Packers Players Told To Report To Green Bay
Packers players were called by the team Monday night and told to report to Green Bay on Friday to prepare for training camp.
By PackerAaron
From Pro Football Talk:
Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the Packers are telling players that the doors will open on Friday, and that the team wants the players in town in order to get started on preparations for training camp and the preseason.
Cheesehead TV has confirmed with two separate sources that this is, indeed, the case. In fact, the calls went out to players roughly three hours prior to Florio's post. We are sure Ted Thompson is thrilled with this development, though one source indicated the team had received permission from the league to contact players. Per a source "Coaches have been borderline paranoid about having any contact with players, to the point that they've been reporting even random encounters, like seeing a guy at the grocery store, so as not to be thought of as having 'contacted' a player."
Are you ready for some football?
UPDATE: Both Aaron Rodgers and Jarrett Bush have stated publicly that they were not contacted last night by the team, while Jason Wilde reports that three other players told him they had not been contacted as of last night. But I've confirmed again that calls did indeed go out for players to report to Green Bay this weekend. There may be a plan to get younger players with less than a certain number of years in the league into town first. Indeed, according to Pete Dougherty, the Packers have been planning on getting players in whenever the lockout was lifted for "weightroom and classroom sessions."
Whatever the case - the Packers are planning for the lockout to be over as of Friday.
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE.
__________________________
Comments (32)
July 18, 2011 at 10:00 pm
OMG, FINALLY!! I've never been more ready for some football!
July 18, 2011 at 10:50 pm
Time to book those flights to Green Bay.
July 18, 2011 at 10:07 pm
YOTTO, baby!
Let's make it 5 Lombardis!
July 18, 2011 at 11:19 pm
YEAH BABY!!! GO PACK GO!!!
July 18, 2011 at 10:28 pm
FINALLY NO MORE SOCCER!!!!!
July 19, 2011 at 05:53 am
Women Soccer!
July 19, 2011 at 12:54 am
LOUD NOISES!!!!!!!!
July 19, 2011 at 12:56 am
Per A.R's Twitter around 10 30pm
AaronRodgers12 Aaron Rodgers
I definitely haven't been contacted about anything in gb this weekend, for the record
You would think he would be contacted, but maybe they are trying to get the younger guys in first
July 19, 2011 at 01:43 am
Meh, fringe player. Call him tomorrow (sarcasm).
PackerAaron
July 19, 2011 at 05:33 am
Calls went out, just not sure if they went out to the whole team.
July 19, 2011 at 09:03 am
I would guess this is damage control.
July 19, 2011 at 09:26 am
As much as I want to believe it, this report is looking false.
Is this why bloggers should be credentialed?
PackerAaron
July 19, 2011 at 09:35 am
What is making it look false?
And what do credentials have to do with it? Wilde has credentials and has also said the report is true. So which is it? The people with credentials are wrong or the people without credentials are wrong?
Just weak man.
July 19, 2011 at 09:38 am
The amount of players that have come forward to deny the report, including T.J. Lang.
If they would contact younger players, surely Lang -- coming off the wrist injury and in contention for the LG job -- would have been contacted.
July 19, 2011 at 09:43 am
Not necessarily, a player entering his 3rd year has a grasp on the playbook and understands how to use (take advantage of) training camp once it opens.
Guys like Neal, Quarless, Sheilds and all rookies are the ones that need to confirm or deny the invite. I see no reason to urgently usher in veterans (3rd year and beyond).
PackerAaron
July 19, 2011 at 09:47 am
Interesting that they've come forward, yes. Why is another matter. Calls were made. Of that I have no doubt.
July 19, 2011 at 10:05 am
Sorry Aaron, I was out of line.
I guess your comment yesterday via Twitter reacting to being objected for credentials really rubbed me the wrong way.
I respect your work, but if bloggers are allowed in the same press box where Dick Schapp, Lee Remmel, Art Daley, Bud Lea and Bob McGinn have sat, where does it end?
PackerAaron
July 19, 2011 at 10:16 am
So "bloggers" shouldn't sit in those seats but guys like Chris Havel and Mike Woods should? Give me a break.
