Surviving Sunday: Packers News, Notes and Links for the Football Deprived

Packers couch Surviving Sunday without Packers Football

Congratulations to former Green Bay Packers general manager Ron Wolf on his election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Wolf (with a lot of help from team president Bob Harlan and a quarterback who goes by the name of Brett Favre) took the Packers from a floundering franchise to one of the most respected and successful organizations in all of sports.

Also, congratulations to Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers on winning his second NFL MVP award. Despite a strong challenge from J.J. Watt, I thought Rodgers was the clear-cut MVP this season. Rodgers is the ninth player to win the AP NFL MVP award more than once.

Now, onto the usual nonsense and shenanigans of “Surviving Sunday”……

I find myself asking “What if” over and over again about the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks. Not about what happened two weeks ago during that God-awful game, more long-term, big picture, fantasy-world “What ifs.” For example:

  • What if Ted Thompson listened to the fanbase and traded for Marshawn Lynch in 2010? Would the Packers still have won the Super Bowl that season? Might they have won more Super Bowls? Or would Lynch’s mood swings create a rift in Green Bay and it would have been a mess? Is Seattle what it is today if it didn’t give up a fourth-rounder for Lynch that season?
  • What if the Packers drafted Russell Wilson to back up Aaron Rodgers? How would the Packers’ record been different if Wilson took over for an injured Rodgers last season? What type of draft pick could the Packers have fetched for Wilson once they traded him away? How successful would the Seahawks have been with Mighty Matt Flynn at quarterback instead of Wilson?
  • What if the Packers didn’t cut Jon Ryan back in 2008? Would he have been able to duplicate the success he’s had in Seattle in if he was still punting in Green Bay? Would some other punter have thrown a touchdown on a fake field goal against the Packers in the NFC title game?

There are a few more “What-ifs,” but I think you get the point. It’s strange how the Packers and Seahawks are connected in a few odd ways.

Packers News, Notes and Links

  • What was your favorite moment of the Shawn Slocum era in Green Bay? The special teams coach was fired on Friday.
  • Ty Dunne with the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel makes the case for the Packers retaining veterans and not relying so much on youth and upside in 2015.
  • Apparently, Ndomukong Suh wanted to fight T.J. Lang in week 17. These two have been bickering at each other so long, it’s time to sign them up for a Wrestlemania grudge match.
  • A must-watch here: Aaron Rodgers surprises a couple of kids who lost their fathers in the military.
  • Clay Matthews could still play inside in 2015. Good. I thought his talents were utilized better when he played all over the field.

Non Packers links and other Nonsense

Don’t want to watch a Super Bowl involving a team jacked up on God knows what who beat the Packers play the cheating Patriots? Here are 8 things you can do today besides watch the Super Bowl:

  • Play this cool board game called Pandemic. A few weeks ago, I asked you all for board game suggestions. I picked up Pandemic a last week and love it.
  • Watch the new Louis CK comedy special. Louis is the best, and his new special is only $5.
  • Read this amazing story about a Holocaust survivor’s liberation from Dachau.
  • Make fun of Jay Cutler and sing the “Bears Still Suck” song.
  • Play Action PC Football from Dave Koch Sports and see if you can repeat the success of the 2010 Packers on your computer screen.
  • Go see a movie. I highly recommend both American Sniper and Selma.
  • Binge-watch a TV show. I finally got my wife to watch my personal favorite show, The Wireand she loves it. If you’re looking for a show that’s still ongoing, try The Americans.
  • I just sold my house. You can come over and help me pack.
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Adam Czech is a a freelance sports reporter living in the Twin Cities and a proud supporter of American corn farmers. When not working, Adam is usually writing about, thinking about or worrying about the Packers. Follow Adam on Twitter. Twitter .

