A New Start! (the Reboot) The Front Office, Ownership, & Coaching Staff Thread

[BatteredFanSyndrome]

49 minutes ago, Skinsinparadise said:

I'll let it play out

No offense, SIP.  But that’s what everybody is doing, whether we like it or not.  I doubt anyone is going to go following Kyle to his new team.

 

And I get what you’re saying in regards to how it all works out here.  What Ron has put together is obviously better than whatever Dan would orchestrate.  That’s a given.  It is progress.

 

But the only thing that will ever convince me that going old and familiar vs. young and upcoming is for the best will be Washington becoming a consistent winner/Super Bowl team and/or Kyle fizzling out where he ends up.

 

And yes - if the above doesn’t happen, damn skippy I’m going to be nauseating about it. 🤣

Edited January 22, 2021 by BatteredFanSyndrome

[RWJ]

16 minutes ago, BatteredFanSyndrome said:

No offense, SIP.  But that’s what everybody is doing, whether we like it or not.  I doubt anyone is going to go following Kyle to his new team.

 

And I get what you’re saying in regards to how it all works out here.  What Ron has put together is obviously better than whatever Dan would orchestrate.  That’s a given.  It is progress.

 

But the only thing that will ever convince me that going old and familiar vs. young and upcoming is for the best will be Washington becoming a consistent winner/Super Bowl team and/or Kyle fizzling out where he ends up.

 

And yes - if the above doesn’t happen, damn skippy I’m going to be nauseating about it. 🤣

I'll man up.  He was probably talking to me and maybe some others.  I am a Kyle Smith fan and I will follow and root for him WHEN he officially becomes a GM.  I will always follow first my team,  the Redskins or to be politically correct, the WFT. 

[Skinsinparadise]

43 minutes ago, BatteredFanSyndrome said:

No offense, SIP.  But that’s what everybody is doing, whether we like it or not.  I doubt anyone is going to go following Kyle to his new team.

 

 

I get that but by i'll let it play out and I mean it with an optimistic bent to it versus these are bad moves or maybe just neutral.  The more I digest both Hurney and Mayhew the more I am cool with it even though they weren't my top choices.

 

43 minutes ago, BatteredFanSyndrome said:

 

And I get what you’re saying in regards to how it all works out here.  What Ron has put together is obviously better than whatever Dan would orchestrate.  That’s a given.  It is progress.

 

 

For me it goes beyond that, IMO Rivera's personality-presence-integrity is in Joe Gibbs' league.  He is a special leader.  He's far from the perfect coach.  He will make mistakes.  But on the aggregate, his players seem to really like him and respect him.  He brings class and gravitas to that building.  I am hoping that maybe his class rubs off a little on Dan.  I think Dan was on his best behavior with Gibbs.   Both Mayhew and Hurney have been described as similar type of people.  Ditto Jason Wright.  Class-integrity.   

 

I think our only chance with Dan is to have someone like Ron in the building.   I'd guess no way he'd come here without the power.  I think he likely figured the only chance he'd had to subjugate Dan is to overrun him with people loyal to himself.  Rivera said he did a lot of homework on Dan before he came.  

 

This part of my post isn't directed to your post but just giving my feeling about this in general.  We can complain about his power but IMO he wouldn't be here without it and we'd have the same old same old culture.  So right now I want whatever Ron wants.  I trust that he knows what he needs.    To me it's like eating burgers forever and now we are seated at a restaurant to eat steak but aren't happy that the chef is a bit bossy and is telling us how to season it and what side dishes to eat with it. I am not putting my hands up about it because the likely alternative is going back to eating burgers.  I'll let Ron cook the steak however he wants. 

 

My point is I don't dislike Ron pushing to surround himself with his people albeit I would have other choices I'd prefer.  But I seriously think getting Ron was a stroke of luck.  Multiple national observers were suprised he took the job here.  It's not that the dude is Belichick.  But he's an above average coach and one of the best culture setters in the league so I am giving him a lot of slack and for now i feel really good about how he's done so far.

