Jason Whitlock of Foxsports is certainly not everyone's cup of tea and he does think far too highly of himself as some sort of arbiter of truth, but I am sure many fans will enjoy his latest article which includes the following gems:

"The inconvenient, impolite, painful, highly entertaining and worthy-of-ample-discussion truth is Brett Favre wanted out of Green Bay because he believes Ted Thompson is a moron. Favre spent one year in New York just so he could get to Minnesota and prove that Ted Thompson is a moron."

"All of this reflects poorly on Ted Thompson. Favre contended throughout his final seasons in Green Bay that he could still perform at an MVP level. He wanted better support. He wondered why Thompson's first significant act as GM was picking Aaron Rodgers in the first round of the 2005 draft. Think about that. Five years ago Thompson used a critical draft pick on a player to replace the QB capable of a 106-passer rating in 2009. The Packers had their quarterback of the future — Brett Favre."

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/s...-Thompson-wrong

Not another history revaling article about an event that happened TWO FREAKING  YEARS AGO! 

Water under the bridge and the bell cannot be unrung.

Best. Article. Ever.  The tide is turning.

Ted Thompson is a moron.  It took me a while to see it, but I see it now.  Anyone who tunes into any Green Bay Packers game and sees Aaron Rodgers get sacked and hit 20 times a game should be able to figure it out as well.  I don't mind the plan of building threw the draft, but after 5 drafts which of them is making any kind of impact?  Jennings, Collins and Rodgers.  And then....   Spitz? College? Sitton? Hawk? Harrell? Nelson? Brohm?  Ted Thompson has had 1... 1 draft pick make a Pro Bowl. 

He has had his time to "build his team" and final score... FAIL!

I really like Jordy!  Sure this knee injury has slowed him  a bit, but I think he's the real deal.  Time will tell...

KiwiFan wrote:

Jason Whitlock of Foxsports is certainly not everyone's cup of tea and he does think far too highly of himself as some sort of arbiter of truth, but I am sure many fans will enjoy his latest article which includes the following gems:

 

"The inconvenient, impolite, painful, highly entertaining and worthy-of-ample-discussion truth is Brett Favre wanted out of Green Bay because he believes Ted Thompson is a moron. Favre spent one year in New York just so he could get to Minnesota and prove that Ted Thompson is a moron."

 

"All of this reflects poorly on Ted Thompson. Favre contended throughout his final seasons in Green Bay that he could still perform at an MVP level. He wanted better support. He wondered why Thompson's first significant act as GM was picking Aaron Rodgers in the first round of the 2005 draft. Think about that. Five years ago Thompson used a critical draft pick on a player to replace the QB capable of a 106-passer rating in 2009. The Packers had their quarterback of the future — Brett Favre."

 

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/s...-Thompson-wrong

What he fails to mention is that his quarterback of the future had publicly commented about now knowing if he would want to play the next year or not.  Favre's own evaluation with the media pushed the Packers into looking toward the future.

Had Favre told the Packers, I'm going to play until I'm 40 as long as I'm healthy, they could have used those draft picks to build around him.  Neither side handled Favre's retirement well.  Simple as that.

Come on Winstonone, you are quickly becoming the minority who refuses to acknowledge the final truth of the matter regarding Favre.  You don't like the guy, are worried that Rodgers is somehow degraded because Favre is not looked upon negatively, and back Thompson's flawed team building model, almost like you were from the Packer PR department!  Give it up already!  YOU say Whitlock is slanted?  Whitlock isn't even a Packer fan!  YOU ARE!  Now just who has a slanted view?

Regarding Thompson, his draft and team building model is severely flawed, and that is becoming evident.  He is not using the same method that Wolf used, and though that certainly is not a requirement for being the Packer GM, it certainly served Wolf well and got GB to 2 SBs.  Read Wolf's book "The Packer Way"  that will show you were Wolf and Thompson part ways, and it will open your eyes to where Thompson is going wrong.  Wolf said the BPA was no longer a valid way to draft, back in 1998!!!! 

Thompson, is going in reverse!

Winstonone, YOU need to come back from the darkside!!!!!!!!!  Come on, we won't bite!  The Favre issue is finally put to rest, and now we are on to getting the GM thing fixed!  Come join us!

