The Bruce Allen/GM Thread

[skinzplay]

1 hour ago, Skinsinparadise said:

With the drinking issue referred to in the article two stories lead me to believe maybe ironically Bruce/alcohol stories might be in play?  How ironic if so.

 

One was a source in an article that said Bruce brushes his teeth with Coors Light.  The other was a story that Cooley told on air about meeting with Bruce when he was released, Bruce goes to his fridge and if I recall gave Cooley a Coors Light -- don't recall if Cooley said Bruce opened one, too but I thought he said he did.

I remember that Cooley story. Always tried to figure out whether he was joking or serious about that Coors Light. Interesting. Can't wait for details to start flowing.

[Skinsinparadise]

who know how much of the stories we are reading are true but if half of this stuff bears out that hearing will be a wild one as for info about the FO.

 

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/12/10/mccloughan-grievance-creating-potential-dilemma-for-washington-scouts/

 

The Scot McCloughan grievance hearing remains set to begin on Monday, December 18. And the grievance potentially could cause a lot of problems for the organization.

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Washington has listed the entire scouting staff as witnesses who may testify during the grievance hearing. And there’s concern among the scouts regarding the potential consequences of their testimony.

If their testimony is perceived as favoring McCloughan, they fear retaliation from team president Bruce Allen. And if it’s perceived as favoring the team (and if Allen gets fired due to the performance of the team), they fear that other General Managers will become less inclined to hire them — especially if those General Managers have a favorable view of McCloughan and/or an unfavorable view of how the team treated him.

Washington fired McCloughan in March and refused to pay the balance of his contract, resulting in the grievance that centers on whether the team had just cause to fire him. A settlement remains possible; it’s unknown whether any settlement talks have occurred.

[RemoveSnyder]

Sept. 30, 1973: quote from a Post story, written by Ken Denlinger:

 

The quintessential George Allen story took place the afternoon of Sept. 30, 1973, in Philadelphia, when the Redskins coach denied the identity of his own son, Bruce, rather than risk a 15-yard penalty against the Eagles.

Bruce was high-school age at the time, dressed casually and wearing a credential that restricted him to the Redskin sideline area bounded by each 35-yard line. But that game, as he frequently had before, Bruce roamed far downfield, yelling all manner of distracting advice toward the Eagle quarterback.

Finally, as Washington Post photographer Dick Darcey recalled, the referee stopped play, grabbed Bruce, escorted him back to the bench area and straight to his father, the coach.

"Is this a member of your staff?" the referee said to Allen, noting's Bruce credential. "I've no idea," Allen replied. "He must be one of those people they (the Eagles) gave us as ballboys."

"If this happens again," the referee said, "it's a 15-yard bench misconduct penalty." "Thank you," Allen said.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

July 13, 1978: 

 

The Redskins deduct expenses from deferred money owed to George Allen after he leaves to coach the Rams. This included the cost of seizing a courtesy car that Allen had lent to Bruce, who was then at the University of Richmond.

 

Bruce Allen alleged that the Redskins claimed some of his personal items when they took the car and never returned them, despite repeated calls. So he hired his brother to file a damage suit in Fairfax Court.

 

The personal items, it was later revealed, included a Cowboy hat, mirror sunglasses, and a sweat suit.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

[RemoveSnyder]

1 hour ago, skinzplay said:

I remember that Cooley story. Always tried to figure out whether he was joking or serious about that Coors Light. Interesting. Can't wait for details to start flowing.

 

From what I remember reading back then was that Bruce had his stocked mini-fridge in his Ashburn office. From what I can remember on the recent articles, the wording is just that the NFL discourages the act of having alcohol in team facilities. I don't recall an article where the wording of the NFL said it was illegal.

 

I have read the CBS stuff where it says there are policies against the consumption of alcohol in NFL team HQs. Having vs consumption. Then HQ vs all facilities. I don't know the line of demarcation. 

 

I acknowledge a mini-fridge is different than a fully stocked wet-bar behind a hidden revolving wall, only accessible after pulling down a secret candelabra. 

 

I just wonder where Dan keeps his after game Crown Royal.

Quote

Jerry Jones had this to say about some advice Snyder gave him during Dallas’s down years (transcription):

Well, he called me one time [when] we were having a tough time of it. And he said ‘Now don’t take this wrong. You know how much I respect you.’ But he said ‘I’ve got some advice for you.’

