Tapping The Keg Podcast Episode 97

Tapping The Keg Podcast with Charlie & Mitch graces your ears for another week of fun. We start off the podcast talking about random things in the news or in our life... Most notably, Joel Embiid's Twitter game and pop music. Sports happen around the 10 min mark where we talk about the Brewers sweep, Roenicke's bullpen management and is Yovani Gallardo' trustworthy? We move on to talk about the Bucks full roster with the addition of Kendall Marshall. We do a little Packers training camp before finishing with Tony Dungy and Michael Sam.

Charlie.

Packers Need a Plan For Favre

It is hard to believe there are people around Wisconsin whom still hate Brett Favre. It is hard to believe there are people whom still love Brett Favre like a son they never had. He is an enigma in the State of Wisconsin. There is no doubt in my mind if Favre ended his career in 2008, there would be statue somewhere near Lambeau Field already plus he would have his number retired without any question. Right now, Green Bay and Favre are in a holding pattern to when he will return to Lambeau Field. There are some simpler solutions than a whole jersey retirement right away.

Any game featuring Favre involved will be a huge deal. No one will be talking about the game. Aaron Rodgers could be on a streak where he had six consecutive games with 300 yards or more with three touchdowns per game at MVP-like level yet all of the attention would be on Favre.  Green Bay could be undefeated midway through the season yet all eyes would be on Favre. Fans wearing his jersey (PS if you still think it is not okay to wear his jersey, you are the Packers fans I don't like to associate with tbh) and it would be the top headline in the National Football League. That's how big of a deal it would be to have Favre back in Green Bay getting his jersey retired. This is why the first time back in Lambeau needs to be complete surprise and then have the ceremony in the following year.

The element of surprise could be a beautiful thing for both sides of the aisle. Imagine a game against Chicago or Detroit at Lambeau where the FOX, NBC or ESPN cameras pan to the field seeing Rodgers and Favre chatting it up before the game. Social media explodes, it becomes a must-watch game all of the sudden and yes, the attention goes to Favre yet in a much smaller time frame meaning it will not be as much as a distraction. Everybody goes nuts and it becomes a different game on the schedule. Favre probably does a little television with either any of the networks talking about his time with Green Bay. Everybody would be fully into it and start building the bridge back between Favre and the Packers.

If they went with this strategy, the Favre jersey game would not be the biggest thing of the NFL season for a likely playoff contender and probable Super Bowl contender. It still would be a massive game with tickets prices being in the thousands. But this might take things down a notch slightly. It would probably also mean no one is booing him. Although the fact people are even worried about Favre getting booed at the place where he reigned supreme in the 90's and most of 2000's is utterly ridiculous.  If Favre gets booed, it would be by the one percent of the fanbase and also the same people in their 30's whom still think their high school rivalry is worth a damn.

Whether they go with a jersey retirement ceremony this year, a surprise visit or two or nothing at all. It will happen at some point with Green Bay embracing one of their golden children with open arms.

Charlie.

Tap's Hangover Cure: General Mike McCarthy

I am really really glad Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy didn't take a ton of flak for what he said to a local news station when he went up in a World War II B-17 bomber jet saying 'Alright, let's bomb Chicago.' The major reason is McCarthy doesn't usually make jokes. It is like seeing a blue moon or a girl flash her boobs at the bar. We need McCarthy jokes in our life especially before the season is starting therefore I am glad no one jumped to their computers to act like idiots. I am actually shocked with how slow sports is right now. There is a reason SnoTap is all over the place these days.

Charlie.

A.J. Hawk Goes Hitstick on Fan at Golf Tournament

I am trying to decide if A.J. Hawk is being a tough guy here or if this guy had it coming therefore deserves to be laid out by the Packers linebacker. Hawk does seem like the type of guy whom would level the shit out of you without any notice. I know people like that, it just comes with the territory. You go out with those type of guys, there is a possibility by the end of the night, you are getting laid out on some grass wrecking your outfit from the night, but I digress. I am going with this guy deserved it. My assumption is these guys were all hammered when they asked Hawk to hit him given the fact they kept yelling and all had their sleeves eaten by the sleeve monster at a golf tournament. If you go cut-off shirt at any golf tournament, you are an asshole, plain and simple. Glad to see A.J. is in form as we get closer to the season. On another note, I started to get an itch for football so I started Friday Night Lights. Watched five episodes last night, clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose.

Charlie.

Could Milwaukee Handle an MLS Team?

h/t @BennyHutch

For years, people have said Milwaukee should have a National Hockey League team. Many people believe
this team could support hockey team even though they really do not support a basketball team in the winter months, but I digress. Given the massive crowds at Brady Street this past Sunday for the World Cup, it makes one wonder could Milwaukee or the Milwaukee suburban area could support a Major League Soccer team. There are some realistic areas where it could be built plus provide a low-cost option for fans to support yet obvious hurdles exist all over the place.

