"They were the better team... tonight."

Good times.

could you imagine TT on Hard Knocks. He would probably just sit and stare at the camera. The year Hard Knocks comes to Green Bay, I would be Ted is retired and roping cattle in Texas.

Which would be tough for a guy with his medical condition.

I bet Hard Knocks comes to GB before the AR era is over.  I'm sure TT and MM won't be too happy, but the NFL wants to get every team to do Hard Knocks.  

 

Mike Smith is coming off like a prick, but he's a good coach, IMO.  

Most nights...most nights he a good coach.

I bet Hard Knocks comes to GB before the AR era is over.

 

Too bad Alan Veingrad doesn't still play for us because they would have to rename the show to...

 

wait for it...

 

Hard Lox

 

It's not Hard Knocks...but Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of Kiss, starting an Arena League team from scratch, in LA, looks entertaining enough for ****z and giggles.

 

Prolly enough of the off topic stuff but couldn't resist. 

 

Looks like Gene Simmons could only find a "pubes" donor for his hair plugs. Should have called Dom first for some advice.  

Gene Simmons and KISS Take the Field for AMC's 4th and Loud

" With the trade of Worthy, this leaves just 3 players from the 2012 draft on this team. That can't sit well with TT."

 

Probably not. But I bet when he see's the potential Don Barclay, DeJuan Harris, and Sean Richardson have shown as 2012 UDFA's , it brings a smile to one side of his face.

TT is probably tipping back a bud light over ice and laughing at all the complaints about the 2012 draft.

Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy spoke to the media following practice on Wednesday. Here are some highlights:

 

On new technology on the sideline:

I think the tablet is an improvement. Every series, you have instant access. It's help. It enhances communication and the time and efficiency of it. Even in a rainstorm in Tennessee, I was very pleased with it. I had information quicker than in the past.

 

Does it make you a better coach?

I think it makes the league better as far as the coaching network from the box to sideline to players.

 

On Wednesday's fiery, physical practice:

It's a practice we needed. We probably had too much extracurricular activity. I think we got done what we wanted to get done today.

 

Did that get in the way of execution?

It got in the way a few times today.

 

On meeting challenges:

It's about growing a football team. You do these drills for a reason. The level of your football team never grows at the same rate. We're getting into the meat of training camp where we won't be able to practice that way again. We knew our time was limited coming into camp. Targets have been laid out.

 

On assistant coaches Winston Moss and James Campen getting into it:

That's the energy of that drill. There's nothing wrong with what Winston Moss and James Campen did today. It's nothing personal. It's about getting better.

 

On linebacker Brad Jones:

Brad Jones had a dental procedure so he was unable to practice today.

 

On linebacker Jamari Lattimore:

Jamari has had a good training camp. He missed a couple days early. He's able to do multiple things both in base and sub. On special teams, he's been a core player for a number of years.

 

On rookie running back Rajion Neal, who's out with a knee injury:

They haven't given me any indication one way or another. If he doesn't practice Friday, he most likely won't play in the game.

 

On rookie tight end Colt Lyerla, also out with a knee injury:

They didn't give me a timeline on it, but I know he's weeks away.

 

On facing the St. Louis defensive line:

Just watching the tape of the St. Louis Rams last week. I think the overall talent on the football team is impressive. It will be a great challenge for offensive line.

 

Will quarterback Aaron Rodgers play against the Rams?

Yes, he's scheduled to play.

 

On players from smaller schools:

I think the way the communication has changed. You're exposed to so much more as a college athlete. The internet and all the things that come off of that. We don't assume anything with the draft class. We make sure they go through the orientation.

 

On veteran defensive star Julius Peppers' role on team:

The conversations back in OTAs with (offensive tackle) David Bakhtiari. He's very good with younger players. He has a wealth of knowledge. I really like the way Julius interacts with teammates

@TomSilverstein

Janis inside working with top offensive units while Dorsey and Harper are outside working with the scout team. That says something.

On linebacker Brad Jones:

Brad Jones had a dental procedure so he was unable to practice today.

 

 

 ....Never a problem in Jacksonville.

a KISS themed arena league football team...

 

Name one surefire way to end up in bankruptcy court in the next five years.

On assistant coaches Winston Moss and James Campen getting into it:

That's the energy of that drill. There's nothing wrong with what Winston Moss and James Campen did today. It's nothing personal. It's about getting better.

