On the Packers calendar today is the start of the Green Bay Packers Youth Camps in Glendale/Whitefish Bay and Kenosha. Among the former players helping out with the camps is 1996 Super Bowl-winning linebacker Ron Cox ...

A look behind the curtain is taken by Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel as she reports how the Packers use a machine called Sani Sport that helps fight staph infections. "[Equipment manager Red] Batty uses the machine year round," writes Nickel. "He can clean 10 helmets in one cycle, five or six shoulder pads in another and then 20 pairs of shoes. It looks like a giant oven, but Sani Sport actually uses ozone to kill the bacteria." Apparently the Packers were the first team in the NFL to use the machine putting them ahead of the curve when it comes to player health and safety.

The Hall of Fame induction ceremony was this past Saturday at Lambeau Field, and Kareem Copeland of the Green Bay Press-Gazette covered the proceedings. He related a story about how Mark Chmura was ready to quit the team back in 1992. "Chmura’s lower back had been bothering him since college," writes Copeland. "He decided to leave the team because the pain had become intolerable. Holmgren and Reid called the meeting before placing him on injured reserve for the season. Chmura said the year off allowed him to work on his core strength and let the injury heal." It's interesting to find out, if you read the rest of the story, how he actually blew off Ron Wolf, unfathomable to most people, and later came to appreciate the attention the organization paid him.

The countdown ranking every player on the Packers roster continues by Bill Huber of Packer Report. The highest-ranking player on today's list is linebacker Desmond Bishop at No. 46. "By now, it’s apparent that Bishop will never get a shot at playing more than a bit role on the Packers’ defense," writes Huber. "A wrecking ball throughout the training camp and preseason the last two years, the coaches just don’t feel comfortable with his occasional mental lapses. There’s something to be said about always being where you’re supposed to be, and Bishop lacks the sheer athleticism to recover from those mistakes. He was one of the blitzers in the Packers’ gimmicky 1-5 'Psycho' package but didn’t do anything to warrant more playing time." Not mentioned is Bishop's contributions to special teams where he's one of the most consistent performers on the team and should not be overlooked.

Looking for a silver lining in the Johnny Jolly suspension? Ian Hanley of Bleacher Report found one. "Jolly signed his $2.5 million free agent tender in June and the good news for the Packers is that they will not have to pay any of Jolly's 2010 salary because of his suspension," writes Hanley. "Jolly was not signed beyond the 2010 season."

In what basically amounted to a point/counterpoint issue, two Packers blogs argued how the Jolly suspension will impact fellow defensive lineman Justin Harrell. Michael Rodney of Packer Update sees a door opening for Harrell because he can play more than one position. "Why’s versatility so important?" asks Rodney. "Because without Jolly, backup nose tackle Ryan Pickett is going to be counted on to help fill the void at left end. And without another player capable of handling the nose, the defense would be extremely vulnerable should starter B.J. Raji go down. That’s where Harrell would prove invaluable. He could replace Pickett at left end or Raji at nose tackle or he could simply move up one spot on the depth chart at both positions." I tend to think if Raji needs a breather at nose tackle, Pickett is going to slide back over there. But yes, Harrell can provide depth at the nose as well.

An argument is made that Jolly's suspension actually hurts Harrell's chances of making the team by Jonathan Liedl of JonBob's Packer Blog. "With Jolly out of the picture, things change," writes Liedl. "The Packers not only need replacement d-linemen, they need ones that they can depend on, ones without a lengthy history of completely debilitating injuries. Even if Harrell has the talent to make the team, keeping him around at the expense of a more reliable player could be a disastrous mistake, if he indeed does miss time due to injury. The lessons of the 6-10 2008 season, in which Ted Thompson gambled with the depth of his defensive line and lost, make this reality all the more significant." Interesting thought process. I'm not sure I entirely agree with it but interesting nontheless.

The player with Green Bay Packers ties that finished the highest at this past weekend's American Century Classic golf tournament was former quarterback Jim McMahon who finished tied for 28t with a score of 39. Sterling Sharpe was next finishing 35th overall with a 36. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers finished tied for 43rd with a 25. And A.J. Hawk was 69th with a -9. Hawk competed in the long drive competition once again but couldn't defend his title. Perhaps most interesting was Rodgers' tweet when he said he was paired with Michael Jordan and Jerry Rice on Sunday, pretty good company.

Lori Nickel provided a guide this weekend for what to look for at training camp. She gets advice from players, coaches and former Packers great Larry McCarren about fans should examine during practices. "It's not just the size," McCarren said about defensive linemen. "I can find a big guy in a bar who wants to hit someone. It's the size with the quickness. That's a rare commodity." Anytime McCarren talks, it pays to listen.

While the Packers had their Hall of Fame ceremony this weekend, former Packer Chuck Cecil was being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. "A consensus All-American in 1987, Cecil was the Aloha Bowl MVP and a two-time All-Conference selection," writes Dave Cooney of KOLD-TV in Arizona. "He was named Pac-10 Defensive Back of the Year in 1987 and Pac-10 Player of the Week on three occasions. He is a recipient of the NCAA Top Six Award, the Pac-10 Conference Medal and a three-time Golden Eagle Award (3.0 GPA or better) honoree." Congratulations to Mr. Cecil.

General manager Ted Thompson is credited for doing a good job preparing for Jolly's suspension by Jon at Pocket Doppler. "The drafting of Mike Neal raised some eyebrows during the Packers 2010 draft," writes Jon. "Obviously, Ted Thompson knew more about the seriousness of Johnny Jolly’s situation than most others. The jury is out as to whether Neal will be a solid pro, but there is little doubt that Thompson had Jolly’s situation in mind when he made the pick."

Aaron Rodgers is compared to Bart Starr by J.R. Augustine of Green Bay Packer Nation. "Starr has won enough championships to have a ring for each finger of his throwing hand," writes Augustine. "Does Rodgers have the stuff to give rise to a new dynasty in the history of the legendary Packers? Some of that will be answered by factors that can’t be measured, like leadership. However, things sure are looking good for the newest Packer quarterback."

I was reminded of an interesting tidbit when I read Dan Pompei's column at the National Football Post. "Signing unrestricted free agents after June 1 has a hidden benefit: the acquisitions don’t count in the formula for compensatory draft picks," writes Pompei. This is significant if the Packers eventually choose to pursue an Adalius Thomas or any other veteran free agent. Maybe it's not likely to happen, but it's a possibility.

PackerWorld Central takes a look at Johnny Jolly's future. "Allowing Jolly back may cause tension in the lockerroom," according to the blog post. "More and more Packers player are getting into bad situations these days with Havner and Underwood as well as Jolly. The Packers have a general reputation of no-nonsense under Thompson, so that will be a factor."