The LaFleur Era Has Begun or Has It Really?

It took 1 year, but the refurbishing of the Green Bay Packers is finally taking place. Like I said before the Packers move like a glacier under the leadership (or lack there of) of Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No. Evil CEO Mark Murphy and in the case of Head Honcho Ted Thompson and Head Coach Mike McCarthy, it took over seven years for him to recognize the deliberate deterioration of the Packers budding 3rd Dynasty.

Aaron Rodgers and the Packers are at a Crossroads

I think it would be safe to say if Aaron Rodgers played like Aaron Rodgers the Packers would be in the playoffs, despite the terrible leadership and play calling of Mike McCarthy and the terrible leadership and team building of Ted Thompson and his successor Brian Gutekunst. Rodgers had always overcompensated for those frauds Thompson and McCarthy, but for some unknown reason he hasn’t been able to do that this year for Gutekunst and McCarthy.

Oh Say It Ain’t So

I don’t know if it was as easy for you as it was for me, but the firing of Mike McCarthy was easy as pie (by the way where did that saying come from? I have made pies and cakes and it is a lot easier to make a cake than a pie) for me. I was so ready to NOT see that chubby fellow hidden behind his play sheet on the sidelines calling plays I predicted he would call, which predictably failed most of the time, especially after a timeout. I didn’t miss him at all. Not at all. I wonder how many others felt that way. Joe Philbin has revitalized Aaron Rodgers in particular and the offense in general. I also don’t miss Dom Capers up in his perch but for an entirely different reason. Mike Pettine sits in Capers seat and the Packers defense fails just as often as Capers’ defense did. It’s as if Dom just had a makeover.

But now word has come out that the Packers have interviewed two coaches. Before I mention their sorry names I want to make a comparison. When Ted Thompson was promoted and put in charge of tutoring his bastard son Brian Gutekunst the Packers didn’t miss a beat – the Thompson Beat I mean.

Why Are These Men Still In The Building?

I have been sitting here (well, some of the time) watching the Green Bay Packers shuffle the deck chairs on their Titanic and wondering why the buffoons who used to call themselves the “I Trust in Ted” crowds or “Tedders” as I call them cheer the moves the Board of Directors made (I know President Mark Murphy said he made those decisions all by his little lonesome, but we all know that is just the latest from the Ted Thompson Fake News Division) concerning the front office and coaching staff. But I want to make clear to all of you that basically the same mind set that gave the Packers 1 Super Bowl appearance in 13 years with arguably the best 2 quarterbacks in NFL history is alive and well at 1265 Lombardi Avenue.

Tyrant Ted’s Legacy

The 13-year reign of Ted Thompson is finally over or is it? The irony of Thompson’s business style was he was hired to break up exactly what he eventually ended up becoming – one man rule.

Let’s look back to what brought Tyrant Ted back to Green Bay in the 1st place. Mike Sherman was the last of the General Manager/Head Coaches that had started with Curly Lambeau and ended the 1st time with Gene Rozani in 1953 when Vern Lewellen became General Manager. It started again when Vince Lombardi was hired in 1959 and ended the second time in 1980 when Bart Starr had his power over personnel removed when Dick Corrick was hired as Director of Football Operations. Tom Braatz replaced Corrick in 1987 and remained as defacto General Manager until 1991 when Ron Wolf was hired as General Manager. When Wolf retired in 2001 Mike Sherman was hired as the 1st General Manager/Head Coach since 1980 and it was his time in both offices that brought us Ted Thompson I. A combination of the disastrous signing of Joe Johnson in 2002 and the lack of playoff success (2-4), including the 1st playoff loss at Lambeau Field in 2002 (ironically Mike McCarthy has lost at Lambeau Field a total of 3 times in the playoffs - 2007, 2011,2013 and he didn’t get fired) brought Green Bay to a crisis moment and it was Tyrant Ted to the rescue in 2005 when Sherman was stripped of his General Managership. Sherman was fired the next season and Mundane Mike McCarthy was hired and the front office was set for the next 12 years.

The 1st 6 years of Tyrant Ted’s reign was magical. It started with the firing of Brett Favre after the 2007 season and a loss to Giants at Lambeau Field to the hiring of Mark Murphy as CEO and President in 2008 and ended in 2010 with Aaron Rodgers and Clay Matthews bringing the Lombardi Trophy back to Green Bay for the 1st time since 1996.

Happy Days were here again and the promise of a new Packers Dynasty was on the horizon with the best quarterback in football at the helm, but something went terribly wrong and the best way it came be described is by the phrase, “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely”.

