Top Corner or Star Back: Bailey Makes It Clear

[memphisskin]

Joe, I respect your opinon of Snyder but I have one as well.

I think the '00 team would have been better served if Snyder didn't undermine training camp by turning it into a moneymaking enterprise under the guise of "bringing it to the fans." It was what it was, a way for Snyder to make money. It wasn't particularly profitable, and it completely trashed our season by placing even more focus on Norv who was noticeably uncomfortable in the spotlight. So out goes Norv and his undisciplined ways, but were those ways so undisciplined when we were a botched field goal from the NFC championship? Let's agree to disagree on Norv.

So in the press conference announcing Schottenheimer Dan Snyder says "This is my stamp on the Washington Redskins." Schottenheimer immediately turns off Bruce Smith with Oklahoma drills and then dresses down the most popular Skin by telling him his technique stinks. I guess Snyder is the only one with intelligence, because Schottenheimer could not possibly know what he was doing. I agree the DG thing was classless, but was he right? Could Schottenheimer possibly have a motive of telling his two young cornerbacks that they could not follow DG's style because it was predicated on his rare speed and closing ability? Just a thought, and Schottenheimer didn't have to endear himself to anyone because A) he's the coach and B) he's the "owner's guy". Well Jeff George soon proves that he's not the answer, ducking an invisible rush and showing no heart so MS has to put in Tony Banks who's fresh off being cut in Dallas. There can be no passing game because Banks barely knows the plays, so everything is shrunk in half and Davis becomes the focal point. We go 8-8, finishing strong when the team stops fighting the coach and buys into his system.

Spurrier is Spurrier, he begins his NFL tenure by saying that he's going to do things his way. This is music to Snyder's ears because this is exactly what he's been doing since he bought the team. However, SS also begins by ridiculing the work ethic of Jim Haslett, which should have been the signal to all Skins fans that this wasn't going to work out. While Gibbs placed a cot in his office, SS placed his golf clubs. By suggesting that he could outsmart rather than outwork the other coaches, SS placed a bullseye on his back that every hard working coach would go out of their way to nail. And Snyder couldn't gauge this in his exhaustive interview process? But this was his guy.

So now Snyder brings in Gibbs. A great move, a bit unimaginative, but a great move because Gibbs won't just outsmart you, he'll outwork you too. Gibbs brought those four SB trips and three trophies, and if Vermeil and Parcells can come back and be successful then so can Gibbs.

There is no gloom and doom regarding the Skins cap future. There is but one fact. When you sign free agents to big money deals with big signing bonuses, at some point that money has to show up. It's already beginning to show up, witness Arrington's new deal last year to bring down his cap number and the unsuccessful attempt to get Samuels to renegotiate. Now I applaud Snyder's business sense and these revenue streams allow him the cash flow to constantly give out these large signing bonuses. But the new tv contract might not be as large as you think. But I saw what happened in Dallas and San Francisco and the fact is it will happen here in Washington. The gloom and doom that the journalists predict, Snyder and Cerrato have said that it is coming here as well. It is Snyder who has said that this team has a three year window, probably two now.

Can this team compete for a championship, I surely hope so because I'm starving for a competitive team. Can this FO do what other's have not been able to, and beat the salary cap, well that I'm not so sure about.