WFT.com: President's Weekly Brief 9/15

[TK]

https://www.washingtonfootball.com/news/presidents-weekly-brief-9-15?fbclid=IwAR0i6gVDl_hkMRVH8tZZ2dEqgb7B4m3Zh5aVrbXdflkynljzakau8fFIdWs

 

President's Weekly Brief 9/15

Sep 15, 2020 at 08:30 AM

 

Jason Wright

Team President

 

 

 

 

Hi Washington Football Family,

 

I'm still very much riding high on the performance Coach Rivera and the team put in on the field. Coach would say that there is much to improve on but that Sunday was a glimpse into what this team, with its new culture, can do. I could not agree more and am ready to ride the ups and downs this season as that culture fully takes root.

 

Tuesday is the classic "Day Off" for the guys on the squad, where they are focused on recovery, spending a little time with family, and pivoting their attention to the next game. A deep breath if you will. I thought that I would take advantage of that natural break in the week to give you a weekly update on the business side of the Washington Football House. I want to use a slightly longer format to answer some of the things I expect are on your minds, since 140 characters doesn't allow you to get details and often brings out the 💩tiest aspects in all of us 😊.

 

Each week, I plan to cover three things:

 

1. Reflections on gameday: My unsolicited but hopefully not unappreciated musings on the previous week's game. I won't comment on gameplay (just because I played doesn't mean I know what I'm talking about), but I'll reflect on my own experience of the game and highlight the great things folks in our organization did to pull it off.
2. Business question of the week: I get lots of questions through social media and snail mail regarding some of our business and operations decisions and I'm eager to answer those. I'll pick a question a week and answer it with some detail. And I can't talk about the new identity every, single, week y'all… 😊
3. Encounters of the week: I engage a bunch with fans, sponsors, and media each week and so many of those moments are meaningful/hilarious/special in some way. I want to highlight some of those moments as best I can each week.
4. How does that sound to you all? If you're game, here we go…

 

Reflections From Eagles Week

I was reminded this week that leadership is not just an innate, inherited quality, but it can be cultivated intentionally as well. You've probably heard of the inspiring halftime story where Coach Rivera was unable to give a motivational speech at halftime due to the fact that he was receiving an IV to manage the symptoms of his cancer treatments. **Pause to reflect on that for a moment. What an invested, sacrificial leader** In his place, Dwayne Haskins stepped into the void and gave what was by all accounts an impactful speech about asserting the team's will on the opponent. When I heard this, I remembered a moment during training camp when the offense had a particularly poor Saturday practice, resulting in Coach Rivera giving the team, ahem… a talking to. But more than this, Coach let the team know that he expected them to provide the visible and vocal leadership when it is was most needed. And the next time there was a need, down 17-7 against a division rival, a leader rose to that expectation. No doubt Dwayne had all the intrinsic qualities to inspire men in that moment, but I have to think the expectations set out by coach helped the captain deliver what was needed in the moment. This reinforces my desire to set similar expectations for our leaders in business operations. Making it clear that leaders are expected to care for and empower the people working under them, and unequivocally holding people accountable to that standard through good policies and corrective actions, will shift the business culture at the club.

 

I was also struck by how good it was to be back around football. The strategy and gamesmanship of calling the play or disguising the coverage; the physical power on display with each big hit; the unbridled passion of the guys and those cheering them on (I was hoarse all day from yelling). Mind, body, and soul all engaged intensely for 60 minutes. It's a special experience. My two youngest kids weren't yet born when I was playing so this was their first exposure to this unique environment. Like the rest of us, they are now hooked.

 

 

 

Business Question Of The Week

From Twitter handle @niquesr42: Why don't we have crowd noise before visiting teams snap the ball? I see other teams working their crowd noise before the snap.

 

This isn't exactly business but it does fall into the operations portions of the organization that I lead, so I'll take it. It's also a really good question! The crowd noise is actually the same in every single NFL stadium in order to ensure competitive balance. The League office provided a single soundtrack of crowd noise that sounds like the loud murmur of voices in a beer garden or Oktoberfest event. To talk over it you're somewhere between a normal speaking voice and trying to holler at someone in a nightclub. But there is no fluctuation between or within plays. The track just rolls.

 

However, the broadcasting partners can do whatever they want with the crowd noise that comes across your television screen. So what you hear at home is completely different than what the guys hear on the field. Do you feel deceived (bamboozled, hoodwinked, I tell you)? But I think the spirit of your question is about what our operations team can do to help the team on the field. One thing we can do is quickly get replays on the jumbotron for our coaching staff to quickly evaluate referee calls. We may allow Coach Rivera, Del Rio, or Turner to get out a challenge flag if we are quick on the draw on the big screen. We can also deflate the footballs…. Just playing.

