WP - Springs's Reserve Role Takes Some by Surprise (Merged)

[JimmiJo]

I've never liked him or his attitude' date=' any corners on the market?[/quote']

I hear what you are saying, but he is the best corner we have when healthy.

I am not personally ready to buy into the theory that he is persona non grata with the Redskins. I have simply been marveling today at the way this is unfolding. I don't think the coach helped himself with his answers regarding Springs and Springs comments are not going to have them all sharing a hug.

I find it kinda wierd that this has flared up in two days.

[SoCalSkins]

I've never liked him or his attitude' date=' any corners on the market?[/quote']

And the Redskins media machine begins its influence.

People have amnesia. Shawn Springs was a main reason we made the playoffs in 05. Everyone on this board also credited his injury with our horrible defensive play last year. Now, suddenly he is the latest pariah that hurt Gregg's little feelings, so he must have been a bad apple to begin with?

[isle-hawg]

do you really think Gibbs & Williams wouldn't play a player or start a player over a contract, or personal issues?

They put the best players out there they think will win

I certainly hope so, but some of us consider that article because it seemed damning if accurate, and we did not hear the players or coaches saying it was inaccurate.

Some of us may take in that article along with the choice to bench Arrington, then Macintosh over Warrick Holdman, and the dismissal of W. Harris for Kenny Wright, and now we have our best cover corner riding the bench while Fred and Carlos are getting torched, it at least makes makes me wonder what is really going on behind the scenes.:whoknows:

[ZoEd]

I know football is a business but where's the "team"? Springs isn't the first player who has claimed he wasn't informed by coaches as to why they weren't starting. Throw in the Ramsey benching in game one a few years back and it makes you scratch your head. It seems like the teams that are successful are close knit groups, including the coaches. Pats, Chargers, Colts, Ravens to name a few. I don't see that with us, unless of course you're in the MB prayer circle group.

This is troubling to me, without unity and trust between the coaches and players we'll never win consistently. The "Gibbs is a HOF coach" crush has surely worn off by now and if he's not communicating with players then something is wrong.

[BrandonLloyd]

I hate Greg Williams.....

Not only should springs be the starter he should be on the other teams best receiver..

Greg Williams is gonna cost this team a lot.

You are right....Greg, handle your fricking defense and stop putting Gibbs in these situations.

Late in that game Miami went 60 yards in 3 plays by throwing to Chambers (with Rogers covering). Fortunately they got backed up by penalties and had to settle for a FG. Springs should have been on him the whole game.

[tryfuhl]

Hey, Springs didn't take a salary cut...and he's bragging to the press about getting paid big bucks for not playing...doesn't bode well for him staying here much longer.

widely believed he wouldn't be here much longer anyways

sounds like some resentment from each side, it can only hurt the team..

[Blackest Eyes]

I hope this gets put to rest ASAP. We really need Springs. I just hope that he can stay healthy and he gets a to lay the smack down on the Eagles this week.

[Tarhog]

I know football is a business but where's the "team"? Springs isn't the first player who has claimed he wasn't informed by coaches as to why they weren't starting. Throw in the Ramsey benching in game one a few years back and it makes you scratch your head. It seems like the teams that are successful are close knit groups, including the coaches. Pats, Chargers, Colts, Ravens to name a few. I don't see that with us, unless of course you're in the MB prayer circle group.

This is troubling to me, without unity and trust between the coaches and players we'll never win consistently. The "Gibbs is a HOF coach" crush has surely worn off by now and if he's not communicating with players then something is wrong.

I don't see this as having a whole lot to do with Gibbs. Gibbs simply got asked the question. If Williams has a hair up his *** over something Springs has said or done, but doesn't want it 'out there' publically, what else can Gibbs say without throwing Williams to the wolves?

In my book, doesn't matter what the root cause of this is - if they couldn't live with Springs attitude (assuming thats what all this is about, and it sounds like it is), they had the entire offseason to deal with it, or dump him and find someone else. They didn't do that. And we need Springs badly this year.

