Zero2Cool
16 years ago

Ted Thompson might be the most reviled man in Wisconsin.

Barely a day goes by that this newspaper doesn't receive a letter, e-mail or fax demanding the firing of the Packers' general manager.

Pro football is a tough business, and when you're in charge of a 5-9 team, it's only a matter of time before the vultures begin to circle.

Still, it would have been hard to imagine Thompson's approval rating tumbling to George W. Bush levels in such short order. Exactly 11 months ago today, Thompson was at the pinnacle of success, with the Packers hosting the NFC championship game in just his third year at the helm. Times were good, life was a breeze and victories flowed freely.

The Packers' fortunes have taken a stock market-like nose dive since, and it didn't take long for critics to put Thompson squarely in the crosshairs.

Two seismic events this year contributed to Thompson's steep drop-off in popularity. Trading Brett Favre was guaranteed to incite an angry mob, but when that controversial move was followed by a historic decline in the victory column, the floodgates of dissent opened wide.

Thompson can do nothing right in the eyes of his critics, and every misstep is magnified.

One recent e-mailer wanted to know why no one in the local media has called for Thompson's ouster, considering the Packers have produced just one winning season during his watch.

The answer isn't that complicated. Thompson should keep his job, for the time being, because you don't fire the general manager one season after his team came within an overtime of a Super Bowl berth. Thompson was charged with cleaning up after Mike Sherman, and the Packers were making steady progress until this season. One step backward isn't enough reason to clean house.

It's necessary to take the emotion out of the issue, as well as the immediate frustration of a season gone awry, and look at the big picture. A team doesn't post a 13-3 regular-season record, as the Packers did last year, with smoke and mirrors. There had to be some substance there, and it went beyond the presence of Favre.

If Thompson gets no credit for the 2007 season, then why must he absorb all the blame for 2008? You can't have it both ways.

That doesn't mean Thompson receives a free pass for this year's disappointing record. He's made his share of mistakes.

His inability to infuse the defense with enough talent has resulted in a major breakdown this season, and his attempts to improve the offensive line have come up short. The question marks in the trenches are a major concern, and the Packers' future depends on how that pans out. Thompson's reluctance to make bold moves, such as trading for high-end talent, also has stifled the Packers' progress.

However, Thompson has upgraded the receiving corps, turned the secondary from a weakness to strength and put the long-term future of the quarterback position in good hands.

I'm less convinced now than a year ago that Thompson will guide the Packers to a Super Bowl title, but it's too soon to send him packing. Thompson's team remains a work in progress, and next season will provide a better gauge of which direction the franchise is headed.


UserPostedImage
bozz_2006
16 years ago
haven't read the article yet. just the title. my thoughts: no shit.
UserPostedImage
Packerchick
16 years ago
None of us can really judge the man right away. It maybe rough going for a little while though. We have to be realistic. Am I right?
I am a woman and I love football.
Stevetarded
16 years ago
OMG BRETT FAVRE!!!11!!1!!!!1
blank
brnt247
16 years ago
This guy pretty much feels the same way I do.
blank
Stevetarded
16 years ago
You know now that I'm thinking about it. It would have been a terrible idea to break the bank in free agency last year to take a shot at the superbowl. Nobody knew if Rodgers was gonna be any good. We could have easily ended up with this spectacular team but with JT O'Sullivan back there throwin picks and getting sacked every play.

I am supporting Ted Thompson for the moment till next season. We have a team that has been good enough to get to the NFCC game and we now know that our QB can play. Which makes now the time to get it done. There is absolutely no excuse to have a bad season next year.
blank
Greg C.
16 years ago
I feel exactly the same as the author of the article. I expect results next season, although I won't go so far as to demand a certain amount of victories or a certain amount of success in the playoffs. We'll see how things unfold.
blank
PackFanWithTwins
16 years ago
I like Thompson's approach so far. Cleaned up cap, brought in a couple FA to start the team, drafted and built depth. Now it is time for him to finish the job. We appear to have a QB that is more than capable of getting the job done and the best top to bottom WR group. Plus two serviceable RB. A strong secondary.

The team is to the point where Ted Thompson has to get back to FA to finish the team. At this point, IMO all the draft is going to do is replace young players with other young players, and the time for development is not going to keep up with those that are going to be lost with age.

