Optimists rejoice

[RashanGary]

Five years ago we said Thompson seemed to have a plan to find real answers to problems rather than temporary fixes

Four years ago we said you can see the young talent showing signs and over the long term if we kept finding talent, it would start to steam roll as we resign the key players for less than UFA prices and then have even more money to tip the scales of greatness.

Three years ago we almost made the SB. We said TT was not showing ego with getting rid of Favre, but rather showing that he liked Aaron Rodgers and wanted him as our QB instead. We said we were surprised to see it peak this soon because we had more money to spend than just about any team in the league and our young talent was still too young really.

two years ago we started resigning key players. We said this is the window we were waiting for. 6-10 was a slump but it got us Raji and Clay and we still have boat loads of cash to get better.

One year ago we said we are one of the most talented teams in the entire NFL, we're still one of the youngest and still have a lot of room to keep spending. Kurt Warner said on NFLN that our team should have beat theirs 9 out of 10 times. They played a magical game, but he loved the Packer team (and this was earlier in the playhoffs before we won the SB). Warner knew what we had and so did some of McGinn's scouts.

This year we said our window was wide open again. IMO and i think several others, our best teams are still ahead of us. We win the SB. It's everything we expected and maybe more.



Through all of it the pessimists said we were drinking the kool aid. Cutler was as good as Rodgers. Our OL was too weak. Ted was too cheap and conservative to win. Ted could never win without Favre. Favre made this team what it was and on an on and on. . . . . .

Look how it panned out. Exactly like we though. And McGinn jsut came out with the Dynasty thing, but we've been talking here about this being the direction. If Ted's plan worked like we hoped, it wasn't going to be a one year wonder. It was going to be a several year window. I'm shocked we won it this year. I think our window is even wider open for the next three years.

[Tony Oday]

I love my kool aid!

[esoxx]

<<<<<< Not shocked Packers won it this year.

[Lurker64]

It takes a lot of things breaking your way in any given year to win a championship, so there's no guarantee that we'll be back any time soon (though you can't possibly say that the Packers got all the breaks this year). But they'll never take this away from us, and we're set up to have as good a chance as anybody for the foreseeable future.

I've always been an adherent to the "just get in the playoffs, and once you're there anything can happen" school of thought. Winning that big silver football as the #6 seed is going to make it so I never waver from this conviction.

[VegasPackFan]

It takes a lot of things breaking your way in any given year, so there's no guarantee that we'll be back any time soon (though you can't possibly say that the Packers got all the breaks this year). But they'll never take this away from us, and we're set up to have as good a chance as anybody for the foreseeable future.

I've always been an adherent to the "just get in the playoffs, and once you're there anything can happen" school of thought. Winning that big silver football as the #6 seed is going to make it so I never waver from this conviction.

Lurker, you hit it on the head but you understate the significance that virtually NOTHING went our way during the regular season.

[Bossman641]

Good post JH.

While basically nothing went right this year, TT's plan was still followed and executed brilliantly. What a ride.

[Joemailman]

The only real break the Packers got was when the Jets released Howard Green. With Pickett hobbled at the time, the Packers were desperate for a big guy to spell B.J. Raji a bit. Green's sudden availability reminded me of 1996 when Andre Rison suddenly became available at a time when the Packers were hobbled at wide receiver.

That said, TT was proven right. He won it all in his 6th year at the helm, 5th year with the coach of his choosing. Ron Wolf and Mike Holmgren won it in their 5th year. The difference is that whereas Wolf and Holmgren didn't always see eye to eye, Thompson and McCarthy seem in lockstep in terms of how they want to put this team together. They have a better chance to win multiple Super Bowls because it is highly unlikely the coach will leave 2 years after winning the Super Bowl.

[Cleft Crusty]

Cutler was as good as Rodgers.


Clefty's focus must not be working - too many Travatan drops for the ole' glaucoma perhaps. Who said this? Seriously, other than a deluded Bears fan, did anyone actually believe this?

[mission]

Clefty's focus must not be working - too many Travatan drops for the ole' glaucoma perhaps. Who said this? Seriously, other than a deluded Bears fan, did anyone actually believe this?

