a personal milestone...

this is a very,very personal note:today marks twenty years of being sober,and to tell you the absolute truth,it has not been too easy,because i absolutely quit cold turkey,and yet,my willpower has been very,very strong... i have an allergy to alcohol so bad that if i am around people who really drink,the fumes will make me very,very ill,and if i was to have a drink,i would have to have many more than one,and i would be in the hospital,at least,overnight... this is the only time that i will speak about this... i went on a trip to Connecticut,on a bus,in 1998,and right out of Lovelock,Nevada,i was placed with a drunk in the front passenger seats,and by the way the bus got to Wells,Nevada,i had a 103 degree temperature,spent four days in a hotel bed,and was very sick for six days,even when i finally got to Salt Lake City,Utah... so i know what i am talking about,folks...

Packers' news,and comments...

the Packers signed general manager Ted Thompson to a multi-year contract... my opinion:he was number two,on my personal ranking of Packers' general managers,behind Ron Wolf... that may not mean much to anybody,but Wolf,and Thompson have done excellent jobs as general manager,of the Packers,period...

commentary...

the Packers have to play the Seattle Seahawks,on September 4th,on national television... Super Bowl XLV Champions,against Super Bowl XLVIII Champions,and the team that "beat" the Packers,in probably the most controversial ending to a regular season game(a 14-12 win over the Packers-the "Fail Mary" game),since the "Tuck Rule" playoff game,between the Oakland Raiders and the New England Patriots,in 2001... the fact that the Seahawks should be favored,but honestly the Seahawks' team that pasted the Denver Broncos,43-8,in February,will not be the same team that "beat" the Packers,in 2012,and the Broncos,last season,and will be different this season... the Seahawks are a very good team,but they will not be as offensive-minded,as the team that rolled into the Super Bowl,last season... the Packers that will play the Seahawks will be,at least for one game,healthier than at any time in last few years,since Super Bowl XLV,against the Pittsburgh Steelers,in 2010... simply,it may be the game of the early part of the season,or not!!!!!!! you know what i mean???

blog statement...

"Idaho Spud" time... time to unwind,and relax...

Packers' news...

Packers re-signed wide receiver Jordy Nelson to a four year,$39 million contract extension,with $14.2 million,guaranteed...

simple love and respect...

right now,i am listening to country music,and it seems that i miss all the people that i lost in the past few years,when i do... to those people whom i really miss,i miss you every day... all their laughter,and their oddities that they would exhibit(like the time that my dear mother and her best friend,Martha were playing a card game of "hand and foot",and my mother being tired,and laughing out loud,said to Martha that she would give her a foot(a term used in the game),and took her size five foot,and put it on the table)... that was my mother,in all her craziness,and glory... as this month ends,i miss my UNC,my soulmate Beverly,both my mother,and Martha(the order does not matter,at all)... to those people,i humbly say that i would not be the person that i am,without knowing,and loving all of them... a hat tip to all of them!!!!!!

eight decades,of a wonderful life...(belated Happy Birthday Dad)...

July 9,1934 was a Monday,and you were born... July 9,1944 was 34 days after D-Day,and the Allied forces were rolling through France... July 9,1954 was three days before President Eisenhower suggested in a speech that the interstate highway system was to be built... July 9,1964 was the day after the San Francisco Giants' Jesus Alou became the first Giants' player to have six hits in a game,in forty years... July 9,1974 was three days after the 88th Wimbledon men's final,in which Jimmy Connors beat Ken Rosewall,6-1,6-1,and 6-4... July 9,1984 was the day that you put a racing bib handwritten with the number "50" on it,and jogged up to the "Big House",during a birthday barbeque(i still remember that,like it was yesterday,and still laugh)... July 9,1994 was two days after the play,"Les Miserables",opened at the Imperial Theatre,in Tokyo,Japan... July 9,2004 was eight days after actor Marlon Brando died(best known for "A Streetcar named Desire,"the Last Tango in Paris",and "the Godfather")... July 9,2014 was the day that you spent on vacation,in Hawaii,with a lovely lady... what a life of eight decades!!!!!!!!

commentary...

