For Raiders Nation: Reggie McKenzie Completes the Cycle

by vermontaigne on Jan 12, 2012 9:28 PM CST

The groundwork for the Packers' resurgence was laid by the acquisition of Ron Wolf from the Oakland Raiders. It was Wolf who selected Holmgren, and together they selected Favre.

There's been a lot of grumbling out of Raider Nation that they've selected a GM who has no previous association with the team, as though this were the wake of Joe Paterno at Penn State. Raiders fans, that kind of attitude can be an impediment to progress. For many years, the Packers brought in Packers icons to recapture the Lombardi magic, and none of them was Lombardi by a long shot. Then they tried Dan Devine, when Notre Dame was considered the Lombardi Packers of college football. Finally, they brought Lindy Infante. Whatever deprecation you can attach to the Infante years, they marked a sharp departure from the self-destructive provincialism of what preceded them.

Yes, it's Wisconsin, and yes, it's the smallest city in the NFL, but I have news for you: you people out in Oakland can be just as provincial as Cheeseheads.

Last year, the Packers won 4 playoff games in a row (obviously) away from Lambeau field, with 15 players on IR, to win the Lombardi trophy. That argues that the scouts and personnel people knew a lot about what they were doing, and by all accounts Reggie McKenzie was a big part of that.

In the latter years of Al Davis' reign, the Raiders were the kind of team that the Packers were before Wolf.

Thank you. You're welcome.

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McKenzie was a LB for the Raiders from 1985-88

GM who has no previous association with the team

13.

In '62, Green Bay's 7th Championship season, the Packers took a 10-0 record into Detroit on Thanksgiving, and lost. In '11 they took a 10-0 record into Detroit on Thanksgiving, and got it right this time.

In '07, the Packers hosted a playoff game against a Giants team that they had defeated during the regular season, and lost. In '11 they host a playoff game against a Giants team that they had defeated during the regular season, and, again, we’re gonna get it right this time!"

by Wiedmann on Jan 13, 2012 2:55 AM CST reply actions

Think you mistunderstand

There’s been a lot of grumbling out of Raider Nation that they’ve selected a GM who has no previous association with the team

What grumbling there is, is because there was no caerful search of candidates for the job of GM, the way the Bears are now doing after learning the hard way with Angelo. There was also concern that he was simply going to bring in Packers associates forming a new old boy network to replace the old old boy network, but this was largely spurred on by the press. The Winston Moss rumor is still prevalent.

But most importantly, don’t make the mistake that the Raider Nation speaks with one voice. We are as contentious a lot as there is anywhere in the world of sports.

by rightnasty on Jan 19, 2012 6:52 PM CST reply actions