TT:We tried some crazy things but they just didn't work out

Post #1 » by **paulpressey25** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 5:15 pm

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/41244677.html

"Though it has been a typically quiet free agency period for Thompson, he told the Fan Fest crowd that he tried to make some moves in free agency, which drew a lukewarm response.

"There were a few things that we tried that were a little crazy that just didn't work out," Thompson said. "We don't keep score in free agency; a lot of the media seems to try to keep score. I think our main focus is the offseason program and the guys we have on our team."

eagle13 · Post #2 » by **eagle13** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 8:45 pm

TT = Steve Martin = wild & crazy guy

Post #3 » by **MickeyDavis** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 8:53 pm

That's one of the oddest quotes I've ever heard from a GM. I guess cutting your punter (and more importantly your holder) a week before the season starts because your special teams coach tells you Frost is fantastic is crazy. And then cutting him in DECEMBER. That's pretty crazy too.

Rockmaninoff · Post #4 » by **Rockmaninoff** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 9:07 pm

PP - Since you have him in your avatar, I've got to make the Plainview/Thompson comparison.

He has a competion in him and doesn't want to see anyone else succeed (Eli/Favre - Standard Oil/Rest of NFL). He won't abandon his child, unless the child gets injured and becomes a liability (HW/Rodgers). He doesn't want better help, if it is going to cost him (Standard Oil/Free Agents). Myself and one of my good buddies have been making sense of Ted Thompson, in this manner, for the better part of a year. What can I say? We know how to have fun!

But yeah, I take it 'crazy things' means spending money?

Post #5 » by **MickeyDavis** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 9:55 pm

Yeah but he said they tried "crazy things" last year that didn't work out. They didn't spend any money last year. Chillar was it. That wasn't really crazy and I'd say it worked out ok. He's an average guy with an average salary. Unless he's talking about Grant. It was crazy to drag contract talks into camp, he reported late and averaged 3.9 yards per carry. Not exactly what you want when you sign a guy to a $20 million deal.

Post #6 » by **Jollay** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 10:33 pm

I don't know what he's referring to with this quote--the story makes it seem like he's referring to this FA period.

I wonder if he means some possible trades, but what possibly could be considered "wild and crazy" in FA?

Does he mean actually signing a starter on a team with multiple holes that cannot possibly all be addressed in the draft? I consider that the sane thing to do 29 million under the cap...

Post #7 » by **ReasonablySober** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 10:43 pm

Judging from the fact that the majority of the league doesn't fit what you consider to be 'active' in free agency, I doubt staying out of the bonanza can be called crazy.

I'm sure he's talking about the punting situation.

dedned · Post #8 » by **dedned** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 1:40 am

I think he's talking about a lemon party.

Post #9 » by **paulpressey25** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 1:55 am

Rockmaninoff wrote:But yeah, I take it 'crazy things' means spending money?

That is what the quote is referencing. In Ted's world, he apparently was prepared to make some offers to free agents that he felt were perhaps "crazy" and free spending. But of course none of those "crazy" offers ever were accepted, presumably because other teams offered even "crazier" offers.

TT doesn't believe there is much ever available in free agency. He is 100% for spending discipline. The other story MJS had this week was how Olshansky didn't get the offer he wanted from the Packers partly because the Packers didn't want to guarantee him more money than what guys like Jenkins got, so that existing guys on the team aren't upset about outside FA's getting more money than they got.

TT has set himself up again to rely almost solely on the draft. Doesn't use trades. Doesn't use FA. It is the draft or bust.

Post #10 » by **ReasonablySober** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 2:01 am

You people are incredible.

:banghead:

Tramon Williams. Atari Bigby. Ryan Grant. Donald Lee. Ryan Pickett. Charles Woodson.

Starters last year that weren't drafted.

The first four names I rattled off cost the Packers next to nothing to acquire and they've had a greater impact than the overwhelming majority of the free agents that have gotten major bucks. The offseason isn't limited to two weeks.

aaprigs311 · Post #11 » by **aaprigs311** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 3:12 am

Not sure why people are still after TT. He's definitely done more good than bad. There isn't a flawless GM out there, sorry guys. They all make mistakes, it's part of the game. He's made some brilliant moves and a few questionable moves. John Hammond is the guy we should be ripping to shreads, not TT. Get over it.

Post #12 » by **Jollay** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 4:19 am

We should be ripping John Hammond to shreds after not being on the job 1 full year yet? But TT gets a pass after a 6-10 year after year 4 of building through the draft?

Seems about right....

Post #13 » by **MickeyDavis** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 2:20 pm

But the Packers record last year (and one winning record out of four) was the result of injuries and bad luck.

Thompson inherited a 10-6 team with cap trouble and turned it into a 6-10 team with cap space.

But again, bad luck and injuries.

It's funny that Sherman had ONE losing season as coach and Thompson fired him. We lost our #1 receiver the first game that year and our #1 running back played 5 games before a season ending injury.

