FINALLY AN ANSWER... KINDA

The Green Bay Press-Gazette understands my yearning for the schedule to be released. And the NFL has answered my call for the schedule. Tuesday night it will be! Ah, excitement fills the air, as I await the announcement of the Packers game on October 18th, PRAYING it is a home game. Help me out NFL! I'm just a kid with a dream!

THE NFL IS KILLING ME

Ever since I decided on my road trip to Wisconsin, the question as to whether or not the whole trip will work out the way I want it to has been in the NFL's hands. And they just won't let me know! When they released the opening weekend games and the few prime time matchups, I was sure that the rest of the schedule would soon follow. Not so much.

PLEASE NFL, I'M BEGGING OF YOU, RELEASE THE REST OF THE SCHEDULE AND HAVE THE PACKERS IN GREEN BAY ON OCTOBER 18TH!!

THE LAMBEAU LEAP IS SO SWEET IT WAS TURNED INTO A SONG

While many Packer fans probably knew about CWA, some other music that has come from Titletown went a little bit less noticed. Well, at least as far as I can tell. Remember Robert Brooks? Yeah, thought so. Number 87 was a great receiver for the Pack from 1992-1998, and after tearing his ACL in the Super Bowl championship season of 1996, he came back to help lead the team to Super Bowl XXXII and received the Comeback Player of the Year award. Injuries ended his career after a short try at a comeback with the Denver Broncos in 2000, but Brooks caught 32 of Brett Favre's career TD passes, and the following stat stands out even more to me: The Packers were 24-2 in games in which Favre threw a TD to Brooks. That is outstanding, and it proves how important he was to the Pack's return to prominance in the 1990's. But what is often forgotten, maybe rightfully so, was his music career while with the green and gold.

Ah, this may strike up a memory in some minds, but others may be thinking, "What? Robert Brooks' music career?" Again, on one of our many family trips to Green Bay, my cousin asked me if I had heard Robert Brooks' song "Jump." Being from New York, of course I hadn't, the same way I had never heard Cheeseheads With Attitude until a family vacation. So he put the tape in (yes, the cassette tape) and I listened. Back then, I thought it was awesome. Robert Brooks had made a song about the Lambeau Leap! Looking at it now, my god, what was he thinking? He created a record label "Shoo-In 4 Life" and produced two CDs called "Jump" and "Down Wit' Tha Bay." Brooks explains his musical pursuits on his official website, which clearly has not been updated in years.

Please, I beg you to take the time out of your day to watch the music video Brooks made for "Jump."

CONTINUING THE MUSIC THEME

In honor of Aaron Rodgers weekend in Vegas, more specifically his Sunday night with Lady Antebellum's Hillary Scott, a couple of music-themed posts have found there way to my fingertips at a perfect time.

After one of our many family trips to Wisconsin, years ago, we returned home with a CD by a group called Cheeseheads With Attitude. It was called "Straight Outta Wisconsin," and it was hilarious. So, recently, I decided to look more into this CD and the parody-based, pro-Packer musical group. Some of the things I found were quite interesting, but for my post today, the humor will be the highlight (due to the fact that it is April 7th and snowing in central New York).


First, Stevie Rachelle, who attained fame by being the lead singer of the 80's glam band Tuff, was a member of CWA. Rachelle grew up in Wisconsin and graduated from Oshkosh West High School before moving to California and striking up his original music career. CWA created parodies, like the famed Weird Al Yankovic, by taking hit songs' melodies and altering the lyrics to take a pro-Packer form. The most widely known example is the Cheesehead's take on Beck's "Loser." The Wisconsin trio struck fame with their version entitled "Cheesehead Baby." The transformation of the lyrics is as follows:

Beck: Soy un perdedor. I'm a loser baby, so why don't you kill me?
CWA: Oh, gosh darnit don'tcha know, I'm a cheesehead baby, the pride of Wisconsin.

Cheeseheads With Attitude even performed in front of 10,000 fans at the official Super Bowl XXXII pep rally in San Diego, CA. That performance featured a song off of their second CD "Cheesehead's For Life" entitled "P-A-C-K", a parody of the famed "YMCA" by the Village People. The refrain was changed to, "It's fun to cheer for the P-A-C-K... Wearin' green and the gold, Lambeau covered in snow, You can tailgate out in the cold."

A chain record store's district manager even said at one point that Cheeseheads With Attitude was outselling Garth Brooks and the Spice Girls in many Wisconsin stores during the 1996 holiday season. An official history of the trio can be found here. CD's and MP3's can easily be found on the internet at sites like Amazon.