I’ve Been To The Mountain Top…..At Least For A Day And A Half

It’s been an emotional nine days. The Packers savior – I’m not the savior – Aaron Rodgers couldn’t pull off another miracle and Brett Hundley, who is not a NFL starting quarterback who couldn’t beat anyone, but the da’ Bears, the 0-16 Browns (needed overtime) and the still disappointing Bucs even without Vinny Testaverde, even though both former General Manager (I love that) Ted Thompson and current (I hate that) head coach Mike McCarthy think otherwise., drove a nail into the season with two losses to the Vikings (ouch) by his second shutout (OUCH) and the Lions (ouch).

The season ended with a rout and then within hours word began to leak out of Thompson’s FAKE NEWS operation that Dom Capers was actually being fired. Could it be? Or were they just screwing with the Packers Backers who have been hoping for this moment since 2011? Mike McCarthy loves the man. He didn’t care if the defense sucked or gave up a chance to go to the Super Bowl three years ago because McCarthy had Rodgers to bail the team out. He didn’t care that the same problems kept popping up game after game, year after year, because he had Rodgers to bail the team out. He didn’t care…..

So I was trying not to get too excited, but it seems there is another force acting here since the Packers just had their eight-year playoff streak broken and even the “Tedders” had to have a scapegoat since they couldn’t blame their demigod Ted Thompson for putting together a lousy roster. However by the time I went to bed Sunday night Dom Capers was still officially the defensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers.

The Complete Collapse of the Murphy/Thompson/McCarthy/Capers Era

I remember when…..The Packers won the Super Bowl, the Packers had the No. 1 quarterback in all of football (a Collinsworthism) and the Packers were ranked No. 1 in the NFL.

A Leopard Will Change His Spots Before Ted Thompson Changes His

The “Just Good Enough” Packers of the Ted Thompson Era may not be just good enough this year, but it seems even the loss of the best quarterback in the game today and a defense that can’t be depended upon isn’t enough to get Thompson to adjust to the current dire situation and actually do something to help the team during the season.

New Stuff and Old Stuff

New Stuff

The NFL.com power rankings are out and if having the Detroit Lions tied for the North Division lead with the Packers didn’t impress you then get this the Lions are ranked No. 2 up from No. 4 and the Packers No. 5 up from 10.

This, That And The Other

This:

We now live in a Trump World of "Alternative Facts" and the NFL and Packers are caught in the middle of a good example.

On January 24, 2017 it was announced on Packers.com that Executive Vice President/General Manager & Director of Football Operations For Life Ted Thompson (I'm praying for the end of time) has signed 8 players to reserve/futures contract (all of which were on the practice squad at the end of the season).

However, on NFL.com (the official website of the NFL) on January 23, 2017 (it's funny or tragic how the NFL announcing something about the Packers before the Packers do) that the Packers had signed 8 players to reserve/futures contracts, but not the same eight players.

The official NFL.com transaction of Jan. 23 listed Reggie Gilbert, Antwan Goodley, Derrick Matthews, Lucas Patrick, Brian Price, Dez Stewart, Jermaine Whitehead and Jacob Flores being signed.

The official Packers.com transaction of Jan. 24 listed Reggie Gilbert, Antwan Goodley, Derrick Matthews, Lucas Patrick, Brian Price, Beau Sandland, Jermaine Whitehead and Jacob Flores being signed.

As you can see Dez Stewart is not on the list submitted by the Packers as being signed (he was released from the practice squad on December 2, 2016 when Joe Callahan was re-signed).

Season And Future At A Crossroads This Week

I know I've said this before, but the game against the Seahawks at Lambeau Field will determine the future of the Green Bay Packers in the short term and the long term.

 

General Manager Ted Thompson and Head Coach Mike McCarthy have backed the Packers in a corner this season having to win the last six games in order to keep their playoff streak alive and, to be brutally honest, nothing more than that because Thompson has left the 2016 Packers without enough talent to seriously content for the Super Bowl.

 

After wins over the Eagles and Texans following four straight losses to teams the Packers should have been able to beat (Falcons, Colts, Titans and Redskins) and seeing the Packers Power Ranking drop to 24 and sitting not only behind the Lions, of all teams, but also behind the Vikings after letting the Vikings win the North Division with a victory over the Packers at Lambeau Field the current owners of the mantle of Curly Lambeau, Vince Lombardi, Ron Wolf and Mike Holmgren have put the Packers on a course the "Tedders" and Ask Vic have been afraid of.

