard, do you?’

The voices were very scary and confusing. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want anyone to find out the terrible things happening inside my head. As an athlete, I’d been trained to be tough; it was not my nature to seek help. I wanted to be strong.

At first I tried to ignore them. But the voices grew more belittling and threatening; more real. I’d be standing in front of the mirror shaving when I’d hear from the next room, ‘You don’t take very good care of your family.’ “That’s bull!” I’d shout. I’d search the house for my tormentor. I’d mutter, as my wife, Vicki, shook her head in dismay. There never was any intruder.

His marriage, which had produced two daughters, Michelle and Angela, collapsed. So did his job. Quickly the situation grew worse.

Aldridge chronicled the events on Guideposts.

Rumors flew around town that I was on drugs. That was completely false, but I was in no shape to prove otherwise. I was getting worse.

Soon that feeling of being watched wouldn’t let up, even on the air. Looking into the camera, I could barely hold my composure as I reported the nightly sports scores. The wide camera lens zooming in on me was a glistening, all-seeing eye that could plumb the farthest, most hidden reaches of my soul. Everyone who was watching on their TV sets, I was convinced, could see right inside my brain, where laid bare for all to look on in disgust were the grimmest secrets of my life.

I was sure there was a far-flung conspiracy to destroy me. I fought with total strangers on the street. I lost my job, (my family) and my friends. There was nothing left but the voices shouting in my head, as real to me as an opposing 260-pound pulling guard on a goal line stand back in my playing days.

My life spun out of control.

Aldridge was convinced by voices that he needed to leave his Milwaukee home.

He crisscrossed the country in an unruly wilderness of twisted interstates, sleeping in hotels and ultimately seedy flophouses. Once his savings were mostly exhausted, he started living in his car. In Florida, he ditched the car for a $100 and hit the streets with nothing more than a battered satchel on his shoulder.

Occasionally I hung around a town for a while doing odd jobs, living on the streets and eating at soup kitchens. Quite naturally, people would stare at me, and that would only make my delusions of persecution worse. I never held a job for long… I’d become one of those lost, devastated souls. There were a lot of them out there with me, crippled by mental illness, but as I wandered the country I was only aware of my own haunted, unhappy world a million miles from the life I once had.

One night I slept in a field off an interstate near the Great Salt Lake. I didn’t notice when I woke up, but, while I was sleeping, my jewel-encrusted Super Bowl ring must have slipped off. Those rings are not easy to come by, and I’d hung on to mine as a kind of symbol of who I’d once been.

When I discovered the ring missing, it was as if I’d been stripped of one final link with my past. I sat in the middle of a sidewalk and wept into my hands.

‘Help me!’ I cried out. The sweat and tears streaked my dust-caked face. ‘Help! I’ll accept help from anyone.’

Turning to a well-worn Bible for guidance, he found the strength and courage to return to Milwaukee where, while still living on the streets, he was brought back into contact with old friends. He was, not without difficulty, committed to a hospital where he was diagnosed with PS.

“Slowly the doctors hit upon some drugs that helped,” he rejoiced. “Little by little my condition improved, and the voices gradually subsided. At first it was horrifying. It was an awful thing to face, like seeing a crazy man on the street and suddenly realizing that you are looking into a mirror.”

Although there is no cure for PS, Aldridge was able to recover and learn to live with the debilitating disease.

“I did recover,” he admitted. “Not without setbacks and relapses, not without moments when I thought I could never again face life, but I did get well with the help of friends, doctors who found the right medication to help me and the voice of a loving God.”

He discovered new strategies to cope with the world, including turning the voices around and convincing himself that, instead of negative things, the voices were actually preaching positive attributes about him. “I figured, maybe they’re saying good things like, ‘Hey, there’s Lionel Aldridge. He used to play for the Packers and then he got sick. Look how good he’s doing now.’ ”

In time, the voices went away thanks to medication and his faith in God’s master plan. He began traveling the country speaking to groups about mental illness and recovery. “It’s vital,” he said, “for patients, families and even doctors to see someone who has actually made it back.”

In January 1985 — the 18th anniversary of the Packers’ first Super Bowl win – Lionel received yet another gift. A group of his old teammates had commissioned an exact replica of the Super Bowl victory ring that Aldridge had lost.

“I knew that day that I had returned,” he surmised. “Even when you think you’ve lost everything in your life, there is always hope of finding a way back, sometimes to an even better place.”

Aldridge passed away on February 12, 1998, in Shorewood, Wisconsin, of congestive heart failure at the age of 56.

After a meteoric rise to fame and glory, and then a whiplashing plummet into darkness and despair, this gentleman of the game and Packers’ legend can now, finally, rest in peace.

