So if the defense is terrible again this season?

[MadtownPacker]

Obviously you will be in the excuses crowd.

TT will draft his safety, one to fill the emptiness Collins left in his and our football luvin hearts.

[red]

TT has gone all out IMO. I'm happy with what has happened. If it goes sour then goodbye Capers cuz I think TT is writing his swan song and wants a spectacular finish.

i don't know, i already see a pretty big excuse for capers not being fired next offseason

its because he and m3 tried to tinker with the D and "it just didn't work out, no ones fault, they tried something new, and it didn't work yet, these things take time to adjust to"

[Joemailman]

i don't know, i already see a pretty big excuse for capers not being fired next offseason

its because he and m3 tried to tinker with the D and "it just didn't work out, no ones fault, they tried something new, and it didn't work yet, these things take time to adjust to"

I'm starting to think that MM had about had it with Capers, and demanded some changes in the way players are utilized. I think this may be Capers' last chance.

[red]

I'm starting to think that MM had about had it with Capers, and demanded some changes in the way players are utilized. I think this may be Capers' last chance.

haven't we been saying for years now that m3 has had to have had it with slocum, and the he "has to be his last chance", only for him to fail but still keep his job?

i won't believe capers is in danger of being fired until maybe a month or 2 after he actually gets fired

i just don't think m3 can fire anyone, i brought it up during the season. in order to get rid of capers and slocum, we might have to get rid of M3, or threaten to fire m3 if he does can those guys

and i don't think TT is capable of doing that to be honest

[Pugger]

So if what I'm reading is correct,

Injuries do not matter. It's an all or nothing proposition. If all 11 starters on D miss 8 games this year, the D should still be good no matter what. Anyone that says injuries are a factor is an idiot homer.

Does this about sum it up?

Yup.

[Pugger]

haven't we been saying for years now that m3 has had to have had it with slocum, and the he "has to be his last chance", only for him to fail but still keep his job?

i won't believe capers is in danger of being fired until maybe a month or 2 after he actually gets fired

i just don't think m3 can fire anyone, i brought it up during the season. in order to get rid of capers and slocum, we might have to get rid of M3, or threaten to fire m3 if he does can those guys

and i don't think TT is capable of doing that to be honest

Maybe we should be directing our ire about Capers in McCarthy's direction instead of TT seeing Mike is the one who hires and fires assistants.

[pbmax]

Actually, no, McCarthy leaning on Capers to play less scheme and more players plus the acquisition of a player (type) requested by the coordinator is a different level of pressure than Slocum has experienced.

The only time it might be comparable would be his first year when another ST coordinator described his wacky schemes as "unique" and "potentially unsound". He dialed it back the following year.

I would say Capers is under some strain.

[LEWCWA]

How about simply advancing to the NFC Championship game as we saw with the R. Wolf; M. Sherman; T. Thompson / B. Favre era.

The Brett Favre - Ron Wolf; Mike Sherman and Ted Thompson era (1992 - 2007 or 16 Seasons) produced Four (4) NFC Championship games and two (2) NFC Champonships under Green Bay Packers GM Ron Wolf and Brett Favre (1992 - 2007).

Vs:

The Ted Thompson era 2005 -2013 or nine (9) Seasons = One (1) NFC Championship game and one (1) Championship.

Is Ted Thompson wasting Aaron Rodgers outstanding skill set?

I think they went to another NFC championship under TED, or was I dreaming about Favre's last game?

[woodbuck27]

It seems that you're muddling Brett Favre's career into your TT vs Wolf comparison.

Wolf was GM for 9 seasons. His postseason record: 1992 missed; 1993, 1994 lost in divisional; 1995 lost NFCC; 1996 won SB; 1997 lost SB; 1998 lost WC; 1999 missed; 2000 missed
Ted Thompson has been GM for 9 seasons. His postseasons: 2005, 2006: missed; 2007: NFCC; 2008: missed; 2009: lost WC; 2010 won SB; 2011 lost div; 2012 lost div; 2013 lost WC.

Both made the playoffs 6/9 times as GM. Both had 1 SB victory, 1 lost NFCC, 2 divisional losses, and 1 WC loss. The main difference is that Wolf made it to a second Superbowl.

Wolf saw his Packers make it to three consecutive NFC Championship games and winning two to go to the Super Bowl from 1995-98. Then Brett Favre was arguably the best football player on the planet and winning or sharing (1997 - with Detroit LIONS RB Barry Sanders) three consecutive NFL MVP's backs that fact up.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFC_Championship_Game

[Just Jeff]

It called draft and develop. TT found the gems, its up to MM to develop them. Give it time.