 

Clueless From The Head Down

The old saying, "a fish rots from the head on down" certainly relates to the current state of affairs with the Green Bay Packers. For the first time since 2008 the Packers are under .500 at this stage of the season and besides all the happy talk from CEO Mark "The Laughing Cow" Murphy down to quarterback Aaron Rodgers the fortunes of the Packers over the last six games will not improve by just ignoring the situation and saying it will turn around.

 

Murphy had stayed in his Ivory Tower all season and has made no statements since August until last week when he stuck his head out of his ass and made these statements, "I do hear from a lot of fans. And I tell fans: Like them, I'm disappointed."

 

Really when has he sat down and said anything to the fans directly as he just said he has. I would like any ordinary Packer Backers who have talked to Murphy one-on-one to let me know and I will admit I am wrong, but  I digress, "Certainly, the season hasn't gone the way we had all hoped, but there's a lot of football left to be played." Hold on there buckaroo, it seems "there's a lot of football left to be played" is the catch phrase of the season because Rodgers and few of the other players, Coach Mike McCarthy and General Manager Ted Thompson have used the same phrase. The watchword for surviving a crisis is to stay on message and the Packers braintrust and team leaders certainly are doing that.

 

Let The Games Begin

The Offseason Was So Busy I Really Need a Vacation

Once again CEO Mark Murphy and General Manager Ted Thompson have sleepwalked through the offseason while the other three teams in the Green and Gold and Black and Blue and Purple Division have been aggressive in filling holes in their rosters.

The Murphy/Thompson Regime drafted seven players, signed two free agents, released 10 and one retired, which according to my Southern Illinois math means they lost two players in the final summation.

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).

The Off-Season Has Begun With A Whimper And Not A Bang

I'm Mad as Hell And Nobody's Listening to Me

With CEO Mark Murphy and GM Ted Thompson firmly entrenched I will then say it's time for Mike McCarthy to go. After 10 seasons he's gotten complacent. He complained at the end of the season he didn't know why there was so much negativity about the Packers when they were 10-6 and in the playoffs for the seventh straight season.

Big Changes Needed

Eliot Wolf - The Future GM of a Super Bowl Team Not Named Packers

I want to state right up front I've been a big critic of General Manager Ted Thompson and finally a publication of significance (The Milwaukee Journal) has agreed with me and broached the subject of Thompson being fired.
 

I think all the problems the Packers had this season stem from Thompson's leadership and philosophy. So I think it's time to fire Thompson and elevate Eliot Wolf (son of Hall of Famer and former Packers GM Ron Wolf) from Director of Player Personnel before he is hired away like Seattle GM John Schneider in 2010, Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie in 2012 and Chiefs GM John Dorsey in 2013.
 

This becomes more urgent because Detroit and Tennessee made inquiries about talking to Wolf before the end of the season, but Thompson refused them permission. This only means that next year the 33-year old Wolf might be a hot commodity and will become the fourth Thompson protégée to leave and set up successful programs.

Envious

Vince Lombardi's Grandson Joe

I watched with a heavy heart as the news came down about the spate of firings started with Joe Philbin formally of the Dolphins on Oct. 5 and Vince Lombardi's grandson Joe - the offensive coordinator with the Lions - (along with offensive line coach Jeremiah Washburn and assistant Terry Heffernan) on Oct. 28 left me wanting more.

 

This past week since the debacle at Mile High my mood turned to envy when the Titans fired head coach Ken Whisenhunt and the Colts fired their offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton. And later the Lions continued their purge, which will include the head coach Jim Caldwell eventually, with firings of Team President Tom Lewand and General Manager Martin Mayhew.

 

FROM THE SUBLIME TO THE RIDICULOUS, PART ISA

This will be my 10th post since starting this enterprise and to celebrate this event you get lucky. Every 10th post will be a hodgepodge of interesting (hopefully) little tidbits of stories around (and sometimes very far around) and about the Green Bay Packers.

 

So to begin what from now on will be called "From the Sublime to the Ridiculous" is a story about a couple who bought a genuine Vince Lombardi sweater at a thrift shop for $.58. I would call that sublime.





The Sublime

It seems a man named Sean McEvoy from North Carolina was watching a documentary on Vince Lombardi when he noticed Coach Lombardi was wearing a sweater that looked like one they had purchased from a local thrift shop. The wife remembered a name tag and it turned out it was that sweater and it was appraised at $20,000. The only decision they have to make is to sell it on ebay or donate it to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Why can't I be that lucky? I can tell you I don't buy clothes at thrift shops. Maybe I should begin to? But maybe not I'm not that lucky.