So frigging kiss and make up. At whatever cost, ego or otherwise.

[TotalRecall]

This looks like it can get ugly. When a player says, "I don't know what the coach is talking about." Thats never a good sign. I hope this all works out.

Yeah, I think we got some juveniles in the coaching staff. Be a man. If he ain't playing the way you want him to play, then it is your job as a coach to tell him and what to do differently. But, I really don't think this has to do with Springs' performance on the field. Shame on the coaches..they are suppose to be squelching controversy, not creating it. It looks like GW would rather lose than play his best players. Rogers played awful on Sunday and Smoot was almost as bad.

BTW, Walt Harris got a pick and almost a fumble recovery in the first half of MNF. I guess he still can't play.

[Califan007 The Constipated]

I don't think the coach helped himself with his answers regarding Springs and Springs comments are not going to have them all sharing a hug.

This is what bothers me the most...Gibbs' comments were kinda milquetoast, almost like saying "We kinda sorta thought we may have seen something there with Springs, not sure but ya never know...anyway, we got good depth so we don't really HAVE to have him out there until this thing we kinda, sorta maybe seeing with him is no longer there"...lol...And Springs basically saying "Gibbs is full of ****, there's nothing wrong with me" doesn't give anyone warm fuzzies.

[Taylor 21]

This hurts me even more knowing walt haris is lighting it up in san fran.

[JimmiJo]

That is a quote that JLC put in there after asking about it, and he has been harping about it in his blog... trying to make a big deal out of nothing, yet again

I don't understand this, are you saying that JLC got Springs wound up and influenced the quote, or that he made up the quote?

[Oliphant]

You know what really drives me nuts about the Eagles? It's that their media acts as a bunch of cheerleaders for the organization. Why oh why can't the Washington media just let the Skins enjoy a win without drumming this stuff up? Save this stuff for when/if the team loses 2-3 in a row. I'm not saying I want the D.C. media to be like the Philly media, but good God, the Philly media wouldn't even take a sniff of a story like this had the Eagles won the game. God forbid the 'Skins and their fans enjoy themselves for a few days. JLC really needs to get a life.

[stroupjr]

Sad to say, sounds like head games...

[AmishGangsta]

I hear what you are saying, but he is the best corner we have when healthy.

I am not personally ready to buy into the theory that he is persona non grata with the Redskins. I have simply been marveling today at the way this is unfolding. I don't think the coach helped himself with his answers regarding Springs and Springs comments are not going to have them all sharing a hug.

I find it kinda wierd that this has flared up in two days.

There's definitly something to this. Gibbs sounded like he was trying to keep the situation under raps, but he really didn't make too much since when he was talking about Springs not starting because he wasn't 100%.

Reporter "is he injured, we didn't see it on the injury reports"

Gibbs "No, I think Jerry seen something in his warmups that he didn't like"

[cphil006]

Basically, Smoot is playing better right now. IF we went by what one has done in the past, we would go sign Sammy Baugh RIGHT NOW to a 5 year contract and have him start.

Age is doing a number on Shawn in Joe's eyes... maybe vice versa??

[SoCalSkins]

You know what really drives me nuts about the Eagles? It's that their media acts as a bunch of cheerleaders for the organization. Why oh why can't the Washington media just let the Skins enjoy a win without drumming this stuff up? Save this stuff for when/if the team loses 2-3 in a row. I'm not saying I want the D.C. media to be like the Philly media, but good God, the Philly media wouldn't even take a sniff of a story like this had the Eagles won the game. God forbid the 'Skins and their fans enjoy themselves for a few days. JLC really needs to get a life.

JLC is no Nunyo. He has covered the team pretty fairly considering the bad blood between the Skins and the Post. Don't like the message, so shoot the messenger?

[Tarhog]

I don't understand this, are you saying that JLC got Springs wound up and influenced the quote, or that he made up the quote?

