Here we go again??

[Fritz]

Well, it's hard to say how it all happened. My guess is some reporter asked, specifically, about Harris, and MM responded. Whoever said it needs to be taken into consideration whether the reporter quoted the coach accurately or just said "Coach said you're inconsistent" is right.

Doesn't bode well, though, does it? My early prediction is that next year Al will be playing somewhere else.

[Terry]

Re: Here we go again??

McCarthy was asked about the play of cornerback Al Harris and said, "Not as consistent as he would like. It just needs to be more consistent."

Harris, who threatened a holdout this summer because he wants a new contract, was asked if that assessment was fair.

"If he feels that I'm the problem, then getting me out of here may be the way they need to go," Harris said. "If that's what he thinks, then that's the way they need to go. I'm pretty sure there's somebody out there that would like me to play for them."

Al, just shut the hell up and play football. You haven't been as good as you were last year. Is it a continuation of his struggles at the end of last year or just a reflection of Schottenheimer? Either way it doesn't matter. Go out there and prove your worth. I'm so sick of this.

Sounds petulant, to be sure. He's a bit touchy, it seems.

Still, to be fair to Harris, they ought to redo his contract. At the time he got the contract, it was a fair contract, but things have changed. He deserves more.

[Rastak]

If Harris is playing poorly as a reaction to his demands not being met, then I say bench his ass.

I'd rather us get burned by Carroll's penalties, than by Harris' sabotage attempts.

Still, I can't believe a consummate professional like Al' Harris would stoop to dishonorable behaviour to get traded.

I can understand him being pissed at M3's answer. The whole secondary looks like crap, at times even my man Nick. Singling out any one player from a poorly co-ordinated group was plain amateurish by the HC.

If he wanted to single anyone out, he should have picked on the guy responsible: The positions coach.

Al's press statement is regrettable and I doubt he'll be finishing his career in Green and Gold.

His behavior is dishonorable? All he said was if the coach thinks I suck then get rid of me. Paraphrasing of course. Now do I think he's being a bit thin skinned? Yes indeed. I don't agree with what he said but hey, he's not faking an injury or holding out, truly dishonorable things.

[Brando19]

Harris thinks he's God's gift to the NFL. Trade him!!

[Bretsky]

MM should have been smart enough to dodge those comments and keep his complaints behind closed doors

And I don't fault Al Harris for speaking his mind; truth be told he'd probably want to be playing for another team anyways.

Proven and powerful coaches like Parcells get away with using the press to critique players.

MM should be smarter than this and concerned about the dysfunctionality of his defense.

B

[ND72]

If Harris is playing poorly as a reaction to his demands not being met, then I say bench his ass.

I'd rather us get burned by Carroll's penalties, than by Harris' sabotage attempts.

Still, I can't believe a consummate professional like Al' Harris would stoop to dishonorable behaviour to get traded.

I can understand him being pissed at M3's answer. The whole secondary looks like crap, at times even my man Nick. Singling out any one player from a poorly co-ordinated group was plain amateurish by the HC.

If he wanted to single anyone out, he should have picked on the guy responsible: The positions coach.

Al's press statement is regrettable and I doubt he'll be finishing his career in Green and Gold.

Amaturish by the HC?? are you guys serious? Holmgren always, and still calls out players through his press conferences. I've never heard 1 coach not answer questions about players. That's all they are asked. If they didn't answer the questions, there would be no press conference. This isn't a "Mike McCarthy" thing...every coach in the NFL will talk about their players, always. watch more press conferences than GB's. get real.

[MJZiggy]

MM should have been smart enough to dodge those comments and keep his complaints behind closed doors

And I don't fault Al Harris for speaking his mind; truth be told he'd probably want to be playing for another team anyways.

Proven and powerful coaches like Parcells get away with using the press to critique players.

MM should be smarter than this and concerned about the dysfunctionality of his defense.

