Would the whole Rodgers drama have played out differently if TT was still alive?

[Spaulding]

All the recent happenings since Friday with Rodgers got me to thinking about the timing of it and his feelings directly at Gute (if the rumors are true).

Would AR be acting the same if TT was still alive? I have to believe that although he wasn't thrilled about the lack of WR's being drafted in TT's last few years as GM that he was forever appreciative of TT's loyalty to him as the starting QB during the Favre drama.

If this was really brewing since last year's draft you think that the organization and players would know of his deep discontent given how much time they spend together during the season. I firmly believe that nobody can hide hate for that long that the level of dischord would haven't gotten leaked out well prior to the draft.

This makes me think that while TT was still involved in the organization that AR was loyal to him and still playing the dutiful soldier and it was only after TT's passing that he felt he no longer owed the front office anything (not that he necessarily should anyways other than honoring his contract since it's a brutal business) and lit up the fire.

Any of this make sense or am I reaching here?

[bobblehead]

I am specifically trained in data analysis and pattern recognition. Its a specific expertise of mine. I'm going to share some mind blowing insight with everyone...a pattern my keen eye has caught.

Irreconcilable rift with his own parents. Irreconcilable rift with Fat Mike McCarthy. Irreconcilable rift with Brian Gutenkunst. Reported power struggle and rift with MiLF.

I'm just saying...he is sure unfortunate to constantly be surrounded with people who are so stupid while he is so brilliant. And in the 2 wrongs category you can add some guys like Greg Jennings in there.

[Badgerinmaine]

We will probably never know the answer for certain--and if Rodgers ever directly addresses the issue, it probably won't be until after he's retired.
That said, I can see why that might seem like a possibility. We see cases all the time in sports where the new regime doesn't feel much connection or commitment to the coaches or players chosen by the last regime. Heck, I've seen it in the regular workplace, too. If you got hired by the old boss, the new boss sometimes thinks "Well, that's sure not who *I* would have picked". Lindy Infante's days as head coach of the Packers were pretty much numbered when Ron Wolf took over, for example.
Usually people look at this from the perspective of the new management. You put an interesting spin on it by looking at it from the employee's point of view. And it's understandable that Rodgers, who fell so much more than expected on his draft night, might feel a special connection and loyalty to TT's regime he doesn't have now. But I think he still would have been unhappy with the Love pick no matter who did it; it fits his pattern.

[Spaulding]

We will probably never know the answer for certain--and if Rodgers ever directly addresses the issue, it probably won't be until after he's retired.
That said, I can see why that might seem like a possibility. We see cases all the time in sports where the new regime doesn't feel much connection or commitment to the coaches or players chosen by the last regime. Heck, I've seen it in the regular workplace, too. If you got hired by the old boss, the new boss sometimes thinks "Well, that's sure not who *I* would have picked". Lindy Infante's days as head coach of the Packers were pretty much numbered when Ron Wolf took over, for example.
Usually people look at this from the perspective of the new management. You put an interesting spin on it by looking at it from the employee's point of view. And it's understandable that Rodgers, who fell so much more than expected on his draft night, might feel a special connection and loyalty to TT's regime he doesn't have now. But I think he still would have been unhappy with the Love pick no matter who did it; it fits his pattern.

Right, I certainly get why he's be annoyed with the Love pick, especially trading up to get him and don't blame him as it doesn't help the team now nor does it help his chances at another super bowl.

However, since draft picks don't pan out all the time, I would think that Gute's increased focus on using free agency to supplement the roster would have made him happy as would have Gute's focus on resigning key players that resulted in a 13-3 record the past two years. It's not like they are saving the money for years after Rodgers is gone.

I would think taking a developmental QB even in the first round is far cheaper than signing a good ($8mil - $10mil/year) backup like the Saints or other teams have done for roster depth. I thought Love counted on average just over $3mil/year which then free's up that difference in money for a good starter where the first round draft choice probably wouldn't be any better than that in the early years and likely worse than a proven FA.

[Badgerinmaine]

Oh, I do think he's happy about that. He clearly loves having Marcedes Lewis there in particular and says so often. And I think you make some good arguments here about salary, too. But I was trying to deal with the original premise--"would he have reacted differently if TT was the one making these moves?" One thing I do think would be different: it's hard to imagine any quotes surfacing where he'd call for the man who drafted him to be fired. :-)

[sharpe1027]

It's not all that hard to imagine.

[King Friday]

If he can disown his parents, he could disown Thompson.

[texaspackerbacker]

The shit people put out about this keeps getting weirder and weirder.

