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We're Black and Blue All Over:

The Detroit Lions had a busy news day Monday. We noted both the charity of quarterback Matthew Stafford and the poor behavior of receiver Titus Young, but that left out plenty of other tidbits.

Running backs Jahvid Best (concussion) and Mikel Leshoure (Achilles) were both on the field, participating in a limited portion of the Lions' opening organized team activity (OTA) of the offseason. So was rookie receiver Ryan Broyles, who is six months removed from major knee surgery.

Middle linebacker Stephen Tulloch, meanwhile, didn't practice because of knee tendinitis and might not be back on the field until training camp. That's a bit of a disconcerting turn of events for a player so critical to the Lions' 2011 improvement, but keep in mind that Tulloch hasn't missed a game in his six-year career.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Broyles didn't participate in all of the drills Monday but got a personal side session with Stafford and offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, according to Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press.
• Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley showed off a new physique at Monday's OTA, according to John Niyo of the Detroit News.
• The 2012 season will be "very important" for Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, according to Justin Rogers of Mlive.com.
• Former Chicago Bears running back Garrett Wolfe is headed to the CFL, according to Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com.
• At some point, writes Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times, the Bears will have to decide whether to give running back Matt Forte a "shut-up-and-play" deal.
• We discussed the possibility of the Bears acquiring tight end Kellen Winslow, but he ultimately was traded to the Seattle Seahawks, notes the Associated Press.
• Kendra Meinert of the Green Bay Press-Gazette has a review of Green Bay Packers receiver Donald Driver's turn Monday night on "Dancing with the Stars."
• The Packers termed it "simply speculation" that team president/CEO Mark Murphy has interest in the Stanford athletic director job, according to Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Murphy once had interest in the job, writes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com, but not now.
• The Minnesota Vikings will soon have discussions with Minnesota State, Mankato, to create a long-term contract on training camp, according to Judd Zulgad of 1500ESPN.com.
• Martiga Lohn of the Associated Press examines the state funding mechanism for the Vikings' new stadium.
• Final passage of the bill by the Minneapolis City Council this week appears inevitable, writes Eric Roper of the Star Tribune.

The Green Bay Press-Gazette focused this weekend on a nuance that probably wouldn't have occurred to fans in other NFL markets: Reconciling the growing commercialization of the league's individual franchises with the Packers' history as a small-town operation.

Through interviews over several months, reporters Pete Dougherty and Rob Demovsky documented the Packers' dramatic rise in size and local revenues in recent years. They noted that the franchise has moved away from front-office executives with local ties and noted at least one instance -- a failed attempt to take over the Packers Hall of Fame -- when its business appetite overstepped its bounds in the eyes of many locals. A few thoughts from my end:

1. Like it or not, the Packers have followed a clear path set around the NFL. Its teams are the most valuable sports franchises in the world, and their values have risen even in an extended economic downturn. They are part of a $9 billion industry, and it's probably unrealistic to think they would resist growth in a free market.
2. The Packers' biggest source of revenues will always be their share of the NFL's television revenues, a stream that keeps the franchise afloat and has largely replaced the stockholder bailouts that defined its earlier history. The team now uses stock sales for capital improvements, including an in-progress $143 million project at Lambeau Field. I know some of you might think the Packers are taking advantage of fans who want to own stock. But from a national perspective, that beats the hard feelings associated with taxing an entire municipality made up of football and non-football fans alike. Consider it the lesser of evils.
3. As a midwest transplant, I'm not sure how important it is for the Packers' top executives to have been born or raised in Green Bay or attended school in Wisconsin. Relating with local citizenry requires an open mind, good listening skills and a sense of place -- not necessarily a birth certificate or in-state diploma.
4. It's true that president/CEO Mark Murphy was identified by a search firm and had no ties to Wisconsin when he was hired. But his arrival reflected a trend that brought the Packers inline with several other franchises. Local ownership/leadership is less prevalent these days. New Jersey native Zygi Wilf owns the Minnesota Vikings, Houston resident Bud Adams owns the Tennessee Titans, St. Louis-based Shahid Khan recently purchased the Jacksonville Jaguars, and New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson is from San Antonio, Texas.
5. With that said, Packers executives have a complicated set of responsibilities that can't be replicated elsewhere. As revenue officers, they have an obligation to maximize local income. But they must also be careful about how they capitalize on local willingness to contribute, be it through stock sales or tax breaks or other local levies. Further, the Packers' outsized aura relative to the size of the city means every decision the Packers make has a larger local impact than any other NFL franchise.
6. I was interested to see the rise of Tim Connolly, the former Vikings general manager whom the Press-Gazette paints as the team's second-most powerful business-side executive after Murphy. Connolly is the vice president of sales and marketing, but appears to have wide latitude within the organization. Connolly is a hard-driving businessman who left his mark on the Vikings during a 15-month tenure. Many of the people he hired in 1999 remain with the organization, including vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinski and chief financial officer Steve Poppen. Connolly is the type of hard-charging revenue driver the Packers have probably never employed, but is not uncommon in today's NFL.
7. Long story short, I think the Press-Gazette project illustrates that the Packers are a uniquely big business in an uncommonly small market. There are no real parallels for them to follow in terms of operation or responsibilities toward two separate entities: Their 31 NFL business partners and their hundreds of thousands of citizen/stockholders.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

