Why Ted Thompson ? WHY Support Ted Thompson ?

[woodbuck27]

While I'm not entirely in TT's camp, I think this is getting ugly.

TT is looking for young playmakers - something that hasn't been a priority in GB since Ron Wolf. Those TT haters criticize those fans who want less wins for higher picks (a policy, by the way, I disagree with) - I see some of the same from several of you - who seem to want TT's players to fail so that you can justify this decision that he is at fault for the Packer's fall from the top. Right now Ted Thompson is the identity of the Green Bay Packers. While I'm not saying you can't disagree with his decisions, I think there is this mindset that almost hopes for this team to fail, so that Thompson would be fired. I find that just as wrong as anyone who wants to lose for draft picks.

dratge:

Your take on my position is far from accurate.

1.) I don't "in any fashion" want to see any Packer player's fail on the field of play nor OUR Packers fail in the win / loss column.

It's quite the opposite in my TRUST/HOPE for " the Packers ". They are deserving of the full support of OUR GM, Ted Thompson... to ONLY WIN in 2006.

2.) I would never allow myself to hate anyone ,as that is a pathetic and unfair response from/for me.

To ever allow any hiuman being that POWER, over who I am as a person, would be clearly wrong.

I trust that I will never turn to hatred, as a response to any -ve that I may "in fact" endure in my life. I have never, since I was a small boy allowed hatred to dominate me.

Fortunately, I was raised by Parents, Relatives and mentors to determine a far better response within myself, than anything as self destructive as HATRED.

I certainly don't nor will I ever hate Ted Thompson.

He is a mere man, just as you and I (assuming that your a male), who has his struggles, good and bad days, success's and failures. He's simply like us..human.

Yet, as the GM of 'the Packers" I do expect Ted Thompson to never sacrifice today for a dubious tomorrow .

Today, I still support the Vet Packers, that deserve Ted Thompson's full support, in order to be realistically competitive, winner's NOT loser's in 2006.

Please don't confuse my position with another (maybe other's) that clearly admit an agenda (or desire) to realize defeat, and possibly adversity as an outcome in 2006 to elevate OUR position in next April's draft.

Why would anyone go there?

To sadly and merely attain the BEST possible draft position at the expense of Packers, that desire so much to win football games, certainly NOT loose footbal games. That is hardly the correct response from a Professional standpoint.

That stance of welcoming failure in 2006 is absolutely... against ALL that I stand for, dratge.

K?

[Tarlam!]

This is a novel.


I wonder what it says...

[woodbuck27]

Rodgers
Collins
Poppinga
Montgomery

Underwood and Murphy might have helped but that is just part of the game. We'll see how it pans out.

That first draft wasn't great although it could be considered good if Rodgers is a good NFL QB. He took a big risk drafting a QB. It always is, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. We'll have to wait and see.

As far as the next draft goes, I have alot of confidence. He seems to have taken more straight up players and less projects.

Hawk
Colledge *I think he's going to redeem himself this week*
Jennings
Spitz
Hodge
Blackmon
Tony Moll
Ingle Martin
Jolly

Everyone here except Martin who is a rookie QB and Blackmon who has been injured has shown the ability to play. We might get more starters from this one draft than Sherman did in 4 years of picks. Does it help us a whole hell of a lot today to have a great draft? NOt really, those guys have to mature into their primes to really make a positive difference. Will it effect how we see Thompson over time *big picture*? You bet your bottom dollar it will. You cannot judge the guy after one season. YOu cannot judge after 2. You have to let his draft picks go for 2 or 3 years before we know. We won't really know for another 4 or 5 years however we should see signs of improvement as early as next season. If not, I'll start to question him too.

Now that is exactly what I need from any member of this Forum.

An upfront honest and supported post. A post to examine, in some sense of "the positive". Not ever a stance that losing in 2006 is a good to great thing... Gregjennings.

I don't enjoy any agenda of Packers predestined to loose, because of poor planning and action by OUR GM, who must step up his game to enable wins on some regular basis.

I entirely agree, that the loss of Marviel Underwood was a blow to Ted Thompson's need to have some REAL success from his first draft. We were experiencing Safety Underwood's maturing for us, GregJennings and his loss is a perceived blow ,a setback for Marviel and "the Packers".

