There is a growing sense of dread in Redskins Nation.
No… it has nothing to do with the growing realization that this season needs to be spoken of in the past tense.
While painful, it is not about the likely loss of one of the best LT’s to the potential of a spinal injury.
Chris Cooley will be fine… so, no, not that either.
It’s the growing realization that Snyder REALLY doesn’t get it. That his minions have him so isolated that, not only is he not functioning as a competent owner, but he doesn’t even know that he has completely lost the fan base. Snyder is obviously willing to spend the money. He obviously wants to win so badly he can taste it. Yet, he remains prisoner to the simple fact that he is not a football man. He must depend upon “football men” for their insights and judgements. Sooo… what about his “football man”?
Snyder built his millions through his marketing skill. Who the hell thought that it would be a good idea to play petty games with the faithful’s ability to express themselves at FedEx? Is that the mark of a marketing mind, Mr Snyder? Do marketing geniuses truly make their millions by infuriating their customer base? Who knew???
Who is advising you that further insulting the fans with clearly suspect lines about concern for fan safety is an effective means of explaning your operation’s cynical effort to suppress fan expressions of anger? Ummm… did it work, Mr Snyder?
So, now you have the flames of fan dissent stoked up. People are angry, Mr Snyder, and it isn’t getting any better.
But it’s nothing compared to what will happen if there are no major changes in the front office at Redskins Park. There is a palpable sense that Dan Snyder doesn’t view Vinnie as part of the problem. We can see it in the way Cerrato continues to peddle his ludicrous “we gave Zorn a team that had playoff portential” pap. He remains confident… sure of himself… unconcerned. There are two possiblities, here… either he completely delusional, or he is feeling very secure, because you have given him reason.
Not good. Look, even if it were true that Cerrato is blameless (funny, huh?), he is still “fruit of the poisoned tree”… damaged goods.
If he doesn’t go, if there aren’t substantial changes, if Snyder doesn’t give us reason for real hope… not the superficial promises and flash in the pan expenditures of the past… REAL hope… there will be a fan revolt. Here’s the thing, Mr. Snyder… you may own the team…
But it belongs to us… are you worthy of being the caretaker of our team? Not looking good. We are officially a source of jokes. The sad fans of our NFC East rivals smile at our good fortune, and weep at the damage done to the rivalrys of old. The rich history of the Redskins cannot possibly absorb the insults being visited as a result of the buffoonery of this season’s collapse. No longer does the football world look at the Redskins, and feel respect. More often than not, they feel pity. They feel sadness. Some even feel contempt. They see a hole in the great legacy. You don’t have to look or listen hard to find it. It’s there. It’s all over.
We are fast approaching the point where the management is painting the team into a corner. This WILL have an effect on the team’s ability to recruit potential coaches… While Gruden sounded like he was auditioning for the job during the Monday night broadcast of the debacle against the Eagles, does anyone really believe that he would be happy working for another hands on owner? He is quite candid, and very emotional… Snyder would know exactly what he thinks… all the time. I don’t see Mr Snyder being happy with that, either. Mike Holmgren was astonishingly candid regarding his opinion of how Zorn has been treated by the team… and it does not bode well for his candidacy… Cower seemed to find suggestions that his name should be in the running to be laughable. I don’t see this situation getting any better anytime soon. Honestly… does the owner? What is he going to do about it? I haven’t seen a hint of damage control. It may not be possible to convince a solid GM or Coach to come here. Respect, once lost, is very difficult to regain.
There is a hole in my heart, Mr Snyder. Thousands of us, Redskins fans, share that pain. You broke it. You fix it. You, and your friends, have just really screwed this up. Stop sending out your messengers, seeking to blame the Post, reporters with an agenda, fans with an agenda… bloggers with an agenda… Dude… the Post’s agenda has been there for most of a decade. We saw that. You got the benefit of the doubt… for years. You didn’t loose most of the rest of us until this year. No one to blame but you.
Clean it up, and make it work again. Your ownership legacy is not beyond salvaging… yet. You must clean house on the football side. Find a competent General Manager (COUGH! Chris Polian COUGH!), with a solid NFL pedigree. Give that person the reins. Let them rebuild the football operation. Bring back the respect. It will hurt. There will be changes that some of us don’t want to see. There will be changes that some of us will celebrate. It must be that way. It’s just how it is.
I just don’t have any confidence that Mr Snyder will figure this out. None. He is, whether he knows it or not, poisoning the well.
People like to hate Snyder because the local media wants us to hate him. The Washington Post staff despise Snyder because he will not speak to them.
He has purposely, I repeat purposely remained silent, because he knows not to trust a publication that routinely questions every move he makes, or doesn’t make.
Snyder cannot win in Washington.
Fan favorite head coaching candidate Gregg Williams is a great defensive coordinator.
But head coach not on your life.
He was right to fire him. Was he wrong to hire Zorn? Maybe.
