Ah, good old Ginger Gap Tooth. Talking out of both sides of his mouth.
Love, love, love, love, love it!
Let’s look at what our great pal Mark Murphy had to say about character today. Because you know, he is an authority on the subject!
If there was ever a walking epitome of character, it’s old Gingy Gap. This came in response to a question (in his monthly Fun Bag!) about whether the Green Bay Packers value character in their personnel.
Here’s a hint: they give very few fucks.
At any rate, here’s GG’s answer.
“Character is every important to us, Merle, in our overall evaluation of a player. Although all of our players are not perfect angels, we feel very good about the quality of the people in our locker room and the culture of the team. As I mentioned above, I sit in on many of the interviews at the Combine, and we ask all the players about their backgrounds, whether they’ve ever been arrested as well as their academic standing. We also do quite a bit of research on every player that we may draft or sign. I have also seen GM Ted Thompson take a player off our draft board because we felt he presented too much of a character risk. The draft is not an exact science, and teams must often weigh how much risk they are willing to take on players. The other issue is, how will a player change when he is suddenly making a lot of money and has more free time than in college?”
That’s a truckload full of shit.
First of all, the Packers aren’t sitting at the combine asking guys about their arrest records or their grades. If they’re interested in the guy, they’ve done that homework.
Kind of like how I don’t ask potential employees if they’re serial rapists or mass murderers while I’m interviewing them. I look that shit up. It’s called due diligence.
But hey, Ginger Gap Tooth thinks we’re all idiots and we’ll buy whatever B.S. he vomits out between those gap teeth.
Second of all, you can say character is important to you all you want, but the fact of the matter is the Packers do business just like every other NFL team. Well, maybe not the Cowboys, but 30 other NFL teams.
Character is only important up to point. Ultimately, the question comes down to: “Can this guy help us win?”
If the answer is yes, then the question is: “At what cost?”
The Packers, like everyone else, weigh the pros and cons of an individual. Is what this guy brings to the field greater than his potential baggage off of it?
In other words, “Boy, this motherfucker can play, but is he going to stick up a 7-Eleven while in the midst of a five-day alcohol and coke binge?!?”
If you doubt that, you haven’t been paying attention.
The Packers wouldn’t employ Letroy Guion if character (and judgment) were THAT important. They would have released that idiot God’s Gifts last offseason after he got caught waving a gun around at some broad. They never would have brought back our main man Johnny Jolly after he — what?! — got out of prison! They never would have signed an addict like Colt Lyerla.
I’m not suggesting guys shouldn’t get second chances.
I’m all for second chances.
What I am saying is, don’t spew your character bullshit like we’re a bunch of morons.
Really, we can’t wait for you to utter the phrase “Packer People” again and then watch the organization turn around and sign someone else who has done time.
That’s not tiring at all, Mark.
Don’t forget that Brett Favre character with his vicodins and dick pics.
What Murphy is saying is true to an extent. Caring about character doesn’t mean that you won’t sign or draft ANYONE who ever did anything wrong in their life. It just depends on where you draw that line.
If you draw the line at- We won’t sign you if there is any chance that you’ll do drugs in your life- then you wouldn’t be able to field a team.
The fact that the locker room stays pretty quiet, even during a season like last one, proves that what Murphy is saying is true.
If anyone feels they can do that job better, apply for it next time the position opens up.
It’s a tough job getting into the playoffs in the NFC North with Rodgers at QB.
Keep up the good work Murph.
Bob shut the fuck up
Monty, this time you have it right. We should all be the enemy of hypocrisy. Ginger Gap Tooth and his ilk (including many fans) try to convey the illusion (one many of them also dupe themselves into) that a Packer fan or Packer player is somehow superior or a higher class of creature. Like they are angels on Earth and the other teams are mere humans. Ridiculous. It is true some teams do pay MORE attention to character. It is also true some teams pay LESS attention to character. The Cowboys are one such team. The Packers are another.
They have Quarless, a total dangerous creeepazoid. They have Guion, as stupid as a rock but with far worse morals. They have addicts, drug users, and cheaters in Clay Matthews (who also has very poor sportsmanship — worse than a bad 5th grader), Julius Peppers, and Mike Neal. They ahve several other law breakers on the roster. Clinton-Dix is also scum and a cheater. So, really, you have a team where these guys are all making great money and so do not have that excuse and yet a fourth of the team is just plain bad crappy people. This is far worse than the NFL average.
You have average or below average players like Quarless and Guion who are kept on despite what they do even when they would be easily replaceable or could even be easily upgraded with an actual good human being. Then there are players they pick up who they already know are jerks like Clinton-Dix.
The Packers are not superior morally. They are inferior. Monty did well acknowledging that.