Mike Shanahan Sheds Light on His Interview with Dan Snyder
by Kevin Ewoldt on Aug 14, 2011 6:08 PM EDT
in Redskins News
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PrintThe Washington Post has cranked out some quality columns this weekend. If you're in the mood to have your heart strings pulled, the story of Cornerback, Reggie Jones' tragic family incident at age 13 is a moving read and still incomprehensible for me.
More related to on-field action, Mike Wise had the chance to sit down with Head Coach Mike Shanahan just before the Steelers game. The two DC sports power houses engaged in a conversation similar to how I envision any fan would want information on Shanahan regarding Beck and the direction of this franchise. The former Broncos' skipper was defiant in how he saw value in Steve Young, John Elway, and Joe Montana when others had written them off. Shanahan still feels strong toward Beck. A lot of media and fans consistently say another bad year for Shanahan puts him on the hot seat. Ken and I have disagreed with everyone that backs this view since Ken and I saw first hand how giddy Dan Snyder was to have Shanahan here turning this boat around. Shanahan then gave his side:
"I knew it wasn't going to happen overnight. One thing I told Dan Snyder was: ‘If you don't plan on me being here for five years to do this the right way, then you shouldn't hire Mike Shanahan. But I'm going to do it the right way. And if you believe in my background and you believe in what I've done, then you should hire me. But if you're going to ask me to take shortcuts, I'm not going to take shortcuts. I'm going to do it the right way.' And he said he would."
A couple thoughts spring to mind. First, the coaching carousel is mercifully over in Washington. Second, doesn't trading two high draft picks for an aging Quarterback count as shortcuts? Enough with the past. The Redskins have an "infusion of youth" as Bruce Allen said on Friday and the Mike Shanahan plant is starting to bear fruit.
Shanahan continued:
"And when we do have this thing turned around, people will see it, and say, ‘Oh my God, that's the way you do it.' "
We're clearly already seeing it. Many people on this site were demanding the Redskins sign Cullen Jenkins and Ryan Harris. Harris has been out with backs spasms and Cullen Jenkins has had significant injuries in the past. It hit me that all the Redskins draft picks and key free agents were team leaders with no prior injuries (Bowen, Cofield, Jenkins, Kerrigan). Of course the most important ingredient in Shanahan's recipe is competition. Even with the QB competition lacking a big name player, there is so much to like about the Burgundy and Gold. We were saying this before the pre-season game and each week in practice validates things more.
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Love that quote.
But I think Snyder’s response probably went like this…“You had me had Hello”.
@Callahan_9 on the twitter machine.
Buh! Buh buh buh buh buh!
"If a man speaks and there is no woman around to hear him, is he still wrong???"
by ThuGodfather on Aug 14, 2011 8:15 PM EDT up reply actions
Still Laughing!!!!
That statement was hilarious!! I almost fell out of my chair. I don’t know who that guy is in the picture but its picture perfect. It really brightened up my day!!!
Thanks.
by Shortmort219 on Aug 15, 2011 10:39 AM EDT up reply actions
I hope this is the case
Not sure anyone had written off the players shanny mentioned
by alwaysremember21 on Aug 14, 2011 6:42 PM EDT reply actions
and the future looks good
But the past was a smack in the head to Shanahan too. There are no short cuts,
He saw a shiny experienced player and said hey this could happen now, fans r u in?
Learned there are no short cuts
Very much liking the direction HTTR
by dr WNC on Aug 14, 2011 6:46 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Parcells would do the same thing
having a veteren QB is important to the old school coaches, Parcells insisted it was of the utmost importance his young QB’s have some one show them how to study, practice, and take care of thier bodies,
Shannahan never took McNabb thinking you would win right then, In the interview he says its going to take a few years, McNabb was never inteded to win right now.
