The Bruce Allen/GM Thread

[SkinsFTW]

27 minutes ago, KDawg said:

 

But as fans, we can't hope the owner is fired.

 

No, but there is always spontaneous human combustion...

 

http://blog.clinicalmonster.com/2017/04/01/emergency-department-management-spontaneous-human-combustion/

 

[Reaper Skins]

https://thefandc.radio.com/this-bruce-allen-dan-snyder-story-is-outrageous?fbclid=IwAR1PjKLFNCPuPFE3YQDqYOxgTbDPq_VGFBpB15keV5SVKEtFjaefvdy5QY0

 

"The story is just that (Dan) used to, at certain times, like come out of his office upset, screaming about where Bruce was because Bruce was late for tee time," Paulsen began. "So he'd be like, 'WHERE'S BRUCE?' And everyone's like, 'I don't know. What do you mean, where's Bruce?' He's like, 'He's supposed to be in here! We've got a 3 o'clock tee time!' It's like 3:06."

"Except he's like yelling and cursing at people," Rouhier chimed.

"He's like, 'I need Bruce! We're supposed to be playing right now!' Bruce has to then be notified that he's late for his tee time," Paulsen continued, "and come running into Dan's office and they go play their golf."

 

 

Hey Morons -If you focus on playing sub-par games off the field, you'll be stuck playing sub-par games on the field.

[Dissident2]

1 hour ago, Boss_Hogg said:

 

Dan is not a fan of this team. He's a fan of money, power, and jock sniffing. 

 

This team will relocate if attendance continues to dwindle and more local officials reject a new stadium. 

 

Dan couldn't care less

 

Dan most definitely THINKS he's a fan of this team. I don't believe at all that he "couldn't care less" about the specific team that he owns and would be just as happy owning another team anywhere else. He "loves" the Redskins, and he "loves" being in D.C. It's a twisted love, it's an unnatural love, it's the kind of love you get from a stalker, but, in his mind, it's "love." Which absolutely sucks for us. I don't think he will ever move the team unless he's utterly forced to. And who would want him? If I was a city looking for football and he offered, I'd say, "No thanks, we'll hold out another decade." No one's going to welcome that imbecile's sideshow into their city. Everyone knows by now what kind of owner and person he is, that he will only bring your city embarrassment and heartache. He's stuck here like a tick until someone burns him off. 

[Monkman56]

1 hour ago, SkinFanInMinn said:

Agree in a more general sense.  Being an out-of-towner I don't go to games, but I've been seriously contemplating putting my fandom 'on hold' until they make some real changes.  Those changes obviously start with firing BA, but it's also about where they go from there.  Who is the next GM/El Presidente/Head Poobah/whatever?  And next head coach, etc? 

 

I believe if BA isn't fired this offseason I might have to take a hiatus for a while from the Skins and football in general.

I started putting my fandom on hold after week 5. It was pretty clear the direction the team was going in. Put on my skins duds in week 1. Embarassing loss, but they were ahead of the Eagles for a while and looked promising. Swore I would not wear any garb until they won again. Well the Miami game was not convincing enough so I waited until the Jet game to wear stuff, ( girlfriend is a Jet fan so this was our superbowl), well needless to say everything is packed up until further notice.

[Thinking Skins]

3 hours ago, Boss_Hogg said:

 

Dan is not a fan of this team. He's a fan of money, power, and jock sniffing. 

 

This team will relocate if attendance continues to dwindle and more local officials reject a new stadium. 

 

Dan couldn't care less

 

This is where I think the truth lies. I get that he's a fan of this team and if he relocates, he's taking the team with him (kinda like the kid at the basketball court who's losing so he takes his ball and goes home). But we've seen this too often, owners chase money. They want a stadium paid for by the people. JKC didn't threaten to leave the area but he did leave DC because he couldn't get along with Dixon/Kelly. But then the Skins were a dominant force in the area and everybody wanted them and would pay top dollar for them (even DC if JKC hadn't had an inappropriate touch). Now we've gone from 3 locales all competing for them to VA getting Amazon and being pretty satisfied, MD getting the casinos, and DC having the Nats. I know that Mayor Bowser is talking all the right talks because bringing the Skins back could build her a legacy, but only if they are the SKINS, not this withered down skins. So is she really going to compete against herself for a piece of mildew? I mean, Fentoy and Williams are in history for helping to do a lot for DC with the Nats and Wizards and turning those downtown area from an area that people avoided to really cool parts of the city. That same thing could happen to RFK, but on whose dime and is it worth it?

