Mike Holmgren Players Quotations

I did realize how hard it was. I think coaches realize it a little bit sooner than players do. I had hoped that we would have been able to do it a little sooner than we have done it, but you know things happen along the way.

He was very sorry and apologized to me. He did not want anything like this to be a distraction. He really does realize that the players represent the community and he is one of the guys that would like to be a role model in this community. He realizes that this has been a negative thing in what should be a feel-good week for us.

He is a lifelong football personnel man. Personnel people, they have a passion for it. They want to help the head coach. They want to give him the best players they can give him. And it creates a real healthy trust and working relationship. Bob's first love, as you know, was basketball. And he was taking on a lot of jobs. It's different now, because Tim is a lifelong football guy. We have a good relationship.

I talked to a number of players on the team -- including our offensive linemen -- they really wanted to do this for him. That's all healthy stuff, that's all good stuff.

I think that can be overstated just a little bit. If you have a very untalented guy who is a high-effort guy, you are going to lose every week. You like them like that, but the better player is going to win more games for you. The trick is finding those guys that are really fine football players and really don't think they are that great; they are always trying to get better.

Players and coaches who have gone through the game, that helps.

The plays were good plays, and I think we prepared properly. But really it's about the players making plays and making the catch and blocking. And when they do that, you look pretty good as a signal-caller.

That team (Green Bay) was a little bit more of a star team. We had more than a couple guys that were really pretty well known at their positions throughout the country and went to Pro Bowls. Our team now, even though we are fortunate to have a number of players go to the Pro Bowl, is really a team in the truest sense of the word.

There were five or six players that left, and the five or six players that we brought in to replace those fellows have been tremendous.

I'm a tremendous believer now. It's about as much like grass as you can have a synthetic surface be. I really think the right decision was made. This is great for everyone. Players love it, and I think this surface will offer a better product on the field for fans.

But I think the special players can do special things. He's a special player. He's the best lineman I've ever been around.

The great players like Walter Jones, do they need all of training camp? Probably not,