Ted Thompson is no Ron Wolf...

[Bruce]

... and it is unfair to expect him to be.


Come on! I am willing to give Ted Thompson a chance to grow into his first General Manager gig in the NFL, but to compare him to Ron Wolf is a stretch and not fair to T.T..

Let’s see…

Ron Wolf took over a 4 – 12 team, (with a long history of failure) and turned them immediately to a 9 – 7 team. He of course, followed this instant success by never having a losing record as a Packer GM – on his way to annual playoff appearances, several NFC championship games, back to back NFC Championships and a Super Bowl Title.

Ted Thompson took over a 10 – 6 team, that was the 3 time North Division Champions and turned them into a 4 – 12 team. We are all now starting to say it will take several years to turn things around...

Granted neither deserves all of the credit, nor the blame for these changing fortunes, but each of them did contribute to them and it does create a stark contrast right out of the gate.

Ron Wolf came to Green Bay with many years of experience and relationships in NFL circles and with a history of success. When he called, players, agents, coaches, GM’s and owners all picked up the phone.

Ted Thompson came to Green Bay never having been the #1 guy or a GM. He was one of many front office guys under first HC/GM Mike Holmgren and then under his replacement at GM in Seattle. A Seattle team that never won a playoff game while Thompson was associated with the team. Sadly, it seems when Thompson calls players, agents, coaches, GM’s and owners, the response seems to be either, “Ted who?â€

 

[Chamuko]

Having said so Mr. Bruce.... lets close the doors and go have a drink !

 

[4packgirl]

ooh...oooh...i'm comin too, guys!! beer here?!?!? :beer:

 

[Zero2Cool]

Bruce, what is your name over at PackerChatteres.com?

 

[GakkofNorway]

his name is Bruce over there

 

[cheesey]

Wolf made mistakes in his GM time too. Not ALL of his decisions were brilliant. It seems if we like someone, we remember the good moves, and if we don't like them, we remember the bad.
IMHO.

 

[GakkofNorway]

How many of Ron Wolf's moves were considered absolutely brilliant at once?

 

[Bruce]

Wolf made mistakes in his GM time too. Not ALL of his decisions were brilliant. It seems if we like someone, we remember the good moves, and if we don't like them, we remember the bad.
IMHO.

Ron certainly made mistakes -- many of them-- but he always admitted as much and aggressively fixed them.

I think you missed the point of my post -- it was not a slam to Ted Thompson, rather stating the obvious. Comparing Ron Wolf to Ted Thompson is an unfair setup for everyone.

 

[Greg C.]

Who are all of these people comparing Ted Thompson to Ron Wolf? I can't think of anyone, not even tromadz, who is making that comparison on this forum. This is a lot of energy spent on a straw man argument and repeating very obvious points that have been made many, many times on this forum already.

Yep, there are lots of questions about Thompson's competence. But I do cut him some slack considering that he walked into a dysfunctional situation, being stuck with a coach who was not of his own choosing and a superstar QB who still can't decide whether or not he wants to keep playing. Wolf, on the other hand, had carte blanche to do whatever he wanted from day one.

 

[DePack]

Greg...I'm with you on cutting TT a break but let's not rewrite history for the man. He had full control on whether to retain Sherman as head coach and he certainly didn't have to give him an extension.

This is what amazes me about this forum. Everyone says they are taking a wait and see attitude toward the guy, but actually it seems that half want to bash him while the other half go out of their way to protect and defend him......even if it means rewriting history!

 

[Bruce]

Who are all of these people comparing Ted Thompson to Ron Wolf? I can't think of anyone, not even tromadz, who is making that comparison on this forum. This is a lot of energy spent on a straw man argument and repeating very obvious points that have been made many, many times on this forum already.

Yep, there are lots of questions about Thompson's competence. But I do cut him some slack considering that he walked into a dysfunctional situation, being stuck with a coach who was not of his own choosing and a superstar QB who still can't decide whether or not he wants to keep playing. Wolf, on the other hand, had carte blanche to do whatever he wanted from day one.

Greg: You're kidding right?

I don't think a day goes by when there is not a Ted Thompson is building the Packers like Ron Wolf did comment or the even more outrageous -- he is following the New England model.

Read the Ted Thompson in Ron Wolf mold that is still on this page if you really somehow have missed all of this.

You also somehow seem to have missed the praise I heaped on Thompson for his handling of the Walker situation, the signing of Green in a CAP and team freindly no-lose contract, and for his nailing down Kampman before he hit this CRAZY market.

