Nice article on TT

[JBlood]

I don't agree with a lot of what Peter King has to say, but like this:

http://mmqb.si.com/2014/09/03/green-bay-packers-ted-thompson/

 

[El Guapo]

Interesting that he says that he did indeed scout Rodgers and planned to pick him in the 24th spot if available. Overall, this was a feel-good piece that didn't offer up much new info. He's a quiet guy that makes decisions without consulting the media and internet forums. I like that.

What I find amusing is folks like smokeycheddar that see Thompson not spending in free agency, and call him a tight ***. It's the man's strategy for team building. You can criticize the strategy but it's not a flaw in the man.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

According to Ian Rapoport Thompson´s contract extension he signed in July runs through 2018, so he won´t go anywhere with the next few years.

 

[JBlood]

What I like most about him is his humility. And the fact he's built a contender with his coaching hires and player evaluations.

 

[TJV]

What I find amusing is folks like smokeycheddar that see Thompson not spending in free agency, and call him a tight ***.

Not only that but he thinks Thompson 'accepts full credit when the team does well' but deflects blame when it doesn't. From MMQB:

I remember standing with Thompson in the locker room at the Super Bowl, after the Packers beat Pittsburgh, and asking him two or three different ways if deep down, very deep down, he had some strong feelings about all the criticism he’d taken in his first five championshipless seasons as GM. He looked a little perplexed.

So there's Thompson at the pinnacle of his profession. If ever there were a time not only to accept full credit but to “stick it” to his critics and that was it. And what does he do?

 

[JBlood]

I've got no problem with people criticizing TT--he's missed on quite a few draft picks. But overall he's done a tremendous job and we're competitive year after year. And for those of us who went through the 70s and 80s that means a lot.

 

[I_am_smoked_cheddar]

Who gets the credit when things go right and who gets the credit when things go bad ? Think about it a minute. Is it really Coach McCarthy or his staff's fault if the fastest CB can't keep up with the speed of their opposing WRs ? Is it Coach McCarthy or his staff's fault that a player/players are injured and the "next man up" can't man up ? A team is said to be deep, but that is tested when a player is lost (whatever the reason). It's easy to bask in the glory of success, but most never hear, " I messed up with that" or "if I had only done that", instead someone (a player/coach) is singled out to blame.
Example : The Defence has played poorly, let's blame the Defensive Coordinator. When that coach is doing all he can with the players he is given. Look beyond the quick and politically correct .
Example : A man died.
A man died yesterday.
A man died yesterday morning.
A man died yesterday morning from cancer.
It is easy to read that a man died, but upon further inspection we discover why.

 

[TJV]

Who gets the credit when things go right and who gets the credit when things go bad ? Think about it a minute.

Who in the organization has been above criticism on this board? Certainly not Thompson, McCarthy, his staff, or the players. There are examples of all of them being criticized. Who gets the credit when things go well? All of them as far as I can tell, so just what the hell are you talking about?

IMO you lack credibility on this issue because you have unjustifiably criticized Thompson. In another thread, you misstated the most important part of his resume – being hired, trained, and promoted by Wolf. You have advanced and stuck to the ridiculous notion that Thompson isn’t in charge of the draft. You have posted several times that McCarthy pressures Thompson to acquire UFAs and you have never offered one piece of evidence to support that notion. So take your own advice and think about that: Why would you allege something so obviously untrue? Why allege something for which you have no evidence whatever?

IMO you are the most guilty of what you accuse others of doing. You ask who gets the “credit” when things go bad? According to you it’s all Thompson. So much so that you have to bend over backwards coming up with the ridiculous notion that Thompson deserves no credit for the draft picks that succeed or for opening “his” wallet to sign Peppers. That signing really screwed up the timing of your perpetual whine about Thompson, didn’t it?

 

[PFanCan]

Is it really Coach McCarthy or his staff's fault if the fastest CB can't keep up with the speed of their opposing WRs ?

According to your earlier post in a different thread, Coach McCarthy handles the draft, which is a significant source of the roster not only for the Packers, but for most NFL teams.

So, regarding your hypothetical scenario:

If Coach McCarthy's CB (which he drafted) can't keep up with the speed of the opposing WRs, would it not be Coach McCarthy's fault? Or are you stating that TT should have signed a free agent that would then supplant Coach McCarthy's draft pick as the starting CB on the roster?

Said differently-- if the CB that Coach McCarthy drafted is great, Coach McCarthy gets the credit for getting the Packers that much closer to "the promised land". But, if that draft pick doesn't pan out, it's TT's responsibility to sign better talent from elsewhere or he will take the blame for allowing these holes on the roster to persist...



I am lost.

 

[VersusTheMoose]

Cannot say enough about his draft record.