It was estimated 15,000 people came down to Brady Street to support the United States Soccer effort with a great deal of passion and excitement. That number would fill up a majority of MLS Stadiums.  Milwaukee is more of a soccer city than people might think it is despite not being around the top 10 in the television ratings for the World Cup. There has always been a great deal of soccer love in the city with support of UW-Milwaukee and Marquette's soccer team along with a rich tradition in high school soccer. Milwaukee once had a professional team named Milwaukee Rampage where they did not draw very well, but this was a long team ago before the preceived leap soccer is making right now. 

Miller Park will be hosting a friendly with Swansea City and Chivas USA during the All-Star Break for the Milwaukee Brewers. If that draws well, it should be a push in the right direction for adding an MLS team in the future. This is not something where Milwaukee should do it in the next five years because the city needs to get the Bucks a new arena before everything else. Once they have that in place, the next step should be trying to add an MLS team with a new stadium somewhere in the City of Milwaukee. If the expansion of Milwaukee grows in the right direction adding a soccer team might not be the most ridiculous thing in the world. Further, it is time to think outside the box with the stadium and how to build Milwaukee as a city. 

Imagine if they put it around the old Pabst buildings right around the courthouse. There is a clear relationship with Pabst Blue Ribbon and soccer and if the Pabst sign looming in the background as they play soccer, it would be a thing of beauty. They could add around Miller Park in the golden triangle which we have talked about countless times for the Bucks. If Milwaukee does not work, putting a 15,000 seat stadium in the suburbs of Brookfield, Mequon or Franklin is not a terrible idea. All the sudden, there is a new place to host outdoor concerts and could create a whole new revenue stream for the entire area. Although there are many hurdles they will have to go through before actually making this a reality. 

Currently, the MLS has 18 teams with four teams coming through in the coming years. At some point, MLS will probably cap how many teams they want unless they go the route of European leagues and have a secondary division. Further, Minneapolis has an even better soccer reputation than Milwaukee and nearly got a team last time around. It might be hard to see all three cities, Milwaukee, Chicago and Minneapolis, all have MLS soccer teams. Another city that might cut Milwaukee's chance to get a team is Indianapolis which could bring more to the table. 

Another big concern for the MLS addition in Milwaukee would be the Green Bay Packers. Now, there are 10 teams with NFL teams in the same city and in fact, New England Revolution plays in Gillette Stadium. My argument would be if New England can deal with having a soccer team, Milwaukee could deal with the Green Bay crowd. Same goes for Washington D.C. The other thing about is it would be much cheaper to see Milwaukee's MLS team versus doing anything else in the city.  There might be too much going on with the Brewers as well when it comes to September plus let's not forget about Wisconsin Badgers either. Milwaukee is a big small city and things might be spread too thin yet all of the options for the sports fan of Milwaukee would be tremendous.  

It will be interesting to see if this gains any momentum. I am all for the idea of adding new professional teams to the City of Milwaukee. Nothing wrong with getting on the bandwagon for Cream City FC or Milwaukee Futbol Club.   

Charlie. 

No-Brainer on Jordy Nelson's New Contract

Green Bay Packers General Manager Ted Thompson almost exclusively builds his roster through the draft. Green Bay is always one of the youngest teams in the National Football League because they will let veterans go and replace them with younger talent which they hope will be better in a couple years. Some of their drafted talent reaches blue-chip potential though meaning they need to be kept as a Green Bay Packer. Jordy Nelson is up for a contract this off-season, but he would like an extension done before the season even starts for Green Bay. This seems like a slam dunk decision if I have ever seen one despite all of the young receiver talent around the Packers roster.

Packers might have the best bargain in the game with Nelson. He gets paid 4.2 million a year as a base salary with obvious bonuses.  He ended up turning around two great seasons for the Packers with having over 1,300 yards in 2013 with eight touchdowns. In 2011, he had over 1,200 yards with 15 touchdowns during this contract. Nelson has became the number one receiver for the Packers as he is truly versatile wideout where he can be used as an underneath or vertical receiver. It is hard to argue with Nelson being a top 10, top 20 receiver at worst in the entire NFL getting paid only four million dollars a year.

Nelson will get paid in a major way with this upcoming extension or contract. Nelson is probably not owed Calvin Johnson or Larry Fitzgerald money where they are making over 16 million dollars a year. But he is definitely owed what Mike Wallace, Dwayne Bowe and Percy Harvin are making which comes in around 12 million dollars a year. The problem that comes in here is Green Bay has 12 million dollars of cap space right now meaning Thompson will have to maneuver around some things around to reach the goal of likely eight to eleven million dollars. Nelson hasn't pointed out what the desired price is for his new contract, but the assumption is he wants to be paid like a top notch wide receiver.

The best guess I would have for Nelson and his contract would be 36 to 39 million dollars over three years or 48 million to 52 million dollars over four years. Likely the Packers would want a four-year deal to spread out the money versus the three-year deal where there is more immediacy.  Nelson would rather have the three year deal given he would be 32 years old when he has to do free agency again. It's likely Green Bay wouldn't sign him in 2017, but there were would be a boatload of teams willing to pay for an older talented receiver. Nelson should be paid this level, and Green Bay would be wise to give him his money because 31 teams in the NFL would give him this payday.

