|
Administrator
- Posts:
- 545
- Group:
- Admins
- Member
- #1
- Joined:
- Mar 19, 2014
|
MINNEAPOLIS -- Aaron Rodgers has the Green Bay Packers rolling, even without three of his best receivers. Theres a powerful running game on his side now, as if Rodgers needed any more help. Ignoring the injuries around him, Rodgers picked apart whats left of Minnesotas depleted defence by throwing two first-half touchdown passes to Jordy Nelson and guiding the Packers to a 44-31 victory Sunday night. "I think this is really shaping up to be one of Aarons best years," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. "Aarons had a lot of challenges Monday through Saturday that dont show up on the stat sheet, just trying to get on the same page with younger players and trusting the game plan." Missing Randall Cobb, James Jones and Jermichael Finley, Rodgers finished 24 for 29 for 285 yards to help the Packers (5-2) stay in first place in the NFC North. "We expect greatness out of our guys," Rodgers said. Christian Ponders encore went poorly for the Vikings (1-6), who sent out a different starting quarterback for the third straight week. Adrian Peterson gained a quiet 60 yards on 13 carries, Greg Jennings had just one catch against his old team and the Vikings offence counted only three plays in the third quarter as the Packers pulled away in their final game at the Metrodome, now known as Mall of America Field. Ponder didnt turn the ball over, but he was again out of sorts under pressure in the pocket all night. He finished 14 for 21 for 145 yards against a defence missing three starting linebackers to injury and added a late touchdown run. Coach Leslie Frazier said he wasnt sure yet whether Ponder would keep the job for another game. The Vikings beat the Packers 37-34 last December to make the playoffs. But they needed 199 yards rushing from Peterson and the best game of Ponders career to do it, because Rodgers has rarely found resistance from this defence in purple. In his last eight games against the Vikings, he has 22 touchdowns and only three interceptions while completing roughly three-quarters of his passes. The Packers have won seven of those. "I wasnt going to let this team beat us," Rodgers said, adding: "A lot was on my shoulders." Micah Hyde had a punt return for a touchdown for the Packers, who never punted and held the ball for more than two-thirds of the game to counteract Cordarrelle Pattersons opening 109-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. The Packers have won 15 of their last 16 games against NFC North teams. "Weve got a great team, very well-coached," Rodgers said. "Guys are ready to play. It was loud in here. It was a tough environment, but guys stepped up." The Packers scored on their first two possessions, running a total of 31 plays for 160 yards that drained 15 minutes and 48 seconds off the clock. Eddie Lacy finished with 94 yards and a touchdown and James Starks ran for 57 yards and a score. "Everybody wants a 1,500-yard rusher. Ive always wanted an 1,100-yard rusher, because I plan on being in the playoffs, so I want him running the same way in January and February as he is in September and October," McCarthy said. The way Lacy has been pounding the ball, as the leading NFL rookie rusher, Rodgers hasnt had to come up with as many clutch throws with his top targets missing. Lacy and Starks took turns trampling an exhausted Vikings defence, with each guy contributing a touchdown on the ground and the Packers reaching a season-high 182 yards rushing. "When the heck is the last time the Green Bay Packers rushed for 200 yards on somebody?" defensive end Jared Allen said, slightly exaggerating the total. "If thats not a punch in the gut and a wake-up to people, something needs to be." The Packers converted 13 third downs and two fourth downs. The only time they had the ball and didnt score was the kneel-down at the end of the game. "These are the guys we have," Frazier said. "So weve got to figure out schematically what we can do with the guys that we have to be better." NOTES: The two longest plays in NFL history have happened here: Pattersons plus a 109-yard return by Antonio Cromartie of a missed field goal for San Diego in 2007. ... The Vikings finished 16-15 here against the Packers. ... Rodgers and Jennings embraced on the field after the game. Jennings made some critical comments about the quarterback in the off-season but Rodgers said Sunday night: "We had a lot of good memories together." Cheap Jerseys From China . -- Cliff Lee gave up a run in three innings, outpitching