The Detroit Lions have a sticky situation in their offensive backfield. Their top two running backs, Jahvid Best and Mikel Leshoure, are working to recover from concussion and Achilles injuries, respectively. So should the Lions bank on their return for training camp this summer? Or should they acquire a contingency plan in the draft or in free agency?

Here is part of how Lions president Tom Lewand addressed the issue during a conference call Tuesday with season-ticket holders, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press: "You always have a little bit of risk any time a guy is coming off of injury, but we feel very, very good about where both of those guys are in their rehabilitation progress."

Lewand added: "We'll keep looking there, too. We can't necessarily put all our eggs in the basket of the guys that are coming off injuries. We have to make sure that we've got some depth there, and we'll look at free agency and the draft as well as trades, as well as waiver claims, as well as street guys to look at."

Lewand's answer hit every possibility, neither confirming nor ruling out anything, just as most team officials address personnel questions at this time of year. But in this case, the Lions truly need to consider every avenue to avoid getting caught flatfooted if Best or Leshoure, or both, have a setback.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• The Lions aren't going to be in position to be aggressive on the free-agent market, Lewand said, according to the Detroit News.
• The NFL named Green Bay Packers president/CEO Mark Murphy to its powerful competition committee, notes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• The Green Bay Press-Gazette publishes a Q&A that Packers receiver Greg Jennings had with USA Today.
• The Minnesota Vikings believe a financing package for a new stadium will be available in a matter of days, according to Judd Zulgad of 1500ESPN.com.
• An analysis of a stadium site near the Metrodome is due soon, according to Doug Belden of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
• Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com is expecting the Chicago Bears to place their franchise tag on tailback Matt Forte.
• Bears receiver Earl Bennett was encouraged by the New York Giants' run to the Super Bowl title, writes Fred Mitchell of the Chicago Tribune.

Before Friday, I had never had the remote inclination to watch a championship team's visit to the White House. So while I have no context for comparison, the Green Bay Packers' visit Friday afternoon was fun and particularly interesting for its NFC North angles.

Among them: the president of the United States' request to trade quarterback Aaron Rodgers to the Chicago Bears. More in a bit.

President Barack Obama, of course, is a longtime Bears fan who provided the Packers some bulletin-board material in January when he said he would attend Super Bowl XLV only if the Bears won the NFC Championship Game. After the Packers' victory, cornerback Charles Woodson told teammates that if Obama didn't want to see the Packers play in the Super Bowl, "we'll go see him" by winning it.

On Friday, Obama said he had learned something during that episode: "Don't mess with Charles Woodson."

In light-hearted remarks during a 10-minute ceremony, Obama said: "I'm just going to come out and say it: This hurts a little bit. This is a hard thing for a Bears fan to do."

He added: "You guys [are] coming into my house to rub it in. What are you going to do, go to Ditka's house next?"

Packers fans, Obama said, should "enjoy it while it lasts" because Bears fans "have two dates circled" this season -- the two Bears-Packers games. Joking, I think, Obama reminded the Packers that "if you guys are on a roll" late in the season, "just keep in mind that there is only one person here who can ground all planes in and out of Green Bay if he has to."

Obama got in the obligatory joke about linebacker Clay Matthews' hair and, after Woodson presented him with an honorary share of Packers stock, Obama said: "If I'm a part owner, what I'm thinking is we should initiate a trade to send Rodgers down to the Bears. What do you think?"

Woodson then clarified that Obama is "a minority owner."