There is no reason to believe Green Bay will not pay Nelson, but some might think with the addition of Davante Adams, Jared Abbrederis and Jeff Janis, they would be fine with a new receiving core including giving Randall Cobb a new contract (Another blog post for another time). That's foolish to think that way and very pessimistic to think Thompson will not take care of his own. Additionally, there is no guarantee any of these guys will be good NFL players. Just because there are alluring things about Adams, Abbrederis and Janis doesn't equate to them being vital players for the Packers. It is hard to think of a situation where the Packers wouldn't re-sign Nelson.

It is not if but when Nelson gets his new deal. It would be ideal if the Packers got it done before Training Camp gets underway in July. Because after Nelson, comes Cobb likely to start building the pillars for the Packers offense in the next three to five years.

Charlie.

Quick Tap Podcast Episode Nine

Quick Tap Episode Nine features a wide array of topics. Personally, I really enjoy doing this podcast and think it is pretty fun. Glad some of you like Adam, Bryan and Mike sent in questions this week. We talked about a lot of things in a short period of time. I explain what two teams I would like to see play if I had any venue, a Wisconsin and non-Wisconsin answer. We talk about if I would donate my UCL to baseball. Bat flip power rankings which is my favorite part of the podcast which makes me come to a realization. Tight end depth for the Packers based on this blog post. Why I need to watch Veep and I will never get out of TV purgatory.  We finish with a discussion on Elliot Rodger using Jeff Pearlman's blog post and wrap with quick takes on Mad Men and The Americans (Spoilers).

Charlie.

The Return of YOTTO?

Former Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley was an enigma on the Packers roster. People didn't like him for being brash and not a robot to the media while others loved him for the way he played enjoying his brashness. Everyone had an opinion on Finley. He suffered a neck injury against Cleveland in Week 6 of the season. Finley missed the year, and some wondered if he would never play football again. The tight end made great strides in the past seven months continuing to become the player he once was before the injury.

According to Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Finley will be in Green Bay on Wednesday with the Packers doctors taking a look at his neck.  This seems like it would be the final decision with how things go with Finley.  The assumption would be this is the last stand for Finley and the Packers organization. If things do not well, Green Bay will move on with the seven tight ends they have on their rosters. But if things end up looking up, he could be on the team before the end of the summer. 

Looking at things on social media is not always the best way to make conclusions as it can run you into trouble. I mean looking at a friend's Twitter account where you assume there is a subtweet and it obviously has to be about you in some way, but I digress. Finley has been using his Twitter account to make it sound like he wants to rejoin the Packers. From his picture last night with Aaron Rodgers talking about missing him when conveniently comes before he gets tests on his neck plus it happens to be the first day of OTA's when Rodgers will be in the building.  There are all sorts of pictures on his feed from him lifting a massive amount of weight on the dead lift bar which takes a ton of strength from your neck and back area to motivational pictures.

It is almost like Finley is trying to show the world including the Packers through social media he can play football game. Even if the doctors will say there is no chance, Finley believes in his heart of hearts that he can be on a football field in the coming months. This is not the acts of a delusional player rather someone whose been likely busting his ass harder than ever before. Doctors have found problems with neck injuries like this in the past, but given what is out there on Finley, it seems like he is attempting to make it impossible for the doctors not to clear him.

But here's the thing looming, Green Bay's doctors aren't really known for being ones to take risks. Doctor Pat McKenzie is one of the best in the NFL, but he is also one of the most cautious. Remember how delicately he handled the Rodgers situation. During his weekly visit with ESPN Wisconsin's Jason Wilde, it seemed like Rodgers was ready to comeback before the Atlanta game. Obviously, you could hear the frustration in Rodgers' voice, and it still took three weeks to come back from there. Finley might not get cleared today from the Packers' doctors despite what he has already heard from other doctors around the country. By the way, don't blame those people if Finley isn't cleared. They are only trying to protect these men.

If Finley does get cleared, it raises a whole new set of questions. Do the Packers signed Finley with their wealth of tight ends?  More than likely if the price is right because none of the seven players really have the experience that Finley brings to the team. Whom becomes the odd man out in this situation? We will save that question if this bridge ends up happening. The other question needed to be asked is, 'How much does Finley get paid?' My guess would be somewhere around five to seven million dollars for one-year. Finley getting a one-year deal will allow him to get a big pay day if he ends up being good again with his neck injury. I doubt Finley would be asking for the world, but you never really know with J-Mike.

We will see what happens in the coming days. ESPN's Rob Demovsky is now reporting Finley is in to chat with the team and it's nothing else. Who knows if that's smoke from the team officials, or if Finley's people thought there would be more to this conversation. The status of Finley will be a storyline to follow throughout the summer.

Charlie. 

