so what's the reason the skins cannot be like the seahawks, patriots, or ravens?

[Fischer fan]

The Redskins have not yet understood how tanking in the NFL actually works or when to do it. The Colts have mastered it and hardly anyone really noticed. I think that is part of the solution, you can't be noticed when you tank. Look at the Colts the past two times they openly tanked for the betterment of the franchise, 2011 and 1996. 

 

2011 Colts featured Donald Brown, Joseph Addai. Pierre Garcon, Reggie Wayne, Austin Collie, Dallas Clark, Jacob Tamme, Adam Vinatieri, Robert Mathis, and Dwight Freeney. They were a stacked team and had been in the playoffs the previous year with Peyton Manning at QB. Then Manning had his neck issue and the Colts went into full tank mode that season. They lost all but two of the last three games of the year. Management went into the season with Kerry Collins at QB who in his previous seasons had a combined record of 2 wins and 11 losses. As the season wore on the fans of the team caught on and Suck for Luck was born and everyone was happy. After the season had been decided and the Colts knew they could win a game they ended the season on a winning note. They got Andrew Luck for the year of suck and two years later could be the #2 seed in the AFC playoffs this year.

 

I know what your thinking, Hankerson fan lost it, but it's true. They did this in front of the world and it paid off for them. They knew they could get away with it because they did it in 1997.

 

The 1996 Colts were the #3 playoff team in the AFC and went on to win a playoff game that year. The 1997 Colts however were the worst team in the entire league and went on to the #1 overall draft pick.

The 1997 Colts team had stars on it as well...Marvin Harrison, Marshall Faulk to just name a few and that team started the season 0-10 just like they did in 2011. The head coach said during that 1997 season

“There’s such a fine line in this business between winning and losing on a given weekend,” said Infante. “It’s been well-documented that we’re probably 23 or 25 points away from being in the playoffs right now. But it didn’t happen.”

Such a fine line for this 1997 team who had been in the playoffs the year before and the AFC Championship game the year before that right? That franchise went from that to the worst team in the league the year before the GOAT (Greatest of all time) QB enters the league. Awaiting that pitiful Colts team in 1998 was Peyton Manning and no one was the wiser. It worked so well for Manning the Colts did it again in 2011. 

 

I bring this up because the Redskins do not know how to tank. The owner wants to win so badly he doesn't understand losing a battle to win the war mentality. If this team understood this they would have lost more games in 2011 to assure them the #2 overall pick in the draft. The difference in drafting Griffin with all of the draft picks that it took for the Redskins to draft him and being able to draft Griffin with no trade was 2 less wins.

 

2 less wins in the 2011 season would have meant that the Redskins record in 2011 was 3-13 and that record would have been good enough to draft from the #2 spot without that trade. The Redskins have been in such a "win now at all cost" mind set they don't understand this. If they had tanked that season how excited would this fan base be right now knowing we might have the #1 overall draft pick in the 2014 draft? Safe to say much more so then now.

 

Some teams just understand patience better then this owner does. If we were better at losing we would be winning now. Tanking is a strategy that this team needed and needs to use from time to time. I know this is unpopular with some of you "Win every game possible" but the art of war says sometimes you lose a fight to win a war. If this team ever wants to get back to being a franchise winning almost every year this is something the ownership needs to understand.

 

Nothing is going to change with that since Dan would fire a coach if he thought they weren't trying to win every single game and this fan base has the team under such a microscope that no one would not notice if the team wasn't fielding the best team possible. Thats the curse of the Washington Redskins. The Colts in 2011 used a washed up losing QB and a guy named Curtis Painter who never should have been in the league to accomplish it's own goals. "Always win every game" is not a sound strategy. Things could be much different today if this team had the foresight to see what it needed to do in 2011.

Agreed. I've often wondered why the mainstream media hasn't covered this topic much.

[elkabong82]

Oh and you wanting to think everything's going to be ok hasn't effected your objectivity?  You're one of those who backed everything this regime did until it became painfully obvious it was broken.  

 

The rumor is Snyder was the driving force behind the trade and eventually Shanny got onboard with it after he was convinced by others.  Not because he thought RGIII wasn't great prospect, but because he thought Tannahill and Cousins could be quality starters in the NFL and he didn't want to give up the picks when the roster had other areas needing to be addresses.  Is it true? Who knows.  I know Stephen A and Skip Bayless both said they have strong sources inside Redskins Park who said it was a true.  

