August 21, 2023 • 8 mins
Wayne Larrivee sits down with former Green Bay Packers guard and tackle Tony Moll to reminisce on him being a starter in his rookie season (0:34), talking about the 2007 season (2:13), and what it was like playing with Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers (5:14)
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
For more than a century, the Green Bay Packers have
been a benchmark for football excellence. Thousands of players have
helped pave the way, and we're here to tell you
their stories. I'm Wayne Lauravy. This is the Packers alumni Spotlight.
Tony Mall was a fifth round rapt choice by the
(00:24):
Packers in two thousand and six, and as a rookie,
he stepped right in a guard on a team that
was just getting started on a new head coach Mike McCarthy.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Amazing time frame, you know for me coming out of
college where I played mainly tight end, and my senior
year I got switched over to O line due to
a need. And next thing I know, the next year,
I'm getting drafted a right guard for the Packers. Growing
up in California, you know, as a you know, watching
(00:56):
the forty nine Ers, you know, it's a big old
rivalry that you know, I was on the other side
of it. And now now I'm a part of the
Green and Gold and learning these traditions and at the
same time, uh, you know, being a part of this
this amazing space, just giving it everything I got. And
next thing i know, I'm thrown into the starting role,
and it was just like, okay, here we go.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Who had the greatest influence on you? I mean, was
it the off O line coach at the time? Where players,
I mean as you started your career, who had the
most impact.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
The best part about being on the offensive line is
how close knit the group can become. And that's when
it becomes ultra special. From the older guys that we
got to play with, like Cliffy and Taush and Scott Wells,
you know, just to name a few, but then you know,
also having James Campen, who's you know, recently played and
now the assistant O line coach. You could see that
(01:49):
there's such a cohesion within the group that as a rookie,
it made it a little bit easier.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Two thousand and seven, you guys not much as expected.
I mean, you guys finished up two thousand and six
pretty well, but again not a lot expected. Things started happening.
You took off on what I called a blessed run.
Talk about that year for the team. How did it
all come together?
Speaker 2 (02:12):
I right, I think that was it. I mean, we
were still trying to prove ourselves. No one was expecting
much from us, you know, from the last couple of
years of just but slowly we progressed six, getting a
little bit better coming in seven and it's like, all right,
we now feel like we had a good team that
we can make a solid punch at the season, and
you know, we showed up every every single game. It
felt like we were just like we were on cue.
(02:34):
Defense was getting just you know, I'd never been a
part of a team that had such a great defense,
and to be able to finally have a defense that
you know they could take the field and you know
that they were going to stop whoever we were going against.
And then on the offense, we just need to do
what we do best is just punch down the field.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
We'll talk about a couple of games. The first one
was a big matchup in Dallas against the Cowboys, two
best teams in the NFC record wise at that time.
Became a big shootout. Brett got injured early, Brett Farb
injured early, and Aaron Rodgers came on. What did you
see that night? Did you see what other people thought
(03:11):
might be the start of something big?
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Yeah? I mean I I got to play with with Aaron.
You know, we're the same age, and I got to
play with him when he was you know, yet to
take the field, you know, and take over for Brett,
and you know, always wanting that to be able to
be that starting quarterback and finally getting that for him
to be able to happen in Dallas. I mean, it
was it was. It was the energy kind of you
(03:35):
could see it. Everybody's like, Okay, he's now proven himself
and we know we're good going forward.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Right the Giants upset the Cowboys, will you guys just
a little disappointed you didn't get the Cowboys again or not?
Speaker 2 (03:48):
No, I think it kind of played into it, right.
I don't know. Maybe it was just my immaturity of
you know, being younger, but it was like, you know, hey,
the Giants just pulled out a fluke and now we're
gonna be able to play the easier team. Like that's
how I felt. I was like, you know, we're in
I don't know if it if everybody felt as relaxed
as I was, And maybe that was the mistake that
we were able to you know, fall into. But uh,
(04:10):
you know, I still feel like we prepared well for
the Giants, but you know, for them to be able
to come in here and play, you know with us.
I didn't. I wasn't expecting it.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
The Giants game itself that cold night, one of the
coldest games in lambeau Field, maybe the second coldest of
the Ice Bowl. What do you remember from that?
Speaker 2 (04:28):
I tried to block it out, you know, it's just
such a bad ending. But yeah, I mean that was it.
I mean, it was just it was everything was just frozen,
and it was like, this is this is why they
call it the frozen Tundra. It was just heart hard,
hard surfaces everywhere. You didn't want to put your fingers
in the ground because they would start freezing. You know,
(04:48):
That's pretty much how I remember it. Just just just
a grudge match that never wanted to end, and we
couldn't we couldn't escape and get up ahead of them,
and you know, just a terrible for.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Quarter You played with two great quarterbacks, two of the
greatest quarterbacks in the history of this franchise, Brett Farv
early in your career and Aaron Rodgers afterward. Are they
totally different? Are they tell me?
