Talking to Tavecchio: Interview with Giorgio on Being Cut by the Packers

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Giorgio Tavecchio talks about being cut by the Packers
Giorgio Tavecchio talks about being cut by the Packers

Giorgio Tavecchio speaks to Italian reporter Giovanni Marino, writer/blogger at Republicca.it about being cut by the Packers and what the future holds for him. Once again, only at ALLGBP.com, we translate this for you into English (free of charge, of course). You can find the original interview in Italian here.

The Interview:

NFL, Giorgio Tavecchio and hope for the Packers still burns.

It’s over. Indeed. Maybe. But not quite. You are cut, you’re out. But they may call you. AT any moment. Or never.

It would surely drive you mad, if you were directly involved in listening to the chaotic swirl of words and ability related to making an NFL roster. It touches all who engage in the quest to be part of the select group  of super athletes who will compete in the National football league.

And that is exactly what Giorgio Tavecchio, the man from Milan, is experiencing is experiencing after five months of genuine competition with the incumbent kicker kicker of the Green Bay Packers, Mason Crosby. The Italian American did pretty well by showing a better overall percentage over Crosby, but in the end, the coaching staff chose the veteran.

Technically, Giorgio, was cut. But never like this with so many perplexities. And not just from the Packer fans, which Tavecchio conquered with his dedication, his respect for others, his skills and his desire to always improve, but also of the coach, which, in essence hinted not to exclude the possibility of Tavecchio returning. It depends at this point, only on the performance of Crosby. If Crosby’s play does not instill confidence in the coaching staff, Tavecchio could return to the team.

These are complicated  days for Tavecchio, it would be for anyone who pursues a dream destination, and sees the finish line without being able to cut through it. Giorgio, however, once again, does not hide, and as he had previously promised (“I will always be ready to share with my Italian supporters every step of my experience in this world”) he speaks to  “Playbook” with his usual clarity and authenticity.

Giovanni:  Georgio, compared to your experience with the San Francisco 49ers, you did much better. In kicking percentages, you actually beat Crosby. Still you didn’t get it done. Make a self-criticism: where do you think you went wrong?

Giorgio: “Honestly, I have no regrets. In all honesty I think I’ve done well on the field and I feel at peace with myself. ”

Giovanni:  In the United States,  those who want to justify your exclusion say that you are lacking in the kickoff area and speak of a “less powerful” leg than that of your rival. What do you say to that?

Giorgio: “I believe that these doubts were formed in the early days when I wasn’t happy myself with how I was kicking. But after more practice, I found a rhythm and I kicked well. Anyway, I will continue to train in the gym and in the field to become more powerful.”

Giovanni: Do you feel there is room for improvement or you’re at your best?

Giorgio: “I feel and I believe I can improve. I think you can always improve. And that is my motivation, what drives me to keep going ”

Giovanni: Tell us how it went that Black Monday, the day of the cut.

Giorgio: “The first one to tell me was one of the scouts. But shortly after I spoke with general manager Ted Thompson, coach Mike McCarthy and with the special teams coach Shawn Slocum.”

Giovanni: We see the glass half-full: you still accumulated great experience in two preseasons with the NFL’s top teams, the Niners and Packers, and are improved. What can you take away from this last experience?

Giorgio: “Maybe it will sound strange, but inside me prevails a sense of strong positivity. Maybe because I am very happy with what I managed to do in the field. And then I am grateful, very grateful to whom I was close: I made beautiful and new friendships with teammates and with the people of Green Bay. I hope and I hope that these relationships do not end, that they have a future. ”

Giovanni: What was said to you by the Packers’ leader, the great Aaron Rodgers, who among other things, also attended the Univ. of California?

Giorgio: “Aaron, player and fantastic companion. Leader without ever to weigh what he did in his bright career. I remember how I was welcomed, the jokes and the card games. And then the stories of “our” Cal. I regret only failing to see him after I was cut, but am grateful to him for all the moments spent together in these five months. “

Giovanni: In a few days, the European Football League tournament (American football, not soccer) will be in Milan. Have you given any thought to joining the Italian team after being cut?

Giorgio: “I don’t think I could be back in time, it is happening now.  However, I repeat, and coach Vince Argondizzo knows: sooner or later I would be proud of playing for the National! “.”

Giovanni: The general public in Green Bay had “adopted” you and were upset by your release: what do you say to those Packers fans that you were so close to?

Giorgio: “It’s true and there aren’t words to describe my gratitude to the Packers fans, their support was wonderful. If I could thank them one by one: They have given me and still give me an incredible force! My experience at Green Bay was incredible! “.

Giovanni: And what happens now, do you still believe you have a future in the NFL?

Giorgio: “Yes, I think so. And also, having seen how unpredictable this business can be, I should never forget that there’s always an chance to get a phone call at any minute from any team. And God only knows how much I hope that happens. ”

Giovanni: How much time will you give to achieve your dream: two years, less, more?

Giorgio: “I don’t have a time limit. I’ll continue this adventure until God let’s me know football is not in my future. But until that time, I’ll continue to give my best effort to play in the NFL, that’s for sure.”

Giovanni: One last technical question, if the Packers were to rethink their kicking situation, what do you have to do to get put back on the roster?

Giorgio: “Then, as far as I know (the NFL is complicated), they can reclaim me whenever they want and whenever they deem fit. They would then have to put me on the active roster, or on the practice squad – there are various possibilities.”

Giovanni: You’ve been back in California a few days, but Green Bay has remained in your heart…

Giorgio: “It’s deep in my heart. Green Bay, the people, the fans, the area, Lambeau Field and most of all, the Packers.”

Giovanni: Then don’t surrender, Giorgio, continue to pursue your dream.

Giorgio: “I won’t give up. I never consider giving up. I think only about working hard, getting better and being ready.”

Thanks again to Giovanni Marino for allowing us to translate and publish his interview. You can reach him at g.marino at repubblica.it or follow him on Twitter:@jmarino63

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Jersey Al Bracco is the founder and editor of AllGreenBayPackers.com, and the co-founder of Packers Talk Radio Network. He can be heard as one of the Co-Hosts on Cheesehead Radio and is the Green Bay Packers Draft Analyst for Drafttek.com.

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9 thoughts on “Talking to Tavecchio: Interview with Giorgio on Being Cut by the Packers

  1. Good for him. That’s very hard to be so classy when you’ve just been hosed – perhaps unfairly so. But I hope MM doesn’t have to call him and that Crosby goes 31/31 this year.

  2. Compare Tavecchio’s parting comments with those of Jennings and then try to image the chasm that exists in the depth of character between those two.

    Scarcity drives utility and utility drive appreciation.

    ‘Sergio’, you are a mensch.

  3. No need to worry here…. someone will be called up, Crosby is as dependable as a fart in a skillet…

  4. All the best for “Sergio.” And maybe that best includes a return to Green Bay. Ciao!

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