Ron Wolf

Following the distribution of the letter he sent to Packers general manager Ron Wolf, Mayor Rendell had even more to say about Wolf calling Philadelphia the worst situation in the NFL, which Rendell, perhaps mistakenly, took as an insult to the region: "It was gratuitous cheap shot at the fans and the city. " "I thought it was just awful to do that. I don't think anybody here would do that about Green Bay or any other city. " "We can look at this as a little bit of a joke, but Ron Wolf's statement is carried on ESPN all over the country, and to people who've never been to Philadelphia, all of a sudden there's somebody who's in a respectable position, Green Bay Packers, saying [that]

Bill Parcells has told the Green Bay Packers that he is not ready to return to coaching, so they must look elsewhere to fill their head-coaching vacancy, Packers general manager Ron Wolf said yesterday. Wolf had talked to Parcells on Wednesday, just days after the former New York Giants coach had turned down a five-year, $6.5 million offer from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to leave his NBC-TV broadcasting job and return to coaching. Wolf said he never offered Parcells a contract, and the former coach confirmed that.

Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre told reporters yesterday that he originally had failed his physical with the Packers in 1992 after they traded a first-round draft choice to Atlanta for him. According to Favre, Ron Wolf, then the Packers' general manager, told the medical staff to pass the QB, and the rest is history. "In the East-West Shrine Game, I hurt my hip . . . Basically, I had avascular necrosis, the same thing [former Raiders star] Bo Jackson has," Favre said. "It's a lack of blood supply to a socket.

This time, Reggie White put it in writing. The NFL's career sacks leader turned in his retirement letter to Green Bay Packers general manager Ron Wolf - and gave no indication he intends to return. "He's officially retired. It's over. I think he's had it," Packers spokesman Lee Remmel said yesterday. The 37-year-old White had said last season would be his last. But there had been hints the All-Pro player might change his mind after the Packers hired his longtime friend, Ray Rhodes, as new head coach, replacing Mike Holmgren.

Mike Sherman, the Seattle Seahawks' offensive coordinator and a former Green Bay assistant, will be hired as the new coach of the Packers, a team source told the Associated Press yesterday. Sherman likely will be introduced at a news conference today, the source said. A longtime college assistant coach with three years of NFL experience, Sherman emerged as general manager Ron Wolf's choice when the GM's early favorites - veteran NFL coach Marty Schottenheimer and Rams offensive coordinator Mike Martz - took themselves out of the running.

Some say it started when Brett Favre grew from a talented gunner into a calculating quarterback. Others point to Reggie White landing in Green Bay from Philadelphia, called there by God and $6 million in reporting and signing bonuses, giving the defense an identity of invincibility. Some say the Packers went from NFL ghost to NFL success story when Mike Holmgren succeeded Lindy Infante in 1992 and immediately won. Really, though, the track that led the Packers from pathetic to powerful began when Ron Wolf became general manager on Nov. 28, 1991.

For the last six years, there has been no more perfect NFL marriage than Ron Wolf and Mike Holmgren. Together, Wolf, the Green Bay Packers' general manager, and Holmgren, the Packers' head coach, have turned around a once-hapless franchise and have it on course for a second straight Super Bowl title. "It's the greatest working relationship I can ever imagine in this league," Holmgren said. "He has given me so much support. We always have the ability to talk to one another about anything regarding football and come to a consensus.

As many 21 players and two coaches on the Green Bay Packers reportedly are being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service for not disclosing autograph income. Milwaukee station WITI-TV did not identify any of the players or coaches. The station also said the IRS is investigating other professional athletes in the Milwaukee area, current and former, who were paid to participate in autograph sessions. IRS spokesman Ted Reis declined to confirm or deny the report. Packers spokesman Lee Remmel said yesterday coach Mike Holmgren had warned players that if they hadn't reported autograph income, they should amend their tax returns and pay any penalties and interest.

Calling Reggie White a great player is like calling Bruce Springsteen a great singer. No kidding. "There's just so few people that really transcend their sport," said Vai Sikahema, White's teammate on the 1992 Eagles. "He transcended his time and the sport. " White's physical prowess was legendary, Sikahema said. "He ran the 40 [yard dash] faster than I did," Sikahema, a sleek former kick-return artist, said. He was referring to a day when his 4.7-second sprint was bettered by his Paul Bunyan-esque teammate's 4.6. "Once he stripped the ball and ran it in against Washington," Sikahema said.

Ray Rhodes has plenty of reasons to be grateful to the Green Bay organization. The Eagles coach got his first marquee position as the Packers' defensive coordinator in 1992. He followed head coach Mike Holmgren from San Francisco, where Holmgren had been the 49ers' offensive coordinator and Rhodes the defensive backs coach. Rhodes watched as Holmgren and general manager Ron Wolf constructed last year's NFC title finalist from a team that had had one winning non-strike season since 1978.