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Totally different of each other in a in a great way?
You know, being able to play with a legend with
within Brett when I was on my younger side was
it was amazing. It was you know, everything a kid
would would want out of, you know, be able to
play with an incredible quarterback that had a storied career,
uh you know. But then for me having Aaron who
(05:37):
is my same age, and you see it in practice
how he can just accuracy. Accuracy was was his biggest thing.
He could He could throw the ball everywhere and it
would always be on point. But then we had a
quarterback and that that could now run and that was
the best thing. I mean, you know, you know, granted,
Brett was just in his in his later later part
of his career where you know, running you know, became
(05:57):
slower for him. But now you know, Aaron would take
over and like we could do QB sneaks and QB
draws and he could break off and get us the
first down if we needed it. And it was like
that was that was amazing too for an offensive line.
I mean, it's just you know, hey, let's get a
fresh stutt of downs and you know, but you know,
ultimately being able to play with two unbelievable quarterbacks here
(06:19):
just you know, has created some of the best best memories.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
Tell me about you know, your experience. You had your
teammates with you, and you eventually after you left Green Bay,
actually got into business with a couple of your teammates
in a wine business. Tell me tell us about that.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
So we actually started it and while we were playing
here and so Jason Spitz, Darren College and myself and
so it's called Three Fat Guys and it's a fun
wine brand based out of Sonoma when we make Sonoma
and Napa wines. I live in Sonoma full time. My
family's been there forever, and so it's something that you know,
(06:55):
to be able to get into the wine industry is great,
and be able to do it with friends and built
around friendship and having a lot of fun and still
trying to make the best wine possible.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
It has turned up financially pretty good from a business standpoint.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
No, every year we continue to grow, so there's a
you're not recouping a bunch of money yet, but it
pays the bills, and you know, it keeps this.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Thing wrong Green Bay? And is it the people? Is
it the place? Is it everything that you remember because
you're a packer for life, even though you played elsewhere.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
I yeah, I'll tell you. I mean for me. The
first day I walked into the State is you know,
you could you could see how much everybody embraces the
Packers and it's really special to be part of. You know,
even even like today coming here, you can just see it,
(07:44):
feel it, the stories, the traditions. You know. I tell people,
you know, I wore seventy five, but that was never
my number. It was fourth Craig's number. And to Bill
have that experience walking through the tunnel, walking over the bricks,
walking on onto the field, you know, there's there's there's
such an electricity to that that you don't really feel elsewhere.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
So we toast Packers alumni Tony Mall and his teammates
at three Fat Guy's Wines who made good
For more than a century, the Green Bay Packers have
been a benchmark for football excellence. Thousands of players have
helped pave the way, and we're here to tell you
their stories. I'm Wayne Lauravy. This is the Packers alumni Spotlight.
Tony Mall was a fifth round rapt choice by the
(00:24):
Packers in two thousand and six, and as a rookie,
he stepped right in a guard on a team that
was just getting started on a new head coach Mike McCarthy.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Amazing time frame, you know for me coming out of
college where I played mainly tight end, and my senior
year I got switched over to O line due to
a need. And next thing I know, the next year,
I'm getting drafted a right guard for the Packers. Growing
up in California, you know, as a you know, watching
(00:56):
the forty nine Ers, you know, it's a big old
rivalry that you know, I was on the other side
of it. And now now I'm a part of the
Green and Gold and learning these traditions and at the
same time, uh, you know, being a part of this
this amazing space, just giving it everything I got. And
next thing i know, I'm thrown into the starting role,
and it was just like, okay, here we go.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Who had the greatest influence on you? I mean, was
it the off O line coach at the time? Where players,
I mean as you started your career, who had the
most impact.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
The best part about being on the offensive line is
how close knit the group can become. And that's when
it becomes ultra special. From the older guys that we
got to play with, like Cliffy and Taush and Scott Wells,
you know, just to name a few, but then you know,
also having James Campen, who's you know, recently played and
now the assistant O line coach. You could see that
(01:49):
there's such a cohesion within the group that as a rookie,
it made it a little bit easier.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Two thousand and seven, you guys not much as expected.
I mean, you guys finished up two thousand and six
pretty well, but again not a lot expected. Things started happening.
You took off on what I called a blessed run.
Talk about that year for the team. How did it
all come together?
Speaker 2 (02:12):
I right, I think that was it. I mean, we
were still trying to prove ourselves. No one was expecting
much from us, you know, from the last couple of
years of just but slowly we progressed six, getting a
little bit better coming in seven and it's like, all right,
we now feel like we had a good team that
we can make a solid punch at the season, and
you know, we showed up every every single game. It
felt like we were just like we were on cue.
(02:34):
Defense was getting just you know, I'd never been a
part of a team that had such a great defense,
and to be able to finally have a defense that
you know they could take the field and you know
that they were going to stop whoever we were going against.