All that being said what would be a good season to you guys, playoffs, 8-8, I don’t know
One more thing, watch for Shannahan to churn the roster, especially the bottom, Parcells picked up Colombo and Kosier for Dallas churning the roster, Shannahan will pick up some guys who will be good players but nothing more, but it will make your team better and younger.
Yes I believe the Redskins may be on the right track
by Musiccitynorm on Aug 14, 2011 7:21 PM EDT up reply actions
Let me be the first to tell you
that might not be such an enjoyable prospect this season. I guess I don’t have much room to talk though considering the last 15 years of Redskins history.
Yea, I think were about to blow this team up
look for some crazy cuts/trades from the cowboys beyond what has already taken place,
On the plus side it apperas the last two years drafts are solid and the draft three years ago is looking better,,,, thats how you rebuild a team.
by Musiccitynorm on Aug 14, 2011 8:40 PM EDT up reply actions
An 8-8 season would be considered decent/good.
A 10-6 would be considered excellent. Anything more than that and we’ll start seeing people in hospitals from an excess of endorphins released by their brains.Making it past the first round of the playoffs, well, I don’t even know what we’d do. Probably start a riot like the guys in Canada after winning a hockey tournament.
8-8 sounds about right
what would have to happen to do better?
By the way i think Armstrong is going to be a great reciever, give him a QB
by Musiccitynorm on Aug 14, 2011 8:42 PM EDT up reply actions
We would need...
> A breakout season from either Niles Paul or Leonard Hankerson (my money’s on Paul, Hank will need another year)
> Consistency from Rex or John, whoever the QB is.
> Our entire D needs to stay as healthy as possible., as well as our OLine.
> Wins against all the teams we’re supposed to beat.
Most of us are assuming we’ll lose to at least 2 of the easy teams, we kind of have a knack for losing to the worst teams in the league (Hi there St Louis, Detroit). We’re also assuming we have 2 upsets as we always seem to do (Hi Chicago, Green Bay).
Easy teams: Cards, Cowboys (sorry), Cowboys, Panthers, Bills, Dolphins, Seahawks, Vikings.
Upset predictions: Giants, Eagles if Vick gets hurt.
by TheDeepBall on Aug 14, 2011 10:28 PM EDT up reply actions
they will be this season.
Look at their team. Hardly any upgrades at any position from last season. They lost their projected starting DE to us when we took Bowen. T. Smith won’t be ready to play for a few years.
Meanwhile we took the team that played almost dead even with them in both games and gave it a major offensive and defensive overhaul for the better. You don’t think we’ll sweep them?
nope...don't even go there...
it’s a division game, all bets are off. I think that Jason will be a better head coach than Wade and they do have some talent on that football team, some very talented receivers. Don’t get ahead of yourself, anybody who has watched Grossman play knows he can be very unpredictable, especially in big games.
by MagicHat on Aug 15, 2011 2:05 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Not "Nope, I don't think we will sweep them"
we could, we might….just not getting ahead of myself. I am looking forward to seeing how we come together over the preseason and hope we are ready for the Giants week one.
Barkeeper
I’ll have another shot of kool-aid
I'm worried about the beer supply. After this case, and the other case, there's only one case left- Barney Gumble
by CptChaosSidekick on Aug 14, 2011 7:02 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
You have to wonder...
if Dan Snyder sees Mike Shanahan as the next acquisition similar to Deion Sanders, Dana Stubblefield, Spurrier, Fat Albert, and so on. While I don’t think so you still have to wonder given his past history as a serial meddler. Makes sense don’t it?
All the McNabb talk still....
Did we ever figure out if that was Shanahan or Snyder who made that happen?
"My cat's breath smells like cat food."
that was all Mike
"The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made." -Groucho Marx
Hogs Haven. On Twitter..
by Kevin Ewoldt on Aug 14, 2011 10:22 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Typing on phones can whore you sometimes
by Dammit Cerrato... on Aug 14, 2011 9:02 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
So, how much is a prau now days?