4forever wrote:

I really like Jordy!  Sure this knee injury has slowed him  a bit, but I think he's the real deal.  Time will tell...

2 Words.

DeSean Jackson.

Consider the source.

Thats not what happened at all.  That is the version the Packers sold the public.

The actual version is that Favre wanted out of Green Bay.  The Packers tried to leverage him into staying retired or benched as the back-up, then rumored the false tampering charges against the Vikings to keep their interest at bay.  Favre went on national TV and showed up at Training camp to leverage back on the Packers to force a trade or release.  He also turned down the multi-million dollar marketing agreement the packers wanted from him.  After being traded, Favre's marketing income will now be shared by 4 teams and Favre, instead of 2 teams and Favre.  Thats how much it was worth to the Packers to keep him retired or benched in GB.

So now then...  the reason Favre wanted out was NOT Rodgers, Favre needed Rodgers promoted to the starting position, and they had to stand by him in order for him to get clear from them.  Thompson, was the reason Favre left.  Better GM doing what it takes to win now, and not some day in the future.

Winstonone wrote: The article had a lot of truth but was extremely slanted. Why can't Favre just be a man and say "I blew it" by talking about retirement and crying wolf every year since 2002? Thompson is appearing incompetent and may lose his job over all this and if he does then what has he really lost in the eyes of Green Bay fans? Nothing! He never had anything to lose because no one ever had any love for him in the Packer organization. He is too tight! He should have gotten Moss. He should have made the big run at a quality RB and spent the money to win it all while Favre was still here. I agree with all that. And now if he loses his job at some point people will dispise him but again he was not loved to begin with. Blaming him for selecting Rodgers with his first pick after Sherman had flailed around picking up rejects like Tim Couch and Craig Nall is nuts. Rodgers fell to us and Favre had already been talking retirement for a couple years. You cannot plan ahead when your QB (that the whole franchise is built around) keeps you guessing every year about his desire to return. Selecting Rodgers was the one good move TT made. However he should have kept Rodgers as a future investment and then built a better team around Favre for the present. That would have been the best of both worlds. Instead it seemed he just drafted and waited for Rodgers time to come.

I think this whole thing hurt Packer fans terribly and they are the ones that got the raw end of the deal. TT had no Packer legacy to blow up. Favre is getting his revenge and does not care if he has thrown Packer fans under the bus. We are the ones that should be ticked at both of these jokers for thier selfish actions!

2002?  Crying wolf?  Last time I checked Favre gave his decision to the Packers EVERY single year before the draft.  And that was started in 2005.  Just because he was asked about retirement in the middle of his 2003 season, and answered honestly, he was rode like a rented mule.

2003 for Favre is the same as this year for Manning, where are all of the questions and badgering for him?

Winston, your slant is becoming more and more evident, and if Favre continues to play at a high level there is a very good chance he plays again NEXT year.  That will be FIVE years into the future.  What GM could possibly look more than five years into the future.  If any GM is doing that in today's NFL, they are truly lost.

There were at least 4-5 probowlers that went around the same spot as Rodgers.  Imagine Logan Mankins w/ that pick, Randy Moss, and say an Alan Faneca.  Couple that with a myriad of runners from that draft including 2nd and 3rd rounders Marion Barber III or Frank Gore and this team, with Favre, could be staring down a FEW serious playoff runs.

Instead, its always the future.

So last week the media performed a full rectal examination of Brett Favre's emotions, and no one — that I saw — took a peek into the empty cranium that upon being given control of the Packers franchise in 2005 decided its first order business was to develop the Brett Favre Relocation Plan.

Twenty-four regular-season games into Favre's removal as Green Bay's starting quarterback, Ted Thompson looks every bit as stupid as Peter Pocklington, the man who traded Wayne Gretzky to Los Angeles.

 there's not a damn thing the Packers can do to mask Thompson's incompetence.

I'll be asking my peers in the jury room to sentence Thompson to the unemployment line and hand Favre the league's MVP Award.

That's right. Halfway through the season Favre is the clear-cut MVP. It ain't even close. Right now Favre is sportsman of the year. That's not hyperbole.

If Favre's second-half play matches what he's delivered through eight games and the Vikings win the Super Bowl, he will have elevated himself to Babe Ruth, Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan and Jim Brown status.

