Re: Leonsis's Invention of Not Lying
 

[quote=redsk1;603440][url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/02/AR2009100204624.html?sid=ST2009100205053]washingtonpost.com[/url]

I'm posting this Caps-Ted Leonis article in the Locker Room, because its what many of us would like to see happen in the Skins Front Office. I apologize in advance for another FO thread, but it's a great article.

A couple of quotes stand out:
"It is very sobering and painful when you look in the mirror and don't like what you see," Leonsis said. "It's easier to go down the 'We're-one-player-away' path. I've been there when I brought in Jaromir Jagr.


"But when you come to that clarity, 'Can this team win a championship?' And if your answer is, 'No,' then you have to do something."
Like tell the truth.

"Of course it was a gamble, because we had a team with brand-name players that fans thought they loved but in hindsight were just familiar to them," Leonsis said. "I said, 'You're going to hate this plan. [B]This is a very hard message for you to internalize. But if you are patient with us, this is the only way we're going to compete [/B]for the Cup.' "
Risking losing even his loyalists by waving the white flag, he directly communicated "rebuild" instead of "reload," [B]trotting out an on-the-cheap outfit for two years while promising eventual rewards from the draft and farm system[/B].[/quote]

[quote=SmootSmack;603474]It's just not the same owning the Redskins as it is owning the Capitals. [B]Patience is harder to come by for the Redskins community[/B].[/quote]

Smoot you took the words right off my fingertips. Not only that, but Hockey/baseball with their draft and farm system work far differently then the NFL. If DS seriously did what half the fan base says it wants - to blow up the roster, bring in scrubs for 2 years while the real team learned the ropes - the other half of the fan base would be screaming to blow up the FO. (figuratively of course, this isn't New York) And of course after the first 2-14 season, there would be no way that the HC would have any chance with the fan base. So by the 3rd week of the 2nd season you would see threads like HC on the hot seat, New coaches named who? or players would be scrutinized, and anyone defending the FO and saying that they have a plan would be called blind followers of the owner.

Of course, I could be wrong, I really have no reason to believe that any of the above would happen. Maybe DS could just hold the press conference today "Skins fans -- see ya in 2012, we will be ready to compete then"

Re: Leonsis's Invention of Not Lying
 

[quote=CRedskinsRule;603478]Smoot you took the words right off my fingertips. Not only that, but Hockey/baseball with their draft and farm system work far differently then the NFL. If DS seriously did what half the fan base says it wants - to blow up the roster, bring in scrubs for 2 years while the real team learned the ropes - the other half of the fan base would be screaming to blow up the FO. (figuratively of course, this isn't New York) And of course after the first 2-14 season, there would be no way that the HC would have any chance with the fan base. So by the 3rd week of the 2nd season you would see threads like HC on the hot seat, New coaches named who? or players would be scrutinized, and anyone defending the FO and saying that they have a plan would be called blind followers of the owner.

Of course, I could be wrong, I really have no reason to believe that any of the above would happen. Maybe DS could just hold the press conference today "Skins fans -- see ya in 2012, we will be ready to compete then"[/quote]

I don't think so. I think if you brought in a smart FO-GM type guy and a new coach who develop a plan and implement that plan I think Skins fans would be more patient than you think. I think we just want a plan. A good plan. I think a "new" plan and FO structure could do wonders for this organization. A new approach. With that being said we've got alot of good pieces here already that could be part of that new plan.

I don't see it as giving up on the next couple of years but i do see it as getting rid of dead weight w/ older players who aren't going to be around for too much longer anyway.

Who cares whether everyone is happy next year or the year after? They won't remember it so much if we can put together a good 10 year run.

Re: Leonsis's Invention of Not Lying
 

And after year one of the "new plan" those same fans would be saying Snyder is interfering, whether there is proof or not, they would scream that the GM is in Danny's pocket, and that the Skins qb can't get it done.

Sorry, I have very little faith in the patience of the fanbase.

