***NFC North Thread***

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Dunnnnleavy
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Post by Dunnnnleavy »

KEL IS GOING TO HATE THIS ARTICLE.
Are Green Bay Fans the N.F.L.ג€™s Classiest? from the NY Times wrote: The phone rang well after midnight in the Sports department. It was January 2008, and the Giants had beaten the Packers in overtime in the N.F.C. championship game.

A Packers fan was on the line, calling from a bar, after having had a few.

But he wasnג€™t angry. He was calling to congratulate the Giants and Giants fans. He said the Giants had won fair and square, had won the line of scrimmage, and on behalf of friends at the bar and of Packers fans, he wanted to wish the team well.

(He made a joke about not being so kind if the Vikings had beaten the Packers.)

Nothing like that phone call had happened in my time in our office and hasnג€™t happened since.

But it was in keeping with the spirit of that week. Packers fans had been writing to The Fifth Down praising the Giants. Yes, some of that good will could have been explained by the Giantsג€™ upset victory at top-seeded Dallas the week before. The outcome had meant a home playoff game for Green Bay and a boost for the local economy. But the outreach in hospitality continued through the week and into game day:

A Wisconsin resident wrote in to suggest some travel tips for Giants fans.

I havenג€™t noticed GB in any of the NY Times travel sections recently, so this seemed like a good place to make some recommendations to out-of-town Giants fans. The places on Oneida Street will just be your run-of-the-mill chain restaurants, the sports bars on Holmgren are mostly indistinguishable from any other places around the country. Brett Favreג€™s steakhouse is worth a peek, but try and get to downtown Green Bay to see some of the more traditional places. Alג€™s Hamburgers, the Stein, the South End Pub, St. Brendanג€™s Inn, and the Bull and Bear in the Bellin building are all worthy stops all within a block of one another. In Allouez, the Lorelei on Webster has great German food and the Union Hotel in East DePere has a bar and restaurant that looks unchanged from 100 years ago. For those in town on Friday, there are well over 100 bars and restaurants that serve a traditional Wisconsin fish fry for around $10 or less. Cabs are cheap and parking is plentiful and free.

A Giants fan later wrote a blog post for the Fifth Down about his spontaneous decision to travel to Green Bay with his daughter:

The people of Green Bay were absolutely the finest. They were very welcoming. They spoke with us and wanted to know from where we came. There was a degree of respect for two fans who were here for the simple reason of our football team.

The day was cold. Very cold. We were prepared with our gear. Packer fans to the left and right of us offered heat packs and told us where to go to escape the cold for a break. We stood shoulder to shoulder with them and never took a break.

Extra point In 2008, the University of Cambridge released a study in which Wisconsin was determined to be one of Americaג€™s friendliest states. The study was based on data from 619,000 Americans who completed online questions over six years. Wisconsin was near the top in two of five categories: second in extroversion and fifth in agreeableness. (New Jerseyans were stressed out). Iג€™ve never been to Wisconsin, so help me out: Is Wisconsin as nice as it seems?
http://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/2012 ... imessports

Kill 'em with kindness.
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capable_keL
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Post by capable_keL »

you can't make this shit up

from the team that brought you the leagues first gay quarterback
- the openly homosexual ted thompson
- the team that harbors sexual pedophiles
- the team that has players and trainers living together (boy on boy scene)

PRESENTS: THE GREEN BOY PACKERS STOCK

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:thebest:

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Post by capable_keL »

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capable_keL
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Post by capable_keL »

this goes out to an also, & dunn

we'll always have each other

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:leon:

<3

blastmaster
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Post by blastmaster »

Catch the ball.

capable_keL
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Post by capable_keL »

blastmaster wrote:Catch the ball.
like i said: you don't rest rodgers at the end of the year. aaron was inaccurate for the first time all year. charlie peppra killed the pack.

offseason: sign wells, decide if finley deserves receiver money, get a running back, find something to replace jenkins because without him matthews was really ineffective.

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Post by an-also »

Basically everything that could have gone wrong went wrong.

This whole upcoming draft has to be about finding people who can rush the passer. Playoff games are always won in the trenches. Even in a pass happy version of the NFL.

an-also
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Post by an-also »

And Finley has been a major disappointment this year considering his talent and expectations.

Dunnnnleavy
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Post by Dunnnnleavy »

Erik Walden is a free agent and there's little doubt his spot is what they'll look to upgrade in the 1st round, save a very quality d-lineman falling to their spot to match with Raji and Pickett.
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capable_keL
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Post by capable_keL »

safe to assume Driver, Clifton, Flynn, Finley, Collins are all gone next year?

Rodgers has 3 years left on his contract... his deal will be redone, right?

an-also
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Post by an-also »

I'm sad about driver. I think he can still be a legit 2nd option on teams. He was one of the few guys who came to play last night. I'd like to have him back.

Collins said he'll check in with his doctor in march. If his doc gives him the go ahead he'll come back. If his doc says no, he'll retire. Simple as that.

