So what's the low down on Cerrato?

[Willie Gault]

As a non Skins fan I always get the impression that Cerrato is a Snyder man and not repsected around the NFL. What's the opinion of Skins Nation?

Is he a football guy? A smart guy? He comes across as nice but clueless on NFL Total Access.

Just wondering what real fans think of him as opposed to relying on things I've read.

[Westbrook36]

Vinnie Yes-Sir-Atto.

[RDSKNfaithfull]

Vinny is in the wrong postion if he was just the head of scouting he would be one of the top in the league. His semi GM status is amusing sometimes he is a yes man. Bram put it well in his interview pinned on the top of the board he is a great guy and can find you a good football player but doesn't know how to build a team.

[PleaseBlitz]

Vinny is in a tough position because he has an owner that likes to play GM and you can't really say no to the guy that signs your paycheck.

[TheDane]

Try this: Extremeskins Exclusive Q&A with Vinny Cerrato.

Cerrato, I believe, is technically the Director of Player Personnel. To think Cerrato is our GM, much less the man responsible for building the football team, is laughable. He helps to scout talent and find the right candidates for the job, but ultimately the decisions come down to a group of folks led by the coaching staff.

As others have said, Vinny is an effective scout and has done quite well in his free agency exploits, not to mention his strong record in the draft. Before you laugh, ye who are less informed than us Skins fans, remember that the coaching carousel that we've had here has been a big detriment to the success of certain free agents. Low draft picks and, often, free agent signings tend to be specific to a coach and his needs, and are scouted and signed with that in mind. Cerrato has done well in this regard, in my opinion.

And for those who believe Dan Snyder is our GM, that's even more laughable. He may be responsible for contract negotiations, and even deal closings, but he's no GM in the traditional sense of the position. That's ludicrous. How many people in the organization, including Gibbs, Cerrato, Karl Swanson, and others, have to tell you otherwise, before you believe it? Or would you rather take the media's word for it?

[RedskinzOwnU]

i don't know much about vinny, but I was at the natural history museum yesterday and i saw a dinosaur called the "ceratosaurus." (it could explain the eyes)

[Art]

Vinny is essentially responsible for coordinating all scouting that goes on and getting organized, detailed information to the coaches so the process of identifying the best players can be a process by which everyone has a say.

He's proven to be very good at identifying good players for us in his time with us, with the most notable failure, Mark Brunell, being often assumed to be a pick made by Joe Gibbs more than anyone else in the process.

I was very concerned when we brought Cerrato back here a few years ago because I didn't have a great deal of respect for his abilities to identify talent well. He has done a fine job the last couple of years doing just that and has generally won over most people who were critical of him previously.

[TheREALJBird]

lol did you see the pic they had of cerrato when he was being interviewed on Mike & Mike on ESPN? pic was so scary looking that Mike(the skinnier one, can't remember his last name) said they needed to get a new pic because that one was creepy

[riggins44]

He wears the nicest starched white shirts. They are very crisp

looking. Vinny knows how to dress.

[SkinsForLife260]

Did cerrato "get" Arrington and Samuels?

Taylor?

[TLusby]

Originally posted by Westbrook36

Vinnie Yes-Sir-Atto.

Mr. Westbrook: I believe he asked for the opinion of the Redskin fans and not an Eagle's perspective; however, I do not want you to msiunderstand that I usually enjoy your rhetoric.

[Willie Gault]

So you guys don't have a bona-fide GM??

We went a long time without one too - didn't treat us too well. I thought we were the last team (other than megalomaniac Jerry Jones) to not have one guy with control over personnel and building the team.

As an outsider its hard to judge the job he's done. There was a period when all you heard about were the big-name signings that seemed to come straight from Snyder (like Bruce Smith etc)

[Westbrook36]

Originally posted by TLusby

Mr. Westbrook: I believe he asked for the opinion of the Redskin fans and not an Eagle's perspective; however, I do not want you to msiunderstand that I usually enjoy your rhetoric.