 

If you want to call it disdain for Snyder, fine.  He's the common denominator with all these regime failures.  I'm not going to give him a pat on the back until he does what I've been screaming for since I joined this board.  Build a FO structure geared for long term success.  The Redskins haven't had a true GM since Snyder fired Casserly  Funny thing is Snyder admitted he shouldn't of fired him, yet he's refused to hire another GM like Casserly since.  But since Dan admitted he was wrong I guess they means he learned something, right?

 

And for the record I'm not saying Casserly was a good GM because he wasn't.  They need to find the right guy.  I can live with Bruce Allen as President and AJ Smith as GM.  Smith has his flaws, but the guy knows how to draft.  Especially where I think Skins need the most help, OL and DL. Allen can deal with player contracts.  

 

First off, I didn't back everything this regime did. I have been critical of some moves, even ones that were popular at the time they were made. I conceded that the cap penalties hurt this team's ability to build, which it has. But I also said that if the team continued to improve (at time we had just played Giants) and finished strong with some wins THEN I was on board for 5th season. Then we saw the team fall apart and Shanny pull his Shanahanigans, and I was done, as were most.What any of this you bring up has to do with the point I was making, though, is beyond me.

 

You go ahead and buy that rumor all you want since it suits your agenda. Those of us in reality already realized long ago that Shanny wouldn't have traded what he did if he weren't completely sold on RG3 out the gate.

 

Snyder WAS the common denominator, because he WAS too involved. He is not the common denominator now since he is removed from the processes. Shanny has full control, he is the common denominator.

 

AJ Smith is doubtful to be next GM. He really doesn't want to leave San Diego by accounts. But from what I've read the next likely GM is already on staff and is highly regarded around the league.

[MONTEY]

I'm legit going through a huge crisis as a fan. I'm so sick of the joke that this team has become. I hate being embarrassed to be a fan.

Oh brother I truly hate being embaressed by our Skins. In the early years after Gibbs 1 I would take the snide remaks from opposing fans on a Monday and defend a loss or something. Now things have been so bad,excemption 2012, opposing fans just look at me and shake their heads.

[Mista T]

A little anecdote I heard some years back from a guy I know who owned a restaurant in Ocean City where Bisciotti worked for a couple years:

 

Right after Bisciotti aquired the Ravens, he reached out to some of the other newer/younger owners. He invited Snyder to meet with him at his house. Snyder flew in on a private helicopter with a sizeable posse, and was invited in by Bisciotti. Bisciotti shook hands, and said something to the effect of "Nice to meet you, Dan." Whereupon Snyder replied, "You can call me Mr. Snyder." Bisciotti's retort: "You can get the f*@k outta my house!" And, I don't think they've said two words to each other since.

 

Now, I realize that this is all heresay, but this guy knows Bisciotti VERY well, and is highly credible with me.

 

Just another insight into what makes "The Dan".

 

 

I wasn't present, but have a friend who was there for this incident.  I didn't hear the part about the helicopter, nor the part about "You can get the f*@k outta my house!"  -- but the remainder of the story was related to me identically.   Also: I heard that Bisciotti was wearing jeans, Snyder in coat & tie.

 

Living in the Annapolis area -- Steve & Renee Bisciotti and parents & children are highly visible, especially downtown.  Many know Steve as the "anti-Snyder".  My wife & I once sat at an Annapolis bar with him for 1/2 hour shooting the breeze about the NFL and ownership challenges -- can you imagine "the Dan" doing the same with random Redskins fans?  Whatever..... his tenure as owner has been highly successful, making most Annapolitans happy.  Bringing the annual Ravens scrimmage to Annapolis, while Snyder appears to have written off Central Maryland as Redskins territory, Bisciotti has made a good business move, while Snyder's moves out of Maryland have been suspect.  Their management styles vis a vis front office staffs and sticking their noses into player personnel decisions - or not -- are diametrically opposed.  As are their playoff records (10-3) and Super Bowl rings (2-0)

 

Playoffs records walk, b.s. talks.... My sympathies to all my friends and relatives who are Redskins fans. It's not going to get better until Snyder sells.  

[thebluefood]

This is one of the things baseball seems to have over football: historical context. There's something about football that causes people to have a very short memory. Maybe it's the ever changing nature of the game.

 

Have we forgotten how wretched the Patriots were 15 years ago? Have we forgotten how mediocre the Seahawks were for decades? The Ravens are a young organization that has had the good fortune of great leadership, but they're due for failture.