Lori Nickel

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

GREEN BAY – A week ago, Green Bay Packers CEO and president Mark Murphy made it clear he would be making the final call on the next coaching hire, regardless of pressure, politics or protocol.

And I thought, well of course he will.

You don’t construct stadium additions and sprawling Titletown districts and expand the managerial staff and spend millions of dollars on all of it without wanting a say in who will govern this empire on the football field.

On Monday, however, Murphy said that his decade-long makeover of Lambeau Field and the surrounding area has no influence on his desire to choose the replacement for Mike McCarthy, whom Murphy fired last week with four games left in the season.

Instead, he reiterated, he wants to oversee this football decision – with general manager Brian Gutekunst and the staff – while he continues his other projects away from the football field. He says he keeps those objectives separate.

And he’s pretty convincing.

“It’s really, what is best for the football team,” Murphy said in a telephone interview. “And not what is going to help us financially.”

But the fact remains: Murphy is an architect with a new vision for the Packers as much as he is a caretaker of the century of history in Green Bay.

Because of him, the no-frills simplicity of Lambeau Field and its neighborhood is long gone.

“I remember when I played there,” said Murphy, a defensive back with Washington from 1977-'84. “It was nothing special. It was just kind of a green box.”

Today, Lambeau Field, Titletown District and the adjacent facilities and new businesses compete for the best views. You can get spa treatments here. You can practice yoga here. You can skate and sled and tube here. You can get honey-glazed ham with fig chutney here. It must look a little like Vegas now to anyone who was actually here for the Ice Bowl.

And it’s all Murphy’s vision.

“We’ve grown pretty dramatically,” said Murphy.

To greater understand the president and CEO's authority now, we need a reminder of all the growth and expansion under the 63-year-old Murphy since he took over in December 2007:

He restructured management, creating new leadership roles to oversee the administration, finance, football operations, human resources, legal, marketing, fan engagement, sales and corporate departments.

He renovated Lambeau Field and the Atrium, at a cost of $312 million, to add a sound system, video boards, the Bellin Health Gate to the north, 7,000 additional seats in the south end zone, a larger Oneida Nation Gate and new football facilities.

He redeveloped Harlan Plaza and the Packers Pro Shop.

He renovated the Packers Hall of Fame and added a restaurant, 1919 Kitchen & Tap.

He renovated Lambeau Field’s suites and club seats at a cost of $55 million.

He built Titletown District, the 45-acre development west of Lambeau Field, which includes the four-diamond hotel Lodge Kohler, Bellin Health Titletown Sports Medicine & Orthopedics, Hinterland Restaurant and Brewery, as well as a public park and plaza for tubing, ice skating and strolling.

Now there’s a second planning phase to add residences, offices and TitletownTech.

It took you one minute to read that; it took Murphy 10 years to build that.

What a difference from the Murphy we met, the newcomer, and outsider, in late 2007. He was on the job for mere months when Brett Favre retired, and Murphy had to rely on then-GM Ted Thompson and McCarthy to help deal with Favre’s un-retirement and trade.

Now, there’s no question about Murphy’s authority. His thumbprints are visible all over the organization. It’s no wonder his next building block will be to lead the search for the next head coach.

“This is a crucial time for the organization,” said Murphy. “We have to get this right now. Get the right coach in place.”

There was a common sentiment about Murphy in the locker room after Sunday's game.

“I think he’s well-qualified to make these calls,” said wide receiver Randall Cobb.

Several players said they're comfortable with Murphy, a lawyer, with an MBA in finance, who sits on four NFL committees.

“If you’ve never talked to Mark before – team president, a guy of higher power – he’s still a guy who is easy to talk to,” said cornerback Tramon Williams. “I take pleasure in talking to Mark because it’s not like you have to stop being yourself to be someone else. He’s not a control freak. He still thinks like a player. That’s what I love about him.”

The players trust that Murphy will take the input of the staff, as promised, and make the decision a collaborative one.

With all the growth around Lambeau Field and of the Packers empire, is the expectation even greater here to win?

In the late 1990s, former player Rob Davis told me that the Packers weren't just playing the opponent; they were playing the ghost of Vince Lombardi. In 2005, Favre added that he thought his hair was turning gray, at 35, after years of feeling the weight of pressure on him at all times to pull out a win.

The history of the team, the waiting list for season tickets, the worldwide fan base all make expectations exceptionally high here.

Could all these new restaurants and parks and businesses revolving around, and reliant on, the success of the Packers create an even-more pressure-filled environment? The organization alone has 250 employees, with even more part-time and seasonal workers. Now there’s a growing economy dependent on the green and gold.

“Looking at it at a bigger scope like that puts a little more pressure on us as players,” said backup quarterback Tim Boyle. “We’re just concerned about winning games every Sunday. But you’re reminded all around because it’s still such a small, little town.”

No doubt there are similar hopes with the Bucks in Milwaukee. They've also invested so much in a new arena and surrounding development that will depend on a supportive community.

But there is one key difference: Green Bay’s population is 105,000 people; Milwaukee’s is six times greater.

It's a challenge for Murphy.

“Yeah. For us, a big part of it is making Green Bay a destination,” said Murphy. “The first renovation in 2003 was tremendous. It changed Lambeau from basically something that was used 10 days a year to now year-round. We had 700 events in Lambeau Field last year.”

Murphy prefers to look at it this way: There’s pressure to win in the NFL regardless. What he has built and enhanced within the organization in Green Bay isn’t just for the team’s benefit, but also for the community, and he feels like a steward of the organization.

“I try not to read comments on articles. I know some people say, ‘The Packers don’t care (about the team on the field),’ ” said Murphy. “’They’re more interested in sledding hills. And tubing hills.' (laughs).

“The most important thing here is winning championships.

“But we’re also a community-owned team, so for us, if we can make a difference in the community, we’re going to do that. But it’s completely separate.

“The other thing, we want to make sure the team stays in Green Bay. And over the long term, some of the things we’re doing will spur economic development in the area. Like Titletown. That’s going to be valuable to the organization going forward.”

The new coach need not worry. Murphy doesn’t look like he’s on a power trip. He has no locker room reputation for being a tyrant. He notes there are 17 teams in the NFL where the coach reports to the owner; so his staff structure in Green Bay won’t be unusual.

But if Green Bay is one of the most attractive coaching jobs in the NFL, it's also one that comes with some of the greatest expectations.

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EDITOR'S NOTE: Lori Nickel's new weekly sports column will delve beyond the play on the field to tell the stories of the athletes, trends and issues Wisconsin fans follow with so much passion. Read more here.