ESPN/AP:Williams, Saunders Dismissed-Byner Related News

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http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=3215817&type=story

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Redskins dismiss Williams, Saunders; promote Blache to lead defense

Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- The Washington Redskins have virtually their entire coaching staff in place for next season -- except the head coach.

And that head coach won't be Gregg Williams. Or Al Saunders.

As for the rest of the candidates, they'll have to wait until the Super Bowl is done.

On a busy Saturday at Redskins Park, the team fired assistants Williams and Saunders, promoted Greg Blache to lead the team's defense and formally announced the hiring of Jim Zorn to head the offense.

There was more. Quarterbacks coach Bill Lazor and Al Saunders' son, offensive assistant Bob Saunders, will also not return next season, a person familiar with the coaching selection process told The Associated Press. The person also said that most, if not all, of the rest of the coaching staff was expected to remain with the team, lending credence to owner Dan Snyder's stated desire to maintain a degree of continuity following the resignation of head coach Joe Gibbs on Jan. 8.

The person said linebackers coach Kirk Olivadotti has agreed to a new contract. Running backs coach Earnest Byner, the only other assistant whose deal was about to expire, has been in talks with the Tampa Bay Bucaneers about a job but would be welcome to return as well.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly on the subject.

As for the search for a head coach, the next interviews aren't expected to take place until Feb. 4, the day after the New York Giants and New England Patriots play for the NFL championship, so that Snyder can talk to assistants from the two teams involved.

"The process of selecting a new head coach continues, although no hire is planned until after the Super Bowl so as not to distract from the championship game as well as to keep open all our options," Snyder said in a statement, his first public comments on a coaching search that began more than two weeks ago.

Williams' dismissal removes one of the early favorites to succeed Gibbs. Williams had been in charge of the Redskins defense for all four seasons under Gibbs and was popular among fans and many players, but his confrontational style and poor track record at his previous head coaching stint with the Buffalo Bills did little to help his chances for the top job.

Williams often said that he had learned under Gibbs how better to deal with people, but his short fuse remained on full display for players and reporters all four years in Washington. He committed a major breach of protocol -- and created an embarrassing moment for Gibbs -- when he failed to tell the head coach that he was going to send only 10 men onto the field on the first play of the first game following the death of Sean Taylor in November.

Click link for full story.

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Running backs coach Earnest Byner, the only other assistant whose deal was about to expire, has been in talks with the Tampa Bay Bucaneers about a job but would be welcome to return as well.

Good to know Coach Byner is welcome back. I sort of figured he might want out at this point.

[mgilbo1]

I'm pissed... We just got our Offense and Defense going and now they want to go in a new direction on both. I'm so sick of these fricken owners. I think we fans should buy the redskins and kick snyder on his a**.

[Burgundy Burner]

I give the media a break on this one. Byner's situation has never been fully discussed, even though some media speculation had him as not returning. Glad to know that he will be welcomed back and hope it happens soon.

[Fifty Gut]

our running game has been dominant ever since Byner got here, how could you not re-sign him? not to mention the leadership he provides and the potential he has to be a future coach higher up the food chain

[Jumbo]

Agreed, that detail on Byner is the first I have heard of it. I think of all the flailing and spazzing and how no matter who is named HC, Snyder will experience no boycott. People will not leave ES (unfortunately in many cases). Most of the specific positions taken about what will happen with various upcoming changes will turn out to be misinformed or just wrong. Continuity will be arguably maintained. A new Zorn will be more productive with JC than a 2nd year of Al with JC. Blache will retain many of the strengths of the D and maybe jettison some weaknesses.

Eventually, this same board will be pointing out how the new staff will likely be an improvement--no longer too many chiefs and no more 700 page playbooks. People will remember how critical they were of our last HC most of the time, and the downside of the last four seasons. They'll start to accept the new guy and get excited about the future and the draft and our existing young talent.

But whether you call what transpires here on EmoteSkins venting or simply unleashing your inner drama queen, the ES staff will remain ever-present to guide you through it all, like beacons of reason and stability in the frightful and tumultuous night.

[DCsportsfan53]

Well, at least Jumbo's still humble.