B

It helps a lot to know what he actually said. Funny thing, I just finished watching his press conference and here is the correct quote.
reporter: How would you assess Al Harris' first three games?
MM: How would I assess it? Not as consistent as he would like. This is a great opportunity for this week to get back on track because I don't know how many times they're gonna throw the ball this week, how much they'll challenge us, but it just needs to be more consistent.

That's terrible!! He really ripped him a new one using the media to accomplish his goals. What'd you want him to do? Lie? Al's not been playing like he did in years past and the operative word in that quote is he. Not as consistent as HE would like. Poor Al. The coach beat him up. He should never be subject to any kind of criticism from anybody. Especially not the guy in charge of the team whose responsibility it is to demand excellence from them. You think Lombardi never publicly called out a player?

Actually, this comment came after a q & a a about the secondary as a whole indicating that their communication is not where it should be and the unit is a weakness that Philly will try to exploit and the whole unit needs to step up (paraphrase)

[HarveyWallbangers]

I agree with Ziggy. Not much there. Parcells blasts his players a lot more. McCarthy was being very diplomatic yet somewhat honest. These coaches have been this way with all players. This coaching staff is the same one who called out Favre for throwing a late pass down the middle in the preseason, but they aren't being harsh. Just seems to be that Harris is being incredibly thin-skinned. Then again, we don't know how the question was phrased to Harris. Maybe he truly doesn't know what McCarthy said. At this point though, it's up to the coach to calm this small brush fire.

[MJZiggy]

That was part of my point. I think that the reporter told Harris that Coach said that he himself was disappointed in Al's play when he really said he thought Al was thinking he'd like to be more consistent.

"not as consistent as HE would like..." not we, he. He almost said we but didn't.

[mmmdk]

Al Harris needs to calm down. Packers need him to play great on monday, along with the rest of the team, or Packers won't be able to contain the Eagles. Eagles are underrated, Giants got a lucky win. If Packers play great then they'll be competitive and that does, at times, lead to wins.

[prsnfoto]

Harris thinks he's God's gift to the NFL. Trade him!!

Look I don't like his reaction either but your statement is not true Al has been a team player from day one yes he bitched about his deal but he didn't hold out he came he is playing and he is our best corner by far albeit that isn't saying much right now, I blame the coaching. He has a right to be pissed about the money lets say you are in sales and you produce 10 million in sales your salary is 3 million,along comes a new guy Charles Woodsen he has 5 million in sales and gets a 10 million dollar salary you gonna be OK with that don't lie you would ask for a raise,look for a new job or not work quite as hard I know I would because the same thing happened to me once, guess what my employer ponied up after a polite discussion in his office. Who's fault TT's and my old boss they fucked up it is their right to do whatever they want but there will be consequences.

[ahaha]

This situation seems like the media trying to make a story out of nothing.
Al Harris isn't in a position to pull a "Mike McKensie". In order for him to get a nice new contract he needs to produce on the field. He's not a young man or a speed demon. Teams aren't going to shell out big bucks for him unless they see the production on the field this year.

[swede]

Harris thinks he's God's gift to the NFL. Trade him!!

Look I don't like his reaction either but your statement is not true Al has been a team player from day one yes he bitched about his deal but he didn't hold out he came he is playing and he is our best corner by far albeit that isn't saying much right now, I blame the coaching...

Agreed, at least in terms of the defensive coaching.

The media, IMHO, did an expert job of accuately misquoting MM in order to get a reaction from Harris. It worked.

The fact that AH was ready to fire off in such a sensitive way showed that he isn't happy, or content, or making long term career plans in this town.
I am right at the same place with Harris that I was with McKenzie. He is frustrated with the crappy coverage scheming and poor execution and feels that he's strapped to a coaching staff that has more problems than the players.

I might want out, too, if I was a D back in Green Bay.

[MJZiggy]

How do you know that Swede?

[HarveyWallbangers]

Listening to Al's interview today on packers.com. He told Larry McCarren basically that the reporter relaying the message made McCarthy's comment seem a lot harsher than it was. He basically called out the reporter and said that that guy won't be "relaying another message to me." He called it the National Enquirer thing.

He's always messing with the reporters. You can tell he doesn't like or trust most of them.