QUIET TIME

Right now is quiet time, it seems, around 1265 Lombardi Avenue. While the organization is hard at work still breaking down draft prospects and some players are working hard with the new strength and conditioning coach, not much that is going on is newsworthy. That's why Aaron Rodgers is making news for being in Vegas this past weekend. Being a ladies man. See here. Oh, but A-Rod wasn't done after spending Saturday night with that blonde. Sunday night, Rodgers was seen out and about with country group Lady Antebellum's lead singer Hillary Scott, pictured above. Looks like Rodgers went 2-0 this weekend. And his "newsworthy" weekend has given me some ideas for posts during this quiet time in Titletown!

Does that make him 3-0?

HILARIOUS

Green Bay, Booze, and Broads posted a video yesterday "In honor of Jay Cutler", who is known to have diabetes. Because I am basically a religious The Price is Right viewer, I see these commercials all the time and find this absolutely hilarious.

MY TAKE ON THE JAY CUTLER DEAL

So by now it is old news that Jay Cutler has been traded to the dreaded Bears. I talked about my thoughts of possible trades to the NFC North the other day. Acquiring Jay Cutler definitely helps Chicago, but I think that they definitely slowed their all around team improvement process by making this deal:

Chicago Gets:
Jay Cutler
2009 5th Round Pick

Denver Gets:
Kyle Orton
2009 1st Round Pick
2009 3rd Round Pick
2010 1st Round Pick

So they improved at a position that has basically been a revolving door since Jim McMahon. They desperately needed a quarterback. But what about the rest of the team? By giving up two first round picks and a third round pick, they have drastically lowered the chances of actually getting a wide receiver for Cutler to throw to. Right now he has Devin Hester, a realistic number 3 receiver, as his number one option. The defense has been very questionable over the past few years, and could definitely use some new blood to regain the physicality and fear it had just a few years ago during their Super Bowl run.

They also signed Orlando Pace yesterday in an attempt to sure up the left tackle position. I'm on board with this move for Daaaa Bears. They needed somebody, and a seven time Pro Bowler can be the answer. But if I'm Jerry Angelo, I'm not done yet. They need to take a serious look into acquiring Torry Holt or Marvin Harrison. Neither is at the skill level they once were, but Angelo can't give up so much for a top-tier quarterback and then leave him out to dry with no options. Trading for Jay Cutler was a great move for the Chicagoans, but by giving up so much to acquire him, he has become just the first step in a number of moves that must be made to justify this blockbuster deal.

MY BID FOR TAKING MICHAEL CRABTREE IF STILL AVAILABLE AT NUMBER NINE PICK

First of all, I realize that this does not fill one of the immediate needs that has been created by either the switch to the 3-4 or the aging and injuries to our offensive tackles. This pick, however, could do so much for the team. And we know Ted Thompson likes to take highest value/best player available over need. So at number nine, Michael Crabtree has inexplicably fallen because of his injury and is still available. The Packers choose him. Why?

1. As I already stated, Thompson is known to pick for highest value/best player available.

2. Donald Driver, while still a very legitimate receiver, will not be for very much longer. He turned 34 in February, and even Jerry Rice had somewhat of a downturn (in Jerry Rice-esque fashion) after he turned 34. He was only elected to two Pro Bowls after the season during which he reached 34. Same with Cris Carter. After he turned 34, he was elected to one Pro Bowl (when he was 35) and only played three more seasons. Marvin Harrison's last Pro Bowl season was the year in which he was 34. Since, there has been a strong downturn in production, and he is currently struggling to even find a team.

3. The Arizona Cardinals defense. Also, see Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald, and even Steve Breaston. The Cardinals finished 28th in the league in 2008 in team defense. Yet, they made it to the Super Bowl? How the...? Oh that's right, Kurt Warner and his receivers. They finished DEAD LAST in rushing yards as well. Their passing game was just too good. The Packers defense finished 26th in '08, and the rushing game 17th. But think about this: Aaron Rodgers would have Greg Jennings and Michael Crabtree for the future. That sounds like a Boldin/Fitzgerald-esque 1-2 to me. And that leaves room for Donald Driver to continue producing at whatever level he can for the next few years until he is done, and then James Jones or Jordy Nelson can step in and be Steve Breaston-like. It gives more leeway to Thompson if either Jones or Nelson doesn't develop and equate to the third and second round pick, respectively, that he spent on them. The team wouldn't need to continue trying to find a pass-catching tight end; Ben Patrick was the leading receiver at TE for the Cards and only had 11 receptions. They could stick to a run-blocking tight end, and Ryan Grant and Brandon Jackson could be solid running backs for the future that would, for sure, keep the team from ever finishing last in the league in rushing.