fellow Cy Young Award winner R. Jerseys From China . A Cleveland kid who grew up rooting for the Browns, Shorts caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from Chad Henne with 40 seconds left, rallying the Jacksonville Jaguars to a 32-28 win on Sunday. http://www.nfljerseyschinacheapstore.com/. The Dallas forwards scored in a shootout in their first game in Boston since the Stanley Cup finals to lift the Stars to a 3-2 win over the slumping Bruins on Tuesday night. wholesale jerseys . The fourth inning homers by Peralta and Raburn broke open a tie game, as the Tigers won for the third time in four tries to reclaim sole possession of first place in the AL Central. Max Scherzer (9-2) lasted 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out four. Cheap NFL Jerseys china . -- The Sacramento Kings and DeMarcus Cousins abruptly began to sever ties Sunday after the team said the promising young centre demanded a trade.Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry Fraser wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn.ca! While there is never a slow day in the Cmon Ref mail bag, several of you have indicated that you would like to hear about my experience refereeing the Winter Classic Alumni Game in Citizens Bank Park on New Years Eve. Thanks for asking because the game was another highlight for a variety of reasons. The NHL has done such a fantastic job in presenting the Winter Classic that I cant imagine even the Super Bowl could rival the enthusiasm felt by fans and participants alike. Let me first say that of the 2,165 NHL games I worked as a referee, my most memorable game occurred on January 1, 2010 at the Winter Classic played in historic Fenway Park, Boston. I can now place this Classic Flyers-Rangers Alumni game in the same category of memories. You might find it hard to imagine how two hockey games in, of all places, Major League ballparks could possibly become my most memorable, given all those regular season and playoff games I worked. These included two All-Star games, a dozen Stanley Cup Finals, the World Cup of Hockey, the Winter Olympics, and opening the 2008-09 season in Prague, Czechoslovakia. The individual parks these games were played in had unique meaning, of course. Fenway, with the Green Monster and Fisk Foul Pole atop it, Peskys Pole down the right field line, and the Triangle which encroached centrefield at its deepest part and Philadelphias Citizens Bank Park, where I cheered for the Phillies on their run to become World Champions, brought different eras of baseball history to the forefront. It wasnt just that great rival organizations were playing in these games (Flyers-Bruins; Flyers-Rangers) but most importantly, on these frozen ponds, all of us took a step back in time and returned to our childhood roots of playing outdoors on a backyard rink where we first learned our trade. In spite of stepping onto a sheet of NHL ice that rose up uniquely from deep third base into shallow center field into the enormity of a sold-out stadium, we were all kids once again. The Alumni Classic was special for me in a most meaningful way, given the fact that I was able to work the game with my son Ryan, who has refereed over 700 AHL games in addition to his regular duties as a NJ Transit Police Officer and son-in-law and former NHL referee Harry Dumas, who is not only the father of three of our five grandchildren but worked my 1,500th regular season game with me in Madison Square Garden. I cant express the emotions I felt of sharing that stage with my family in addition to being joined by long-time colleague and former NHL linesman Kevin Collins. (Great puck dropping KC Due to the 30-minute pre-game ceremony and player introduction, I was asked if we wanted to wait in the umpires room until Lauren Hart and Kate Smith sang "God Bless America." A padlock on the door couldnt have kept us in that room. I wanted to drink in all the event had to pour out with my family. I saw the jaw-dropping look of sheer joy on Ryan and Harrys faces when we stepped out of the dugout and were engaged with cheers (and some good natured taunts directed at me)by the crowd of 50,000 as our appearance on the field was a signal as to what was soon to follow. It was an emotion I remembered so well from my Fenway experience that was clearly etched on each of the boys faces. As each of us took our first turn around the rink, we scanned the sections in the park where our Angels in the Outfield were seated. Once located, our 30 family members in attendance cheered wildly for their heroes in stripes. We