(An aside: Jay Cutler just can't get an ounce of love -- not even from the president of the United States!)

Meanwhile, Packers players filled Twitter with some cool photographs from their day at the White House. Some of the best:

• Linebacker A.J. Hawk, tight end Spencer Havner, linebacker Brad Jones and Rodgers in front of an Abraham Lincoln portrait.
• A view of the White House you don't normally see from tight end Tom Crabtree.
• Safety Nick Collins' view of Obama's entrance with coach Mike McCarthy, team president Mark Murphy and general manager Ted Thompson (not shown).
• Receiver Greg Jennings' photo with Woodson and Obama.

In a classy move, the Packers brought former right tackle Mark Tauscher with them on the trip. Tauscher was released this summer. Meanwhile, linebacker Desmond Bishop tweeted that he left his identification in the Packers' team plane and was denied access to the ceremony.

To the extent that we can, let’s bring you up to date on the scheduling information we’ve received thus far from NFC North teams.

But first, a very important note. We are all learning this one-time transition process together, and it is like nothing we’ve ever experienced. But here is the way I understand things: Only players who have signed contracts will be allowed to participate in the early part of training camps. Veteran players who either change teams or re-sign with their previous teams won’t be able to practice until the new league year starts Aug. 4.

Also, remember that padded practices can’t take place until the third day of camp.

Long story short: Most teams won’t be up to full speed until the end of the first official week of camp. Onward:

• The Detroit Lions will report to training camp Thursday, on the earliest date possible. Coach Jim Schwartz said via Twitter that the team’s first practice will be Friday.
• The Chicago Bears will report Friday to Olivet Nazarene University, place-kicker Robbie Gould told Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com. The Bears’ first workout will come Saturday.
• The Green Bay Packers will also report to training camp Friday and their first practice is Saturday, Packers president Mark Murphy told reporters. The Family Night scrimmage is scheduled for Aug. 6. I’m guessing Family Night will be closer to a full-pads practice than it is to a full-fledged scrimmage.
• The Minnesota Vikings will report to Minnesota State University, Mankato on Sunday, the team said in a statement. Their first practice will be Monday, and camp will conclude Aug. 11.

Related: NFC West colleague Mike Sando delves deeply into the NFL's final free agency timetable. It begins Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. ET, when teams will be able to sign rookies, negotiate with veteran free agents and discuss trades.

More to come …

We're Black and Blue All Over:

After a wild and emotional day on the NFL labor front, ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports that the NFL Players Association expects to call a vote on the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) ratified Thursday by owners. Does that mean it will pass and the game will go back into business this weekend?

At this point, the only responsible thing to say is this: I have no clue.

The NFLPA's 32 player representatives will vote on the proposal, but it's obvious that emotions are still running high. One of those representatives, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, sent out this tweet a little after 2 a.m. ET: "Media spin on owners position in this lockout is ridiculous. Believe my colleagues tweets tonight about the events of the last 24 hours."

What's the issue? Owners have made an obvious power play, writes ESPN.com's John Clayton, and placed public pressure on the players to end a lockout originally initiated by owners. The CBA they passed is "the owners' version," Clayton wrote. Their tactics and the substance of the CBA have angered players.

Eventually, there will be a deal and it's hard to imagine this final misstep causing a delay in the regular season, which is what most people really care about. But some feelings are going to have to be smoothed over first.

We'll keep you updated throughout the day.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Owners are done negotiating, Packers president Mark Murphy told Kareem Copeland of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: "It isn't that the Packers didn't need their offseason. It's that every other team needed it more."
• The Press-Gazette's Copeland catches up with former Packers fullback William Henderson, who will be inducted into the Packers Hall of Fame.
• The lockout benefited the Minnesota Vikings more than you might think, writes Tom Powers of the St. Paul Pioneer Press: "Bedlam is the great equalizer."
• Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder is eager to start working with offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave, writes Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
• Vikings defensive end Brian Robison on the CBA hiccup, via Judd Zulgad of the Star Tribune: "What I'm hearing is [the owners] tried to slide in a good one on us. It's a good thing we read over things before we sign them."
• Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reviews the Detroit Lions' "to-do" list in anticipation of a new CBA.
• The Chicago Bears can add up to 36 players in the next few days if training camp roster limits are pushed to 90, notes Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com.
• The Bears would like to sign tailback Matt Forte to a contract extension this season, according to Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune.
• Bears defensive tackle Anthony Adams worked in an intense program this offseason toward a graduate business degree, writes Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

I hope everyone had an enjoyable and meaningful holiday weekend. Now let's get back to work.

