If These Walls Could Talk: Green Bay
Packers
Stories from the Green Bay Packers Sideline,
Locker Room, and Press Box
By Wayne Larrivee, By Rob Reischel
Wayne Larrivee is a gem of a sports announcer and Packer fans are
lucky to have him. There are few radio broadcasts that still equal the
experience of watching a live, televised game. For nearly 20 years, the
play-by-play of Wayne Larrivee (and color by Larry McCarren) on the Packers
Radio Network has been consistently just as good and arguably even better.
I was happy to read a little more about Wayne in the brand
new book, If These Walls Could Talk: Green
Bay Packers (256 pages). Of course, some Packers fans may only recognize
Larrivee’s famous “dagger” call when the game’s outcome appears to be
solidified. But while Larrivee did make it synonymous with the Packers, he
readily admits he wasn’t the first to use it. Fun fact: the only time in his
career he called it “wrong” was in the case of the Seahawks’ Fail Mary, but as
Wayne points out (and I think we all can agree here), the replacement refs also
called it wrong so it doesn’t count.
It was also incredibly interesting to read how Larrivee
ended up with the Packers. In this book, you’ll learn just how broadcasting for
the Packers fulfilled his childhood dream. Or that he made the proactive sales
pitch to come to small market Green Bay when the opening became available despite
a very successful career in Chicago.
But Wayne’s personal history is just a very small part of
this book. True to its title, If These
Walls Could Talk: Green Bay Packers recalls stories – both good and bad – I
have never heard. While the Packers and their fans have enjoyed a wealth of success
over the last 20+ years, there have been plenty of instances of conflict that
people outside the organization might not understand.
Larrivee and Reischel aren’t shy about pulling back the
curtain on some difficult moments, offering valuable insights and personal
anecdotes into the recent history of the Packers’ organization. You’ll learn of
the difficult transition from Mike Holmgren’s strict internal policies to Ray
Rhodes more laid-back approach that set the team back in 1999. And of Mike
Sherman’s obsessive preparation and micromanagement, which became a thorn in
the sides of many people within the walls of Lambeau Field – including Wayne
himself.
Following a chronological timeline, the book revisits the astute
hiring of Ron Wolf, his perceived overpayment for a careless but young and
talented quarterback from Southern Miss, and the unexpected signing of all-time
great Reggie White. All these moments – each seemingly more unlikely than the
previous – formed a new foundation of success for the Packers. Green Bay fans
and historians will sincerely appreciate the new insights and reminder of the winning
expectations that were set decades ago.
All the biggest names in the Packers from the last couple
decades are covered. On top of the many Favre memories, Larrivee and Reischel
touch on Driver, Nelson, Rodgers, Butler, Woodson, Matthews and so many more. But
what makes this a fascinating read is how each player and moment helped shaped
the Packers’ organization to what it is today. And for those interested in the
Packers’ more internal dealings, If These
Walls Could Talk: Green Bay Packers does an outstanding job of painting the
picture of management and coaching philosophies, including those of Ted
Thompson and Mike McCarthy.
In all honesty, I would love to just divulge all the entertaining
details but that wouldn’t be fair to the book or to the readers. If These Walls Could Talk: Green Bay Packers
captured so many moments in a new way I truly felt the emotions of the time
as if they happened yesterday. (And it’s impossible – in a good way – to not
envision Wayne narrating the book to you personally while you read it.)
You can find If These
Walls Could Talk: Green Bay Packers at their website. I highly recommend
it. Thanks to the good folks at Triumph Books for sending me a complimentary
copy to review.
