Bring back Billy and Free

[Cliff]

They really were never replaced were they? No WR has matched their stats in Green Bay except Donald Driver.

 

[bozz_2006]

so... Donald Driver replaced them.

 

[Cliff]

so... Donald Driver replaced them.

Driver was already in Green Bay.

 

[Greg C.]

They really were never replaced were they? No WR has matched their stats in Green Bay except Donald Driver.

They were replaced by Donald Driver and Javon Walker, who were a much better combo. Unfortunately, Walker got away. And the other guy in the mix, Robert Ferguson, has been injury prone. And Terrence Murphy suffered a career-ending injury as a rookie. Hence the problem at the wide receiver position. But I don't miss Freeman, except for the 1996-1998 version, and I don't miss Schroeder at all.

The past three Packer GM's have made big moves to get wide receivers. Wolf drafted Ferguson in the second round in 2000, Sherman drafted Walker in the first round in 2002, and Thompson drafted Murphy in the second round in 2005 and Jennings in the second round in 2006. If Jennings pans out, the Pack will be okay at wide receiver, although I would still like to see another one drafted high or brought in as a free agent.

 

[Cliff]

They really were never replaced were they? No WR has matched their stats in Green Bay except Donald Driver.

They were replaced by Donald Driver and Javon Walker, who were a much better combo.

Javon Walker never matched Antonio Freeman's stats in Green Bay.

 

[kmac]

Actually, that is true. Freeman had one killer season of 1400 yards and 14 TDs, not to mention 3 straight 1000 yard seasons.

 

[Cliff]

Actually, that is true. Freeman had one killer season of 1400 yards and 14 TDs, not to mention 3 straight 1000 yard seasons.

Freeman left Green Bay because GM Sherman did not want to honor the contract that he signed with the Packers.

Then GM Sherman bad mouthed Mike McKenzie for not wanting to honor his contract with the Packers.

Talk about a double standard.

 

[Zero2Cool]

Actually, that is true. Freeman had one killer season of 1400 yards and 14 TDs, not to mention 3 straight 1000 yard seasons.

Freeman left Green Bay because GM Sherman did not want to honor the contract that he signed with the Packers.

Then GM Sherman bad mouthed Mike McKenzie for not wanting to honor his contract with the Packers.

Talk about a double standard.

Got some proof of this?

Wait, you'll just fake quotes to support your personal agenda.


Signed the big contract, then his production decreased.
http://www.packers.com/news/stories/2000/10/16/1/

posted 10/16/2000

Money can't buy happiness and can't solve everything. Just ask wide receiver Antonio Freeman and he'll be the first to tell you.

After holding out for most of the 1999 preseason to score the big contract he felt he earned, Freeman's critics came out with their fingers pointing after his numbers went down from the season before -- which ended with a trip to Hawaii and the Pro Bowl. They pointed to the Packers' problems and then they pointed at Freeman and his new contract.

"Last year was a lot of pressure," began Freeman. "I was the guy holding out -- sitting at home while my teammates sweated. People look at you different. I was very uncomfortable last year and I wasn't in the best shape of my life. I was salty by the fact that I had to hold out and be the main topic of why the team isn't always together. I didn't have the type of year I could have."

But heading into the 2000 season, Freeman reported to training camp in better shape, with a better attitude and with the determination to put up bigger numbers and show why he has quickly escalated into the company of the NFL's elite receivers.

"This year, I've come in and I feel like I'm newborn," said Freeman. "I came to camp in shape. I'm as light as I've ever been. The money issue is behind me -- Keyshawn (Johnson) is now the highest paid receiver, so I don't have to carry that label. I can just have fun and play football. That is what I've always wanted to do."

When the regular season opened for the Packers, few were concerned about the offense that easily put numbers on the board during the preseason. They tore apart defenses, averaging 375 yards per game and finishing the preseason with 12 touchdowns in four games.

