Aaron Nagler @AaronNagler 11h11 hours ago
Ted Thompson, who drafted Aaron Rodgers, is lucky to have Aaron Rodgers. My timeline.
TIME IS A FLAT CIRCLE
Aaron Nagler @AaronNagler 11h11 hours ago
Ted Thompson, who drafted Aaron Rodgers, is lucky to have Aaron Rodgers. My timeline.
TIME IS A FLAT CIRCLE
Bud Adams told me the franchise he admired the most was the Kansas City Chiefs. Then he asked for more hookers and blow.
Luck is the explanation people give for the success of those they don’t like or understand.
Was Ted lucky Rodgers was available? He had the unique vision to accurately recognize an opportunity, and the significant will to take advantage of it in the face of what he knew would be vocal opposition.
None of the GM's who selected before him - almost all of whom had stronger needs at the QB position - possessed any of that. And has been mentioned before, very few pundits/fans/etc. did either. He was roundly criticized but stuck to his vision in spite of overwhelming public pressure and criticism.
Lucky indeed.
If Ted wasn't so good, he'd be bad. Therefore he's bad.
That's exactly the point; Nobody, including Ted, wanted a QB in the first round or anywhere near it. However, when you're at #21 (or near it) and one of the two guys projected to be the best player/top pick in the whole draft falls to you, it's 1. a fortunate circumstance and 2. an obvious decision to make.
True, none of the GMs picking earlier chose him - that's fortunate for us. It's also possible those other teams had more pressing needs and the Packers really didn't.
It's also possible that it really wasn't a very good decision to make, but Aaron Rodgers just turned out to be so damn good - better than anybody expected - that it became a super decision.
Anyway, my original point was, being a good GM is a lot more luck and circumstance than skill and wisdom.
Last edited by texaspackerbacker; 01-21-2017 at 12:47 PM.
What could be more GOOD and NORMAL and AMERICAN than Packer Football?
More pressing needs then the best player in the draft. More pressing needs than a hall of fame QB. If the draft were held tomorrow and ARod entered it, would he go #1 no matter who was holding that pick? Since the answer is YES, what you mean is that nobody thought he was good enough to draft ahead of their pressing needs. (since no one ever has more pressing needs than a 10+ year starting hall of fame QB)
I don't hold Grudges. It's counterproductive.
Hindsight is 20/20, as they say. Obviously when I say pressing needs, I'm talking about positions. I'll give Ted credit for drafting Aaron Rodgers; I'll even say he hasn't been a bad GM - records don't lie. If one of those other GMs did grab Rodgers earlier, though, or if he hadn't turned out to be so damn good, either Ted would be long gone or else life would be long term depressing in Packerland - kinda like the 80s.
What could be more GOOD and NORMAL and AMERICAN than Packer Football?
The fan reaction was extremely negative. Extremely. The same complaint people are making now about the Rodgers-era teams: we have a HOF QB! Why isn't Ted doing more while the Packers have this window? Why doesn't he draft someone to help his QB now/sign someone?
And yes, hindsight is 20/20. So remember that when Thompson drafted Aaron Rodgers, he was thought of as a Ted Telford "system" QB, and the knock was that Telford's QB's had a bad track record in the pros. He was no sure bet. The longer he fell, the more the doubts piled up. 23 GM's had rendered their verdict on this college prospect by the time it was Thompson's pick.
It was a helluva smart pick. And not an easy call to make, given that he was not yet the Aaron Rodgers that colors our view now when we look back. And given that if he didn't pan out, Thompson would've wasted a first round pick on a position not seen as a need at a time he had a HOF QB and a team that needed help at other positions to make a run.
Gutsy call. When anyone says it was an "easy" call, they're using hindsight.
"The Devine era is actually worse than you remember if you go back and look at it."
KYPack
There must be a little luck in most of these good picks.
"The Devine era is actually worse than you remember if you go back and look at it."
KYPack
Mike Wells
ESPN Staff Writer
The Colts announce six candidates will interview for the vacant GM job. Chris Ballard (KC) Scott Fitterer (SEA) Trent Kirchner (SEA) George Paton (MIN) Jimmy Raye III (IND) Eliot Wolf (GB)
I find it interesting Ballard agreed to be interviewed here. Didn't he turn down that opportunity for the 9ers?
No longer the member of any fan clubs. I'm tired of jinxing players out of the league and into obscurity.
Ballard to Colts. Is keeping Pagano for at least a year.
Eliot Wolf's ascension to the rarified air of football immortality has been delayed again.
Ian Rapoport @RapSheet 25m25 minutes ago
The #Colts have hired GM Chris Ballard, formerly of the #Chiefs.
Bud Adams told me the franchise he admired the most was the Kansas City Chiefs. Then he asked for more hookers and blow.
I must have been in the minority. I couldn't believe Aaron was still sitting there and didn't think Ted would make the move because we didn't need him at the time. That move is the poster child for those who believe in taking the BPA no matter what your needs are. I got very excited when we took Rodgers that day. Thanks Ted.
49ers to hire John Lynch as GM. Hiring the Player turned Announcer as GM always works. Just ask the Lions.
I live near SF. When the 49ers ran over the Packers two years in a row, the fans who knew I was a Packers fan couldn't stop crowing about the victories. My only response was: "Let's see what this looks like in 3 years. The 9ers will fall and GB will still be in the hunt."
My prediction came true, but 49er fans are such fair weather fans it's no fun rubbing their faces in it.
No longer the member of any fan clubs. I'm tired of jinxing players out of the league and into obscurity.