"Closure", or "Don't blame Thompson"

[PackerBlues]

Hearing Brett Favre say that he is retiring, and that it did not have anything to do with Thompson's lack of activity in Free Agency gave me a sense of Closure to this whole thing.

When it came out that Brett would retire, I wanted to blame someone. Considering the timing (coming directly after Moss re-signed with the Patriots), I turned my anger toward Thompson. Hearing Favre himself say that he didn't blame Thompson for not using Free Agency, helped to get over that anger a little bit. In short, I was wrong.

If anything, today is the real start to Thompson's tenure. How the Packers move on without Brett Favre will be the real testament as to what kind of a job Thompson is doing in GB. Go ahead and bash me for saying that, or toss out your theory about how I will be happy if Thompson fails, just so I can say "I told you so." It's all Bullshit. I have no more like or dislike for Thompson than I do for any other GM in the league. If I disagree with his methods, I will voice my opinions about it. I root for the Packers, and what I see from them on the football field, not for the white haired paper pusher sitting in his office up high.

With that being said, I really hope that the young guys who call themselves Packer fans understand what was lost when Favre retired. Prior to the retirement press conference, ESPN pointed out that in the 16 years before Brett Favre came to GB, the Packers only had one season with 10 wins, and only one playoff appearance. Think about that. 16 years. You do not need me to quote to you how great the Packers have been during the 16 years that we have been lucky enough to have Favre at QB, because if you did..........I guess you wouldn't be much of a Packer fan anyway.

Heres to wishing Brett Favre nothing but the best in whatever the future holds for him and his family. Cheers. :glug:

[The Leaper]

If anything, today is the real start to Thompson's tenure.

If you aren't smart enough to recognize all the work Thompson has done to this point to lay the foundation for "life after Favre", it is your own dumb fault. Thompson has been successful already, even though Favre has only been retired for 2 days. His tenure started the day he was hired...arguing otherwise is kind of crazy IMO.

If what you meant to say is that Thompson's legacy will ultimately be defined by the success of the team going forward, then I can agree with you.

[PackerBlues]

different way of wording it, same meaning. I am not looking for an argument today.

[Lurker64]

I'm just curious as to why you wanted to blame someone before you had all the details.

I heard "Brett Favre is retiring from football, because he says he's 'mentally tired' " and I also heard a lot of speculation about whether or not this was accurate, and whether really he wasn't coming back because of other things. I figured that Brett Favre's general candidness and authenticity with the Packers has at the very least earned him the benefit of the doubt, so I didn't even think to interpret the "mentally tired" comments as falsehoods. At the very least, I would wait until I heard it from the horse's mouth before jumping to conclusions because I'm not actually privy to any of the behind the scenes stuff here.

Perhaps you should take this as a lesson to not jump to conclusions in absence of facts, even in an emotionally charged situation. "A happened, then B happened, so therefore A caused B" is one of the most common nonformal logical fallacies (it's a "Post hoc ergo popter hoc fallacy", for those keeping score at home.) It also seems to be particularly common among sports fans. Just remember, correlation is not causation.

[ND72]

If anything, today is the real start to Thompson's tenure.

If you aren't smart enough to recognize all the work Thompson has done to this point to lay the foundation for "life after Favre", it is your own dumb fault. Thompson has been successful already, even though Favre has only been retired for 2 days. His tenure started the day he was hired...arguing otherwise is kind of crazy IMO.

If what you meant to say is that Thompson's legacy will ultimately be defined by the success of the team going forward, then I can agree with you.

Actually, I "KINDOF" agree with PackerBlues...Aaron Rodgers is at least a big chunk of how people will view Teddy. Thompson has laid down, in my opinion, and amazing railway, we just gotta see if the Engine will get us somewhere.

[billy_oliver880]

You know what they say...Defense wins championships.

[The Leaper]

Perhaps you should take this as a lesson to not jump to conclusions in absence of facts, even in an emotionally charged situation.

