Who should be the next GM?

[pbmax]

Agree about Wolf the Younger. Way too much undeserved hype.

But also remember this: if Russ Ball doesn’t get the job, no one here will question their assumptions. The media will not question thoroughness of sources. Everyone will wonder how Ball blew it during interview.

[Joemailman]

Throwing out some random thoughts

Sure sounds like Ball is the guy, at least if the reports are correct. This will be interesting as he is pretty much a complete unknown. He's certainly worked his way up and everyone who has worked with him has come away impressed. We know literally nothing of his personnel experience though. If promoting him means losing Gutekunst and Wolf I'm not sure it's worth it. Would we be going into FA/the draft without our top 3 evaluators?

Last thought - if Eliot Wolf's name was Eliot Smith I have to imagine people wouldn't feel nearly as strongly about him if they do.

I was thinking he same thing. Only I was thinking Eliot Sherman or Eliot Devine.

[pbmax]

JSComments
If Ball is hired I will not be a Green Bay fan! This is Ted Thompson’s younger clone...PLEASE NO!! Fire Murphy and bring in Ron Wolf to replace him.

How did this become the theme? Why aren’t Wolf or Gutekunst Ted clones? Ball has seen it done other ways.

[Joemailman]

One other thing....is Murphy the guy who hired Ari Fleischer? It's good to get outside opinions but between that and now his use of a search firm for the GM, it almost seems like he's unwilling to put himself on the line.

That was McCarthy's decision I believe. http://host.madison.com/sports/packe...3c2b5bcf4.html

[woodbuck27]

I do not TRUST CEO Mark Murphy after it's all coming out (** and THE TRUTH) to be a Man that can make the best decision.

Clearly (and **) CEO Mark Murphy isn't a Man of Vision or why did he have to be approached by a 45 Member Packer Board Executive Committee to remove TT as the Packer GM; when it was too obvious Ted Thompson wasn't fit healthwise to handle the Packer GM's job?

After reading this article I retract the above statement> CEO Mark Murphy absolutely has denied that any Packer Board Executive Committee approached him and in any manner influenced him to remove Ted Thompson as the Packers GM:

http://host.madison.com/wsj/sports/football/professional/packers-gm-search-gives-mark-murphy-chance-to-show-his/article_7e5cfaf0-8cc3-5690-aa71-a0f1b0dd8955.html

" Murphy disputed reports that the publicly-owned Packers’ board of directors pressured him to remove Thompson as GM, saying there was “absolutely no truth to the story that I was directed by the board to make a change. … It was my decision to move the way we have and working with Ted.” ..."

[call_me_ishmael]

Here's a crazy idea:

Mark Murphy is not that much younger than TT, turning 63 in 7 months. My theory is that Russ Ball will be promoted to EVP something something, and one half of Wolfekunst will be promoted to EVP football operations. Basically, Ball is being set-up to be the successor to Murphy, not TT. In the meantime, he continues to work with the EVP/GM while Wolfekust has an opportunity to learn more of the business side in the coming years.

Crazy? Yeah, a little bit, but the Packers like continuity, and we don't talk about how old Murphy is.

The only part of this theory that doesn't make sense is that Ball is 57, so he'd be nearly 60 by the time Murphy is 65. That would give him 5 years before retirement at 65. Not a huge amount of time for an org that loves continuity.

[pbmax]

It is a Wisconsin sports tradition to name your successor for some reason.

[gbgary]

considering TT's iron fist, i wonder what players Gutekunst, or Wolfe, recommended they draft that TT poo-pooed and drafted someone else? guess we'll never know until someone writes a tell-all. lol

[pbmax]

considering TT's iron fist, i wonder what players Gutekunst, or Wolfe, recommended they draft that TT poo-pooed and drafted someone else? guess we'll never know until someone writes a tell-all. lol

Where is the story of the iron fist coming from?

Other than not talking to the public, what did Thompson do to get that description?

[pbmax]

Casey Hayward should be the next GM because his memory functions:

Casey Hayward @show_case29
Everybody keeps talking about it was a mistake for Green Bay to let me go. Nobody was saying that when they let me go. Never will have a bad thing to say about GB so many memories. They gave me a chance to be where I am today. Thanks Ted, McCarthy and Joe!

[Bretsky]

Why is that your impression? He just put out everyone's first or second worst bogeyman to pasture. Why does that make him Ted's puppet?

And second, if Ted was not enemy #1, wouldn't being Ted's puppet (manipulated by the personnel side of the Force) be better than being Murphy's puppet (nameless, faceless, bean counter management side of the Force)?

all over the radio

TT and MM had a talk at end of last year and TT noted his true passion was with scouting.

Many felt like the plan was in place and Murphy had no interest in John Dorsey or he'd have given a heads up.

Many around GB feel the choice was made before the interviews and it's Russ ball and it's based off of TT's preference

[Bretsky]

At this point I think I want Eliot Wolf as the GM and give what ever hats are left over to Russ Ball. Im not buying the argument that TT disciples won't use FA. There are plenty of examples out there of TT guys getting GM jobs and using draft and FA. Schneider, McKenzie, and Dorsey all brought/bring in FAs.

TT only has One Disciple and that is Russ Ball, the finance guy

The rest originally come from the Ron Wolf Tree

[Bretsky]

I also want a list of the marquee FA acquisitions made by Bellicheat, Dorsey, Schneider, and McKenzie (not counting Marshall Newhouse).

Whoever asks for all the work should be the person to complete it

[Bretsky]

geesh...from what i'm seeing on the www it seems Ball has the inside track. can't say i'm thrilled about that. he's a numbers guy. one person called him the closest thing to TT out there. ugh! we need an aggressive, win-now, guy. a guy who knows talent. not a numbers guy. smh

Pretty much everything Dougherty just said on the radio. He has no strong bias other than feeling Ball is a mistake that carries a ton of risk and he doesn't see the reward since he feels Ball stats either way

[Bretsky]

JSComments
If Ball is hired I will not be a Green Bay fan! This is Ted Thompson’s younger clone...PLEASE NO!! Fire Murphy and bring in Ron Wolf to replace him.

How did this become the theme? Why aren’t Wolf or Gutekunst Ted clones? Ball has seen it done other ways.

JS guys were saying both as Wolf clones too......and even note both encouraraged TT to be more aggressive with trades/free agency to little avail