MODIFIED EXPECTATIONS OR VIEWPOINTS with the LEGEND GONE

[Bretsky]

Re: MODIFIED EXPECTATIONS OR VIEWPOINTS with the LEGEND GONE

Make the Moss deal happen and brining in another OG, via free agency or trade, are really the two places that to me were no brainers. No idea if that means a title or not; I thought we'd have more time with BF.

I give TT a good portion of credit; but the elevated play of BF also cannot be ignored with that 13-3 record.

I do think TT is the right guy now

After we finished 8-8, did you even remotely think that Moss (after playing so shitty in Oakland and looking well past his prime) and one OG was going to make this a Super Bowl team? It's easy to say Moss was a no brainer now, but I don't think anybody thought Moss would have his best season ever after his last three bad seasons (he was ineffective and injured in Oakland and his last year in Minnesota). It turned out that way, but as a GM I think it would have been very questionable to take that chance on a player with questionable character on a young team you are trying to rebuild. Definitely not the slam-dunk people are making it out to be. Also, hasn't it been proven since that time that Moss didn't really want to play in Green Bay?

Plus, as a GM you had to know that if Favre did retire, there's no way Moss would have resigned with the Packers. Thus, you're trading a 3rd round pick (James Jones, in this case) for one guaranteed year of Randy Moss' services.

Now, let's talk about the good Thompson did. Everybody critcized him for not trading our pick for Cleveland's pick this year. Brilliant move in hindsight. Trading for Ryan Grant and Donald Lee. Maybe signing Koren Robinson will pay off. Solid drafting. Finding Atari Bigby. Extending guys like Donald Driver, Nick Barnett, and Aaron Kampman. Signing Charles Woodson and Ryan Pickett. Hiring Mike McCarthy.

I thought Moss would excel if he went to a team with an effecting QB and strong leadership from the coach. Trading for Grant has already made our 08 draft a success. TT has did well drafting.

TT did not trade for Donald Lee, did he ?

Overall a good job as I have stated plenty of times.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Re: MODIFIED EXPECTATIONS OR VIEWPOINTS with the LEGEND GONE

TT did not trade for Donald Lee, did he?

Thompson acquired Donald Lee in 2005.

[Bretsky]

Re: MODIFIED EXPECTATIONS OR VIEWPOINTS with the LEGEND GONE

TT did not trade for Donald Lee, did he?

Thompson acquired Donald Lee in 2005.

It appeared in your quote you said TT traded for Grant and Lee; I think he was a free agent. You've been nitpicked ...aka...Patlerized

[Carolina_Packer]

I think that Favre carried the offense on his back until we got a running game going. He had some gutty performances early on that attributed to the attitude of this team the rest of the season. He wasn't able to carry the team once the running game failed though and I think that speaks volumes of the daily grind of being an elite NFL QB.

I'd give their due to the receivers too. They gotta get open for the QB.

[Fritz]

Re: MODIFIED EXPECTATIONS OR VIEWPOINTS with the LEGEND GONE

With Brett Favre on the roster, it was always my mojo that we should try to win sooner rather than later. To me that was a consistent combo of free agency and the draft. As a GM of Green Bay with Brett Favre, I am still luke warm on TT.

I still don't understand this thinking. The Packers were devastated by the cap when he took over and bottomed out at 4-12 in 2005. We did sign FAs after 2005 and improved in 2006 to 8-8. Then, we took a huge leap. Would we really have done any better if Thompson GM'd like you wanted (ala the Redskins) and tried to buy Favre a championship? I doubt it. That rarely works--especially with a 4-12 team. Maybe Moss would have been the difference. Maybe he would have disappeared in the big games like he's always done and like he did with New England.

I think you just have to admit that Thompson has done a hell of a job. If he did like you said, we very likely wouldn't have won a championship (or at least we wouldn't have had any better chance than we did this year) and our future wouldn't look as bright. We wouldn't have found many of these young kids that now look like they can play.