In explaining why the Green Bay Packers haven't yet instituted pay cuts during the lockout, president/CEO Mark Murphy made an interesting revelation: The franchise's revenue hasn't yet fallen off. Here's what Murphy told Mike Vandermause of the Green Bay Press-Gazette:

"Each team has to make their own decisions, and some teams have been affected already. We're very fortunate I think with the type of fans we have and the success we had last year. We haven't seen a drop-off in ticket revenue or premium seats, where some of the other teams in the league, they've already seen losses in revenue."

The Packers have seen a small reversal in corporate sponsorships, as Murphy suggested they might earlier this spring, but to this point Packers fans haven't reacted to the lockout in a negative way with respect to their wallets. We've extensively discussed the idea of paying for season tickets during a lockout when no games are guaranteed, but it's clear that the alternative -- giving up and heading to the back of a long waiting list -- isn't a realistic option for many.

To this point, at least, that decision has saved jobs and maintained payrolls within the Packers organization.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• The Packers will invite all members of their roster, including pending free agents, to their June 16 Super Bowl ring ceremony, according to Vandermause.
• The brother of Packers rookie linebacker Ricky Elmore, who was forced to quit football because of a heart defect, is trying to return to the game. Pete Dougherty of the Press-Gazette has more.
• In an interview with Dave Orrick of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Minnesota Vikings owner Zygi Wilf said the franchise declined an appearance on the HBO reality series "Hard Knocks."
• Jeremy Fowler of the Pioneer Press offers an extensive profile of Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder, including the role of his father -- a former NFL player -- in his football development.
• Ponder and 10 other Vikings players are expected to begin working out together Tuesday in Florida, according to Judd Zulgad of the Star Tribune.
• Detroit Lions receiver Derrick Williams has reached a crossroads in his career, writes Tim Twentyman of the Detroit News.
• Veteran safety Erik Coleman is expected to have a substantial role with the Lions in 2011, notes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
• Among the unknowns for the Chicago Bears during the lockout: Only two members of their punt team, long-snapper Patrick Mannelly and safety Major Wright, are under contract for 2011. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune has more.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Thanks to everyone for bearing with me at the end of last week. Joking aside, I'm hopeful we'll be bringing some new approaches to the blog soon.

We start this week in the hometown of Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, who told Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times that football workouts among Bears players are "locked and loaded" and will begin soon. Cutler said they will remain private and likely only involve offensive players.

Cutler: "[N]ow is the time for everyone to kind of get together and brush it off, and we're going to do that here in the next couple of weeks."

As the Detroit Free Press points out, players from the Detroit Lions began informal throwing sessions last week. It makes sense for quarterbacks and receivers to work out, but the value of, say, pass-rush drills might be limited.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune projects the Bears' approach to free agency.
• Tim Twentyman of the Detroit News looks at the Lions' possibilities in free agency.
• Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is excited about the possibilities inherent in playing next to rookie Nick Fairley, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
• Chris McCosky of the Detroit News: "[S]omebody has to toss in a note of polite restraint regarding Fairley. The Lions have not drafted another Ndamukong Suh here, though from the sound of it, there are a lot of people (fans, media and draft experts) who don't seem to understand that. Let's please not forget what a rare beast Suh was last year. With his 10 sacks and 66 tackles, he was the first rookie defensive tackle since 1951 to make the All-Pro team. He was the first Lions' defensive player to earn rookie of the year honors since Bubba Baker in 1978. He was the first non-linebacker to win it since Julius Peppers in 2002. It would be grossly unfair to put those kinds of expectations on Fairley. He is in no way the same type of talent that Suh was coming out of college. If he was, he never would have fallen to the Lions at No. 13."
• Green Bay Packers president/CEO Mark Murphy at the end of the team's Tailgate Tour, via Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: "I'm like the school principal; It's like I only get to know the students when there's a problem. [The lockout] really didn't come up a lot. We talked a lot, just about football. Having played myself, there were a lot of questions about what it was like. But we didn't get into specific issues. The real purpose was to thank our fans across the state and to raise money and that was really the focus."
• Kareem Copeland of the Green Bay Press-Gazette checks in with Packers guard Josh Sitton.
• Opponents of the Minnesota Vikings' proposed stadium in Arden Hills, Minn., are mobilizing, according to Heron Marquez Estrada of the Star Tribune.
• Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com writes on the apparent gulf between the Vikings' position on their stadium agreement and that of Gov. Mark Dayton.
• Tom Powers of the St. Paul Pioneer Press: "Leslie Frazier makes order out of chaos. He is the calm after any storm. Frazier could bring tranquility to a mosh pit. And that's pretty much what he did after taking over the Vikings 10 games into last season."

