Harry Sydney:Ted Thompson's critics suddenly very quiet

[motife]

Sydney Speaks! Thompson critics are quiet


Ted Thompson By: Harry Sydney

Date: May 26, 2006

PackerReport.com's Harry Sydney evaluates the progress the Green Bay Packers have made under Ted Thompson. The former Packers fullback and assistant coach has been impressed with the general manager's moves since he re-joined the team and is wondering where Thompson's critics have been lately.

For the last two years Ted Thompson has been raked over the coals by many of the Green Bay faithful. Their voices were load and clear. So many thought that he wasn't qualified and had no clue of what he was doing, but lately it's been real quiet. Why is that I wonder?
When he gave Mike Sherman a two-year contract extension last August, at first I said to myself what in the blank is he doing? Then I realized that he did that because he didn't want to have a lame duck coach as a distraction in his first year as general manager. Did he give Sherman perhaps too much money? Probably so, but then again they paid him like they pay players from college. They get paid big contracts for what they have done in the past. Love him or not Mike Sherman had a nice resume, including division titles and a winning percentage that takes a back seat to no one. So I understand that move by Ted Thompson. Just like I understand the firing of Sherman. He didn't like what was happening on the football field as well as what was going on with the relationships behind the scenes. Let's just say there were issues that don't really need to be discussed because what good does it do now?

Then some of us didn't like the hiring of Mike McCarthy because a lot of us said, ‘Who and why?’ I know my original thought wasn't who, but why because I wanted Jim Bates to be the head coach because of what I saw him do with the defense. I thought he had earned the right to have the opportunity to coach the Green Bay Packers. Then after a couple of days I warmed up to the idea because I started to remember what McCarthy was all about as I reflected about the time we coached together in 1999 under Ray Rhodes. Then I realized why Ted hired him and that was because McCarthy and him have so many things in common. They are both football guys 24 hours a day. They live it, sleep it and love it. They have no other distractions in their lives and, trust me, that's what it takes nowadays to be successful as a coach in the NFL.

Then after spending time with McCarthy again and watching how he relates to the players and seeing the assembling of a solid plan by himself and Ted Thompson, I had to take deeper looks to make sure of what I was seeing. And what I see I really like. I looked at the two drafts under Ted and what I see is a bright future he is building. A solid future. Please understand nobody’s perfect. He did miss on Adrian Klemm and Matt O'Dwyer. They just didn't get it done, a lesson well learned. Also there is no guarantee that any of the draft picks will hit it big, but I like the chances.

Let's look at what he has done in the draft and in free agency in the past two years and ask yourself: Isn't this what you want from a general manager? Let's look and some of the players from last year and how bright their future looks. Marviel Underwood - how good can he be? Samkon Gado - look at what he did last year? How good could this guy be with some experience he just might be the kick returner this team has been looking for because he has the speed the size and the running style to be a weapon if he can't get on the field in the regular offense. What about Nick Collins from Bethune-Cookman? I know everyone said, ‘Who? What, a small college guy? How can this guy compete?’ I know I did, and I was wrong. Ted Thompson and his staff did their homework. Look at Aaron Rodgers and how he has progressed. He, I believe, will be ready to step in when Brett Favre retires understanding there will be growing pains, but how could there not be - he's following a living legend. However, McCarthy is a quarterback guru, and another good move by Thompson as I see it. Another guy is Mike Hawkins. I think this guy will be a valuable player for the Green Bay Packers before it's all said and done. Now look at Brady Poppinga, Roy Manning, Michael Montgomery, Colin Cole and last year’s starter William Whitticker - talk about a solid foundation for the future that will only get better with game experience.

Now look at what Ted Thompson did this year in the draft and who he signed as free agents. The signing of Charles Woodson, Ryan Pickett, Ben Taylor, Marquand Manuel, Marc Boerigter and the re-signing of Aaron Kampman as well as the contract extension of Donald Driver and the giving the boot to Javon Walker shows he's on top of his game and willing to make the right moves and pull the trigger. Look who he added this year - A.J. Hawk the future of the franchise. I like what I've seen in Leo Bookman. Ingle Martin is a project, but that's all he needs to be at this time. Abdul Hodge just might be the steal of the draft. Daryn Colledge might just be the starter for years at guard, and Greg Jennings might fill that need at receiver.

As I see it Ted Thompson has done a great job as general manager, and for all those whose voice was so loud, my question

[HarveyWallbangers]

This article wasn't up to the normal standards of Harry Sydney. More like something most of us can write on this forum.

