TT vs Sherman

[pbmax]

Re: TT vs Sherman

There is one problem with positively attributing this trait to Sherman. It ignores his constant ability to have his team come out flat and unprepared to play. Combine this with his unique ability to non-adjust at halftime and the reason Sherman developed this ability is clear.

He frequently lost games he had no business losing. Sherman's players may have reacted to his emotional appeals on several occassions, but that was usually after a stretch of uninspired play.

he was able to be sociable enough to get his players to rally under him as a Coach and GM...He did what he thought was best for his "current" players and listened to them..

[Fritz]

pb, I'm not saying Sherman was a great GM or a bad GM or a good coach or a bad coach. I just want to say I totally agree with your point about Shermy's teams and how they so often came out flat.

It maddened me more than just about anything else he did - his crazy Tom Rossley play-calling, his aparent refusal to hold BF accountable, his weird back-end contracts for people like Mike Wahle - all of it. I just remember seeing his teams come out flat for games that you'd think they'd be sky high for. Season openers. Home openers. Playoff games. They'd sleepwalk through entire first quarters, it seemed.

It drove me nuts.

[GBRulz]

TT is taking the Packers a step back this year so they can move two steps ahead in the next two years.

We were one game away from the SB last year with the NFL's youngest team. WHY do you take one step back?

In two years, it's probably safe to assume that Harris, Woodson, Driver, Clifton, Tausher, Kampman all will be on the tailing ends of their career. Are we going to have replacements for them?

I agree with wanting to remain competitive, but I absolutely do not agree with taking a step back just to take a step back. Especially when it isn't necessary to do so. We aren't in cap trouble, we have a young team and a great HC.

[pbmax]

One more time, Corey Williams would not have played for his tender offer. He wanted a long term, big money deal. To get him to camp and in for the start of the season, T2 would have had to backup a Brinks truck to CW's house. That's foolish money for a situational player.

The grass is always greener. Williams was an inside rush specialist who is being paid like a top DT (or 3-4 DE). How did Williams perform after KGBs injury? He pretty much disappeared.

Keeping and signing your own average players when the market overvalues them is one of the ways Sherman the GM failed. When you have no depth, you then get held up at penpoint by the Eagles and KGB or Na'il Diggs. When you sign a player because you have no other choice, you have made a horrible decision. Its playing from a position of weakness.

- Kept Corey Williams

[pbmax]

I got one more and then I will be wide awake. Comparing Sherman's opening year roster to T2's is instructive. Because many of the same players making Sherman's squad very good are the same players at the top of T2s first squad. Except that each one was 4 years older. And that is nearly a lifetime in the NFL.

In 2005 Clifton had a balky knee that kept him out of practice. Ahman Green was on an injury slide and aging fast. Flanagan was at the end. Bubba Franks had Freeman's rapid aging syndrome and was mainly a blocker. Sharper now had an injury that affected his whole season. Rivera couldn't start or finish the season in Dallas. Wahle had one complete year left and then got injured in Carolina.

And there was no depth to compensate. Sherman had Barnett (who was not yet Ready For Prime Time) and Walker to add to an aging lineup and not much else. Corey Williams did not play much at all.

You can say that T2 inherited a team with a tremendous record for the previous four years, but they were all four years older, headed for the wrong side of 30 and expensive. To keep them all and hope they regain or maintain their form would make developing depth just that much harder.

[retailguy]

One more time, Corey Williams would not have played for his tender offer. He wanted a long term, big money deal. To get him to camp and in for the start of the season, T2 would have had to backup a Brinks truck to CW's house. That's foolish money for a situational player.

I'm not getting into this debate, because I think the whole thing is stupid, however, I've seen this statement two or three times elsewhere and its just wrong.

Name one guy who wouldn't play for the tender offer that didn't show up when the games started? Williams would've bitched, bellyached and moaned until this week. then he'd have been in camp busting his ass to make sure he'd get his payday NEXT season if that were his only option.

This "unequiveacle" statement is wrong. Just WRONG. Williams isn't stupid. One of Ted's "qualities" is his ability to "not negotiate" and stand firm...

So, please, just stop with this type of drivel.

[pbmax]

Walter Jones. Lance Briggs. I am sure there are more. They miss camp and come in late. That doesn't do much for the team, puts the player behind and increases the chance of injury.

One more time, Corey Williams would not have played for his tender offer. He wanted a long term, big money deal. To get him to camp and in for the start of the season, T2 would have had to backup a Brinks truck to CW's house. That's foolish money for a situational player.

I'm not getting into this debate, because I think the whole thing is stupid, however, I've seen this statement two or three times elsewhere and its just wrong.

Name one guy who wouldn't play for the tender offer that didn't show up when the games started? Williams would've bitched, bellyached and moaned until this week. then he'd have been in camp busting his ass to make sure he'd get his payday NEXT season if that were his only option.

This "unequiveacle" statement is wrong. Just WRONG. Williams isn't stupid. One of Ted's "qualities" is his ability to "not negotiate" and stand firm...

So, please, just stop with this type of drivel.

[pbmax]

Terrell Suggs reported three weeks late this year.

[mraynrand]

In two years, it's probably safe to assume that Harris, Woodson, Driver, Clifton, Tausher, Kampman all will be on the tailing ends of their career. Are we going to have replacements for them? .

Yes. Yes. That's what's so good about Thompson's approach. I'd say you already have solid replacements for Harris, Driver, Clifton, and Tauscher - possibly Woodson - on the team. In some cases the replacements may be upgrades. And he's going to keep adding lots of guys to compete for those positions that open up.

I agree with you GB, there's no reason to step back. But as we all know, barring injuries, Rodgers is the key. All he needs do is play well - not great - but well, and I don't think this team steps back.

[mraynrand]

I'm not getting into this debate, because I think the whole thing is stupid, however....

[Tony Oday]

These are two GMs in different situations.

Sherman had a SB team ready to rock and needed to add the final piece to get over the top...he gambled on guys and missed.

TT had a cash strapped team with little young talent. He rebuilt the team and put the pieces in place for a great run for a long time.

Also remember if Ron Wolf missed on Favre he wouldnt have been half the god we think he is. He drafted T Buck!

[Pugger]

I don't understand all this love for C. Williams. Last season when Jolly went on IR and Williams had ample opportunity to shine as a pass rusher, but he sure didn't impress me.

[pbmax]

Albert Haynesworth signed his tender as camp opened but has language that will prevent the Titans from using the cap next year. Charles Woodson came back the week before the season started with the Raiders.

How about Ryan Grant missing the start of camp then tweaking a hamstring? He refused to sign the tender, although this was an exclusive rights FA tender not franchise or transition.

[mraynrand]

I don't understand all this love for C. Williams. Last season when Jolly went on IR and Williams had ample opportunity to shine as a pass rusher, but he sure didn't impress me.

Agree. A lot of his sack came against Detroit. He was a solid, solid backup in a heavily rotating system. I think Cleveland is going to be disappointed in him as a 3-4 end.

[Scott Campbell]

I think of GM performance in terms of roster trajectory. Sherman took a roster that was high, and pointed high, and set its course on a downward slope. Ted took that downward slope - flattened it out very quickly to stop the bleeding, and turned it around and got it pointed very high once again.

Rosters don't turn on a dime. They move more like a battleship.