Where is John Riggins?

[Skinsfan4life83]

He's earned the right to say anything he wants about HIS team, which he's seen go to complete ****.

---------- Post added November-30th-2011 at 12:50 PM ----------

That's the NEW generation of Redskins fans for ya.

Hate on the great legends of Redskins past.

Root for the team to lose for some magical draft pick that will make it all better.

Sad state of affairs.

First off I appreciate everything he has done for this franchise. The guy was a beast behind.d possibly the greatest oline to ever play the game. However that does not entitle him to be a pompous negative blowhard who adds nothing to the conversation but the same tired dribble every other mediot is spouting. Sorry if you don't like my opinion but oh ****ing well.

Just because of his past accomplishments I'm not giving him a pass to be a negative jerk. He is not infallible. Especially since he was a notoriously difficult player to deal with from a coaching standpoint.

Riggins the player=All time great

Riggins the talk show host= old know it all jagoff.

But hey keep kissing his ass, whatever floats your boat.

[NewCliche21]

That's the NEW generation of Redskins fans for ya.

Hate on the great legends of Redskins past.

Root for the team to lose for some magical draft pick that will make it all better.

Sad state of affairs.

Objection. You can dislike what Riggins says and still appreciate what he did. It's not exclusive to our generation (you don't put yours out there, by the way, so it's an unfair comparison).

[kwitt]

What did he say about Sheehan??

[ragintd]

John Riggins just posted on Facebook....

This kind of reminds me of 1980, when I mysteriously disappeared from the beginning of training camp in Carlise, and ended up not playing that season. Back then there were two burning questions in Washington, who shot JR from the tv drama Dallas, and where is JR?

Well the truth is I'm very sick, but then you've all known that since I showed up in NY with a Mohawk back in '73. But seriously, I to...ok some vacation back in early November and with the B&G in a death slide it was getting really difficult to continue being the grumpy old man. How many times and how many ways can you say Shanny's lost a step. I have my limits, too. So, it has just made great sense to extend the time off and pursue my true passion in life, THE GREAT OUTDOORS! I figure after 40 years of being tied up in the fall I owed to my self to get the 30-06, and the 12 gauge oiled up and take to the field and the woods. Ah, how sweet it is.

Now I'll be back soon in some shape or other, and the good times will roll again. I am humbled by everyone's concerns and look forward to getting in front of the camera. Thank you for thinking about me.

Seems he went hunting.

[pjfootballer]

I mean like, who cares?

isn't this between Riggo and Grimm?

Maybe they don't like each other.

Agree with you Levi. Too much hate for a guy who "Literally" won a SB for us. First of all, it's none of any of you guys godamn business where and when Riggins shows up. I don't understand 20 some year olds all-butt hurt because he wasn't at Grimms HOF ceremony. How does that effect you? Second, like I said, we'd only have 2 Lombardi't instead of 3 if it weren't form him. 38 carries- 166 yards!! Workhorse. I guy who went to the hospital during the week and spent 2 days in traction (for his back) and then showed up on Sunday to tote the rock so you can brag that we have 3 trophys. He's earned the right to criticize this team. Get off all your high horses and appreciate what he did for the franchise. He retired in 1985, so most of his career yards were before the Hogs, FYI. And he treated the Hogs well, don't even go there with this crap about the Hogs making him. They made each other.

And as far as Riggins the host-- If you don't like it, turn it off. Simple really.

[Crazy Levi]

First off I appreciate everything he has done for this franchise. The guy was a beast behind.d possibly the greatest oline to ever play the game. However that does not entitle him to be a pompous negative blowhard who adds nothing to the conversation but the same tired dribble every other mediot is spouting.

Sorry, I disagree, it absolutely DOES give him the right to say wahtever he wants about the Redskins. Same as Joe Namath in NY.