Scott Schalin is the former editor of PackersHallofFame.com and is currently writing a book with NFL on FOX insider Jay Glazer.

OLB Erik Walden was re-signed Monday by the Packers. Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE

In somewhat of a surprise move, the Green Bay Packers announced Monday the re-signing of OLB Erik Walden.

It’s surprising for a couple of reasons: First, Walden’s play on the field started at an even keel the first half of last season and then nosedived after the incident with his girlfriend in their apartment last Thanksgiving eve. He was arrested, spent the weekend in jail and was eventually sentenced to complete a number of community service hours.

While the public perception of Walden sunk after the incident, it was his play on the field that was most disconcerting last year. After showing great promise at the end of 2010 in helping to solidify the position as the Packers made the run to the Super Bowl championship, Walden seemed to plateau and then pretty much disappeared from the landscape as the 2011 season wore on. Clearly, his play on the field was tied to his personal troubles.

But another thing is clear: The Packers like the guy and are willing to give him another chance.

I like that …

Walden now gets his chance to compete for a spot on the team.

Here is the press release issued by the Packers’ PR department announcing Walden’s re-signing:

PACKERS RE-SIGN LB WALDEN

The Green Bay Packers have re-signed LB Erik Walden. The signing was announced Monday by Executive Vice President, General Manager and Director of Football Operations Ted Thompson.

 In 2011, Walden appeared in all 16 contests and made a career-high 15 starts. He finished fifth on the defense with a career-best 86 tackles (50 solo), along with three sacks, two passes defensed and a fumble recovery that he returned for a touchdown. Walden originally signed with the Packers as a free agent in October 2010 and went on to play in nine contests with two starts that season, along with another three starts in the postseason.

Walden was drafted by Dallas in the sixth round (No. 167 overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft out of Middle Tennessee State. After being waived by the Cowboys in the final roster reduction, he was claimed by Kansas City and played in nine contests for the Chiefs in ’08. He also appeared in 19 games for Miami from 2008-10. For his career, Walden has played in 53 games with 17 starts and has recorded 117 tackles (69 solo), six sacks, two passes defensed, a fumble recovery, and 28 tackles on special teams.

Green Bay Packers tight end Tom Crabtree (83) pushes through Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher (59) to score a touchdown during the preseason game at Lambeau Field. The Packers will again host the Chiefs this coming preseason. Mandatory Credit: Mary Langenfeld-US PRESSWIRE

Preseason football. It’s that time of the NFL season when fans wonder why – why they have so many practice games that don’t mean a thing and why they should care.

Well, there are reasons for preseason and it’s an important time in the development of the team that will hit the field in September.

Frankly, I love training camp and preseason games. It’s the only time of the year when you will see some players on the field and it’s a time when you can watch the stars of tomorrow.

So, with that in mind, today the Green Bay Packers posted the 2012 preseason schedule which gives the team two home games, the Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs, and two games away from Lambeau Field, at San Diego and at Cincinnati.

The league plans to release the regular season schedule near the end of this month, but in the meantime, take the time to enjoy the press release offered by the Packers’ PR department today.

PACKERS’ 2012 PRESEASON OPPONENTS ANNOUNCED

 The Green Bay Packers’ preseason schedule kicks off Aug. 9 with a nationally televised contest at the San Diego Chargers. The preliminary schedule was communicated by the National Football League on Wednesday.

Specific dates and times to be announced

ESPN will broadcast the preseason opener against the San Diego Chargers to a national audience. This is the first preseason trip to Qualcomm Stadium since 2006 and fourth all-time preseason meeting, including the 1980 Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio. The Packers hosted the Chargers at Lambeau Field in 2005. Over the past 20 preseasons, the Packers have appeared on national TV at least once in 19 of those years.

In Week 2 of the preseason, Green Bay will host the Cleveland Browns, in the fourth consecutive preseason matchup between the two clubs. This will be the third trip to Lambeau Field for the Browns in the last four years after playing in Cleveland last season. The game is designated as the 63^rd annual Upper Midwest Shrine Game, a tradition which began in 1950 and has raised more than $3.4 million for the Midwest Shrine’s burn centers and hospitals for crippled children. The Packers have won 10 of the last 13 contests in the Shrine series.

In Week 3, the Packers will travel to Cincinnati and face the Bengals, the lone 2011 playoff qualifier on the preseason schedule. This marks the 17^th preseason meeting between the Packers and Bengals and first at Paul Brown Stadium since 2006.

The preseason concludes with a home contest against the Kansas City Chiefs, the third straight year the teams have met in the preseason finale and second consecutive year at Lambeau Field. This game marks the 52^nd annual Bishop’s Charities Game, a charitable contest initiated in 1961 by Vince Lombardi and the Diocese of Green Bay that has raised more than $3.5 million to date. 