What Favre has done so far this season is the stuff of legends. It surpasses Ruth's "called shot" in the 1932 World Series and Joe Namath's Super Bowl guarantee. I'd put Favre's 2009 performance on par with the "Miracle on Ice" and Ali's "Rumble in the Jungle" victory.

I'm telling you, despite blanket coverage, we've totally missed the Favre story. We've failed to put this in proper context.

Favre is doing what Michael Jordan could not.

All of this reflects poorly on Ted Thompson. Favre contended throughout his final seasons in Green Bay that he could still perform at an MVP level. He wanted better support. He wondered why Thompson's first significant act as GM was picking Aaron Rodgers in the first round of the 2005 draft.

Think about that. Five years ago Thompson used a critical draft pick on a player to replace the QB capable of a 106-passer rating in 2009.

The Packers had their quarterback of the future — Brett Favre.

The NFL is a win-now league. When you have a chance to pair Favre with Randy Moss, you take that opportunity, win a Super Bowl or two and deal with the consequences later. Thompson chose to avoid the consequences and plan for the future.

Gimp and Scarecrow,

I do not share your opinion about Favre because if Favre had retired when he told Holmgren he was done in 2005, or after he contemplated it following the playoff losses to Philly in 04 and Minnesota in 05, then you would have been crying just like the rest of us that Favre had warned us and we were woefully unprepared with guys like peserson and craig Nall as the only remaining QBs. drafting Rodgers was not a bad move. Let me ask you this: Would it be stupid for Minnesota to draft a QB in the first rd. this coming draft if the guy many rate as the top player in the draft falls to them? Even if Favre returns next year? I mean why would minnesota not want a good QB waiting to take over this team they have if Favre does retire? Well that is the same stinking situation Favre put Green Bay in for the last 6 or 7 years with his lack of commitment to the future. How can I come in out of the darkness that is called REALITY!

As for TT you either don't read my posts or you ignore them to label me something I am not but I repeatedly say TT and MM are failing and unless a miracle happens before the end of the year they should be held accountable. All offseason I bashed methodical Ted for not spending money on FA! I spat on him for not signing Randy Moss and Gonzo. What exactly do you want me to say?

I think TT and Favre have both let Packer fans down. Favre loved the worship he got in Green Bay. When he felt jilted by the GM who refused to bow to him he took it out on the whole organization. Yes he can still play. Yes he may have won another SB in Green Bay if Ted were not too tight to open the wallet and go get  Moss and others. i feel bad that Favre did not end it here in GB with a championship and TT is mainly to blame for the team he did or did not build. But Favre is not completely innocent here. He betrayed his true fans rather than sticking to his guns and refusing to retire. Rodgers is the QB now. For you guys that think Favre is still the QB...come in out of the dark.

For me its about results on the field. I don’t care what philosophy a particular GM uses as long as it works. Still, I don’t think there is one right way to do it and it seems overly narrow to just use one method to acquire players. As Wolf showed, the right veteran player can have a dramatic influence and there are plenty of good examples of using FA and having it work out just fine. In fact Woodson is a good example here. Nothing wrong with using the draft, but I suppose it would be nice to see more aggressive means to filling holes and unknowns.

As for Favre I think the writer is trying to show a correlation between choosing Rodgers, not going out and getting Moss and other FA, and going young as trying to move Favre out of Green Bay. I don’t agree with that, sure the end result shows that is what happened but I don’t think you would see TT do any different regardless of who the QB is. Its not as though now that Rodgers is “in” we are going hog wild sparing no expense to surround HIM with talent. The reality is this GM is always looking at the future and never acquiring for the now. Wrong methodology perhaps, but conspiracy its not.

I think others have addressed the QB of the future Favre as nowhere near a sure bet. Favre himself once said he wouldn’t be around in 07 and has retired twice. We know now that he always came back, that he unretired…..but back then Im not sure how you take that for granted. I don’t think any GM would. How long do you beg a guy to come back without taking some steps toward protection for his moving on? I think the author kind of leaves that out.

Thompsons approach may fail, but his adherence to it cannot be called into question. It may not be as sexy to write about as Thompson hating Favre and wanting him gone, but its pretty much been his approach the whole time.  I think Thompson for his efforts has ammassed a decent collection of talented players, but he has yet to ammass a great team.  Ultimately he will have to in order to be viewed a success.

