Q&A w/TT---McGinn kicks him in the balls over & over

[PackerBlues]

Is Sherman's playoff record speculation?

Ha Ha Ha, stop it man, I have not laughed this hard in a loooonnnnggg time. Your killing me. The answer is no, Sherman's playoff record is not speculation....... he did in fact go to the playoffs....... many many times. What year do you expect Lord TT to get to the playoffs? 2010? 2012? not anytime soon I am sure.

So that is a reason to throw away draft picks foolishly on huge gambles?

Heh heh......still laughing.....please stop.......cant take much more. Where did Sherman usually end up picking? It is so damned funny hearing people talk about how awesome Teddy is in the draft, knowing that his picks are so much easier due to his position in the draft. 12-20 gets you great position in the draft.
Again, if Aaron Rogers was not a waste of a #1 pick, then what in the hell would qualify?

[Zool]

Again, if Aaron Rogers was not a waste of a #1 pick, then what in the hell would qualify?

Jamal Reynolds

See: Ahmad Carroll.

[Lurker64]

Re: Plan

This slow methodical turtle like approach will NEVER NEVER work in today's NFL. It's imperative to use FA EACH and EVERY year to plug holes and aquire depth.

Isn't Thompson's approach basically essentially what (prior to this offseason), the Patriots used to build their dynasty? Prior to this last year, the Patriots were rarely active in free Agency especially where the big contracts were involved, holes were regularly plugged through the draft, and big name malcontents were quickly replaced by draft picks or no-name free agents. If you go look at their roster and the "how-acquired" column, short of the notable acquisitions this off-season, the overwhelming majority of the major contributing players on the Pats were drafted.

Admittedly, McCarthy is probably no Bellichik, but saying categorically that a "FA light, build through the draft" approach can't work in today's NFL is silly. The last NFL dynasty was built that way.

[swede]

2-4 was Mike Sherman's playoff record.

I'm wondering if some of you guys play a little too much John Madden with the cheat codes enabled the way some of you are ripping on TT for not being having AWESOME tight ends and AWESOME runningbacks and an AWESOME offensive line and AWESOME linebackers and AWESOME wide receivers and AWESOME defensive backs. Trade Bubba Smith for Antonio Gates in GM mode and there you go!

What do you want TT to say? "We suck at tight end. You got me there Mr. McGinn. Golly, you sure do know your football. I don't know what the hell I was thinking, I had the cash to buy some average free agents at that position and I just fricking didn't do it. Maybe you could write down how I'm real sorry about how useless some of my players are. I know that won't go over well in my lockerroom but at least I'll know I've been honest with the fans that know so much about each and every one of these guys and whether or not they have the potential to grow into contributing roles on pur team. By the way, I don't know when I've ever been interviewed by such a relentlessly tough seeker of the truth."

[PackerBlues]

Again, if Aaron Rogers was not a waste of a #1 pick, then what in the hell would qualify?

Jamal Reynolds

See: Ahmad Carroll.

In all fairness, lets not forget that Jamal "to small" Reynolds was Ron Wolf's last first round pick, not Shermans. I would say that at least Ahmad Caroll actually played, but.............

(I was thinking that Jamal was Shermans pick also, but according to Wikpedia, it was Wolf that picked him in 2001. However Wolf turned over the GM role to Sherman in Febuary of 2001. I know Wolf stayed on for a while as a consultant of sorts......so does anyone know for sure who gets the blame for Reynolds?)

[woodbuck27]

Tough interview. I have to give TT credit that he did not lose his cool which is what McGinn was obviously trying to do.

I read it yesterday a couple of times and then took the last 24 Hrs. to reflect on it.

I must say that I felt bad for Ole Ted. That was a brutal interview and I've never seen another designed to probe a GM in sports just as that was. McGinn never gave Ted Thompson much of a break; but the man is not just cool but cold as ice. We have seen that since he arrived.

He certainly has to be given credit for not melting down which I believe is where most people would go. He got through it.

It behooves me that with so much need to upgrade on our team . . .RB,TE,FB, (maybe another solid back-up at Guard or Tackle on the OL) and at SS. . . that TT is sitting on so much CAP.

If it's really ** 15 Million dollars ( Note: We had to sign Justin Harrel and that's done now) ** that much money could have given us an upgrade at TE and FB with money to spare.

Is it just TT being extremely cautious as he moves along his learning curve, a personality issue or is he too cheap with the money or is it just a simple matter of better players not wanting o play in Green Bay?