“And I kind of rolled my eyes on the other end of the phone, thought well here goes. And he said ‘Drink a lot.’ ”

One can surmise that if he was giving the advice, Daniel Snyder also takes it to heart. This is the man who, after all, once got drunk on Crown Royal and flew to Denver to try and hire Mike Shanahan in the middle of a season.

 

 

I remember it was either the 2010 or 2011 Mercedes S-Class which had a built in mini-fridge in the trunk, sized enough for 12oz long necks, or 350 ml what-have-you's.

 

[TSO]

2 hours ago, Skinsinparadise said:

who know how much of the stories we are reading are true but if half of this stuff bears out that hearing will be a wild one as for info about the FO.

 

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/12/10/mccloughan-grievance-creating-potential-dilemma-for-washington-scouts/

 

The Scot McCloughan grievance hearing remains set to begin on Monday, December 18. And the grievance potentially could cause a lot of problems for the organization.

Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Washington has listed the entire scouting staff as witnesses who may testify during the grievance hearing. And there’s concern among the scouts regarding the potential consequences of their testimony.

If their testimony is perceived as favoring McCloughan, they fear retaliation from team president Bruce Allen. And if it’s perceived as favoring the team (and if Allen gets fired due to the performance of the team), they fear that other General Managers will become less inclined to hire them — especially if those General Managers have a favorable view of McCloughan and/or an unfavorable view of how the team treated him.

Washington fired McCloughan in March and refused to pay the balance of his contract, resulting in the grievance that centers on whether the team had just cause to fire him. A settlement remains possible; it’s unknown whether any settlement talks have occurred.

 

Reading this kind of stuff is just unhealthy for me. Just makes me sick. 

[Berggy9598]

Not Hing that happens at the top of this organization resembles anything close how a professional sports franchise is supposed to run. All that trickles down from up top is poison and eventually that poison wins out and produces circus after circus. Snyder and Allen are cancers that end up enveloping everything and everyone that tries to be successful here. 

[Birdlives]

When your disease is in the brain, you can do all the treatment you want to the heart, you’ve still got the same disease.

[celticsalmon]

I'm in the boycott mode I was in with Cerrato in 2009.  

[skins island connection]

 This team is in need of so much help, Bruce wouldn't know where to start.

He would most likely ask someone he knows then go with it, saying this is what he believes is the best way.

 

Nothing will change with this organization until Bruce is gone and Snyder is out of reach. He can still be the owner, but he does no hiring; let a board of directors conduct their search for a real GM, then let the GM determine the coaching staff, from HC down to the scouts down to the laundry people.

Remove everyone on staff.

 

Right now this team is on the verge of being the NFC's Cleveland Browns. Teams have passed the Redskins already, going from losers to winners for a few years with respectability back to losers and already on their way back up, but the Redskins are hovering directly above a dumpster and the 'low fuel' light is flashing.

 

There has to be an outcry and protest with notarized formal written demand to remove Bruce Allen from anything associated with the Redskins. This is downright pathetic; players are not going to want to play for this team, only will be looking for the big paydays, then FA after FA will come and sign with the team, making it the laughing stock of professional sports, while Bruce Allen will be telling Snyder these are great moves to get this team on top.

 

I'm beyond pissed. To see this team, the team I grew up rooting for, defending, cheering on, buying $100s of dollars in merchandise, to be run into the ground by an obnoxious ignorant arrogant scam artist in Bruce Allen, I've gotten to the point where I am about to flat out give up. I am done spending another dollar for anything Redskins-related. I'll probably give my things away via the prediction thread over the last few games and just find the closest one to the score and let them have it.

 

I'm sorry, but Allen has broken me. I refuse to let his actions and Gruden's lack of coaching skills ruin anymore of my life. Not anymore. I've tried to keep my chin up, but management and coaching keep landing sucker punches across my chin, and even a dumb dog will eventually leave if kicked enough. Guess I am a dumb dog...

[Berggy9598]

Is there any record of a Trent Kirchner bandwagon? If not I hereby start it. 

[Peregrine]

Bruce Allen now has the distinction of having the worst 5-6 years as GM in redskins history.  For 2 years Scotty Mac was here, and we had 2 winning seasons.  All the years prior, and this year with Bruce, have been a disaster.  Thats just too much coincidence.  

 

They convinced themselves in their own arrogance that they didnt need him anymore, they had it figured out now.  They had themselves convinced it wasnt Scot, it was Bruce and Dan.

[Springfield]

Whatever it is that Bruce Allen does, he sucks at it.

