A Good Story

History was made in South Carolina today, as the father of Packers’ LB Joe Thomas became the oldest player to participate in a college football game. 55-year-old Joe Thomas, Sr. had a three-yard carry against Savannah State. More on his story here.

1955 Miller Schedule

Another auction item is this fine 1955 Miller High Life season schedule poster. The “on the air” they’re referring to is a good ol’ AM radio broadcast. Not T.V. and not the internet. And not on your phone, which in 1955, was a single fixture affixed to the wall, most likely in the kitchen (says the old man who serves as your Packerville, U.S.A. editor). Also note the locations of the preseason games, which were often held in non-N.F.L. cities to drum up interest in the league. See the auction post here.

1930's NFL Team Owners Meeting

From time to time, we like to post items that are up for auction (or were at one time). That is the case with today and many posts coming up. From the auction description: “Dating from the mid-1930's, this beautiful, original black and white photograph measures 13.5" x 10.5" and pictures twenty-nine NFL owners and league officials, including National Football League president Joe Carr, Washington Redskins owner George Preston Marshall, Green Bay Packers founder and owner Curly Lambeau (second row, standing far left), New York Giants founder and owner Tim Mara, and Chicago Bears founder and owner George “Papa Bear” Halas. To have so many of the early NFL owners, founders and officials together in the same photo is quite special. These men built the foundation and developed the traditions of the league we hold so dear today.” For auction info, click here.

Week 11 TV Maps

Yes, we know that the Green Bay Packers are in Washington on the national broadcast Sunday night (7:30 p.m. on NBC), but we thought you might want to know what games will be on in your area on Sunday afternoon. Or, you can use that time to clean up all of those pesky leaves that your spouse keeps telling you about.

Packers Hall of Fame to induct Driver & Lee

The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Inc. announced today that it will induct former Packers players Donald Driver and Mark Lee at the 47th Hall of Fame Induction Banquet, to be held Saturday, July 22, 2017, in the Lambeau Field Atrium.

Mark Lee (left, above), who played 11 seasons in Green Bay (1980-90), was a model of consistency during his career, whether it was in pass coverage as one of the league’s best bump-and-run corners or as a hard-nosed tackler in run support. He intercepted 31 passes during his career, which ranks second all-time among Packers cornerbacks and eighth overall, and added 104 passes defensed, as well as nine forced fumbles and seven fumble recoveries. A durable performer, he missed only eight games during his Packers career, appearing in 157 contests with 139 starts. Lee also led the Packers in kickoff returns his first two seasons and in punt returns in 1981 when he averaged 9.4 yards and ranked 11th in the league. Additionally, he had an interception return for a touchdown at Dallas in the 1982 playoffs.

Donald Driver (right, above), selected in the seventh round of the 1999 NFL Draft, played in 205 games during his 14-year Packers career, the second-most in franchise history behind only quarterback Brett Favre. He is the Packers’ all-time leader for receptions, with 743, and receiving yards, with 10,137, and also scored 62 career touchdowns, tied for fifth-most in team annals. Over his career, Driver cultivated a reputation as one of the most productive wide receivers in Packers history, with 133 consecutive games with a reception and nine consecutive seasons with 50 or more receptions. A four-time Pro Bowl selection (2002, ’06, ’07, ‘10), Driver’s veteran leadership also helped guide the 2010 Packers to a Super Bowl XLV victory.

Information about tickets for the banquet, which begins with a cash bar at 4:30 p.m., with dinner and program to follow at 7:00 p.m., is still being finalized and will be released in the near future. The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Inc. Golf Classic is set for Monday, July 10, 2017, at The Bull in Sheboygan Falls, Wis.

• • • • • • •

The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Inc. is a nonprofit corporation independent of the Green Bay Packers that guides the Hall as a historic national sports venue and educational resource to the Green Bay community and the state of Wisconsin. The Hall raises funds through its annual induction banquet, Golf Classic and other events to preserve the history of the Green Bay Packers and expand its archives. Historic memorabilia donated by individuals to the Hall may qualify as tax-deductible gifts.

Originally established in 1967 as a temporary display in the concourse of the Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena, the Packers Hall of Fame moved into its own facility in 1976 near Lambeau Field. In 2003, it was relocated to the lower level of the Lambeau Field Atrium, and it was closed in November 2013 for renovations. The Packers Hall of Fame reopened in August of 2015, and is now located on the main floor of the Atrium across from 1919 Kitchen & Tap. Groups interested in booking tours and those seeking additional information may visit the Hall online at packers.com/lambeau-field/hall-of-fame/visit.html.

