Apologies to Ted Thompson

[DePack]

As most of you know I haven't been a huge TT fan since the firing of Sherman. I have said over and over that it was not necessarily the firing of Sherman that turned me against him as it was his attitude toward Favre. In his press conference after firing Sherman I saw a cocky, defensive and abrasive TT. The comment "If you're asking me if I fired Brett Favre, The answer is no, I didn't fire Brett Favre" really got to me. I was convinced that he wanted to force Brett into retirement. Everything I saw from that time on pointed to him wanting to replace Favre with Rodgers.

I watched todays press conference and I saw a different man. I saw a more relaxed man that was more comfortable with what was going on. One reporter even pointed this out and TT said it was because he was not comfortable with what he has had to do the past ten days. He convince me that he wanted Favre back and that he had the best interest of the Packers in mind.

I never had a problem with the choice of Mike McCarthy and although I didn't agree with it I never really ragged on him for firing Sherman. My problem all along was the perceived disrespect I felt he was showing Favre. Well....I was wrong. Unless he fooled me tonight, I trust TT to take the Packers to the next level.

I watched that press conference different than most of you probably did. I watched MM with some interest but more importantly I watched TT with a hard and critical eye. I am relieved to tell you that I feel great about him now. Like I said before, I always support our coach...be it Gregg, Infante ,Rhodes or Sherman so there was never a doubt that I would support MM.

So all the guys that I *****ed to and got abrasive to about TT, go ahead and let me have it. I got it coming. I will even eliminate my sign off.

 

[all about da packers]

I will be right behind you DePack. I was definatly mad at TT, but perhaps it was because he did indeed not do what I thought of him. I believed he would have shown more patience in Sherman, and more compassion and be more opening. But as stated above, I believe Sherman's firing was hard. It was his first, and definitly something that would be hard to accept by many people, including me.

TT has always had my support for what he does. I will disagree, but in the end I do not know anything. The interview today with McCarthy and Thompson really made me a believer, and made me see that there are no two other people I would rather have leading the Packers.

DePack, it takes pure class to admit your mistake. In the end though, all we want is a Packers superbowl. This forum is home to many great members and Packer football fans, and they are willing to forgive and move on, in my opinion.

 

[Bruce]

As I have said repeatedly, I want to believe.

I agree that was Ted Thompson's best public appearance and articulation of self and vision (maybe the first) by a mile.

It is giving me some of the hope I was looking to grab ahold of.

As to DePack apologizing or being wrong -- both are far too premature. You really did nothing you need to apologize for. Ted Thompson stepped to the plate today that is a good thing. You demanding accountability and not being willing to give a blank check can also be viewed as a good thing.

Further, I have maintain throughout that Thompson deserves time, but I am not ready to stop questioning and challenging based on a first and promising at bat.

I will watch for and hope for more to follow.

 

[tromadz]

I've been a TT supporter since day one. I give people the benefit of the doubt, and its up to them to lose my trust and faith, and since day one he has been money. Solid draft, cut hunt\joey thomas, fired sherman(sherman lost my trust).

I didnt know what to think about this McCarthy hiring, so I did what most of you did. Research the son of a *****. He seems like a very good fit in a town like GB, and I think the players will like him. Lets just hope his 'creative' offenses are just that, and not bland like the sherossley days.

But TT still has an offseason to do work with. He has to get bates back on, or get a new DC, hire a new OC, and hes got his 2nd draft to work with. If it is as good as his 1st draft, I think 06 coud be a very fun year.

 

[DePack]

Bruce...I apologize for jumping to conclusions about TT and apparently misreading him. I don't apologize for questioning him and he still has a long way to go before getting us to the promised land.

all about...thanks for the kind words but admitting a mistake does not make you classy....learning from it does. I can't guarantee that I learned from it. I will probably still fight with obnoxious passion when I feel something is wrong.

 

[Bruce]

DePack

DePack: I have a question for you to ponder. A guy who writes on an editorial staff with me made the following observation:

"I don't think it matters much what McCarthy thinks about Favre. He can afford to be glowing about Favre, because he knows he has no say in whether or not he comes back. Thompson said that all moves are on him, and very, very firmly, and right after the Favre discussion."