As for the title of the thread, naw, I doubt that woulda made any difference. I never heard of any particular liking or respect Rodgers had for Ted Thompson, and Thompson certainly wasn't a paragon of competence even before he went all ...... (I better not say the name I was gonna put here, lest I get accused of the evil p word).

Of those four "rifts" cited, about the only one confirmed or sure would be the parents thing, and nobody in here has a clue who was at fault there. A lot of celebrity type people split with their parents for whatever reason - BFD. Actually only a BFD to you know who, the God damned shitheads of the media.

[hoosier]

The hypothetical, if I understand correctly, is not if TT were still alive but if he were still GM of the Packers. But the question you're asking seems also to force us to forget everything we know about TT's reign, and in particular about how, after building a SB winner through astute drafting and some good fortune, he was later unable to keep the team stocked with talent as the inevitable turnover due to FA, injuries, declining skills, etc. When I think of TT the Packer GM, I am thinking of those two stories, so very different and yet completely intertwined. So I can't do what you're asking me to do, which is to imagine a 2021 Packer organization that is both headed by Ted Thompson and still managing to be competitive fifteen years into his tenure. If such a thing were conceivable, I guess I would say that TT would probably have handled things a little differently--his success in Green Bay coincided perfectly with the arrival of Rodgers, after all--and so Rodgers probably would not be acting the way he is.

[George Cumby]

If he can disown his parents, he could disown Thompson.

Did those bridges ever get mended?

[Sparkey]

I am specifically trained in data analysis and pattern recognition. Its a specific expertise of mine. I'm going to share some mind blowing insight with everyone...a pattern my keen eye has caught.

Irreconcilable rift with his own parents. Irreconcilable rift with Fat Mike McCarthy. Irreconcilable rift with Brian Gutenkunst. Reported power struggle and rift with MiLF.

I'm just saying...he is sure unfortunate to constantly be surrounded with people who are so stupid while he is so brilliant. And in the 2 wrongs category you can add some guys like Greg Jennings in there.

Sounds like someone with an inflated sense of self.

[smuggler]

I vote no, because methinks A-Rod is playing in GB in 2021.

[George Cumby]

I am specifically trained in data analysis and pattern recognition. Its a specific expertise of mine. I'm going to share some mind blowing insight with everyone...a pattern my keen eye has caught.

Irreconcilable rift with his own parents. Irreconcilable rift with Fat Mike McCarthy. Irreconcilable rift with Brian Gutenkunst. Reported power struggle and rift with MiLF.

I'm just saying...he is sure unfortunate to constantly be surrounded with people who are so stupid while he is so brilliant. And in the 2 wrongs category you can add some guys like Greg Jennings in there.

If everyone around you is an asshole, maybe you're the asshole.

[QBME]

All the recent happenings since Friday with Rodgers got me to thinking about the timing of it and his feelings directly at Gute (if the rumors are true).

Would AR be acting the same if TT was still alive? I have to believe that although he wasn't thrilled about the lack of WR's being drafted in TT's last few years as GM that he was forever appreciative of TT's loyalty to him as the starting QB during the Favre drama.

If this was really brewing since last year's draft you think that the organization and players would know of his deep discontent given how much time they spend together during the season. I firmly believe that nobody can hide hate for that long that the level of dischord would haven't gotten leaked out well prior to the draft.

This makes me think that while TT was still involved in the organization that AR was loyal to him and still playing the dutiful soldier and it was only after TT's passing that he felt he no longer owed the front office anything (not that he necessarily should anyways other than honoring his contract since it's a brutal business) and lit up the fire.

Any of this make sense or am I reaching here?

He dead, he gone.
Seriously?
Today is today.

[hoosier]

Today is yesterday. Or it will be in about...two hours.

[bobblehead]

Sounds like someone with an inflated sense of self.

Sarcasm sparkey. Sarcasm. I was actually mocking MYSELF.

[bobblehead]

. ooops

[Jaire]

Totally (besides the fact TT would not have drafted Love).

TT was loyal to a fault.

It's the way Gute cut CMIII. The way he cut Jordy. The way he cut MM. The way he cut Jake. This did not sit well with a lot of players I'm sure.

Davante confirms it too. He's probably the only one who will "speak out." Both Arod's and Adam's Twitter likes reveal a lot imo. If Gute forces Arod out, no one will come to GB and I expect a lot of players to leave. No GM forces an MVP to leave early. Favre was a different story.

Gute needs to go but I doubt Murphy will do that. LIS in another thread it was a good 30 year run. Things have been collapsing since 2014. They needed a better GM but I'm not sure there was one.

