Capers not 1st, 2nd choice---JS

[Bretsky]

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/37945919.html

[Gunakor]

Why do they print garbage like this. Who cares. Is the guy we hired any good? If so, does it matter if he was the first or second or fifth choice? Why should any of us reading this story care?

[Bretsky]

for what it's worth I could care less about the blog

It was interesting so I posted it

[Bretsky]

Why do they print garbage like this. Who cares. Is the guy we hired any good? If so, does it matter if he was the first or second or fifth choice? Why should any of us reading this story care?

good gossip

it's why chicks read people magazine

[TheCheese]

Well it looks like it worked out because I'm glad we got Dom. Also found the part interesting where Williams said Green Bay had the most young talent out of all the teams that contacted him.

It's going to be real interesting to see what Dom does with all the talent we have. Man I'm stoked for the 09 season.

[Bretsky]

we can call ourselves the

DOMinators

[Gunakor]

Why do they print garbage like this. Who cares. Is the guy we hired any good? If so, does it matter if he was the first or second or fifth choice? Why should any of us reading this story care?

good gossip

it's why chicks read people magazine

I suppose. To me it just looks like the media trying to stir up drama where there is none. Whether or not he was the first choice is irrelevant, because Capers is a phenomenal defensive coach. If we are going to switch over to a 3-4, he's the guy to coach them up to do it.

I just hope he doesn't install a new package one year and bolt for a HC job the next like Jags did...

[bobblehead]

bottom line is this. Any of the above could probably have done a fine job and it will come down to the talent on the field. Dom is perfectly capable and has a proven track record. I'm fine with him.

[Joemailman]

we can call ourselves the

DOMinators

The Capers Crusaders

[channtheman]

I like the choice we made at DC so I don't care what choice he was. I think that they must have something against MM and I guess want to show that he can't get what he really wants so he has to resort to his "second" choice.

[Lurker64]

I think the Williams angle is plausible. But if it came down to a vote by Williams's family and they chose New Orleans over Green Bay, I can't fault the Packers organization for that (or really blame Williams). I think the Haslett thing is a stretch, particularly since the Rams HC vacancy was filled around the same time Capers was hired, and Haslett is still on the market (though it makes sense that the Haslett camp might want to create the impression that he was the Packers' second choice after Williams, since he's still trying to get a job). If McCarthy wanted to (and Haslett was amenable), he could have signed Haslett. I never put much stock in McCarthy hiring Nolan in the first place.

So personally, I'm thinking that Capers was McCarthy's second choice, after Williams.

[Patler]

They often say, sometimes the best trade for you is the one you don't make. Same can be said for signings in FA, coaching searches, whatever.

Ever since sportswriters became gossip columnists instead of news reporters for sports topics, they have a need to be ahead of the announcement and they need to be right, or make themselves appear to be right. This smacks of a rehabilitation effort pure and simple. Otherwise, why does it matter at all? It's not like MM was turned down by everyone with experience, and had to go with a neophyte DC, who was a risk. People reject very good job offers for a number of reasons. There is not always a negative inference against the employer because of it.

Even if Capers wasn't first on the list, after MM finally met and interviewed him, MM could very well be saying to himself, "Thank Goodness! Why didn't I contact him earlier?"

It doesn't matter one bit right now who turned it down, how many were offered the job, or who wasn't interviewed. All that matters is if the guy who is hired gets the job done. If he doesn't, then maybe those other things become relevant, but until then they are a waste of column inches, in my opinion.

[vince]

Well said Patler.

I think the Haslett thing is a stretch, particularly since the Rams HC vacancy was filled around the same time Capers was hired, and Haslett is still on the market (though it makes sense that the Haslett camp might want to create the impression that he was the Packers' second choice after Williams, since he's still trying to get a job).

There were two days between the announcements of Spags as HC of the Rams and Capers as DC of the Packers. So if Haslett was offered the Packers job, as the anonymous source indicated, it must have been withdrawn. It's probably more likely that this is more spin from an agent, as you say Lurk.

[Fritz]

After that JSO blog, a lot of readers seemed to write things that indicated that either Williams was insane for or lying about choosing New Orleans, or that Williams' comments proved that McCarthy/Thompson are incompetent and desperate.

I think, first, given Gregg Williams's statement that Green Bay offered him the coordinator's job, it seems clear that McCarthy's greatest priority was getting a defensive coordinator who had both experience as a coordinator and a good reputation. Those qualities seem to have trumped all others - an up-and-comer, the advantage of youth, it has to be a guy who uses___(fill in the blank) defensive scheme.

So it seems not to have mattered much to MM whether the scheme was 3-4 or 4-3. He just wanted someone with an excellent reputation (of the four we know he interviewed, Capers and Williams had the highest reputations) and experience as a coordinator.

Secondly, those people who call McCarthy into question because Williams turned down the job are in my estimation way, way overboard. Why is it so difficult to accept the possibility that a guy with a family might ask his family where they'd like to be? If his youngest son is a hot prospect as one article suggested, it would make sense to live and go to college in the south. Why do people think southern schools produce so many high-ranking football teams so consistently? The weather is warmer, you can play more throughout the year. So I wish people would give it up and stop attacking Williams, McCarthy, Thompson, whoever. Maybe Williams's stated reason for going to New Orleans is simply the truth.

As for Haslett, again, there are those "sources close say" crap, which in this whole defensive coordinator search have proved to be wrong most of the time. So I throw out the angle that Haslett was also offered the job. I think that's just more irresponsible speculative reporting.

[RashanGary]

Now I believe Greg Williams turned us down. I'm surprised because if talking strictly football, I think this was the best job out there. He has other priorities.


That said, I think Capers will be great. MM hardly knew him, so maybe he wasn't the first interview, but I don't doubt MM thought he was the best after finally talking to him. I'm very, very, very happy with everything Capers. Everything about him is impressive except his hair.