In conjunction with US Cellular, former Wisconsin Badgers and Green Bay Packers great Mark Tauscher interacted with fans and media members at the Wisconsin State Fair in West Allis over the weekend.
As the local representative for TotalPackers.com, I received an invite for a sit down interview with the sure-fire Packers Hall of Famer.
In the interview, Mark candidly talked about being a Badger and Packer, being a member of the media, Greg Jennings, switching from right tackle to left, and his thoughts on the 2013 Green Bay Packers.
Here’s what he had to say.
Total Packers: I would think most of our readers are aware of what you have been doing the last couple years, but for those who aren’t, please talk about what you have been up to.
Mark Tauscher: I am a member of the broadcast team for Badgers radio, doing games, and I also will work the Packers preseason home games. Unfortunately, one of those games (the Seattle game) is a national game, so I will just be doing one (the Arizona game). I have also been able to be a part of some great events for the American Family Children’s Hospital.
TP: For someone who played for so long and became used to dealing with the media, what is it like to now be on the other side?
MT: Well, when you are playing you are kind of in a bubble. Now I realize much more how important the media is. I want guys to open up and talk, and yet, I understand why they don’t. You see what happened with Greg Jennings…
TP: Honestly, I wasn’t going to ask you about Greg, but I am curious as to what you think, since you played with him. Do you think there is a playfulness to what he is saying, like he is just messing around, or is he being serious?
MT: Greg is a great player and a great guy. I think when you go to another team and you’re trying to establish yourself as a leader in that locker room, then you want everyone to know where your loyalties lie. I just think Greg probably went a little overboard with it. I think he probably regrets some of the things he said.
TP: You had the distinction of being both a Badger and a Packer. Talk about that and your special relationship with the fans because of that.
MT: I have loved the Packers from childhood. I remember baling hay in the barn and listening to Max McGee and Jim Irwin on the radio. I remember Charles Martin slamming McMahon, and things like that. The Badgers were down when I came here, and then we turned it around with two Rose Bowls. To be part of that and blocking for the leading rusher in the nation (Ron Dayne) was obviously something very special. And then you get drafted by the Packers and are part of winning teams there.
TP: I didn’t even know that you were a walk-on at Wisconsin until researching for this interview. You walked on there, and then were a seventh-round pick for the Packers. Talk about what you overcame to have the career that you did.
MT: Being a late-round pick, I always knew that you have to be ready to rock-n-roll at all times. You can’t take anything for granted. I think that helped me.
TP: Let’s talk a little bit about this current team. Obviously you are a slam dunk for the Packers Hall of Fame. Have you been to the facilities recently?
MT: Oh yeah, I was just there. Love the new addition. That stadium is going to be so much louder now, and trust me, that makes a difference to the offensive line.
TP: The Packers have flip-flopped their offensive line. Now, you were a right tackle, and we were lucky enough to have Chad Clifton playing left tackle at the same time. But how difficult do you think it would have been for you to switch to left, and how do you think that will go?
MT: (smiling) I am confident in myself, and so I would like to think that I could have made the switch. But I was much more suited for right tackle. Your left tackle needs to be a really gifted athlete. Chad was more athletic like that. I think Bryan Bulaga is a good enough athlete to make the switch. The key is to establish trust. That’s your quarterback’s blind side, and he and the coaches have to trust that you can do it.
TP: Lastly, what do you think the expectations should be for the 2013 Packers?
MT: They should expect to be the best team in the NFL. They have the best quarterback. They’ve added some running backs to help him out. It all starts there.
Okay, like last time we did a “20 questions,” we didn’t ask exactly 20 questions, but sometimes that’s how it goes. In hindsight, we were stupid to call this series 20 questions. Nonetheless, we love us some Mark Tauscher and thank him for giving us the time. And as a side note, obviously this interview was done before Bulaga got derailed.
Yeah, Greg is a great guy, he regrets what he said, so he will just keep saying shit a couple days later. Get off the pipe, Mark.
Mark Tauscher is one of the classiest people to have played the sport. I think that is great that he took the time to participate in the 20 questions, and I would love to hear a recorded interview with him some time. Thanks for posting this!
Interesting comment about the stadium loudness. I’ve read in multiple websites about the increase in crowd noise with the improvements, but how would they know? The Queens get a big advantage because of the fake pumped in crowd noise. The Packers have huge disadvantage because the seats around the 50 yard line are owned by AARP members
I’m pretty sure Iggy Pop, Roger Daltry, Pete Townshend, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, and Mick Jagr are all AARP members, just sayin’. Plus I’m pretty sure those oldies only leave their houses during the summer anyway.