Fun facts about Mason Crosby

Friday is finally here! Any intriguing weekend plans up your sleeve? I'm going to be out on the lake for a bonfire and some wake-boarding. Holla!

It leads me to wonder how our friends, the Green Bay Packers, might be spending their July weekends now that summer training camp is in full swing. I can imagine that my favorite Green Bay Packers kicker, Mason Crosby, probably has something relaxing in store, perhaps something from this swell list of his favorite past-times!

• Could he be relaxing at home with his wife of two years, Emily? They married in June 2008 and spent their honeymoon in the Bahamas. Great destination!
  
  
• Perhaps he's down in Texas throwing the pigskin around with his dad, Jim Crosby, a former runningback at Texas El-Paso.
  
  
• Maybe, like me, he's on the lake. Mason Crosby loves the outdoors--camping, hiking, hunting, fishing. His claim to fame is spearfishing a 35 pound grouper!

Do people really eat these things?

• Then again, Mason Crosby could be out on the links, playing yet another round of golf. He's a very talented golfer who devotes much of his free time to participating in charity golf events. Yet another testament to his athletic prowess!

So there you have it--a list of facts to give new dimension to your understanding of Mason Crosby. Enjoy your weekend!

Allen Barbre is in loooooove

"My lips, two blushing pilgrims ready stand..."

Have you heard about the latest love interest of Green Bay Packers tackle/guard Allen Barbre? There are actually two in his life (oh, the drama!) and they are quite a few years older than this 26 year old athlete.

Let me then introduce you to Chevelle and Camaro....

...Chevrolet.

That's right. Allen Barbre is in love with Chevy classic cars! He enjoys reading about and seeing these old beauts at car shows and in magazines and hopes to own one someday.

Since he still needs to jump in and make the purchase, I'm sure he'd appreciate your feedback. (And I'm also sure he reads this blog religiously. Hi ya, Allen!) Cast your vote, Green Bay Packers fans! Which car suits Allen Barbre best?

Red hot Camaro action:


The saucy Chevelle:

Don't delay! Cast your votes today!

I love to rhyme. All of the time.

Packer Ticket Discount Code

I received an email today with a discount code for Packers Tickets from http://www.greenbaypackersticket.com/ - I ordered with them once before so now I am on their email list (although, I don't get very many emails from them which is kind of nice).

For everyone not on the list the discount code is : IMBACK

It is valid until August 7th. If you are planning on going to a game at Lambeau this year, buy tickets now and use the code! For the referral section on the checkout form, you should totally write hot for the pack blog! Maybe they will give me some sort of ticket kick-back. I will let you know!

Brandon Chillar's Heritage

Brandon Chillar's olive skin, light green eyes, and dark hair are the physical features many girls lust after (word to the wise: the Green Bay Packers site lists his status as single).


What he has was given to him by his mama (thanks, will.i.am for the line)...and his dad. Brandon Chillar's mother is Irish-Italian and his father, Ram Chillar, is Indian. In fact, Ram was born in India and worked in his village outside New Delhi until making it over to America as a teen.

Few NFL players today are Indian so Brandon Chillar is often the subject of interviews with Indian papers and sites. However, Brandon himself has never been to India and describes himself simply as American.

Born and raised in California, Brandon Chillar got into football at a young age and did very well on his high school team. He then played for the UCLA team and started 35 of 49 games throughout his career.

Following UCLA, Chillar was drafted to the St. Louis Rams in the 4th round and came to the Green Bay Packers in 2008. He's a great addition to the team and we can't wait to see what's in store for this guy!

Brett Goode makes you feel great!

How does our Green Bay Packer pal, Brett Goode, pronounce his last name?

a. GEWD

b. GUHD

c. GUD-EEE

d. GUHD-I


If you answered "a" then you are correct, sir! Or ma'am. Don't want to stereotype my fan base, here.

Indeed, Brett Goode's unique last name and unusual phonetic pronunciation can be traced to Irish or English origins. In fact, for just $19.95 you could order Brett Goode a copy of his surname emblazoned on a family crest and published onto stationary, T-shirts, and other miscellaneous products he probably doesn't need. (No offense, companies-who-create-these-trinkets.)

My favorite story about Brett Goode, though, is not related to his name. It's more closely connected with stifling heat and concrete.

Stay with me here.

