Last Monday night Charles Woodson was the player/guest on Larry McCarrans " Locker Room Live "
When talking about how he became a Green Bay Packer:
He said (not word for word), "I never wanted to play in Green Bay, I never wanted to come to Green Bay but I was out of options and now that I'm here I'm happy".

So hearing from the horses mouth that the only reason he is in Green Bay was because he was out of options makes me laugh about how Ted Thompson has been given so much credit for the excellent signings of Pickett and Woodson in free agency.

Woodson fell into the lap of the Green Bay Packers not because of Teds agressiveness and accumen in free agency, but because Woodson felt that he was out of options.

So much for that arguement.

I've posted the article on this very website that has a quote from Woodson where he was asked "why did you chose GB?" Woodson smiled and laughed and said "Money".


Personally, I could give a rats ass HOW we got him, the fact is, we have him and 31 other teams didn't. That shows that Ted evaluated Woodson well and that is deserving of some props.

---

Honestly.. the only time to date that Ted as rolled the dice big time.

He found the golden goose on the flop as well.

---

A. This has nothing to do with Pickett. You can't throw his name into your conclusion like it has any relevance.

B. The quality of the signing wasn't because Thompson fought off 31 other teams to get him. Most teams thought Woodson was washed up and Thompson saw an opportunity to grab a good player. That is why he gets credit for the move.

---

Plus, how can the fact that he was signed when he didn't want to come here be a negative on Ted Thompson in any way? The alternative way to look at it is that Ted Thompson took advantage of the fact that Woodson was out of other options and struck while the iron was hot. I just don't get the "Fell in his lap" argument, as if that somehow negates the fact that he was ultimately signed by TT.

Chuck had a right to not want to come to Green Bay.

Woodson was just worried about coming to a team that had a Ted Thompson running it after so many years under the brilliant guidance of the former great Al Davis.

When Ted starts drooling, I will stop loving.

Ted's the man.

---

There was an issue with Pickett as well - dischord between him and management/coaching. Since he has come to Green Bay he has been nothing but content with the situation. Another move that paid off.

---

Thompson still had to go get him. The fact is most thought Woodson was done and Thompson did take a chance. He deserves credit for that.

It's a shame he hasn't taken more chances in free agency more often.

---

I wasnt' expecting the conclusion that you came to, yoop. I thought you'd say something about the difficulty of bringing a big FA into Green Bay. Players want to end up in new york, Dallas, Philly, San Diego, or Tampa... not cold, remote Green Bay Wisconsin. I think you've got to give Ted credit for signing a player who did not want to be a Packer. Fell into his lap? How do you get that from, "I never wanted to play in Green Bay"???? Seems to me to be just the opposite. Who knows what Wood meant when he said he was out of options? Maybe he meant that there were no teams other than GB willing to pay him the kind of money he wanted. It depends on what a person's definition of the word "options" is.

---

Boy....now the Ted Thompson bashers are out bitching about the circumstances under which Woodson BECAME a Packer, not the fact that he is. Honestly, you folks need to get a little perspective.

Oh, by the way....numerous teams were after Woodson, as a safety, which so many "experts" deemed his only move left to extend his career. Ted Thompson offered him the promise of remaining at corner, and the possibility to be active in returns to lure him here. Great job, TT!!!

Sorry if these little facts are inconvenient to your rabid, frothing rant.

---