You know what really drives me nuts about the Eagles? It's that their media acts as a bunch of cheerleaders for the organization. Why oh why can't the Washington media just let the Skins enjoy a win without drumming this stuff up? Save this stuff for when/if the team loses 2-3 in a row. I'm not saying I want the D.C. media to be like the Philly media, but good God, the Philly media wouldn't even take a sniff of a story like this had the Eagles won the game. God forbid the 'Skins and their fans enjoy themselves for a few days. JLC really needs to get a life.

I think this might be what he meant

And, although I can respect the press has a job to do, it does seem like some of them go out of their way to focus on this ****. Hard not to see it that way.

[HEavyJumbo85]

Basically, Smoot is playing better right now. IF we went by what one has done in the past, we would go sign Sammy Baugh RIGHT NOW to a 5 year contract and have him start.

Age is doing a number on Shawn in Joe's eyes... maybe vice versa??

you did see Springs when he was in the game right? You didn't hear his name except when he recovered a fumble, that means that he was doing his job.

[Ghost of]

It wasn't just 2005 that we had to deal with Holdman and Lavar looking in, with all that ridiculously stupid coachspeak about "packages" (as if Taylor is out for 90 percent of plays due to packages or Griffin or something. Please.)

Then we had LAST YEAR and I don't care if Rocky was drooling on his playbook during class, he had more natural ability than Holdman and at least could have gotten handfuls of snaps. And while Arch wasn't very good at all last year, here I see them using Landy close to the box and having other guys cover. the ONE strength of Arch was in the box. :laugh: I know injuries prevented us from doing some things we wanted to do but they could at least have handled it better. Instead of humiliating everyone with talk of 'packages' just say that other guys are playing better or seemingly understanding what they need to do. Don't get mad that you didn't friggin scout out a FA that YOU fought to acquire.

I thought with Lindsey gone, some of this garbage was over but it seems like Williams (and I wish Gibbs would stop enabling him)

I would like to point out that this is not STRICTLY a defensive issue. If you look at how Coles was talked about and how well he's done in NY since then, it seems like Coles was just upset that the offense (playcalling and play design) totally sucked in 2004. And he had a right to be. And then when we do better in 2005, what do they say about why they did better (and you rarely hear this, people usually like to not speak too much ill of guys who are still in the league): "We have more talent on offense now." As simple as that. It had nothing to do with the terrible performances Mark put in during 2004, let's just blame Gardner and Coles.

Meanwhile, Coles is still a good receiver and his toe doesn't seem to be stopping him from turning in good performances and NOT Just on WR screens.

[Isifhan]

I find it kinda wierd that this has flared up in two days.

JimmiJo, you've been around the team. Arch was put in the doghouse about one game into the Preseason. Was there ANYTHING in preseason that would indicate that Springs was on Williams ****list or could it be that it's simply one reporter, who for the past four months has found something to criticize with every move the Redskins make looking to stir up the masses.

You have to give it to LaCanfora though, he knows his target audience, and they follow his lead like sheep.

[zoony]

the mole is in Chicago

:no:

[Jofizz]

Not again. :doh:

[AmishGangsta]

I think this might be what he meant

And, although I can respect the press has a job to do, it does seem like some of them go out of their way to focus on this ****. Hard not to see it that way.

Yeah, and the post writers are most famous for this. Even two days into training camp JLC was saying it was a "deep dark mystery" amongst the players -- referring to the level of contact at practice two weeks into training camp! :laugh:

[TheGuru10]

Take off the blinders people. There are two issues here.

One is, that Springs hasn't really played or played well since 2005. He didn't have a burst coming out of his breaks and looked slow to the coaches. In a nice way, Gibbs was saying he didn't look good enough before the game start. I know people are Springs fans here, but let's not always cry conspiracy theory everytime someone is benched. He played well in limited action and that's fine. If he looks quicker this week I'm sure he'll play more and if he regains his burst I'm sure he'll start.

The second is that if there is a tie, the coaches are always going to go with the player they feel better with. If it came down to a tie b/w either Smoot or Rogers instead of him then he has to realize that when you don't show up in the offseason and show disrespect to a HofF coach then when it's a tie, you're going to lose.