McCarthy Is Too Nice

I can't stop laughing at the ambiguity in Mike McCarthy's post practice press conference. I know it's nothing new, but when it comes to Atari Bigby and mini-camp McCarthy seems to do always do a double take. It's time for Mike to start yelling.

What I found to be the best quote from McCarthy was actually something I did not realize.

"You used to have the mini-camp historically where it was really the starting point of your offseason program. For us the last couple years it's been the ending point."

It's an interesting way to look at it, and one that never crossed my mind. That as it is, let me remind Mike McCarthy that Atari Bigby's season ended during the playoffs when he feigned a weak injury and stood on the sidelines with his helmet off like a total loser. And outside of Greg Jennings (who I think mentioned it), no one really seems to care.

It's pretty obvious the mini-camp seems to be a crucial component for success in Green Bay according if you ask McCarthy.

"It gives us the opportunity to have a smart, tough, healthy training camp environment. It's because of the commitment here of our football players and our coaching staff getting ahead of schedule on making decisions how we're going to play the upcoming season."

I completely agree with that statement, and tend to side with the Carriveau's of the world in thinking that mini-camp is vital to team chemistry. Since taking off his helmet, and concerning himself more with getting paid than his team, Bigby has completely fallen out of the team's formula. Yet, he still seems to get a pass.

When addressed with the Bigby situation, and his lack of calling guys out like Mike Sherman and Mike Holmgren would do, McCarthy makes a complete about face.

"I don't think it is disrespectful to the organization because I am definitely going to always do what I feel is in the best interest of the organization."

Besides not making a lick of sense if you read it a couple of times, I don't think the best interest of the organization is continuing to let guys slide and take the upper hand in contract negotiations. Mike is basically giving Bigby a pass by saying he isn't slightly offended by this. After just getting done stressing how important the mini-camp is to the Packers overall goal, how can you not be upset with a guy who hasn't been a part of it (or even cared) since halfway through the fourth quarter of the 2009 playoffs.

I want McCarthy to be a father not a friend. Sometimes you need to act like the boss and throw some kind of strong constructive criticism. I understand being a player's coach, but when the players start looking like they run the show perhaps it's time to re-evaluate. If I was a guy, on a potential dream making Super Bowl team attending and focusing on making that run, I would want my coach to do everything in his power to reprimand those that seem to think they can adhere to a different standard than I have to.

It's time to call him out Mike. Better yet, it's time to show even an inkling of some kind of emotion. This is your moment, bring the hell and bring the fire. You need to.


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Comments (22)

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PackersRS's picture

June 22, 2010 at 10:49 am

MM is not upset that Bigby is out because he thinks Bigby isn't that important, and that it's giving Burnett more time to work with the 1sts and learn the playbook.

So, yes, minicamp is vital to Burnett, and Bigby missing minicamp is in the best interest of the organization, because it gives Burnett more time to learn.

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Alex Tallitsch's picture

June 22, 2010 at 10:51 am

I don't think letting any player slide on a hold out is ever in the best interest of the organization. I agree Bigby isn't important, but what is how the team views the situation. Once again we are sending the message that holding out is cool.

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PackersRS's picture

June 22, 2010 at 11:03 am

You can either teach by rewarding the good or condemning the bad. I don't think doing both is smart.

We're paying the guys that do as they're told to, and not paying those who aren't. I think that's a good policy...

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FITZCORE1252's picture

June 23, 2010 at 10:16 am

Couldn't agree more.

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FITZCORE1252's picture

June 23, 2010 at 10:27 am

It's well documented that I'm not a huge Bigby fan, BUT THIS - " I agree Bigby isn’t important" - is just not anywhere close to being true, Alex.

I hope to all that's good Morgan 'earns' the starting spot, but, we need Atari 'this year' even if it is in a back-up role. Look at the depth chart dude. Coach can talk up the 'depth' all he wants, I know better... you do too. Collins, Burnett... then who? If no Bigby, are you comfortable with the next guy? Blackmon, Martin, perhaps Peprah? Didn't think so. I don't like it, but we do/will need him 'this year' in some capacity. Unfortunately, he is quite important.

GBP

4

L
I
F
E

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Alex Tallitsch's picture

June 23, 2010 at 11:51 am

Bigby is not important at mini-camp, training camp and the season is a different story. I wrote as much in my attacking Bigby article.

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Tarynfor12's picture

June 22, 2010 at 11:46 am

The differenve between Bigby's tender and his 110% was minimal and in essence meant nothing to the Packers ORG or to Bigby.The Players won't get involved in a dispute of that nature as it may be them at some point.But,as far as his on field performance and the feigning of injury should and if they are of a SB mind frame as a whole,I would think they will take some in locker room action.
I also wouldn't be shocked to see him traded.

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FITZCORE1252's picture

June 23, 2010 at 10:15 am

Kinda hard to trade a guy who isn't under contract.

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Mr. Bacon's picture

June 22, 2010 at 05:25 pm

Alex, you have to remember. McCarthy is a QB-Offensive minded coach. Even though he is the head coach, Atari is not in his group. All he really cares about are his offensive & star players, because he trusts Dom & Thompson to take care of the other half.