retreated to the penalty box and cheered along with the crowd as their hockey heroes stepped out of their respective dugouts through furnace blasting columns of fire to ice! As each player was introduced, I had fond memories of interacting with them throughout our respective careers. The only two players I did not have the good fortune to officiate were Bernie Parent and Joe Watson. Both of these Broad Street Bully legends retired after the 1979 season while I arrived in the NHL in 1980. The united voices of Lauren and Ms. Kate Smith brought chills to all that were in attendance. I looked intensely at the faces of the former Flyer players as God Bless America rang throughout the park and saw emotion rise up in them, recalling glory days across the parking lot where the Spectrum once stood. Following the anthem, I exchanged as many hugs and greetings with players from both teams as I did that night at our New Years party in our home. I first approached Iron Mike Keenan behind the Rangers bench and climbed over the boards to give him a hug. Kathy and I had bought Mikes house in Voorhees, NJ when we moved from Sarnia, Ontario in 1988 and Mike headed to Chicago to coach the Blackhawks. I recalled how NHL President John Ziegler was not impressed that I bought a coachs house and even wanted to know how I could even afford a coachs house! (He knew full well what he was paying me) After Mike won the Stanley Cup for Neil Smiths Ranger team, he moved on to St. Louis before arriving in Boston. We had been in Mikes former house for a number of years and at that point but were now operating in the two-referee system. One night in Boston, Keenan was screaming at my young partner from behind the Bruins bench. I was the back ref and in charge of the line change and I blasted over and got in Iron Mikes face. With my finger pointed at him I shouted, "Mike, that @#$%ing house you sold - the roof is leaking!" All the players on the bench started laughing. Mike got an apologetic look on his face, took a step back and with both hands up in front of him with open palms said, "Kerry, honest I thought I got it fixed." The joke was on me because a couple of weeks later, we had a huge rainstorm and the water started pouring in above the large brick chimney of our double-sided fireplace. Upon roof inspection, I learned that Keenan had loaded up roof patch tar on the flashing and it had finally let go. On this day, I gave him a big hug and told him I had to sell the house because the roof just kept leaking. My next visit was to Flyers Alumni coach Pat Quinn. I wrote some great stories about Pat and I in my book, The Final Call and it was great to see him smiling this day behind the bench. He had his roster sheet in hand and told me to tell Keenan he had 27 players listed and if Mikee had any problem with it Pat would go over there and kick the crap out of him.ddddddddddddThats a bet I would take in a NY minute. I asked both coaches permission to assess a penalty shot instead of putting a player in the box in the event we had to call something. Both bench bosses agreed it would be the best course of action. Moving to centre ice, I was greeted by the face of both organizations—Bobby Clarke and Mark Messier. What a thrill it was for me to be back on the ice with these two great leaders. There were some real classy moves that took place during the game that you might not have witnessed. Let me share a couple of them. When I got the go signal from television, I asked both of these legends to please put their sticks on the ice for the faceoff. They complied and I dropped the puck in my normal game opening fashion. Mark Messier refused to move his stick to touch the puck once the disk hit the ice. Instead Mess allowed Bob Clarke to win the draw cleanly back to his defenceman. This didnt go unnoticed by the heart of the Flyers as Clarkie looked up at Mess and responded, "Thank you for that." It was a surreal moment for me and set the tone for a game of shinny between grownup kids on a frozen slab of ice. The fans roared their approval with Clarkes faceoff win, unknowing as to what had just transpired. Their roar increased at the first stick save that Bernie Parent made and then came out of their seats with chants of B-e-r-n-i-e, B-e-r-n-i-e when he made his second one, a sprawling, sliding, pad stacking save. The Flyers bench was on their feet as well, cheering for the guy whose name appeared on car bumper stickers after their first Cup win that read, "Only God Saves More Than Bernie Parent". Ranger speedster Ron Duguay (the man with the second best