McGinn Love

[bobblehead]

Ok, he takes a lot of heat here, but last year he was VERY critical of the Bradford and Thorton picks. I think its likely neither one survives this camp.

After this years draft he wasn't really critical of any picks and they are all looking like players. His knowledge of the game is top notch even if he at times has to push a theme to fill space.

I never liked the "too small" crap, primarily because the problem was "not good enough or physical enough" With Hawk and Jones gone in the middle we suddenly look a lot more physical.

[pbmax]

Ok, he takes a lot of heat here, but last year he was VERY critical of the Bradford and Thorton picks. I think its likely neither one survives this camp.

After this years draft he wasn't really critical of any picks and they are all looking like players. His knowledge of the game is top notch even if he at times has to push a theme to fill space.

I never liked the "too small" crap, primarily because the problem was "not good enough or physical enough" With Hawk and Jones gone in the middle we suddenly look a lot more physical.

Bradford definitely doesn't look like he can last. Thorton might get a week or three because of suspensions.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I'm not diggin the weekly chats with McGinn and his new understudy. B-o-r-i-n-g. They're trying to force some personality into the show with a lot chit chat. They should shorten to about half the time. Perhaps it will improve. I think Tyler Dunne was a more natural gabber.

[smuggler]

I'm on the other side of the Thornton/Bradford fence. I think Thornton is clearly a dud, but Bradford might actually turn into a decent player. Granted, I do think Palmer has the clear advantage at present... so he will probably be cut anyway.

[Carolina_Packer]

If either or both are cut, would you want them on the practice squad?

Is TT bad at drafting DL, or is it just bad luck with injuries?

Datone Jones needs to break out this year to justify him as a 1st rounder.
Josh Boyd has had nagging injuries
Khyri Thornton missed his whole first year after being over-drafted, according to some
Christian Ringo, Bruce Gaston and Lavon Hooks are unknowns at this point
B.J. Raji is on a 1 year prove it deal trying to establish his worth to the team, but having come back from a whole year off.
Mike Daniels is the most solid contributor considering where he was drafted.
Mike Pennel is a promising 2nd year who was not drafted
Letroy Guion was a free agent pickup who could be a difference maker.

Does that seem light to you? Besides Jones and Worthy back in 2012, has TT invested enough in the DL? You can't blame the personnel for not being better if the GM is bargain hunting. Sometimes you just need better talent. Of course it's not his fault when a guy gets injured, but TT's track record building a DL is nothing to write home about.

[smuggler]

Yea on Bradford. Indifference wrt Thornton.

[pbmax]

Boyd showed enough last year to justify a selection. Hard to say where he goes from here.

Raji was the starter and played well on 3 monster playoff teams.

Gaston and Ringo have both looked good this camp. Weird thing is that other than Pickett, there seems to be no longevity.

[hoosier]

I'm not diggin the weekly chats with McGinn and his new understudy. B-o-r-i-n-g. They're trying to force some personality into the show with a lot chit chat. They should shorten to about half the time. Perhaps it will improve. I think Tyler Dunne was a more natural gabber.

The new meat is a writer, not a chatter box. Skip the chats, nothing worse than listening to journalists talk about football.

[mraynrand]

I'm on the other side of the Thornton/Bradford fence. I think Thornton is clearly a dud, but Bradford might actually turn into a decent player. Granted, I do think Palmer has the clear advantage at present... so he will probably be cut anyway.

I seem to recall Bradford making a play or two the other night. He's 54, right? Dude has some wheels and actually seems to show instinct on a play or two. Somewhat hopeful I thought.

[Cleft Crusty]

The new meat is a writer, not a chatter box. Skip the chats, nothing worse than listening to journalists talk about football.

The show "Needlepoint Time, featuring Bob McGinn" was far worse.

[pbmax]

I seem to recall Bradford making a play or two the other night. He's 54, right? Dude has some wheels and actually seems to show instinct on a play or two. Somewhat hopeful I thought.

McGinn wrote that up this week, said it was the first time Bradford displayed any of his positive traits from college with the Packers at ILB.

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/packers-carl-bradford-shows-a-glimmer-of-hope-b99565802z1-323182571.html

[mraynrand]

McGinn wrote that up this week, said it was the first time Bradford displayed any of his positive traits from college with the Packers at ILB.

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/packers-carl-bradford-shows-a-glimmer-of-hope-b99565802z1-323182571.html

I'm surprised McGinn had time for this observation, being in preparation for another exciting episode of needlepoint memories.

