paulskinsfan
12-05-2006, 05:09 PM
I listen to Bram Show on Redskins radio. He makes his living following the Redskins. I provided a link to the beginning of this article in another thread. Below is the article in its entirety. Im merely sharing the article, Im not trying to get into the same old debate.
Bram Show (http://www.bramshow.com/articles/mess.php)
What a Mess (http://www.bramshow.com/articles/mess.php) (http://www.bramshow.com/articles/summer.php)December 3, 2006
Jason Campbell is running the Joe Gibbs offense. No one is running the Gregg Williams defense. And now the mother of all off-seasons awaits.
In Redskin land, there is no such thing as plan B and thus the patience of Dan Snyder will be tested, as it never has before. Should Gibbs be true to his word and decide to return for a fourth and potentially fifth season, will Snyder force him to make changes? For the first time under his stewardship, Snyder has a coach he can’t micromanage. You can’t mess with an icon, even if the icon is the pilot of a crashing jet. You just put on your oxygen mask and use some blind faith.
Besides, the icon is trying to do it Dan’s way, the free agent way. It doesn’t mean he’s wrong, but so far he hasn’t been proved right. There have been numerous instances of strangely timed commentary by Gibbs in defense of whatever appears to be fractured. He used the post Dallas victory soapbox to justify how the organization is structured and the money spent of the current collection of players. They were 3-5 and needed an act of God to beat the Cowboys. This didn’t seem like a prudent time to go “I told you so.”
4 weeks later they are 4 and 8. Two of the teams they lost to, Philadelphia and Tampa Bay haven’t won since. The Falcons were riding a four game losing streak coming in. In the meantime, a reporter 3000 miles away somehow got one of those so called “core Redskins,” to hand over the minutes of the secondary meetings and as it turns out, a lot of things are out of order.
Three Redskin draft picks next April already belong to other teams. The free agent crop of ’06 has been questionable at best. The Skins gave Adam Archuletta 10 million in signing bonus alone to play a position he failed at in St. Louis. Even with Pierson Prioleau and Troy Vincent injured, he can’t sniff the field on D. Laughably, when asked about Archuletta, Gibbs defends his value by pointing out he’s the captain of the punt protection unit. Against Carolina, a punt was blocked.
Defensive end Andre Carter isn’t built like Julius Peppers nor produces like Julius Peppers, but he is paid like him. In Carter’s defense, he hasn’t been relegated to the bench, and as the season has progressed, has become a more reliable playmaker. But he isn’t the pass rusher the team expected and needed.
Wide receiver Brandon Lloyd has the worst stats for any number two wide receiver in the league. He hasn’t scored a touchdown and against Atlanta threw his helmet while walking off the field causing his team, which was down by 10 points with less than 3 minutes to go a 15-yard penalty. Afterward, he laughed it off saying he was just frustrated. It was the laughing that seemed inappropriate, but maybe I’m too much of a stickler for guys owning up to egregious errors in judgment. Ooh yeah; he’s a wanna-be rapper who tirelessly attempts to promote his work that includes lyrics claiming reporters to be “extortionist crackers”
Of all the money spent, none was devoted to a kicker. The team has used 3 already. Punter Derrick Frost also ripped off his helmet in anger during one game, a game where the Redskins actually kicked off from their own five-yard line. True story. At least Frost apologized and owned up to his actions. I assume he doesn’t believe reporters are “crackers.” If he does, he isn’t sharing it publicly. This was the Indy game where after a remarkable 3rd quarter collapse, media questioning was halted by Gibbs so he could make an “important announcement.” He wanted to apologize for not stopping the team bus on his way out of Redskins Park en route to the airport to thank the fans who had come to see the team off personally. He promised never to do that again, and true to his word, he stops the bus every time. After leading at half, the Skins gave up 3 touchdowns in 15 offensive plays to the Colts, but what does that matter. Gibbs promised autographs if the people who were spurned were at the Park when the team returned. The crowd tripled upon the promise of free stuff.
At least Frost had reason to be upset. He was sent in to punt after the Redskins gave up a touchdown. Uh, you can’t do that. Indeed, numerous in game decisions by this staff is curious at best. Campbell might be new to the offense, but a 7 year old understands that huddling up with less than 4 minutes to go in a game where you are down ten might not be a good idea. Against the Falcons, it appeared as if the Redskins had never practiced a two-minute offense.
