Losing a battle but winning the war

[RashanGary]

For a GM, I think to win a war you have to win a championship. Each year is a battle. At the end of each battle, the war could be won but odds are, probably it won't. More than likely it will drag on. Resources spent on one battle can deplete the next. Mistakes in one battle can deplete reserves for the next.

To many fans (myself included in the case of the defensive line), it seems like Ted is almost numb to the possibility of losing a battle. He did the same thing with running backs, safeties, quarterbacks, interior lineman, fullbacks, receivers and others. Mostly it's worked out, but this year the DL did not. It sucks. Maybe he wasn't 100% committed to winning this one battle. Maybe he believes that if he's opportunistic, diligent in his work and steady that good decisions will build on good decisions and eventually we'll get that championship (maybe this year, but it could be any year becuase he wants to be strong year after year). Maybe he's after the same thing all of us want, he just has experiences and vision that causes him to do things we don't always understand. Maybe this team will come back next year like gang busters and we'll all say, "whoa, I didn't see this coming".

Maybe losing a battle isn't as depressing as it feels during the heat of war. Maybe a smart general is too focused on winning the war to win every battle.

[Freak Out]

TT is not Sun Tzu.

[RashanGary]

TT is not Sun Tzu.

Clearly it was another way of saying he's focused on winning championships over the long haul, not regular season games each individual year

[Pugger]

I think TT couldn't forsee the hits on the D line this year, frankly. He must've felt comfortable with the D line situation in the offseason so he could trade a back-up to Cleveland who wanted too much money. Who would've thought Jenkins would be lost for the season (injuries happen but you can't predict who), KGB couldn't come back from his injury, Harrell's surgery wouldn't do the trick on his back so he was unavailable for most of the season or Pickett and Jolly not playing like they did last year? Cole and Hunter had health issues at various times and Montgomery is just a guy. Poor Kampy was our lone threat so it was easy for opponents to neutralize him. When all of these things happened TT had to scramble and pick up a street FA (Pettway) and later sign practice squad guys to the regular roster just to have enough bodies to suit up on Sunday. I hope TT addresses this situation this winter/spring!

[GrnBay007]

I hope TT addresses this situation this winter/spring!

Don't worry, there will be plenty of draft picks in April.

[RashanGary]

I hope TT addresses this situation this winter/spring!

Don't worry, there will be plenty of draft picks in April.

Yeah, cuz Jennings, Collins and Rodgers suck. We don't want any of that caliber on our Dline.

[Bretsky]

I hope TT addresses this situation this winter/spring!

Don't worry, there will be plenty of draft picks in April.

Yeah, cuz Jennings, Collins and Rodgers suck. We don't want any more of those types on our Dline.

Maybe we should keep drafting offense and fill up some D holes with that free agency thing

Cuz I'm not sure I want any more of those Justine Harrell types either

[RashanGary]

Name any GM. I'll show you a bunch of blown picks.

[Bretsky]

Name any GM. I'll show you a bunch of blown picks.

Name a GM and I'll show you some good picks

At this point the only thing we know is that we lost the battle this year

[RashanGary]

For the record, I'm disappointed in the Dline.

I enjoy it even more that the sarcastic one liners are coming out because in a few months they'll be given right back. Let's remember not to complain when that day comes and there are threads about TT being right. It always seems nobody wants to hear about that, but here they are with stupid little emoticons bitching and whining while rarely posting about the Packers.

[Bretsky]

For the record, I'm disappointed in the Dline.

I enjoy it even more that the sarcastic one liners are coming out because in a few months they'll be given right back. Let's remember not to complain when that day comes and there are threads about TT being right.

Ah the sarcastic one liners go both ways and are endless. I've said it to many a folk in here on both sides of the spectrum; the classsy ones don't have to go on the I told you so and I was right rage. Unfortunately many don't agree on the act like you've been there mojo.

[RashanGary]

Very true. When that day comes though, lets remember it goes both ways just like right now. Every time TT's on a role there is the, "lets end this" parade and now nobody wants to end anything. Let's just remember that much.

[red]

are we fighting the 100 years war?

we might have a middle of the road team age wise by then

[Bretsky]

Very true. When that day comes though, lets remember it goes both ways just like right now. Every time TT's on a role there is the, "lets end this" parade and now nobody wants to end anything. Let's just remember that much.

I don't think there are too many extreme TT haters or extreme TT lovers at this point. We have a couple on both ends of the spectrum but most realize he's developed some positions well and others not as well and the finished product is too early to judge.

My view has greatly improved about TT from a few years ago but has not changed much over the past year.

I still doubt he makes the big splash in free agency. I still think he values quantity in draft picks and how we will judge him in the end will greatly depend on what % of those draft picks become very good players and a few becoming stars. The strategy will lend to often recycling the bottom portion of the roster. IMO it gives us the ability to be decent for a long time. I'm not sure we achieve greatness though.

I could be right; I could be wrong. If/When we win a Super Bowl under TT I'll be happy to be proven wrong with a championship for evidence.

[Rastak]

TT is not Sun Tzu.

Clearly it was another way of saying he's focused on winning championships over the long haul, not regular season games each individual year

I'm not sure I 100% understand this. How can you win a championship without first winning lots of regular season games? Are you suggesting the team loses to get better draft picks over the course of some finite number of years or that they play guys during the regular season trying to gain them experience thinking at some future point in time it will payoff during some big season while sacrificing current seasons?