Lacy, Franklin hope to be Green Bay’s 1-2 punch
by CHRIS HAVEL
Last week on Sports Line – the afternoon sports radio talk show I host on The Fan – I asked Packers’ fans to air their grievances. It seems their level of satisfaction is almost as high as their optimism. There wasn’t much griping and few complaints.
Can one draft class and a reshuffled offensive line really make fans forget the number “579” and the 45-31 playoff loss at San Francisco?
Yes, it appears that it can.
Packers’ fans are hopeful and expectant all at once. They know the 49ers shredded the Green Bay defense for 579 yards, but they also know GM Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy are working to plug the sieve.
Thompson selected UCLA defensive end Datone Jones with the 26th pick, a move designed to balance the defense (with Clay Matthews on the other side), add depth to the defensive line and boost the pass rush.
The retooled offensive line came as a mild but pleasant surprise.
McCarthy had to do something. Aaron Rodgers was running for his life way too often. That or he was being sacked 51 times. Furthermore, the Packers’ long-absent running game showed only faint signs of life.
So will rookies Eddie Lacy and Johnathan Franklin be the answer to what ails the Packers’ running game?
Yes and here’s why: Both have more talent than any other Packers’ backs in the past decade. If one gets injured, the other can carry the load along with DuJuan Harris. The talent here is sure to make Packers’ fans “ooh” and “aah” early and often.
It has been a long time since the Packers had a 1,000-yard rusher. Lacy looks to be a great candidate based on his resume and his attitude. At the Packers’ rookie camp this weekend, Lacy showed a willingness to work hard and accept whatever role he is asked to fill.
Lacy also has a chip on his shoulder pad since being asked about his toe fusion surgery. That occurred before his junior season at Alabama. Just because the Pittsburgh Steelers’ medical staff wouldn’t clear him doesn’t mean the Packers’ medical staff made a mistake.
Lacy is determined to go on to become a powerful lead back.
Franklin, who has 4.4 speed in the 40-yard dash, is tough for his size (5-10, 207) and also possesses great hands. He becomes an immediate threat out of the backfield and on screens and draws.
Franklin was aggressive during the Packers’ rookie camp, and his enthusiasm in being able to participate (there was a question because UCLA is on the semester system), this fourth-rounder is ready to roll.
Here are several other questions that Packers’ fans raised on The Fan: Who will emerge at safety opposite Morgan Burnett?
The best guess among a group that includes: M.D. Jennings, Jeron McMillian and Sean Richardson. Right now, Jennings and McMillian appear locked in a tight battle. The likely scenario is that Jennings wins the job out of training camp, but McMillian pushes him.
Fans want to know if James Jones can find a way to repeat the big numbers that he posted last season.
Jones has been ascending for the past several years, and he has maximized his opportunities. Jones left to try his luck in free agency, didn’t like what was out there and returned to the Packers. That dose of humility, coupled with talent and opportunity, conspired to hasten Jones’ breakout season.
I would expect nothing less this season.
Chris Havel is a national best-selling author and his latest book is Lombardi: An Illustrated Life. Havel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4-6 p.m. CDT on WDUZ FM 107.5 The Fan, or on AM-1400, as well as Fan Internet Radio (www.thefan1075.com). Havel also hosts Event USA’ MVP Parties the evening before home games.
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"Kudos to Amy for making sure that the tickets to the tailgate party were waiting for me at the reception desk! Your personal phone call and text messages went above and beyond customer satisfaction! I can't wait for the 2024 season, rest assured that my go-to Packer's game supplier will be Event USA for a long time.
-Jean-Pierre Mallette, Montréal, Canada
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As always, EventUSA has been awesome to deal with in booking the Lodge Kohler package for the Tampa Bay Game,
particularly for me traveling from Sydney, Australia, it takes the stress out of the booking process. "
-Kayle
"Good Morning, Nicole - Everything you did turned out great. The seats were great. Access to the air conditioned club lounge was great. Lots of Packers fans in the club lounge and overall at the stadium. The tailgate party at the fancy restaurant in the hotel was fabulous. The servers just kept on bringing out different sliders and desserts. Good thing that I got in a 30-minute run along the river in the morning. So, thank you! You may be speaking with me in November if I can work out getting up to Green Bay for a game. It's been too long since my last time.
One of the best aspects of this weekend was interacting with so many people from Wisconsin and learning their personal stories of things Packers. And we even met a couple from St. Petersburg, Florida (my home county) and were able to tell them about the Varsity Club tavern and Packers bar in Clearwater where Mark Murphy's mother is in attendance -- very nice lady whose retirement home is in Clearwater, which borders my little city of Dunedin. Pre-COVID, I always went to the Varsity when the Packers games weren't televised locally -- lots of Wisconsin natives there, too + they serve brats and sauerkraut during Packers games. I'm glad that you are working for Event USA.