[Voice_of_Reason]

Dan wanted to hire Mike Shanahan.  Mike wanted a GM who could do contract stuff but be ok woth Mike having final personnel decisions.  Bruce was actually fine in that role. 

 

With the Shanahan apocalypse of 2013, Bruce ended up in control of everything.  This was bad.

 

The interview process was a sham, Gruden was his guy from the beginning.  

 

Now he’s got this funky setup with Doug Williams as a something undefined, no real GM, Jay having final roster say (basically) and we get this crap. 

 

And im sure Bruce is polishing up the “But the injuries!” explanation to Dan so that they can keep doing the same stuff again next year.

 

 

[@DCGoldPants]

Cleaning house in the front office is overdue. Issue is the just like nobody trusts Bruce to hire the right coaches. Why believe Snyder would hire the right team President or GM that would go on to hire coaches, training, scouts, medical, etc? 

 

Bruce needs to go. Had a decade. That's long enough to get a foundation built, or not be the right guy. He's not the right guy. 

[skins island connection]

I'm starting to like the idea of trapping Bruce in a container and shipping it to a remote island off the Philippines...

[Thunder Lips]

It literally does not matter what gm or coach or players we change because the common denominator in this whole circus is our beloved owner, so until he sells the team we have no chance, which is why I’m done. Thank you Dan Synder for destroying our team and making them a laughing stock.

[RemoveSnyder]

 

 

(Reading lips)

Put that away. Good. 

[RemoveSnyder]

George Allen: https://pilotonline.com/news/government/politics/amid-controversies-advice-from-allen-s-late-father-proves-useful/article_bd216d7a-7fd8-5945-bc2b-80fbea22d184.html

"Whatcha chewin?" Allen recalls asking a group of Chicago Bears players during a practice break when he was 8.

"Tobacco," said Doug Atkins, a 6-foot-9, 275-pound defensive end. "Here," he said, offering a chaw.

 

Allen put the tobacco in his mouth and began chewing. "Real men swallow it," Atkins said.

 

There was a quick sweet taste, then an incredible burning. The boy ran away gagging, and the players howled.

So began Allen's lifetime habit of dipping tobacco. A spit cup is never far from his reach.

[RemoveSnyder]

Bruce Allen was...doing something

 

 

 

During one shot of the coach's box, the team's general manager kept putting this cup up to his mouth, but he never really made a drinking motion. Just kind of put that cup to his lips. 

[c slag]

6 hours ago, Monk4thaHALL said:

 

From what I remember reading back then was that Bruce had his stocked mini-fridge in his Ashburn office. From what I can remember on the recent articles, the wording is just that the NFL discourages the act of having alcohol in team facilities. I don't recall an article where the wording of the NFL said it was illegal.

 

I have read the CBS stuff where it says there are policies against the consumption of alcohol in NFL team HQs. Having vs consumption. Then HQ vs all facilities. I don't know the line of demarcation. 

 

I acknowledge a mini-fridge is different than a fully stocked wet-bar behind a hidden revolving wall, only accessible after pulling down a secret candelabra. 

 

I just wonder where Dan keeps his after game Crown Royal.

 

 

I remember it was either the 2010 or 2011 Mercedes S-Class which had a built in mini-fridge in the trunk, sized enough for 12oz long necks, or 350 ml what-have-you's.

 

A mini fridge stocked with alcohol in the trunk of a vehicle, yea what could possibly go wrong with that 

[RemoveSnyder]

Just now, c slag said:

A mini fridge stocked with alcohol in the trunk of a vehicle, yea what could possibly go wrong with that 

 

Well, a fridge is just a fridge. It's up to the person to put what they want in there.

All I commented on was the size capacity. 

 

 

[Skinsinparadise]

I know its an odd thing to say considering his Cowher gaffe years ago but I'd say Chris Russell has been the most on fire gossip wise this year as to items that have turned out to be true.  

 

I was just listening to him on a segment on 106.7 where he said Dan has finally gotten frustrated with Bruce.  He said he doesn't think Bruce will get canned but if the last three games go off the rails its possible.    In a different segment a few days back, Russell said he thought Bruce's job isn't in jeopardy now but will be if the Kirk Cousins gamble if played out (if Kirk left) blew up in this face where Kirk succeeds elsewhere and Plan B here fails.  I found that one interesting (and it seemed intuitive to me based on other reports) because it implies that Bruce is spearheading the approach on Kirk and Dan is giving him leeway. 

