The Packer Pundit

By Scott Neis / Packer Pundit Guest Writer

Now the new era officially begins. Its life after Ahmad the Terrible (C'mon Dawg!). With this begins the clearing of the picture of what we really have for a GM in Ted Thompson. Those who wish to tear him down in this, the first year of "full" control must look at what rubble he has continued to sift through to even find a team. I for one still hold Mike Sherman accountable for the condition of the team. Responsibility for moves that have had to be made, money that has been spent and the necessary rebuilding that has begun (not done) all start and end with Mike Sherman on draft day. His last draft as GM, the 2004 draft has proven to be a very costly draft indeed. With one pick in the first round, none in the second, and three in the third we have nothing but a trail of tears to show for it. The remaining two picks were the good picks, well one of them......well a couple of late bloomers.... I'll give them that. Corey Williams and Scott Wells are on no ones radar before any trade deadline and I don't foresee that happening any time soon. The most costly picks, however, were never going to bloom. To pick these guys on one roster is like something right out of the Homer J. Simpson book of draft classics:

1 (25, 25) - Ahmad Carroll---- "Doh!!!"
3 (7, 70) - Joey Thomas ---- "Doh!!!"
3 (9, 72) - Donnell Washington--- "Doh!!!"
3 (24, 87) - B.J. Sander------- "Doh!!!Doh!!!"

These were all wasted picks; a wasted future. When you draft players, you hope within two to three years you have some solid starting material. Granted, the 2004 draft was not one for the ages beyond the first round but look at who was drafted early:

1 (1) Eli Manning Mississippi
2 (2) Robert Gallery Iowa
3 (3) Larry Fitzgerald Pittsburgh
4 (4) Philip Rivers North Carolina State
5 (5) Sean Taylor Miami (FL)
6 (6) Kellen Winslow Miami (FL)
7 (7) Roy Williams
8 (8) DeAngelo Hall Virginia Tech
9 (9) Reggie Williams Washington
10 (10) Dunta Robinson South Carolina
11 (11) Ben Roethlisberger Miami (OH)
12 (12) Jonathan Vilma Miami (FL)
13 (13) Lee Evans Wisconsin
Now you say "Yeah, but they were all earlier than Green Bay." Yes , but Steven Jackson of the St. Louis Rams was one pick ahead of Ahmad Carroll. Think about that.

What would Pick number 25 plus 70 (Joey Thomas) have done for us?
How about 25 and 72 (Donnell Washington)?


This is where Sherman messed up. Like he did with one minute and twenty seconds to go in any given two minute drill, he hesitated and lost out on opportunity.

This year we had more draft picks that any other team and have gotten at least two potential super stars in A. J. Hawk and Greg Jennings as well as rookie linemen that, given the circumstances, have been shaping up to be decent players and will be the future of the offensive line, not to mention some other good prospects such as Abdul Hodge and Will Blackmon. Many mistakes are yet to be erased. Some mistakes will be made again ( SCHOTTENHEIMER) and hopefully corrected. But all in all the direction is slowly turning back toward north to the great Frozen Tundra of the past. The Packers have fallen to the depths. Its easier to step on a team when it is down. But if you hold on to it while it rises (no matter how slowly), eventually you will have the privilege of the view from the top.

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Reprinted by permission from Scott Neis / What Would Curly Do?