Thompson Not to Blame

[Favreforever721]

I know everyone is doubting Ted Thompson right now, but look what he had when he came in:

-Cleditus Hunt
-3.4(??) cap room
-11 upcoming free agents
-Mike Sherman as head coach
-J. Walker, A. Green, N. Davenport, T. Murphy on IR

He has had to work with so much crap, so don't blame this horrible start on TT. He has done well with what he had.

 

[Greg C.]

It's still way too early to judge Thompson either way. Here are some pros and cons, as I see it:

Pros:
1. The draft--I like Rodgers, Collins, and Whitticker so far, and maybe Murphy, Poppinga, and Underwood too. So far I'm cautiously optimistic about the quality of this draft overall.

2. I like the way Thompson handles himself. He's not a show-off. Seems very solid.

Cons:
1. His handling of the Bubba Franks contract situation. Lowballed him and then ended up paying him big bucks anyway.

2. His handling of the Mike Sherman contract situation. I think he should've let Sherman play the season out without renewing the contract. With the roster turning over, a coaching change may be beneficial, and now if Thompson goes that route the team will have to pay Sherman two years' salary to do nothing.

One further observation: Injuries are killing this team, but let's remember that they didn't look too damn impressive on opening day even BEFORE Javon Walker (and everybody else) got hurt.

 

[NDPackerFan]

It's still way too early to judge Thompson either way. Here are some pros and cons, as I see it:

Pros:
1. The draft--I like Rodgers, Collins, and Whitticker so far, and maybe Murphy, Poppinga, and Underwood too. So far I'm cautiously optimistic about the quality of this draft overall.

2. I like the way Thompson handles himself. He's not a show-off. Seems very solid.

Cons:
1. His handling of the Bubba Franks contract situation. Lowballed him and then ended up paying him big bucks anyway.

2. His handling of the Mike Sherman contract situation. I think he should've let Sherman play the season out without renewing the contract. With the roster turning over, a coaching change may be beneficial, and now if Thompson goes that route the team will have to pay Sherman two years' salary to do nothing.

One further observation: Injuries are killing this team, but let's remember that they didn't look too damn impressive on opening day even BEFORE Javon Walker (and everybody else) got hurt.

Another side or observation is that with the starters having limited time in preseason for almost every time, how many start right out of the gate with some real solid football? I say not many open up the flood gates right from week 1...imo

 

[IPBprez]

I say we should give Ted some breathing room.... He's back there supporting the Team, as is his job. We're into the regular season now - it's the COACH and the players.....where the attention should be --- he did bring back Walt Williams, remember....(?)

 

[DePack]

You can't blame TT. It's way too early.

Greg...I like the picks you like but I think it is way too early to tell about Rodgers. I think TT's legacy and ultimately his future rests on the arm of Rodgers. I've got nothing against Rodgers....I just have no idea how he will do.

 

[musccy]

Agreed...hard to blame TT.

I will say that if you're going to look at things cut-and-dry, then the o-line debacle is his fault, in fact a lot of issues of this yr's team are his fault, BUT...

you obviously have to take into consideration salary cap, a longer term plan, etc. which is why, although I fault him for the troubles...I understand what he's trying to do, and am not upset w/ the moves.

And finally, not that I'm saying this is necessarily a bad thing, but he's certainly putting his tight-*** stamp on this team right now. (Again, not a criticism...if he can draft well, being cheap is excellent and this team will flourish).

 

[HatestheEagles084]

.

One further observation: Injuries are killing this team, but let's remember that they didn't look too damn impressive on opening day even BEFORE Javon Walker (and everybody else) got hurt.

javon's injury was by far the largest...if he's in uniform, you know that some of our red zone posessions that only got field goals would transform into touchdowns...and the 2 and 3 point losses would be wins...i'm not saying we'd be 5-1, but we wouldnt be 1-5

 

[all about da packers]

Cons:

2. His handling of the Mike Sherman contract situation. I think he should've let Sherman play the season out without renewing the contract. With the roster turning over, a coaching change may be beneficial, and now if Thompson goes that route the team will have to pay Sherman two years' salary to do nothing.

TT did an excellent job by extending MS's contract. At this rate, MS would have lost the locker room by now, and this season would have been a complete waste (not that it isn't heading that way right now). MS would have had to be removed, and a whole new O system would have had to be brought in. I don't know about you, but to me, it wouldn't have sat too well with Brett to learn a whole new offence at his age. But TT should be applauded for not making MS a lame duck coach. As long as Brett is here, MS is here, and MS's record does warrant him a second chance to prove what he is made of.

 

[IPBprez]

I guess I'm just not following you here....

MS contract doesn't get extended and we automatically lose the whole Locker room?
Where did that come from.... Lame Duck, or no... the Locker Room is in place per Player Contracts, period.

Re-define your comment..... please!

 

[Zero2Cool]

I guess I'm just not following you here....

MS contract doesn't get extended and we automatically lose the whole Locker room?
Where did that come from.... Lame Duck, or no... the Locker Room is in place per Player Contracts, period.

Re-define your comment..... please!

I'm not original commentor on this but my perception I will post

I think he was saying the locker room would have been lost if they knew their coach had no contract the following here so maybe the thought in the locker room would be why give it our best and push ourselves for someone whos not gonna be here the following year.

 

[IPBprez]

I follow that premise -- but I would offer that it shouldn't be a concept that is so rigid or strident. The Players are the fuel which the Organization lives on.... without the Team (Players), there's no need for a Bob Harlan, or anyone else, let alone a Board of Directors or a stock program, etc.

I would think it is a given that the Players can do one more for the gipper, even if the Coach has been taken away by E.T. Do you see my point? As Players who feel they deserve the bigger piece of the pie - to extend that type of (oh, it's only Ray Rhodes) attitude which then extends onto the field - is just them cutting their own Contract throats.... And we know.. you, nor I, would ever be THAT pathetic, or stupid.

 

[Zero2Cool]

We haven't heard many encouraging comments about MS from other coachs/players who have left and its hard to do your best for someone you dont like because they are close minded and its all my way or the high way. So maybe TT noticed that and wanted to make this year go by as smooth as possible for the players and coach with the option to can the coach at the end of the season so he can sign Weis as the new Packers HC.

 

[Greg C.]

If Sherman's contract had been left as is, it may have given us a good litmus test of his standing with the players. If the players thought Sherman deserved an extension, they might have rallied behind him and played better so they could keep their beloved coach. And if the players didn't like Sherman, things would've fallen apart and Thompson would've known for sure that it was time for a new coach.

Instead, we remain in a state of limbo regarding Sherman, and unfortunately all these injuries are clouding the issue even further, making it even harder to tell how much support he's getting from his players.

DePack: I definitely agree that it's way too early to tell about Rodgers. But I do like his attitude, and in that last preseason game he looked improved, so I'm optimistic at this point.