I was watching one of NFL Network’s many, many Top 10 shows today — something about the [...]]]> I’ve resisted griping about this issue for a long time, since one of the first things they teach you in communications classes is to recognize biases and how they corrupt perceptions. But I’m going to go with it anyway.

I was watching one of NFL Network’s many, many Top 10 shows today — something about the Top 10 college football factories of all time — and it was like every player they showed was doing something against the Packers. I mean, Shaun Freaking Alexander, who went to Alabama and played for Seattle, only meeting up with the Packers a few times, got all of his highlights in the 2004 NFC Divisional Playoff Game. Really? He ran for 45 yards on 20 carries in that game. Three chip-shot touchdowns don’t do much for me.

Now, the Packers got their share of highlights, too (a few of Reggie from Tennessee, Starr and Hutson from Alabama, one shot of Desmond Howard and Charles Woodson each from Michigan, and one – or one more than there should have been- of A.J. Hawk from Ohio State). But if you’re going to show two Heisman winners from Michigan who had their best NFL moments with the Packers, is it too much to ask to get more than one shot? And one of Paul Hornung? One? The Packers should get some love in these things because they’ve had great players. That’s the point of them.

And this just scrapes the surface of the issue. Every time I see a highlight clip from the Vikings, it’s against the Packers -especially now that they’ve got ESPN’s favorite son. I might be totally wrong on this, but I see one team after the next getting feted by ESPN and the like with highlights of things they did against the Packers.

Is it because Green Bay has the smallest media market in pro sports, and theoretically the least to offer the New York media types? Maybe. But this is a national – nay, international – fanbase, and while Green Bay itself is tiny, the entire state of Wisconsin is watching every week. It’s one of the three or four marquee franchises in the league. Having seen enough New York media members look like they’re going to be sick every time they have to step outside the Big Apple, slighting Green Bay makes sense. Because why would anyone leave New York for the cold, snowy cow towns in Wisconsin? Oh, what’s that? Vince Lombardi would?

I have no data to prove any of this, and I apologize for the fanboy rant vibe of this post. The frequent visitors to OBOD know we don’t roll like that very often. But I’ve talked to enough Packers fans who are bugged by this trend that I wanted to throw it out there.

You know what we need? A Packers lobbying firm to count how many positive and negative images are shown of the Packers during a given week, kind of like they do with poltical ads during an election.

I’d love to hear from some others who have seen the anti-Packers bias on highlight shows. Unburden your soul. We’re here for you. Or tell me I’m completely wrong; that’s fine, too.

Just needed to get that off my chest. Good talk. Thanks.

–Gene Bosling

For part two of OBOD’s all-time 53-man roster, we’ll fill out the remaining “skill positions.”

(Side note: I put that in quotation marks because I’ve never understood why that term is used. Doesn’t it take skill to play offensive line? How [...]]]> In part one of our series, we gave you the offensive backfield. Boy, was that fun, huh?

For part two of OBOD’s all-time 53-man roster, we’ll fill out the remaining “skill positions.”

(Side note: I put that in quotation marks because I’ve never understood why that term is used. Doesn’t it take skill to play offensive line? How bout defensive line or linebacker? It does, right? It’s a dumb term – hence the quotation marks.)

So, here they are: the wide receivers and tight ends.

Wide receivers

Starter: Don Hutson (1935-1945) – Where does one even begin to describe Hutson, pro football’s first superstar and arguably still the greatest receiver in the history of the game?

You know what? I’m just going to link to what I wrote about him last summer when I ranked him No. 2 on my “12 greatest players in team history” list.

That pretty much says it all. And, looking back, I was flat-out wrong to put him second. There’s no question he’s No. 1.

Starter: Sterling Sharpe (1988-1994) – Plenty of good, and even great, receivers donned the green and gold after Hutson hung up his spikes. But none have been better, post-Hutson, that Sharpe.

Sharpe was a truly dominating presence at the position, despite being just 6-feet tall. He had very good speed, ran picture-perfect routes and caught damn near everything thrown his way (oftentimes, with little help on the other side). He averaged 85 catches and nine touchdowns over his seven seasons, leading the league in receptions three times (with three All-Pro appearances, as well).

His career ended at just 29 years old because of a neck injury. Had he stayed healthy, Sharpe would have been a near-lock for Canton, especially when you consider that Brett Favre was just hitting his prime at the time of Sharpe’s retirement.

No. 3: James Lofton (1978-1986) – My choice of Sharpe over Lofton for last summer’s “12 greatest players” series drew the ire of some readers. I, of course, have nothing against Lofton. He was a great, great wideout while in Green Bay, despite playing on some truly bad teams.