 

I think Snyder's climbing an uphill battle, and just like with this season he'll soon realize that Bruce has sold him a bag of lies and that his stadium connections are nil. And when that day comes, it'l lbring about the firing of Bruce but also probably a re-location. But I don't see that coming for at least another 2 years. Maybe then we'll hear about cities missing football the way that Houston did a few years ago. But who knows, LA was so fine without football for what 30 years? But the NFL was saying they NEEDED to have a team in LA. So who knows. I just see this team on its last days in DC and feel like the divorce is coming. And the good thing is that us (the kids) can see it and are calling for it. Most of us can see how badly the team is treating the city and will stay with the city over the team, but for those that choose the team, all the best. We can still talk but we just won't be rooting for the same team. 

[FrFan]

4 hours ago, BatteredFanSyndrome said:

Sheehan this morning running with this...

 

If Bruce Allen was fired, would it encourage you to buy season tickets or go to games?

 

Not that simple for me really.  Firing Allen is a step in the right direction, but it's what happens afterwards that will really make the difference.  

 

What says you?

 

 

I don't think firing Bruce will help as long as danny boy runs this franchise. He'll find another incompetent yes man.

 

 

[CjSuAvE22]

Ill go to the home opener in 2020 if this fool of a clown gets fired in january

[RemoveSnyder]

15 minutes ago, CjSuAvE22 said:

Ill go to the home opener in 2020 if this fool of a clown gets fired in january

 

Bruce is never getting fired. He'll be allowed to retire, to step down, to wave goodbye. Which I think is what will happen (eventually). But Dan will never "fire" him. 

At the very most stringent level you might get a mutual parting of the ways, but that's it. 

 

I'm fairly confident in saying that when Bruce goes it will be called retirement and he'll get his chance to wave and smile goodbye. 

Anyway the end outcome would be the same for you, Bruce gone, but it doesn't quite satisfy your stipulation in whole. Only you can decide if following through with your attendance promise is compromising to your spirit. 

[goskins10]

5 hours ago, BatteredFanSyndrome said:

Sheehan this morning running with this...

 

If Bruce Allen was fired, would it encourage you to buy season tickets or go to games?

 

Not that simple for me really.  Firing Allen is a step in the right direction, but it's what happens afterwards that will really make the difference.  

 

What says you?

 

 

 

It is that simple for me. It's a no. Not spending any money directly with the team until Dan sells or I die - understanding the later is more likely to happen first. So I have probably gone to my last game at FedEx Field. Not making any judgement on anyone who makes a different decision. Trust me, I get it. 

 

But I personally can no longer do anything that directly supports Dan making more money. I am sure there are enough indirect things i do but at least I can stop the direct spend. 

 

The only thing firing Bruce helps is it at least put back in the hope region in terms of getting successful sooner rather than later. Certainly no guarantees.  But with Bruce it's a guaranteed no go. 

 

if they made the playoffs I would probably go if I could. But that's such a rarity and it's more to root for the players - enough so that it then becomes more important to support the players then **** with dan. 

[Skinsinparadise]

6 hours ago, BatteredFanSyndrome said:

Sheehan this morning running with this...

 

If Bruce Allen was fired, would it encourage you to buy season tickets or go to games?

 

Not that simple for me really.  Firing Allen is a step in the right direction, but it's what happens afterwards that will really make the difference.  

 

What says you?

 

 

 

Bruce Allen gone to me is a major step 1.  But I am not going to make the same mistake I did when Vinny was let go where I was happy with just anyone replacing him.  I'd have major scrutiny as to who replaces Bruce before getting too jazzed.

