First-round draft picks have saved the Packers

[Patler]

Ted is a hell of a drafter and a good gm; I won't waste anytime idolizing him until he brings a title to Green Bay. After that happens he'll be on the pedestal with Ron Wolf. Bring us two and then he'll be above Ron

I agree. That brings up a question I have always had. Why is Wolf's pedestal so high in the view of so many? In spite of having an obviously top-flight QB; he won only a single Super Bowl. I know winning even one is tough, yet some franchises have managed to take advantage of their stars and group a whole bunch of SB appearances into their careers, winning several. Wolf really had only a two year run. Everything else was either building to those two years, or declining from them. He never reloaded for another shot.

Wolf screwed up the end of his career in my opinion. The end of Holmgren's time, hiring Rhodes, hiring Sherman and pushing for him to have the combined job that Holmgren wanted and might even have stayed for. I don't revere him the way many do.

[wootah]

+1 Vince. I LOVE TT's handling of the press. He answers interesting questions with interesting answers. He answers stupid questions with dismissive solemnity.

Same here. I specificly adore his pre-draft interview.
"So Ted, what do you think about the WR's available this year? Is there anyone that jumps out?"
- "I think it's a very solid group of WR's this year. Just like the other positions actually."

[Scott Campbell]

Wolf screwed up the end of his career in my opinion. The end of Holmgren's time, hiring Rhodes, hiring Sherman and pushing for him to have the combined job that Holmgren wanted and might even have stayed for. I don't revere him the way many do.

I think that's a great point. Just because you have a great GM, it doesn't mean that they'll necessarily stay great.

[MadScientist]

If the Packers dumped TT there would be about 27 teams standing in line to get him.

Agreed. For whatever faults you see in TT, would anyone here want to see him running the show in Detroit (though I think their GM is doing a good job as well), Chicago or Minnesota?

[ThunderDan]

And you're entitled to it Vince. You just don't have to mock my opinion in the process. It's pretty clear that you were mocking me personally, since I'm the ONLY one here that talks about his crappy media skills.

However, his dealing with the media itself are piss poor, which makes people publicly not like him that much.

Apparently you missed the 3rd post in this thread!

[sheepshead]

@Patler

Those years were like a high school nerd dating the prom queen. The Packers wer giddy for a few years. Harlan gave Holmy anything he wanted on the way out. The coaching carousel was a cluster stoop to say the least. Holmy stayed one year too long because he botched SB 32. We let Reid get away.

I have not changed position on this fact :TT is far better as his job then MM is at his. Not that MM needs to go or anything, TT and the Packer scouting staffs are one of the best in football. I also believe(and always have) that MM and TT bent way over backwards for Favre and perhaps let him come back one too many times.

[Patler]

@Patler

Those years were like a high school nerd dating the prom queen. The Packers wer giddy for a few years. Harlan gave Holmy anything he wanted on the way out. The coaching carousel was a cluster stoop to say the least. Holmy stayed one year too long because he botched SB 32. We let Reid get away.

I have not changed position on this fact :TT is far better as his job then MM is at his. Not that MM needs to go or anything, TT and the Packer scouting staffs are one of the best in football. I also believe(and always have) that MM and TT bent way over backwards for Favre and perhaps let him come back one too many times.

Even after 5 years, I'm not convinced about MM yet, but I am convinced that TT is a darn fine GM.

I never felt TT and MM bent over backward for Favre. I felt that Sherman clearly did, but MM tried to change that when he came. I have wondered if Sherman's kid-glove handling of Favre might have been one of the strikes against him with TT. I think TT likes a dispassionate, no nonsense approach with players. After seeing Sherman with Favre for a season, TT might have decided Sherman was not his type of HC. I thought that after MM came on board both he and TT tried to pull Favre back in that direction.

[sheepshead]

Even after 5 years, I'm not convinced about MM yet, but I am convinced that TT is a darn fine GM.

I never felt TT and MM bent over backward for Favre. I felt that Sherman clearly did, but MM tried to change that when he came. I have wondered if Sherman's kid-glove handling of Favre might have been one of the strikes against him with TT. I think TT likes a dispassionate, no nonsense approach with players. After seeing Sherman with Favre for a season, TT might have decided Sherman was not his type of HC. I thought that after MM came on board both he and TT tried to pull Favre back in that direction.

I agree, but coaching Brett Favre and saying 'its time to leave we have new a guy we want to try' are two entirely different things.

[Patler]

I agree, but coaching Brett Favre and saying 'its time to leave we have new a guy we want to try' are two entirely different things.

I will always wonder what TT and MM would have done if Favre had not opened the door for them by "retiring". How long would they have stuck with him? What kind of opportunities would they have given Rodgers even with Favre on the roster? Etc.