But then again, the guy calling the plays might as well throw his hands up in the air. What do you call when the Hall of Fame head coach who made his name designing offense tells you two weeks prior that his team is not abiding by “Redskins principles?” So Al Saunders might be calling the plays, but this no longer is his offense. Confused as what he should do seems like a normal reaction to me.
Meantime, making casual mention of the Tom Friend expose doesn’t seem justified. I was embarrassed reading about the rift between corners coach Jerry Gray and safeties coach Steve Jackson. It was like getting your hands on a nasty divorce hearing. The story might as well have read: ‘On Friday at 2:30 PM, Steve said he wanted to get a soda. And at 2:31, Jerry said only stupid people drink soda. At 2:32 Steve sat in the corner and drank his soda quietly ignoring the proceedings. At 2:39 Steve raised his hand to ask a question. At 2:40 Jerry ignored him. At 2:41 Steve threw his empty soda can at Jerry.’
Too much information boys. No one would want their daily office routine to be detailed for the world to see. My job is to decipher cryptic quotes into an accurate view of the pulse of the team, but pillow talk, keep that too yourself. So the Washington media core spent the post game locker room session following the WIN over Carolina seeking out the mole.
Two of the four victories the Redskins had ended with a storyline having nothing to do with the team winning. And yet Gibbs attributes anything that happens positive or negative to the collective group. “It’s all of us,” he will famously say. Yet even the good times are followed by a yeah but that seemingly has nothing to do with the whole and everything to do with a SOMEONE.
So Saunders playbook has been cut from 700 pages to like, 8. Gregg Williams defense can’t stop the run, constantly gives us long pass plays, can’t generate a pass rush, has the fewest takeaways in the league, and has a mole openly questioning everything he and his teenage girl staff are doing. The special teams are somewhat productive yet consistently mishandled, i.e. the Redskins carried two kickers into the Falcons game yet Nick Novak, who lost his job wasn’t cut. Instead another position player was. Huh?
The team has cap issues. They don’t have an array of draft picks. There is obviously dissention among the troops and the in game decision making is confusing and often downright maddening. But Gibbs is in charge and as long as he is, everyone will put up with it, even Dan. Because the truth is, not believing in Gibbs feels sacrilegious. What a mess.
Bram Weinstein
Bram Show (http://www.bramshow.com/articles/mess.php)
What a Mess (http://www.bramshow.com/articles/mess.php) (http://www.bramshow.com/articles/summer.php)December 3, 2006
Jason Campbell is running the Joe Gibbs offense. No one is running the Gregg Williams defense. And now the mother of all off-seasons awaits.
In Redskin land, there is no such thing as plan B and thus the patience of Dan Snyder will be tested, as it never has before. Should Gibbs be true to his word and decide to return for a fourth and potentially fifth season, will Snyder force him to make changes? For the first time under his stewardship, Snyder has a coach he can’t micromanage. You can’t mess with an icon, even if the icon is the pilot of a crashing jet. You just put on your oxygen mask and use some blind faith.
Besides, the icon is trying to do it Dan’s way, the free agent way. It doesn’t mean he’s wrong, but so far he hasn’t been proved right. There have been numerous instances of strangely timed commentary by Gibbs in defense of whatever appears to be fractured. He used the post Dallas victory soapbox to justify how the organization is structured and the money spent of the current collection of players. They were 3-5 and needed an act of God to beat the Cowboys. This didn’t seem like a prudent time to go “I told you so.”
4 weeks later they are 4 and 8. Two of the teams they lost to, Philadelphia and Tampa Bay haven’t won since. The Falcons were riding a four game losing streak coming in. In the meantime, a reporter 3000 miles away somehow got one of those so called “core Redskins,” to hand over the minutes of the secondary meetings and as it turns out, a lot of things are out of order.
Three Redskin draft picks next April already belong to other teams. The free agent crop of ’06 has been questionable at best. The Skins gave Adam Archuletta 10 million in signing bonus alone to play a position he failed at in St. Louis. Even with Pierson Prioleau and Troy Vincent injured, he can’t sniff the field on D. Laughably, when asked about Archuletta, Gibbs defends his value by pointing out he’s the captain of the punt protection unit. Against Carolina, a punt was blocked.
