Packers Maintenance People are to Be Seen and Not Heard

Mike Wood, a maintenance worker for the Green Bay Packers for more than 20 years, likely didn't think he would see his employment come to an end for, of all things, words of encouragement. But that's what has landed him among the vast ranks of the unemployed.

Days before prodigal quarterback Brett Favre returned to Lambeau two weeks ago, Wood spotted Packers head coach Mike McCarthy talking with the grounds crew and said he yelled "Get the boys ready to kick some butt this weekend" to the coach.

I know what you're thinking: what nerve! You can't fire that guy fast enough, right?

Maybe not.

But Packers officials claim he said something different:

Wood says his supervisors thought he told McCarthy not to lay an egg, or something similar.

The Packers organization says Wood's supervisors determined he made an inappropriate comment and he was dismissed.

Okay, so "don't lay an egg" is slightly different in tone than "kick some butt," though a reasonable person would argue that they're equally benign. And unless there's a stated policy that maintenance folk aren't to converse with the coaching staff unless spoken to first, Wood has a legitimate claim of wrongful termination.

This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.