[bobblehead]

If either or both are cut, would you want them on the practice squad?

Is TT bad at drafting DL, or is it just bad luck with injuries?

Datone Jones needs to break out this year to justify him as a 1st rounder.
Josh Boyd has had nagging injuries
Khyri Thornton missed his whole first year after being over-drafted, according to some
Christian Ringo, Bruce Gaston and Lavon Hooks are unknowns at this point
B.J. Raji is on a 1 year prove it deal trying to establish his worth to the team, but having come back from a whole year off.
Mike Daniels is the most solid contributor considering where he was drafted.
Mike Pennel is a promising 2nd year who was not drafted
Letroy Guion was a free agent pickup who could be a difference maker.

Does that seem light to you? Besides Jones and Worthy back in 2012, has TT invested enough in the DL? You can't blame the personnel for not being better if the GM is bargain hunting. Sometimes you just need better talent. Of course it's not his fault when a guy gets injured, but TT's track record building a DL is nothing to write home about.

Jonny Jolly??

[Bretsky]

McGinn is one of the best beat writers in the NFL
I've always had that position and maintain it; perhaps because he often agrees with me.......lol
But he's a great writer.

People often light him up when he is not on the kool aide train; that is not what he's paid to do

[Bretsky]

Ok, he takes a lot of heat here, but last year he was VERY critical of the Bradford and Thorton picks. I think its likely neither one survives this camp.

After this years draft he wasn't really critical of any picks and they are all looking like players. His knowledge of the game is top notch even if he at times has to push a theme to fill space.

I never liked the "too small" crap, primarily because the problem was "not good enough or physical enough" With Hawk and Jones gone in the middle we suddenly look a lot more physical.



THORNTON......he was the WTF pick of 2014 for the Packers

[mraynrand]

McGinn is one of the best beat writers in the NFL
I've always had that position and maintain it; perhaps because he often agrees with me.......lol
But he's a great writer.

People often light him up when he is not on the kool aide train; that is not what he's paid to do

Sounds like you like McGinn's POV. I think he is a so-so writer skill-wise (technically he is sound, but his writing lacks verve and inspiration), and that his insights are not much better or more prescient than any fan who knows a decent amount about football. But he's a hard worker and provides good content. He seems quite distant from the players, but that's OK, because few players have much insight either and/or are unwilling to share much of it (I don't blame them). Just because he sin't a team shill isn't a reason to dislike him, but at times he most certainly is deliberately controversial (there is a difference between asking a challenging question and specifically trying to create tension; Bob often does the latter).

[Fritz]

What he said.

[Harlan Huckleby]

(technically he is sound, but his writing lacks verve and inspiration) .

Your posts are technically unsound and lack verve and inspiration. You could never fill Bob McGinn's loafers.

McGinn is the man.

[texaspackerbacker]

I NEVER liked McGinn.

[pbmax]

The absolute trust of scouts drives me nuts. It not based on any kind of success rate. Its just a cudgel to beat arguments to death from readers and fans. "They do it for a living, you are just fans" WHOMP WHOMP WHOMP.

Scouts spout off ALL the time about things and players they don't know and don't understand, using the hoariest cliches. And the opinions on skill level are always a choice of terrible, replaceable and great. The insights about how they play often betray less familiarity than I have with the Packers.

Its different with college players, because I don't know them at all, but I am not sure the insight is any better.

However, he does hold to team accountable for success and addressing areas of weakness. He is willing to publish facts that do not reflect well on the team. Those are good things that are not evident in every beat writer (Demovsky probably comes in second and I am not sure who would be third). Dougherty and Oates are happy to bash obvious faults, but they don't report internal material very often.

He is careful and scrupulous in his reporting. The columns can be dicey, especially the Sunday Game Day bombshells. Some of those would fit in a NY tabloid.

[mraynrand]

You could never fill Bob McGinn's loafers..

I thought you were the one who was light in the loafers.

[HarveyWallbangers]

The absolute trust of scouts drives me nuts. It not based on any kind of success rate. Its just a cudgel to beat arguments to death from readers and fans. "They do it for a living, you are just fans" WHOMP WHOMP WHOMP.

Scouts spout off ALL the time about things and players they don't know and don't understand, using the hoariest cliches. And the opinions on skill level are always a choice of terrible, replaceable and great. The insights about how they play often betray less familiarity than I have with the Packers.

