[tps_title]From Lombardi’s Guys To Wolf’s Guys[/tps_title]
We all know that Vince Lombardi resurrected the Green Bay Packers in the 1960s after many years of post-Curly Lambeau doldrums. Similarly, Ron Wolf — and in part by hiring coach Mike Holmgren — resurrected the Green Bay Packers in the 1990s after many years of post-Lombardi doldrums.
In those interims, the organization, and those making the calls at the top of it, mistakenly clung quite a bit to past glory. In some cases disastrously so.
They did so by clinging to Lombardi-era players after Lombardi left — Starr and Gregg as coaches in the 80s.
They seemingly did so with Wolf-era coaches after Mike Holmgren left.
When Sherman was hired — after the one-year debacle of former Holmgren defensive coordinator and Philadelphia Eagles coach Ray Rhodes — Sherman was brought on. He had previously served as Holmgren’s offensive coordinator in Seattle.
Again, a look at a return to glory after Rhodes — who was probably viewed as a quick fix — compiled an 8-8 record in his only season.
Starr wasn’t ready to coach. Sherman wasn’t ready to be a GM — he had no personnel department experience. Sherman was, however, Wolf’s guy. He was his new Holmgren. He was trained by Holmgren, after all, and considered a great offensive mind.
A very different dichotomy of things played out after Sherman was hired in Green Bay.
Think about this.
- The savior coach — Holmgren — had left for Seattle in 1999 only because they agreed to give him the dual roles of coach and GM (he also largely failed at the latter, by the way).
- Rhodes, the Holmgren defensive coordinator, had failed in one season as coach of the Packers — ironically, look up Phil Bengtson, Lombardi’s self-chosen replacement.
- The Packers and, at least in part, Wolf, were disappointed in losing Holmgren because the dual role was not available with the Packers. Holmgren will tell you that’s the only reason he left Green Bay. Wolf wasn’t ready to retire in 1999, nor should he have been forced to do so.
- Wolf knew he wanted to retire sometime in 2000, we’re guessing and, certainly to his credit, wanted to leave the franchise in good hands, so…