 

43 minutes ago, BatteredFanSyndrome said:

 

But the only thing that will ever convince me that going old and familiar vs. young and upcoming is for the best will be Washington becoming a consistent winner/Super Bowl team and/or Kyle fizzling out where he ends up.

 

I get the impression that Ron is looking for people who will double down on his vision and culture he's trying to build.  I didn't really think about it until recently but the thing that struck me about Scot when I met him was how charasmatic he was with people in that building/players, etc.  It came out later that Bruce didn't like it that Scot fraternized with players that way.  Kyle strikes me from what i've heard as a bit stiff personality wise.   This is just a theory of mine (I don't know) but I think Ron wanted people who can help him build morale in that building  with killer people skills.  I've heard from Russell among others say Ron was overwhelmed and exhausted filling some of that end of the GM role last year and he wanted someone to fill that gap.

 

I've heard that sitting at your desk and watching tape is only part of the GM job not the whole drill.  I get the vibe that Ron wanted some guys who can help on the culture front and I am guessing didn't feel as comfortable that Kyle was that guy.  And again this is me speculating.  And if that's part of this, I am cool with it. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 23, 2021 by Skinsinparadise

[Daniel.redskins]

I'm upset about. I think Kyle Smith is a great drafter. He knows what rounds to select certain positions. I just don't want to start drafting wide receivers and running backs in the first rounds. Rivera has done it a couple times and it never works out for the team as a whole.  But I'm at the point now that I'll back any decision Rivera makes. Dumping Haskins was the smartest move this team has made in years. 

[Skinsinparadise]

 

 

[Skinsinparadise]

I have no idea what kind of general manager he’s going to be. But I know this: Washington could not have hired anyone smarter, tougher or more relentlessly decent than Martin Mayhew.

 

In all the years I’ve covered sports, from Earl Weaver to Joe Gibbs, from Eddie Murray to Jeff Bagwell, I’ve never met anyone I admire as much as Mayhew.

 

He played the entire second half of a 1992 game against the Kansas City Chiefs with a broken arm.

“Richie, my arm is killing me; I can’t jam the receiver,” he told defensive coordinator Richie Petitbon at halftime.

Mayhew cried postgame as trainers gingerly cut off his jersey and slipped his shoulder pads over his head before sending him to an X-ray room.

 

He was the cornerback opposite Deion Sanders at Florida State and Darrell Green in Washington. That is, he got every team’s best shot.

He was neither tall (5-foot-8) nor particularly fast. But he studied endlessly, memorized the opponent’s plays and tendencies, and was rarely, if ever, out of position.

In that way, he was the archetype player for Gibbs: tough, smart, prepared.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/01/22/martin-mayhew-washington-gm/

[Skinsinparadise]

21 minutes ago, Daniel.redskins said:

I'm upset about. I think Kyle Smith is a great drafter. He knows what rounds to select certain positions. I just don't want to start drafting wide receivers and running backs in the first rounds. Rivera has done it a couple times and it never works out for the team as a whole.  But I'm at the point now that I'll back any decision Rivera makes. Dumping Haskins was the smartest move this team has made in years. 

 

Rivera wasn't making the picks for Carolina.  But to run with Carolina's picks anyway, among these dudes they include McCaffrey and DJ Moore so sign me up if that means those type of players.  But if you go through their drafts the have had a heavy emphasis on defense especially defensive line.  3 out of their last 5 were D lineman.   And 4 out of the last 8 were D lineman. 

Edited January 23, 2021 by Skinsinparadise

[owa]

Watching the football team show, it was a little worrisome that the guy from his previous team that they interviewed didn't even seem to really know Mayhew.  He seemed to be struggling to find positives to say about him.  Hope that it just him though and that his relationship with Ron will be much better.   I just don't want this hire to be about show or making history.  Hope he is the best for the job. I love his connection to us and hope they'll do more of the same with future hires.

