The House That Ron Built

Stability.

Once the Packers moved past through the Lindy Infante years it's probably the one word which can really describe the franchise as a whole. One great example (and sure fire way to anger a Bears fan) is to ask your local Bears fan how many starting QB's the Bears have had since 1992, if they are still talking to you tell them since '92 there have been three. Well, maybe four if you want to count Don Majkowski in there as well as Matt Flynn's two games. Four....that's just sick. After that ask a Lions fan how many coaches they have had since '92. If they give you an answer to that tell remind them that the Packers have had four. It's mind boggling when you think about it...four coaches and four starting quarterbacks over twenty years!

All this stability goes back to one person, Ron Wolf. Ron Wolf is the guy who fired Infante. Ron Wolf is the guy who hired Holmgren. Ron Wolf is the guy who traded a first round pick for a third string quarterback who would become one of the best quarterbacks for the next decade. Ron Wolf is the guy who landed the biggest free agent the NFL has seen in Reggie White. More important than any of that though? Ron Wolf built a system of scouting talent both on the field and off the field. It was this system that has made the Packers one of the most successful franchises for the last twenty years, and it's this system that should continue to make the Packers one of the best franchises for the next twenty as well.

I could go on and on about the on the field talent scouting that Ron Wolf did and how he set us up to succeed. I'm not going to do that though. It's been written about again and again. No, what should be noted is the job he has done in assembling guys who could scout talent and then train them up in a system of how to build a team. This system continues today in much the same way we see the Packers train up young players, and can be seen throughout the current offseason especially. Over the last couple years the Packer front office has seen many talented guys leave in order to run a franchise of their own. So in order to replace Reggie McKenize and John Schneider the Packers start from within and promote the young guys who know the system. Then Ted Thompson and company go out and find the next young promising scouts to continue the process that has been carried on for two decades.

So the next time you want to flaunt the stability of the Packers to our division rivals? Keep in mind that during that time that Wolf machine has been up and running we have seen the likes of the "Triangle of Authority," Matt Millen, and Jerry Angelo - and often their successors - come and go. In the NFL and its typical short life span for leadership regimes, that's impressive.