"We expect to win:" Green Bay Packers head coach talks his team, his legacy with our Tim Van Vooren



GREEN BAY (WITI) -- The Green Bay Packers take on the New England Patriots on Sunday, November 29th at Lambeau Field in what's being billed as a potential Super Bowl preview. In Green Bay's storied history, the only coaches to win a Super Bowl are Vince Lombardi, Mike Holmgren and Mike McCarthy. McCarthy sat down with FOX6's Tim Van Vooren to talk about his place in franchise history.

Tim Van Vooren: "Football is such a collaborative effort. You're all in it together. Some of these people have been with you a long time. Can you get close to players while they understand the dynamic and understand that at some point that relationship may be severed for some reason, or do you guard against that?"

"Frankly, I miss the relationships or the stronger connection you have with players when you are an assistant coach or an offensive coordinator because it's more fun. I mean, let's be real. I care about each and every one of the men in our locker room, but at the end of the day, when you're the guy that has to apply the discipline and things like that, you definitely don't get as close as you'd like, or what's natural to you," McCarthy said.

Van Vooren: "You refer to your guys as men. I assume they respond do that. Do you think so?"

"Well, really that's a question for them, but they are men. I've always viewed them as unique young men. They are very blessed. To get into an NFL training camp, you're a blessed individual. I mean, you have special gifts, special talents," McCarthy said.

Van Vooren: "Speaking of special talents, I'm not sure that there's any coach in the NFL, maybe in professional sports, but certainly in the NFL, that's more closely identified with a franchise than Vince Lombardi. I think if you think it through, he would have to be on a short list. You are zeroing in on him for career wins as a Green Bay Packers head coach. How does that hit you?"

"I don't like your question. Number one, when I think of Coach Lombardi, I think of not only what he's done for this franchise, how he's impacted the game of football, how he impacted the National Football League -- and frankly impacts society. You look -- there isn't a business that exists that doesn't identify with some principle that Coach Lombardi applied during his coaching years, so with that being said, I'm just trying to win some football games, so I don't even go there," McCarthy said.



Van Vooren: "So you don't want me to ask a follow up question about the legacy you're establishing here in Green Bay?"

"I thought I answered it. We can go on to the next topic. You got a long list there. You better get going. I don't think Lombardi did a lot of commercials though, back in the day," McCarthy said.

Van Vooren: "Our Milwaukee viewers don't always get to see all of your commercials, so I'm wondering if you could kind of evaluate your own skills as a pitchman?"

"It's really uncomfortable the first years. It gets a little easier. Sometimes when you see the scripts, it's like 'I don't think I can behave like that. I'm not your guy for that particular scene,' and they've been great about it. They keep coming back to the well, so that tells you something. I think we're ready for a uniform change -- would be my only suggestion," McCarthy said.

Van Vooren: "How fine is the line between winning and losing -- whether it's winning and losing a play, winning and losing in your grading system, winning and losing a game?"

"I think the line between winning and losing in this league is as high as ever. I mean, the last 10, 15 years, it's just remarkable to me that each and every week you're playing somebody that you gotta throw out the stats. I mean, it's remarkable how teams can get up for one another and it's very difficult to win in this league. It's very difficult to win on the road. We expect to win, and we know how to win -- but each and every week, you need to go out and find ways to win," McCarthy said.

McCarthy turned 51 years old a few weeks ago, and earlier this season, he signed a contract extension to remain in Green Bay through at least 2018.