Friday, November 13, 2009

Another example of Coach McCarthy feeling the pressure?

No, this one is not Packers CEO Mark Murphy putting some subtle verbal screws to the coaching staff, as happened earlier this week. And it's certainly not GM Ted Thompson saying anything...when was the last time that happened? But as noted in an earlier post here this week, McCarthy is clearly feeling the heat by emphasizing that they are taking this upcoming game against the Cowboys as seriously as a heart attack (paraphrasing).

But perhaps some warning signs about the mounting pressure started to show a bit earlier.

There's a fascinatingly sad article in today's Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel about a part-time maintenance worker at Lambeau Field, who had worked there for more than 20 years, getting canned because of a comment he said never made to the coach.

On the Thursday before the game versus the ViQueens, the worker was sitting in a maintenance cart inside a stadium tunnel. According to the report, he says he yelled at McCarthy, "Hey coach, let's get the boys ready to kick some butt this weekend." That was it. The following day, it was work as usual. When the fellow showed up on Sunday, however, to begin his pre-game set up routine, it wasn't long before he was escorted out of Lambeau Field and was out of a job. McCarthy claimed that the worker said something along the lines of "don't lay an egg" in the game.

If he didn't say the latter, apparently even now shouting words of encouragement at the coach is seen as insubordination. Getting wound just a bit tight, eh, coach? Does the name Captain Queeg ring a bell?

The best cure is a win. I hate to quote Al Davis but, just win, baby, win!

For more of the sad story about the loyal part-time worker booted for daring to speak to the coach, click here.