Last week, there were two stories to come out of the NFL. One, Tom Brady beat Roger Goodell in court. The second story involved a franchise that has been in constant turmoil and frustration since 1999, the Washington Redskins.
There was a time when the Washington Redskins was a perennial Super Bowl contender under the leadership of Joe Gibbs, winning three Super Bowls (XVII, XXII, XXVI) in his first tenure.
And if you've been alive since 1994 and aren't a fan of the team, you probably never could have imagined this franchise being remotely stable. Instead, you've come to know the Redskin organization as a dumpster fire. A franchise once surrounded in fame and glory is now surrounded by tumult and disorder.
There are moments where you have to laugh at how defective this franchise has become. Case in point, what happened last week.
The wife of the team's general manager, Scott McCloughan, was so infuriated by ESPN reporter Dianna Russini's story on the team, she sent out two vulgar tweets, one accusing Russini of exchanging sex for information from players, the other calling Russini her husband's "side chick." Then, she told the team's senior vice president, Tony Wyllie, that the account was fake, which he then stated to multiple websites. Two hours later, the Redskins released a statement from the enraged spouse, admitting it was actually her who sent the tweet and apologizing for the remarks.
So, to recap, the Redskins has become so dysfunctional, it really needs the GM's wife to put down the Twitter machine.
This is just the latest dismal event in the rut that Washington cannot remove itself from. Since 2010, we've all heard that Washington was focused on rebuilding the franchise and getting back to success. That reclamation project still cannot get off the ground. So, what is the problem? What keeps holding this franchise back? Three things seem to stick out in this trainwreck of an organization.
1. Dan Snyder vs. Any Coach They Bring In
The instability starts with the war between the front office, mainly Snyder, and the coaches brought in to turn the place around.
When Mike Shanahan was hired, many thought it would be the move to finally get Washington headed in the right direction. Shanahan, after all, had won two Super Bowls in Denver and coached the legendary John Elway. Certainly, he could find the answer to Washington's problems and get them on the right track.
The problem was that Shanahan hadn't done a thing since John Elway retired. In fact, Shanahan has not won since he had Elway. He is a good coach who knows the game well, but when they built him up as the second coming of God, they set him up to fail.
From the jump, Shanahan didn't see eye-to-eye with Snyder, both being strong willed in what they want. Shanahan wasn't as big on Robert Griffin III, but Snyder was. He never got along with RGIII the way he needed to. Even after Shanahan was fired, he still can't help but air his criticism of RGIII.
It's not been much better with Gruden. The front office of the Redskins and the coaching staff still cannot come to an agreement on what to do with RGIII, but it's clear that Gruden has no want for Griffin. He's never loved him, and has gone as far as to publicly criticize him just to show him who's boss.
Shanahan underachieved, and Gruden is too busy being hurt by John Harbaugh calling him "fat" to actually care about anything else. Yet, Snyder won't let any coach do his own thing. He needs them to be yes men and provide his guy with help. It doesn't matter if the coaches style doesn't match the skill set of RGIII, as long as Snyder is at the helm of the organization and RGIII is there, he can't help himself. He is still clinging to that glimmer of hope, and he is willing to go to war for that glimmer of hope.
2. The Never-Ending Quarterback Controversy
The Redskins quarterback spot was a disaster for a long time. Since 2010, the Redskins has had six starting quarterbacks.
Since 2001, the Patriots has had two.
When RGIII arrived, he was supposed to be the solution to the never-ending carousel at the helm of the offense. He showed glimpses of that in his rookie year, but his health has hampered any future plans for the organization.
Since Griffin was drafted, the quarterback position has gone from Griffin to Cousins, back to Griffin, back to Cousins, back to Griffin, back to Cousins, then to Colt McCoy, back to Cousins, back to McCoy, back to Griffin, now back to Cousins.
That may have been the most confusing thing I've ever written.
The inability to settle on a quarterback has thrown off any sort of rebuild. You have to have a solidified leader on the field that can bring the players together and provide a solid rock that you can always count on. It also hampers the fans from getting excited about the team because they're in a constant state of confusion on what the situation actually is.
It's obvious that Griffin is not going to provide the solution they wanted, whether because of injury or because of controversy off the field. Cousins has not looked like the insurance policy they need, and Colt McCoy has been inconsistent when he has been a starter. If Washington is to move out of the hole they've seemingly dug themselves in, they desperately need to find someone to solidify this position. More specifically, someone that doesn't make the entire organization fight each other over.
3. The Name
The damn name.
It's no secret that the name "Redskins" has come under fire in recent years. Clearly, there are multiple Native American tribes who find this name to be offensive. There are 23 tribes and over 50 organizations who officially censor or are demanding censorship/change of the name. The organization is currently trying to get a new stadium in D.C., and the President of the United States is essentially saying, "Change the name or you won't be in Washington D.C."
Apparently, someone didn't tell Dan Snyder how severe that could be.
Snyder is handling this worse than anyone could have imagined. He has defiantly defended the organization's use of the word, saying redskin is a term of honor and respect. At one point, this man actually said he would "never change the name" of the team, going so far as to say you could use caps on the never.
Whether or not you agree that the team should change or not, there is no question that Snyder's stance has been dreadful. Yet, when someone says that they will NEVER change something, that means they are completely disregarding the feelings of so many people who take pride in who they are.
In simple terms, you sound like a jackass.
At this point, it may be time for a name change. When the U.S. Patent and Trademark office said that Washington would be stripped of its trademark, you are going to have to change something in order to keep making money. Not only that, but it is simply the right thing to do. The name has offended so many and it will only get worse with every defiant statement Dan Snyder makes. Interestingly enough, perhaps a name change also re-energizes the franchise. Our generation has only known the Redskins as dysfunctional, maybe a name change will help the organization to move forward and get out of the ditch they find themselves in.
There is no easy way to get Washington back to where they once were. There have been years of bad decision making, both on and off the field. Washington has seen a resurgence of its sports teams, as the Wizards, Nationals, and Capitals are all contending for playoff spots. Yet, their football team still leaves them feeling let down and disappointed, time and time again. Instability within the organization has poisoned the franchise, and the negativity brought on by Snyder's resistance to the thought of a name change has taken anything good out of the public's perception of the team.
The fans of this team are beyond passionate. However, when you subject them to continuous letdown, they will eventually just not care. Washington is dangerously close to having that happen. If the organization wants to turn it around, it needs to reengage the fans. There has to be stability in the organization and time to prove to the fanbase that they are concerned with providing a product worthy of such a loyal following.
Otherwise, this dumpster fire of a franchise will continue to burn down itself.