Defensive end Andre Carter isn’t built like Julius Peppers nor produces like Julius Peppers, but he is paid like him. In Carter’s defense, he hasn’t been relegated to the bench, and as the season has progressed, has become a more reliable playmaker. But he isn’t the pass rusher the team expected and needed.
Wide receiver Brandon Lloyd has the worst stats for any number two wide receiver in the league. He hasn’t scored a touchdown and against Atlanta threw his helmet while walking off the field causing his team, which was down by 10 points with less than 3 minutes to go a 15-yard penalty. Afterward, he laughed it off saying he was just frustrated. It was the laughing that seemed inappropriate, but maybe I’m too much of a stickler for guys owning up to egregious errors in judgment. Ooh yeah; he’s a wanna-be rapper who tirelessly attempts to promote his work that includes lyrics claiming reporters to be “extortionist crackers”
Of all the money spent, none was devoted to a kicker. The team has used 3 already. Punter Derrick Frost also ripped off his helmet in anger during one game, a game where the Redskins actually kicked off from their own five-yard line. True story. At least Frost apologized and owned up to his actions. I assume he doesn’t believe reporters are “crackers.” If he does, he isn’t sharing it publicly. This was the Indy game where after a remarkable 3rd quarter collapse, media questioning was halted by Gibbs so he could make an “important announcement.” He wanted to apologize for not stopping the team bus on his way out of Redskins Park en route to the airport to thank the fans who had come to see the team off personally. He promised never to do that again, and true to his word, he stops the bus every time. After leading at half, the Skins gave up 3 touchdowns in 15 offensive plays to the Colts, but what does that matter. Gibbs promised autographs if the people who were spurned were at the Park when the team returned. The crowd tripled upon the promise of free stuff.
At least Frost had reason to be upset. He was sent in to punt after the Redskins gave up a touchdown. Uh, you can’t do that. Indeed, numerous in game decisions by this staff is curious at best. Campbell might be new to the offense, but a 7 year old understands that huddling up with less than 4 minutes to go in a game where you are down ten might not be a good idea. Against the Falcons, it appeared as if the Redskins had never practiced a two-minute offense.
But then again, the guy calling the plays might as well throw his hands up in the air. What do you call when the Hall of Fame head coach who made his name designing offense tells you two weeks prior that his team is not abiding by “Redskins principles?” So Al Saunders might be calling the plays, but this no longer is his offense. Confused as what he should do seems like a normal reaction to me.
Meantime, making casual mention of the Tom Friend expose doesn’t seem justified. I was embarrassed reading about the rift between corners coach Jerry Gray and safeties coach Steve Jackson. It was like getting your hands on a nasty divorce hearing. The story might as well have read: ‘On Friday at 2:30 PM, Steve said he wanted to get a soda. And at 2:31, Jerry said only stupid people drink soda. At 2:32 Steve sat in the corner and drank his soda quietly ignoring the proceedings. At 2:39 Steve raised his hand to ask a question. At 2:40 Jerry ignored him. At 2:41 Steve threw his empty soda can at Jerry.’
Too much information boys. No one would want their daily office routine to be detailed for the world to see. My job is to decipher cryptic quotes into an accurate view of the pulse of the team, but pillow talk, keep that too yourself. So the Washington media core spent the post game locker room session following the WIN over Carolina seeking out the mole.
Two of the four victories the Redskins had ended with a storyline having nothing to do with the team winning. And yet Gibbs attributes anything that happens positive or negative to the collective group. “It’s all of us,” he will famously say. Yet even the good times are followed by a yeah but that seemingly has nothing to do with the whole and everything to do with a SOMEONE.
So Saunders playbook has been cut from 700 pages to like, 8. Gregg Williams defense can’t stop the run, constantly gives us long pass plays, can’t generate a pass rush, has the fewest takeaways in the league, and has a mole openly questioning everything he and his teenage girl staff are doing. The special teams are somewhat productive yet consistently mishandled, i.e. the Redskins carried two kickers into the Falcons game yet Nick Novak, who lost his job wasn’t cut. Instead another position player was. Huh?
The team has cap issues. They don’t have an array of draft picks. There is obviously dissention among the troops and the in game decision making is confusing and often downright maddening. But Gibbs is in charge and as long as he is, everyone will put up with it, even Dan. Because the truth is, not believing in Gibbs feels sacrilegious. What a mess.
Bram Weinstein