[TerpSkin]

The irony I see here is that the people bashing those of us defending Riggo as "kissing his ass" are mad at Riggo because he is not kissing Shanahan's ass. For the record, I am very much for keeping Shanahan as coach for at least 2 more years... but the fact is that Shanahan's record with the Redskins is among the worst of the Skins' recent coaching history -- which is saying a lot. So you are kidding yourself if you do not realize that there is A LOT to criticize. I can't hate on Riggins for seeing that even if we do differ on the issue of whether Shanahan should be fired or not. Riggins isn't jumping on the media bandwagon... he is calling it like he sees it. If you pay close attention to the things he says, he is very much NOT a guy who just goes along with the typical media blather.

[CrabR]

UPDATE: he is hunting and tired of the show

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-sports-bog/post/john-riggins-updates-his-status/2011/12/02/gIQAgWNALO_blog.html

[Probos]

Wow, lots of Riggins hate in this thread. Surprising for one of the prominent faces of this storied franchise.

+1

Love Riggo. Loved watching him play and enjoy his take on things, negative or not. He has his own unique perspective that not a one of us could ever have.

---------- Post added December-2nd-2011 at 03:26 PM ----------

The irony I see here is that the people bashing those of us defending Riggo as "kissing his ass" are mad at Riggo because he is not kissing Shanahan's ass. For the record, I am very much for keeping Shanahan as coach for at least 2 more years... but the fact is that Shanahan's record with the Redskins is among the worst of the Skins' recent coaching history -- which is saying a lot. So you are kidding yourself if you do not realize that there is A LOT to criticize. I can't hate on Riggins for seeing that even if we do differ on the issue of whether Shanahan should be fired or not. Riggins isn't jumping on the media bandwagon... he is calling it like he sees it. If you pay close attention to the things he says, he is very much NOT a guy who just goes along with the typical media blather.

Well said.

It still amazes me how many Skins fans still get their ****ing panties in a knot when any former Redskin has anything negative to say about the franchise. Riggo, B Mitch, Lavar, etc.

Those fans have to face the fact that they have a perspective on the situation that none of us could ever have, and, they're part of the media. The media thrives off of controversy and negativity, so they tend to sell that angle more. The Skins have had more than their fair share of controversy and negativity over the past 10 plus years which has made their jobs that much easier. I've been a Skins fan for a long time and listen to Lavar, B Mitch and Riggo shows. Sometime I agree with their take, sometimes I don't, but I know from a NFL perspective they know a lot more than me, so I don't take all the negative things they say as just mindless bashing. Now, if the team was 8-3 at this point in the season, first place in the division and they were still as negative as they are now, then I might have a problem.

As bad as things have been this season I still watch every game on Sundays and root for the team to win. And it's my guess that as negative as Riggo (and B Mitch and Lavar) can be he does that same.

[Diesel__44]

Eh, could care less really. He always has something negative to say about this franchise. He annoys me greatly.

Where is he? The HOF. Does that 1982 Super Bowl annoy you?

[Chants]

Where is John Riggins?

He's in your base, killing your dudes.

[HapHaszard]

The answer is here: WP - John Riggins updates his status

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-sports-bog/post/john-riggins-updates-his-status/2011/12/02/gIQAgWNALO_blog.html#pagebreak

[Ghost of]

As for my man Gary Clark, he was part of the alumni intros that took place before the 49ers game so he's around and on good terms with the organization as far as I can tell.

I have never heard anything bad about Clark. Just that during his playing days, he WAS a wide receiver and would get angry on the sidelines but that's a different thing from off-the-field.

[Commander PK]

For the record, I am very much for keeping Shanahan as coach for at least 2 more years... but the fact is that Shanahan's record with the Redskins is among the worst of the Skins' recent coaching history -- which is saying a lot.

How quickly we forget how much of a goat **** this team was in 2009. People throw that around now...the new catch phrase..."Shanny has lost more than any other coach here in recent history" but they are not taking into account how bad things were when he came in. They are also being intellectually dishonest by implying that his record is so much worse than everyone elses before him. It's not like the man inherited a playoff team. So what if he is one win worse than Zorn who did inherit a team that had made the playoffs twice in the three years prior to his arrival.