And then on the offense, we just need to do
what we do best is just punch down the field.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
We'll talk about a couple of games. The first one
was a big matchup in Dallas against the Cowboys, two
best teams in the NFC record wise at that time.
Became a big shootout. Brett got injured early, Brett Farb
injured early, and Aaron Rodgers came on. What did you
see that night? Did you see what other people thought
(03:11):
might be the start of something big?
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Yeah? I mean I I got to play with with Aaron.
You know, we're the same age, and I got to
play with him when he was you know, yet to
take the field, you know, and take over for Brett,
and you know, always wanting that to be able to
be that starting quarterback and finally getting that for him
to be able to happen in Dallas. I mean, it
was it was. It was the energy kind of you
(03:35):
could see it. Everybody's like, Okay, he's now proven himself
and we know we're good going forward.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Right the Giants upset the Cowboys, will you guys just
a little disappointed you didn't get the Cowboys again or not?
Speaker 2 (03:48):
No, I think it kind of played into it, right.
I don't know. Maybe it was just my immaturity of
you know, being younger, but it was like, you know, hey,
the Giants just pulled out a fluke and now we're
gonna be able to play the easier team. Like that's
how I felt. I was like, you know, we're in
I don't know if it if everybody felt as relaxed
as I was, And maybe that was the mistake that
we were able to you know, fall into. But uh,
(04:10):
you know, I still feel like we prepared well for
the Giants, but you know, for them to be able
to come in here and play, you know with us.
I didn't. I wasn't expecting it.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
The Giants game itself that cold night, one of the
coldest games in lambeau Field, maybe the second coldest of
the Ice Bowl. What do you remember from that?
Speaker 2 (04:28):
I tried to block it out, you know, it's just
such a bad ending. But yeah, I mean that was it.
I mean, it was just it was everything was just frozen,
and it was like, this is this is why they
call it the frozen Tundra. It was just heart hard,
hard surfaces everywhere. You didn't want to put your fingers
in the ground because they would start freezing. You know,
(04:48):
That's pretty much how I remember it. Just just just
a grudge match that never wanted to end, and we
couldn't we couldn't escape and get up ahead of them,
and you know, just a terrible for.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Quarter You played with two great quarterbacks, two of the
greatest quarterbacks in the history of this franchise, Brett Farv
early in your career and Aaron Rodgers afterward. Are they
totally different? Are they tell me?
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Totally different of each other in a in a great way?
You know, being able to play with a legend with
within Brett when I was on my younger side was
it was amazing. It was you know, everything a kid
would would want out of, you know, be able to
play with an incredible quarterback that had a storied career,
uh you know. But then for me having Aaron who
(05:37):
is my same age, and you see it in practice
how he can just accuracy. Accuracy was was his biggest thing.
He could He could throw the ball everywhere and it
would always be on point. But then we had a
quarterback and that that could now run and that was
the best thing. I mean, you know, you know, granted,
Brett was just in his in his later later part
of his career where you know, running you know, became
(05:57):
slower for him. But now you know, Aaron would take
over and like we could do QB sneaks and QB
draws and he could break off and get us the
first down if we needed it. And it was like
that was that was amazing too for an offensive line.
I mean, it's just you know, hey, let's get a
fresh stutt of downs and you know, but you know,
ultimately being able to play with two unbelievable quarterbacks here
(06:19):
just you know, has created some of the best best memories.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
Tell me about you know, your experience. You had your
teammates with you, and you eventually after you left Green Bay,
actually got into business with a couple of your teammates
in a wine business. Tell me tell us about that.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
So we actually started it and while we were playing
here and so Jason Spitz, Darren College and myself and
so it's called Three Fat Guys and it's a fun
wine brand based out of Sonoma when we make Sonoma
and Napa wines. I live in Sonoma full time. My
family's been there forever, and so it's something that you know,
(06:55):
to be able to get into the wine industry is great,
and be able to do it with friends and built
around friendship and having a lot of fun and still
trying to make the best wine possible.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
It has turned up financially pretty good from a business standpoint.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
No, every year we continue to grow, so there's a
you're not recouping a bunch of money yet, but it
pays the bills, and you know, it keeps this.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Thing wrong Green Bay? And is it the people? Is
it the place? Is it everything that you remember because
you're a packer for life, even though you played elsewhere.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
I yeah, I'll tell you. I mean for me. The
first day I walked into the State is you know,
you could you could see how much everybody embraces the
Packers and it's really special to be part of. You know,
even even like today coming here, you can just see it,
(07:44):
feel it, the stories, the traditions. You know. I tell people,
you know, I wore seventy five, but that was never
my number. It was fourth Craig's number. And to Bill
have that experience walking through the tunnel, walking over the bricks,
walking on onto the field, you know, there's there's there's
such an electricity to that that you don't really feel elsewhere.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
So we toast Packers alumni Tony Mall and his teammates
at three Fat Guy's Wines who made good
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