Shareholder Meeting

[PikeBadger]

People who are nominated have been vetted as much as the government does for a top secret clearance. They don't recruit them from the Brown County hoosegow.

True, but once upon a time, they were notorious for wanting to have a say in football decisions and of course, that didn't work out very well.

 

[Heyjoe4]

I got some at a farmers market a few weeks back from a local farm and their variety leaves something to be desired. The "mass market" stuff at the grocers is what I'm used to and prefer. I really love it on wheat toast with raw onion slices on top. Unfortunately raw onions no longer agree with my gut flora so I make do with onion powder.

Interesting. I can't stand liver. cooked with onions and bacon it's still liver, which is nothing more than a filter for waste in the bloodstream.

But i can eat liver sausage or braunschweiger with a slice of onion, salt and pepper on rye ideally. That's weird to me. My Mom used to make us eat liver, and the smell and the taste were just awful. I'll stick with brats.

 

[Heyjoe4]

This really is the perfect thread for all of these topics. As shareholders, why wouldn't we be discussing grilled meats, mustard vs ketchup, and other important items???

Great observation El Guapo. One of us may end up on the board someday, and we need to know these things that affect customers.

 

[Heyjoe4]

True, but once upon a time, they were notorious for wanting to have a say in football decisions and of course, that didn't work out very well.

Really Pike? I didn't know this. Was that happening in the 70s and 80s? Could explain the lousy teams from those decades.

 

[Voyageur]

Really Pike? I didn't know this. Was that happening in the 70s and 80s? Could explain the lousy teams from those decades.

There was a lot of meddling prior to Lombardi coming on board. Then more, after he left. People wanting to take on a bigger role than they should.

 

[El Guapo]

The board was originally a bunch of local supporters of the team. As football became more of a business in the 30s and 40s, the board got more involved such as setting Curly's salary, approving budgets, etc. Since there was no owner, it was a necessary process back then. After forcing Curly out, the board made some bad hires in Ronzini, Blackburn, and especially Scooter. They also missed the boat on Tom Landry, but Lombardi ended up being a good consolation prize!

To their credit, the board kept reorganizing and trimming down to be more effective in the 1950s. Prior to that there were factions within the board that wielded their influence to effect changes. The coaches used to have to give weekly reports to the board after games. When Lombardi was hired, even though the board had been streamlined around the same time, he still laid down the law and told them that he was running the team, not them. Lombardi hand-picked Bengston to be his successor but then left for Washington. The board re-took control and forced Bengston out in order to hire Dan Devine, Bart Starr, and Forrest Gregg successively. During all of this time, you had two very influential presidents in Olejniczak and Parins from the late 50s to the late 80s. However, IMO it wasn't until Bob Harlan rose through the ranks that we had a truly effective president at the helm. He boldly fired Tom Braatz (mid-season I think) and hired Ron Wolf to be the GM. In turn, Wolf hired Holmgren and the next 30 years of prosperity is now a part of his legacy. It seems to me that Harlan consolidated control of football operations in the role of the president.

Ironically, there was just an article about Mark Murphy's 3 year retirement plan: https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/07/03/mark-murphy-confirms-retirement-plan-for-2025/

 

[Heyjoe4]

The board was originally a bunch of local supporters of the team. As football became more of a business in the 30s and 40s, the board got more involved such as setting Curly's salary, approving budgets, etc. Since there was no owner, it was a necessary process back then. After forcing Curly out, the board made some bad hires in Ronzini, Blackburn, and especially Scooter. They also missed the boat on Tom Landry, but Lombardi ended up being a good consolation prize!

To their credit, the board kept reorganizing and trimming down to be more effective in the 1950s. Prior to that there were factions within the board that wielded their influence to effect changes. The coaches used to have to give weekly reports to the board after games. When Lombardi was hired, even though the board had been streamlined around the same time, he still laid down the law and told them that he was running the team, not them. Lombardi hand-picked Bengston to be his successor but then left for Washington. The board re-took control and forced Bengston out in order to hire Dan Devine, Bart Starr, and Forrest Gregg successively. During all of this time, you had two very influential presidents in Olejniczak and Parins from the late 50s to the late 80s. However, IMO it wasn't until Bob Harlan rose through the ranks that we had a truly effective president at the helm. He boldly fired Tom Braatz (mid-season I think) and hired Ron Wolf to be the GM. In turn, Wolf hired Holmgren and the next 30 years of prosperity is now a part of his legacy. It seems to me that Harlan consolidated control of football operations in the role of the president.