[Skinsinparadise]

Didn't know Rhule has final say too

 

 

 

[JSSkinz]

 

If Kyle was GM worthy then Ron shouldn't have to do "a lot of GM work" as Galdi states in his tweet?  Was Kyle given a 1 year audition in which he didn't impress or did Ron see something when he was hired that immediately gave him pause and he never gave Kyle that shot? 

 

Obviously I don't have that answer but in the end I'll trust Ron all day over Kyle, just based on his life experiences and track record.  If he fails he fails but there won't be any drama, he's not some petty fool like Bruce, he'll own it.

 

 

[Warhead36]

There is just so much more to being GM than just scouting/drafting and its clear Kyle doesn't have those chops. Or at least, Ron doesn't think he does.

[Conn]

1 hour ago, JSSkinz said:

If Kyle was GM worthy then Ron shouldn't have to do "a lot of GM work" as Galdi states in his tweet? 

Let’s not get crazy, it was Ron’s choice not to hire a GM he could collaborate with in year one. Totally aside from the “is Kyle qualified or even good” stuff (which I find tiresome right now) is the fact that no one forced Rivera to put too much on his own plate. He could have made himself a nice GM package deal after he was hired but chose to take it on alone and see what he was working with. Obviously he didn’t know he’d be dealing with cancer, and big ownership scandals, and even the name change at least on day one. But he still chose not to go out and hire a GM last year, so let’s not lose sight of that. I’m just glad we’re getting the help he needs now, and that we’ll have it moving forward. 
 

But to frame it like a FO guy with another job like Kyle Smith should have stepped up (and stepped on toes) to do a job he wasn’t hired to do when he was given his own job to focus on (promoted to it in fact), isn’t really fair. Rivera could have had a GM if he wanted to in year one, I don’t think he was playing sly games waiting to see if Kyle stepped up to do a job no one gave him with no defined role in the organization lol. 
 

I do think it’s possible he didn’t hire a GM because he wanted to see how he meshed with who was already there, including Kyle (or Stokes who he brought along)...but not because he expected Smith to play GM dress-up of his own accord. Probably just isn’t a good fit in terms of personality and culture, and he gave it a year to see if that would happen. 
 

I just take issue with the weird characterization that if only Kyle had stepped up and proved worthy during the last calendar year, Rivera wouldn’t have had to act as the GM on top of everything else that whole time. That’s silly. He did the job Rivera promoted him to do (in itself a full time job that would have needed to be filled by someone else if he was indeed made the GM; it’s not just a matter of adding a few more duties to  what he was already doing). And then as a result of his own choices Rivera had to do the job he didn’t hire anyone to do. 

Edited January 23, 2021 by ConnSKINS26

[Voice_of_Reason]

Snyder has made “the right hire” 4 times in 21 years of ownership.  
 

Marty

Gibbs 

Shanahan

Rivera

Marty is the only one who threw out all of Dan’s cronies and ran the operation himself.  
 

Every single FO or business side of the operation Snyder has hired (minus Lafamina who lasted 7 minutes and the reporting is the league strongly suggested that hire) has completely sucked and have generally been bad people.

 

So I’m actually completely thrilled Ron is making all of these hires and NOT Dan.  Ron is still head guy, but he’s getting the support he needs. 
 

The most important thing in this organization is Dan to be removed as much as possible from its daily operations.  Clearly he will want to be informed, and he should be, as the owner.  But that’s it. 
 

Ron having the power in this regard is great.  And I trust him to delegate the responsibility appropriately.  
 

A note on Kyle Smith.  He’s a good drafter.  He’s found a few gems in the late rounds.  But there have been some rather spectacular misses, particularly in round 2, as well.  There’s really nothing to indicate he’s the next Ozzie Newsome.  He’s good, he’ll probably mature into a GM role, nobody in the league seems to think he’s ready for it yet.  I don’t think he’s on the same level of hype as McVay.

 

Remember, some folks had the same thing with KOC.  Who, to the best of my knowledge hasn’t gotten another OC position yet either.  
 

Im not that worried about Kyle Smith leaving.  I was furious when McVay left and we kept a clearly lesser coach.  And I was irked when Kyle was ousted basically because the owner sided with Griffin. 