My disappointment was that Favre did not handle this in a way that prevented any need for speculation. He didn't issue an official statement or address the public in any official way until today...more than 48 hours after the first reports of his retirement became public. Favre knew this decision would cause a lot of emotion, yet he was the one who decided to go hide after he made it. This simply was not a decision you could make and then go crawl under a rock and wish it all went away.

Favre should have been the one telling his fans why he made the decision in the first place, not Bus Cook, Ted Thompson or Scott Favre.

[The Leaper]

Actually, I "KINDOF" agree with PackerBlues...Aaron Rodgers is at least a big chunk of how people will view Teddy. Thompson has laid down, in my opinion, and amazing railway, we just gotta see if the Engine will get us somewhere.

The whole basis of Thompson's approach is to make it so whoever replaced Favre did not have to be the engine that will get us somewhere. Rather than load up weapons for Favre, Thompson has built the defense and increased the depth on the roster. He's already done what is necessary for the team to be successful after Favre.

You won't replace Favre with someone else that can do what he did...guys like him come to a franchise once every 50 years if you are lucky. If Rodgers fails, Thompson will have a chance to find someone else who can succeed because of the strength he has built in other areas of the roster. His success isn't tied to Rodgers.

[red]

i also kind of agree with packerblues

almost any and all of the success that this team has managed this last year was attributed to favre not TT, by the national media.

if they were to win another superbowl, it would have been because of #4

now the biggest name in the organization is gone, it is now 100% TT's team, he runs things, he builds the team, he does things his way

now with favre gone, there is no doubt what so ever who the #1 in town is

this is now TT's team

[The Leaper]

now the biggest name in the organization is gone, it is now 100% TT's team, he runs things, he builds the team, he does things his way

It was 100% TT's team in 2005, 2006 and 2007...in case you hadn't noticed. Claiming he only gets credit for what happens from here out is ridiculous IMO, although I agree his ultimate legacy will be based on how well he manages the team through the loss of a legendary QB...because most teams/GMs have failed in the face of that challenge.

[SkinBasket]

It's just rather convenient how Blues wants to forget the past work Thompson's done given that he's been completely off base about most of it. But now he has a brave new world filled with limitless possibilities to be wrong about. Exciting times.

BTW, congrats on getting over your self inflicted mental anguish Blues.

[woodbuck27]

If anything, today is the real start to Thompson's tenure.

If you aren't smart enough to recognize all the work Thompson has done to this point to lay the foundation for "life after Favre", it is your own dumb fault. Thompson has been successful already, even though Favre has only been retired for 2 days. His tenure started the day he was hired...arguing otherwise is kind of crazy IMO.

If what you meant to say is that Thompson's legacy will ultimately be defined by the success of the team going forward, then I can agree with you.

FUCK!

Lighten up please. and read the Packer fans post before you kick him in the nuts.

JAYSUS!!

[woodbuck27]

Hearing Brett Favre say that he is retiring, and that it did not have anything to do with Thompson's lack of activity in Free Agency gave me a sense of Closure to this whole thing.



If anything, today is the real start to Thompson's tenure. How the Packers move on without Brett Favre will be the real testament as to what kind of a job Thompson is doing in GB.

Go ahead and bash me for saying that, or toss out your theory about how I will be happy if Thompson fails, just so I can say "I told you so." It's all Bullshit.

I have no more like or dislike for Thompson than I do for any other GM in the league. If I disagree with his methods, I will voice my opinions about it. I root for the Packers, and what I see from them on the football field, not for the white haired paper pusher sitting in his office up high.

With that being said,

I really hope that the young guys who call themselves Packer fans understand what was lost when Favre retired. Prior to the retirement press conference, ESPN pointed out that in the 16 years before Brett Favre came to GB, the Packers only had one season with 10 wins, and only one playoff appearance. Think about that. 16 years. You do not need me to quote to you how great the Packers have been during the 16 years that we have been lucky enough to have Favre at QB, because if you did..........I guess you wouldn't be much of a Packer fan anyway.

Heres to wishing Brett Favre nothing but the best in whatever the future holds for him and his family. Cheers. :glug:

This is a very honest and fair post.

