By Ronald N. Guy Jr.
Whoa is Redskins nation my fellow Southern Marylanders! Like many of you, I’m a fan, a big fan, of
the burgundy and gold. Unlike most of
you, I also am…or was…a Daniel Snyder apologist. In the face of the constant criticism lobbed in Redskin owner
Snyder’s direction over the years for his frivolous spending on free agents,
his apparent aversion to the NFL draft, and his lack of patience with coaches,
I’ve been the fool that’s stood up and defended his passion – albeit
frustratingly misguided – and willingness to spend whatever it takes to acquire
talent. But I simply can’t do it
anymore. He’s beaten the optimist out
of me. I’m tired of knee-jerk trades
where draft picks are swapped for aging or overrated players. I’ve had my fill of players who land in D.C.
and do little more than pick up a disgustingly inflated paycheck. I’ve had enough of the organization’s
near-sightedness. There’s no vision
beyond the tip of its outstretched arm, no plan beyond the current season. Sadly, there’s no end in sight for the sick
and loathing Skins fan. Players can be
released. Coaches can get fired. But there’s no one to protect an owner from
himself. Owners have lifetime
contracts.
There’s little doubt Daniel Snyder’s heart is in the right
place. He does run a classy
organization and treats players very well.
And undoubtedly, he wants to win badly (or is it desperately now?). The problem is, the foundation is
skewed. The organizational structure of
the Washington Redskins is fatally flawed.
Off the top of your head, name the elite NFL franchises. Chances are most of you rattled off
Patriots, Steelers, Colts, Eagles and Giants.
It pains me, but I’ll give you Baltimore too. These are teams that contend, year after year. They weather injuries, the ebb and flow of
every NFL season and more often than not are in the championship discussion at
playoff time. You know what they have
in common? A NFL tested and true
organizational structure. They all have
coaches that coach, personnel men that acquire talent and owners that do little
more than pay the bills. Such was the
structure in D.C. during the glory years of the 1980’s. General Manger Bobby Beathard picked the
players, Joe Gibbs coached ‘em up and flamboyant owner Jack Kent Cooke cut the
checks. The three didn’t always agree,
but they respected each other, stayed in their swim lanes and won big. What is maddening is Snyder was an
impressionable young fan during this period.
Wasn’t he paying attention? Apparently
not. Snyder the owner dabbles in, if
not significantly influences, personnel decisions and often undermines his
coach with close, personal relationships with star players. It is a convoluted set-up that, despite the
money spent, has yielded inconsistent returns at best. And with free agency, version 2009, nearing
its dawn, is there any doubt Redskin 1 is gassed up and ready to wine and dine
the next big catch?
Success in life, whether it’s in business, marriage or in
personal endeavors, is as much about figuring out what you’re not good at as it
is identifying your strengths. Yet
recognition of one’s shortcomings is only half the battle. Once skill gaps are identified, it takes
foresight to pick the right person to fill voids and courage to then step away
and let that person do the job. After a
decade of listless mediocrity, you’d think a NFL owner would consider an
approach used by the most successful teams and a structure that led to the
richest period in team history. But
Snyder has shown no inclination to change and no interest in hiring and
empowering a talented General Manager.
It seems for as long as he’s owner, Daniel Snyder will have a
significant voice in the football operations of his franchise. Unfortunately, without a change in
organizational structure, there’s no reason to think Skins nation will be
hailing anything more than the occasional victory. Hopefully I’m wrong.
Here’s to Daniel Snyder making a fool of me…again.
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