If Ordinary Packer Fans Could Interview Ted Thompson: The Questions

If an ordinary Packer fan could ask questions of Packer General Manager Ted Thompson:

1. In the words of Vince Lombardi “What the hell is going on out there?” What the hell are you doing? No, wait, don’t answer that because we need to break it down a lot, lot more.

2. Did you, in any way, pressure Favre to retire in March?

3. Why can’t Favre, the most popular player in Packers history in terms of merchandise sale and celebrity, continue to play for the Packers? What is the problem?

4. Has a behind the scenes deal been done with the Packers and the NFL regarding tampering charges by the Vikings?

5. You offered Favre $25 million to stay retired. Why not just trade him to the Bears or Lions and pay part of his salary? Favre has said he would accept a trade to either of those two teams because they are in the NFC North. Why not use the money you were willing to pay Favre not to play and pay at least part of his salary to play on either the Lions or Bears in return for even the lowest round draft pick?

6.  Isn’t this all about you? How could the Packers allow this situation to sink so low you needed to hire Ari Fleischer, the press spokesman for George Bush, arguably the most unpopular U.S. president in history. Fleischer also kept proclaiming there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Why are Packer fans paying for a PR guy who lied about weapons of mass destruction? Are lies now the basic standard operating procedure for the Packers?

7. If Favre said in June he didn’t want to play for the Packers, why didn’t you just trade him then for any draft pick you could get?

8. Your ego is legend among ardent NFL fans. Wasn’t the whole Favre fiasco a function of your ego?

9. Do you understand local revenues are key to the continued survival of the Packers franchise? Favre jerseys, Favre winning, Favre’s celebrity Q points, meant a lot of money to the Packers’ organization. You seem to have cut all that revenue. What are you going to do to make it up?

10.  Many Packer fans hate your guts. The Packer franchise has now been accused of lies and cheating and being dishonorable and disrespecting a future hall-of-fame quarterback. Someone will have to repair all of that for the future of the franchise, including convincing players you are not a conniving villain. How do you propose to repair the franchise reputation?

Questions you will never see on the ESPN scroll. And proud of it!