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On the eve of his birthday, here is the best of Lombardi

Raymond Rivard — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 00:27:27 +0000

Vince Lombardi is immortalized in stone for a reason.
Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Vince Lombardi – the name conjures the images of championships, players covered in mud, and a simpler, exciting time in Green Bay Packers history.

But Lombardi was far from simplistic. He was a master technician, a psychologist, and a man who could take a team of individuals and meld them into a single mindset.

On the eve of the his birthday and the honor of being named the Greatest of the top 20 coaches in all of NFL History – per ESPN – we take the time to bring you some of the quotes that have been his legacy. Go into any successful business board room and you will see Lombardi quotes plastered on the walls. It’s a tribute not only to the intellect of the man, but to his legacy – that being his keen sense of humanity. He knew what made people tick and he knew how to get the best out of the people around him.

He was also smart enough to surround himself with the best assistant coaches who bought into his system and carried the Packers Way with them the remainder of their lives – as did every player who touched the gridiron under his direction.

So without any more delay, read on … for these are the words that really matter. Take them to heart; live by them. Share them with others, for they will be enriched.

Enjoy …

“People who work together will win, whether it be against complex football defenses, or the problems of modern society.”

“Winning is not a sometime thing, it is an all the time thing. You don’t do things right once in a while…you do them right all the time.”

“Unless a man believes in himself and makes a total commitment to his career and puts everything he has into it – his mind, his body, his heart – what’s life worth to him?”

“It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up.”

“I would say that the quality of each man’s life is the full measure of that man’s commitment of excellence and victory – whether it be football, whether it be business, whether it be politics or government or what have you.”

“Football is a great deal like life in that it teaches that work, sacrifice, perseverance, competitive drive, selflessness and respect for authority is the price that each and every one of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile.”

“Once you agree upon the price you and your family must pay for success, it enables you to ignore the minor hurts, the opponent’s pressure, and the temporary failures.”

“I’ve never known a man worth his salt who, in the long run, deep down in his heart, didn’t appreciate the grind, the discipline. “

“Once you learn to quit, it becomes a habit.”

“The spirit, the will to win and the will to excel – these are the things that endure and these are the qualities that are so much more important than any of the events that occasion them.”

“You never win a game unless you beat the guy in front of you. The score on the board doesn’t mean a thing. That’s for the fans. You’ve got to win the war with the man in front of you. You’ve got to get your man.”

“Leaders are made, they are not born. They are made by hard effort, which is the price which all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile.”

“Having the capacity to lead is not enough. The leader must be willing to use it.”

“A leader must identify himself with the group, must back up the group, even at the risk of displeasing superiors. He must believe that the group wants from him a sense of approval. If this feeling prevails, production, discipline, morale will be high, and in return, you can demand the cooperation to promote the goals of the community.”

“They call it coaching but it is teaching. You do not just tell them…you show them the reasons.”

“If you’re lucky enough to find a guy with a lot of head and a lot of heart, he’s never going to come off the field second.”

“Winning is a habit. Watch your thoughts, they become your beliefs. Watch your beliefs, they become your words. Watch your words, they become your actions. Watch your actions, they become your habits. Watch your habits, they become your character.”

“I derived my strength from daily mass and communion.”

“If you aren’t fired with enthusiasm, you’ll be fired with enthusiasm.”

“To be successful, a man must exert an effective influence upon his brothers and upon his associates, and the degree in which he accomplishes this depends on the personality of the man. The incandescence of which he is capable. The flame of fire that burns inside of him. The magnetism which draws the heart of other men to him.”

“Some of us will do our jobs well and some will not, but we will all be judged on one thing: the result.”

“Winning is not a sometime thing…it’s an all the time thing. You don’t win once in a while…you don’t do the right thing once in a while…you do them right all the time. Winning is a habit.”

“The object is to win fairly, by the rules – but to win.”

… And here are three of Lombardi’s greatest quotes:

“Winning is not everything – but making the effort to win is.”

“After all the cheers have died down and the stadium is empty, after the headlines have been written, and after you are back in the quiet of your room and the championship ring has been placed on the dresser and after all the pomp and fanfare have faded, the enduring thing that is left is the dedication to doing with our lives the very best we can to make the world a better place in which to live.”

“….I firmly believe that any man’s finest hours – his greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear – is that moment when he has worked his heart out in good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle – victorious.”

Join Lombardiave.com on Railbird Central for a discussion about the Packers

Raymond Rivard — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:59:15 +0000

If you haven’t had the opportunity to click on over to cheeseheadtv.com’s Raibird Central to catch Brian Carriveau’s podcast, take the opportunity … there’s nothing like Packers talk all the time.

Brian invited me onto his show yesterday and we had a great time for a little more than 10 minutes talking about the Packers just before the team started their OTAs.

On the agenda for discussion were the topics of James Starks and Mason Crosby and what their futures with the Packers looked like; which training camp position battles should be the most compelling to watch; which rookie will be the most fun to watch; and just for good measure because his name alway comes up in discussion, we talked a bit about Brett Favre and when the Packers will look at bringing him back to retire his number and honor him as a member of the Packers family.

Frankly, I’ll talk Packers with just about anyone who will listen, so when Brian invited me onto his show, I was not only honored, but really excited to talk with a live person about the team we all know and love.

And you can probably tell through the podcast that this was a great opportunity not only to plug this website, but to hang out and talk Packers.

Click on over and check it out. I thank you for doing so …

About the Green Bay Packers: Lombardiave goes in-depth on zoneblitz.com

Raymond Rivard — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 22:52:42 +0000

Protecting Aaron Rodgers will be the number one task of the Green Bay Packers heading into 2013.
Raymond T. Rivard photograp

Zoneblitz.com, a site that is a veritable smorgasbord of NFL information, recently blitzed Lombardiave.com with a series of in-depth questions about where the Green Bay Packers have been and where they are headed.

With a Q&A that focuses on the Packers needs, strengths, weaknesses and overall state of affairs, Andrew Tellijohn of zoneblitz.com covers it all.

You might want to take a trip over to see the site, and all it has to offer. Not only do they cover the NFL, but like fansided.com they take apart Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, National Hockey League, NCAAF, NCAAB, and Soccer.

But in the meantime, see our exchange by clicking here or scanning below. Take the time to leave some comments on both of our sites, Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

In depth 2013: Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers are 66-30 with five playoff appearances spanning the last six seasons, one of which ended with the team hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.

But the last two seasons have ended with bad playoff losses, including a 2012 debacle in which second-year San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick shredded the Green and Gold both on the ground and through the air.

So, despite being the strongest team in the NFC North over the last several years, there are questions heading into the draft and into offseason training sessions. Can the Packers solve problems with the offensive line, the running game and the leaky defense? Raymond T. Rivard, editor of LombardiAve.Com, says doing so could again make Green Bay one of the top teams in the NFL.

The health of left offensive tackle Derek Sherrod will determine how the development of the offensive line proceeds.
Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Zoneblitz: The Packers won the NFC North and have been the class of the division the last few years, but have now lost badly in the playoffs the past two seasons. How would you assess 2012 and what do the Packers have to do to get back to the Super Bowl?

Rivard: There are three things the Packers have to address to get back to what I would consider elite status in the league: the offensive line, the defensive line, and the running game. With Aaron Rodgers being sacked 51 times last season, the Packers are playing with fire. It’s only a matter of time before Rodgers gets knocked out of a game or, God forbid, suffers an injury that knocks him out for the season. With Rodgers set to sign his mega-deal, I would be totally surprised if the Packers don’t expend at least one, if not a couple of their draft picks on offensive linemen. They can’t continue to put a patchwork group on the field in front of Rodgers.

That said, the Packers running game has been abysmal. Addressing the offensive line should help the team in that regard, but a mid- to-late-round running back would also help bolster the depth in the offensive backfield – again, taking some of the pressure off Rodgers and the passing game.

Lastly, the Packers’ defensive line and outside linebacking are very thin right now, with second-year defensive lineman Jerel Worthy out probably until mid-season. With the loss of Erik Walden and the questionable availability of second-year linebacker Nick Perry, the Packers must also address those two positions – hopefully in the draft.

If the Packers can shore up those three areas, they will be in good shape. Some say that they should also draft a safety, and they probably will. However, I feel those other areas are the team’s greatest needs to raise the team to the next level.

Zoneblitz: What is your sense on when or if the Aaron Rodgers negotiations will result in an extension?

Rivard: Everyone keeps saying any day now, but they’ve been saying that for nearly a month. I feel it will most likely get done between the end of the draft and the start of training camp, at the latest. I’m sure it’s a complicated negotiation and these things don’t happen overnight. I’m sure it will happen, but like everyone else, we’ll know when we know.

The Packers receiving corps, including Jordy Nelson, when healthy, is among the league’s most productive.
Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Zoneblitz: Wide receiver depth has been strong on this team and with Jordy Nelson, James Jones and Randall Cobb returning, there are still weapons. But Greg Jennings left for Minnesota and Donald Driver retired. Any concerns about this once ridiculously deep position?

Rivard: No concerns with that group at all. You can also throw in tight end Jermichael Finley and the Packers are solid. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Ted Thompson take a wide receiver or tight end in the draft to add depth for Aaron Rodgers. As long as Rodgers is healthy – and the receivers stay healthy (which has been an issue the past couple of seasons) – this group is as good as it gets and could be the best in the league.

Zoneblitz: The run game has been less than stellar in recent years and Jermichael Finley lacks consistency. What are your thoughts on how the Packers have or will address these spots?

Rivard: I addressed the run game above and would just reiterate that with help along the offensive line I think the run game will be OK. After all, if you’ve got a game with two runners who can combine for 100 or more yards per game, that’s all that the Packers ask for … they are a pass-first team and that won’t change.

As for Finley, he was one of the best pass-catching tight ends in the league in the last half of last season. He’s in the final year of a two-year contract, so look for him to really have a breakout year. Then he will test the free agent waters.

Zoneblitz: After a season that saw Aaron Rodgers take some hits, what are your thoughts on the offensive line?

Rivard: See above. The line needs help and it needs help now … hopefully Ted Thompson feels the same way.

The Packers hope linebacker Desmond Bishop comes back healthy this season.
Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Zoneblitz: Charles Woodson has been released. Erik Walden left as a free agent. The secondary was hurt by the loss of Nick Collins. And the team’s pass rush hasn’t always been consistent. How would you assess the strengths and weaknesses of Green Bay’s defense?

Rivard: I’ll give you one number: 579 yards. That’s how many the team gave up to the San Francisco 49ers in the Packers’ season-ending loss last year. Couple that with the fact that the defense rated dead last in the league in 2011 and clearly the D needs help. The upside to that is the defense did improve overall last year and there were several young players, led by cornerback Casey Hayward, who had outstanding seasons last year. Injuries didn’t help, but that’s no excuse. I feel if the players coming back off injury last year can pick up where they left off, the team will be in a good position to improve their defensive position in the league. Improvements also have to be made through the draft.