Noted. :doh1:

[jimster]

Originally posted by Willie Gault

So you guys don't have a bona-fide GM??

We went a long time without one too - didn't treat us too well. I thought we were the last team (other than megalomaniac Jerry Jones) to not have one guy with control over personnel and building the team.

As an outsider its hard to judge the job he's done. There was a period when all you heard about were the big-name signings that seemed to come straight from Snyder (like Bruce Smith etc)

That's the misconception of the under-informed, mostly due to how things are portrayed about the Redskins by the national media.

Snyder "played" GM that one year in 2000 signing all the big names. He admitted that was the wrong approach. He since has let the coaching staff decide what kind of players they need, then Cerrato goes and gets them. Snyder signs the checks.

Jerry Jones IS the one guy in control down there ( I know the Dallas trolls will jump on me on that one).

New England and Philly have the same set up.

[Westbrook36]

Originally posted by Willie Gault

So you guys don't have a bona-fide GM??

We went a long time without one too - didn't treat us too well. I thought we were the last team (other than megalomaniac Jerry Jones) to not have one guy with control over personnel and building the team.

As an outsider its hard to judge the job he's done. There was a period when all you heard about were the big-name signings that seemed to come straight from Snyder (like Bruce Smith etc)

*Warning* Read the following at your own risk. I have no actual facts to back any of this up.

The Redskins have a front office that is run exactly like many teams in the league. For instance, it mirrors such successful franchises as the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots.

How do we know this? Well, Snyder, Cerrato, and anyone else wearing burgandy and gold tell us this anytime the subject is even remotely broached. The question is, "why"?

Snyder is a smart man. He knows that the main reason his organization is trashed is because of the perception in the media that he was playing armchair GM while Yes-Sir-Atto was doing whatever he wanted.

Snyder knew to keep the enormous revenues flowing which enabled his spending sprees of name players, business as usual wasn't going to cut it anymore. There was simply only one man that would be able to save the franchise from enormous backlash from the Redskins faithful after the 2003 season. His name: Joe Jack Gibbs.

Now, did Snyder hire Gibbs to win ball games or to keep fans paychecks being directly deposited into his coffers, one will never know. It is reasonable to think it is a little of both.

Now that the deity which is Gibbs is back, and he is THE ONLY member of the organization which is almost untouchable amongst the fans, it is an obvious decision to say he makes all the decisions, he has the final say, etc.

It is amazing that because men like Snyder and Cerrato TELL you that Snyder has no part in anything except for contract negotiations that people are so ready to buy in, even though they have been burned so many times before. Remember there was a coach who publically thanked Snyder for drafting Rogers....but that was quickly dismissed! How many times does Snyder and Cerrato have to tell you Gibbs in charge of player personnel before you listen dummy!!! :mad:

Anyway, this is the admittedly biased view of the Redskins organization from an Eagles fan. Take it with a grain of salt.

[Ghost of]

Uh, Gibbs is in charge. If you had a clue about how Daniel Snyder was raised (This is HIS team, unlike Lurie who wanted the Patriots initially, from CHILDHOOD.)

Do you know the standing Gibbs has among fans who GREW UP with him?

Snyder signs the checks and does the contract negotiations and he will break the unbreakable tie when scouts and coaches are at an impasse. But I doubt that it occurs that often and I'd bet he goes with Joe's opinion(Mark Brunell) almost always.

[Westbrook36]

The "breaking the tie" argument is seriously the funniest thing I ever heard in my life. Any thread in which that is spoken automatically goes up about 3 stars once it is said.

[Ghost of]

Originally posted by Westbrook36

The "breaking the tie" argument is seriously the funniest thing I ever heard in my life. Any thread in which that is spoken automatically goes up about 3 stars once it is said.

You've not heard of Jack Kent Cooke then.

[Darth Tater]

Originally posted by Willie Gault

So you guys don't have a bona-fide GM??