I argue it would be much worse for the organization to fire Zorn and a message to potential coaches that you are out after two years.
This team went 8-8 which is a typical first year finish for a rookie head coach.
And we are upset bc the offensive line is a patchwork of second-rate pass blockers who are playing highly skilled defensive teams.
No one has the ability to just wish success. It has got to be built.
Trust in the system cannot be forced.
Campbell is not Zorn’s guy. He shouldn’t be resigned and a young QB should be brought in.
Time to start anew.
Rebuilding is a painful, patient process. Snyder needs to clear the roster of old fat contracts and go get draft picks.
Brick by brick, this is the job of men. Are we man enough to rise from ashes of this predicament to see the light of a brand new day.
That remains to be seen.
Cooley is my life coach.
So let me get this straight – the POST hates Snyder because he won’t speak to them, and he’s ‘silent’ because he doesn’t ‘trust’ them… is that your contention?
It would seem to me that when you choose silence, you leave the media to fill in their own blanks. It would seem to me that when you stifle the local press for a decade in terms of access and information, that Snyder is really just reaping what he sows.
I’m wondering though… if it’s about Snyder worrying about what the Post will make of it – then why on earth wouldn’t he choose another outlet? The guy created his own propaganda wheel, complete with Redskins Tv, Redskins Radio and a purchased fan community – why hasn’t he chosen those outlets to ‘say’ something? How does not ‘liking the Post’ rationalize complete silence when you OWN several other media outlets?
Go ahead and give him a pass because the Post isn’t ‘fair’ to him – that’s your prerogative – some of us are actually happy to see him sleeping in the bed that he made. It’s been a long time coming…
Exactly, Mark…
Jen, Snyder understands marketing… which is all about influencing opinion and perception, therefore, decision making. Please. He understood it well enough that he could afford to buy the most valuable team (at that time) in the league.
Not only did he have a number of allies among the Post’s competition, he actually purchased and took control of, his own outlets. This isn’t about the public finally succombing to the Post’s negative propaganda… Redskins fans are among the most knowledgible in the league. They see the product on the field. Most suffered with their team for years, repeatedly giving Snyder the benefit of the doubt. I have been among that group.
No, it’s about fans coming to the simple conclusion that Snyder’s reign has, thus far, been a catastrophe. Most of us still detest the Post. They have always been malicious cheerleaders, revelling in each team failure. The fans are coming to their own conclusions IN SPITE OF the Post, not because of it. The Post’s gloating disgusts me.
It does no good, however, to demand the owner sell. Perhaps, better the devil we know. It remains possible… though not easy… for Snyder to turn this around. Ultimately, that must be where our hope lies, for none of us have the power to fire the owner.
Years ago, words like ‘agenda’ and ‘hate’ were being used to describe the reporting.
But even back then, the appropriate word was ‘right.’
It just took this long for the majority to catch on.
The most frustrating part of all that is that it took things getting this bad before the first glimmer of hope of a fix was visible.
Uh, if The Post is the problem, how do you explain The Times, The Examiner, The National Football Post and every pro-Redskin blogger in existence?
The Emperor Has No Clothes fable applies here. Shooting the messanger (The Post) won’t fix the problem.
Boss,
Dan Snyder is the devil you are correct.
We will not be a championship contender with him as our owner, and we should be angry with him for not building a winner just like his predecessor did.
Is this what you want to hear?
I don’t give Snyder a “free pass.”
You come across as very smug and all-knowing where Snyder is concerned.
He gave a candid interview with Comcast Sportsnet last season and if fans tuned in got to see the side of Daniel Snyder that is always going to be a Redskins fan.
It’s not fun when we lose. And they are going to be bad until they can find a decent starting QB and get healthy on the o-line.
Go ahead and enjoy your Snyder bashing.
BTW: Credit goes to my father for making a valid point when we last discussed this topic, what position does Snyder play?
It’s not just the Post. Even his own media members are coming down on his head. Larry Michaels, Doc Walker, and John Thompson who work for WTEM, Synder’s radio station, are coming out with damning comments. His own players are critical of him. Former players, media members across the country…I mean come on dude…it’s can’t be all caused by the Washington Post. This ain’t some vast right (or left) wing conspiracy. He and Cerrato have made their bed now they’ve got to sleep in it.
The one statement of this post I would disagree with: “Here’s the thing, Mr. Snyder… you may own the team…But it belongs to us…”
I used to believe that, but I don’t anymore. “Mr.” Snyder has shown through his recent actions that he clearly does not believe that to be the case. When he’s got security tossing signs at the gate and threatening folks to turn their shirts inside out or lose your season tickets, he’s making the statement that this is his show and he is the ringmaster regardless of what you may think.
He put out his apology yesterday, good on him. But his words and his deeds show two different mindsets. This is HIS team. It’s not ours anymore.
Well, all I can say is, I’m sure that this was MY team long before it was Snyder’s… and I don’t recall signing off on my stake.