What Will Make 2010 A Success?

Will the 2010 Packers season be considered a failure if they don't win the Super Bowl?

Interesting thought from Tom Oates today (and no, I don't think I've ever typed that before) regarding McCarthy's mention of the Super Bowl as the stated goal for the 2010 Packers.

For McCarthy's Packers, there is no debate about what the next step is. It's the Super Bowl. Anything short of that will be a failure.

Excrement.

That's what I think of Mr. J. Evans Pritchard, PHD.

Now, I'm not entirely clear if this is Oates' position or what he has extrapolated from McCarthy and his press conference, but the notion that anything less than a Super Bowl victory this year is failure is patently absurd.

Yes, this team has all the talent to be a real Super Bowl contender, and yes, this is the year we should see some of the youth on this team start to mature. But this is still a young team, led by a quarterback who has yet to win a playoff game. A deep playoff run would be an unequivocal success for the 2010 Packers in my book.

Don't get me wrong, if the Packers are playing well down the stretch and get hot at the right time, I will fully expect them to get to the Super Bowl - but the season will not be a "failure" if they don't. I know this flies in the face of Barnett's "Super Bowl or Die!" mantra, and I would be upset if the team had its sights set on anything less than a championship. But the fact remains this is a team on the rise that is only starting to open its window of opportunity when it comes to winning Super Bowls, not a team on the decline, desperate for one last shot at a title. Yes, things change fast in the NFL, but as Ted Thompson said at the shareholders meeting, this is a team that will get back up after it is knocked down. This is a team that is moving forward, with purpose, ready to take on all comers.

There's a lot of football to be played, and anything and everything will change once the guys start hitting this afternoon at 2pm. Today is the first step in a long journey that should be judged a success if we see signs of progress from 2009.

 

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Comments (25)

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Brian Carriveau's picture

July 31, 2010 at 10:03 am

Oates was rather ambiguous if that's his opinion or is take on McCarthy's views.

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PackerAaron's picture

July 31, 2010 at 10:08 am

Exactly - which says all you need to know about Oates.

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JohnRehor's picture

July 31, 2010 at 10:14 am

McCarthy did mention Super Bowl a number of times yesterday. But on day 1 of Training Camp, isn't that the goal that should be put forward by every coach?

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CJ in Guatemala's picture

July 31, 2010 at 12:07 pm

That's why the whole "Super Bowl or die" quote discussion by Barnett was irrelevant. You have to employ a winning mentality with the correct target in mind,in my modest opinion anyway.

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ike's picture

July 31, 2010 at 10:16 am

Not reaching the super bowl probably would not be a failure. However say a home playoff loss against a bad team or non playoffs might be a failed year.

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TheMills's picture

July 31, 2010 at 10:26 am

This is probably Oates’ opinion. Then, if they don’t reach the Super Bowl, it gives him a reason to piss and moan for the entire offseason and call the season a major failure. Actually, he doesn’t need assistance to piss and moan in his columns, it’s what he does.

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some_dude's picture

July 31, 2010 at 10:50 am

The media are all over Barnetts comments right now. We better be ready!

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Tarynfor12's picture

July 31, 2010 at 10:53 am

A first round bye and a division play-off win is a success.I could handle a loss in NFC Chmp game,but if we were to get to SB,I can't see losing it.
A wild card spot may induce a fail for the year.

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Bearmeat's picture

July 31, 2010 at 11:13 am

I'm satisfied as long as we do better than the Queenies and Cowgirls...

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PackersRS's picture

July 31, 2010 at 11:44 am

He went overboard with that statement. Yes, it isn't like that. But expectations towards this team, this year, is winning the SB. Not making it will disappoint much more than in previous years.

If we don't win it, having a young, up-and-coming team will be a consolation, more than ever...

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Oppy's picture

July 31, 2010 at 11:46 am

The next step forward is one in the Win column during the post season. Of course, we'd like more.

Even a consistent winning season (Meaning we've strung two back to back) would be a step forward.

Whenever anyone says "Anything less that a championship/SB will be a failure", it's purely rhetoric. However, it IS the philosophical mindset you'd want your team to exude from the waterboy, to the players, to the Coaches, to the Pres./CEO/Owner.

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Tarynfor12's picture

July 31, 2010 at 12:48 pm

Confidence is a must and the Packers have that and more.We are a young team with great things to come for a few years I'm sure.

Convinced is another thing all together and that may be the thing that kills us this year and for the next couple to follow.

