Thread: Packers prepare for season by playing dodge ball...

Personally, I think they know they're history before the season even starts so they might as well go to childhood games.

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Campers end day with kid stuff
Players, staff play dodge ball
By TODD ROSIAK
[email protected]
Posted: June 8, 2005

Returning to his pattern of looking to break up the monotony of June minicamp, Green Bay Packers coach Mike Sherman cut practice almost an hour short Wednesday so both players and staff could take part in a no-holds-barred tournament featuring the children's playground game in the gymnasium at Lambeau Field.

The announcement came from Sherman on the 50-yard line at Ray Nitschke Field in the middle of what had been, to that point, a productive workout.

"Everybody was out there feeling the heat, just enjoying practice for what it was," fullback William Henderson said. "We thought we were just going to change momentum and go inside because of the potential for rain but he said, no . . . and look what it was: dodge ball."

Everyone involved high-tailed it back to team headquarters to choose teams. Henderson, with the first pick, selected running back Walter Williams. The team's three backup quarterbacks, Aaron Rodgers, Craig Nall and J.T. O'Sullivan, went fifth, sixth and seventh, respectively. The only qualification was each team had to include two staff members, be they coaches, trainers or the like, and some, such as defensive coordinator Jim Bates, fared surprisingly well and earned respect from their charges.

The competition was heated but also netted plenty of laughs, with 300-pound linemen diving for cover in all directions, shifty backs unable to avoid being pegged by laser-like, side-arm throws and even gimpy offensive line coach Larry Beightol managing to stay alive longer than more than half his teammates. In the end, it was wide receiver Donald Driver's team defeating Henderson's squad for bragging rights, thanks in large part to Antonio Chatman catching a throw while at the same time losing a shoe.

"I picked receivers first and after that the speed won the game," Driver said. "That's the part that killed them."

Winners and losers aside, the change in plans served its purpose, according to Sherman.

"Hopefully they got a better workout in practice than they did at dodge ball," Sherman said. "It was a good event in regard to the chemistry of the team. Everybody was having a good time. We practiced well today. We did goal-line and backed-up and third-down stuff earlier and were able to break away from practice and enjoy a team activity. So it was a good thing."

As was the fact that no one came up lame.

"Obviously, you always worry about those things," he said. "But we played paintball one year and I think (Darren) Sharper fell out of a tree, so this was probably safer. We've done bowling and guys have hurt their backs and balls changed lanes so this might have been the safest exercise."

Link

Almost as bad as the "chopping wood" thing a few years back...pretty risky for potential injuries, IMHO...but Packers never were known for their brainpower anyway! LOL

i know this was intended to trash the pack but..

i really like the idea.

pretend you're a player practicing 2 times a day and then one day you get play dodgeball instead.

its a great idea, it breaks the routine.

wow, i saw it on sportscenter tis morning...lmao... when we're up bye 42 in the first this year, sherman will say, OK MEN, WE DID OUR BEST, NOW WHO WANTS TO PLAY DODGE BALL!!!????

"if you can dodge a Packer, you can dodge a ball..."

"PAvikesfan" wrote:

"if you can dodge a Packer, you can dodge a ball..."

lol. i think it was a good idea, but at the same time it doesnt really help them with their team.

i think it is laughable but it does break the monotany. those packers have a bowling night too...

haha.

If the Packers think that trying to make practice fun by playing little kiddie games is gonna fo something for their team, then they got another thing comin'!

I guess dodge ball was a little too intense for the Pack:

Packers | Montgomery does not Practice - from www.KFFL.com
Fri, 10 Jun 2005 10:57:43 -0700

Dylan B. Tomlinson, of PackersNews.com, reports Green Bay Packers DE Michael Montgomery (thumb) did not practice Thursday, June 9.


Packers | Jackson does not Practice - from www.KFFL.com
Fri, 10 Jun 2005 10:56:25 -0700

Dylan B. Tomlinson, of PackersNews.com, reports Green Bay Packers DT Grady Jackson (knee) did not practice Thursday, June 9.


Packers | Curtin does not Practice - from www.KFFL.com
Fri, 10 Jun 2005 10:55:05 -0700

Dylan B. Tomlinson, of PackersNews.com, reports Green Bay Packers OT Brennan Curtin (knee) did not practice Thursday, June 9.


Packers | Lee does not Practice - from www.KFFL.com
Fri, 10 Jun 2005 10:54:09 -0700

Dylan B. Tomlinson, of PackersNews.com, reports Green Bay Packers DT James Lee (knee) did not practice Thursday, June 9.


Packers | Thompson does not Practice - from www.KFFL.com
Fri, 10 Jun 2005 10:52:46 -0700

Dylan B. Tomlinson, of PackersNews.com, reports Green Bay Packers LB Raynoch Thompson (knee) did not practice Thursday, June 9.


Packers | Johnson does not Practice - from www.KFFL.com
Fri, 10 Jun 2005 10:50:07 -0700

Dylan B. Tomlinson, of PackersNews.com, reports Green Bay Packers DB Chris Johnson (shin) did not practice Thursday, June 9.


Packers | Hunter does not Practice - from www.KFFL.com
Fri, 10 Jun 2005 10:48:07 -0700

Dylan B. Tomlinson, of PackersNews.com, reports Green Bay Packers DB Jason Horton (lungs) did not practice Thursday, June 9.


Packers | Hawkins does not Practice - from www.KFFL.com
Fri, 10 Jun 2005 10:46:42 -0700

Dylan B. Tomlinson, of PackersNews.com, reports Green Bay Packers CB Micheal Hawkins (knee) did not practice Thursday, June 9.

I just heard that the Packers signed Ben Stiller to be a consultant for their "Dodge Ball offense"...I hear that it is very similar to the old "Run and Shoot"...or as some liked to call it...the "Chuck and Duck"!