I understand what you are saying (and for the record, the Packers sure seem to agree with you) but I think a case can be made that the work we do here at Cheesehead TV is on par with many of the outlets that ARE allowed in the press box. And we do all that work without any access whatsoever.
And that's another distinction - I am not disappointed that I did not get credentialed. I am disappointed that CHTV did not. There's a difference.
July 19, 2011 at 10:54 am
Understood on your disappointment for CHTV.
I know you guys do a TON of work but at some point the PR team has to draw a line: there are numerous media outlets that cover this state:
-3 TV markets (Milwaukee, Madison and GB/App)
-Numerous dailies - and WISC. is loyal to print compared to the average state's readership
-Radio
I personally come to CHTV for the commentary and refreshing friendliness of those who engage in discussions on the contents. Does that warrant your site a press pass? Not so sure that it does but I could be wrong.
PackerAaron
July 19, 2011 at 12:22 pm
"I personally come to CHTV for the commentary and refreshing friendliness of those who engage in discussions on the contents. Does that warrant your site a press pass?"
No, I do not think the Packers should hand us a press pass on the basis of why one person comes to the site.
July 19, 2011 at 12:51 pm
I'd like to see how many people come to CHTV for breaking news. You know your site better than I do, so I might be wrong to say most do not.
All I'm saying is where does it end for the PR standpoint. If you let one blog in, wouldn't you have to let the countless others such as PackerGeeks or TotalPackers in as well?
Further, you're a fan first! You always will be, even if you deny it vehemently. The press box is aimed to assist non-partial journalists in the development of materials that surround the game.
PackerAaron
July 19, 2011 at 01:05 pm
1. Of course I'm a fan first. Several NFL teams have credentialed fan bloggers.
2. Do you listen to radio, which you listed as one of the outlets that already cover the team, for "breaking news"?
3. As far as "Where does it end?" for the poor beleaguered PR staff - again, give me a break. At Blackstone, we have two bloggers that we work with all the time - because they're good and have done exactly what CHTV is doing - worked for years to build up their brand with quality work. I don't think separating who should and shouldn't be let in is the monumental task this tired argument makes it out to be.
One good story on TotalPackers - last year, when I first spoke to Jeff Blumb about credentials, Jeff was reading a request from TotalPackers as we spoke on the phone. He even referenced it. And then he looked at their site - the top headline was "Aaron Rodgers Is Banging This" regarding whatever TMZ rumor was going around at that point.
Now, I ask you, is that not an easy call to make as to whether they should or should not be let in?
July 19, 2011 at 01:22 pm
I was referring to radio in regards to the Radio play-by-play affiliates.
Congrats on the Giants pass -- Dec. 4 will be nice :)
I work in Agency PR, so we're always looking for ways to work with bloggers. I know you guys have been at this almost five years now, so there's little questioning the merit of your work.
But from a brand management standpoint, I can see where the Packers are coming from.
From one PR guy to the other, what do the Packers have to gain in credentialing bloggers? Would the risk outweigh the reward? I'd argue yes.
The brand really can't get any bigger so they're just mitigating risk from my perspective.
July 20, 2011 at 05:41 pm
I think you nailed it on the head, Aaron. When you look at blogs, there is a lot of variability of quality and duplication of services. Of course a blog that is bogged down in gossip such as "Look at who So and So Nailed" isn't going to be taken seriously when it submits a request for credentials same goes for one that just links to everything else nor is a site that blogs self-serving "We are great, the other sites suck" type of posts.
I'll even go one step further and the type of stuff that I blog isn't credential-worthy. I'm irreverent commentary, and I know it's a self-indulgent niche. It's not journalism by any stretch of the imagination (can't say the same for Brewers' coverage as Wally, Brian and the gang cover baseball with a lot more consistency and reverence.)
