Attempts to stonewall on the Josh Sitton move aren’t working and won’t work.
The astonishing and mysterious release of All Pro guard Josh Sitton last Saturday is of such a magnitude that the truth will leak out, drip by drip by drip.
It’s already happening — and it was none other than head coach Mike McCarthy himself who after only a day or so provided us all with this clue: “The locker room is the most important room in the building, frankly, in my opinion.”
The reference must be to what Sitton said in the locker room right after the Arizona Cardinals gave the Packers their most humiliating defeat in the McCarthy era, a 38-8 trouncing last November: “I think the philosophy of our offense has changed or needs to change or whatever you want to say. We need to be a team that goes out there and runs it 30 times a game… we haven’t been able to do that (in the run game). But I think our recipe for success, yeah I think it has changed.”
Here’s what McCarthy had to say about Sitton’s comments: “Josh Sitton needs to play guard.”
Coincidentally, McCarthy’s foremost priority this season is to establish a dominating run attack.
The other quote seized upon by reporters in that gloomy locker room was by Sitton’s fellow guard, T.J. Lang: “It’s not how you want to play leading into the playoffs. We’ve got to find a way to get better quick.”
Connecting the dots, we now know that on the same day early in training camp, the two guards were told there would be no contract renewal talks with either during the upcoming season — not exactly the greatest way to inspire the troops. I’m not sure if there were further acts that might be termed insubordination, though it’s clear McCarthy took Sitton’s comments last November as a very personal affront.
As I’ve said earlier, the head coach — and he is certainly the key player in the dismissal of a starting player, not GM Ted Thompson — has developed an ego that can’t abide by any form of criticism. Other circumstances — the failure to seek a trade, the refusal to let Sitton play out the final year of his contract, the incredible timing of the move, how everyone on the team was blind-sided by it — denote this was a personal act of vindictiveness.
Does anyone think such a punitive action was appropriate for the violation that the distraught player might have committed. Many coaches would be upset at a player who wasn’t filled with emotion after such a humbling loss.
As the 2015 season was approaching, in a Chicago Tribune story headed “Entering 10th season as Packers coach, Mike McCarthy constantly evolving,” Aaron Rodgers praised his boss McCarthy thusly: “The little things don’t bother him as much anymore, and he is very in time with the team. He’s very relational with players. It shows us how much he cares about each one of us by the way he treats us and takes care of us.”
I guess our former working-class guard never perfected the art of stroking egos like our illustrious quarterback has.
QB#1 after Oakland win December 2015. – “We just don’t really have a clear-cut direction,” Rodgers said.
That is not the words of someone stroking Mikes ego.
Rob: Not sure anyone else has noticed but when you issue the early article(s), you are always on time. Are you going to be part of the predictions? I would really like to read your predictions based on statistics. Keep up the good work.
It is nice to see that this Packers site actually attempts to shed light on these two charlatans of the gridiron, MM and TT.
this is really weird… its almost as if there was something going on behind the scenes that the fans weren’t privy to, and the Josh Sitton knew he was going to get released.
MM is an ego maniac. YES I know all head coaches are, its part of their make up, but MM is head and shoulders above any ive ever seen. I almost dont want to win another Super Bowl because I dont want that asshole taking credit for it.
This might be dumbest thing anyone has ever said on this site.
We can speculate “why” and pretend we have it all figured out i suppose, but what you described, is hardly a reason to jettison your best 0-line player, and put your QB at risk.
Could this have happened like you described, i guess so, i don’t know. None of us know. But if true, I REPEAT, if true. That would be a derelict of duty on McCarthy’s part. A) For making your team weaker. B) Putting your franchise QB more at risk of injury by maliciously inserting a less talented protector. Both of which should be grounds for termination.
With that said….You place the blame on McCarthy, and remove the responsibility from Ted Thompson. Here’s the problem with that. McCarthy doesn’t have final say on personnel. He may have input. But at the end of the day, Thompson has to sign off on cutting Sitton. McCarthy didn’t allegedly do this behind Ted’s back, he did it with his blessing, or it doesn’t happen. Any other belief is uniformed and ignorant of the hierarchy.
