fine young personnel. "It's just an opportunity I couldn't pass up," he said. Coach Dan Devine admitted the Packers will miss Wood, a fixture in the Green Bay secondary since 1961, his second season. "Willie's contributions are too numerous to try to enumerate," Devine said, adding, "His personal loyalty to me last year was just tremendous. He did everything he was asked to do. I also want to express the Packers' appreciation for his past contributions," Devine said, an allusion to the fact that Wood won all-pro honors five consecutive years (from 1963 through 1967) and was a Pro Bowl choice from 1964 through '71. "We're going to miss Willie but we must progress on and develop our young people on whom our future hopes are based," Devine said. Although Wood has announced his retirement, it is expected he will be placed on the Packers' reserve list. Thus, if he should decide to play again, the Chargers would have to negotiate (compensation of a player or a draft choice) with the Packers for his services. Wood joins former Packer aide Bob Schnelker on the San Diego staff. Schnelker, Packer passing game coach for six years, was named offensive coordinator of the Chargers last week to assist Harland Svare, San Diego's new coach. Svare's other assistants include Walt Yowarski, defensive line coach; player-coach Rick Redman, who will handle the linebackers; George Dickson, offensive backs; and Ron Waller, special teams. An offensive line coach is yet to be named. 

CHARGER POST TOO GOOD TO PASS: WOOD

JAN 20 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Willie Wood, a veteran of five National Football League title games and two Super Bowls, might have been expected to take his new status in stride. But "Coach" Wood, most recently the Packers' free safety and defensive captain, was quick to volunteer, "I'm quite excited...it's been an exciting day for me." To the 12-year Packer, who suddenly found himself a member of the San Diego Chargers' coaching staff, the knowledge still seemed a little unreal. "I've wanted to go into coaching and realized the day would come when my playing career would end," he confided via telephone from his Washington, D. C. home Wednesday night, "but I couldn't actually imagine myself in that position...TOO GOOD: "But when the opportunity came to go to San Diego, it was too good to pass up. "Also, not knowing what my future in Green Bay might be, it seemed like the thing to do." The departure of Wood, long recognized as the deadliest tackler on the roster, was not entirely unexpected. He indicated just prior to the Packers' season finale in Miami last month that he would accept any good coaching offer. "It's something I've wanted to do," he noted Wednesday, "and San Diego looked like a good place to start." And a "start," he suggested, is precisely what he considers the upcoming assignment to be. "I think pro is ready for a black head coach," said Willie, who frequently expressed that opinion during the course of the 1971 season. "And, as long as I'm going to venture into it, I don't see any reason why I shouldn't go all the way in it." Harland Svare, new head coach of the Chargers, described himself as "very happy to have Willie on the staff. He's got the qualifications and the potential to be an excellent coach." Svare reportedly had discussed Wood's credentials with former Packer coach Phil Bengtson, now a talent scout for the Chargers, before contacting the 35-year-old veteran. Wood played under Bengtson here throughout his career, except for the '71 season. The former USC quarterback, who won a tryout in storybook fashion by writing the Packers after being overlooked in the 1960 pro draft, leaves as the No. 2 interceptor in Green Bay history. He stole 48 enemy passes, only four less than all-time leader Bobby Dillon, including nine in 1962 when he was the NFL leader. Wood, a five time all-pro selection who played in eight consecutive Pro Bowls, also was the Packers punt return specialist for nearly a decade. In all, he returned 187 kicks for 1,391 yards and led the league in this category in 1961. Blessed with the knack for the "big play," he forged his most memorable maneuver in the first Super Bowl game against Kansas City at Los Angeles in early 1967. With the Packers out front by only 14-10, he pilfered a Lenny Dawson pass early in the third quarter and returned it 50 yards to set up a five-yard scoring plunge by Elijah Pitts. The Packers charged from there to a 35-10 victory. Willie, described as "the man who wrote the book about playing free safety," pondered a possible Packer successor and said, "The only one I can think of right now would be Al Matthews. The last two or three games of the season, Al substituted for me and I thought he did a fine job," Wood asserted. "He's an intelligent football player and he adjusts to a situation easily...And he wants to play - he has the attitude he wants to do the job, and that's what you look for in a young defensive back."...NO CHANGE OF PLAYING: Willie insists "there's not a chance that I would play again...I had a lot of problems last year...and I had the feeling that I was not in the plans for next year, that I probably would be on the trade block. I didn't want to be one of those guys who go hopping from club to club...At my age, in my position, it's tough to go to another club and start over. They expect so much out of you because you've been with a winner so long. I felt the pressure would be too great. The sum total of my thinking was that it would be better for me to get out now," Willie said. "But I'm leaving with good feelings. The league has been good to me and Green Bay has been good to me. I have nothing but good feelings about it." Scheduled to join the Charger staff Feb. 1, Wood said. "I maybe will stay in Washington until Feb. 6 or 7. My wedding anniversary is coming up Feb. 4, and we already had made plans for that night here." But when the day of departure does come, Willie admits it will seem strange. "It's hard to conceive of not coming back to Green Bay," he said. "It's been a part of my life for such a long time...I feel like something's been cut out of me."

