Ted's Biggest Screw Up

[HarveyWallbangers]

1992: 9-7
1993: 9-7
1994: 9-7
1995: 11-5
1996: 13-3
1997: 13-3
1998: 11-5
1999: 8-8
2000: 9-7
2001: 12-4
2002: 12-4
2003: 10-6
2004: 10-6
2005: 4-12
2006: 8-8
2007: 8-1

It's been a pretty nice run. One losing season in 16 years (and there was an epidemic of injuries that year). That coming on the heels of the long drought (1968-1992). The ONLY constant in that 16 year run has been #4. And Bob Harlan off the field.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Somebody should post the records from 1968-1992. That would really show what Favre meant to this franchise. Reggie only played 6 years. Holmgren only coached 7 years. Wolf was only here for 9 years. Favre for all 16 years.

[cheesner]

Here's the deal :
If the Packers continue to be very successful, Tweedledee and Tweedledum (aka Tweedletank) will post something like this :
"Ha! You fools! We are really behavioral science professors who have been conducting this anti-Ted Thompson campaign just to see if we could get a rise out of Packer fans!
We did! We really have the last laugh on you!! We really supported TT all along! See : we are really smart!!!!!!!"

Many of us have seen this particular ploy several times before........

But I wonder some times, could anyone be this stupid? Then I think of the 'logic' my drunk ex-wife is using on me and I think, I guess it is possible he really feels this way.

[cheesner]

Just the fact TTT drafted no-names like Greg Jennings in 2006 in the 2nd round (gasp!) and James Jones in the 3rd (?) shows a lack of draftday savvy.

Those were TT's famous 'I am smarter than you' picks. Why this is bad is because he is drafting really good players that most fans have not heard of. When TT uses his greater football intellect this makes the Packers a better team. Therefore, ah. um. I forgot why this was such a bad thing.

Congratulations. If this isn't sarcasm you just proved you are as smart as Merlin.

I have seen TT ridiculed for doing 'I am smarter than you' draft picks. I have yet to understand the reasoning. Collins, Jennings, and Jones are listed in this category. 3 of the better steals of the draft in the year that they came out. Yet TT still takes flack for them.

Cheesner, Fritz's post was sarcasm. I think you need to learn exactly what that is. I guess its true then. You are a smart as Merlin, and that is not a compliment.

ooooohhh. Sarcasm. i never heard of that before.


you frickin idiot.

[Tarlam!]

2005: 4-12
2006: 8-8
2007: 8-1

As I posted about 5 weeks ago, TT overall is still a losing GM. Back the, Pack was 4-0. I wrote if the Pack could sneak into 12-4, TT would go .500 over 3 years.

With a win on Sunday, he is .500 for his Packers career to date.

Of course, wins/losses say nothing about a GM, right?

[run pMc]

I don't think you can base a GM's job performance purely by the W-L record. TT has clearly improved the depth of the team. After years of seeing the team slowly erode, it's nice to see this team on the rise again. I don't like every move TT does (or doesn't) make, but I do think overall he's done a good job. If we swapped jobs for a week, I think we'd both flounder, so I'm willing to cut him some slack.

He still has work to do.

[Carolina_Packer]

I don't think you can base a GM's job performance purely by the W-L record. TT has clearly improved the depth of the team. After years of seeing the team slowly erode, it's nice to see this team on the rise again. I don't like every move TT does (or doesn't) make, but I do think overall he's done a good job. If we swapped jobs for a week, I think we'd both flounder, so I'm willing to cut him some slack.

He still has work to do.

This is like the Gettysburg Address of this thread; succinct, clear and spot on.

[Carolina_Packer]

Bingo - found it.

Merlin claims he hasn't changed his arguments. Decide for yourself.

Nothing like a bunch of good ol' boys with a collective IQ of 4 touting the same old "WE ARE EIGHT AND ONE" crap. At least my arguments have merit and substance and I haven't changed those arguments because they are all valid.

In today's world, patience for anything by anyone just doesn't happen. The NFL with free agency is designed to keep teams competitive, especially small market teams like Green Bay. Unfortunately we have not seen that success because of the philosophy of TT. I think the number of wins has a lot to do with how "well" they do their job. It's measurable, it's real and it's the focus of the fans. The questions is, how long do we give him? Sherman got 4 years and had good records but choked in the playoffs. Wolfe had 9 years and produced 2 Super Bowl teams after 5 years of "building". Wolfe also got solid free agent pickups to address the immediate needs of the team. But, his coaching mistake with Rhodes cost him the last two seasons of his career with the Packers.

Will we endure 4 ~ 8-8 (if we can do that of course) type seasons before we end up a serious super bowl threat? Or do we take a serious look at the performance of this year and make the call when it's all said and done?

