Rumors: Rodgers may hand off to Westbrook

[HarveyWallbangers]

I like the path Thompson is on. This team feels like it's about to arrive--like the mid 90s teams.

[Bretsky]

Completly agree; ten years from now I think we'll have one to two more championships

[falco]

win a title and then come back to make the argument

I get your point but don't agree. Only one team can win the championship every year, and it requires a perfect alignment of many variables. Especially in the climate the NFL operates in today.

But I do agree that it will take another 4-5 years to judge. But I'm saying my mind is made up now; and I'm also saying that if in 5 years, if we don't have another championship, that still doesn't mean that Wolf was better.

[falco]

Also will be interesting to see how Thompson adapts to the changing rules now. The NFL environment is going to be very dynamic the next few years.

[falco]

I also think Thompson deserves extra credit for taking a competitive but aging team and re-building it; especially in having to transition from HOF QB to possible future HOF QB.

[sharpe1027]

Grant's scenario is no different than KGB, except that KGB actually was less than mediocre. He will play unless he can be replaced by something just as good and cheaper barring injury. Harvey's scenario makes sense if his replacement lands on the roster this year. But that guy isn't here yet.

KGB couldn't play in the NFL anymore, period. He probably could have been near the minimum salary and he still would have been cut. Did any other team even bother to take a flyer on him at the Vet minimum? That's a bit different from cutting a guy that is a starter.

His last year, yes. After failing to recover from an injury and the subsequent surgery.

But in the 3 years prior to that, everyone had KGB getting his walking papers as his contract number kept going up and his production slackened. It was the same story we have seen every year since, just fill in the disappointing vet. This offseason it was AJ Hawk. There was one vet getting the same coverage each year since Thompson took over.

The problem lies in the misunderstanding. Each beat writer thinks Thompson will pay for value only. And they will eventually become convinced that Thompson has "changed". Just like the veteran leadership angle when Clifton and Tauscher got resigned. Suddenly they divined that Thompson learned from his past mistakes on leadership. Never stopping to think about the il-logic of applauding the same veteran leadership in 2010 that they blamed the 2008 failures.

But KGB, Hawk and others are examples where he will live with overpaying his own players. Either for continued development or lack of suitable replacements at a position. They also mistake Thompson letting Wahle, Rivera and Sharper walk as evidence he will not overpay, instead of evidence that he wanted the cap situation straightened out first.

It has never occurred to them that with a favorable cap and contracts that leave the Packers in control, he is willing to spend money to keep the band together.

I agree. Too often the analysis is only skin deep. Dig a little deeper and you can see that overpaying is only relevant when it results in cuts somewhere else. Since first year, the cap has been handled so that they can "overpay" for a few guys and still keep everyone around.

I can't see Grant being cut unless his production falls off the cliff or they find a couple really solid backs to take over.

[Bretsky]

I also think Thompson deserves extra credit for taking a competitive but aging team and re-building it; especially in having to transition from HOF QB to possible future HOF QB.

How successful were the Packers before Ron Wolf arrived ?

[Joemailman]

I think Ted Thompson has put together a Super Bowl caliber roster. Whether or not he matches/exceeds Wolf will depend on whether he has hired a Super Bowl caliber coach. Wolf did with Holmgren. The jury is still out with McCarthy.

[falco]

I also think Thompson deserves extra credit for taking a competitive but aging team and re-building it; especially in having to transition from HOF QB to possible future HOF QB.

How successful were the Packers before Ron Wolf arrived ?

You are missing my point. Obviously the team wolf inherited was much worse.

[red]

I also think Thompson deserves extra credit for taking a competitive but aging team and re-building it; especially in having to transition from HOF QB to possible future HOF QB.

How successful were the Packers before Ron Wolf arrived ?

i think you're mistaken
the packers felt like it was unfair for them to compete in the nfl after super bowl 2, they were just too good. so Lombardi agreed to leave the game forever and move to a small island near bermuda, where to this day he sinks ships and messes with planes by using his brain waves.

the rest of the team then agreed to disband and spread out to all corners of the world in order that their combined power wouldn't upset the space time continuem

it was only in 1991 that the people of green bay felt that the world was in need of a true champion once again and lit the giant G spotlight in the south endzone of lambeau field

ron wolf, with the help of god (to my knowledge Curly lambeau) assembled the team that would go on to win another super bowl. only to let denver win the following year due to fears that they were becoming too strong once again

thats the way i understand things

[Joemailman]

win a title and then come back to make the argument

I get your point but don't agree. Only one team can win the championship every year, and it requires a perfect alignment of many variables. Especially in the climate the NFL operates in today.

But I do agree that it will take another 4-5 years to judge. But I'm saying my mind is made up now; and I'm also saying that if in 5 years, if we don't have another championship, that still doesn't mean that Wolf was better.

I guess I don't understand your criteria for judging that Thompson is better. If you base it on championships, Wolf is better. If you base it on producing a consistent winner, Wolf is also better. The Packers never had a losing season with Wolf here, even though he inherited one of the worst teams in the league.

[falco]

I guess I don't understand your criteria for judging that Thompson is better

First of all, I don't claim to be an expert on the subject, just an opinionated fan.

My argument is that a perpetual contender is a better criteria than championships, for the reason I mentioned before.

However, I think Thompson faced more struggles than Wolf did (he had to rebuild a successful but old team, had to transition from a HOF QB, had much higher expectations versus Wolf's when he started, there is more parity in the league now, etc).

I hope people don't think I'm discounting Wolf. I'm just saying if Thompson is a 10, Wolf is a 9.9. They are both top notch, and I think we've been lucky to have each. I guess what I'm saying is that if you had to pick one to take over your team right now, I'm going with Thompson.

[swede]

I also think Thompson deserves extra credit for taking a competitive but aging team and re-building it; especially in having to transition from HOF QB to possible future HOF QB.

How successful were the Packers before Ron Wolf arrived ?

The first step in making the Green Bay Packers successful again was not Ron Wolf, it was unloading Judge Parins for Bob Harlan. He upgraded the organization and created a culture devoted to professionalism and winning in a new era.

Ron was a really good GM, though.

I already think TT may have an edge over Wolf, but it would be great if he would drive the point home for me by arranging for one more kickass draft next week.

[Fritz]

Was Judge Parrins really a judge?

[pbmax]

Was Judge Parrins really a judge?

Yep. A retired Brown County Circuit Judge.