Silverstein: Critics Go After Packers New Structure

[pbmax]

Instead of hiring a cagey, dominant old silverback to beat his chest as GM, he’s hiring the most talented scout and giving him autonomy over that one spot. Gutes not gonna have to fend off other gorillas. He just has to run his team of guys who already trust and respect him.

.

You have been watching too much Animal Planet or perhaps too many Matt Millen press conferences.

If Gute or Ball is the GM with total football control, it doesn't matter who thinks they are in charge. The GM has the final say.

As it is set up now. Murphy is going to have to portion out blame for poor performance. And that delays and confuses accountability.

[RashanGary]

You have been watching too much Animal Planet or perhaps too many Matt Millen press conferences.

If Gute or Ball is the GM with total football control, it doesn't matter who thinks they are in charge. The GM has the final say.

As it is set up now. Murphy is going to have to portion out blame for poor performance. And that delays and confuses accountability.

Murphy isn’t picking players or coaching them. Hes hiring people to do it and defining roles. Murphy has taken over the lead administrative role in football operations but is leaving the work to qualified people. Murphy is a capable administrator so I see benefits and clarity. I see Murphy as a better administrator than Wolf. Gutey might end up being a better lead scout. I like the change. Eliminates power struggles.

[RashanGary]

Gute is hired to build a roster
Lafleur is hired to coach the team
Ball is hired to keep the behind the scenes operations in sync

Murphy is responsible for defining who is in what role


Nothing meddling about it.

[gbgary]

i don't have a problem with the structure. some blame murphy for not getting involved sooner and are now saying he's too involved. you can't have it both ways. he's taking charge, delegating responsibilities, and overseeing. someone had to do it. by doing so he won't get blindsided again in the future. as long as ball stays in his lane i don't see a problem. hopefully ball gets weary and moves on. he's not a personnel guy as the few drafts he helped-out ted with illustrate. let him go fuck up someone else's team as a gm. murphy can then give gute more responsibilities, as he gets more experienced, and hire a new bean counter. i believe we can all thank mccarthy for issuing his ultimatum that he'd quit if ball was named gm.

[RashanGary]

i don't have a problem with the structure. some blame murphy for not getting involved sooner and are now saying he's too involved. you can't have it both ways. he's taking charge, delegating responsibilities, and overseeing. someone had to do it. by doing so he won't get blindsided again in the future. as long as ball stays in his lane i don't see a problem. hopefully ball gets weary and moves on. he's not a personnel guy as the few drafts he helped-out ted with illustrate. let him go fuck up someone else's team as a gm. murphy can then give gute more responsibilities, as he gets more experienced, and hire a new bean counter. i believe we can all thank mccarthy for issuing his ultimatum that he'd quit if ball was named gm.

I don’t see Ball as such a trouble piece. Maybe I’m wrong. I like Gute just focusing on the roster and having extra time and energy to develop and train his scouting team. I don’t know if I want him to be strapped with the non roster related football operations.

This structure seems solid for a while. If we got a new president, I imagine it might have to go back. But Murphy is in a spot to handle administration right now and Ball knows those ancillary football operations well, so this setup puts Gute and Lafleur in a good spot to dial in on winning football games.

[RashanGary]

I have strong intuition with peoples energies. I listened to gutekunst over the last couple years and I sense he’s dialed in right now. He seems driven and confident. He doesn’t seem overwhelmed. His scouting team seems dialed in and engaged. I get the general sense that, that group is on track to dominate. And I’m a big believer that the roster is the biggest factor in winning.

If I didn’t see Gutey so dialed in and in charge of his role in determining the roster, I would have a different viewpoint right now. But I see Murphy setting guys up for success in their jobs. I admire his administrative talent so far. I think Gute, Ball and Lafleur all trust him and are happy to work with him. Like I said, I like the feel. I’m a fan.

I think McCarthy and wolf are the guys bitching. They don’t like it because other guys got their jobs. Winning will make the squakers seem quieter.

[pbmax]

Murphy isn’t picking players or coaching them. Hes hiring people to do it and defining roles. Murphy has taken over the lead administrative role in football operations but is leaving the work to qualified people. Murphy is a capable administrator so I see benefits and clarity. I see Murphy as a better administrator than Wolf. Gutey might end up being a better lead scout. I like the change. Eliminates power struggles.

Who decides what offer the FA gets?

[pbmax]

Gute is hired to build a roster
Lafleur is hired to coach the team
Ball is hired to keep the behind the scenes operations in sync

Murphy is responsible for defining who is in what role

Nothing meddling about it.

Who decides about fifth year options?

Everything we have read is that Ball's portfolio has expanded. And he is still the contract guy. You are just whistling past the graveyard that Ted and Mark's favorite front office guy has a new title and expanded role. If not for McCarthy's power play, he is a GM with total authority. As it is, he got more money, a bigger role and more duties.

If McCarthy can want FA, so can LaFleur. Granted, this one will take some time.

Murphy admitted he will have to settle split decisions. The lines of authority can be as clear as you wish on paper but in the real world, they will come into conflict. And I don't want Murphy to make the calls.

[Joemailman]

Who decides about fifth year options?

Everything we have read is that Ball's portfolio has expanded. And he is still the contract guy. You are just whistling past the graveyard that Ted and Mark's favorite front office guy has a new title and expanded role. If not for McCarthy's power play, he is a GM with total authority. As it is, he got more money, a bigger role and more duties.

