Post Game Chat with Cleft Crusty (2015 Divisional Playoff at Arizona)

[Cleft Crusty]

Well Packer fans, this has to be a tough nighty. Even 'ol Clefty feels your pain (well, I feel my pain from various maladies, but I'm imagining that's how you feel too). Especially after last year. Especially after all the trials and tribulations. I'll try to answer your questions, and I even promise to be as sympathetic as I was to my wimpy son in law when he told me his wife - my lovely daughter - was expecting twins and when she told him she was expecting him to raise them because she earns six times as much as her. Ask your questions, and remember that this loss is nowhere near as bad as some of those losses to Chicago decades ago....

[pbmax]

The Packers sure seemed to have a lot of injuries again, a year after adopting a new sports science regimen and hiring someone to help implement it? Does this mean advanced training techniques have no place in the NFL?

[King Friday]

Cleft...your avatar makes it appear that you are Mike McCarthy's doppleganger. Have you ever considered trying to kidnap McCarthy and trying to take over head coaching responsibilities yourself?

[Joemailman]

Cleft,

Do you agree with that moron mraynrand that the Packers should have gone for 2?

[mraynrand]

nm

[Cleft Crusty]

The Packers sure seemed to have a lot of injuries again, a year after adopting a new sports science regimen and hiring someone to help implement it? Does this mean advanced training techniques have no place in the NFL?

All the planning and all the scientific techniques are powerless against the awful power of chance. Players get injured in football, and no scientific method will change that. The only way to avoid injuries in football is to not play the game.

[Cleft Crusty]

Cleft,

Do you agree with that moron mraynrand that the Packers should have gone for 2?

You got one thing right, Mraynrand is an ignorant fool. Going for two is a risky proposition. You have to think that McCarthy is sitting on the sidelines thinking about how well his defense has played, and that they might just win him the game with a timely turnover, putting Crosby in range. On the other hand, the offense was stagnant and the defense tired. These are the kind of decisions that coaches get paid 5 million a year to get right. Clefty struggles just to make the correct choice between metamucil and benefiber.

[Cleft Crusty]

Cleft...your avatar makes it appear that you are Mike McCarthy's doppleganger. Have you ever considered trying to kidnap McCarthy and trying to take over head coaching responsibilities yourself?

I wouldn't last two minutes in the NFL meat grinder. McCarthy earns every penny. But that doesn't mean I think he's perfect - he's made a lot of mistakes.

[superfan]

Hello Cleft,

Thanks for taking the time to stop by tonight, I know it isn't easy considering the late hour and your bowels and such.

I know you have hundreds of connections in NFL scouting/personnel/etc thanks to your decades of experience. How do these anonymous sources compare the overall talent level currently on the roster compared to the other elite programs in the league (NE, PIT, etc)? Do they consider GB overall to have more talent, less talent, or on par? Are there specific areas of the roster GB should focus on during the offseason?

Also, any comments about McCarthy's clock management skills and his willingness to throw timeouts away as if they were used tampons?

Remember what the doctor said about your blood pressure before responding, and thanks for listening.

[esoxx]

Cleft,

Who leaves first, McCarthy or Rodgers?

[Deputy Nutz]

What the hell counts as a catch in today's NFL?

[Cleft Crusty]

Hello Cleft,

Thanks for taking the time to stop by tonight, I know it isn't easy considering the late hour and your bowels and such.

I know you have hundreds of connections in NFL scouting/personnel/etc thanks to your decades of experience. How do these anonymous sources compare the overall talent level currently on the roster compared to the other elite programs in the league (NE, PIT, etc)? Do they consider GB overall to have more talent, less talent, or on par? Are there specific areas of the roster GB should focus on during the offseason?

Also, any comments about McCarthy's clock management skills and his willingness to throw timeouts away as if they were used tampons?

Remember what the doctor said about your blood pressure before responding, and thanks for listening.

People I talk to think that GB has decent talent. But they have above average talent spread across a roster, and few exceptional, all-pro talents. Really, they have Rodgers, maybe Matthews, and a wide but somewhat shallow collection of good players. But that's enough to win in the NFL, except that they need to be healthy. The Packer defense tonight is what the whole team would look like if healthy. Creative coaching using all the tools at it's disposal to make things work and baffle the opposition.

GB needs to improve speed at RB, TE, and ILB. It would be nice to have the luxury of being able to move Matthews around (maybe even give him a few more plays off as he ages) and know that you can trust inside. Peppers is near the end so a replacement is needed, perhaps Mario Wiliams if he isn't a head case and too expensive. The O line and D line needs a tackle.

If healthy, the Packers are well positioned for a run next year.

McCarthy's time to management is really not a major concern in the grand scheme of things.

[Cleft Crusty]

Cleft,

Who leaves first, McCarthy or Rodgers?

Rodgers - in a pine box if the tackles continue to get injured, or early retirement if reports about him wanting to protect his fantastic brain are to be believed.

[Cleft Crusty]

What the hell counts as a catch in today's NFL?

two hand on the ball, secure it, make a football move. If you are in the process of going to the ground, the ball better not move at all until you are down and the whistle blows.

On the play in question (Fitzgerald right?) where McCarthy challenged, it looked as though Fitzgerald got control, made a move and then staggered and fell to the ground before the ball moved around on him. I think he became a runner with possession before he started going to the ground. That call seemed OK, but even the refs said the ruling stood, not that it had been confirmed, so there's a question mark there.

[esoxx]

Cleft,

Have you ever shit your pants at work, and if so, did you even realize it?

[Cleft Crusty]

There are a lot of interesting people posting here. I'll answer more questions if I come out of my coma in the morning.

[Iron Mike]

Cleft,

Have you ever shit your pants at work, and if so, did you even realize it?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9CKLQPFQ_g

[red]

thats just wrong

[hoosier]

Did Peppers announce his retirement after the 4th quarter and the Packers failed to get the message?

On the play when Abbredderis lined up in the backfield a la Cobb, were you suddenly struck by the fear that Rodgers was going to hand off to him?

Is Rodgers's record of two Hail Marys in one season the new record that will never be broken?