HAPPY MAY!

Oh, summer is in the air. Yesterday was my last day of classes as a junior undergrad student, and by this time next week, I'll be on my way home to Long Island for a wonderful summer of working my butt off in order to afford school next year. Yesterday, the Packers announced the numbers that all of the drafted rookies will be wearing in Green Bay (via the Journal-Sentinel blog):

90 - B.J. Raji
52 - Clay Matthews
70 - T.J. Lang
45 - Quinn Johnson
69 - Jamon Meredith
94 - Jarius Wynn
33 - Brandon Underwood
59 - Brad Jones

Exciting stuff for those desiring new jerseys. I honestly haven't gotten a new Packers jersey since at least 2002, and I still have the same Starter brand Brett Favre green. My plans, when I actually have the money to do so, is to get an Aaron Rodgers white #12, but who knows when that will actually happen.

Also, the construction of Nitschke Field is getting close to finished. Plans are for it to be done just in time for training camp at the end of July.

The Packers are looking into newly released former Cardinal Travis LaBoy. I think this makes a lot of sense if you can sign him for the minimum or near-minimum. He is coming off of biceps surgery, but in five years in Arizona had 23.5 sacks and could provide better competition with Clay Matthews than Brady Poppinga.

Many people in the Packer blogosphere prefer Mike Maycock of the NFL Network to Mel Kiper and Todd McShay of ESPN, and our favoritism gained validity during the NFL draft. From MJD at Shutdown Corner, "Mike Mayock is the mack daddy of mock drafting." In a scoring system explained on MJD's post, Maycock got 10 out of 32 of the first round picks correct, while Kiper got 8.5 and McShay only got 6.

The first video of Madden 2010 gameplay has been leaked, and I found it over on First Cuts (The Sporting News). This is one of the few video games that I still spend money on, so I was very excited to get to see the new gang tackles in this years game.

Nick Barnett has been a very good and consistent "tweeter." This morning he posted a "twit pic" of his wife on a plane. Quite a funny caption for all of the worries going around about the Swine Flu. "Is my wife parinoid or being safe on plane with the new swine flu?" Actually, it's not really that funny at all. But this is a football blog, I'll stay away from medical issues.

Well that's about it for the morning here on Beers, Brats, and Beating the Bears. I might check back in later this afternoon, but if not, have a great first weekend of May! Hope the weather is beautiful wherever you are.

OF COURSE, IT COULD NEVER HAPPEN THAT EASILY

Yes, that's right, the Jets have released Brett Favre. Yes, he is technically retired, but now what? If he comes back, he is free to go wherever he would want to go (aka Minnesota if interested). I, however, truly believe that he is done. You can probably count me as the lone believer. Some people may argue he doesn't want to go out after having the type of end to a season that he did with the Jets last year, but as I watched him play those last few games, you could tell something was different. The fire was gone, and I'm praying that he is too, as much as I never wanted his career to come to an end. It's been a joy Brett, even last year, but please don't drag it on again.

BEARS DRAFT A ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS CHAMPION

No, really, they did. Al Afalava was listed in Oregon State's media guide as the team's 2007 Rock, Paper, Scissors champion. Not really much to say here, just a lot of laughing on my part. Hope others enjoy this story as much as I do. Only 137 days until Packers vs Bears on Opening Weekend 2009!

LIST OF ALL NEW PLAYERS WITH THE PACK

Ok so now that I've taken a few days off (it was way too nice outside to be in at the computer all weekend, between 80 and 90 degrees and beautiful, which is rare in Ithaca, NY), I'm back with a list of all of the players that the Packers have either drafted, signed, or have announced plans to bring in for tryouts in the past few days.

DRAFTED (8):
DT B.J. Raji - Boston College
OLB Clay Matthews - USC
OL T.J. Lang - Eastern Michigan
FB Quinn Johnson - LSU
OL Jamon Meredith - South Carolina
DE Jarius Wynn - Georgia
CB Brandon Underwood - Cincinatti
LB Brad Jones - Colorado

SIGNED AS UNDRAFTED FA (10):
T Andy Hartline - Central Michigan
DE Ron Talley - Delaware
WR Andy Brodel - Iowa
WR Kole Heckendorf - North Dakota State
WR Jamarko Simmons - Western Michigan
WR JaRon Harris - South Dakota State
RB Tyrell Sutton - Northwestern
TE Carson Butler - Michigan
WR Patrick Williams - Colorado
OL Evan Dietrich-Smith - Idaho State

INVITED TO TRYOUTS (SO FAR 2):
QB David Johnson - Tulsa
QB Brian Johnson - Utah

I won't say much here, but how "Ted Thompsonish" is that? For the first time in the history of the universe he didn't draft a wide receiver, so he decides to go out and sign 5, yes FIVE, undrafted free agent wideouts. Ya gotta love it.