The defense is a concern and has been for some time now. We’re hoping defensive coordinator Dom Capers can get things figured out.

Zoneblitz: Mason Crosby had a poor season last year. Will he be back or do you expect the Packers to bring in someone else?

Rivard: The Packers have signed Giorgio Tavecchio to compete against Mason Crosby in training camp, but I expect Crosby to be back. Unless he completely blows it in camp, the Packers have too much money invested in Crosby at this point to kick him off the team – excuse the pun. But who knows? Tavecchio may come in and kick lights out. It will certainly be interesting to watch. My hope is that Tavecchio pushes Crosby enough to get him back on his game. He did convert his final four kicks of the season, including a couple in the playoffs, so Crosby seemed to have his mojo back. One has to remember that of his misses last year, seven of his nine attempts from 50-plus yards were among them.

Zoneblitz: Who on the roster do you see having a breakout season in 2013?

Rivard: Randall Cobb. You might say last year was his breakout year, but I think he’s going to really take off this year. Rodgers and Cobb have had a year together now and will only improve in 2013. Casey Hayward might also show the league that he’s no fluke, while linebacker Dezman Moses might be one to watch. I wouldn’t be surprised to see running back DuJuan Harris also turn some heads this year.

Zoneblitz: The Bears have made some moves to improve and the Vikings are coming off a 10 win season. It’s a little hard to figure out where the Lions are at, but heading into the draft and offseason training programs, how do you think the Packers fit into the NFC North hierarchy at the moment?

It’s unclear how the Bears’ defense will respond this year without Brian Urlacher in the mix.
Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Rivard: You’ve still got to put the Packers at the top. If they can figure out how to stop Adrian Peterson and Calvin Johnson of the Lions, they will again dominate the division. The Bears? With the new coach, they will start fast again, but will fade as their year of transition takes hold. I just feel the Packers are too deep to fall beyond second place in the division – that is if Rodgers stays healthy.

Zoneblitz: What are your reactions to the Packers’ approach to free agency thus far and what would you like to see the team do in the draft and the remainder of free agency?

Rivard: Free agency has never been a mode of operation for Ted Thompson, so this year is no different. The fact that he was active at all in pursuing Chris Canty and Steven Jackson, as well as being in the picture right to the end with Greg Jennings was a surprise to me. Thompson will never play the free agency game and yet the Packers are competitive year-in and year-out. I like his draft and develop philosophy. It seems to work.

Zoneblitz: Is there anything else you would like to add?

Rivard: We’re looking forward to another strong draft where Thompson adds to the team’s weaponry. Signing Rodgers and Clay Matthews will be huge and will have everyone looking toward a bright future in Green Bay. The Packers will open their newly-renovated Lambeau Field this year, which will bring in about 8,000 more fans and completely enclose the stadium. The noise level will be wild.

I look for another great season for the Packers.

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Follow Zoneblitz.com on Twitter at: @ZoneblitzCom

Menelik Watson leads Lombardiave.com’s four-round Green Bay Packers mock draft

Raymond Rivard — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 13:45:59 +0000

Florida State Seminoles wide receiver Rashad Greene (80) is congratulated by offensive linesman Menelik Watson (71) after they scored a touchdown against the South Florida Bulls during the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The NFL Draft is fewer than 14 days away and you can bet that Green Bay Packers GM Ted Thompson is shuttered into the confines of Lambeau Field poring over his draft board with scouts and coaches – all the while keeping one eye on the contract negotiations with star quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Thompson understands a couple of things: Rodgers will be a Green Bay Packer probably well after the GM retires and if that’s to occur, Thompson has to build his team around Rodgers smartly and efficiently to ensure his legacy.

He does that in this draft by first targeting the offensive line, moving on to defensive line, adding a wide receiver and then addressing the running back situation before possibly circling back to the offensive line.

So, here’s a look at my first four-round mock draft for the Packers:

• First round: Menelik Watson, offensive tackle, Florida State

• Second round: Margus Hunt, DE, Southern Methodist University

• Third round: Stedman Bailey, WR, West Virginia

• Fourth round: Christine Michael, RB, Texas A&M

For many, Watson is a reach, and project him falling to the early second round. However, for someone like Thompson and the Packers, they have got to draft an offensive lineman. Unless they know something we don’t about 2011 first round pick Derek Sherrod, they can’t afford to wait around any longer for him to heal up – not when we’re talking about protecting the blind side of the richest man in the league.

Watson would bring a mountain of a man to the line. Watson is raw, but with a huge upside. He is the type of player who will be coachable and an instant mix into the line.

Menelik Watson would be a solid addition to the Packers front five.

Todd McShay is a big fan and also projects the Packers taking Watson with that first pick. Here is what he has to say:

This might seem a little high for a player with an early-second-round grade, but Watson could make sense for various reasons. The Packers might not be totally sold on Marshall Newhouse as their left tackle, and there is concern about RT Derek Sherrod coming off a broken leg suffered late in 2012…. at this point there is not a running back, safety or wide receiver worth reaching for to fill a need. The Packers can’t win unless they improve their ability to protect Aaron Rodgers, and Watson could help in that regard.

McShay is right: The Packers are not sold on Newhouse (or Sherrod, for that matter) and if they don’t draft another tackle, the only other option is to move Bryan Bulaga to the left side and allow undrafted free agent Don Barclay to remain where he ended last season – at right tackle. While Bulaga was a left tackle in college, he was inserted and stayed at right tackle for a reason.

Here is how the official website of the Senior Bowl projects Menelik:

Menelik played basketball at Marist before transferring to Saddleback Community College (CA) to try his hand at football. Now, after only one season of major college experience at Florida State, he enters the draft with 13 career starts as a right tackle. However, with his frame, arm length and natural feet, he is a projection to left tackle and after seeing him at the FSU Pro Day, there is little doubt that he will successfully make that move in the NFL. It will take a “need” and some “nerve” to pick him in the first round, but within two years, he should become a long-time fixture at the LT spot.

And nfl.com had good things to ay about the 6-5, 314-pound Watson:

Menelik Watson has rare athletic ability on a tremendous frame. He has an explosive first step, light feet, and a powerful punch. There are a lot of things in his game that need to be cleaned up from a technique standpoint, and he will be 25 years old in his rookie season. He can project to either tackle spot, or possibly even inside, at guard.

Here’s what Rant Sports had to say about Watson in this video:

Margus Hunt (92). Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

In the second round, the Packers will probably have the choice of three decent defensive linemen – Margus Hunt, Kawann Short, or Johnathan Hankins. I think they would select Hunt over the other two because the Packers seem to be looking to fill that outside position with someone with length and strength.

Well, at 6-8 and a great work ethic, Hunt will fill the bill. He’s a world class athlete who would help the Packers bolster its defensive line, especially in light of the fact that second year lineman Jerel Worthy probably won’t make back onto the field until well into the regular season. The Packers need depth on the line, while adding a player adept at stopping the run and bringing pressure. Hunt has those skills.

Here’s a video of Hunt …

Stedman Bailey (3). Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Moving on to the third round, you might be asking, wide receiver? Well, we all know how Thompson likes to keep his receiving corps fresh and with the losses of Greg Jennings and Donald Driver, bringing in a player like Stedman Bailey might be what one would consider a coup.

Compared with the likes of Jennings, there are a lot of good things to say about Bailey.

In fact, I’ve written about him before … Here’s some of what I had to say in a previous post:

For the past two years, Bailey eclipsed the 1,200 yard mark, catching 72 passes for 1,279 yards (17.8 yard average), and 12 touchdowns. He burned by those statistics in 2012 by catching 114 passes for 1,622 yards (14.2 yard average) and an incredible 25 touchdowns. Clearly, the guy knows how to find the end zone.

Whether he’s still around for the Packers and their mid-round selection remains to be seen, but if GM Ted Thompson sees a need to improve the team’s receiving corps, Bailey is as good of a choice as any.

He’s a solid player who might slip to the Packers in this round.

Here’s a video of Bailey:

Christine Michael

I expect that Thompson may go to a running back in the third round if a receiver like Stedman isn’t available, but if he gets his receiver in the third round, then look for TT to look to go running back with his next pick.

That pick for me is Christine Michael. Thompson is high on this guy and was said to be particularly interested in watching him at the practices for the East-West Shrine Game. Michael is an extremely talented running back with all the skills necessary to become an NFL player. However, his biggest downside seems to be reliability and maturity. If there’s one thing that can be addressed in Green Bay, it’s those two things. How many players have you heard say that their move to Green Bay has allowed them to focus on football and football only? The limited distractions in the NFL’s smallest venue have helped many players focus and this could be the case for Michael.

Because Michael overslept and missed a couple of meetings at the Combine, the question of reliability was raised. However, on the field he did everything he was asked. At the Combine, he was the top in the bench-press drill (27 reps), the vertical jump (43.0 inches), the broad jump (125.0 inches), the three-cone drill (6.69 seconds) and the 20-yard shuttle (4.02 seconds).

That’s why the Packers would get a steal with this guy, especially in the fourth round.

Here’s a video of Michael …

So, that's my attempt at the first four rounds of the Packers Draft. What are your picks? Let us know by leaving a comment below, by liking us on our Facebook page, or by following us on Twitter.

Lombardiave is looking for a few good writers

Raymond Rivard — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 12:11:34 +0000

Love the Green Bay Packers? Want to write about them? Here’s your chance …
Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports photograph

This has been an incredible year here at Lombardiave.com. It’s been a year of exponential growth and a time when we’ve added some of the most talented writers you will find anywhere.

But we are greedy. We want more writers. We want to continue to grow and offer more here at Lombardiave.com.

So, with that said, we are searching for more writers to add to our already strong staff. You will have a deep interest in the Packers, the National Football League and all related issues that surround the game. Maybe you are a draft junkie, maybe you enjoy following fantasy football, maybe you really like following the developments of free agency.

If so, we are looking for your expertise.

What’s really cool is that with your contributions, you will help our site grow and continue to be the go-to destination among all Packers fan websites you visit. What’s even better is that if you’re looking for an audience on which to bounce your ideas, consider that Fansided.com has partnered with Sports Illustrated where your stories will be posted on the si.com Packers team page.

How’s that for exposure?

If you’re interested in writing regularly on lombardiave.com, take a trip on over to our blogger application site, fill it out and we’ll get you going.

There has already been so much to talk about this season. Keep it going by joining lombardiave.com and letting everyone know how you feel.