A perfect combination of size (6-feet, 3-inches) and speed, Lofton recorded 9,656 yards and 49 touchdowns as a Packer. Those numbers were enough to earn him seven consecutive trips to the Pro Bowl. He’s still the franchise’s all-time leader in receiving yards, although he’ll likely be passed this season (more on that in a bit).

When he retired following the 1993 season, his 14,004 career yards put him at the top of the NFL’s all-time list (he’s since been passed) and he is a 2003 inductee of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

No. 4: Donald Driver (1999-Present) – Lofton holds the Packers’ career mark for receiving yards. But, really, he’s just keeping the seat warm for this guy, who will, in all likelihood, pass him in 2010 (he sits just 606 yards away and already holds the team’s all-time mark for receptions).

From obscure, seventh round pick in ‘99 to where he is now has certainly been an astounding journey for Driver. Driver is so often credited for his hard-working ways – absolutely warranted – it’s easy to forget how much natural talent he has. He’s lightening fast (and hasn’t lost a step) and has fantastic hands and smarts, the most underrated part of his game.

Throw in his natural charisma and obvious love for the game and the fans and it’s easy to see why Driver is one of the franchise’s most beloved players. He’s got at least two years left in the tank and here’s to hoping he can cheat time a little longer than that.

No. 5: Boyd Dowler (1959-1969) – Like Lofton, Dowler was a great combination of size (6-feet, 5-inches, 225 pounds) and speed (a former sprinter). That indeed made him a massive contributor for the Lombardi Era Packers.

While in Titletown, Dowler recorded 6,918 career yards and 40 touchdowns (he also saw time as a punter in three seasons). He led the team in receiving seven times and was sent to two Pro Bowls for his efforts. My favorite aspect of Dowler’s career, though, is this: He didn’t do much of anything in Super Bowl I after being knocked out extremely early in the game. As frustrating as that was, Dowler bounced back a year later, catching a 62-yard touchdown pass from Bart Starr early in the second quarter of Super Bowl II.

That score gave the Packers a commanding 12-0 lead. They never looked back, going on to defeat the Oakland Raiders, 33-14.

Tight ends

Starter: Paul Coffman (1978-1985) – Like Donald Driver, you can file the start to Coffman’s career in the “unheralded” category. In fact, Coffman might have been even more so.

While working out a teammate of Coffman’s at Kansas State, Coffman approached Green Bay assistant John Meyer and asked if the Packers would give him a tryout. After going undrafted in ‘78, the Packers gave Coffman a shot.

Good call.

In seven seasons – he played eight yet recorded no stats in his rookie season – Coffman averaged 46 catches, just over 603 yards and over five touchdowns. He was rewarded with three trips to the Pro Bowl.

Backup: Ron Kramer (1957-1964) – The star tight ends of today’s NFL are known for being big and strong with great speed and hands.

Such was not the case in the late 1950s – that is, until Kramer came along.

At 6-feet, 3-inches and 240 pounds – big even for today’s standards – Kramer was a massive force in his final four seasons as a Packer (military time and injuries slowed him for the first part of his career). Over that time, he averaged over 34 receptions, just over 550 yards and just under four touchdowns a season. There’s one trip to the Pro Bowl in there, too.

For his career: 170 catches, 2,594 yards and 15 touchdowns. And a cool nickname: “Oaf.”

No. 3: Ed West (1984-1994) – Ah, West – “The Toolbox.” Thinking about him just brings a smile to your face, doesn’t it?

(Note: If it doesn’t, you’re clearly a Bears or Vikings fan. And, seriously, if you are, I’m not even sure why you’re here or who let you in.)

West went undrafted in ‘84, but still found a way to make a significant impact for the Packers.

At 250 pounds (while being just over 6-feet tall), West was a rumbling, “rolling stone gathers no moss” type of tight end. While certainly never the fastest guy on the field, West used his hands and cunning to make his mark. He holds the franchise record for games played by a tight end (167) and recorded 202 receptions for 2,321 yards and 25 touchdowns.

For some strange reason, he’s not in the Packers Hall of Fame. I don’t know why, but I do know that that needs to be rectified. Like now.

That’s all for part two. Check back Friday for part three: the offensive line.

-Chris Lempesis

We’re going a different way here at OBOD.

The Green Bay Packers have been around since 1919 – roughly 91 years – but that isn’t stopping us from selecting OBOD’s All-Time [...]]]> Organizations like to pick nice, even-numbered years to go with all-time teams. Teams will roll these lists out at such grandiose mile-markers as 50 and 75 years.

