3 weeks after the playoff implosion the aftershocks are now affecting the infrastructure of the Packers. Mike Sherman lost his GM title to former Ron Wolf assistant Ted Thompson . Team president Bob Harlan called this a neccessary move. He felt that the pressure of both jobs was taking a toll on Sherman in both professional and personal ways. This is an opinion shared by many of the loyal Packer fans around the world, myself included. With only 1 year remaining on his contract this will be a make or break year for Coach Sherman. I always felt that Sherman is a great teacher of the game. Maybe that he now only has to concentrate on coaching it will bring to light what he needs to make his team better. The team also lost 5 assistant coaches. Defensive line coach Jethro Franklin left to take a similar position at USC. Receivers coach Ray Sherman left for the same job with the Titans so he could work with his good friend Jeff Fisher. Defensive coordinator Bob Slowik decided to take the defensive secondary coaching job in Denver even after new defensive Coordinator Jim Bates said he would welcome Slowik with open arms if he decided to stay on as secondary coach. You can see why Slowik took the Denver job. It would be very difficult to work for the man who replaced you even if he wanted you to be there. Defensive secondary coach Kurt Shottenheimer was fired and RB coach Johnny Roland also left. I think Kurt did the best he could do with what he had to work with but someone has to be the fall guy. Just ask Ed Donatel. As for Roland, well what can you say? I saw more of Edgar Bennett talking to the backs than I did Roland ,so I guess the promotion of Bennett was inevitable. Now all Sherman has to do is replace 3 out of the 5 he lost. As for the new defensive hires, Sherman would be wise to let Jim Bates bring in people he would be comfortable working with. Bates took a very poor Dolphin defense and turned it into a top ten unit. Can he do it here? I certainly hope so. After last season one hopes he can bring it up to respectabilty ASAP. Bates has some good players to work with but he needs to get another good shutdown corner to compliment Harris. Another decent safety to help out Sharper. And last but not least , someone to take the pressure off KGB. When the team made it to back to back Super Bowls under Mike Holmgren they had Reggie on one side and Sean Jones on the other so if you double teamed one you had to put up with the other. The fate of Brett Favre is up to Favre. Sherman told Brett to take some time off to reflect on the good he did this season and not to dwell on the playoff loss. Sherman told Brett to take his time and give him an answer in March. As for how the 2005 team will shape up, all we can do is wait and see. Until next time Packer fans...................SEEEE YAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!