Jump to content
Washington Football Team Logo
Extremeskins
Forum Rules and Guidelines

Zorn now claims he's NOT the worst coach

Horatio

By Horatio
in The Stadium

Recommended Posts

Horatio

Horatio

Posted
Posted

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsbog/2008/12/jim_zorn_gets_his_swag_back.html

Just last week, I wrote about how Zorn means never having to say you're sorry, and how even as pieces of the castle were crumbling around his feet, Jim Zorn remained true to his beliefs and steadfast in his confidence. Nice timing. By Monday, he was calling himself the worst coach in America.

But yesterday on ESPN 980's Jim Zorn Show, the old, violent, medium-well JZ was back. He talked about execution (only once, but still). He was asked whether he'd revamp any of his schemes to fit personnel, and said "gosh, I don't think so." He said he might still elect to receive opening kickoffs, because "we've got to put our stuff out on the field" and because "I can't be superstitious about what bad things might happen, because in every other ounce of my confidence, I think we're gonna go down and score."

And he retreated from the Worst Coach in America bit, saying despite having those feelings "I don't think I AM," and later explaining how he hasn't lost confidence.

"It's not a confidence thing, hopefully it's a smart thing," he said, "and that's why I'm probably not the worst coach in America."

That's swag. But his swag really erupted during a brief tiff with co-host Steve Czaban, after Zorn had said coaches "considered the direction that we're going in, and even without the wins we feel like we're going in the right direction and building a strong team and a strong foundation."

As a guy, I'm as in the tank for Zorn as anyone, but considering that current direction is straight into the mud pit, it was a hard argument to understand. Czaban agreed. Then the Jim Zorn Show went slightly off the tracks.

Czaban: You said you felt confident in the direction things were going and that you are building things. The numbers, especially on offense, don't show that. Is there anything more you can elaborate on as to, 'Here's why we feel good?'

Zorn: That's not really true. I think that's a false statement, and I'll tell you why. The ONLY issue is scoring the touchdowns.

[Not to be a perpetual crank, but the Redskins are in the bottom half of the NFL in points per game, yards per game, passing yards per game, third-down percentage and turnover differential. Anyhow.]

Zorn: But, you know, Chris Cooley last week, with two games still to go, has broken his all-time receptions record, his own record. One thing that's gonna be announced right now, we have four Pro Bowl players on offense, so some numbers....

Czaban: You'd put a lot of stock in that coach?

Zorn: I do. I do. I know YOU don't, because you're trying to continually be negative....

Czaban: Well, I'm just asking, because....

Zorn: No, you're not asking. You're always asking negative questions, and that's the way it's been with you. But that's ok. I think there's a ton of positive things that have come out with our football team, and...the only numbers that we don't like are the scores, the lack of scores. And that's been disheartening for all of us.

Again: in the tank for Zorn. But you can't possibly watch your team run an elaborate Pro Bowl ballot-box campaign, leading columnists across the country to make snide comments about the Redskins Effect, and then use your number of Pro Bowlers as evidence that things are moving in the right direction.

As for Cooley's career-high for catches, that's certainly true. As of this writing, it's also true that he has a career-low for touchdowns, a career-low for longest catch, a career-high for fumbles, and his worst yards-per-catch figure since his rookie season.

But whatever. Emo Zorn is gone, and Swaggy Zorn is back. He was also asked whether he regrets any of his candor this season; "I don't really believe I do," he said.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Skins PR

Skins PR

Posted
Posted

Numbers? Dude, we can't even get first downs. And the four pro-bowlers... that's just pitiful that he's hanging his hat on that.

The other thing that's pissing me off about Zorn is how he tries to change his personality according to whatever the article of the day calls him out for. He got called out for always being critical of the players and never taking any responsibility and then came back and called himself the worst coach in America. He got called out for that and now comes back saying he's not. Him and Portis have been verbally felating each other ever since people got alarmed by their little tiff last week.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Merlin Emrys

Merlin Emrys

Posted
Posted

As for Cooley's career-high for catches, that's certainly true. As of this writing, it's also true that he has a career-low for touchdowns, a career-low for longest catch, a career-high for fumbles, and his worst yards-per-catch figure since his rookie season.

And some guy tried to argue in another thread that Cooley's fumbles weren't a big deal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Skins PR

Skins PR

Posted
Posted
And some guy tried to argue in another thread that Cooley's fumbles weren't a big deal.