Ironically, there was just an article about Mark Murphy's 3 year retirement plan: https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/07/03/mark-murphy-confirms-retirement-plan-for-2025/

Thanks El Guapo. Wow what an excellent summary of Packers' history. Good thing Lombardi made it clear who ran the team.

Is Ronzini Gene Ronzini? I remember that name but he was before my time. What was his role? I didn't know they jettisoned Curly either. Well at least they named the stadium after him.

And thanks for recounting how things went so badly after Lombardi left. He was at least partially to blame for naming Bengston as his successor. But that miserable trifecta of Devine, Starr (RIP, a good man), and Gregg (a thug) almost buried the Packers forever.

I recently read that Murphy will be leaving in three years. That's fine with me. He's no Bob Harlan. He may be a nice guy and all that, but I would think that job will attract top talent, especially when the Packers find themselves retooling (not rebuilding) after Rodgers leaves.

Again, great job. Thanks.

 

[El Guapo]

Yes, Gene Ronzani was the coach after Curly Lambeau. He came from the Chicago Bears, which burned the chaps of most Packers fans back then. If I remember correctly, he brought over several Bears players and also some former Bears players to be assistant coaches. That didn't work out well and he was only the coach for less than three seasons.

You can see a list of Packers coaches here or in the Packers Media Guide:

List of Green Bay Packers head coaches - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Packers.com, the official website of the Green Bay Packers

Green Bay Packers Media Guide: The official source of the latest Packers media guide

www.packers.com

 

[Heyjoe4]

Yes, Gene Ronzani was the coach after Curly Lambeau. He came from the Chicago Bears, which burned the chaps of most Packers fans back then. If I remember correctly, he brought over several Bears players and also some former Bears players to be assistant coaches. That didn't work out well and he was only the coach for less than three seasons.

You can see a list of Packers coaches here or in the Packers Media Guide:

List of Green Bay Packers head coaches - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Packers.com, the official website of the Green Bay Packers

Green Bay Packers Media Guide: The official source of the latest Packers media guide

www.packers.com

Hiring from the Bears! Blasphemy!

 

[SudsMcBucky]

Hiring from the Bears! Blasphemy!

No wonder we sucked so bad!

 

[Heyjoe4]

No wonder we sucked so bad!

Yeah that would be a 20 year curse, according to the Book of Football Curses.

OMG the 70s and 80s were terrible. I was in college in the 70s and would watch the news in the student union. Sports shows detailed Walter Payton running all over the Packers. Well, he ran over everybody.

 

[El Guapo]

I was in diapers in the 70s, but still felt the shame of the Packers losing. Much like a dog knowing when you are upset, I could tell when my father was unhappy on Sundays.

**edit** I wasn't in diapers for all of the 1970s...

 

[Heyjoe4]

I was in diapers in the 70s, but still felt the shame of the Packers losing. Much like a dog knowing when you are upset, I could tell when my father was unhappy on Sundays.

**edit** I wasn't in diapers for all of the 1970s...

Thanks for the clarification EG. Well, if you don't remember much about the 70s, you didn't miss anything. The Packers sucked and disco music was everywhere.

 

[rmontro]

Thanks for the clarification EG. Well, if you don't remember much about the 70s, you didn't miss anything. The Packers sucked and disco music was everywhere.

On the other hand, we did have Led Zeppelin.

 

[Heyjoe4]

On the other hand, we did have Led Zeppelin.

That's an excellent point. Zep kinda saved the 70s from total irrelevance.

 

[Poppa San]

On the other hand, we did have Led Zeppelin.

And a bloated Elvis for most of it.

 

[rmontro]

And a bloated Elvis for most of it.

Thank you very much.

 

[Heyjoe4]

And a bloated Elvis for most of it.

Yeah I think Elvis died during the 70s. Something like 1976 or maybe it was a year or two later.

 

[Voyageur]

My wife and I went to one of Elvis' concerts back in the early summer of '74 at The Sahara, at Lake Tahoe. It was a great show, but he had a couple of weak points with his voice. The group behind him was called "Voice," and the back up singer did a great job of covering at the moment. It was his opening show for that trip.

Then I ended up talking to a friend, and ended up being one of the members of his security team for the next several days.