But a slew of injuries to key players and untimely penalties resulted in few points, two early losses and more attention being given by the opponents' defenses to slowing down Freeman. As a result Freeman has only made 14 catches for 194 yards (13.9 average) thus far this season. His high expectations along with the two early defeats has made for some frustrating afternoons.

"I think losing makes it frustrating," expressed Freeman. "When you're losing, it makes it that much tougher and you start to think to yourself, 'I feel like I can help this football team. I feel like I can do good things where we might not be in this situation if I could get my hands on the football.' The coaching staff is going out of its way to get me the ball and the defenses just aren't allowing it to happen."

Freeman has kept his spirits high about he remainder of the season. The savvy veteran knows the season is still in its early stages and he remains enthusiastic about the road ahead for the Packers.

"I'm expecting a lot more," said Freeman. "The season is still young and we still have a lot of football yet. I think for the most part, the coaches and the players are still trying to feel each other out and trying to bring everything together. I think the coaching staff is doing a tremendous job with the way they are running things. I'm just real excited about the season. We had a rough start, but I think we can bring it all together and we'll be just fine."

If week 4's game at Arizona is any indication, Freeman's expectations for the team seem to be right on target. The Packer offense got back on track with a 29-3, commanding victory over the Cardinals.

The Green Bay offense set the tone early against Arizona by taking the opening kick-off 80 yards and into the end zone for a lead they would never relinquish. The key play during the eight play drive? A 20-yard reception on a third-and-four by Freeman himself.

On the day the Packers' offense racked up 455 yards and controlled the ball for an astounding 36:28, wearing down the Cardinal defense. With several key offensive components beginning to return for the Packers, it can be safe to assume that this will be an explosive offense and Freeman will be touching the ball more as the season goes on.

"I think the fact that Dorsey (Levens) is back in the line-up will create more opportunities for me just because of the major component that he is to this offense," said Freeman. "When Corey (Bradford) gets back it will be another weapon that the defenses will have to worry about."

To look at what Antonio Freeman has accomplished thus far in his young career is rather remarkable when you consider that his sport of choice as a teenager was not football, but basketball.

"I wanted to be a professional basketball player and I always thought I would, my whole family did," began Freeman. "I didn't start in football my junior year, but my senior year I started at split end and ended up being named 'Offensive Player of the Year.' It came down to me choosing whether I wanted to play football or basketball.

"During basketball season, I was offered a football scholarship to Virginia Tech. They just made me feel important, like they really wanted me to be a part of their team, so I decided to play football. My whole family, all my friends couldn't believe I was going to play football and not basketball. Everybody questioned my decision, but I knew in my heart that is where I wanted to go."

Nobody questions that decision anymore.

Freeman is the NFL's number two touchdown-maker over the last four-plus years, hauling in 41 touchdowns -- ranking behind his NFC Central counterpart, Minnesota's Cris Carter. He also is third in the NFL in receiving yards the last four seasons with 4,868.

As the owner of nine team playoff records and a share in four others, Freeman has established himself as a big-time play-maker and the Packers' go-to guy in their most important games.

Freeman has quickly catapulted his way into the upper echelon of NFL receivers. But as is his nature, he credits the man behind the pass with helping him achieve that lofty status.

"I still see myself as one of the elite receivers in the NFC Central," said Freeman. "And I say that not just because of me, but because I have Brett Favre. If any quarterback in the Central can get it done, Brett can. I have a lot of respect for Randy Moss, Cris Carter, Marcus Robinson, Keyshawn (Johnson). Those guys are tremendous athletes and receivers. But I also feel the same way about myself."

With so many talented receivers in Green Bay's conference, the schedule lying ahead for the Packers remains a challenging one.

"We've got a tough road ahead of us," began Freeman. "It's a complete division now and it's competitive. We're going to get better as the season goes. We still have shot at winning the division; it's not going to be an easy road, but we still have a shot.

