NoCalMike Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 As a 'Skins fan that doesn't live in the DC/Maryland region anymore, I can't begin to know how it feels there. I moved to CA with my family when I was a young kid. There were no Ravens to share the region with. The 'Skins were still in the middle of the dynasty. (I moved to CA in 86). Once I got into my teens and for the most part my 20's, the 'Skins have been pretty bad. To make matters worse a handful of their rivals and regional opponents have had some pretty great years. The East Coast & West Coast sports fan dynamics are very different. The East coast consists of smaller states for the most part with tons of metro cities stacked on top of all each other in very short range. The West Coast on the other hand is made up of huge states where things are pretty spread out. Yet even out here people have begun to even feel my pain for me. Everyone knows the type of franchise this used to be, and what they turned into over last couple of decades. It looks like Shanahan & Allen are really onto something with the rebuild of the franchise. It might not all come to fruition in 2011, 2012 might not even be AS good as we went, but the future finally looks bright. Regardless of the 2011 W/L column, I don't feel a need to hang my head in shame anymore. I finally see a real process taking place to change not only short term messes, but the long-term culture in DC. This doesn't seem like the place for stars to come and live off past accomplishments with fat guaranteed contracts. To the contrary, this franchise is turning into a place where players are expected to come in and work hard, earn their spot and WIN. The process isn't over yet, not by a long shot...but let me be the first to start beating the drum that happier times are a'coming....excuse me if i feel the need to smile! HTTR~! :helmet: :logo: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VRIEL1 Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 Not only laughing stock of the NFL but the NFC East. Let's hope the Eagles take over that role, all their spending and how Vick was made to look so bad last night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Barrel Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 Thats great you feel that way but until the season plays out no one knows if "...things are changing." Every single fan of every team thinks that. So I guess almost every team ( except possibly the Bills, Raiders and Bengals) all think they are getting much better. Where does that really leave your team then? The reality is it only happens with 3-4 teams a year - turn around a losing season and get younger and keep drafting great starters. Feeling it doesn't count for squadoosh anymore. " Looks like" - doesnt mean anything if you still lose more than you win. Have back to back winning seasons THEN have that feeling, otherwise your just another team "Feeling" like your moving forward. Unless you really do think your the only team that is getting better , younger and drafting well... well then you need to listen to more NFL Radio or get on more sites to see just how much better teams have gotten that were already really good and they are young and always draft well ( and have top 10 QBs - which your team does not) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonnyandSam Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 Let's not get carried away. If the Rex/Beck show don't work out, a lot of talking heads will be saying "I told you so. Skins can't win without a QB." Colts have been one of the best teams in the league the past ten years and they lose about 80-90 percent of their preseason games over that time frame. Let's see what happens after the first four regular season games before we get too confident. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuzzy Dunlop Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 It takes more than a couple of pre-season games to stop being the laughing stock. If we get waxed by the Giants we will still be the laughing stock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 Careful Mike. Don't get ahead of yourself. It would be great if we turned it all around that fast. I'll settle for basic respectability right nw, and we've got to prove we deserve it. ~Bang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duckus Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 Yup. Try living in Texas. I was listening to ESPN Austin today and this is how they opened their NFL segment on my way to work - "So it seems Mike Shanahan is the new Al Davis of the NFL. This guy is an egomaniac who has completely lost it. Beck? Grossman?" The 3 of them then went on a 5 min rant on Shanahan and if he was the worst coach currently in the NFL. Then they had their "NFL Expert" chime in and said listed off our pathetic record of the last decade. Then everyone laughed and laughed and laughed. I am really looking forward to a day when that won't happen and I am starting to believe it could be soon . . . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinsfanindallas88 Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 Yup. Try living in Texas. try living in DALLAS!!!!!!!! one day i was listening to the radio here and they were asking who the cowboys biggest roadblock in winning the east is? of course there wasn't a mention of the redskins even existing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoCalMike Posted August 26, 2011 Author Share Posted August 26, 2011 Guys I realize all your points, however I am thinking bigger picture than 2011, I think I even said that the results might not even reflect in 2011. What I am saying is that Shanahan & Allen are changing things for the long term. If you look at the types of moves they have made it seems to be a completely different philosophy than the way things have been here since 2000. If just for THAT, we should see that at least those fundamental and systematical changes have begun taking place. 2011 is a year that quite frankly I don't even care if we contend or end up 6-10. I know what we are working with in Grossman/Beck. It isn't likely either is leading this franchise to the promised land, however I don't think that is the overall point which is things are moving in the right direction. Merely having a bad win total for a season is not what makes a team and/or franchise embarrassing, every franchise experiences it that at sometime or another. What is embarrassing is how matters have been dealt with in past years. Ever since the caution to the wind spending in 2000, there has been a "business as usual" feeling around here. A certain type of player that was coveted, paid for, and then under performed. Year after year. My point is that those days seem to be ending, and that 2011 is a season that regardless of win total, is going to show signs of that. We might not be the team that the media is talking about for another couple of years. Fine by me, they have to earn that, however every turn around has to start somewhere, and I am saying I think it starts now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsHokieFan Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 We have a VERY long ways to go before not being a "laughing stock" Quite honestly, I am hoping this is one more "laughable" season so we get our franchise QB in house. It looks like though Shanahan and Allen have done a good job of putting together a professional team Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ixcuincle Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 We're not quite out of the woods yet. 9-7 this year and we get the respect we deserve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinfan2k Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 We have a VERY long ways to go before not being a "laughing stock"Quite honestly, I am hoping this is one more "laughable" season so we get our franchise QB in house. It looks like though Shanahan and Allen have done a good job of putting together a professional team so SHF, lets say we go something like 8-8 to 9-7 range, would you accept Shanny trading multiple draft picks for either Luck or Jones while in the meantime we look good? or would you rather just plain stink and keep the other picks and grab multiple positions of value? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mzkp54 Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 I agree that we can stand by what the organization is doing, and to us who follow the skins as close as we do it is very obvious that we are heading very much in the right direction. However, to the average NFL fan, they don't see past the fact that we have someone who hasn't won a Super Bowl or put up good fantasy points starting at QB, so we don't stand a chance. Most definitely still see us as a joke, but I am very excited for the day that that is no longer the case, and I fully believe that day will be soon. Oh, and I live in Philly, so I feel all of you that can only listen to hater radio. HTTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bird_1972 Posted August 26, 2011 Share Posted August 26, 2011 We have a VERY long ways to go before not being a "laughing stock"Quite honestly, I am hoping this is one more "laughable" season so we get our franchise QB in house. It looks like though Shanahan and Allen have done a good job of putting together a professional team After watching this team against the Ravens last night, I had a feeling we were no longer in the running for Andrew Luck Sweepstakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickGiaquinto1 Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 It will in 2015 or so if they contend a few years straight, not just a few 6th seed playoff berths....To get any respectability they have to win the east... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsHokieFan Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 so SHF, lets say we go something like 8-8 to 9-7 range, would you accept Shanny trading multiple draft picks for either Luck or Jones while in the meantime we look good? or would you rather just plain stink and keep the other picks and grab multiple positions of value? I will accept multiple drafts if it gets us Andrew Luck. I think this past draft gave us a very good infusion of young talent where we could give up a draft to get a franchise changer Overall, I am very happy with the team right now and the direction its moving. Whoever that next QB is, will find himself in a good spot with plenty of talent around him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinfan2k Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 I will accept multiple drafts if it gets us Andrew Luck. I think this past draft gave us a very good infusion of young talent where we could give up a draft to get a franchise changerOverall, I am very happy with the team right now and the direction its moving. Whoever that next QB is, will find himself in a good spot with plenty of talent around him Thats true having 3 extra picks in the draft next year gives us 10 already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter44 Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 Try living in NY. Man I hate vagiant fans!!! HTTR!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlton Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 I think the general consensus out there is that the Skins are still at or near the bottom. This week's ESPN magazine has nothing but bad to say about the Skins, from the running backs, to the QB's and OL, the DL, LB and DB's- basically the whole team- and has them in I believe in the bottom 4. Jim Rome's show today had a piece on the Skins and basically said that Shanahan appears be betting his career on a qb that no one wanted and it could show that the game has passed him by. I'm hoping that this season Shanahan proves them all wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoCalMike Posted August 27, 2011 Author Share Posted August 27, 2011 Ok guys allow me to clarify, I don't think we have to necessarily be a playoff team to not be a laughing stock. Best example is a team like the Detroit Lions. They have been a losing franchise for a long time, Almost went winless a couple seasons ago, they are hardly that much better now when it comes to the actual win column but the sports media doesn't cover them as a joke. They cover them as a franchise that is in the middle of rebuilding and taking the right steps to do what it takes to be respectable again. I would argue that the 'Skins are in a similar situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Destino Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 It is way too soon for this nonsense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smoothie Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 its not nonsense..skins are on there way! It is way too soon for this nonsense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Destino Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 its not nonsense..skins are on there way! I hope so but I've learned to count eggs as eggs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoudMouth12thMan Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 Pre-season man. No one will turn their head until we win games in the regular season and start beating good teams. We're better, clearly, but that doesn't mean much today (the day after the 3rd pre-season game). I'm just hoping my eyes aren't lying to me. I've been critical of this team the last few years (just like most of you) and I'm finding it hard to be critical these days. Honestly, I could give two &^@!'s about what other fans say, but I'm going to wait until the regular season is at least a quarter of the way through before I start getting excited one way or the other. I love the direction we're headed in and I see nothing to laugh about. These guys mean business and they'll fight for 60 minutes every game this season...good enough for me for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tibbidoe Posted August 27, 2011 Share Posted August 27, 2011 Why so negative? Sure, we haven't lost the stink of 20-ish years of losing yet. But we can't do that in one preseason anyway. I think there is definitely a feeling of "we're getting better" that goes beyond what we have or have not accomplished on the field so far. I get the feeling that the players are buying more and more into the "Shanaplan". We have more team guys right now than we've had in quite some time. There is just a different feeling when the games kick off now. So, no, we haven't went undefeated in the regular season and steamrolled our way to a Lombardi Trophy, but we are headed in the right direction. I don't see how that can be argued. Kudos to the OP. No matter what the Negative Nancies have to say here, I agree there is already a change that is well worth noting. HTTR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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