 

NO YOU'RE MORE OVERRATED!!!

 

 

Doubtful.  Successful people acknowledge their mistakes and learn from them.  TT is probably trying to figure out where he went wrong so he doesn't make the same mistake twice.  

I'm surprised he hasn't just moved to Bud Ice to remove the extra step of adding ice from the equation.  That's how TT rolls. 

 

This implies that general managers eventually learn to pick starters in the draft once they figure out where they went wrong. 

 

This is incorrect. Each draft pick is an educated guess (at best) based on information partially based on speculation and trust. 

 

I don't feel Ted is laughing at the 2012 draft. I feel he wishes it went better. I don't think he beats himself over the entirety of the 2012 draft or any other draft becasue I think he's smart enough to view each individual draft selection in a vacuum. Hitting or missing on a draft pick happens and has nothing to do with the next one.  

Tweet collection from Wednesday, August 13th, 2014

• Said Campen: "He has a heck of a beard and I wanted to see it up close. I wanted to ask him how you grow one because I can't grow one and then he gave me some weight loss instructions on how to trim up a little bit. Things happen, no big deal."

Oh Campy, you're winning me over.

Way to overcome your coaching!!

Campen could murder Blair Kiel, and Henry STILL wouldn't like him. 

It comes down to style points.

 

But I'm down with him shaving Bare Keel.

I made it to practice today for a few hours.  Saw some booming punts by Masthay...  There were fights all over the place.  Bush was usually somewhere near the problem all the time.  Saw a few different occasions where a receiver got into it with a d-back... it was interesting watching the receiver and d-back groups rush the pile to defend their own.  Jordy was limited in practice today but always seemed to make it to the scrum first to help out.  I'm sure he'll be back sooner than later.

I'm hoping Lattimore has his assignments figured out and can come through this year.  Our ILBs have to be in the bottom third of the league if it's Hawk and Jones.  Nothing against them, it's just reality.  I hope Lattimore wins the job over the rest of the camp.  He certainly brings intensity  

 

I get the feeling the DL is going to be a work in progress.  The whole group is young and the depth gets real young real fast.  That doesn't tend to work out for the best in the NFL. 

 

They could be solid but who knows how well Raji will play and if he is playing well for how long he'll keep it up.  He has a long history of inconsistency and we already know he doesn't get motivated for a contract after what he put in last year.  He needs to be the anchor against the run.    If he can't do it it's going to be imperative for the offense to build a lead and force the other team into a passing approach. 

 

Daniels is the only guy I don't worry about.  Datone seems a bit aloof and that can lead to huge gaps in the front. Boyd might be nipping at Datone's heels for early down work. 

The one upside to the run d this year is the safety tackling.  With either Ha Ha or Hyde playing one of the spots it's going to be vastly improved over what Jennings didn't do, but If the DL isn't up to snuff it doesn't matter how good the secondary plays.  . 

They gave up 16 rushing plays over 20 yards last season.  In 2010 they gave up 10 (and they went through the playoffs without allowing a single run over 20 in 4 games).  Last year they gave up 2 in their one game against SF and I think one of them was to Gore.  

 

Last year they gave up first downs on rushing plays 26.9% of the time and finished as the 8th worst team, in 2010 they were 10th best in the league with 20.8%.   If they want to win a Super Bowl this year it simply has to get better. 

 

2009 Colts 9 runs over 20. 22.7%

2009 Saints 11/25.5%
2011 Giants: 11/23.7%

2011 Patriots: 10/24.9%

2012 Ravens: 8/21.3%
2012 49ers:  9/17.7% 
2013 Broncos: 13/21.4%
2013 Seahawks: 6/19.7%

Still think Lattimore is more pitching pennies in the Frank Zombo memorial wishing well.

 

I've never seen a player look good one play and then mind numbingly horrible the next on a consistent basis.  He's Bipolar Bear.

The players and coaches both got into it during Wednesday's practice.

 

After practice, one of the players usually in the middle of the madness explained why he believes it's all a healthy thing at this point of training camp.