When he fired Sherman Thompson said losing was unacceptable even with injuries. Thompson: "Every team has injuries. It's part of the NFL. You can't use that as an excuse". But many on this board do just that.

blueedwards · Post #14 » by **blueedwards** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 2:37 pm

I dont expect many signings after our draft other then extending our main guys. That are free agents in 2010 that are worth keeping. The 2010 list is below. Just something to ponder.

http://www.kffl.com/static/nfl/features ... eam&y=2010

Green Bay Packers
Pos Player Name FA Status
WR Greg Jennings UFA
OG Daryn Colledge UFA
OT Chad Clifton UFA
OT Tony Moll UFA
C Jason Spitz UFA
DL Johnny Jolly UFA
DL Aaron Kampman UFA
DL Ryan Pickett UFA
CB Will Blackmon UFA
SS Charlie Peprah UFA
FS Nick Collins UFA
LB Brandon Chillar UFA
SS Atari Bigby UFA

Post #15 » by **paulpressey25** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 3:24 pm

Jollay wrote:but what possibly could be considered "wild and crazy" in FA?

(Imagine Ted's voice in that of Ron Burgundy)

TT: "Reggie, bring me the phone"

McKenzie:"Oh Ted, not another prank player agent call. You know I have to deal with this guys throughout the year. Who is it this time? "

TT:'Brad Blank, Canty's agent."

TT: (dials Brad Blank) "Ummm...yes, Brad, this is Ron Burgundy, I'm new with the Packers. We'd like to offer your client a $100 million dollar contract. Like what Haynesworth got"

Brad Blank: "Oh c'mon Ted, I know it's you. I see your name on my caller ID. Do you want him or don't you? We can be on a plane tomorrow to visit but only if we know what your minimum bid is"

TT: "Well Brad, as you know, we've got lot's of defensive line depth up here. Guys like Reggie White, Willie Davis, Mike McCoy and many others. We probably can't pay what you're looking for, but we'd like you to come visit anyways with your client.

Blank: "Ok Ted, I've done this with you enough, and don't hand the phone over to "Veronica Corningstone". Minimum offer now or we don't visit"

TT: "Well, unfortunately if we gave you client more than we paid Cullen Jenkins, that might cause some division in our locker-room. So if you'd like something around what Jenkins got, call us back. You've got our number. (hangs phone up)"

TT: "Reggie, another successful foray into trying to lower the price of these guys. Leak it to McGinn that we had substantial conversations that are continuing"

aaprigs311 · Post #16 » by **aaprigs311** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 7:00 pm

MickeyDavis wrote:But the Packers record last year (and one winning record out of four) was the result of injuries and bad luck.

Thompson inherited a 10-6 team with cap trouble and turned it into a 6-10 team with cap space.

But again, bad luck and injuries.

It's funny that Sherman had ONE losing season as coach and Thompson fired him. We lost our #1 receiver the first game that year and our #1 running back played 5 games before a season ending injury.

When he fired Sherman Thompson said losing was unacceptable even with injuries. Thompson: "Every team has injuries. It's part of the NFL. You can't use that as an excuse". But many on this board do just that.

I'm not making excuses. 4-12/6-10 are unacceptable, you are all right on that account. However, I'm just a big fan of the direction the team is heading. A few tweaks on the offensive line and we could have a pretty dominant offensr for years to come. The defense is a work in progress, but TT/MM picked a great year to make the transition to the 34 with a plethora of LB/DE hybrids in the draft. I'm optimistic about next season and the future. Regardless of the losing seasons, I still believe TT has the ship sailing in the right direction.

El Duderino · Post #17 » by **El Duderino** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 8:45 pm

MickeyDavis wrote:But the Packers record last year (and one winning record out of four) was the result of injuries and bad luck.

Thompson inherited a 10-6 team with cap trouble and turned it into a 6-10 team with cap space.

But again, bad luck and injuries.

It's funny that Sherman had ONE losing season as coach and Thompson fired him. We lost our #1 receiver the first game that year and our #1 running back played 5 games before a season ending injury.

When he fired Sherman Thompson said losing was unacceptable even with injuries. Thompson: "Every team has injuries. It's part of the NFL. You can't use that as an excuse". But many on this board do just that.

I agree somewhat that Thompson gets quite a bit of butt kissing/excusing making even though in his four years as GM the team only has one winning season.

That said, i think overall he's done a decent job so far. Not terrible. Not great. This is a big year for Thompson, another non-winning season and the heat on him will be big time intense and it will be deserved. If though the Packers play well and make the playoffs, i hope some of his hardcore haters get off his back some. There are quite a few young to still fairly young players on the team, how they perform will be huge in whether the Packers play well or flounder again this season.

I'm with you on the excuses stuff. This will be year five of his tenure, if the team does struggle again, i'm just not going to buy into all the yea buts, if only's, and you can't blame him for's that some surely will be quick to throw out there. Ted has a great job, full authority without an owner butting in to play half-owner/half-GM. Nobody is more important to the success and failure of the team than Thompson, thus for me i think he deserves both the most credit or blame for it's performance.

eagle13 · Post #18 » by **eagle13** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 2:42 am

DrugBust wrote:Tramon Williams. Atari Bigby. Ryan Grant. Donald Lee. Ryan Pickett. Charles Woodson.

Starters last year that weren't drafted.

The first four names I rattled off cost the Packers next to nothing to acquire and they've had a greater impact than the overwhelming majority of the free agents that have gotten major bucks. The offseason isn't limited to two weeks.

Believe it or not I agree. TT has done OK in FA overall (if you throw out 1st year but we've already been there & done that). There has been NO high priced FA over the TT years that I wanted to pay what they got. BTW you forgot Chillar.