We’re going a different way here at OBOD.

The Green Bay Packers have been around since 1919 – roughly 91 years – but that isn’t stopping us from selecting OBOD’s All-Time 53-man roster for the Pack.

(See? I told you this series would be a doozy.)

A few notes before we begin:

• This is an idea I’ve had since during the season, but I didn’t begin the process of selecting the names until about six weeks ago. It took a little longer than I first expected.
• In terms of number of players at each position, I’ve tried to duplicate the average NFL roster. That means three quarterbacks, three running backs, etc. I definitely did not keep three fullbacks, for example.
• That, of course, meant there were some tough decisions that needed to be made (imagine having to do this in real life…it must be damn near impossible sometimes). You won’t like my groups for every position, I can guarantee, but just know that I put a lot of time into it and hopefully made the best choices I could. I’m always cool with differing opinions and, hopefully, we can avoid any controversy like we had with last summer’s “12 greatest players” series.
• This series will run over the course of the next two weeks. The offense will be on display this week and next week I’ll shift to the defense/special teams.

Okay, now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s tee this thing up, shall we?

Without further adieu, here is part one of our roster: The backfield.

Quarterbacks

Starter: Bart Starr (1956-1971) – If you want to talk “sexy” numbers, Starr isn’t necessarily your guy. In 16 seasons, he put up 24,718 yards passing, 152 touchdowns and 91 interceptions. Not overwhelming, by any stretch.

But if you want to talk efficiency – a huge stat for quarterbacks – Starr is definitely your guy. His 57.4 percent completion rate was, at the time of his retirement in 1971, the best the NFL had ever seen. For good measure, let’s throw in four Pro Bowls, the 1966 Most Valuable Player award and a 1977 induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The real reason Starr is the starter for my team, however, is this: his leadership. On a team full of colorful – and powerful – personalities, Starr was never once doubted as the leader. He was also the only guy unafraid of standing up to head coach Vince Lombardi (speaking of strong personalities) if he felt he was in the right.

That’s who I’d want running this show.

Backup: Brett Favre (1992-2007) – No synopsis or description here. And you all know why.

No. 3: Arnie Herber (1930-1940) – By today’s standards, Herber’s numbers just wouldn’t stand up. He never threw for more than 1,239 yards and 11 touchdowns in a season.

Then you remember that he played in the 1930s and, well, Herber’s impact becomes a little clearer. Herber was indeed the first truly great QB the Packers had – despite his tiny hands that forced him to palm the ball when he threw it instead of using the laces - and, along with that guy named Hutson, formed the NFL’s first lethal quarterback-to-wideout connection. Herber-to-Hutson has a lovely ring to it, wouldn’t you say?

He led the league in passing three times and finished his time in Green Bay with 6,749 yards passing and 66 touchdowns (okay, he threw 90 interceptions, too, but come on – they were still figuring out that whole “forward pass” thing back then). Roughly 70 years after his time in Green Bay concluded, his touchdown pass total is still good enough for fifth on the team’s all-time list (although I have a feeling he’ll drop to sixth sometime this season).

The NFL certainly recognized his impact as Herber was a 1966 inductee of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Running backs

Starter: Ahman Green (2000-2006, 2009) – I can almost guarantee this is the first choice people will disagree with. But, before you go losing your cool, hear me out. First, it’s important to note that Green is the franchise’s all-time leading rusher (for this franchise, that’s really saying something) with 8,322 yards. He also hit paydirt 54 times and went to the Pro Bowl four times.

Secondly, Green was able to do his damage as, really, the second-option on the team (with Favre, of course, being top dog). For him to be able to do that, that just shows how special he really was. Plus, he wasn’t just a pure runner, either, as he was also an extremely dangerous receiver (2,726 yards).

Finally, remember the skill set Green had. He was lightening fast, for sure, but he possessed very good power, as well. It’s pretty rare to find a guy with both qualities. He had fumble issues, yes, but I’d still feel very comfortable with him being the main ballcarrier on my squad.

Backup: Paul Hornung (1957-1962, 1964-1966) – Players like Cleveland’s Josh Cribbs and Minnesota’s Percy Harvin are looked at as do-it-all players in today’s NFL. Those guys have nothing on Hornung (aka, “The Golden Boy”).

While he never ran for more than 681 yards in a season (1959), Hornung is my No. 2 running back because of his ridiculous versatility. In addition to running the ball, Hornung caught it (1,480 career receiving yards), threw it (383 passing yards and five touchdowns) and even kicked it (66 field goals, 190 PATs). His nose for the endzone (62 touchdowns) doesn’t hurt my case, either. Add it all up and you’ve got the franchise’s fourth all-time leading scorer.

