Gibbs to Resign as HC/President

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

Originally Posted by Lady Brave

I am extremely upset about this. Don't say repeatedly you intend on fulfilling your contract and then walk away after the toughest and most gut wrenching season the Redskins organization has ever endured. It's not right. Unless Joe has a very good reason for not sticking around, I'm afraid my level of respect for him might be slightly diminished and I hate that feeling.

God, I am so pissed off right now and I just can't sit here and be all, "Well, good luck Joe, thanks for the memories." I realize I sound like a complete drama queen right now, but I don't care. I hope I feel differently after I hear him speak.

Lady, we usually have the same take on events at Redskins Park. We differ on this one. Perhaps I am wrong, but I really believe that Gibbs wanted to finish out his contract. But, he has always said that family comes first and perhaps his family told him, "No more, coaching is affecting your health and our grandson is extremely sick....it's time to spend time with your family." Obviously I am just speculating, but Gibbs made this decision after conferring with his family and I can't come up with any other explanation for it all.

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by Sheriff Gonna Getcha

Lady, we usually have the same take on events at Redskins Park. We differ on this one. Perhaps I am wrong, but I really believe that Gibbs wanted to finish out his contract. But, he has always said that family comes first and perhaps his family told him, "No more, coaching is affecting your health and our grandson is extremely sick....it's time to spend time with your family." Obviously I am just speculating, but Gibbs made this decision after conferring with his family and I can't come up with any other explanation for it all.

I thought his grandson was doing much better? Everything I saw said his leukemia was in the remission stage and the treatments are much easier than last year. And was Gibbs' health suffering? I mean I know he has diabetes, but he's dealt with that for years...

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

Originally Posted by GMScud

I thought his grandson was doing much better? Everything I saw said his leukemia was in the remission stage and the treatments are much easier than last year. And was Gibbs' health suffering? I mean I know he has diabetes, but he's dealt with that for years...

With regard to the former, I know he's doing better but I didn't realize he was in remission. With regard to the latter, I don't know of any specific ailments, but I know of 2 jobs that tend to dramatically age people - (1) President of the United States and (2) Head Coach of any pro football team.

[dgack]

Originally Posted by GMScud

I thought his grandson was doing much better? Everything I saw said his leukemia was in the remission stage and the treatments are much easier than last year. And was Gibbs' health suffering? I mean I know he has diabetes, but he's dealt with that for years...

While this may be true (I don't know), I would think the death of Sean is a pretty stark reminder of the frailty of life to a man like Joe, and a reminder that you need to think about what's truly important in your life.

For everyone who's upset that Joe didn't finish the contract, or any of that stuff, ask yourself this question -- "What if Joe came back next season and keeled over from a heart attack and died?" Wouldn't we all pretty much feel like selfish bastards and wish he'd retired, the same way we'd wish for pretty much any outcome for Sean other than the one we got?

Having just lost my grandfather, a lifelong Redskins fan, and a man who was among the strongest and most positive people I've ever met, a man who also had an extraordinary amount of faith and was one of the most successful people I knew -- certainly a man who was always a "winner" -- I can say I understand why Joe would want to walk away now. My grandfather and Coach Joe probably would have gotten along very, very well. And if my grandfather were alive today I know he'd tell me to focus on all the good things Joe accomplished while he was here, not on his decision to retire (again).

Finally I just want to say that Joe is a true leader, and what that entails doesn't always show up on the stat sheet, but it does show up on the hearts and minds of the people he worked with, who will be forever changed as a result of being associated with him. A huge part of leadership is the task of building up other leaders and then passing the torch.

In his true brilliance of leadership, Joe has made Snyder a better owner, Williams and Saunders better coaches (to say nothing of all their assistants), and many players on the team better players and men. Most importantly, he has returned the confidence of the fans, and restored just a portion of the lost luster of this organization, enough to give people hope for the next 20 years.

And, if you think about it, the phrase "he doesn't have anything else to prove" is really key here. Joe didn't have anything else to prove when he came back four years ago. In fact, you could say he did it to give back to the organization that he loves so much. He did it at the cost of a lot of personal sacrifice: health, time with his family, and frankly an awful lot of second-guessing, mean-spirited commentary from analysts and fans, and at the expense of a coaching record that had been Legendary and now looks "only" Really, Really Good by comparison.

Our only regret should be that the timing couldn't have been better, but honestly, there's never a great time for things like this. We'll soon see if the right decisions have been made on selecting Joe's successor, but I would be shocked if continuity and camraderie in the locker room aren't made the highest priority.

[birdz4gibbs]

Originally Posted by dgack

While this may be true (I don't know), I would think the death of Sean is a pretty stark reminder of the frailty of life to a man like Joe, and a reminder that you need to think about what's truly important in your life.

For everyone who's upset that Joe didn't finish the contract, or any of that stuff, ask yourself this question -- "What if Joe came back next season and keeled over from a heart attack and died?" Wouldn't we all pretty much feel like selfish bastards and wish he'd retired, the same way we'd wish for pretty much any outcome for Sean other than the one we got?

Having just lost my grandfather, a lifelong Redskins fan, and a man who was among the strongest and most positive people I've ever met, a man who also had an extraordinary amount of faith and was one of the most successful people I knew -- certainly a man who was always a "winner" -- I can say I understand why Joe would want to walk away now. My grandfather and Coach Joe probably would have gotten along very, very well. And if my grandfather were alive today I know he'd tell me to focus on all the good things Joe accomplished while he was here, not on his decision to retire (again).

Finally I just want to say that Joe is a true leader, and what that entails doesn't always show up on the stat sheet, but it does show up on the hearts and minds of the people he worked with, who will be forever changed as a result of being associated with him. A huge part of leadership is the task of building up other leaders and then passing the torch.

In his true brilliance of leadership, Joe has made Snyder a better owner, Williams and Saunders better coaches (to say nothing of all their assistants), and many players on the team better players and men. Most importantly, he has returned the confidence of the fans, and restored just a portion of the lost luster of this organization, enough to give people hope for the next 20 years.

And, if you think about it, the phrase "he doesn't have anything else to prove" is really key here. Joe didn't have anything else to prove when he came back four years ago. In fact, you could say he did it to give back to the organization that he loves so much. He did it at the cost of a lot of personal sacrifice: health, time with his family, and frankly an awful lot of second-guessing, mean-spirited commentary from analysts and fans, and at the expense of a coaching record that had been Legendary and now looks "only" Really, Really Good by comparison.

Our only regret should be that the timing couldn't have been better, but honestly, there's never a great time for things like this. We'll soon see if the right decisions have been made on selecting Joe's successor, but I would be shocked if continuity and camraderie in the locker room aren't made the highest priority.

bravo ...
you hit the nail right on the head.....and yes what else is there for joe to prove heck he already has three superbowl rings to his credit..and not to mention he has carried out that same example in nascar with the people who work thru him at the raceshop in charlotte. joes family comes first....

amen