 

Encounters Of The Week

The Gold Season kickoff party for season ticker holders was held remotely this year due to COVID-19. As we endured the ever present technical challenges of engaged over video, I was able to have some really fun interactions with fans in the chat thread. It started with someone noting that they were from near my hometown in Southern California and led to everyone sharing where they were dialed in from. Our GLOBAL fan base is inspiring to me as we had folks from all across our nation and around the world. I loved watching everyone proudly and competitively "rep their 'hood". And, when my introductory comments discussed our process to establish a new identity and brand, there was a flood of comments advocating for their preferred names. The rapid typing was both hilarious and frightening… I know y'all heard not one damn word of what I said after that point 😊… and that's alright. The passion you exude is more important than any stump speech I can give.

 

Additionally, I often share personal reflections unrelated to the Washington Football Team on my Twitter account. This past weekend I was inspired by our fan base's responses to my reflections commemorating 9/11, a day that has shaped many of us in profound ways. I heard from those who lost loved ones that day. I heard from those who acted on behalf of the victimized as first responders, bravely running into poisonous debris. I heard from those who enlisted in the military in the following days and weeks, compelled to do something tangible to protect our country. I heard from those who long for the sense of collective purpose we seemed to have in those times. I heard from those who experienced increased discrimination and hostility because of their ethnicity or faith after that day. I'm grateful for the openness of those exchanges. I was moved. It has motivated me and my family to double down on our support of first responders, military veterans, and the marginalized in our society. Washington Football fans are truly remarkable in so many ways.

 

What's Next

On Sunday I will travel on a quick turnaround to Arizona to watch our guys take on a big challenge against my former team. I'll be eager to spend some time with the Cardinals business executives as I continue to gather wisdom from peers in pursuit of being the best possible team president I can be. In particular, the Cardinals have done a great job rapidly expanding their fan base over the last decade, tapping international markets to grow their football family. I'm eager to learn from them. As for the game itself, while I have fond memories of playing in the desert, I have no divided loyalty this week. Here's to a great week ahead and a proper smashing of my friends and former colleagues on gameday 😉.

[88Comrade2000]

That’s something new. Do team Presidents usually do that?

[“Misdirection”]

Well that was a breath of fresh air

[bakedtater1]

Wholy ****ing **** really?..A ****ING LETTER FROM THE TEAM PRESIDENT...????! I'm sorry to come off ridiculous but this is awesome..I am impressed 👏👏👏

[Stadium-Armory]

Love that it appears to be written by a normal human, not a PR team.

[bakedtater1]

Thanks TK!!

[TK]

6 minutes ago, Rdskns2000 said:

That’s something new. Do team Presidents usually do that?

I like it. Way better than just being told that they have telephones in Hawaii & Winning off the field bull**** from the old "Pants & Picnics" Team President. 

[bakedtater1]

I cant even finish reading I'm so giddy..

 

 

We have a football team folks!..and very well possible a decent organization..kind of hard to say with the snyder at the helm but things are changing

 

Oh how wonderful.

15 minutes ago, Stadium-Armory said:

Love that it appears to be written by a normal human, not a PR team.

Thank you..that came straight from him..I know it sounds bizzare but I love the swearing

 

I appreciate that fan asking about the noise level and when the opposing team has the ball I figured in my mind it was the same at every Stadium and I was right

[superozman]

Somebody gets it...

[Conn]

This guy is an incredible fit for the modern sports fan and media consumer. What a breath of fresh air. With this kind of transparency and communication, the fan base might actually swell with some positive steps on the field. 
 

I’m sure he realizes how tough this column is gonna be to write when we lose, good luck to him. 

[TradeTheBeal!]

This is a new feeling.

[kleese]

16 minutes ago, superozman said:

Somebody gets it...

Exactly. This type of message is extremely self aware. This is a non-invasive way for the Team President to address the divide between the organization and the fans. It’s positive and upbeat, but not hokey or pandering. One major issue for fans was how much they HATED the people in charge. To the point where their loyalties were strained because they didn’t want those people to have any success. Snyder is still here and that might continue to keep some fans away or at arms length. But with people like Wright and Rivera in charge, it’s hard to not root for them. 

[Jumbo]

wow...another REAL sign of progress

 

i'm well jaded, but there has been objective, solid, signs of desired positive change---even growth---in this org

 

this is very cool---ty jason wright, very glad you're here, we need all the help we can get in changing what has been a consistent lack of any kind of decent and competent 'culture' fort many years and maybe keep getting some of those funny football things called "wins"

[Riggo'sRangers]

What a great hire this man was.  Much, MUCH needed change from what we were, or what we weren't; a professional football organization.  I'm elated to see this evolution seeping in from all aspects of the Team be it coaching, Team President, or players.  This is awesome. 