Tapping The Keg Podcast Episode 89

Tapping The Keg brings you another edition this week with episode 89 featuring the usual stalwarts, Charlie and Mitch.  We talk about the song of the summer, and pick our selection which will most definitely be wrong. We move on to discuss the NBA Lottery night with Milwaukee Bucks, Mallory Edens and much more. It moves to baseball where we talk about the lack of media attention towards Ryan Braun, talk about Carlos Gomez's worth as well as what to do about Wei-Chung Wang. We discuss Colt Lyerla with the Packers, and why some journalists need to take a little step back before calling it a 'gutter' move. A wee bit of NBA Playoff talk to wrap it up. Really fun 50 minutes

Packers Make a Valued Risk on Colt Lyerla

Green Bay Packers have taken risks on a few players throughout their years as a franchise. They are not the Cincinnati Bengals nor the New England Patriots where they give give out chances to a multitude of troubled young players. There are examples of Green Bay attempting reclamation projects, but nowhere near some of the other teams in the National Football League. The latest risk is Colt Lyerla, the rookie tight end from Oregon, a player drawing a lot of 'oohs and ahhs' from Green Bay fanbase. He could be an impact rookie for Green Bay, but he could also flame out. Basically, everyone needs to take it day by day even though it is very hard given the athletic nature of Lyerla.

Lyerla would have been likely drafted in the late first to early second round if he kept his head on straight. There would have been things that would have scared teams, but in the end, the overall appeal of Lyerla on a football team would put him over the top. He is 6'4 or 6'5 pending on where you look, he runs a 4.5 40 and can jump out of a gym. He played a little bit with Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota in the backfield during his time with the Ducks meaning Lyerla could be a supersized Randall Cobb. Packers adding Lyerla was like getting another second round draft pick almost like Ted Thompson got his tight end after all as all four went before Green Bay drafted in the second round.

There are some critics of the excitement of the move which is understandable if you don't watch college football. No disrespect to those people, but if college football isn't watched, no one really saw the potential of Lyerla. He looks like just another guy Green Bay signed that could be cut before the season begins with a great deal of baggage. But the people whom cover the draft for a living are salivating over the decision Green Bay made on Monday because they could see the chance for Lyerla to be great in the league. There was a reason New England had heavy interest in him as well. There is no coincidence there. Look at his highlight tape, does this really look like an undrafted, signed off the street free agent to you?  

Lyerla has some obvious issues that no one can really overlooked. He made comments about Sandy Hook Massacre being a conspiracy theory. Lyerla also got popped for cocaine possession leading to him getting kicked off the team. He was not one of the easiest players to coach, but Green Bay has definitely been a place to welcome players battling demons with open arms. What I find interesting is no Packers beat reporter expected him to be there for tryouts. Thompson snuck this one under their noses which means Thompson sees the potential along with Green Bay being a good spot for him.  Andrew Quarless wasn't an angel coming out of Penn State either. Lyerla will be put in an environment where everyone wants him to get better and help them win another championship. 

One thing that worries me a little bit out of Lyerla besides the idea that it could take him two or three teams to really figure it out, is he still hangs out Twitter. I am on Twitter all the damn time, probably too much, but I didn't have an issue with social media like Lyerla did with the Sandy Hook incident. Additionally, Green Bay has a batshit crazy side of the fanbase where they assault the players they love on Twitter if said player directly affects how the team did that Sunday. Hell, one fan told Tramon Williams, 'I hope your house burns down with you and your family in it' after a loss to Minnesota. Lyerla could catch some of that shit if he has a couple drops in the game which could lead to an explosive Twitter rant or two. He might want to use Aaron Rodgers plan and avoid it during the season. 

It is too early to pencil Lyerla in the long-term plans of the Packers, but it seems like he could add a completely different element to this team. Imagine if this team had a new-aged H-Back throw into the bevy of things they already have right now. How do you like a pistol wishbone with Lacy, Cobb and Lyerla in the backfield? (Bad idea, I don't know what I was thinking here).  Trust me, Mike McCarthy will find a ton of ways to use the Oregon tight end, and he will keep his head on straight. He had to try out in order to be on the team, not signed after not being drafted, tried out for his spot, he will not fail again.

Charlie. 

Tapping The Keg Episode 88

Charles and Mitchell return for the latest and greatest (Not really) edition of Tapping The Keg podcast. We lead off the podcast with talking about smartphone etiquette around friends and others, this leads to another conversation regarding Tinder which is always good.  We move to talk about the Milwaukee Brewers more so about Rickie Weeks role with the team right now. Why we both agree left field would have been a bad idea. Matt Garza is also discussed. Topic moves to recapping Green Bay Packers draft selections which we both like a lot. NBA Playoffs discussion about the drama at the end of Los Angeles-Oklahoma City game and why we think two series are ending tonight. We finish with NBA head coaches with some hockey talk because why the hell not.

Charlie.