[mraynrand]

Wolf saw his Packers make it to three consecutive NFC Championship games and winning two to go to the Super Bowl from 1995-98. Then Brett Favre was arguably the best football player on the planet and winning or sharing (1997 - with Detroit LIONS RB Barry Sanders) three consecutive NFL MVP's backs that fact up.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFC_Championship_Game

try reading a little slower, and you might get it the second time. "The main difference is that Wolf made it to a second Superbowl." Think, McFly, think!

[denverYooper]

try reading a little slower, and you might get it the second time. "The main difference is that Wolf made it to a second Superbowl." Think, McFly, think!

Woody is stuck on the ordering of events. The rise and fall of the team made a much smoother curve during Wolf's tenure. Under TT, the team's trajectory has not been as nicely described by a simple rise and fall, but his bag of marbles is nearly identical--save for his one steely where Wolf has an extra shooter with a big old crack in it.

If we're applying a simple binary scoring based on winning all of the marbles -- which for many of the gnashers and wailers is the only way to evaluate a season -- the score is tied.

[mraynrand]

If we're applying a simple binary scoring based on winning all of the marbles -- which for many of the gnashers and wailers is the only way to evaluate a season -- the score is tied.

I saw that two-part "A Football Life" and 'ol Vince Lombardi said he regretted his statement about winning is the only thing. I'm paraphrasing, but he basically said that if you give everything you have in pursuit of your goal, that's what ultimately matters. I agree, that's all a person can do, and all a coach or GM can expect. So when your best just isn't good enough, YOU'RE FIRED! HIT THE ROAD YOU LOUSY BUM!!!!

[ThunderDan]

HIT THE ROAD YOU LOUSY BUM!!!!

I didn't realize this was a Houston Oilers thread until now.

[pbmax]

I saw that two-part "A Football Life" and 'ol Vince Lombardi said he regretted his statement about winning is the only thing. I'm paraphrasing, but he basically said that if you give everything you have in pursuit of your goal, that's what ultimately matters. I agree, that's all a person can do, and all a coach or GM can expect. So when your best just isn't good enough, YOU'RE FIRED! HIT THE ROAD YOU LOUSY BUM!!!!

I agree with him."Winning is the only thing" also lead to a lot of bad corollaries (2nd is first loser, don't believe in moral victories, defeat only teaches you how to lose, etc.) that tend to diminish what you can learn in the struggle but not yet successful phase of any endeavor.

[ThunderDan]

I agree with him."Winning is the only thing" also lead to a lot of bad corollaries (2nd is first loser, don't believe in moral victories, defeat only teaches you how to lose, etc.) that tend to diminish what you can learn in the struggle but not yet successful phase of any endeavor.

I think this why John Wooden was such a good coach. He would challenge his players to play the best thye could. Sometimes John would yell at the team after winning by 12 if the effort was lacking in an easy win.

He also got into an argument with Red Auerbach. Some reporter asked how some famous coaches got their players to play at a high level. Red said something like, "I demand 110% out of players every day." John Wooden replied, "By definition you can only achieve 100%. I am happy to get 90% from my players"

[mraynrand]

I didn't realize this was a Houston Oilers thread until now.

Dude had a lot of character/was a character.

[pbmax]

I think this why John Wooden was such a good coach. He would challenge his players to play the best thye could. Sometimes John would yell at the team after winning by 12 if the effort was lacking in an easy win.

He also got into an argument with Red Auerbach. Some reporter asked how some famous coaches got their players to play at a high level. Red said something like, "I demand 110% out of players every day." John Wooden replied, "By definition you can only achieve 100%. I am happy to get 90% from my players"

That last line goes back to an argument we had a while back about the team goals for some stat. The goal was 100% perfection and anything else was considered failure (don't remember the unit or the action tracked). Sides quickly formed up about whether perfection (or better) was a good goal.

It makes a nice rallying cry, but if you actually want to see change you can track, monitor and update, it has to be realistic.

[Cheesehead Craig]

APRH, if the defense tanks the team, Capers will get canned; probably not Stubby, even if it's really, really bad.

Pretty much agree with this.

[MadtownPacker]

It called draft and develop. TT found the gems, its up to MM to develop them. Give it time.

Welcome to the forum!

Ok now that the pleasantries are out of the way....
TT's action say he does not plan to be around too much longer. His talent has developed, some has left but there is a strong core to add pieces to and have some well placed rookies in. Think it's why Caper avoided the chopping block. TT doesn't want to blow it up, he wants to work with what he has built for his final run as GM IMO.