In 2008, poor Brett went undrafted by any NFL team and resigned himself to facing the upcoming season without a pro career. On one hot summer day, however, everything changed. Ninety-three degree heat. Brett in work clothes. Pouring a concrete driveway. Focused on everything but football. Phone call. Packers. Summer camp invite. The rest is history. (Did those staccato sentences help capture the drama, interwebs?)

"No more concrete for me, you bet."

So there you have it. A pronunciation guide and a concrete story. What more could you ask for from the Green Bay Packers Brett Goode?

Jordy Nelson down on the farm

Jordy Nelson may have put down roots in Green Bay, Wisconsin (his wife, Emily, works at a local public elementary school, too) but farming and the rural countryside is in this guy's blood. Born in 1985 to Alan and Kim Nelson, Jordy was brought up on a farm in the heart of Kansas, USA. He spent his youth helping his parents, attending Kansas State football games, and perfecting his sprinting skills. At the age of 10, little Jordy Nelson won the national AAU championship in the 400 meter dash! A few years later, he set the school records in the 100 and 200 meter dash and was all-state in basketball. Farm boy athlete!

"Farm boy! Fetch me that pitcher!"
(10 extra credit points to the first person to correctly identify the movie!)

After playing college football at Kansas, Jordy Nelson was drafted to the Green Bay Packers and he quickly gained notice from the staff and fellow players. In 2008, Jordy Nelson made a name for himself as the only rookie in Green Bay Packers history to tally over 30 catches and one 45 yard kick return.

When he's not tearing up the field with his crazy speed, he likes to listen to country music and hang out with his parents on the farm. In fact, Mr. and Mrs. Nelson have expanded beyond their farming enterprise into the dining industry. Jordy and his wife like to grab some grub at his parent's restaurant, Nelson's Landing, established in 2007.


They offer pan friend chicken, Mexican fiestas, and everything in between. The 87 cent beer every Monday doesn't sound too bad, either. And perhaps during the off-season you'll see Jordy Nelson pull up for a hot meal after a long day working on the farm. Yee haw!!!!

Get Donald Driver a cane!

"Help! I've fallen and I can't get up!"

These are the words that old-timer Donald Driver may be saying any day. After all, the guy is THE oldest Packers players this season. At a feeble 35 years of age, old Donald was in middle school when some of his teammates were birthed. I don't know which experience is more traumatizing.

To help our pal out, I've come up with a list of products that could aid him in his advanced age.

Wait a second. This medical alert system ad feels a bit off.

Oh! Here we go.

Yayyyyyy.

How about some of these guys?

I think we can do a little better than that, hula hooping woman whose bladder is failing!

Oh no he didn't!

In all honesty, Donald Driver is a young spring chicken yet. He's so talented, has a heart of gold (volunteers all the time and helps with so many causes), and he is smokin' hot. Let's end on that note! I hereby present....Donald Driver is smokin' hot!

"35 is the new 25, biotches."

Ferndale's own T.J. Lang!

Ever heard of Ferndale, Michigan? Me neither.

The city of 22,000 lies just outside of Detroit. You want some fast facts and a handy dandy map this suburban enclave? No prob, Bob.

• The southern city boundary is "8 Mile Road," made popular by Eminem's 2002 hip hop film of a similar title.
  
  
• The city elected Michigan's first openly gay mayor back in 2007.
  
  
• Nicknames for the town include "Fashionable Ferndale" and "Fabulous Ferndale."
  

And of course, Ferndale is home to a relatively new Green Bay Packers' player: T.J. Lang. In fact, when the 6'4" 318 pound offensive lineman was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 2009, he was one of just three draft picks in all of the Packers' franchise history to come from eastern Michigan, and the first to have been selected from that region in 37 years.

Fabulous Ferndale's T.J. Lang

Ferndale is excited for T.J. Lang, and as Michigan's neighboring state, we can certainly be pumped about T.J. Lang. Though he didn't see playing time in 2009-2010, he had a strong college career back in Eastern Michigan and was nominated as a Gatorade Player of the Year.

Hopefully this momentum, plus a year on the NFL sidelines, has helped T.J. Lang develop skills and technique to see some action with the Green Bay Packers in 2010. Do Ferndale and the Green Bay Packers proud, T.J. Lang!

Sam Shields is ready to rock you like a hurricane

The title for this post is courtesy of the 1984 smash hit by the hairband Scorpions.

What a bunch of studs, eh?

