Pack93z
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14 years ago
A real time look at acquiring Brett before he became Brett.... an opening of the time machine.

Source... 

Mike Holmgren had been coach of the Green Bay Packers for all of two months when he and his wife, Kathy, realized the clout his new position carried. In mid-March they were attending the NFL meetings in Phoenix, where Kathy ran into a delegation of Wisconsin officials who were in town to entice more NFL teams to move their training sites to the Badger State. She asked one member of the group if he knew of a veterinarian in the state who could perform delicate ligament surgery on the Holmgren family dog, Tiger. The next day Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson sought out Mike at the meetings and introduced himself. "Listen," the governor said, "we're going to get your dog fixed up. I don't want you to worry about a thing." Sure enough, Tiger no longer walks with a limp.

Now it's up to Holmgren to return the favor. All he has to do is cure the once-mighty Packers, who have been limping along for a quarter century. The most loyal football fans the NFL has known are standing by, waiting for a miracle to happen. And they know it willsomeday.

The home of the Pack is still dominated by Vince Lombardi. In the team's offices, which are located on Lombardi Avenue, his portrait looms in the lobby, where one of the two Super Bowl trophies he won is on display. Across the street in the team's Hall of Fame, his voice can be heard on tape in a special exhibit. Coaches who have come after him say they feel his presence when they walk out onto Lambeau Field. "There are ghosts of Christmases past in here," says Ron Wolf, who in November left his post as director of player personnel with the New York Jets to become Green Bay's executive vice-president and general manager. "I feel them. They're in here, everywhere you go."

Now if only some of His Vinceness would rub off on this new and excited and hope-filled regime. As the Packers began yet another rebuilding job in the NFL draft on Sunday, Wolf and Holmgren demonstrated an uncharacteristic assurance for men in their positions.

For the first time since Lombardi left Green Bay, after the 1967 season, the Packer executive committee has given one man, Wolf, a former top aide to L.A. Raider boss Al Davis, full authority to run the organization. Wolf, in turn, has handed all coaching authority to Holmgren, the bright former offensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers. Working in tandem, Wolf, 53, and Holmgren, 43, have more power than any of the previous five Packer administrations, all of which were subject to the authority of the seven-member executive committee. With Green Bay having reached the playoffs only twice since Lombardi leftthe Packers made early exits both timesmaybe it was time to get back to the basics.

But on Sunday, Packer fans weren't interested in basics. They wanted some flair. The headline atop the Green Bay Press-Gazette shouted: GIVE US DESMOND HOWARD, PACKER FANS SAY. Five hundred Packer devotees streamed into Lambeau Field skyboxes for a draft party. Thirteen newspapers, 14 radio stations and seven TV stations from all over Wisconsin were covering the draft from Packer headquarters.

The draft room itself was crammed with 33 mencoaches, scouts, members of the board. Green Bay had the fifth pick, and when defensive tackle Steve Emtman, linebacker Quentin Coryatt and defensive end Scan Gilbert went 1-2-3, Wolf wanted to get his hands on Florida Statecornerback Terrell Buckley. Holmgren was leaning toward Michiganwide receiver Desmond Howard, the Heisman Trophy winner. In fact, the staff members were split about 50-50, but they all had agreed after weeks of discussion that they would be happy to get cither guy.

Wolf thought Green Bay would end up with Howard, because two people he trusted in the league had assured him that the Cincinnati Bengals, who were the next team to draft, would deal the No. 4 pick to either the Dallas Cowboys or the Atlanta Falcons, both of whom coveted Buckley. But that's not what happened. The Bengals made a trade all right, but with the Super Bowl-champion Washington Redskins, who leapfrogged the Packers from the No. 6 slot and selected Howard.

Washington general manager Charley Casserly later said he was convinced he had to make the Bengal deal when he learned that earlier in the week Wolf had told Howard's agent, Leigh Steinberg (page 70), that the Packers would pick Howard if he was available. "But I was convinced Buckley wouldn't be there," Wolf said later, "and in that case we would have taken Desmond Howard."

Wolf and Holmgren happily selected Buckley. "He's an offensive defensive player," Holmgren said. "I can't wait to coach him."

Buckley, in the manner of another former Florida State cornerback, Deion Sanders, struts around the field, points and taunts opponents. In short, he's a very un-Lombardi-like player. However, in three seasons with the Seminoles, Buckley had 21 interceptions and a few electrifying punt returns to go with his electric personality. Wolf got on the phone with Buckley, who was at home in Pascagoula, Miss. "You're a Green Bay Packer," Wolf said. "Congratulations."

"That's great," Buckley shot back. "I guess this means y'all want to go to the Super Bowl."

The first round, punctuated by surprise picks and much wheeling and dealing by teams looking to trade up, dragged on. The Packers had made their own draft deal two months earlier, when Wolf sent the 17th pick in the first round, an extra choice Green Bay had acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1991, to the Falcons for quarterback Brett Favre. When Favre entered the '91 draft out of Southern Miss. Wolf, who was with the Jets at the time, had wanted him, but the Falcons grabbed the 6'2", 220-pound Favre early in the second round. He has a strong arm, and Holmgren will groom him to he Green Bay's quarterback of the future. As Wolf told Holmgren before this year's draft, "We've already had a good draft. We've got Brett Favre."

