Jones to practice for first time this season

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GREEN BAY - Green Bay Packers’ receiver James Jones is expected to practice for the first time tonight. He’s been on the sidelines at Packer Training Camp, because players who signed free agent contracts after the lockout ended were not allowed to start practicing until today under the new bargaining agreement.

Jones spoke to reporters yesterday for the first time since signing his new three-year deal. He said his first goal is to avoid the dropped passes that plagued him last year. Jones had at least 10 drops – and two of them would have scored touchdowns during the playoffs had he held on. Jones also said Green Bay is where he really wants to be. And he said it meant a lot to him that quarterback Aaron Rodgers and receiver Donald Driver went to the Packers’ top brass and urged them to bring him back. Jones says he wants to be an impact player in whatever role the Packers want him to be in.

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The Packers have brought in second-year linebacker K.C. Asiodu. He played in 10 games with Saint Louis last season, and one with New Orleans. Asiodu had 11 tackles and a blocked kick on special teams for the Rams. He was a non-drafted free agent with Saint Louis in 2009, when he spent time on the Rams’ and the Miami Dolphins’ practice squads.

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The Green Bay Packers will meet President Obama in the nation’s capital a week from Friday. The traditional White House visit from the Super Bowl champions was delayed because of the NFL owners’ lockout. But Packers’ CEO Mark Murphy said he’s excited the president invited the team – and they’re really looking forward to what Murphy called a “unique opportunity.” The White House visit comes one day the Packers’ exhibition opener at Cleveland. Obama ruffled some feathers when he cheered for his hometown Chicago Bears to beat the Packers in last January’s NFC Championship Game. Obama had said he would not attend the Super Bowl unless his Bears were in it – and Packers’ corner Charles Woodson used that to motivate his teammates. He told his team quote, “The president don’t want to come watch us at the Super Bowl so guess what? We’re going to see him.” Today, Woodson said he holds no grudges – and he excited to see the President of the United States.

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Another fan survey has rated the Green Bay Packers as the nation’s most popular pro sports team. The Marketing Arm of Dallas has created what’s called a “Sports Property Index,” which shows how consumer opinions change after major events like team championships, strikes-and-lockouts, and even scandals. 60,000 consumers were surveyed – and they rated the Packers as Number-One for passion, excitement, and high levels of interest. And Green Bay ranked third in terms of appeal-and-trust. The new ratings come on the heels of ESPN-the-Magazine’s “Ultimate Standings,” which ranked the Packers first among 122 football, baseball, basketball, and hockey franchises. Lambeau Field was also named in the Marketing Arm’s survey as the country’s top pro sports venue. The Milwaukee Brewers’ baseball team was rated 24th for passion, 25th for appeal, and 26th for avid interest. The Milwaukee Bucks’ NBA basketball team was ranked 113th for passion, and 118th for appeal. And the University of Wisconsin were second among NCAA Division-One schools for appeal, excitement, and avid interest. Nebraska placed first for total appeal.

Tags: wisconsin sports, proam, football, packers