Personally, I'm on the record as saying it's not who we pick or don't pick that's upset me, it's the way it's been handled which, at least from all outward appearances, appears to have been in an unprofessional and disrespectful manner with regards to many of the coaches still on the payroll. That may just be me but that's what has had me up in arms, that and the seeming aimlessness of it. You just don't get the feeling they're going about this as effectively or competently as other teams around the league would, you know?

[Clinton Portis # 26]

I hope Byner stays.

[Jumbo]

Being serious, DC, I think it was handled in much the way Hannibal Lector would handle performing a liver transplant.

But I agreed with VGJ in the "the latest" thread, that such a cluster **** is becoming de rigeur in the league lately.

I add that regarding plans for next year, I believe it likely that Gibbs departure left major turbulence for everyone's paper airplane.

That said, a top notch executive should be cool and steady under crisis and project control in my model. But it would be appropropriate to point out that while I am very competent in my chosen fields to date, my model has left me somewhat shy of semi-billionaire status. So, yes, I am humble.

[Siven]

Well, at least Jumbo's still humble.

Personally, I'm on the record as saying it's not who we pick or don't pick that's upset me, it's the way it's been handled which, at least from all outward appearances, appears to have been in an unprofessional and disrespectful manner with regards to many of the coaches still on the payroll. That may just be me but that's what has had me up in arms, that and the seeming aimlessness of it. You just don't get the feeling they're going about this as effectively or competently as other teams around the league would, you know?

Yeah. I could honestly care less if Williams was hired.

I just think the way he and Saunders have been treated is completely disrespectful and I ashamed to have to be associated with such a callous owner because I cheer for HIS team.

[Jumbo]

You don't cheer for Snyder's team. You cheer for your team. I didn't cheer for Marshall's, Williams', or Cooke's team. I don't cheer for Snyder's team. When he's gone the Redskins will remain.

[DCsportsfan53]

Being serious, DC, I think it was handled in much the way Hannibal Lector would handle performing a liver transplant.

But I agreed with VGJ in the "the latest" thread, that such a cluster **** is becoming de rigeur in the league lately.

You may be right, maybe it's just a reflection of general attitude changes in corporate America? Who knows. Loyalty and respect are probably less valued in the workplace these days than ever before, afterall. And you're absolutely right, once the guy's been named and everything is settled down, people will find reasons to like the new coach and be optimistic, look forward to the draft and all that jazz, for sure. He may even be very successful. Additionally, if Snyder and Cerrato simply didn't think Gregg was the right man for the job and are doing their due diligence, just trying to find the best man for the job then kudos to them for doing that despite the uproar.

Still, I think they could have saved themselves a lot of grief and not thrown away so much good will had they just gone about it in a better way, but to a certain extent, that's been the hallmark of Snyder's tenure, right? Certainly doesn't do much to put confidence in their competency, or lack their of. I don't know, I'm just rambling at this point because it's 4am and I've got nothing better to do but that's pretty much how I feel. Fassel's a damn good coach, so is Mora, and theoretically, they both have better resumes than Williams. I've got no problems with that. But I'll damned if they didn't go about this in just about the worst imaginable fashion so, I guess they bring the hate on themselves in that respect, again a hallmark. Wait, am I still rambling?

Yeah. I could honestly care less if Williams was hired.

I just think the way he and Saunders have been treated is completely disrespectful and I ashamed to have to be associated with such a callous owner because I cheer for HIS team.

I should've just said that. :laugh:

[DCsportsfan53]

You don't cheer for Snyder's team. You cheer for your team. I didn't cheer for Marshall's, Williams', or Cooke's team. I don't cheer for Snyder's team. When he's gone the Redskins will remain.

Unless of course, the spiteful **** takes us all with him.......

[Jumbo]

DC, to them it may not seem the grief some of us think it should be. Dan has given evidence that he's not too worried what the media think. ES often does the same. Many here say Dan could give a **** about the fans all season long. Maybe yes maybe no. But if I was Dan, and I read the stuff said every day on here the last five years, I'm not sure I'd give a flying **** with these yahoos thought, whether they were "right" about football or not. (putting myself in that place, if you follow me)

And the "good will" of who then? If not the media and not us, the league?