This is the year Ted Thompson needs to show what he is willing to do. If he makes good FA moves I expect the team to quickly be back to the top of the North and a legitimate contender to make the SB.
The world needs ditch diggers too Danny!!!
dhazer
16 years ago

I like Thompson's approach so far. Cleaned up cap, brought in a couple FA to start the team, drafted and built depth. Now it is time for him to finish the job. We appear to have a QB that is more than capable of getting the job done and the best top to bottom WR group. Plus two serviceable RB. A strong secondary.

The team is to the point where Ted Thompson has to get back to FA to finish the team. At this point, IMO all the draft is going to do is replace young players with other young players, and the time for development is not going to keep up with those that are going to be lost with age.

This is the year Ted Thompson needs to show what he is willing to do. If he makes good FA moves I expect the team to quickly be back to the top of the North and a legitimate contender to make the SB.

"PackFanWithTwins" wrote:



Just a few things we DO NOT have a top wr group you forgetting the likes of the Cards, Saints, Colts to name a few. And Ted Thompson will not do anything in FA again, also i keep seeing this and i need someone to please explain this to me. People saying we might have been stuck with another qb where the hell was rodgers going his contract was going thru 2009 so please explain to me where the hell was he going to go?
Just Imagine this for the next 6-9 years. What a ride it will be 🙂 (PS, Zero should charge for this)
reed
PackFanWithTwins
16 years ago


Just a few things we DO NOT have a top wr group you forgetting the likes of the Cards, Saints, Colts to name a few. And Ted Thompson will not do anything in FA again, also i keep seeing this and i need someone to please explain this to me. People saying we might have been stuck with another qb where the hell was rodgers going his contract was going thru 2009 so please explain to me where the hell was he going to go?

"dhazer" wrote:



1-5 I don't know of a team that matches up with WR. 1-3 sure, not 5 IMO.

The assumption that Ted Thompson will not do anything if FA is baseless. He has signed FA, Woodson and Pickett not to mention internal FA's. With the cap, teams really have 2-3 years where FA can be utilized. I believe his strategy is to get the team to the stage where there are good players, a solid base and then use FA to finish the team. He left Seattle at that point and now has GB to that place. It is up to him now to prove those that say he doesn't believe in FA wrong. He only believe in it when the time is right.