I hate the way he slides past those questions that deal with why didn't you acquire this or that player. Why not just put it out there? Be the man !!

What does it have to do with that player being on another team? Can't he come up with an answer, an informing response?

TT appears to want to lean on a classic scape goat response and that won't help him. TT isn't serving himself very well in regards to trust issues. The fan deserves to know. The fan will support a man who acts just human.

Don't Packer fans deserve the hard truth?

ie:

I didn't get Moss because I wasn't aggressive enough and maybe in the near future I'll look back on this as a regret.

TT should get REAL, and get there really fast.

It's OK to be wrong (human) but not OK to slide through the muck and act like your not even a tad dirty.

I'm actually surprized that TT allowed the direction of the interview as it came out. It's certainly telling.

The bottom line is that I saw this fr. TT in the interview resposes. He knows that we must win this season. It's time.

Back to the concerns some have here. Why didn't he do more in this off season to give himself and the Packers that chance?

Why is Ted Thompson sitting on so much CAP when we have so much need especially on the offensive side of the ball?

[PackerBlues]

Anyone could see that our Defense could not stop the run last year. Any team that wanted to run against our defense, did so at will. That is the only reason that I cannot knock Thompson for picking up Harrell with our #1 Pick. If Harrell is as good as Thompson thinks he is, then good, glad to have him.

However, on the other side of the ball, while we were able to move the ball down field on Offense, scoring in the red zone was pathetic, and thats is a gross understatement. Perhaps if our TE's had a little more practice at catching balls, rather than backing up our Pathetic O-line by doing their blocking for them, things might not have been so bad.

So, here we go into next season with TWO good WR's, Driver and Jennings. After that, its questionable. We have the same two ineffective TE's, so no upgrade there at all. We lose Green in Free Agency, and replace him with a "running back by committee" system........."unless somebody steps up."

Thompson is supposed to be doing EVERYTHING in his power to help this team win. The simple fact that the words "Free Agency" causes such an uproar in these forums, just points out the fact that Thompson is not doing EVERYTHING in his power to help this team win.

What has Thompson done on Offense to make anybody believe that things are going to be better this year?

[the_idle_threat]

Gee---this thread has become a haven for the anti-TT trolls.

I like Thompson just a little bit more now just because he pisses you guys off so much. :P

[GrnBay007]

Gee---this thread has become a haven for the anti-TT trolls.

I like Thompson just a little bit more now just because he pisses you guys off so much. :P

LOL
All topics/threads can and often times do end up being the TT VS Sherman debate.

[PackerBlues]

Gee---this thread has become a haven for the anti-TT trolls.

I like Thompson just a little bit more now just because he pisses you guys off so much. :P

That ok, I was looking at it from the flip side of the same coin. Most threads are taken over by the "Pro-TT Trolls".

I hate Thompson just a little bit more now just because he has so many trolls blindly hanging off of his nuts.

[GrnBay007]

Gee---this thread has become a haven for the anti-TT trolls.

I like Thompson just a little bit more now just because he pisses you guys off so much. :P

LOL
All topics/threads can and often times do end up being the TT VS Sherman debate.

VS.

[PackerBlues]

Gee---this thread has become a haven for the anti-TT trolls.

I like Thompson just a little bit more now just because he pisses you guys off so much. :P

LOL
All topics/threads can and often times do end up being the TT VS Sherman debate.

VS.

Ha Ha, good one. (shouldn't the Turtles head be in its shell though?)

[woodbuck27]

Gee---this thread has become a haven for the anti-TT trolls.

I like Thompson just a little bit more now just because he pisses you guys off so much. :P

Let's get this really clear.

I for one am not just anti-TT.

I am all for the Green Bay Packers having the best chance to win a playoff spot and going beyond their first round game.It's pretty obvious to many that Ted Thompson ensured us of little chance of that coming to fruition in 2007.

Ted Thompson has got to act like an NFL GM and not just be one in name.

Let's just look at our TE position.

TT showed us early in his contract, is reticient nature, when he was so late signing Bubba Franks. Bubba wasn't in game shape at the start of 2005. Jogging around some track in Miami wasn't what we needed. We needed him in Green Bay before the start of TC.

Has Bubba ever recovered?Will he ever recover?

Oh wait. Ted says he thinks that he will. Well OK then. . .mmmmm.

NO !!! Thinking that he will recover doesn't cut it.

TT took a bandaid approach to re-building our OL in 2005. Two seasons into Ted's contract Bubba still has to be used primarily as a blocker. That's just what anoid Bubba Franks under Mike Sherman's tenure. Do you recall that fact?