"We have to go on a streak where we win five or six straight and then we're right back in the picture. No one will even remember those two losses. We have to have a run, and we feel like we can get it done. It's just been real tough with key guys being injured. Now all of our components are starting to come together. If we can get everybody healthy again, this team can be very good."

Freeman is also understanding the significance of his role as a leader on this team. With an extremely talented, but young, receiving corps taking the field for Green Bay, Freeman is choosing to let his actions speak louder than his words and throwing in a lot of fun along the way.

"I'm the type of guy that will go out in practice, have fun and joke around," said Freeman. "I'm going to mix the work part of football with having fun. We're a very young receiving corps. I have to be a trend setter. I have to show these guys how to practice, what the coaches expect out of us in practice. In previous years, when Robert Brooks was here, I was the guy behind him so my role wasn't as important. Now I feel how important my role really is."

The Packers long ago realized the importance of Freeman to the immediate and future success of this team. They knew just what type of top-notch receiver they were investing in when they signed 'Free' to the long-term contract last year. They expect Freeman to attain years of success in a Green Bay uniform, garner more records and help the Packers rejoin the ranks of the NFL's elite teams for years to come.

Antonio Freeman is ready and aiming to exceed those expectations.

Freeman was overpaid for his production, McKenzie should have been handled before it reached the level it did.

Either way, Sherman wasn't a good GM. I'd say he was a decent coach way before a average GM.

 

[Lare]

IMO, Brett Favre has made virtually every WR he's ever played with look better than they probably really are/were. Walker may end up being the exception, but from my memory I don't remember too many of them ever going someplace else and having anywhere near the kind of numbers they had playing here with Brett. That includes Schroeder and Freeman.

As to Sherman as GM, yes he made some mistakes, but so does every GM. Next time you see TT, ask him how guys like Klemm, Little, O'Dwyer, Barry, Boerigter and Manuel turned out. Every GM has their hits and misses, it's just that the good ones have more hits than misses.

 

[Zero2Cool]

How many players has Thompson brought in compared to how many Sherman brought in?

 

[Greg C.]

They really were never replaced were they? No WR has matched their stats in Green Bay except Donald Driver.

They were replaced by Donald Driver and Javon Walker, who were a much better combo.

Javon Walker never matched Antonio Freeman's stats in Green Bay.

That's a pretty weak response. Walker was only here three years and hadn't yet reached his prime, and he put up numbers that were almost equal to Freeman's very best season in seven years with the Packers. And Freeman was mediocre at best during his last three seasons in Green Bay.

I'm beginning to wonder if Cliff is Chase. Is he from New Jersey, by any chance?

 

[Obi1]

They really were never replaced were they? No WR has matched their stats in Green Bay except Donald Driver.

They were replaced by Donald Driver and Javon Walker, who were a much better combo.

Javon Walker never matched Antonio Freeman's stats in Green Bay.

That's a pretty weak response. Walker was only here three years and hadn't yet reached his prime, and he put up numbers that were almost equal to Freeman's very best season in seven years with the Packers. And Freeman was mediocre at best during his last three seasons in Green Bay.

I'm beginning to wonder if Cliff is Chase. Is he from New Jersey, by any chance?

Wow, You just read my mind!

 

[Cdnfavrefan]

:rotflmao:I can see Freeman but I had to laugh when I found out the Billy in the title was Shroeder. Even Brett didn't like him. He was the classic example of a WR's that only made a name for himself because of the guy throwing the ball. Remember how frustrated Brett got whenever he was in trouble and Bill would never come back on a broken play. If I'm not mistaken it was Brett who really pushed for DRiver to get his shot because he saw how much more heart Donald had even before he got regular playing time. That's the kind of receiver a QB can build chemistry with as has been proven. On the flip side the good news is we could probably sign Billy back for a bag of fritos!

 

[Bruce]

They really were never replaced were they? No WR has matched their stats in Green Bay except Donald Driver.

They were replaced by Donald Driver and Javon Walker, who were a much better combo.

Javon Walker never matched Antonio Freeman's stats in Green Bay.

