First-round draft picks have saved the Packers

[HarveyWallbangers]

(Can't figure out how to quote an article when creating a new thread.)

Six first round picks. Three Pro Bowl caliber players, two solid starters (one who could be Pro Bowl caliber eventually), and one bust. Of course, some still just want to talk about Harrell.

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/109567954.html

Thompson's track record with first-rounders is pretty good with Raji, Matthews and Bulaga added to Rodgers and linebacker A.J. Hawk, who is having a good season. Justin Harrell is the only one who hasn't worked out at all due to chronic injuries.

[Lurker64]

(Can't figure out how to quote an article when creating a new thread.)

You can just manually insert quote tags.

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[packerbacker1234]

I have no real issue with TT as the man deciding our draft choices. He is an excellent talent scout. Setting aside the first rounders, he also helped discover undrafted Sam Shields.

However, his dealing with the media itself are piss poor, which makes people publicly not like him that much. Toss that on top of his lack of at least showing interest in aquiring a few of hte big names in FA or trade sort of hur them. Not that those names would help, but at least admitting we are looking into it would be nice. Again, that all comes down to Public Relations, which frankly TT is horrible at.

As for who to decide who and what we draft? Can't ask for anyone better really.

[vince]

"Well, where would we be without the other 50?" said Thompson. "We need 'em all. We have to have all our guys contributing and that's what we tell them all the time. It's not fantasy football. People are going to miss some time and you're going to have to have young men step up and take their place. So you need them all."

...

Thompson said he hasn't defined exactly how soon he expects first-round players to make an impact.

"I think it's more an investment in the future. You hope they have a long and healthy and happy career," said Thompson. "They're just getting started. Sometimes we want to anoint things before we finish them. I think they're going to have long, good careers and that's what we hope for. It isn't necessarily focused on what happened yesterday. It's looking down to the future with your guys, especially with your guys you picked pretty highly, to have long healthy careers."

Still, it's not a bad story. Bulaga changes positions and holds up. Raji moves from end to tackle and stars. Matthews is the toast of the NFL. Despite their youth and inexperience, they're helping this team.

"Mike and his staff have always been unafraid of going with younger guys if the younger guys are the best option at the time," said Thompson. "There are some staffs that are a little more hesitant. I think credit goes to the players first - they're the ones out there doing it."

Thompson may be boring and quiet but he is deferent and modest - pretty great attributes for such an elite general manager I'd say.

Thompson's knocked it out of the park with his first rounders, but the bottom line is that with a GM you have to look at the body of work - and he's done just as well overall. Every GM makes mistakes, the better they are, the longer they're in the business, the more mistakes they make. It's the nature of the business. Nitpicking individual decisions or, even worse, criticizing things that have no real impact on winning such as public relations or personality reek of bias and agenda.

Those that complain about his public relations in particular are grasping for something to justify personal hatred and/or knock down the man in order to support their personal dislike for someone who consistently doesn't make the decisions they as a fan think are the right ones.

[Scott Campbell]

Toss that on top of his lack of at least showing interest in aquiring a few of hte big names in FA or trade sort of hur them.

Defensive Player Of The Year Charles Woodson is not a big name?

[MJZiggy]

Defensive Player Of The Year Charles Woodson is not a big name?

I think he's still sad not to have gotten a big name like Haynesworth; he's really tearing it up in his $100 million backup role. I don't care if Ted Thompson never gets in front of a microphone again. I don't care if he decides to become a hermit and live in a hovel underneath the stadium and grow a Moses beard so long as he keeps building the kind of team that can lose a ton of starters and still compete for the division. This team is grade A personnel-wise and that is what TT gets paid to do. Not stand in front of a podium and say what you want to hear. Since Al left, he's my favorite interview. Ask a stupid question and see what kind of answer you get.

[retailguy]

Thompson may be boring and quiet but he is deferent and modest - pretty great attributes for such an elite general manager I'd say.

Thompson's knocked it out of the park with his first rounders, but the bottom line is that with a GM you have to look at the body of work - and he's done just as well overall. Every GM makes mistakes, the better they are, the longer they're in the business, the more mistakes they make. It's the nature of the business. Nitpicking individual decisions or, even worse, criticizing things that have no real impact on winning such as public relations or personality reek of bias and agenda.

Those that complain about his public relations in particular are grasping for something to justify personal hatred and/or knock down the man in order to support their personal dislike for someone who consistently doesn't make the decisions they as a fan think are the right ones.

Another patented Vince cheap shot. Surprising? I don't think so.

In the real world you can't be "elite" unless you excel at all facets of your job. You might be the best in the world at part of it, but if you can't be the best in the world at all of it, you don't earn or deserve the "elite" moniker. Thompson is an excellent personnel guy, few anywhere will disagree with that. But, unfortunately for you, Thompson has other responsibilities as part of his "job" of GM. His inability to interact with any media person is not "elite". His ability to hire coaches appears to be mediocre at best.

I really think you protest too much vince. You accuse me and others of having a "personal vendetta" against Thompson, but I think you have the real personal vendetta, and that's to convince the world that "excelling" at a portion of your job qualifies you as "elite"...

[MJZiggy]

Another patented Vince cheap shot. Surprising? I don't think so.

In the real world you can't be "elite" unless you excel at all facets of your job. You might be the best in the world at part of it, but if you can't be the best in the world at all of it, you don't earn or deserve the "elite" moniker. Thompson is an excellent personnel guy, few anywhere will disagree with that. But, unfortunately for you, Thompson has other responsibilities as part of his "job" of GM. His inability to interact with any media person is not "elite". His ability to hire coaches appears to be mediocre at best.

I really think you protest too much vince. You accuse me and others of having a "personal vendetta" against Thompson, but I think you have the real personal vendetta, and that's to convince the world that "excelling" at a portion of your job qualifies you as "elite"...