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Nypacker's picture

June 22, 2010 at 10:28 pm

Yes but you have to still rember that you're the HEAD COACH of the team not the offensive coordinator. That means getting into the work of all aspects of the team: Offense, Defense and Special Teams. That's also what separates the good coaches from SB coaches. Mike Tomlin and Sean Payton are defensive and offensive guys respectively but there are times when they talk about the gameplan and making adjustments with the guys on the opposite end of their specialty.

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Asshalo's picture

June 22, 2010 at 06:59 pm

I really don't know. There could be personal issues he's dealing with. Think McCarthy's deal with Jolly this year. Yes this is public, but not all players personal matters are. Think back to Nick Collin's absence last year during the 3-4 transition after his father passed away. Bigby could be away for any reason, good or bad.

I don't really have a preference for coaching styles. Many different coaches have been successful with a wide variety of styles. I never have a problem with how a coach chooses to coach until the team is playing bad.

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Asshalo's picture

June 22, 2010 at 07:01 pm

By the way, I don't know if the Carriveau link was intentional, but it made me laugh nonetheless.

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Alex Tallitsch's picture

June 22, 2010 at 07:56 pm

It wasn't but that's pretty funny either way. Sorry, Brian.

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FITZCORE1252's picture

June 23, 2010 at 10:12 am

Pardon me; a bit O/T -

As some (or all of you) may know, I am a HUGE Soccer fan.

Congrats USA, that was some SHIZIT! Represent.

GBP 4 LIFE

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Globalpack's picture

June 23, 2010 at 03:00 pm

I agree with this article. An action that is not discouraged is encouraged. If marginal playmakers are allowed to skip mandatory activities, why wouldn't other players feel entitled? Look at how Peterson seems to feel entitiled to the favre treatment. On my Twitter account, I proposed the idea of unfollowing bigby to express fans discontent.

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Greg C.'s picture

June 23, 2010 at 05:16 pm

You lost me right off the bat by claiming that Bigby feigned an injury to sit out the end of a playoff game. I am always dubious when somebody claims that a player is feigning an injury, because there is no way to prove or disprove it. Only the player himself knows how badly injured he is.

As for McCarthy, hasn't he already commented at least a couple of times on Bigby's absence from the OTA's and minicamp? I thought he did, but even if I'm wrong, I don't see this as something that a coach needs to make a strong statement about in a press conference. Contracts are the GM's job, and Bigby is not under contract anyway, so he's not holding out.

Also, attendance at the OTA's and minicamp has been excellent this year, so I don't see this as part of a pattern. And I certainly don't remember Mike Sherman and Mike Holmgren "calling guys out" for stuff like this.

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PackersRS's picture

June 23, 2010 at 05:24 pm

No way to prove it or disprove it? So why the hell do doctors run MRI and Xray tests anyway?

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Greg C.'s picture

June 23, 2010 at 07:43 pm

Doctors can find evidence for serious injuries, but the marginal ones can be hard to detect. There is no machine that detects pain.

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Alex Tallitsch's picture

June 23, 2010 at 05:20 pm

Well, I have to disprove several of these statements.

1. Greg Jennings bitched at Bigby for it. I'll take what Greg Jennings thinks, although yes you can never prove it.

2. They even asked McCarthy in his press conference. Transcript above at the link, why he didn't call out guys like Sherman and Holgrem. I know I remember Holmgren doing it, although I cannot give you a specific name.

3. Like the commenter above you said, any action that is not discouraged is encouraged.

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JohnRehor's picture

June 23, 2010 at 09:58 pm

"Better yet, it’s time to show even an inkling of some kind of emotion."

I agree 100% Just once it would be nice for McCarthy to send one of his players to the woodshed for something. Anything. All of the comments he has made in the past about penalties, and his simple answer of "cleaning things up" makes my want to throw my monitor, ipod, or whatever is next to me out the window.

Old school tactics can work wonders, especially when it comes to things like players trying to steer that train McCarthy supposedly is engineering.

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Globalpack's picture

June 23, 2010 at 10:41 pm

I don't get the response "he's not holding out because he's not under contact". While that maybe technically true it does not mean that he is not a member of the team and that he doesn't have obligations as a member of that team. Further, didn't we talk about raji and crabtree as holdouts even though they weren't technically contract.

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Becky's picture

June 24, 2010 at 12:36 am

This discussion thread reminded me of an interesting article written by Bob McGinn back in November 2008, titled Pack's Cool Ways Yield Tepid Play. To quote McGinn:

"Thompson and McCarthy are flat-liners, particularly Thompson. If McCarthy were his own boss, my guess is that you'd see a lot more of his personality. But he isn't, and therefore he has submitted to Thompson's vision."

And:

"McCarthy has taken great steps to curb the temper that got him in trouble at previous coaching stops, but perhaps he has taken it too far. You don't see the jut-jawed intensity of a Bill Cowher, the unbridled joy of a Jeff Fisher or even the controlled anger of a Bill Parcells on the Green Bay sideline."

"One-on-one, McCarthy can be engaging and educational discussing the game. In public, McCarthy often comes across as stiff and uninformative. . . . .
Given the buttoned-down climate up top, it's no surprise that it has filtered down to the coaching staff and locker room."

http://www.jsonline.com/packerinsider/35266299.html

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