[BatteredFanSyndrome]

This is a breath of fresh air.  While I think these columns will be tough to write following losses, i feel pretty good about his ability to do that with honesty and without excuses.  Much more than I can say for anyone else that has held the position he currently has.

[Comrade Wolf]

This is really fantastic, to have the front office communicate with the fans like this is so refreshing. Makes me feel even stronger that our team is moving not only in a new and better direction but that we can be in the forefront of how other teams may operate in the future. And he used some great humor too, just freaking awesome!! 

 

i am already looking forward to his thoughts next week!

 

Thank you Mr. President 🍻

 

 

[bearrock]

I need to do a mental gymnastics where I'm rooting for the new Wright Rivera regime and the players, but not Snyder.  Plausible deniability!!!!!

 

But wow, what a great way to communicate by the team president.  Really impressive.

[skinsfan4128]

Like most of you, I  can't help but smile at the feeling of a properly run organization (though I remain cautiouslyoptimistic).  This felt good and refreshing. I genuinely like this hire and applaud his willingness to get personal with the fans. As another poster commented,  his transparency and being down to earth nature gave me a sense that this guy will do everything he possibly can to correct the issues that have plagued this organization for far too long.

 With that said, I  can't  help but think that that narcissistic piece of **** owner will ultimately **** this up somehow. I  hope I'm wrong.  But Danpoleon is gonna dan.

Let's hope that folks like Wright and Rivera can continue to build this type of goodwill and consistency that this organization has sorely lacked. All the while, Dan's stupid ass stays out of it for once.

HTTR. 

 

[ColonialWBSkinsFan]

Why does it feel like I went to bed last night in Virginia and woke up this morning in some alternate universe... ?    I absolutely love everything about this new hire.

[boston skins fan]

Rivera has preached transparency since he got here.  Glad to see it being practiced throughout the organization.

[profusion]

36 minutes ago, skinsfan4128 said:

With that said, I  can't  help but think that that narcissistic piece of **** owner will ultimately **** this up somehow. I  hope I'm wrong. 

 

That's what I'm afraid of, too. We're still in the honeymoon phase with both Wright and Rivera, but what happens when Snyder disagrees with them on something major? Every business manager and executive has to learn to "manage up," but having to constantly babysit your boss makes it tough to get things done.

 

And we all know Dan will interfere at some point.

 

That said, Wright seems to clearly understand the situation and his role in fixing it. All the best to him.

[KDawg]

I like this guy.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

1 hour ago, profusion said:

 

That's what I'm afraid of, too. We're still in the honeymoon phase with both Wright and Rivera, but what happens when Snyder disagrees with them on something major? Every business manager and executive has to learn to "manage up," but having to constantly babysit your boss makes it tough to get things done.

 

And we all know Dan will interfere at some point.

 

That said, Wright seems to clearly understand the situation and his role in fixing it. All the best to him.

 

That's why I'm hoping these allegations are reason enough to force him to sell the team. Then, a new owner can look at the people in place and choose to let them keep doing their jobs. 

[kleese]

1 hour ago, profusion said:

 

That's what I'm afraid of, too. We're still in the honeymoon phase with both Wright and Rivera, but what happens when Snyder disagrees with them on something major? Every business manager and executive has to learn to "manage up," but having to constantly babysit your boss makes it tough to get things done.

 

And we all know Dan will interfere at some point.

 

That said, Wright seems to clearly understand the situation and his role in fixing it. All the best to him.

There is a difference now though. Two actually. 
 

1. Snyder no longer has a crony by his side to do his bidding. He’s always had a buffer, or what sounds like several buffers. A group inside the organization to sort of insulate him while also able to do his bidding. I don’t think Wright fits into that crony role like Allen, Vinny, etc. Hopefully they have at least a cordial personal relationship, but Wright doesn’t come off as a raquetball-buddy type. Nor does Julie Donaldson or the other people who have replaced the departed. 
 

2. The fact that so much has come to light very much limits the possibility of strong interference from Snyder. Whether or not he accepts or owns these allegations doesn’t matter. He clearly knows they exist. He knows if he were to disagree with Wright or Rivera and go rouge and fire someone himself that it is going to roll right back on him directly and he will have to answer for it. The middle man has been eliminated which may also very well curb or eliminate any impulses he may have. 
 

He’s still there, so I won’t blame anyone for remaining skeptical, but I believe he’s effectively been neutered. 

[ANONYMOUS SOURCE.]