Pack93z
  • Pack93z
  • Select Member Topic Starter
15 years ago
From the "no kidding" file... but I think the Mickey Mouse comparison is humorous..

PETER JACKEL: Thompson needs a big season 
BY PETER JACKEL
pjackel@journaltimes.com
Monday, July 20, 2009 9:56 PM CDT


As we breathlessly await a puff of smoke to be emitted from the Metrodome a week from today to herald the return of Brett Favre (will a marching band clad in purple and gold enhance the moment with a rendition of Gonna Fly Now?), I just wonder what Ted Thompson is thinking.

My guess is that the Green Bay Packers much maligned general manager will be too consumed with the business at hand to give our favorite drama queen a second thought.

Nevertheless, heat will not be necessary for his Lambeau Field office even when Green Bays weather digs in its heels this winter if these Packers fail in this most crucial of seasons. And if Favres Minnesota Vikings set sail while these Packers plunge into the depths and no one can rule out that set of circumstances Thompson might want to consider leaving Green Bay under the cover of darkness.

And thats really too bad. Not too much mystifies me after so many years in this business, but this utter contempt for Thompson from so many quarters sure does.

I recall listening to a Packers call-in show last September when the Favre soap opera was at its zenith. After one woman called to say, Thompson has to go for what he did to Brett!, the radio host patiently explained that Thompson made a reasonable business decision based on Favres advancing age and his heightening flair for the annual offseason dramatics.

And what was this womens response? Well, you just dont run Mickey Mouse out of Disneyland!

Okaaaaay, now that we have that settled ...

In Thompsons case, I prefer to deal with facts and not emotional issues, the likes of which have no place in the cold reality of the National Football League. And from where I sit, the facts simply dont support that Thompson is lacking as a general manager.

When he was hired to replace Mike Sherman the Scooter McLean of Packers general managers in January 2005, he inherited a team with a talent base that had been eroded to a sliver of soap by Shermans disastrous personnel decisions. And when the Packers were forced to field the remnants of Shermans failed vision in 2005 dare I remind you of Mark Roman, Ahmad Carroll, Robert Thomas, Paris Lenon, Robert Ferguson and B.J. Sander? they skidded to a 4-12 record.

Since Thompson had the opportunity to bulldoze away that rubble, the Packers have gone 27-20 and advanced to the NFC championship game in January 2008. On that Packers team, incidentally, 12 starters and 32 of 45 players active in the championship game against the eventual Super Bowl champion New York Giants were acquired under Thompsons watch.

As the Packers prepare to get down to business for this season, they will led by Aaron Rodgers, only the second quarterback in NFL history to pass for more than 4,000 yards in his first season as a starter. And they will be stocked with other Thompson-acquired difference makers the likes of Greg Jennings, Nick Collins, Tramon Williams, Charles Woodson, Ryan Grant and a quality haul of rookies led by B.J. Raji and Clay Matthews Jr.

So whats the problem?

That Thompson has seemingly wasted high draft picks on Justin Harrell (can we really write this man off after just two years?) and A.J. Hawk (who just might flourish in the Packers new 3-4 defense)?

That the Packers collapsed last season after losing three crucial defensive players to injury (and, no, I wont conveniently neglect to mention that two of these players, Cullen Jenkins and Nick Barnett, were acquired by Sherman)?

That Thompson is somewhat clandestine and not nearly as personable as the great Ron Wolf?

That he hasnt pulled a Daniel Snyder and thrown Monopoly money at the latest sensation on the free-agent market?

Or is it that he ran Mickey Mouse out of Disneyland?

So what would have happened if Mickey Mouse would have been allowed to stay in his magic kingdom last year? Jenkins and Barnett still would have been hurt. Favres arm would have still frayed, as it did during his one season with the New York Jets.

And Thompson would have been forced to either pin his hopes this year on a soon-to-be 40-year-old quarterback after another offseason of melodramatics, that is or what would have been a completely unproven Rodgers.

I will be the first to admit this season is crucial for Thompson. This will be his fifth season running the show and his team is in place.

With the personnel Thompson has acquired coupled with an easier schedule, I just cant see these Packers not being in a mix with the elite this December.

And Ill be the first to admit I was wrong.


