Craig Hoffman: Brian Lafemina, three other executives part ways with the Redskins

[MarkB452]

3 hours ago, dyst said:

I wouldn't be surprised if one day we find out that he paid people to come to the forums and post positive things about the front office in support. That's how scummy they are.

 

It would not be the first time.....  who can forget andyman?

 

https://deadspin.com/how-dan-snyder-helped-get-an-enemy-reporter-promoted-ri-1693989144

 

Karl Swanson, the longtime Snyder spokesman who once told the Post his role was to be the owner's "henchman," went on the Snyder-owned message board, Extremeskins, to direct fans to a page called The Nunyo Files, which was set up as a depository for alleged errors by Demasio. The most bizarre chapter of the team's dirty dealings with Demasio came in 2005, when the moderators of the message board sportsjournalists.com let out that Swanson had registered at that site around the time a poster going by Andyman, who seemingly knew the inner workings of Redskins Park, was ruthlessly flaming Demasio. Swanson, who left the Redskins in 2010, did not respond to a request for comment for this story; at the time, though, he told me that he had indeed registered at sportsjournalists.com, yet claimed, "I am not Andyman." Alas, the henchman's denials notwithstanding, Andyman, who had also been a star poster at Extremeskins, disappeared soon after the outing.

[Art]

3 hours ago, TK said:

I've been hearing for about the last month that another blowout loss would most likely get someone fired. Now it comes down to a Divisional game at home. If the Eagles with Nick Foles hang 40-50 points on the D & it's not a shootout on offense, then I think Manusky is packing his bags & most likely Tomsula takes over as DC.

 

This would both surprise me and, well, not.

 

The Giants game was a coaching L.   So was Atlanta and New Orleans.   All on the defensive side, we were terribly unprepared, did not adjust and got picked apart by whatever the other team wanted to do.   The Colts game was largely the type of loss we'll always have early, being the other team practices harder and is more physically tough early than we are with our soft schedule, so we'll always start rocky until we get our land legs under us that other teams develop in practice.   But Manusky's inability to do ANYTHING in three games have led to demoralizing losses.   The sort of roll over things NO ONE should survive.

This happened to a degree in the 2006 season with Gregg Williams as well when the league figured him out entirely realizing no matter WHAT he showed, if we brought pressure, we were ALWAYS in a Cover 2, so teams always knew throw the Cover 2 routes anytime we show a look and bring someone.   Williams got shredded that year and we were an atrocious defense.   The following year, you may recall, he changed greatly, we were back in the Top 10, but even he had a game -- think New England in 2007 -- where he stubbornly played the 2 safeties 25-yards off the ball on a HELLA windy day and New England said, "Ok, we'll play our 11 on your 9 until you change," and we never did.

There simply ARE games a coach can lose.   Manusky's problem is he doesn't produce the game HE largely wins because of something clever.  The play that triggers the opposition into exactly what you want.   The real carry for any real stretch.   And the losses his scheme and inability to adjust brings about leads to at least three or four games where we are toast, by a ton, simply because he exists.   That he survived the Giants game stunned me.   And with the release of Swearinger I have convinced myself the team will stand pat on the coaching staff.   Especially so because no new coach will want to come in while the Smith situation is up in the air.    So while I would think it obvious and time to part ways with Manusky, whether we lose by a lot or a little on Sunday, I can't quite convince myself that's in our immediate future, regardless of the outcome.   But I hope it does happen for sure :).

 

[redskinss]

Ok the picture is getting much clearer now, thank you. 

I do remember Andyman but dont really remember much of that story if any. 

I do remember everybody talking about how he was an "insider" though. 

[Darth Tater]

My fear is that we demolish the Eagles and Minnesota loses.  Minnesota is backing into the playoffs and we are actually improved over last year in spite of catastrophic injuries (at least that's the story the front office can spin).  The move we really need to make, fire Bruce Allen (which also probably leads to firing Gruden and Manusky), is not made.  We may fire Gruden and Manusky and bring in Norv Gruden 3.0.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

2 hours ago, The Hangman- C_Hanburger said:

I can't be a hypocrite and EVER root for KC. There were guys like Trent who played hurt to protect his sorry zz. Players who are late in their careers who were duped into thinking KC would stick with the group and pull this franchise up with them.  His Coach who stuck his neck out for him and whose job is VERY suspect right now...*I* think had KC stayed..we'd be in the POffs and these guys earned it. Ya, I know Bruce/Dan owns this too and I support anything that would get rid of these guys (except rooting for KC)

 

He is worse than Haynesworth IMHO...worse than Giants/Eagles/Cowboys combined and that's coming from a George Allen Over The hill Gang fan.