The only shot at this point is if they give AR a long term deal. I don't think it is irreconcilable. Media spin is bliwing it up a bit bigger than it probably is too. Someone like Brandt maybe could help out but I put low odds on it.

https://twitter.com/AaronNagler/status/1389694547295412224?s=20

[sharpe1027]

Sarcasm sparkey. Sarcasm. I was actually mocking MYSELF.

Was he referencing you or Rodgers? Your assumption that it was you suggests an inflated sense of self.... :)

[Spaulding]

I don't know that you can say TT wouldn't have drafted Love. He was a GM that was thoroughly invested in researching players and building a board and then sticking to it. If his board had Love in the top 10 and he was there at 26 he very well could drafted him. Reaching for a player of need versus taking a player you consider elite is a dangerous route to head down. Now whether he would have traded up for him when obviously he knew what he had in Rodgers and there was no retirement drama, maybe not.

Either way, I would have thought that Rodgers would have asked for a trade this time last year after the drafting of Love given he we were so close the year before and taking a developmental QB doesn't help the team immediately in any way possible.

Why wouldn't we be having the discussion in May of 2020? Some might say it was the cutting of Kumerow (doubtful) or more likely Brady heading to the Bucs and having a say in things there and it leading to a Super Bowl (a lot had to fall right for that and we still should have beaten them in the championship game).

Unless it was the Brady experiment leading to nirvana, I still think that he might not have pulled this if TT was still with the Packers or at least gone about it in a better manner for both sides.

[Joemailman]

Totally (besides the fact TT would not have drafted Love).

TT was loyal to a fault.

It's the way Gute cut CMIII. The way he cut Jordy. The way he cut MM. The way he cut Jake. This did not sit well with a lot of players I'm sure.

Davante confirms it too. He's probably the only one who will "speak out." Both Arod's and Adam's Twitter likes reveal a lot imo. If Gute forces Arod out, no one will come to GB and I expect a lot of players to leave. No GM forces an MVP to leave early. Favre was a different story.

Gute needs to go but I doubt Murphy will do that. LIS in another thread it was a good 30 year run. Things have been collapsing since 2014. They needed a better GM but I'm not sure there was one.

The only shot at this point is if they give AR a long term deal. I don't think it is irreconcilable. Media spin is bliwing it up a bit bigger than it probably is too. Someone like Brandt maybe could help out but I put low odds on it.

https://twitter.com/AaronNagler/status/1389694547295412224?s=20

They didn't cut CMIII. He was a free agent. He played 1 more year. They cut Jordy. He played 1 more year. They fired MM because he'd clearly lost the team. Kumerow was a bottom of the roster guy who was replaced by a younger guy probably based on special teams ability.

Where do you get the idea that Gute is trying to force Rodgers out? All evidence is to the contrary. Rodgers is trying to force his way out due to his feud with Gute. You're right. No GM forces an MVP to leave early. Including this one.

[sharpe1027]

TT drafted Rodgers because he saw great value in the pick. He would have drafted Love for the same reason if he rated home highly. I can't say whether personality differences would have made a difference for Rodgers. Part of me thinks this was an inevitable result of not winning it all again. Nothing solid to back that up, however.

[Jaire]

Rodgers "feud" with Gute is now become all spin to make AR look like the bad guy. I can't believe how people support this FO as they are making one of the stupidest decision in NFL history.

His teammates know better: "We made it to the championship game the last two years and he was the biggest reason why... Before it's said and done, I want a ring and a lot of that weighs on him." - Marcedes Lewis (whom CLEARLY AR never told he was not coming back contrary to false reports).

Also check out Backtiari's top like on his Twitter. All the players know it. LaFleur knows it. This is franchise destroying idiocy. TT would not ever handle it this way. Favre said he was retiring is not the same as Arod saying he wants to retire in GB and then following up with an MVP season. Not to mention Hawk confirmed AR does not want Gute fired (he should be).



Gute does not want more than a one year deal with AR. They want to trade him after next year for a QB that hasn't played a snap and they really have no idea about. Rodgers wants some kind of future and he has a right to that. Gute needs to go. I have no idea how this can be spun against AR. And no clue why Packers fans aren't calling for Gute's head.

[Jaire]

There is not one owner in the NFL that would let Rodgers get away.

The NFL and FOs are very adept at spinning these splits and feuds to make the player look like the bad guy. Mercedes Lewis just signed a contract April 4. He would have been one of the FAs Rodgers told he wasn't coming back. It's all spin to put the blame on Arod.

[sharpe1027]

Could be. Could also be that Rodgers isn't perfect and the truth is in the middle.