Seven things I like about Mike McCarthy so far

[MJZiggy]

I don't want to hijack the thread and get off topic, but this attitude is at the root of the "we're not rebuilding mentality." Of course we're rebuilding, but that's no excuse for poor performance. From what I've seen, MM will get the most out of the talent and experience he has to work with.

I've been saying that for weeks and no one has agreed with me about it.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I don't want to hijack the thread and get off topic, but this attitude is at the root of the "we're not rebuilding mentality." Of course we're rebuilding, but that's no excuse for poor performance. From what I've seen, MM will get the most out of the talent and experience he has to work with.

I've been saying that for weeks and no one has agreed with me about it.

Well, OK. If MM takes the position that the talent is in place, then the team ought to finish with a winning record or the coaching is no good. I haven't heard him volunteer for such accountability.

I'm unimpressed that TT and MM insist that the team is not rebuilding. I understand WHY they say it, but it's bullshit. I'd be more admiring if they told the truth.

[Lurker64]

I'm unimpressed that TT and MM insist that the team is not rebuilding. I understand WHY they say it, but it's bullshit. I'd be more admiring if they told the truth.

For a coach or a GM to admit that the team is "rebuilding" is tantamount to giving up, and it's certainly not going to make the team any better this year. Players don't play well when you give them a license to play poorly and get away with it because "well, the team is rebuilding, we shouldn't be surprised if they suck."

I would be terribly disappointed with any coach or GM who actually admitted that the team was "rebuilding" in a professional league, even if it's true.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Lurker, I really don't think players would get the message that it's ok to suck.

The coach and players would be expected to make week-to-week improvement in any event.

People are smart,they know the truth. It never hurts to state it.

[Lurker64]

Lurker, I really don't think players would get the message that it's ok to suck.

The coach and players would be expected to make week-to-week improvement in any event.

People are smart,they know the truth. It never hurts to state it.

No, but by "we're rebuilding" you put a ceiling on the expectations for the team and the players. If you set a ceiling for those expectations, there's an incentive to play "up to expectation" and not go any further. This is neither desireable nor acceptable. Saying that "we're rebuilding" gives license to "be competitive" and "improve week to week" instead of, well, winning. Winning should be our expectation for the players, and the players expectation for themselves. "Rebuilding" is just an excuse that mitigates the sting of the failure of "not winning."

Rebuilding is something you did, never something you're doing. It's ungrammatical, but it's true.

[MJZiggy]

I absolutely agree with that, Lurker. Everyone knows we're rebuilding including the players, but not admitting it forces the players to behave as if the coach doesn't know we're rebuilding, in other words, play like we're not.

[vince]

Lurker, I really don't think players would get the message that it's ok to suck.

The coach and players would be expected to make week-to-week improvement in any event.

People are smart,they know the truth. It never hurts to state it.

It's not about what is the "truth." Whether or not the Packers are actually "rebuilding" is irrelevant to what needs to be done to establish a team's mindset of accepting no excuses, setting high expectations and holding players personally accountable for performance - starting now.

A team who's coach publicly admits to being in a "rebuilding" mode gives his team a built-in excuse for today's poor performance. That's unacceptable to everyone involved, including us fans.

[The Shadow]

Teams should ALWAYS be rebuilding.
Get better or get worse.

[woodbuck27]

That throw to Rison in the Super Bowl was not a "bomb" as I am referring to it as! That pass was about a 25 yard laser beam that Rison took the rest of the way! I'm talking about a pass where the QB puts air under the ball an floats it to a reciever 50 yards down field and it hits him in stride. Favre has no clue how to throw this kind of pass!

Your correct on that pass to Andre Rison in Super Bowl XXXI. The actual pass to Rison, as he slanted off the left side of the field and was hit in stride wasn't "the Bomb". That pass did catch the Pat's secondary napping but it wasn't a long pass..

Now... can Favre throw "the Bomb" ? Has Brett Favre demonstrated that he can throw "the Bomb"? YES !

The date Mon., Oct. 7 at Chicago Bears (@ Champaign, Ill.) in a game won by " the Packers " by a score of... 34 - 21.

The amazing play took place early in that game in the 1st Quarter.

The playa that caught "the Bomb" from Brett Favre, WR Donald Driver

Driver's sensational run and catch and run for a TOUCHDOWN. Was made on a dead run, as he moved deep and left down the field, from his position on the right side of the line of scrimmage, on an approx. 53 yard pass from Brett Favre.

Favre had taken up a position on the field slanting back and to his left to set up the long strike. This move by Favre gave the time that Donald Driver needed to get lined up on the same side of the field (left) as Brett Favre.

Here is how the play was described from:

http://www.packers.com/news/releases/2002/10/08/3/

Quarterback Brett Favre, in virtuosic form, set a spectacular tone on the first play of the Packers' second possession in the opening quarter, rolling to his left and lofting a strike to split end Donald Driver, who gathered the ball in on the run and streaked to the end zone - an 85-yard pass-and-run collaboration executed before the Memorial Stadium crowd of 60,000-plus was fully aware of what was transpiring.