 

"I think it’s good, man. It provides a spark," right guard T.J. Lang said. "A big thing this year our whole team’s been focusing on has been finishing. Offensive line, it’s finishing blocks. Defensive line, it’s getting off blocks and pursuing the ball carrier. Making sure you’re around the pile. That’s when a lot of the extra-curriculars happen.

"Sometimes, the tensions just flare. You definitely want to push that envelope as far as, we’re blocking guys. We’re not going to let up until we hear the whistle blown. And those defensive guys, they’re going to hit somebody if they get the chance.”
-jsonline (dunne)

 

Said Moss:

“Campen was hating on my beard. I’ve been called Isaac Hayes. I’ve been called a homeless bum. I’ve been called a lot of things since this thing has been going on.

 

The thing is, Coach McCarthy came in here the start of training camp. He was talking this team having grit. I said, ‘You know what? I had a feeling he’d say that in the main presentation, the theme of the year.’ So back in the spring, I started growing it out.

 

This looks like a grit, this is similar to what our team is going to be this year. So if it gets off and it gets rolling, grit man. Grit. Grit baby!”

-jsonline (silverstein)

WR Jeff Janis and CB Antonio Dennard: These two must have been going at it in previous plays because what turned out to be a routine block by Janis on a running play quickly escalated into shoving and before long, the 6-3, 219-pound Janis threw the 5-11, 189-pound Dennard onto the ground. A huge scrum ensued and it took awhile for things to get broken up.

Janis chose wisely.  

Racist.

Having seen Duhvante struggle to field punts - I hope Janis (Ms. Jackson if you're nasty) can step in as a PR and or KR

Wow, that would be great IC.

From @TomSilverstein's camp report, Sean Richardson bought his own Jugs machine on the Internet for $2k this offseason. The guy wants it.

Said about James Starks:

 

"He's in midseason form," running backs coach Sam Gash said. 

 

Which means he'll be sustaining an injury any minute now.

Gotta admire a guy who invests in Jugs.

"Hitting or missing on a draft pick happens and has nothing to do with the next one. "

 

So if your scouting process or talent evaluation process is flawed, it only affects one pick at a time.  Got it. 

He has a history of struggling with high picks on the DL.  I'm sure he is aware and I'm equally as sure he is looking at his process to determine why.  No way he accepts the notion that he has just been unlucky when it comes to drafting DL.

 

My subscription to Jugs magazine just ran out!

 

Anything we get from the safety position this season is a bonus

Every GM has a history of struggling with DL picks, its the nature of the beast

And every GM knows that. Its only the dumdum fans that can't accept the reality and look instead to lay blame on the process or the principals involved

 

Its why Pickett was a first rounder ( who underperformed and wasn't retained)  and Jolly was a 6th and Cullen Jenkins went undrafted. Nobody knows and the sooner you understand and accept that the better

 

Why do you think the mensa of mensa's Belichick just traded for 2 DLs in August ? Because he whiffed on the ones he drafted...everybody does.

 

 

That's more than most women pay for them.

I would add that TT was also working with a bunch of proverbial square pegs in round holes in context to 2012.  The article on JSOline today bears that out.  I would guess TT's biggest lesson learned is Mike Daniels who is the squarest of pegs in a 3-4 system, "I'm a football player, man,"

"Its only the dumdum fans that can't accept the reality "

 

Then why do GM's trade up to draft DL?   If they accepted this crap shoot reality you are suggesting it would be a horrible waste of a pick to trade up.  Right?

 

"Because he whiffed on the ones he drafted...everybody does."

 

Yes, everyone whiffs.   Not everyone whiffs at the same rate through. 

 

I'm a TT supporter.  I'm just acknowledging an area of his performance that needs improvement.  I'm also saying I think he is smart enough to realize this is a weak spot as well.  You are now arguing that instead of doing self eval, he says **** it and chugs bud light on ice.   Now that is dumdum.

I totally disagree with Silversteins' take today and have written about it multiple times here at X4. Those who cling to the "old" ideas of what a 4-3 guy looks like or what body type a 3-4 DL should have are living in the stone ages imo.

 

Seattle, SF, NE, GB and others are all mixing up 1- gap and 2- gap across the DL and varying it from game to game and play to play.

Offenses evolved and defenses responded.

 

"He's a 3-4" and "he's a 4-3" are relics imo as far as describing what a defense does or what type of players will succeed in them.

 

That's my story and I'm sticking to it