Another Packer up-date from the friendly confines of Green Bay. Happy reading!
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Greetings from Green Bay, where I'm finishing a delightful week of vacation at home. Evan and I had lots of little adventures. On Sunday, Janet, Evan and I spent part of Mother's Day in Oshkosh, checking out Ed and Ardy's, a little drive-in that serves homemade root beer and has carhops on roller skates.
On Memorial Day weekend, we'll head to Stoughton for a wedding, and that means a stop at Armstrong's Stand in Jefferson for really good burgers.
If you're into hockey, you may know that Green Bay is Titletown again. The Green Bay Gamblers, a Junior A team in the USHL, last week won the national tournament in Springfield, Ill., for the 2nd consecutive year. They also are repeat USHL regular-season champs.
Now for the Packers.
-- DE Sean Jones retired last week, joining ex-teammate Keith Jackson as a studio analyst for TNT. Jones' decision came after he ruptured a disc in his back while lifting weights late last month. It was bad enough that he wouldn't have passed the physical before training camp. A quote from Jones, who'd been pondering a return as a backup: "I think what happened in my situation was, it was over with. It's done. I just needed something to prove it to me."
Jones expects to return to the NFL some day in a front-office job. A quote from Jones: "I fully expect in the next 5 years to either be in some capacity as a (GM) or assistant GM. And (my) long-term goal is to put together a group that's going to own a football team. I'm not going to say we're going to try; we're going to own a team. That's what my goals are." He and Packers GM Ron Wolf have talked about such a front-office move. A quote from Wolf: "I would think it's right for him whenever he'd like to do it."
Jones' retirement leaves Gabe Wilkins as the apparent starter at right DE. It also leaves a big hole at the backup spot. The leading backup DEs are Shannon Clavelle and Walter Scott. DTs Jermaine Smith or Darius Holland could be used there, too. Wolf concedes the Packers might acquire another DE before training camp. For now, though, he says: "One of these young guys has to step forward."
-- The Packers and LB Wayne Simmons are negotiating a new deal, but are far apart on the money. The Packers are reportedly offering a 1-year deal for little more than $1 million. Simmons reportedly won't take less than the $1.3 million being paid to LB Ron Cox. Simmons is in no hurry. He figures he'll get other offers next month after teams cut expensive veterans to clear room under the salary cap.
-- One of those veterans likely to be cut June 1 is Cardinals LB Seth Joyner, who'd love to play for the Packers. He'll likely be seeking a multiyear deal averaging $2 million a year, but has told the Packers he'd accept a salary cap-friendly deal for this season. Joyner, 32, played with DE Reggie White on the Eagles and would like to be reunited with his pal. Joyner is another vet who's never won a playoff game and would like a Super Bowl ring. If the Packers are able to sign Joyner, look for Cox to be cut. They've said they won't keep Cox as a $1.3 million backup.
-- Just a reminder that Chiefs QB Steve Bono will be joining the Packers after he's cut on June 1.
-- Retired LT Ken Ruettgers will be getting a Super Bowl ring after all. Wolf and Packers president Bob Harlan finally confirmed it last week, insisting that Ruettgers has been on the list all along. Why they didn't say so earlier is a bit of a mystery.
A quote from Ruettgers, whose bad knees forced him retire in November: "Nobody ever told me I wasn't going to receive one, nor did they say I was. I never felt I had a claim on it, that's for sure. It wasn't my decision. It was a decision that was going to be made by quality men. Either decision would have been justified as the right decision. ... But it was a nice affirming decision."
Some folks in Green Bay got 4,222 signatures on a petition in support of Ruettgers, but Harlan says that wasn't a factor in the decision. Another quote from Ruettgers: "It was a good feeling to be supported by the community like that. Of all the pro cities around the country, something like that could only happen in Green Bay."