"The oranges are dry; the apples are mealy; and the papayas... I don't know what's going on with the papayas!"
longtimefan
15 years ago
makes lot of sense to me
Greg C.
15 years ago
Good column. I agree with the author on pretty much everything. But I'm not mystified by the hatred for Thompson. It's because of Favre. A lot of fans did not like it that Thompson rebuilt much of the team with Favre being in his final years, and Favre being traded was the final straw for those people.
blank
Zero2Cool
15 years ago
I think this author is wearing green and gold glasses with some comments, specifically the ones regarding Harrell and Hawk. Other than that, I think it was a good read, thank you.
UserPostedImage
warhawk
15 years ago
I think the guy pretty much nailed it on the head. There were a lot of people with the misgivings that all Favre needed back in '05 was a couple more players and that was a croc.

We had four or five starters that shouldn't have been out there and no backups or depth anywhere. Ron Wolfe all but said that roster was a disaster.

The chance for another SB passed by when Sherman couldn't get it done back in '02 and '03. Every year after that the team got thinner and thinner.

We are better off at QB with Rodgers having a year under his belt than a 40 yr old that won't make his mind up until camp starts.

The fact Thompson gets the blame for the whole Favre fiasco is rediculous to me. Here it is TWO years removed from when he said he was through doing everything he can to get back in good enough shape to play. How could have not known one way or the other back then that he still wanted in? All he had to do was say "I'm in" and everything would have been fine. Yet he couldn't say that and yet now two years later he obviously wants to take the field?

This just tells me he made a terrible personal decision back then and then backed it up again later and when he woke up one day realizing the position he put himself in he wouldn't take any responsibility for it.

The sad part of it is he is so loved by many that it doesn't matter what he did somebody else was going to get the blame. We all know who that is.
"The train is leaving the station."
Cheesey
15 years ago
Warhawk said: "The sad part of it is he is so loved by many that it doesn't matter what he did somebody else was going to get the blame. We all know who that is."

THAT comment 100% NAILED the whole mess. BF will be found guiltless by those that want to keep him as "perfect" in their eyes.
Someone just HAS to be the "scapegoat"......and like you said, we know who that ended up being.

And MOST of those that hate said scapegoat HOPE that the Packers fail, so they can go "See? TOLD you he sucked!" and that will give them more "reasons" for their hate.
I hope, not just for TT's sake, but PACKER fans sake, that the Packers kick butt this year.
UserPostedImage
shield4life
15 years ago
Nice read I agree with most of his opinions, if not all of them.
Glad To Be A Packers Fan.
buckeyepackfan
15 years ago
If one cuts through all the crap, throws out all the excuses,
bottom line is this is a very important year for TT, MM and the whole Packer organization.

Time to start winning more games than they lose.

The only thing that will change peoples minds are wins.
That is no big secret, it happens everywhere, winning solves all the so-called problems.

Can't wait for the season to begin, no more excuses then, you either have a winning organization or you don't.

Just my Humble opinion.
I was addicted to The Hokey Pokey, but I turned myself around!
Pack93z
  • Pack93z
  • Select Member Topic Starter
15 years ago

If one cuts through all the crap, throws out all the excuses,
bottom line is this is a very important year for Ted Thompson, Mike McCarthy and the whole Packer organization.

Time to start winning more games than they lose.

The only thing that will change peoples minds are wins.
That is no big secret, it happens everywhere, winning solves all the so-called problems.

Can't wait for the season to begin, no more excuses then, you either have a winning organization or you don't.

Just my Humble opinion.

"buckeyepackfan" wrote:



I happen to agree... on paper we have depth in most areas short of the defensive line.. and have had ample opportunity to fill the concerns there...

Time for us to make another respectable run.. and I have the confidence that we have the pieces to make that run.
"The oranges are dry; the apples are mealy; and the papayas... I don't know what's going on with the papayas!"
IronMan
15 years ago

If one cuts through all the crap, throws out all the excuses,
bottom line is this is a very important year for Ted Thompson, Mike McCarthy and the whole Packer organization.

Time to start winning more games than they lose.

The only thing that will change peoples minds are wins.
That is no big secret, it happens everywhere, winning solves all the so-called problems.

Can't wait for the season to begin, no more excuses then, you either have a winning organization or you don't.

Just my Humble opinion.

"buckeyepackfan" wrote:

Bingo. +1.
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