sk

Sometimes I really scratch my head over Bob McGinn's column. This time, I
don't know wheter it's him or his sources that need thier heads examined. I
know a lot of stuff in the column is hypothetical, but there is a huge
difference between intelligent speculation and just plain stupid
rumor-mongering that can stir up dissension within a team.

In theory, making trades is like working the stock market. Disregarding
'problem child' trades and 'fire slae' manuevers, you generally want to get
a player when nobody but you knows he's got a chance to be great. You want
to trade away a player when everybody thinks he is great and you can get top
exchange value for him.

So why the hell would you trade Marques Anderson now? He's not playing as
well this preseason as he did last year, so presumably his value would be
down. But look at the long term situation. When the games counted last
year he made some great plays. In fact, he was not unlike a very young
Darren Sharper last year. Some mistakes but some flashes of brillance too.
A team can NEVER have enough quality DBs. The kid has struggled some this
camp, but it's only a second year. Maybe he got too content. Maybe there
are some physical or personal issues. But you have to look at the long term
with a kid this young. If he is traded, the Packer front office needs to be
seriously examined. And if he's not trade bait, shame on Bob McGinn for
floating the issue.

On the RB front, they mention Whisper as a potential trade subject. All
well and good, if the team can pull it off. The question again though is why
any team would inquire after Whisper, who was out of football until a month
ago, when there are more proven fish to take from the Packer pool. ANd
Lamar Smith? As the saying goes, why buy when you can get it for free?

Trade Craig Nall? Akili Smith? Good luck. Someone might want Nall, but
then the Packers have to ask whether they would be comfortable with Akili in
the 3 spot. God forbid we have to reach for that spot, but I'd feel a lot
better with Nall around.

ram

McGinn is really a rumor monger and in fact I wonder if he is an agent of
some other team. He routinely throws trade rumors and other stuff like
they were live grenades. His article about Joe Johnson's financial issues
were really despicable (and I really don't like JJ as a player). It was
horrible journalism.

ed schoenfeld

I think the article, and SK's evaluation of it, demonstrate exactly why
player trades are so rare in the NFL. Not just the cap implications for the
trading team, but the 'why bother' scenario for the team the player is being
traded to.

The only reason to do it would be to make sure of getting a particular
player, which means he has to fit the new team's needs very closely *and*
the new team pretty much has to be low on the waiver priority. Of course
that only applies to teams who already have what passes for good depth these
days . . .

Ed

jk

I think Smith WILL be #3, and Nall will be #2.

Pederson doesn't help us.

geoff blankenmeyer

You too? Bob McGinn is good at two things. Scouring the trade
publications, piecing together snippets of player evaluations,
giving a summary, watching film and pointing out mistakes. But
in the real world of being on the field and evaluating player
confidence, effort, heart, motivation and, in the end, potential,
McGinn has as much of a clue as you or me. And sometimes less as
he has some pretty strong biases. FWIW, even though I roll my
eyes at some of Cliff Christl's evals, overall he does a better
job. Back to McGinn. My favorite story is how McGinn just raked
Ron Wolf over, year after year, on cutting Chris Jacke just when
Jacke's skills were beginning to deteriorate. The topper was
when Longwell missed a fg against the Eagles a few years back and
the Pack lost 10 - 9. McGinn wrote a full page article taking
Wolf to task. And after, when McGinn was served crow, never did
he bother to write about Longwell's successes and continued to
bemoan not having Jacke even as he was tossed about the league
like yesterday's dirty laundry. And now this.

As far as trading Anderson, that would be plain stupid. Anderson
has the intangibles needed to improve. His biggest mental
problems are confidence and aggressiveness. His biggest physical
problem is taking some really bad angles when going to the ball.
All in concert lead to tentative play and underachieving. All
I have to say is, so what? He will not be the starter this year.
But that does not preclude him from improving to be just what
the Packers want. If there are folks who contend it will never
happen, may I offer them a chance to Google this group on Darren
Sharper and the year 2000. They just may find some similarities
between the two.

Geoff

spoorl

From: Geoff Blankenmeyer <A
HREF="mailto:glblank@wi.rr.com">glblank@wi.rr.com< /A>

Well, trade him for WHAT, is the thing?

geoff blankenmeyer

A new beat writer. ;-)

Geoff