I feel somewhat the same but it's not my time or place to go just there.

This certainly isn't a whole lot about Ted Thompson one way or the other. This is about Packer fans and losing OUR beloved QB BRETT FAVRE.Certainly I doubt we'll be fortunate enough to ever see another like him again in our lifetimes.

I do believe most Packer fans would agree with that.

BRETT FAVRE = TRULY GREAT!

[PackerBlues]

BTW, congrats on getting over your self inflicted mental anguish Blues.

Well golly, thanks skin. Coming from you, that means absolutely nothing to me, as do your opinions, and you yourself.

There have obviously been a few people who understand what I was trying to say in my post, but then there are shitheads like you, who even on a day like today, cannot help but to act like an ass and take enjoyment in other peoples misery. You truly are a pathetic little child.

[Freak Out]

Prior to the retirement press conference, ESPN pointed out that in the 16 years before Brett Favre came to GB, the Packers only had one season with 10 wins, and only one playoff appearance. Think about that. 16 years.

Many of use were watching the Packers those 16 years...we sure as fuck don't need ESPN to tell us how nice it was with #4 at QB.

[cpk1994]

Prior to the retirement press conference, ESPN pointed out that in the 16 years before Brett Favre came to GB, the Packers only had one season with 10 wins, and only one playoff appearance. Think about that. 16 years.

Many of use were watching the Packers those 16 years...we sure as fuck don't need ESPN to tell us how nice it was with #4 at QB.YOu are aware that ESPN airs outside of Green Bay don't you? :)

[Freak Out]

Prior to the retirement press conference, ESPN pointed out that in the 16 years before Brett Favre came to GB, the Packers only had one season with 10 wins, and only one playoff appearance. Think about that. 16 years.

Many of use were watching the Packers those 16 years...we sure as fuck don't need ESPN to tell us how nice it was with #4 at QB.YOu are aware that ESPN airs outside of Green Bay don't you? :)

Considering I live in Alaska yes..... :lol:

[RashanGary]

I agree that Thompsons most unique praise can only come now. His first couple years he was reshaping Shermans teams. He's shown he can build a winner if he has a great QB. Now we find out if he's one of the special GM's that can build a competitor without a great QB. Time will tell.

[b bulldog]

Time will also tell if ARod can be great, average or pathetic

[RashanGary]

Time will also tell if ARod can be great, average or pathetic

I don't care so much about Arod. The future of the Packers doesn't rest on his shoulders. McCarthy adn TT have to keep bringing guys in till one sticks. Arod is just the first chance. I agree that time will tell, but I don't think its accurate to say he has to succeed or the Packers are done. They might be done until they find one, but I think the problem can be solved. everywhere Parcellls went he found a way to get a good QB. If you're a good personal guy you'll find a way.

[RashanGary]

I think Brett did the right thing by squashing all of the Thompson hate. Somebody within the Packers obviously told him what was up and what a nightmare liars like McGinn were starting to create.

[Bretsky]

I think Brett did the right thing by squashing all of the Thompson hate. Somebody within the Packers obviously told him what was up and what a nightmare liars like McGinn were starting to create.

Or he was smart enough to go out with class with the company line and not create more drama. Who really knows. I don't buy that McGinn just pulls stuff out of his sleeve; IMO he's speaking with more people than we can imagine inside and outside of the orgnaization and he would not write things if he didn't have reason to believe them. He's also a controversial dude and part of his job is to be interesting.....which sometimes involves adding to drama or bringing it up.

[RashanGary]

Yeah, that whole "It has nothing to do Ted or Mike or anything with the organization and that's coming from my heart" part was just a lie and when Brett says something comes from his heart it really means he's just spewing the company line.

Please, Bretsky. McGinn is a liar. I am convinced that you CANNOT trust the news from JS after the last couple months.

[Bretsky]

Yeah, that whole "It has nothing to do Ted or Mike or anything with the organization and that's coming from my heart" part was just a lie and when Brett says something comes from his heart it really means he's just spewing the company line.

Please, Bretsky. McGinn is a liar.