Wasn't that Partial?

[HarveyWallbangers]

Clefty's focus must not be working - too many Travatan drops for the ole' glaucoma perhaps. Who said this? Seriously, other than a deluded Bears fan, did anyone actually believe this?

I remember debating this. I think this was after Aaron's first year starting when Cutler went to Chicago.

[MadScientist]

(though you can't possibly say that the Packers got all the breaks this year).
I think the Packers got all the breaks -
Broken TE,
Broken OT,
Broken RB,
Broken DE's
Broken LB's
Broken SS's


Hell of a job by TT / MM to succeed in the face of this. As fans we all complain from time to time when the leadership makes head scratching moves, but they got the job done.

[3irty1]

Yeah the Packers catch all the breaks but they catch them in the offseason. We drafted Raji and Clay in the same draft and then they turned into elite players in only their second year. Tramon Williams just had the best year from a cornerback that I have ever seen in Green Bay and that includes Chuck's DPOY season. Sam Shields materialized into a defensive staple. That's too good to be all Thompson. That's luck.

On the field things were about as unlucky as they were in 2008. A few more bad breaks and we miss the playoffs but a few good ones? Or just no bad ones? The Packers are 15-1. With all the parody in the NFL last season I kept thinking that if we had only stayed healthy we could easily be the unquestioned powerhouse in the NFL. This year we will be.

[Tony Oday]

That's too good to be all Thompson. That's luck.

100% Disagree. This is good drafting and signing of people with talent off the scrap heap...if he only did it once that is luck, twice is a coincidence, three times is a trend...10 times is a Thompson!

[HarveyWallbangers]

100% Disagree. This is good drafting and signing of people with talent off the scrap heap...if he only did it once that is luck, twice is a coincidence, three times is a trend...10 times is a Thompson!

I like it. Three Times A Lady. Ten Times A Thompson.

[pbmax]

<<<<<<<<<<<<< Was (still am) an optimist.


<<<<<<<<<<<<< Still shocked Packers won Super Bowl :)

[mission]

<<<<<<<<<<<<< Was (still am) an optimist.


<<<<<<<<<<<<< Still shocked Packers won Super Bowl :)

+1

[mission]

Yeah the Packers catch all the breaks but they catch them in the offseason. We drafted Raji and Clay in the same draft and then they turned into elite players in only their second year. Tramon Williams just had the best year from a cornerback that I have ever seen in Green Bay and that includes Chuck's DPOY season. Sam Shields materialized into a defensive staple. That's too good to be all Thompson. That's luck

Can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not.

Agree with you on Raji, Clay, Tramon, Shields, etc...

But when something happens over and over to the point it's beyond the league average, let's get real -- it's not luck. Definite trend.

[Smeefers]

The only real break the Packers got was when the Jets released Howard Green. With Pickett hobbled at the time, the Packers were desperate for a big guy to spell B.J. Raji a bit. Green's sudden availability reminded me of 1996 when Andre Rison suddenly became available at a time when the Packers were hobbled at wide receiver.

That said, TT was proven right. He won it all in his 6th year at the helm, 5th year with the coach of his choosing. Ron Wolf and Mike Holmgren won it in their 5th year. The difference is that whereas Wolf and Holmgren didn't always see eye to eye, Thompson and McCarthy seem in lockstep in terms of how they want to put this team together. They have a better chance to win multiple Super Bowls because it is highly unlikely the coach will leave 2 years after winning the Super Bowl.

Agreed! Getting Howard Green was HUGE. I still remember Raji sitting on the field after a game (can't remember which one), but he was the only healthy DL guy we had. I think that game there was Wynn and Wilson and BJ. BJ played every darn defensive snap. We lost, but he was the rock in that game and I knew that if we didn't get some guys around him to help him out, he'd go the way of so many other players and end up hurt. Getting Green was that extra guy that saved him.

[vince]

:bclap:

[Smidgeon]

Agreed! Howard Green IS huge.

Fixed.

[retailguy]

Getting Howard Green was HUGE.

