Driver signs extension - packer until 2012!

[retailguy]

If they're top tier competitors, whether they win the SB or not, Ted's done his job and won't be fired.

You're trying to set up a, "if we don't win the SB this year, Ted's a failure and should be fired" situation but the reality of what Ted has done, the Packers are going to be SB competitors for several years.

Like we've all been saying. Now is the time, but the beauty of it is, we have at least a 5 year window as SB competitors. The situation is even better than you're giving credit. You're giving it a one year shot and reality is, we're a top team in the league, young and have a boatload of money to spend.

There are no "5 year windows" in the NFL anymore. That's not what "I'M trying to set up either".

End of the line, Sherman won for 5 years but never got "over the top". Winning for 5 years with no championship won't get it done.

Justin, I'm talking about THIS YEAR. We should win THIS YEAR. If the team really tanks you could build a case for management change. But that likely won't happen.

What I'm saying (and hear me clearly now) is that if our OL is not much improved, that "should" get Ted fired, (but it won't), he's had several years to "fix" it and has failed multiple times. Other than that, I'm not sure I'd fire the guy for a six win season. But I'd crucify the fucker if the OL sucks.

Hope that's clear now.

[Scott Campbell]

I think the GM needs to provide the quality of players that can compete for the Lombardi. The rest is up to the coaching staff and the players themselves. I think Ted has built a perpetual contender.

[retailguy]

I think the GM needs to provide the quality of players that can compete for the Lombardi. The rest is up to the coaching staff and the players themselves. I think Ted has built a perpetual contender.

This has been the "crux" of my complaint with Ted. You're calling him a "personnel guy", I'm fine with your definition. But he's the GM, and he's got the responsibility for the whole shebang.

Therefore, he's responsible for that coaching staff as much as he's responsible for the player selection.

He gets no "free pass" for that from me. If the coaching staff is wrong, and doesn't get the best out of the talent provided them, that's on Ted too as it's his staff and his selections.

He won't be able to keep this team together as a "perpetual contender". Can he set up another team to make a run? Sure. The real catalyst here is Rodgers. The team will always have potential as long as it has a star QB.

[falco]

And if they duplicate last year? Strong season, but one and done in the playoffs. Should we start looking for a new GM?

[RashanGary]

He won't be able to keep this team together as a "perpetual contender". Can he set up another team to make a run? Sure. The real catalyst here is Rodgers. The team will always have potential as long as it has a star QB.

And to be fair, if there's no excuse for any time of mis-step, there is also no other place to give the credit with something goes right. Aaron Rodgers being the top reason we'll always be competitive, all that credit goes to Ted.

[falco]

Falco, you know I hate the guy.

To be honest, I didn't. I knew you were a skeptic. I didn't realize quite how strongly you felt.

[falco]

So when Wolf built the superbowl team but year after year we lost the Cowboys in the playoffs..... should he have been replaced?

[RashanGary]

And if they duplicate last year? Strong season, but one and done in the playoffs. Should we start looking for a new GM?

Honestly Falco, assuming we don't have bad injuries (either stars or many at one position), I do think we should expect more out of this team. I see RG's point that this is Ted's team. If he really has us pointed at greatness, there isn't much of an excuse for failure this year.

Injuries would do it for me. Other than that, I'd lose some confidence in Ted if we don't take a step forward. The way this team has come together I do think we should be expecting improvement from the team this year. We're not looking for a borderline playoff team. We're looking for a champion and only and up trend would make me think that's where we're going. Again, injuries are the wildcard, and that's for every team.

That is where I think we're going, but if it doesn't happen, I'll reshape my opinion for sure.

I think RG takes it a little far iwth the SB or bust talk and the injuries are no excuse talk. . . .


The big difference between why Sherman only had 5 years and why Ted gets more is Sherman took over a team that was peaking and had a lot of young talent and cap room. Then he tore it apart. Thompson took over a team that crumbled after 5 years of Sherman and has built it to be one of the strongest teams in the league from scratch (QB and all). Ted's going to get more time.


