PACKERVILLE, U.S.A.: September 2016

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Packers-Lions Weekend

We headed north on Friday afternoon for the home opener weekend, and seen above is the view from the Packerville-mobile while passing through Milwaukee.

This was our Friday evening fish fry location this week. When in Wisconsin, you simply must get the perch.

A sign in the Packers Pro Shop advertising the event we’d go to on Saturday.

Lambeau Field video sign with details of Saturday activities.

“Return to Glory” has just been published by Daniel Kramer, who is the son of Lombardi-era Packers Hall of Fame G Jerry Kramer. This “coffee table”-type book features photography from the 1996 season when a new era of Packers ended the 29-year drought of championships. This is the twentieth year anniversary of that Super Bowl XXXI team. It is a great book.

Your Packerville, U.S.A. editor with Jerry Kramer.

Here he is also with Holmgren-era C Frank Winters.

Do we get tired of seeing the giant Lombardi trophy? Nope.

We drove by here and had to stop and get some booyah. We usually do. What is booyah? It is “a thick soup of probable Belgian origin made throughout the Upper Midwestern United States. Booyah can require up to two days and multiple cooks to prepare. It is cooked in specially designed “booyah kettles” and usually meant to serve hundreds or even thousands of people. Beef, chicken, and pork are popular varieties of meat for booyah (with all three often in the same kettle), with vegetables such as carrots, peas, onion, and potatoes also in the mix.” Yum. And SO Wisconsin.

Saturday night’s dinner spot — the Union Hotel in De Pere, Wis. Excellent food in an establishment that seemingly stopped in time 70 years ago. Every Packers head coach has eaten here, but they do not take reservations (even if you’re a Packers’ head coach).

The sunset over the Fox River, taken just down the street from Vince Lombardi’s house.

Through Saturday, Saturday night, and Sunday morning all the weather people could talk about was the thunderstorms that would hit during the game. So, our usual policy is to leave the good camera equipment at the Packerville, U.S.A. headquarters in such weather. Yeah, it turns out that a gap in the thunderstorms passed over Green Bay and we never got a drop during the game. Accordingly, we only have a few phone shots and a couple from the Packers’ website to make up our game gallery below. Oh well... maybe the next game will be dry. But it’s also a night event, so that poses its own photography issues.

The post-anthem F-16’s flyover was ear-splitting, but always cool.

A shot of the field action from the Packerville, U.S.A. “Green” season ticket package seats.

WR Jordy Nelson stretches to grab a TD pass in the exciting first half. The second half was mostly doing the math to see how the Lions could pull off a victory since the Packers only scored three points.

78,000+ fans enjoying the unexpected super sunny and warm weather.

He’s back.

Final score.

A good, needed victory after the Vikings game last week.

Two words say it all.

Saint Brendan’s Inn downtown — the site of Sunday night’s “Victory Dinner.”

Guinness® Pot Roast — delicious.

Corned Beef and Cabbage — also delicious, according to Mrs. Lambeau.

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Mr. Lombardi — Gallery 1

Looking through the Getty Images online galleries, we found some great images of Packers Head Coach Vince Lombardi. Here are some of them (with the original captions) for your enjoyment:

Above, “Head coach Vince Lombardi, of the Green Bay Packers, on the sidelines during the NFL Championship Game on December 30, 1962 against the New York Giants at Yankee Stadium in New York, New York.”
(Photo by: Kidwiler Collection/Diamond Images/Getty Images)

“Head coach Vince Lombardi, of the Green Bay Packers, on the sidelines during the NFL Championship Game on December 30, 1962 against the New York Giants at Yankee Stadium in New York, New York.”
(Photo by: Kidwiler Collection/Diamond Images/Getty Images)

“American professional football coach Vince Lombardi (right) appears irritated while he confers with a referee during a game, late 1950s to early 1960s. Lombardi, who served as head coach and general manager of the Green Bay Packers from 1959 untill 1967, previously served as offensive coordinator of the Giants until 1958.”
(Photo by Robert Riger/Getty Images)

“American professional football coach Vince Lombardi (center), head coach and general manager of the Green Bay Packers, keeps his eyes on the ball as his players try to stay warm on the team bench, 1960s.
(Photo by Robert Riger/Getty Images)

“American football coach Vince Lombardi (center in coat), head coach and general manager for the Green Bay Packers, stands with his players on the sidelines during a game, November 1959.
(Photo by Robert Riger/Getty Images)

“Coach Vince Lombardi of the Green Bay Packers watches play from the sideline during a circa 1960s NFL game at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Lombardi coached the Packers from 1959-69.”
(Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

“Closeup of Chicago Bears coach George Halas (right) and Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi (left) in Chicago, Illinois on November 12, 1961.
(Photo by Lee Balterman/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (SetNumber: X8067)

“Vince Lombardi of the New York Giants' clutches a play chart during a game at Yankee Stadium.”
(Photo by Fred Morgan/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)

“American General Manager (and former coach) Vince Lombardi of the Green Bay Packers sits in the press box at Lambeau Field during a game, Green Bay, Wisconsin, September 1968.
(Photo by Leonard McCombe/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images)

“American Football coach Vince Lombardi sitting in his office in Green Bay, Wisconsin, September 1968.”
(Photo by Leonard McCombe/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images)

“Head coach Vince Lombardi of the Green Bay Packers looks on as his recruits and veterans began their first day of drills for the 1967 season on July 13, 1967 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.” (Photo by B Bennett/Getty Images)

