Califan007 The Constipated Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Long-ass article lol...a bit too melodramatic at times but something to pass the time until Sunday. My prediction: everyone will read into it what their pre-conceived opinions on Griffin tell them to, with a few generic "It's Bleacher Report, what do you expect" comments thrown in lol... http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2176159-the-complicated-reinvention-of-rg3 The first step in rebuilding RG3 was to mend a broken heart. For all the flash and dazzle and public bravado, Robert Griffin III is a sensitive young man barely two years removed from the protective cocoon of Baylor, his nearby Texas hometown of Copperas Cove and the Sunday night hair-braiding sessions with his mother Jackie they called “mommy time.” He longs to be liked. And last fall’s divorce from Redskins coach Mike Shanahan tore a hole inside him far more damaging than the shredded knee in the 2012 playoffs that seemed to ignite their breakup. He grew up admiring Shanahan, then the ruddy, taciturn general of his beloved Denver Broncos, and the coach’s sudden disapproval was devastating. “Robert thought Mike hated him,” says a former Redskins teammate who did not want to speak on the record in part because he believes Griffin needs to get past Shanahan. As Shanahan pushed him away with icy glares in the waning weeks of a ruined 2013 season and stories appeared saying the team’s coaches couldn’t work with him, Griffin struggled to understand why. “It’s like he had an ex-girlfriend he loved or wanted to love and he can’t,” the former teammate adds. Some of those who know Griffin from his college days say he is a uniquely honest man, incapable of the little lies people tell to get through social situations. They say his sincerity is one of his most endearing traits. But it also means he does not mask his emotions well. Friends wish he would stop talking about Shanahan. That time has passed. And yet there festers inside him an urge to explain something. To make people understand. To let them know what it was like. “For me it was just heartbreaking,” Griffin says. “You know with everything that happened—came into the league with—I was a huge Bronco fan, everybody knew that, and I had the coach of my dreams pick me in the draft.” He stops. He repeats himself. “Heartbreaking,” he says. Griffin sits now on a leather couch inside a foyer that leads from the practice fields to the locker room at the Redskins headquarters. This should be a happy time for him. His right knee, the one with the torn ACL and LCL, is healed. He runs again with almost as much ease as during his rookie year. He has a head coach he adores in Jay Gruden in an environment as nurturing for a quarterback as perhaps any in the NFL. He is slowly transitioning from being an option passer to a pocket passer—a move that will minimize his risk of a future knee injury. He is learning an offense that should favor his skills. [...]Recovery came 368 days after the knee blew up. That was when the Redskins hired Gruden to replace Shanahan. In his time as an assistant in Tampa and Cincinnati and as a head coach in the Arena Football League and the defunct United Football League, the younger brother of Jon Gruden has became known around the NFL as a clever game-planner who found creative ways to use his players’ strengths. One of the first things Gruden did was name Sean McVay offensive coordinator. The former Redskins' tight ends coach had a good relationship with RG3 and worked with Gruden in the past. McVay was so thrilled, he contacted Griffin the moment he found out. “I thought it important that I reach out and say how excited I was to be able to work with him and continue to build the relationship that we previously had and let him know how excited I was to have the chance to get it on the right track here,” McVay says. Griffin immediately liked his new coaches. More than some players, RG3 needs to trust the people who coach him, friends say. With Gruden that trust came quickly. The new coach has a warmth about him and a quick sense of humor that Griffin enjoys. In their first several meetings, they didn’t even discuss specifics of the new quarterback-friendly offense Gruden was installing. Instead, they simply talked. Griffin liked that. “Jay’s one of those guys, if you get around him, he has such a great way about himself that if you don’t like Jay Gruden you’re probably a messed-up guy, you know?” McVay says. “He’s hard not to like.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenDavis Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 I really could care less about wins or losses this year. My concern will be with RGIII. If RGIII plays well we will be fine for the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Wow. For BR it was pretty good. Gets at the notion that RG3 isn't just upset with last year but is saddened by it and is still struck by how much he doesn't understand it. Shanahan seems to just be one of those people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TradeTheBeal! Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Its hard to find any former players that speak highly of Shanny. Contrast that with guys like Gibbs or Cowher. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRAVEONTHEWARPATH93 Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Jesus, that snippet was sooo hammed up. Can we just plays the football already? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 In fairness, Robert did use the term "heartbreaking." For many people, this is exactly what that situation must have felt like, and the language is perhaps dramatically descriptive but thank goodness for someone who wanted to craft a story and convey information. I've had enough millenial-speak BUzzfeed, etc. clickbait-fests that somehow mixed melodrama with poor and simplistic writing that it was nice to see someone at least try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrelgreenie Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Good article. How did a BR guy land an interview with Griffin? Lol at the WashPo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Section106 Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 I wish someone would write a story about how Shanahan completely screwed this franchise, its owner, the players, and its fans. What a waste of 5 years. I spent thousands of dollars over that time to watch a Machiavellian nightmare. Yes, I'm mad. Instead we get the same old "RG3 is a whiny brat, blah, blah, blah". Why the sensitive slant? Doesn't every QB in the league need to have a close and trusting relationship with his coach? Wouldn't you all feel betrayed had Shanny treated you the way he did Griffin? I want to punch the **** in the face and I'm only a fan. Seriously, can we stop with the psychology, report the facts, and let the reader decide? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 I wish someone would write a story about how Shanahan completely screwed this franchise, its owner, the players, and its fans. What a waste of 5 years. I spent thousands of dollars over that time to watch a Machiavellian nightmare. Yes, I'm mad. Instead we get the same old "RG3 is a whiny brat, blah, blah, blah". Why the sensitive slant? Doesn't every QB in the league need to have a close and trusting relationship with his coach? Wouldn't you all feel betrayed had Shanny treated you the way he did Griffin? I want to punch the **** in the face and I'm only a fan. Seriously, can we stop with the psychology, report the facts, and let the reader decide? I think it comes from the fact it's not a quick ESPN article about how practice went but trying to peer into the soul or character of a man (still a young one) to better understand him. Is that a terrible thing? It's not as if if the article isn't positive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koolblue13 Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 I can't wait until freaking Sunday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Califan007 The Constipated Posted September 2, 2014 Author Share Posted September 2, 2014 Sorry guys, forgot to add in the link lol... Another bit from the article: The new coaches loved the joy with which RG3 approached their first months here. Griffin bubbled with questions about the offense. They admired his energy. They appreciated the way he volunteered to help recruit free agents like DeSean Jackson, Jason Hatcher and Andre Roberts. And they were pleased to discover he is something of a football junkie with a deep understanding of other teams’ players and schemes. “I think he’s done a good job of embracing Jay’s approach, of what we do philosophically, and that’s exciting to see,” McVay says. In turn, Gruden has been authentic in his assessments of Griffin’s transition to a pocket passer. He notes publicly his quarterback’s successes in mastering new fundamentals while simultaneously grasping a different offense. And he freely acknowledges the things Griffin does that frustrate him, like an occasional insistence on trying to make every play in training camp a touchdown or challenging tacklers rather than avoiding contact. Nothing is hidden. Everything is clear. “I think (RG3) feels a fresh start with a new staff,” backup quarterback Kirk Cousins had said a few days before. “He likes this staff.” On the couch, Griffin nods. “To have them is a blessing,” he says. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbt Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Jesus, that snippet was sooo hammed up. Can we just plays the football already? Really. I read the first line, that was enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Califan007 The Constipated Posted September 2, 2014 Author Share Posted September 2, 2014 Really. I read the first line, that was enough. Hmm...2,000 word article, and you read the first line and stopped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justice98 Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Uggh, I don't wanna hear him talking about Shanahan anymore. I don't wanna hear anybody collecting a Redskins paycheck talking about Shanahan or last year. Are we not less than a week from the first game? They gotta stop taking the bait. Somebody throws that Shanahan red meat out there and they all dive for it. Leave it alone, not worth discussing anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llevron Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Uggh, I don't wanna hear him talking about Shanahan anymore. I don't wanna hear anybody collecting a Redskins paycheck talking about Shanahan or last year. Are we not less than a week from the first game? They gotta stop taking the bait. Somebody throws that Shanahan red meat out there and they all dive for it. Leave it alone, not worth discussing anymore. You should probably stop reading anything that has to do with that past year then. He was the HC. People are going to ask questions. They are obviously going to answer them. Its really not a big deal. Its another one of those 'if you don't like it don't