That said, I do think Ted has this team pointed to greatness. This year is going to be exciting, but if we don't win the SB, depending on the reason, it's probably not as big of a deal as RG says at the same time, there's some merit to what he's saying.

Damn, that didn't seem to make much sense. . . Am I arguing with you just to argue?

[falco]

Am I arguing with you just to argue?

You??? Get out of here.....

[Brandon494]

The big difference between why Sherman only had 5 years and why Ted gets more is Sherman took over a team that was peaking and had a lot of young talent and cap room. Then he tore it apart. Thompson took over a team that crumbled after 5 years of Sherman and has built it to be one of the strongest teams in the league from scratch (QB and all). Ted's going to get more time

Exactly!

Ask the most knowledgeable people in football and I guarntee you they will all rate TT as one of the top GMs in the league. Just because he doesn't go after some of the FAs some fans would like to pickup (myself included) doesn't mean he isn't a top GM. We have a great chance to win this year but like more SB champions we are also going to need luck. We aren't the only team thinking SB or bust this season.

[Tarlam!]

Well, I'm sorry if I'm hijacking the bash Retail Guy thread, but I wanted to say how delighted I am that my favourite current Packer may actually do what my previous favourite Packers (#4 and Kampy) didn't; retire a Packer!

Well earned Donald. I doubt they retire your number, though.

[retailguy]

And if they duplicate last year? Strong season, but one and done in the playoffs. Should we start looking for a new GM?

I said over and over that there aren't any excuses for this team not to win. Then I pretty much said whatever happens he wouldn't be fired.

Again, the most glaring weakness on this team for the past several seasons has been the play of the OL. That was the only context I inferred even getting rid of Ted and my point was clearly mostly sarcasm, with my belief mixed in. Ted's got the most secure job in the NFL right now.

The rest of this is simply bullshit, it distorts the point I was making and takes everything, including the discussion out of context. I'm not playing today.

End of the line, this team should win this year. I can come up with no legitimate excuses why they shouldn't win. Since no one of significance is injured it's pointless to talk about the injury excuse. As I said, when 8 starters go down, circa 2001, I'll be on the injury bandwagon. Until then, I expect this to be a great season and I expect this team to win straight out of the gate.

[ThunderDan]

Some of the posts in this thread are getting pretty ridiculous.

If we don't win now we are a failure? Unfortunately for the Packer (and every other team out there), there are 31 other GMs doing everything they can to improve their roster and win the Super Bowl.

By pure numbers alone the odds are against every team at the beginning of the year to win a Super Bowl. The best you can hope for is a GM to get the talent, a coach to get the guys in the right position to succeed and the ball to bounce to the right way during the season.

[Tarlam!]

s it pure disdain that RG doesn't get taken by his word? All he says is that he expects a huge year, a 16-0 year with a win in Dallas in February and if that doesn't happen, the season is a write off.

I'm OK with that, especially after I know how I felt after the Cards loss. And every other loss for that matter.

Other than that, he wants Ted's head only, if the OL stinks it up. Again.

It's obviously not hard to pick a fight around here if such incredulous expectations are considered a line in the sand.

[hoosier]

Some of the posts in this thread are getting pretty ridiculous.

If we don't win now we are a failure? Unfortunately for the Packer (and every other team out there), there are 31 other GMs doing everything they can to improve their roster and win the Super Bowl.

By pure numbers alone the odds are against every team at the beginning of the year to win a Super Bowl. The best you can hope for is a GM to get the talent, a coach to get the guys in the right position to succeed and the ball to bounce to the right way during the season.

Not to mention that quite often a team that was clearly the "best" team during the regular season ends its season with a loss. Think of Tennessee or NYG in 2008, New England in 2007, San Diego in 2006, and so on. In addition to talent, winning the SB requires lots of good luck along the way. The days of building a team that is simply head and shoulders above the rest, like the Pack in the early 60s or the Steelers in the mid 70s, are over. A SB win would be great but using that as the only yardstick for measuring a GM's success--or a successful season--is silly.