Its different with college players, because I don't know them at all, but I am not sure the insight is any better.

However, he does hold to team accountable for success and addressing areas of weakness. He is willing to publish facts that do not reflect well on the team. Those are good things that are not evident in every beat writer (Demovsky probably comes in second and I am not sure who would be third). Dougherty and Oates are happy to bash obvious faults, but they don't report internal material very often.

He is careful and scrupulous in his reporting. The columns can be dicey, especially the Sunday Game Day bombshells. Some of those would fit in a NY tabloid.

This. Especially the comment on the scouts. The scouts are often wrong and even contradict each other.

[pbmax]

This isn't good, rom Bob today: http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/323330421.html


Green Bay — Chip Kelly doesn't care about NFL orthodoxy, reputations, traditions. Nothing.

Show up soft, slow, disorganized, unemotional and unprepared against Kelly's Philadelphia Eagles, as coach Mike McCarthy's Green Bay Packers did Saturday night at Lambeau Field, and you'll get taken to the proverbial woodshed.

It was the third preseason game. It was the dress rehearsal for most teams, even the Packers on defense. Exactly what is it about Chip Kelly that made the difference yesterday? Was it his disregard for traditions and orthodoxy? No, he played it straight and he torched an underperforming defense that had its normal 11 out there for the first time in preseason.

This game was evidence of Chip's ORTHODOXY Bob. Writing on deadline doesn't lend itself to deep arguments. These two paragraphs read like click bait. And only one of them applies to the game.

[Teamcheez1]

I think Chip Kelly treated it as regular season game; we treated it as a preseason game.

Most of our looks and play-calling were straight-up vanilla. MM and DC are not going to show anything even if it is the so-called dress rehearsal for the season.

[mraynrand]

Show up soft, slow, disorganized, unemotional and unprepared against Kelly's Philadelphia Eagles,

Show up with mouth-breathing histrionics, and the players will never talk to you.

[pbmax]

I think Chip Kelly treated it as regular season game; we treated it as a preseason game.

Most of our looks and play-calling were straight-up vanilla. MM and DC are not going to show anything even if it is the so-called dress rehearsal for the season.

Actually, the Packers use cards and do scout team work for preseason games. Not all teams even do that much game planning.

But I do think Chip was all in with his starters in the game. But the game plan was to keep Bradford out of the hospital.

[mraynrand]

Actually, the Packers use cards ...

http://cs.nyu.edu/courses/spring15/CSCI-UA.0061-001/newcards/images/Ace%20of%20Spades.jpg

[pbmax]

http://cs.nyu.edu/coI-UA.0061-001/newcards/images/Ace%20of%20Spades.jpg

Is that the Cobb catch in Chicago in the signature?

[mraynrand]

Is that the Cobb catch in Chicago in the signature?

Indeed. 12to18W.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Show up soft, slow, disorganized, unemotional and unprepared against Kelly's Philadelphia Eagles,Show up with mouth-breathing histrionics, and the players will never talk to you.

That's writing - full of verve. Inspired.

[mraynrand]

That's writing - full of verve. Inspired.

and heavy in the loafers

[Pugger]

Here are all the D linemen Ted has drafted since he became our GM:

Micheal Montgomery
Jonny Jolly
Justin Harrell
Jeremy Thompson
BJ Raji
Mike Neal
Jerel Worthy
Mike Daniels
Datone Jones
Josh Boyd
Khyri Thornton

You can question the picks ultimately made on most of these guys but you can't say Ted doesn't address the D line in the draft.

[Pugger]

I think Chip Kelly treated it as regular season game; we treated it as a preseason game.

Most of our looks and play-calling were straight-up vanilla. MM and DC are not going to show anything even if it is the so-called dress rehearsal for the season.

This all day long. Plus we didn't game plan for them at all. It probably was a good thing for us. Sometimes it doesn't hurt to have your face bashed in once in a while to keep your egos in check.

[vince]

McGinn is one of the very best at doing what he's paid to do - meeting deadlines and capturing eyeballs. He's a good writer technically, not great stylistically, horrible interviewer, poor podcaster, good researcher (his draft and grading work are top notch because of this), average football knowledge but good at steering his analysis to support his thesis and giving it an edge (with sources for credibility and personal cover) that charges up his readers one way or another - thus getting the attention his bosses need.

