Very Good TT Article

[Bossman641]

http://www.espnmilwaukee.com/includes/news_items/40/news_items_more.php?id=5426&section_id=40

A few quotes:

Harlan - "They are different type people. Ron Wolf, he will take more chances. And he did appreciate the spotlight more. Ted is really a back room guy. I remember when I was going to hire him, I went to one of the PR individuals and told him what I was going to do, and the first thing the person said to me was, ‘Boy, Ted’s not very good with the press.’ And I said, ‘I’m not hiring him to be good with the press. I’m hiring him to build a football team for us. And he will do that.’ And he has done that. The personality doesn’t matter.”



One aspect of Thompson’s personality that does matter, though, is the way he’s the same person day-in and day-out. While Packers fans everywhere were rejoicing in the team’s first Super Bowl berth since 1997, Thompson was packing his bags for Mobile, Ala., where he’ll be attending the Senior Bowl this week, just as he does every offseason.

“Ted Thompson, he's the easiest guy in the world to work with because he's so consistent. He's perfect for a first-time head coach. He was for me,” said McCarthy, whom Thompson hired in January 2006 despite being a relative unknown among head-coaching candidates at the time. “He's the same person every day. He doesn't make emotional decisions. He has a plan, sticks to his plan. Has the strength to stick to the plan even through the storms. He's the leader of our football operations. He's why this team is in the shape that it's in and why the future looks so bright.”

[mraynrand]

[HowardRoark]

Nice article. This line was interesting:

Al Harris was eligible to come off the physically unable to perform list, Thompson opted to cut the two-time Pro Bowler for fear that he would become a malcontent if buried on the depth chart –

[mraynrand]

It's a tough business. The GM has to be shrewd.

[HowardRoark]

It's a tough business. The GM has to be shrewd.

I agree.

I had never heard of the Harris "malcontent" angle before though. Didn't know we had a potential cornergate issue.

[mraynrand]

I agree.

I had never heard of the Harris "malcontent" angle before though. Didn't know we had a potential cornergate issue.

Sounded like conjecture by Wilde. There was no quotation. Matthews did make use of a confusing double negative, though. Grammargate?

[Joemailman]

This is golden from Firetedthompsonnow.com. Shockingly, they haven't posted anything since the playoffs started:


November 29th, 2010
The Packers’ loss to the Falcons on Sunday should bring homer fans down to reality that this team has really not made any significant progress in 2010.

In heart-breaking fashion, the Packers have managed to continue to find ways to lose games when they come to the wire.

Once again, it is the usual suspects who are responsible for the loss: poor decisions by the coaching staff, the continued ineptness of the special teams, and utter lack of a run game.

That defeat could almost entirely be chalked up to fat head coach McCarthy, as his mind-boggling decisions to not challenge Rodgers’ slide for the 1st down early in the game as well as a crucial Gonzalez drop that was ruled a catch, leading to a first down on a scoring drive for the Falcons. Also in his list of poor game management was the back-to-back QB sneaks on the goal line. The second attempt was no where near crossing the line and resulted in a lousy giveaway by Rodgers as he was easily stripped of the ball.

Another factor leading to the loss was the Packer’s defense completely incapable to get any pressure on the quarterback. Perhaps spoiled by playing the league’s worst teams, Sunday’s performance shows that it will be difficult for Capers’ team to breakdown composed and talented offensive lines.

But McCarthy is not alone in fault. Thompson’s disinterest in fixing our lack of depth at running back was placed in the spotlight again on Sunday night, as our leading rusher was a scrambling Aaron Rodgers. Broadcasters and pundits are talking up the Packers’ inability to generate any useful yards from the running back position. It is obvious that the Packers’ playoffs will come to an end when our passing game does not produce. The team relies to heavily on just a few guys. When those players have an off game, chances are slim that Jackson and Nance can pick up the slack. (McCarthy’s head-scratching decision to stop utilizing John Kuhn over the past few weeks notwithstanding).

Also on Thompson’s “Not Important” list is the special teams, which almost certainly lost the game for the Packers with a fate-clinching personal foul penalty on the kick return with under a minute to go, leading to the Falcon’s easy drive down field and game winning kick. Poor punts, laughable returns, and bad coverage have ruined the team before under Thompson, and appear to be here to stay under his tenure.

So while the homers will be the first to mention that the Falcons are the best team in the NFC, they will apparently not understand their own hypocrisy in criticizing the fact that most of their wins have come over some of the worst teams in the NFL. If a win is a win, a loss is a loss.

Of course, homers will say the team is still building when we get bounced out of the playoffs early against a team like the Falcons, Eagles, Bears, Saints, or Giants.
Thompson keeps hovering just above the level of performance to be fired. Fans continue to think that the team is on the cusp of being an elite team. Expectations are dashed. Wheel in the sky keeps on turning.

[Packgator]

""Thompson opted to cut the two-time Pro Bowler for fear that he would become a malcontent if buried on the depth chart""

How could Jason Wilde possibly know this? No way TT told him that. Al was released because TT didn't think he was worthy of a roster spot based on performance. Basically...... Al couldn't make the team.

[swede]

""Thompson opted to cut the two-time Pro Bowler for fear that he would become a malcontent if buried on the depth chart""

How could Jason Wilde possibly know this? No way TT told him that. Al was released because TT didn't think he was worthy of a roster spot based on performance. Basically...... Al couldn't make the team.

Good point. That is almost an unethical use of a guess, or someone else's guess, masquerading as a fact.

[HowardRoark]

Good point. That is almost an unethical use of a guess, or someone else's guess, masquerading as a fact.

Dupnik!

[get louder at lambeau]

Of course, homers will say the team is still building when we get bounced out of the playoffs early against a team like the Falcons, Eagles, Bears, Saints, or Giants.
Thompson keeps hovering just above the level of performance to be fired. Fans continue to think that the team is on the cusp of being an elite team. Expectations are dashed. Wheel in the sky keeps on turning.

I know Journey is not exactly the manliest band out there, but I gotta believe even they would be pissed to see this fag quoting their lyrics.

[pbmax]

Wilde is tied pretty close to Al Harris and his agent. I doubt that he made that statement without something from their side.

[mraynrand]

Dupnik!

Good use of Dupnik

[Lurker64]

It's probably equally to valid to assume that Ted cut Al because Al would be unhappy buried on the depth chart, and he would prefer to seek out an opportunity that would allow him to play somewhere.

I mean, it's not like Thompson has never done this sort of thing for a player, cut him earlier than another team might have so that the player has the opportunity to seek a job elsewhere.

[MichiganPackerFan]

It's probably equally to valid to assume that Ted cut Al because Al would be unhappy buried on the depth chart, and he would prefer to seek out an opportunity that would allow him to play somewhere.

I mean, it's not like Thompson has never done this sort of thing for a player, cut him earlier than another team might have so that the player has the opportunity to seek a job elsewhere.

This theory still makes the most sense.