 

 

 

 

My God in Heaven.

[Art]

10 minutes ago, MarkB452 said:

 

It would not be the first time.....  who can forget andyman?

 

https://deadspin.com/how-dan-snyder-helped-get-an-enemy-reporter-promoted-ri-1693989144

 

Karl Swanson, the longtime Snyder spokesman who once told the Post his role was to be the owner's "henchman," went on the Snyder-owned message board, Extremeskins, to direct fans to a page called The Nunyo Files, which was set up as a depository for alleged errors by Demasio. The most bizarre chapter of the team's dirty dealings with Demasio came in 2005, when the moderators of the message board sportsjournalists.com let out that Swanson had registered at that site around the time a poster going by Andyman, who seemingly knew the inner workings of Redskins Park, was ruthlessly flaming Demasio. Swanson, who left the Redskins in 2010, did not respond to a request for comment for this story; at the time, though, he told me that he had indeed registered at sportsjournalists.com, yet claimed, "I am not Andyman." Alas, the henchman's denials notwithstanding, Andyman, who had also been a star poster at Extremeskins, disappeared soon after the outing.

 

I actually know who Andyman is and is not.   

I can say no one has ever gotten it entirely correct in that Andyman was NEVER one person, which should have been fairly obvious, though, it was authorized by one person certainly.   As the author of The Nunyo Files, which led to Nunyo's termination -- but not termination, right -- at the Post and person involved in those things at that time, I can say it was a joyous bit of fun certainly :).

[Sticksboi05]

2 hours ago, The Hangman- C_Hanburger said:

Now going to rehash...just reread my posts. My opinion..my position.. EOL

 

I did, and it is clearly based on non-factual information. You bought Bruce Allen's trickery and expected Kirk to sign an unfairly low contract compared to what the market dictated. I live in New York, I cannot go to a realtor and ask for a single bedroom across from Manhattan for $700 per month because I'd prefer it.

 

Your anger should be at Bruce for botching that from the get go. He was never going to give him a long-term deal and thus, should have traded him instead of letting him walk for zilch. One of the who knows how many screw-ups from this asshat.

 

Anyway, Bruce is here for the long haul so there is zero hope for success in this organization.

 

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

9 minutes ago, Art said:

 

I actually know who Andyman is and is not.   

I can say no one has ever gotten it entirely correct in that Andyman was NEVER one person, which should have been fairly obvious, though, it was authorized by one person certainly.   As the author of The Nunyo Files, which led to Nunyo's termination -- but not termination, right -- at the Post and person involved in those things at that time, I can say it was a joyous bit of fun certainly :).

 

My God in Heaven!

[Sticksboi05]

Whoops - that was not supposed to happen.

[Riggo-toni]

I've forgotten whom, but somebody's sig back then was "I wouldn't pee on Nunyo DeMasio if he were on fire."

[Wildbunny]

I'm gonna post it here as I think that's where it belongs, though the BA thread could fit as well..

 

I've posted an article from Thom Loverro where he brings an interesting theory regarding Brian LaFemina's hiring.

 

 

He believes that Brian LaFemina's is no dummy and knew he was stepping into a mess of an organisation. And he's one of the highest guy in the NFL regarding marketing.

So Loverro thinks that there is a possibility that he was send to Washington by Godell to clean the mess that Bruce and Dan have made out of the Redskins. His point being that the Redskins used to be one of the most valuable franchise in NFL's history and the NFL doesn't really like seeing it being thrown into dirt regularly.

 

It's not unprecedented as, again he backs it up with Pete Rozelle sending George Young to the Giants to clean the mess there in the 80s.

 

If somehow that is true to any degree, the league probably won't like at all Dan and Bruce firing Brian LaFemina and his team like we did. I'm pretty sure he has already done a report to Godell and Mara about the state of the team and everything that goes with it... Then what kind of measures could the NFL take against us?