funny thing is that the pundits have a chic pick in picking the Detroit Lions in winning the NFC North,this year... note:two years ago,Matthew Stafford threw for over 5,000 passing yards,with Calvin Johnson breaking Jerry Rice's NFL single season receiving mark with nearly 2,000 receiving yards,but the Lions ended the 2012 NFL season,with eight straight losses... last year,with the NFC North division,basically in their back pocket,with four games to go(a game and a half up,on the eventual division champion Packers;the Packers were in third place,behind the Chicago Bears,and the Lions,at that time),and they lost four straight games,to be 7-9,in third place in the final standings... the huge difference in both those teams and the Packers was,and still is,their defensive backfield... they talk about talent,and the Lions are loaded,offensively,and they have a front seven,on defense,that is hard to stop,but there is one thing that the Lions have not addressed,and that is a very porous,and aging defensive backfield... the Packers may not have the best defense,overall,but they do have a very much improving defensive backfield,unlike the Lions... the Packers may have been 25th in total defense(bad number),last year,but they were devastated by major injuries,on both sides of the football,but even when the Packers went through a carousel at quarterback(four different quarterbacks),they were still 3rd,in total offense,last year... this season is going to be exciting to watch,and the Lions,Bears,and Packers all have legitimate shots to win the NFC North,depending on different factors,but with the best quarterback in the NFL under center,when healthy,in Aaron Rodgers,i would put my hard earned money on the Packers,if honestly,i did bet on football,to win the NFC North... serious note:i take my public ownership of the Packers very seriously,so the very moment i became a shareholder/owner,i stopped being a fool on betting football,period... i respect the NFL,and love "my team"-the Green Bay Packers... it does not mean that i am not a critic,of the team,when they play lousy,but that is the nature of being honest...

comments...

training camp starts today,so i will talk more,today...

comments on a very strange day...

this day has been very weird;watched shareholders/owners annual meeting without a glitch,but then my cable company decided to play a game called "pull the stupid plug"... every time i would turn on this computer,for about two hours,and then this modem/router would reset(like they were pulling the plug)on me...

a very very sad day,in the NFL...

Denver Broncos' owner Pat Bowlen has said that he has Alzheimer's Disease,and has resigned from day to day operations,of the team... details on who takes control of the team will be put out by me tomorrow,out of deep respect for Mr. Bowlen... may he,and his family,find peace,in this new chapter of his life... a very,very sad day for him,and the NFL...

Packers' shareholders/owners annual meeting,tomorrow...

tomorrow is the shareholders/owners annual meeting in Green Bay,and i wish i was there at Lambeau Field,for it,but i will watch it online,and will note anything like financial matters and will have a commentary on how it is in Green Bay tomorrow...

blog statement...

a while back i promised a blogpost,or blogposts,on Packers' history... very sorry,have had other things to do lately,and i have forgotten it,but i will get back to it shortly... perhaps during training camp...

predictions for the NFC North,in 2014...

this is my 2014 NFC North rankings of all four teams:1)Green Bay Packers,2)Detroit Lions,3)Chicago Bears,and 4)Minnesota Vikings... however,i will say this:any of the top three teams can win the NFC North division,if things,injuries,and/or bounces go their way... all of the teams in that division have weaknesses,and it will be the team who make the best adjustments on their teams' weaknesses that will win the NFC North... note:the Packers have won the NFC North the last three seasons,even last year,when the injury bug almost devastated the team...

NFL news,and comments...

NFL.com has ranked the best head coaches in the NFL... for NFC North coaches,Packers' head coach Mike McCarthy was ranked sixth,Detroit Lions' head coach Jim Caldwell was ranked 22nd,Chicago Bears' head coach Marc Trestman was ranked 24th,and Minnesota Vikings' head coach Mike Zimmer was ranked 28th... the rankings for the NFC North coaches,except for McCarthy,are much too low,but they have been head coaches for their current teams for a season or less,so they have no coaching record worth anything,but Caldwell,and Trestman have impressive coaching resumes(Caldwell,with the Indianapolis Colts,and Trestman was coaching with the Montreal Alouettes,of the CFL,where he won the Grey Cup,in back to back years,in 2009,and 2010)... note:New England Patriots' head coach Bill Belichick was ranked number one,and Super Bowl-winning Seattle Seahawks' head coach Pete Carroll was ranked seventh,right behind McCarthy...

Apollo 11,forty five ago,today...

Apollo 11 landed on the moon forty five years ago,when Neil Armstrong,Buzz Aldrin,and Michael Collins went to moon... Collins stayed above the moon,as Armstrong,and Aldrin went to the surface of the moon... Armstrong stepped onto the moon,followed shortly by Aldrin... i watched the moon landing,on a small black and white television(or i think it was black and white)... to the "lunar truthers",who may believe the moon landing was a hoax done by the U.S. Government,this is my opinion:you have no clue,how hard that NASA worked to do a miracle,in the 1960's,to put man on the moon,as President John F. Kennedy wanted that done,within the decade,and the fact that the Soviet Union was step for step with the United States... in fact,an unmanned Soviet rocket crashed on the moon,shortly before Apollo 11 landed on the moon... to NASA,and to the memory of those who died(Apollo 1,on the launch pad,during a dress rehearsal(bad fire)going after that goal,i gratefully,and respectfully,tip my hat,and give you a moment of silence,on this day,to remember that lofty goal,and the miracle that occurred this day forty five years ago...

