Can he pull plug?
The one unknown about Murphy that matters so much to Packers fans is this: Could he pull the plug if the Packers were losing and how long would he wait until he acts? Murphy is Thompson’s boss. After the disappointing and wrenching loss to lowly Tampa Bay on Nov. 8, the team fell to 4-4. Throw in two losses to former Packers quarterback Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings, and fans were calling for a change at the top. Since then, the Packers have gone 6-1 and qualified for the playoffs – and fans are back onboard. But questions remain about whether Murphy will have to act decisively someday and how he will do it. Murphy said he has fired unsuccessful coaches before – in his time at Colgate: Michael Foley and Ed Sweeney, both football coaches. At Northwestern, his biggest test was the sudden death of football coach Randy Walker in June 2006. “Not only did we lose Randy, but Mark had to decide what direction to go,” said Patrick Ryan, then chairman of Northwestern’s Board of Trustees