hair in hockey!!) broke in all alone on the Flyer legend between the pipes. In another example of pure class Doog gave a little shift and shot one into Bernies pads as the fans again roared their approval. At the next stoppage, I approached Duguay and said, "That was one of the classiest and selfless things I have ever witness in this great game." Disco Doog shrugged his shoulders and smiled as he said, "Nobody can score on Bernie Parent; hes just that good!" Eric Lindros got an amazing and well warranted ovation upon his return in a Flyers uniform. He was by far the best player on the ice and looks fit enough to still be playing in the NHL. His speed and sheer power dominated this game like so many times throughout his career. I couldnt help recall the 7th game of the Eastern Conference Final in 2000, when I watched from15-feet away as Scott Stevens caught Eric with his head down crossing the Devils blue line and rocked his world for what I feared would be the last time. There would fortunately be none of that in this game and the first goal was a classic Legion of Doom setup from Lindros to John LeClair for a one-timer into the open side of the cage on the rush. I called the first penalty (shot) of the game when the Big E used his strength to snap Nick Kypreos stick like a twig in the corner to steal the puck. It was a delayed call that didnt materialize until Kypreos showed me the evidence with a piece of shaft in each hand. By this time Mark Laforest had taken over for Bernie and made some fantastic saves, including the penalty shot on Kypreos. As the game progressed, a couple of more penalty shots were called and the score brought out the competitive juices, turning these players to the kids that started the game to the professional hockey players that refused to lose. I called a hooking penalty on Bobby Clarke that gave Glen Anderson a penalty shot. Neil Little made a great save on this one. My son Ryan skated over to me after the penalty shot attempt failed and chided me for calling a penalty on the legendary Bobby Clarke. He said there was no way he would have done it. I went over to the bench and told Clarkie, "Even my kid is giving me hell for calling a penalty on you." Bob smiled and said, "Goes to show you a lousy call it was." Messier crashed the net on a play, refusing to give an inch in an attempt to jam the puck past Laforest. Mess full out determination on this play and in the final minute of the game as he tried valiantly to snatch a victory from the jaws of defeat reminded me of the player who guaranteed a Ranger victory in Game Six of the 1993-94 Eastern Conference Final. It was a do-or-die situation for the Rangers in that one and as I entered our dressing room after the second period, I told linesmen Gerard Gauthier and Pat Dapuzzo assigned to the game with me to "Stick a fork in them - this Ranger team is done." I never doubted Messier again as he took that team and the game on his back and scored his first hat-trick as a Ranger (a natural one at that) to force Game Seven. That feat has been described as one of the greatest individual efforts in the history of the game. He is Captain America in my books. For those of you that dont think the "New NHL" has had an impact on even the old school players, how about Brad "the Octopus" Marsh playing good defensive hockey without even the slightest clutch and grab. That, in and of itself, was a minor miracle but he wanted to win so badly that he sacrificed his aging body by throwing himself to the ice with a sliding shot block. I never a saw player do that in the two All-Star games I worked, let alone an Alumni game. The Winter Classic brings out the best in everyone. While the Flyers Alumni won on the scoreboard, the accumulative win has to go to the 50,000 fans in the stadium and the millions that watched the game on television, no matter which team they were cheering for. Those in attendance got to be part of something so special that it separates the great game of hockey from all the other sports. The Winter Classic is truly a world class event. The emotion, enthusiasm, nostalgia, camaraderie and the sportsmanship that was demonstrated by these legendary players transcends the game. The City of Brotherly Love opened up her arms and embraced this event. I cant tell you what an honor it was for me and my sons to be part of it. Thank you NHL, thank you Flyers-Rangers and thank you hockey fans around the world. If you ever get a chance to attend an NHL Winter Classic, please dont pass it up. It too, just might become your most memorable game. ' ' '
|