NFL news,and comments...

this week,training camp starts,and in fact,a few teams have rookies in camp,now... so it will get more exciting(thank God!!!!!!!),because there will be more to report on... note:San Francisco 49ers' linebacker Aldon Smith gets a twelve day(via work crew)sentence,three years of probation,and 235 hours of community work,for three felony counts of possessing an illegal assault weapon,and two misdemeanor counts,of DWI,for his no contest plea,in May... my opinion:star treatment;a slap on the wrist... way to go,legal system!!!!!!!

blog statement...

with the week i have had(not a very good week;things could have gone better),i needed the day off,and that was critical for me...  training camp starts,and the shareholders/owners annual meeting starts next Thursday(shareholders/owners annual meeting in the bowl of Lambeau Field,unless it rains,then it will be in the Atrium,i believe,but knowing the shareholders/owners,they may enjoy the rain),and Friday(training camp,at St. Norbert's College,in DePere,Wisconsin-a suburb of Green Bay),so busy week for me,it looks like,but who knows??? knowing that my old computer is on its last legs,i just hope that i can watch the shareholders/owners meeting,like last year,but honestly,i really do not know,if i will be able to do it... next year,i will be in Green Bay for the meeting,i promise(at least,to myself)...

commentary...

being a shareholder/owner of the Packers last year was a honor,because people may have thought i would sell out,(laughing)and become another team's fan,and yet,i could never been prouder of a team in my life,period... the Packers went through four quarterbacks,had a defense that was so injured,and had so many starters injured,or on injured reserve that from week to week i never had a clue what team would show up... the Packers have a motto,"Next Man Up",and last season was never more apparent,of that motto... they were down,but never out of the games... they finished 25th in total defense(bad number),but with that many injuries,the Packers were written off by pundits(and it looked terrible,at times,a 40-10 loss to the Detroit Lions comes to mind),but as i noted then,the Packers had a way to the playoffs,if bounces went their way... they won critical games(a 37-36 win over the Dallas Cowboys,a game in which they were down 26-3,at half-second best game of year)and needing a win in Chicago in week seventeen,and getting it with 36 seconds left,with Packers' lore of "4th and eight",a rainbow pass from Aaron Rodgers,to Randall Cobb... what a tough year,but i was very honored to be a shareholder/owner of a team whose motto of "Next Man Up" was NEVER more apparent to a proud shareholder/owner,period...

Packers' news...

Packers' annual shareholder/owner meeting is on July 24th,2014;training camp starts at St. Norbert's College,in DePere,Wisconsin,on July 25,2014,for everybody on team(rookies and veterans)...

NFL news...

New Orleans Saints' tight end Jimmy Graham signed a four year $40 million contract,avoiding an appeal of an arbitrator's ruling of a franchise tag,which ruled him to be a tight end,not a wide receiver,as he thought... guaranteed money was around $20-21 million...

blog statement...

i had "Idaho Spud" time this weekend... i can not wait for training camp to start later this month,for the Packers...

a real total class act!!!!!!!!

a three year old deputy sheriff? believe it or not,it is true!!!!!! in Indiana,a Huntington County sheriff(Terry Stoffel)sworn in Wyatt Schmaltz,a patient,at Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health,who has stage four neuroblastoma... he has every power of a real deputy sheriff who has to follow the sheriff's orders... the sheriff told him to get better-that is his only order... a total class act!!!!!!!!

blog statement...

i am having day off,because it is needed by me,and i have not felt too well over the past few days... i am just fine,but sometimes a day off is very needed... i will pick up the pace of my two blogs over the next three weeks... by the way,i will start on Packers' history,late this week...

commentary...