It was a little after 11 o'clock on a cold February night. Members of the Niagara University men's basketball team were still in a joyous mood after snapping Siena's 15-game winning streak a few days earlier. Before going to sleep, Niagara's undersize senior guard, Tyrone Lewis, the team's leading scorer, checked his Facebook account. One message was from Eliot Wolf, the Green Bay Packers' assistant director for pro personnel, asking if Lewis was interested in pursuing an NFL career after college.

When rookie quarterback John Beck came off the bench for Miami in the third quarter, he dropped the snap on his first play, and the ensuing scramble ended with the Cincinnati Bengals scoring on a 54-yard fumble return. From a press box suite, Bill Parcells saw the whole thing unfold and sat speechless, his expression blank and slightly dazed. Watching the Dolphins tends to have that effect. Four days into the Parcells era, the Dolphins remained wretched. They allowed 316 yards passing by Carson Palmer and staggered to the end of the worst season in franchise history yesterday, losing 38-25 to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Calling Reggie White a great player is like calling Bruce Springsteen a great singer. No kidding. "There's just so few people that really transcend their sport," said Vai Sikahema, White's teammate on the 1992 Eagles. "He transcended his time and the sport. " White's physical prowess was legendary, Sikahema said. "He ran the 40 [yard dash] faster than I did," Sikahema, a sleek former kick-return artist, said. He was referring to a day when his 4.7-second sprint was bettered by his Paul Bunyan-esque teammate's 4.6. "Once he stripped the ball and ran it in against Washington," Sikahema said.

When Brett Favre thinks about his future after this season, he says he won't be swayed by Green Bay's 2005 record - even though it almost certainly will be the first losing season of his career. The Packers are 2-8 going into Sunday's game against the Eagles. "Whether we're 2-8 or 8-2, really will not play a part in my decision," Favre said at his weekly news conference, asked if his play over the final six games of the season might determine his interest in returning. "I feel like I'm playing as well right now as I've played in previous years.

Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre told reporters yesterday that he originally had failed his physical with the Packers in 1992 after they traded a first-round draft choice to Atlanta for him. According to Favre, Ron Wolf, then the Packers' general manager, told the medical staff to pass the QB, and the rest is history. "In the East-West Shrine Game, I hurt my hip . . . Basically, I had avascular necrosis, the same thing [former Raiders star] Bo Jackson has," Favre said. "It's a lack of blood supply to a socket.

If Eagles coach Andy Reid is outwitted by Green Bay coach Mike Sherman in Sunday's NFC divisional playoff game, he'll have only himself to blame. If Packers quarterback coach Darrell Bevell comes up with some marvelous suggestion that allows Brett Favre to make a great play, the Eagles will have offensive coordinator Brad Childress to blame. That's because both Reid and Childress played prominent roles in getting those two Green Bay coaches into the NFL. Sherman, in his fourth season as the Packers coach, has no problem admitting that Reid played a large part in his ascent from offensive line coach at Texas A&M seven years ago to executive vice president, general manager and head coach of the most storied franchise in NFL history.

Former Green Bay Packers general manager Ron Wolf told the Atlanta Falcons he has withdrawn as a candidate to become the team's executive vice president and general manager. Wolf helped Green Bay win a Super Bowl and register a 92-52 record in a nine-year stay that ended in 2000. Wolf, 63, has two more years remaining on his deal as a Packers consultant, worth $1 million. In other NFL news: Denver reached a one-year, $775,000 contract agreement with wide receiver Rob Moore, who missed most of the past two seasons in Arizona with injuries.

Steve Spurrier made his mark on the NFL even before coaching his first game or running a practice. He became the highest-paid coach in league history yesterday, hired by the Washington Redskins a day after they fired Marty Schottenheimer. He signed signed a five-year deal worth $25 million. The previous high was $4 million a year, Mike Holmgren's salary as Seattle's coach and general manager. Spurrier, who accepted the job Sunday, is to arrive at Redskin Park today and will be introduced as the team's fourth coach in Daniel Snyder's 13 months as owner at a 6 p.m. news conference.

Ron Wolf was wearing a Phillies cap yesterday for a reason. "You want to blend in," the newly-retired Wolf said after the first practice of the Eagles' latest minicamp. "I like to blend in so no one notices me. " It was hard to miss the former Green Bay Packers general manager, though. Especially around this organization. After all, the Eagles have been trying to follow his Green Bay blueprint since Jeffrey Lurie bought the team. It's not a coincidence that both of the coaches Lurie has hired worked with Wolf in Green Bay. The Eagles appear closer on this go-round, with Mike Holmgren prot?g? Andy Reid as head coach and Donovan McNabb as the young, borderline superstar quarterback.

Defensive end Reggie White, the NFL's career sacks leader, signed with the Carolina Panthers yesterday. White, 38, who passed a physical Friday morning in Charlotte, N.C., arrived at Wofford College, put his name on a contract and attended evening meetings. White sat out last year after announcing his retirement following the 1998 season. White will take the practice field this morning but will work with strength and conditioning coach Jerry Simmons rather than participate in the regular team practice.