PACKERVILLE, U.S.A.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Some Rewards for ’59

Today’s photo was taken during the 1960 preseason, when the Packers met the Cardinals (who had just moved to St. Louis from Chicago’s South side) in Green Bay on September 5th. Governor Gaylord Nelson (the father of “Earth Day”) is seen posing with Packers’ head coach Vince Lombardi and WR Boyd Dowler. He was congratulating Lombardi for being selected Coach of the Year for 1959, and Dowler for being selected N.F.L. Rookie of the Year for 1959. As the photo caption states, the Packers won the exhibition game by a score of 35-14. We would like to see a similar score tomorrow night when the two teams meet in Lambeau Field. We will be at the game, so there will be no update tomorrow night, but we might put up a few Tweets, so stay tuned...

PACKERVILLE NEWS

PRESEASON GAME #2 INFO:

• PACKERS-CARDINALS DOPE SHEET

• PRESS BOX NOTES

• PACKERS TEAM REPORT

• GAME PREVIEW #1

• GAME PREVIEW #2

• 5 THINGS TO WATCH

*****

• Cardinals expect self-discovery in second preseason game

• Packers atop the N.F.L. world

• Taylor fighting for his chance with Packers

• Injury news causes concern for Packers

• Packers may be shorthanded vs Arizona

• McCarthy: Neal undergoes MRI knee scan

• Trio fighting for spots in secondary

• Tim Masthay shows long-term promise

• Packers Notes

• Packers Notebook

• Shields mum on NCAA violations allegations

• Adjusting to the new kickoff rule

• NFL should stop playing on Friday nights

• Some NFL execs resistant to 18-game schedule

• Packers fans the most rabid in the N.F.L.

“Coach Mike” #1

Remember the 1970’s and 80’s? When the Packers were the laughingstock of the entire league? Do you remember how great it felt when the arrival of Ron Wolf and Mike Holmgren brought success on the field and national attention back to Green Bay for good things that were happening? Ah, those were the days — the early 90’s. Today we have an autographed photo of head coach Mike Holmgren from those days that you can print out and then tell people that it was autographed just for you! “Coach Mike #1” is what he became to us, and it seems that you can’t get a coaching job in Titletown unless that is your first name (the exception being if your name is “Ray,” but then you’ll only be around for one year).

Have you seen the new badges that Green Bay police officers will be wearing?

PACKERVILLE NEWS

• Driver: I won't exit like Favre

• Driver, Grant can’t take playing time for granted

• Packers Notes

• Lang has edge over Sherrod

• Wednesday Camp Report

• Packers documentary to air in September

• Neal is "day to day"

• Chad Clifton finds longevity in regimen

• Packers Insider

• Packers Notebook

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

The Gray Ghost

Sometimes we go further back into Packers history and spotlight players that are legends, but unknown to large parts of current fans in Packerville. This is Tony Canadeo, who played HB for Green Bay from 1941-1944, and 1946-1952. The one missing year was spent in service with the U.S. Army during World War II. Canadeo played college football at Gonzaga University in Spokane, where he was first known as the "Gray Ghost of Gonzaga," due to his prematurely graying hair.

He was selected by the Packers in the ninth round (77th overall) of the 1941 N.F.L. Draft. He was the first Packer to rush for 1,000 yards in a season and the third player ever in the N.F.L. to accomplish this feat. Canadeo rushed for 1,052 yards in 1949, as the Packers struggled to a 2-10 record. In addition to his accomplishments as a running back, Canadeo also recorded nine career interceptions on defense and served as the team's punter.

Canadeo is one of only five Green Bay Packers to have his number (3) retired by the team, which was done immediately upon his retirement in 1952. After his playing career, Canadeo continued his association with the team as a broadcaster and member of the organization's executive committee. He played a small part in helping Jack Vainisi reassure Vince Lombardi in 1959 that the transition from New York City to Green Bay would be comfortable for his family. "The Gray Ghost of Gonzaga," was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1974. He died in Green Bay in 2003 at the age of 84.

PACKERVILLE NEWS

• Packers are just getting started

• Packers Notes

• Tuesday camp report

• Big things expected of Sam Shields

• Shields among 72 Miami Hurricanes linked to renegade booster

• Mike Neal says no worries about his knee

• Neal: "I'll be out there again soon"

• Packers Notebook

• Frank Zombo takes the lead

• Donald Driver has no plans to give up starter job, but will...

• Randall Cobb continues to shine

• Packers Insider

• Practice to benefit young players

• Life isn’t always fair in the NFL

• Atari Bigby signs with Seahawks

• Favre tutors Browns QB McCoy in the West Coast

• Green Bay police wear Packers badges

• Slogan needed for Lombardi Avenue fence

Monday, August 15, 2011

Exhibition Cards

As we prepare to attend the preseason game against Arizona this Friday evening, we thought we’d post this cover of an exhibition game against the same team in 1974 (Friday’s game is also the “Midwest Shrine Game” for former Milwaukee ticketholders). Shown in game action is Packers’ QB Jerry Tagge, a hometown boy (he attended Green Bay’s West High School) who played collegiate ball at the University of Nebraska. Tagge was with the team for three years, all of which were played under head coach Dan Devine.

PACKERVILLE NEWS

• Pretty much all you need to know — Packers preseason Week 2 Dope Sheet

• Packers Notebook

• Packers Insider

• Green in running for third-down back

• Packers Notes

• Competition heating up at three spots

• Packers TEAM REPORT

• Preseason Notes

• Packers Notes

• Mike McCarthy: Lang graded out better than Sherrod

• Balance at OLB

• Cobb catches on in slot

• Daryn Colledge disappointed in Packers

• Week off helped Rodgers see the light

• Peter King’s Monday Morning QB: Packers could repeat

• NFC North camp musings

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Lookin’ Back at 1976

Today we’re going to share some things from the July 31, 1976 game program, a date which had the Cincinnati Bengals in town for an exhibition game. On the cover, you’ll see — among others — Packers great FB Jim Taylor. This was the year that he went into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

In 1976, head coach Bart Starr was entering his second year at the helm. What follows is a two-page article on his team heading into the ’76 campaign.

Cheering for on-the-field action in 1975. Behind coach Starr is WR Charlie Wade.

This article spotlights the Packers being one of the first teams to incorporate air travel.

Your 1976 Green Bay Packers.

We would’ve liked to attend the “God and Country” rallies in the Lambeau Field parking lot back in that Bi-Centennial year.

One of the big things that happened that summer was the visit of President Gerald R. Ford to the Packers’ home base in Green Bay. Ford had turned down a contract offer from the Packers upon his graduation from the University of Michigan. For more on that, you can read our earlier post here. Today, you can see the dedication stone from the then-new Packers Hall of Fame in the current Hall of Fame in Lambeau Field.