Ted "the Snake" Thompson

[SkinBasket]

Well.

It's almost like Ted's caved into the overwhelming power of the demands made by internet posters here. Grant's signed a contract. Brett's in town, signs indicate he'll be our QB this year.

A couple of days ago, the Green bay Packers were an embarrassment, a joke, a franchise on the brink of utter destruction. Ted Thompson was a snake. A liar. A fool. A fucking moron. Disgusting.

Just wondering where all the Chicken Littles have gone.

[Pacopete4]

I still think TT is a snake if thats what youre looking for... the guy is a weasel

[gex]

Don't think I ever bashed tt, just defended Favre.
(well I never capitalize tt's initials, but thats it)

[Packgator]

TT is one of the very best GM's in football. Happy to have him......and glad he works for the Packers.

[Stevogbfan]

TT is one of the very best GM's in football. Happy to have him......and glad he works for the Packers.

same here, some of these guys just like to post dumb stuff to make it look like they know something

[Pacopete4]

I think TT has done an above average as a GM... we'll see how it goes from here

[Fritz]

Re: Ted "the Snake" Thompson

Well.

It's almost like Ted's caved into the overwhelming power of the demands made by internet posters here. Grant's signed a contract. Brett's in town, signs indicate he'll be our QB this year.

A couple of days ago, the Green bay Packers were an embarrassment, a joke, a franchise on the brink of utter destruction. Ted Thompson was a snake. A liar. A fool. A fucking moron. Disgusting.

Just wondering where all the Chicken Littles have gone.

What signs? What info do you have, Skin?

[The Shadow]

TT is one of the very best GM's in football. Happy to have him......and glad he works for the Packers.

He is, far and away, the main reason the team is a contender.

[Freak Out]

Partial hasn't logged on yet?

TT didn't cave on anything as far as I'm concerned. Nothing is set in stone with Favre even staying a Packer for much longer let alone being the starter. The Grant signing looks like a good deal for both player and team.

[imscott72]

TT is one of the very best GM's in football. Happy to have him......and glad he works for the Packers.

Absolfuckinglutely..Anyone want Shermy back?

[BallHawk]

Partial hasn't logged on yet?

TT didn't cave on anything as far as I'm concerned. Nothing is set in stone with Favre even staying a Packer for much longer let alone being the starter. The Grant signing looks like a good deal for both player and team.

Pro-Favreites are jumping for joy. Whether they actually believe there will be a fair, open competition, I can't say. I'm not saying there won't be, but Aaron Rodgers will still, most likely, be the starting QB on opening night.

[rbaloha1]

Time to rally behind whoever starts at qb

Yes, I thoroughly disapprove of TT's handling of BF. However for those always bashing TT's ego at least there is now open competition.

Which ever qb wins lets offer unconditional loyalty to the Green Bay Packers. Lets not forget the team assembled by management -- young, talented and signed. The Packers are positioned to be a continual super bowl contender as long as TT and MM coexsist.

Hopefully the drama is over.

[arcilite]

TT is one of the very best GM's in football. Happy to have him......and glad he works for the Packers.

He is, far and away, the main reason the team is a contender.

wut

then who is

[pbmax]

He has rebuilt the roster well. It is younger, cheaper and more talented. It remains to be seen if he can pick up enough of the Pro Bowl players to keep the franchise elite.

Having Favre back may help this year, it will not help long term. And given the uncertainty that will follow next year and possibly the year after that, it will slow down the process of finding the next viable QB.

I don't think Favre is good enough any longer to get us through the playoffs and win a SB. But this team is talented enough and improving enough to have a window of time. He would be better served on another team, as they are headed in opposite directions. Tampa would be a good choice.

[NewsBruin]

Ah, the Internet: Where you have to be totally for or against someone, and the first time you say something against someone, that means you're totally against someone.

It's sad that my only options are TT is a "total idiot" or a "total fucking idiot." It's like I had just posted yesterday in a Grant thread that I liked a lot of things about him. Well, let me flesh it out, even when some issues are contradictory:

What I like about Ted Thompson
•He's put on the pads himself. That goes very well with me. He knows what it's like to be in a lockerroom, to put in a full season, and to go out not on your own terms.
•He is a great talent evaluator. I mean, big-dollar guys, small-dollar guys, he really can pick good players. When the other teams were signing Free Agents in 2006, I thought we were spending high and late in getting Charles Woodson. Darn if all the other free agents aren't even in the league anymore. So many of our great players were unknowns. He even got us a really good "who?" head coach. I believe Ted Thompson is the reason for us being a legitimate long-term contender.
•He got us under the cap and keeps us under the cap. We spend prudently and don't get locked into backloaded deals. I assume he'll deal well as the cap changes in the coming years.
•He trades down, not up. One name, two initials: BJ Sander.
•He keeps a low profile and doesn't lead with the prevailing opinion. We cut Cletidus Hunt and ate a lot of lost salary. He was willing to go with Rogers (up until tonight) when Favre was healthy. He'll put his keister on the line for what he thinks is best for the Packers, and he's been right more than wrong.
•He likes to keep his team together. Priority is keeping who we've got and then adding. I think there's something to be said for chemistry, especially in the offensive line and defensive backfield.

What I don't like about Ted Thompson
•He starts low. I think he lowballed Ryan Grant far below what he should. I was taught a firm negotiating style that seeks the best for both parties (win-win), rather than just keeping everything on the table. Ultimately, the Grant deal gave him what he needed while preserving our interests and financial flexibility. If only that were tried two weeks (or three months) ago.
•He doesn't reconsider a decision quickly. It's the negative aspect of one of his positives. I get the feeling that TT and Mark Murphy (can't we get a president who has different initals than our head coach?) wanted Favre retired and made everything happen to ensure his retirement (like the fast press conference and MNF jersey ceremony). He has the responsibility to make the best teams in 2008 and beyond, but the how was worse than the what in this case. I wouldn't want to have to deal with Retired Brett, either.
•He's spontaneous with his extensions. We like that guys who perform well get good deals. I think it also quells lockerroom unrest to see guys get paid more. But if I were an agent, I wouldn't count on my players to stay mum and receive good deals, not in a league that pays week-to-week. Too many other teams have gone back on renegotiation promises for me to believe in the Extension Fairy who visits all good little players and leaves three extra years under their pillows.
•He's impossible to read. Ultimately, it's probably a good thing. But when we want to know about the state of the team, we're not going to get anything intentional or slipped from TT. It probably hurt his relationship with Brett that he never explained his motives in player aquisition. I don't think that will ever affect his sleep at night.
•He doesn't get many high-profile players I don't think it's because he doesn't try, but for whatever reason, he gets a lot of above-average guys, rather than excellent risks. Still, I'm not complaining with what he's gotten.

So, there. I am glad TT is our GM. I think he's excellent at making good teams and providing them with what they need to stay good. I didn't like how he handled Grant, but he redeemed himself well with a good deal that satisfied all parties' needs. I don't like how he handled Favre's retirement, but I don't think there was ever any responsibility to massage Brett's feelings.

Ultimately, the GM is not the Packers. He's an employee, just like a long snapper. He's a caretaker. He answers to the president, who answers to the shareholders. As long as he does more good than harm, he should be retained. However, there should be a distinction between the Office of the General Manager and the institution that is the Green Bay Packers.[/b]