LATEST DRAFT RUMBLINGS

[DonHutson]

Lots of great info in there, Waldo.

But the biggest revelation of all has to be that Ted Thompson has friends.

[Waldo]

Lots of great info in there, Waldo.

But the biggest revelation of all has to be that Ted Thompson has friends.

Ted is a long time scout and a GM from the scouting area. Guys like Kirwan and Brandt he's been seeing at pro days and whatnot for 20 years.

People from the true scouting side of things (not the Kipers) tend to be friends with TT. On the scouting circuit is is very well respected and old timers tend to be friends with him.

[Maxie the Taxi]

I know nothing about nothing except that the Packers need to improve their pass rush. I'd be shocked if the top couple choices in the draft weren't DL or LB. I'd be fine with them using all seven picks on defense. In fact, I wish they would.

[Tony Oday]

Trade down and get James Laurinaitis

[Maxie the Taxi]

I heard that guy Laurinitas is a good chance to be a bust. Isn't he slow? I think we need some speed. What about this Everette (?) kid from Florida State. Someone like that.

[Cheesehead Craig]

There is a lot of dead air with the Packers and Raji as of late. We either love him or hate him, to the point where we're either sending out strong smokescreens in other directions, or there really is very little interest. I don't think that there is much interest in the first round pass rushers.

It's almost like when they drafted Hawk. They didn't do much with him as I recall. This is almost sounding like that situation again.

[RashanGary]

Thanks for the info, Waldo. Very interesting.

It does seem like Ted has a lot of respect all over the scouting world. He speaks at the combines (I'm sure they ask him to do that because they respect him) and everything you see written from these guys on the scouting circuit about TT is positive. He even won the front office exec of the year, voted by his peers. The guy has a lot of support. I think if the Packers fired him today he'd be hired tomorrow somewhere else, making a lot of money and given a lot of responsibility.

Also, I got the feeling through the whole Favre debacle that Ted trusted McCarthy's opinion and went with what McCarthy wanted. During the whole thing, he never deflected the heat on McCarthy. There were times where McCarthy said, "Ted is one of the best, most trust worthy people I've met". I also saw an email from the son of a scout who recently died that knew and liked both FAvre and Thompson. Shortly before he died, his son asked his dad about it and the son wrote Bedard saying what his dad told him a little about Thompson. The son just wanted to share it because he felt it was the right thing to get it out for people to read. He said, "Ted Thompson is one of the most honest men I've ever met. I know Brett and think the world of him, but it hurts me to see him call an honest man dishonest". Something to that effect. People not only like Thompson from the impressions I get; they respect him greatly and look at him as a person with great integrity and to me that is one of the greatest things you can earn from people.

I'm a big fan of Thompson, obviously, for many reasons. First, I think he has a great approach, but I also see so many sneaky, dishonest people and every time I hear Thompson talk, I hear a guy who will take every bullet for his team and a guy that has no spite toward other people even when they try to hurt him. It hurt me to see someone with the celebrity and power of Favre try to hurt a good, honest person. People here hate Thompson, but they do not know him. People who know him, everyone within the Packers, seem to respect him to the highest level and follow his lead because they believe in him. There isn't even a hint of decention through any of the tough times that have come. Look at the power Favre had. The whole organization from top to bottom, not one whisper to the contrary, supported Thompson. Wow. I don't think anyone would have thought that day would come and it came at the height of Brett's power, after a great season.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I'd be fine with them using all seven picks on defense. In fact, I wish they would.

Nine picks.

[The Shadow]

Thanks for the info, Waldo. Very interesting.

It does seem like Ted has a lot of respect all over the scouting world. He speaks at the combines (I'm sure they ask him to do that because they respect him) and everything you see written from these guys on the scouting circuit about TT is positive. He even won the front office exec of the year, voted by his peers. The guy has a lot of support. I think if the Packers fired him today he'd be hired tomorrow somewhere else, making a lot of money and given a lot of responsibility.

Also, I got the feeling through the whole Favre debacle that Ted trusted McCarthy's opinion and went with what McCarthy wanted. During the whole thing, he never deflected the heat on McCarthy. There were times where McCarthy said, "Ted is one of the best, most trust worthy people I've met". I also saw an email from the son of a scout who recently died that knew and liked both FAvre and Thompson. Shortly before he died, his son asked his dad about it and the son wrote Bedard saying what his dad told him a little about Thompson. The son just wanted to share it because he felt it was the right thing to get it out for people to read. He said, "Ted Thompson is one of the most honest men I've ever met. I know Brett and think the world of him, but it hurts me to see him call an honest man dishonest". Something to that effect. People not only like Thompson from the impressions I get; they respect him greatly and look at him as a person with great integrity and to me that is one of the greatest things you can earn from people.

I'm a big fan of Thompson, obviously, for many reasons. First, I think he has a great approach, but I also see so many sneaky, dishonest people and every time I hear Thompson talk, I hear a guy who will take every bullet for his team and a guy that has no spite toward other people even when they try to hurt him. It hurt me to see someone with the celebrity and power of Favre try to hurt a good, honest person. People here hate Thompson, but they do not know him. People who know him, everyone within the Packers, seem to respect him to the highest level and follow his lead because they believe in him. There isn't even a hint of decention through any of the tough times that have come. Look at the power Favre had. The whole organization from top to bottom, not one whisper to the contrary, supported Thompson. Wow. I don't think anyone would have thought that day would come and it came at the height of Brett's power, after a great season.

Well said!

[Guiness]

[quote="Waldo"]Lately the Packers have had private workouts with 3 OT's:

Oher, A. Smith, and Britton

A couple of names you mention that I'd like to see...but don't know how we'd to it outside of a trade.

Britton is a name that comes up often enough, and he's got a lot of upside - but I don't see how we land him. He's not even on the radar for a #9 pick - and I don't think he lasts until the second round.

A. Smith is a real enigma at this point. And not to be discounted is how much smoke the teams drafting around our spot are likely blowing, saying that he's a huge risk, hoping he's there when they draft!!!

A guy like English might be there though. I have to think him and Clay Mathews would get a long hard look with our second rounder should they be around. Mathews not likely though.

[packrulz]

Not everyone hates TT, I don't. When he got here the salary cap was maxed out, the team was spending a lot of cash on guys like Cletius Hunt, Wahle, Rivera, and there was no QB of the future post Favre. Now, they have cap room, a good young QB and back ups, an improving O-line, and some good WR's that are probably better than Favre had. He picked up Woodson, Pickett, and Chilliar in FA, which is good but he does have an aversion to free agents, which I think hurts him. Wolf traded for Favre, brought in FA's like Reggie White and Sean Jones, and won the Super Bowl, I wish TT would at least look at the available FA's more. I haven't called Harrell a bust yet, he hasn't been able to play enough, he has shown flashes of talent in the little time he has played.

[DonHutson]

Lots of great info in there, Waldo.

But the biggest revelation of all has to be that Ted Thompson has friends.

Ted is a long time scout and a GM from the scouting area. Guys like Kirwan and Brandt he's been seeing at pro days and whatnot for 20 years.

People from the true scouting side of things (not the Kipers) tend to be friends with TT. On the scouting circuit is is very well respected and old timers tend to be friends with him.

I'm simply taking a cheap shot at his lack of personality. I know he is respected by his peers.