Over the course of years, in Illinois, and the Tahoe area, I did close security for a lot of well known people. Everyone from Paul Anka, while he was at Harrah's Tahoe, to Ferrante & Teicher, in Illinois, when they performed at a local high school. Also did close security for members of the Chicago Cubs, including Ernie Banks, when he and others were doing charity basketball games at area high schools.

I met Brian Piccolo, Gayle Sayers, and so many people along the way. That includes people like Wolfman Jack, and Bo Diddley, who was my favorite of all of them. I loved sitting and talking to him for a couple of hours at a time, when I was working for him at an event.

Did so many musical groups I can't even remember them all.

Those were always nice side gigs, as a cop. It was cash in hand, and with some of them, there would be tips that were larger than a 2 week pay check. The big thing was remembering to respect their privacy, and what you saw was not divulged to anyone. When you stuck to that philosophy, the opportunities were always there.

 

[Heyjoe4]

My wife and I went to one of Elvis' concerts back in the early summer of '74 at The Sahara, at Lake Tahoe. It was a great show, but he had a couple of weak points with his voice. The group behind him was called "Voice," and the back up singer did a great job of covering at the moment. It was his opening show for that trip.

Then I ended up talking to a friend, and ended up being one of the members of his security team for the next several days.

Over the course of years, in Illinois, and the Tahoe area, I did close security for a lot of well known people. Everyone from Paul Anka, while he was at Harrah's Tahoe, to Ferrante & Teicher, in Illinois, when they performed at a local high school. Also did close security for members of the Chicago Cubs, including Ernie Banks, when he and others were doing charity basketball games at area high schools.

I met Brian Piccolo, Gayle Sayers, and so many people along the way. That includes people like Wolfman Jack, and Bo Diddley, who was my favorite of all of them. I loved sitting and talking to him for a couple of hours at a time, when I was working for him at an event.

Did so many musical groups I can't even remember them all.

Those were always nice side gigs, as a cop. It was cash in hand, and with some of them, there would be tips that were larger than a 2 week pay check. The big thing was remembering to respect their privacy, and what you saw was not divulged to anyone. When you stuck to that philosophy, the opportunities were always there.

That's an interesting history. Who said police work was dull? No one I know. I never got the chance to see Elvis perform. As I recall, he was young when he died, like early 40s. A shame really.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Not sure how high your expectations are, we are 39-10 since he had everyone report to him. Perhaps he is able to help facilitate communication between coach and GM to make sure everyone is on the same page, and he seeing the total picture, not just that of which he is in control of, as a coach or GM could possibly do.

Big picture to me is he is acting exactly as I would expect of the head a business making around a 1/2 a billion $ per annum.

I shared CaptainWIMM's sentiment about the power structure when it was first announced. However, like Packer Fan in SD perfectly stated you can't argue the results. Taking it further, I am not aware of any internal power struggles that have impacted the team or organizational dynamics. Buck the traditional methods and you will get one of two outcomes: 1) failure and everyone calling you a moron; or 2) success and everyone begrudgingly calling you smart. I can respect someone that forges their own path and makes it work. It's organizational innovation.

In my opinion Murphy has created the financial footing for the Packers to be able to stay competitive but he's not responsible for the team's success on the field in any other way.

Just because Gutekunst, MLF and Ball all directly report to him means he's involved in any football decisions, which as mentioned before he shouldn't be as he has never worked in any such capacity in his career.

But that's the way it is in GB. Kind of brings up the question - who submitted and approved Murphy's hire? Who interviewed him? My guess is it was largely done by his predecessor, Bob Harlan. Anyone have better information? I'm guessing here.

Murphy was elected by the board of directors after an extensive search. Here's a link to an article about it.

Mark H. Murphy Named Green Bay Packers President And CEO

Mark H. Murphy, possessor of extensive experience in professional football and sports administration, has been elected as the Green Bay Packers’ President and CEO. The Packers Board of Directors approved Murphy as the franchise’s 10th Chief Executive O

www.packers.com

The EC is made up of business people. It was a retired judge who hired Wolf and kept out of football affairs. But he did make the error of giving Sherman both HC and GM jobs. Thankfully that was corrected.

I guess you're talking about Robert Parins when mentioning a retired judge hiring Wolf and Sherman. He wasn't in charge by the time Wolf was hired in 1991 as he was replaced by Harlan in '89 though.