The Four Agreements From Week 18

Join your bald and important host as we put an untidy bow on yet another soul-crushing season-ending loss at Lambeau Field. 

 

It is difficult to explain to younger generations what a remarkably unbusy time the 1980's were in American history.  Decades before cell phones would ruin everything that once made this country cool, and eons before social media would fray our last remaining strands of concentration, we were united.  Bored and united.  And, not united by bric-a-brac  like politics or religion--NO!!!  We were drawn together by our simple pleasures (like lollipops in our mouths and butter in, um, never mind).  Pizza and beer on Friday nights.  Dollar matinees on Saturday afternoons.  Summer close-out sales at K-Mart.  And, of course, well-mustached news anchors opening up crypts on live TV.

Sixty million people worldwide huddled in nervous anticipation around the calming glow of their televisions on the 21st day of April, in the year of our Lord, 1986, to watch what would happen when Geraldo Riviera opened the long-sealed door to legendary mob boss Al Capone's vault.  And we watched this for two hours.  I repeat--TWO HOURS.  How was this rapt audience rewarded for investing 120 of their minutes on this overproduced spectacle--um, not well.  There was dirt.  A wooden chair.  A few old glass bottles.  And, a pallet-load of egg on Geraldo's hirsute face.  Millions upon millions of people watching something thought to be exciting with so little payoff?  Sounds like a perfect encapsulation of Green Bay's performance on Sunday night.  It's nice to know some things haven't changed since the 1980s.

Listen, you can shove feathers up your ass and peck at the ground with your nose, but that doesn't make you a chicken.  Nor, does beating 4 increasingly mediocre football teams make you playoff worthy.  Was Sunday's loss frustrating?  Hell yes, it was.  Was it disheartening?  Absolutely.  Was it hard to see coming?  NO. 

This Packers team has been telling us all season what type of team they are (SAWFT).  Why didn't we listen?  A quick perusal of Matt LaFleur's record in important games could have tipped us off to what was coming.  A two-minute YouTube deep dive could have shed some light on the version of Aaron Rodgers we were going to get against the Lions.  You knew there would be an inopportune fumble.  You knew there would be blown deep coverage.  And, deep down, you knew our season was over before we even kicked off on Sunday.  I guess you could call it destiny.  I call it a failure to take a personal inventory (more on that later!). 

So, grab your scalpels, and let's take a look under the dermis of this latest Packers Playoff Code Red, and see if we can identify the clogged arteries that eventually caused the tell-tale heart at the 50-yard line of Lambeau Field to stop beating on Sunday night. 

  • Agreement #1--Matt LaFleur Is Not A Big Game Hunter

Let's get the unnecessary preamble out of the way--I like Matt LaFleur.  By all reports, he is a good dude.  He seems like a great family man (you wanna be a great father--go home and play with your kids).  He has forgotten more about football than I will ever know.   With that being said, this dude is a foghorning disaster in playoff/playoff-adjacent games.  For the third straight year, Green Bay got beat, in a playoff game, at home, by a less talented team.  Fool me once, shame on you.  Fool me twice, shame on me.  Fool me three times, shame on both of us.  I have written WAY too many words about LaFleur's lack of toughness.  Quite honestly, I am running out of colorful euphemisms to describe his MIA backbone. 

What it boils down to is this--Matt LaFleur is the NFL's  Lincoln Riley.  Brilliant offensive minds that tip over when pushed.  Look at Lincoln Riley's career in conference championship/national playoff games.  Now, look at LaFleur's.  It's the foghorning Spiderman pointing at Spiderman meme.  Dan Campbell knew this on Sunday night.  Robert Saleh knew this back in October.  Hell, Robert Saleh knew this back in 2019 when he was coordinating the San Francisco 49ers to that Packers ass-beating in the NFC championship game.  Good offense always trumps good defense.  The problem with that is, in these win-or-go-home games, LaFleur's offense is devolves into Will Smith looking around The Banks empty living room in The Fresh Prince of Bel Air finale. 

And, Matt has no one he can point the finger at this time.  The defense played pretty ok.  The special teams were solid.  In the last few years, Matt could hang these devastating losses on various straw men (Mike Pettine, Shawn Mennenga, Maurice Drayton).  Matt's only been here for 47 months.  He is on his second offensive coordinator, his third special teams coordinator, and, hopefully soon, his third defensive coordinator.  Maybe it's time to take a look at the guy hiring these clowns.  Ya know, the guy whose offense has been about as flaccid as Clay Aiken in a brothel over the past four postseasons.  Just a thought.

