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To become the best he can be on and off the field, tight end Jermichael Finley knows he must choose... the right route

By Greg A. Bedard of the Journal Sentinel

Posted: May 15, 2010 8:50 p.m. |(6) Comments

In 2008 when the Green Bay Packers drafted a barely 21-year-old, redshirt sophomore with 17 college starts, they knew he would have to grow up a lot.

On the field, Jermichael Finley did it faster last year than most imagined.

In just one off-season, Finley went from a cocky rookie who thought he could skate by on athleticism alone without glancing at the playbook, to nearly eclipsing the single-season franchise record for catches by a tight end.

He stands on the precipice of becoming the best tight end in the National Football League. His teammates know it. His coaches know it. He knows it.

To deliver on that promise entering his third season, Finley thinks he needs to make the same kind of improvement off the field.

"I want it all," Finley said as the Packers prepared to begin voluntary off-season workouts Monday. "I want to be the best tight end in the league, and I want to be a better father, husband and teammate.

"I want people to know they can look at Jermichael Finley and say, 'That's a Packer.' That's what I'm shooting for."

But Finley knows he has a little ways to go.

He has not been a big screwup. He hasn't been arrested or tested positive for banned substances. And the Packers aren't frustrated with him. They're still very happy with Finley overall and are eager to unleash him in the 2010 season. And they want him in their future plans.

Will he be? That's up to Finley, and how much he continues to mature.

If he's guilty of anything, it's doing the stupid and immature things many 23-year-old professional athletes - including other Packers - do.

"I'll admit that, sure," Finley said. "I'm about the truth."

The truth is, Finley was late for about a half-dozen meetings in '09, and he missed curfew the night before the playoff loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

"I walked on the floor, and it was like the FBI looking for me," recalled Finley, who went out the next night and set a franchise playoff record with 159 receiving yards on six catches.

"Just being that young buck, thinking he's all that."

During training camp last summer he left the dorms without permission to sleep in his own bed about 3 miles away.

"(I) was doing my own thing, wanted to take a little break, and they caught on to that," Finley said. "And that was a big, big loss coming into the '09 season. I had that on my back, so I had to come out and play.

"Just being foolish. All the coaches knew. Everybody knew."

Finley also wasn't always straight with the Packers about the reasons for his slipups.

"I'm just one of those people who doesn't tell everybody what I'm doing, so I just tell them what they want to hear," he said. "I was that person."

This off-season, Finley fired respected agent Blake Baratz and rehired Major Adams, the first agent he had after leaving the University of Texas.

Adams is better known as the pseudo-uncle/agent of quarterback Vince Young. That was until last week, when Young fired Adams and hired Tom Condon.

According to one league executive, Adams "has the reputation for being clueless, and part con man. It's somebody you don't want around your players. He's the reason Finley went where he did in the draft."

Adams' mismanagement led to Finley showing up out of shape to the '08 scouting combine. After a poor 40-yard time, he plummeted down draft boards.

Despite that, Finley brought Adams aboard again this year. It was his third agent change in 24 months.

To clear his head as he and his 22-year-old wife, Courtney, went through a rough patch, Finley went off to Austin, Texas, in February.

Adams didn't have a plan for him, Finley said, so he worked out on his own. He also played hard at night in the college town with Adams and Young.

But Finley knew he wasn't in a good spot. It was the kind of thing coach Mike McCarthy talked about at the owners' meetings when Finley was mentioned.

"You always worry about young guys that have success that fast, that quick, particularly more when they aren't at work," McCarthy said. "But it's all part of growing up."

In early March, Finley woke up.

"I was like, 'What am I doing?' " Finley said. "Leaving Blake, going with Major, going to Austin was a disaster. Stupid.

"I'm glad that I stayed on that right path somehow - I don't know how, really - and got back to Green Bay and really got focused."

Finley then started to put it all back together, piece by piece.

Finley wanted to get out from underneath Adams and rehire Baratz. But Baratz wouldn't take Finley's calls for more than a week. And Baratz, who runs the Minneapolis-based Institute for Athletes, didn't initially jump at the chance to get back on the Finley roller coaster.

"This was not a simple yes or no answer for me," said Baratz, who represents current Packers linebacker Desmond Bishop. "Yes, I very much wanted to help Jermichael, but I would only do so under very serious stipulations. He had to commit to change in all facets of his life."

Baratz finally relented. Finley calls rehiring Baratz his "best move." He's one of the few people who hasn't been afraid to tell Finley what he needed to hear, not what he wanted to hear, a circumstance that had led to Baratz's firing.

"Since I was a kid, I was one of those people who was held up on a pedestal 24-7 where I couldn't do anything wrong, always got that good talk about how great I was," Finley said. "Got to the league and still wanted that, but that first year I realized it was no joke. I think that second year I geared up for sure.

