Newz Forum: FOOTBALL: New Packers GM to meet with Sherman about future

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- New Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson planned to meet with coach Mike Sherman over the weekend to talk about the coach's future.

Sherman was stripped of his GM duties Friday when team president Bob Harlan lured Thompson away from the Seattle Seahawks and back to Green Bay, where he worked for eight seasons under Ron Wolf, the architect of the Packers' revival in the 1990s.

Thompson said he expects Sherman, who is 55-31 in five seasons, including playoffs, to stay on as coach in 2005.

"I don't know what he's thinking and nobody in here can anticipate what Mike Sherman is thinking. But I anticipate Mike Sherman being our coach and us going forward and doing some really positive things for the Packers and the Packer fans," Thompson said.

Thompson certainly didn't sound as if he had any intention of firing Sherman, who has won three straight division championships but is just 2-4 in the playoffs, including the only home postseason defeats in franchise history.

"Mike Sherman is an outstanding coach and his record speaks for itself," Thompson said. "Nobody needs to make apologies for what has happened here because everything here has been outstanding. The record, the division championships, everything else."

Thompson said he was going to pick Sherman's brain "a whole bunch" as he goes about learning the ins and outs of the organization, the roster, the staff.

"I'm going to pick everybody's brain that I can find," Thompson said.

Harlan said Sherman will still earn the $3.2 million he'd been slated to make as coach-general manager in 2005.

It's unclear, however, if Sherman will still seek a contract extension following his demotion. He hasn't spoken publicly since the Packers' 31-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in the playoffs a week ago and delayed his season-ending news conference until Monday.

Harlan decided to split the jobs in October after determining that Sherman was spreading himself too thin with personnel and football matters. He immediately targeted Thompson at Wolf's suggestion.

Thompson believes in building through the draft more so than through free agency. He said he'll have final say on the makeup of the 53-man roster but will consult heavily with his coach on draft and roster decisions.

One thing he's going to leave up to his coach is the hiring and firing of his assistants.

AP NEWS
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