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26 thoughts on “Surviving Sunday: Packers News, Notes and Links for the Football Deprived

  1. At least Rodgers won an MVP. Nice to see Ron Wolf get into the Hall too. I agree that Clay can play inside, although McCarthy did mention in his final press conference that Matthews is “an outside linebacker.”
    The good news is, the Packers should have roughly $28 million in cap room once the new salary cap is announced. If they cut Jones and Hawk, that’s another $7.25 million saved, and would give them $33.55 million of cap room. That should be enough to re-sign Cobb, Bulaga, Barclay, Peppers, Guion, House and Lattimore. I’m iffy on Williams and Bush, although I’d like both back.

    1. I think the Packers will put an offer out there to TWill at their price and let him test the waters.

      1. Nah, there’s more money out there for Williams IF he wants to sign for it and it’s NOT Packers money, so count on him being gone. His contract was about $7-8 million this season, at age 32, he’s NOT gonna get that from Thompson. Neither is Julius Peppers gonna get the reported $12 million, he’s gonna have to restructure contract to stay, Thompson’s not gonna pay any player NOT named Aaron Rodgers that kind of money going on age 36. Williams will get a team friendly offer that he won’t sign, Peppers will likely restructure and expect Thompson to offer contracts to House to replace Willams, Guion, Bulaga, House and Raji will get offers from Thompson to re-sign. Cobb will sign with Packers at a far higher price than Thompson could’ve gotten IF not for his BONEHEAD move not to sign him before season.

    2. I went through this in a post exactly one week ago. The $33 million or so is enough to sign back everyone. Cobb and Bulaga can be structured so that their combined cap number is about $10 million. Guion and Raji can be both be re-signed for $5 million more. Up to $15 million. Tolzien (or Flynn), Lattimore, Kuhn, Bush, RFAs Barclay & Richardson, Kuhn, ERFAs Banjo and Harris might be $5 million or so if you want them all. Up to $20 million. Not sure if you want Tramon or House, and I don’t have a good handle on what their market values are. But surely you could get one of them back for less than $5 million. Up to $24 or $25 million. GB needs $2.5 million for draft choices, and $2.5 million for paying any in – season acquisitions. I am now up to $29 or $30 million. That would leave only $3 million to roll over to next season, which would be unlike TT. But he he does have options.

  2. Adam, I believe someone mentioned Quoridor as a good two player game. I’ve since tried it and it is a lot of fun, good strategy game.

  3. Lynch’s act would never have gone over in GB. Doesn’t any remember how he insulted the people, especially the women, of Buffalo? Did anyone notice him dancing on the sidelines with 6 minutes left in the game? The Packers were, and are, better of without Lynch.

  4. Watching the last 20 seconds of the SB…and Seattle starts getting uber-chippy.

    Guess maybe God doesn’t love the Seahawks so much after all, eh?

    We’re getting after MM for his play calling two weeks ago, and Darrell Bevell just gave that game away on the goal line…

    1. I thought the way the Packers loss was a tuff pill to swallow but seeing the SeaChickens blow a Super Bowl Victory like that makes me feel a little better! Really nice to see Russell Wilson and Richard I mean “DICK” Sherman eat crow!

      1. It’s quite a parade for the NFC through the playoffs…Detroit’s “pick-up-the-flag debacle allows Dallas to move on but get snakebit by the Dez Bryant non-catch. Packers benefit from that only to gag on the big one against Seattle, who goes to the SB, blows a 10-point second half lead, and calls a quick slant on the goal line when they have the best goal-line back in the league, time on the clock and a timeout, when all they need to do is grind out a short-yardage TD. Ooops.

        1. Looks like Darrell Bevell outsmarted himself Ha Dobber? One of the biggest knuckle Headed play calls by an OC in the Super Bowl. A Brain Fart of EPIC Proportions. Glad I’am not a Sea Hawks fan today! Nice to see Sherman,and Pete Carroll with that “WTF” happened expression on their faces. This game really takes the edge off that Packer Loss for me.

