The_Green_Ninja
15 years ago

For those of you who have turned on Ted Thompson for supposedly ruining the Packers by not bringing back Brett Favre, enough is enough...

Stop Blaming Ted Thompson for Brett Favre and Free Agency

by Peter Bukowski (Columnist) Written on August 08, 2009
Peter Bukowski

For those of you who have turned on Ted Thompson for supposedly ruining the Packers by not bringing back Brett Favre, enough is enough.

You Favre apologists are nothing short of naive, nostalgic nincompoops whose short-sightedness and loyalty to Favre has clouded your judgment about the Packers' best interests.

Lets go back two springs. Cries for Thompson to make a splash were boisterous. Favre made it clear he wanted Thompson to trade for Randy Moss and reportedly threatened to retire if Green Bay failed to do so.

Moss wound up in New England, and the Packers signed a grand total of one free agent, Frank Walker, who started a whopping zero games.

With one of the youngest teams in the league, the Packers went 13-3 and were a boneheaded throw away from the Super Bowl. Thompson was the Sporting News Executive of the Year, without adding Moss.

What happened next has been hashed and rehashed enough. I dont want to hear that Thompson ran Favre out of Green Bay. That is absolutely, categorically false.

This was at least the third season in a row Favre had spoken publicly about thoughts of retirement, and each offseason, the process seemed to drag out longer.

Favre had decided to return with the acceptance of both Thompson and Mike McCarthy. They insisted he take some more time to think about it in order to make the best decision for both him and his family. After doing so, Brett decided it was time to stay in retirement.

It was only after weeks more of hemming and hawing that Brett called Thompson again and said, I want in.

Sure, Thompson could have met with Favre personally and figured something out. Perhaps thats what Ron Wolf would have done, or Bob Harlan. (The bigger question is whether Favre would have even been doing this had his father Irv been alive. My guess? No way.)But Thompson was making a point: This isnt about you anymore, Brett. You are not bigger than this team.

Of course, Favre didnt take kindly to that, so he pitched a hissy fit and wound up in New York. You could say that it wouldnt have gotten so messy had Brett just been allowed to come back, but that would be pure speculation. Favre was the one who went on Fox News and spun stories about feeling betrayed, when it was Favre whod gone back on his word repeatedly.

Thompson has always told it like it is; thats what he does. Hes a no-nonsense administrator, and thats how he runs a team.

Favre is the one who understands how to manipulate the media. Watch their press conferences side by side, and youll see what I mean.

Favre hasnt been in a Packers uniform for 18 months, so now we have to move on.

I hear talk about Justin Harrell, losing players to free agency, and not signing any marquee free agents. Enough.

The big knock on Thompson outside of Favre is the way he builds a team: through the draft. He didnt go after Albert Haynesworth or attempt to get Julius Peppers or Terrell Suggs.The Packers essentially stood pat, except for trading up and drafting Clay Matthews in the first round.

Name the last marquee free agent signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Indianapolis Colts? The Baltimore Ravens? Fourteen of the top 20 passers last season played for teams that drafted them. Three of the four teams in the conference championships last year were lead by QBs drafted by their team. In fact, eight of the 12 playoff teams had homegrown signal callers.

Hindsight is 20/20, but if the Packers are healthy in 2008, they probably win at least two more games with Aaron Rodgers, maybe more. Rodgers sparkled last year and showed why Thompson made what I now believe to be the right call in telling Favre to move along. Dont blame Rodgers for the Packers blowing close games. More often than not, it was the defense who failed to get a stop late.

Theres a reason the Packers have totally reworked the defensive coaching staff and scheme.

Go ask the Raiders or the Jets how spendy offseasons worked out last year for them. And didnt a certain former Packers legend play for the Jets? They spent a gazillion dollars on free agents and even with Brett Favre couldnt make the playoffs in a WIDE OPEN division after Tom Brady went down. Favre's defense with the Jets was light years more consistent than Green Bays, and the running game was considerably better, yet they barely broke the .500 mark.

Sure, Brett got injured, but that is the point! Hes just not capable of being that guy anymore. He would have gotten injured in Green Bay too, maybe sooner with injuries robbing the offensive line of any continuity. People forget that.

How is it possible Thompson comes out looking like the fool here?

The best teams build through the draft. It would be easy to rebut a claim about the percentage of starters drafted by Ted Thompson by saying that is because Thompson never signed free agents. But that just isnt true. Thompson paid up for Charles Woodson, and Woodson has been reborn as one of the elite cover corners in the league. Ryan Pickett was brought in and has been an anchor on the defense.

He found Samkon Gado when the running back corps was decimated by injury. He plucked Ryan Grant off the Giants' practice squad, and now hes a 1,000-yard rusher.

