Danny White
Winter is Coming
- Messages
- 12,497
- Reaction score
- 391
www.czabe.com
Problem, Identified
Joe Gibbs 2.0 now has his “signature loss.”
Of the incredible, wondrous Al Saunders 700-page playbook, I bet there are 693 of them that could result in a touchdown.
Instead, Gibbs – ERRRRR… Saunders, sorry – picked the 7 plays that did not work for a touchdown. Oops. This is a passing league, where the teams who score touchdowns get to write the history books.
Instead, Coach Left Turn is living on the running game and field goals. With a healthy dose of nostalgia for the 80’s and a good slathering of delusion. Somebody tell Joe: only in NASCAR do you still get points just for finishing the race well back of the pack.
Ever hear the saying: “The beatings will continue, until morale improves?”
Well, Joe Gibbs “fighting his guts out” will continue until you’ve “vomited your guts out” watching him fail.
When this all ends, is anybody’s guess. I don’t think there’s much appetite for Gibbs ’08 in Redskinland, do you? But he might actually think this team is “close.” I kid you not. Who knows what goes through his sweet little deluded mind? Remember, this is the same grandfatherly figure who was distraught about not stopping the bus to shake hands with a gaggle of fans. So you never know.
If you want delusion, you can just tell yourself this: “We’re about 8 more inches of Todd Yoder from being 6-3!” Of course, you can’t really make a t-shirt out of that, now can you?
Speaking of 6-3, somebody should tell Gibbs that it has NOT been 15 years since the Skins were 6-3 or better, as Gibbs has repeated several times this week. The Skins were also 6-3 in 2000, en route to 8-8. (See Commanders, “Fortune .500 Team.”)
What I am still mystified about, and will always be – even after Gibbs has gone back to his NASCAR trailer – is WHAT is he so SCARED about? It’s the darndest thing. The bronzed bust won’t come out of Canton. The money is guaranteed. Why so scared?
His whole second coming has been about fear.
Fear of having an actual GM call the personnel shots.
Fear of making draft picks (the unknown) and instead paying for free agents.
Fear of throwing the ball downfield.
Fear of injuries in the pre-season.
Fear of playing Jason Campbell for almost two full years.
Fear of holding penalties to take him out of field goal range.
Fear of even watching game winning kicks.
Fear of radio hosts (ahem…) who actually ask him tough questions.
Fear of not signing enough autographs for fans.
Fear, fear, fear. I don’t get it. I really don’t.
The irony, is that there’s ONE thing which I know Gibbs does NOT fear. Not at all. And it’s strangely the thing that OTHER coaches fear more than anything.
The fear of getting fired.
Odd, huh?
The first time around, as an unproven assistant under a glowering Squire, Gibbs had to change his ways in a hurry after an 0-5 start to his career. Self preservation will do that to a coach and his stubborn, pre-conceived notions.
Not now. He’s a snug as a bug in his title of Head Coach and President of Football Operations. $7 million a year and a fawning fan-boy of an owner will buy A LOT of stubbornness. And that security has given him all the freedom to worry incessantly about everything else.
Somebody call me when he’s gone, and the team has an actual General Manager.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
MORE…..
The perception is that the Commanders tend to take their foot off the gas once they get a lead on a team. This is only partially true. The Commanders also start mistakenly pulling up the parking brake, flip on the windshield wipers by accident, and leave their left turn blinker going. Then they start stabbing at pedals on the floor, like an old lady about to accelerate in a panic into the front of a convenience store.
I remind people of the following. Joe Gibbs makes nearly $7 million per year. Al Saunders makes $2 million per year. Gregggggg Williams makes $2.6 million per year. He is also guaranteed a $1 million bonus if he does NOT succeed Joe Gibbs as head coach. With a $15 million total staff budget, these coaches STILL don’t understand that calling a 2nd half timeout in order to avoid a 5 yard penalty on a 4th down field goal of less than 30 yards – IS NOT A GOOD IDEA!!!! Ever!!!!! Maybe we can print up a laminated card for this one.
Oh, I just wanted to mention this. Terrell Owens has 21 touchdowns in a year and half. Brandon Lloyd has none. Terrell Owens has not been deactivated for off-field issues yet. Lloyd has twice. The total in guaranteed money for Owens was $5 million. The total guarantee for Lloyd was over $7 million. The Cowboys did not have to give up any draft picks for Owens. The Commanders had to give up a 3rd and a 4th for Lloyd. While Lloyd is still around because the Skins can’t afford the cap hit to cut him, Owens on the other hand, is getting CHEAPER the longer he plays for Dallas. The first year he got $10 million of the $25 million total. This year, including a roster bonus, he’ll make another $8 million. Then next year, his base salary plus roster bonus is just $7 million. This is how smart teams acquire good players, and MANAGE their sometimes difficult personalities. You may now return to smashing your head against the wall.
ON THE BRIGHT SIDE….
Clinton Portis is running at his absolute best right now. Very zippy, seeing holes and hitting them quickly. Kinda wish we didn’t have to wait 8 weeks for this. Training camp, Clinton. It’s there for a reason.
The no-huddle was a nice little twist, and Campbell seemed to really like it. Now, let’s give the kid some room to audible out of plays like most other big boy QB’s in this league do.
Brandon Lloyd used as a legit deep threat. Wow! Novel concept. I like it. Let’s continue with that approach and see what happens.