Except for the San Diego game, the exact dates and times for the remaining three Packers’ preseason contests are to be determined. Those games will be aired on Green Bay’s WGBA-TV (Ch. 26), in conjunction with Milwaukee’s WTMJ-TV, over a nine-station network throughout the state of Wisconsin, Northeastern Minnesota and the Quad Cities in Iowa.

In addition to WGBA-TV and WTMJ-TV, the games are televised over WKOW/ABC, Madison, Wis.; WAOW/ABC, Wausau/Rhinelander, Wis.; WXOW/ABC, La Crosse, Wis.; WQOW/ABC, Eau Claire, Wis.; WYOW/ABC, Eagle River, Wis.; KQDS-TV/FOX, Duluth, Minn.; and KGCW/CW, Quad Cities in Iowa.

The preseason broadcast team includes Kevin Harlan (play-by-play) and Rich Gannon (analyst).

Cleveland Browns quarterback Seneca Wallace (6) looks to throw during a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns Stadium. The Steelers won 13-9. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-US PRESSWIRE

Not every team in the NFL has a franchise quarterback.

Ok, MOST NFL teams don’t have a franchise quarterback.

They’re difficult to find and even more difficult to develop. Just ask the Minnesota Vikings, the Washington Redskins, the Oakland Raiders, and the Kansas City Chiefs, to name only a few.

Another team one could add to the list is the Cleveland Browns. Not only has this team never made it to the Super Bowl (though they have been close, right, John Elway?), this team has been void of a quarterback who had any chance of leading the Browns to the promised land.

With last night’s announcement that the Washington Redskins had given away the farm to trade for this year’s first round second pick that once was the St. Louis Rams’ there were many fans in the league whose hearts sunk and minds raged.

What you will see below is one of those fans. His rant speaks for itself and should be viewed, if not for the entertainment value, but to understand what it might be like if your favorite team probably had a shot at pulling off what the Redskins did last night.

Packers fans who live with the security of a healthy Aaron Rodgers and years of success into the future have a difficult time understanding. But remember, we have also gone through the decades of failure brought on by a trade that involved John Hadl; we have played on through the years that included Scott Hunter, Jerry Tagge, David Whitehurst, Anthony Dilweg, and Blair Kiel.

So, yeah, many of us can understand.

Like Lombardiave.com on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

Mar 7, 2012; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning speaks at a press conference announcing his departure from the team at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-US PRESSWIRE

Peyton Manning’s emotional goodbye to his boss Jim Irsay and the fans of the Indianapolis Colts was nice to watch, but the tears dried as soon as the cameras stopped rolling and Manning was on his flight home to Florida.

Another thing that was certain after the press conference in Indiana was that Manning would be working someplace else this coming season.

But where? The speculation began and the teams began lining up with offers.

Talk about a mad rush …

So, just where will Manning land?

You be the judge and tell us.

The late Max McGee torched the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl I for 138 yards and two touchdowns. Photo courtesy of Sports Illustrated

head coach of the juggernaut that was the Green Bay Packers of the 1960.

His team not only won the first two Super Bowls, but they won three straight championships before Lombardi retired (for one year) from the coaching ranks.

What many people don’t know is the backstory of that first Super Bowl win over the Kansas City Chiefs.

The late Max McGee gave all night owls a good name when he spent the night before that first game out carousing and drinking, thinking he would be riding the bench that day.

As his luck and eventual good fortune would have it, starting receiver Boyd Dowler went down in the first quarter with an injury that knocked him out for the remainder of the game. In came McGee, who later admitted he could barely stand, let alone play in a football game.

That didn’t matter. He burned the Chiefs for seven catches, 138 yards and two touchdowns – one of them the famous one-hander that still makes all the Super Bowl highlight reels. The Packers went on to a 35-10 shellacking of the Chiefs.

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers on the red carpet last night. Dale Zanine-US PRESSWIRE

Was there any doubt that Aaron Rodgers didn’t deserve it

At least there was no doubt among the sportswriters who cast their ballots for MVP today.

The final score? Aaron Rodgers 48, Drew Brees 2

Yes, that’s right. All but two writers voted for Rodgers … the devil and Ndamukong Suh … as “Not Aaron Rodgers” tweeted tonight.

But kidding aside, we all had that gut feeling and every other statistic tucked into our back pocket to back up this decision. Aaron Rodgers did it all this year. His only slips came against Kansas City and the Giants – but if you rewatch that playoff game, you will see a player who gave it his all right up to the end. Take away the eight dropped passes, the strip of the football when he was winding up to hit a wide open Greg Jennings, and a hail Mary and the Packers would have won that game.