To say Favre was the reason we went 13-3 is silly too. Favre has been here 16 years, and we only won 13 games three times. They went 13-3 because Thompson reshaped a 4-12 team to 13-3 in two years BY BUILDING THROUGH THE DRAFT. Think about that. That's insane. Now, we actually look like we have a chance in the post-Favre era. Nobody thought we would--including me (and including you, I'm guessing).

Agreed, Harv. TT has taken a team that was salary-cap bound and 4-12, and molded it into a (young) 13-3 team through a little bit of free agency and a lot of draft - and don't forget about re-signing your own guys and extending contracts. There is a sense of order and stability in the lockerrom because people know that TT will take care of his own if it is warranted. If you don't think that's important check out the recent drama from the NY Jets. They sign two "name" guys to monster contracts and a few players in the lockerroom are already grumbling.

TT has screwed up. The guard question remains unsettled. He's bombed, like any GM, on a few draft picks - though far fewer than most GM's. But he put some young talent around Favre, and Favre responded beautifully.

TT's record is 26-24. My own opinion is that the guy is good at what he does.

I don't expect another 13-3 campaign this year. Favre is gone and you usually don't have the kind of injury-luck the Packers had last year. I also don't expect, however, the disaster that some people seem to intimate. If this team can stay relatively healthy, I think a winning season is a reasonable expectation - and depending on circumstances, better than 9-7 is reasonable, too.

[privatepacker]

Bottom line: Ted Thompson not only gave Brett Favre a chance to succeed (in fact, gave him a chance at another Super Bowl) before he retired but also put the Packers in position to have success after Brett did retire. That's pretty damn tough to do.

Best statement that I've read yet about TT's ability. Esp. when you consider how poor Sherman left the team in terms of talent.

[Scott Campbell]

Rodgers hasn't had competition since he arrived in Green Bay.

I thought that Favre guy gave him a pretty good run for his money.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

I actually want to go heavy offense in the draft. I want to see what Rodgers can with a good interior line in front of him and a couple more weapons like another TE. The best way to see if the guy can play in the league I is give him an offense IMO.

Bottom line, I really want to bring the o-line back to the days of dominance. By fixing the o-line, adding another TE, and having Grant, Driver, Jennings, and Jones around him, I see no reason why he can't do well. Because to me I think the pass blocking of the o-line was not as good as it seemed since Favre was so good at getting rid of the ball early.

[Packnut]

Re: MODIFIED EXPECTATIONS OR VIEWPOINTS with the LEGEND GONE

With Brett Favre on the roster, it was always my mojo that we should try to win sooner rather than later. To me that was a consistent combo of free agency and the draft. As a GM of Green Bay with Brett Favre, I am still luke warm on TT.

I still don't understand this thinking. The Packers were devastated by the cap when he took over and bottomed out at 4-12 in 2005. We did sign FAs after 2005 and improved in 2006 to 8-8. Then, we took a huge leap. Would we really have done any better if Thompson GM'd like you wanted (ala the Redskins) and tried to buy Favre a championship? I doubt it. That rarely works--especially with a 4-12 team. Maybe Moss would have been the difference. Maybe he would have disappeared in the big games like he's always done and like he did with New England.

I think you just have to admit that Thompson has done a hell of a job. If he did like you said, we very likely wouldn't have won a championship (or at least we wouldn't have had any better chance than we did this year) and our future wouldn't look as bright. We wouldn't have found many of these young kids that now look like they can play.

To say Favre was the reason we went 13-3 is silly too. Favre has been here 16 years, and we only won 13 games three times. They went 13-3 because Thompson reshaped a 4-12 team to 13-3 in two years BY BUILDING THROUGH THE DRAFT. Think about that. That's insane. Now, we actually look like we have a chance in the post-Favre era. Nobody thought we would--including me (and including you, I'm guessing).

Reality check time Harv! Favre had a ton to do with going 13-3. To diminish his contributions in order to boost your hero is just plain WRONG! Favre freakin CARRIED this team the first half of the season when we had NO RUN GAME. His ability to read defenses and get rid of the ball, protected a less than avg O-line. Some of our biggest plays came as a result of him changing the play after reading the initial defensive alignments.