ASHWAUBENON PACKERS? APPARENTLY NOT

JAN 20 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - If an inquiry by the Town of Ashwaubenon proves successful, the name of the most titled team in professional football could turn out to be a misnomer. Town Chairman John Monfort said Wednesday engineers at work on a revision of the official Ashwaubenon map had reported that the residence of the Green Bay Packers did not appear to be within the corporate limits of Green Bay. There appears to be little danger that the town will insist that the team changes its name to the Ashwaubenon Packers. At least no one has said it would, yet...NOT RECORDED: What the town will insist upon, according to Monfort, is restitution for any back taxes paid by Green Bay Packers, Inc., to the wrong municipality. But it appears unlikely that the town will find much success along those lines, either. For one thing, Ashwaubenon's mapmakers apparently went to the wrong place in search of information regarding Lambeau Field's municipal affiliation. They checked with the Brown County register of deeds, who had no record of the stadium's annexation from Ashwaubenon to Green Bay, and with the county tax listing department which does not list Lambeau Field since it is city-owned and, therefore, exempt from the property tax...VOTE NOT NEEDED: City officials, however, dug up four annexation ordinances dating back to 1956 which give a historical account of how Lambeau Field became part of Green Bay. State statutes enable cities and villages to annex land they own themselves from neighboring municipalities through passage of ordinances by their governing bodies. No referendums or public hearings, such as might be required for the annexation of private property, are necessary. Moreover, the statutes do not specify that annexations carried out in such a manner be recorded with the register of deeds. Instead, four copies of the enabling ordinances are to be filed with the secretary of state in Madison, together with plat maps describing the property annexed....NO STATE TAXES: For another thing, Monfort said the Town Board would be asking its auditors to trace state taxes paid by the Packer corporation to determine if portions of those taxes have been returned to Green Bay when they should have been returned to Ashwaubenon. Green Bay Packers, Inc., as a nonprofit corporation, pays no state taxes. City officials feel that the only tax money that could possibly have been misallocated, if the Ashwaubenon claim is correct, would be in the form of local taxes on personal property. Records in city hall indicate that the Packers paid $551.77 in 1971 on furniture and fixtures totaling $11,600 in assessed value. Monfort, when told of the existence of the ordinances, said the town board intended to investigate the matter further, anyway. He did not elaborate. Ashwaubenon played David to Green Bay's Goliath successfully last year in a similar dispute over misappropriated taxes paid by the Fort Howard Paper Co. during the time it was being annexed to the city. That time the town emerged with a tidy sum of $250,000.

MATTHEWS TO SAFETY?