Did you notice this and what did you make of it?? The guy who wrote the above is a diehard Packer fan and a very bright and astute writer.

Just wondering???

As most of you know I haven't been a huge TT fan since the firing of Sherman. I have said over and over that it was not necessarily the firing of Sherman that turned me against him as it was his attitude toward Favre. In his press conference after firing Sherman I saw a cocky, defensive and abrasive TT. The comment "If you're asking me if I fired Brett Favre, The answer is no, I didn't fire Brett Favre" really got to me. I was convinced that he wanted to force Brett into retirement. Everything I saw from that time on pointed to him wanting to replace Favre with Rodgers.

I watched todays press conference and I saw a different man. I saw a more relaxed man that was more comfortable with what was going on. One reporter even pointed this out and TT said it was because he was not comfortable with what he has had to do the past ten days. He convince me that he wanted Favre back and that he had the best interest of the Packers in mind.

I never had a problem with the choice of Mike McCarthy and although I didn't agree with it I never really ragged on him for firing Sherman. My problem all along was the perceived disrespect I felt he was showing Favre. Well....I was wrong. Unless he fooled me tonight, I trust TT to take the Packers to the next level.

I watched that press conference different than most of you probably did. I watched MM with some interest but more importantly I watched TT with a hard and critical eye. I am relieved to tell you that I feel great about him now. Like I said before, I always support our coach...be it Gregg, Infante ,Rhodes or Sherman so there was never a doubt that I would support MM.

So all the guys that I *****ed to and got abrasive to about TT, go ahead and let me have it. I got it coming. I will even eliminate my sign off.

 

[DePack]

I'm still not 100% conviced that he wants Favre back but he did say he has spoken to Favre a few times since the end of the year including yesterday morning. I just wanted to be reassured that he was communicating with Brett. I liked how he said all 7 candidates wanted Favre back. I never posted this but I was somewhat convinced that Bates had the job but blew it because he insisted on trying to get Favre back.

There IS an opening for Favre, at least publicly, so now it is up to Brett. I don't think TT will tell Brett something different privately. Green Bay is a small town and I think TT "gets it".

 

[Bruce]

As McCarthy clearly and wisely said, "any coach would want Brett Favre back."

I'm still not 100% conviced that he wants Favre back but he did say he has spoken to Favre a few times since the end of the year including yesterday morning. I just wanted to be reassured that he was communicating with Brett. I liked how he said all 7 candidates wanted Favre back. I never posted this but I was somewhat convinced that Bates had the job but blew it because he insisted on trying to get Favre back.

There IS an opening for Favre, at least publicly, so now it is up to Brett. I don't think TT will tell Brett something different privately. Green Bay is a small town and I think TT "gets it".

 

[Chamuko]

Well DePack I might be wrong about a bunch of things but I thank you for confirming that I am right about this:

Knowing DePack for a while, back from the old NC forums, I can tell you that he will be the first to step up and admit his mistake. Actually, DePack would hope he is wrong because he actually WANTS to see the Packers return to glory.

quote]

Yes Depack might get a little rude sometimes, but he is a nice an honest packer fan.... !

See I was right on the money about you buddy... I will drink a couple of tequila shots to you !!!

 

[vixtalkn]

he did say he has spoken to Favre a few times since the end of the year including yesterday morning.

Makes us feel a lot better, no?

 

[Greg C.]

I saw a few snippets of the press conference on Channel 5 news just now, and I noticed the same thing. Thompson looked much more relaxed. And McCarthy made a good first impression. I have been pretty down on Favre since the middle of last season, but I'm now getting more hopeful that he still has some good football left in him. I really think the Favre/Sherman relationship had grown stale, and if Favre does decide to come back, MCarthy might be the guy to give him some new life.

 

[WinnipegPackFan]

This was by far a much bettter showing by Ted then in the past. He did look more relaxed and happy. He also seemed genuine. "The fork is getting closer to my mouth but it's not there yet".

 

[DePack]

Chamuko...thanks for "having my back".

