Linebacker Nick Barnett and tight end Jermichael Finley are pissed.
They’re not pissed because they won’t get to play in the Super Bowl. They’re pissed because they won’t be a part of the Green Bay Packers Super Bowl team photo.
Apparently no on injured reserve will be.
Both players took to Twitter this morning to let their displeasure be known.
Barnett started things off with this:
Kinda sad… Found out basically IR guys can not be in team picture… It’s kinda sad to think.. Just goes you injured yourself you not part
Finley chimed in with a few choice statements of his own.
We got hurt playing for the team. Its not like we got injury bs’in around.
I guess its what have u done for me lately!
I never trip abt anything, but the way IR players are getting treated not cool..
Barnett then kind of apologized, saying he didn’t want to be a distraction and finished with this.
Just saying I am sad that it worked out the way it did.. This game is bigger then my feelings and my body of work.. It’s about “One Goal”!
Apparently, the problem is this.
The team goes to Dallas on Monday. The players on injured reserve go to Dallas on Thursday. The team photo is scheduled for Tuesday.
You’d think the team or the NFL could have planned things out a little better.
Update: The Packers have now said the reason they decided to leave the players on injured reserve out of the photo is because of the number of players they have on IR.
“It was a team decision driven by the sheer number of players on IR. Our primary focus is to get the team ready to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers. Every decision we make is about trying to win a world championship,” a team spokesman said.
The Packers have 15 players injured reserve.
Bad, bad, bad PR
Nah, I don’t think most the public gives a shit. But I do feel bad for Finley and Tauscher. They helped us win a couple games this year. They deserve to be in that photo.
On one hand I feel for the guys…In one way or another they did help the team get to this point…
then my cynicism kicks in and I realize that Nick Barnett getting hurt made us better at Inside LB and I’m glad I didn’t have to listen to J-Fin’s arrogant ass all season long in the media….
NEXT MAN UP!
GO Pack!
That’s really stupid. Just because they’re injured they can’t be in the team photo? Are they not considered part of the team? Every guy contributed in some way to getting the Pack to where they are. They all deserve to be in it. If the trainers and water boys are in the picture, injured players should be too.
They’ll get rings. That should make them happy enough.
They should be in it.. the ones that played at all this year!
They should be positive, they can be in next years photo.
I think any player on the current roster should be in the team pic. At least the players who have put on a uniform either in a game or in practice. That’s some bullshit in my opinion…
ITS TOTAL BULLSHIT AND DOUG’S POST HERE IS 100% CORRECT. THOSE ARE YOUR BROTHERS OUT THERE. LIKE THE MARINES, LEAVE NO MAN BEHIND!
But I can understand not being able to fit an additional 15 players into the frame of the photo. But the starters should at least be in it. I think there are only about five (Barnett, Finley, Grant, Jones …)?
Kinda surprised to hear this is a decision made by the Packers.
That is sad for Barnett, finley, and the rest of the IR players. They were a huge part of this team. I’m a huge packers fan and think everyone of those player are well respected and great people. They’ve done a lot for this team and getting the rest of the players were there at now. Though these players aren’t in the picture your fans know who you are and how you all IR’s are great players. You all made it to the super bowl. Barnett, Finley, and all IR’s your all heroes in my book.
Very short sighted, bad move.
i heard an idea about one pic for the healthy 53, and another for the 15 ir’s and medical staff. i think it’s a great idea.
Guys on IR….Fuckin’ shut your yaps and get with the greater goal of the team. Yeah it may suck but you know your contribution this year as does every other Packers player and knowledgeable fan.
Grow the fuck up you little cry babies. Jermichael….you fucking whiner. The reason you aren’t going is because they don’t want you at media day running your mouth and creating stories that shouldn’t be there. I’m glad Ryan Grant isn’t going either. These guys have stirred the pot unnecessarily on multiple occasions and although it stings for the guys like Tauscher…I mean seriously…who gives a shit?
I agree the Packers mucked this up. They should have realized…How the fuck didn’t they realize that there would be a backlash about this and already have a plan in place? Holy fucking shit…just what we need is a distraction.
All they had to do was say we’ll shoot our own team Super Bowl photo in GB after the game and this whole fucking bullshit could have been averted.
But Nick Barnett…shut your fucking mouth. Jermichael…I think you know where I stand.
Childcare.
Very bad PR. Also very bad planning on the NFL’s part.
However, why wouldn’t you want your WHOLE TEAM in the photo?
Mixed on this one, although I’m officially sick of twitter…
I don’t like this one bit. I agree, bad PR.
It was just on Mike and Mike in the Morning. =/
Well, however you feel about the decision it’s all over the news. Last thing we need going in the Superbowl is a distraction.
Funny, by trying to avoid a distraction by bringing down all the IR players early for the team photo, they’ve inadvertently created one.
Sometimes smart people are really stupid.
Here’s a haiku i wrote from the perspective of Jermichael Finley.
I can’t stop crying.
I will never shut my mouth.
My vagina hurts.
Who frickin’ cares? As a die-hard Packer fan, all I care about is beating Pittsburgh. As football men, I’m sure the Packers are more concerned with Pittsburgh than a stinkin team photo. Why don’t they just have another team photo in Green Bay? Or take another one when IR guys get there? The fact that people care about this and are blasting the Packers for this is bullcrap. Who cares? If its some sort of official NFL photo, that is the league that scheduled it Tuesday. Super Bowl week is busy. Lets focus on stuff that matters. For goodness sakes.
Update: The Packers are taking the photo on Friday so that everyone on IR can be in picture.
Good move GB!
Now: Please! No more distractions!
It’s not bad. Who cares if they are going to miss a picture.
Can’t believe some of you commented on this.
It’s twitter-who cares?