"I thought the on-the-field things would get you a ticket out. Obviously, the off-the-field stuff gets you where you want to be. I realize that now."

The first order of business for the reconstituted Team Finley was for him to face the Packers and let them know he was going to do better.

In the past two months, Finley has sat in front of McCarthy, general manager Ted Thompson, vice president of football administration Russ Ball, director of player development Rob Davis and tight ends coach Ben McAdoo.

To each of them, Finley has come clean about his missteps and professed his change in attitude.

"I laid everything on the table," Finley said. "I did it so they can know I want to be a leader coming into 2010 and a Pro Bowler and a Super Bowl champion - I want all of that. I want to be the guy they know can make that happen."

Finley also made things right with Courtney, who like Baratz isn't afraid to give Finley tough love.

"She told me she didn't like where I was going and if I continued, I'd probably be going at it alone," Finley said. "I obviously didn't want that.

"At this point I'm trying to have all good people in my corner. That's what's going to get me to success."

While Finley certainly is getting things in order to become the player he envisions - he's not bashful about saying he wants to be the best tight end ever, and one of the greatest Packers - it's not hard to see there also are other reasons at play.

With a contract that expires after 2011, Finley knows the quickest way to a new contract is to get it from the Packers. He's also acutely aware the Packers make that kind of investment only in players who take their jobs seriously.

"I know the kinds of guys they want, the Greg Jennings, the Aaron Rodgers, the Nick Collins, the Ryan Picketts," Finley said. "Those are the kind of guys they depend on. I want to be one of them.

"Green Bay without a doubt is where I want to be, a great town to raise a family for sure, and the fans here are way better than I've ever had. I can see myself here for a long, long time."

Those are some of the words Finley spoke to the Packers' brass. Their response probably is similar to what Packers fans think.

"They said, 'This was great, you're showing us a lot and we're very happy about that. But now there's got to be action. That's what you will be judged off, not your words,' " Finley recalled.

"I've been doing that the last two months. I've been here at all the workouts. I don't go out with the guys. And I'm going to continue doing it."

Is Finley never going to be late to another meeting? Unlikely. Is he going to be an angel off the field? Not many are. Finley isn't even sure he'll participate this week because his knee sprain, which kept him out of three games last season and still isn't 100%. He may seek treatment elsewhere with the club's permission

But he's going to try.

For the good of the Packers and himself, the maturation of Finley continues. If he duplicates the on-field progress from '09, the team and their fans will be ecstatic.

"I want fans to feel they can trust me and believe in me," Finley said. "The young, immature Finley, I thought he was foolish. And the new Finley, I think is going to do the work, do what he's supposed to do and be that player the Packers know I can be and all the fans out there too.

"I've been ready. Now it's time for me to be successful and take it to the next level, and that's what I'm going to do."

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/93864379.html

DrugBust wrote:Bedard knocked this one out of the park.

LUKE23 wrote:Be very afraid, NFL.

The first order of business for the reconstituted Team Finley was for him to face the Packers and let them know he was going to do better.

In the past two months, Finley has sat in front of McCarthy, general manager Ted Thompson, vice president of football administration Russ Ball, director of player development Rob Davis and tight ends coach Ben McAdoo.

To each of them, Finley has come clean about his missteps and professed his change in attitude.

"I know the kinds of guys they want, the Greg Jennings, the Aaron Rodgers, the Nick Collins, the Ryan Picketts," Finley said. "Those are the kind of guys they depend on. I want to be one of them.

"Green Bay without a doubt is where I want to be, a great town to raise a family for sure, and the fans here are way better than I've ever had. I can see myself here for a long, long time."

DrugBust wrote:Bedard knocked this one out of the park.

A few more things on Finley
By Greg A. Bedard of the Journal Sentinel

May 16, 2010 3:31 p.m. |(5) Comments

For today's story on the continued maturation process of Jermichael Finley, some things just didn't fit or couldn't be developed enough in the flow of the story. So here are answers to some questions, and a few additional notes:

* The knee. In the story I wrote that "Finley isn't even sure he'll participate this week because his knee sprain, which kept him out of three games last season and still isn't 100%. He may seek treatment elsewhere with the club's permission."

Finley will be at the off-season practices, which start Monday. But it's up in the air how much he'll participate. Finley suffered a partial tear of the MCL in his left knee against the Cleveland Browns last season. He was supposed to be out six-to-eight weeks. He came back in four (with a bye week). While he could play on it -- he could still play now -- it's not 100%. The knee and some surrounding muscles are still just shy of being 100% strong. Finley said as much today on Twitter: "Ok for everyone talking abt my knee. It's not still hurt it's just a tad bit weak thats all.. Nothing wrong..I'm still running the same..thx."