Finley is still supremely talented. I just don't see TT letting him go unless he wants outrageous money. He might get tagged. If he's not tagged, tag flynn and trade him for some high picks.

Cliffy was a soldier for a decade. He was solid but I think his time is up with the pack.

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Post by capable_keL »

The Fin situation is weird. Quarles was hurt bad and might not be ready for the start of the season, so throwing money at Fin might be a necessity. Fin is still the most talented TE in the league despite the drops

James Jones should have been let go so they can retain DD for sure. he mos def is a #2 or even a #1 on a team like the vikings.

and despite this pass happy environment, the pack need a running attack. not sure if the answer is already there or if its a schematics issue

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Post by capable_keL »

Packers' 15-1 season becomes a total failure

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Green Bay - Somewhere between the turnovers and the awful pass defense and the dropped balls and the boos that deservedly rained down on the Green Bay Packers as they sought halftime refuge, the mind drifted back to the idyllic and possibility-filled summer of 2011.

This was going to be the calendar year when our little ol' state ruled the sporting world. The Brewers were going to the World Series. The Badgers were going to win it all. And the Packers were surely going to repeat as Super Bowl champions.

Is it just me, or did it feel like a nuclear winter of reality blew in Sunday?

But, hey, at least we've got Miss America.

As a counter to outright cynicism and a measure of relief to this brutal Monday morning hangover, you'll take 11 victories from Wisconsin, even if it could have been so much more in the wake of another Rose Bowl loss. As a pragmatist, you understand the Badgers probably will never have the speed to win a national championship.

You'll take the NLCS because you get that not even the '97 Braves pitching staff could have stopped the Cardinals, along with, of course, the understanding that market size will likely always mean that the Brewers will be one or two players short.

But this 37-20 loss to the New York Giants?

What we're trying to digest now is the harsh truth that a team that won 15 times during the regular season could not win even one stinkin' playoff game. At home. And look Cleveland Browns kind of bad in the process.

The Brewers and the Badgers, OK, there is some level of acceptance. But this stunning end to the Packers' season? Sorry, there is no consolation whatsoever, no spinning it into a get-'em-next-year tale, not under any circumstances.

The outright beating from the Giants rendered a 15-1 season an outright failure. There is no other way to say it, no other way to consider it. Given the gravity of the situation, it might have been the worst performance of the Mike McCarthy era, shutouts by the Bears and losses to a winless Tampa Bay included.

And now you're telling me against the chill of such expectations that all we have to look forward to between now and spring training is the hope that the Bucks can keep it to 20 or fewer on the road?

That was the thought as Giants fans, much like Cheesers pretty much anywhere on the road, celebrated behind the New York bench while Lambeau Field cleared out like the lakefront when Elton John showed up for the Harley-Davidson 100-year bash.

"We did not play to our identity," McCarthy said.

A game before the NFC championship would not be the time to go to the dance dressed as the Vikings. But truth be told, the Green Bay defense did play to its true nature. It was horrendous. Clay Matthews and A.J. Hawk? Hair today, gone Sunday. But that's way too convenient a shot. No one on that side of the ball showed up, not even Charles Woodson, who, as usual, told it like it was.

"Anything that you've seen through the regular season happened to us today," Woodson said. "Missed tackles, assignments, not getting to the quarterback."

As much as you wanted to believe that the NFL's worst defense could make it happen when it mattered, there was no changing those spots.

And that silly 37-yard alley-oop to Hakeem Nicks with no time left on the halftime clock? Again, the Packers picked the wrong time to go all Bucky vs. the states of Michigan and Ohio with their, um, prevent defense.

With no rush, bumper-car tackling and little resistance toward Eli Manning, the defense was its usual self. Except this time, there would be no Aaron Rodgers to cover its mistakes.

Rodgers was so bad for once that his witty insurance commercials should be recalled. For a guy who is likely going to be the NFL MVP, missing open receivers, taking a fourth-down sack and putting forth a quarterback rating equal to the January highs in Phoenix was like taking a trip back to his early years against the rampaging New York defense.

But it wasn't just the quarterback. How many more passes does Jermichael Finley have to drop before an otherwise tremendous athlete is deemed unreliable? Is that your franchise tag? Really?

Give it to Rodgers, though, for speaking the truth about a failed season. This is the Green Bay Packers. Unlike their in-state cousins, it's the whole thing or bust.

"(Like) after the 2009 season when we lost to Arizona, it sucks," Rodgers said. "This team, this organization, this fan base expects championships. We had a championship-caliber regular season and didn't play well (Sunday)."

And that is the cold, hard reality.
Send email to mhunt@journalsentinel.com

Dunnnnleavy
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Post by Dunnnnleavy »

hey now HEY NOW don't dreeaaammm it's ooo-vverrr...

Cheers to Wisconsin's champion of 2012...Laura Kaeppeler...MISS USA (U-S-A!!!)

Image

Image

a happy :owens:
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So Mike Martz officially retired.
When people think of Providence, Rhode Island they typically think of organized crime

Dunnnnleavy
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Post by Dunnnnleavy »

an-also wrote:stuff
Clifton has one year left on his contract so I'm guessing he plays it out and retires. Getting through 2010 injury free and making the pro bowl seems like it came out of nowhere (the injury free part).