Quick Tap Podcast Episode Seven

Quick Tap Podcast is back again. We are still struggling on questions so if you ever have questions... Ask me. I will favorite it and talk about on this podcast. You could be wondering something dumb at 3 AM on a Wednesday night when you are drunk after striking out at the bar. First couple questions are about Green Bay Packers draft picks specifically the receivers and who could be some of the young players without jobs in Green Bay next year. The next question moves with reflecting on the most embarrassing places I have had to hold in a fart. Whose the better NFL pro, Jordan Lynch or Tom Savage?  The three people I would take to The Masters. Then TV time when I talk about 24, Mad Men and Game of Thrones.

Charlie.

Recapping Packers NFL Draft Weekend

After Green Bay drafted Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, or Ha'Shon Clinton-Dix if you are a business professional, they went on the offensive for the greater part drafting four playmakers, an offensive lineman and a couple defensive players. Let's do a recap.

Second Round
WR Davante Adams (Fresno State) - Everyone is assuming he will be taking the role of James Jones on the Green Bay team. That's probably a fair assumption with him being 6'2, 215 which includes a massive vertical.  He only played two years of college with a bloated stat line given Fresno State's up-tempo offense so don't look too much into it. One thing I will be interested to see is how much Green Bay will use Adams in the screen game. He did a lot of damage in the slip screen game.

Third Round
DT Khyri Thornton (Southern Miss) - Some thought this was a reach in the third round, but it is worth the risk for Green Bay.  He will likely play the 3-4 defensive end position at 300 pounds, and I doubt he will be asked to bulk up to play nose tackle. One of the things that might have pushed Ted Thompson to draft Thornton was Jamie Collins, New England's 2013 draft pick from Southern Miss. He played well especially late in the season. Remember both Thornton and Collins played on a team without a win in two years, the gems can be forgotten.

TE Richard Rodgers (California) - Many people were unsure with the pick here. Once again, a program whose been struggling in the last couple of years, but Rodgers will likely be asked to play right away. There are some worries about his blocking, but honestly, when has Green Bay had a great blocking tight end?  Rodgers is one of those guys where I don't think the expectations should be too high.

Fourth Round
OLB Carl Bradford (Arizona State) - Here is a guy to keep an eye on this Fall. A lot of people thought he could go in the second or third round. I don't know if he will be a specialty player where he only comes in on third downs because he is the true definition of a pass rusher. Bradford seems like an aggressive player whom let's the emotions get the best of him at times. He got benched for a half with a fighting a teammate. That's okay with me. Green Bay needs to have more of an edge, and if they are adding more players with a little more of a badass nature, I am perfectly okay with it.

Fifth Round
C Corey Linsley (Ohio State) - It is completely awesome he is a huge Packer fan. I think there is something cool about that whenever it happens no matter the team.  He is in a weird spot as a center. Linsley only weighs 295 pounds, but he benched 225 pounds 36 times at the combine meaning his strength could make up for his lesser weight. He also seems to be a guy Green Bay could move around the line which is a good thing to have available as Packers have been known to shift around their offensive time from time to time.

WR Jared Abbrederis (Wisconsin) - Andy Staples of Sports Illustrated had Abbrederis in his early second round at one point of the college football season. There were some legit concerns about his concussions, but Green Bay adding him gives them a vertical home run hitter plus a true return man to keep the likes of Randall Cobb and  Micah Hyde away from it all. I also wonder if we didn't see Abbrederis' full potential at Wisconsin with some of the quarterback play there.

Sixth Round
CB Demetri Goodson (Baylor) - Real interesting kid because he played three years at Gonzaga for their basketball team, and then moved to football at Baylor. He had 16 pass deflections last season with three interceptions. It really seems like he wants to tackle and put a body on somebody. If Goodson can replace Davon House in the dime position, that would be ideal. One worry is Goodson has battled through some injuries with his ankle and arm.

Seventh Round
WR Jeff Janis (Saginaw Valley State) - This is the guy to keep an eye on. He was a complete workout warrior with some silly comparisons including... Julio Jones. Who knows whether Janis is that good of a player, or he is some freak athlete whom can catch the football every now and again. There is a chance here Green Bay got the steal of the draft. In general, they add four new tools to their already potent offense. If two out of four pan out, it is probably a good thing.

I don't really get into draft grades, but I am pretty satisfied with Green Bay's draft. It is unfortunate they couldn't get a better tight end in the draft, but sometimes, that's how it goes in the draft.

Charlie.

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix Changes Concern to Laughter

As a fan of the Green Bay Packers, NFL Draft can be completely unpredictable. There are the Justin
Harrell's of the world,  Clay Matthews or drafting A.J. Hawk and being mad about not having Vernon Davis. When they are placed at the lower end of the draft, it becomes even more predictable. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix was one of the most coveted players from the Packers fanbase, and they got their wish as Green Bay drafted the Alabama safety with their first pick. My before reaction about the pick was completely different than how I feel tonight.

As the Saints were on the clock.... 

I knew New Orleans wouldn't draft Clinton-Dix as they added Jairius Byrd in the offseason including drafting Kenny Vaccaro last season. It was all set up for the fanbase to knock down Lombardi Avenue office, or everyone celebrating in the streets. I did not have that sort of reaction.  Personally, I felt like picking Clinton-Dix was a bad move. There were a great deal of safeties available where Green Bay could trade up for one, or steal another one in the second or third round. I would have much rather had Kelvin Benjamin there or Jace Amaro, maybe even a defensive lineman or trade out of 21 for a team in desperate need of a quarterback. Green Bay didn't listen to me. 

