We wondered aloud where Green Bay Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy was hiding after his team’s asinine loss to the Seattle Seahawks Monday night.
While his team’s owners were irate and audibly voicing their opinions about the debacle that was the NFL’s replacement referees, Murphy was hiding out… somewhere.
Had, say, the Dallas Cowboys been in the Packers’ position Monday night, we would have bet our house Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones would have offered a sound bite or two. Although Murphy isn’t the Packers owner, he is the organization’s figurehead.
Well, the organization’s figurehead, minus the passion.
Whereas the Jerry Joneses and Bob Krafts of the world are known as owners of NFL teams, they’re also known as guys who are fully invested in those teams.
Murphy, on the other hand, isn’t.
So on Thursday he showed up and made a brief statement and then refused to take any questions.
“I wanted to just say, I decided not until this point to speak publicly really out of respect for and concern for the sensitivity of the bargaining process,” Murphy said. “I didn’t want to influence that in any way. I have over the last couple of days talked to several people in the league office, including Roger (Goodell).
“I expressed our views. But first and foremost for the long-term good of the game we wanted to make sure we got a deal done.”
Murphy went on to praise coach Mike McCarthy for the way he’s handled himself and then he bolted.
What do you think about Murphy’s response? You can probably guess what we think.
Gutless Too bad that he didnt back his team or the fans on something so blatant and wrong. Thanks Mark we got your back too.
It was the right response publically for a man in his position.
I hope he gave them an earful on the phone though
Ear full that is
My expectation was Murphy waiting in Goodell’s office first thing Monday morning. Chump.
Tuesday…you know what I meant
Ugh, where the hell is Tivo Time?
Old Murph should have taken a cleveland steamer on Goodell’s desk. Tivo time please.
Whatever. The Packers are a different organization than the Patriots and Cowboys of the world. And a strong reaction by Murphy would have just been another in a chorus of very loud and passionate responses.
Had a deal not gotten done, sure, you add yourself to the outcry. But now that a deal is done, what good does claiming we got screwed (everyone knows we did), bashing the league office (the deal is done so it would do us no good), or chastising the replacement refs (they’re already gone)?
He could have asked Goodell how much he had bet on the Seahawks and the 3 pts? Was he part of the Packerr-backers who lost their bets on the Packers at the Las Vegas sportsbooks in the multi-millions? Guess he doesn’t care about protecting the NFL from gamblers or the perception that the games are FIXED. Way to show all that talk is just BS when you have the authority to change the outcome of a decision like this.
Its called CLASS. That’s the same way this organization handles everything.
The Packers are 1-2 and nothing is going to change that. So, why make yourself look like an ass by complaining about it?
The word was already out on Tuesday that Murphy was talking to the NFL head office.
Its time for MM to step down as leader of the Pack. He has done a good job leading this organization in the right direction. But he lacks the passion to be a true packer believer. I think Mike Holmgren will be looking for a new job after this year. The Browns new owner is looking for his own replacement. Holmgren would be the key to the future when Favres number 4 is retired.