JAN 21 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - At this early stage, Willie Wood's recently vacated free safety stand is open territory. Packer Coach Dan Devine made this point in looking to the future following Willie Wood's retirement to join the San Diego Chargers' coaching staff. "I just don't honestly know who we're likely to have there next season," he said. "There's the possibility Al Matthews will be moved there...but it all depends on how the draft and trades come out. By that, I mean it's pretty safe to assume you're not going to get both a cornerback and a safety out of the draft, assuming you rate these positions as high priority...You may get one or the other, if you're lucky, but probably not both...'GRADED OUT BEST': "That whole secondary has to be reworked, of course." In this connection, Devine dryly noted, "It's easy to remove Willie Wood's name from our personnel chart... All you have to do is slide his card out of its slot. But it's another thing to physically replace him in the secondary." Elaborating on Matthews' qualifications, Devine said, "I haven't talked it over with Don Doll (defensive backfield coach) and I don't think we've graded that game yet, but I would say that Al Matthews would have graded out the best of anybody in our last game against Miami. I really like the way Al played in our last couple games, particularly the last two. He just seemed to come around in those last two. He seemed to regain his confidence. And he hit Warfield on that fumble that Jim Carter recovered for us...NIXON PATTERN: "Warfield ran a President Nixon pattern on the play," DD observed with a sly smile, "and there is no way you can stop that one, but Al made a good hit on him and separated him from
the football." In addition to Matthews, who opened the 1971 season at the left corner, Devine listed Charlie Hall as a possibility at safety. Hall, a rookie last year, also has been used primarily at the corner. "Actually, we have four guys - Ken Ellis, Matthews, Hall and Doug Hart - who can play the corner," Devine pointed out. "Al Randolph (the Pack's only other holdover defensive back) is definitely a safety. We also might try Mike Carter as a safety. And we want to get Butch Davis back next year, too, and look at him some more."...TRADE TALK: Continuing his analysis of the Devine observed, "That's all, of course, without the draft or trades, which obviously could also affect the situation." In any case, he noted, "We're not rushing into anything. We're just reworking the whole structure of everything personnel wise. Devine did say, however, that he would be receptive to trading veterans to improve the Packers' position in the first round of the draft. At the moment, they are scheduled to make the seventh and 11th picks, the latter by way of the Kevin Hardy trade with San Diego.

ACCORD REACHED WITH 'MOST': 10 PACKERS CAUGHT IN FREEZE

JAN 21 (Green Bay) - Ten members of the Green Bay Packers could become free agents May 1, and it isn't because they are at odds with General Manager Dan Devine. It's because of the 1971 wage-price freeze. The 10, including running back Donny Anderson and All-Pro guard Gale Gillingham, played the 1971 season without contracts. The wage-price freeze prevented the Packers from giving them the pay boosts the players and Devine thought they deserved. "We have reached pretty much of an agreement with most of them." Devine said. But so far, federal regulations haven't allowed them to put it in writing, either on a contract or a paycheck. Gillingham and Devine negotiated during the season and reached a verbal agreement, Devine said. "The only thing that prevented us from signing a contract was that we're not allowed by law to give him what we think he deserves," Devine said. Once a player becomes a free agent, he can under National Football League rules, negotiate with any other club. But NFL Commissioner Pete Rozell requires any team signing a free agent to compensate his former employers - usually with a No. 1 draft pick, such as was awarded Green Bay when Jim Taylor signed with New Orleans. Devine admitted that having 10 unsigned veterans from the 1971 season "is pretty high and higher than I'd want in the future." "If this thing isn't relaxed, there might be a real problem," Devine said about the government's rules on 1971 wages.

WILLIE WOOD RETURNS FOR FAN SALUTE

Jan 23 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Newly-retired Willie Wood will return to Green Bay for a final curtain call. Wood, who closed out a 12-year Packer career last week to become defensive backfield coach of the San Diego Chargers, will be a special guest during Packer Hall of Fame induction ceremonies to be held at Riverside Ballroom next Saturday night. The 35-year-old USC alumnus, eight times a Pro Bowl selection and five times an all-pro choice, at free safety, will be saluted by his 1971 teammates and Packer fans for his contributions to the community and the Packers. Wood, who makes his home in Washington, D. C., will be presented with a gift as a concrete expression of their appreciation. Willie Davis, Wood's predecessor as the Packer's defensive captain, will appear as a guest speaker. Dan Devine, Packer head coach and general manager, will be the principal speaker and Jim Irwin of Milwaukee's Channel 4 and the Packer Radle Network, will be master of ceremonies. Ten Packer greats from the 1930s will be enshrined in the Packer Hall of Fame during Saturday night's ceremonies. Headed by the team's all-scoring leader, Don Hutson, they include Hank Bruder, Charles (Buckets) Goldenberg, Cecil Isbell, George Svendsen, Milt Gantenbein, Clarke Hinkle, Joe Laws, Russ Letlow and Arnie Herber. Dining and dancing will be included in the evening's entertainment. Tickets are now available at Bertrand's, Packer City Motel and the Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena. Fans wishing to send separate donations to purchase a gift for Wood may do so by mailing checks to: Willie Wood Gift, Post Office Box 3278, Green Bay 54305.