[Bossman641]

I agree Harvey. That article wasn't very professional or insightful at all. Pointing out the guys who were drafted and claiming that some of them might blossom into players? Impressive :roll:

Wasn't Sydney one of TT's biggest critics earlier in the year?

[Homer Jay]

That may be, but I did like the fact that he was willing to say he may have been wrong. That adds a little credibility to my way of thinking.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I think Harry took some ecstacy before sitting down at his computer. I was a little nervous he was gonna say he loves me too.

I guess this is the time of the year for being optimistic.

[Kiwon]

Harry will never win an award for good timing.

It's the pre-season. Every team is hopeful. It's not the time to gloat or be gloomy. It is what it is. If the Pack doesn't win games the critics will return soon enough and remind everyone how they were right all along. The opposite holds true for TT supporters as well. BUT..neither side can say much until the games begin.

So far TT's 4-12. That's all that really counts.

[MJZiggy]

Just remember, the Pack is undefeated in 2006 so far.

[mraynrand]

This article wasn't up to the normal standards of Harry Sydney. More like something most of us can write on this forum.

What are Sydney's normal standards? I thought he was typically a negative sourpuss. Maybe Harry wants some love for talking up the Packers. What has changed? TT made a bunch of moves for mostly unproven or perhaps washed up FAs, and he parlayed three very high draft picks (#5, #36, #37 - one received at the expense of the best #1 Packer draft pick, Walker, since Sterling Sharpe) into a collection of draft picks that right now nobody really knows anything about. Almost the entire team has been turned over in two years, including the loss of three pro-bowlers, and virtually every position is a question mark. Sounds like a lot spin spin spin to me. But what do you expect? Sydney probably has to write something new even if the only transaction since his last collumn is the release of a NFLE allocated player.

[motife]

I liked the title of his article. Seemed like a challenge to "certain people" I will not mention. :cool:

[Bretsky]

I liked the title of his article. Seemed like a challenge to "certain people" I will not mention. :cool:

It would be interesting for Tank to break down his argument point by point.

I would still argue the jury is still out. A real writer could easily spin a negative slant to TT's failure to fill the Interior of his OL last year and again argue he has a bunch of unprovens we are putting some blind faith in this year at OG.

Sydney used Marvil Underwood as support for Thompson. So far Underwood has looked terrible. So far we only know we got one player in last year's draft, and TT missed on the free agents last year. AROD will be the key to last year's draft.

As for this year, I do think TT's free agent moves were adequate, and his draft clearly valued quantity of picks so hopefully those guys turn out.

And again, I'm not a TT hater or lover right now.............but that article sold a lot of us short IMO.

[Tarlam!]

Here's something for you to chew on: Maybe Underwood & Co. will respond to the new coaching regime better than the old. Maybe, TT agreed that the rooks he picked up last year generally underperformed, but felt that was the poor coaching....

[motife]

I liked the title of his article. Seemed like a challenge to "certain people" I will not mention. :cool:

It would be interesting for Tank to break down his argument point by point.

I would still argue the jury is still out. A real writer could easily spin a negative slant to TT's failure to fill the Interior of his OL last year and again argue he has a bunch of unprovens we are putting some blind faith in this year at OG.

Sydney used Marvil Underwood as support for Thompson. .

The Mike Wahle deal still rankles me.

Harry Sydney's description actually goes through the same stages I've went through with Ted Thompson, not hiring Jim Bates, hiring an unknown coach with zero track record, but being impressed by the draft, etc.

I hope the team learned a lesson with Javon Walker. That's not the way you "keep your own" players, particularly after the killer season Javon had in 2004. Thompson's inflexibility might have been more appropriate with an undeserving player. Walker had definitely outperformed his rookie deal.

Who could have possibly foreseen when he was drafted was a stud he turned out to be? Or when Wahle was picked with a 2nd supplemental pick? Mike Wahle and Javon Walker are both elite NFL players who could/should still be in Green Bay.

[MadtownPacker]

I hope the team learned a lesson with Javon Walker. That's not the way you "keep your own" players, particularly after the killer season Javon had in 2004. Thompson's inflexibility might have been more appropriate with an undeserving player. Walker had definitely outperformed his rookie deal.

Screw walker! Like you said after the killer "season" as in 1 season. walker hadnt outperformed anything. randy moss outperformed his rookie deal, not walker.