 

I'd be happy to see Bruce go just to be rid of a dude who gives the team an air of a combination of odd smugness, incompetence and sleaze.  As Sheehan likes to say a combination of arrogance and incompetence.  And don't get me wrong. Dan is even worse than Bruce on that front.

 

But my Hail Mary for change is that Dan finds a new drinking buddy who is more competent and classy.  I'll accept that Dan's ownership style is always going to be marked with some level of incompetence and lack of class but hoping like when Gibbs was here, you can find someone who will dilute Dan's style as opposed to doubling down on it like we got now.

 

If I were in the DMV I wouldn't buy season tickets though based on firing Bruce.  To me Dan has ways to go to show that this team can bounce back and just ending his bromance at least publicly with Bruce is only a step in that direction, he'd have plenty of other steps to meet. 

[Peregrine]

6 minutes ago, Skinsinparadise said:

But my Hail Mary for change is that Dan finds a new drinking buddy who is more competent and classy.  I'll accept that Dan's ownership style is always going to be marked with some level of incompetence and lack of class but hoping like when Gibbs was here, you can find someone who will dilute Dan's style as opposed to doubling down on it like we got now.

I really do feel like he almost had that.  For all of McLoughin's issues, he would fit in there as the drinking buddy, but actually competent at his job.  The most functional dysfunction in the building.  Maybe Bruce also saw that and thats why he made his move.

[Skinsinparadise]

7 minutes ago, Peregrine said:

I really do feel like he almost had that.  For all of McLoughin's issues, he would fit in there as the drinking buddy, but actually competent at his job.  The most functional dysfunction in the building.  Maybe Bruce also saw that and thats why he made his move.

 

LOL, good point, I gather sadly Scot's drinking problem was too deep but he had the right habit it seemed to thrive at Redskins Park.  The one common defense in some of those stories about Scot's issues was that drinking was prevalent in that building but he took it too far and had antics that came along with that.

 

The Bruce brushes his teeth with Coors Light line came from a story about the Scot situation. 

 

I don't know if Kyle Smith likes to have some beers or whatever after a long day and be willing to spend some extra circular hours with the owner?

 

Chris Cooley who is somewhat friendly with the powers that be there said once on a show with Sheehan that if someone replaces Bruce its very important for that person to have a strong-personal relationship with Dan.   

 

We joke around about the topic here but it really does seem like Dan's prerequisite for GM includes someone who is a good candidate for BFF.  

 

[BurgundyBooger]

"Strong personal relationship with Dan" = "Agree with his point of view, doesn't have to happen right away just know your opinion up to that point won't matter if by chance it's even heard. Be funny but never ever make Dan the butt of your jokes. Everyone else is free game, though."

 

[BringMetheHeadofBruceAllen]

1 hour ago, Skinsinparadise said:

 

LOL, good point, I gather sadly Scot's drinking problem was too deep but he had the right habit it seemed to thrive at Redskins Park.  The one common defense in some of those stories about Scot's issues was that drinking was prevalent in that building but he took it too far and had antics that came along with that.

 

The Bruce brushes his teeth with Coors Light line came from a story about the Scot situation. 

 

I don't know if Kyle Smith likes to have some beers or whatever after a long day and be willing to spend some extra circular hours with the owner?

 

Chris Cooley who is somewhat friendly with the powers that be there said once on a show with Sheehan that if someone replaces Bruce its very important for that person to have a strong-personal relationship with Dan.   

 

We joke around about the topic here but it really does seem like Dan's prerequisite for GM includes someone who is a good candidate for BFF.  

 

 

Dan/Brucifer firing McCloughan for drinking is like the pot calling the kettle black. He wasn't fired for drinking, he was fired because Bruce saw his competence as a threat to his power in Ashburn. Same thing with Lafemina, who I heard had told Snyder he wanted Bruce gone...guess the shrimpy Snyder went and told Bruce that, and next thing is Lafemina is looking for work.

 

How pathetic is it that the owner of a professional sports franchise worth a billion dollars has to be BFFs with his #2 in order to survive in public? I would imagine that will make the available pool of replacements far smaller if that is a prerequisite for Bruce's job.

