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Ok : this is the calm before the storm of the new season. None of us know for certain what will transpire in training camp or the months beyond - all the dramas, large & small, have yet to be played out. All of our beliefs about the health & prospects of our favorite team, which have often collided violently on this forum, really mean very little at this point - only when the season unfolds will we see what's what.
Still, I thought it might be interesting to express a few core opinions about the state of the team -now, before things really get underway. It's always a bit difficult to get a real handle on where most posters stand on the overall view when they are only responding to a specific topic.
1. The Green Bay Packers : the greatest team in sports. What a pleasure : to be a Packer fan, through thick & thin.
2. Ted Thompson : Some have accused me of being a blind supporter - I wish to plead not guilty. Here's what I think : I believe Thompson inherited a team on the downside. The Packers were not a bad team by any stretch - they were just good enough to be playoff contenders - but never good enough to really have legitimate Super Bowl aspirations. For several years management's approach had been to patch and repatch increasing holes.
He -to his credit - took the tougher road, inviting fan's howls, and began rebuilding the team from the foundation up. The process is not yet complete, but I think the team is unmistakeably headed in the right direction.
Have I liked all his moves? No. Do I think -overall - his moves are sound. Yes.
3. Mike McCarthy : Way too early to accurately judge him as a coach. Now, he's gotten his feet wet; this season will reveal a lot. Early impressions - I like his approach. I think the Packers are now a tougher group than they were in the past, and I think that can be linked directly to the head coach.
4. Staff : Boy, I just don't know! Who can tell how Joe Philben will do? I'm still a bit wary of Sanders, and I don't see how Shottenheimer kept his job. On the plus side, I like Moss and Campen, and think the addition of Fontenot could be a big plus.
5. Brett Favre : I like Favre, I admire Favre, and I think his durability record is one of the most remarkable in sports. That being said, I think way too much attention is placed on him - often at the expense of the team. The whole 'we have to win for Brett' clamor is in the long run detrimental to the overall wellbeing of the Packers. If #4 is a member of a sound Packers team - great. If he sets all the records in the world with a patched-together team that never really goes anywhere, I'm not at all interested.
6. Mike Sherman : I thought Sherman had many good qualities, but besides his dismal record as a GM, several deficiencies doomed him. One was obvious : he seemed to consistently get outcoached in big games. For me, there were other, more subtle, troubling signs : his teams never seemed to be fired up (the Packers sideline always looked embarrassingly listless), his stubborn reliance on mediocre Tom Rossley and a comment made by a departing coach, who indicated Mike's micromanaging style had gotten to the point where "meetings were being called solely to plan other meetings".
During Sherman's last season, he reminded me strongly of Captain Queeg, minus the steel ball bearings.
7. The Roster : I like it. Young players with what appears to be plenty of upside. Are there holes? Surely - every team has them. But the young additions to that offensive line, the addition of a cornerstone defender like Hawk , a receiver with moxie like Jennings, etc, etc. are all positive signs.
8. The Season Ahead : I think this will be a great year. Are we there yet? No. But what a blast to watch the young team continue to develop. Instead of praying an aging Packer team can hold things together for one more year, it will be great to watch a team growing towards championship-level caliber.
Still, I thought it might be interesting to express a few core opinions about the state of the team -now, before things really get underway. It's always a bit difficult to get a real handle on where most posters stand on the overall view when they are only responding to a specific topic.
1. The Green Bay Packers : the greatest team in sports. What a pleasure : to be a Packer fan, through thick & thin.
2. Ted Thompson : Some have accused me of being a blind supporter - I wish to plead not guilty. Here's what I think : I believe Thompson inherited a team on the downside. The Packers were not a bad team by any stretch - they were just good enough to be playoff contenders - but never good enough to really have legitimate Super Bowl aspirations. For several years management's approach had been to patch and repatch increasing holes.
He -to his credit - took the tougher road, inviting fan's howls, and began rebuilding the team from the foundation up. The process is not yet complete, but I think the team is unmistakeably headed in the right direction.
Have I liked all his moves? No. Do I think -overall - his moves are sound. Yes.
3. Mike McCarthy : Way too early to accurately judge him as a coach. Now, he's gotten his feet wet; this season will reveal a lot. Early impressions - I like his approach. I think the Packers are now a tougher group than they were in the past, and I think that can be linked directly to the head coach.
4. Staff : Boy, I just don't know! Who can tell how Joe Philben will do? I'm still a bit wary of Sanders, and I don't see how Shottenheimer kept his job. On the plus side, I like Moss and Campen, and think the addition of Fontenot could be a big plus.
5. Brett Favre : I like Favre, I admire Favre, and I think his durability record is one of the most remarkable in sports. That being said, I think way too much attention is placed on him - often at the expense of the team. The whole 'we have to win for Brett' clamor is in the long run detrimental to the overall wellbeing of the Packers. If #4 is a member of a sound Packers team - great. If he sets all the records in the world with a patched-together team that never really goes anywhere, I'm not at all interested.
6. Mike Sherman : I thought Sherman had many good qualities, but besides his dismal record as a GM, several deficiencies doomed him. One was obvious : he seemed to consistently get outcoached in big games. For me, there were other, more subtle, troubling signs : his teams never seemed to be fired up (the Packers sideline always looked embarrassingly listless), his stubborn reliance on mediocre Tom Rossley and a comment made by a departing coach, who indicated Mike's micromanaging style had gotten to the point where "meetings were being called solely to plan other meetings".
During Sherman's last season, he reminded me strongly of Captain Queeg, minus the steel ball bearings.
7. The Roster : I like it. Young players with what appears to be plenty of upside. Are there holes? Surely - every team has them. But the young additions to that offensive line, the addition of a cornerstone defender like Hawk , a receiver with moxie like Jennings, etc, etc. are all positive signs.
8. The Season Ahead : I think this will be a great year. Are we there yet? No. But what a blast to watch the young team continue to develop. Instead of praying an aging Packer team can hold things together for one more year, it will be great to watch a team growing towards championship-level caliber.
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