Matt's offense isn't the only problem, though.  LaFleur's teams seem to lack a central intelligence, a specific degree of level-headedness in these games.  This Detroit game was a prime example.  Quay Walker idiotically pushing an opponent's medical staff member for the SECOND time this season.  Whatever the hell Rasul Douglas was doing picking up that football.  These incidents are spiritual siblings of the Kevin King blown coverage against Tampa.  Or Marcedes Lewis' fumble against San Francisco last year.  Or, the blocked punt against San Francisco, also last year.  Or, the moronic decision to kick a field goal down eight against Tampa in the 2020 NFC championship game.  Stupidity breeds stupidity.  And, in Green Bay over the last several years, stupidity has been humping like a jackrabbit. 

Green Bay isn't going to fire LaFleur. That would be ridiculous.  The front office likes having Matt around.  He is a handsome punching bag.  A well-groomed straw man.  Gutekunst and Murphy can deflect a certain amount of blowback on themselves by hiding behind Captain Eyebrows.  This is the bigger problem in Green Bay--so many fingers pointing in so many directions.  No accounting for accountability.   Being ownerless has it's advantages, no doubt.  However, not having an owner certainly has it's drawbacks as well.  An owner has to pay for mistakes out of his own wallet.  Green Bay's mistakes are paid for out of the team's wallet.  The team is community property.   People tend not to pee in their own swimming pool.  The municipal pool down the street, though? 

No, LaFleur isn't going anywhere.  Yet.  But, just know this--Any day spent with LaFleur as your head coach is a day wasted in progressing toward your team's ultimate goal.  LaFleur is not a championship-level coach.  He lacks grit.  He lacks a level of seriousness.  Football is a microcosm of the country that created it, so if it's true of America, it is true of the sport--nice guys never win.  LaFleur just doesn't have an asshole mode.  And, until Green Bay finds a guy that does, we are doomed to being the guy in the porno watching from the corner.  Nobody likes that guy.

  • Agreement #2--The Transformation Is Almost Complete (The Finkle and Einhorn Conundrum)

My dad has a hair-trigger temper.  If you want to see it in action, call him after 9 PM on a weeknight.  Or, come hang around our office on a day when his email isn't working.  Hurricanes, atom bombs, meth house explosions--they have nothing on my old man when he can't find his phone.  His temper isn't scary, per se.  It hues closer to Yosemite Sam than Ike Turner.  And, it's really not his fault.  You see, the only person I ever saw run hotter than Mark Preece (my pops), was Lynn Preece, my grandpa.  Great dudes.  Strike that--legendary dudes.  But, they just run warmer than most.  I always thought I took after my mom a little more in the temperament department.  Cut to last Sunday--I was picking up a prescription for my wife at Walgreen's (quick aside--Walgreen's is the absolute worst--The government needs to investigate this anal fistula of a company).  I sat in their crummy drive-through for a half hour.  There were two cars in front of me.  Half hour.  Two cars.  Ugh.   Finally, I reach the drive-up window.  No one was there.  I hit the call button.  A terse woman unkindly alerts me that the pharmacy has gone to lunch and I needed to come back in an hour.  No lunch hours posted anywhere.  No bedside manner.  To say I didn't handle this news well is an understatement.  I became a human version of the Coney Island Fourth of July fireworks show.  Somewhere in the distance, I could hear the warbling first lines of Hank Williams Jr's "Family Tradition".  What I am saying is, no matter how we resist it, we usually end up like our parents.  And, our parents end up like their parents.  The circle of life.  And, Aaron Rodgers's press conference on Sunday confirmed that.

Aaron Rodgers transition is complete.  As we sit on the precipice of year four of the most annoying will they/won't they since Pam and Jim on The Office, Rodgers has officially become Brett Favre.  It's all there.  Relying too much on your cannon arm.  Constantly talking about locker room leadership.  Late career thumb injuries.  The ever-present threat of retirement.  The preening.  The peacocking.  All we need is helicopters circling Rodgers's place in Malibu, and Crosby and Bakhtiari making a last-minute in-home pitch to bring him back to the fold in mid-August.  Rewatch that Lions game and try and tell me that wasn't a carbon copy of Brett Favre game against the Giants in 2007.  Favre had Ed Werder.  Rodgers has Pat McAfee.  Favre neutered a young Mike McCarthy's offensive gameplan.  Rodgers is butchering LaFleur's.  It's uncanny.