To all Lombardiave.com readers …

Raymond Rivard — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 11:51:16 +0000

To all who are regular readers here at Lombardiave.com – and those who are new to our site:

It’s been a tough week personally for me here at Lombardiave.com … if you may have noticed that the number of posts on the site has dropped from the recent past, you’re right. I’ve had a tough week on the physical front and because of that haven’t been able to work as much as I expected.

For that I apologize and ask that you have patience and continue coming back for the best Packers stories you have come to expect.

I simply wanted to write this note to let all of our readers know that what you’ve come to expect will continue.

In fact, in the very near future you will see stories about the offensive line, the draft and probably about running backs … among others … in addition to any other news that I can find and comment about.

As always, I’m open to suggestions and comments from everyone. This has been an incredible offseason for the Green Bay Packers and we here at Lombardiave.com are really excited about everything that’s bound to happen … the big signings from Aaron Rodgers and Clay Matthews, the release of the schedule, the draft, the OTAs and

Raymond T. Rivard
Editor
Lombardiave.com

on into training camp.

We plan to be here to bring you that fresh introspect you’ve come to expect. Thanks again for you continued interest in the Packers and, of course …

GO! PACK! GO!

Raymond T. Rivard, Editor, Lombardiave.com

My Farewell to Lombardi Ave

Jason Hirschhorn — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 11:25:17 +0000

Jason Hirschhorn

To the wonderful readers of Lombardi Ave,

As Ray alluded to earlier, I am stepping down from Lombardi Ave in order to pursue a great opportunity elsewhere. If you’re one of many fantastic people who have reached out to me on twitter, you know where I’ll be writing going forward. While this is a very exciting time for me, it’s also a bittersweet one. Since joining Lombardi Ave, I’ve not only had the privilege of working with the site’s superb writers, but I’ve also gotten to know so many of you. Your kind words and encouragement are what keep writers like me going. I’m forever grateful for it.

When Ray brought me onto Lombardi Ave, the site was in a state of flux. Under his leadership and with the help of the many talented writers, the site has become one of the truly unique and insightful Packers resources on the Web. While all too many sports websites offer bland opinions from faceless personalities, Lombardi Ave provides strong, detailed analysis from its litany of impressive authors. I consider all of them friends.

So while I’m leaving the great community at Lombardi Ave, I’ll always look back on my time here with enormous pride. I’ll never forget how Ray graciously gave this former music blogger a chance to write about his favorite team. I’ll never forget the camaraderie among the writers. And most of all, I’ll never forget the support so many of you have given me.

I may be heading out into the world, but Lombardi Ave will always be my home.

Sincerely,

Jason Hirschhorn

Editor’s note: It’s always difficult to say goodbye to people you grow to know and trust. For about a year or so, I struggled mostly by myself trying to get Lombardi Ave up and running. It was a difficult and lonely task. I had advertised for, and gotten some folks who would sign on as authors, post a few times and then grow disinterested. That was until last fall when the stars must have been aligned. I placed a call for authors on the site and like John Madden would say, BOOM!, about a half dozen responded. Jason was one of the first. His talents were clear – his love of the Packers, his ability to tell a great story, and his pride in providing a strong opinion set him apart. I’ve always told the writers on our great site that I wanted posts that readers won’t find anywhere else on the Web. Jason delivered … time and again. We will miss him, but will be reading his continued coverage of the Packers over at Acme Packing Company – another great Packers site. Our loss is their gain. So, I give a public thank you to Jason and wish him the best. Our door is always open here at Lombardi Ave. GO! PACK! GO!

Thank you, Jason. RTR

Green Bay Packers news roundup

Raymond Rivard — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 11:47:29 +0000

Green Bay Packers fans – here’s today’s news samples from around the Internet. Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

It’s Wednesday morning – hump day – so it’s time to take a swing aroung the Internet to take a look at what’s being written out there by Green Bay Packers beat writers.

While we here at Lombardiave.com appreciate your love of our site and your habit of swinging by here once, twice or three or more times a day, we also like to share the love. After all, there is so much going on in Packers Nation that there is no way we can cover it all. Sure, we would like to have the full-time staff to cover the Packers full-time, but we don’t – that’s a fact of life. What we try to do on a daily basis is provide our readers with information you might not find anywhere else on the planet – or at least a spin on the news that you won’t find anywhere else.

We will continue to do that and hope that the angles we take will keep you coming back.

But in the meantime we’ve taken a few moments to check out what others are saying about the Packers, whether it be good or bad, draft-related or not, free agency-related or not.

We hope you take a few moments to take the spin with us … enjoy.

(Share Clip)

Here’s to the readers of Lombardiave.com – Thank You!

Raymond Rivard — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 21:30:53 +0000

As you can see, two of our Packers friends from Liverpool, England, were reading our site Sunday afternoon. And we were thinking that it probably wasn’t Paul or Ringo.

Editor’s note: Proceed with caution – this is a piece of unashamed promotion of lombardiave.com, not necessarily because we like to toot our own horn, but because we want to show you how far we’ve come with the help of you, our readers and because we have such a diverse and interesting group of people writing for the site. Believe me when I say the monetary rewards for producing this site are literally pennies for the amount of time spent, but the overall rewards are immeasurable. Yes, we love doing this because first of all, we love the Green Bay Packers, and second of all, because we feel that there are so many of you out there dying to soak up any news about the team that you possibly can. This is all for you.

To you, the readers here at Lombardiave.com, I have two simple words: Thank you!

You see, we’ve worked really hard over the past couple of years raising this site from the ground level up to what it is today – what we feel is a great site covering the Green Bay Packers. That’s because of two things – you, the reader, and the great staff we’ve added the past few months. Without their timely and sometimes unusual takes on one of the oldest of NFL franchises all of this wouldn’t be possible.

And without you, the reader, we wouldn’t be here at all.

So, again, Thank You!

The reason I write this is because of what I’ve seen developing recently. Yes, the bulk of our readers come from across every state in the Union. However, we also have international readers. I’ve noted them in Germany, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, Australia, the Far East and, of course in the British Isles, among others.

In fact, today, at about 2:30 p.m. CST, I noted two readers from Liverpool, England (see photographs). For a moment, I thought it could be Paul and Ringo, but then thought again – I’m sure they don’t still live in their hometown, now could they?

I’m not being flippant, because I know that all of our readers are friends and fans who love the Green Bay Packers – well, at least most of our readers are. So, I’m sure the two folks in Liverpool are just that and are clicking on our website because they want to see and read about what’s up with the Packers.

With that said, I’ve also got to provide you a piece that was recently posted on our parent site, fansided.com. It’s a piece spotlighting Lombardiave because of the great growth we’ve had over the past year – again due to our readers and our great staff. As an aside, I also ask that you visit all of the NFL-related sites that are a part of fansided.com. You talk about an awesome network of football sites – good gosh, you won’t find a better group of people and sites on the planet – and I really mean that.

Though I feel we have much work to do to continue to improve our site here, and this piece is provided to show how far we’ve come, I feel that the future for more growth is just around the corner – with your help, of course.

I must also add that a great extension of our home site is the addition of our social media sites on Facebook and Twitter. We’ve been able to connect with many of you through these sites and have extended our reach by leaps and bounds by sharing content with people across the globe. It’s truly an amazing connection. If you haven’t already liked us on Facebook and followed us on Twitter, please do so. We will follow back and correspond in a timely and respectful manner.

Anyway, here’s what was posted at fansided.com. I blush a bit at the self-promotion, but know that our success is because of you.

FanSided Spotlight: Lombardi Ave

Today on FanSided Spotlight, we take a look at our Green Bay Packers site, Lombardi Ave. This post shows how the site’s editor, Ray Rivard, took the site from one of FanSided NFL’s least visited sites to one of its most popular. This comes from NFL Editorial Director, Zac Snyder, complete with some words from Ray, himself. Enjoy.

-Patrick Allen (He’s the Vice President of Content for the FanSided Network).

One of the great FanSided NFL success stories of the 2012 season was Lombardi Ave, our Green Bay Packers site. It might be easy to think the site’s success is simply due to the fact that it is devoted to one of the NFL’s most popular teams. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Covering a good/popular team guarantees you nothing and covering a bad/unpopular team doesn’t keep a site from being one of the network’s best. Lombardi Ave is a testament to that fact.

Ray Rivard has been leading that site for us for a little over a year and a half but at first he was just meeting the minimum posting requirements and didn’t have much of a staff to help strengthen the site. While even a minimum level of consistent content was an improvement over what the site had received, the site was a mediocre to poor performer within FanSided NFL and it wasn’t ever going to get Lombardi Ave to the 90,000 visit mark the site hit last month.

As editors, I think it is easy to focus on our individual posting requirements while pushing other responsibilities of the editor position to the back burner. Ray’s work at Lombardi Ave is a perfect example of what can happen when an editor embraces the totality of his or her role. Perseverance in staffing has paid off as Lombardi Ave now has a great group of writers (shout out!) that are nearing 100 posts per month and a commitment to using facebook and twitter as an active way to interact with fans is paying off in a big way.

We talk a lot about how being on top of hot news stories can pay off with big traffic numbers. One of the big changes at Lombardi Ave has been taking that message to heart but extending the concept beyond just posting on the site and applying it to social media as well. I told Ray earlier this week that I would be working on a spotlight post on him and the site and asked him for a few thoughts and this is one of the things he touched on:

Much of the growth of the site has been accomplished by being on top of huge stories. There are three recent events that really helped us. The first was 12-12-12, better known last year as Aaron Rodgers Day. We posted like crazy on that day and were also closely connected to Jennifer Brilowski – the woman who started the Aaron Rodgers Day movement and had a Facebook page with literally thousands of followers. Because she was so impressed with lombardiave.com and our Facebook page, she gave us plugs continually and many of our followers came from her connection.

The second was Donald Driver’s retirement celebration. The event was broadcast live and I posted on Facebook and Twitter pictures and comments live as they were happening. Readers loved it. As a staff, we also prepared several posts about Donald Driver that we planned and put up at various times throughout the day. The fanbase’s love of Donald Driver was incredible and our efforts really paid off.

The last was just this past week when Charles Woodson was released by the Packers. I caught wind of it within minutes of Woodson tweeting about it. I quickly put a post together about it and the hits on the site went through the roof. From there, we put together posts about Woodson, his future, his past, pictures, videos, the whole works and it REALLY paid off.

Getting connected with other fan facebook pages and an active approach there has allowed Lombardi Ave’s facebook page to explode to over 1,800 likes. Facebook accounted for nearly 6,300 visits to the site last month. Overall, the site has posted five consecutive months of increasing visit counts.

Ray closed his email of thoughts to me with what I believe to be the best advice any site editor can take to heart:

In addition, know that it doesn’t come all at once. It takes hard work, it takes passion and the belief that you can have the best team fan site out there. Fansided provides the base from which to start, but it’s up to you to make it happen.