McGinn is accountable with his bosses as well.....just like anybody else would be. If he's flat out lying without evidence the guy will get canned.
He has not become what he is by reporting untruths all the time. Don't you think people question his integrity all the time and he has to explain his sources ? We don't know the half of information Bob McGinn has privy to.

[RashanGary]

That's why credible journelists cite thier sources and really credible ones get two sources before they make claims or distort the truth.


With the advent of the internet, the press conferences are available to all of us. I watch them all and I see McGinn blatantly skewing what is said to fit a more sexy story or to fit what he wants to believe.

The press gazette isn't the most intriguing read, but it's honest. They don't lie to sell papers. I'm getting to the point where I don't need the opinion of some dufus writer. I'd rather read what happened and make my own opinion. McGinn is good with draft coverage, but he's developing a real problem with lying. As long as people know they're not reading an honest paper, that is fine. It's like buying a tabloid sports paper full of speculation that is twisted to appear as fact.

[Deputy Nutz]

Well it would be tough to call McGinn a liar when Bus Cook, Favre's agent said that Brett wasn't feeling the love.

[KYPack]

BTW, congrats on getting over your self inflicted mental anguish Blues.

Well golly, thanks skin. Coming from you, that means absolutely nothing to me, as do your opinions, and you yourself.

There have obviously been a few people who understand what I was trying to say in my post, but then there are shitheads like you, who even on a day like today, cannot help but to act like an ass and take enjoyment in other peoples misery. You truly are a pathetic little child.

No Kumbaya moment, eh boys?

[highlander]

Favre: No one could have changed my mind to come back

By Tom Pelissero
tpelisse@greenbaypressgazette.com

Brett Favre said today he feels he’s leaving the NFL on his own terms and there’s nothing anyone in the Green Bay Packers organization could have done to change his mind.


“I've given everything I could possibly give to this organization, to the game of football, and I don't think I have anything left to give,” Favre said in a media conference announcing his retirement, which became public Tuesday. “I know I can play, but I don't think I want to."

Favre, who holds all of the NFL’s major passing records, repeatedly said he has no regrets and believes he made the right decision.

"I think last year, the year before, I was tired, and it took awhile, but I came back,” he said. “Something told me this time not to come back. It took awhile once again, once again I wonder if it was the right decision. But I think in my situation — and I had this conversation with Mike (McCarthy and Ted (Thompson) — it's a unique situation in that in 17 years I had one of the better seasons in my career, the team had a great year, everything seems to be going great, the team wants me back, I still can play, for the most part everyone would think I would be back, would want me back. That's a unique situation.

“There's no guarantees next year, personally and as a team, and I'm well aware of that. It's a tough business. Last year and the year before I questioned whether I should come back because I didn't play at a high enough level. ... It really, to me and (his wife) Deanna, was more noticeable, the stress part of it. It's demanding. It always has been, but I think as I've gotten older, I'm much more aware of that."

Favre was choked up just seconds into the more than hourlong press conference, but for the most part was composed. He flew to Green Bay from Mississippi this morning and admitted it’s “a tough day.”

Asked what he plans to do with his future, Favre responded simply, “Nothing.”

“Will I find something to do that's equal to throwing a touchdown pass at Lambeau Field? I doubt it,” he said. “I'm not even going to try, and as I said earlier, there really isn't a plan. I know that this is, this place, and what it's meant to my career, is really special, and to think I can find something to replace that and feel the same — I'm not a fool. ... I'm not even going to try. But life goes on. I will do something, whatever it may be.”

He said he believes the Packers are “close” to being a Super Bowl team but said he doesn’t plan to be involved in any formal capacity during the 2008 season.

His wife, Deanna, as well as Mike McCarthy, Ted Thompson and other members of the Packers organization were in attendance.

[RashanGary]

I meant to post this here



A master of concealing his feelings, Thompson struck all the proper chords Tuesday. But when the general manager said he hadn't tried to persuade Favre, let alone beg him, to play another season, it spoke volumes about the dynamics of their relationship.


