TT on what keeps him going: The chase. In the scouting business, it's the chase. Every once in a while you find someone teams aren't keen to

--- This comes off as a very Favre-esque statement. One of the things that drove me nuts about Favre is he said he liked to throw it to the guy who would make it an amazing play instead of just taking the ordinary one that was there. Brett played like that way too often to his peril.

TT's statement is something a lot of fans have long had issue with. Ted Thompson tries to outsmart everyone by picking these weird picks. I think he gets off on taking someone ala Khryi Thornton and having everyone go WTF? I understand the compulsion to be different and make a pick everyone goes WOW over but this basically means he bypasses the more commonly thought to be talent for the heroic Favre play... which often fail.

This is also, ironically, one of his great strengths...late round and UDFA time. The sad thing is he'll try it in any round including Round 1.

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Yeah I don't mind the gamble in the later rounds but not in the first 3 rounds.

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Huge difference.

Favre would get bored and play on adrenaline. Ted does it by working harder than anyone else.

Not even a comparison.

This year, it seems Ted reached a little based on need. That's very un-Ted-like. If Ted fails, he fails scientifically, by taking a calculated risk, based upon cost/benefit analysis. Favre was just trying to get a cheap rush by chucking the ball up. Nothing scientific about that.

Although frankly I do believe he was being blackmailed to throw those really bad INTs in the playoffs. No way those were naturally occurring, imo.

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I was thinking tonight how much I enjoy having Ted as our GM. Don't think he is the best out there but top 5 in my opinion and I like his press conferences.

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of course. Ted is so informative when he speaks to the media.

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Of course Ted Thompson takes risks throughout all rounds of the draft. It really is one gigantic crap shoot.

Eddie Lacy in round 2 of 2013 was a risk, as most teams passed on him due to concerns of a nagging toe injury. He was without question a "need" pick.

Casey Hayward was a bit of a risk in round 2 of 2012, as Thompson traded R3 and R5 picks to NE to jump back into R2 to take the 8th rated CB in the draft according to Walters.

Clay Matthews was no sure thing in 2010. Again, Thompson took some risks in trading back into R1 to nab a guy with little experience at OLB. That cost Thompson one R2 and two R3s. Matthews had a slow 40 time 4.59, a slow 3cone at 6.9 and a marginal vertical of 35.5. Add to it, just one season of experience. A 240 LB stand up DE? One who didn't start a single game until the 4th game of his senior season? We traded 3t top picks for an undersized standup DE with only 10 starts!

Jordy Nelson was hardly a household name at WR, but he wound up being our top pick in 2008 in a trade out of R1... Again, big risk.

Greg Jennings, again, not a household name at WR out of Western Michigan, but Thompson's 2nd pick of the draft in a trade down with NE in R2 of 2006.

How did Nick Collins work out? Where the hell did he come from in R2 of 2005? Bethune-Cookman.... W-w-w-wha?

Don't get me wrong, I think sometimes Thompson goes out of his way to make a splash pick, when there is a far less risky choice starring him in the face. But, I do think he has gotten better with this since 2011, which as we've discussed was just a really poor draft altogether. And, we can't argue with the risk picks when they've worked as well as these have.

I'm really hoping Datone Jones will hit big for us this year. We'll have to wait and see.

I get what you are saying with the rest, especially the lack of experience Clay had but these are outstanding numbers for a 240lb LB.

True, but nothing compared with that of Ryan Shazier and Telvin Smith this year. You're right though in that it is not the biggest part of the argument. Matthews smaller size and huge lack of experience were far greater risks in trading away 3 top picks for him.

Taking risks according to whom? The ESPN and NFL Network analysts? They do not represent the reality of how NFL teams actually feel. NFL teams have entire scouting departments. I don't think most of his picks are risks at all, in their opinion. They are just the players they feel are best to select at that position in the draft. Some fans put too much stock in analyst rankings. Also, Ted Thompson has made some pretty "safe" picks in terms of popular rankings in the first rounds the past few seasons.

His deadpan delivery cracks me up. His answers or non-answers are some of the best ever. I love that shit. Cracks me up. Also I imagine him as the singer of the Talking Heads David Byrne talking about my favorite sports team. It is fun.

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