Despite all that, Rodgers had the front aisle seat at the honors award program … and is front and center in the NFL with his much-deserved 2012 MVP Award.

Congratulations, Aaron.

Kevin "It is Time" Greene has been named a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Here he encourages linebackers Clay Matthews and Frank Zombo. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Mike Spofford of Packers.com posted the story below about Kevin Greene and the fact that for the first time he has made the cut as a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Green Bay Packers’ linebackers coach who has brought enthusiasm and a player’s attitude to the coaching ranks for the Packers, has been in Green Bay for the past three years and is probably most well known among the general public for his comments in last year’s Super Bowl that were caught on tape when he told linebacker Clay Matthews that “It is time…” Matthews consequently went out and forced the game-changing fumble by the Steelers’ Rashard Mendenhall.

Spofford’s story spells out the full field of finalists and gives us a look at the personal bio of Greene’s.

Greene named Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist

Posted by Mike Spofford on January 7, 2012 – 3:27 pm 

A semifinalist three times previously, Packers Outside Linebackers Coach Kevin Greene for the first time has advanced to the finalist stage for potential induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

See more after the jump, like Lombardiave.com on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

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Jerry Garcia and The Grateful Dead were jamming at Winterland on Dec. 31, 1967, the same day the Packers were defeating the Dallas Cowboys in The Ice Bowl.

Today is a special day in Green Bay Packers history.

Dec. 31, 1967, was Vince Lombardi’s final game at Lambeau Field … It was also the day the Packers defeated the Dallas Cowboys for the NFL Championship in what is now known as The Ice Bowl.

Everyone was there, if not in body, certainly in spirit.

We all know what transpired on that day. We know about the turf that flash froze into something that resembled an ice skating rink more than a football field; we know about how the Packers took a quick lead, but lost it when Dallas’s defense came to play in the second half and then used a halfback option pass for a touchdown to take the lead; we know about the Packers final drive of the game that concluded with Bart Starr’s plunge across the end zone line behind the blocks of Jerry Kramer and Ken Bowman.

It’s the stuff of legend. We love it and will never forget it.

But there was also much more happening that day.

Take the jump for events that were changing the world on Dec. 31, 1967, and don’t forget to Like Lombardiave.com on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

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The loss to the Kansas City Chiefs was an unexpected blow to the Green Bay Packers and their legions of fans.

Though disappointing, most Packers fans haven’t proclaimed the sky is falling.

In fact, most felt it was an inevitability that was peering around the corner waiting to pounce.

If we’re happy about one thing, it’s that the loss came now and allows the team to regroup and refocus … To start another string of victories.

The bottom line is this is still the best team in the NFL, even with the loss and the recent injuries.

Getting by the Bears and Lions will be the next steps for the Packers as they attempt to gain home field advantage.

And so, like the picture above claims – things are still going well for the Packers … At 13-1 this is a season for the history books and would best culminate with season-ending victory in Indianapolis.

Should that be the case, this small bump in the road will be a distant memory.

Enjoy this team for all the good news they have brought us and have a very Merry Christmas!

And don’t forget to Like Lombardiave.com on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

If the Packers are to win Sunday against the Bears, they must not turn the ball over.

Mike Burzawa, the blogger over at beargoggleson.com, threw some questions to us here at lombardiave.com about today’s Packer vs. Bears, which we were more than glad to answer.

In what, in my opinion, could be a much closer game than many expect, We talk about injuries, quarterbacks, defense and the Packers vs. Bears longtime rivalry.

No doubt, this will be just another great game between the Midwest rivals.

As you prepare to watch, check out the Q&A we’ve put together here … and don’t forget to Like Lombardiave.com on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Q. The Packers finally lost a game.  Does that help take some of the pressure off?  How does that affect their preparations for the Bears on Sunday night?

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Pride in one's football team is important, but some take it a bit too far.

Maybe it’s because it’s been one year since the Packers have lost a game, but there has been a noticeable drop-off in the number of domestic abuse cases attributed to a loss by the Green Bay Packers. We have all heard the stories about how the number of domestic abuse cases in Wisconsin goes up when the Packers lose.

Well, if it’s true, it’s borne out by the following incident that was reported today in the Appleton Post-Crescent.

This woman took things a bit too far.

APPLETON — A drunken woman grabbed her 11-year-old daughter by the neck and choked her on Sunday after becoming angered by the Green Bay Packers game, police said.

The 36-year-old Grand Chute woman was charged Monday in Outagamie County Circuit Court with felony child abuse and misdemeanor counts of bail jumping and disorderly conduct.

Police were called about 8:15 p.m. Sunday to a Grand Chute hotel where the girl told police her mother grabbed her by the neck during the game.

Check out more about the incident after the jump and don’t forget to Like Lombardiave.com on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

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