Jim Zorn took up Joe Gibbs Racing's offer to spend a day at the tracks with the Hall of Fame Coach down in Charlotte. The two coaches spoke about family, Redskins' football, and of course, Jason Campbell.
Regarding if JC was treated like the red-headed step-child during the very public Mark Sanchez/Jay Cutler soap opera:
"I have a different outlook on that," Gibbs said of shopping the quarterback he had plucked from Auburn. "At some point you're going to have to take the team down the field in a driving hailstorm to win the game. If you get all uptight about stuff as the quarterback -- if (trade rumors) is something that bothers you -- you're in the wrong position."
Gibbs thinks Campbell's hardship is similar to previous QB's he coached:
"You gotta realize an NFL quarterback is going to go through a lot -- all the ones I coached did," Gibbs added through that wheezing laugh of his. "If it wasn't (Mark) Rypien getting benched in the middle of a season, it was Joe Theismann technically going to get benched. Or it was Doug Williams going through two teams and coming here when everybody thought his career was over."
Gibbs on Zorn's legitimacy as a coach:
"I think he has a good feel for the job and where he is," Gibbs said of Zorn. "He understands coaching. He understands where he is. I think that going through that first year, I know what that was like for me. I mean, he wound up in the same spot I did -- 8-8. The second year, you're more settled."
Gibbs on whether he has any regrets coming back to DC for a second go at coaching:
"In life, you get an opportunity you take it," he said. "It was important for me to come back. I felt like it was the right thing for me to do. I think it was the right time for me to leave. I took my best shot and went after it.
"The four games we won after Sean (Taylor) died was the most unbelievable coaching experience ever," he added. "How that team came together and got into the playoffs, man, just unbelievable."
I've read all of Gibbs' comments multiple times trying to dissect the truthfulness in them. I suspect the REAL conversation went more like this:
Zorn: Coach. I am really in a pickle here! The entire fan base wants Campbell to QB this team, but I'm the only one that knows he can't run this offense.
Gibbs: If you look inside your heart, and talk to Jesus, you will find a way.
Zorn: What made you trade up to get this QB? Sure, he never lost a game at Auburn, but he had Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams in his backfield. They would have won all twelve games if they had the drummer for Def Leppard under Center!!
Gibbs: Boy! I'll tell ya! That drummer really plays his guts out. His faith in God must be at a level we all need to be at.
Zorn: The only level the drummer has is a Blood Alcohol Content level....and it's probably higher than the amount of points we're scoring a game.
Gibbs: I really give it our guys. They really fight hard!
Full Article: [WaPost]: Zorn Joins Gibbs for a Day at the Races