That's a pretty weak response. Walker was only here three years and hadn't yet reached his prime, and he put up numbers that were almost equal to Freeman's very best season in seven years with the Packers. And Freeman was mediocre at best during his last three seasons in Green Bay.

I'm beginning to wonder if Cliff is Chase. Is he from New Jersey, by any chance?

Wonder no more. Cliff is Chase. I spotted it the moment he started posting and his jealous little tirades confirmed my suspisions. Steelwheels rolls again. Of course that is until he screws up and gets banned again.

 

[all about da packers]

Already one step ahead of you, Cliff has been banned.

 

[bozz_2006]

can you block his IP address or something like that?

 

[all about da packers]

can you block his IP address or something like that?

Yeah, we block his user name and all the IP addresses he posted from.

Problem is that he appeared to be using dial up, so he posted from a lot of different IPs, but all of them from the NJ area (comcast user).

 

[all about da packers]

He posted from 21 different IPs.

 

[pack_in_black]

LOL, that's awesome. Not to cause trouble, but thank goodness that Cliff/SW is gone. That guy did nothing but post in ways that would **** everyone off.

 

[cheesey]

Gee.........and i thought it was just ME that was annoyed by him.

 

[Freeway3137]

I'd rather see Desmond Howard back than Billy.

 

[Mackie2001]

I don't know Cliff's history with this forum but if every forum banned posters for making things up as they went along, 90% of the posters in all forums would be banned. That is especially true in political forums.

The internet has become a tower of babble (sic).

Nice job!

 

[Zero2Cool]

I don't know Cliff's history with this forum but if every forum banned posters for making things up as they went along, 90% of the posters in all forums would be banned. That is especially true in political forums.

The internet has become a tower of babble (sic).

Nice job!

Wrong. Correct.


Lots of people make **** up, correct.
Wrong, not many people go through the hassle of finding a newspaper, find a NFL related writer and make up phony quotes attributing them to the writer they found.


HUGE difference.


You say 90% is made up, I say 90% is said persons opinion. Most people do not blatantly LIE like a COWARD. Those people are a waste of MY time and YOUR time.

I'll listen to damn near anyone's opinion, but when they start flinging **** around saying this is fact and this guy reported it, well someone's gonna make that person look like an idiot if its a lie.


Opinions are great, I love the plethora of opinions a forum generates. Some say I come off as I think only MY opinions matter, that's not even CLOSE to the truth. I use everyones opinion in some manner, some shape, some form. I just suck at getting my 'tone' accross over the net.

 

[all about da packers]

I don't know Cliff's history with this forum but if every forum banned posters for making things up as they went along, 90% of the posters in all forums would be banned. That is especially true in political forums.

The internet has become a tower of babble (sic).

Nice job!

Cliff was a banned member named chase. He terrorized the old NC forums a few years back, made his way here and then insulted the admin and his family.

He violated forum rules, 4 of them last time I checked. THE STAFF, and MORE IMPORTANTLY THE MEMBERS come here to engage in exciting debate, not put up with idiots that are abusive and only want a response.

You seem to have a problem with all the efforts the staff puts in. Let me tell you, you have no right to comment on something which you only have half the picture of what really went on. Do you really think the mods were chosen at random, or because the admin believed that we'd be able to help the forums? Cliff was banned for a lot of things, not just because he posted made up stuff.

With that said, who in the hell have you ever seen find a real newspaper, a real journalist, and then make a quote and attribute it to the journalist printing it in the said newspaper? One step further, when someone (zero2cool) took the effort to e-mail the journalist and get confirmation that no quote was ever such written by the said journalist, cliff creates a made up e-mail to credit the user.

If THAT is what you have come to known as common goings, then there is something really wrong with that.

I tolerated you calling me out, but you have no right to question the decisions that staff make when you only see at most half of the picture that led to the ban.

 

[Zero2Cool]

Excellent post AADP. I can't wait to deal with this stuff first hand when my site gets a lil more busy. lol