When the Chicago Bears were about to make the 22nd selection, the Packers turned their attention to Tennesseewide receiver Carl Pickens, who, surprisingly, was still available. Pickens would be the perfect bookend to veteran wideout Sterling Sharpe, but Wolf and Holmgren knew Pickens wouldn't be around by the time they made their next pick, which would be the seventh choice of the second round and No. 35 overall. So they started calling around, offering second- and third-round picks in a bid to move up. The San Diego Chargers (picking 23rd), Cowboys (24th) and Indianapolis Colts (29th) all said no. After the Colts made the first pick of the second round, Wolf surrendered. "Forget it," he said. "Let the chips fall where they may."

When the Bengals, choosing third in the second round, selected Pickens, the Packers focused on Penn State inside linebacker Mark D'Onofrio, a solid run-stopper who had had an outstanding junior year but was bothered by a shoulder injury most of last season. A few days earlier, D'Onofrio's agent, Tony Agnone, had called the Packers to tell them that his client wanted to play for Green Bay. Agnone wondered if Wolf could do anything to ensure that the Pack would draft D'Onofrio. Although Wolf was interested in D'Onofrio, he said he couldn't guarantee anything. Now, though, with his pick coming up. Wolf decided D'Onofrio was the player he wanted.

When the Phoenix Cardinals, who had the pick preceding Green Bay's, started their allotted 10-minute drafting period, Wolf said. "Get D'Onofrio on the phone." It was an old trick: Keep the kid on the phone so nobody else can get to him. In the meantime, new draft winds blew in. The New England Patriots were working on a trade with Phoenix. Wolf asked D'Onofrio if anyone else had called him. Just a Penn State trainer, D'Onofrio said. New England had called the trainer to ask if D'Onofrio had recovered from shoulder surgery. Panic.

With half a minute remaining in the Cardinals' draft period, Wolf grabbed another phone and told the Packer representative at draft central (a hotel ballroom in New York City) to sprint to the podium with the card bearing D'Onofrio's name. If Phoenix exceeded its time limit, Green Bay could choose its player.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

In New York, the announcement was made: " Phoenix passes. Green Bay is up." Back in Green Bay you would have thought Bart Starr had just burrowed under Jerry Kramer in the Ice Bowl. Scouts high-fived coaches. Men in suits whooped. Wolf and Holmgren smiled huge smiles. " Green Bay selects Mark D'Onofrio, Penn State linebacker," it was announced.

Wolf got back on the phone. "Mark," he said, "you're a Packer. You can't imagine how thrilled we are."

You win some, you lose some. You get Buckley, you miss out on Howard. D'Onofrio falls into your lap, Pickens slips through your fingers. In the third round the Packers finally got their wideout, Robert Brooks of South Carolina, a player they had bunched in a cluster of receivers behind Howard and Pickens on their draft board.

Buckley missed his plane to Green Bay on Sunday night. What'd you expect, a perfect ending? He did, however, woof it up on a long-distance conference call with the media. "Here's what I think of the Packers," Buckley said. "I saw a lot of their games last year, and the? were close in so many of them. They just didn't have the guys to step up and make the big plays with the game on the line. You need that great player to make some great plays. I can do that. The only way to get back on top is to get a lot of great players."

The Packers are several great players shy of being a great team. As midnight closed in, Wolf pondered the future in the house that Lombardi built. "The good teams get about three legitimate starters out of the draft every year," he said. "That's what we have to do, every year."

Wolf left the building and entered the cold mist of a spring night in Green Bay. He could feel the presence of Lombardi. But that's all it is for now, a feeling.


"The oranges are dry; the apples are mealy; and the papayas... I don't know what's going on with the papayas!"
Trippster
14 years ago
one of the best articles I think I have ever read. great insight as to the thought process that went on. And the funny part is the afterthought, Oh yeah, we also got some kid named Robert Brooks.


Not bad.
"Let Your Light Shine!"
dfosterf
14 years ago
From the article Pack93z just posted:

The most loyal football fans the NFL has known are standing by, waiting for a miracle to happen. And they know it willsomeday.



Was then. Still am...the fan part.

Sooner rather than later is always good...the miracle part.

Either way, the loyalty remains, period.
Zero2Cool
9 years ago

one of the best articles I think I have ever read. great insight as to the thought process that went on. And the funny part is the afterthought, Oh yeah, we also got some kid named Robert Brooks.

Not bad.

Originally Posted by: Trippster 



Robert Brooks was pretty good. I think a lot of people forget he had over 100 catches during a season.
UserPostedImage
nerdmann
9 years ago

Robert Brooks was pretty good. I think a lot of people forget he had over 100 catches during a season.

Originally Posted by: Zero2Cool 



Mark D'Onofrio was gonna be Clay Matthews good, imo. He's another highly talented player lost to this organization due to injury. Tore his hammy in his rookie TC. I think that's the year we lost Brian Noble in the middle too. Horrific leg injury.

