GM TT PERFORMANCE REVIEW/OFFICIAL FAVRE WATCH

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INDICATOR: POLL RESULTS SO FAR

GM THOMPSON PERFORMANCE SATISFACTION SURVEY:

SUPPORTED TT FROM BEGINNING, STILL ON HIS BANDWAGON 35%

vs.


AFTER 2007 WE MAY NEED A NEW GM/FIRE THE GM WANNA BE 38%

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ISSUE: WINNING WHILE REBUILDING FOR GOOD MGNT TEAMS

http://www.packerchatters.com/op-ed/view.php?id=2215

So what's really behind the fans' criticism of Ted Thompson?

There's a perception floating around out there that the '99 Rams or the '01 Patriots are how it works in the NFL. That is, a team acquires that really good or special player in one off-season (whether by free agency, the draft, or a trade), and just like that it goes from a 5-11 team one year to a championship team the next. The increasingly pervasive perception is that teams---even the perennially bad ones---may just be a player or two away from contending for a championship, and many fans are saying Why can't it be my team? or Why not this year?
Fans are not content to endure a long rebuilding process. Why should they be? Quick turnarounds have occurred before, even recently. Rebuilding doesn’t have to be a four- or five-year effort. It can be done much more quickly than that. Winning now, not eventually, has become the expectation. And that's why there's such a clamoring for GMs like Ted Thompson to aggressively pursue players who have a good shot to be difference-makers. There’s a lack of tolerance for sitting back and waiting to see if our team can get the best deal in a trade, if our GM can add some depth and potential to the roster in hopes that 2 or 3 of the mostly late-round, traded-down-for draftees can contribute a few years down the road. Put simply, fans want their GMs to do something audacious. They want them to take risks. They just plain want them to do whatever it takes to increase the chances that a Marshall Faulk-type player or a Tom Brady-type player can be obtained in one off-season so that he can burst onto the scene and plant their team in the Super Bowl.
A common theme among fans critical of Thompson is that they don't think he has done whatever it takes this off-season to get the Packers into the Super Bowl this year, in 2007. And they do think a Super Bowl in 2007 is an actual possibility---as long as Thompson goes out and grabs that player or two that can get them over the proverbial hump. And this may very well be the last hurrah for Thompson from the fans’ standpoint. If the Packers win only 5 or 6 (or fewer) games this next year, there is a possibility, maybe even a probability, that there will be a public outcry to oust Thompson after the season. The thing is, had he been aggressive this off-season (traded up to get his guy for the first time, offered more than a 5th for Moss, maybe gone after more than just a leftover or two in free agency), he likely would be given more slack from fans---even if the Packers lose. But without the obvious appearance of a strong effort to get ready-made contributors for the offense in 2007, without appearing like he's trying to win now, not eventually, he's just not going to be given the benefit of the doubt from fans.
All of this, of course, is pessimistically assuming Green Bay's offense struggles miserably and they lose a lot of games in 2007. If the Packers win, if Randy Moss and Ahman Green turn out to be duds in their new environs, if even one of Thompson's '07 draftees turns out to be a difference-maker, Thompson will be fine in the eyes of fans. For at least another season, anyway.