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-- Martin Lawyer, Dunedin, Florida
"Dennis - I was blessed to join Amy and some of your customers at the Morton's tailgate as well as after the game. She does an amazing job for you. Every single customer I met praised Event USA for being able to arrange the hotel and tickets and fabulous tailgate party in such a quick time. Having been to some great tour tailgate parties in Jacksonville and Kansas City and old San Francisco, a lot can be said of the long-term benefit of having really great tailgate parties. Morton's was probably one of the best - amazing food, patio sitting on the riverfront, walk to stadium, open bar!!! It was first class fun!!!"
-Matt
"Hi Amy-
Just wanted to say thank you for making Jacksonville happen! We had a wonderful time and looking forward to more Packers games with Event USA in the future!
Even though the game was not what we expected- we are packers fans for life-lol!
Go pack go!!"
-Julie Mastrianni
"I want to thank Event USA and in particular Amy Flores for the Jacksonville trip. We have used you before and always were very pleased with the packages you have set up and your service.
My son who lives in Charleston, SC and myself who lives in Minnesota, decided we needed to do a guys trip and decided to go through your company to see the opener in New Orleans. I initially called and talked with Amy about some questions I had and booked our trip. After itinerary and info was emailed to us, it soon became apparent that the trip to New Orleans wouldn’t happen. In steps Amy, wondering if we would be interested in Dallas if the game was moved there and a package was set up. Then finally the move to Jacksonville and continued communication from Amy on our interest. It was getting late at that point and I was wondering if she would be able to pull off setting up a package in Jacksonville. She did it.
We went to Jacksonville and had a great time. The accommodations and the tail gate were fabulous. If only the Packer team we were hoping for had made the trip.
Thank you Event USA and in particular Amy Flores."
-Tom Sohrweide, White Bear Lake, MN
"Thank you for all your help. I had a great time at the Packer-Raider game opening day. I have already begun telling interested Packer fans in Sacramento about your service. The next time I come to Green Bay for a game, I’ll be sure to ask for your help. God bless you and God bless the Green Bay Packers."
-Frank Chavez, Sacramento
"I just wanted to say that I had such a great time. The whole weekend was so much fun. I enjoyed the Player Autograph Party and the tailgate party was just the best. After coming from a country that loves soccer, it was nice to mix with people who have the same interests as me. Thank you once again, Green Bay is one very special place."
-Beverley Moore, Lancaster
"My accommodations at the Best Western Midway were excellent. I was picked up at the airport and returned promptly. No problems at all. Your representative at the hotel on game day was very pleasant and helpful. The tailgate party was super, great food, great drinks and lots of fun. Obviously, Lambeau Field and the game itself was great. I will continue to use Event USA in the future, and I will definitely tell anyone who I come across to give you a call. One last thing, the hospitality I experienced in Green Bay was incredible. I have traveled to many places, and I don’t think there are more friendly people than the people of Green Bay. Thank you again and see you next year!"
-David Anastas, Worchester
"My wife and I booked the tour to Tampa. The trip was so well organized from start to finish. It started with the people in the office with their friendly help over the phone, to receiving the tickets in the mail, and meeting the tour guides with their upbeat personalities. Signs guided us in the airport and information was posted in our motel lobbies to keep us posted. Your people had everything in order. Talk about organization, you had it. Event USA made this a most memorable trip. Thanks for all involved."
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-Sam Jones, Sedalia
"I just want to thank you for the wonderful job your staff did last weekend for the Packers vs. Lions game. This was our first time utilizing your program and we were not disappointed at all. In fact, we can’t wait to schedule and event for next season’s games. From my first experience with your staff placing my order until the very end at checkout of the hotel, everything was perfect. You truly out-do yourselves to please everyone. Thanks again for making our stay in Green Bay one of the best."
-Kim Ewing and Bruce DeMaine, Ann Arbor
"Thanks so much for the best weekend ever! You not only got us in all the Magazines, TV, WWW pages and even the big screen at Lambeau Field, but Disney World on the side? Nice job – You and your family are top notch – we were on the best tour for the Super Bowl! Seeing the Green Bay Packers win back the Lombardi Trophy was a life long dream of this Packer fan, and you all were so dedicated to the job of taking care of us that, like the Packers, we were a winning team! Keep me on your list."
-William D Lorge, Representative to the Wisconsin State Assembly