FS Nick Collins has been OUR most productive pick so far in the 2005 Draft (2a)and has played well. He made the NFL ALL Rookie Team. In 17 games Collins has registered 91 tackles,1 pick and 7 pass's defensed.

Nick Collins registered 5 solo tackles and 2 assists last week in game one 2006 Vs. "the Bears".

Junius Coston ( Draft 2005, 5a ) is listed on OUR depth chart, as a backup at RG and RT. He's on the injury report with a knee injury. Dressed for 2 games and 0 starts.

Also, LB Kurt Campbell (Draft 2005, 7a) and on injured reserve - shoulder injury and not on OUR Depth chart,yet hanging in despite not alot of development? Campbell has been often injured. I believe he's a future cut. He hasn't started or dressed in any games.

LB - Brady Poppinga , 2005 Draft, 4b.
In 13 games, 36 tackles 30 solo / 6 assisted tackles and 2 sacks.

DT/DE Michael Montgomery (Draft 2005, 6a) listed on OUR Depth Chart as backup LDE to LDE Aaron Kampman, and also third string RDE. He's been in 13 games since the begining of 2005 and had a total of 23 tackles and 1 sack.

Finally, we have #2 QB Aaron Rodgers, OUR 2005 Draft 1st Rd. pick.

[The Shadow]

I rather like Thompson's moves.
The team was bad & getting worse.
Needed to be gutted.
He has my support.

[woodbuck27]

Woody, every poster here that I've seen communicate with you likes you a tonne. You have been nominated for MVP PR and everything.

So, I will be gentle with my critique.

Why did you feel it necessary tp post a novel, when all you really wanted to say was "TT sucks"?.

I admit, I couldn't read it all. I got to one third through and paged down to see how far I had to read still. I broke down. Why do you insist on marathon posts?

I edited my post Tarlam. Thank You.

[woodbuck27]

This is a novel.


I wonder what it says...

NO... It's not CRAZY,Tarlam.

[woodbuck27]

I rather like Thompson's moves.
The team was bad & getting worse.
Needed to be gutted.
He has my support.

It's a good thing that not all here, absolutely or blindly, support Ted Thompson.

[mmmdk]

I think I just OD'ed...trying to read this threeeead

[Bretsky]

I'm going to give our GM some time building the team before completely judging him.

That being said, I didn't think he needed to completely gut this team. Id have liked to witness the team remain competitive through a good mixture of quality free agent signings and draft picks.

But with the way GB went about free agency it appears the gutting has commmenced. As a result we have little chance of success "this" year. Maybe his strategy, if it remains the same, will give us greater success in the future after a few high draft pick seasons. But I can't cheer for the team to fail so my views on TT are based on the now rather than the later.

So far my view of him is that he is better than average on the draft and borderline fool with managing players with disputes and and free agency. The latter view stems as a result of his perceived lack of effort in dealing with Javon Walker and how he chose to use the 35MIL we had going into this year for free agency.

[MJZiggy]

B, I'm just curious, you said the team didn't need to be gutted. Who did TT cut that you wanted to keep?

[Bretsky]

B, I'm just curious, you said the team didn't need to be gutted. Who did TT cut that you wanted to keep?

To me gutting the team involves choosing go with an overabundance of youth rather than using free agency to remain competitive while adding youthful talent. Green Bay lacked depth. I don't blame TT for letting any of the vets go. I did like Nail Diggs and Ruegy, but I don't blame him for letting them walk. I'd have handed Javon a lot differently. And I'd have got involved in free agency early and often and used up that money. That's just me; I'm a win now kind of guy.

B

[MJZiggy]

See, B, that explains it. We are just varying by definition here. I see the gutting as the part where he gets rid of those that are not performing as TT thinks they should be and the rest of it more issues in the rebuilding process. The one person gone that I'm still sad about is Samkon. Not even for performance. I hoped beyond hope that he would pull it together but I will still miss watching his smiling happy interviews. *heavy sigh* And before you dump all over TT, let's see if your Dragon team can pull off a win this week...it seems your vets and TT's rooks have the same record at the moment

[Bretsky]

See, B, that explains it. We are just varying by definition here. I see the gutting as the part where he gets rid of those that are not performing as TT thinks they should be and the rest of it more issues in the rebuilding process. The one person gone that I'm still sad about is Samkon. Not even for performance. I hoped beyond hope that he would pull it together but I will still miss watching his smiling happy interviews. *heavy sigh* And before you dump all over TT, let's see if your Dragon team can pull off a win this week...it seems your vets and TT's rooks have the same record at the moment

Haha; I was sad to see Samkon go as well. But apparently the coaches were not happy with his progress. Yes, the Dragons. I sure wish we could play GB.