Thanks for you "open-minded" critic of my post, you're right why bother.

 

[gopackgo4]

that is just an unfair comparison i mean ron is the best GM ever

 

[Zero2Cool]

Greg...I'm with you on cutting TT a break but let's not rewrite history for the man. He had full control on whether to retain Sherman as head coach and he certainly didn't have to give him an extension.

im sure harlan didnt ask to atleast give sherman a chance

 

[Bruce]

that is just an unfair comparison i mean ron is the best GM ever

If you would bother to read what I wrote you would discover that is exactly what I wrote -- it is an unfair comparison.

Ron was a great GM, I think calling him the greatest ever might be a bit of a stretch. I kind of liked a Coach/GM named Lombardi... and can think of several more that deserve position ahead in the line with Wolf.

 

[IPBprez]

Wolf made mistakes in his GM time too. Not ALL of his decisions were brilliant. It seems if we like someone, we remember the good moves, and if we don't like them, we remember the bad.
IMHO.

Ron certainly made mistakes -- many of them-- but he always admitted as much and aggressively fixed them.

I think you missed the point of my post -- it was not a slam to Ted Thompson, rather stating the obvious. Comparing Ron Wolf to Ted Thompson is an unfair setup for everyone.

Yeah - I would agree with that - in your research, Bruce - did you see how much of a salary cap gap Ron Wolf had to work with (that first year) versus Mike Sherman handing Ted Thompson an empty piggy-bank?

Certainly Coach money doesn't count against the Players, but if the Team is pretty much broke, what's a guy to do?

I would agree with one all encompassing trouble that Ted Thompson has yet to truly deal with, ...well maybe only partially... (and I know you're not sold on Mike McCarthy) - and it's Green Bay's need to re-invigorate Lambeau in much the same way that Ron Wolf did - once you get people back to respecting Green Bay (ala Ron Wolf) ...only then will FA's come to Lambeau for less money - and this year, that's not happening, on any NFL Team.. so, the Packers can wipe their brow on that for at least this Season.

But, it is ...where Thompson needs to take a very public stand.... soon!

 

[DePack]

Greg...I'm with you on cutting TT a break but let's not rewrite history for the man. He had full control on whether to retain Sherman as head coach and he certainly didn't have to give him an extension.

im sure harlan didnt ask to atleast give sherman a chance

Actually he didn't....unless TT lied about it. He stated that he had full authority to hire/fire the coach. I'm not bashing him. I'm just stating what went on. Hell I would have kept Sherman also.

 

[Zero2Cool]

Greg...I'm with you on cutting TT a break but let's not rewrite history for the man. He had full control on whether to retain Sherman as head coach and he certainly didn't have to give him an extension.

im sure harlan didnt ask to atleast give sherman a chance

Actually he didn't....unless TT lied about it. He stated that he had full authority to hire/fire the coach. I'm not bashing him. I'm just stating what went on. Hell I would have kept Sherman also.

as i said

 

[Bruce]

Wolf made mistakes in his GM time too. Not ALL of his decisions were brilliant. It seems if we like someone, we remember the good moves, and if we don't like them, we remember the bad.
IMHO.

Ron certainly made mistakes -- many of them-- but he always admitted as much and aggressively fixed them.

I think you missed the point of my post -- it was not a slam to Ted Thompson, rather stating the obvious. Comparing Ron Wolf to Ted Thompson is an unfair setup for everyone.

Yeah - I would agree with that - in your research, Bruce - did you see how much of a salary cap gap Ron Wolf had to work with (that first year) versus Mike Sherman handing Ted Thompson an empty piggy-bank?

Certainly Coach money doesn't count against the Players, but if the Team is pretty much broke, what's a guy to do?

I would agree with one all encompassing trouble that Ted Thompson has yet to truly deal with, ...well maybe only partially... (and I know you're not sold on Mike McCarthy) - and it's Green Bay's need to re-invigorate Lambeau in much the same way that Ron Wolf did - once you get people back to respecting Green Bay (ala Ron Wolf) ...only then will FA's come to Lambeau for less money - and this year, that's not happening, on any NFL Team.. so, the Packers can wipe their brow on that for at least this Season.

But, it is ...where Thompson needs to take a very public stand.... soon!

