Packers LB Kampman does not blame team for his concussion

Although the Green Bay Packers linebacker Aaron Kampman had to play most of Sunday’s game with a head injury, which turned out to be a concussion, he does not think the team was negligent in observing players’ condition during game.

When Kampman took a blow to his head from some player in opponent team's NFL jersey on the fourth play of Sunday’s loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, all those staying at sideline should have the awareness of having a check of the player’s condition. It was until the fourth quarter when Kampman told coaches he was not OK that they decided to take him out of the game.

“They didn’t know what was going on,” Kampman said Wednesday, however. “They need to be completely absolved. And I didn’t really know what was going on. Sometimes you just play. You keep playing. And you don’t really know what’s going on. But it got to a point where I was having some symptoms where I knew I was probably going to jeopardize the team, so I knew to come out.”

Such remarks were made after defensive coordinator Dom Capers said that players should tell coaches when they are not feeling well. Kampman also said that it’s a player’s responsibility to recognize when he has had a significant head injury. Sounds like exculpatory for the team, doesn’t it?

Top four ideas of welcoming Favre back to be announced this week

Later this week, the Mayor of the Green Bay will announce the top four welcome-back ideas to mark the returning of current Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre. It is not a easy job to select the four form about 1,600 e-mails containing different suggestions.

According to communications director Andre Jacque, the Mayor Jim Schmitt has received about 1,600 emails from fans. As the Packers will host a home game against the Vikings at Lambeau Field this weekend, Schmitt posted a link on the city’s Web site last week to solicit ideas of welcoming Favre back in a tasteful way.

There have been some impressive suggestions. Someone suggests holding a ceremony to retire the No. 4 packers jersey in honor of former Packers quarterback Chuck Fusina, who threw 32 passes in seven games for Green Bay in 1986 or scheduling a ceremony to retire No. 4 for Favre and calling it off at the last minute. One suggests that the city should make the world’s largest waffle in the shape of No. 4, Favre’s jersey number and another one suggests creating a video montage of Favre’s interceptions and showing it before the game.

Packers and Raji reached agreement in principle

According to reports by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Thursday, the Green Bay Packers and their first-round draft pick B.J. Raji had reached an agreement in principle on contract terms. The news was somewhat confirmed by coach Mike McCarthy who said that the two sides were close to a deal.

As a former Boston College defensive tackle, Raji was taken by the Packers as the No. 9 overall pick. However, the team has not given him a contract since they reported to training camp July 31 and that caused a holdout lasting nearly two weeks.

Raji is considered to be a rare combination of size, power and quickness and he can play both as a natural nose tackle and defensive end in the 3-4 defense being installed by new defensive coordinator Dom Capers. His absence will mean losing one of Capers’ defense’s cornerstones.

Even if a contract is signed before the preseason opener, it is still unlikely to see Raji playing in Saturday night’s game against the Browns. McCarthy acknowledged that it will take some time for Raji to get in shape and it is hard to say whether he will be ready by the Sept. 13 season opener.