No Danny, Nooooooo - Tom Landry, 1982., and Washington Redskins fans, 1999-
by BillWard on Aug 14, 2011 9:43 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I pray Shanny is here 5 seasons
Honestly, I can find positives in other things other than record. If we go 6-10 again this year, that alone doesn’t tell me we arent a better team, there are so many other things that factor into it. So Im not judging this season entirely on record.
by Dammit Cerrato... on Aug 14, 2011 9:01 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
I agree we can go 0-16 and be a better team
This is a better team already and we haven’t played any real games yet
by alwaysremember21 on Aug 14, 2011 9:16 PM EDT up reply actions
I think the expectations placed on him were unrealistic
I like that he’s rebuilding the team though and other than hiring his son which makes me a bit uncomfortable I’m fine with all his “coach” talk. He doesn’t have to be honest with the media and I don’t expect a guy like that to justify himself.
by alwaysremember21 on Aug 14, 2011 11:36 PM EDT up reply actions
Look whatever way you
Slice it we are a better team already. Yes the first season was horrible but with the shannahans running this team we are headed in the right direction. We have a defense we can lean on for the next 5 years. Next year we can upgrade the offensive line more. And DRAFT our future qb. Hopefully luck or jones but we are headed in the right direction as shown this offseason. Out with the OLD big contracts n in with the new young stars
RibDawg wonders if Shanahan likes referring to himself in the third person
by RibDawg on Aug 14, 2011 9:43 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Ricky Henderson
approves.
Your First Ever Pinstripe Bowl Champions- The Syracuse Orange
by bigbluethruandthru on Aug 14, 2011 9:43 PM EDT up reply actions
As does Bo Jackson
You spend a lot of time on our boards Big Blue
by RibDawg on Aug 14, 2011 9:46 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Generally I find this the nicest fan base
with the couple of exceptions of people who seem to think they are defending their “turf” by attacking an opposing fan who comes over to comment. I’ve always liked reading the viewpoints of opposing fans, but Eagles fans are beyond smug, the hubris will make you choke. The Cowboys board has good articles, but they are all stuck on the “America’s Team” marketing gimmick. I’ve never disliked the Redskins as much as the other two teams, and Ken/Kevin make an entertaining writing duo.
Your First Ever Pinstripe Bowl Champions- The Syracuse Orange
by bigbluethruandthru on Aug 14, 2011 10:27 PM EDT up reply actions
The Eagles
better hope Vick stays healthy, because if not Vince Young won’t be winning any games for them.
by TheDeepBall on Aug 14, 2011 10:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Glad to have a classy visitor from a competitor
by RibDawg on Aug 14, 2011 11:03 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Glad you hold us in high regard
For what’s it worth I prefer giants fans to eagles or cowboys or steelers fans
by alwaysremember21 on Aug 14, 2011 11:32 PM EDT up reply actions
???
if you dont like folks defending their “turf” then maybe you shouldnt come on said “turf” denouncing optimistic points of view..
“Rex Grossman was flawless in preseason game #1”
you – “i wouldnt say he was flawless”
not usually my style to jump into this kind of thing...
but I have been fairly active here for a little while here. Bigblue is generally welcome here, and is respectful of our board. I don’t recall you so much. We have got game time coming up in less than a month to talk smack, there will even be threads set aside for that exclusively. Kevin can defend his own comments (as can bigblue obviously).
We get a lot of good information here from fans of other teams, even our rivals, and they have been welcomed here as long as they respect where they are and contribute to the discourse in a positive way.
However, Cowboy fans are not welcome under any circumstances.
by MagicHat on Aug 15, 2011 2:29 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
excuse me??
as kevin can defend himself, so can bigblue… ill talk “smack” to whomever/whenever i deem fit….