Cheers,
B

[woodbuck27]

Re: TT

"Packnut"]http://community.foxsports.com/blogs/RetroJenks5/2006/01/08/The_Green_Bay_Packers_Ted_Thompsons_Team


Just some of the "questionable" moves made by TT.

I love his quote abot guards being "a dime a dozen". Yeah, tell me this guy gives hope for the future.

As for the Seattle connection.

My understanding from reading, is that TT's time in Seattle was more or less a "group" effort. Holmgren had a good deal of input on picks.


I have decided this article/blog despite being written early this year,
should be visable here on PACKERRATS:

The Green Bay Packers: Ted Thompson's Team?

Jan 08, 2006 | 12:04AM |

It is widely known that the Green Bay Packers are the only team in professional sports without an ownership group, instead being owned by a number of stockholders who have zero say in the direction the team heads and don't see a dime of the profit.

Don't think that it is all gravy though, a big ego in the wrong place can still be a problem for players and fans alike.

In this case I have to bring up Packers' Executive V.P., General Manager & Director of Football Operations Ted Thompson, who replaced Mike Sherman as the Packers GM.

Many questioned Mike Sherman's draft strategy when he held both titles so Packers CEO Bob Harlan stripped him down to just coach and hired Ted Thompson from the Seahawks to man the higher of the two positions.

Thompson's first duty was to figure out if he was to keep Sherman, who he eventually granted a contract extension to remain the 13th head coach in Packers' history. Thompson seemed to be a good hire since he served in the Packers front office for 8 years, and most recently was the Seattle Seahawks V.P. of Football Operations since 2000. Not to mention that he seemingly fit the Packers with his strong draft history with Shaun Alexander, Darrell Jackson, Marcus Trufant and more under his belt.

When he was hired in January of 2005 he seemed like a good hire, in January of 2006 the jury still seems to be out and the rumor is the death penalty. Calling the Packers a downfall this last season would be an understatement at the very least and the hints were there since Thompson began pulling his rank.

Prior to the 2005 season starting Ted made a number of moves, or lack of moves that may have sealed the Packers fate.

First he refused to offer guards Mike Wahle and Marco Rivera contracts. Two players who helped anchor one of the best running offenses in the NFL the last several years. Thompson believed and stated that guards in this league were a "dime a dozen." What kind of impact would this have on the Packers running and passing game?

2004 Rushing YPG: 119 Yards ----- 2005 Rushing YPG: 85 Yards

2004 Sacks Allowed: 12 ----- 2005 Sacks Allowed: 24

Before the season kicked off Thompson made a surprising move, deciding to place Safety Darren Sharper on waivers in a strictly financial decision. There's an error at this point, Thompson decides to cut the defensive leader for salary purposes instead of a player like DT Cledius Hunt who was known as a distraction to begin with and was cut by midseason anyway.

In the pre-2005 Mike Sherman era the Packers defense wasn't good but it was known as a productive defense in causing turnovers, especially at the Safety position. Let's see how Ted's move helped that aspect of the Packers game.

2004 Safety Interceptions: 5 ----- 2005 Safety Interceptions: 2

2004 Safety Touchdowns: 2 ----- 2005 Safety Touchdowns: 0

Darren Sharper moved on to the Minnesota Vikings to intercept 9 passes and return 2 for touchdowns during the 2005 season. Sounds like a player that the Packers would've gladly paid for doesn't it? Can't a team easily go from 10-6 to 4-12 in one season when it loses that much production?

I'm only through two blunders and anyone who watches the Packers could've told old Ted that they will come up and bite him.

Mistake #1: Getting rid of two guards on an offense that relies heavily on the rush. Production? Dropped... Big Time.

Mistake #2: Getting rid of a ball hog for financial reasons. Losing 9 interceptions, two touchdowns and a vocal leader. Production? One of the worst turnover ratios in the league.

However, Ted tried.