I don't think Dan's likely to be callously unconcerned with all these things, but if he was would it be wierd? If he was as callous towards us as we are to him, would that be wierd?

So maybe the things he's troubled by are entirely different from the things we think should be troubling him.

[DCsportsfan53]

DC, to them it may not seem the grief some of us think it should be. Dan has given evidence that he's not too worried what the media think. ES often does the same. Many here say Dan could give a **** about the fans all season long. Maybe yes maybe no. But if I was Dan, and I read the stuff said every day on here the last five years, I'm not sure I'd give a flying **** with these yahoos thought, whether they were "right" about football or not. (putting myself in that place, if you follow me)

And the "good will" of who then? If not the media and not us, the league?

I don't think Dan's likely to be callously unconcerned with all these things, but if he was would it be wierd? If he was as callous towards us as we are to him, would that be wierd?

So maybe the things he's troubled by are entirely different from the things we think should be troubling him.

No, you're absolutely right. I would hope for the Redskins' sake that he didn't put much if any stock in what the fans or media thought about him personally but I don't think that changes the fact that he has a habit of handling things poorly. I'd just like to see him go about things in a more dignified and respectful way, especially concerning coaches who've given a lot of themselves to the team. However, having just read that article about the hogs someone posted and hearing what they had to say about JKC, actually, I don't even know what the **** I'm getting at anymore. I think we all know in the back of our minds he could piss on the pope on live TV directly after cutting a player in a callous and mocking fashion, saying he was cut because "his momma's a *****" and we would all praise him for it if he would just ****ing win. I'm changing my mind and contradicting myself so much at this point I'm probably not even making any sense. :laugh:

[Jumbo]

Hang in there DC :laugh:

When you get old, it gets easier to save the energy for when it really matters---like gametime

[Bryan81]

As a former great Redskins player & seemingly decent coach at the RB position, I wish Byner the best of luck no matter where he lands.

[DCsportsfan53]

Hang in there DC :laugh:

When you get old, it gets easier to save the energy for when it really matters---like gametime

That's the bottom line, isn't it? No matter how poorly he treated anyone, I know full well in the back of my mind, if we win the division next year, I wouldn't be able to remember this if my life depended on it. Gregg who? :laugh:

Maybe that just means I'm the ****, then? :laugh:

[Jumbo]

We all float down here

[tr1]

But it would be appropropriate to point out that while I am very competent in my chosen fields to date, my model has left me somewhat shy of semi-billionaire status.

I'm willing to start a fund...

[redmustangpony]

football really sucks for me right now.what the hell is snyder thinking.once again,new coaches,new schemes,starting over from scratch,to the bottom of the pile we go.dont hold your breath skins fans,we may be there for a while

[cphil006]

I bet is is either Spags (can't spell his full name) or Josh McDaniels. My guess is Snyder wants McDaniels to be the youngest coach in the NFL.

[cphil006]

As a former great Redskins player & seemingly decent coach at the RB position, I wish Byner the best of luck no matter where he lands.

amen to that.

[AsburySkinsFan]

I have to say that I am more than a bit surprised this morning to see dismissal of Saunders and Williams, my surprise might even reach the point of dismay. And even after reading Jumbo's calm collective post, my inner Chicken Little can't help but turn my eyes to the sky and wonder what's next. Am I worried? Yes. But, who knows, I honestly hope that my fears are unfoundend and that I'm completely wrong about having concerns, and maybe just maybe that piece of sky was only an acorn.

Time will tell, but forgive me for having flash-backs of the 1990's, call it Post-Traumatic 'Skins Syndrome. So if you see me hiding under a table screaming at the top of my lungs, just remember that I was traumatized by the lips....Oh the lips....Oh the humanity!!!

for those who don't know, and I'm not certain that this is fit for viewing by small children or sensitive viewers so proceed with caution and at your own risk.

[The Future Redskin C.E.O.]

Somthing smells real rotten in Denmark with the moves the Skins have made. It just seems to me that ownership was never enamored with the style of defense or offense that Gibbs and his staff had.