{image1}You don't have to tell a Packers' fan this, but Sports Illustrated has named the Pack's training camp a "Summer Essential" for NFL fans.
SI writer Peter King declared the Packers' camp one of the five best in the NFL and gave it the "Essential" tag. King praised the openness of the camp for fans.
"It's Packer paradise," King wrote in his NFL Insider column. "Where else in sporting America is there a donut shop 150 yards south of the practice fields, and a tidy neighborhood of homes 200 yards north? The Hutson Center is across the street from Lambeau Field, and no team integrates the training-camp feel with fan-friendliness better than the Packers.
"On an early August day -- the Packers have open practices for the first three weeks of camp -- fans can watch a morning practice from just off the sidelines, examine football lore at the Packers Hall of Fame inside the refurbished Lambeau Field, have a Curly's Special Ale and Grandma Lambeau's Meatloaf (served with garlic-whipped potatoes, gravy and crisped pub onions) at the brewpub inside the Lambeau atrium, hustle over for the afternoon practice, and come back to the best gift shop in the NFL (Bubba Franks bobblehead, anyone?) before it closes down.
"And there's the cutest tradition in training-campdom: Local kids line up with their bikes pre- and post-practice. Players, as many as 50 of the 80 on the roster, climb on, and the kids ride on the back or the handlebars across the street to the locker room. Perfect. This place blends not-yet-crass merchandising of today with the charm of the '60s."
You only have to wait until next Tuesday, July 26, to take it in. The first rookie practices will be held on that day and Wednesday. Then, after a day for physicals, two-a-day practices for the full squad will start.
There will be several special points of interest in this summer's camp. First, you can see top draft pick Aaron Rodgers, the heir apparent to Brett Favre's quarterback spot, work out in the early practices.
Of course, once regular workouts start, Favre will be the star of the show, although expect coach Mike Sherman to use his star sparingly.
Who will come to the forefront to replace Javon Walker? Or will the disgruntled wide receiver give up his holdout and come into camp?
How will the offensive line come together after the loss of guards Mike Wahle and Marco Rivera? Answers to these and other questions often start their formulations during training camp.
Family Night, which has become a tradition in pre-season, will feature the Packers scrimmaging against another team, the Buffalo Bills, for the first time. It's Aug. 5.
"Bringing in another team is beneficial for us for a number of reasons," said Sherman, who conceived the idea. "First, I wanted to change things up this year so it's different than previous training camps. Also, I feel going against different colored jerseys would make for an even more competitive camp. And with the youth we have at some positions, it provides us with another game-like experience, in addition to our four preseason contests.
"I think our fans will be excited to come to Hinkle Field on Thursday afternoon, or Friday morning, and watch two teams competing. Also, it only enhances the atmosphere and excitement of 'Family Night.' "
The Packers' first pre-season game is Aug. 11 against San Diego at Lambeau Field.
Brewers' Player of the Week
Geoff Jenkins, who struggled for most of the first half of the season, has been hot since the All Star break and deserves the designation. He carried a hitting streak in double figures into the time of this writing.
Jenkins has been hitting the ball to all fields, which always has been a key for him. When he tries to pull the ball too much, he slumps.
Hot Tix
The Brewers remain on the road this weekend in Cincinnati, but there still are plenty of sports in the area.
Danica Patrick leads the field in the ABC Supply/A.J. Foyt 225 at the Milwaukee Mile at 1:30 p.m. Sunday.
At Brown Deer, the US Bank Championship golf tournament, featured in The Sports Buzz last week, starts with the first round Thursday and runs through Sunday. For tee times, go to usbankchampionship.com.
Athletes representing more than 20 states and a dozen countries, including a trio of Olympians Conrad Stoltz (RSA), Olivier Marceau (SUI), and Brent McMahon (CAN), are headed to Milwaukee, Saturday and Sunday, for the Nissan Xterra Midwest Championship.
It's the first time the off-road triathlon series, with 90 races in 14 countries, stops in Milwaukee. Athletes will swim 1.5-kilometers (.93 mile) in Lake Michigan at McKinley Beach, mountain bike a 30k (18.64 miles) course that follows the Milwaukee River, and run a 10k (6.2 miles) route that twists through Veterans Park and along the beach. Events start at 9 a.m. Saturday. For more info, go to XTERRAplanet.com.
The Superweek cycling series wraps up with races at Kenosha on Friday, Downer Avenue on Saturday and Whitefish Bay on Sunday. The main Downer race starts at 5:45 p.m. Races start at 11:15 a.m. at Whitefish Bay, with the pro men going off at 5:30.
Wave United joins Festa Italiana with a 1 p.m. game Sunday against the Chicago Maroons at Uihlein Soccer Park. You can get into Festa after the game for $7 if you show your ticket stub from the game.
The two area teams in the North American Football League have games this weekend. The Marauders host the Texas Regulators at 7 p.m. Saturday at Hart Park. The Racine Raiders play at Kane County (Ill.) at 7 p.m. Saturday.