That was "the Favre... Bomb".

Do you now re-call that play, from that Monday Nighrt Football game?

I hope that I never forget it as long as I live. It was sweet !!

[Fosco33]

That throw to Rison in the Super Bowl was not a "bomb" as I am referring to it as! That pass was about a 25 yard laser beam that Rison took the rest of the way! I'm talking about a pass where the QB puts air under the ball an floats it to a reciever 50 yards down field and it hits him in stride. Favre has no clue how to throw this kind of pass!

I agree with Wood on this one. He has had success with 'bowbs' - in that same game he hit Freeman on a long toss. Or what about the Detroit wild card toss to Sharpe? It'd be nice to reference his lifetime stats on long throws - maybe I'll do some homework tonight.

[RashanGary]

I think saying "We only won 4 games last year. Some players and coaches didn't do their jobs and now they have a new, lesser paying ones. We have a bunch of new faces here and you're all competing for jobs. Some people don't expect us to win a lot of games. Only time will tell but if we lose 12 games again, you can expect many of you will not have jobs.

When we lose, it means someone didn't do their job. I suggest you all compete and we come out and win a bunch of games. If not, we'll be looking at a whole new group of people and some of you will never make a penny in this league again. Are we expected to lose some games? Sure, but I don't think any of you should get any comfort in that because it just means many of you will probably be looking for new jobs. Us coaches are included in taht as well."

That is the truth. The truth is there are no excuses for individuals. The truth is, if they don't play well, they won't have jobs. I don't see any good in saying anything else. I don't see any truth in it either.

[woodbuck27]

I absolutely agree with that, Lurker. Everyone knows we're rebuilding including the players, but not admitting it forces the players to behave as if the coach doesn't know we're rebuilding, in other words, play like we're not.

and EVERYTHING is....BEAUTIFUL...in it's OWN WAY.

Isn't that convenient ! Ehh?

[GBRulz]

There is no doubt that Favre can throw the bomb. Maybe we would have seen more of it if he had a GM that brought in a big play WR once during his career.

[woodbuck27]

Also in that Game against the Bears where Favre threw that long bomb to Donald Driver (see my previous post in this thread):

The Bears, refusing to go away, mounted a drive of their own, putting together a pair of first downs and reaching the Green Bay 40 before safety Darren Sharper intercepted a Miller pass at the Packers' 10-yard line.

Favre quickly put the Packers in field goal range with a 49-yard strike to Glenn **, a maneuver which carried them to the Bears' 25, but Longwell's subsequent, 36-yard effort was wide right late in the third quarter.

"the Bomb - twice" in that same game.

Overall, the Packers emerged with their second-best offensive outing of the season, a 457-yard effort (124 rushing and 333 passing), Ahman Green spearheading the ground game with a 107-yard performance.

Favre closed out the evening with a season-high 359 passing yards and three touchdowns - on 22 completions in 33 attempts - without an interception.

Eight of his passes went to flanker Terry Glenn, who emerged with 154 yards, a team single-game high for the season.

Four other throws went to the consistently productive Donald Driver, who closed out his evening with 120 yards - his first career 100-yard receiving game.

THE FAVRE FILE - from that Game:

Brett Favre once more further entrenched himself among professional football's all-time elite passers by reaching another major milestone. Before the first half was over Monday night, he had become the third-faster player in National Football League history - and the eighth overall - to pass for 40,000 yards in a career, attaining the lofty plateau in 166 games. Dan Marino was the fastest to 40,000 yards (153 games) and Warren Moon ranks second (165 games).

Favre tied another all-time great in another major category by presiding over his 107th career victory as a starting quarterback, a total which ties him with Terry Bradshaw for fifth place.

And, beyond those achievements, the freewheeling Southern Mississippi alum's three touchdown passes swelled his career total to 298 and lifted him to within two of John Elway, who currently ranks third in NFL history with 300. Marino is the all-time leader with 420, followed by Fran Tarkenton with 342.

In Monday night's process, Favre likewise established a personal best with 180 passing yards in the first quarter and finished the first half with an imposing 146.2 quarterback rating, based on 287 passing yards and 3 touchdowns, without an interception.

[woodbuck27]

There is no doubt that Favre can throw the bomb. Maybe we would have seen more of it if he had a GM that brought in a big play WR once during his career.

but ...but but... we're secretly re-building GBRulz,

and being so secret in the process,

that... for OUR GM Ted Thompson to have even tried to retain Javon Walker, or to replace him with a solid Vet. WR.

Might mean... that it wouldn't appear as though we're secretly re-building. Because Brett Favre would have another REAL weapon he could use to enhance OUR chances for stringing wins.

Stringing wins and making the playoffs are not compatible with secretly re-building, GBRulz.

Not compatible "AT ALL ".

As then the pressure would be on Ted Thompson to finish the job and put us in tight for a Super Bowl with Favre still at QB.

NOT THE PLAN !!