 

Russell in the past thought Bruce was teflon because he's good at making Dan money.  Russell's source whomever that is this year -- got the Scot story first, Doug story first, had most of the D coordinator interview names before anyone.  Not saying that dude couldn't be wrong here.  Just explaining why I take him seriously now. 

 

If there is some blood in the water already and the Scot hearing adds another layer to this -- this might get interesting.  However, though I wouldn't mind to say the least Bruce leaving or better yet him being demoted -- not sure Bruce on the hot seat is an overall good thing because I'd presume it would lead to major upheaval that extends to coaching and the whole drill.  Although Russell was basically saying Bruce's seat has finally gotten a little warm (after being bulletproof for a long time) not so much hot. 

[@DCGoldPants]

10 years ago I'm the guy who mocked up the Fan Card to mail in to the team and lock media. You guys want to do something like that again?

 

Don't need to print and mail. Save it. Pick a hashtag to use. I'd go with #RedskinsReboot. Then post this picture and tag the Redskins and all the local sports media along with anybody else you want to help share it around.

 

I guess we could print and mail it if you guys want. 

 

Look, this won't really make a difference. But it's something you can do to vent.

 

 

 

 

[Skinsinparadise]

1 hour ago, @SkinsGoldPants said:

10 years ago I'm the guy who mocked up the Fan Card to mail in to the team and lock media. You guys want to do something like that again?

 

Don't need to print and mail. Save it. Pick a hashtag to use. I'd go with #RedskinsReboot. Then post this picture and tag the Redskins and all the local sports media along with anybody else you want to help share it around.

 

I guess we could print and mail it if you guys want. 

 

Look, this won't really make a difference. But it's something you can do to vent.

 

 

 

I'd 100% be all in.   I've been in the political field for almost 30 years yet I hate politics.  I am only bringing that up for this reason:  politics seems to be operative drill in the FO and with Dan.   It's what's dogged this organization IMO along with the culture.  And you would have a hard time finding someone more cynical about politics than me.  For example, I've never posted a word on any of the political threads on the board.  I'd much rather talk sports.    However, there are a few things left I believe in that I've seen firsthand work that might have an apples to apples application to this:

 

#1. From my experience, people like Dan-Bruce are insulated to some degree from criticism and they like it that way.  But if that criticism lands in their lap in an unusual way -- it can be a game changer.  It's unsettling and noteworthy to them.  So yeah in my opinion, if they got 500 letters whining about the FO structure and the direction of the team.  I actually would put the odds as being good that it might actually work.  It might just be temporarily but its a start. 

 

I know not everyone is all in on Kirk.  But I planned to go after that issue in the same way in the off season.  Generally, I typically think its odd for me or any fan to advocate for a personnel move.  But IMO the Kirk contract runs deeper than a typical player move.  The contract seems so clouded with dysfunction that to me its part of the overall soup here.  That is, its a case in motion of the FO's ego-incompetence running rampant.  

 

And yeah IMO it might have some impact telling Dan that we are essentially on to the game before the organization does the typical melt down -- let me sell you new hope drill:  let me bring you Baker Mayfield and our new head coach Bill Cowher.  All is right now, isn't it?  

 

Vinny Cerrato's interview months back pretty much spells all of this out -- Dan can be impacted by fan unrest once he notices it.   Other beat reporters or former beat guys (especially Russell) has spelled out the same. 

 

Edit:  I just read that card a bit more closely. I am not into cleaning the house completely like that.  More specifically, I am not on board with dumping the coaching.  I also think even if you sweep the coaching into it, it sort of gives Bruce an out.   Hey the frustration is just a general throw all the bums out.  IMO it needs to be squarely on the FO.  Dan's never been shy about dumping coaches. Dan's issue IMO is his yes men stay forever and he along with them foster a culture that isn't conducive to winning. 

[Dissident2]

6 minutes ago, Skinsinparadise said:

 

I'd 100% be all in.   I've been in the political field for almost 30 years yet I hate politics.  I am only bringing that up for this reason:  politics seems to be operative drill in the FO and with Dan.   

I'd also participate in sending and sharing something like this. Whether it makes a difference or not, it would make me feel better to actually do SOMETHING. 

 

Sort of like Jay totally quitting yesterday after the Breeland pick-6. Sure, the chances were still incredibly slim that the Skins could pull off a win, but you still have to try. 

 

All this said, it's deja vu all over again for this team. Another era ends with a fan-driven initiative to effect change. 

 

#DrainThePark