ME...RUDE?? :lol: :lol:

 

[Bobby Roberts]

I gave TT the benefit of the doubt when Sherman was relieved of his GM duties. I thought it was a good move to separate the GM and HC and Sherman made many mistakes as GM. But last year TT failed where Sherman succeeded at the job, while he did much better where Sherman failed.

As GM Sherman was able to retain players with a tight salary cap situation. He also did well to find capable replacements for injured players. Sherman's failures were poor drafts and signing non-deserving players to big contracts.

Last year TT did well to dump dead-weight players who didn't put forth good effort. He also had a very good draft. But he failed to retain some top players and did a poor job finding capable replaces for injured players. You can't replace Wahle and Rivera with Klemm and O'Dwyer. Nor can you replace Walker with Taco Wallace.

I am convinced that Sherman was not the best choice to be our GM, but I'm not yet convinced that TT is either. I don't know much about Mike M. yet and it's unfair to judge him based on San Fran's situation. This team is in TT's hands now. He can turn this team into a success quickly for next season. If he does then that will have earned my trust, but he still has much to prove at this point and he failed last season.

 

[warhawk]

DePack,
I'm glad your back on board here. Let's give the guy a chance. So many here want to throw him under the bus and he has barely had the chance to get one foot off the curb. As far as the Sherman firing goes he had to address the facts. The Pack had gone from Super Bowl Champs, to playing in the Super Bowl, to making and winning some games in the playoffs, to making the playoffs but no wins, to not making the playoffs period. A downward spiral if ever there was one. It took guts and he didn't like it but I commend him for not sticking his head in the sand.
As far as if he is going into full rebuilding mode or going to try and turn things around it looks to me like he is in the ideal position of being able to do both. He already has one of the younger teams in the league(26.5 yrs), a good draft positon, and money for FA if a good fit comes along. We get guys healthy and four or five positions strengthened in my mind we will be building and can turn it around at the same time. Of course next years success will greatly depend on Favre but TT cannot afford to formulate any plan on assumptions regarding Brett one way or the other. The simple facts are he has to make decisions today that cannot wait and SHOULD NOT make those decisons based on how BF might perceive them as he may retire regardles of what TT does or doesn't do.
My gut call is Brett will be back and the Pack will be much, much better next year.

 

[IPBprez]

As I have said repeatedly, I want to believe.

I agree that was Ted Thompson's best public appearance and articulation of self and vision (maybe the first) by a mile.

It is giving me some of the hope I was looking to grab ahold of.

As to DePack apologizing or being wrong -- both are far too premature. You really did nothing you need to apologize for. Ted Thompson stepped to the plate today that is a good thing. You demanding accountability and not being willing to give a blank check can also be viewed as a good thing.

Further, I have maintain throughout that Thompson deserves time, but I am not ready to stop questioning and challenging based on a first and promising at bat.

I will watch for and hope for more to follow.

Ditto - I don't think I can enhance this thought, at all - You hearin' me, DePack?

Relax, ol'man! You're good.

 

[HatestheEagles084]

My gut call is Brett will be back and the Pack will be much, much better next year.

(hopefully) Brett Favre back with a (hopefully) capable Javon Walker, hopefully we re-sign Rod Gardner, 100% Bubba Franks...a line that will perform better (that couldn't perform any worse)...and a defense that continues to improve, hopefully stronger personell under a teriffic Bates system. Don't forget our high draft picks this year, and we do play a last place schedule next season--a long off-season ahead of us, but I don't think we're going 4-12 this time by

 

[IPBprez]

I want to ask Mike McCarthy what his thoughts are (about Offense) when it comes to the "Tiger Set"....

 

[WinnipegPackFan]

I think Ted should apologize to the wieght room assistant's family. Geez, what do those guys make per hour ?

 

[arrowgargantuan]

I think Ted should apologize to the wieght room assistant's family. Geez, what do those guys make per hour ?

a tear in my eye and in my beer...life goes on my man.

besides, a job like that is great for the ol' resume.

 

[net]

This is all a bit too kissy-kissy, given he hasn't yet signed one FA player(he had the chance with Kampman this last season) and we haven't seen his next draft.

Keep in mind McCarthy hasn't done anything unusual as of yet.

I'm concerned TT is going to sit tight another year in FA. We will see.