Last edited 11/6/2009 11:38 AM by LoveMD

Some of the blame for the current state of the Packers has to fall at the feet of Bob Harlan. Considering that the annual "will he or won't he retire" saga was in full gear in 2005, you have got to wonder out loud why Harlan would hire a GM that was widely known  to loathe aquiring FA's and believed in building through the draft. All of this is hindsight from us fans, but Damn, something as fundamental as scrutinizing a GM's basical philosophy of building a team should be the first thing that a President(or owner) should consider when making the GM hire.  Did Harlan completely forget that Favre was on the backside of his career? Did Harlan not understand that a GM that built a SB team in Seattle might come to the Packers with an ego build on his past success? In short..WTF was Harlan thinking is what I'd like to know. 

KiwiFan wrote:

Jason Whitlock of Foxsports is certainly not everyone's cup of tea and he does think far too highly of himself as some sort of arbiter of truth, but I am sure many fans will enjoy his latest article which includes the following gems:

 

"The inconvenient, impolite, painful, highly entertaining and worthy-of-ample-discussion truth is Brett Favre wanted out of Green Bay because he believes Ted Thompson is a moron. Favre spent one year in New York just so he could get to Minnesota and prove that Ted Thompson is a moron."

 

"All of this reflects poorly on Ted Thompson. Favre contended throughout his final seasons in Green Bay that he could still perform at an MVP level. He wanted better support. He wondered why Thompson's first significant act as GM was picking Aaron Rodgers in the first round of the 2005 draft. Think about that. Five years ago Thompson used a critical draft pick on a player to replace the QB capable of a 106-passer rating in 2009. The Packers had their quarterback of the future — Brett Favre."

 

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/s...-Thompson-wrong

A good article that I mostly agree with...except this part.  Drafting Aaron Rodgers was probably the best thing TT has done in Green Bay.  Favre was getting up in years (35!)....who knew how much longer he was going to play?  The time to look for his replacement is NOT after Favre retires....but a couple of years beforehand so that a young QB can have time to learn and not have to be thrown to the wolves.

There are too many Packer fans who do not understand this concept.

rdawsoniii wrote:

 

KiwiFan wrote:

Jason Whitlock of Foxsports is certainly not everyone's cup of tea and he does think far too highly of himself as some sort of arbiter of truth, but I am sure many fans will enjoy his latest article which includes the following gems:

 

"The inconvenient, impolite, painful, highly entertaining and worthy-of-ample-discussion truth is Brett Favre wanted out of Green Bay because he believes Ted Thompson is a moron. Favre spent one year in New York just so he could get to Minnesota and prove that Ted Thompson is a moron."

 

"All of this reflects poorly on Ted Thompson. Favre contended throughout his final seasons in Green Bay that he could still perform at an MVP level. He wanted better support. He wondered why Thompson's first significant act as GM was picking Aaron Rodgers in the first round of the 2005 draft. Think about that. Five years ago Thompson used a critical draft pick on a player to replace the QB capable of a 106-passer rating in 2009. The Packers had their quarterback of the future — Brett Favre."

 

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/s...-Thompson-wrong

A good article that I mostly agree with...except this part.  Drafting Aaron Rodgers was probably the best thing TT has done in Green Bay.  Favre was getting up in years (35!)....who knew how much longer he was going to play?  The time to look for his replacement is NOT after Favre retires....but a couple of years beforehand so that a young QB can have time to learn and not have to be thrown to the wolves.

 

There are too many Packer fans who do not understand this concept.

So then, THIS year would have been the year to draft a QB.

thinkfirsttalksecond wrote:

So last week the media performed a full rectal examination of Brett Favre's emotions, and no one — that I saw — took a peek into the empty cranium that upon being given control of the Packers franchise in 2005 decided its first order business was to develop the Brett Favre Relocation Plan.

 

Twenty-four regular-season games into Favre's removal as Green Bay's starting quarterback, Ted Thompson looks every bit as stupid as Peter Pocklington, the man who traded Wayne Gretzky to Los Angeles.

 

 there's not a damn thing the Packers can do to mask Thompson's incompetence.

 

I'll be asking my peers in the jury room to sentence Thompson to the unemployment line and hand Favre the league's MVP Award.