When Green Bay picked Clinton-Dix, I wasn't mad. Ted gave the people what they wanted like his name was Jalen Rose. Given his comments, smile and joke after making the pick makes me think Thompson had no plans of drafting Clinton-Dix because I don't think Thompson thought no way one of Nick Saban's disciples would still be available at 21. I didn't react like the kid whose anger about Harrell is unparalleled. The pick pleased me because Green Bay fixed the issue at safety right away, and now it is house money from the rest of the way. That part of it is really cool because Thompson can go buckwild with what he does in the next couple of rounds. 

As the draft finished...

Adam Hatlak asked me "Do you feel differently now that four safeties were drafted?

Yup. My mind completely flipped from worrying about drafting Clinton-Dix with the cupboard still full yet by the end of Thursday night, safety cupboard looks pretty bare with maybe a box of Ramen Noodles, original, in there. Four safeties were wiped out in the first round including Deone Bucannon, a player I thought would be there in the second round. Further, Jimmie Ward seemed like someone whom could slip as well but he didn't. 

This is why everyone has the name 'In Ted We Trust' because this type of shit happens all the time where Ted just drops the Stone Cold Stunner. Also after watching some highlights, Clinton-Dix could have some real fun in Dom Capers system. He is 6'1, maybe not a big play safety, but can fill in the run really nicely which is much need.  

Welcome to the team Ha Ha, let's stop with the dumbass jokes now. 

Charlie.   

SnoTap Thing of the Day: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix Highlight Reel

I will explain in depth tomorrow about how I felt about Green Bay taking Ha-Ha Clinton Dix before he was picked and after the round was over.  It is massively different. I was thrilled how this draft played out for the most part until.... The Vikings drafted Teddy Bridgewater. I only hate the pick because it is one of the smartest in the draft so far.  Rodgers-Cutler-Bridgewater-Stafford will be an absolute thrill ride to watch in the coming years. Anyways, here are some highlights of Clinton-Dix to make you feel better about the pick and a GREAT tweet from Josh Sitton about the selection. It sounds like a former Oval Office superstar is on board.

I bet Monica Lewinski likes our draft pick
— josh sitton (@jsitton71) May 9, 2014

Charlie.

Draft Day, Johnny Manziel: Nolan Murphy's 5th Annual NFL Draft Preview

NFL Draft, the National Holiday that was built into a young Murph’s life starting around 2001 and has saturated my life every April and now May since good ole’ boy Roger Goodell decided to extend it.

For everyone that feels the NFL Draft is now too saturated really has yet to fall in love with America’s sport. From January mock drafts to draft week rumors swirling, ESPN has blown this event up to be one of  their signature stamps.

In a year when I officially moved out of the state of Wisconsin for the first time in my adult life and left Packer nation, it seems fitting I have never felt more uncertain about a draft.  Spending time in the championship starving city of Cleveland and always revolving door in their football team’s front office has made me appreciate Teddy Thompson and his brass.

One would obviously understand that I was eager to try to cheer for the Browns, but fell short due to their inability to string wins together and have any sort of consistent quarterback play.

Starting quarterback is a role that has been forced on unsuccessfully by 20 different men since 1999 in Cleveland (Brandon Weedan was a grandfather.) Johnny Manziel and myself I feel have been destined to bring back Cleveland since the first day I saw a Browns game in person.

When the Packers take the field Thursday, September 4 in Seattle in the rematch of the “Fail Mary” game the fans have been waiting for, the Packers will be underdogs for the third straight season opener; ironically all against NFC West teams. Aaron Rodgers will be turning 31 years old during the 2014 season and I cringe looking back to the days when Ron Wolf (hail) let the Packers team get old and offensive weapons leave or diminish.

The 2014 NFL Draft will be a huge chance for Thompson and the front office to take a gamble on players that can help them not only in the future but during the upcoming season. Rodgers is coming of a year when he was injured, but don’t be tricked this team won’t be selecting Teddy Bridgewater on Day 2.

 5 Positions of Need

Quarterback: The Packers head into the 2014 NFL Draft with more of an idea than 2013 at their main clipboard holder behind Aaron Rodgers. Matt Flynn ventured home in a round about way and managed to save the Packers season. Green Bay would be smart to use a sixth or seven round pick on David Fales of San Jose State or Keith Wenning of Ball State.

Wide Receiver: Losing Greg Jennings, James Jones and possibly Jermichael Finley in back-to-back off-seasons puts a tremendous amount of pressure on Myles White and Jarrett Boykin. I love Odell Beckham, Jr, but the first round is not the time to strike in a loaded wide receiver class. Donte Moncrief from Ole Miss would send me home smiling. Don’t be surprised if they select Matt Hazel of Coastal Carolina, whose a crisp route runner and tore up the Senior Bowl.

