Ryan Wood and Tom Silverstein prepare the Packers’ pregame walkthrough
Sports reporters Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press Gazette and Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel watch the Packers’ pregame walkthrough
SÃO PAULO, Brazil – PackersNews reporters Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette are in São Paulo, Brazil this week to cover the Green Bay Packers’ Week 1 game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
It’s the first NFL game in South America and we asked them to share their experience with us.
Here are their observations from their second day in Brazil, where the Packers had a walkthrough practice and where there was a fan rally tonight.
It’s officially packed here at the Packers pep rally. The band is playing “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey. A great time on the eve of the Packers’ opening game in 2024.
I’m not sure if 90s music is popular in Brazil right now, but I haven’t heard anything else since I arrived here. A live band at the Packers pep rally entertains with hits from the 90s, sprinkled with a few hits from the 80s.
It’s fun to count all the non-Packers fans who somehow made it in. There’s someone in a Mitch Trubisky Bears jersey. (Yes, a real Mitch Trubisky jersey.) Someone in an AJ Green Bengals jersey. Someone in a Tom Brady Buccaneers jersey.
Otherwise, many Packers fans are now streaming through the doors of the local bar Casa 246. A certain feeling of the Packers’ Super Bowl XXXI victory is in the air.
NFL reporters Tom Silverstein and Martin Frank preview Packers vs. Eagles
Tom Silverstein, who covers the Packers for the Milwaukee Journal, and Martin Frank, who covers the Eagles for Delaware Online, preview Friday’s game.
Matt LaFleur greeted the Brazilian media with “Bom dia,” which means “good morning.”
Then some Packers players tried it.
Some Green Bay Packers try to speak Portuguese at a press conference
The Green Bay Packers are in Brazil and during a press conference on Thursday, some of them tried to speak Portuguese.
Ryan Wood: With the exception of defensive end Arron Mosby, who is not traveling to Brazil for personal reasons, everyone on the Packers’ 53-man roster is training today.
The Packers brought quarterback Sean Clifford, cornerback Robert Rochell, running back La’Mical Perine, running back Ellis Merriweather and fullback Andrew Beck from their practice squad to Brazil.
Tom Silverstein: Tucker Kraft, who was placed on the injured list because of a back injury, is in uniform and does most of the warm-up exercises.
Running back MarShawn Lloyd, who was unable to participate in practice earlier in the week, is now practicing for the second day in a row.
Ryan Wood: Sean Clifford has officially left for Brazil. Matt LaFleur has not yet named a backup quarterback behind Jordan Love for Friday night’s opening game.
Clifford is on the practice squad and Malik Willis, recently signed by the Tennessee Titans, is on the 53-man roster.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur talks about his Brazil experience before the start
The Packers are preparing for Friday’s game against the Eagles. Coach Matt LaFleur talks about Brazil and Thursday’s practice schedule.
Tom Silverstein: The Brazilian media was keen to know what Matt LaFleur thought of São Paulo and what his experiences were.
LaFleur played it well, praising the city and expressing his excitement to play the game here. But the truth is they didn’t see much of the city other than on the buses they took from the airport to the hotel.
They arrived on Wednesday night, slept in the hotel and took the bus to the training ground for today’s training.
“It’s a privilege,” LaFleur said of his stay in Brazil. “I mean, any opportunity to go anywhere, whether it’s home, away or overseas, is a great opportunity for our players, for our team, to show what we’re about.”
When asked if he would keep his passport handy in view of further international matches, he said: “I am sure we will play more games like this.”
Tom Silverstein: Packers coach Matt LaFleur said in his pre-practice press conference that the team will not have the opportunity to walk around the stadium before the game.
They train on the training grounds of FC Corinthians and not in the stadium. The Eagles train in the stadium.
LaFleur said players will figure out what cleats they’ll wear during pregame warmups. He said the logistics of sidelines, coaches’ boxes and other normal functions have been worked out, so he doesn’t expect a problem.
He joked that the Packers are willing to play on any surface, considering how slippery Lambeau Field can be at times.
The practice will last about 70 minutes and will be more active than what the Packers could manage in a normal Saturday practice.
He called it a “refreshment” after the long flight. The Packers arrived here last night and this is their first opportunity to stretch their legs.
Brazilian Packers fans get a first look at their team
Ryan Wood: The enthusiasm of the Brazilian fans here at the Corinthians training ground is palpable and contagious. The Packers and NFL fans who run blogs from Brazil and Uruguay in South America have added a very special touch to the proceedings.
The fan blog account owners in attendance were preparing for Matt LaFleur’s pre-practice interview about 40 minutes before he arrived at the podium. A celebrated member of today’s media world, Marcus Rovere, the owner of the Packers Brasil account, brought a cheesehead and a Packers number 11 jersey with “PackersBR” on the name tag. The account was created in 2011.
It’s important to remember that the NFL wanted to play a game in Brazil to connect with its South American fans. Seeing the joy of the accredited fans here and how much it means to them makes it clear why the league felt this was important.
A cool winter morning in São Paulo … 24 degrees
Ryan Wood: You can tell that it is winter in the southern hemisphere, even though winter in Brazil is very different from winter in Wisconsin.
Last night the sun set in São Paulo at 6 p.m. This morning I walked to the media bus in 24 degrees. That feels wonderful, but particularly cold for Brazil.
Off to the Corinthians training ground, home of the popular Corinthians soccer team. This is where the Packers will be doing their pre-game walk-through today.
