Damn You, Joe Johnson And The Sherman You Rode In On

Damn You Joe Johnson

Every franchise has key dates in its history that defines what the franchise is, turned it around or started a downturn, or defined the philosophy of the front office . In the case of the most iconic professional sports franchise in the history of sport, Manchester United, included, there has been too many to list here, but there is one in my estimation that has resulted in the situation the Packers find themselves in today.

April Fools Three Weeks Early

The Walking Dead Brain Trust Leads the Packers

Free agency is in full swing with many middling free agents available who could help a Packer lineup that has huge holes at inside linebacker and on the offensive line, but the Walking Dead Brain Trust who run the greatest franchise in sports history turned their attention inward to protect the Just Good Enough Packers instead of building the soon to be 5-time Super Bowl Champion Packers.

Speaking of free agency, the Detroit Lions beat writer for SB Nation made this comment about the Packers, "they often do nothing at all on the first day out of some misguided notion of That Was The Way Things Were or whatever they sell to Wisconsin simpletons these days."

It's Official JUST GOOD ENOUGH Is Now Official Packers Policy

The JUST GOOD ENOUGH Packers Leadership

The NFL's March Madness is here, actually everywhere in the league, but Green Bay. March 1 at 4 p.m. was the deadline for clubs to designate Franchise or Transition Players. The next official period starts March 7 when clubs are permitted to contact, and enter into contract negotiations with the certified agents of players who will become Unrestricted Free Agents upon the expiration of their 2015 Player Contracts at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 9.

As I mentioned above the other 31 teams of the NFL are active during this period, except the Green Bay Packers first under General Manager Ted Thompson since 2005 (11 seasons), then under both Ted Thompson and Head Coach Mike McCarthy since 2006 (10 seasons) and currently under Thompson, McCarthy and CEO Mark Murphy since 2008 (8 seasons).

FROM THE SUBLIME TO THE RIDICULOUS, PART 16

SUBLIME

Leonardo DiCaprio finally won an Oscar, but it was Aaron Rodgers and Olivia Munn on the red carpet that got the most national attention.

Munn was at the Academy Awards as a presenter teaming with Jason Segel of "How I Met Your Mother" fame to present the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Scientific and Technical Awards.

When she arrived the happy "not engaged" couple walked the red carpet and Mr. Rodgers and "Miss" Munn posed for the camera just like any other Hollywood power couple.

Spooky Special Teams

Time To Replace Tim Masthay

For the first time during the Ted Thompson/Mike McCarthy Era special teams wasn't the weak link on a team that had many weak links. However, punter Tim Masthay's year and a half odyssey of going from the best punter the Packers have had since Craig Hentrich to so Jekyll and Hyde it might be a good idea to find a replacement.

After Hentrich was allowed to leave in free agency in 1997, something former Packer General Manager Ron Wolf said was his biggest mistake, the Packers went through Sean Landeta (1 year-he left in free agency too). Louie Aguiar (2 years), Josh Bidwell (4 years- he left in free agency), Bryan Barker (1 year), B.J. Sander and Ryan Flinn (1 season), Jon Ryan (he was cut by Thompson before his third season), Derrick Frost and Jeremy Kapinos (1 season), Jeremy Kapinos (1 more year) and then Masthay took the job in 2010.

Masthay was fabulous for four and a half seasons until the second half of 2014. He still was having issues last year finishing as the 13th ranked punter. It's time to look for a new punter.

Hold That Ghost

B. J. Raji is Hoping to See Another Packer Training Camp

The Packers have five pending unrestricted free agents on defense. The biggest one, literally, figuratively and otherwise, is nose tackle B. J. Raji.
 

Raji was allowed to test the free agency waters two years ago and ended up re-signing with the Packers on a 1-year deal. He missed the entire 2014 season with a biceps injury. He didn't find any takers last year and re-signed again on a 1-year deal and played the entire season, but didn't have a breakout season despite being moved, if in name only, back to nose tackle from left defensive end.
 

When the other nose tackle, Letroy Guion, was re-signed to a 3-year deal on Feb. 12, it seemed to indicate that the Packers were ready to move on from their former No. 9 pick overall in the 2009 draft. However, late breaking news has the Packers opening negotiations with Raji during the combines.