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Many of you have asked if Green Bay Packers cornerback Al Harris, who was released midway through last season, would receive a Super Bowl ring. The answer, according to president/CEO Mark Murphy, is yes.

During a Tailgate Tour on Thursday, a fan asked Murphy directly. (Citizen journalism!) According to Kareem Copeland of the Green Bay Press-Gazette, Murphy said yes. He also added that the team has tentatively scheduled a June 16 ceremony to give out rings. That could change, obviously, based on the lockout.

Harris suffered a severe knee injury in November 2009 and opened the 2010 season on the physically unable to perform list. He practiced with the Packers for three weeks before the team decided to release him Nov. 8 rather than add him to the active roster. He eventually signed with the Miami Dolphins, where he played three games before a hamstring injury sidelined him for the season.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Packers backup quarterback Matt Flynn about rumors he could be traded, via the Press-Gazette: "I don't know. I really haven't been paying too much attention to it. The whole labor issues, just kind of been focusing on that. Who knows what the deal is. I love being a Packer and I'll be here as long as they want me. It's all kind of speculation right now, of what people want to write or whatever they want to say. You can't say that anybody wants me or doesn't want me. We'll see what happens. I just like where I am right now."
• An active campaign is underway to keep the Minnesota Vikings in Minneapolis despite their recent site agreement with Ramsey County, according to the Star Tribune.
• Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com examines the value of new Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph.
• Health care is a big part of the lockout, Detroit Lions defensive end Cliff Avril told Adam Biggers of Mlive.com.
• NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will speak with Lions season-ticket holders on Thursday via conference call, according to the Detroit Free Press.
• Chicago Bears backup quarterback Caleb Hanie said that Bears players have held no quarterback-receiver team workouts, via ESPN 1000.
• Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune speaks with punter Richmond McGee, who signed a futures contract with the team and is a candidate to replace veteran Brad Maynard.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

We've noted on a number of occasions that Brett Favre's next step in (actual) retirement is to reconcile with the team he played most of his career with. Favre reiterated Wednesday that he is "done with football," but Green Bay Packers president Mark Murphy said it will be a few years before any retirement ceremony is scheduled.

Murphy, via Kareem Copeland of the Green Bay Press-Gazette: "Eventually, he'll come back into the fold. We are going to retire his number. He deserves that for what he did as a Packer. ... There are very few players in our history that had their number retired. He deserves it though. But it's a very, very meaningful honor and we want to do it at a time when it's meaningful for both him and the organization. I think it's probably going to be a few years. We want to make sure that he's really retired first. We made that mistake when he first retired after the 2007 season. ..."

For the first time, I have my doubts about whether Favre will ever play again. But the Packers have no choice but to wait until there is no doubt whatsoever.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Packers linebacker Desmond Bishop hasn't allowed himself any time to marvel over his career season, Copeland writes.
• The Minnesota Vikings' $407 million contribution to a stadium proposal in Arden Hills, Minn., includes presumed money from the NFL, the sale of private seat licenses and other private revenues raised in the project. The Star Tribune has more.
• St. Paul mayor Chris Coleman, an important figure in the stadium plan, has yet to weigh in publicly, notes the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
• Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is working out in Houston with quarterback Vince Young, notes NFL.com.
• Detroit Lions defensive tackle Andre Fluellen is thrilled that the team drafted defensive tackle Nick Fairley, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
• Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune on the Chicago Bears' offseason workouts: "... The Bears quarterbacks and receivers should have been working out together long ago. If they have not been (and I am not completely sure they have not been), it shows a void of leadership on the team."

We're Black and Blue All Over:

During the lockout, the NFL has prohibited any contact between team officials and players. Except when it doesn't.