How many times does it need to be debunked that Sherman handed Ted Thompson an empty piggy bank. The Packers have the most money of any team other than MN, if Sherman had handed him CAP Hell like he was handed -- could that have been turned around in one season? It obviously was not CAP Hell that Thompson inherited.

Thompson paid Hunt his roster bonus and Thompson screwed up in cutting him and hobbled the team with his full contract -- despite Sherman lobbying for cutting him in January.

Before you pull out the Wahle cost too much line, look at the CAP number that Wahle cost last season -- it is small because he signed a CAP friendly contract, which he offered to do in Green Bay, but Ted refused to talk to him.

The only moves that Thompson made that contributed to the huge CAP surplus was cutting Sharper and signing NFLE quality replacements for injured players

I agree that Rep has a great deal to do with FA signings, Ted Thompson, fairly or unfairly is being viewed as a tightwad who is too distracted to bother with. That is not my opinion, rather the view that agents and players are saying. If Thompson wants to succeed he needs to turn that around ASAP

 

[DePack]

Agreed Bruce.....the thing that scares me is if you read newspapers from other NFL cities, personnel people are quoting what a mess it is in Green Bay. You hear things like they don't know what they are doing and who's minding the store? Most of this is BS from reporters and brass who really don't know what is happening, but if it's said enough times and loud enough it starts to become reality.

We need something really good to happen before this snowballs into something REAL bad.

 

[Greg C.]

DePack: We've been through this before. I'm not trying to rewrite history. Technically Thompson could've fired Sherman the day he got the job, but realistically this was not an option, because Harlan was very public in saying that he hired Thompson in large part because he (naively) thought that he and Sherman could work together. I suspect that Harlan stated in the interview that he wanted Thompson to work with Sherman.

I suppose we could debate the details endlessly, but clearly this was not as clean of a situation as Wolf walked into. Not even close. There was a lot of baggage. I do agree that Thompson's contract extension for Sherman was really crappy, considering that he fired him later, although again I have to wonder if Harlan exerted some pressure there as well.

 

[P@ck66]

Whatever...

I'm glad SherRossley's gone....

(Whatever happened to Tom Rossley anyway...bought an Island with his Packer money...???)

 

[Bruce]

Whatever...

I'm glad SherRossley's gone....

(Whatever happened to Tom Rossley anyway...bought an Island with his Packer money...???)

REALLY :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?:

We are all shocked! :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink:

We had no idea :shock: :lol: :lol: :shock: :lol: :shock: :lol:

You sure held that one close to your chest :lol: :lol: :lol:

Shows to Go Yah!

 

[Greg C.]

Bruce: I did re-read the "Ted Thompson in the mold of Ron Wolf" thread just now, since you mentioned it. The entire point of the thread is that Ted Thompson is NO RON WOLF. Now, digsthepack did make a comparison between Thompson's approach to free agency and Wolf's approach to free agency, which you effectively debunked, but I really don't think digs was saying that Thompson is as good as Wolf. Mostly he was saying, "Let's wait and see how things turn out," which is pretty much what everybody else is saying. And yes, I realize that you have complimented Thompson where you've felt he made good decisions.

I guess I should have a disclaimer, though: Maybe there ARE people here who think Thompson is another Ron Wolf. I admit I don't read every post.

 

[PackFaninBucLand]

The biggest difference Ron Wolf and Ted Thompson is that they are on opposite ends of Favre's career. Without Favre, Wolf or Holmgren would be no where near the celebrity they are today - but that's not saying they didn't have a hand in it.

 

[Bruce]

The biggest difference Ron Wolf and Ted Thompson is that they are on opposite ends of Favre's career. Without Favre, Wolf or Holmgren would be no where near the celebrity they are today - but that's not saying they didn't have a hand in it.

Bro I respect you, but that is more than a little understated.

If Ron Wolf had not aggressively gone after Brett Favre, Brett may have drank and partied his way right out of the league. People screamed that Wolf was nuts to give up a first rounder for this undisciplined third stringer from Atlanta -- wouldn't that have been a ******** for everyone involved if Favre would have stayed playing the clown for the Falcons?

All three's fates are inseparably intertwined: Wolf and Holmgren made Favre as much as Favre made Wolf and Holmgren as much as....

And it was not a fluke -- Ron Wolf made it happen. Not by being conservative or cautious, he made a ver bold move and the rest is history.

He proceeded that bold move with going aggressively after Holmgen and followed it up by aggressively and boldly going after Reggie.

Totally different styles, totally different men.