Washington Times: Skins' Snyder Says he's matured (MERGED)

[bedlamVR]

http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080402/SPORTS01/383651582/1005/SPORTS

Okay given when this article was written it could be an elaborate April Fools but if it is genuine what is going on with our front office . We have shown restraint in the offseason made a couple of key resignings looking to the draft to fill holes.....

Did i start supporting another team and not notice ?

Dan Snyder giving interviews?

We lost two legands last year (Gibbs and Taylor) and yet the team does not look like it is in turmoil . Okay we have a new HC, OC and RB and DL coaches but there is strong continuity with most of the defensive coaching returning and we still have Buges holding down the fort on offense .

Compared to the melt down following Shottenhiemer, Spurrier and Norv that is ...well quiet....

Jim Zorn . He will be a "huh?" signing for a while but this is a gut check guy. The FO liked him as a OC but thier guts told them he could be a HC . It could go terribly wrong but they could have their next Joe Gibbs as he was plucked from relative obscutrity from San Deigo while bigger name candidates were available .

Even ES's whipping boy Vinny C is appearing on radio and sounding like a real human being .

This is very odd....

[Mark The Homer]

It's real. It's posted in the Redskins Breaking News forum. Not much gets by Bubba...

Good read.

[Rob Mexico]

It's a new leaf in the history of the Redskins...lets sit back and hopefully enjoy what happens.

HAIL!

[MartinC]

It was a good read and an encouraging one at that. One swallow does not make a summer and all that but the legacy of Joe Gibbs 2.0 is we have a direction and strategy which is sound. It all comes down to execution now both off an on the field and that starts with the draft and coming out with 3 or 4 good future starters.

[Mr. S]

For the first time, we are not being overactive in anything we are doing. I personally like it. We took an unheralded guy and made him coach (sounds similar to a guy in 1981).

We realize we have a pretty solid starting lineup, and believe we can supplement that through the draft.

I am pretty sure a couple veteran free agents will be signed at some point (I still believe Roosevelt Colvin will be a Redskins if he hasn't been signed by another team yet).

Also, we've been viewing Vinny in a negative light for a while, yet I guess we have failed to consider he has scouted some decent talent before with other organizations. I myself was blinded to.

For the first time, I am more excited than ever about the draft. 9 picks makes for a potentially exciting weekend!

[kvarlo12000]

good read thanks

[Skinsinparadise]

Liked most of what he said, didn't like him saying that they will still be aggressive in trading their draft picks. That exercise IMO has been a disaster for the most part.

[SkinsHokieFan]

http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080402/SPORTS01/900267156/1005/SPORTS

Skins' Snyder says he's 'matured'

April 2, 2008

By David Elfin - PALM BEACH, Fla. — His offseason has been uncharacteristically quiet, and his newly hired coach is unusually inexperienced.

Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder says, however, that despite the seemingly radical departures from past practices, he hasn't really changed, only matured.

"There are a bunch of things I wish I would have done differently," Mr. Snyder told The Washington Times yesterday at the annual NFL meetings. "I've made plenty of mistakes, but I've learned from my mistakes as a good entrepreneur, a good CEO would do. I've matured. I wasn't patient enough in certain areas early on. I didn't understand the game the way I do now. I didn't understand the agents, the contractual relationship with the salary cap, the importance of the age of players. Now it's easy for me, second nature."

Mr. Snyder, who was 34 when he bought the franchise in 1999 for $800 million, is beginning his 10th year as the owner of the Redskins.

Mr. Snyder's tenure has been marked more by coaching changes and expensive, failed personnel moves – Deion Sanders, Adam Archuleta, Brandon Lloyd – than by winning. The Redskins have had six coaches under Mr. Snyder – from high-profile head men like Steve Spurrier and Marty Schottenheimer to interim coach Terry Robiskie and new coach Jim Zorn – but have reached the playoffs only three times.

The franchise, however, is a huge success financially: The Redskins have a large and devoted following, and Forbes magazine last year ranked the club the second-most valuable in the National Football League, with a worth of $1.467 billion.