Finley will likely go through OTAs and mandatory mini-camp without much problem. He'll probably head to a workout facility in Arizona for a stretch or two to get the knee straight for training camp. But there's nothing structurally wrong with the knee. Just some lingering weakness.

* One of the central people responsible for Finley's progress has been tight ends coach Ben McAdoo. I wrote about their relationship in the story last year about Finley's on-field development. Their relationship has only gotten stronger and deeper. They talk about three times a week, either by phone or text. McAdoo has really done an amazing job with Finley. McAdoo deserves a lot of credit. He also has had even more heaped on his plate with the drafting of another young and immature tight end, Andrew Quarless. Running backs coach Edgar Bennett lives across the street from Finley and has also been a positive influence.

* Finley doesn't have a whole lot of respect for Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young, his former teammate at the University of Texas: "My relationship with Vince is on and off. If I'm with him, our relationship is A1. If I'm not with him... We played them in the preseason, he didn't even acknowledge me or nothing. They talk about the UT family. If you ain't riding with Vince, you're not part of the Longhorn family. I'll put it like that. If you ain't with his team, he doesn't respect you."

* Finley has been invited and will participate -- if his knee's right -- in Larry Fitzgerald's "passing camp" in early July. Greg Jenning was there for workouts with some of the league's elite receivers and cornerbacks, and will probably be there again.

Jermichael Finley is going to be the best tight end in football.

Not eventually — now. This season. It seems so obvious that, while making this prediction, you almost feel as if you’re missing something. Why isn’t everyone predicting this?

The evidence was building last season, and the revelation came in the wild-card playoff shootout between the Packers and the Cardinals in January. Finley had six catches for a franchise-playoff-record 159 yards. Cardinals safety Adrian Wilson said of Finley, who was then 22 years old: “He’s very comparable to Antonio Gates. Hell of a player. He can do it all.”

It may sound ludicrous, but Finley is actually better than Gates – at least athletically. Finley, a third-round pick from Texas, is taller (at 6-5), longer, faster and more agile than the Chargers’ Gates, a six-time Pro Bowler. Like Gates, he has uncanny body control and ball-adjustment skills. In his last eight games last season, counting the playoff loss, he had 44 catches for 575 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Still, to say that a third-year pro with a reputation for immaturity and only 12 starts will be the best player at his position seems overzealous. When you get Finley on the phone, as I did recently, you immediately share your opinion, then say, “Am I smart or am I crazy?”

You’re half-hoping he says crazy. If he does, he’ll have to explain why. That will mean plenty of quotable phrases about working hard, aspiring to improve and overcoming challenges. More important, it will allow you to ride the fence. It will be the green light to write an article that projects Finley not as the best tight end in 2010, but rather as “potentially the best tight end.” It’s safer.

Problem is, Finley doesn’t bail you out.

“I think you’re a genius, to tell you the truth,” he said.

Well, what about the effect of that kind of hype? Does the expectation of being the best tight end in football add undue pressure?

“I don’t think it adds pressure whatsoever,” he said. Finley casually mentions that his speed creates mismatches against linebackers. He discusses the importance of his off-season regimen, which now includes boxing (a trend in the N.F.L.). He cites blocking as the element of his game needing the most improvement. He talks about a big strength, his hands. His tone isn’t boastful, brash – just confident.

Finley’s back story is not unlike those of other tight ends. He was a standout basketball player growing up. He entered Texas as a wide receiver. When he was moved to tight end, he had a few reservations about blocking. But coaches quickly asserted that, given his athleticism, the tight end position presented a special opportunity.

“With Jermichael, we did a lot of different things,” said Bruce Chambers, the Longhorns’ tight ends coach, in a recent phone interview. “We flexed him out – a lot like they’re doing with him now in Green Bay. He spent a lot of time in the wide receiver two-point stance. The only difference was, instead of running his routes on corners, he ran his routes on linebackers and safeties. He became very special when he moved inside. Best thing that ever happened to him, in my opinion.”

The only potholes on Finley’s path have been off the field. His immaturity has been well documented – most recently in an article by The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Greg Bedard, in which Finley spoke about drama with agents, tardiness for meetings, broken curfews (including one the night before the playoff loss in Arizona) and youthful cockiness.

To the Packers’ relief, those problems seem to be easing. Living in Green Bay with a wife and 2-year-old son has a way of shepherding a man out of the fast lane. As Finley said, “If you get in trouble, it’s because you’re looking for it.”

As long as he doesn’t look, Jermichael Finley will be the N.F.L.’s best tight end in 2010.