Then, via the draft hes added A.J. Hawk (who has underperformed, to be fair), Greg Jennings, James Jones, Jason Spitz, Nick Collins, Brandon Jackson, DeShawn Wynn (a STEAL in the seventh round), and promising second-year players like Jermichael Finley, Jeremy Thompson, Josh Sitton, and Breno Giacomini.

Throw in rookies B.J. Raji and Clay Matthews, who both could start, and Thompson has put together one of the most talented teams in the NFC.

Oh, thats righthes also responsible for drafting a quarterback who just had one of the great statistical seasons in franchise history, and his name isnt Favre.

Ultimately, this Packers team is young, talented, and poised to be good for a long time. Thompson has put the Packers in a position to do what few teams in pro sports can, and that is win consistently over a number of years.

We see a win now and next year be damned attitude around the league, especially with teams thinking they can spend their way into wins.

The Packers are a 10-win team easily on paper in 2009. The reason is simple: Ted Thompson has loaded this team with talent. Sure, they could have made another run last season with Favre, but if Green Bay had the same injuries last year with Favre, they wouldn't have gone 13-3. In fact, they might not even be 8-8, especially with Bretts injury.

Enough making excuses for why Favre didnt come back. He shouldnt have come back, and his play late in the season, combined with the injury, proved that. Thompson was the man who made that call, and it was the right one.

Just because hes the best quarterback in franchise history doesnt mean he gets carte blanche to come back at his leisure and hold the team hostage. Its up to Thompson to make the decisions based on the future, and he made the right one, period.

By putting the future of the team over some antiquated notion of entitlement for Favre, Thompson showed why hes the right man for the best franchise in sports. He always has the best interests of the team in mind and wont sacrifice that, even for the most famous player ever to put on the Green and Gold.

I just wish the fans would share his desire for the teams success rather than wishing selfishly to have a washed-up former superstar play a position hes only had real success at once in the last half-decade.

Enough.



LINK 

And that, is all he has to say, about that.
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dhazer
15 years ago
So why is this an Ode to me? I'm not a Favre worshipper, yes i am a Ted Thompson hater which is totally different than the author of that story. Lets pick some shit apart here?


Three of the four teams in the conference championships last year were lead by QBs drafted by their team. In fact, eight of the 12 playoff teams had homegrown signal callers.



Big Ben has only been in the league for what 5 years and he has 2 rings mostly because of the defense?

Flacco a rookie qb with a great defense

McNabb is one he can really use in this claim

Warner isn't orginally with the Cards

Eli Manning 4th year in league

Phillip Rivers 4th year in league

Matt Ryan rookie with good running offense

Peyton Manning good for his claim

Chad Pennington came from the Jets

Tavaris Jackson doesn't count because hell he didn't play 1/2 the season lol

Kerry Collins drafted by the Giants

Jake Delhomme was originally signed by the Saints


So out of 12 he has 2 guys he can use to back his claims because the others with the original teams are still in their rookie contracts.





Thompson has always told it like it is; thats what he does. Hes a no-nonsense administrator, and thats how he runs a team.




When the hell did we ever get any straight answer from a Ted Thompson interview?


Ultimately, this Packers team is young, talented, and poised to be good for a long time. Thompson has put the Packers in a position to do what few teams in pro sports can, and that is win consistently over a number of years.




How can he even have any claim to this? We had 1 winning season under TT's controls.


The Packers are a 10-win team easily on paper in 2009. The reason is simple: Ted Thompson has loaded this team with talent



how does he see an easy 10 win season on paper? i would love to see an explanation of this.

With one of the youngest teams in the league, the Packers went 13-3 and were a boneheaded throw away from the Super Bowl.



Ya thats a great author there lol. one could say hell we wouldn't even have been in OT if it wasn't for the missed 36 yd fg (yes 36 yarder) so gimmie a fricken break for blaming Favre on that. Sure it was a very bad throw but we shouldn't of even had a chance at it. The whole team played like shit that day.


Now you may go back to your Ted Thompson ass kissing.
Just Imagine this for the next 6-9 years. What a ride it will be 🙂 (PS, Zero should charge for this)
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Formo
15 years ago


...Tavaris Jackson doesn't count because hell he didn't play 1/2 the season lol...

"dhazer" wrote:



HAY!

Don't go rippin' on my teams' QB. He's the reason they turned things around and got into the playoffs. Gus barely maintained. 😃
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Thanks to TheViking88 for the sig!!
dhazer
15 years ago


...Tavaris Jackson doesn't count because hell he didn't play 1/2 the season lol...

"Formo" wrote:



HAY!

Don't go rippin' on my teams' QB. He's the reason they turned things around and got into the playoffs. Gus barely maintained. =D

"dhazer" wrote:





Im still waiting to buy a #4 JERSEY yes a JDB jersey 😛
Just Imagine this for the next 6-9 years. What a ride it will be 🙂 (PS, Zero should charge for this)
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dfosterf
15 years ago
I sense that Dhaze was not especially enamored with the title.
longtimefan
15 years ago

So why is this an Ode to me? I'm not a Favre worshipper, yes i am a Ted Thompson hater which is totally different than the author of that story. Lets pick some shit apart here?