          1. I couldn’t believe that they seemed to be leading such a charmed life when Wilson was floating those lobs to Lynch and then to Kearse (Antonio-Freeman-style) to get the ball down to the 4 with time running down. In the long run, what comes around goes around, I guess…

            1. You can only go to the well so many times, eventually you come up dry! Welcome to reality Mr Wilson.Just saw Pete Carroll’s post game interview and he’s trying to justify not giving the ball to Lynch, saying he could have been stuffed at the goal line which is true but common sense tells you the beast is your best option.

              1. I do understand the rationale: they wanted to be able to use all their downs and if you run on the 1 yard line and get stuffed, you have to burn your TO and the Pats know you need to throw after that. Throwing on that play means you can keep your TO and have some unpredictability, but if you DO throw, you’ve got to throw to the corner or to the back of the endzone, and you can’t take a sack.

                Whatever the rationale, I’m still giving the ball to #24 in that case…

    2. The pitcher goes to water until it breaks… Same with the luck. Frequent use of luck lasts only for a while… Once you pass this period, long waiting for the reappearance of luck! That is what happened to Seahawks! And kudos to Patriots. They did not lost their heads in that game! Ah, pity… But life goes on. Next season is Packers season. Go, Pack, Go…

  5. Didn’t watch the SB. Don’t like either team and would rather watch a high school game. Belichek is a cheat but Carroll left USC in total disgrace as a cheat.
    Hope neither team is back in SB next year. So, with my luck it will probably be Detroit and the Raiders so I’ll skip that one too.
    Ok – I woke up from my nightmare – Go Packers.

  6. Watching the sea-egos lose a 98% sure win( by bad play calling) just made me feel better about our loss for some reason. With 3 downs on the 1 yard line, all The seachickens had to do was run beastmode . With 3 trys, it’s as good as done for the TD. I couldn’t believe they dropped back to throw, and sure enough, game over. The Packers had the potential to let their devastating loss interfere with their season next year. Now they can look at Seattle’s blunder and just realize that things happen in big games. Mistakes happen. Instead of dwelling on the negatives of the NFC championship loss, the should use it as a learning experience and move forward. Just like Seattle will.

    1. If a team dwells on a loss and lets said loss be their defining moment the following season, they can do one of two things…let it hang over their heads like a dark cloud or carry it as a chip on their shoulder to remind them of what was in their grasp. Personally, I hope GB uses the latter and uses the NFC championship loss (Seattle didn’t win…the Packers lost!) as motivation to obliterate their opponents in 2015 and win SB50 (with the Chiefs as their victim as in SB I.).

  7. NBC didn’t show Seattle’s Doug Baldwin Tasteless TD celebration ( Mooning Gesture Ala Randy Moss) which was why he was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. That incident and the fight which caused Bruce Irwin’s ejection showed a complete lack of class and decorum by the Seahawks.Gotta Love Karma!

    1. I actually said to my wife just before the snap on the first kneel down to finish the game, “Here it comes…”

      You had to know there was going to be some boilover there.

      Must have been the ‘roids talking…

    1. I think besides the four minutes that ended the NFC title game, the Packers were the best team in the NFL THIS season.

      1. I think they were the best even then. Even in the midst of peeing down their legs, it took several unrepeatable lucky bounces for Seattle to get back in it. We play 10 times, we win 9.

  8. What was your favorite moment of the Shawn Slocum era in Green Bay?
    The inside pitch from Masthay to TE Tom Crabtree for a TD. While a “gimmick” play, it did show Slocum’s shortcomings because his STs were known for inconsistency. The gimmicks helped cover up the inconsistency.

    1. AMEN Brother!! One of those unsung heroes on that Packers’ SB 45 Championship team–Tom Crabtree!! A working man’s TE. I’ve thought Slocum’s unit just did NOT show enough production or even improvement in past 4 seasons to keep him around. McCarthy’s reluctance to fire coaches who don’t get the job done, is as bad as failing to hold his players accountable for missing assignments and not performing at their best. THAT, as much as anything else is why this team was NOT playing Patriots yesterday.

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