Spurrier Absolved?

You guys are quick to criticize spurrier, and he does deserve it of course, but the bigger problem was his supporting coaching staff. The change from george edwards to greg williams demonstrates that. If we had had this defense last year, we would have had a shot to make the playoffs. I think that Chris Mortenson's article last week did a pretty good job demonstrating that this is the consensus among many GM's.

As for Spurrier leaving lasting divisions in team unity, I think that's absurd. The problem with this team is not togetherness. In fact its not that mysterious what's wrong - its poor qb play, a spotty o line, and inexplicable offensive gameplanning.

Finally, to argue that this once again vaunted team once again sucking doesn't take heat off of spurier doesn't make much sense to me. Clearly, they have issues that transcend the limitations of the fun n' gun.

I wholeheartedly disagree on the first point. We had Marvin Lewis in Spurrier's first year and we finished at .500. Now I haven't read Mortenson's article from last week, but to me we had a better team in '02 than in '03.

I do agree with you that it's poor play by the qb and offensive line as well as curious gameplanning that seems to be the problem. Too much inconsistency in those two areas has just damned us. Brunell hasn't shown that he can complete any pass with any consistency, witness his yds per attempt and the failure to complete 3rd downs.

The game is pretty simple, stop people on 3rd down and convert your own. We've been in games because our defense has been stellar in getting off the field on 3rd downs, as good as any Skins defense I've ever seen. But with our offense consistently unable to convert 3rd and anything we are sunk.

Warm up Ramsey, it's almost that time.

I wholeheartedly disagree on the first point. We had Marvin Lewis in Spurrier's first year and we finished at .500. Now I haven't read Mortenson's article from last week, but to me we had a better team in '02 than in '03.

I do agree with you that it's poor play by the qb and offensive line as well as curious gameplanning that seems to be the problem. Too much inconsistency in those two areas has just damned us. Brunell hasn't shown that he can complete any pass with any consistency, witness his yds per attempt and the failure to complete 3rd downs.

The game is pretty simple, stop people on 3rd down and convert your own. We've been in games because our defense has been stellar in getting off the field on 3rd downs, as good as any Skins defense I've ever seen. But with our offense consistently unable to convert 3rd and anything we are sunk.

Warm up Ramsey, it's almost that time.

I think you are kind of proving my point. With Marvin Lewis we had a top 10 defense (were we seventh?) and finished 7-9. Without him we were 5-11, in spite of adding more talent. Had Marvin Lewis not gotten the Cincinatti job, it would have been interesting to see how the team would have been.

There were a number of games last year where we had the lead into the 4th quarter, but the D could not hold on. So I'll give some credence to the fact that a better D-coordinator like Lewis or Williams would have given us at least 2-3 more wins.
That said, it has absolutely NOTHING to do with Gibbs and this year's team. The team attitude is so much better, even with a miserable 2-5 record. They want to stick it outand pull out of this funk together, and that is a direct reflection of their coach. Spurrier would be saying he doesn't know what to do right about now....if not already.

not to take anything away from gibbs. but one of the things he has always done best from football to nascar is surround himself with the best possible minds in the game and we all treat him like a god. so i dont think it would be fair if we bashed spurrier for doing the same.There's a difference though. Gibbs puts in an insane amount of hours right along with his assistants. He surrounds himself with great coaches but he's not leaving Redskins Park at 4pm to hit the greens. Gibbs understands it takes a great staff AND alot of hard work to be successful.

I don't think Spurrier really understood the work that NFL head coaches put in each week, game in and game out, gameplanning, breaking down film, studying your opponents tendencies, etc. Spurrier thought all he had to do was show up on Sundays with his fun 'n' gun system and everything would take care of itself. I guess there's more to the NFL than just a few ball plays, huh?

For his sake I hope he does dive in head first if he comes back. If he doesn't he'll likely be out on his butt in 2-3 seasons once again.

I think you are kind of proving my point. With Marvin Lewis we had a top 10 defense (were we seventh?) and finished 7-9. Without him we were 5-11, in spite of adding more talent. Had Marvin Lewis not gotten the Cincinatti job, it would have been interesting to see how the team would have been.
Lewis wasn't going to fix the major protection problems we had on offense though.

Spurrier was supposed to be an offensive genius, instead he was very overmatched by NFL defensive coordinators who read his offense like a children's book.

I agree that Spurrier shortchanged the Skins in the number of hours he put into the job. However, long hours in the office by the coaching staff cannot be the answer to a losing team's problems. ARe you telling me that the coaching staffs for SF (1-6), Miami (1-7) and Oakland (2-6) are all "hitting the greens at 4PM. Not so!

The Skins are coached much better this year than last. They do not beat themselves with stupid penalties and off-the-wall trick plays. The Skins are losing because of the guys wearing numbers on their fronts and backs who are on the field on Sundays. They are simply not good enough to be a 5-2 team; that's why they are 2-5.

I agree that Spurrier shortchanged the Skins in the number of hours he put into the job. However, long hours in the office by the coaching staff cannot be the answer to a losing team's problems. ARe you telling me that the coaching staffs for SF (1-6), Miami (1-7) and Oakland (2-6) are all "hitting the greens at 4PM. Not so!


I understand putting in long hours doesn't directly equate to success, but leaving at 4pm can't help. When 31 other coaches are burning the midnight oil and Spurrier is sitting at home watching Leno, it kinda makes you wonder what's wrong with this picture, don't you think?

Spurrier is a good man and a good coach that deserves respect. :cool-smil

Spurrier is a good man and a good coach that deserves respect. :cool-smil

Who's disrespecting him?

So Spurrier deserves respect? For what? You make no sense little Zachary.

You say Spurrier deserves respect, and then you sit here disrespect one the greatest coaches in NFL history. :laughing-

You say Spurrier deserves respect, and then you sit here disrespect one the greatest coaches in NFL history. :laughing-
He's got you there zach

TD Redskins_P