OK, I researched this again and the article below will explain all. I made my original post (which I now can't find and which I suspect was censored by some Ted-sucking Nazi) based upon a radio broadcast which I heard in my truck. I didn't make anything up and I resent the implication (by you) that I did.

I was wrong and you are right; Ted DID NOT play with Clay's father in the NFL. He played with Clay's Uncle Bruce in Houston. The disturbing implications are the same as I listed in my post; was there some cronyism going on here? Don't you find it curious that NOWHERE in any of Ted's public comments on this trade-up did he mention that he played ball with Clay's Uncle?

Don't believe it? Go to the following link:

http://www.wisn.com/sports/19292132/detail.html 

As far as I'm concerned, you owe me an apology, your wasted time notwithstanding.



GREEN BAY, Wis. -- With the 26th selection overall, the Packers took linebacker Clay Matthews from Southern California.

The 240-pounder had 96 tackles and 5 sacks in four years at USC. The Packers dealt a second-round pick and both third-rounders to New England to make this selection happen. The Packers also received the Patriots' 5th-round draft pick in return.

Matthews comes from a football family. His grandfather played for the 49ers in the 50s, his father played for 19 years in the NFL and his uncle Bruce was a teammate of Ted Thompson in Houston. Thompson is hoping the USC product can continue the family's success in the NFL.

Matthews is a perfect fit in the Packers new 3-4 defensive scheme as he will play on the outside. He's 6-foot-3 and weighs 240 pounds, and yet scouts say he has good quickness and explosion off the ball. Don't let the pony tail fool you, Matthews is a blue-collar guy having worked his way up as a walk-on at USC to one of the best outside linebackers in college football.

"Greg C." wrote:

(Did you and Clay's father play against each other and did that factor in at all?)
I don't know his father. Yeah, we certainly played against each other. He would have been on defense and I would have been on special teams, so I'm not sure we actually hit each other at any particular time. He was a really good player and I was just a guy. I played with his uncle Bruce in Houston for a number of years. I think one of those guys played 19 years and one of them might have played 20. I'm hoping Clay has that kind of career.

(There are a lot of positives to having a father and an uncle like that, but it doesn't always translate into stardom, correct?)
Right. Well, Clay is his own man. He's probably, through our interviews with him, and he can speak for himself, he wants to stand on his own two feet, and I think he's done a very good job of that at USC. I'm sure he's not going to rest on the laurels of his father and uncle. He's his own man. He came into USC and some of these guys that are getting drafted today were linebackers, high recruits and things, so he had to work his way up. He was their very best special teams player for the first two years at USC until he started playing more, so he's earned his way. He's earned his way.

I will prequalify that after the fact being that I honestly thought I heard a radio report on this during draft day that Ted Thompson was a team mate of Clay's father. If that is incorrect I apologize and withdraw the request. If that is true however, Ted Thompson has some explaining to to do.

"wpr" wrote:

OK, I researched this again and the article below will explain all. I made my original post (which I now can't find and which I suspect was censored by some Ted-sucking Nazi) based upon a radio broadcast which I heard in my truck. I didn't make anything up and I resent the implication (by you) that I did.

I was wrong and you are right; Ted DID NOT play with Clay's father in the NFL. He played with Clay's Uncle Bruce in Houston. The disturbing implications are the same as I listed in my post; was there some cronyism going on here? Don't you find it curious that NOWHERE in any of Ted's public comments on this trade-up did he mention that he played ball with Clay's Uncle?



Don't believe it? Go to the following link:

http://www.wisn.com/sports/19292132/detail.html 

As far as I'm concerned, you owe me an apology, your wasted time notwithstanding.



GREEN BAY, Wis. -- With the 26th selection overall, the Packers took linebacker Clay Matthews from Southern California.

The 240-pounder had 96 tackles and 5 sacks in four years at USC. The Packers dealt a second-round pick and both third-rounders to New England to make this selection happen. The Packers also received the Patriots' 5th-round draft pick in return.

Matthews comes from a football family. His grandfather played for the 49ers in the 50s, his father played for 19 years in the NFL and his uncle Bruce was a teammate of Ted Thompson in Houston. Thompson is hoping the USC product can continue the family's success in the NFL.

Matthews is a perfect fit in the Packers new 3-4 defensive scheme as he will play on the outside. He's 6-foot-3 and weighs 240 pounds, and yet scouts say he has good quickness and explosion off the ball. Don't let the pony tail fool you, Matthews is a blue-collar guy having worked his way up as a walk-on at USC to one of the best outside linebackers in college football.

"Greg C." wrote:

Your quote is interesting, because I SWEAR I posted a comment somewhere last night questioning this pick based on Ted Thompson's having played with Clay's father ( I believe I used the term "cronyism").

Now I can't find it.

Is it possible that there is a cheese-nazi out there censoring posts?

If so, a pox on you; censorship of relevant commentary is something I'd expect out of Minnesota. I may be wrong on this, but if I'm not I call on the moderators to re-post my post and open it up to discussion. This ain't Cuba.

"wpr" wrote:

OK, I researched this again and the article below will explain all. I made my original post (which I now can't find and which I suspect was censored by some Ted-sucking Nazi) based upon a radio broadcast which I heard in my truck. I didn't make anything up and I resent the implication (by you) that I did.

"oskarliminga" wrote:

Matthews was the #21 overall player on Scouts, Inc's board and a top 3 outside LB prospect. I don't care if Thompson had chicken dinner with his dad every Thursday night for 10 years, it was a great pick at #26 on both talent and need.

"Arles" wrote: