Marketing Geniuses

[Burgold]

I'm not a chess grandmaster. I admit I can not see as many moves ahead as some, but it seems to me we have some of the stupidest geniuses of all time running the Redskins. I mean, I understand that Daniel Snyder is more or less a self-made billionaire who made his money in marketing. I further understand that one of the biggest selling points in bringing Bruce Allen aboard was because they wanted to smooth the waters with the fan base and with Redskins alumni. Finally, based on my book sales especially considering how well reviewed and rated my books are, I fully admit that I personally am a marketing dunce.

 

But...

 

Are the Redskins' marketing geniuses the biggest bunch of idiots ever?

 

I mean the Redskins somehow fell into a really nice feel good story with Josh Johnson. You could feel the fan base softening. The narrative was beginning to be... "Yeah, but the injuries. Maybe Gruden ain't so bad! Look how close we are with our sixteenth string o line and fourth string QB. Maybe we were just being too hard on them. Maybe... just maybe the Redskins know what they're doing."

 

This after, the Redskins earned a PR black eye for signing Reuben Foster. This, after the Redskins went away from Kaep for Sanchez and then again  after a mulligan skipped  over Kaep again and went insanely for Josh Johnson, which earned themselves another heaping spoonful of PR poison.

But it worked. Johnson's Cinderella underdog story soothed the anger of the fan base. It didn't erase all ills, but it made it possible to root and feel better about being a fan of this team. Pitchforks were struck into haystacks. The torches were quaffed. Fans still grumbled, but were more content to mutter into their beers than storm the castle and hang the King.

 

Enter our PR geniuses. Into this storm, they decide to make an example of a player. Do they fire the guy who said, "F the fans?" Do they fire the guy who got arrested for assault? No, they fire the guy who is saying what every fan screamed at their TV on Saturday. A guy who was one of their few Pro Bowl caliber guys. A guy who'd become a fiery face of the defense and whose mouth very nearly was matched by his on the field exploits.

 

Now, sure Swearinger's tirade deserved a suspension or a fine, but dismissal... on a meaningless last game that no vet gives a damn about anyway? It's like giving him an extra week of his vacation and if he's lucky a free ticket to the playoffs. The Redskins' punishment is not only an insult to fans, but a reward to the player.

 

Luckily, the fans left their pitchforks and torches near at hand. They knew the Redskins couldn't keep the peace. They had to screw it up at least one more time.

 

What this leaves me wondering is how the Redskins could possibly screw up every PR move out there? Am I missing a move? Is there a checkmate lurking on the board that I just can't see? Is this a brilliant sacrifice?

 

Or are our PR and marketing geniuses as stupid as they seem to be? I mean seriously... this has to be at least the sixth major PR disaster this year! And if we look over the last ten? It just doesn't seem possible if it's not intentional.

 

What am I missing?

[CousinsCowgirl84]

Maybe Snyder sees his target market as fans of opposing teams... 

[Zazzaro703]

One thing is certainly true, for whatever reason being in the spotlight for 4 months out of the year is just too much for this organization. Year after year the wheels come flying off the wagon and things turn into a dumpster tire fire. Even with the spotlight off for 8 months, these boobs somehow always seem to remind us that yup they are still there running the ship ashore during the offseason.

 

Well, the marketing ideas have all dried up and the majority of the fan base has no desire scheduling a full day outing to Fedex when there are 20 other better options for your Sunday and watching at home is a way better experience. Losing 3 hours of your Sunday on top of being in a **** mood the rest of the day 8+ weeks a season is bad enough, adding the perils of getting to and from Fedex is just unreasonable. This organization has always been reluctant to have full rebuild out of fear of losing the fan base, well after one more year of Jay Gruden and hopefully a much clearer picture at the QB position there is no reason to not have a fire sale and field a team of young hungry players put together by a front office organization that’s only inclusion of Dan Snyder is signing checks. Hire a top outside firm to interview GMs and go from there. Will it happen? Of course not so I’ll see you all next year at the annual tire fire. One cannot even fathom what fireworks will come along with the end of the Jay Gruden era.

[sempre_victrix]

I wish I could say what I really feet, but I prefer to not visit a jail tonight.

 

This team has the ****tiest front office in professional football.  It's not even close.  We may have a better record than some teams, but, from a leadership standpoint, this group of clowns has no equal.  Any FO that continues on with Jay and his merry band of loser coaches after we continue to put together a great string of 7-9 seasons should be taken out and have unspeakable things done to them.

 

Honestly, cutting DJ at this point in the season, for this reason, may be the epitome of absolute stupidity.  This on top of doing nothing to Foster for saying **** the Redskins and signing a player who can't seem to stop beating his ex-girlfriend.

 

Is Snyder trying to pull the the attendance down to the point that he can move the team?  This certainly feels like Major League to me.  How else can you explain the abject stupidity of the FO moves this, and the last few years.

2 minutes ago, Zazzaro703 said:

One thing is certainly true, for whatever reason being in the spotlight for 4 months out of the year is just too much for this organization. Year after year the wheels come flying off the wagon and things turn into a dumpster tire fire. Even with the spotlight off for 8 months, these boobs somehow always seem to remind us that yup they are still there running the ship ashore during the offseason.

 

Well, the marketing ideas have all dried up and the majority of the fan base has no desire scheduling a full day outing to Fedex when there are 20 other better options for your Sunday and watching at home is a way better experience. Losing 3 hours of your Sunday on top of being in a **** mood the rest of the day 8+ weeks a season is bad enough, adding the perils of getting to and from Fedex is just unreasonable. This organization has always been reluctant to have full rebuild out of fear of losing the fan base, well after one more year of Jay Gruden and hopefully a much clearer picture at the QB position there is no reason to not have a fire sale and field a team of young hungry players put together by a front office organization that’s only inclusion of Dan Snyder is signing checks. Hire a top outside firm to interview GMs and go from there. Will it happen? Of course not so I’ll see you all next year at the annual tire fire. One cannot even fathom what fireworks will come along with the end of the Jay Gruden era.

 

I got tired of the game day experience when they were winning.  I have no idea why any fans are willing to deal with the game day experience to watch this **** show of an organization in person.  Those fans must be more loyal than me.  As I've said before, I would not attend a game right now, with free 50 yard line seats and the company of any 3 cheerleaders of my choosing if I actually had to attend the playing of the game.

 

 

[TradeTheBeal!]

It’s astounding to me that folks are this outraged about cutting a guy that has spent the last month trashing everybody in the building during a playoff chase.

 

Wait, scratch that...I’m not astounded because folks aren’t really outraged.  It’s just a front.

 

Try to enjoy the holidays, folks.  The draft is in a few months and our last few drafts have really been quite productive.

[Spaceman Spiff]

#wehail

 

#wefail 

[Spaceman Spiff]

1 hour ago, TryTheBeal! said:

It’s astounding to me that folks are this outraged about cutting a guy that has spent the last month trashing everybody in the building during a playoff chase.

 

Wait, scratch that...I’m not astounded because folks aren’t really outraged.  It’s just a front.

 

Try to enjoy the holidays, folks.  The draft is in a few months and our last few drafts have really been quite productive.

 

It's just a front?  C'mon.  

 

Redskins...sign a guy with domestic violence issues.  I mean, we just HAD to have Reuben Foster.  HAD to have that guy.

 

Redskins...bench, but don't release a fringe safety who got caught on camera for an assault and public intoxication charge. 

 

Redskins...keep a guy who wrote "**** this team and the fanbase," (does anyone really believe his cousin did that?)

 

But ohhhh no, DJ Swearinger is the one that has to go.  You release the guy who did a dumb thing but NOT NEARLY AS DUMB AS THE OTHERS.  YOU KEEP THE SAFETY THAT HAS AN ASSAULT AND PUBLIC INTOXICATION CHARGE AND IS A LESSER PLAYER.  You keep that guy.  That's the move.

 

And you're astounded that people are pissed?  I'm not even pissed, I'm over it at this point, everything this team does is an eye roll for me.  But I can't get upset at anyone that's pissed at this franchise.  Who's fronting here?  This is like, the billionteenth example of the Redskins being dumb, people are tired of it.  

 

[MassSkinsFan]

3 hours ago, Burgold said:

What this leaves me wondering is how the Redskins could possibly screw up every PR move out there? Am I missing a move? Is there a checkmate lurking on the board that I just can't see? 

 

Now that Trent tweeted his reaction I’m predicting he’ll be added to the **** list. 

 

What in the ever-loving **** is wrong with our moron FO?

 

Ugh. 

[skinfan2k]

The PR department still has the golden marketing nugget left that all redskins fans will eat up.  A new stadium at RFK.   I really want to start a thread on ES to evaluate if RFK stadium would erase the black eye on this franchise. 

[Burgold]

I have really fond memories of the games I went to in RFK, but the magic wasn't in the seats or the bricks. It wasn't in the unstable bouncing stands. It was the fact that I went as a twelve year old when Gibbs was in his glory and the 'skins were not only a great team, but a team one could be proud of. Even their bad boys like Riggo and Dexter weren't bad, only self-destructive. They just partied too hard. Overall though, this was a team that won and won with players even our opponents respected. This was the team of Darrell Green, Art Monk, Russ Grimm, Charles Mann, etc.

 

A stadium in DC doesn't mean much to me. It's the memories that make the stadium. That, more than anything else, is why Fed Ex has so little magic.

[skinfan2k]

5 minutes ago, Burgold said:

I have really fond memories of the games I went to in RFK, but the magic wasn't in the seats or the bricks. It wasn't in the unstable bouncing stands. It was the fact that I went as a twelve year old when Gibbs was in his glory and the 'skins were not only a great team, but a team one could be proud of. Even their bad boys like Riggo and Dexter weren't only self-destructive. They weren't bad they just partied too hard. Overall though, this was a team that won and with players even our opponents respected. This was the team of Darrell Green, Art Monk, Russ Grimm, Charles Mann, etc.

 

A stadium in DC doesn't mean much to me. It's the memories that make the stadium. That, more than anything else, is why Fed Ex has so little magic.

but for some reason, Synder and fans here think moving the team back there would bring back immediate success.  

[Gibbs828791]

The problem is people remember the proud days of Gibbs and company and cant distinguish the past (the team name) from Dan. Dan is disciple, I mean he ran the Hoggets out. The guy and the people he hires are completely unlikable and complete Douches. All of my buddies are/were die hard skins fans, now they skip games on TV and are embarrassed to wear gear. The good news is that Dan is such a terd he isnt getting any new fans..I watched games religiously back in the day at 10 years old with my now adult friends, our sons could care less. There will be no Skins fans in another 20 years because for them there was no Gibbs or Riggins just Dan!

[celticsalmon]

F. U. Snyder

[CousinsCowgirl84]

5 hours ago, TryTheBeal! said:

It’s astounding to me that folks are this outraged about cutting a guy that has spent the last month trashing everybody in the building during a playoff chase.

 

Wait, scratch that...I’m not astounded because folks aren’t really outraged.  It’s just a front.

 

Try to enjoy the holidays, folks.  The draft is in a few months and our last few drafts have really been quite productive.

 

 

im out outraged. He needed to be cut. I agree with the move, not the timing. They could have gotten SOMETHING in trade for DJ in the offseason. They could have fined him and kept him out the last game. They could have prevented him from playing with a playoff team this year.      It’s not that he was cut, he acted like a ****, that’s fine. It’s that no one in the organization was savy enough to get anything out of the lemons.

[kleese]

4 hours ago, Spaceman Spiff said:

 

It's just a front?  C'mon.  

 

Redskins...sign a guy with domestic violence issues.  I mean, we just HAD to have Reuben Foster.  HAD to have that guy.

 

Redskins...bench, but don't release a fringe safety who got caught on camera for an assault and public intoxication charge. 

 

Redskins...keep a guy who wrote "**** this team and the fanbase," (does anyone really believe his cousin did that?)

 

But ohhhh no, DJ Swearinger is the one that has to go.  You release the guy who did a dumb thing but NOT NEARLY AS DUMB AS THE OTHERS.  YOU KEEP THE SAFETY THAT HAS AN ASSAULT AND PUBLIC INTOXICATION CHARGE AND IS A LESSER PLAYER.  You keep that guy.  That's the move.

 

And you're astounded that people are pissed?  I'm not even pissed, I'm over it at this point, everything this team does is an eye roll for me.  But I can't get upset at anyone that's pissed at this franchise.  Who's fronting here?  This is like, the billionteenth example of the Redskins being dumb, people are tired of it.  

 

 

Continued insubordination after multiple warnings is basically the worst thing someone can do within any organization. As a business owner it is absolutely the number one thing I watch for and do not tolerate over any other transgressions. 

[gooseneck]

I think the Redskins name needs to go.  We could be the Redskin "Homer's" at least we would be more loveable.

 

[CjSuAvE22]

Guys we need to face reality see a spade call it...we are a loser franchise unfortunately what ever happened in the 80s and early 90s has lost any heat with whatever flames were left the only way things will change is if the stadium continues to be emptier and emptier. 

[dyst]

8 hours ago, TryTheBeal! said:

It’s astounding to me that folks are this outraged about cutting a guy that has spent the last month trashing everybody in the building during a playoff chase.

 

Wait, scratch that...I’m not astounded because folks aren’t really outraged.  It’s just a front.

 

Try to enjoy the holidays, folks.  The draft is in a few months and our last few drafts have really been quite productive.

Is it really hard to understand why the fans are upset? Most fans agree that he should be punished. Suspended him. You won’t find many fans take issue there. 

 

I’d venture to say many are ok with gettig rid of him, but in a trade. No one is crying that we cut an elite safety. What fans are upset about is that we just cut a guy who has actual trade value.

 

Supporting what they did, is basically supporting stupidity. You don’t cut guys that can be traded. You get whatever you can in draft compensation. 

[Spaceman Spiff]

2 hours ago, kleese said:

 

Continued insubordination after multiple warnings is basically the worst thing someone can do within any organization. As a business owner it is absolutely the number one thing I watch for and do not tolerate over any other transgressions. 

 

Is it really?  

 

(I'm a business owner, too)

[kleese]

3 minutes ago, Spaceman Spiff said:

 

Is it really?  

 

(I'm a business owner, too)

 

Yes, once you eliminate the obvious such as committing a criminal act on the clock or assaulting a customer, etc. I’m not considering the extreme outliers in this scenario and only talking about normally expected things you’d deal with. 

 

If someone is habitually late, but great at their job, I cringe and sometimes enact discipline, but will basically always give multiple chances. If someone is an emotional rollercoaster I will point it out, but again give multiple chances. If I get wind of an off-the-clock issue that paints them in a bad light there is also a good chance they will get another chance. But if someone blantantly breaks the chain of command or throws a superior blatantly under the bus or displays clear insubordination? I am not very lenient and generally end it there. I don’t think that’s a bridge that can be rebuilt in most cases. 

[CousinsCowgirl84]

yeah, again, cutting the dude isn’t a big issue,  but i would have waited for a trading partner, and i would have waited till he couldn’t get on a team.p in the playoffs.

[Spaceman Spiff]

2 minutes ago, kleese said:

 

Yes, once you eliminate the obvious such as committing a criminal act on the clock or assaulting a customer, etc. I’m not considering the extreme outliers in this scenario and only talking about normally expected things you’d deal with. 

 

If someone is habitually late, but great at their job, I cringe and sometimes enact discipline, but will basically always give multiple chances. If someone is an emotional rollercoaster I will point it out, but again give multiple chances. If I get wind of an off-the-clock issue that paints them in a bad light there is also a good chance they will get another chance. But if someone blantantly breaks the chain of command or throws a superior blatantly under the bus or displays clear insubordination? I am not very lenient and generally end it there. I don’t think that’s a bridge that can be rebuilt in most cases. 