Later on after this interview, Wolf had a phone conference with the media. They asked Wolf if he would have tried to convince Brett to stay. Wolf said he would never do that, that a player could make his own choice about his life.



So Thompson says he didn't try to convince Brett to stay and it speaks volumes about their relationship but another GM who is known to have a great relationship with Brett says he wouldn't do it either. I guess I don't understand how McGinn would claim that speaks volumes about their relationship unless he just felt like twisting reality to sell papers.

Just know when you pick up that paper that you are not getting what happened, you are getting the drama padded view of what happened as told by someone who makes money on stirring the pot.

[RashanGary]

The Packers own the 30th pick in a draft that is nine weeks off. If Brett Favre returns, it's reasonable to think Thompson might like to trade up in the first round for a player that could offer more to a team seeking a Super Bowl appearance before their aging quarterback loses his stinger.

However, Thompson has never displayed much enthusiasm for a win-now approach.






He also wrote this about Thompson not wanting to win now, but in the same press conference Thompson said he takes the best player and seeks the most value because it helps the team win the most games now and later. McGinn picks his pieces, throws in what he thinks it means and twists reality to drum up drama and sell papers.

Just know when you read this stuff that it's not whe philosophy and approach of the GM. If you want to know that, you have to acctually listen to the conference yourself. People who get the news from JS are getting the distorted version spiced up with paper selling drama. Just remember you can get the real stuff for free at packers.com before you pony up and pay to have reality distorted by some writer with a big head and poor ethics.

[Bossman641]

The Packers own the 30th pick in a draft that is nine weeks off. If Brett Favre returns, it's reasonable to think Thompson might like to trade up in the first round for a player that could offer more to a team seeking a Super Bowl appearance before their aging quarterback loses his stinger.

However, Thompson has never displayed much enthusiasm for a win-now approach.






He also wrote this about Thompson not wanting to win now, but in the same press conference Thompson said he takes the best player and seeks the most value because it helps the team win the most games now and later. McGinn picks his pieces, throws in what he thinks it means and twists reality to drum up drama and sell papers.

Just know when you read this stuff that it's not whe philosophy and approach of the GM. If you want to know that, you have to acctually listen to the conference yourself. People who get the news from JS are getting the distorted version spiced up with paper selling drama. Just remember you can get the real stuff for free at packers.com before you pony up and pay to have reality distorted by some writer with a big head and poor ethics.

Also know that the stuff you get at packers.com is all feel good fluff. Yea, I read it too, but there are no critical pieces on that site.

I personally don't care what McGinn does. If he is lying then the truth will come out eventually. If he is trying to start a crusade against TT, he will have a pretty tough time doing it if the team continues to grow as it has.

Of course he's going to inject his personal biases into his articles, you should know that going in.

[RashanGary]

I'm not talking about the fluff pieces, I'm talking about the press conferences. I don't know how many people listen to those, but 80% of what is written in the papers comes from those conferences. Rather than taking what you hear 2nd hand I strongly recommend people just listen to the press conferences and lockerroom conferences themselves. YOu can hear how players, coaches and front office personal answer in completeness, not just the one sentence that fits the current skew.

[RashanGary]

For the record, I think packers.com fluff pieces are junk.

Silverstein is pretty good at JS and the press gazette is pretty good about being straight forward, honest and open with sources rather than having unnamed sources like McGinn. I don't evne mind unnamed sources so much if it helps him dig more draft info but the problem is that I see him skewing direct quotes that I also got to hear. I imagine he's skewing everything else now as well. It must makes it hard for me to trust anything he writes, esspecially when so much of it comes from the proverbial un-names source and he's not even shy about skewing the names sources words when evidence is right on packers.com for everyone to hear.

[Freak Out]

I think closure is not what I'm even thinking about.....another page has been turned in the big Packer story and were onto something new. I am looking forward to seeing how this team comes out and shows that life goes on and the Packers winning will continue as well. We have some damn good players on this team yet.

[Lurker64]

I think closure is not what I'm even thinking about.....another page has been turned in the big Packer story and were onto something new.