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A PERSPECTIVE

http://www.packerchatters.com/op-ed/view.php?id=2221

Favre, Thompson and the Packers

I have stayed clear of the Favre vs. Thompson (the Packers) subject because I have conflicting feelings. After the loss to Atlanta (in the playoffs) I said Favre would play AT LEAST 4 more years and he has. I also said that this upcoming season would be his last, and I still feel that way. After this weekend and the reports that Favre had requested a trade, I wanted to think about his point of view and the Packers point of view.
I'll start w/ Favre: He is frustrated, like most of the Packers fans, with the Packers inability to add some offensive fire power, imperticular not landing his friend, Randy Moss. He has seen Ahman Green, Davis Martin and William Henderson leave after last season and Darren Sharper, Mike Wahle, Marco Rivera, Javon Walker and Mike Mckenzie leave during the last 4 seasons. He has also seen Mike Sherman let go and his "heir apparent" brought in. He wants to win NOW. He wants to go out on top like he watched Elway do. He wants 1 more chance to go for it all. He feels Moss could have been 'that guy' to put the Packers in the upper part of the NFC (which we all know is weak). He doesn't feel Ted Thompson has done enough to win in 2007 and is upset that the Packers, in his mind, are not giving him his wish to make one last run at the Vince Lombardi trophy. Some may agree with him....
But lets try to look at it from the Packers (Ted Thompson's) POV. The Packers were in 'cap hell' when Thompson was hired. He had to make tough decisions to let those aforementioned players go. The Packers were getting older in some spots and for the amount of money those players were getting their production was not up to the dollar amount. Ted Thompson has said that the Packers are not 'rebuilding' but he has also said that he is trying to build a contender for the long haul (read between the lines). This past off season's free agents were NOT that great of a class (from an offensive standpoint). There were no 'difference makers' that would be able to come in and make that big of an impact. Daniel Graham's style of play is similar to Bubba Franks, Dontè Stallworth can't stay healthy and Travis Henry is as good as he is gonna get. So Thompson felt he can get comparable players in the draft.
As far as Moss, they had a deal done with Oakland (for a 5th) but Moss wanted $3 million guaranteed for 2 years, while the Packers offered $1.85 with a weekly bonus of $600,000 and other incentives for 2 years (making a little over $8 million). Once the Patriots came into the picture with a 4th and a 1 year $3 mill offer the Raiders, actually MOSS, jumped at the chance to play for a team that, on paper, is the front runner to win the title. Moss chose to NOT come to Green Bay, it wasn't the other way. Recently we have learned that Moss was NOT a good locker room guy in Oakland and his former OC says he lost a step. Moss has always had issues, but Favre seemed to think he could 'hold Randy down'. For $3 million a year and a 4th (or 5th) was a low risk move for Thompson, and he dropped the ball, POINT BLANK.
My opinion on this situation. If Favre wants a commitment from the Packers about the teams intention of winning right now, he should make the same commitment to them about how much longer he intends to play football. Why is it OK for him to jump in and voice his displeasure on Bubba Franks, Mike Mckenzie and Javon Walkers' contract issues (or how they handle their business) and be critical of them for being unhappy with the organization by basically calling them 'disloyal' but it's ok for him to air out the Packers through the media? I also am not happy about his mini-camp issues. I feel it is important for EVERY PLAYER to be there. This is where you start to build chemistry with your teammates. By saying that you are not coming because "you were not going to be doing anything anyway" is crap. What if Charles Woodson, Nick Barnett or a rookie said that...we would be ALL OVER THEM!! I understand his daughter is getting ready to graduate H.S. and I bet if went to the front office and said "look I want to leave early so I can be apart of Brittney's graduation week" the Packers would have NO PROBLEM with that, but he handled it wrong and it looks like a player that is starting to think he is above the team. I am glad that he had a change of heart. I also feel Ted Thompson needs to stop being Mr. Roboto when it comes to FA. The Packers have the resources (MONEY) to land players that can make a difference, but Thompson instead decided to build through the draft and NOT add a player (like Justin Griffith) that would have helped. He tried to get 'to cute' in the Moss negotiations and missed out on him. Thompson needs to become a better communicator with the media and the players. He may not like it, but the fact of the matter is IT IS A PART OF IS JOB. I still think the Packers will be a better team then what they were last year. Moss would have helped, but he wasn't the answer to all. He wouldn't have made the Packers 'the clear cut favorite' in the NFC, they are a few players still away. Those players were NOT in this FA class, IMHO. With the Bears losing Briggs, Boone, Scott and Tank Johnson (to suspension) the defense will not be able to 'carry them' like they did last year. The Lions will be better, but they are still a few years away and the Vikings have questions as well. So the Packers COULD be in a position to win the North title but they need to get on the same page and that means Favre, Thompson and ANYONE else needs to put ego's aside and communicate with each other, do the jobs they are hired to do and COMPETE. All parties involved are at fault.

[Freak Out]

How can Tophat only have 259 posts?

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A PERSPECTIVE: NO TT FAN

http://www.acmepackingcompany.com/story/2007/5/19/3846/98763

GM Ted Thompson's Bad Offseason By Brandon

First he doesn't sign any notable free agents and loses RB Ahman Green who he had clearly wanted to resign. Then he gets booed when the DT Justin Harrell pick is announced. Then he loses WR Randy Moss to New England which makes QB Brett Favre want to retire. Now his rookie RB Brandon Jackson has to skip this weekend's minicamp due to NFL rules and it turns out that Thompson could have avoided it, but screwed up: A league source tells us that the Green Bay Packers could have moved the dates of this weekend's mandatory minicamp after it became clear that there was a conflict this weekend with the 2007 Rookie Premier Photo Shoot -- and that the L.A. event for 35 hand-picked incoming players is a rock and the minicamp is scissors.
The real sad part is that even Detroit GM Matt Millen knew how to avoid this problem: The Lions, for example, convened on Tuesday through Thursday, even though (as we understand it) they were initially slated to have a full-squad camp over the weekend. As a result, the Lions were able to have access to receiver Calvin Johnson. Low times indeed.

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FOLLOW UP: FAVRE'S LAST YEAR?

http://packerfansunited.blogspot.com/search/label/Favre

Further on the Final Year for #4

As noted here yesterday, there was a report by 620WTMJ-AM radio in Milwaukee that Brett Favre is so upset with Packer management that this will definitely be his last year as a Packer. Either he will retire or, if he has a good year, play for another team that has a legitimate chance at the playoffs and a championship. Bill Michaels, of 620WTMJ, has many of the details in his blog entry, which you can find here. Just scroll down till you get the entry entitled "Final 4?".
Some fascinating -- and disturbing -- info about the present situation. It is very sad that it is coming to this for Brett, for the Packers, and for the fans. Perhaps the best hope for finishing the upcoming season on a good note for all those involved would be for the Pack to have a playoff year. Nothing new about that. But perhaps this season carries with it a bit more than before. Let's hope this all somehow works out.