I suspect to even get on the radar for credentialling there are several prerequisites. 1) Is it original? There's a list of blogs as long as my arm that just cut and paste what everyone else is saying. 2)Do offer a consistant product? And that's consistant quality as consistant quantity. A blog that has infrequent information isn't relavent from a journalism standpoint. 3) Is it informative newsworthy? Yeah, I do think that with credentials comes the burden of actually delivering news--and not just a rehash of other people's news points. Do you have sources and can you break information? And finally 4) Does it promote mutually beneficial agendas as the Packers franchise? Now I don't mean it is merely a PR mouthpiece to blow sunshine up a Lambeau skirt, but does it help foster interest and passion in the business that is the Green Bay Packers?
So when bloggers bellyache, why does CHTV get credentialed and others did not, it's obvious that you guys have worked hard to create a product that is more than just a fan blog. It truly hits these criteria on all levels.
And not to blow sunshine up your skirt either, you also have the readership volume to be newsworthy.
I totally agree, not all bloggers should be credentialled, but the ones that make an impact should be without hesitation.
-Kelly
PackerAaron
July 19, 2011 at 01:07 pm
Adding to the ridiculousness of the moment - Cheesehead TV was just credentialed by the New York Giants.
Go figure.
July 19, 2011 at 12:35 pm
Aaron and co do a better job with much, much less than a lot of the traditional vehicles. See OTAs last year. Brian Carriveau was so thorhough that he was consistantly cited by other reporters such as Wilde, Bedard etc...
Not all blogs should get credentials, but one that is respected by all reporters and that can manage to get several Packers players to their shows should.
In the end, blogs will still have a hard time getting breaking news, because they're usually not as well connected as the media members.
But there's no question to these guys' professionalism. Just see that they haven't leaked out their sources regarding this subject.
It's as Wilde says, Aaron and Co. are part of the media now, even if an independent media. No reason whatsoever to not give them the same benefits, as they will be held accountable if they act unprofessionally.
July 19, 2011 at 03:42 pm
+1
You don't always need to "draw a line." The NFL/Packers can assess a blog site on an individual basis and determine whether it's worthy of credentials. And no, letting one blog in doesn't mean you have to let others in. This isn't the schoolyard.
Ken said: "I’d like to see how many people come to CHTV for breaking news."
Count me as one of them. I come here first before I go to any major media outlet (ESPN, JSO, NFL, etc.).
July 19, 2011 at 03:53 pm
The only site I can think of that I come specifically to get news is PFT. And exclusively for the news, never for the opinion.
They report everything right away.
The rest? I only go for opinion.
Because, Ken, there's a thing called twitter nowadays... You don't have to wait for your newspaper to arrive to get the latest news, you know?
July 19, 2011 at 04:10 pm
I have heard of this internet thing and I do follow reporters for breaking news. I follow bloggers for the commentary.
I don't want to discount anything that CHTV does AT ALL. I know it's probably the best Packers blog out there.
All I'm saying is risk vs. reward, the Packers have little to gain by opening the door to bloggers. Per Compete.com, CHTV had 26,000 Unique Visitors during January -- that's an incredible number and I take my hat off.
But consider that JSOnline had 1.29 MILLION in that same month.
July 19, 2011 at 06:04 pm
I think the first paragraph sums it up perfectly. You follow reporters for news, not sites. CHTV has Brian as a full-fledged reporter. He's not as well connected as the other guys because he doesn't have access to the players...
And regarding gains and losses, that's a lazy excuse. You are right that they do have to lose, but if they did a basic research job with the blogs (like the Giants did), there wouldn't be a problem...
Bottom line, they don't want to do it, and they don't want to take any risk whatsoever with blogs leaking confidential information.
Yet, there's a new post by Jason Wilde, credentialed, saying the Packers had talks with players...
Bolgs provide a service to their fans...
But it's nothing new, the Packers always tried to control the information, favoring GBPG over JSO often...
July 19, 2011 at 06:40 pm
With all due respect, not sure why you believe it's a lazy excuse.
PR staffs are always cherry-picking media in their best interest. As someone who does this for a living, I'd probably restrict even more media than what's currently permitted.
That's not a reflection of chtv
July 19, 2011 at 07:04 pm
Whhhhaaaaaaaaaa!!!