pft.com bruce Allen won’t let Scot McCloughan talk to media

[SkinsPassion4Life]

Just now, Califan007 said:

 

So you think this may all be tied to Scot M's drinking?

 

I'm not sure it's drinking or Cousins contract or something else....I would be very surprised if he's here much longer

[Conn]

"Scot was brought in to appease the fanbase, he is disposable now".

 

1. Yeah, yank away the fanbase's binky right as we start to get somewhere. This fanbase worships McCloughan (too much you could easily argue). Genius move to distract us with the shiny object and then take it away while we're still obsessed with it. No.

 

2. Mistreating a guy like McCloughan, if that's indeed what's going on and not something with him personally, is a GREAT way to destroy the teeny, tiny bit of legitimacy and respect we've earned back around the league with him in the organization. Losing him takes away from the pull we have around the league, period. Tossing him out on his ass on top of that, for no reason, destroys our reputation worse than it was before. 

 

It doesn't add up. Bruce brought McCloughan in, why blow it up after two decent years without a McCloughan-related reason. 

[FrFan]

Scot McCloughan Absent From Redskins Park Since February 20th

 

From Kirk's contract negociations to Scot, I'm just wondering when all the dramas will end ?

[ThomasTomasz]

Like I said before, I do think some of Allen's ego is coming into play here.  But after thinking about this more, it's clear that philosophy about building a franchise is the root of the argument.  Allen is a business guy first, football and talent guy second.  Sure, he hit on some draft picks, but whiffed horribly on others, and got us into some cap trouble as well.  Allen knows that Cousins is going to win games and fill the stadium up. 

 

That being that, I can easily see McCloughan on the other side.  He fixed the cap situation over two years, and doesn't want to screw it up long-term with a QB who is 29 years old.  Guys, I love Cousins, but there are few QBs who make it to the far side of 30.  Add on top of that, three of his top weapons this year- Pierre Garcon, Desean Jackson and Vernon Davis- are all free agents, and over 30 years old.  We all know how bad the defense was, and that is going to require resources both via free agency as well as the draft.   Teams like the Patriots, Steelers, Ravens and Packers have all had success long-term because of their draft pipeline, and not overspending in free agency to fill their holes, because when one player leaves, their replacement has been waiting for a year or two. 

 

For someone who wants to build in the draft, McCloughan has to see the 49ers as a huge chance to add an infusion of talent to the roster long-term.  While I don't think we will get an RGIII-like return, we could easily get the #2 pick, plus other assets, and keep our first rounder as well.  Drafting Jonathan Allen would go a long way to solving our woes on the defensive line.  Before adding any other draft choices, we have 10 from trades McCloughan made last year.  What if we traded our first rounder up and secured the services of Dalvin Cook, who would be the legitimate running back that we've asked for since Clinton Portis retired.  Cook isn't the QB we want, but he's a guy to build the offense around.  Then, with our 2018 first rounder, we can draft a QB to the team, where it looks like we have a good class on our hands. 

 

Look guys, I hate losing Cousins, it's going to be a huge blow, and I am sure that attendance and performance next year will suffer for it.  But if it helps get our franchise truly where we need to be, where we are a team that is winning 10-plus games a year and in the playoff hunt every year, I will have to say moving on from Cousins and getting younger is the right choice.  Sadly, I don't think Bruce Allen has that kind of vision, and wants to win now, and we are going to sacrifice the two years of great work from McCloughan to move our franchise from league laughingstock to a respectable franchise that competes year in and year out.

[Conn]

I don't think worrying about Cousins or roster building is important right now. I think it's entirely possible we're suddenly without a GM and the guy we mostly pinned our hopes on is gone right as we enter our most pivotal offseason in forever. This might be bigger than specific roster moves right now--the stuff Russell is throwing around is HEAVY. This isn't like the normal stuff reporters throw against the wall. 

 

Not to say he's 100% correct or that his understanding of the situation is correct even if the outcome matches. But there is a hazardous amount of smoke right now. It can't be ignored.

[ThomasTomasz]

1 minute ago, ConnSKINS26 said:

I don't think worrying about Cousins or roster building is important right now. I think it's entirely possible we're suddenly without a GM and the guy we mostly pinned our hopes on is gone right as we enter our most pivotal offseason in forever. This might be bigger than specific roster moves right now--the stuff Russell is throwing around is HEAVY. This isn't like the normal stuff reporters throw against the wall. 

 

Not to say he's 100% correct or that his understanding of the situation is correct even if the outcome matches. But there is a hazardous amount of smoke right now. It can't be ignored.

 

While I went a little too in depth into what I would do or would like to see done, I do think two of the big things going on is ego and how to build this franchise.  It's also easy to see how Jay Gruden ended up on the side of Bruce Allen, because if we did move on from Cousins and built more for the future, chances are that Jay may not be a part of that in the end.  I'll also go back to a previous post I made in the thread, and that we haven't heard from Dan Snyder in a while, and tomorrow should be the time he steps in to make a statement clarifying all of this.

[TSO]

Tomorrow is going to be crazy.

