Rodgers ready for 'Family Night' as starter
By CHRIS JENKINS
AP Sports Writer
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) -- How will Green Bay Packers fans react to seeing Aaron Rodgers as their starting quarterback? We'll find out soon enough.
A capacity crowd is expected for the Packers' annual "Family Night" scrimmage at Lambeau Field Sunday night, and Rodgers is looking forward to taking the field as the starter.
"Obviously, you care about the fans and their opinions," Rodgers said Friday. "I think there's been some interesting comments throughout camp so far just from the fence lines. They're going to support us either way, I hope -- especially if we're winning."
Rodgers also is looking forward to facing the Packers' second-team defense instead of directing the second-team offense against defensive starters.
"It's going to be nice to be out there when it's the 1s against the 2s," Rodgers said. "I've been on the other side of that for a while. It's going to be good having everybody there together and being able to see what we can do and hopefully show off in front of the fans."
Rodgers said he has seen and heard some unique things from fans lining the fences at practice this week.
"I saw a shirt today, (on) a big guy, I think it said, 'Ted, You're Fired,"' Rodgers said, presumably referring to general manager Ted Thompson. "It was interesting. He was a big guy, a big green shirt. He was kind of waving his hands."
Rodgers has remained calm this week, despite the constant twists and turns of the Brett Favre unretirement saga.
"I've been very focused on this camp on what I've got to do to get better," Rodgers said. "Obviously, you can't help but hear about it. It has the potential to be a unique situation, either way. I know I'm kind of in the middle of it, although it's more about Brett and the organization. I'm really focused on being the starting quarterback of this team right now and trying to find ways to be a leader for this football team."
Rodgers did, however, pay particular attention to former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer during a guest lecture to Packers players about media relations Thursday.
"I thought Ari was great," Rodgers said. "It was interesting to be around a guy who's been through so much. You don't realize the job that he did when he was with the president was pretty impressive.
Rodgers pulled Fleischer aside for a few minutes afterward.
"I just had a couple of good questions for him, and he told me some very interesting stories," Rodgers said. "I thought it was very helpful as far as his advice on dealing with the media."
What did he ask about?
"Some of the stuff might be top-secret," Rodgers said. "He just said be truthful ... truthful, get your message out there if you want, a few other things. It was a good speech."
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GUARD DUTY: Nearing the end of the first week of camp, Daryn Colledge remains locked in a competition for the left guard spot with Allen Barbre.
"I'm trying to be the guy," Colledge said. "I'm trying to make it easy on the coaches and show them that I want to be the guy. But the competition is still alive and well. I respect Barbre. I think he's a great player. I think it's going to be a hard-fought battle."
Packers coach Mike McCarthy said the fact that Colledge, who started 28 games over the past two seasons, has to win the job isn't a sign that coaches aren't happy with his development.
"I'm very pleased with what Daryn Colledge has accomplished in his career so far," McCarthy said. "Now, he has so much more in front of him and we need to get that out of him. That's our job as coaches, don't get me wrong, but Daryn Colledge has played good football for the Green Bay Packers and will continue to do so."
McCarthy said Barbre, a fourth-round pick in 2007, needs to be "a little more consistent."
"He has had a couple of mental errors that he needs to get cleaned up," McCarthy said.
Jason Spitz appears to remain entrenched as the starting right guard.
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NOTES: McCarthy said CB Will Blackmon sat out Friday morning with soreness in his foot. Blackmon broke his foot as a rookie in 2006 and aggravated the injury late last season, but said Friday he wasn't concerned. ... Also out were RB DeShawn Wynn, who McCarthy said sustained a slight concussion Wednesday, and FB Korey Hall (knee strain). ... McCarthy rested several veteran players Friday morning: DE Aaron Kampman, DT Ryan Pickett, DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, CB Al Harris, CB Charles Woodson, LB Nick Barnett, WR Donald Driver, OT Chad Clifton and OT Mark Tauscher. ... Woodson hasn't been hounding coaches to let him return punts this season -- mostly because he doesn't have to. "It's not a matter of expression. It's understood," special teams coordinator Mike Stock said, smiling. "He's a competitor. What can I say? He said, 'I'm ready whenever you want me."' Woodson has been a sure-handed punt returner for the Packers and likes the job. But the team would prefer to give the role to another player because Woodson is one of the team's most valuable defensive players and they don't want to expose him to injury. Potential candidates for the punt return job include Blackmon, WR Jordy Nelson and CB Tramon Williams. ... Indiana coach Tom Crean was at Packers practice Friday morning. Crean became friends with McCarthy while coaching at Marquette.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)