The Packers waited two years too long to trade Favre back in the early aughts.  Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.  If that was indeed Rodgers's last game in green and gold, Aaron will exit stage right on  three straight incompletions and a game-deciding interception.  Sound familiar?  Brett Favre finished his final game in Lambeau with three straight incompletions and a game-deciding interception, too.  A chip off the old block!  Though, I don't remember Brett ever wearing one of his little sister's shirt scoop-neck shirts to a post-game press conference

  • Agreement #3--The Timing Of Decisions Is Just As Important As The Decision Itself

Nothing was more enjoyable back in the Nineties than hitting up Blockbuster Video on a Friday night.  Endless rows of white and blue boxes offering a temporary respite from the drudgery of life, but for a fleeting moment. Simple pleasures.  Streaming has made media disposable, like a dollar menu hamburger at McDonald's, or a candy bar in the checkout line at Target.  But, in the Nineties, picking what movie to rent on a listless Friday night was practically an art form.  Most people assume, incorrectly, that Netflix destroyed Blockbuster.  While Netflix certainly cast a never-ending shadow over the traditional way we consumed media, Blockbuster was done in not by streaming, but by a series of poor investments and untimely acquisitions.  Timing.  As essential to good business as capital itself.

Last March, the Green Bay Packers were at a crossroads--After three straight failed bids to win a Super Bowl, they could run an aging roster back, and reinvest in their 4 time MVP quarterback, or trade said quarterback for a King's Ransom, and jumpstart the next generation of professional football in Central Wisconsin.  They chose wrong.

I know it seems convenient to criticize the organization's decision after the fact, hindsight being 20/20 and all.  But, I, as well as a hefty number of other Packers pundits, were calling for this action month after month in the smoldering aftermath of last year's postseason flameout against San Francisco.  What we could see then, and Brian Gutekunst apparently couldn't, was that the Packer's best chance for a Super Bowl with this roster was 2020.   Chasing good money with bad money was only going to result in further diminishing results, and that constantly kicking the can down the street a busy street was eventually going to result in the franchise getting hit by a car.  What is it that Detroit is famous for, again?

Now, Green Bay sits at a Robert Johnson-esque crossroads.  Not only did Gutekunst fail to kickstart Green Bay's inevitable rebuild with a cache of top-shelf picks from the Denver Broncos, but he also doubled down on his original sin and offered Aaron Rodgers the kind of money that would make Defense Contractors blush.  What is Gutekunst's end goal here?  What is his long game?  Does he have a vision for the future of the Packers, or is he perfectly content to stay at this party until all the kegs are bone-dry and all the revelers have gone to bed?  Aaron Rodgers has said it, himself.  Green Bay is not a free-agent destination.  And, even if it were, the Packer's wallets are about as empty as the Green River.   2023 could have been the next chapter in the illustrious story of the Green Bay Packers, the winningest franchise in NFL history.  Instead, it is turning into a football version of The Hangover Part 4.  A sad retread.  Green Bay's Blockbuster Video to the Seattle Seahawks Netflix. 

  • Agreement #4--When We Discover Who We Are, We Will Finally Be Free

Dear Reader, with this final agreement of the 2022 season, I want to posit a question.  A question that has beguiled me this entire season.  A question that's answer holds the key to Green Bay's success going forward.  Here we go.

What is this team's greatest strength?

Simple enough, right?  Every team has strengths and weaknesses.  Understanding these two elements is crucial to how a team game plans week to week.  It's paramount to the very architecture of your team.  So, my question to you is this--What was this 2022 Green Bay Packers team's biggest strength?

In years past, this answer would be simple--Aaron Rodger's quarterbacking. 

In other years, it would have been our badass wide-receiving groups.

In the Super Bowl season of 2010, you could argue it was our linebacking corps.

But, what was it in 2022?

Thinking.  Thinking.  Thinking. 

That's exactly my point.

