Packers Family Night Tickets Still Available

Should we question why Packers Family Night Tickets haven't sold out yet or should we thank our lucky stars that so many tickets have sold? Packers fans are missing Favre, but interested in supporting new quarterback Aaron Rodgers. You can still buy end zone tickets for the Sunday, August 3 scrimmage for face value through the Packers ticket office at Lambeau Field or through Ticketmaster. Another point this brings up is the Sunday night aspect; in years' past the typically sold-out event is held on a Saturday evening. Usually a better night for families, especially those who may travel to Lambeau Field. Nonetheless, if you can get your kids in their best packers gear and spend some quality time with them introducing them to the game of football, you won't regret the $8 ticket price. That's right, Packers tickets for $8. You will blow three times that on a new hat for the game!

Rodgers: "Human Jugs Machine"

In a recent interview Greg Jennings said the following about his new quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, "He has a cannon. We call him the 'Human Jugs Machine. He throws it like a Jugs machine every time." Only on ESPN would this statement not create a little giggle among readers.

Bottom line though for Green Bay Packers fans is the fact that this statement was made at all. Players are saying that they knew all along that Rodgers can throw the ball, even if he will always be compared to that pesty #4. Head Coach Mike McCarthy said that for the past 3 years they have been working to drop his ball carriage, a trait Rodgers picked up in college at Cal State.

One good thing to this transition is that Rodgers isn't brand new to the team, he has been Packer for years and is a familiar face in the locker room and at Lambeau Field.

Who is Pro Bowl Cornerback Al Harris?

The guy is more than just a Packers player with dreadlocks. He hasn't missed an NFL game since the 1998 NFL season. Voted to play and start in the 2008 NFL Pro Bowl, Packers fans are happy to have such a quality cornerback on board. That said, Harris did have a tough game on his hands in the NFC Championship loss at Lambeau this past January. Harris was matched up with New York Giants' Plaxico Burress in what became such a heartbreaking loss for the Packers players and fans. Burress just had the game of his life and Harris just couldn't get the elevation to beat him.

One team had to lose that game.

Moving on to the upcoming season, Al Harris is ready for action. Along with Charles Woodsen and a few other vets, Harris will be relied upon to help lead the rookies. Harris has played in every game since he came to the Packers in 2003. That alone sets a nice example of toughness, both mentally and physically. With his bump-and-run style, Harris ensured his place in the record books with the Packers in a Wild Card game against the Seattle Seahawks in 2004 when in overtime, he intercepted Matt Hasselback's pass for a touchdown. Having been at that game, I will say that I will NEVER forget how great that moment was. The crowd was CRAZY!

Let's get to the good stuff. The muscles, dreads and tattoos. Share in a ton of great photos on his Al Harris' My Space page. He seems to be a good guy, dedicating time and energy to those in need.

Packers History Could Help in No-Cap Future

In 2010, the salary cap in the NFL, which had been in place since 1993, will be going bye-bye, allowing big time players to ask for some big time cash. The chatter with regard to this development and it's effect on the Packers chances to compete is bleak. With team owners like Jerry Jones, Daniel Snyder, Bob Kraft, each with very deep pockets, it may be a challenge for the league's only community-owned, non profit team to compete.

The Green Bay Packers current roster and contracts already have an hint of the cap elimination. For example, Aaron Rodgers will have his shot this fall to step in to Brett Favre's shoes as the Packers quarterback, if all goes well, Rodgers' current contract is through 2009, allowing for some tough negotiations ahead for the team and a potential windfall for Rodgers. I have no argument with that. Rodgers has waited patiently for his shot and if he performs, he deserves to get paid. The question is, will the Packers be signing his paycheck in 2010, or will it be for a rival team with unlimited funds?

This is not to say the Packers organization hasn't planned for this day. For years, they have stayed under the cap, storing funds for such a "rainy" day.

My real point here is to address the one thing the Green Bay Packers can offer, other teams cannot. The mystique of the team, the field they play on, the Coach Lombardi factor and the rest of the storied history of the franchise. Sure players will end up living part of the year in the NFL's smallest market, but they will literally be THE biggest fish in the pond. Green Bay treats their Packers players like gold. Green Bay supports the team year round, showing up for all of the practices, scrimmages and related events with bells on. My bet is that there will still be a number of solid players who will sacrifice some cash to experience the opportunity to wear Packers' Green and Gold each Sunday.

Packers Give Favre His Old Locker

Rather than creating mass hysteria as to which Packers player would next use the locker once used by former Packers quarterback Brett Favre, the team has decided to just give it to #4. As players starting coming in to Green Bay and streaming in to the locker room this Spring, none touched Favre's old locker, in fact most took pictures. ESPN even created a build your own Favre Locker shrine on their site. The team is going to have a new locker built and installed by the end of July, by the time practices are in full swing for the fall NFL season.

I will now await the very special day, when Brett and Deanna invite me over to their pad for a cookout and a tour of their decked out rec room. They have to have some time on their hands now. I will bring a nice dish to pass.

Packers Tickets Around for Brown County Residents

The Green Bay Packers ticket office has offered up 4,000 Packers tickets to each home game at Lambeau Field to the local county residents via a lottery. This system has been in place since the renovation of Lambeau a few years ago, making many local fans very happy, but this year there is a change. The Packers may need to hold a third lottery to complete the sale of all the Brown County-designated seats. I wouldn't necessarily chalk this entirely up to the retirement of Quarterback Brett Favre, I think there are some additional factors like the cost of gas and milk these days. That along with with some gambling that ticket buyers may be able to score reasonably priced Packers tickets through friends or local ticket brokers. There are a lot of unknowns about the upcoming season. Expectations remain high even without Favre, but if the Packers get off to a 0-3 record, I can assure you Packers ticket prices will reach a decade low. I prefer the flip side, but now for the later games, as they are cheap, like $100 for end zone seats, and watch the Packers, lead by Aaron Rodgers clinch the NFC Central in an ice-cold December game at Lambeau. Now that's what I'm talking about.

Packers Herron Saves the Day

Noah Herron, Green Bay Packers running back, saved the day when some scumbags broke in his Green Bay home this past Friday night. After hearing glass break in the basement, Herron took a bedpost from his room and got the two guys. One of these dirtballs remains in the hospital and the other was caught by police. Noah Herron saves the day! There had been a string of burglaries in the area which now hopefully will come to an end. Thankfully the police got it right and had absolutely no reason to give Herron a hard time, saying his use of force was reasonable and justified given the intrusion. I will say that is was pretty crazy that he went wandering downstairs with a bedpost, which wouldn't hold up in a gun fight. I am glad the good guy won.