read about it' things man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lupin_iv Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 I admire Robert's openness and honesty about himself, but wish he could dial it back a little. However, that's just not who he is, and I think as fans of the team and Robert we'll just have to take a little bad with all of the good. People call him phony, but I don't see that: what you see with Robert is what you get. That's a good thing, in my estimation. I think a healthy Griffin with trust in his coaches can only mean good things for the Redskins. Great things are ahead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftech Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Califan, that was a good read...thanks for posting! I swore I would never read another BR article but that was a pretty good insight. HTTR! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chachie Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Well at the very least, that article soothed some of my insecurities about the changes he's going through. Also- Did everyone here know about Griffin being a Broncos fan while growing up and that Shanny was his dream coach? I had NO idea about all that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burgold Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 If this article is correct. RGIII's problem may not be that he is a Diva, but that he's the opposite of that. A guy too eager to please. I can kind of see that on the field. If this article is correct. RGIII's problem may not be that he is a Diva, but that he's the opposite of that. A guy too eager to please. I can kind of see that on the field. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clskinsfan Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Its hard to find any former players that speak highly of Shanny. Contrast that with guys like Gibbs or Cowher. Especially quaterbacks. Ask any previous QB that has worked with Shanny, except Elway, and they really cant stand him. From Young to Plummer and so forth. They all have the same answer. They respected him but hated him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Well at the very least, that article soothed some of my insecurities about the changes he's going through. Also- Did everyone here know about Griffin being a Broncos fan while growing up and that Shanny was his dream coach? I had NO idea about all that. Yeah, people made a pretty big deal of it in the leadup to the pick (or just after, memory is hazy.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skins4eva Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 I wish someone would write a story about how Shanahan completely screwed this franchise, its owner, the players, and its fans. What a waste of 5 years. I spent thousands of dollars over that time to watch a Machiavellian nightmare. Yes, I'm mad. Instead we get the same old "RG3 is a whiny brat, blah, blah, blah". Why the sensitive slant? Doesn't every QB in the league need to have a close and trusting relationship with his coach? Wouldn't you all feel betrayed had Shanny treated you the way he did Griffin? I want to punch the **** in the face and I'm only a fan. Seriously, can we stop with the psychology, report the facts, and let the reader decide? I think the facts indicate that RGIII is a bit more sensitive than others. I think the overriding implication, at least for me, was that RGIII cares about his profession. There are plenty of guys in the NFL getting a pay check. They view it as a job and they don't strive to become experts in their field, and they don't aspire to wear a gold jacket one day. As a consequence, the head coach and the infrastructure supporting them is to some extent irrelevant, since what matters to them most is having a secure roster spot. RGIII is different, and I'm not sure he's fully grasped the business side of the NFL. He's still looking for an environment he feels comfortable in, like the one he had in college. Being a professional means stepping outside of your comfort zone and doing your job even when you don't feel like doing it and sometimes in spite of your dislike for your superiors. This isn't to say that RGIII isn't a professional--I think in his mind he has a construct of what a professional should look and act and sound like--a Platonian ideal of a professional. But, the article confirms what I've suspected about RGIII--he's not nearly as mature as he thinks he is. This shouldn't come as a surprise given his age, but there will be growing pains as he learns, rebuilds and gets comfortable with his surroundings. I'm very excited to watch it first hand, and I think we have a coach who can get him there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGoodBits Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Also- Did everyone here know about Griffin being a Broncos fan while growing up and that Shanny was his dream coach? I had NO idea about all that. Yep that was known. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chachie Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Yep that was known. Hahahaa how does something like that get past a devoted Skins fan for 2 full seasons? (D'oh!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGoodBits Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 Hahahaa how does something like that get past a devoted Skins fan for 2 full seasons? (D'oh!) I'm assuming because you were drunk celebrating landing RG3. Think it came out around then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.