Before this season I would have pointed to our running attack.  Jones and Dillon.  Two of the elite rushing options in a league where elite rushing options are dwindling ever so swiftly.  Or, I could have pointed to our defensive backfield, populated with loads of top-shelf draft talent, expensive free agents, and bursting with confidence. 

Unfortunately, those units were a tad underwhelming this season.  Dillon never really seemed to get on track.  Jones played well but was hampered by injuries.  And the defensive backfield regressed phenomenally from their 2021 performance, spurred on by Joe Barry's fundamental misunderstanding of how to play to their strengths, as well as a miasma of diminished athletic ability and a stunningly amount of miscommunication.

Aaron Rodgers, the shining star of this Packers team for pert-near two decades, never got on track, playing possibly the worst season of his career. 

Our receiving group ran hot and cold (definitely leaning colder, though). 

Our offensive line was a patchwork for big stretches of the season, and, even when healthy, struggled at times. 

Our defensive line was pedestrian for a large swath of the season. 

When I think back to this 2022, beyond the frustration of the final game, and the seemingly never-ending mid-season swoon, I will mostly think back to the complete lack of identity for this group.  Maybe the biggest addition this Packers team can make this season would be finding a cohesive vision for this team, and aiming the construction of the 2023 group to undergird this vision.  This is what the best teams in the league do.  When you close your eyes and picture the Kansas City Chiefs, you know instantly know what that team is going to look like, and how they are going to attack. you.  Same thing with the Philadelphia Eagles.  And, the Buffalo Bills.  Ditto for the Pittsburgh Steelers.  These teams have been built from the ground up with a specific idea for how they want to attack you. 

You would never go to the grocery store and just start picking random shit off the shelf.  You make a list.  You identify the items you need to make your household run more efficiently.  Football teams are no different.  Drafting the most athletic players available isn't a philosophy--it's a habit.  And, quite frankly, it's a lazy one.  Gutekunst, Ball, LaFleur, and Alfred E. Neuman need to put their heads together over the next several months, have hard conversations, trim fat where necessary, and chart a path to success that is readily identifiable by even the simplest of football fans.  After all, if you can't explain your plan to a six-year-old, you most likely don't understand yourself. 

  • Catching Strays

I would rather listen to Siri explains the plot of Waiting For Godot than listen to Mike Tiricio broadcast football games.

That four-game winning streak was the equivalent of watching two heavyset people copulate on a waterbed.  Lots of motion. Unexpected.  Wildly entertaining.   And, a very messy end. 

Aaron Rodgers walking out of Lambeau for good after throwing a game-sealing pick to that garbage Lions team is akin to Frank Sinatra falling off the stage and breaking his hip while belting out My Way at his farewell concert in MSG.

I can't thank you enough for reading this nonsense for the past 18 weeks.  You guys are the foghorning best!!!

See ya in August!!! 

GO PACK GO!!!

Tim Preece lives in Utah because he makes poor life decisions.

12 points
 

Comments (42)

Fan-Friendly This filter will hide comments which have ratio of 5 to 1 down-vote to up-vote.
ddepula418's picture

January 12, 2023 at 06:18 pm

Agreement Five: Joe Barry sucks.

Agreement Six: MLF chokes.

Agreement Seven: Lambeau Field is no longer a home field advantage.

6 points
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PearlyBakerBest's picture

January 12, 2023 at 06:19 pm

At least Geraldo had an exceptional mustache.

3 points
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stevehj's picture

January 12, 2023 at 06:29 pm

Wow, what depressing stuff. As we live through the dreary days of January, who needs to hear this stuff? Does living in Utah do that to a person? Nonetheless, I think the article was well written and well reasoned out, but I help but wonder if you could write the same kind of story and a spin a bunch of positive agreements?

-5 points
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LeotisHarris's picture

January 12, 2023 at 09:13 pm

Packers.com is always there to blow sunshine up your butt as needed.

12 points
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LambeauPlain's picture

January 13, 2023 at 07:03 am

I have a question for you. Are you forced to read Tim's entertaining and valid articles?

I didn't think so.

So I have a simple suggestion: Don't.

2 points
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Rarescope's picture

January 13, 2023 at 09:46 am

Hey I'm all for criticizing the content around here, I certainly do it enough (pssst Cory sucks). I don't find it depressing because I get my daily dose of butt sunshine from Packers.com before I come here. Ya'll need to lighten up around here with the armchair management and learn to enjoy the game.