Mr. Snyder this year turns his team over to Zorn, who was hired as offensive coordinator on Jan. 26 and shockingly promoted to head coach on Feb. 9.

"I was 34 when I bought the team," Mr. Snyder said. "Now I'm approaching my mid-40s. There's something about just growing up. My drive to succeed, my energy, my passion hasn't changed. My experience, my professionalism and patience is starting to pay off for us. I was thrown into it very quickly, and I did the best I could. I made a lot of mistakes, and I learned a ton. Now, hopefully, I'm becoming a much better owner than I was when I was 34 years old."

Mr. Snyder said his aggressive philosophy hasn't changed even though the usually spendthrift Redskins are one of just two teams not to add a player this offseason and have brought in only one free agent in for a visit.

Mr. Snyder also said that Zorn, while not on the extensive original list of candidates to replace retired coach Joe Gibbs, was such a hit during the interview for offensive coordinator that he became a candidate for the top spot almost immediately.

"We were really impressed with Jim Zorn from the moment we met him," Mr. Snyder said. "We were late because we were the only team looking for a coach that had been in the playoffs. We were under pressure to make sure we had an offensive coordinator. We met Jim. Joe called me that night. I said, 'That guy would make a terrific head coach.' He was like, 'Really? That's interesting. That's neat. I hear he's a good guy.' We continued the process and circled back. We were talking to coordinators [about replacing Gibbs] and we said, 'We really ought to look at Zorn.' We kept coming back to that. The last interview we did was with [New York Giants defensive coordinator] Steve Spagnuolo, and afterwards we said, 'We've really got to talk to Zorn.' "

Within days, Zorn was the new coach.

"What I really like about Jim is that he's similar to Joe in that he's a steady guy," Mr. Snyder said. "Joe is ... a steady man through the good times of winning and the bad times of losing. Jim feels very similar to me. There's no panic. He's just steady."

Gregg Williams, the assistant head coach/defense the past four years and the favorite of the players to replace Gibbs, wasn't.

"Absolutely. It would've been easy to say, 'Gregg, you're the head coach of the Redskins,' " Mr. Snyder said. "But I promised everyone that I would do a thorough, professional job and hopefully make the right choice for the Redskins. I wanted to see what [Gregg] had learned from Joe. That was the most important thing. At the end of the day, [Gregg] wasn't right for us."

The Redskins fired Williams in January.

Mr. Snyder is sure, however, that Jason Campbell, whom the Redskins traded up to draft in the first round in 2005, is the right quarterback.

"Jason has performed good. We need to him to perform great," Mr. Snyder said. "He's professional, intelligent, eager to learn. He's got all the attributes of leadership. He's the type of guy that you're thrilled to have. We feel good with Jason as our quarterback. There are a lot of teams that would like to have Jason Campbell."

Mr. Snyder dismissed rumors that his other businesses are causing him to spend less on the Redskins. He said that Six Flags is struggling but that his Johnny Rockets restaurant chain and his Hollywood venture are doing well.

"That's silly," he said. "We're spending as we always have. We're in the midst of developing an indoor [practice] facility at Redskin Park. It will cost a lot of money. It will be ready for next season. We're the same Redskins. Nothing we're doing or not doing has anything to do [with the franchise's financial health]. All of our [suites and club seats] renewed last year. Our waiting list is over 200,000."

[SkinsHokieFan]

:doh:

I just posted this too. The thread title did not match the article, so I assumed it wasn't posted

I just gotta use the new search feature

[HAILSKINSNYC]

I've always been a snyder supporter, so it was good seeing him do an extensive interview...I do find it funny that he did it on april fools..there's some irony in there somewhere...

the biggest thing I learned was that we're going to have an indoor facility...it's about time...I never understood gibbs logic in not wanting to have one....he always said he wanted to practice in the same conditions he plays in, but if you're practicing in bad weather, but play the game in good weather; you're at a disadvantage.

it also sounded like there was a better then 50% chance we're going to make a trade.

[McMetal]

Interesting insight into the Williams decision. I don't think we'll ever know why that wasn't the right fit. I really think the franchise blew it there, but only time will bear that out.