I probably read everything he writes because of the subject matter, though I don't particularly respect the integrity, consistency or accuracy of his views. One day the Packers are in the worst shape in recent history and the next they're Super Bowl champs. One day the Packers won't lose a beat without Rodgers and the next they can't win a game. One day Ed Williams is a rising player and the next he's at the bottom of the roster.

My opinion is that this camp his stories have been OK but they're a week late. Everyone paying attention already knew Josh Walker was coming on and the Casey Hayward has been inconsistent by the time he wrote about them. I didn't know Ed Williams was a roster bubble guy with Janis and White but apparently neither did the coaches.

Maybe it's time Bob gets in touch with the team first hand on the practice field and in the locker room rather than just from 30,000 feet atop the press box and through his contacts and stat sheets - and keep up. He seems to be above all that though. His reputation carries him but times are changing - and he's not.

He'll keep playing to his audience, who will laud his journalistic bravery and independence - and ride off into the sunset of Packer beat legends (along with Cliff Christl) and eventually be memorialized alongside his typewriter, calculator, voice recorder, rotary phone and little black book of scouts' numbers.

He may have one last glorious run of wave-riding Thompson down when the inevitable transition to the next regime occurs. Teddy may just outlast him though. If that were to happen, McGinn would, in fitting fashion, pull out the ol' keyboard and craft one last article about how ol' Ted just refused to keep up with the times.

[Patler]

Here are all the D linemen Ted has drafted since he became our GM:

Micheal Montgomery
Jonny Jolly
Justin Harrell
Jeremy Thompson
BJ Raji
Mike Neal
Jerel Worthy
Mike Daniels
Datone Jones
Josh Boyd
Khyri Thornton

You can question the picks ultimately made on most of these guys but you can't say Ted doesn't address the D line in the draft.

Exactly. Four first round picks and two second round picks in 11 drafts isn't ignoring the position by any means.

[Fritz]

This isn't good, rom Bob today: http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/323330421.html



It was the third preseason game. It was the dress rehearsal for most teams, even the Packers on defense. Exactly what is it about Chip Kelly that made the difference yesterday? Was it his disregard for traditions and orthodoxy? No, he played it straight and he torched an underperforming defense that had its normal 11 out there for the first time in preseason.

This game was evidence of Chip's ORTHODOXY Bob. Writing on deadline doesn't lend itself to deep arguments. These two paragraphs read like click bait. And only one of them applies to the game.



The return of SOFTNSLOW!

[bobblehead]

My take on the game. One team is returning something like 21 starters, the other is trying to get a roster ready for the regular season. Since we were returning 21 starters we played bland, sat most on offense and took a good look at some guys we wanted to see. As a result we got our dick knocked in the dirt. It happens. Its preseason. I am not too concerned at this point.

[Harlan Huckleby]

My take on the game. One team is returning something like 21 starters, the other is trying to get a roster ready for the regular season. Since we were returning 21 starters we played bland, sat most on offense and took a good look at some guys we wanted to see. As a result we got our dick knocked in the dirt. It happens. Its preseason. I am not too concerned at this point.

Ya, but Bradford playing catch with receivers running past bewildered defenders is unholy. The pass defenders looked physically over-matched.

[Pugger]

My take on the game. One team is returning something like 21 starters, the other is trying to get a roster ready for the regular season. Since we were returning 21 starters we played bland, sat most on offense and took a good look at some guys we wanted to see. As a result we got our dick knocked in the dirt. It happens. Its preseason. I am not too concerned at this point.

ST gaffs were more concerning IMO.

[Pugger]

Ya, but Bradford playing catch with receivers running past bewildered defenders is unholy. The pass defenders looked physically over-matched.

I wouldn't say physically over matched - except perhaps Barrington - but we weren't prepared for that kind of tempo for sure. By the time we pulled our starters they all looked gassed. It didn't help that our offense was inept and couldn't sustain anything at all in the first half.

[Fritz]

I wouldn't say physically over matched - except perhaps Barrington - but we weren't prepared for that kind of tempo for sure. By the time we pulled our starters they all looked gassed. It didn't help that our offense was inept and couldn't sustain anything at all in the first half.


579!

[Cheesehead Craig]

I wouldn't say physically over matched - except perhaps Barrington - but we weren't prepared for that kind of tempo for sure. By the time we pulled our starters they all looked gassed. It didn't help that our offense was inept and couldn't sustain anything at all in the first half.

Spraypainthair!