Take the ride … it’s a blast.

Great words, Ray. I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Lombardiave.com staff predict today’s championship game

Raymond Rivard — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 13:31:58 +0000

Tommy Marquardt, Staff Writer

Tommy Marquardt:

NFC
I thought the winner of the Packers-Niners would be in the Super Bowl before last week and Colin Kaerpernick shamed the Green Bay defense for 444 total yards himself. I don’t expect it to be so easy this week, but I think San Francisco wins the game with defense this time. Unless Matty Ice can pull out a late win, SF will be losing in New Orleans, not Atlanta.

SF 24 ATL 20

AFC
Tom Brady and the Patriots play offense like the Packers SHOULD play it. Unless the Patriots allow Torrey Smith open deep as many times as Denver did last week, I don’t think the Ravens can keep up. Patriots win BIG.

NE 41 Ravens 24

Darryl Krejci, Staff Writer

Darryl Krejci: So it has come down to Championship weekend and my picks for the victors.

In looking at the NFC game, my gut tells me to choose the Packers, but everyone says I have to pick a team that is actually playing. So I am going with San Francisco. The reason is simple, last year the Giants beat Green Bay to reach the Super Bowl and I see history repeating itself this year with the team that beat the Packers going to New Orleans. I just don’t see Atlanta having the power to stop the 49ers. San Francisco is the team that is on the roll and sadly to say will be unstoppable.

In the AFC game, I have to choose Baltimore as the sentimental pick. I am not a big Ray Lewis fan but it is always nice to see a guy go out on top after so many years in the NFL. Also (no offense to Grandma Karen in Massachusetts) I just can’t find it in my heart to root for Brady and the Patriots.

I know there is no rational or statistical basis for these picks, but then again, I go by my heart and not my head. Then again I am still holding out hope that when I turn on the TV, Green Bay will be playing and not the Forty-Niners. So take my picks for what they are worth.

GO PACK GO.

Ray Rivard, Lombardiave.com Editor

Ray Rivard: Here we are, it’s championship weekend and guess what? The Packers aren’t playing. Yes, it’s becoming a habit losing in the Divisional round and very disappointing. So, we’ve got the 49ers traveling to Atlanta in the NFC and the Patriots hosting the Ravens in the AFC … YAWN!

OK, so I’m a bit jealous of the 49ers as they head into their second straight championship game. Reminds me of the Packers of the mid-1990s. While the Giants got the break late in last year’s championship and carried it all the way to a Super Bowl championship, so will the Niners this season. I just don’t see the Falcons getting a handle and a hand on Colin Kaepernick. He’s the one with the hot hand and so are the Niners.

I see the Niners winning a game that will be close in the first half. Like what they did to the Packers last week in the second half, the Niners will “run” away with this one.

SF 32 Atlanta 17

On the AFC side of things, the sentimental favorite is the Ravens. Yes, they should have won last year, but this is a different year. While everyone would like to see Ray Lewis go out in style, it will be Tom Brady who gets the best in this one. Brady’s been here too many times to let the Super Bowl get away from him again. After all, he won’t have many more chances to get back to this point.

Brady will lead the Pats over the Ravens once again, but I don’t see this one being as close as last year.

Pats 27 Ravens 16

Patrick Hughes, Staff Writer

Patrick Hughes: Oh to write a prediction about a game that I so much looked forward to the Packers being in, it pains me. Am I being overly dramatic, probably? But it would have been so fun to cheer the Pack onto a Super Bowl. Oh the agony of defeat. Nonetheless, I have to make a prediction on who will make their way to Super Bowl XLVII.

The NFC Championship Game, you know the one Green Bay should be playing, yeah that one. The way the 49ers blasted the Packers you would think San Francisco would handle the Falcons without much problem. I think that too. But the Falcons are not going to roll over.

49ers 28, Falcons 24.
As for the AFC Championship Game, logic would say once again the world is going to have to watch the Patriots in the Super Bowl. But I think the Ray Lewis Goodbye Tour has a couple more stops. Emotion is going to carry the Ravens to victory.

Baltimore 24, Patriots 17

Jason Hirschhorn

49ers at Falcons

For the first time in years, the number one seed is the underdog in a conference championship game. The reason is two-fold: the Falcons have squeaked out many of their 13 regular season wins and their lone playoff victory under Mike Smith and Matt Ryan while the 49ers steamrolled the Packers a week prior.

The combination of these two forces distorts the difference between the two teams. On a neutral field, San Francisco is a likely victor. However, Atlanta has lost at home only five times in the last three seasons including playoffs, and the Georgia Dome negates a lot of the teams’ disadvantages.

The Falcons will have to prevent the second half collapse that nearly sunk them in the divisional round. The 49ers, on the other hand, will likely face real adversity for the first time in these playoffs, and more specifically for the first time under Colin Kaepernick. In the end, there are more scenarios where San Francisco wins than there are for Atlanta.

49ers 34 – Falcons 28

Ravens at Patriots

On paper, this is a fantastic matchup for the NFL. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick go for their sixth Super Bowl appearance while Ray Lewis tries to push off retirement for another game. There are even good sub-storylines as well. Joe Flacco can earn a place at top of the NFL’s quarterback hierarchy – and a massive new contract – with a strong performance.

However, there are just too many mismatches that favor the Patriots. The Ravens defense, decimated by injuries, literally will struggle to keep up with the high pace Patriots offense. On the flip side, the Patriots pass defense has improved enough to disrupt Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin in the passing game.

Unlike last year, this matchup shouldn’t come down to the last play and we’ll finally bid adieu to the cartoon formerly known as Ray Lewis.

Patriots 38 – Ravens 24

Green Bay Packers fans – yes, we’re the ones to blame

Raymond Rivard — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 02:20:35 +0000

Darryl Krejci

Darryl Krejci, a Green Bay Packers fan who frequents Lombardiave.com’s Facebook page wrote a very humorous post that struck me as something special, so I posted back to him that he should write for the site … he took it to heart and put together another piece that he emailed me the day following the Packers loss to the 49ers.

With his permission, I am posting it here on the site with the invitation to him to start writing more.

I really like his style and his understanding not only of the game of football but play of words. I think you will enjoy it, too.

So, without further adieu, give this a read and let us know how you feel by posting a comment here or by checking out and liking our Facebook page and following us on Twitter.

By Darryl Krejci

So this morning I woke up and my heart was full of dread. I looked out the window and the world seemed the same. There was no zombie apocalypse, no world economic collapse, or even a sign that the lightly fallen snow was going to lead to the next blizzard of the century.

So what was it that encompassed my every thought? It was collectiveness, a oneness. It was the day after a disheartening loss that would lead to eight months of reflections and what ifs. It was dare I say it, the start of the offseason!

I like many other members of the Packer Nation were disappointed in the end result, but now, twenty-four hours later I looked inward, using a combination of Zen mysticism, Taoism and my Magic Eight Ball, I think I have come to terms with what happened.

We failed.

It was not the Packers and the lack of a pass rush. It was not a muffed return or even an ill conceived interception. We failed as fans. We expected that our pre game rituals, our green and gold attire and our chants of “GO PACK GO” would lead us to the promised land. We believed that we were better than we truly were and with that we looked through our green and gold tinted glasses and believed that our team was better than they really were.

We did not want to recognize the injuries that decimated us week in and week out. We looked the other way when we could not muster a pass rush or a running game. We all believed that history would repeat itself, that injuries would not matter and this would be a repeat of 2010 and another Super Bowl victory.

We set ourselves up for the greatest collapse because we failed to accept the truth. We believed too strongly in our team and refused to acknowledge that they are only men, not superheroes. There may be a discount double check belt on the outside of that #12 jersey, but I am sure there is no “S” underneath it.

Our collective nation did not want to accept the weaknesses that were not corrected, the mistakes that were repeated and the tackles that were missed. We blamed others (okay, the replacement refs deserve a lot of blame) but never took responsibility for our own misguided beliefs.

Now after the loss we turn our frustration and anger towards those in control. We blame Dom Capers for failing to make adjustments and correct the defense. We blame Coach McCarthy for failing to close out teams once they are down. We blame Finley for talking too much and not catching enough. But take a moment and look inward, search your feelings, use the Force, they did not fail us, we failed them.

We expected them to try harder, but how could they? It was either do or do not. When they did we reveled in Victory Mondays. When they did not seven days stretched forth like an eternity until redemption and the next game. It was a season of highs and lows; it was the final chapters for some and the first chapters for others.

Now that it is over we need to come to grasp with reality. The 2012 Packers exceeded where others have failed. They overcame adversity, ignorance (again, the replacement refs), injuries and certain TV announcers to capture another NFC North title.

Then in the end what did we give them? We gave them criticism, our frustration, and misguided anger. We blamed them for failing to live up to our expectations and capturing a 14th championship.

So now that it is over with and blood pressures have dropped we all need to take a moment, breathe in deeply, and apologize for our failures to our team. We were like spoiled children, expecting the newest technical gizmo but not appreciating everything else that we were given.

In the end we failed to appreciate what this season was and where we ended compared to so many others (like the Bears). We were not reasonable or even appreciative. We never once collectively said thank you after the clock ran out in San Francisco last night. Where was our heart and spirit?

So now on behalf of the entire Packer Nation, to Aaron, Clay, Donald, Charles, Coach McCarthy and the rest of the Packers, thank you for a great season. Thank you for giving us so much and in looking forward to next season, all we ask for is that 14th Championship!

Anything less is a failure … I mean we look forward to another great season of Packer football!

GO PACK GO!

Green Bay Packers vs. San Francisco 49ers: Q&A with Golden Gate Sports

Raymond Rivard — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 05:11:45 +0000

It surely won’t be fun and games when the Packers meet the 49ers Saturday in the NFC Divisional Playoff game in San Francisco.
Raymond T. Rivard

We here at Lombardiave.com had the opportunity to sit down with Eric He, the editor over at Golden Gate Sports, and talk for a bit about Saturday’s matchup between the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers.

Eric was kind enough to take our questions and utilize his insight to give us honest answers to some probing questions.

Here’s what he had to say:

Q. What have been the most debilitating and most positive changes the 49ers have experienced this season?

The Packers will have to slow the 49ers running game to have a chance Saturday.
Raymond T. Rivard photograph

A. The most debilitating change has to be the struggles of David Akers. After setting an NFL record for most field goals in a season last year, Akers has made just 69 percent of his kicks in 2012, missing several chip shots and potential game winners. The 49ers even brought in Billy Cundiff to compete with Akers for the postseason starting job, but Akers surprisingly won the battle and will kick against the Packers on Saturday (And as I understand, Mason Crosby isn’t doing too well in Green Bay).