 

[TK]

4 minutes ago, Wildbunny said:

So Loverro thinks that there is a possibility that he was send to Washington by Godell to clean the mess that Bruce and Dan have made out of the Redskins.

Finlay's already on record as asking LaFemina this & LaFemina shot it down.

[Wildbunny]

33 minutes ago, TK said:

Finlay's already on record as asking LaFemina this & LaFemina shot it down.

That's typically the kind of answers that I wouldn't trust in any way.

 

[ncr2h]

Even if the NFL or the commissioner has a contractual right to force an owner to sell (not sure that's true), exercising that right in a non-emergency situation could drive the values of all 32 franchises down, as potential buyers would need to account for the increased risk of a forced sale. If the NFL never exercises that right, then future investors know that they'll have the leeway to turn things around on their own, leading them to offer higher valuations for the franchises.

 

There would need to be a Don Sterling type situation, where Snyder's actions create a national embarrassment, daily headlines in national news for several weeks on end, etc. In that case, the NFL exercising its right would actually benefit the valuations of the other 31 franchises, which were being dragged down by association with Snyder.

 

In short, I wouldn't count on the league forcing Snyder to sell. The Redskins may be an embarrassment to us, but it would need to get to a level where it transcends football before the league would step in. Unfortunately, we're stuck with this guy until he sells or passes on.

[Redskin4ever]

14 minutes ago, ncr2h said:

Even if the NFL or the commissioner has a contractual right to force an owner to sell (not sure that's true), exercising that right in a non-emergency situation could drive the values of all 32 franchises down, as potential buyers would need to account for the increased risk of a forced sale. If the NFL never exercises that right, then future investors know that they'll have the leeway to turn things around on their own, leading them to offer higher valuations for the franchises.

 

There would need to be a Don Sterling type situation, where Snyder's actions create a national embarrassment, daily headlines in national news for several weeks on end, etc. In that case, the NFL exercising its right would actually benefit the valuations of the other 31 franchises, which were being dragged down by association with Snyder.

 

In short, I wouldn't count on the league forcing Snyder to sell. The Redskins may be an embarrassment to us, but it would need to get to a level where it transcends football before the league would step in. Unfortunately, we're stuck with this guy until he sells or passes on.

 

And that is the rub in all of this. Even though falling attendance and viewership from Redskins fans hurts the league and the other owners bottom line, the other owners have a vested interest in seeing the other teams suck. So they may step in to help attendance or viewership in cities that are lagging, but they won't force a guy to sell just because his team is perpetual suck. So unless Snyder does something that as you put it creates a national embarrassment that the league can't overcome, we are stuck with the suck. 

[Art]

1 hour ago, Wildbunny said:

I'm gonna post it here as I think that's where it belongs, though the BA thread could fit as well..

 

I've posted an article from Thom Loverro where he brings an interesting theory regarding Brian LaFemina's hiring.

 

 

He believes that Brian LaFemina's is no dummy and knew he was stepping into a mess of an organisation. And he's one of the highest guy in the NFL regarding marketing.

So Loverro thinks that there is a possibility that he was send to Washington by Godell to clean the mess that Bruce and Dan have made out of the Redskins. His point being that the Redskins used to be one of the most valuable franchise in NFL's history and the NFL doesn't really like seeing it being thrown into dirt regularly.

 

It's not unprecedented as, again he backs it up with Pete Rozelle sending George Young to the Giants to clean the mess there in the 80s.

 

If somehow that is true to any degree, the league probably won't like at all Dan and Bruce firing Brian LaFemina and his team like we did. I'm pretty sure he has already done a report to Godell and Mara about the state of the team and everything that goes with it... Then what kind of measures could the NFL take against us?

 

 

This is dumb beyond measure.

 

First, the fact that LaFemina was among the best NFL marketing guys should have scared the piss out of all of us given the NFL's marketing is idiotic and stupid.   The last NFL shop commercial I saw had EQUAL numbers of men and women, as if that's the target audience, and ALL OF THEM were beautiful under 30.   You're marketing to fans.   SHOW FANS.   It ain't hard.   It's like making a World War 2 historical game where 95 percent of your players are men/boys and putting women in it and THEN saying women fought in WW2.   As if such a thing could ever happen.   Wait.   Battlefield 5.   My bad.

But, yes, the idiotic conspiracy theory is MUCH more likely than Snyder simply paying a guy more than the other job.   Yeah.   Totally get it.