Yes, Thompson gave him some talent. In fact I'm convinced no one on the planet evaluates WR's as well as TT. The trade for Grant might very well go down in the future as an example of criminal theft.

However, just as great as our GM is at judging WR's, he's also that bad at evaluating offensive linemen. All you have to do is look at some of the clowns he's brought in here the first 2 seasons. Then, he drafted Spitz and Colledge EARLY in the draft, so it's not like they were late round reaches. Spitz may make it, but the odds are against Colledge. As for the other guys, we have, none of them has proven anything on the field and are just potential at this point. The true proof will be how this line preforms WITHOUT a Brett Favre behind them.

Another point to consider when crowning the king of GM's is the Harrell pick. I'm tired of the injury and in-mature, out of shape excuse. The 16th pick of the draft has to make more of an impact than he did. Since Teddy has stated he drafts the best player available, he's saying Harrell was the 16th best college player in the country. I would take SERIOUS issue with that.

How many more seasons do we have to watch Collins under preform? Yep, Bigby can lay the lumber but could'nt cover his grandma. Rouse is raw and his coverage skills are not proven. My point is Nelson would have been a much better pick at 16. Everything written says based on his rookie year, he's gonna be a good one. Would'nt it be refreshing to have a saftey that can actually cover a TE? Last point on this- it's not hindsight. Several of us are on record here saying Nelson was a good pick before the draft.

I'm not trying to criticize or nit-pick. I'm just saying Teddy has had his share of misses. Yes, he's done a great job and should be given a freakin 20 year extension. I don't agree with the Moss stuff or other comments that I've heard as far as making moves last season that would have resulted in beating NY.

I still believe that the biggest mistake Thompson has made is in allowing Sanders to remain. We will not win a SB with him running our D, and please don't tell me the coaching staff decisions are made by MM. If Teddy wanted Sanders gone, he would be. We all saw the difference of how a guy like the Giants have that can make on the impact of a game. The Giants D ran stuff that Sanders could'nt even dream of.

Your cannonization of Teddy into saint-hood is a tad premature, but we are headed in the right direction. There is still a lot of work to be done though before reaching the promised land.............

[Scott Campbell]

Don't make me go dig up old posts.

[Zool]

I remember the play in Denver when Favre heaved that long pass in OT and ran under it and caught his own TD. My favorite part was when he picked up that blitzing LB before throwing the pass. Favre to Favre was a great combination this season.

[Scott Campbell]

I remember the play in Denver when Favre heaved that long pass in OT and ran under it and caught his own TD. My favorite part was when he picked up that blitzing LB before throwing the pass. Favre to Favre was a great combination this season.

I loved it when he switched jerseys to number 24 and played on special teams - causing that forced fumble against the Eagles. And wasn't it great how McCarthy let him play defense this year? Who knew that he was both a gunslinger and a run stuffer?

[Zool]

I love the Green Bay Favres

[RashanGary]

If it's all Favre, I have a tough time explaining that 4-12 year as well. He was here, why couldn't he win?

Sherman years

12-4
12-4
10-6
10-6
4-12

NOTE the downward trend while Shermy was GM

Tough to say it was the coach. Our oline sucks now, so you can't say the Oline is the reason. What can it be. . . . . ? ? ? ?

[RashanGary]

This is a pretty unique situation. I don't remember too many QB's hanging it up with a team on the upswing. Most hang it up as a team is about to crash.

Rodgers really has no excuse for performing poorly. He hasn't started too many games, but like Romo, Young and Rivers, he's had time in the NFL to get adjusted to the offense. Maybe he won't be great, but if he plays like crap for most of the year, there is little tolerence outside of devastating injury around him.

As far as Thompson goes, this is his real measuring stick. He's shown he can build from 4-12 to 13-3 with a HOF QB on the backend of his career. Now, can he do it without that luxury? Time will certainly tell. I have a lot of confidence in Thompson, but I do agree that Favre and Sherman have clouded judgement of his performance so far. As far as I'm concerned, the real judgement of Thompson will start now and end when his tenure is done. The first 3 years were just getting the base set.