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http://www.espn.com/blog/green-bay-...ers-next-gm-why-mark-murphy-isnt-ready-to-say
The Packers have been to ONE SB under MM/TT compared to SEVEN for the Patriots who've won FOUR. This kind of attitude is why the Packers have become a perennial playoff loser. Absolutely disgusting attitude from the leader of this franchise. Like I've said before, I think the guy only cares about $$$.
GREEN BAY, Wis. -- It’s easy for Mark Murphy to say it now after a run to the NFC Championship Game, but the way the Green Bay Packers president physically recoiled in his chair when asked whether he ever considered making a coaching or general manager change when they were 4-6 and on a four-game losing streak sure was convincing.
During an interview this week, Murphy was emphatic in his support for coach Mike McCarthy and general manager Ted Thompson, both of whom faced heavy criticism during the season.
"You don't make decisions like that in the middle of the season," Murphy said. "You see the season play out and obviously things changed quite a bit."
What’s more, Murphy made it perfectly clear that he likes the direction things are headed under the only coach and general manger he's worked with since being put in charge of the team in December 2007.
"The turnaround in the season, for me, gives me confidence in the organization and certainly the work of Ted and Mike that I think a lot of organizations at 4-6, I think it's hard to keep things together," Murphy said. "And to be able to turn the season around the way we did was something I think everybody was very proud of."
Under Murphy, Thompson and McCarthy, the Packers have played in four NFC title games but have gotten to -- and won -- just one Super Bowl despite having a Hall of Famer in Brett Favre and a future Hall of Famer in Aaron Rodgers as their quarterbacks.
Rodgers is often compared to Tom Brady, who will play in his seventh Super Bowl for the New England Patriots on Sunday.
"No team in the league matches up to New England, and they've achieved a level of consistency in the modern era that others haven't," Murphy said. "But I’d say we're pretty close to them. It's not something that we’re ashamed of and I'm excited for the future. I don't think the future of our organization has been closed. I think we have a chance to be very good for a number of years into the future."
A week earlier in his season wrap-up press conference, McCarthy said "we had a successful season, but we did not reach the ultimate goal of winning the Super Bowl."
When asked how Murphy viewed the season, he said: "I hope it's not to the point where you can only have a successful season if you win the Super Bowl."
Murphy also praised Rodgers for his leadership and said even he was a little skeptical when the quarterback expressed confidence that the team could run the table when it was 4-6, not necessarily believing they'd win eight in a row and reach the conference title game.
"When you get in a position in the NFL where you're winning like that you just want to keep it going," Murphy said. "That's what was disappointing. I felt like we had the momentum coming off -- that win at Dallas was one of the best wins certainly in the time I've been here. To not be able to see that through was disappointing."
He said the way the Packers lost to the Falcons in the NFC title game, getting blown out 44-21, was "disappointing."
It was after the loss at Atlanta when Rodgers appeared to put the onus, at least in part, on Thompson to take better advantage of the window to win another Super Bowl when he said: "We've just got to make sure we're going all-in every year to win."
When asked about Rodgers' "all-in" comment, Murphy said. "We all want to win, and he really wants to win as well. In my mind, what he's achieved [already] is pretty remarkable. I think this year, although we didn't get to the Super Bowl, I think he really added to his legacy and the way he played, kind of putting the team on his back, run the table and the confidence and leadership he showed.
"Hopefully we'll continue to win. But you don't want to put so much pressure on him or the team or the organization that we have to win this year. Our goal every year is to win the Super Bowl. We've been very fortunate to have a legitimate chance every year to compete at a high level."
However, Murphy said he would never tell Thompson to be more active in free agency in order to "win now." Rather, he said Thompson knows he has "all the resources he needs."
The Packers have been to ONE SB under MM/TT compared to SEVEN for the Patriots who've won FOUR. This kind of attitude is why the Packers have become a perennial playoff loser. Absolutely disgusting attitude from the leader of this franchise. Like I've said before, I think the guy only cares about $$$.