.
 Tight End:  As previously stated, Finley is a huge question mark and currently is without a contract. Many experts have predicted Austin Seferian-Jenkins of Washington. Jenkins is a freak athlete, but the Packers are not looking for another project at tight end with Brandon Bostick in the stable.  If Eric Ebron falls, it’s a no brainer in the first round, but Jace Amaro is a poor man’s Rob Gronkowski and resembles a 1990’s Packer favorite; Mark Chmura.

Defensive Line: Mike Daniels and Mike Neal really showed some promise in 2014 and Raji has been given another year to prove himself. I think this defensive front is missing that Justin Tuck type power-rush player who can play all three positions effectively. Datone Jones needs to grow up, but it’s never a bad problem to have too many fresh defensive lineman.

 Safety:  The Packers really dropped the ball last year not getting either Eric Reed,Kenny Vacacro or Matt Elam, but this draft class show’s some promise. Micah Hyde could be the solution at safety, but I really liked Jimmie Ward out of Northern Illinois and later on Brock Vereen from Minnesota, the brother of Patriots running back Shane. Thompson is not ready to give up on Burnett so I would ax the idea of taking two safeties. Sleeper would be Ed Reynolds from Stanford, who had a impressive Junior year but disappointing Senior year.

Possible First Round selections 

1.TE Eric Ebron –North Carolina: Personality issue’s have threaten the UNC star’s draft stock over the last two months, but he’s a Vernon Davis type talent and would add another scary element to the Packers offense. If he falls past the Giants and Arizona  the Packers will scoop him up.

 2. DTRa'Shede Hageman, Minnesota: Going against some of the best offensive lines in country during is four years in the B1G, Hageman often saw and beat double teams during his senior year. Great blend of speed and strength that reminds be of Justin Tuck and Richard Seymour.

 3. S, Jimmie Ward, Northern Illinois: Ward was the best player on Northern Illinos over the last two years. He doesn’t blow you eye from a size standpoint, but he continued to make plays throughout his college career. He’s a lot like Burnett in that he can play both safety positions, which would give the Packers a unique backend look.

 4. DT,Timmy Jernigan, Florida State: A National Champion has not gone through a first round without a player being selected of their team since the 2002 Buckeyes. Jernigan was in the news week for failing a drug test, but truly dominated the stout Auburn offensive line during the BCS National Championship game.  He may fit a 4-3 defense better, but this goes back to the typical Thompson strategy of taking the best player on the board.

5.WR Marqise Lee, USC:  Lee has a storied career at USC and played is senior year with some awful quarterbacks. His build and style is very similar to Greg Jennings and he may have even more speed than the former Western Michigan wide receiver. Would add another playmaker to the offense and provide depth behind Cobb and Nelson. 

Mock Draft:

1. Houston: DE Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina

2. St. Louis: OT Greg Robinson, Auburn

3. Jacksonville: OLB Khahil Mack, Buffalo

4. Cleveland: OT Jake Matthews, Texas A&M*

5. Oakland: WR Sammy Watkins, Clemson

6. Atlanta: Aaron Donald, Pittsburgh

7. Tampa Bay: LB Anthony Barr, UCLA      

8. Minnesota: OT Taylor Lewan, Michigan DT

9. Buffalo: WR Mike Evans, Texas A&M* Trade Browns,  Pick Manziel !!!!!!!!!!

10. Detroit: CB Darqueze Dennard, Michigan State

11. Tennessee: QB Blake Bortles, Central Florida

12. N.Y. Giants: OT Zack Martin, Notre Dame

13. St. Louis: CB Justin Gilbert, Oklahoma State

14. Chicago: FS Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Alabama

15. WR Odell Beckham, Louisiana State

16. Dallas: QB Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M

17. Baltimore: LB C.J. Mosley, Alabama

18. NY Jets: LB Ryan Shazier, Ohio State

19. Miami: OT Cyrus Kouandjio, Alabama

20. Arizona: QB Teddy Bridgewater, Louisville

21. Green Bay: TE Eric Ebron, North Carolina

22. Philadelphia: WR Marqise Lee, Southern California

23. Kansas City: WR Brandin Cooks, Oregon State

24. Cincinnati: QB Jimmy Garoppolo, Eastern Illinois

25. San Diego: CB Jason Verrett, Texas Christian

26. Cleveland: DB Kyle Fuller, VA Tech

27. New Orleans: DB Stanley Jean-Baptiste, Nebraska

28. Carolina: WR Kelvin Benjamin, Florida State

29. New England: DT Stephon Tuitt, Notre Dame

30. San Francisco: DT Ra’Shede Hageman, Minnesota

31. Denver: OG Xavier Su’a-filo, UCLA

32. Seattle: TE Jace Amaro, Texas Tech

As I told Snotap’s Chief of Staff Charlie Tritschler late Tuesday night, I have never felt more uncertain about an NFL Draft. Tonight will be crazy with rumors of Manziel to the Cowboys and the Lions trying to move up for Sammy Watkins.  Make sure you buckle your seat belts and always thanks for reading, this is a tradition that I continue to put off each year, but thoroughly enjoy doing.

