> tongue in cheeks

When Ted Thompson was hired to take over the general manager reins for GM/head coach Mike Sherman in January 2005, he was faced with a daunting task.

Thompson came to a fork in the road from the second he laid foot on 1265 Lombardi Ave. His choice was to either put off the rebuilding period by further decimating the salary cap as his predecessor Sherman began to do or to begin rebuilding the club with younger players and let higher paid players hit the road and hope his team can remain competitive.

It’s Ohio State, and then, it’s anyone’s guess.

Looks like another year where a playoff system could have come in handy. Six teams from the so-called “power conferences” sit near the end of the season with just one loss.

Capital One Bowl (Orlando, Fla.; Jan. 1)

No. 13 Arkansas vs. No. 5 Wisconsin

The Green Bay Packers’ 2006 season featured several highs and lows on the emotional roller coaster.

They blew games they should have won against New Orleans and St. Louis at Lambeau Field, en route to a 1-4 start.

A longtime fixture in the Green Bay Packers backfield is no longer there, as halfback Ahman Green signed with the Houston Texans.

Green left Green Bay just 50 yards shy of Jim Taylors all-time franchise rushing record after seven seasons with the Packers.

Nearly every Green Bay Packers fan out there has a strong opinion on their teams general manager, Ted Thompson. Whether its good or bad, there is no denying that he has been consistent in his approach to the job.

This offseason has been vintage Ted. While teams such as the New England Patriots load their roster with blockbuster free agent contracts, Thompson remains firm in not overpaying for other teams players.

Now would be a great time for yours truly to let out a big, “I told you so!”

Now would be a great time for General Manager Ted Thompson to tell the world that he was right, even though he has rarely been popular.

Critics have blasted Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre over the past few years for refusing to retire, saying he was washed up or holding the organization hostage and that the Packers should part ways with him.

Where are those critics now?

Plenty of credit should go around for the tremendous 7-1 record of the Green Bay Packers.

There’s been the return to greatness by Brett Favre; the Packers have a receiving core of Donald Driver, Greg Jennings and James Jones that is entering the NFL’s elite; Donald Lee and Bubba Franks have made the tight end position relevant again; middle linebacker Nick Barnett is having a career year; cornerbacks Al Harris and Charles Woodson are getting recognized as the top duo in the league.

Fifty-two days. That’s how much time is in between Green Bay’s 37-27 loss in Dallas in the NFC game of the year on Thursday night and a very possible rematch in the NFC championship.

Translation for football fans everywhere anticipating that there is no doubt the championship game will be Green Bay at Dallas part II: stop getting ahead of yourselves for the love of God. A lot can happen between now and then.

When Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson hired Mike McCarthy to be the franchise’s 14th head coach in January of 2006, many fans’ anxiety levels only grew, including that of this humble columnist.

Green Bay had just finished up its first losing campaign since 1991 by completing the 2005 season at 4-12, costing then-coach Mike Sherman his job. Plus, McCarthy was the offensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers, the team that finished dead last in offense.

When Laurence Tynes’ game-winning 47-yard field in overtime sailed through the Lambeau Field uprights in the NFC Championship on Jan. 20, Green Bay Packers fans were left shocked and very disappointed.

As one of the legendary franchise’s many dedicated fans, and not one of these bandwagon hoppers that only pay attention when they’re deep in the playoffs, the extreme pain felt will not go away anytime soon.

Yes, the New England Patriots and their arrogant fans got exactly what they deserved: a knockout punch in the mouth courtesy of the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII, denying the Pats a 19-0 record. Bill Belichick haters everywhere rejoice.

Expectations are running high for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2008. The club was unable to parlay a 24-10 start into a division title as they finished two games behind the hated Chicago Cubs.

But after posting their first winning record (83-79) since 1992 with the core of their team under 25 years old, excitement in Wisconsin is at an all-time high. The club is putting a record 150 games on television and has already sold one million tickets faster than they ever have. Here’s what to look for just a day after pitchers and catchers report to the Phoenix, Ariz.

Okay, so you’re moving on from the Brett Favre retirement news and have picked up the pieces in your life.

Now, how do you go about replacing a quarterback with 275 consecutive starts and every record in the book? What’s more, he was the most beloved player in the entire league at or near the top of his game in leading the upstart Green Bay Packers to a 14-4 record with a surprising appearance in the NFC title game.

Free throw shooting has gotten downright pathetic in college basketball. Watching the NCAA Tournament has confirmed this. Time and time again, teams with leads could not close the deal.

And it’s a trend that’s been happening for awhile now. There are a few examples that come to mind. In the 2003 National Championship game, Kansas shot 12 for 30 in losing to Syracuse by three points. Had the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee shot better than 8 for 20 from the foul stripe in the 2004 Horizon League Championship game, they’d have made four straight trips to the NCAA tournament. They lost by three.

Last week, the 2008 National Football League schedule was released on what is the busiest day of the year for the Fox Valley hotel industry. There’s a lot going on in these parts between now and week one, including a season known as “summer.” Nonetheless, here’s an early quick-peak at the 2008 season. Sunday and Monday Night games are in bold.

Sept. 8, Minnesota: Aaron Rodgers will be put under the national microscope against the rival Vikings in the first Packers game that Brett Favre isn’t starting since Sept. 13, 1992.

PRO FOOTBALL
Best Play-by-Play: Joe Buck, Fox
The son of legendary Jack Buck is funny and knowledgeable and puts in the necessary preparation and blends well with broadcast partner Troy Aikman.