Triangle of Authority is Here

[pbmax]

Pete Dougherty @PeteDougherty

One big piece of news in Packers' official announcement of Brian Gutekunst promotion to GM: He, Russ Ball & coach Mike McCarthy will all report directly to Mark Murphy. In previous setup going back to late 1991, only the GM reported to team president.


Its been a good run.

[pbmax]

Brian Gutekunst is GM
Russ Ball is now Director of Football Operations
Mike McCarthy is now reporting directly to Mark Murphy

Eliot Wolf has had his title taken by Ball. No word in press release about him.

[pbmax]

Michael Cohen @Michael_Cohen13

#Packers have officially named Brian Gutekunst their new GM. Russ Ball was promoted to vice president/director of football operations. No mention of Eliot Wolf one way or another in the press release. His future will have to be decided by Murphy/Gutekunst/Ball in the near future.

Tom Silverstein @TomSilverstein
In a departure from previous practice, #Packers will have Gutekunst, McCarthy and Ball all report to president Mark Murphy. It means Gutekunst has control over the roster but not head coach. There are 7 or 8 teams who do it that way.

“The process of identifying our next general manager gave us the opportunity to analyze our entire football operation,” said Murphy. “While we have enjoyed a lot of success, we need to improve.” Cont...

cont... “While I understand this is a departure from the Packers’ current structure, it will serve to increase the breadth and frequency of communication and collaboration. Ultimately, it will make the Packers better.”

This means Gutekunst can recommend a coaching change to Murphy but he can’t execute it without Murphy’s approval. Same thing with Ball, who has been promoted to Executive VP of football operations.

Hinted at in this move by Murphy is that “communication and collaboration” was waning under Thompson, who oversaw everything on the football side. Now Murphy oversees it all. He obviously didn’t like everything he saw in the football operation, especially sides working together.

HE NEEDED TO FIRE MORE PEOPLE. INSTEAD, HE PROMOTED THEM ALL.

[3irty1]

Ugh. The beauty of the Packers lacking a traditional owner is the compartmentalization of football decisions with football people.

[mraynrand]

Does Gute need Murphy's approval to sign big ticket FA? Does he have key to executive washroom, or do they have to use both keys at the same time?

[mraynrand]

Ugh. The beauty of the Packers lacking a traditional owner is the compartmentalization of football decisions with football people.

I think it's more an issue now of how power is distributed as well as accountability. Murphy must have gotten some heat from the executive committee, which can fire him. He's now placed himself more directly in the loop. The next guy to be fired if things don't go so well will be Murphy.

[Cheesehead Craig]

Oh bloody hell

[pbmax]

I think it's more an issue now of how power is distributed as well as accountability. Murphy must have gotten some heat from the executive committee, which can fire him. He's now placed himself more directly in the loop. The next guy to be fired if things don't go so well will be Murphy.

Yeah, but in trying to solve whatever communication/coordination problem he had, he now has three separate lines of authority that do not terminate until the top.

Murphy is now, effectively, the GM when decisions cannot be agreed to. Probably affects the draft less than FAs and contracts.

[pbmax]

Well, Murphy will be in the public firing line, that's for sure.

Packer fans have bought the GM must be in charge as the solution to 20 years in the wilderness. I kinda like it myself even if I wasn't here to suffer through it.

None of these guys is worth it from what we know.

[call_me_ishmael]

Whattttt? Doesn't this go against exactly what Murphy was saying in his press conference? I do not understand this decision at all.

I think it's clear Russ Ball is the next Murphy, not GM. Just make him EVP of something-something Packers cap table.
Why not give Gutekunst the autonomy he needs and have MM report to him as it always has been?

Dumb.

[pbmax]

Whattttt? Doesn't this go against exactly what Murphy was saying in his press conference? I do not understand this decision at all.

I think it's clear Russ Ball is the next Murphy, not GM. Just make him EVP of something-something Packers cap table.
Why not give Gutekunst the autonomy he needs and have MM report to him as it always has been?

Dumb.

It certainly appears that the GM now needs the formal sign-off of the CEO to fire the coach. Which is not what he said last week.

[Teamcheez1]

Do any teams run their front office like the new Packers structure?

[pbmax]

Do any teams run their front office like the new Packers structure?

Silverstein said 7 or 8 do. The only one I can think of is Cleveland. There may be others that are more successful.

Seattle comes to mind now. Schneider has control of the 90 man roster, Carrol the 53. And I bet John can't fire Pete without Paul Allen saying OK.

But it usually foments lines being drawn and blame being shifted as people concentrate on what others are or are not doing.

[pbmax]

Jason La Canfora @JasonLaCanfora
In new GB model. Mark Murphy - team pres - wields great control. He and Ball will control flow of $. He who controls $ rules the team ...


Well it seems like a coup of non football people at this point. Short of hiring Bob Sanders as HC, I could not be more disappointed.

[Smidgeon]

Time to bring back the legendary Morgan Burnett ACL tear thread.

Yeesh.

Maybe it will work, but I am convinced Murphy got that decision wrong.