0 points
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Since'61's picture

January 12, 2023 at 07:02 pm

Great, great job Tim. I've enjoyed all of your articles, great fun and mostly spot on.

In answer to your question of the Packers strength for 2022 I'm going with Mason Crosby. 25 of 29 FGs. Should have been 26 for 28 but he had an FG blocked by the Jets and then an unnecessarily stupid 53 yard attempt against the Lions in week 18. 37 of 39 PATs. Total 112 points. He is about the only member of the team who was consistently reliable on a weekly basis.

I will be looking forward to your future contributions to CHTV. Thanks, Since '61

8 points
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rowe450's picture

January 12, 2023 at 07:24 pm

Good article

To me the season was lost last March.

Gutekunst failed to resign Adams. A All Pro future hall of fame receiver. Adams left for a worse franchise, worse quarterback, less money and poorer playoff prospects. Something tells me the wrong salesman was in the room on those negotiations (Gutekunst).

Then .... Gutekunst let Valdez Scantling walk away. He was not a great receiver, but the man could run like the wind. Sort of a experience Watson. .

Then .... Gutekunst let The TE position go with a starter just 8 months removed from an ACL injury. No replacement needed unless you count Mercaedes Lewis as a 'replacement". Tonyan's lack of speed was more than noticeable.

Then .... Gutekunst decides that drafting a couple of rookies and bringing in washed up journeyman Sammy Watkins would do just fine in replacing last year's starting wide receivers. Additionally, Gutekunst decided that Allan Lazard was indeed a #1 starting wide receiver instead of a #3 option which he has been all along.

Then ... Gutekunst noting that his starting left Tackle had played 1 game in nearly 2 years AND his starting left guard also was coming of a ACL injury 8 months ago ... decided they would do just fine. No replacements were necessary. Replacements were in fact needed, and it took weeks for the starting linemen to perform adequately.

All this, on top of what the author wrote above. Rodgers could have been traded for 3 top draft picks after "no showing" the 49ers playoff game but Gutekunst refused to pull the trigger.

These many front office decisions destroyed the Packers chances before the season even started.

No wonder Rodgers decided to skip off season work outs.

-3 points
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PearlyBakerBest's picture

January 12, 2023 at 07:42 pm

That’s what happens when there’s no money.

8 points
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LambeauPlain's picture

January 13, 2023 at 07:14 am

All Gutey's fault then? SMH

You are making the naive mistake that Gutey makes all the big GM decisions when it comes to big Ks and players.

He doesn't...he is primarily the assistant to the Acting GM Mark Murphy, who does. Murphy's desk is where the big buck stops...even as he hides behind it.

MLF may not be a big game hunter...but Murphy is like Elmer Fudd hunting "Wrabbits."

2 points
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Thegreatreynoldo's picture

January 13, 2023 at 03:12 pm

Gute drafted a third round guard, but so far his third round curse made that unhelpful.

0 points
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BirdDogUni's picture

January 12, 2023 at 07:49 pm

You were a little harsh, but honesty is the best policy.

The biggest thing I got from your article is GB had a shit-ton of problems with few solutions in sight. Starts at the top. If Mark Murphy is going to meddle in football operations and skew the organizational structure in such a way we can't get anything done and he's allowed to get away with it, it seems we're screwed for the foreseeable future.

MaLF may be nice guy and even a decent FB mind, but I don't care how many regular season games he wins. I care about results and the only results that matter is who is holding the Lombardi Trophy at the end of the season. If he doesn't plan on making any changes to the coaching staff, he better see if Jordan Love will draw up some plays this off-season, cuz his play designs suck.

If Rodgers retires, I'll be surprised. Murphy, Gutey, and MaLF will all be begging him to come back. (Just like they did Favre back in the day.) Why everyone is so scared of change around here I'll never know, but they are.

9 points
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Oppy's picture

January 12, 2023 at 10:07 pm

Just like they did Favre back in the day?

Um.. they told Favre to kick rocks.

2 points
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Thegreatreynoldo's picture

January 13, 2023 at 03:16 pm

TT sent Favre packing. Murphy was in his first year as president, having been named to that position in December of 2007. TT had the clout.