[pbmax]

I will always wonder what TT and MM would have done if Favre had not opened the door for them by "retiring". How long would they have stuck with him? What kind of opportunities would they have given Rodgers even with Favre on the roster? Etc.

I think both are on record (I am sure about McCarthy) that he would have been the unquestioned starter in 2008 had he committed to coming back in the Spring. Beyond that they have commented that they would have tried to sign Rodgers to keep him around. But understood he would be anxious to leave.

[rbaloha1]

I agree. That brings up a question I have always had. Why is Wolf's pedestal so high in the view of so many? In spite of having an obviously top-flight QB; he won only a single Super Bowl. I know winning even one is tough, yet some franchises have managed to take advantage of their stars and group a whole bunch of SB appearances into their careers, winning several. Wolf really had only a two year run. Everything else was either building to those two years, or declining from them. He never reloaded for another shot.

Wolf screwed up the end of his career in my opinion. The end of Holmgren's time, hiring Rhodes, hiring Sherman and pushing for him to have the combined job that Holmgren wanted and might even have stayed for. I don't revere him the way many do.

RW built a roster which should have won 3 consecutive super bowls. Its not RW's fault the packers lost to the Broncos and the 49'ers the following year

[rbaloha1]

Even after 5 years, I'm not convinced about MM yet, but I am convinced that TT is a darn fine GM.

I never felt TT and MM bent over backward for Favre. I felt that Sherman clearly did, but MM tried to change that when he came. I have wondered if Sherman's kid-glove handling of Favre might have been one of the strikes against him with TT. I think TT likes a dispassionate, no nonsense approach with players. After seeing Sherman with Favre for a season, TT might have decided Sherman was not his type of HC. I thought that after MM came on board both he and TT tried to pull Favre back in that direction.

Agreed. MM chokes in big and close games. Sort of like Sherman.

[ND72]

I started reading, and then decided to just post.

Couple things I've noticed, mostly from RG...Ted Thompson has NO media responsiblities. When he speaks to the media, it is by his choice, and his choice alone. The NFL does not regulate the GM make any appearance to the media. the only time the NFL "asks" a GM to speak is before the NFL draft, and that's it, but they still don't have to.

Anything other than the product that is placed on the field means nothing to me. Ted's job is putting a winning team on the field, and he has shown he is doing that year in and year out. I don't care that media doesn't like him. I don't care that he doesn't answer questions to the fullest to the media for the simple fact that most of the media is just a circus act anyway, and most of them are BAD at their jobs.

Bill Michaels talked about this last night in his post game show, the media loves Brett Favre...why? Because he tells them everything. He has never been one to shy away from giving them the news or the stories, so they love him. The media doesn't like Ted Thompson, because he is the polar opposite, so they are going to give you their opinion of Ted within their stories. But once again, I don't care.

Ted Thompson could never show his face in front of the media, and just do what he does, and I would be completely satisfied. Ted has a plan, to build through the draft. He knows what he's doing, and it shows. His drafts have been pretty damn good since coming here. To say he refuses to sign big name free agents is just a stupid comment. He has signed Charles Woodson and Ryan pickett....PLEASE tell me what big name free agents we missed out on, cause I would love to see a list.

PLUS, there were guys who said the Packers called them to come for a visit but they refused to come, early on some even said because of Mike Sherman. That will change. When Ron Wolf took over, he struggled to get big name guys to come here....then Reggie signed, and we started winning, and then they wanted to come.

Ted Thompson has done a wonderful job rebuilding from the funk that was Mike Sherman. We have a product on the field that is built to win for a number of years...that is Ted Thompson's job, and of which should be the only basis we grade him on. If you want to put in your opinon based on other facts is just your way of trying to nit-pick, and are oblivious to the reality of what he is responsible for.

[vince]

Favre was put in his place by both TT and MM and that was the best thing for him and the team but he didn't see it that way. He would have continued with Green Bay that year, but under terms he felt he was above. His refusal to accept his "place" is what led to Favre manipulating his way out of town. Had he accepted that he was the QB and wasn't above the rest of his teammates, he would have been impossible to displace without a drop in play, which could well have come at the end of '08. It may well have been too late to keep Rodgers though.

Both TT and MM deserve tremendous kudos in my opinion for maintaining team principles amid an avalanche of pressure.

[pbmax]

RW built a roster which should have won 3 consecutive super bowls. Its not RW's fault the packers lost to the Broncos and the 49'ers the following year

The Packer Defense in 98 was running on fumes compared to the 96 unit. No way they stop the Broncos the second time. They had a hole at safety (Sharper), LB (never replaced Simmons) and DE opposite Reggie (though Holiday was better than Holland or Wilkins). And Reggie and LeRoy were getting old.