Positively, you can’t overlook the quarterback switch to Colin Kaepernick. Kaepernick is going to be a superb quarterback in this league, and at the very least he is an upgrade to the passive Alex Smith. Switch to Kaepernick has given the Niners the opportunity to go for the big play, and he is very mobile with the ability to scramble for the first down.

Q. Which 49ers loss and which win have revealed the most (positive and/or negative) about Niners this season?

Coach Mike McCarthy will have his team ready to play.
Raymond T. Rivard photograph

A. In my mind, the Week 15 win at New England was the most pivotal one for the 49ers this season. They beat the Patriots 41-34 on the road in a wild shootout that saw Tom Brady lead New England on a 28-point comeback, but ultimately it was the 49ers that prevailed. This win showed that the 49ers were serious contenders and could compete with best of them. Plus, given the fact that it was nationally televised, experts everywhere were calling the 49ers “Superbowl favorites.”

Of course, that title quickly dropped the following week, when they traveled to Seattle and were devoured 42-13. They had absolutely no answer for Russell Wilson and the dynamic offense of the Seahawks, revealing that their defense is not invincible. That loss put the NFC West up for grabs with the Seahawks, but fortunately the Niners beat the Cardinals in the final game to clinch the division and save some face.

Q. Why did Jim Harbaugh switch QBs midstream and do you feel it was the right move?

Quarterback Alex Smith has been replaced by Colin Kaepernick.
Raymond T. Rivard photograph

A. Harbaugh switched quarterbacks because he is Jim Harbaugh, and only he would have the guts to make such a decision. After Alex Smith suffered a concussion vs. the Rams in Week 10, Kaepernick spelled him for the second half and led the 49ers to a tie. But he really shined the following week, when Smith was still out with the concussion and the 49ers played the Bears on Monday Night Football. Kaepernick threw for 243 yards in a 32-7 blowout, and everyone began salivating at his potential. He was named the started the next week (when Smith was fully healthy), and proceeded to light up the Saints on the road. Harbaugh then gave him the starting role for the rest of the season.

I feel that it is not the right move unless the 49ers win the Superbowl this year. Smith was doing perfectly fine, leading the league in quarterback rating and completing 70 percent of his passes before he got hurt. It looked as if he was ready to take this team to the Superbowl, until Kaepernick swooped in and took the job away from him. So unless Kaepernick leads them to a championship, I think Harbaugh was wrong to replace Smith.

Q. If the 49ers come away with a win Saturday, who do you feel will be the difference-maker and why?

A. Honestly, it’s going to be the kicking game between Akers and Crosby. Both have struggled mightily this season, and I feel that the game will come down to a few points, and those kicks will really matter.

I can’t speak for Crosby, but for Akers, he needs to regain that mojo he had in 2011-2012. He will go down as one of the greatest kickers of all-time (dare I say), and he needs to forget about the past and focus on the present on Saturday.

Q. Is it Super Bowl or bust for the 49ers or do you think this is a team that’s going to be competitive for years to come?

With or without QB Alex Smith, the 49ers will be a team with which to contend for many years in the NFC.
Raymond T. Rivard photograph

A. There is no doubt that this team will be competitive for years to come. With their defense and superb running game, they will be contenders for at least the next five years. If Kaepernick develops into a franchise quarterback, like Aaron Rodgers has in GB, I would warn the rest of the league to watch out.

Q. Your view of the game? Who wins and why? Also give us a final score.

A. Packers 21, Niners 17. I think Rodgers and his veteran experience will be the key against an inexperienced Kaepernick, playing in his first playoff game. Yes, the Niners did beat the Packers in Week 1, but that was ages ago and a lot has changed since then.

Superstitions abound – What’s yours when it comes to the Green Bay Packers?

Raymond Rivard — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 02:44:26 +0000

Do you have a specific superstition you follow prior to every Green Bay Packers game? Tell us about yours!
Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

Baseball and its fans have their superstitions, but so do football player, teams and their fans – and I’m sure I’m not alone when I tell you that I have my own when it comes to the Green Bay Packers.

Baseball has its rally caps and most recently a major beer commercial has made the “labels out” superstition a household notion.

We’ve all heard about the lucky shirts that have never been washed; the lucky pair of socks that, dare I say, have never been washed; the beer glass that must be used for every game; the same food that must be eaten before, during and after every game; the team flag that must be touched before each game; heck, maybe even a prayer that must be said just prior to kickoff.

Mine is very simple and I apply it not just on gameday, but every day, 365 days per year. My superstition, is that I’ve got to fold my bath towel with the label facing in after I use it. My belief is that if the label isn’t facing in, the Packers will play poorly and probably lose.

I know, it’s pretty lame. But hey! It seems to work the greater majority of time. I’ve been doing it for years and the success percentage is way above the failure rate.

So, I know there are thousands of you out there who have your own superstitions. What are they?

We here at Lombardiave.com would love to hear from you … in fact, if you respond with your name and your superstition we’ll post it right here, on Facebook and link it to Twitter.

So, Packers fans, let’s hear it … just what is your superstition when it comes to the Green Bay Packers … let us know!

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

And while you’re at it, check out the form below. Here you can sign up for your personalized newsletter direct from fansided.com. Check it out.

Packerpedia: A great Green Bay Packers site – they also like Lombardiave.com over there

Raymond Rivard — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 02:21:42 +0000

7:17 PM - 7 Jan 13

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Jan 5, 2013; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers fullback John Kuhn (30) runs into the end zone for a touchdown in the third quarter of the NFC Wild Card playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

As the Green Bay Packers prepare to meet the San Francisco 49ers this coming Saturday night, there will be plenty of statistics and opinions floating around. The experts jaws will be flapping so fast, their jaws will most likely hit the ground and hopefully they never recover.

And its not often that I promote other sites because … well, because I want you to stay here with us here at lombardiave.com for all you Packers news.

But there’s one expert website out there who I really like and admire mainly for their ability to pull nuggets out of the air that pertain to the Packers. What you will find over at Packerpedia.com is valuable information and statistics that will give you insight into just how and why the Packers have a chance … heck their chances are being given early in the week at better than 50 percent.

Run by Mike and Dan Conklin, they provide well-written posts, a timely podcast, links to some of the best Packers sites on the Internet (OK, so lombardiave.com is one of them – shameless plug), and a streaming post of live tweets that keep you up-to-date on all the news of the day.

As an example of some of the tweets these guys have put there just today, take a look below:

• With his two scores John Kuhn brought his career postseason total to six TDs. That’s tied for #2 in team history behind only Antonio Freeman

• The #Packers have won three consecutive playoff games on the road, their longest road winning streak in franchise postseason history.

• Including playoffs, the #Packers have won 13 of their last 15 games against the #49ers.

• The# Packers have won four of the five previous meetings against the #49ers in the playoffs, including two of three at Candlestick Park.

• The #Packers are the lone NFC team to advance to the divisional round each of the past three postseasons (2010-12).

• Accuscore gives 1 of the 4 road teams a better than 50% chance of winning this weekend (Packers 51.7%)

• Aaron Rodgers was nominated for FedEx Air Player of the Year. If you think he’s worthy, here’s where you can vote:http://www.nfl.com/m/voting/players-air-and-ground/2012/YEAR/0 …

• On two of the three sacks Saturday night, Aaron Rodgers held the ball 4.5 seconds or longer. (via @BobMcGinn)

And even Aaron Nagler agrees … here’s his tweet today:

“Packers fans, @Packerpedia is an absolute must-follow.”

And while I do believe you should keep coming back here for all of our staff members’ insightful posts about the Packers, Packerpedia is also a place to get timely and important Packers information – especially this week when the stats and opinions will be flying about …

12:11 PM - 7 Jan 13

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Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings: Lombardiave.com staffers predictions

Raymond Rivard — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 13:40:47 +0000

Patrick Hughes
Staff Writer

Patrick Hughes: Round 3, Green Bay Packers verses the Minnesota Vikings. This is sure to be a classic black and blue division brawl. At mid-week Green Bay was a 7.5 point favorite on the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field. But I don’t know if I would bet against the spread in this one.

In two games between these two teams Green Bay has yet to demonstrate that they can even remotely keep Adrian Peterson in check. The Packers’ coaching staff said the problem in last week’s game was overpursuing Peterson, allowing him to zig and zag and run past defenders.

There may be some truth to this, but many people this week pointed the finger at Tramon Williams. Some even went so far as to call Williams scared of Peterson. I can’t say that I’d blame him if he was. Whatever the case may be the Packers need to contain Peterson.

For my money, I would put the onus on Aaron Rodgers and the Packers’ high-powered offense to win this game. For the first time in what seems like forever the Packers will have Jennings, Nelson, Cobb, Jones and Finley healthy and on the field at the same time. You’d have to believe that the only thing that can cool these guys down is the crisp Wisconsin weather. And that could be the case.

Ray Rivard is predicting that DuJuan Harris will become the Packers’ not-so-secret weapon. He could be right. However it plays out, the best defense against Adrian Peterson will need to Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense.

This is a tough one. Last week I was confident, obviously a bit overconfident, that the Packers would get the job done. They came out flat and allowed Peterson and the Vikings to control the game. If the Packers hope to win this game they need to score early and often and make Christian Ponder try to beat them.

Big exhale … the Packers offense shows up and gets it done.

Packers 28 Vikings 20

Dan Turczynski
Staff Writer

Dan Turczynski: An old-fashioned showdown between bitter NFC North rivals will once again take place in the Wild Card round of the NFL Playoffs. Last time these two teams met in the playoffs Packers fans saw a “full moon” and an old-fashion beatdown courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings, 31-17 at Lambeau Field.

Vikings’ quarterback Daunte Culpepper lit up the Packers defense for 300 yards and four touchdowns, while Packers’ quarterback Brett Favre threw four interceptions and was sacked twice. Fast-forward to 2013 and what does this all mean? Nothing. Saturday night these two teams will fight for a chance to advance to the divisional round of the playoffs. The two teams split the two matchups during the regular season each winning on their home turf.

Vikings’ running back Adrian Peterson has lit up the Packers’ run defense in the two meetings, accumulating more than 400 yards on the ground. At the end of the day the playoffs are a completely different animal for football teams to tackle. Personally I would take a veteran that has a Super Bowl ring on his finger and four playoff victories, over a quarterback who will be making his first career playoff start.

I think the Packers rally from a poor defensive performance last week thanks to all-world quarterback Aaron Rodgers and advance to the second round where the San Francisco 49ers will be waiting for them next Saturday evening.

Packers 24 Vikings 13

Thomas Marquardt
Staff Writer – and lucky enough to be attending today’s game

Thomas Marquardt (who will be at Lambeau Field, BTW): This week in Lambeau will be a different story.