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LambeauPlain's picture

January 13, 2023 at 04:55 pm

When was the last time a Packers President was also the acting GM of the team? IDK.

If Murphy is, I wonder why was it never tried before?

How is it working, 5 years in?

53 - 28 - 1 regular season. Playoffs 2-3. Salary Cap: 2018, good shape. 2023, bad shape.

0 points
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Oppy's picture

January 14, 2023 at 12:08 am

I wasn't suggesting Murphy was the driving force (although he clearly had to back TT and McM).

My point was that the Packers didn't beg Favre to come back.

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BirdDogUni's picture

January 13, 2023 at 05:10 pm

Not the year before. TT and MM flew down to MS and begged him to come back.

https://www.packerforum.com/threads/mccarthy-thompson-visit-favre-in-mis...

0 points
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Oppy's picture

January 14, 2023 at 07:31 pm

You linked to a Packers forum of people discussing TT and MM meeting with Favre at his home to discuss his future. That's what you constitute as proof of begging for his return?

That's not proof of ass-kissing or begging him to come back. Discuss what his intentions are for the next season? Sure. Hell, they were just as likely telling him "if you intend to retire, we sure would like to know sooner than later so we can plan accordingly." I'd even go to say that's probably more likely considering how they handled Favre the following season.

0 points
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BirdDogUni's picture

January 12, 2023 at 08:29 pm

Tired of all the whining about Murphy, Gutey, MaLF, and Barry --

Would rather argue about the upcoming draft! ; )

15: R1 P15 EDGE Myles Murphy - Clemson
46: R2 P15 WR Rashee Rice - SMU
78: R3 P15 S Jay Ward - LSU
117: R4 P15 RB Zach Charbonnet - UCLA
150: R5 P15 OT Ryan Hayes - Michigan
169: R5 P34 S Christian Young - Arizona
230: R7 P15 LB David Ugwoegbu - Oklahoma
233: R7 P18 TE Jahleel Billingsley - Texas
237: R7 P22 OT Mike Edwards - Campbell

-2 points
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egbertsouse's picture

January 13, 2023 at 06:53 am

Two questions. Are any of these players overrated DBs from the SEC? Are their Wonderlic scores less than 10?

4 points
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stockholder's picture

January 13, 2023 at 06:59 am

Myles Murphy will be gone by 15. If Barry is the DC- Try Nolan Smith from Georgia.
And a possible switch to the 4-2-5.

2 points
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jannes bjornson's picture

January 13, 2023 at 08:56 am

Uzomah.

1 points
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Thegreatreynoldo's picture

January 13, 2023 at 03:25 pm

Murphy will be long gone and Rice is a reach. There ya go - shots fired!

0 points
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Handsback's picture

January 12, 2023 at 08:34 pm

Great, great article! When you look at what is pointed out in this article you realize that is why there are so many people's opinion on what is the Packer's problem.
Let's be honest...the Packers have been a soft team for quite a few years. MLF was a good match in that regard. Yet when the trigger man is no longer the best QB on the field, you don't have a foundation to build on.
Personally I would like MM to butt out and let Gutsey run the show like TT did. There's a part of me that wants this year's draft to be all OL and DL/pass rushers. Will need a RB and probably safety but drafting like that is stupid, but would show no more finesse players need apply.

6 points
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Fubared's picture

January 12, 2023 at 10:27 pm

Great article. I would add assessment # 5: unlike all the other teams, this management answers to the fans. If I'm an owner I can think, f the fans. They can't fire me I own the team . Team sucks I fire Gm or coach or both.
Murphy answers to the fans. You get rid of an idol like Rodgers and replace him with a loser, you are out the door along with the coach and gm.
That's why they didn't trade him for picks, worried about the backlash of the team losing and it costing them their jobs. They fear the big change that's coming and are putting it off as long as possible.
LeFleur is already begging Rodgers to stay and he had an avg unimpressive year. They are locked into having a hof qb run this team and save them.

1 points
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Since'61's picture

January 12, 2023 at 11:27 pm

Murphy doesn't answer to the fans. We don't own anything. The shares we own are glorified thank you cards for the donations that we made to the team. Financially they are worthless. Yes, Murphy chose to extend Rodgers to keep the Packers relevant to retain his job until he retires in 2025. Gute and Ball will probably benefit as well.