 

I understand where you're coming from and don't 100% disagree.  But in your scenario and mine, I think we need to remember that you and I aren't paying our people several million dollars and have several thousands of fans watching them do their jobs ( I know that's for sure in my case, I'm taking a wild stab in the dark about yours).  

 

Equating the NFL to "real life" situations in the work environment isn't always 100% a direct match.  In this case, when your employee is better at his job than the superior is at his position, it doesn't hold up.  And in this case, the employee is more valuable than his superior, too.  Swearinger is a Pro Bowl alternate this year, Manusky is not a Pro Bowl caliber coach.  Swearinger will most likely be a starting safety in the league next year, Manusky will be lucky to have a job. 

 

But even in this case, if the NFL was 100% a direct match for the real world working environment, the players kept/acquired over Swearinger are a part of the extreme outliers that you speak of.  Reuben Foster with his domestic violence issues, Montae Nicholson with his assault/intoxication charges and Mason Foster with his verbal assault on the customer (fanbase) are all things that are outliers and a bit more extreme than clear insubordination.  You can't tell me you'd hire a person after doing a background check and finding out that they beat their girlfriend, I know I wouldn't.  You can't tell me that you'd hire a guy when you do a reference check and find out from a past co-worker that he said "**** this company and the customers" on a facebook post.  Those aren't the "normally expected things you'd deal with."  

 

Then again, it's the NFL.  So maybe those are the expected things you'd deal with.

 

If I am picking from your list of things you outlined, I'd lump what Swearinger did along the lines of being habitually late but great at their job and being an emotional rollercoaster.  Yes, he did have multiple chances, I'm not ignorant of that fact and you do have a point there about giving a few strikes before being thrown out.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I have no problem at all with what Swearinger did.  It wasn't a smart move.  But with all the other issues the Redskins have created for themselves this year, I don't think it warranted his release.  Especially taking into consideration that they're already extremely thin at safety and have been for quite some time.  

 

 

 

[kleese]

@Spaceman Spiff I agree that the NFL isn’t the “real world” and it’s hard to make apples to apples comparisons. I’m trying to boil it down to philosophy...insubordination is a big deal for me and it ranks higher on the list of fireable offenses than other offenses, which on their own, aren’t as bad. 

 

The other part to this is that it sounds like you have a separate faction of his coworkers who did not like/agree with him and may have been waiting for the bosses to make a move. It’s possible a line was drawn in the sand and the brass felt they had to take sides. 

[Skinsinparadise]

People can say the two issues are separate.  But talking from a pure PR stand point, the Foster signing opens up this can of worms.  National reporters, reporters like this one from other teams are having a field day with this.  And again its because of their tolerance for other stuff but not for speaking out.  Nicholson -- DUI and assault -- that's cool, that's a suspension.  Foster -- in jail for domestic violence, we don't know if you are guilty or not but we will have your back and pay your salary as the courts figure it out.  DJ -- no suspension -- no initial punishment, its one and done, see yeah. 

 

People can argue the merits of it specifically but all their other actions with other players are VERY relevant IMO and bring deserved ridicule to this.  To me the DJ release is all about the context of their other actions with other players.  And that's where they are taking a PR hit and its well deserved IMO.

 

 

 

[sempre_victrix]

Why am I pissed about this?

 

1.  I liked DJ the player.  Yes, his ****ing about coaches and scheme were not welcome, but he wants to win and plays hard.  He is not an alternate to the Pro Bowl because he is not a good player.

2. We just got done signing a player who allegedly likes to beat his ex-girlfriend.

3. We let Mason Foster skate after saying **** the Redskins.  Nothing was done about it.  Nada.

4. Norman also gets a pass after trashing the fans and wanting to play 16 games on the road.

5. We continue to keep the crystal tight end, who should be bubble wrapped between games to prevent more injuries.

6. Our LG position.  Need I say more?

7. DJ expects the rest of the team and the coaching staff to actually give a damn and try to win.  Calls out, what he think is, a bad scheme that cost them a winnable game.  Hets cut.

 

So, yes, he was warned.  But you suspend him.  I honestly think this organization looks for new and different ways to step on their collective dicks every day.