The defense played soft in the secondary last week, and Rodgers was frustrated by the slow spots as they tried to run the no huddle. I expect those things to change this week.

Pressure on Ponder and less selling out to stop Adrian Peterson will make for better overall defense and maybe a turnover or two. I will temper my prediction with what I saw last week.

Packers 27 Vikings 21

Ray Rivard
Lombardiave.com – who wishes he was at the game

Ray Rivard: Last week, the Minnesota Vikings played their best game of the season, Adrian Peterson ran roughshod all over the Green Bay Packers’ defense and they still needed a last second field goal to secure their win-to-get-in victory over the Packers … on their home field.

No matter how many yards AP gets in tonight’s nationally televised Saturday night showdown at Lambeau Field, it won’t be enough. An ailing Christian Ponder will be nowhere near where he needs to be to be a a Packer killer and Green Bay’s defense will get enough pressure on the second-year quarterback to force him into at least a couple of mistakes.

In addition, look for RB DuJuan Harris to do some damage for the Packers in this one – I expect the diminutive back to pick up anywhere from 60-90 important yards to help the Packers balance their offensive attack. I also expect Aaron Rodgers to play lights out, throwing at least three touchdowns and for 300 yards. For the first time in recent memory, Rodgers will have his full complement of receivers available. The Vikings will have serious issues attempting to cover – somebody’s got to be open.

The Vikings will run the field, but only between the 20s as the Packers defense holds them to field goals all the while the Packers offense gets into the end zone. It will be close through the first half, but Rodgers and the Packers offense opens it up in the second half.

Packers 31 Vikings 13

Jason Hirschhorn
Staff Writer who has come back to the fold this week to pick the Packers

Jason Hirschhorn: The question of whether the Packers can stop Adrian Peterson is immaterial. They cannot. Similarly, it is of no use wondering if the Vikings have an answer for Rodgers. They don’t. Rather, as proven by the two earlier matchups this season, the deciding factor in a Packers/Vikings game is the play of Christian Ponder.

Ponder will almost certainly not be as bad as he was in their first matchup, nor is it particularly likely his play will be as stellar as it was this past Sunday. Ponder is more or less a league average quarterback who faces favorable looks due to the presence of Peterson. That’s enough to be competitive at the quarterback position even if it strongly indicates that team is not a championship contender.

We’ve (prematurely) broken down the return of Charles Woodson, and we believe he’ll have a positive effect on defending Ponder. Statistically, opposing offenses have feasted on Green Bay when passing to their top receiver. Before anyone blames Tramon Williams, it’s not specific to any one defender, left or right side of the field, or type of receiver.

It’s a scheme driven problem, and everyone has been burned. This is an issue that may sink the Packers this year. Fortunately, the Vikings do not possess any obvious top receiver with Percy Harvin on IR. That coupled with the harsh weather should be enough to tie down the Vikings passing game. Unless Peterson has a 300 yard game in him, this one should go to Green Bay.

Packers 28 – Vikings 17

Bill Walton
Staff Writer with his family of Packers backers

Bill Walton: The Vikings come into Lambeau Field for their playoff game with the Packers with confidence that they will be able to beat Green Bay. That confidence comes primarly from their recent win at home in the last game of the season.

If the Vikings can run the ball with Adrian Peterson as effectively as the did last weekend, they have an excellent chance of winning this game. However, if they are forced to lean on QB Christian Ponder, either because the Packers finally start tackling or because the Packers offense starts well and the Vikings are playing catch-up football, their chances of winning fall dramatically

The Packers are aware of their situation and what they need to do to win this game. For the defense it’s simple. Tackle. Tackle again. And tackle some more. Offensively the Packers will have all their primary weapons back on the field. Number 12 in green will be looking at the best group of four receivers in this or any other league, and he’ll be dealing to all of them. Toting the rock will be DuJuan Harris, Alex Green, and Ryan Grant. McCarthy will stick with the hot hand, but in the weather expected at Lambeau tonight the hot hands had better be securely wrapped around the pigskin. Ball security will be paramount.

Wife Deneen says the Claymaker will have a big game tonight. She sees the Packers winning 28-17. Son John thinks the Packers will take their first step toward Super Bowl XLII when they win 35-14. I’m convinced that the Packers will win 33-21. Go Pack GO!

Tim Thomas: The Packers are looking for revenge against the Minnesota Vikings after Adrian Peterson and company ran right through the Green Bay front seven. B.J. Raji will need to prevent Peterson from getting holes up the middle as this will help in the containment of Peterson while Clay Matthews and Erik Walden need to do a strong containment on the outside. However, I do expect Peterson to have a big game but Christian Ponder is going to have trouble. The Packers’ secondary is expecting to have Charles Woodson back as I expect Woodson and company to get multiple interceptions off of Christian Ponder.

The Packers’ offense is expected to be back at full strength as Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson are both probable for tomorrow’s game. Aaron Rodgers has been playing his best recently and Rodgers will be clutch tonight like the elite quarterback that he is. Greg Jennings has been playing better and better every week and I expect him to terrorize the Minnesota secondary. The Packers’ offensive tackles will need to step up, especially Marshall Newhouse as he has the challenge of blocking Pro Bowler Jared Allen which will be a struggle.

The big x-factor for the Packers is being at home in Lambeau Field as Green Bay always has the best and loudest fans in the NFL plus the extreme cold of Lambeau will make the final difference as Green Bay books its ticket in the next round against San Francisco.

Green Bay 35, Minnesota 21

Here’s what Lombardiave.com editor Ray Rivard has to say about tomorrow’s matchup

Raymond Rivard — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 21:08:05 +0000

Dec 2, 2012; Green Bay, WI, USA; Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith (22) is congratulated by teammates following an interception during the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. The Packers defeated the Vikings 23-14. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

The Green Bay Packers play the Minnesota Vikings tomorrow, Sunday, Dec. 30 … most likely you already know that.

To get us started, I took a few minutes to answer questions from Dan Zinski, the editor of The Viking Age. You can click on over to one of the best fansided.com NFL sites or just scroll down – that’s the easy thing to do. I suggest taking a look at the Vikings site … lots of good information there.

Either way, enjoy the post …

Vikings Vs. Packers Preview:

Five Questions With Lombardi

Ave.

For the second – and possibly not last – time this season, we hooked up withLombardi Ave.’s editor Ray Rivard for five questions…

1. How’s the Packer offensive line coming along?

The Packers’ offensive line has been shuffled as much as a 20-year-old deck of cards, but it seems to have worked. When Don Barclay came in off the bench against the Vikes three weeks ago, the run game picked up immediately. He’s a fighter. Last week, Mike McCarthy shocked everyone by benching Center Jeff Saturday and replacing him with Evan Dietrich-Smith. That also seems to have reinvigorated the line and given more punch to the middle of the unit. So, the line seems poised at this point to continue to provide running room for the backs and enough time for Aaron Rodgers to hit those intermediate and long pass routes.

2. How would you rank this season for Aaron Rodgers against his previous years?

Rodgers hasn’t played the lights-out game that he showed during his MVP season last year, but he has been mightily consistent and has gotten better and better as the season progresses. If there’s any knock on him it’s that he holds the ball too long, but that’s a big part of his game. He likes to extend plays if he doesn’t get the look he wants right away. Most of the time, he is successful when he does that, but it’s also been a contributing factor in him being sacked close to 50 times this year. But as for a ranking, I think this season has got to rank up near the top of his career … mainly because he has been able to perform at a top level while many of his main targets have gone down, his offensive line has been in flux and his running game was nonexistent for nearly half the season.

3. The defense seems to be coming together now for the Packers. Is it good enough to take them all the way?

This defense reminds me a lot of the unit that won the Super Bowl in 2010. What’s really impressive is that they’ve done it with several rookies and second-year players on the field. The defensive line has also demonstrated a strong push and presence at the line of scrimmage and with the return of Clay Matthews the D has stepped into a new realm of aggression. Can they help take the team all the way? Well, that remains to be seen, but the potential is definitely there.

4. How concerned are you about Mason Crosby? He just can’t seem to shake his slump.

Very concerned. It doesn’t matter if he’s kicking indoors or outdoors – when he’s missed, he’s missed badly and when he makes it, he barely makes it. I don’t know how many times he’s hit the uprights this year, but it’s got to be a near record number. McCarthy has stuck by him the last half of the season when the pressure to remove him has been great. I guess we’ll see if that has been a good decision or not. I would just hate to see the team lose a playoff game because of a missed kick.

5. Outside of Rodgers, who has been the MVP for the Packers this year?

Without question, Randall Cobb. His all-purpose yards have been record-breaking and his ability to come up with the big play has been impressive. It seems Rodgers and Cobb have formed a chemistry that has only grown as the season progresses. Like Percy Harvin, when Cobb gets the ball in his hands good things happen.

Bonus: Here is my take on the game – Rodgers is phenomenal in domes, especially at this time of year. If the Packers can get a lead on the Vikes early, they will roll. If they don’t and allow the Vikes to stick around into the fourth quarter, the game will come down to the kickers. That scenario doesn’t bode well for the Packers. So, with that said, I feel that Peterson will get his yards, but the Packers defense will come up with just enough plays to keep the Vikes out of the end zone for most of the day. Rodgers throws for three touchdowns, Peterson runs for two touchdowns, but Ponder will make just enough boneheaded plays to swing the game to the Packers.

Packers 28 Vikings 20

(Note: the above pick is from Lombardi Ave. editor Ray Rivard, just so we’re clear. Head to Lombardi Ave. to see my pick.)

Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears: Here’s how we see it

Raymond Rivard — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 13:00:23 +0000

The Packers and Bears go head-to-head today for the bazillionth time. We here at Lombardiave.com think it will be a memorable one. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Every game is big in the National Football League, but today’s game between the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears rises to a new level. This is for the division title. This is for bragging rights between the two teams with the oldest rivalry in the league. This one could determine so much across the league as far as playoff seedings. It’s HUGE.

So, again this week, we place our necks in the noose and look at how this game might play out.

But before you read about how we think the game might go, take our poll.

Enjoy … and let us know if you agree or disagree with our predictions …

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Ray Rivard
Editor, Lombardiave.com

Ray Rivard: Huge is an understated descriptor for this Packers vs. Bears tilt. By 3 p.m. today we will know whether the Packers have clinched their second straight NFC North Division title or whether the Bears have come back to life to get back into the playoff race. Just like every division game, you can throw out the records, you can throw out the trash talk, you can throw out the fact that both teams have suffered debilitating injuries to valuable players. These two teams know one another so well, that it always comes down to a turnover here, a special teams play there, a tipped ball, a trick play – remember the Packers’ fake punt back in September that turned that game? You can bet Lovie Smith remembers – he’s the king of the trick play and the Packers better be on their toes today. It’s not a matter of if it will happen, but when it will happen.