I think you're right in that closure is the wrong term. As much as a Brett Favre fan as I was, I was a hundred times more a Packer fan. While Favre is walking off into the sunset, the Packers are moving forward into something new and different. It's a scary time, and a sad time, but also a little exciting. I'd rather take a step forward than close the book on anything.

[Bossman641]

For the record, I think packers.com fluff pieces are junk.

Silverstein is pretty good at JS and the press gazette is pretty good about being straight forward, honest and open with sources rather than having unnamed sources like McGinn. I don't evne mind unnamed sources so much if it helps him dig more draft info but the problem is that I see him skewing direct quotes that I also got to hear. I imagine he's skewing everything else now as well. It must makes it hard for me to trust anything he writes, esspecially when so much of it comes from the proverbial un-names source and he's not even shy about skewing the names sources words when evidence is right on packers.com for everyone to hear.

OK that I can agree with. I hate the use of unnamed sources. I guess it doesn't bother me cause I don't listen to the interviews on packers.com.

[RashanGary]

Everyone should listen to them. Really. I say this all of the time like I deserve some badge, but I listen to every single one. Sometimes I wait a couple days after a loss, but I listen to every one from TC through the season.

You'll find that just about everything they write is based on the lockerroom access (that is filmed and shown at packers.com) and the press conferences (that are also shown at packers.com). Then you can see who skews and who reports. McGinn is considered the best by many, but as we get more from the horses mouth, you realize he's not the best at all. He's just the least ethical.

[SkinBasket]

BTW, congrats on getting over your self inflicted mental anguish Blues.

Well golly, thanks skin. Coming from you, that means absolutely nothing to me, as do your opinions, and you yourself.

There have obviously been a few people who understand what I was trying to say in my post, but then there are shitheads like you, who even on a day like today, cannot help but to act like an ass and take enjoyment in other peoples misery. You truly are a pathetic little child.

Well golly, if I mean so little to you, then stop getting so worked up about me and my opinions.

I forgot I was supposed to coddle you and your "special" posts when you're feeling down. I'll try harder to be more aware of your self pity from now on. After all, since you're sad you should get a free pass on anything you post.

[Carolina_Packer]

I don't see how anyone could blame McCarthy or Thompson for Favre leaving, not that anyone who has posted up this point has. Just a general comment in response to the subject line. This is the umteenth he's considered retirement, and this was just the year. It was going to happen sometime. I do keep going back to his comment that he can still play. I wonder if the itch will return in July and that he might reconsider. Right now that doesn't look probable, but we'll see if we get past July and into August.

This team is still well led by the front office and coaching staff. I think they keep developing this team and the talent they have and will acquire in free agency(if any) and through the draft. If they can pull off a 13-3 last year unexpectedly, why can't they pull off a 10 win season this year. It's not all about A-Rod. There is a lot of talent left on the team to build around. Perhaps when Favre was playing it seemed all about Favre, since he was the guy who was a living legend, but I don't think the team will ever be all about Rodgers, and that's good for me. It will be more about the whole team as far as identity. The only major concern, and I'm sure it's this way for a lot of fans is A-Rod's durability.

[Scott Campbell]

Well it would be tough to call McGinn a liar when Bus Cook, Favre's agent said that Brett wasn't feeling the love.



Bus wasn't exactly impartial about Brett coming back.

What's 4% of $12M.
What's 4% of $0.

[KYPack]

Well it would be tough to call McGinn a liar when Bus Cook, Favre's agent said that Brett wasn't feeling the love.



Bus wasn't exactly impartial about Brett coming back.

What's 4% of $12M.
What's 4% of $0.

The whole "Favre wasn't feeling the love" story comes from Scott Favre and Bus Cook,

1. A brother sticking up for his brother.
2. An agent sticking up for his pocketbook.

Both understandable, but their viewpoints must be considered in the greater context. A HOF athlete quits a demanding, physical sport after 17 years on the job.

Brett was the one who had the cross to bear. It really doesn't matter what Scott or Bus Cook have to say.

McGinn? A writer doing his job.

End of story.