Murphy retires, Gute takes Murphy's job, and maybe Ball takes the GM job. But their jobs are probably safe. That's why they have MLF. He takes the fall and the beat goes on.

Remember the Packers are a non-profit organization. That means Murphy's job is first, keep the revenue coming which is already done via a 20+ year waiting period for a season's pass plus the league revenue sharing and Titletown. Murphy's second job is to protect the Brand, carry the G and not have any major scandals that would harm the brand. The football team doesn't need to win, they need to be competitive. Murphy has achieved that. The Packers have made the playoffs in 12 seasons during his tenure as President. Without a disastrous mess over the next 2-3 seasons Murphy is golden until his retirement. He is coasting even if Rodgers retires. Due to Rodgers contract it's unlikely that the Packers can pull off a trade.

At worst season ticket holders will sell their seats to visiting fans but they won't give up their season's passes because they will hang on until the team becomes good again like they did during the 70s and 80s. It's Green Bay, it's a captive market. Murphy doesn't care if the stadium is full as long as the tickets are sold.

As you point out with your moniker, we're "Fubared". Keep our sense of humor. This too shall pass eventually.
For now stay well. Thanks, Since '61

3 points
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freddisch's picture

January 12, 2023 at 10:45 pm

Great article Tim. The truth is often brutal. There is no accountability for results or the lack of them due to the current organizational structure. The football operations needs to be run by a single person who can clearly articulate and carry out the future vision for the Packer organization. For me it is an organization that is “feared” , which is built on the foundation of strong offensive and defense lines. The Packers playoff performances of the past few years is like watching reruns of Groundhog Days. GPG

3 points
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Bitternotsour's picture

January 12, 2023 at 11:15 pm

What I used to say the Packers were was wise. They took care of the money. They didn't chase shiny objects. They had a plan and they executed the plan. They built with the draft, through the draft, they developed, they won, and they were always a threat.

What changed? Ted died.

Murphy usurped all the power. Was it Gutekunst's call to re-sign the diva, to gut the cap? Doesn't sound like a Thompson disciple. Gutekunst did his boss' bidding. That's what you do when you have a boss, or, you don't have a job.

Murphy owns all of this. Everything stops at his doorstep. He's the defacto owner - but he's playing with other peoples money. How perfect is that (for him). I have no idea how they're going to luck their way out of this - we all better hope that Love is the real deal. Because if not we're going to become the Bears.

1 points
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Since'61's picture

January 12, 2023 at 11:31 pm

Bingo!!! Bitternotsour. See my reply to Fubared above. Thanks, Since '61

2 points
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ricky's picture

January 12, 2023 at 11:43 pm

How about agreeing that this team is afraid of change? That hanging onto what you have is more important than trying something new? What about agreeing that this team hates spending money on coaches. They have for years. How about agreeing that this team needs someone who can kick their butts; someone who can put some fear and pride and toughness into them. Finally, this team needs someone who can actually evaluate talent. When regular posters on this site have more insight into the choices made for OL starters than the coaching staff, no offense meant to the posters on here, but something is seriously wrong. How many games were we as a group calling for Barry to change the soft coverage in the secondary? And when he did, the Packers crushed Minnesota and shut down one of the top five receivers in the game in the process. Now, LaFleur has apparently decided to stick with his entire staff. Because this team is afraid of change. If the team, as many are predicting, does trade Love, get ready for years a rerun of the years between the retirement of Starr and the emergence of Favre. As noted by Mr. Preece, those who ignore the lessons of the past are destined to relive them.

6 points
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croatpackfan's picture

January 13, 2023 at 07:21 am

Tim, I'll agree on all of yours agreements with few remarks.

#1. MLF done nothing in his career to be called offensive "genius". If you do not believe read the article placed by Noonan after Packers announced they hired MLF posted in January 2019.

#3. How it comes that majority of authors here calling Brian Gutekunst for miss outs, when all football world knows that true decision maker of football operations is Mark Murphy "we are not idiots".

IS IT THAT CHEESEHEAD ARE AFRAID FROM ACTION FROM THE SAME MARK MURPHY TO CLOSE THEM DOORS OF PRESS CONFERENCES?

IS IT THAT?

Or you forgot who establish himself as main decision makers of all football aspects running by Packers. Brian Gutekunst has authority over MLF as any of us, fans. Also Russ Ball do not report to Gutekunst, but to Mark Murphy, as MLF.