Yet this mind-blowing track is also directly connected to Green Bay Packers #37, a rockin' force in his own right. Though Sam Shields is new to all of us Green Bay Packers cheeseheads, he was a category four in his college days with the Miami Hurricanes. This dude clocked a 4.2 second 40 meter dash--the fastest of all the Hurricanes!

I can feel the gusts from here. Board up the windows, mother!

We're lucky to have this force of nature on Lambeau Field this fall. He was drafted in 2010 and is slated to be a Green Bay Packers cornerback after playing as defensive back for the past four seasons in college ball.

Now, to end this post, I have one last Green Bay Packers treat for you up my sleeve.






Wait for it...







Wait for it...






You're welcome.

Pat Lee's Coldest Winter Ever

If you're looking for a good read this summer, Green Bay Packers cornerback Pat Lee can point you in the right direction: The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah. The book revolves around the action of Winter, a female teenage protagonist, who endures a difficult upbringing, broken family, and faces homicide and drug use in her neighborhood.


Though Winter's life is much more challenging than Pat Lee's, it's pretty clear that the novel's title was fitting for his first season with the Green Bay Packers! Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Pat Lee played for Auburn's football squad and was at home in the sultry climes of Alabama. Yet in 2008, Pat Lee was drafted to the Green Bay Packers and was whisked away to the frozen tundra of east-central Wisconsin. No wonder his knee gave out in December of that year--it snapped like an ice-encrusted twig unused to the subzero temps at Lambeau Field!


Fortunately, Pat Lee has acclimated his body over the years though he maintains a home in Miami for those brutal Wisconsin Januarys. You can see him in his arctic glory this season. Hopefully he stays hot this season with the Green Bay Packers!

Gingers for Tim Masthay!!!

Think fast! What do the following pictures all have in common?

I know you weren't expecting a pop quiz today, but I hope the similarities (and the obvious title of this post) helped you along. Yes, these fine folks are all proud redheads. Carrot tops. Pelirrojos. No matter the language you speak or country from which you originate, we can all agree that redheads are pretty awesome people. I should know. I have orange hair, too!

Tim Masthay, Green Bay Packers free agent acquired in 2010, along with Ariel, Queen Elizabeth I, and myself are all part of an exclusive club. Less than 2% of Americans have blazing locks; roughly just 4% of people worldwide can boast the same. It is the rarest hair color on this planet, people! And Green Bay Packers' Tim Masthay has the most burning hair on his team.

Let's hope his firey hair matches his on-field fire for playing in the NFL. (How'd you like that segue?) He is still a little known player who comes from the Kentucky Wildcats college football squad and was drafted in 2009, but quickly released just three months later, by the Indianapolis Colts. Since the Colts didn't work out, I'm chalking it up to the fact that Tim Masthay decided red hair looks best with green uniforms (opposite on the color wheel!) and has been angling for a spot on Lambeau Field ever since. Let's wish him the best this 2010-2011 Green Bay Packers season and see some red out on the field!

Packer Players Blog Will be Heating Up

My Packer Players blog will be heating up with juicy Green Bay Packers Player information very soon. Be sure to vote on who's hot and who's not! And remember if you want to be included on my Packer blogroll, COMMENT ME!

Cheesehead Certified

Cheesehead Certified! More Packer Players posts coming soon. I am officially on vacation! Check back next week.

Bryan Bulaga Player Profile

Bryan Bulaga was born March 21st, 1989 in Crystal Lake, Illinois. Bulaga played football for Marian Central Catholic High School and went on to play college football at the University of Iowa. In college, Bulaga was dominant from the beginning. He was named Freshmen All Big Ten and was on the 2009 Outland Trophy watch. After his junior season, Bulaga declared for the NFL Draft. He was selected by the Green Bay Packers with the 23rd pick in the draft of the 1st round. Bulaga will spend this season competing with veterens Chad Clifton and Mark Tauscher for playing time at the tackle positions.

Anthony Toribio

Anthony Toribio is a defensive tackle for the Green Bay Packers. Toribio was born on March 1st, 1985 in Miami Florida. He was signed as a practice squad player by the Miami Dolphins and now is a member of the Packers. He was a practice squad player for the Packers, and is currently a member of their 53 man roster. He played college football at Carson-Newman College. You have probably never heard of Anthony and Toribio and I hadn't heard of him until I was told to write a post a about him and that is because he is not a good football player who will have no impact on the Packers next year.