“The First World Championship Game, AFL vs. NFL, later known as Super Bowl I, on January 15, 1967 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. From left, Vince Lombardi speaks to CBS Sports commentator Frank Gifford.”
(Photo by CBS via Getty Images)

“Head Coach Vince Lombardi (in dark jacket) of the Green Bay Packers looks on from the sidelines against the Oakland Raiders during Super Bowl II January 14, 1968 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida. The Packers won the game 33-14.”
(Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

“Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi with players after defeating the Los Angeles Rams, 28-7 to win the 1967 NFL Western Conference play-off.”
(Collection: Bettmann)

“Vince Lombardi being carried by Green Bay Packers players after defeating the Dallas Cowboys for the 1966 NFL championship.”
(Collection: Bettmann)

“Green Bay Packers head coach Vince Lombardi (right) and Kansas City Chiefs head coach Hank Stram shake hands as they view the Super Bowl Trophy their teams will be fighting for in the Los Angeles Coliseum on January 15th (1967).”
(Collection: Bettmann)

“Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi raises a football in victory, surrounded by reporters covering the first Super Bowl in 1967.”
(Collection: Bettmann)

http://www.gettyimages.com

Week 3 TV Map

The NFL Week 3 TV maps are out, and above you will see the broadcast area for the Green Bay vs. Detroit game at Noon (CST). The areas in yellow will see the game — for everyone else, sorry. We will be at the game this weekend, and we’ll have plenty to share here afterwards.
Map courtesy of 506 Sports

Monday, September 19, 2016

Week 2 • Packers vs. Vikings

Bradford leads Vikings over Packers 17-14 in Minnesota debut

Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS — Sam Bradford had a Minnesota debut almost as dazzling as the new $1.1 billion building itself, completing 22 of 31 passes for 286 yards, two touchdowns and no turnovers to lead the Vikings to a 17-14 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night just 15 days after he arrived in a trade.

“He can throw the ball,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said. “He's got some toughness about him, and this isn't his first rodeo.”

The defense did the rest, harassing Aaron Rodgers for five sacks and two fourth-quarter turnovers that quashed the comeback and sent the crowd of 66,813 into a deafening frenzy in celebration of the first regular season game at U.S. Bank Stadium.

“I don't think this is anything to get super crazy about,” Rodgers said. “It's a tough opponent, a division opponent. They're a good football team. They've still got to come to our place later in the season. Hopefully we're in a position to play for something then.”

Adrian Peterson limped off in the third quarter with a right knee injury, and only 19 yards on 12 carries, but the Vikings (2-0) proved they still have a lot of options. Stefon Diggs caught nine passes for 182 yards and a touchdown. They held the Packers (1-1) to 65 total yards in the first half, withstanding an early touchdown pass by Rodgers to Jordy Nelson on a drive aided by two penalties by cornerback Terence Newman.

“They didn't win the division last year by accident. You do have to give them their credit,” said Mike Daniels, who had one of Green Bay's four sacks.

Trae Waynes, who had two penalties himself, intercepted Rodgers' pass in Vikings territory with 1:50 left to seal the victory. The previous drive was killed with a strip sack by Brian Robison, when Shamar Stephen recovered at the Minnesota 44 with 6:53 remaining.

Rodgers, who ran for 29 yards and a touchdown, began to find a groove throwing the ball down the stretch. He finished 12 for 21 for 154 yards in the second half, but Bradford was the better quarterback on this night.

The Vikings, who aggressively traded two premium draft picks including next year's first-rounder to Philadelphia to fetch Bradford after Teddy Bridgewater went down with a massive left knee injury, boldly eschewed a field goal try early in the second quarter.

Bradford found Diggs for a 4-yard completion on fourth-and-1 from the 18. Then he hit Kyle Rudolph for an 8-yard touchdown pass three plays later.

“When quarterbacks and receivers are on time, they're very tough to stop,” said Packers cornerback Damarious Randall, who was matched up with Diggs for most of the game.

Bradford was hit hard on his non-throwing hand by Packers outside linebacker Clay Matthews while following through on a pass at one point during the drive. He visited the locker room briefly for further examination but never missed a snap, despite significant swelling beneath his left pinky.

There were only a couple of instances that even hinted of newness for Bradford and the offense, when one throw on the first drive sailed well past where Rudolph's route ended and another later in the first quarter was in the air too quickly for Rudolph to turn around.

“These guys have had my back from day one,” Bradford said.

TURNOVER TRADE

Davante Adams fumbled at his own 13 on Green Bay's first play, a short completed pass, when Eric Kendricks punched the ball out and Andrew Sendejo picked it up with an eye toward the end zone. Packers wide receiver Randall Cobb wrestled him down and stripped the ball in the process, recovering it himself. Each team was charged with a turnover because of the change of possession.

ROAD TRIPPING

The Packers played their first two regular season games on the road for the first time since — wait for it — 1924. They played at the Duluth Kelleys and Chicago Cardinals that year before returning home.

INJURY UPDATE

Packers: DT Letroy Guion hurt his knee in the second quarter and didn't return.

Vikings: DE Danielle Hunter hurt his knee in the fourth quarter and didn't return.

Friday, September 16, 2016

Geared Up For Sunday Night

As we head into the weekend and Sunday night’s Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings game, we thought we’d pull together some photos from the past to get the juices flowing. Everyone will be able to see it this week, of course, because it’s the national night game on NBC.