The Packer defensive players have been badgering the coaches to let them be more aggressive. To blitz more. To basically get back to what was successful in the pre-season. With the season dangerously close to going in the tank, Dom Capers and Mike McCarthy finally let them off their leashes and they pounded the Cowboys into submission yesterday. The one player who really stands out is Charles Woodson. For a guy who was thought to be done after an injury plagued career in Oakland, Woodson has been nothing short of amazing since signing with Green Bay 3 years ago. Now there are still problems (penalties) and the offense didn't really light it up (the officials set them up with one score after a bizarre turnover that was "unreviewable"), but considering where the team was last week this was an impressive win.

Speaking of that "fumble", that was obviously recovered by Dallas but was given to Green Bay at the 3 yard line...why can't every questionable change of possession be reviewed automatically? Let an official in the box make the call...not the coaches. I would think the league would be interested in getting the call right. Even the referee who made the announcement seemed embarassed to say they couldn't review it.

The Badgers exorcised their Wolverine ghosts from last year with an impressive win at Camp Randall. With Northwestern & Hawaii remaining it should mean another quality bowl game for Bucky. I was in Michigan this weekend and as you might expect the faithful are not happy with the Rich Rodriguez era in Ann Arbor.

Speaking of my trip....the Central Wisconsin Saints took 3 of 4 this weekend from the Motor City Chiefs and Michigan Ice Dogs. The Saints can look very good at times but some times (like Saturday night) they can really struggle. They head to suburban St. Louis this coming weekend before finally returning home to Stevens Point the weekend after Thanksgiving.

I hadn't been to Detroit since I was a kid and yes there are many parts of the city which are in rough shape...but...the downtown, while not as vibrant as Chicago...is still in good shape. The Wings were in town Saturday and alot of people were around...lots of folks were enjoying the warm weather on the Riverwalk by GM's world headquarters and the resturants and casinos of Greektown were busy. Comerica Park is gorgeous too...I'll have to make a roadtrip for a Tigers game sometime. The drive isn't as bad as I thought it would be either. It took awhile to get around Chicago but after that it's a easy trip. I also visited the Motown Records museum which is in the actual house where all that music was made. They have done a great job of preserving the history of the label and I stood in the original studio where Smokey, Marvin, Diana and Stevie made their magic. I even got to learn how to do the "Temptation Walk". If you like Motown music you have to see this place.

Songs of the Day

Daddy's Tune-Jackson Browne (1976) another great tune about Browne's relationship with his father. From the classic Lp "The Pretender".

Damn It, Rose-Don Henley(2000) this scathing indictment of a friends suicide sounds intensley personal...but then Henley can do it no other way. From an underappreciated CD called 'Inside Job"

TK