An example of the latter occurred Tuesday, when Green Bay Packers CEO/President Mark Murphy set out on a five-day bus caravan with three players: guard Josh Sitton, linebacker Desmond Bishop and quarterback Matt Flynn. The league exempts charitable events, such as the Packers' sixth annual Tailgate Tour, from its lockout rules.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy and general manager Ted Thompson saw the players off on the bus, apparently making small talk, but Murphy made clear he wouldn't avoid the topic of the lockout during the bus ride.

Murphy: "I'm going to interact with the players. We'll have a good, open discussion. Obviously with my background having been a player, having worked for the union and been a player rep, I can talk a lot about the issues. So I'm looking forward to it."

This exception would be objectionable if McCarthy or other football officials were taking the trip. They are not. The NFL Players Association might fear the potential for propaganda talk from Murphy, but I doubt they have anything to worry about considering all three players -- Sitton, Bishop and Flynn -- are smart and unlikely to be swayed.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com speaks with the players involved. Sitton said it was "a little awkward" to see offensive line coach James Campen, whom he hadn't spoken with since the Super Bowl.
• Kareem Copeland of the Green Bay Press-Gazette checked in with the tour in Marquette, Mich.
• If Minnesota Vikings owner Zygi Wilf is planning commercial development around a proposed stadium in Arden Hills, Minn., he didn't say so Tuesday. Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com has more.
• Tom Powers of the St. Paul Pioneer Press on the stadium issue: "It all comes down to political guts, one way or the other. It is the job of elected officials to decide how to spend our money, to figure out what is a good deal and what is a bad deal. It's cowardly to try to pass off tough decisions on an already polarized constituency. They have to decide whether this is right for the state and then act accordingly. Then they'll be graded during the next election."
• Ramsey County out-hustled a passive Minneapolis political base to make this deal with the Vikings, writes Patrick Reusse of the Star Tribune.
• Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com isn't sure if it is important for Lions players to gather this week for workouts.
• Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com explores the Logan Mankins question and whether the Chicago Bears would consider signing him.
• Missed this the other day: Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune checks in with Bears center Olin Kreutz, who is awaiting free agency.

The Green Bay Packers were the only NFC North representative among ESPN.com's Power Rankings of the Top 10 NFL owners. The Packers, who are owned by 112,120 shareholders and operated by a seven-person executive committee, placed third behind the Pittsburgh Steelers' Rooney family and Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots.

The Packers received first-place votes from three of our voters, including me. But ESPN.com senior writer John Clayton left them off his ballot because, as he told Tim Graham in an exclusive interview, "I couldn't vote for the Packers because it is a community ownership, not a normal ownership. It's not as though when one owner makes the decisions and has to stand up for the praise or criticism. Assigned the chance to vote for ownership, I felt more comfortable voting for individual owners or family owners."

My feeling is that the Packers' structure eliminates some of the worst traits of professional sports owners while, at least in their case, not sacrificing operational efficiency.

Shareholders don't receive dividends, so there are no suspicions -- real or imagined -- of owners siphoning team revenue for personal profit. The team's finances literally are an open book, and surpluses are diverted into a reserve fund that is valued at more than $100 million. And there is no evidence of anything but appropriate spending on football matters, be it the five-year contracts recently extended to general manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy or the dozen or so market-level deals handed out to the team's pending free agents in recent years.

(The Packers' annual tip-toe around veteran free agency is a function of Thompson's football philosophy, not financial restraints.)

And despite the lack of a single and dynamic leader/owner, the Packers are among the most professionally operated franchises in the league. Their renovation of Lambeau Field made it one of the league's most desired (and profitable) stadiums. There is a clear division of labor between president/CEO Mark Murphy, Thompson and McCarthy. All teams have warts, but under their current structure, the Packers have fewer than most.

The Chicago Bears' McCaskey family was the only other NFC North ownership group to receive votes. I did not vote for them, and they finished tied for No. 13.

I don't think the McCaskeys have been bad owners as much as they have been underwhelming. Team president Ted Phillips has steadied the ship since taking over day-to-day operations, but I would point toward last year's desecration in Forbes magazine for evidence of how much room the franchise has to grow.

Tuesday came and went without much clarity on when this period of lockout purgatory will continue in the NFL. But for those interested, let's wrap up what happened in the NFC North:

Chicago Bears: Three players showed up at Halas Hall, according to team president Ted Phillips. Place-kicker Robbie Gould, defensive end Israel Idonije and defensive tackle Matt Toeaina were allowed into the building but were restricted from using the facilities. "... [W]e're not opening the building for business yet,' Phillips said. "Hopefully we will soon."

