Thursday, July 12, 2012

1993 Training Camp Visit — Part I

On the heels of our 1991 Training Camp photo selection, we’re going to now take a two-part look at the ’93 camp. This camp came on the heels of a 9-7 season with the new Ron Wolf/Mike Holmgren regime. Hopes were high, and Packer fans were excited about the future. Above, WR Sterling Sharpe (#84), heads out of the locker room. Behind him is former New York Jets QB Ken O’Brien (#7).

LB Brian Noble, who would be spending his last year in Green Bay and the NFL.

DE Reggie White, who had come to the team from Philadelphia as the biggest free agent on the market, and the biggest free agent in Packers’ history. This was a great spot to go before practice, because they’d come out and down the steps and they’d be face to face with you.

A young QB who had come to the team in a ’92 trade. He took over the starting job from an injured Don Majkowski early in the season, and was seeking to retain that job in ’93. Now, what was his name again? Oh yes, Brett Lorenzo Favre.

The tradition that continues to this day — players riding kids’ bikes to the practice field. Each year, media outlets gush over these traditions of Packers Training Camp.

Pre-practice stretching and calisthenics.

QB Brett Favre in position drills. 

QB Ken O’Brien works as well. After practice, we were walking back to the stadium behind O’Brien and another player. He was talking about how different it was to practice in Green Bay than in New York, saying that “here it’s so peaceful compared to the sirens and gunshots you’d hear” at Jets’ practices.

The running backs go through their paces. Here’s some names from long ago: RB Marcus Wilson (#29), FB J.J. Lasley (#42), RB Allen Pinkett (#46), RB Edgar Bennett (#34), FB Robert Wilson (#20), and FB Dexter McNabb (#44). There was a lot of turnover on those early Holmgren Era teams.

More running back drills. 

The linebackers go through their paces. 

Defensive backfield coach Dick Jauron addresses his players. Jauron would later go on to be a head coach in Chicago and Buffalo. He is currently the Cleveland defensive coordinator, hired by — surprise! — team president Mike Holmgren. Lesson learned: always leave your early jobs on good terms.

The defense at work. 

Some offensive linemen working against each other: C James Campen (#63 – current offensive line coach for the Packers), G Harry Galbreath (#76), T/G Joe Sims (#68), and G Terry Beauford (#60).

For the end of this Part I of the 1993 Green Bay Training Camp, we conclude with another view of the offensive linemen at practice.