Noble was on the sideline after the injury and he's like DOC JUST LET ME KNOW HOW LONG I'LL BE OUT. The doc was like, BRIAN, WE'RE JUST GONNA TRY TO GET IT SO YOU CAN WALK AGAIN.

Back then the injuries were bad, but still within two standard deviations of the mean.
“Winning is not a sometime thing, it is an all the time thing. You don't do things right once in a while…you do them right all the time.”
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wpr (18-Mar) : I say that he is technically HER BIL as he married her sister. I checked it out, he's considered my BIL as well. Sad.
Mucky Tundra (18-Mar) : wpr, I assume its your BIL via marriage to your wife? If so, I can figure out where the smarts in the family went ;)
wpr (18-Mar) : Mucky my B-I-L is Bare Stupid. I could write a book.
Mucky Tundra (18-Mar) : As a teenager in Rockford IL I would get heckled by adults in public for wearing GB gear
Mucky Tundra (18-Mar) : if you think the online ones are bad, try *living amongst* them
Mucky Tundra (18-Mar) : Never doubt wprs loyalty. Poor guy is surrounded by Bears fans in Northern IL
wpr (17-Mar) : pass Martha. Thanks for the invite though.
Martha Careful (17-Mar) : blog * as the same ugly Illinois colors were adopted by the Baer
Martha Careful (17-Mar) : WPR, perhaps you should be joining the Bears fans blog has the same ugly Illinois colors were adopted by the Bears
Mucky Tundra (17-Mar) : Ah a fellow U of Illinois hater. I can respect that though I imagine it's for different reasons
Zero2Cool (17-Mar) : BTW. I didn't catch the game. I just hate Illinois.
Mucky Tundra (17-Mar) : They're your Big Ten Chumps and you will like it!
Zero2Cool (17-Mar) : No, not for the record. Referee's handled that BS. Orange team was trash ass
Mucky Tundra (17-Mar) : *Your* Big Ten Chumps for the record
Zero2Cool (17-Mar) : No, not Big Ten Champs. IL is big ten CHUMPS
wpr (17-Mar) : Big Ten Champs
wpr (17-Mar) : !!!
wpr (17-Mar) : INI
wpr (17-Mar) : ILL
Martha Careful (17-Mar) : Wisconsin with an outstanding on in the men’s Big Ten basketball tournament. Let’s hope it continues in the NCAAs
Zero2Cool (17-Mar) : Almost like taking QB in 2020 even if you don't need one is good move.
Mucky Tundra (16-Mar) : 2021 QB Draft class looking like a real clunker
Mucky Tundra (16-Mar) : A conditional 6th rounder? I remember Bears fans arguing they'd get a day 2 pick at worst lol
dfosterf (16-Mar) : So I got the no extension part right and the have to wait on the CW physical wrong
Zero2Cool (16-Mar) : Bears are trading Justin Fields for a 2025 6th-round pick that goes to a 4th-round pick based on playtime, per sources.
Zero2Cool (16-Mar) : Former Packer Jarrett Bush opens Wisconsin’s first blow dry bar in Green Bay
dfosterf (16-Mar) : If the Bears are not doing a deal with Washington, they also cannot trade Fields until Williams physical with them. All hail Caleb Williams!
dfosterf (16-Mar) : The talent is undeniable, but the (advertised) haul is obscene.
dfosterf (16-Mar) : If the Bears are cutting a deal with the Commanders, in either scenario, cannot happen until williams passes a Commanders physical
dfosterf (16-Mar) : My guess is no to the Fields extension, but yes to the trade back with the Commanders.
dhazer (15-Mar) : I think the Bears do a Love extension and they will trade out of the 1st pick and take the haul
Martha Careful (15-Mar) : that might make sense
Zero2Cool (15-Mar) : Justin Fields to Steelers?
Zero2Cool (15-Mar) : Kenny Pickett. Eagles. Done.
Zero2Cool (15-Mar) : They can claim best two WR tandem.
Mucky Tundra (15-Mar) : Aaron Donald retiring
dhazer (15-Mar) : Campbell signing with 49ers
dhazer (15-Mar) : I love how the Bear Fans are now claiming they have the best skill players in the NFC North lol
Zero2Cool (15-Mar) : Vikings made a move to get a 2nd first round pick
Mucky Tundra (15-Mar) : That's a not a bad deal for the Bears
Zero2Cool (15-Mar) : Bears have traded for WR Keenan Allen sending Chargers a fourth rounder.
Martha Careful (15-Mar) : *signs
Martha Careful (14-Mar) : MLB Devon White science with the Eagles
Mucky Tundra (14-Mar) : But that was before FA started
Mucky Tundra (14-Mar) : Dhaze, I thought Kurls would be their #1 target when I read that he was an Amos comp (jack of all trades guy)
dhazer (14-Mar) : I would like to see the Packers target 2 more FA still available Kamren Curl Safety and Chase Young edge
Martha Careful (14-Mar) : wow...didn't see that coming
Zero2Cool (14-Mar) : AJ Dillon re-signing with Packers.
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