Happy 2014 Draft!!!!!

-Nolan Murphy

Tapping The Keg Podcast Episode 87

Tapping The Keg podcast comes to you for another week. Nolan Murphy joins the fun in the beginning of the podcast where Charlie and Murph talk about the NFL Draft for a good 15 minutes. We talk about the players Murph wants to play for the Packers and the ones he doesn't. We look at Johnny Manziel and the other quarterbacks as well. We move to the NBA Playoffs with a weak open to the second round of the playoffs. We talk about Mark Jackson's departure from Golden State and why he wouldn't be a good fit in Milwaukee. We finish with a little Brewers talk and why you shouldn't push the panic button.

-SnoTap  

Quick Tap Episode Five

Quick Tap rolls on with another edition where we have a ton of fun especially with some of the questions today.  I promise I am going to find a way via Google for you to ask questions whenever you want instead of waiting for me to tweet out questions. We had some good ones this week which is good and it makes me happy. So here's what we received in the batch of questions.

Curt asks... "Ryan Braun hitting Jean Segura in the face makes him the worst person in baseball, right?" (He is obviously joking folks)

Adam asks... "How much would you give up to get Earl Thomas to the Green Bay Packers?"

Bryan asks... "Pancakes, Waffles, French Toast. Rank em."

Bryan asks... "If you were on Naked and Afraid, who is your partner and what's your survival tool."

Michael asks... "How are you?"

That took me to 14 minutes and I finished the six minutes talking about how I had to deal with racism on Saturday plus some Game of Thrones chatter.

Charlie.

10 Quick Thoughts About the Packer Schedule

NFL schedule came out last night. Everyone is pretty giddy for September. People see different matchups
they like and get irrationally excited about the possibilities of a successful season. The inverse happens to with fans thinking the season is over without one snap of the football. Let's look at the schedule and add some thoughts to how it looks on paper

FOR THE SCHEDULE, CLICK HERE 

1.) Fail Mary return - I didn't want to open the season in Seattle given how no Super Bowl winning team has lost at home to begin the season. I also wanted the Packers to start the season easy for once as they have played San Francisco the last two years. But I think the team is genuinely excited to get back to Seattle and get their revenge. I will end up talking myself into Green Bay winning.

2.)  Bright lights - Green Bay has five primetime games on the schedule with two Thursday night games, two Sunday Night Football games and a Monday Night affair. What I like is a majority of them are being played at Lambeau Field.

3.)  Early divisional foes? - Green Bay finishes the year playing divisional opponents only twice in six games with a late November meeting in Minnesota and a home game to finish the year against Detroit. It will be interesting to see how the divisional race shapes out withe Green Bay's lack of divisional games late.

4.) Trip to New Orleans - If you are looking for a road trip, New Orleans during Halloween season. You might see Green Bay lose, but you have Halloween in New Orleans so it is not the worst thing in the world.

5.)  Road trips early - Green Bay begins the year with three road games in the first four games. Packers haven't started the greatest in past years so hopefully being away from Lambeau will not affect them too much.

6.)  Same opponent, same date? - This is kind of neurotic, but Packers played both Chicago and Philadelphia back-to-back last season at Lambeau in November which holds the same. They also played Minnesota in the same week, but at home versus on the road. And Packers also played Atlanta in early December. Just a weird note.

7.) Best chance to get flex - Green Bay has many late afternoon and primetime games. Looking at their schedule, the only two that might have some flexing abilities would be Carolina in mid-October or Tampa Bay in mid-December. Those seem to be the best bet.

8.) No Holidays - For the first time in awhile, Green Bay is not playing on the holidays. While I enjoy watching the Packers on special days, I would much rather have them play normal Sunday or Monday games.

9.) New England-Green Bay will be the best game of the year - This is a pretty simple prediction, but late November matchup with Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers seemed delightful. I assume tickets for this game will be sky high.

10.) Favre's return - There is a rumored Favre return and I could really see it in three games... Home primetime games against Minnesota, Chicago and Atlanta. I might think Atlanta is the favorite with a December date plus Favre's relationship with ESPN.  

Should be a fun year.

Charlie.

First Taste: Randall Cobb's Sneaky Tweet

920-206-9414
— Randall Cobb (@rcobb18) April 24, 2014

When you see a tweet like this one from Green Bay Packers wide receiver Randall Cobb;  you think he was trying to give out his number to a young lass or someone he is trying to work with yet the number ends up with public knowledge. We blame it to the game and move on.  Gotta think there were multiple people calling this number when really they talked to Tenold Kusch from Pinehurst, Texas which probably bummed out a loooot of jersey chasers. Because Cobb played a trick on all the Packer faithful.

920-GB 206-Seattle 9414-GameDay #Gotcha
— Randall Cobb (@rcobb18) April 24, 2014

Standing ovation for good Twitter game, Randy, well done.

Charlie.