 

That's right. Halfway through the season Favre is the clear-cut MVP. It ain't even close. Right now Favre is sportsman of the year. That's not hyperbole.

 

If Favre's second-half play matches what he's delivered through eight games and the Vikings win the Super Bowl, he will have elevated himself to Babe Ruth, Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan and Jim Brown status.

 

 

What Favre has done so far this season is the stuff of legends. It surpasses Ruth's "called shot" in the 1932 World Series and Joe Namath's Super Bowl guarantee. I'd put Favre's 2009 performance on par with the "Miracle on Ice" and Ali's "Rumble in the Jungle" victory.

 

I'm telling you, despite blanket coverage, we've totally missed the Favre story. We've failed to put this in proper context.

 

Favre is doing what Michael Jordan could not.

 

 

All of this reflects poorly on Ted Thompson. Favre contended throughout his final seasons in Green Bay that he could still perform at an MVP level. He wanted better support. He wondered why Thompson's first significant act as GM was picking Aaron Rodgers in the first round of the 2005 draft.

 

Think about that. Five years ago Thompson used a critical draft pick on a player to replace the QB capable of a 106-passer rating in 2009.

 

The Packers had their quarterback of the future — Brett Favre.

 

 

The NFL is a win-now league. When you have a chance to pair Favre with Randy Moss, you take that opportunity, win a Super Bowl or two and deal with the consequences later. Thompson chose to avoid the consequences and plan for the future.

 

 

In a way TT is having to deal with the Consequences now also. The only Teams the Pack can beat are the CRAP O fers, rebuilding or injury depleted Teams ( Colts last year ).  The " We're talented " and " We'll get that cleaned up " has gone on toooooo long in Title Town.

On top of that, we're soon going to have to make decisions on keeping Pickett, Kampy, AH, Cliffy and Tausch as to whether we keep them next year, and there's not much PROVEN talent behind them. Maybe T Williams can take over for AH, but who then takes over for Williams. The OFT injured Lee or Blackmon?

And why TT put Meredith on the PS instead of Dietrich-Smith, who playes G/C a position we're overloaded with is beyond me. Oh I forgot, he's a Special Teams monster ( sarcasm ).

Winstonone, I didn't mean to imply that you were a supporter of TT.  For the most part, you were always a wait and see kind of guy.  Now there's still a chance that everything changes, but I don't foresee it happening.  In fact, as a Packer fan, there's nothing I'd like more than to be wrong, because saying TT and MM are gone, it means a whole new process of rebuilding.

That being said, I think you are largely wrong on your perception of blame regarding the Favre scenario.  I think history will judge this scenario as Favre having the right of the situation, and Thompson will be the goat.

As long as some here actually believe that Favre wanted to play on the team that TT had created they will never be able to understand anything else about the whole retire/unretire saga.

Favre wanted to play in GB and in front of the GB fans for his entire career. He wanted to bring another Lombardi or two home where they belong BUT he could not do it alone. He got desperate enough to chance his future in GB trying to leverage TT to go acquire more weapons. TT called what he believed was Favre's bluff and shipped the face of the franchise to the Big Apple to flounder into the history books. Thompson, like many before him, failed to understand the magnitude of Favre's desire to win and his ability to get the most out of his surrounding cast. The Jets were very good with Favre, his team mates ELECTED him captain. The Jets beat the best teams in the league and were 8-3 and considered one of the front runners to get to the SB. Favre was elected to the pro bowl, the Packers were struggling and TT was looking like an idiot.

TT's prayers were answered when Favre was injured and the Jets as a team had the wheels come off. Without Favre to put a bunch of points on the board and control time of possession, the Jets passing defense struggled, the defensive line became swiss cheese and Thomas Jones suddenly became a 2ypc runner. TT looked like the genius who dumped Favre just in time............ but what about the Pack? Without Favre to improvise and carry the load they struggled to win games. Rodgers, while statistically very good could not seem to muster a drive when the game was on the line and the Pack went 6-10. Favre retired again end of story whew.....TT dodged another bullet but what about the Packers? Second loosing season and Rodgers tied, most likely, the only Favre record he will ever approach. Number of loosing seasons.

