BEDARD BLOG

[HarveyWallbangers]

I don't doubt that he was in discussions and all that jazz, but I am starting to see a pattern here. ABC. Always be closing.

It seems to me like Thompson settles for the set of steak knives instead of the Cadillac El Dorado.

The only thing that matters is getting them to sign on the line which is dotted. Anything else is just details and making excuses for failure.

I choose to think of it is that he doesn't overpay--which is a good thing. Now, I'd agree with you that he needs to hit on his draft picks. We'll see if the plan works. I'm hoping the new defensive coaching staff will do a better job at helping the defense protect 4th quarter leads next year.

[cpk1994]

Impossible. First off TT hates to trade picks.

How did Ryan Grant get to GB then?

Yeah and before TT sent that pick over to NY, he tried to unload one of our kickers instead. The Giants didn't bite so he sent a future 6th. Not exactly a blockbuster.

But he did trade apick. Can't say he hates to trade picks when he traded one. ALso, iwhen you have 2 kikcers, isn't it a good idea to get something for the one you don't want, especiually if another team may need one kicker?

[Waldo]

Impossible. First off TT hates to trade picks. Second off he also know better than to give up picks for a guy that's near the end of the line.

Have you seen his drafts? Practically every pick is traded.

He got mighty close to trading for Gonzo, a guy near the end of the line.

[imscott72]

Yeah and before TT sent that pick over to NY, he tried to unload one of our kickers instead. The Giants didn't bite so he sent a future 6th. Not exactly a blockbuster.

Apparently, he also had deals in place to trade a draft pick for Randy Moss (before Mr. Senility backed out of it) and to trade a draft pick for Tony Gonzalez (before the Chiefs tried to increase the compensation just before the deal was to go down).

I don't doubt that he was in discussions and all that jazz, but I am starting to see a pattern here. ABC. Always be closing.

It seems to me like Thompson settles for the set of steak knives instead of the Cadillac El Dorado.

The only thing that matters is getting them to sign on the line which is dotted. Anything else is just details and making excuses for failure.

I agree. It seems like TT comes close with some big trades that could help the team, but for whatever reason he just comes up short. It's hard to figure whether he's just scared to pull the trigger or it's the matter of both parties not coming together.

[imscott72]

Impossible. First off TT hates to trade picks.

How did Ryan Grant get to GB then?

Yeah and before TT sent that pick over to NY, he tried to unload one of our kickers instead. The Giants didn't bite so he sent a future 6th. Not exactly a blockbuster.

But he did trade apick. Can't say he hates to trade picks when he traded one. ALso, iwhen you have 2 kikcers, isn't it a good idea to get something for the one you don't want, especiually if another team may need one kicker?

The Giants didn't need a kicker. They were happy with Tynes. The point is TT did eventually trade the pick, but was reluctant to do so and doesn't like to trade picks, which was the point I was making originally, which is why I don't see him parting with all these picks plus another back to get LT2.

[imscott72]

Impossible. First off TT hates to trade picks. Second off he also know better than to give up picks for a guy that's near the end of the line.

Have you seen his drafts? Practically every pick is traded.

He got mighty close to trading for Gonzo, a guy near the end of the line.

You guys are dancing around what I'm trying to say here. I'm not talking about trading picks for other picks. I'm talking about trading picks for players straight up. I don't care how close he got to Gonzo, he didn't make the deal so how close he got is pure speculation.

[sharpe1027]

Impossible. First off TT hates to trade picks. Second off he also know better than to give up picks for a guy that's near the end of the line.

Have you seen his drafts? Practically every pick is traded.

He got mighty close to trading for Gonzo, a guy near the end of the line.

You guys are dancing around what I'm trying to say here. I'm not talking about trading picks for other picks. I'm talking about trading picks for players straight up. I don't care how close he got to Gonzo, he didn't make the deal so how close he got is pure speculation.

Name two GMs that have been more active than TT in trying to trade draft picks for players. Now consider that there are 31 other teams. Would you say he is in the top or bottom half of activity?

[Partial]

"Trying" to do something, or for all we know, saying you tried to do something, is quite a bit different than actually doing it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TROhlThs9qY

[sharpe1027]

"Trying" to do something, or for all we know, saying you tried to do something, is quite a bit different than actually doing it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TROhlThs9qY

Yes, however, it still shows a willingness to part with draft picks.

Try this one.

Name three GMs that actually traded more draft picks for players than TT. If it takes you more than 30 seconds, ask yourself if TT is in the top half or the bottom half of the league in this regard.