I don't buy this. I think that there are reporters out there (the few left who know what they're doing) that have fine interviews with TT. I think he has a low tolerance for reporters who either don't know what they're talking about or who walk into his interview with an agenda. I've seen a few of those train wrecks and that's the reporter's fault, not Thompson's. I've also seen some very good interviews with him where the reporter actually asked him questions about football, not what they think he's doing wrong in his job/personal life/whatever. The only coach Thompson hired is McCarthy. McCarthy has hired the rest of his coaching staff, and that's his responsibility, not Thompson's.

[vince]

I couldn't care less about whether Thompson has an outgoing personality or is a dynamic interview. It has no bearing whatsoever on the team's ability to win. Ted Thompson has put together as talented a young roster as any in the league bar none. That makes him elite as a GM.

Cheap shot at who RG? You have said you hate Thompson on numerous occasions and it shows. You get personally offended when people approve of him. That speaks volumes.

[retailguy]

I don't buy this. I think that there are reporters out there (the few left who know what they're doing) that have fine interviews with TT. I think he has a low tolerance for reporters who either don't know what they're talking about or who walk into his interview with an agenda. I've seen a few of those train wrecks and that's the reporter's fault, not Thompson's. I've also seen some very good interviews with him where the reporter actually asked him questions about football, not what they think he's doing wrong in his job/personal life/whatever. The only coach Thompson hired is McCarthy. McCarthy has hired the rest of his coaching staff, and that's his responsibility, not Thompson's.

I have no problem disagreeing about the issues. You think he gives good press interviews? That's fine with me. I heartily disagree. But when you come in here claiming

Those that complain about his public relations in particular are grasping for something to justify personal hatred and/or knock down the man

That's a personal cheap shot that leaves no opportunity for discussion.

FWIW - can you point me to one of these "fair" articles where football and the Packers was actually discussed without a bunch of misdirection, or better, an answer that doesn't say anything at all? From my point of view, the Green Bay press corps almost unanimously despises Thompson, and I don't remember that with Wolf, Sherman or Holmgren. I just don't believe that they can all be wrong and have personal agendas.

[vince]

Even accepting that, none of that will win or lose one game for the Packers. It just doesn't matter.

[retailguy]

I couldn't care less about whether Thompson has an outgoing personality or is a dynamic interview. It has no bearing whatsoever on the team's ability to win. Ted Thompson has put together as talented a young roster as any in the league bar none. That makes him elite as a GM.

Cheap shot at who RG? You have said you hate Thompson on numerous occasions and it shows. You get personally offended when people approve of him. That speaks volumes.

I do care vince. It's an important part of his job. It becomes more important when the team doesn't win, but there is a plan, and TIME is needed. If he had spent the last 5 years cultivating a relationship with the media, doing the right things, saying the right things, approaching things the right way, this season, when the team has been decimated with injury you'd be seeing more stories about the team pulling together and winning and less stories about how Thompson won't have veterans, and how he won't have free agents, and how he gets rid of older players who have leadership skills.

Thompson and the Packers are bearing the brunt of 5 years of screwing with the media, largely unnecessarily.

You're right, I don't like Thompson. You described him as "modest". Bullshit. Modest people don't fuck with people trying to do their jobs. They don't get enjoyment out of screwing with people by not answering their questions and smirking at them for asking. That's not modesty. I think it's ego. I don't admire it, I don't aspire to it, I don't want it in my organization.

At the end of the day Vince, it has EVERYTHING to do with winning.

As a fan, I want to be proud of the team, and proud of the organization whether they win or lose. I smile when I hear that one of the best places to go as an away fan is Lambeau. I'm proud of the team when I watch someone like Donald Driver cry when he gets a contract, and then gives part of it away. I'm proud when I see Woodson donate millions to his College. When I look at Thompson misdirect and smirk, I'm not so proud. That doesn't mean I have a "personal vendetta", it just means I don't appreciate ego and conceited attitude.

[MJZiggy]

FWIW - can you point me to one of these "fair" articles where football and the Packers was actually discussed without a bunch of misdirection, or better, an answer that doesn't say anything at all? From my point of view, the Green Bay press corps almost unanimously despises Thompson, and I don't remember that with Wolf, Sherman or Holmgren. I just don't believe that they can all be wrong and have personal agendas.

If a GM doesn't introduce some misdirection, he's not doing his job adequately. You want him to tell the whole league everything he has planned? Wolf used to outright lie and everyone thought he was a genius with the media because he'd say stuff like "fart in the wind." Thompson does the same thing. He just doesn't have gas.

I will try to find you the interview I'm thinking of. It was posted in here as an example of how to interview Ted Thompson fairly shortly after some idiot pissed him off and he was roundly criticized for finishing the interview with one word answers. To be frank, I'd have walked out of the room and never interviewed with that reporter again. There's a way to conduct an interview and not many in the GB press are versed at it.

[vince]

Obviously we disagree RG and that's OK. I'm just giving my opinions here.

In my opinion, your admitted hatred paints the picture you're predisposed to see. I have seen nothing but the highest character from Thompson and I think his dry sense of humor and lack of personality are misinterpreted by some.

Ted Thompson is a huge asset to the Packers franchise, both in the product he has put on the field and in the manner he condusts his business, including with the media. That's my opinion.

[retailguy]

Obviously we disagree RG and that's OK. I'm just giving my opinions here.

In my opinion, your admitted hatred paints the picture you're predisposed to see. I have seen nothing but the highest character from Thompson and I think his dry sense of humor and lack of personality are misinterpreted by some.

Ted Thompson is a huge asset to the Packers franchise, both in the product he has put on the field and in the manner he condusts his business, including with the media. That's my opinion.

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.