The Green Bay Packers wrapped up the 2008 Organized Team Activities today and to me the most amazing thing of all was the almost complete participation of cornerback Charles Woodson. Not just his presence, either, but his attitude. Where this new found leadership has come from I don’t know, but my guess is the city of Green Bay might must have grabbed another player. That and the fact that Woodson and head coach Mike McCarthy have a special relationship that developed over time after butting heads in the beginning. While I’m not going to predict that Woodson becomes one of the many former Packers that have made their home in Green Bay, I do think he will thank the Packers and the fans for taking his career to a new level.
The quote that made me a believer is this one: “This year I kind of felt like I needed to be around the team. You try to be an example as much as possible. Whatever they can learn from me, then that will be a plus for the team”. Are you kidding me? This is no knock on Woodson because I’m happier than heck to have him on the Packers, but had he had that type of attitude as a young player in Oakland, he would be finishing off a Hall of Fame career right now in California. At 31 years old, he certainly has a few good years left in him. Let us hope that he doesn’t return punts any more and maybe gets a new contract to close out his career in Green Bay. Sorry to sound like I’m gushing, but this is a guy you would never have thought would have bought in to the Green Bay way. It makes me feel real good about not only Woodson but McCarthy as well.
ODDS AND ENDS:
Not sure if any of you caught the latest articles about former Packers’ receiver Javon Walker and his newfound hatred for the Denver Broncos. Funny stuff. Now it seems, Walker has been screwed by two teams, as the Packers were the first team to mistreat him horribly. Now the Broncos are the villain for not using him right when he came back from injury last year. So sad, so sad. I’m no expert, but my guess is Walker will be lucky to play eight games next year. He is damaged goods and Packers’ general manager Ted Thompson should get a pass to the Hall of Fame for getting a second-round pick for him. That trade has to rank right up there with the Fred Vinson for Ahman Green trade Ron Wolf pulled off. Walker in his prime would have a hard time starting on the Packers this year. What a baby if you ask me.
Other than the emergence of Brandon Jackson and the continued ridiculous holdout of Ryan Grant, the Packers’ OTAs were uneventful. At least after the Brett Favre retirement questions subsided. I really think Grant is being a total idiot by at not least signing the tender and participating in the activities. Get in camp and prove you are worth the money, the Packers have shown over the last few years in deals with Donald Driver and Al Harris that they take care of their own. The longer Grant plays the fool, the closer Jackson gets to getting his starting job back. I think I might like that. If all Grant wants is money than the hell with him. The Packers don’t play that.
This might be a little off base, and pardon the pun, but why does Milwaukee Brewers’ manager Ned Yost remind me so much of former Packers’ head coach Mike Sherman? The post-game comments are so similar and the game results are the same. Both took over crappy teams and made them contenders and then fell flat on their faces. When I see and hear Yost all I can think of is fourth-and-26. Good luck Brewers.
More to come…