[sportsnut]

23 minutes ago, Voice_of_Reason said:

Remember, some folks had the same thing with KOC.  Who, to the best of my knowledge hasn’t gotten another OC position yet either.  

KOC is OC of LAR.  LAC wants KOC as OC but LAR will likely block.

[Commander PK]

I firmly believe we are headed in the right direction now.  Only time will tell if the changes = Lombardi trophies/legitimate contenders/sustained success.  For the non-fan, observer there is a lot to like now with this team and overall there is a much better vibe.  Hope springs eternal.  Another huge part of this fresh start is we've rid ourselves of the name controversy.  Very little that has been published about the team since the start of the 2020 season has been negative.  The focus is all on team and football now.  I don't think you can put a number on what that is worth when you are trying to get a clean start.      

[Skinsinparadise]

The fact that Stokes (who has never been a GM) and not Kyle Smith was interviewed for the job IMO indicates that likely either Ron saw Stokes as more GM material than Kyle in the near future or maybe there was some friction.

 

Kyle IMO had the opportunity to audition his skills beyond just player selection.   We all audition for promotions at our jobs whether we know it or not IMO.  Somehow Stokes who didn't have GM duties showcased enough to intrigue Ron whereas Kyle didn't for whatever reason.  Now Ron could end up dead wrong about Kyle but I'll say this much if he thought Kyle had what it took to be a GM in the near future or wanted him in that spot he'd have gotten that interview versus Stokes. 

 

Just piecing together some narratives, it strikes me that Ron was perhaps looking for a culture building people skills type of GM with adminstrative skills in the mix of what they bring to the table. And clearly he didn't see Kyle as that dude.  We all know that people get promotions all the time at various jobs where they are performing one job but showcase enough attributes where their bosses see enough to be intrigued that they have the skills for the next higher up job.  It's normal company/business stuff.   

 

How do offensive coordinators for example get promoted to be head coaches when they previously didn't run a team?  It's because people project their skills including whether they displayed attributes that are needed at the next spot.   For example, showcasing leadership/initiative, etc.

 

I like Kyle Smith, I've been pushing him for years before it was even cool to do so.  And maybe he ends up a rock star GM in the end.  I've defended and pushed his drafts plenty.  I've pushed him for this position.  But digesting everything I have about him it doesn't seem wild that he might not be Ron's guy.  He's not at least yet been coveted for the top job anywhere else.  It sounds like he will get another spot elsewhere but not for GM.  The vibe I get is good picker of players but not so much a killer people skill-culture builder type.    And if Ron is looking for some more Jason Wright style culture building partnership to help spur a culture change -- I am cool with it.  I get it.

 

 

 

[joeken24]

39 minutes ago, Skinsinparadise said:

The fact that Stokes (who has never been a GM) and not Kyle Smith was interviewed for the job IMO indicates that likely either Ron saw Stokes as more GM material than Kyle in the near future or maybe there was some friction.

 

Kyle IMO had the opportunity to audition his skills beyond just player selection.   We all audition for promotions at our jobs whether we know it or not IMO.  Somehow Stokes who didn't have GM duties showcased enough to intrigue Ron whereas Kyle didn't for whatever reason.  Now Ron could end up dead wrong about Kyle but I'll say this much if he thought Kyle had what it took to be a GM in the near future or wanted him in that spot he'd have gotten that interview versus Stokes. 

 

Just piecing together some narratives, it strikes me that Ron was perhaps looking for a culture building people skills type of GM with adminstrative skills in the mix of what they bring to the table. And clearly he didn't see Kyle as that dude.  We all know that people get promotions all the time at various jobs where they are performing one job but showcase enough attributes where their bosses see enough to be intrigued that they have the skills for the next higher up job.  It's normal company/business stuff.   

 

How do offensive coordinators for example get promoted to be head coaches when they previously didn't run a team?  It's because people project their skills including whether they displayed attributes that are needed at the next spot.   For example, showcasing leadership/initiative, etc.

