In 1989 I wrote a letter to Tom Braatz, who was in charge of GB's personnel at the time, urging him to draft... Tony Mandarich. Adding to my horror looking back, Braatz actually wrote me back saying, "Don't worry. That's who we're picking." Now I wonder, how much time does that guy have on his hands, and why such a big mouth.
Anyway, it taught me a lesson, as when trading options or stocks, don't listen to anyone but yourself. Don't join a stampede. I thought about that as I read this article in Packernews.com :
Here's the excerpt I'm talking about :
Several scouts who know Thompson expect him to make a safe pick at No. 5 rather than take a home-run swing at a high-risk, high-reward player. That generally suggests he’d take Hawk, assuming Williams is gone.
Thompson disputes the notion he’ll go the safe route, though.
“I wouldn’t bet on it,†he said. “People don’t know me that well.â€ÂÂ
Thompson has some other quotes too :
“(This draft) it’s important for this first pick,†Thompson said, “but what’s overlooked is that we’re picking early in all the other rounds except the (sixth and seventh) as well. So instead of picking at 60 (in the second round) we’re picking at 36, and instead of picking at 90 (in the third round), we’re picking at (67). So we should be able to improve our team if we do our job right.â€ÂÂ
Thompson also probably wants to acquire more picks for a few extra swings at prospects. Last year, he traded down in the third round and parlayed seven selections into 11.
“I’m sure everybody would like to have more picks than less picks,†Thompson said. “But it might not work out that way. There were several years in Seattle where the whole time I was thinking we’d move, and every time it got to be our turn there was somebody we really had a hankering for, and we just stood there and picked.â€ÂÂ
A short one from Mike McCarthy :
The Packers, though, appear confident they’ll have a shot at a player they’ve graded as a top-echelon prospect.
“There are going to be at least two really good players there,†coach Mike McCarthy said Friday.
Just as an aside, and I think this is total BS, but Len Pasquarelli wrote earlier this week that the Saints are eyeing A.J. Hawk with the 2nd pick, the Jets either Mario Williams or D'brickashaw Ferguson with the 4th. The Titans will pick a QB and the Texans Reggie Bush.
Anyway, it taught me a lesson, as when trading options or stocks, don't listen to anyone but yourself. Don't join a stampede. I thought about that as I read this article in Packernews.com :
Here's the excerpt I'm talking about :
Several scouts who know Thompson expect him to make a safe pick at No. 5 rather than take a home-run swing at a high-risk, high-reward player. That generally suggests he’d take Hawk, assuming Williams is gone.
Thompson disputes the notion he’ll go the safe route, though.
“I wouldn’t bet on it,†he said. “People don’t know me that well.â€ÂÂ
Thompson has some other quotes too :
“(This draft) it’s important for this first pick,†Thompson said, “but what’s overlooked is that we’re picking early in all the other rounds except the (sixth and seventh) as well. So instead of picking at 60 (in the second round) we’re picking at 36, and instead of picking at 90 (in the third round), we’re picking at (67). So we should be able to improve our team if we do our job right.â€ÂÂ
Thompson also probably wants to acquire more picks for a few extra swings at prospects. Last year, he traded down in the third round and parlayed seven selections into 11.
“I’m sure everybody would like to have more picks than less picks,†Thompson said. “But it might not work out that way. There were several years in Seattle where the whole time I was thinking we’d move, and every time it got to be our turn there was somebody we really had a hankering for, and we just stood there and picked.â€ÂÂ
A short one from Mike McCarthy :
The Packers, though, appear confident they’ll have a shot at a player they’ve graded as a top-echelon prospect.
“There are going to be at least two really good players there,†coach Mike McCarthy said Friday.
Just as an aside, and I think this is total BS, but Len Pasquarelli wrote earlier this week that the Saints are eyeing A.J. Hawk with the 2nd pick, the Jets either Mario Williams or D'brickashaw Ferguson with the 4th. The Titans will pick a QB and the Texans Reggie Bush.







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