Three of the four teams in the conference championships last year were lead by QBs drafted by their team. In fact, eight of the 12 playoff teams had homegrown signal callers.

"dhazer" wrote:



Big Ben has only been in the league for what 5 years and he has 2 rings mostly because of the defense?

Flacco a rookie qb with a great defense


.



LOL

So your agreeing that a good defense helps to win games?

something tons of fans have said was the main reason for the record for the Pack last year?
longtimefan
15 years ago



Three of the four teams in the conference championships last year were lead by QBs drafted by their team. In fact, eight of the 12 playoff teams had homegrown signal callers.

"dhazer" wrote:



Big Ben has only been in the league for what 5 years and he has 2 rings mostly because of the defense?

Flacco a rookie qb with a great defense

McNabb is one he can really use in this claim

Warner isn't orginally with the Cards

Eli Manning 4th year in league

Phillip Rivers 4th year in league

Matt Ryan rookie with good running offense

Peyton Manning good for his claim

Chad Pennington came from the Jets

Tavaris Jackson doesn't count because hell he didn't play 1/2 the season lol

Kerry Collins drafted by the Giants

Jake Delhomme was originally signed by the Saints


So out of 12 he has 2 guys he can use to back his claims because the others with the original teams are still in their rookie contracts.






He said 3 out of the 4 in the conference games were home grown and he is right..

Arizona and Philly

Pitt and Baltimore

Arizona was only one..

Other playoff games, Collins, Jake, Chad and Warner

thats 4 out of 12


What is this 2 out of 12 you are talking about?
Zero2Cool
15 years ago
I like it when dhazer grasps at things. How far are you from Souderton?
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longtimefan
15 years ago

Ultimately, this Packers team is young, talented, and poised to be good for a long time. Thompson has put the Packers in a position to do what few teams in pro sports can, and that is win consistently over a number of years.




How can he even have any claim to this? We had 1 winning season under Ted Thompson's controls.

"dhazer" wrote:



He said in position to consistently win..

didnt say they WERE doing it..


The Packers are a 10-win team easily on paper in 2009. The reason is simple: Ted Thompson has loaded this team with talent





how does he see an easy 10 win season on paper? i would love to see an explanation of this.

"dhazer" wrote:



I am not speaking for him but he might be thinking that since we beat Minny 1 time and lost the other on a MISSED fg those are 2 wins

Same for the Bears..2 more wins

thats 4

Lions thats 2

so now we have 6

Cinncy? and the browns, thats 2 more

So now we have 8

Tampa looks to be a win with all the re-tooling they done so thats a total of 9

Frisco thats 10

And in case you are saying the bears and viks are not 4 wins, okay then how bout going 2-2 with them then a win vs Seattle and the rams makes it 10 again




With one of the youngest teams in the league, the Packers went 13-3 and were a boneheaded throw away from the Super Bowl.




Ya thats a great author there lol. one could say hell we wouldn't even have been in OT if it wasn't for the missed 36 yd fg (yes 36 yarder) so gimmie a fricken break for blaming Favre on that. Sure it was a very bad throw but we shouldn't of even had a chance at it. The whole team played like shit that day.

"dhazer" wrote:



That right there is a Favre apologist..

You put losses on Rodgers but are blaming everyone else for the Giants loss

Classic!
dhazer
15 years ago

So why is this an Ode to me? I'm not a Favre worshipper, yes i am a Ted Thompson hater which is totally different than the author of that story. Lets pick some shit apart here?


Three of the four teams in the conference championships last year were lead by QBs drafted by their team. In fact, eight of the 12 playoff teams had homegrown signal callers.

"longtimefan" wrote:



Big Ben has only been in the league for what 5 years and he has 2 rings mostly because of the defense?

Flacco a rookie qb with a great defense


.

"dhazer" wrote:





LOL

So your agreeing that a good defense helps to win games?

something tons of fans have said was the main reason for the record for the Pack last year?





If you ever read my posts you will have seen i have always said defense wins championships, so how do you blame the defense for all the losses last year sure they gave up late game leads but yet they led the league in defensive tds, and plaid pretty solid for most games ubtil the whole team failed in the ends of games.

now to your quarterback thing, flacco and big ben are home grown because they were still in their rookie contracts along with alot of the other playoff qbs. I thought i made it pretty clear by explaining after each qb.


So seeing you think all those games are wins why play the games? I'm sticking to my 7-9 record maybe 8-8. But i know the Packers have the best team in the NFL and noone else can get better.




Oh and your Favre apologist comment i guess you only read parts of things because i said the game should've never made it to OT and the whole team sucked that day. But your right i'm defending Favre because i said the whole team sucked.
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