While I know it is said that offense wins games and defense wins championships, this one pick could sure as heck win a lot of games in the future for the Pack, and the issues on the defensive side of the ball could be addressed later in the draft.

INTERESTING PERSPECTIVE ON TED THOMPSON'S GENERAL MANAGING

Packer Update took an interesting look at Ted Thompson's strategy of being pretty quiet during free agency and building his team from within (ie the draft). Only 17.7% of the players currently on the Packers roster have worn another team's jersey in a regular season game. This is much lower than a team like the Minnesota Vikings, at 29.3%, which Packer Update claims is near the league average.

Because I am a big baseball fan, this reminds me of the New York Yankees. Although I am a big Yankee hater, when they were winning championships in the 1990's, it was with players from in-house that they brought up through their system. Since, they have become a team that delves into huge free agent contracts, they have had the league's highest payroll every year, yet they have not won a championship since 2000. While the numbers in baseball are quite different, in relation, it follows the same idea. In 1998, a historic season with 114 regular season wins and a World Series championship, only 54.06% of the players on the Yankees had played for a different team. Compare that to the 76.29% of the San Diego Padres, the team that they swept 4-0 in the World Series. In 2008, the world champion Philadelphia Phillies had only 57.5% of their players that hadn't come up through their system.

Maybe the comparison between the NFL and MLB is farfetched, but hey, when you're a Packers fan sitting around watching other teams make moves to improve themselves, and Ted Thompson is sitting still and banking on the draft, you gotta reach for something. Even Nick Barnett thinks that some help could be used.

APRIL FOOLS JOKES ALREADY BEING PLAYED IN AND AROUND TITLETOWN

Cheesehead TV posted "Peppers To The Packers: It's Official" and then linked to a Youtube of the muppets. I'm loving this Twitter thing. Nick Barnett, just minutes ago, tweeted "Hey every one. I have some bad news.. I have just been traded to the Minnesota Vikings :-( " Oh man, April 1st it is, and tweet on Nick Barnett, tweet on.

RIGHT ON TIME MR. SILVERSTEIN

In yesterday's Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Tom Silverstein wrote an article entitled "NFC North Still Has Call to Arms." While his point is well made and well taken, the news out of Denver this evening is disheartening for any Packer fan. Broncos CEO and president Pat Bowlen released the following statement:

"Numerous attempts to contact Jay Cutler in the last 10 days, both by Head Coach Josh McDaniels and myself, have been unsuccessful.

A conversation with his agent earlier today clearly communicated and confirmed to us that Jay no longer has any desire to play for the Denver Broncos.

We will begin discussions with other teams in an effort to accommodate his request to be traded."

Yes, that's right; Jay Cutler is officially on the block. And why should this concern Packer backers? BECAUSE THE OTHER TEAMS IN OUR DIVISION ALL CURRENTLY HAVE INADEQUATE NFL QUARTERBACKS ON THEIR ROSTER:

Detroit -
Daunte Culpepper - washed up.
Drew Stanton - Detroit beat writers say he'll struggle to even make the '09 roster.
Drew Henson - tenure probably over, as QB coach (same one he had at Michigan) left for South Florida

Chicago -
Kyle Orton - has a neard (neckbeard).
Caleb Hanie - wait who? What's his name?
Brett Basanez - played at Northwestern. Believed to be signed strictly "for the fanbase."

Minnesota -
Sage Rosenfels - maybe the most legitimate of all with 30 TD and 29 INT in career. Not saying much if he's the most legit.
Tarvaris Jackson - Mr. I Play OK But Will Never Be Good Enough. Or more simply, Mr. Mediocre.
John David Booty - last name says it all.

So this means, in my eyes, all three of these teams should make a play for Cutler. Likely, all three will at least make contact with the Broncos, but we can only pray that for the Packers sake, a team like the Jets or Buccaneers makes a stronger push for Cutler's services. Thank you Josh McDaniels, for coming from the dirty New England Patriots and running a franchise quarterback out of town.

AS PROMISED...

A follow up to Nick Barnett's tweet about meeting new defensive coordinator Dom Capers... "Ok meet with capers so far I have a really good feeling about him.. Also the strengh program is real good!!" Barnett also added soon after, "Kevin Greene seems like he's going to be intense LOL imagine him moss together whoa!!!" Nick seems to take his involvement with Twitter quite seriously; in the past twelve hours he has tweeted on his own nine times, in addition to responding to fellow Twitter users' questions. I like this.