 

I like Kyle Smith, I've been pushing him for years before it was even cool to do so.  And maybe he ends up a rock star GM in the end.  I've defended and pushed his drafts plenty.  I've pushed him for this position.  But digesting everything I have about him it doesn't seem wild that he might not be Ron's guy.  He's not at least yet been coveted for the top job anywhere else.  It sounds like he will get another spot elsewhere but not for GM.  The vibe I get is good picker of players but not so much a killer people skill-culture builder type.    And if Ron is looking for some more Jason Wright style culture building partnership to help spur a culture change -- I am cool with it.  I get it.

 

 

 

Stokes was an assistant GM in the past. And a question I haven't seen is did Kyle even request an interview? 

[Rocky21]

12 hours ago, Skinsinparadise said:

He was neither tall (5-foot-8) nor particularly fast. But he studied endlessly, memorized the opponent’s plays and tendencies, and was rarely, if ever, out of position.  In that way, he was the archetype player for Gibbs: tough, smart, prepared.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/01/22/martin-mayhew-washington-gm/

Dude.  I was just going to paste this article.  Everyone please read this linked story when you have a minute.

Edited January 23, 2021 by Rocky21

[Skinsinparadise]

27 minutes ago, joeken24 said:

Stokes was an assistant GM in the past. And a question I haven't seen is did Kyle even request an interview? 

 

OK but he wasn't GM.  Cowden wasn't a GM. He had in Tennessee the same title that Kyle did here.  Rivera saw something in him that he didn't see in Kyle for that spot.  Reading about Cowden he is a hands on people person who interacts heavily with the players. I am guessing that's important to Ron. 

 

I can't recall which reporter said it but one said they heard besides adminstrative skills he wanted a GM who can help build the culture with the team and build morale in that building.  Ron supposedly would like a partner in that.

 

If Kyle is more of a stay in the background and watch tape type of dude versus being a people skills culture building type I'd think that would be weighed by Ron.  I've heard and its not hard to see in interviews that Kyle doesn't come off like an extroverted brimming with people skills kind of guy.  It's speculation on my end but there are some bread crumbs on this.  If you watch Jason Wright his people skills just ooze out of him in seconds.

 

Ron has been around young guys who ended up stud GMs like Beane or soon to be GMs like Schoen.  I'd presume if Ron thought Kyle was a rock star in waiting GM, he'd have promoted him again.  Ron's not stupid.  If Kyle quickly emerges as the next Beane he'd look like a fool.  

 

I am not saying Ron's right.  I got no idea.  But I'll trust for now he knows what he's doing.  I recall people being skeptical about him bringing so many of his Carolina staff here but most have shown to be good in the end especially the O line and TE coach.  I'll trust Ron until he gives me a reason not to trust him. 

 

Edited January 23, 2021 by Skinsinparadise

[JSSkinz]

10 hours ago, ConnSKINS26 said:

I just take issue with the weird characterization that if only Kyle had stepped up and proved worthy during the last calendar year, Rivera wouldn’t have had to act as the GM on top of everything else that whole time. That’s silly.

You shouldn't take issue, its my opinion (not fact) based on my life experience and its not silly unless you treat his cancer diagnosis as just a small bump in the road, nobody expects to get cancer but when they do everything changes in a flash and there are no scripts or blueprints to follow.  We know Jack stepped up and helped Ron by doing things he didn't need or expect to do prior to being hired and I doubt he was the only one, I'm guessing there were many people who behind the scenes had to take on more responsibility while Ron was dealing with his treatment.

 

To not think that Kyle could have used that time to increase his value without "stepping on toes" seems "silly" to me and if that's your argument we'll never agree.

 

I'm not trashing Kyle, I'm not sure how good he is at his job, he seems like he understands player personnel and I would be fine if he stayed but I'm a fan on the outside looking in so I'm trying to guess my way through what happened just as you are.

 

What I do have experience with is running a business and getting cancer, there's no blueprint for that and if you find it hard to believe that what Ron thought he could do for the team in 2020 as his normal self didn't change drastically after he was diagnosed then I think you're fooling yourself, there is no quick fix in those situations, you do the best you can with what you have.

