This is a defining moment for Ted Thompson

Thompson is going to make a statement about the future of this franchise by how he handles Javon Walker. Mike Sherman made his statement last year in how he handled McKenzie. Unfortunately, he sent the wrong signal to his team because the message they all received was, you want out of Green Bay, or you want more money? Then don't show up for camp and come when the season starts and be a distraction. If I were Thompson and any other GM who has players with Rosenhaus as their agent, I'd make sure he knows that if his players don't show up for camp and they're under contract, they will not be allowed to play during the seasn. I believe that will end holdouts to players under contract. Don't give in Ted. See this through to the end no matter what.

i really don't see what else Sherman could have done with Mckenzie. by the time we shipped him to the Saints, he was already a huge distraction in the locker room. he took a real hardline stance with him until he pulled that psuedo injury. to me, getting him out of Green Bay was the right decision all things considered.

if you're talking about the personal relationship between Mckenzie and Sherman, well thats a different story...the 2 definitely had issues with each other before MM's holdout. that might've been something Sherman could have resolved before the situation exploded into the locker room.

:twocents:

Well said. Good plan, Packedhouse.

What Sherman should have done was tell him he cannot join the team because he missed training camp. He was under contract to play and because he didn't live to the letter of his contract he should have kept him out for the season. Had he not been under contract that would have been a different story. McKenzie and his agent played Sherman like a violin. That's part of the reason Thompson is now in town. I'll be really disappointed if they pay Walker.

yeah that would've been the perfect way to go in hindsight, but how was he supposed to know MM was going to pull that sh!t? it's not exactly a common practice in the league, as well as completely devoid of ethics.

i'd really like to know why McKenzie was so pissed/disenchanted with Sherman?

i don't think that it was totally about the money..$$$

Couldn't agree more arrow.

Pack66...I believe it was the $$ and the foresight of what Slowik et al would accopmlish, I think.

Sherman made a huge mistake in his handling of McKenzie. I agree that he should not have been allowed to come to the Packers facilities and they should have placed him on the failed to report list or whatever they call that. He should have watched the entire season on the outside. Him allowed back in when he had no intention of helping the GB Packers was a complete joke. I still remember the game in which he came back. You could see it in that SOB's eyes that he didn't give a rat's butt about the outcome of that game.

TT will learn from Sherman's mistake and probably already has.

That is one example of why MS was not a good GM. A good GM would have forseen all the scenerios that could develop and protected the team. Another example is giving a previously injured QB a $600,000 bonus without working him out. Hopefully TT is sharper than that and will do what is best for the team in the long run. IMO that would be leaving Walker sit.

I think you guys are using too much hindsight to criticize MS for the MM situation. At the time, MS took the hard-nosed approach, and it looked like MM was willing eat crow and keep his nose clean for the season. Besides, the Packers did need his services at the time, more so than w/ Javon, and again, it looked like MM had caved in.

MS had no choice, though, once MM became the cancer that he was...who could have forseen that?

Rook, younever need anyone that bad that you lose the chemistry of your ball club. Mike McKenzie wasn't going to make that team better. Mike Sherman, whether in hindsight or not, blew the call on McKenzie. On one of the former sights the large majority of people thought he should have let him sit. I don't think there were too many people who didn't believe that McKenzie's alternatives were bad. To me, and hopefully to Thomspon, if you don't show up for camp, you're not playing this season. Send that message now and I'll guarantee that the majority of players will never pull that stunt again on a Green Bay Packer team. Send the message now. Here is why I feel that way. The paychecks start coming when the season starts. to me you can't earn the pay check if you didn't do your job to prepare for the season for your team.

Good point packedhouse,

I too remember the consensus was that McKenzie had motives behind the scenes when he came back. The decision to allow him back to the squad was a bad move. He never came back to the Packers even tho he was in uniform and so-called "played" before the injury and trade. IMO...he was never a Packer again once he held out. I hope the same mistake isn't made by TT with Walker or Jackson.

Sherman had no options last year. I only fault him for not packing McKenzie out earlier. It was no coincidence that the team started winning when Mike left.

The same for Walker. I notice the Foreskins are ready to pack out Rod Gardner.

I think they should have let Mckenzie sit out all year.

To say Sherman had no options isn't true. He had the option to say if you don't come to camp you cannot make this team. You're not welcome. Granted you don't get anything for him, but you also wouldn't have this issue with Walker and Jackson now.