If McCarthy can want FA, so can LaFleur. Granted, this one will take some time.

Murphy admitted he will have to settle split decisions. The lines of authority can be as clear as you wish on paper but in the real world, they will come into conflict. And I don't want Murphy to make the calls.

So a CEO of a company (Murphy) gets input from his COO (Gutekunst) and his CFO (Ball) before making a decision he feels is in the best interest of the company. Crazy!

[gbgary]

So a CEO of a company (Murphy) gets input from his COO (Gutekunst) and his CFO (Ball) before making a decision he feels is in the best interest of the company. Crazy!

lol whodathunkit?

[Bretsky]

What does playing safety have to do with being a team administrator? He's not coaching defense.

What does being a rep in the NFLPA have to do with being CEO? He's not negotiating contracts. He was AD at Colgate when the salary cap came around.

He isn't Ozzie Newsome. He's a less successful Willie Davis. Murphy's greatest outside resource? Charley Casserly for Pete Rozelle's sake.

Harlan had been with the Packers in an administrative capacity since 1971. Before he hired Wolf, he had 21 years experience with how pro football operates from the administrative side. He had seen the worst and through a process of elimination figured out how to fix it.

You keep insisting that Murphy has cleared the decks for Gute to concentrate on just being a scout or GM. Well, tell me, who makes the call on FA contracts? On second contracts? Gute doesn't, because the cap guy/contract negotiator don't report to him. That guy reports to Murphy. So does the coach. So you know who has final say on the roster? Murphy.

And that ain't good.

It will work until Ball or La Fleur decide its not in their interest to back Gute. And Ball wants Gute's job. La Fleur will need a fall guy during the first poor season or 4 game losing streak.

[Bretsky]

So a CEO of a company (Murphy) gets input from his COO (Gutekunst) and his CFO (Ball) before making a decision he feels is in the best interest of the company. Crazy!

What is absolutely F'ckin crazy is Marcia being the CEO of a company, let alone one we cheer for.

Jerry Jones is more qualified

[Bretsky]

I have strong intuition with peoples energies. I listened to gutekunst over the last couple years and I sense he’s dialed in right now. He seems driven and confident. He doesn’t seem overwhelmed. His scouting team seems dialed in and engaged. I get the general sense that, that group is on track to dominate. And I’m a big believer that the roster is the biggest factor in winning.

If I didn’t see Gutey so dialed in and in charge of his role in determining the roster, I would have a different viewpoint right now. But I see Murphy setting guys up for success in their jobs. I admire his administrative talent so far. I think Gute, Ball and Lafleur all trust him and are happy to work with him. Like I said, I like the feel. I’m a fan.

I think McCarthy and wolf are the guys bitching. They don’t like it because other guys got their jobs. Winning will make the squakers seem quieter.

First off the writer refuted any claims that any of his sources came from the Browns. Gutey should be dialed in, but he's no more dialed in than any other GM in the game.

But it's pretty pathetic Gootie thought he was interviewing for job responsibilities different that those offered to him. And it should not surprise anybody if he had to step back and really decide if he wants to be a part of this.

And do know (cause I don't) if Marcia received the approval of the executive committee ahead of switching all of these authorities.


Boy I sure am glad he has all this experience. After all he was an AD in college

[Bretsky]

Murphy isn’t picking players or coaching them. Hes hiring people to do it and defining roles. Murphy has taken over the lead administrative role in football operations but is leaving the work to qualified people. Murphy is a capable administrator so I see benefits and clarity. I see Murphy as a better administrator than Wolf. Gutey might end up being a better lead scout. I like the change. Eliminates power struggles.

Murphy's qualifications are next to nothing as compared to Ron Wolf. Ditto for Bob Harlan.

Maybe you hate Ron Wolf because you've become the great cheerleader of Marcia Murphy and Wolf was a NFL personal expert who had success in a system opposite to what we now have.interview. Or maybe you think Ron Wolf could be a source for well thought out article questioning Marcia.

Most teams have a NFL football expert, such as Ron Wolf ot Ted Thompson overseeing and leading all operations. It's sensible and has proven to work.

The Dallas Cowboys buck that system with Jerry Jones. Green Bay is now following Jerry Jones.

[mraynrand]

You keep insisting that Murphy has cleared the decks for Gute to concentrate on just being a scout or GM. Well, tell me, who makes the call on FA contracts? On second contracts? Gute doesn't, because the cap guy/contract negotiator don't report to him. That guy reports to Murphy. So does the coach. So you know who has final say on the roster? Murphy.

And that ain't good.

It will work until Ball or La Fleur decide its not in their interest to back Gute. And Ball wants Gute's job. La Fleur will need a fall guy during the first poor season or 4 game losing streak.

Maybe they'll have regular meetings to work out these issues.

"Flower, you need this guy to win?" "Yup" "Gute, you agree." "Yup" "Ball, can we give him as much as he wants?" "No, we gotta bring him down 5 mil on his SB and 10 on guaranteed $$$." "OK, give that a shot." "You guys OK if we let him go if he doesn't budge?" "Yup. Yup. Yup." "How about halfway? "That'll work boss." "Great. Gosh I like this new system. I was sure we'd be sabotaging each other by now." "Have faith, Bossman."