That said, I think this will be close for at least the first three quarters before Aaron Rodgers brings his A-game and makes a couple of more big plays than Jay Cutler. Look at Rodgers’ statistics against the bears the past four years. He’s been lights out, has only lost twice to them and is facing a defense that has slipped the past month, is without two of their best players and is primed for exploitation. I think Rodgers once again has a big day, Mason Crosby hits one more field goal than Olindo Mare and the Packers get out of Chicago once again as NFC North Division champs.

It won’t hurt that the Packers also get their best defensive player, Clay Matthews, back. Couple that with the addition of Sam Shields to the defensive backfield and the Packers are nearly at full strength on that side of the ball. Matthews is just one player, but his return is likely to tip the defensive balance in the favor of the Packers.

Packers 26 Bears 17

Tommy Marquardt
Staff Writer

Tommy Marquardt: Looking at the game objectively, the Packers are playing better and have weathered their worst injuries up until now. The Bears are without two of their better defensive players, a top-notch kicker and Cutler is nursing injuries. My head says go with the Packers.

My gut is telling me to beware, the Packers have won 10 straight against the NFC North dating back to 2010 and no team has run the table within their division two years in a row since the current 4 by 4 division format was implemented in 2002. The Bears always play the Packers tough and are due for a win in the rivalry. Turnovers and weather can keep any game close and if that happens the Bears can probably pull it out at home.

Even with all that said, I’m going with my head and I predict a Packer victory

Packers 24 Bears 21

Bill Walton and his family

Bill Walton: When the Packers play the Bears it’s always special – even when they play in Chicago. Even more so when they play with stakes like these. The Packers can clinch the NFC North with a win. The Bears can disrupt the Packers playoff plans but cannot eliminate them.

Both teams have dinged up players. Green Bay gets Clay Matthews back for this one, albeit in a diminshed role. Any Clay Matthews is better than none, and if nothing else he’ll make Chicago think about how to defend him. Clay Matthews a decoy? Perhaps. But I still think he’ll get to Cutler at least once and make him move around more than he would like on his gimpy knee. Packers DBs will have to finish on INT opportunities. Packers special teams will have to control Hester. The usual subplots are in play. The Packers just have to execute.

Wife and Clay Matthews devotee Deneen thinks the Packers will win 31-14. Christmas-crazed son John says it’ll be 35-24 Packers. I think it’s going to end up 38-17 Packers. But as long as the Pack wins it’ll be a good day!

We’ll be at tailgaters in Magnolia for the game watch party. Follow me on Twitter at @PackersTX and watch LombardiAve.com for my post-game fan rant. And come on by and help us out-fan the Bears fans!

Patrick Hughes
Staff Writer

Patrick Hughes: Packers versus Bears, the rivalry of all NFL rivalries, one of two games Cheeseheads and those blessed with a three-letter acronym not appropriate for this site have had circled on the schedule all season. And this game in particular is important. The Packers win and they secure their place as NFC North Division champs and a playoff bid. The Bears win and they keep their playoffs hopes alive. High stakes and I expect a punch-you-in the-mouth all-out brawl.

The Bears have been talkin’ smack all week. It started with Brandon Marshall yapping about how he does not like the Packers and whining about being double covered. Then Bears linebacker Lance Briggs called Jermichael Finely an idiot for comments Finley made about Brian Urlacher. Briggs’ remarks may have made some Packer fans think to themselves, well better him saying it than one of Finley’s teammates. Other than Finley’s two cents the Packers have been relatively quiet. You can bet Coach McCarthy had something to do with that.

It seems the Bears understand the gravity of this game; they are desperate and attempting to make the Packers take their eyes off the prize. I sense that following the smack down the Packers were given by the Giants they have a renewed focus and understand the necessity of bringing their “A” game each week, especially this week.

I don’t expect the Packers to roll the Bears like they did in week 2. This one will be close. My prediction is Packers 28, Bears 17. Look for the Packers running game to have a nice effort, coming in at around 110 yards. Look for solid contributions from Green, Grant, and Harris, the three-headed monster. I also expect Greg Jennings to be a difference maker. On the defensive side of the ball, well they are playing against Cutler so look for picks from Tramon Williams and Casey Hayward and sacks by CMIII and BJ Raji.

Go Pack GO!

Jason Hirschhorn: This is the biggest game of the year for the Chicago Bears, or as the Green Bay Packers call it, Sunday.

T.J. Lang returns to the starting lineup this week, yet there is more uncertainty than ever along the offensive line. Coach McCarthy refused to confirm whether Lang will be playing at tackle or guard, and now Josh Sitton is questionable. Should Sitton miss the game, Lang will certainly play at left guard with Evan Dietrich-Smith filling in for Sitton at right guard and Don Barclay making his second start at right tackle.

Despite his head/neck injury from last week, Jay Cutler is set to start for the Bears. He’s been inconsistent for the Bears all season, and actually has performed slightly worse at home than on the road. He’s been better of late, however, sporting a 101.6 passer rating in his last two home starts. While that’s a good sign for Chicago, the Bears’ defense has inversely trended. It’s not only Urlacher’s absence; there has been a marked decline in the performance of Julius Peppers and Lance Briggs. While Charles Tillman still has performed well (two forced fumbles in the last two weeks), this, too, represents a cooling off.

With the Packers returning Clay Matthews after a four-game stint on the sidelines, it’s hard to imagine the Bears being able to keep Cutler upright. If the Packers pass protection is anything like what they’ve had the past two weeks (a challenge if Sitton is out), that should be the edge they need to pull it out.

Packers 31 – Bears 24

Lombardiave staffers pay tribute to Aaron Rodgers

Raymond Rivard — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 03:28:07 +0000

Aaron Rodgers has brought more than just wins to Packers Nation. Thanks, Aaron.
Raymond T. Rivard photograph

We all know it’s winding down on Aaron Rodgers Day. There have been fundraisers, people have made videos, rap songs have been written to honor the Green Bay Packers’ quarterback, employers and employees dressed to the hilt in Green and Gold on a Wednesday.

So, to conclude our day here at Lombardiave.com, a few of us have put together some thoughts about Aaron Rodgers. This is a small tribute to a man who has brought us so many wins and so much joy in Packers Land. For that we can only say thanks.

So, without too much fanfare, here’s what we think. We hope you enjoy it.

Bill Walton

Rodgers eyes the field for an open receiver against the Lions in 2010.
Raymond T. Rivard photograph

My favorite things about Aaron Rodgers are not his physical abilities, although I appreciate them. His arm is strong and accurate. He quick and mobile enough to move around and stretch plays with his feet. He’s big enough and tough enough to stand up to hits. He’s tall enough that his height is not a constant point of contention. He has all the physical tools to play the game at the highest level.

I think Aaron’s mentality and intelligence are the things that set him apart. First and foremost, Rodgers always carries with him the challenges set before him and overcome on his path to the NFL and stardom in the league. It’s been said he has a chip on his shoulder resulting from those challenges. Rejection by Division I schools and their lack of belief in his abilities. The fall in the draft before the Packers selected him. The initial harsh treatment he received at the hands of Packers fans when he took over from Favre in 2008. All of these things motivate him. It’s my belief that Rodgers is the best player in the NFL because he refuses to be content with anything less than the best effort he can produce.

I grew up watching Bart Starr and the Lombardi Packers. Starr and Lombardi are both legends. I lived in Wisconsin during the 70s. I watched the team make a lot of questionable decisions and field a lot of bad teams during the 70s and 80s. I watched Wolf and Holmgren bring the team back to prominence in the 90s. I watched Brett Favre. Favre is legendary but he was also a diva.

And now I watch Aaron Rodgers.

Rodgers will undoubtedly go down as a legend, and in my mind he’s already the best Packers QB since Starr. We’re all being treated to front row seats to watch him build his legacy and we should appreciate the opportunity to watch it happen. Players like Aaron Rodgers don’t come along every day.

An excellent interview with Rodgers and his family can be viewed here. When Rodgers’ mother talks about Aaron wanting to be the best man to play quarterback in the NFL as opposed to being the best quarterback in the NFL it speaks volumes about who Aaron Rodgers is and who he wants to be.

Happy Aaron Rodgers Day Packers fans! Go Pack GO!

Patrick Hughes
12.12.12 – the day that marks “Aaron Rodgers Day.” If I am fair and honest I will admit that I think this is kind of funny. But good for him and good for the people of Wisconsin and Packers Nation!

Aaron Rodgers has been a model citizen and an incredible quarterback for the Green and Gold for the past eight years. Man … has it really been eight years already? And to think he has only actually really played in five of those years.

Incredible!

As much as anything, I think Aaron Rodgers Day is a tribute to not just Aaron Rodgers the quarterback, but the people of Wisconsin and Packers Nation. We love our Green Bay Packers, hands down, we live and breathe the Green and Gold. When a player, especially a quarterback, does right by us we put them on a pedestal and we honor and cherish them.

Let’s hope that Aaron, and I am quite sure he does, appreciates this. Not every NFL market is as special as Packers Nation.

Go Pack Go and Go Aaron Go!

Aaron Rodgers, December 2010
Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Ray Rivard

I’ve been a Packers fan as long as I can remember … and I’ve been remembering for a long time! As a young boy of 5, I sat on my dad’s lap and watched the very early 1960s Lombardi Packers on our black and white television.I grew up to the incredible moments we all suffered through during the final seconds of the Ice Bowl, those first two Super Bowl wins, the downward slide through the 70s and 80, the re-emergence of the franchise in the 90s and the continued dominance up and through the first decade of the 2000s.

What Aaron Rodgers has brought to this franchise is stability, not just because he wins, but because he is simply a good guy. With Bart Starr-like humility and a Brett Favre like gun for an arm, he brings athleticism and intelligence to the game. Putting it simply, he is the model of what a quarterback should be – even more so than Brady or either Manning. He is the epitome of what the Green Bay Packers franchise stands for – hard work and hometown goodness.

There have been many moment that have defined Aaron Rodgers: His patience in toiling behind Brett Favre; his emergence as the starter when the Packers parted ways with Favre; his first season difficulties; his leadership that put the Packers back into the Playoffs and the team’s incredible comeback and tumultuous loss to the Cardinals in that 2009 Playoff; and his incredible performances in leading the Packers to a Super Bowl Championship in 2010.

But to me, the ah-ha moment for me came in that 2007 game in Dallas when Favre went down and Rodgers saw his first opportunity and nearly brought the Packers back from the depths of a humiliating performance .

Favre started that game and was terrible, completing 5 of 14 passes for 54 yards and 2 interceptions before getting hurt. Rodgers came in and moved the team, was sharp in his passing and though the Packers ended up losing 37-27, it wasn’t through the fault of Rodgers. In a game when he was sacked three times because of a poor showing by the offensive line, he still completed 18 of 26 passes for 201 yards and a touchdown. He had no interceptions.