“i dont recall you so much” – your point being???
all you need to know is that im a Skins fan “thru and thru”..
and by the way, whats positive about “i wouldnt say Rex was flawless”?? is that what you call “contributing to discourse in a positive way”?
i noticed you ran to the defense of bigblue on another post also.. you were so adement (spellcheck) with that defense that it caused you to post nonsense…. go figure….
if a cowgirls fan cant come here and belittle OUR qb, then neither should a midgets fan…. friend of yours (obviously) or not…..
a skins fan backing a midgets fan over another skins fan…. wonder whats that all about???
There is a difference
between positive contribution and a positive view on things. You see, a positive contribution is where someone says something like “I wouldn’t say Rex was flawless,” and then gives points or maybe even some smack talk to back it up. A negative contribution would be something along the lines of “shut up kid, i don’t like your negative point of view.” A positive view on things is “I think the Redskins will go 10-6” while a negative view is “I think the redskins will be worst in the league.”
Which of you two has had more positive CONTRIBUTION in this thread?
???
and now that your done, please take a minute to point out my negative “contribution”…
i would have thought you would have pointed it out without being asked..
maybe you didnt because i gave no negative “contribution”…
a QB being described as flawless by one person followed by another claiming said QB wasnt flawless is negative any way you try to spin it.. especially coming from a non-fan..
“or maybe even some smack talk to back it up” makes it even worse…
lets see you go to a midgets/cowgurls/beagles site and claim any 1 of those QB’s wasnt flawless after a fan/reporter claims he was…. i dont think that would go over so well….
It's a positive contribution...
because it makes for something interesting to read on the board without being inflammatory.
And, honestly, what he was saying WAS a positive view. He said that, overall, Rex played well for a preseason game. That’s positive, just not quite as positive as “flawless,” which we can all admit is a mild hyperbole. Rex didn’t complete 100% of his passes for a perfect QB rating, but he played pretty darned well. I think both Kevin and BigBlue would agree with this.
all i seem to recall is Kevin saying that Rex was flawless.. i missed the post by Kevin agreeing with bigblue saying otherwise..
"But to say that his CRICTICS will think "hey, that was a GREAT half of preseason football, maybe he’s not a mediocre QB with a career 40-40 TD to INT average who made a silly statement recently" as stated by bigblue.. is this what you call positively interesting??
it was a dig in sheeps clothing… if others dont wanna defend their QB, or atleast try, its ok… i have no problem taking on the task…
Never said Kevin said what you're saying I said Kevin said.
I just thought that was a cool sentence, but all I said was “I think Kevin and BigBlue would agree” that Rex played pretty well in that one preseason game.
BigBlue pretty much did say that Grossman played well in that game. In the comment you posted, he does dig at Rex, but it’s by stating Rex’s career stats, which nobody can really argue against. And overall, I agree with the sentiment of his statement. Yes, Rex had a great half of preseason football. However, we shouldn’t get ahead of ourselves and start expecting a Pro Bowl season out of him. The one part I would disagree with is the “made a silly statement” part—I think it’d be silly for a QB not to predict that his team will win the division—but the rest is pretty spot on.
I’m not here to “defend” any player, or to “defend” the board from fans of other teams. That sort of smack talk can be fun when done in a joking way, but it’s often a horrible idea on the internet. I’m just here to discuss football.
yes you are free to post whatever you like, for the most part....
and there is jack-assery going on here all the time. It’s unfortunate, but it happens. Fact is Rex wasn’t flawless, he played very well, that’s for sure, but not perfect. Kevin posted it, blue disagreed. He didn’t insult anybody, or the team in general (in fact quite the opposite). He did not make a big show out of scratching/shaking his head or lol-ing, just stated his opinion in a reasonable way.
No, I am not friends with blue. I don’t think I have ever had any direct discourse with him at all, and I definitely don’t always agree with him but saying that Rex was less than flawless is not belittling our QB, it is stating a fact.
As far as “nonsense” is concerned, that is very possible, I have not been back over to that thread yet. When posting at 3 am I have been known to occasionally leave comments that are somewhere between nonsensical and completely illegible. I try to refrain from posting after a night of drinking, but it happens.
