Anyone checked out
http://www.firetedthompsonnow.com? This guy has some interesting, some completely lame "articles" on the subject. This one on Reggie McKenzie seems particularly weird, especially since the argument seems to be that in 111 draft picks since 97, the Packers chose five from Tennessee, and since Reggie McKenzie went to Tennessee, this is a conspiracy?
Who is Reggie McKenzie?
Reggie McKenzie oversees Green Bay’s scouting efforts of all professional football leagues, including the NFL, Canadian Football League, and Arena Football League. He also plays an integral role in judging the Packers’ current players as well as providing evaluations of potential free agents. McKenzie also contributes to the scouting of college players in assisting General Manager Ted Thompson prepare for the annual draft.
McKenzie is an example of Ted Thompson’s lack of a creative vision for the team’s future. After spending fourteen years in the Packer front office, Thompson promoted McKenzie from Director of Pro Personnel to Director of Football Operations in May of 2008, even after McKenzie’s abysmal performance’s scouting for Mike Sherman. Instead of hiring within the franchise, Thompson should be looking at viable candidates outside the organization who can bring new leadership to a team that is completely stagnant.
Let’s take a look at the Packers top scout track record since McKenzie took over as Director of Pro Personnel in 1997:
Year Rnd Sel# Player Pos School
1998 3 90 Jonathan Brown DE Tennessee
2000 2 44 Chad Clifton T Tennessee
2001 6 198 David Martin TE Tennessee
2004 7 251 Scott Wells C Tennessee
2007 1 16 Justin Harrell DT Tennessee
Do you see a pattern? Five players selected in nine years from Tennessee. McKenzie doesn’t have the last say in draft selections, that was Wolf’s, Sherman’s, and now Thompson’s job, but he is a key component in evaluating and suggesting which players to draft. Why so many players from Tennessee?
McKenzie was born in Knoxville, Tennessee and graduated from The University of Tennessee, and even briefly coached there in 1993. All Tennessee picks are sure to have gotten much praise and support from hometown Volunteer McKenzie. Jonathan Brown was a complete bust, he lasted only one season, as the Packers second selection in 1998. McKenzie was the catalyst that brought in Justin Harrell. These are Thompson’s comments after the selection of draft bust Harrell:
“He’s a man’s man so to speak. This is a big man, a country kid from a town. We have all our staff, as you guys know, our director of pro personnel Reggie McKenzie is Mr. Tennessee for all of us, he wears that ugly orange all the time. He has tremendous contacts there, he knows all the players there, and that was certainly helpful with that insight.”
It seems McKenzie puts his personal contacts in higher regard than the team. Not only looking out for Tennessee alumni, but also family as McKenzie’s twin brother, right guard Raleigh McKenzie, was also brought in as a free agent for the Packers in 1999 on Reggie’s watch. Raleigh played two sub-par seasons sitting on the Packers bench, by the way, Raleigh McKenzie is a Tennessee alumnus.
Overall, McKenzie’s tenure in Green Bay has been abysmal. McKenzie was part of Mike Sherman’s tragic tenure in Green Bay. Only Aaron Kampman, Nick Barnett, and Scott Wells remain on the team from those four years and drafts. Successful free agents have been few and far between for the Packer’s since the departure of Ron Wolf and the addition of McKenzie. Tom Hutton was signed in 2000 to be the team’s punter, however he quickly lost his job to rookie Josh Bidwell. Tom Hutton punted for the University of Tennessee. McKenzie’s tendency to favor his former program and poor performance at evaluating players has resulted in poor performance on the field. This was all as Director of Pro Personnel, now Thompson has promoted McKenzie as the Director of Football Operations, one position below Thompson’s. McKenzie’s record shows that he is not fit or particularly good at evaluating championship caliber talent. This shows poorly on Thompson’s ability to hire top evaluators for the Packers franchise. Thompson is not only struggling with drafts, free agency, and coaching decisions, but his lack of foresight in his front office positions has the Packer’s reeling. Fire Ted Thompson