National Football League

Glaze Across America: Sights from the camp trail

Published Aug. 11, 2009 4:32 p.m. ET

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Chiefs camp hit

Perhaps most disappointing was the fact that last year's top pick, Glen Dorsey, was actually up to about 340 pounds at one point and had to spend the first part of training camp getting himself into shape to practice. Brandon Albert, meanwhile, last year's other first-rounder, dedicated himself this offseason to coming into camp with a totally ramped-up body.

Haley couldn't stop raving about free-agent pickup Mike Brown, the long-time Bears safety. Absolutely raved about his professionalism and how much spark he brings to the defense.

Packers camp hit

Green Bay is suffering from culture shock. For the first time in eons there is no talk of that guy from There's Something About Mary. The animosity and controversy created last year has settled tremendously because he's simply not on people's minds.

Gone from last year's team is controversy, replaced with optimism and a sigh of relief that they are far below the radar, certainly much further than they were at this time last year.

The Packers are now able to actually focus on football. Wow, what a novel idea.

The difference between the overall aura from last year to this is green and purple, night and day. Last year at this time, the Favre soap opera had pummeled everyone in the organization. It screamed for attention as the hours rolled by. Emotions ran high, the team seemed exhausted from being raked across the coals and while football was their only redemption, it was difficult to peacefully focus.

This year? Totally different story. It was a pleasure to be around the place. GM Ted Thompson, coach Mike McCarthy, QB Aaron Rodgers, players, coaches ... everyone just seemed different. It's funny what being allowed to simply go out and work can do for the football soul.

As for Rodgers, I still can't figure out how he was able to keep his head above water last year and play as well as he did. He basically replaced Lou Gehrig in the lineup and was vilified by fans, townspeople, media, etc. Every throw was compared, every move, every decision ... all put under a microscope and put next to what Favre was doing or could have done.

Yet Rodgers simply kept himself above the fray and had a terrific season. Heck, he actually had no business playing with a shoulder injury that would have kept others out of action. This year it's obvious that his respect level and command inside the locker room and huddle have ascended by leaps and bounds.

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It's easy to excel when times are good. The true makeup of a leader is how they respond when the deck is stacked. Rodger's deck was stacked, hammered, bombed, slammed and yet he acted throughout the entire affair as if it was simply another day in the office. I don't know how many players, not just quarterbacks, could have performed the way he did under those conditions.

The shadow is officially gone.

More from Packers camp ...

During my short stay, the team was holding talks about bringing in Michael Vick to bolster their offense. Personally, I would have signed Vick the moment Roger Goodell gave the thumbs up to a return.

I also believe Green Bay would have been the ideal spot. There is no owner to say "Nay" and Packers fans are incredibly accepting of someone looking for a second chance if they can help the green and yellow cause. In fact, Packer fans would have opened their arms wide and probably protected him much more so than fans from other cities. Plus, there's not a lot of trouble lurking around the corners in Green Bay.

I also understand the trepidation of some within the organization. As one team official explained, is it fair to give these kids another major distraction?

"They went through so much last year, it's nice not to have all this attention and the circus in town," said one team official. "We have to take that into account. It's nice to just focus on football. They were put through enough. Would it be fair to bring that all back to town again?"

I completely understand this point, but signing Vick — provided he had skills similar to the ones he possessed prior to incarceration — would immediately give his team the best No. 2 QB in the league. Plus, in the Packers offense he would create too many preparation problems for a defensive coordinator to deal with in the week leading into a game versus Vick's team.

Several head coaches have told me in recent weeks they would love Vick. They all had the exact same reason for not signing him: "I'd love him BUT THE OWNER ..." In each city it was the same. Green Bay didn't have this issue. However, I'm convinced that if Favre didn't put Green Bay through what he did a year ago Vick would have a very, very strong chance of being signed by Thompson.

The Packers' move to the 3-4 appears to be a good move. The key is whether or not Aaron Kampman will make the transition from having his hand on the ground to standing. It's crucial that he brings as much heat from the edge as he did in the 4-3. Bringing in Dom Capers made so much sense for this team, but my favorite hire was bringing in the still fiery former LB Kevin Greene.

His intensity is a much welcomed addition to the squad and if there's one guy knows Kampman's new role, who better to help teach it than Greene?

THE ULTIMATE WIENER BLOCK: While standing with Chiefs new GM Scott Pioli and their PR chief Bob "Buddy Lee" Moore (he hates when I refer to him as Buddy Lee, but if you saw him, you'd know why), Moore and Pioli told me a story that was an instant classic.

Pioli, who is viewed as such a hardass over there, actually has a great sense of humor if you talk to the guy about non-football stuff. The team's new GM was boasting how the Oscar Mayer wiener mobile actually showed up to camp. He was stoked but his admiration would be short-lived.

"It was here, but I guess there was a conflict because we already have a wiener deal," said Pioli, trying not to laugh but finding it very hard.

We called Moore over for clarification. In fact, yes, this town wasn't big enough for two wieners.

Moore went on to tell us that he got a call from someone somewhere insisting that the wiener mobile had to take a hike because the Chiefs, in fact, have a wiener deal. The wiener mobile was clearly in breach of wiener terms agreed upon by the official wiener company of the Chiefs

The one wiener company had wiener exclusivity with the Chiefs and the other wiener had to be removed from the property. After all, everyone knows you can't have two big wieners on one football team.

Fortunately for all involved, the wiener mobile bolted before this situation escalated to an all out wiener war. Talk about stiff competition ... did I really just write that?

BEST AND WORST NAMES OF BARS I'VE SEEN SO FAR: Best name goes to "Tom, Dick and Harry's," a spot that is located right outside the far end zone at Packers practice. Kudos for the creativity.

Worst name: "Bar." I can only imagine the countless hours expended by the creative team in charge of coming up with a snappy name for a new bar. Think they're opening up a restaurant named Food and a gym named Weights. Bar is located in Minnesota in a town probably named Town but I don't really remember.