The Cowboy fan bit was a joke (more or less), anyone is welcome here as long as they behave in a somewhat reasonable manner. Two of my best friends are Cowboy fans, my girlfriend and her family and my brother-in law and his family are all Eagles fans, and while this is very unfortunate, thay are good people and I treat them with respect even when talking sports.
As I said, you are free to post whatever you want, but you are going to deny yourself the opportunity for some good football talk with some good people if you continue to alienate rather than contribute.
1) bigblue started with the lol’ing but who didnt know you wouldnt point that out..
2) “73% completion percentage. Pretty flawless if you ask me. Has Eli ever done that?” as stated by thedeepball in response to bigblue’s “Rex wasnt flawless”.. where was the uproar and malcontent that should have been directed at thedeepball as well??
3) in regards to the above mentioned posts (2), you came to the defense of bigblue not unlike a knight in shining armor yet again.. “I seem to remember one gane… where he started off like 14 or 15 out of 17 (or something ridiculous like that) and the the first incompletion was a drop as well” as stated by you..
were you not the one who said that bigblue can “obviously” defend himself?? if thats the case, let him…
and if your gonna shine a light on one individual for whatever reason, make sure you shine that same light on others for the same reason…
again, i wonder what this is all about???
heres a couple more..
“You’re comparing your #1 overall pick QB to Rex Grossman. If that doesn’t scream "mediocre" to you, nothing will.” as stated by thedeepball in response to bigblue after Eli was labeled as being mediocre…
“You coming here and comparing Rex to Eli Is proof that the giants have jumped the shark. Damn, even Steve Smith saw that!” as stated by brettpedigo in response to bigblue after Eli was labeled as being mediocre…
where was your “concern” then? what made you only able to see my responses?
again, i wonder what this is all about??
Mike Shanahan needs to really watch himself. A person who continually errs in his career is a person who will find that career jerked out from beneath him. Maybe after this interview he’ll have a slight change in his perspective.
Halloween World
by lewiscoverdale on Aug 14, 2011 10:09 PM EDT reply actions
What Friday Night Did For Redskins Fans
My expectations going into the game against the Steelers had never been lower for the Washington Redskins. It hurts me to even admit that, but it is what it is. I’ve been a die hard fan for almost 30 years and remember watching John Riggins break the run against the Miami Dolphins as an 8 year old kid with my father. Growing up during the reign of Joe Gibbs 1.0 was incredible and I also took it for granted and thought that’s the way it was supposed to be.
The game Friday night was great because for the first time in a long time we have hope of better things to come. The team has some good young talent and I can see some real hope. I know more work needs to be done, but it feels good to see things taking shape. The team won’t get any respect from the national media until they show something in the regular season and that’s ok, but I don’t think they will be laughing at us anymore.
Me Too..
My expectations were the lowest they have ever been sadly in my over 40 years as a Skins fan. “He who speaks of the over the hill gang”. Yes, the beautiful sight of Riggins shedding a Dolphin saftey for a 44 yard TD. Especially good when u live in FL at the time. We were spoiled then,. The 2011 version of the Skins is a better team from top to bottom then last year. I even feel OK with paying for NFL Sunday ticket now.. I think. But we must be realistic, We are probably a 7-9 team and we will beat somebody we were not supposed to. But it will be a better season this year, U hear me Gano don’t miss any game winning FG under 45 yards..Two years from now when we are deep in the playoffs Vinny and Zorn will be a distant memory “Ahh Nightmare”…Lets move on from Mc Nabb, Fat Al, and the issues of the past and focus on this year and THE FUTURE… Take it from someone born in the Nations capital the Skins credit rating has been UPGRADED…
Standing Behind Shanny & Son
I agree with you that not having the drama is going to help the team. It’s a big distraction when you have guys causing issues and the guys deny it being a problem, but it really is. I’m on board with what Mike Shanahan is attempting to do here and hope Dan Snyder will be patient and let this thing develop.
