Cheesehead TV Readers Have A Point
By PackerAaron
Maybe it was the morning commute (which was horrible), or maybe I'm just in a bad mood (which I am.)
The more I think about it, the more I can see why Thompson wouldn't pull the trigger for Gonzalez. Peterson is a notorious asshole, and it sure seems as though he was only trying to appear to be trading Gonzalez, just so he could say he tried to his player, all while holding out for a draft pick that no GM was ever going to give. Not to mention the list of Thompson's second rounders at the end of the McGinn article sure does seem to suggest that Thompson usually makes good with second round picks.
So forgive me, dear readers. Even bloggers have bad days.
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Comments (14)
Alex Tallitsch
October 15, 2008 at 10:28 am
Way to back down - every GM is an asshole trying to get as much as they can. Tony was worth a second.
PackerAaron
October 15, 2008 at 10:33 am
Perhaps. But I understand the thinking behind it. Its the difference between 'daring to be great' and 'hoping to be great' that concerns me.
Alex Tallitsch
October 15, 2008 at 10:40 am
There hasn't been but one daring move made on this team outside of Wood since Joe Johnson.
Sorry, I'm not buying into the philosophy anymore. This trade would have meant much more than just the play on the field. It would have helped in the locker room and helped to lead and energize a team sorely needing it.
Take a chance already.
October 15, 2008 at 10:46 am
Welcome to the world of damned if you do and damned if you don't Aaron! Mmm..nothing like that GM feeling!
October 15, 2008 at 10:50 am
PackOne, I don't understand how you can say someone was worth something when no one was willing to pay that price. Depending on which source you look at the Packers were either the only team offering a 3rd round pick or one of two teams offering a 3rd round pick. So essentially, a 2nd round pick is two rounds higher than the next best offer. That seems like KC was overpricing Gonzalez.
And that would make sense since it seems like they didn't want to get rid of him. Gonzalez claims he was told the deal could get done for a third rounder. And that KC actually thought they should get a similar deal as the Giants got for Shockey (a 2nd and a 5th). According to McGinn, the Packers had already sweetened the deal multiple times. So they neogtiated - KC did not. That says a lot about KC's motivation.
Alex Tallitsch
October 15, 2008 at 10:57 am
"The decision by general manager Ted Thompson not to send the second-round pick to Kansas City was made just minutes before the National Football League trading deadline of 3 p.m."
Chambers = 2nd
Shockey = 2 + 5
Williams 1 + 3 + 6
Gonzalez = 2 (Sounds pretty fair for a caliber guy)
Negotiated is totally open to interpretation.
PackerAaron
October 15, 2008 at 11:00 am
I would love to know who McGinn's source is.
October 15, 2008 at 11:05 am
"During a day of talks between Green Bay and Kansas City, the Packers increased their compensation offer several times"
Apparently KC wouldn't decrease their compensation demand at all. That's not negotiating.
Chambers got a second and is two years younger than Gonzalez.
Shockey got a second and fifth and is 4 years younger.
Williams got a first, third and sixth and is 6 years younger.
As you age, your price goes down. Expecting the same price for an older player is illogical.
PackerAaron
October 15, 2008 at 11:09 am
But Gonzalez isn't just "an older player" - he's an older version of the greatest tight end to ever play the game. He's available for a second round pick. These chances don't come around every year. Again, I understand why Thompson didn't do it, but I also completely understand PackOne's frustration.
October 15, 2008 at 11:34 am
I was intrigued and somewhat hopeful when the rumors started, but not giddy about the prospect of getting Gonzalez. There are 2 reasons...first, the chances are slim we make a deep playoff run with or without Gonzalez. Had this been a quality DE or DT then I might feel different. Second, we need help in so many other places. It sounds like TT "attempted" to negotiate, but his real test (in my mind) will come in the next offseason. We are loaded with young guys and my expectation is we finally go after some quality FA. I know we are way under the cap but I would not want the fact that we spent money on Gonzalez to affect what we do (or do not do) in the offseason.
TT's leash is getting shorter in my mind, but I can't fault him on this one
October 15, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Aaron, you said it yourself he is an OLDER version. He's not what he was in his prime and there is no guarantee that he doesn't take a huge nosedive soon. The older you are the easier it is to get hurt, you lose some of your quickness and he would have to come in and learn a new system which limits his immediate impact. The risk is greater for older players, no matter how good they are/were. As a result the price needs to be lower than a comparable player who is younger.
PackerAaron
October 15, 2008 at 12:35 pm
True dat, true dat. Just can't get images of him toasting our secondary (and our linebackers) last year out of my head... ;)
October 15, 2008 at 09:05 pm
Sounds like Ted Thompson didn't really blow it after all, if you believe this:
http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/sports//index.php?ntid=309733
October 15, 2008 at 09:16 pm
I know. But it is sounding more and more like it wasn't TT's fault. From here http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/sports//index.php?ntid=309733
"According to two NFL sources familiar with the negotiations, the Packers had drawn up the trade paperwork and sent it to the Chiefs to finalize the deal — a third-round pick for Gonzalez — only to have the Chiefs call them 10 minutes before the deadline to say it would take a second-round pick to get the deal done."