 

[Die Hard]

I’ll just add, the Demaysio file was all Art. 

 

Im not sure how anyone could have mistaken otherwise. 

[TD_washingtonredskins]

16 hours ago, Art said:

 

This is dumb beyond measure.

 

First, the fact that LaFemina was among the best NFL marketing guys should have scared the piss out of all of us given the NFL's marketing is idiotic and stupid.   The last NFL shop commercial I saw had EQUAL numbers of men and women, as if that's the target audience, and ALL OF THEM were beautiful under 30.   You're marketing to fans.   SHOW FANS.   It ain't hard.   It's like making a World War 2 historical game where 95 percent of your players are men/boys and putting women in it and THEN saying women fought in WW2.   As if such a thing could ever happen.   Wait.   Battlefield 5.   My bad.

But, yes, the idiotic conspiracy theory is MUCH more likely than Snyder simply paying a guy more than the other job.   Yeah.   Totally get it.

 

 

That's actually too bad then...I would be encouraged if it looked like the league would step in if they saw a franchise struggling to figure it out. 

[Wildbunny]

17 hours ago, Art said:

First, the fact that LaFemina was among the best NFL marketing guys should have scared the piss out of all of us given the NFL's marketing is idiotic and stupid.

Well here, it doesn't really matter how do we, or any outsiders view LaFemina.

 

What really matters in this story is how the NFL view him.

Maybe you're right and they didn't rated him highly and allowed him to go to the Redskins so they can get rid of him.

Maybe they don't and they probably don't like what happened then...

[75004]

Seems like there is not much we can do with the ownership and since the fan base is pulling away from supporting Snyder/Allen, perhaps as fans we can ask for a team in the DC area and we can name it a new name.  We can let Dan keep his franchise. I know this is wishful thinking but I just do not see any way out. 

[The Sisko]

 

21 hours ago, Art said:

 

This is dumb beyond measure.

 

First, the fact that LaFemina was among the best NFL marketing guys should have scared the piss out of all of us given the NFL's marketing is idiotic and stupid.   The last NFL shop commercial I saw had EQUAL numbers of men and women, as if that's the target audience, and ALL OF THEM were beautiful under 30.   You're marketing to fans.   SHOW FANS.   It ain't hard.   It's like making a World War 2 historical game where 95 percent of your players are men/boys and putting women in it and THEN saying women fought in WW2.   As if such a thing could ever happen.   Wait.   Battlefield 5.   My bad.

But, yes, the idiotic conspiracy theory is MUCH more likely than Snyder simply paying a guy more than the other job.   Yeah.   Totally get it.

Said the guy who spent literally years telling us how dumb those of us were who pointed out that Snyderatto had the football smarts of a potato. Then, when it became apparent that we were right because the wheels totally popped off and Snyder finally fired Cerrato, this same smart guy decided he needed to spend more time with his family. BTW, please remind us which team(s) immediately pounced on the opportunity (correction, on the two opportunities) to hire a legendary personnel genius like Cerrato?

 

I don't know if any of the so-called conspiracy theory stuff is right or not. However, based on your denial of it, I'd say that makes it more likely it's true. 🙂 Besides, as was the case with Snyder hiring Cerrato twice, if he hired "idiotic and stupid" marketing guys so bad they needed to be fired within a year, what does that say about Lord Farquaad's business sense?

[Art]

7 hours ago, The Sisko said:

 

Said the guy who spent literally years telling us how dumb those of us were who pointed out that Snyderatto had the football smarts of a potato. Then, when it became apparent that we were right because the wheels totally popped off and Snyder finally fired Cerrato, this same smart guy decided he needed to spend more time with his family. BTW, please remind us which team(s) immediately pounced on the opportunity (correction, on the two opportunities) to hire a legendary personnel genius like Cerrato?

 

I don't know if any of the so-called conspiracy theory stuff is right or not. However, based on your denial of it, I'd say that makes it more likely it's true. 🙂 Besides, as was the case with Snyder hiring Cerrato twice, if he hired "idiotic and stupid" marketing guys so bad they needed to be fired within a year, what does that say about Lord Farquaad's business sense?