[Voice_of_Reason]

20 hours ago, KillBill26 said:

Great post, hit the nail on the head with so much.  Just to be clear: when you say Dan would fear looking wrong, do you mean for hiring bruce in the first place, for sticking with him for so long, or for firing him?  Bc I disagree with you on this point: I think if Dan held a press conference to announce he fired Bruce, it would be the most well received appearance he has had in a long time, and would receive a lot of positive short-term PR for Snyder himself.  The fans would have a spark of hope that we have a shot to right the ship.  Danny will look like he finally smartened up, and he can promise brighter days ahead.  People are already well aware of how miserable the Bruce years have been, I don't think him firing him would cause a negative reaction.

He would see it as a failure that he had to fire Bruce.  The guy he hired and gave power to and now had to fire.  He would get questions about why Bruce failed, why he stuck with a Bruce for so long, etc.  

 

When you fire somebody you hired, you are admitting a mistake.  Dan doesn’t like to to admit mistakes.

 

While the move would be seen as overall a positive, it’s still a 10 year failure.

[Stadium-Armory]

3 hours ago, Voice_of_Reason said:

He would see it as a failure that he had to fire Bruce.  The guy he hired and gave power to and now had to fire.  He would get questions about why Bruce failed, why he stuck with a Bruce for so long, etc.  

 

When you fire somebody you hired, you are admitting a mistake.  Dan doesn’t like to to admit mistakes.

 

While the move would be seen as overall a positive, it’s still a 10 year failure.

 

I also think he's a conflict avoider. Good managers some times have to put on their big pants and look someone in the eye and fire them. I think the prospect of having to fire his good friend, frightens him and he will avoid it as long as possible.

[skins island connection]

 

 Ya know, its damned hard for me to defend Snyder in any way, and the only thing that I've really stood behind him on is the not changing the name thing. That is still a big topic for me, and I'm sure many other fans as well, so he has 1 check mark for that.

 Its everything else that he's screwed up.

First and foremost hiring Bruce Allen. That was a 'nostalgic' hire, as are many of his other hires. He really does think like a little boy with a crap load of money; a Richy Rich personified. Sure, he's made some really outlandish hires before Allen came along, and its the boyish ego with no thought process or vision of the future that keeps him doing these crazy things.

 

Bruce Allen leaving the organization? That is an absolute 'must do'. No 'removing Allen of GM duties' or any form of demotion, it has to be full removal.

That itself would be a huge step in the right direction, but its what Snyder does to replace him that will determine whether he finally sees the results of his past or if he just takes another step in a pile of crap.

 

I am resolved in understanding he will not sell the team; that thought has left my brain. It boils down to Allen's replacement.

If he goes nostalgic and hires, say, John Riggins or Joe Theismann, then we all know its a piss poor attempt to draw fans back with sparkles from the glory years, and that won't cut it. It will have to be a GM who has had success, and this GM will need a backbone, especially to tell Dan to stay out of business and just write the checks.

But finding a GM like that will appear almost dangerous, maybe outlandish, to the media. There is someone out there, I don't know who, but whoever the GM is, if they don't stand up to Snyder right off the bat and tell him that he's part of the problem, then I doubt things will ever change.

[SkinsFTW]

2 hours ago, Stadium-Armory said:

 

I also think he's a conflict avoider. Good managers some times have to put on their big pants and look someone in the eye and fire them. Dan is not a good manager.

 

Dan made all of his money buying out other businesses and firing everybody. He's continued the trend with the Redskins and has fired, hired, fired, over and over and over again. Avoiding conflict isn't what Dan does. He's all about the conflict. He sent Vanilla ice cream to an employee that failed to impress him, among countless examples of his fondness of conflict.

 

What he doesn't like is being known as the problem bringing down the Redskins so he hires a front man and then micromanages everything from behind the curtain. He knows that he's clueless, that's why this set-up is required. He just can't help himself. He can't handle having fingers pointed at him as the buffoon that he is but he's can't keep himself in check.

