John Keim on Zorn -- "At least one player hopes it spells the end for Clinton Portis"

[Hooper]

Again, it's a direct quote from a significant player according to Keim.

Judging by his sources in the past, I'm thinking Jansen, Springs, or Thomas.

[The Enforcer]

I will say this, if we let Portis walk then we become nothing more than the Baltimore Orioles of football by trading away franchise players.

[skinfan2k]

Rock is not the significant player. He is a 3rd sting RB. I am sure that many skins are sick of the U connection. Moss and Portis. One would guess that it would have to be someone like Phillip Daniels, Griffin, Rabach

[IHOPSkins]

Its easy to cherry pick one comment or one players opinion

The more outspoken a player is....the more extreme the reaction

My hope is that the players and the coaching will be consistent with winning

But more importantly, that we should coach utilizing what we have.....as opposed to what we want

[LiveStrongSkins]

You have to think part of Zorns excitement over coming here was having a back like Portis. I can see how Portis could rub people the wrong way with the royal treatment he got from Gibbs, but the bottom line is he produces. It will be interesting to see how the new coach forms a relationship with Portis.

[DWinzit]

Rock is not the significant player.

Guess that depends on your perspective and motive is there.:2cents:

[Peregrine]

My money is on Casey Rabach.

[#98QBKiller]

He was probably talking to McD5 ... I mean, Ladell Betts.

:laugh:

[redman]

Fascinating that after four years, this only comes to light after Gibbs the Teambuilder departs.

This is what happens when you have ownership engaged in the intrigue that Snyder is engaged in. The team fragments and people start to look out more for their own interests than for team interests. Welcome to 2002 all over again.

[Tastes Like Chicken]

He was probably talking to McD5 ... I mean, Ladell Betts.

:laugh:

[The Enforcer]

Fascinating that after four years, this only comes to light after Gibbs the Teambuilder departs.

This is what happens when you have ownership engaged in the intrigue that Snyder is engaged in. The team fragments and people start to look out more for their own interests than for team interests. Welcome to 2002 all over again.

I just wish that this "Special Advisor" tag that Gibbs has is for real because the players could really use a shoulder right now.

[GoSkins561]

The sad part about this is, not only is our front office falling apart but not we are completely falling apart on the inside.

This is the last thing I wanted to see.

[Dance04]

get rid of clinton. Yup, thats the smartest thing around.

Our team is so defunct. A coaching carousel yet again. there is no continuity. We are a laughing stock.

[corrupt3d]

It's a typo. Ocho Stinko is an INsignificant player.

No no, he is significant...in terms of cap that is.

[SittingBull]

Fascinating that after four years, this only comes to light after Gibbs the Teambuilder departs.

This is what happens when you have ownership engaged in the intrigue that Snyder is engaged in. The team fragments and people start to look out more for their own interests than for team interests. Welcome to 2002 all over again.

You couldn't be more right. It's back to running the organization through fear, uncertainty, and intimidation which destroys the concept of team.

[Mad Mike]

Or Cooool...E.

Possible. Wanting someone who can produce gone is personal and I think it would come from someone with an opposite personality. I would look for a quiet "just do your job and shut up" type person. But then again, that may be my own bias slipping in. :laugh:

I have mixed feelings about Portis.

He's a good running back, but not great. He gets his yardage from lots of attempts. He is a great blocker, and an OK receiver out of the backfield. I think he also has good intentions and tries to be a good team mate. His problems are...

He's payed too much. He just isn't as good as that. He's not a great runner. He just doesn't seem to have the vision or the moves. He has his moments but most of the time he just runs straight and gets wrapped up quickly. And while there is no doubt he is a well intentioned soul, he just needs WAY too much attention. I'm sorry but the costumes were fine for a few times that one year. It's time to grow up and act like an adult, not like you belong on the short bus.

Personally, I would wish him well but I would like to see him move on. Start drafting and using cheap young backs the way other teams do and put the money you save into the O line.

:2cents:

[arrowhead]

Gibbs staked a portion of his reputation on guys like Riggins in JGI and Portis in JGII. So favoritism toward a star RB was not something new and exclusive to the Redskins when Gibbs returned. Every team in the league does this, which is why you can't put much faith in anything that happens in the preseason.