Re: Leonsis's Invention of Not Lying
 

Any time a draft pick doesn't start right away we're calling him a bust and wondering why the Redskins wasted a pick on him. We've done it with Taylor, McIntosh, Rogers, Campbell, Kelly and so on

Re: Leonsis's Invention of Not Lying
 

The NHL also has the advantage of having a minor league system. There is no Hershey Bears for us to send Colt Brennan to to get game reps

Re: Leonsis's Invention of Not Lying
 

Maybe Snyder should buy a UFL franchise and use it as a minor league farm system to develop players, then maybe all the other franchises will follow suit. :)

Re: Leonsis's Invention of Not Lying
 

[quote=SmootSmack;603491]Any time a draft pick doesn't start right away we're calling him a bust and wondering why the Redskins wasted a pick on him. We've done it with Taylor, McIntosh, Rogers, Campbell, Kelly and so on[/quote]
Well are we not rushing here saying the O sucks when alot of people said the WCO takes two years to learn?

Re: Leonsis's Invention of Not Lying
 

[quote=SFREDSKIN;603494]Maybe Snyder should buy a UFL franchise and use it as a minor league farm system to develop players, then maybe all the other franchises will follow suit. :)[/quote]

He should buy the Las Vegas team...then he can finally have Jim Fassel as a head coach :)

Re: Leonsis's Invention of Not Lying
 

Its funny if you ask someone how was the hockey game last night they will either say it was great they had alot of fights or it was OK they really didn't have any fights.

Re: Leonsis's Invention of Not Lying
 

[quote=SmootSmack;603452]There is nothing like watching hockey live. TV really doesn't capture hockey well at all.[/quote]

Definitely not a good TV sport unlike football, which is about as perfect of a TV spot there is.

Hockey live is great. I used to go to AHL games all the time.

Re: Leonsis's Invention of Not Lying
 

[quote=RobH4413;603450]Have you been to a game? Four years ago I would have said the same thing. I hated on the NHL, Caps, and the entire sport.

I went to a game, started learning the ins and outs of it, and fell in love with the atmosphere. It's got the old school grit that football has... there's fighting, and there is the finesse aspect of the game as well (see Ovechkin, Crosby, Malkin, etc...).

Plus when your home team has a player that's the football equivalent of Sean Taylor mixed with Peyton Manning, its hard not to fall in love with the sport.

People sometimes accuse me (and somewhat accurately) of hopping on the bandwagon. My response is, "Look. My entire life I've been a Redskins fan, an Orioles fan, and a Wizards fan... I've now been introduced to Hockey as a sport... so please feel sorry for me, and let me be a Caps fan. I will never jump off this ship"[/quote]

The answer is no, but like you said maybe if I go to a live game it would change my mind. The thing is I live in CT and we don't have a team really. Although we use to have the whalers but they're long gone.

Re: Leonsis's Invention of Not Lying
 

I gotta admit I've only been to one Caps game back when I was a kid, but I had a really good time. It was fun, even though you wouldn't think so by looking at it on TV. But its a really good time. I'm sure it's even more fun once you get a few brews in you.

Re: Leonsis's Invention of Not Lying
 

Good article from the beginning of the year for those who missed it:


[URL="http://www.hogshaven.com/2009/2/26/772915/ted-leonsis-shares-his-ten"]Ted Leonsis Shares His Ten-Point Rebuilding Plan -- The Redskins Should Use*It - Hogs Haven[/URL]

Re: Leonsis's Invention of Not Lying
 

[quote=firstdown;603502]Its funny if you ask someone how was the hockey game last night they will either say it was great they had alot of fights or it was OK they really didn't have any fights.[/quote]
I wouldn't say it's like NASCAR in that respect.. I've been to good hockey games without a single fight.

Never thought that I'd get into hockey either, used to hate it really.. started going to college games and it's a lot better than I ever realized.

Re: Leonsis's Invention of Not Lying
 

Not really a hockey fan, but I respect Leonsis for what he did with the Caps. It isn't easy to take a team who was built with Superstars and blow it up and suffer for a couple of seasons like he did, but he did it and stuck to it. Now if only a certain owner would get the message we might still be able to get a quality football person and coach before we become the Raiders of the east coast.