[Partial]

"Trying" to do something, or for all we know, saying you tried to do something, is quite a bit different than actually doing it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TROhlThs9qY

Yes, however, it still shows a willingness to part with draft picks.

Try this one.

Name three GMs that actually traded more draft picks for players than TT. If it takes you more than 30 seconds, ask yourself if TT is in the top half or the bottom half of the league in this regard.

Shanahan, Newsome, Piolo. Done. Took about 20ish seconds.

[sharpe1027]

"Trying" to do something, or for all we know, saying you tried to do something, is quite a bit different than actually doing it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TROhlThs9qY

Yes, however, it still shows a willingness to part with draft picks.

Try this one.

Name three GMs that actually traded more draft picks for players than TT. If it takes you more than 30 seconds, ask yourself if TT is in the top half or the bottom half of the league in this regard.

Shanahan, Newsome, Piolo. Done. Took about 20ish seconds.

Congrats, although I don't think those are all great examples to be providing and I can't make you prove the 20 seconds. My point still stands, trades don't happen all that often, and TT has not shown that he is unwilling to offer up picks for players.

[imscott72]

"Trying" to do something, or for all we know, saying you tried to do something, is quite a bit different than actually doing it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TROhlThs9qY

Yes, however, it still shows a willingness to part with draft picks.

Try this one.

Name three GMs that actually traded more draft picks for players than TT. If it takes you more than 30 seconds, ask yourself if TT is in the top half or the bottom half of the league in this regard.

Shanahan, Newsome, Piolo. Done. Took about 20ish seconds.

Really? How many players have the traded picks for in the past two years?

The Vikings unloaded 3 high picks last year to acquire Allen. Piolo just dumped a 2nd to get Cassell. The Vikings gave a 4th for Rosenfels. The Jets gave two undisclosed picks for Sheppard. The Bucs gave undisclosed picks for Winslow.
In 2007 the Chargers gave a 2nd for Chambers. The Bucs gave 2008 and 2009 picks for Michael Bennett.
I could go on and on, but that research took about 5 mins. The point is GM's trade picks all the time to get players that can improve their roster. I'm all for building with the draft too, but draft picks are a crapshoot, whereas you have better chances with players that have positive track records already in place.

[sharpe1027]

The Vikings unloaded 3 high picks last year to acquire Allen. Piolo just dumped a 2nd to get Cassell. The Vikings gave a 4th for Rosenfels. The Jets gave two undisclosed picks for Sheppard. The Bucs gave undisclosed picks for Winslow.
In 2007 the Chargers gave a 2nd for Chambers. The Bucs gave 2008 and 2009 picks for Michael Bennett.
I could go on and on, but that research took about 5 mins. The point is GM's trade picks all the time to get players that can improve their roster. I'm all for building with the draft too, but draft picks are a crapshoot, whereas you have better chances with players that have positive track records already in place.

I should hope you can find a lot of examples considering there are 32 teams and you are drawing over several years. I think you will find that much less than half of the teams trade a pick for a player in any given year.

Bottom line: TT has already shown a willingness to part with draft picks for players. It is a fact, move on.

[Guiness]

Actually, much more rare is a player for player swap. We saw one this year, but that doesn't happen very often.

[digitaldean]

Impossible. First off TT hates to trade picks. Second off he also know better than to give up picks for a guy that's near the end of the line.

Have you seen his drafts? Practically every pick is traded.

He got mighty close to trading for Gonzo, a guy near the end of the line.

You guys are dancing around what I'm trying to say here. I'm not talking about trading picks for other picks. I'm talking about trading picks for players straight up. I don't care how close he got to Gonzo, he didn't make the deal so how close he got is pure speculation.

TT had a deal done in principle and the front office was getting the paperwork of Gonzo for a 3rd round pick. Then Carl Peterson of KC ups the offer from a 3rd to a 2nd, 10 MINUTES before the deadline (not even enough time to get the paperwork changed and send to the league office).

Did he fumble the Moss trade? Probably. The KC deal his fault, no. Carl Peterson got cold feet and for 1 reason or another jacked up the terms at the last minute.

TT has done deals, maybe not enough for the general public, but he has pulled the trigger on some of the bigger FAs. (Pickett, Woodson) Plus, he has found some Pro Bowl caliber talent (Jennings, Ryan Grant). Sometimes, the only way the hater crowd will be happy is for us to suffer through another crappy season and then get TT canned. Even then, he may not be. It may be McCarthy as the fall guy.