Was this pun intentional? ;)

[Smeefers]

Was this pun intentional? ;)

Perhaps?

[Bossman641]

Agreed! Getting Howard Green was HUGE. I still remember Raji sitting on the field after a game (can't remember which one), but he was the only healthy DL guy we had. I think that game there was Wynn and Wilson and BJ. BJ played every darn defensive snap. We lost, but he was the rock in that game and I knew that if we didn't get some guys around him to help him out, he'd go the way of so many other players and end up hurt. Getting Green was that extra guy that saved him.

I think you are remembering the Minn game in GB. Jenkins got injured during warmups and Pickett was out after the first couple of drives. It was Raji, Wilson, and Wynn the rest of the way. Don't know how they won that game.

[Scott Campbell]

Can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not.

Agree with you on Raji, Clay, Tramon, Shields, etc...

But when something happens over and over to the point it's beyond the league average, let's get real -- it's not luck. Definite trend.


When you get through all the injuries we got through, it's not luck. It's Thompson. And the staff he assmebled.

[mission]

It's Thompson.

Si.

[HarveyWallbangers]

<-- The original Optimist

:)

[swede]

No need to start a new thread, but this blog entry from the Urinal is pretty cool.
It is pretty cool because I am a flawed human being, rejoicing in the pain of Bear and Viking fans.

Let me say that I am "optomistic" about it bringing joy to other flawed human beings that post here, as it picks the scabs of Bear and Viking misery.

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/115637529.html

[sharpe1027]

Let me get this straight. Making a bunch of seemingly great moves cannot be credited to the GM and must be luck because it is too good? Seems circular to me. By that logic, I conclude that there are no good GMs in the league, only lucky ones. :)

[pbmax]

Can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not.

Agree with you on Raji, Clay, Tramon, Shields, etc...

But when something happens over and over to the point it's beyond the league average, let's get real -- it's not luck. Definite trend.

I think 3irty is saying even a good GM on a hot streak doesn't hit on two first round draft picks AND THEN find two starting CBs in the undrafted pile very often. So that kind of talent haul may not be repeated every two years. But what I think this year showed, is that all those other picks, the ones that do not produce All-Pros and can still be debated, if done right, can contribute to a very successful year. Colledge, Bishop, Jackson, Hawk, Jones and Nelson all helped, even if none will be superstars. By virtue of rising to competency, they helped the All-Pros immeasurably.

[sharpe1027]

I think 3irty is saying even a good GM on a hot streak doesn't hit on two first round draft picks AND THEN find two starting CBs in the undrafted pile very often. So that kind of talent haul may not be repeated every two years. But what I think this year showed, is that all those other picks, the ones that do not produce All-Pros and can still be debated, if done right, can contribute to a very successful year. Colledge, Bishop, Jackson, Hawk, Jones and Nelson all helped, even if none will be superstars. By virtue of rising to competency, they helped the All-Pros immeasurably.

That seems consistent with the context of 3irty's post. I think the use of the term "luck" is what I disagree with. Every GM has some years that are better than others. Having above-normal results any particular year is to be expected in any long-term strategy as are below-average results. The good years makeup for the bad years. It is not so much luck, as how the system is designed to work.

[MJZiggy]

<-- The original Optimist

:)
Optimistic Realists?

[HarveyWallbangers]

Optimistic Realists?

Indeed. Or was it Realistic Optimists? :)

[swede]

Indeed. Or was it Realistic Optimists? :)

I remember that cult, filled with shadowy characters and easily split into pro- and anti- factions on any issue. What I don't remember is when it originated. Was it JSO or early Rats? Was or pre or post Sherman?

We really need a historian Rat to keep track of important events such as the race between Harlan and Brent for most retirements in a three year period.

[MJZiggy]

I remember that cult, filled with shadowy characters and easily split into pro- and anti- factions on any issue. What I don't remember is when it originated. Was it JSO or early Rats? Was or pre or post Sherman?

We really need a historian Rat to keep track of important events such as the race between Harlan and Brent for most retirements in a three year period.

First we'd have to decide whose were more dramatic and that could take a while.