As far as Rodgers, I believe if Brett had decided to come back in the beginning that Rodgers would have been traded. I don't think it would have been a smart move to keep both Brett and Aaron for another year.
The world needs ditch diggers too Danny!!!
Fan Shout
Zero2Cool (14-Feb) : Packers are hiring Luke Getsy as senior offensive assistant.
Martha Careful (12-Feb) : I would love to have them both, esp. Crosby, but either might be too expensive.
Zero2Cool (12-Feb) : Keisean Nixon is trying to get Maxx Crosby and Davante Adams lol
Mucky Tundra (11-Feb) : Yeah where did it go?
packerfanoutwest (11-Feb) : or did you resctrict access to that topic?
packerfanoutwest (11-Feb) : why did you remove the Playoff topic?
Zero2Cool (10-Feb) : Tua’s old DC won a Super Bowl Year 1 with Tua’s former backup
Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : *winning MVP
Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : Funny observation I've heard: Carson Wentz was on the sideline for both Eagles Super Bowl wins w/guys supposed to be his back up winning
Zero2Cool (10-Feb) : NFL thought it would get more attention week preceding Super Bowl.
Zero2Cool (10-Feb) : Yes, the Pro Bowl. It was played Sunday before Super Bowl from 2010-2022
packerfanoutwest (10-Feb) : pro bowl
Zero2Cool (10-Feb) : From 2010 to 2022, it was played on the Sunday before the Super Bowl
Zero2Cool (10-Feb) : They moved it to the BYE week before Super Bowl several years ago.
packerfanoutwest (10-Feb) : it was always after the SB.....
beast (10-Feb) : Though I stop following pro bowl years ago
beast (10-Feb) : I thought the pro game was before the Super Bowl?
packerfanoutwest (10-Feb) : ok now for the Pro Bowl Game in Hawaii
TheKanataThrilla (10-Feb) : If I was Philly I would try to end it instead of punting it
Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : VICTORY! We have (moral) victory!
TheKanataThrilla (10-Feb) : Hey they mentioned that we 3-peted
Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : seems to me the 49ers should have traded Aiyuk when they had the chance
Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : if the Eagles get it down to the 1, do they Tush Push or give it to Barkley?
TheKanataThrilla (10-Feb) : 49ers have a money problem if they want to sign their QB
Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : Wait for real? Didn't he just get an extension two years ago?
Zero2Cool (10-Feb) : 49ers gonna trade Deebo. Interesting
TheKanataThrilla (10-Feb) : Replays always never seem to show the holdings
TheKanataThrilla (10-Feb) : Great throw by Hurts
Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : Where Carter falls prey to bad off the field influences (to be clear, not saying he'd clip someone though)
Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : Had Carter not gone to Philly were they already had a lot of old college friends, he ends up in a similar spot to Aaron Hernandez
Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : I think some of his coaches told scouts to stay away
Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : the street racing incident+conditioning and motivation problems
beast (10-Feb) : Then Carter was street racing, where the other car crashed and people died... and other teams were scared to pick Carter for some reason
beast (10-Feb) : I think the Saints traded up, giving their next year 1st to the Eagles, and then they sucked and Eagles got the 10th overall pick
packerfanoutwest (10-Feb) : wtf Barkley?
TheKanataThrilla (10-Feb) : Getting Carter and Nolan Smith in the first round in 2023 was pretty darn good
Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : for some reason i'm thinking of a draft where the Eagles where in the mid 20s and a top player fell all the way to them
TheKanataThrilla (10-Feb) : I think so. I would need to look it up. Think it may have been Carolina's pick.
Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : i'm not sure who i'm thinking of now
Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : oh fuck me i messed that up
Zero2Cool (10-Feb) : Jordan Davis was 13th overall
Zero2Cool (10-Feb) : Carter was 9th overall
Zero2Cool (10-Feb) : Eagles had 15th and 10th selections, moved to 13 and 9 to get Davis and Carter back to back
Zero2Cool (10-Feb) : Eagles traded up for Carter, didn't they?
Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : Obviously he was a huge risk but getting a top 5 talent on the dline in the mid 20s is fortuitous
Mucky Tundra (10-Feb) : Jalen Carter falling into their lap certainly helps
TheKanataThrilla (10-Feb) : And we could only wish to have this type of D
TheKanataThrilla (10-Feb) : It's not like Philly has had low draft picks, but has managed to get themselves a top notch pass rush. We spend so much draft capital of D
packerfanoutwest (10-Feb) : another crap halftime show
TheKanataThrilla (10-Feb) : I think it is over, but then I think of Atlanta and want Philly to go in with the same intensity in the second half
Please sign in to use Fan Shout
2024 Packers Schedule
Friday, Sep 6 @ 7:15 PM
Eagles
Sunday, Sep 15 @ 12:00 PM
COLTS
Sunday, Sep 22 @ 12:00 PM
Titans
Sunday, Sep 29 @ 12:00 PM
VIKINGS
Sunday, Oct 6 @ 3:25 PM
Rams
Sunday, Oct 13 @ 12:00 PM
CARDINALS
Sunday, Oct 20 @ 12:00 PM
TEXANS
Sunday, Oct 27 @ 12:00 PM
Jaguars
Sunday, Nov 3 @ 3:25 PM
LIONS
Sunday, Nov 17 @ 12:00 PM
Bears
Sunday, Nov 24 @ 3:25 PM
49ERS
Thursday, Nov 28 @ 7:20 PM
DOLPHINS
Thursday, Dec 5 @ 7:15 PM
Lions
Sunday, Dec 15 @ 7:20 PM
Seahawks
Monday, Dec 23 @ 7:15 PM
SAINTS
Sunday, Dec 29 @ 3:25 PM
Vikings
Sunday, Jan 5 @ 12:00 PM
BEARS
Sunday, Jan 12 @ 3:30 PM
Eagles
Recent Topics
51m / Around The NFL / beast

3h / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

5h / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

14h / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

15-Feb / Around The NFL / beast

15-Feb / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

14-Feb / Green Bay Packers Talk / TheKanataThrilla

14-Feb / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

13-Feb / Random Babble / Mucky Tundra

10-Feb / Featured Content / Zero2Cool

10-Feb / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

9-Feb / Green Bay Packers Talk / bboystyle

9-Feb / Green Bay Packers Talk / dhazer

7-Feb / Around The NFL / Zero2Cool

4-Feb / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

Headlines
Copyright © 2006 - 2025 PackersHome.com™. All Rights Reserved.