[redskinss]

being that playing devils advocate is my favorite thing to do i wonder if he has matured or if the guy who we all know to be very greedy and money hungry is just revelling in the fact that he is making even more money by not spending it and is loving every second of it because this is exactly what we want him to do.

I meen most of the owners who do exactly what we have done this year get chastised for being cheap and we are glorifying it because it is opposite of what we usually do.

I am not saying i think its the wrong thing to do but rather looking at the other side of it.

[CRobi21]

Well it's about ****ing time!!

But I really like what our FO is doing so far this year.

[SkinsHokieFan]

being that playing devils advocate is my favorite thing to do i wonder if he has matured or if the guy who we all know to be very greedy and money hungry is just revelling in the fact that he is making even more money by not spending it and is loving every second of it because this is exactly what we want him to do.

I meen most of the owners who do exactly what we have done this year get chastised for being cheap and we are glorifying it because it is opposite of what we usually do.

I am not saying i think its the wrong thing to do but rather looking at the other side of it.

I would consider that, along with the Six Flags fiasco, if Snyder wasn't building an indoor practice facility

That costs some serious coin

[JeffSchmeff]

Q: Mayor Fenty and Mayor Williams before him have wanted the Redskins to move back to the District. Do you ever see that happening?

A: We really haven't thought about that much. We're real pleased with FedEx Field. And the fans like it. We've done a lot of surveys. We've done so many improvements. We've worked really hard on the experience. I talk to the other owners and they tell me, "Your stadium is awesome." You heard that so much you realize that it really is.

I can't believe he thinks the stadium is "awesome". It's a big, concrete, piece of crap.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

I can't believe he thinks the stadium is "awesome". It's a big, concrete, piece of crap.

That would be about the ONLY thing that I disagreed with as well.

Hopefully they have some secret deals re: a new stadium in DC and he just isn't ready to go public...I'm not holding my breath though!!

[ddub52]

Snyder matured???

Im getting SO SICK of these stupid April Fools jokes on here

[ntotoro]

A: We really haven't thought about that much. We're real pleased with FedEx Field. And the fans like it. We've done a lot of surveys. We've done so many improvements. We've worked really hard on the experience. I talk to the other owners and they tell me, "Your stadium is awesome." You heard that so much you realize that it really is.

I'd like to know what owners and what surveys those were.

[speardog1]

Q: There are rumors that Coach Zorn will only have one minicamp because you don't want to pay to house the rookies a second weekend. Is that true?

A: That's silly. We're spending as we always have. We're in the midst of developing an indoor (practice) facility at Redskin Park. It will cost a lot of money. It will be in front of the building. It will be ready for next season. We're the same Redskins. Nothing we're doing or not doing has anything to do financially.

I thought this part was funny. "What, us, not spend? Pa Pa please!"

[jrfriedm]

Very good read.

[SkinsFan48]

they just did surveys of the primo seats. Of course that part is sweet. not the avg. fan. I too am finally happy we look like were moving in the right direction. to a great season.

I'd like to know what owners and what surveys those were.

[redskinsfanatical]

they just did surveys of the primo seats. Of course that part is sweet. not the avg. fan. I too am finally happy we look like were moving in the right direction. to a great season.

I have seats in section 104 and really like them of course I was never lucky enough to get any seats at RFK because I didnt know anyone who had tickets and they were hard to get so I have nothing to compare it to !

[ECU-ALUM]

Time will tell if he has matured or not...right now though I'll give him a chance.

[Rocky21]

This part made me laugh because I agree.

"If that recovery by Anthony Mix had been a touchdown with the rule the way we'd like it to be, that game's probably over. I haven't brought it up this week because it looks like I'm a sore loser."

[Jimbo]

I very much enjoyed reading this. Most of you know I'm very critical of Danny's reluctance to speak to the media and the fans and called for his voice to be heard during the coaching search. While I know he wants to stay out of the limelight, I see granting interviews as part of the owner's job. I'd love to see him do more of this and if he's truly matured as an owner then I think we'll see it happen. I hope so.