 

The smoke is real this time and I'd even argue it's already fire. I'm definitely leaning towards this being pretty bad and that Scot is likely done... but I'm desperately clinging to the hope that there's somehow a solid explanation for everything. 

 

At this point I'm pretty much resigned to hearing bad news but I really, really would like it to somehow be softened with something good from the organization. I don't even know what that is or what that can be. Just something because this just reeks of being mishandled. :/ 

[Conn]

You're not going to see Snyder in front of a microphone explaining this, period. He hasn't done that in a long time, hell he didn't do that even when he was tampering unless he was introducing a new coach pre-Allen.

[Jumbo]

yeah @thesubmittedone, i got a bad feeling that i'm about 18-24 months ahead of the curve again on this one...sad face...hopefully not tho

[Conn]

There's no doubt that the organization has mishandled the perception of what's going on here, even IF it turns out they've miraculously not mishandled the situation itself. No matter what is actually going on it looks like a hilarious, classic Redskins cluster**** and that is unacceptable. 

[ThomasTomasz]

1 minute ago, ConnSKINS26 said:

You're not going to see Snyder in front of a microphone explaining this, period. He hasn't done that in a long time, hell he didn't do that even when he was tampering unless he was introducing a new coach pre-Allen.

 

Which is a shame, because there is a power struggle going on in his organization, and the people who follow the organization deserve an answer for someone who is above the fray, that person being Snyder.  As I said before, even Peter Angelos made a statement when the reports were wild two years ago about Dan Duquette leaving the Orioles for the Blue Jays, and he's been as quiet as Snyder in recent years.  Angelos acknowledged that the Jays ownership group contacted him, and said that Duquette was under contract and would not be leaving the Orioles.  A similar statement is needed from ownership in this instance.  Will he do so?  Like you said, probably not, but I won't trust a word of what Allen says about it unless this situation is indeed related to McCloughan's past demons.

[SoCalSkins]

24 minutes ago, ConnSKINS26 said:

"Scot was brought in to appease the fanbase, he is disposable now".

 

1. Yeah, yank away the fanbase's binky right as we start to get somewhere. This fanbase worships McCloughan (too much you could easily argue). Genius move to distract us with the shiny object and then take it away while we're still obsessed with it. No.

 

 

There was a massive amount of anger in the fan base after Jay's first year. That rage is gone. They put out that fire.  

 

Plus Scot came with a built-in self destruct button. All it takes is dropping a drinking rumor and problem solved. That's where we are. Dan wants to be hands on in player acquisition, recruiting and negotiation. That's what he likes doing. It's not going to change.

 

Besides, the best additions to the team have been Djax and Norman in the Gruden era and both of those were classic Dan hard sells. I am sure that fact is not lost on Dan.

[Jumbo]

 

[TSO]

20 minutes ago, ConnSKINS26 said:

There's no doubt that the organization has mishandled the perception of what's going on here, even IF it turns out they've miraculously not mishandled the situation itself. No matter what is actually going on it looks like a hilarious, classic Redskins cluster**** and that is unacceptable. 

 

I keep thinking that, ok, if this is all true, why not just put it out there before the combine so as to

avoid people suddenly getting shocked that he's not with the team after you had told everyone all offseason he's totally focused on draft/FA? 

 

I can come up with some reasons for that... but they're all weak if I'm being truthful. 

 

Anyway, Mike Jones just tweeted this: 

 

 

[Conn]

1 minute ago, SoCalSkins said:

 

There was a massive amount of anger in the fan base after Jay's first year. That rage is gone. They put out that fire.

 

That fire will be back with an unbelievable vengeance if there is not a satisfactory reason behind all this. That's why it doesn't come off as calculated.

 

1 minute ago, SoCalSkins said:

Dan wants to be hands on in player acquisition, recruiting and negotiation. That's what he likes doing. It's not going to change.

 

This is 100% speculation that doesn't add anything to the conversation. It's pulling things out of your ass.

 

1 minute ago, SoCalSkins said:

 

Besides, the best additions to the team have been Djax and Norman in the Gruden era and both of those were classic Dan hard sells. I am sure that fact is not lost on Dan.

 

I can't really argue with this and it's been my #1 beef with McCloughan. I'm willing to let his drafts marinate but his FA work has been bad. But that's not for this thread and may no longer matter.

[ThomasTomasz]

3 minutes ago, SoCalSkins said:

 

There was a massive amount of anger in the fan base after Jay's first year. That rage is gone. They put out that fire.  

 

Plus Scot came with a built-in self destruct button. All it takes is dropping a drinking rumor and problem solved. That's where we are. Dan wants to be hands on in player acquisition, recruiting and negotiation. That's what he likes doing. It's not going to change.

 

Besides, the best additions to the team have been Djax and Norman in the Gruden era and both of those were classic Dan hard sells. I am sure that fact is not lost on Dan.