To me, this was Aaron Rodgers’ coming out party. It was the night when he showed his skills and leadership and gave us a peek at the future. I will never forget it.

Thanks, Aaron for all you have given us over the years. It all started for me on that night when you showed all of America the real Aaron Rodgers.

Keep it going … and happy Aaron Rodgers Day!

Aaron Rodgers gets ready for a game at Lambeau.
Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Tim Thomas

The 2005 NFL Draft came down to a battle to be the number one pick of the San Francisco 49ers between Utah QB Alex Smith and California QB Aaron Rodgers. The offensive coordinator for the 49ers at the time was Mike McCarthy as he would be influential in deciding who would be the next 49ers quarterback.

On draft day, the 49ers made their decision and it was Alex Smith over Aaron Rodgers. The 49ers would regret that decision with the success Rodgers has had, but Mike McCarthy would be bailed out by the chance to go be the head coach that has led the Packers to another Super Bowl victory. Aaron Rodgers would begin one of the most headlined slides down the draft ever as other players that surprisingly down the board would always be compared to Rodgers.

The Browns seemed like a fit at number three but they took Braylon Edwards while the Vikings took WR Troy Williamson at number 7 over Rodgers. The Redskins had the ninth and they were looking for a quarterback yet they took CB Carlos Rogers over Rodgers. Detroit seemed like the perfect destination for Rodgers at pick 10 but WR Mike Williams came off the board here. The Vikings had another chance to take Rodgers at pick 18 but they chose DE Erasmus James over Aaron Rodgers. The Ravens had the chance at pick 22 to replace Kyle Boller with Rodgers but they decided to pick WR Mark Clayton instead.

After Oakland took CB Fabian Washington, the Packers came on with the 24th pick and the franchise would get the boost they needed. With an aging Brett Favre, the Packers knew they needed a quarterback for the future and were probably ready to take Jason Campbell until Rodgers became available. The Packers ended the slide of Rodgers by taking to quarterback from California with the 24th overall pick.

The Redskins would have taken Rodgers next if the Packers wouldn’t have and they took Jason Campbell instead. However, this draft is all about Rodgers and how he slid to the Packers 24th overall pick and how GM Ted Thompson looked to the future and saw the coming crisis and solved it. Mike McCarthy probably wishes he would have taken Rodgers when he was in San Francisco but it worked out for him in Green Bay with Rodgers.

Viking Age editor takes at look at Vikings vs. Packers

Raymond Rivard — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 03:00:12 +0000

Dan Zinski, the editor over at The Viking Age, took a few moments out of his busy day to answer some questions we here at lombardiave threw his way about tomorrow’s big NFC North Division showdown at Lambeau Field.

Though the rivalry between the two teams has cooled since the Brett Favre-turned-traitor days, whenever the Vikings come to town it’s a big deal.

So, without further adieu, here is how Mr. Zinski handled our questions …

Q. The Vikings are the surprise of the division, beating the Lions twice and coming into Sunday’s game with a winning record. Are they for real and just how surprised are you with the team’s performance this year.

A. Their chances of making the playoffs are very slim. It was nice seeing them perform better than expected but the team’s various flaws have shown up as we’ve gone along. They still have glaring personnel issues in lots of areas including receiver, d-line, linebacker and secondary.

I think they got very fortunate schedule-wise in the early part of the season. Their only legit victory was against San Francisco. Beating Detroit twice doesn’t look like much of an accomplishment the way they’ve fizzled. Now, if they’d beaten the Bears in Chicago, I might sing a different tune. But that loss was just so frustratingly familiar.

Total flop against a division opponent on the road. If they beat the Packers I’ll change my mind again but as of now I expect this team to finish 8-8 at best. And they’ll need some breaks to get to eight wins.

Adrian Peterson
Rob Grabowski-US PRESSWIRE

Q. Adrian Peterson is a beast, a one-man wrecking crew. Would the Vikings be situated where they are today without him?

A. Well that’s a question with two answers. If they lost him off the team they have now, they’d be toast. Because the whole offense is built around him. That doesn’t address the larger question of where they’d be if they’d never drafted him or if they’d traded him rather than give him a contract extension.

Cause there’s a line of reasoning that says they should’ve let him walk and started over with a whole new approach. I don’t know if I necessarily agree with that. I think you just should try accumulating as much talent as possible and then figure out how to use it. Peterson is a weapon.

I just don’t know if they’ve ever quite figured out how to really get the most out of him. Not just his performance but how the offense plays off him.

Q. Christian Ponder is pretty good when he has the time to throw, but struggles under pressure. Is that because of his inexperience or is his scrambling abilities suspect?

Christian Ponder
Brace Hemmelgarn-US PRESSWIRE

A. Ponder doesn’t handle the rush well. If his first read isn’t there he’s usually bailing. He hasn’t yet mastered the art of stepping up in the pocket and delivering the ball. His problem is, he’s not that good a passer on the run either. When he runs to throw it usually winds up in disaster.

He must learn to stay in the pocket, delivering the ball with the rush in his face. Take the hits. That’s what all the good ones do. They know they’re not always going to have a strong pocket. They’ve got the clock in their head. They get the ball out.

Ponder just doesn’t seem to have that instinctive feel. He seems a bit mechanical. He isn’t natural like some other young guys we’ve seen this year (Luck, Wilson, Griffin).

Q. With the Packers’ offensive line in flux with the injury to Bryan Bulaga, do you feel the Vikings will have the chance to get to Aaron Rodgers much like the Giants did last week?

This is the same story we heard last week against the Bears. Their offensive line was all patched together and the Vikes were supposed to maul them. So what happened? They sacked Cutler once and it wasn’t even a real sack. He tripped over his center’s foot. The Bears made all the right adjustments. They chipped and they eschewed the deep drops. And the Vikes didn’t really get their act together until the second half but by then it was too late.

So I don’t know what will happen. Maybe the Vikes will try to bring more pressure early. Or maybe they’ll just go into their standard Cover-2 look and hope the front four can do the job. But those pass rushers just aren’t the same on grass as they are on the turf. It negates a lot of their speed. And the up-the-middle rush is just non-existent right now for this team.

Kevin Williams is a has-been and neither nose tackle is really much of a rusher. It’s all edge rush and you can neutralize those guys with technique and the occasional tight end chip.

Aaron Rodgers
Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Q. The Vikings have had issues in stopping Aaron Rodgers the past couple of seasons. Do they do it Sunday? How? And give me your thoughts on how you think Sunday’s game will go – with a final score.

A. I’ll be interested frankly to see how much running the Packers do. The Vikes’ run defense has had its struggles. This might be a good week to go to the ground. Randall Cobb is another guy who worries me. I could see him going off this week. Rodgers is going to do what he does.

I’m not that concerned about his overall stats, it’s just the big play that kills you. They might hit him a few times and slow down the offense, or the Packers might have some of the execution troubles they’ve had, but then he just hits you with the one huge play.

I’ve actually got the Packers winning this one 28-13. Very optimistic assessment from me.

Lombardiave.com’s Editor Ray Rivard answers Questions

Raymond Rivard — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 21:40:24 +0000

Nov 14, 2011; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers running back James Starks (44) rushes with the football during the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field. The Packers defeated the Vikings 45-7. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE

Over the course of the past day, Dan Zinski, the editor of The Viking Age, and Ray Rivard, editor of this site, lombardiave.com, took time to answer questions about tomorrow’s game between the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings.

Here are my answers as posed by Mr. Zinski. The answers to our questions by Mr. Zinski will also be offered here in a couple of hours, so stop back at your convenience tonight.

You can slide on over to The Viking Age, a fine site I might add, to read this post or of course you can just scroll down to see it.

Either way, enjoy tomorrow’s game.

Vikings Vs. Packers Preview: 5 Questions

With Lombardi Ave.

Ray Rivard of Lombardi Ave. does the honors this week…

1. Why can’t the Packers beat the Giants?

A. The Packers can beat the Giants and did so last season, you might remember, in New York on a last second kick from none other than the 2012 struggling Mason Crosby. The past two games (playoff and last Sunday’s) were difficult to figure out. In both games, the Packers were out-coached and out-played. It was like in both games that the Packers didn’t want it as much as the Giants. It might be that it’s a case of losing the battle in hopes of winning the war, but it didn’t look good for the Packers last week. But even more importantly the thing for Green Bay isn’t that they lost to the Giants last week, but how they respond this week against the Vikings.

2. It looks like Greg Jennings will get back on the field this weekend. How big a difference will it make having him back out there?

A. I think it will be significant, especially for Aaron Rodgers. Even if Jennings only catches a couple of passes Sunday, just having him on the field will be a boost for the Packers. His presence will give Rodgers that extra target that he hasn’t had, really, since the first game of the season when Jennings was first hurt. He tried going against Seattle in the season’s third game, but aggravated the injury and hasn’t seen the field since. It will be great for the Packers to have him back on the field and should he stay injury-free the rest of the season, he will certainly help the Packers in their drive for a playoff berth.

3. How much has the loss of Clay Matthews hurt the defense?

A. Measuring Matthews’ value is difficult. No question, when you take away the team’s leading sack leader, it’s going to have an effect. He’s a leader and a producer. His replacements, Dezman Moses and Frank Zombo, have been adequate, but they don’t add up to a single Matthews. Getting him back will be crucial for the Packers defense and necessary if this team is going to have any chance of winning these upcoming divisional match ups.

4. Mason Crosby’s struggles must be driving everyone nuts over there. Why not call up Ryan Longwell? His leg should be well rested.

A. Mike McCarthy hasn’t blinked in his support of Crosby, but putting him on the field for a 55-yard field goal in windy New York didn’t help the kicker’s confidence. Ryan Longwell is ok for the golf course, but certainly isn’t ready to hit the football field. In my opinion, this could be a very important week for Crosby. It sounds like the weather will be good at Lambeau Field Sunday and if he’s able to get a couple of kicks to be true, it could go a long way in helping him snap out of the funk he’s in.

5. The Packers are sort of grinding along. Big change from last year when they steamrolled through the regular season. Can they put it together for a true Super Bowl run or is this team just too flawed?

A. Amid all the injuries and the warts that have erupted on this team, there’s no question they can still make a run to the Playoffs and certainly toward another Super Bowl. The next month’s games against NFC North Division rivals will be the key. They could get into the Playoffs through the wild card, but the Packers certainly want to win the division and get at least one home Playoff game. The thing playing in the Packers advantage is the fact that they should be getting some important players – Woodson, Matthews, Shields – back from injuries. First things first, however. It all starts with Sunday’s game against the Vikings and the need to get back to winning.

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