 

I'm certain fiction is fun but all the things between the inferred "Once upon a time," and "Happily ever after" is totally made up.   I never suggested Cerrato was anything more than he was.   Which is to say he was a part of the process the Redskins had at the time, which was well understood and explained.   Cerrato is certainly smarter about football than anyone on this board given he had access to it daily for years and understood things we could only dream.   I'm sorry you are pent up angry about **** that was written in 2005 when Gibbs had Cerrato as part of his team here.   But, yes, my first kid was born in 2005.   My second in 2006.   As they aged my life required more attention on them than on any other thing.   It's even worse NOW that they are 13 and 12.   But, sounds like you feel me spending time with my family is another one of those conspiracy theories.   Good luck with it bro and learn how to avoid carrying negative emotion toward a guy who, literally, has NO CLUE WHO YOU ARE, and, BTW, won't in two years when I see you again.

 

 

13 hours ago, TD_washingtonredskins said:

 

That's actually too bad then...I would be encouraged if it looked like the league would step in if they saw a franchise struggling to figure it out. 

 

We are 7-9.   It's not exactly like we're a total disaster.   Yes, it FEELS like we are given how the injuries have really sapped all hope, but at the end of the day, this team is 10 or so fewer injuries from being a division champion and the end of year feeling a lot differently about how they are, or are not, struggling.   That said, I join you in disappointment regarding how these end of seasons feel with those injuries and I suspect the next couple years could be TRUE disasters from start to finish depending on Smith's health.

[The Sisko]

8 hours ago, Art said:

 

I'm certain fiction is fun but all the things between the inferred "Once upon a time," and "Happily ever after" is totally made up.   I never suggested Cerrato was anything more than he was.   Which is to say he was a part of the process the Redskins had at the time, which was well understood and explained.   Cerrato is certainly smarter about football than anyone on this board given he had access to it daily for years and understood things we could only dream.   I'm sorry you are pent up angry about **** that was written in 2005 when Gibbs had Cerrato as part of his team here.   But, yes, my first kid was born in 2005.   My second in 2006.   As they aged my life required more attention on them than on any other thing.   It's even worse NOW that they are 13 and 12.   But, sounds like you feel me spending time with my family is another one of those conspiracy theories.   Good luck with it bro and learn how to avoid carrying negative emotion toward a guy who, literally, has NO CLUE WHO YOU ARE, and, BTW, won't in two years when I see you again.

You don’t remember me as The Sisko, but I’m sure you remember me as Yusuf. However, your memory isn’t the point. Rather, it was to provide a bit of context regarding your credibility for any newbs who haven’t figured out your schtick. And no, I’m not angry, just mildly surprised to see that over the years you haven’t grown beyond being pompous and insulting in your long running defense of Lord Farquaad.

 

Due mostly to a self-protective indifference toward the team, I haven’t been around as much lately either, even less so on the stadium side. So, if I’ve missed a newfound acceptance on your part that Snyder is in fact gobbidge, I’ll stand corrected.

[Skinsinparadise]

We've had some Gregg talk here so I figure I'd put this here

 

 

 

[Art]

On 12/30/2018 at 7:59 AM, The Sisko said:

You don’t remember me as The Sisko, but I’m sure you remember me as Yusuf. However, your memory isn’t the point. Rather, it was to provide a bit of context regarding your credibility for any newbs who haven’t figured out your schtick. And no, I’m not angry, just mildly surprised to see that over the years you haven’t grown beyond being pompous and insulting in your long running defense of Lord Farquaad.

 

Due mostly to a self-protective indifference toward the team, I haven’t been around as much lately either, even less so on the stadium side. So, if I’ve missed a newfound acceptance on your part that Snyder is in fact gobbidge, I’ll stand corrected.

 

Yes, i remember Yusuf.   Which is good.

 

As to my relative level of accuracy, not only was I precisely accurate on the topic you fictionalized and made fake, but I am entirely accurate on this topic where I called the conspiracy theory that the league put LaFemina in place as an eventual move to take the team from Snyder something idiotic.   But, my statement doesn't make that conspiracy theory idiotic and false.   Reality does.

 

Like, Snyder FIRED the guy the league put in to take the team from him.

 

Apparently, that theory was, uh, wrong.   So, when you feel the need to help newbies understand whether or not I am reliably able to discern truth from fiction, it is a good idea to do so in a thread reality has not already disabused of any alternate view than the one I kindly state.   Don't you think?