He went to two Pro Bowls, won the 1961 Most Valuable Player award (weirdly, he didn’t get voted to the Pro Bowl that year) and is a 1986 inductee of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. His fun-loving ways would keep the team loose, too. I feel good about this one.

No. 3: Tony Canadeo (1941-1944, 1946-1952) – Green and Hornung were obvious choices. Selecting my No. 3 was a tough call between Canadeo and Johnny “Blood” McNally. I wanted to pick McNally – for God’s sake, the man lept from a balcony to head coach Curly Lambeau’s window ledge to pick up an advance…and Lambeau was staying on the eighth floor! – but, in the end, I had to go with Canadeo (aka, “Grey Ghost of Gonzaga”).

After spending this first half of his career playing multiple roles (running, passing, defense, punting, returns), Canadeo became the top dog in the backfield upon his return to the game after serving in World War II (can you imagine ANY athletes doing that nowadays?).

Canadeo was a tough, hard-nosed runner, with his career year occurring in 1949 as he ran for 1,052 yards and four touchdowns. His 1,000 yard season was the first by a Packer (and only the third ever in the history of the league at that point). His 4,197 career rushing yards still rank him fourth on the team’s all-time list, he is one of only five players to have had his number retired by the team and he is a 1974 inductee of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Fullbacks

Starter: Jim Taylor (1958-1966) – Hornung was “The Golden Boy” for the Lombardi Era Packers, the smooth runner with the nifty footwork. There wasn’t much “Golden”, smooth or nifty about his backfield counterpart, Taylor.

Taylor was a devastating, punishing human being with, to quote an old NFL Films piece on him, “a singular approach to straightfoward mayhem.” He could run around you, yes – but he’d rather go right through you.

That stuff is all great, for sure, but we can’t forget his numbers. Taylor eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark every year from 1960-1964 (recording 66 touchdowns in that time). Those numbers were enough to get him voted to the Pro Bowl in each of those years, as well, and earn him the 1962 Most Valuable Player award.

His 8,207 career rushing yards had him first on the team’s all-time list for 43 years, until Green passed him just last season. And, oh yeah – he’s a 1976 inductee of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 

Backup: Clarke Hinkle (1932-1941) – Hinkle, like Hornung and Canadeo, was extremely versatile. Throughout his career, he played linebacker, kicker and punter in addition to being a brusing ballcarrier and decent receiver.

He racked up 3,860 rushing yards for his career, still good enough for sixth on the team’s all-time list. He also recorded 44 total touchdowns (35 rushing, nine receiving) and even led the league in scoring in 1938.

With Hinkle, though, two things really stand out. First, his mark on the organization was so great that, in 1997, the Packers re-named their practice field in his honor.

And then there’s this: Hinkle was only one of a handful of linebackers tough enough to actually tackle legendary Chicago Bears running back Bronko Nagurski with any regularity. The two had some famous battles in their day, but respect was always there, so much so that when Hinkle was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1964, guess who gave his induction speech?

That’s right – Bronko Nagurski. 

Anyone who can earn that type of respect has to be on this list.

That’s all for part one. Check back Wednesday for part two: wide receivers and tight ends.

-Chris Lempesis

(Yes, I know they signed a receiver who spent most of last season in the Arena League, but I refuse to talk about it, okay?)

That being the case, I’ve decided to have [...]]]> Outside of an impending extension for Nick Collins (fingers crossed), there really isn’t much going on with the Green Bay Packers at the moment.

(Yes, I know they signed a receiver who spent most of last season in the Arena League, but I refuse to talk about it, okay?)

That being the case, I’ve decided to have a little fun with the other big Packers-related news of the day: the casting of Robert De Niro as Vince Lombardi in the biopic of Lombardi’s life, “Lombardi.”

First, let’s talk about De Niro – excuse me, Robert F’in De Niro. Seriously, this is a brilliant bit of casting. Don’t focus so much on the fact that De Niro doesn’t really resemble Lombardi. Instead, focus on the fact that he’s a brilliant character actor who is a master at crawling inside the skin of the people he’s playing (’cause, you know, he’s Robert F’in De Niro and all). Plus, last time I checked, the hair and makeup people in Hollywood are pretty good at what they do, so I’m sure Bobby will look a lot like St. Vincent in the movie. And he is going to crush this role, make no mistake.

Close your eyes. Now, imagine the man who played Jake Freakin’ LaMotta saying the following line: “I have never been on a losing team, gentlemen, and I do not intend to start now.” Yeah – pretty sweet, right?

