Greg C.
Cheesehead
Here's an excerpt from an article by Pete Dougherty of the GB Press Gazette. I always thought it was a mistake for Bob Harlan to hire a new GM while retaining the head coach, and maybe Harlan realizes that now too. The main thing is that right now the chemistry between GM and coach seems to be very good:
Harlan also said McCarthy's strong working relationship with Thompson reminds him of former GM Ron Wolf and former coach Holmgren when they were rebuilding the Packers in the 1990s. Harlan said the importance of that relationship struck him early last season, when he saw Thompson sit next to McCarthy for a while on the plane ride home after McCarthy's first victory, at Detroit in Week 3.
"They're talking and laughing," Harlan said. "I said to Ted when he got back to his seat, 'There's something I never saw last year.' He said, 'What's that?' I said, 'You going over to talk to the head coach.' He said, 'I wanted to, but I never felt like I was welcome.'
"It's another example of how you've got to let your general manager pick his head coach. That really jumps out at me, the relationship they've got, and how it had deteriorated with Mike Sherman."
Harlan also said McCarthy's strong working relationship with Thompson reminds him of former GM Ron Wolf and former coach Holmgren when they were rebuilding the Packers in the 1990s. Harlan said the importance of that relationship struck him early last season, when he saw Thompson sit next to McCarthy for a while on the plane ride home after McCarthy's first victory, at Detroit in Week 3.
"They're talking and laughing," Harlan said. "I said to Ted when he got back to his seat, 'There's something I never saw last year.' He said, 'What's that?' I said, 'You going over to talk to the head coach.' He said, 'I wanted to, but I never felt like I was welcome.'
"It's another example of how you've got to let your general manager pick his head coach. That really jumps out at me, the relationship they've got, and how it had deteriorated with Mike Sherman."