After cutting Darren Sharper he picks up cheaper Safety Arturo Freeman from Miami. Oops. He's cut during the preseason. Solution now? Rookie Nick Collins who gets to join second year players Ahmad Carroll and Joey Thomas in the secondary.Ted didn't see a problem here.

Oh how far we have ventured.

It's week one and Javon Walker tears his ACL. He's gone for the season. One weapon down, many more will go. Let's forward quickly through the first half of the season.

Najeh Davenport breaks his ankle. He's gone for the season.

Ahman Green tears three knee ligaments. He's gone for the season.

If you're keeping count before midseason the Packers are out a Pro-Bowl WR, a Pro-Bowl RB and their back-up RB. It's time to get someone here to replace them isn't it?

According to Ted. No.

Instead he decides to try to squeeze every drop out of the end of the depth chart and players who don't belong on an NFL team as a starting receiver or back. Walt Williams, Andrae Thurman, Reshard Lee, there's no fix in the making in Green Bay this season.

The year ran down Tony Fisher got hurt and missed games, so did Robert Ferguson and so did Bubba Franks.

The fact is the Packers went with unknowns to fill HUGE gaps because someone in the front office either didn't care to win or didn't want to spend money to do it. The Packers got lucky with Samkon Gado, hey, he was practically free. Start the second string runningback of Liberty College anyone? ANYONE?!?

So. The season runs down and the Packers end the year with a 4-12 record AND the fifth pick in the 2006 draft.

Black Monday comes around and Thompson decides to fire Mike Sherman.

Now I know that some Packer fans were calling for Sherman's job but I have to ask why. I was one of those that believed that Sherman should not have held the GM title, for starters it was his first pro-head coaching job anyway. Do you give the janitor the combination to the safe? No, absolutely not and Sherman proved his lack of experience during his time as GM.

The fact. As head coach of the Green Bay Packers and even after a 4-12 season Mike Sherman held a 57-39 record. Not to shabby for his GM shortcomings if you ask me. So yes, I am one who defended his job as head coach. Face it, the man was dealt an impossible hand this season.

No one could've won in the situation that the Packers were in with the lack of helping the team via the draft or free agency and the injuries that hampered them all year long.

Even the great Vince Lombardi would've threw his hat down and said, "What the hell is going on around here?"

In this sense what is the variable that changed from the Packers success from 1992-2004 and 2005? Brett Favre was still the quarterback. Both Mikes (Holmgren and Sherman) had success as Packers' head coaches.

It seems that Ted Thompson himself is the one who should shoulder most of the blame since he has not continued the winning tradition this franchise has build over the last decade and a half.

Now Brett Favre is facing retirement. He can't base his decision on the direction the Packers are headed since no one knows and the front office wont breath a word to him. This may be the straw that broke the camels back, not only for Favre but for Thompson as GM.

If Favre retires Thompson will shoulder that blame. Fans will look at Sherman being fired as the primary reason no matter what Brett says his reasons are since he already said that he probably wouldn't return if Sherman were fired.

Listen. I don't care about Thompson's search for a head coach. He has 8 potential coaches on his list and it doesn't contain the likes of Steve Mariucci whom would fit perfectly in the Packers' West Coast Offense.

Maybe he didn't hear 68,000 fans chanting "one more year" for Brett Favre. Perhaps he doesn't even care.

It would explain why everything is so tight lipped and why the Packers seem to be on a five-year plan when they do have the pieces in place to win it next year, if healthy. I want players and that has been something that in one year Thompson has pushed out the door instead of welcoming into Lambeau.

Thompson has a lot to prove and better prove it soon. He owes the fans and someone like Favre straightforward answers. Which way is the franchise going and how are you going to get them there?

We shall see...

[woodbuck27]

Management is ruining the Packers' reputation

LITTLE FALLS, Minn. — I want to express simple disgust in how the organization of the Green Bay Packers has fallen. I'm not saying I am looking for a Super Bowl win every year, but I blame management for putting an uncompetitive team on the field. Where is our pride and our intelligence in running this organization? It is hard seeing management running an organization into the ground over the past few years.


I have been a Packers fan for all 37 years of my life and never have I seen less heart in a team and coaching staff than this year. Poor choices from management to coaching have left us looking at another four-win year, or worse.


I have been in upper management for many years and would not have a job if I were to run a company like the management of the Packers is running the organization.


Mike Zawatzke