But wait a minute....The Vikings had a nice team and are terrible at QB. Favre wanted to be there anyway and there is a simple procedure that could repair the damage. Now 8 weeks into the NFL season and who (TT or Favre) seems to be in a better position to succeed.............Time will tell, but at this time the Packers have won about 1/2 as many games since they dumped Favre as Favre has won since dumping the Pack.

Scarecrow,
I am not holding my breath either on TT and MM. I also hate to start over again but at least we do have a young QB to build on. But anyway I think there was a way for TT to be totally responsible for the Favre deal.

1) TT just flat out trades Favre before 2008 with Favre never retiring first. If that had happened it would all be on TT.

2) Favre reporting to camp in 08' (having never retired) and the Pack saying they had moved on and he would either be a backup or cut.

If either of those things had happened then fans could not place blame on Favre at all. But if he intentionally forced his way out of green Bay, or if he let his animosity toward TT lead him to retire figuring he could force his way to another team, or if he simply retired and changed his mind but chose to let revenge toward TT fuel him and therefore blinded him to the fact he was also stabbing millions of loyal fans in the back....then I say he is not innocent. Favre is not a bad guy. He is a great player. But both he and TT are guilty of ripping the hearts out of millions of Packer fans and splitting Packer nation down the middle. Trying to see only Favre's side is no more rational than blaming Favre exclusively.

Winstonone, he never told Holmgren is wanted to retire in 05.  Where did you get that?  He did go talk to Holmgren and asked Holmgren what he thought of Favre's career, whether or not he felt Favre was still performing at a high level.  I think you twisted that up pretty good.

Regarding item 2,  Are you intentionally ignoring the entire multi million dollar marketing that is involved in getting rid of someone like Favre.  Not the same thing as trading away a lineman.  Thompson had no intention of letting Favre go, and that IS the fact of hte matter.  Favre fought hiw way out of Green Bay.  Again, you are in denial!

By the way, it would appear he also did a fine job of running Andrew Brandt out of town.  Everyone wondered why he left town.  He was the guru of contracts in Green Bay.  Suddenly, he is gone!  Yeah, Thompson is doing a great job of chasing away talent in Green Bay.  Whitlock has this thing totally in the bullseye.

http://www.nationalfootballpos...he-Packers.html

http://www.nationalfootballpos...dcast-guys.html

Beuhler?  Beuhler?

I agree with the article for the most part, but drafting Rodgers was the best thing the Terd has done. TT not assembling a team and signing free agents is the problem. Again, this is a win now league not build through the draft. It is a combination of the two and TT only does one. Favre had to move on because there was no chance to win here and TT wanted him gone. Now Rodgers must bear the brunt -and hopefully survive- TT's incompetence. 

Gimpybutt wrote:

Winstonone, he never told Holmgren is wanted to retire in 05.  Where did you get that?  He did go talk to Holmgren and asked Holmgren what he thought of Favre's career, whether or not he felt Favre was still performing at a high level.  I think you twisted that up pretty good.

 

Regarding item 2,  Are you intentionally ignoring the entire multi million dollar marketing that is involved in getting rid of someone like Favre.  Not the same thing as trading away a lineman.  Thompson had no intention of letting Favre go, and that IS the fact of hte matter.  Favre fought hiw way out of Green Bay.  Again, you are in denial!

 

By the way, it would appear he also did a fine job of running Andrew Brandt out of town.  Everyone wondered why he left town.  He was the guru of contracts in Green Bay.  Suddenly, he is gone!  Yeah, Thompson is doing a great job of chasing away talent in Green Bay.  Whitlock has this thing totally in the bullseye.

 

http://www.nationalfootballpos...he-Packers.html

 

http://www.nationalfootballpos...dcast-guys.html

 

Beuhler?  Beuhler?

Really insightful articles, Gimp.  Thanks for posting.

Pretty entertaining article, and I fully agree that Thompson is a moron, but it is just one writer's interpretation of what happened.  The problems with TT's approach are: 1) he doesn't seem to be that great an evaluator of talent, certainly not along the lines, and as compared to other GMs in the league (even the worst generally find one or two good players over the course of multiple drafts); and 2) by the time some of his players pan out, others are on the downhill slope/approaching retirement and need to be replaced.  Building almost exclusively through the draft has gotten us stuck in a perpetual rebuilding cycle.