Is it me or did anyone else happen to note that Portis caught more check down passes out of the backfield this season than ever before? He will thrive in the WCO and is certainly more of an asset than his counterpart over in Philly who couldn't block a Pop Warner LB charging his QB.

Say what you want about Portis, but if I were Jim Zorn, I'd be thrilled to death with the weapons I'd have to work with, beginning and ending with CP.

[Ingtar]

Not even going to comment on this, or I will receive bashing nearing homosexual levels from the unintelligent in here.

I will say only one thing--if you were a Skins vet......and had to practice and play all of the preseason games.....like a Samuels type--you would resent Portis too.

This should come as a surprise to no one with half a brain.

Ok. I'll bite.

I love how anyone who does not agree with you is "unintelligent" or having "half a brain". Have you ever thought that maybe they just have a man crush on Portis like the one you have for Betts?

My opinion on this is we don't need Betts OR Portis. Get rid of the both. Betts does nothing but fumble at the worst time and rarely finds the endzone, while Portis comes nowhere near to living up to his contract.

If we are blowing up the team, we may as well REALLY blow it up. Trade them both.

[bulldog]

Portis and a few other vets here were allowed to set their own schedules by Gibbs and I am sure that didn't sit well with most of the other players, especially when the team was struggling as much as it did in 2006 and most of 2007.

Usually, you see deferment and special treatment for vets who have won something, ie when Troy or Emmitt got special consideration from Jimmy Johnson and Johnson would tell other players 'go win me a Super Bowl and you'll get some consideration too'.

In Washington, we didn't win anything. Not unless you consider two wildcard berths to be nirvana.

No division titles. No championship game appearances. No Super Bowls.

That should mean no special treatment for anybody

[corrupt3d]

You know, I'm really calling shenanigans on this.

What can a player do to force Portis to be traded away? Dan knows this is a business, and Portis' jersey sells like no other.

Ruling the defense out -

Santana Moss - No, good friends with Portis and would never

Randle El - Maybe, but he has no reason to

JC - Knows that he'd be sacked twice the amount if Portis werent blocking

Ladell - doesnt strike me as that kind of guy

Sellers - ah, hell no

Cooley - again, not that type of guy

Samuels - Considering he saved Portis' ass in the dog scandal, when he didnt have to, considering they are both good friends, NO

That leaves, Rabach, Kendall, Jansen and Thomas.

Weren't we looking to replace them anyways??

[eljeasel]

With no people named this is about as reliable as ... well, its not. At all.

Yellow Journalism at its finest

[DCranon21]

My question is this about this offense, will the offensive line see a lot of changes now? I don't see Clinton leaving this team at all. That'll be the biggest mistake on this team besides not hiring Williams.

[redman]

Portis and a few other vets here were allowed to set their own schedules by Gibbs and I am sure that didn't sit well with most of the other players, especially when the team was struggling as much as it did in 2006 and most of 2007.

Usually, you see deferment and special treatment for vets who have won something, ie when Troy or Emmitt got special consideration from Jimmy Johnson and Johnson would tell other players 'go win me a Super Bowl and you'll get some consideration too'.

In Washington, we didn't win anything. Not unless you consider two wildcard berths to be nirvana.

No division titles. No championship game appearances. No Super Bowls.

That should mean no special treatment for anybody

There's definitely truth to this. OTOH, when a guy like Lloyd doesn't put his work in with the team I (and I would suspect most players) tend to take a much harder line than if a guy like Portis does the same. Nobody plays harder on the field than Portis, and few guys on our roster are as talented at what they do as he is.

I still go back to the fact that somehow this wasn't an issue for four years under Gibbs, and yet only 2+ weeks after his resignation it's now apparently becoming an issue.

[redman]

With no people named this is about as reliable as ... well, its not. At all.

Yellow Journalism at its finest

Keim is respected and doesn't make stuff up. This viewpoint may not be reflective of what anyone on the team other than one person thinks, but I have no doubt that someone said this to Keim for him to report it.

[da#1skinsfan]

just another newshound trying to stir up BS. kicking a team when its down for the sake of juicy journalism.