Kinda OT: Packers Fire Employee After Comment to Mikey Mac

[Thunder Muscle]

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/art ... or-comment

A caller mentioned this on the 'The Fan' in Green Bay this week, but didn't know if it was true. But apparently it was. The caller said the employee told McCarthy not to lay an egg. Interesting. Similar story to that Eagles employee that got canned for his facebook comments, lol.

[Mags FTW]

They fired the wrong guy.

[Mags FTW]

Offhand remark to coach gets Packers employee sacked

"I will die in my grave knowing that I didn't say anything about laying an egg," he said. "I was shook up."

Wood says he's not even sure it's worth going back.

"I don't want to go back and be scrutinized," Wood said. "It's not the way I wanted to go out. But I know it didn't happen the way they said it did."

http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/69932532.html

I thought McCarthy was supposed to be a hard-nosed Pittsburgh guy?

[eagle13]

Hey M3 truth hurts?

M3 now = primadonna / pussy

[Newz]

They fired the wrong guy.

This is a really weird situation, by the way.

[MickeyDavis]

They are starting to circle the wagons at 1265 Lombardi Ave.

[Mags FTW]

McCarthy: I didn't fire worker
By Don Walker of the Journal Sentinel

Nov. 13, 2009 8:54 a.m. | Green Bay Packers Head Coach Mike McCarthy said Friday morning that he did not fire the part-time maintenance employee who lost his job after making an offhand remark to the coach.

McCarthy, speaking on Wisconsin's Morning News on WTMJ-AM (Radio 620), said of the incident: "I'm not in charge of the maintenance department, I can tell you that."

http://www.jsonline.com/business/69965267.html

[Thunder Muscle]

Week from hell for Mikey Mac.

[Captain Erv]

Good take by Mike Florio of PFT:

Firing of Lambeau Field worker could grease skids for McCarthy

Posted by Mike Florio on November 13, 2009 10:15 AM ET

During the offseason, a game day employee at Lincoln Financial Field lost his job after badmouthing the Eagles on his Facebook page. Despite the fact that Dan Leone had no defense to the reality that he foolishly posted for the world to see a message including the "F" word and calling the team "retarted" for allowing safety Brian Dawkins to sign with a new team, the move created a flood of local sympathy for the fired employee.

More recently, the Packers abruptly fired a 22-year member of the Lambeau Field maintenance crew, but not for using bad language or calling anyone "retarted" or saying anything in any forum that anyone other than coach Mike McCarthy would hear.

According to Don Walker of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wood saw McCarthy at Lambeau Field on the Thursday before the pressure-packed visit from Brett Favre and the Vikings, on November 1.

Wood says that he yelled to McCarthy, "Hey coach, let's get the boys ready to kick some butt this weekend."

The next day, Wood showed up for work. Nothing was said to him.

On the day of the game, Wood learned that he had been fired. He was told that McCarthy heard him say, "Don't lay an egg."

Um, where do we start?

First, if McCarthy was sufficiently worried in the three days before the biggest game at Lambeau Field since the Ice Bowl about some guy telling him not to "lay an egg" that it caused McCarthy to find out who said it and to have the guy fired, then maybe McCarthy wasn't as focused on getting himself and the team ready for the game as he should have been.

Second, the fact that McCarthy would have Wood fired shows that the coach's thick flesh is covered by ridiculously thin skin.

Third, at a time when the locals already are clamoring for Jon Gruden or Mike Holmgren or Mike Shanahan or any Mike not named McCarthy to be coaching the team in 2010, this is the kind of thing that can strike a chord with the people who made the Packers what they are.

McCarthy isn't one of them. He's a Pittsburgh guy. A transplant. A carpetbagger. Sure, he spent one season a decade ago in Green Bay as an assistant coach, but he's not a native son.

And here's the most obvious question the native sons and daughters will be asking: Why not meet with the guy and hear his side of the story? Maybe Wood is telling the truth. Maybe McCarthy, his blood pressure likely sky high as his plan to nudge Favre into retirement was about to explode once and for all, didn't accurately hear what Wood said.

Really, why would a 22-year employee be stupid enough to disrespect the head coach of the team to his face? Plenty of folks write stupid things on web sites and blogs. But most of us adopt some semblance of common sense and civility when dealing with other people directly.

So look for the storm clouds to continue to gather around McCarthy.

And look for him to hear things on Sunday at Lambeau Field far more profane and pointed than "don't lay an egg."

[marques-8]

From MM:"WE WILL GET THIS CLEANED UP"!

[Ayt]

Should we really assume MM had anything to do with this?

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

I have to think there is more to this story. I don't see how even a HC can have power over an employee unless he sucked. The fact that the staff didn't defend him or atleast compromise with a suspension points towards something else. Either that or MM is the biggest a-hole around. But again, I don't think we got the whole story.

Why would the department let a guy that knew everything go without a fight, if there wasn't something else about the guy.

[an_also]

From MM:"WE WILL GET THIS CLEANED UP"!

Pun intended

[eagle13]

Its all TT's fault!

[bucks59]

They're going to have to review the tape.

[Flames24Rulz]

From MM:"WE WILL GET THIS CLEANED UP"!

The employee had an arm. We feel very confident with the training program that he will be available next week. This week will be a tough decision as he will have to clear several hurdles to be active on gameday. But yes, I anticipate the employee will be ready to go next week.

[Mags FTW]

Fundamentals. He had poor mop level.

I hope the whole organization gets raked over the coals for this. 22 years...

[Newz]

Its all TT's fault!

I wonder if Justin Harrell's pad level would translate into good mopping skills?

He would probably suck at it, I don't know if he could handle all that walking around with the bad back.

[Ayt]

If Favre was still a Packer this never would have happened.

[an_also]

When are the Vikings signing him to their groundkeeping crew?