# 5. This agreement does not exist. At least, there is not number 5 in your article.

I want to add that I completely agree with above Since'61 post.

1 points
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LambeauPlain's picture

January 13, 2023 at 07:39 am

"Timing. As essential to good business as capital itself."

Did you create that adage, Tim? It is spot on!

Mark Murphy has the timing of a three year old eating an entire pumpkin pie just before the Thanksgiving meal.

2 points
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Razer's picture

January 13, 2023 at 08:38 am

Thank you Tim for the clarity and humour. You are a very talented writer and I am sorry that you had to waste so many words on this haphazard team. You pretty much nailed the main issues with both the team and organization. Your presentation had me laughing but it saddens me to look into the mirror you constructed. Are we going to make some moves to rebuilding or is the denial going to continue.

Thanks again

1 points
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greengold's picture

January 13, 2023 at 03:40 pm

The denial will continue. We are foghorned, as we suspected years ago.

0 points
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Rarescope's picture

January 13, 2023 at 09:47 am

Grand finale to the best articles on the season bar none. Here's to hoping for a draft review offseason comeback article!

0 points
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BruceC1960's picture

January 13, 2023 at 11:45 am

What a great comparison, MLF and Lincoln Riley.

1 points
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A New Era's picture

January 13, 2023 at 02:22 pm

I agree with Birddog that you were a little harsh but you presented your case well and with your trademark great writing and wit. Your column is by far the best thing on Cheesehead TV. Do you write on any other topics or for anyone else? Stand up comedians perhaps??

1 points
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greengold's picture

January 13, 2023 at 03:38 pm

Tim, this is foghorning brilliant work.

Spot on.

1 points
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JoePack1212's picture

January 13, 2023 at 04:48 pm

This Team used to really have pride in it and would actually take Ownership when the Players made mistakes. Now especially the way AR has been coddled as much as he has and the other Members see that no matter how AR performs. Other Players see this and when they see there is no Accountability for his poor Play, they also start making Excuses for their poor Play. Detroit is a Team that prides itself in that its a hard-Nosed Tough Team, the Packers have become Creme Puffs and it showed against the Lions. The only Defensive Player that played decently was Devonte Wyatt and he's a Rookie. The only Player who played decently on Offense was Christian Watson, again a Rookie. Nijman had to be pulled the because a Defensive Rookie was kicking his Butt and they had to replace him. The Offensive Line as a whole was Man-Handled. I think the Workout Programs for the Players actually needs to get stronger or both our Lines will get pushed around like they did against the Lions. The Lions aren't afraid of anyone because their Coach trains them up that way. Powder Puff Lefluer is too weak to do the same and because of that the Lines will continue to hurt this Team. Lombardi had Teams that other Teams knew what they were going to run yet still ran the Packer Sweep successfully but our O-line couldn't even win on a 4th and 1 most of the Season. A change in Attitude from

0 points
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JoePack1212's picture

January 13, 2023 at 05:01 pm

A change in Attitude and Accountability needs to happen. If you see someone out-performing someone in Practice, why is it that Player is just an afterthought??? Every Week, Coach you talk about running the Football but then we end up with 15 maybe 16 runs between our Backs yet our poor Passing Attack gets most of the Opportunities, why Coach???? Dan Campbell out-coached you in front of Everyone at Lambeau and a Primetime Game at that. You looked slow to respond and like you were out-classed. Packers Players may like you but they don't respect you when you allow them to get away with, barely enough. Good to Great Coaches demand much more from their Players. If the Players can't hang, make too many mistakes or whate, they're gone, your Players NEED a guiding Hand, not a Buddy!!!! Matt you need to make your Players really respect you to the point they would be afraid to make a mistake or commit some Stupid Penalty or bust a Coverage, Give up a lots of Yards on the Ground, Etc. First Matt, You need to establish who the Boss on this Team is, you need to let your Players, yes even the Great AR know the BS is over.

1 points
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sdkester56's picture

January 15, 2023 at 09:48 am

What would Bill Belichek do about the Arod situation?

0 points
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BirdDogUni's picture

January 15, 2023 at 10:09 am

He wouldn't be in this situation, because he wouldn't have extended him. He would've traded him to Denver for a butt-load of picks and cap space. Just saying...

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