If Ted Thompson is feeling extra pressure to produce a winner in 2009, he isnt letting on.
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Thompson is entering his fifth season as general manager of the Green Bay Packers, and the team is attempting to bounce back from a bitterly disappointing 6-10 season. But there is no sense of panic in the Packers front office, and no indication Thompson is facing a win-or-else scenario.

I dont think any of us are looking at it in terms of, Oh my gosh, if we dont do this, then something might happen, Thompson said during an interview at Lambeau Field on Tuesday morning. I dont think you can function properly in this business if you look at it from those terms.

Thompsons critics point to just one Packers winning season since he was hired in January 2005. His defenders say the rebuilding job he faced was massive and the Packers 31-33 record over the past four years has laid the foundation for future success.

For his part, Thompson likes what he sees in this years team and appears confident the Packers will turn their fortunes around.

I do think were going to have a good team, he said. I think were going to win. I think were going to have the kind of team that week in and week out, if we play to our ability, well win the game.

Thompson accepts responsibility for last years collapse and shies away from excuses. When it was suggested the Packers were better than 6-10 based on numerous close losses last season, Thompson declined to agree.

A wise man once told me that you are what you are in the NFL, said Thompson. And right now we have to live with the fact that were 6-10. Were ready to turn the page and get on to 2009, but thats what we were. There are a lot of reasons why we were. There were games where we really should have put the game out of reach should have been easy victories but somehow we allowed teams to stay in the game and you wind up losing at the end. Sometimes its the other way.

But you are what you are, and we are that. Were 6-10. Thats what we have to live with. Thats what were trying to correct.

A year ago, when Thompson should have been basking in the afterglow of the Packers 13-3 record from 2007, he instead was embroiled in the Brett Favre controversy that eventually ended in the popular quarterbacks trade to the New York Jets. Thompson has been a punching bag since, and some Packers fans will never forgive him for dealing Favre.

When asked if that episode dampened his enthusiasm for his job, Thompson replied: Without addressing that specifically, there are decisions you make in this job, there are times during the course of the year, or two years or five years of the job, where you think, its just harder than I thought it was going to be. Then you kind of slap yourself and say, Thats silly, go to work.

Every Thompson decision is scrutinized, dissected and discussed in detail. He said thats part of his job, and being under the microscope doesnt wear him down.

He honestly doesnt know how long he wants to stay.

I dont look at it as a one-year-at-a-time deal, he said. But I think the more youre in this business the more you understand why sometimes people will finally say, Ive had enough.

Im not intimating that thats happening. I like my job, I like the people I work with, I love being part of the Packers, so I wouldnt anticipate that anytime soon. But the job is harder than you think it is, before you start.