Let's not talk as if we walked it already,but let our walking do our talking as the season goes on.

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DAWG's picture

July 31, 2010 at 02:42 pm

This is the talk of all 32 teams at this time of year as should be, And we do have a legit chance of getting there.
This also helps players motivation,something other than thinking of the long grind of training camp. Next month it will be winning the division first. But no, not winning the SB, will not hurt this team, we are a young team on an upswing, not like the guys to the west, w/ aging on both lines, and gramps at QB.

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Ron LC's picture

July 31, 2010 at 03:23 pm

Improved performance in key areas of concern. The Oline, ST's and consistent defensive play. If that happen's it should show in the record.

The division will be better than last year because the other teams are better. The Packers are relying on experience gained last year by young players and rookies in some key positions. That's a risky approach, but it's the way TT plays.

If they play well, they have as good a chance at the SB as any other team.

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afrenchpackersfan's picture

July 31, 2010 at 07:02 pm

I would rather say that loosing twice (or even once...) against the Viqueens would be a failure. ;-)

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FITZCORE1252's picture

July 31, 2010 at 10:35 pm

Weewee.

GBP 4 LIFE

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Asshalo's picture

July 31, 2010 at 08:13 pm

One example of how reporters twist the truth to make a more attractive headline.

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FITZCORE1252's picture

July 31, 2010 at 10:39 pm

I will be disappointed if we don't bring it home this year. But that wouldn't automatically categorize the season as a "failure". If we win the North, beat the queens and maybe improve a game or two in the win column from last year; that's a success (oh, and hopefully we can get out of the first round at least). While it will hurt if we don't win it all, it's nice to know we have a roster that should be in thew hunt for the foreseeable future.

GBP 4 LIFE

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NickGBP's picture

July 31, 2010 at 11:57 pm

Indeed

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Cuphound's picture

August 01, 2010 at 02:07 am

REALITY-BASED COMMUNITY RESPONSE: I'd like to avoid any "Tampa Bay 2009" type losses. If at the end of the season someone says, "Remember Tampa Bay!" and I shrug blankly instead of shudder, it will have been a good season. Also, it would be kinda cool to win the cold again. I miss being Winter's Team.

FANBOY RESPONSE: For me, the minimum requirement for season satisfaction is always simple--beat the Bears both times. I can accept as a trade-off to lose to the Bears at Soldier Field, but make it back to the NFC Championship game. Lose both times to the Bears but make it to the Super Bowl? I guess I'd have to accept it as better in theory, but still, ya gotta wonder how the hell it happened. Something's not right there. If we can make it to the Super Bowl, surely we can beat the Bears twice.

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Oppy's picture

August 01, 2010 at 02:46 am

LOL, Cuphound.

I do have to admit that blanking those sods down south can go a long way towards healing the feelings leftover from an otherwise forgettable campaign.. But I'm pretty sure owning the Vikings this season is more important to me. I'll go so far as to say I'd begrudgingly accept getting snookered by the Bears in '10 if it meant bitch-slapping the 'Queens twice... Regardless of how it affects the standings. :)

GoPack

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FITZCORE1252's picture

August 01, 2010 at 03:11 am

Big Picture Oppy. The bares have the regular season edge over us (I know we have the trophies, I want it all) all-time, that pisses me off. We have to get that edge back.

Small picture. queens this year matter more than duh bares. You are right. And the more I look at it, as much as it pains me, I might be cool with this as well (THIS YEAR ONLY) - "I’d begrudgingly accept getting snookered by the Bears in ’10 if it meant bitch-slapping the ‘Queens twice…" - Jees though, blanked by duh quears, hard call man, hard call! Hopefully we blank 'em all, and it's not a problem!

GBP 4 LIFE

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FITZCORE1252's picture

August 01, 2010 at 03:04 am

YES!!!

Although the queens appear to be the bigger obstacle at this point, it's always bares first and foremost for me as well. It's probably because I was raised in bare country, but they are always the #1 priority in the division to me. It's not quite there, but it's close... a bare loss ALMOST brings me as much joy as a GBP W (it just gets all my buddies so friggin' pissed, love it).

Glad to know I'm not alone Cuphound.

GBP 4 LIFE

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BJ Packer's picture

August 01, 2010 at 01:25 pm

All we need to do this year is beat the ViQueens and DaBears twice and we will be on our way.

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Starry Barts's picture

August 02, 2010 at 11:47 am

My Vote: Winning the division and going farther in the playoffs than the Vikings makes for a great year.

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