People expect instant gratification and they are not going to get it. Shanny is making up for years of bad decisions and poor management, and he is doing things the right way. People need to give him time, and not crucify the man before he really even gets started. It's easy to look back on McNabb in hindsight and say it was a bad move, but other than that move. Shanny has done nothing wrong in my opinion.

[TerpSkin]

People expect instant gratification and they are not going to get it. Shanny is making up for years of bad decisions and poor management, and he is doing things the right way. People need to give him time, and not crucify the man before he really even gets started. It's easy to look back on McNabb in hindsight and say it was a bad move, but other than that move. Shanny has done nothing wrong in my opinion.

Believe me... I am patient. If you paid attention to my post, you saw I am all for keeping Shanahan for at least 2 more years (by which time I fully expect him to have created a winner that makes us want to keep him even longer). But we can't keep growing the tall tale of the woefullness of what he inherited as an excuse and we can't keep acting like the McNabb thing was one bad mistake that is over and done. The McNabb mistake wasn't one mistake -- it was a sign of a a deeper evaluation and priority problem with which many of us aren't pleased. The fact that anyone comes to that team, with that offensive line and those receivers, and counts Jason Campbell as the priority to be replaced is a sign of systemic weakness in the decision making process.

Also, as bad as that team was -- they did not inherit nothing. That team was bad because of a terrible OL and bad WR, and a head coach who had been castrated by the pseudo-GM and owner. But there was talent available and there were some good things. Shanahan chose to take 10 steps backwards to build the team his way (changing a good 4-3 defense to an abysmal 3-4 defense and changing a decent power running game to a zone running team that they haven't been able to get consistent in 2 years). That's fine -- but if you are going to do that, you had better show signs of things working well by the end of year 2. I don't see signs of that working.

[pjfootballer]

Shanahan chose to take 10 steps backwards to build the team his way (changing a good 4-3 defense to an abysmal 3-4 defense and changing a decent power running game to a zone running team that they haven't been able to get consistent in 2 years). That's fine -- but if you are going to do that, you had better show signs of things working well by the end of year 2. I don't see signs of that working.

Kind of tired of hearing this also about the change to the 3-4. It's not like we were the Steele Curtain with the 4-3. It was a bend but don't break defense. It did not create turnovers. It barely stopped teams from going up and down the field. This is a copycat league and most of the good teams (NE, GB, Pitts and SD) run a 3-4 that creates turnovers. Him changing the defense is for the long haul, not last year or this year. We've already improved from 31st to around 11th (before yesterday) yardage wise, we're in the top 5 in sacks and if we continue to improve, the turnovers will happen. We had 4-3 guys playing in the 3-4 last year and this year. It takes time to get the right guys to play in this defense. I think we'll be even better next year and could be a feared defense depending on who we get in the offseason.

[TerpSkin]

Kind of tired of hearing this also about the change to the 3-4. It's not like we were the Steele Curtain with the 4-3. It was a bend but don't break defense. It did not create turnovers.

And a lot of us are kind of tired of hearing this defense of the switch. It WAS a good defense. We had a terrible offense, and that very good defense would sometimes break down after being on the field all game long. It didn't generate many turnovers, but it pretty consistently was tops in preventing POINTS and YARDS against. It was consistently good at this for years and had lots of talent whose strengths fit the 4-3 scheme. The straightest path to improving the team lay in adding a couple of pieces to the 4-3 scheme (guys like Kerrigan and Cofield would have been perfect fits) and having a slightly more aggressive DC than Blache. I'm OK with a major change, but again -- choosing to make such a major change opens the door for criticism when the results are still this bad after two years.

---------- Post added December-5th-2011 at 01:51 PM ----------

Shanahan did NOT inherit nothing. He CHOSE to take steps backwards with the hopes of going forwards. Agree with those decisions or not -- the stepping backwards with the hopes of eventually going forwards is really not debateable.