Grant says Packers 2010 injuries will keep championship team hungry

by | Apr 4, 2011 | NFL Random Thoughts

I was doing some other work with the Milwaukee Brewers’ home opener on mute in the background (Gotta love that free MLB Extra Innings trial at the beginning of the season) when I noticed that Green Bay running back Ryan Grant was being interviewed by the Brew Crew’s announcing team on Fox Sports Wisconsin.

Turns out the Brewers were honoring the Packers and their Super Bowl championship by having a collection of the Green Bay players throw out the first pitch on opening day at Miller Park.

The Packers’ starter at running back heading into the season was all class during the inning-long interview. He acknowledged that sitting out the season and the Super Bowl was difficult but also acknowledged that it was not bittersweet at all because he realizes many contemporaries won’t have the opportunity to even attend the big game as a player.

Grant, who injured his leg and ankle in the team’s opening game and missed the entire season, added that the coaching staff and front office deserve a lot of credit for keeping the team together through a collection of injuries that included him, tight end Jermichael Finley, linebacker Nick Barnett and a dozen others.

On the other hand, Grant adds that the stars who missed the Super Bowl due to injury may help the Packers avoid the so-called Super Bowl hangover, as those players will pine to get their opportunities to experience the game on the field.

“I think that will continue to keep guys hungry,” Grant told the announcing crew of Bill Schroeder and Brian Anderson. “We do feel like we’re built to be a team in the mix for the next couple years.”

I’ve grudgingly grown to respect Grant quite a bit. When he emerged out of nowhere in 2007 to run for nearly 1,000 yards, I thought he was a one-timer who would stick around just long enough for someone better to come along. Instead, he followed that season up with two 1,200-yard seasons, hitting paydirt 11 times in 2009.

I think James Starks, who came on strong at the end of the regular season this year and helped establish a run threat for Green Bay on their Super Bowl run, may be more talented than Grant. But Grant has proven he will give Starks a battle when it comes to how they split the carries in 2011 and beyond. And missing the season, he adds, has his body feeling the best it has since 2007.

In the meantime, my respect for Grant grew even more when he told the story of how he managed to arrive in time for the opening ceremony Monday at the ballpark. The driver of the car that was supposed to take him to the airport in New York for his flight to Milwaukee locked the doors and drove off, Grant recounted. Grant missed his flight and ended up paying a good chunk of change to charter a plane.

“I gave my word,” he said.

During a time when the NFL is in the middle of a lockout, with several players running into legal issues and several others tweeting idiocy and gibberish, that’s a refreshing attitude to hear. So kudos and best wishes to Grant as he attempts his comeback in 2011.

Broncos fans taking Hall of Fame efforts into their own hands

by | Mar 23, 2011 | Hall of Fame

Jon Heath is the owner and lead blogger at BroncosZone.net. He contributes to BroncoTalk.net. And like many of us at Zoneblitz.com, he’s heavily interested in the NFL Hall of Fame and the process by which the enshrinees are selected.

Heath got to watch running back Floyd Little enshrined in 2010 and he’s excited about the upcoming ceremony for tight end Shannon Sharpe. But before those guys were picked, he felt Denver was underrepresented in Canton, Ohio. Actually, he still feels that way. And he wants to do his part to help.

After seeing the work some of his fellow Broncos fans have done in pushing past-Broncos for the Hall, he decided to start a new blog dedicated to marketing guys like Terrell Davis and Steve Atwater for enshrinement in future years. It’s called: GetThemInTheHall.com.

I don’t agree with all of the people he thinks should be in the Hall and I don’t disagree with them all either. But I mainly highlight the site because I think it’s an interesting illustration about how fans can get themselves involved and play a role, by contacting voters, by being educated on how the process works and by presenting coherent, educated arguments on behalf of the players they support.

Here’s what Mr. Heath had to say:

Zoneblitz: What is the history of the site and what gave you the idea to start this site?

Get them in the Hall: Well I actually started the site just earlier this month. I had some experience in blogging and setting up a website. I got the idea after seeing how Bronco fans teaming up and spreading awareness about Broncos that should be in the Hall of Fame was working, so I started a website to help the cause.

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Best argument I’ve read on players’ behalf

by | Mar 17, 2011 | Business of Football, NFL Random Thoughts

I still maintain that there is not a right side to the NFL lockout. I believe there is enough blame for this situation to go around and that the NFL and the NFL’s union, err, former-and-someday-to-be-again union, should realize they have more incentives to work together to find a deal than they do to stop negotiating and keep the players out of work.

However, I came across a post today that is the best I have read at putting forth the players’ perspective.

I don’t agree with every point TJ “The Dude” Johnson makes. But it’s a well-written, well-researched look at the reasons the players have taken the strategy they have used.

In fact, if they hired this guy to make their case with the public they’d probably be better off. If you have a few minutes, check it out. I thought it was a pretty good read.

Neither owners, nor players sympathetic in bargaining breakdown

by | Mar 15, 2011 | Business of Football, NFL Random Thoughts

Since the NFL and NFLPA decided they could not come up with an agreement for how to split $9 billion on Friday afternoon I’ve checked in on the twittersphere from time to time and it’s not really helping either side win the public relations battle.

I was already irritated that a bunch of rich guys couldn’t come to an agreement with a bunch of richer guys on how to split a plenty big pot o’ cash. But then I started reading.

Some players, in between hollow apologies to fans or tweets of disbelief wondering why fans are irritated with them instead of or in addition to being upset with the owners, are posting “jokes” like Alex Brown (alexbrown96) did Sunday afternoon: So since I am unemployed and have a pregnant wife and 2 other kids can I go get WIC?

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Season ends with Super game

by | Feb 5, 2011 | 2010 season, NFL Gambling, NFL Picks, Super Bowl

I have a confession to make. I’m not really a fan of the Super Bowl.

It’s partially because as I was growing up many of the games failed to meet expectations. As entertaining as some of the advertisements can be, in my eyes they’ve never made up for sitting through a 56-10 drubbing in what is supposed to be the NFL’s showcase game.

It’s also partially because my team has never managed to win the big one, so yes, I admit to some sour grapes.

But primarily it’s because it means the season is ending and we’ll be subjected to several months before the next meaningful matchup. This year’s big game in Dallas is even more bittersweet, as the out-of-touch honchos of the National Football League and its Players Union have shown little urgency in their efforts to solve the collective bargaining issues — meaning there’s a shot this could be the last game in a long, long time.

So, while I like the marathon of the season and the chase of the playoffs more than the Super Bowl itself, at least this years version should provide an interesting game.

Pittsburgh vs Green Bay (-2.5) at Dallas: Over/Under 45.5

Both of these NFL heavyweights have been around forever. The Steelers have six Vince Lombardi trophies. The Packers have three. The Packers have Aaron Rodgers, who can complete finish the masterful job he has done replacing legendary Brett Favre with a win Sunday. The Steelers have Ben Roethlisberger, who can take another step in rehabilitating his image by winning a third Super Bowl ring. (more…)