Stars und Sternchen! » hes seen during his nine years as head

GREEN BAY, Wis. - The brief scuffle at Packers practice turned heads in the crowd. The dropped ball by a receiver during an offence vs. defence security drill drew roars from defenders. The team has grinded through off-season workouts with a work ethic that coach Mike McCarthy says is one of the best hes seen during his nine years as head coach in Green Bay. The energy is up. "Im not saying the other groups werent mature," McCarthy said. "It just seems like this group is further ahead than weve been, and you can sense the energy." Caveat: Its June, still more than six weeks from the start of training camp and three months from the start of the 2014 season. Almost every team feels good this time of year. The Packers, of course, have a championship pedigree. Confidence that comes with winning three straight NFC North titles, and just a few seasons removed from winning the Super Bowl. "The work ethic is very high. This group is really extremely competitive, in tune. Our new training environment has been unbelievable. It has put us so far ahead of where weve ever been, so I think with that brings more confidence so theres just a sense of maturity," McCarthy said. Changes on the coaching staff brought some new perspective. Quarterbacks coach Ben McAdoo left to become the offensive co-ordinator of the New York Giants, while outside linebackers coach Kevin Greene left to spend more time with family. Sam Gash is the new running backs coach after Alex Van Pelt slid over to replace McAdoo. Winston Moss is the assistant in charge of all linebackers now, not just inside linebackers. Former Illinois and Florida head coach Ron Zook is now an assistant special teams coach. Green Bay hopes the defence will be improved this year with the addition of Julius Peppers and the anticipated healthy return of linebacker Clay Matthews from an injured thumb. Eddie Lacy has a full year of seasoning now as the lead rusher in a talented backfield that complements Rodgers. The 2011 NFL MVP, for one, likes the spunk hes seen on the practice field. "I love it. I love the energy, I love the passion. There will be those altercations in training camp. When guys remember this is a professional environment, not a personal environment, then you wont have any issues in the locker room," Rodgers said. "But every now and then you have to stir it up a little bit, you have to make some changes." Rodgers said he also likes the changes he has seen with new personnel and new coaches. "Its a natural progression. And when you have some new players theres always going to be stuff like that, guys getting used to this tempo," Rodgers said. "Sometimes guys dont like getting tossed down a little bit, and you need to work it out." Fringe players anxiously looking for a roster spot shouldnt get too overly worked up. Jobs arent won in June, McCarthy said, when practices are tailored to highlight agility and playing in space. But McCarthy likes some of the intangibles that he has seen so far. "I think youre seeing more player interaction as far as what goes on on the field. Guys self-correcting, and a lot more pro-active as far as sharing information," he said. "Those are good things. I see more of it this year." Note: The Packers signed rookie free agent Shaun Lewis on Tuesday. Lewis, a 5-foot-11 linebacker from Oklahoma State, tried out at Packers rookie minicamp in May. He had 73 tackles and three interceptions last season for the Cowboys. __ Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ___ Follow Genaro Armas at http://twitter.com/GArmasAP Cheap Sabres Jerseys .ca. Kerry, I hope you address Ron MacLeans comment during the second intermission of Game 4 in Montreal-Tampa series. Basically, he suggested that the NHL should not have used a referee from Quebec, following the Game 3 disputed non-goal, because the referee could be biased towards Montreal. Cheap Adidas Sabres Jerseys . -- San Francisco 49ers offensive co-ordinator Greg Roman is a finalist to replace Joe Paterno at Penn State, his agent said Monday. http://www.cheapsabresjerseys.com/ . The announcement was made by the hall on Friday, March 14. She joins Switzerlands Denise Biellmann as this years inductees to the Hall, based in Colorado Springs, CO. Cheap Buffalo Sabres Jerseys . Louis second-period goal increased the New York Rangers lead but Dustin Brown has countered for the Los Angeles Kings who now trail the New York Rangers 2-1 in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final at Madison Square Garden. Cheap Adidas NHL Jerseys . -- Arizona came out of its last meeting with California a bit discombobulated, hurting from its first loss and the loss of forward Brandon Ashley for the rest of the season.EDMONTON -- The core of Canadas national womens soccer team is back where it all began, hoping rekindle some chemistry as it begin its campaign for the 2015 World Cup. Seven of the Canadian players for Wednesdays match against South Korea in Edmonton were on the Canadian team that ignited the womens soccer program in 2002 when it finished second to the U.S. in the U19 world championship at Commonwealth Stadium. Those seven -- captain Christine Sinclair, keeper Erin McLeod, centrebacks Carmelina Moscato and Rhian Wilkinson, midfielders Diana Matheson and Brittany Timko and forward Kara Lang -- are reconnecting after spending the season playing for various teams around North America. "This game is really kick-starting our campaign to 2015," Moscato said Monday at a news conference to promote the ticket sales for the 2014 FIFA U20 womens world cup that will be played in four Canadian cities. "Although were not looking necessarily two years in advance, right now we do have specific goals. Its centred around connection again. Weve been off for about a month after the NSSL season and we have all worked hard to be back in shape and fit for this game. But it really is about playing soccer together again and reconnecting with our national team goals and identity and wheres were going." The team, which won the bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics, has been in Edmonton for five days preparing for South Korea. While thats not a long time, both Moscato and McLeod said its been a great team-building experience. "Theres elements that are easy because were like a family now," said Moscato, who was off the national team for a few years before rejoining it in 2009. &qquot;Meals are always enjoyable, having chatsabut on the field, that winning behaviour, that gold-medal standard behaviour, it takes time to reconnect again.dddddddddddd." McLeod, a native of St. Albert, a bedroom community of Edmonton, said the team is fortunate in that the players have managed to stay connected over the years and the excitement of being together this week is "really bringing us together." Both agree the match with South Korea will be a test of just how together the team is and where it has to go from here to get ready for 2015. "Its going to be challenging," said the 30-year-old McLeod. "In the game there are going to be moments we might be disconnected, but I think thats good to have the test early on to see how much we can fight now, having been apart. And we will only grow from that." The teams are 1-1 in recent matches and McLeod said one of the keys for Canada is to get off to a good start. "We have to come out fighting and bringing the game to them," she said. "A lot of times we start games on our heels and we dont want to be like that this time, or anymore." South Korea is a technically disciplined team that Moscato says is very strong on the counter-attack and dangerous in its ability to regain the ball and sneak behind defences. "So its going to take a lot of defensive discipline for us to regain the ball immediately when we lose it," she said. "So thats a big focus for us because they are quite technically savvy and quite intelligent on the ball." Note: Lang will be with the team as she continues her comeback from two torn knee ligaments, but wont play Wednesday. 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