He's always been prone to fumbles and this year it has gotten even worse. He's also had quite a few in his career that went out of bounds, came out after a knee was just barely down, etc. He's one of our few bright spots but that is definitely his weakness.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
stoney26

stoney26

Posted
Posted

This is the first time I actually read a transcrpit of the interview. WTF is Zorn talking about?? I wish Czabe would have brought up the fact the Redskins are in the bottom half of the NFL in points per game, yards per game, passing yards per game, third-down percentage and turnover differential. I would have loved to hear his response. Why would he not change anything?? I dont get it?? When the defense is yelling "SCREEN SCREEN" as soon as we send someone in motion (Giant game) that has something to do with scheme, not execution. The guy has to go. Why would he think he doesnt need to make adjustments to the scheme?? When was Zorns offense so effective where he thinks that its untouchable Why Zorn why??

The only reason we were succsesfull early on is because nobody know what to expect from Zorn. Five games in teams get tape, make adjustments. Why would he not even consider making adjustments?? Especially when we average 10 points a game!! Its insane!!

I hope LL56 is right about him getting the hammer from The Danny. Take vinny with you on your way out buddy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
TheLongshot

TheLongshot

Posted
Posted
He's always been prone to fumbles and this year it has gotten even worse. He's also had quite a few in his career that went out of bounds, came out after a knee was just barely down, etc. He's one of our few bright spots but that is definitely his weakness.

I don't know if losing two fumbles after setting a career record in receptions is all that much of a cause for a concern. It certainly focuses on how sure-handed he usually is.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
mnb123

mnb123

Posted
Posted
Cooley helped stifle momentum in two games against crap opponents with his two lost fumbles(Rams and Bengals). Both of those fumbles came on plays where he would have gotten a first down, with one of them almost certainly guaranteeing a field goal.

Guaranteeing a field goal?

Do you know who our kicker is?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Merlin Emrys

Merlin Emrys

Posted
Posted
I don't know if losing two fumbles after setting a career record in receptions is all that much of a cause for a concern. It certainly focuses on how sure-handed he usually is.

It's not about sure-handed ness, it's about ball security. When he runs after the catch and makes contact with defenders, he frequently forgets to put two arms on the ball.

Cooley is definitely a bright spot, but 2 lost fumbles are too many for a player of his caliber.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
NeueRedskinWelle

NeueRedskinWelle

Posted
Posted
And some guy tried to argue in another thread that Cooley's fumbles weren't a big deal.

Fumbles are ALWAYS a big deal. But when you rack up 300+ receptions in under 5 seasons as a tight end, and only fumble the ball 7 times in all those receptions, I fail to see how this makes Cooley "fumble prone".

By the way, of the 7 fumbles he has only lost 3. 3 lost fumbles in 5 years on 304 receptions.

PLEASE find something else to argue over.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Skinsinparadise

Skinsinparadise

Posted
Posted
Cooley helped stifle momentum in two games against crap opponents with his two lost fumbles(Rams and Bengals). Both of those fumbles came on plays where he would have gotten a first down, with one of them almost certainly guaranteeing a field goal.

Love Cooley but I agree with this. Especially the one last week, he did it right from the get go, it looked like it took the wind out of the Skins sails right away and got the Bengals going and start believing.

Moss was quoted in a Steinberg article saying something to the effect that the team doesn't bounce back well when things go wrong in games and they get behind, certain players stop believing they can come back, etc.

As for Zorn, yeah he does seem thick headed and stubborn at times. I'd love it if I felt the players trusted that but the problem is it seems at least some of the players don't think he knows what he is doing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Merlin Emrys

Merlin Emrys

Posted
Posted
Fumbles are ALWAYS a big deal. But when you rack up 300+ receptions in under 5 seasons as a tight end, and only fumble the ball 7 times in all those receptions, I fail to see how this makes Cooley "fumble prone".

By the way, of the 7 fumbles he has only lost 3. 3 lost fumbles in 5 years on 304 receptions.

PLEASE find something else to argue over.

No one said he was fumble prone, only that 2 fumbles were a lot for him.

PLEASE find time to read more carefully.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
33

33

Posted
Posted

My impression of that interview was that he really didn't mean anything he said the day before in his PC.

When asked if he would consider changing his scheme, he has consistently said he couldn't imagine doing that. Then what did he mean when he said he needed to look internally? Is he that bad at coaching his scheme?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...