 

Yet the weird thing about both of those transactions- Jackson under Allen's watch and Norman under McCloughan- is that they were both released from their contracts late in the off-season, after the main free agent signing period, not to mention the draft as well.  With Jackson, he had a built-in reason to want to come to DC- proximity to Philadelphia and the ability to play them twice a year.  With Norman, we lucked out being one of the few teams that was looking to compete this season with the cap space (thanks to McCloughan) to bring in Norman. 

 

In some respects, they look, smell and appear to be a typical Snyder move.  At least with Norman, I'm not sure that's the case 100%. 

[PartyPosse]

I also wonder,in terms of the process, if there is a disagreement in terms of how close we are to being legit contenders. Scott may be in the mindset that we aren't ready to seriously contend this season and doesn't want to damage the long-run in terms of salary cap flexibility by blowing their wad this offseason where as Allen and Gruden both may have the mindset where if they don't win now then who knows what happens. Of course we all know where Snyder lies in terms of what he wants.

 

just a thought. I want to think it's a football related tension and not something deeper.

[SoCalSkins]

4 minutes ago, ConnSKINS26 said:

 

This is 100% speculation that doesn't add anything to the conversation. It's pulling things out of your ass.

 

 

Dan is on record stating multiple times that he did not have any fun when Marty had control. He is also in record stating how much he enjoys negotiation deals and acquiring players. Making an assumption he wants to go back to that model is based on a factual basis.

 

Pretending he is satisfied being in the background while the football people run things is the fantasy. People don't change. Particularly ego driven self-made billionaires. He is who he is. Let's hope he has more success this time around.

[DM72]

Why are they keep saying "sent home?" "Excused" sounds so much better.

[PartyPosse]

1 minute ago, SoCalSkins said:

 

Dan is on record stating multiple times that he did not have any fun when Marty had control. He is also in record stating how much he enjoys negotiation deals and acquiring players. Making an assumption he wants to go back to that model is based on a factual basis.

 

Pretending he is satisfied being in the background while the football people run things is the fantasy. People don't change. Particularly ego driven self-made billionaires. He is who he is. Let's hope he has more success this time around.

This is the same kind of speculation that Cooley made though. Someone did something in the past so you assume he's doing it again. There is no evidence other than history.

[TSO]

8 minutes ago, DM72 said:

Why are they keep saying "sent home?" "Excused" sounds so much better.

 

Well that's what is, unfortunately, the question (that, on the surface, doesn't have a good answer unfortunately). 

 

Russell is basically reporting this like Scot has essentially been dethroned and isn't a part of the organization. And saying that he's been "sent home" is simply a part of that. 

 

Everyone else, namely Mike Jones and McNally, are getting info from Scot and his agent that that's not true and he's simply dealing with his grandmother's death. 

 

Can't believe how ugly this is, either way.

[SoCalSkins]

2 minutes ago, PartyPosse said:

This is the same kind of speculation that Cooley made though. Someone did something in the past so you assume he's doing it again. There is no evidence other than history.

 

No evidence? The reports from a team source stating that Scot is not in charge of anything and has not been for a long time plus the fact that he is not at the combine is merely coincidence? 

 

People are going through so many mental gymnastics to convince themselves that we aren't going back to the way things have always been. Have fun with that. We will see how aggressively we hit free agency and how quickly we burn through the cap space. Then you can tell me why it's different this time.

[bedlamVR]

Why are reporters breaking this just now ? 

 

It could be as simple as it is on the surface . 

 

It could be Scott is struggling with his personal demons . Some things are more important than football . 

 

Also to bring up comments made about Dan Snyder relating to Marty Shottenhiemer people need to realise two thing

 

 - Firstly that was 2002 nearly 15 years ago people change let it go 

- Marty was a terrible GM - was here was in SD . He was a successful regular season coach but nothing more than that 

 

why do we always need to look for drama ? 

[COWBOY-KILLA-]

When All these reports of problems were starting to trickle out all I heard was how the Media was against us and this is all BS. Well, looks like the media was right on it, again. Just because the narrative isn't what you wanna hear, "fake news" is not the answer.  

 

Skins fans need to stop being in denial. 

 

Hate to see Scot go, hate it, if it's in fact the case. This is why the Skins can't have nice things. So disheartening, and hope to god there are decent answers to all these unanswered questions. And to think It was suggested Skins PR this offseason was a disaster, and it got hella push back that everything was just peachy keen. 

[TSO]

2 minutes ago, COWBOY-KILLA- said:

When All these reports of problems were starting to trickle out all I heard was how the Media was against us and this is all BS. Well, looks like the media as right on it, again. Just because the narrative isn't what you wanna hear, "fake news" is not the answer.  

 

Skins fans need to stop being in denial. 

 

No, we can hold both the media and the team accountable.

 

As was stated a thousand times before, even if those reports had ended up as true it would not change the way they went about reporting it as being wrong. Lack of sources, mixing a majority of opinions in with few factual details so as to present an entire narrative as fact when it's not, and rampant speculation (some of which has already proven to be untrue) is not okay no matter the results. 

 

It's not about being in denial for some of us, it's a desire to get legitimate proof and verified evidence before assuming anything or forming opinions. Which is what we're supposed to be taught at an early age when consuming and interpreting anything out of the media.