 

Some people need to be shown a path or blueprint to success and you have others who make their own.

 

I don't know which one Kyle is as we are just throwing hypotheticals back and forth here but its hard for me to believe we're letting a guy go who has superstar qualities but if that's the case and this ends up backfiring on Ron then he will be held accountable and he knows that.  This is not Dan or Bruce letting talent leave the building, this is Ron's decision and its why I won't be outraged with the move.  

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

8 hours ago, sportsnut said:

KOC is OC of LAR.  LAC wants KOC as OC but LAR will likely block.

That’s in name only.  It’s McVay’s offense and McVay calls the plays.  
 

it’s like giving Don Breaux the credit for the Skins offense in the 1980’s because he was the official OC though everybody knew it was Gibbs’ offense and Gibbs called the plays.  
 

We’ll see what happens with him and the LAC.  I’m sure LAR would like to keep him, as he’s a good guy to have on the staff.  
 

I don’t want to sound disparaging.  I’m just saying KOC was the immediate next McVay.  

[Skinsinparadise]

 

 

[jjpomeroy]

As fans we are trying to read the “tea leaves” and as a result - making a lot of conjecture.  

To this point, we have absolutely no idea to the conversations between Kyle and Ron about the GM position.  

 

Perhaps, there were none and Ron made his own decisions.  Or perhaps, Kyle let it be know that he wasn’t interested.  Or maybe it’s somewhere in between.  

 

Eventually, something will “leak out” (it is Asburn).  Personally, as long as the decisions are being made by football people and not the owner - I am pleased as punch!

[TheGoodBits]

Meh. Nobody knows the front office dynamics or what Kyle Smith was responsible for. He had some good drafts and found some good players in the late rounds. He also picked Haskins, Guice, and Ryan Anderson in the first two rounds. Widely reported of course that Haskins was a Snyder pick, but who knows what actually occurred. I think we’ve got the making of a solid structure with experienced people in place, so I’m not going to stress about some turnover. 

Edited January 23, 2021 by skinsfan_1215

[Skinsinparadise]

57 minutes ago, JSSkinz said:

 

What I do have experience with is running a business and getting cancer, there's no blueprint for that and if you find it hard to believe that what Ron thought he could do for the team in 2020 as his normal self didn't change drastically after he was diagnosed then I think you're fooling yourself, there is no quick fix in those situations, you do the best you can with what you have.

 

Some people need to be shown a path or blueprint to success and you have others who make their own.

 

 

 

Sorry to hear that.  Reading your post it hit home in a bigger way for me.  I run my own business and if i had anything that derailed me like that it would be beyond comprehension. Bringing this to Ron, I've read about the physical and mental exhaustion of battling that disease.  Keim did a long expose about it and what he went through was unbelievable.  So for him to have people in the building who can take the ball and run with it, makes all the sense in the world to me even during normal times but i could just imagine during very tough times.

 

I get the concern some have with one person having a lot of power.  But I've heard a lot that Rivera actually isn't a micro manager.  He's not a wannabee scout.  He likes people who disagree and challenge him.  So I don't think this is Ron making some Bruce type of play of getting rid of anyone who threatens his reign so to speak.  Rivera already has the power and doesn't need to fight for more or feel threatened about it.   Ron doesn't strike me as a dude who puts office politics and ego over winning.    And if anything I get the impression from what beat guys have said that Ron was looking for people to take more off his plate versus him increasing his hold.

 

I trust him because he comes like a really good person and proven leader.  So I doubt anything with Kyle involved anything petty on his end because Rivera doesn't strike me as a petty guy.  And considering the context you laid out, it makes plenty of sense that Ron wanted dudes who knew how to run an organization without training wheels and would have his back.  Clearly, Kyle didn't fit that mold for him.  Ron's the boss, that's his call.  And as a business owner myself, I prefer to keep people around me that I can trust who I know supplement my skills well.  If Ron feels that way about Mayhew and Hurney that's cool with me.