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• PACKERS TEAM REPORT• McCarthy restless, injured Packers players hungry • Donald Driver was in a walking boot until the end of April • Mike McCarthy explains this week's player exodus • McCarthy preaches focus
Today was a hectic day within the Packers’ administrative and football offices with all the cuts, signings, and contracts going on. But outside, it was a quiet day with no public events planned. We went over and checked out the practice field — the Ray Nitschke Field — as it was prepared for the first practice of Training Camp 2011, to be held on Saturday night at 7:00 p.m.
The grandstand bleachers sit empty, awaiting the first fans of the new season.
One of the three entrance gates to the practice facility.
The backside of the stands which face the parking lot.
Training Camp banners hung for the new year.
Can you ever see too many Packer “G” logos? We don’t think so.
The crew works on getting the field painted with yard lines, hash marks, and yard-line numbers.
The area which contains some miscellaneous equipment, such as the “cooling station.” This has been mandatory in the N.F.L. since the heat-related death of Minnesota’s Korey Stringer in 2001.
The headquarters of the Packers’ Turf Department.
Here is a view of Lambeau Field with Clarke Hinkle Field in the foreground. This was where Training Camp practices were held before the newer facility behind the Don Hutson Center opened last year.
Make sure those lines are straight, fellas.
The back side of the Don Hutson Center.
This equipment will be used for the first time in 2011 on Saturday.
The view of Lambeau while looking down Armed Forces Drive (formerly Packer Drive).
The front side of the Don Hutson Center.
We mentioned the visit from the Broadway cast of “Lombardi” being at the annual meeting yesterday. Here is a publicity shot of the cast.
So long, Mark Tauscher. Thank you for your years as an anchor on the Packers’ offensive line.
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Today we headed north to spend a nine days with your World Champion Green Bay Packers. It’s always good to see the signs leading to Titletown on Interstate 43.
Even though Training Camp 2011 practices don’t open to the public until Saturday evening, we arrived today to attend the annual Shareholders’ Meeting, which is held inside of Lambeau Field, rain or shine. The weather cooperated, although it was quite warm and humid. Above, this was the scene while walking across Lombardi Avenue on the way the event.
Before the meeting, they always show highlights of the previous year’s football season. Obviously, this year the highlights were better than usual.
The view from the Packerville, U.S.A. staff’s seats for the annual meeting. We have never missed a meeting since the 1997 stock sale.
Looking at some of the crowd, which occupied the east side of Lambeau Field.
Packers’ president Mark Murphy emceed the meeting, as well as sharing many things from last year and the future from his perspective.
The crowd of shareholders and their guests (11,700 in attendance) listen intently to the speakers.
The highlight of each meeting is the general manager’s football report. With the lockout this offseason keeping them from getting to know their new players, Ted Thompson did not concentrate on specific personnel as he usually does. He talked more of last year and the big picture of things moving forward to 2011.
The speakers were also shown on the video boards, along with slides of information. Next year the Packers will install huge HD video screens at each end of Lambeau, which are four times larger than these current screens.
This is what Lambeau Field would’ve looked like this fall if there was not a settlement of the lockout.
They have not installed the "2010" to their list of N.F.L. championships in Lambeau’s interior yet. That will happen at the first home game this season against the Saints.
These are two of the many new loudspeakers that were added around the stadium’s interior, on the roof of the skyboxes. They will replace the two sets of speakers in each end zone. The newly enhanced sound today seemed to be quite good.
Several of the speakers had to do with the other non-football aspects of the corporation. Of course, being an annual meeting, the financials are covered thoroughly. Things are good for the Packers.
They also showed a short video which gave a hint of the coming addition of seating in the open south end of Lambeau. The video can be seen on the Packers’ website here.
The Lambeau Field turf has no football field painted on it yet. We are curious as to what these devices are that were to the left of the stage area.
At the completion of the annual meeting, General Manager Ted Thompson heads off to get back to his duties on a busy day of personnel changes in the N.F.L. Some of that can be read in the news links provided below.
Hey look! Here comes Paul Hornung, Jim Taylor, and Dave Robinson from the Lombardi Era. Wait... what?! Each year, the shareholders get a “treat” (for lack of a better word) after the meeting. In the past, that has included tours of the locker room, the Don Hutson Center (their indoor practice facility), etc. Today, we watched a reading of several scenes from the Broadway production of the play Lombardi. The original New York cast was in town for several performances and were invited to the meeting.
Judith Light (famous for the T.V. show Who’s the Boss?) plays Marie Lombardi, and let the audience know just what it was like to be married to Vince Lombardi.
Dan Lauria (who played the father on T.V.’s The Wonder Years) portrays Packers head coach Vince Lombardi. This was the first time in 44 years that the voice of “Lombardi” was heard yelling inside Lambeau Field. It was really neat to hear.
“Lombardi” and his “team” leave the field. It had to be a cool experience for the actors as well.
Lambeau clears out after the meeting and performance.
Lambeau on a less busy occasion than game day.
She’ll sit empty for a couple of weeks — until we come back up for the first preseason game against Mike Holmgren’s Cleveland Browns.
The Lambeau Field Atrium was full of activity afterwards with food and several vendors.
Our lunch — how can you come here and not get a bratwurst?
New banners are up for the start of Training Camp 2011.
The larger-than-life statue of Vince watches over things.
What a great street name.
Dinner this evening was at Curly’s Pub in the stadium’s atrium. This has become a tradition on the night after the annual meeting.
Our delicious grilled chicken sandwich.
A look inside the restaurant.
The man behind the name... the man who started it all.
A quiet atrium on a Thursday night before camp opens...
... and an evening of quite heavy rain. We hope you’ve enjoyed your visit to Green Bay today. Check back for more from your World Champion Green Bay Packers’ Training Camp.
• PACKERS TEAM REPORT