Packers' president Mark Murphy has stated that 2014 will not be the year that the team will retire Packers' legend,and great Brett Favre's jersey at Lambeau Field... the reason:the bitter feelings between the Packers' fans,and shareholders/owners(both sides do not want to be booed)... Favre has stated that he is at fault for the fans,and shareholders/owners' hard and very bitter feelings(badmouthing the fans when he went to Minnesota)... my opinion:i have to admit that i would boo Favre(if i was there at the time of his jersey retirement),because my feelings were very much hurt by what he said,at the time of his signing of a two year contract,with Minnesota... however,the fact that he suffered two defeats(28-24,at Lambeau Field,and then a humiliating 31-3 loss at Minnesota,in which he was seen arguing with then offensive coordinator Darren Bevell on the sidelines,during the game),and the last loss was one that the Packers needed to paste the Vikings with,because it was a proper way to end the career of Favre ending his great career,and of his time with the "hated" Vikings,in my opinion(smashing him into the turf of the Metrodome,and with arguing with Bevell was the proverbial icing on the cake)... i did really smile that day,even though the game was not televised,because i had NFL network on that day,and usually,you hear and see every big play,and highlight from games that day... of the 31-3 whipping of the Vikings,in 2010,i heard nothing about the Vikings,but saw the Packers score four touchdowns,and then the argument that was mentioned,and that made me smile ear to ear,that day... that softened my personal anger toward Brett,but honestly,i still have some very hurt,and bitter feelings,because you are supposed to be classy,and yet,Brett was not even close on the day that he signed with the Vikings,and you do not badmouth the fans that basically loved your play,with the Packers,for sixteen years,and he really hurt a lot of the feelings that day... not the fact that he signed with the Vikings really hurt,but the terrible and arrogant things that he did say that lousy day... what he said made a lot of fans very,very mad,and hurt,and those feelings do not easily subside... he should have his jersey retired in Green Bay,and i guess the fans are waiting for what he says that day in Canton,when he is inducted the Pro Football Hall of Fame,because honestly,i want a heartfelt apology from him,for those hurtful things that he said,because i really do have some very bitter and hurt feelings,Brett... do you understand me,Brett???

blog statement...

simply can not wait for training camp... right now,the NFL is simply boring,period.... snorefest supreme!!!!!!!!

blog statement...

today is my dad's 80th birthday,so happy birthday Dad!!!!! i had something planned for his birthday,but since he is in Hawaii,today;stay tuned to next week,and a special blogpost coming up mid-week!!!!!!

love it,again!!!!!!!!!

NFL.com is having a greatest games of the 2013-2014  NFL season marathon,and one of the games,playing now,as i type,is the week seventeen 33-28 Packers' win,over the Chicago Bears,at Soldier Field,and the play that will live in Packers' lore,the "4th and 8",47 yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers,to Randall Cobb,that silenced Soldier Field,that day... glorious!!!!!!!!

Happy 4th of July!!!!!!!!

commentary...

this is a "dead" time in the NFL year,but honestly,if you look deeply into Packers' history,you find some nuggets of value... like old black and white photos,of the first ballpark that the Packers played in 1919-1922,and you find out how the Packers financially survived through those semi-pro,and early NFL years,and finally you find out why they were called "the Bays,and/or the Blues",in the early years,of the franchise,instead of the current name of the Packers,in the papers,back then... over the course of the next few days,i will talk about these facts,including who really came up with the shareholder/owner idea,and how that saved the Packers' franchise from going bankrupt,like many of the early NFL teams...

real stupidity,part two...

it appears that the Florida Gators are not the only team who have an Aaron Hernandez calendar problem... the same company(the company will be unnamed,who needs stupid publicity???),who made up the Gators' 2014 calendar,also made up the New England Patriots' 2014 calendar... what moron made that decision? my opinion:i am sorry for not naming the company,but i find Hernandez and the crimes that he is accused of morally repugnant,and i will not give him anything,but a swift boot in the rear end,because he is a thug,and a lowlife... so be it!!!!!!!

NFL news...

an arbitrator has ruled that Saints' tight end Jimmy Graham is a tight end,not a wide receiver,as Graham thought,so he will make about $7 million on his franchise tag,not near $12 million,as Graham wanted... unless they work a long term contract,the Saints will pay Graham the lower amount... my opinion:he may be unhappy with it,but Jimmy,GROW UP!!!!!!! you are a NFL player,and healthy,so be grateful...

real stupidity...

the University of Florida made the ultimate gaffe,today... they included Aaron Hernandez(that Aaron Hernandez),as Mister July,2014,on their football calendar... first of all,they say that they made that decision before the initial arrest he had for the murder of Odin Lloyd,now,he is charged with two more murders... question to the University of Florida:what moron did not fix that problem before the calendar came out,today??? that moron had an entire year,to fix the calendar... WAY TO GO,Gators!!!!!!!