If we fire him after this season then we go right back into that new coach and system cycle where everyone says give it a couple of years. I’m sick of giving up a couple seasons at a crack with nothing ever being seen all the way through. I think we may be onto something here and I’m going to remain behind Shanny while he puts the Redskins back into the mix.
You made the main point Kevin
how does what he supposedly said then match up with the McNabb hire.
Shanahan is a master at playing the media game, but its been a long time since he had back to back winning seasons and I fear this coaching caper has passed him my, coupled with the nepotism at Offensive Co-ordinator I have real concerns.
Having said all that, we need stability so I am going to put my concerns in the background from now on and support the current regime, if they follow what he said above, if however we do not start seeing some youth getting the opportunity to fail, learn and come back stronger then I will be back of the bandwagon, that very tentatively I am currently jumping back on
Pommylee
Competition
The beauty of a true free market system. At least someone in D.C. understands basic economic principles! I think the biggest change is going after mid-level guys with a lot of potential. We are not focusing on the big name guy who plays a flashy position that draws the attention of sportscenter. These fools want to try to joke about or QB situation and make McNabb out to be a world beater. They do not realize the other quality moves that we made in the draft and free agency. The team is now finding guys willing too play hard and earn their contract. It also helps that many of these guys play on the line, an area we seriously neglected by poor decisions or lack of draft picks. Also the scouting department seems to be on the ball. It is very early to tell how this years picks will turn out, but things look better than in past years. Kerrigan is a player and will figure it out! Jenkins got hammered by many on this site, but I liked the pick. I think as often is the case when one guy gets a lot of “pub” on a team, it is because he is playing with at least one or two very good players. The highly touted guy from Clemson went later due to an injury, but I think we still got the better player. We took a mix of other guys who were either proven (Royster) or who had a lot of upside ( Hankerson). Many tried to compare Hankerson to Monk, come on this is not realistic. The guy has struggled, but he is still talented. The picks we made at wide receiver along with the signings make it a position that will surely be upgraded. I think the true determination of Shanahan can be made by comparing this year’s roster to last year’s. It is blatantly obvious that we have gotten better at virtually every position. The only concern to me is the situation with Landry and the inexperience of guys at linebacker playing in a 3-4. I think the O-line will hold up well and Williams will become a true leader of the unit. We will suprise people and finish second in the division. The only thing that scares me is the kicking game, if we can kick field goals and not fumble (Hightower) a ton. I pray Gano gets it together and Rocco does a better than average job.
As long as
Shanny doesn’t pull a Spurrier and send his resignation from the golf course, I’m all in for the plan…The Future is now (2.0)!!!
Despite what he said, Shanahan did take some shortcuts last year -
things that weren’t long term thinking. Like McNabb, Galloway and, for awhile, LJ, Parker, Wade – going old and cheap to win now. It probably slowed progress, but it’s done, and he’s on track now.
But if you’re going to ask me to take shortcuts, I’m not going to take shortcuts. I’m going to do it the right way.’
Music to my ears.
Still doesn’t address the inexplicably stupid trade for McNabb, but as I’ve been saying:
Shanny, just don’t do anything that stupid ever again.
"By far the worst performers on the (Redskins) are in the front office." – Sally Jenkins
Revived!
besides for looking good at major upgrades on both sides of the ball….the redskins seem to finally be going into a year year….DRAMA FREE! this says alot. distractions are what plagued the redskins for the past couple of years. that has ALOT to do with your play on the field. I was optimistic at first when hearing that beck or grossman was going to be our starting QB, but after watching the preseason game against the steelers(i know we played our starters longer than them) i’m finally getting a good feel for not just this year, but the future of this team. less distractions attribute to better onfield concentration! i feel as though we can compete with any team this year. We’re finally getting back to good ole sound fundamental football. These guys are going to play with alot of HEART this year!
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