So in essence, if your “theory” is true. Then McCarthy AND Thompson are equally responsible.
My .02
this is really weird… its almost as if there was something going on behind the scenes that the fans weren’t privy to, and that Josh Sitton knew he was going to get released. wouldn’t it be strange if somebody had posted something to that effect last week?
There is a reason nobody has heard from Ted, besides his normal non availability and bizarro personality.
This is just a thought, but i wonder if, when Ted and Mike rehash their decision under the light of a new day and the reaction this move created. If they don’t wish they could undo this whole thing, second guessing their decision.
I hope we go on to win the super bowl but if this move cost us that opportunity it will be another reason on a long list of reasons why MM and TT suck!
Year after year these two imbeciles continue to make irrational rash decisions both on and off the field.
Yep . . .
Well there not complete imbeciles because with only AR you don’t come as far as they did.
But they are complete buffoons because they did not get to more SB’s ( at least appearences ) with there assets or got even better assets.
I wouldn’t hold my breath on that running game. McCarthy could have AP back there and McCarthy would find a way to limit AP to 1000 yards, give or take a hundred.
PF4L, Thompson without question has blood on his hands over Sitton being released. However, there is nothing to say if Thompson forced McCarthy to keep Sitton, what is stopping McCarthy from deciding not to play the man? I doubt it came to that level of insubordination, but there needs to be a line there where the coach decides who plays, and the GM decides who’s on the roster. That line is skewed in Green Bay, and I could see McCarthy having that kind of contempt, that is the man’s demeanor. That does not absolve Thompson at all. Whatever dynamic there is with these 2 guys needs to be broken. Unfortunately Ted isn’t going to can McCarthy. There will need to be a new GM in order for that to happen.
That will not happen with that lickspittle Murphy. He is as much at fault as these TWO charlatans are. All that fool does is smile, take pictures and run from controversy . . . He needs to start pressuring these two buffoons now.
Well :)…if Ted made Mike keep Sitton, Sitton being benched for Lane Taylor is about as likely as me winning powerball.
Here’s the bigger picture, whether it was Ted’s or Mike’s idea first to let Sitton go, one should have saved the other for making such a stupid mistake. Since Mark Murphy has a hands off approach, the buck actually stops with Ted. Though both are of one in the same to me.
I’ll go one further, if Taylor plays like shit, and/or Rodgers gets hurt because of it. This drama were going through now, will seem like a Sunday picnic for those two in retrospect..
I’ll grant you it would be stupid of McCarthy to bench the Sitton if forced to keep him. I believe wholeheartedly it was McCarthy’s decision to get rid of the man. Ted loves him some draft picks, especially of the compensatory kind, which seems odd he wouldn’t pay $6 million plus to “buy” maybe a 3rd rounder next year by keeping Sitton on the roster. At this point I don’t think either one of them can save themselves, let alone each other.
McCarthy is such a clueless stubborn twat. They have the best QB in the league and yet he will run the ball up the middle three times in a row to prove stupid point. What point is that? Oh that’s right, there is none. Way to keep the fastest receiver you had off the field all of last year until the playoffs. Fuckin buffoon.
MM the resident “Buffoon” McGlurpy strikes again.
Nice to see the Total TMZ Packer circle jerk is alive and well. TT sucks!! MM is a Baffoon! Anything less than a 19-0 Super Bowl is unacceptable! Do you hear me!? Somebody pay attention to me! I know less than nothing about running a football team but I have all the answers! Whhhaaaaaaaaa!!
You people are the most miserable group of Packer fans on the Internet. You have no idea how good you have it. Your arrogance and greediness has blinded you.
So enjoy wallowing in your misery! I’m gonna go ENJOY some Packer football.
Good idea, go watch how good we’ve had it….. go watch the San Fran games, watch the Arizona game, watch the Seattle playoff game, maybe watch you some Seneca Wallace and Vince Young…..ENJOY.