 

Bruce Allen has about the worst record of any GM in NFL history that didn't get fired. He's not fired because winning and losing isn't on his report card. His grade is A+ on keeping Dan's shenanigans out of the media for the most part. He's done a fine job and still is employed despite being the overseer of the dumpster fire.

[Learned Hand]

Bruce is not enough. I continue my active no direct support or viewing boycott of all things NFL until Dan sells the team. I realize this may mean having to do it for what is left of my lifetime. I'm ok with that. Dan has taken something dear from me. My personal boycott is the only thing that I can do to express my anger and grief over it. I will check the box score and read the site. That is it. No tv and absolutely no merch. I have made my peace with it. 

[BringMetheHeadofBruceAllen]

13 hours ago, SkinsFTW said:

 

Dan made all of his money buying out other businesses and firing everybody. He's continued the trend with the Redskins and has fired, hired, fired, over and over and over again. Avoiding conflict isn't what Dan does. He's all about the conflict. He sent Vanilla ice cream to an employee that failed to impress him, among countless examples of his fondness of conflict.

 

What he doesn't like is being known as the problem bringing down the Redskins so he hires a front man and then micromanages everything from behind the curtain. He knows that he's clueless, that's why this set-up is required. He just can't help himself. He can't handle having fingers pointed at him as the buffoon that he is but he's can't keep himself in check.

 

Bruce Allen has about the worst record of any GM in NFL history that didn't get fired. He's not fired because winning and losing isn't on his report card. His grade is A+ on keeping Dan's shenanigans out of the media for the most part. He's done a fine job and still is employed despite being the overseer of the dumpster fire.

 

I knew two people who used to work at Snyder Communications in the 90s and can vouch for that. Danny Boy was a petty tyrant in the office and had no problem screaming at people or firing them in front of everybody else. People who left the building to go home before Snyder did also risked getting fired for not putting their jobs first, no matter how many hours they had already worked that day, or if they had families. Snyder usually stayed in his office until 8 or 9 PM and made snide comments to people who were leaving, just like Ebenezer Scrooge chewing out Bob Cratchitt.

 

We've heard countless examples of people being told not to look Danny Boy in the eye. If someone did, they risked being fired. He even did this with Redskins players, according to LaVar Arrington. I believe he also threatened Lavaranues Cole.

 

The ice cream incident with Mike Nolan has been well-documented as well. What isn't usually reported is that the vanilla ice cream was left on Nolan's desk with the note "I don't like vanilla" on it, but Nolan had the class to write Dan a note thanking him for the ice cream so his kids could enjoy it. When the Redskins got blasted the next week, Snyder did it AGAIN, but this time made sure the ice cream melted all over Nolan's desk. He also left another note: "I'm serious. I don't like vanilla."

 

He's not afraid of conflict, he just treats people differently based on how important they are. Brucifer is his shield from criticism, plain and simple.

 

Who's to ultimately blame for all of this? The NFL, because they are the idiots who approved selling the team to a 35-year old college dropout with zero emotional intelligence and a severe case of narcissism.

[Boss_Hogg]

Everyone who is on this board with a twitter needs to follow Gary Fitzgerald. He worked for Dan Snyder from 2003-2012. Gary has some interesting stories about all the ****ery surrounding Dan Snyder

 

 

 

[portis26a]

Bruce means well. This is the biggest misconception.. 

 

He cares A LOT about this franchise, and will only leave when he feels comfortable. 

[BatteredFanSyndrome]

8 minutes ago, portis26a said:

Bruce means well. This is the biggest misconception.. 

 

He cares A LOT about this franchise, and will only leave when he feels comfortable. 

I don’t think anyone is under the impression that he sucks on purpose.  
 

 

[Wildbunny]

3 hours ago, BatteredFanSyndrome said:

I don’t think anyone is under the impression that he sucks on purpose.  
 

 

So Vinny was sack and stuff and Bruce is suck and stuff?

 

Got it!

[portis26a]

4 hours ago, BatteredFanSyndrome said:

I don’t think anyone is under the impression that he sucks on purpose.  
 

 

 

Not what I'm hearing..