-- Life in a small town: I saw LB George Koonce at the Y last week, working in the pool. Don't know whether it was therapy for his knee or just an alternative upper-body workout. We also see radio announcer Larry McCarren from time to time, running on the indoor track. Since the Packers expanded their facilities to include a gym, we don't see the players as often at the Y. The Packers of the '80s used to be regulars for pickup basketball during the offseason. When I went to a movie last week, I parked near HB James Bostic's truck. And, of course, Evan's day care classmate is Dylan Chmura, the son of TE Mark Chmura.
-- The Packers, always seeking more sources of revenue, are close to signing a deal with a New York marketing firm that has worked with the NBA.
-- QB Ronnie McAda, the Packers' last draft pick, got a $22,500 signing bonus on his 2-year deal.
-- White is reportedly getting $200,000 for his pro wrestling match against ex-teammate Steve McMichael in the WCW pay-per-view event on May 18 in Charlotte, N.C.
-- HB Travis Jervey returns to the NFL's Fastest Man Competition, which will be taped May 31 in Dallas and aired on NBC on Saturday, Sept. 13. Last year, he finished 4th out of 6 players.
Now, the viewer mail
-- Mike in Pittsburgh and Jim in Valley Cottage, N.Y., have what I suspect are common questions about the Packers' plans for selling more stock. Nothing has been announced yet, so relax. The NFL still must approve any sale of stock. The Packers haven't said how much money they hope to raise, nor whether the stock would be offered to the public, nor what it would cost, nor how many shares could be purchased by one person. When it's announced, I'll pass it along.
-- Keith in Calgary, Alberta, has another common question: How do I get on the waiting list for season tickets? Send your request to Mark Wagner, ticket director, Green Bay Packers, P.O. Box 10628, 1265 Lombardi Ave., Green Bay, WI 54307-0628. Tell them whether you want 2 or 4 seats. Keep your address
current after you get on the list. That's it.
-- Jeff in Plano, Texas, has tracked down WR Bill Schroeder's World League statistics. Through 3 weeks, he had 15 catches for 173 yards and 2 TDs, and I believe he was leading the league. The Web site is at
worldleague.com
-- Dean in Menomonie would like to know a little more about Travis Williams' life after football. After starring on the Packers' 1967 championship team, Williams was out of the NFL by the early '70s. In the '80s, he was plagued by homelessness and illness.
-- Michael is getting maried in September and would like to have the wedding party dance the Packarena at the reception. If you have the instructions, he's at zagma@ringdu.com
A couple of comments on viewer mail, and on the updates in general
-- I'll no longer list requests from people seeking to buy or sell memorabilia, or to gauge the value of their memorabilia. I also won't list requests from people seeking to buy or sell tickets.
--If you know someone who'd like to receive the updates, they won't get on the list until they send me a message with 3 things: their real 1st name, the city and state in which they live, and the e-mail address to which they want the updates sent. These are the rules.
-- If you're forwarding the updates to other people, thank you. It's a drag getting requests from folks wanting to be added to the list because the person they've been getting them from is unreliable.
Thanks for your cooperation.
These days, I'm dealing with more than 1,o00 subscribers (up from 1,200 in just a year) and unknown thousands getting it second-hand. I've decided against creating a Web page for the updates. I simply think e-mail is a more personal medium, and I prefer that.
That said, your questions, comments and e-mail address changes (new and old addresses, please) are welcome as always at jeffash@netnet.net
This week's sources: Green Bay Press-Gazette, Packer Plus home page (http://www.onwis.com/packer/news).
This week's soundtrack: 2 compilations of blues from Antone's Records of Austin, Texas. One of the cuts is "Evan Shuffle," a Muddy Waters tune performed live by James Cotton and Hubert Sumlin at the old club on Guadalupe.
If Evan would shuffle, even occasionally, we'd appreciate it. But he runs everywhere. We walked down to Osco the other night, and he ran across the old Allouez School playground as fast as his feet would go, checking out construction barrels, a Port-a-Potty and an old basketball hoop pulled out of
the ground. Janet and I can't leave the back screen door open, either. He'll be out in a flash, regardless of whether we lock it. He's figured that out already.
Thanks, Jeff
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scott |