Bubba felt under utilized until we were close to the goal line.

Bubba certainly appears to have lost his drive,his confidence. So what does TT decide to do about that?

The interview informs us that he spends alot of time on his knees.mmmmm.

That would be praying.

Ted informs us that he thinks that Bubba will bounce back. GREAT !!

BUT !!! What if he doesn't. . . Ted?

Maybe Ted Thompson could have elected some contingincy or backup plan to help himself and our team be a winner at the very important TE position but NO !!!

Ted's way. . .NO real response !! He's shooting himself in the foot.

Prayer isn't going to ensure Packer wins.

************************************************** ****

The Green Bay Packers and other positions of need.

Do we all feel really set at RB and FB? Really confident that that ground game will carry the team; not place too much stress on the only thing that may be decent for us. . our 'D'?

Ted Thompson decides on this as an option. That draft picks will provide the support that Favre and Driver need?

Good grief !!! Is that an option for 2007?

Yup. Draft picks.

(Rookies) are often leaders on an NFL teams offense. True or False

Yet. . . TT has finally gotten the message. We will win now, we will win some games this season.

How is that? Our SOS is against us this season compared to 2006.

How is that? When he sat mostly on his butt this off season and allowed nothing to speak of out of FA for our team that had certain need of a SS, TE, FB and RB with the experience and creditials only offered by acquiring a vet.

The counter argument we see here is that it was a very weak FA crop. That's why TT wasn't active. Problem is we had over the top too much need. As our GM he had as a primary objective the need to ready us for 2007.

If the FA market was so poor and the only means of getting better was the draft. Ted should have been honest and informed the Packer fans that he expects that this will be an up and down season. That 2007 will allow his coaching staff to grow and develop our young players but that we shouldn't expect too much this season in terms of advancing in the playoffs

I'd respect that. Maybe that is what he means by saying. We'll win some games?

Ted Thompson isn't the strong communicator I'd prefer having as our GM. He is just aweful in that Dept. Is it ego or is he just shy or backward?

************************************************** ********

TT the draft genious? and GM on a learning curve

How much credit are we going to give TT for drafting AJ Hawk?

Was that a tough choice, a huge surprize to you, Packer fans? Ted only had to see us get to 4-12 to enable that brialliant selection. He certainly enabled that with the lousy OL he stuffed down our throats; and worst of all the shaft that went with that, up Mike Sherman's post.

Yup the GM (on the learning curve ) not any genious folks, extends Mike Sherman and later that season gives him the Ole heave ho. Maybe he was told to do that? No couldn't be.

Just an early indicator that he had a long ways to go as a competent GM.

What reflects worst on TT (here) is that extention.

With the early signs of the turtle complex ( any camera's in Green Bay?) and the lousy OL, the terrible influx of LBers, TT's tardiness in deciding on ** Bubba Franks and then. . . all the adversity (injuries to key players) we go 4-12. Blame can be spread around. Mike Sherman got the Lions share of that.

Oh. . . what was that **? Not back to Bubba. Who would have thought it.

J. Walker and Ahman Green and all those OL injuries. Mike Sherman certainly got the goose long before Christmas.

Ted just simply put. .waisted money. The learning curve of a wanna be GM for the Green Bay Packers. He's sure making up for that booboo now!!

back to TT the draft guru. . . 'the draft genious'.

AJ Hawk was a no brainer. Again after all those wanna be's Ted provided for us at LBer in 2005. A peach of a crop.

Rah Rahh Ted. Again. . .NO !!!

When his other picks in Rd. 1 are Aaron Rodgers ( how well did TT check that QB out?) Ohhhh that was in his first draft as our GM. Forgiven !!!

. . .but this season. DT Justin Harrel who possibly may not be a starter in 2007 selected at (DT) where we may be strongest with that ton of need elsewhere. Unforgivable for a draft genious.

Ted informs us that he thinks we will or have to WIN NOW !!

That's just may be almost brialliant if we had any real chance of doing that.

[GrnBay007]

(shouldn't the Turtles head be in its shell though?)

Yep, he does look a lil more excited then I think we will ever see TT. :P

[Bretsky]

I find it interesting that part of what people dont like abou
TT is his style. Becasue he does not say a whole lot or is not flashy, peopoe do not seem to like him. We wwil see how the team plays this year.

He's like Colonel Klink in Hogan's Heroes when he screams........I know nothing...I will say nothing !....when he obviously does know a little bit of something.