 

[60six]

Who gets the credit when things go right and who gets the credit when things go bad ? Think about it a minute. Is it really Coach McCarthy or his staff's fault if the fastest CB can't keep up with the speed of their opposing WRs ? Is it Coach McCarthy or his staff's fault that a player/players are injured and the "next man up" can't man up ? A team is said to be deep, but that is tested when a player is lost (whatever the reason). It's easy to bask in the glory of success, but most never hear, " I messed up with that" or "if I had only done that", instead someone (a player/coach) is singled out to blame.
Example : The Defence has played poorly, let's blame the Defensive Coordinator. When that coach is doing all he can with the players he is given. Look beyond the quick and politically correct .
Example : A man died.
A man died yesterday.
A man died yesterday morning.
A man died yesterday morning from cancer.
It is easy to read that a man died, but upon further inspection we discover why.

You clearly are playing both sides of the fence with this post and its obvious there is no reason to ask you to explain yourself cuz Im not sure you even have a point to all this.

 

[El Guapo]

There are at least two folks in smokeycheddar and Rodell that have been the most critical of TT. I think what gets most people going here is that these two (and a few others) attack TT like he's turned the Packers into the Cleveland Browns. We all see faults in Thompson's strategies, but it's hard to completely condemn a guy who has been a big reason for their success. It's why we jump all over your posts. No matter your specific arguments, the notion doesn't pass the sniff test that he's a terrible GM.

 

[I_am_smoked_cheddar]

There are at least two folks in smokeycheddar and Rodell that have been the most critical of TT. I think what gets most people going here is that these two (and a few others) attack TT like he's turned the Packers into the Cleveland Browns. We all see faults in Thompson's strategies, but it's hard to completely condemn a guy who has been a big reason for their success. It's why we jump all over your posts. No matter your specific arguments, the notion doesn't pass the sniff test that he's a terrible GM.

Not so , Draft and FA decisions are discussed in meetings. Yes TT has the final authority, yet it is a TEAM effort. However when things go wrong , TT is not to be found . He maintains the status quo, but that is not enough. The goal is to win SBs, not just making the playoffs. That means going "all in" (a poker term) before we lose our best players prime years. That means plugging the holes through trades or FAs or waivers or stealing players from the CFL. It means not fearing to stick your neck out for the big prize . Good enough does not win SBs.
I don't dislike TT, but you can't be timid and win SBs. He is not a one man Packer management organization. He has people that study players for the draft as well as those that keep an eye on the league and Free Agents. I don't say they don't know their jobs, I say TT is too timid to pull the trigger when necessary to get the team to it's ulitmate goal, the SB.
If you are happy to drive 55 mph in the far right lane as others pass by then be content and safe.

 

[TJV]

Same old stuff.

So what happened to your posting that McCarthy is in charge of the draft? BTW, why did you post that over and over again in the first place? And what changed your mind? Eventually that became even too ridiculous for you, huh?

Do you really not understand on the day of the opening game of the season that the Packers' roster is set, except for injuries? Why keep on posting this BS over and over again? No team is going to make a big splash in UFA at this point in the season. And BTW, you apparently haven't heard this breaking news out of Green Bay: The Packers have signed eight-time pro bowler Julius Peppers in March of this year.

 

[JBlood]

..... I say TT is too timid to pull the trigger when necessary to get the team to it's ulitmate goal, the SB.

So, you discount his work putting together the 2010 13th Championship team--in spite of an unbelievable number of injuries, including Woodson? I believe virtually every player on that team (Clifton and Barnett excepted) was drafted or signed by TT. And Woodson was a pretty good free agent, I'd say. Today's team has maybe 23 players from that team. I can't think of anyone let go that was missed, except Cullen Jenkins. Clifton's retirement, Collins' injury, maybe Finley's injury are other players we miss--none of them due to TT's inaction. So I'd be hard-pressed to say the GM isn't working on improving the roster. I agree with you that Championships are the goal, and I wouldn't be surprised if this team isn't another one.

 

[El Guapo]

That means going "all in" (a poker term) before we lose our best players prime years.

I pretty much disagree with your entire post, the quote above especially. Going all-in doesn't guarantee a Super Bowl but it DOES guarantee that your team will be fighting cap issues. I like a long term approach to success, versus all-in. Dan Snyder and Jeffrey Lurie are really good at the all-in approach.

 

[yooperpackfan]

There are at least two folks in smokeycheddar and Rodell that have been the most critical of TT. I think what gets most people going here is that these two (and a few others) attack TT like he's turned the Packers into the Cleveland Browns. We all see faults in Thompson's strategies, but it's hard to completely condemn a guy who has been a big reason for their success. It's why we jump all over your posts. No matter your specific arguments, the notion doesn't pass the sniff test that he's a terrible GM.

He's not a terrible GM. Success tells the story.
But he's not a likable GM. IMHO, that's where the rubber meets the road.
If everything TT has done were to remain the same and he had the personality of Mike Golic he would probably be universally loved.