DD...maybe he'll stay for less money? Maybe they can trade James Jones for a draft pick (not saying it would be a great pick) and keep Driver around until Cobb develops as a receiver (he's only 21).

enlighten me about franchise tagging Matt Flynn and trading him for picks...what's there to lose in doing this? Sounds like what happened with Matt Cassel.

If Finley leaves for big cash, sayonara... kind of see it coming.
When people think of Providence, Rhode Island they typically think of organized crime

capable_keL
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Post by capable_keL »

don't ignore me homie. i aint happy, i'm here for you. i know losing, lets confabulate and break this down

don't get brand new

are you NFC NORF or are you a front runner?

we all G

Dunnnnleavy
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Post by Dunnnnleavy »

no ignoring was done here, brah. i even riffed off your article you posted, "But, hey, at least we've got Miss America." the writer means it sarcastically...but pageantry is a committed sweat and tears competition. it takes heart and fuckability.

we're all moving forward with our lives.
When people think of Providence, Rhode Island they typically think of organized crime

Dunnnnleavy
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Post by Dunnnnleavy »

i disagree with you that Finley is THE most talented TE in the league.

GRONK.
When people think of Providence, Rhode Island they typically think of organized crime

Dunnnnleavy
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Post by Dunnnnleavy »

the only comments of yours i'm going to ignore are the ones where you're grasping for attention and some sort of High Level Boarder status through your "faggot this and that" vitriol and sports psychosis...

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When people think of Providence, Rhode Island they typically think of organized crime

capable_keL
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Post by capable_keL »

you be lurkin hard, huh?


no matter

take my paw and let's build, or live a less fulfilling life

Dunnnnleavy
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Post by Dunnnnleavy »

lol, no...i just made the mistake of checking the game thread when i came home last night. i had an idea what was there, but dear lord, sir...

alright
PEACE
When people think of Providence, Rhode Island they typically think of organized crime

an-also
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Post by an-also »

Dunnnnleavy wrote: enlighten me about franchise tagging Matt Flynn and trading him for picks...what's there to lose in doing this? Sounds like what happened with Matt Cassel.
Harrell expects Flynn to be a starter elsewhere

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By Tom Silverstein of the Journal Sentinel

Jan. 16, 2012 1:48 p.m. |(24) Comments

Green Bay - Packers third-string quarterback Graham Harrell has heard people talking about the possibility of the team putting the franchise tag on backup quarterback Matt Flynn and he's skeptical.

"I think if they franchise him heג€™ll make $6 million more than Aaron (Rodgers) does," Harrell said. "I donג€™t know how thatג€™s going to work."

If the Packers do put the franchise tag on Flynn it would be with the intention of trading him, but the risk is probably too great because unless the team has a trade in place before the start of free agency, they'll be on the hook for a salary of roughly $14 million.

Most teams would prefer not giving up any compensation for Flynn, which is what would happen if they signed him as an unrestricted free agent. All it would cost them is a contract more lucrative than what everybody else is offering.

So it's likely most teams will just wait until he hits the market before making their bid.

Harrell thinks comfort will be a big part of Flynn's decision.

"Iג€™ll be very interested to see where he ends up, not only just to see, but Iג€™m a good friend and I want him to end up in a good spot, a place where he can be successful," Harrell said. "I think wherever he goes, heג€™s going to make a team better.

"He is a great quarterback. Hopefully, whatever happens he ends up in a good situation. I think he has a chance be very successful."

Harrell, meanwhile, will take part his first Mike McCarthy quarterback school. Though he has finished the year on the active roster each of the last two seasons, he hasn't taken part in one.

His first year, he was signed after the camp was over and last year the lockout prevented the school from taking place.

"The off-season is all about learning, improving and continuing to learn," Harrell said. "It's just getting more comfortable with things. I havenג€™t really had the quarterback school and been able to learn the offense from the beginning. I think that will help."

Harrell said he fully expects the Packers to draft or sign another quarterback to compete with him for the backup job.

"You have to have three guys, I know that," Harrell said. "Competition is good and also it's good to have guys around, who learn together and develop together. You have to have more than two guys around, so thatג€™s just the business."

capable_keL
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Post by capable_keL »

all packer fans have and will always be protected by kel nation

from here on out.. it's all love

interlace ur paw in mine

do it

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Post by an-also »

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Dunnnnleavy
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Post by Dunnnnleavy »

i saw that on deadspin today...disgraceful.
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Post by Positive A »

THIS IS ALL MEGHAN'S FAULT!!

Dunnnnleavy
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Post by Dunnnnleavy »

she doesn't care about pretty, she cares about the super bowl...

that's real.
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Post by ric »

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

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Post by capable_keL »


an-also
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Post by an-also »

capable_keL wrote:some great packer footage here

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-pro-bowl/ ... hot_topics

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
:owens: Still can't get over the giants game.

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