Week 10 TV Map

The Week 10 TV Map is out, and a much smaller segment of the country will be able to see the Green Bay Packers at Tennessee Titans game at Noon (CDT) on Sunday. Only the areas seen in BLUE above will get the game, which will be broadcast by FOX. 

Did you know that the visiting team determines the network? Yes, the Packers, being an NFC team, make it a FOX broadcast. Last week, the Colts (an AFC team) made the game a CBS broadcast from Green Bay.
Map courtesy of 506 Sports

Vikings at Packers — 1977

We came across this game on YouTube the other day, and thought we’d post it here for some who may want to do a little time travel. It’s the full game from November 27, 1977, when the Minnesota Vikings traveled to Green Bay’s Lambeau Field. A crowd of 56,267 watched the contest on a fall Sunday, when snow was on the ground and the temperature was 26°. Enjoy.

The Finger

On this eve of the Colts game, we came across this photo of Larry McCarren’s left pinkie finger, which is a souvenir from his NFL career. McCarren, of course, was the Packers’ starting center from 1973-84, including two Pro Bowl seasons in 1982 and ’83.

He began a television and radio broadcasting career in 1988 at Green Bay’s WFRV-TV and was named the Wisconsin Sportscaster of the Year four times. McCarren has been working on the Packers Radio Network as the color commentator for the Packers' radio broadcasts since 1995.

On April 9, 2015, the Green Bay Packers announced McCarren as a sports analyst for the Packers Media Group. In this role, he helps with the Packers' digital media. He continues to host Packers Live with Larry McCarren and The Mike McCarthy Show which airs on WGBA-TV in Green Bay and WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee during football season. His main emphasis is his work alongside Wayne Larrivee broadcasting games on WTMJ-AM and the Packers Radio Network.

Week 9 TV Map

Coming to you from Green Bay, Wis., is the Week 9 TV Map. The areas in RED will see the Colts vs. Packers game at 3:25 p.m. (CDT). For those of you in the BLUE areas, you’ll need to find alternate means to watch the game. And, don’t forget to set your clocks back one hour tonight!
Map courtesy of 506 Sports.

Cowboys at Packers — Part II

 

Our coverage of the Cowboys vs. Packers continues with game photos today. Above, we see the coin toss prior to kickoff.

Dallas on offense early in the game. Closest to the foreground are the two players who would make the game miserable for the Packers and the fans in attendance — QB Dak Prescott (#4) and RB Ezekiel Elliott (#21).

Prescott faking the handoff to Ezekiel... 

 ... so he can throw downfield. Unable to break free to get pressure on the QB is DT Mike Daniels (#76).

QB Aaron Rodgers (#12) prior to the snap. WR Ty Montgomery (#88) is playing RB.

Rodgers watches the hog pile. 

The Packers’ defense awaits the Cowboys. 

LB Jake Ryan (#47) looks ready for whatever comes his way. 

The Dallas Cowboys bench area on a sunny Fall afternoon. 

T David Bakhtiari (#69), G Lane Taylor (#65), and C J.C. Tretter (#73) provide protection for QB Aaron Rodgers. 

Packers’ special teams huddle. 

Prescott and the Cowboys coming our way. 

Rodgers makes the play call in the “throwback” huddle. 

The Packers’ offense just had a heck of a time scoring on this day. 

Head Coach Mike McCarthy (standing next to yardage marker) surveys his under-performing team.

At halftime, there was a ceremony where Hall of Fame QB Brett Favre received his Hall of Fame ring from David Baker, president of the Hall. 

This marked the third time in two years that Favre has returned to Green Bay during the season. The Packers lost both games where he was honored.

Favre places his Hall of Fame ring on his finger. 

His name was unveiled on the stadium facade during the ceremony. 

Favre then said a few words to the crowd, but halftime is short, so it wasn’t a long ceremony. 

Favre and Reggie White will co-exist next to each other forever in Lambeau Field.  

Team President and CEO Mark Murphy (standing) and GM Ted Thompson (obscured at far right) watch their team against Dallas. We would love to have been a fly on the wall.

RB Eddie Lacy is chased to the sideline. 

QB Aaron Rodgers, trying to get the offense moving (and scoring), looks for a receiver late in the game. 

T Bryan Bulaga sustained an injury that led to his exiting the game. 

 The Cowboys with the ball deep in their own territory in the third quarter.

Prescott handing off to Elliott in the end zone. 

 An overall view from our “Green Package” season tickets seats.

There wasn’t much to document or share from the fourth quarter. Just a lot of Cowboys. 

And that does it for this photo series. On Sunday, we’ll be at the Colts vs. Packers game. Good night.