Posted by bambi2godzilla on 3/8/2008, 8:37 pm
63.249.102.18
Packers' Jones tees it up
Gary D'Amato
M
When James Jones was growing up in San Jose, Calif., he'd drive past golf courses and think, "Why would anyone play golf?"
"It looked like such a boring game," said Jones, the Green Bay Packers' wide receiver. "The ball just sits there and then you hit it and stand there and watch it. I was into football, basketball and track. There was no time for golf."
When James got to the National Football League, however, he discovered many of his teammates were avid golfers. On more than one occasion they invited him to join them for 18 holes but he made up excuses not to go. The truth was, he'd never held a golf club.
Until Saturday, that is. Jones made a celebrity appearance at the Journal Sentinel Golf Show at State Fair Park and declared that he wanted to learn how to play the game.
"Everyone plays," he said of his Packers teammates. "I've got to get on their level. I think I can beat a couple of them if I practice a little bit."
James got his first golf lesson during the Kids Clinic. Courtney Buchach, the director of instruction at The First Tee of Milwaukee County, taught him the basics of grip, stance and posture. Then James swung at his first ball and made good contact, knocking it into the net.
"You can tell he's an athlete," Buchach said.
Jones said he fell asleep with his television on Monday night and awoke Tuesday morning to the news that quarterback Brett Favre had announced his retirement.
"I'm happy for him," said Jones, who caught 47 passes for 676 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie. "He felt like it was his time to go. It was fun playing with him and I wish him all the best. Not everybody gets to play with a Hall of Famer, plus catch touchdown passes from him and just hang around the facility with him. It was an awesome experience."
Jones said he was confident that Aaron Rodgers would do a good job as the starting quarterback.
"I think Aaron is going to do great," Jones said. "He's learned a lot from Brett. He can throw the ball real well. I think once he gets behind (center) and gets comfortable he'll be fine."
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