PACKERS LEAVE LITTLE TO CHANCE: DRAFT PLANNING NEAR CLIMAX

JAN 23 (Green Bay) - Green Bay Packer followers have had five weeks now to try to forget last season's disappointments, and the January snows have swept over the cleat marks, if not the bad memories, at Lambeau Field. But inside the adjacent offices, activity hums at midseason pace and the hours, if anything, are longer. For Head Coach and General Manager Dan Devine and his staff have barely a week to complete preparations for the National Football League draft Feb. 1. The draft is especially crucial to teams with 4-8-2 records, and Devine is preparing accordingly. "We've got a working list of more than 250 college players, but it's not pared down very much yet," Devine said in a break between coaches' meeting late Friday. "It better be down by the end of the coming week," he said. "We'll probably have a seven day week, 14 hours a day, hashing and rehashing reports."...7TH & 11TH PICKS: Green Bay will have the seventh and 11th choices on the first round, having obtained the No. 11 pick from San Diego in the Kevin Hardy trade. Devine understandably declined to discuss names, but it is certain pass rushers, quarterbacks, cornerback, placekickers and receiver are receiving special scrutiny, in no particular order of emphasis. "Your drafting priorities change, of course, if you have a trade," Devine said. "We're no more trade conscious than any other club, but we have had daily discussions with other teams. We're not really close to anything, though." Devine wouldn't say whether trade talks have included the name of Craig Morton, the erstwhile No. 1 quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys. Dallas Coach Tom Landry has said he expects Morton to ask to be traded, having lost his starting job to Roger Staubach...LITTLE TO CHANCE: The Packer staff is leaving little to chance in evaluating the college talent, as Devine explained. "Let's take Prospect X, an offensive lineman," Devine said. "Rollie Dotsch may have 10 or 12 reports on him, and he'll get up and read them out loud. While he's reading, the rest of us will discuss the prospect and question people who have seen him play," he said. "Maybe I'll call the prospect's coach. The report on this one prospect might take one hour, or it might take three. Then we go to the next offensive lineman."

CANADEO RELEASED FROM HOSPITAL
JAN 25 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Former Packer star Tony Canadeo was released from Milwaukee County General Hospital today following treatment for a kidney ailment. Canadeo's condition "is being stabilized on routine hemodialysis," a hospital spokesman reported. "Treatments are required three times weekly. He will be going from here to Veterans Administration hospital at Wood to continue his treatments." Canadeo, then listed in critical condition, was taken to Milwaukee County General by ambulance Jan. 7.

CONTINUES REMARKABLE RECOVERY: KEN DYER LEAVES HOSPITAL

JAN 26 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Ken Dyer left St. Mary's Hospital Tuesday, walking. Though Dyer minimized the achievement, those who had seen him in mid-October, strapped prone to a bed and barely able to raise an arm, could only marvel. Dyer is the 25-year-old Cincinnati Bengals' defensive back who was almost totally paralyzed after trying to tackle the Green Bay Packers' John Brockington in a National Football League game here Oct. 3. He was rushed to the hospital, where the diagnosis was a contusion of the spine at the neck. However, the diagnosis erased any fears for his life, and doctors said he would recover. Dyer still wears a neck brace but walks without a cane or assistance from his wife, Pam, who has been here for the duration and has helped him with his therapy. Recently, he and Pam have been able to go out to dinner or a show although he remained living in the hospital. They expect their first child in June. Dyer hasn't completely ruled out the possibility of playing football again, but realizes his chances are remote and that another blow to the neck could be extremely serious. He and Pam left for their home in Tempe, Ariz., where he will have more treatments and look for a job.

GREGG NAMED CHARGER AIDE
JAN 27 (Green Bay Press-Gazette) - Forrest Gregg, former Packer tackle, today was named offensive line coach of the San Diego Chargers by Head Coach Harland Svare. Gregg joins Bob Schnelker, former Packer passing game coach, and Willie Wood, the Pack's 1971 defensive captain, on the San Diego staff.