We went a long time without one too - didn't treat us too well. I thought we were the last team (other than megalomaniac Jerry Jones) to not have one guy with control over personnel and building the team.

As an outsider its hard to judge the job he's done. There was a period when all you heard about were the big-name signings that seemed to come straight from Snyder (like Bruce Smith etc)

Many teams do not have a GM and there is NO significant correlation between having a winning team and having a bona-fide GM and certainly no good evidence of causation. Anyway, its not about structure, its about having the right people. What happened in your case is that the right people are brought in thru restructuring. Our main problem were the loss of Jansen who, if healthy, would have helped us win about 3 more games. Another issue was Joe Gibbs adjusting to today's NFL ON the field. Finally, bad referee's cost the Redskins at least another game in net. This season, we got value for a mal-content and in a brilliant move, have good insurance against both upside and downside risk at the QB slot. This is insurance that we can cash in in a couple of years and get value.

BTW Westbrook36,

Unlike your statement asserts, every one of those claims is backed by evidence. It is those who attempt to counter those claims that have no evidence.

[BG]

First and foremost, if you think that Snyder could just lure Gibbs with $, that is pretty naive.

Gibbs could do nothing except make the speaker rounds and rake in $. Further complicating matters was his succesful Nascar operation that he was running, yet lo and behold, he signed back on with the Skins. Why? Because he wated to.

That much is true and documented.

If you want further stuff to ponder regarding who is running the show, notice how Norv, Terry and Steve always said Mr. Snyder, yet Coach Gibbs and Cerrato call him Dan or Daniel.

I always found that intriguing.

[Westbrook36]

Originally posted by BG

First and foremost, if you think that Snyder could just lure Gibbs with $, that is pretty naive.

Gibbs could do nothing except make the speaker rounds and rake in $. Further complicating matters was his succesful Nascar operation that he was running, yet lo and behold, he signed back on with the Skins. Why? Because he wated to.

That much is true and documented.

Actually, it's well documented that Gibbs returned to give his son a shot in coaching, as it was his dream. The words came from Gibb's own soup cooler, yet THIS is often dismissed from fans.

[bubba9497]

GM is just a title, we have a GM in Gibbs, just a different title.

[Dirk Diggler]

Actually, it's well documented that Gibbs returned to give his son a shot in coaching, as it was his dream. The words came from Gibb's own soup cooler, yet THIS is often dismissed from fans.

Do you actually think that the son of Joe Gibbs would have trouble getting a "shot" in the NFL? Do you really think his son's papi had to come out of retirement and work 90 hour weeks just so the kid could have a job? Get real.

[TheDane]

There is nothing to disprove the idea that Snyder is more interested in making money than he is in making the franchise successful on the field. If franchises are judged based on their ability to make money, well, according to Forbes Snyder is the best damn owner in the NFL by 17%+ (according to 2004 numbers).

Consider the fact that Snyder has generated the most revenue and operating income of any NFL franchise... with over a decade of pestilent on-field play! And a coaching carousel over the past five years! And unlikeable talent on the field! That is impressive, from a businessman's perspective.

However, the fan in me tells me that the fan in Snyder really does care for the team's success. And, as a good businessman and an individual truly interested in the Redskins' on-field success, hiring Gibbs was the masterstroke that could benefit both beliefs. It invigorated the fan base while bringing a true legend who can manufacture wins based on his coaching skill.

Mind you, he could be interested in wins because it benefits the bottom line profit of the franchise... but frankly, whether the wins come from his passion for the Redskins or from his passion for his wallet, I don't give a ****. As long as the wins come.

[bubba9497]

Originally posted by Westbrook36

Actually, it's well documented that Gibbs returned to give his son a shot in coaching, as it was his dream. The words came from Gibb's own soup cooler, yet THIS is often dismissed from fans.

not exactly true..... Gibbs had been thinking about returning, before his son expressed an interest in coaching, it was the catalyst to start back..... but it wasn't the sole reason or main reason and it is well documented.:laugh: