What is Wrong with Dan Snyder?
What in the world is Dan Snyder doing? Just a few weeks after saying the word “consistency” approximately seven bazillion times in his press conference after Joe Gibbs resigned as head coach, he’s released Gregg Williams and Al Saunders. That, folks was a stupid move that’s going to make a lot of fans, who would otherwise pour plenty of money in Snyder’s pocket, very mad. Redskins fans don’t mind if you field a bad team once in a while. They do care if you lie to them.
My unpleasant rant after the jump. Read on O Sorrowing Fans.
Saunders, I figured, was on the way out anyhow. Someone had to take the hit for the Redskins’ offensive problems in the last couple of years and since no one was willing to blame Joe Gibbs, starting a brand-new rookie quarterback this year, or enduring a spate of injuries to the offensive line that would have crippled any team, Saunders was going to be that guy. Never mind that his offense, and a middling quarterback who knew it inside and out, led the team to the playoffs with a stunning late-season charge. Let’s not forget that with that offense and Todd Collins running it, the Redskins scored more points in each of the last three games than they did in any of the 13 previous games.
Williams, on the other hand, did not deserve to be kicked out the door like he had asked Monty Burns for a raise. Williams’ defense was in the top ten three of the past four years. It won them football games when the offense was worse than pathetic. It was a point of pride for the fans and something other teams feared.
More, Williams had demonstrated that he had grown appreciably working under Gibbs. His strength and compassion after Sean Taylor’s death was invaluable. Taylor had become darned-near a son to him, but even though you could clearly see his heart was broken, he not only did his job but shared the burdens of the men around him. He had become a different man than the arrogant and headstrong guy who coached the Buffalo Bills into mediocrity years before.
I”m not saying that Dan Snyder should have crowned him and put the purple robe over his shoulders. I am saying that Gregg Williams earned the opportunity. I am saying that Gregg Williams was more than a great defensive coach and a man the players truly respected and cared about. Gregg Williams was a Washington Redskin.
I know what Dan Snyder is doing. He’s getting rid of a guy the players liked more than him, who knew more about football than him, and had a stronger personality than his. Joe Gibbs was all of those things as well, but Snyder could no more fire Gibbs than he could fire God. Now that Gibbs is gone, Snyder is free to run the team exactly the way he wants and we all remember what that was like. The names Jeff George, Jeremiah Trotter, Bruce Smith, and Deion Sanders all cause Redskins fans to wince in pain even today. Expect more signings driven by ego instead of solid football knowledge.
Dan Snyder is, even after all these years, still not a Washington Redskin. That’s the real problem with this team. He may own the team and he certainly fancies himself a savvy and devoted fan of the Burgundy and Gold, but he’s neither one. The weight of Redskins tradition and history don’t impress him. He’s in awe of names, not of character and Redskins Football. He’s a fan of his ego and, tonight, he decided that he simply couldn’t abide not being the Big Dog around Redskins Park anymore.
It’s a bad day to be a Redskins fan.
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Category: My Beloved Redskins
Ok,
Reading here and everywhere else it sounds like it's so bad to be a Redskins fan. Daniel Snyder is the biggest failure as owner and continues to ruin the team.
Daniel has not proven himself as a good owner, a fact. The redskins have not been a consistent contender since he bought the team, although they have been a great business investment.
1. He initially tried to run the team as a fantasy football team, finding out the real world is not a fantasy, such is it's name.
2. He then got the legend to return, good move although with the personel in place and changes to the game the legend had some difficulty winning but showed success with two post season trips and rebuilding of bench(I believe this will be his legacy, this time around, having strong and capable back-ups is critical, the redskins have that now)
3. What's he doing now? Only Daniel can say and he's not talking but if…
He's decided on a head coach and not announced him yet or if he really wants to talk to the Giants and Patriots assistance I'm fine with that as long as his mind set is that he's hiring a coach LONG term. Now to the assistance he's hired;
Jim Zorn: He's never been a pro-level Offensive coordinator. While most talk about him and the west coast offense, he really has been in several variations and may or may not be 100% sold on the west coast offense. He has proved to be exceptional at coaching young quarterbacks. He will need several years of success before somone looks to move him from OC to Head coach or if another team wants him as a OC after several years(seatle) then they will owe the redskins compensation as long as he remains under contract. Which is a continued source for building those backups.
Greg Blache: Defense still wins championships and as much as possible this system needs to be consistent and stable. Greg is not going to go beyond DC, by retaining him and keeping continuity on Defense it could be a long term situation which will be good for us Redskin fans.
I'm not as upset with the way things have went down, but at the same time I'm not giving Dan a pass because he has not earned that with his decisions. Maybe he has learned, and the rebuilding a contender continues only time will tell, my answer will come next year and next off-season. The Redskins need to make the playoffs and show stability if they do not by not making any coaching moves in 2009.
drWNC – Always the voice of calm and reason.
It seems very odd that Snyder is not even thinking of letting the head coach pick his own coaching staff like a HC would with pretty much any other team.
Zorn isn't a bad guy. The problem is, he hs a very young QB who wasnt an entire year learning a complex system. Now that QB is going to have to learn a whole new system. The backup, who knows the old system probably better than anyone on the team, is now less effective because he's goign to have to learn a new system. I'd be willing to bet that Todd Collins won't be with the Redskins next year.
If Snyder prized stability for a team that looks to be ready to make a quantum leap in performance, he didn't show it this past week. I still think this is an ego-play.
Yeah Well, it's not too strong because I do not have a good response for your points. Take a look at this way out theory, hey it makes it sound much better.
http://mvn.com/nfl-redskins/
Caught the end of a cooking show about oyster stew and maryland soft shell crabs…Damn I miss those crabs.
why don't we wait 'til the head coach is chosen and THEN decide if it was a better choice than Gregg Williams. I respect Snyder for not just doing the "easy" thing and promoting Williams. He should not listen to the fans or players or anyone else – he should make the best decision for the team overall. MAYBE that IS Williams – but I will withhold judgement until the actual head coach is chosen.
Why don't Dan just get it over with and give hisself what is has always wanted. It goes like this.
I want to thank me for making me the the new HC of the Washington Redskins. I have interviewed myself and I am the best choice to led this team in a new direction. I have also appointed myself as the new Defense Coach. I am also the new GM and new Head Cheerleader. I hope these actions makes clear that I am the only one that the Washington Redskins needs to win games.