Ron Wolfe started in Green Bay in late 1991 during a dismal 4-12 season.

Record by years:
1992: 9-7 (Trades for Favre, Hires Holmgren) No Playoffs
1993: 9-7 (Reggie White is signed) Playoffs
1994: 9-7 (Sterling Sharpe's Career is over) Playoffs
1995: 11-5 NFC Championship Loss
1996: 13-3 Super Bowl Champs
1997: 13-3 Super Bowl Runner Up
1998: 11-5 Playoffs
1999: 8-8 (Ray Rhodes era)
2000: 9-7 Playoffs (Mike Sherman Hired - Wolfe's last year as GM)

Wolf: Never a losing season

Mike Sherman:
2001: 12-4 Playoffs
2002: 12-4 Playoffs
2003: 10-6 Playoffs
2004: 10-6 Playoffs

Sherman: Never a losing season

Ted Thompson
2005: 4-12
2006: 8-8 (McCarthy Hired)

Ted Thompson: Awaiting first winning season.

Nice work, archivist Scott! Truth is, if you don't like someone or something, and you are a dour person, you'll say anything to support your position, whether it holds up or not. We may have "blind faith at 8-1 for TT", but Merlin seems to have blind faith for his own arguments, and will NEVER stop supporting them, no matter how much clearer the picture becomes.

[RashanGary]

Record by years:
1992: 9-7 (Trades for Favre, Hires Holmgren) No Playoffs
1993: 9-7 (Reggie White is signed) Playoffs
1994: 9-7 (Sterling Sharpe's Career is over) Playoffs
1995: 11-5 NFC Championship Loss
1996: 13-3 Super Bowl Champs
1997: 13-3 Super Bowl Runner Up
1998: 11-5 Playoffs
1999: 8-8 (Ray Rhodes era)
2000: 9-7 Playoffs (Mike Sherman Hired - Wolfe's last year as GM)

Wolf: Never a losing season

Mike Sherman:
2001: 12-4 Playoffs
2002: 12-4 Playoffs
2003: 10-6 Playoffs
2004: 10-6 Playoffs

Sherman: Never a losing season

Ted Thompson
2005: 4-12
2006: 8-8 (McCarthy Hired)

Ted Thompson: Awaiting first winning season.

The pattern that stands out to me is Wolf took over and had a steady climb. He hit the top and came back to earth.

Sherm took over at a pretty high point and a pattern downward started.

TT took over what Sherman built, started from the bottom and has the same climb pattern that Wolf showed. (acctually, Thompsons climb is double as fast as Wolf's because Wolf started at a fairly high point)

[mraynrand]

The very most important thing in judging how good a GM the record. Sure, you can judge character if you want - that's a fair component - the public face of the organization. That's why the success or failure of Robinson on and off the field will have impact on how TT is evaluated. But really, all that counts is the record, especially for the fan, and especially in the playoffs. Who cares what TT or Sherman or anyone else does 'right' if the team ends up 4-12 every year.

"Boy, the Packers are 4-12, but have you watched TT view college film? - there's no one even close to TT when it comes to sitting in front of the video screen and taking notes on college teams in the off season."

[SkinBasket]

I suspect that Robinson won't get re-instated. Goodell seems like kind of a hardass in that respect. The crack down should have happened many years ago. Now they have to make examples out of players and who better then someone Green Bay has the rights to?

This is the part where merlin goes quiet for two or three days, then forgets this ever happened and starts making the same arguments again. He's all piss and spit until someone shows him what he actually said, then he kinda disappears.

[cpk1994]

Cut Merlin a little slack. At least he has posted in this thread unlike the other member of the "TT Sucks" Fan Club, cough* Woody *cough.

[Zool]

Cut Merlin a little slack. At least he has posted in this thread unlike the other member of the "TT Sucks" Fan Club, cough* Woody *cough.

Ya mess with the bull....you get the horns

|m|, ,|m|

[SkinBasket]

Cut Merlin a little slack. At least he has posted in this thread unlike the other member of the "TT Sucks" Fan Club, cough* Woody *cough.

It's a little easier to cut someone some slack when they aren't constantly insulting 90% of the people on the board. I think it's great she keeps posting, she's mind-numbingly hilarious.

[cheesner]

Cut Merlin a little slack. At least he has posted in this thread unlike the other member of the "TT Sucks" Fan Club, cough* Woody *cough.

It's a little easier to cut someone some slack when they aren't constantly insulting 90% of the people on the board. I think it's great she keeps posting, she's mind-numbingly hilarious.

I believe he deserves as much consideration as he has given TT.