Also, I’ve heard some griping about the fact that ESPN Films is behind the project. Yes, that wing of the company has had its share of misses, but it’s also done well lately with its “30 for 30″ series. If you don’t believe me, check out the documentary on the University of Miami football program in the 1980s. That was insane.

The film – set to be released on the weekend between the conference title games and the Super Bowl in 2012 – does not have a director yet (some have suggested Martin Scorsese, but if you look at his schedule of upcoming films, I’m pretty sure he’s booked until five years after his death). But it does have a writer: Eric Roth, the man behind such great films as “Forrest Gump”, “The Insider”, “Munich” and “Ali”. And, as Frank Constanza once said, it’s all about the writing. With Roth and De Niro already in the fold, this thing is off to a great start. 

Once the news of this broke Tuesday afternoon, Packers fans were abuzz with casting ideas for the flick. Some were hilarious – the Brett Favre as Bart Starr idea killed me – while others made good, good sense. 

I have my own ideas, of course, and I’m going to offer them to the film’s producers right now, free of charge (big-time movie producers read Green Bay Packers blogs, right?). Remember, the film will chronicle Lombardi’s role in taking the Packers from losers to five-time World Champions, with an added focus on his rivalry with Tom Landry, so there are a handful of key roles to be cast.

Paul Hornung: “The Golden Boy,” known as much for his taste for the nightlife (women, booze and gambling, all parts of a balanced diet) as he was for his elite football skills. The actor playing this role has to be likeable and charming – Lombardi looked at Hornung like a son, remember, despite his flaws - but also has to be kind of a jerk, too. Doesn’t Bradley Cooper (”The Hangover”, “Wedding Crashers”) knock this role out of the park?

Bart Starr: Quiet, calm and steady – with a great heart - Starr was the unquestioned on-field leader of those great Packers teams. While he was the antithesis of Hornung, Starr was equally beloved by his head coach. The actor charged with playing Starr will have his hands full. He has to command every scene he’s in without saying much – a tough task, indeed. Some people will likely kill me for this one, but Matt Damon would be a near-perfect pick. He’s great in roles where he doesn’t have to say much (”The Bourne Identity” films, for example) and would be believable as a leader of men.

Tom Landry: While Lombardi was loud and boisterous, Landry was the exact opposite – reserved and quiet. Similar to Starr, the actor playing this role has to do a lot without saying much. He also has to be an actor of great notoriety, as an unknown actor going up against Robert F’in De Niro just will not cut it. Adam suggested Ed Harris and I have to agree. Think of how he was in “The Rock” – absolutely in charge and powerful, yet not overbearing at all. Great fit.

Ray Nitschke: The toughest S.O.B. to ever walk the Earth, Nitschke was feared by pretty much everyone (he’s been dead all these years and he STILL scares me). The actor who draws this assignment will have to be convincingly terrifying and tough – in other words, most actors need not apply. Despite being 48 years old, Woody Harrelson has a grit and toughness to his acting that would fit the role nicely (”Natural Born Killers,” anyone?). Again, the hair and makeup people can work some magic on making Harrelson look younger. Okay, so I might have borrowed this one from Adam, too, but when he’s right, he’s right.

Marie Lombardi: Come on now, you didn’t think we’d forget about the woman behind St. Vincent, did you? This actress has to be able to hold her own with Robert F’in De Niro, yet never overshadow him, so there should be a quiet nature there. How ’bout Jessica Lange? Not bad, right?

Max McGee: While this film is sure to be heavily dramatic, it will need some comic relief. That will come in the form of whoever gets to play the ever-lovable McGee (still can’t believe he’s gone). Skipping out on curfew the night before the biggest game of his life to go on a bender? What actor WOULDN’T want this role? He’ll have to lose weight and work on the hair, but there’s just something about Danny McBride that makes me think he’d do well here. And, for the love of God, if you haven’t seen “Eastbound and Down” yet, do it now.

Jerry Kramer: Finally, if the film indeed culminates with “The Ice Bowl”, as it has been suggested, they’ll have to get someone to play Kramer (plus, you know, he was a pretty key member of those teams). Shame Chris Farley is gone – he’d have been perfect casting. If you’ve seen “The Full Monty” (or the television show “Still Standing”), you’ll know who Mark Addy is. He’s a big guy and, like Kramer himself, he’s a funny dude. He’s British, but has done American accents well in the past.

And if they need someone to play a Packers blogger, I’ll toss my hat into the ring (they had blogs in the 60s, right?)

So, that rounds out my cast for “Lombardi.” What say you, Packers fans? Who would YOU put in the movie? Comment, baby, comment!

-Chris Lempesis