Detroit Lions: According to multiple reports, no Lions players showed up at the team's Allen Park practice facility. Defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch, the team's player representative, advised players against it. Vanden Bosch, via Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com: ""My understanding is that the doors to the facility would be open but we wouldn't be able to work out or talk to our coaches much. I don't know how much progress would be made or what the benefit might be. We'll wait until things become clearer."

Green Bay Packers: According to team president/CEO Mark Murphy, no players showed up at Lambeau Field. Murphy, who has a key NFL role as a member of the Management Council Executive Committee, said he anticipates more clarity by the end of this week. Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette has more.

Minnesota Vikings: Backup linebacker Erin Henderson was the only player to visit the Vikings' Winter Park facility. He departed after being told he could not use the cold tub. Coach Leslie Frazier said he had a "very brief conversation" with Henderson as he moved through the building.

According to NFL.com, the NFL Players Association has recommended that agents immediately begin initiating contract discussions with teams. But it's safe to say that teams aren't going to respond. Vikings vice president of player personnel Rick Spielman said teams were instructed to maintain the lockout "status quo" -- when contact with veteran players and agents was barred -- until further notice.

NEW ORLEANS -- Greetings from the scene of the 2011 NFL owners meeting, where team officials are beginning to arrive and the lockout is already at the tip of many tongues.

Many of you are wondering what urgency either the NFL or its players might have to resolve their differences in March, especially when the industry's primary revenue producers -- regular-season games -- won't begin for another six months.

After all, most players' compensation doesn't kick in until games begin. (Their health insurance is suspended, however.) And obviously, the teams themselves generate most of their income from television money and ticket sales tied to games.

So when I had an opportunity Sunday, I asked Green Bay Packers president/CEO Mark Murphy if there are any areas where teams are already feeling the impact of the lockout. According to Murphy, some corporate sponsors are expressing concern about renewing their deals with the uncertainty of the 2011 regular season.

"For a lot of sponsorships, there is a lead time," Murphy said. "They're worried [whether] this will be resolved in time for [them] to be able to start programs in time for the season."

Murphy also suggested that some teams are having trouble getting commitments for premium seating in their stadiums, although the Packers are not likely to be one of those.

Typically, you rarely hear NFL executives provide any level of specifics about their revenues, sales and losses. I'll be interested to see how much of that information trickles out this week with much of the national media that covers the NFL assembled in once place.

On the first full day of Lockout'11, three of our NFC North teams reached out to media members in one form or another to provide some local context and/or relevant information. (I don't blame the Minnesota Vikings for their silence. The lockout might have squashed any hope they have to receive financing for a new stadium in 2011.)

Here are the highlights:

Chicago Bears: In a statement, president/CEO Ted Phillips predicted that "a deal will get done" with players and "we expect to play football in 2011." He said plans remain in place for the Bears' "Ultimate Weekend," including the draft party and Bears Expo at Soldier Field, and added: "As an individual club, our team focus is on our preparation for the 2011 season and we want Bears fans to know we are going to continue to do everything we can within the League rules to prepare for a championship season. Our immediate focus is on preparing for the draft. We also continue to evaluate our team and will be ready to take advantage of all avenues to improve our team once a new collective bargaining agreement is reached."

Detroit Lions: Team president Tom Lewand addressed the lockout-related problem faced by players rehabilitating injuries or surgery. Those players, including quarterback Matthew Stafford, can't have direct contact with team officials, nor can they use team facilities, during a lockout.

"We have mechanisms in place where we can monitor the rehabilitation of any injured players who were injured playing football last year," Lewand said, according to a transcript of his remarks. "The guys that we know we have set up at rehabilitation facilities around the country. We have lines of communication open to those rehabilitation facilities and we'll be able to monitor the progress of those injured players as they progress."

The Lions plan to keep their season-ticket holders informed via e-mail blasts and letters sent through the U.S. mail, Lewand said.

Green Bay Packers: In a conference call with local reporters, Packers executives Mark Murphy and Jason Weid said the team hopes to avoid layoffs during the lockout, but that employee salaries and new hiring have been frozen, according to Don Walker of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Top executives could face "relatively sizable" pay reductions, Weid said. That list includes Murphy, general manager Ted Thompson and coach Mike McCarthy.

Plans remain in place for a $13-$14 million in upgrades to Lambeau Field.