Nah Nah Nah…Nah Nah Nah…Hey Hey Hey…GOODBYE CLOWNSHOES

[Panninho]

7 hours ago, tshile said:

Ugh I can’t read that article but I wish I could

 

i bet I know what’s in there…

 

With the potential sale of the Washington Commanders in a state of uncertainty, the team’s stadium search appears similarly stuck in limbo. But whenever the stadium discussion resumes, a three-jurisdiction race may become a real possibility.

On Dec. 2, one month after team owner Daniel Snyder announced he was exploring the possibility of selling all or part of the team, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) that the league supported her efforts to obtain the RFK Stadium site from the federal government because he wanted D.C. to have a seat at the table in the Commanders’ efforts to build a new stadium, according to two people with direct knowledge of the call. Goodell also offered lobbying assistance from the league on Capitol Hill, the people said.

“The league and Mayor Bowser agree that Washington, D.C., should be at the table when a new site is considered,” an NFL spokesman said in a statement. “We will continue to work with the mayor’s office, the Commanders, and Congress to that end — just like we are in contact with local officials in Maryland and Virginia as they review site and stadium options.”

Bowser’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

Days after the December call, Bowser met with then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and the office of Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) in hopes of getting a provision attached to the 2023 government spending bill that would transfer ownership of the 190-acre parcel on which RFK sits from the National Park Service to the city.

Drew Hammill, a spokesman for Pelosi, confirmed Pelosi and Bowser had met “at the mayor’s request” and said Pelosi “encouraged continued cooperation and discussions with” Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) and Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), the then-chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, which has jurisdiction over land transfers.

On Dec. 19, Congress released the spending proposal, and it did not include the RFK provision.

The lame-duck effort was Bowser’s boldest yet to gain control of RFK, and it circumvented Norton and D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D). For months, Norton had said she would not introduce RFK legislation in Congress until Bowser and Mendelson could agree on how to use the site and whether to try to lure the Commanders.

“[The mayor’s office] knew it was a Hail Mary,” said one person with knowledge of the city’s plans, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing process.

Now, with a divided Congress, there are new challenges. Republicans control the House — including the Natural Resources Committee, which has jurisdiction over land transfers — and may oppose the terms of a transfer. Bowser has two options: continue carrying the city’s political football with the NFL and the Commanders or try to work with Mendelson to facilitate Norton’s introduction of legislation.

For now, D.C.’s struggles to obtain the RFK site don’t seem to be hurting the city in a competition.

Maryland’s offer from last year stands: a $400 million package to improve the area surrounding FedEx Field that explicitly forbids aiding the construction of a new stadium. Virginia has not reintroduced the stadium authority bill that failed last summer, and last month, state senators signaled opposition to the proposal of Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s (R) to spend $500,000 in 2024 on studying ways to lure the Commanders.

If Snyder does sell the team, it could stoke competition for the new stadium. The NFL and a new owner would probably make replacing aging FedEx Field a top priority, and each of the three jurisdictions could become more aggressive. In November, when Snyder announced he was considering a sale, Bowser pointed out that the second of her two longtime objections to the team returning to the RFK site — the former name and the owner — might soon be gone.

One person with knowledge of NFL stadium matters, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing negotiation, said Goodell regularly speaks with local officials, and that person expects those conversations to continue.

“He did that in New York with the Bills deal, which turned out to be a heck of a deal,” the person said.

In 2022, the Commanders spent $580,000 on lobbying, according an analysis by the nonprofit Open Secrets. Most of it was related to the House Oversight and Reform Committee investigation of the team’s workplace culture, but the team also paid the firm Squire Patton Boggs $110,000 to lobby lawmakers on RFK.

In June, when lead lobbyist Matthew Cutts left Boggs for the firm of Dentons, the Commanders hired Dentons, according to disclosure reports.

Cutts declined to comment.

In D.C.’s quest to gain control of RFK, 2022 seemed like an opportune year. Democrats controlled the presidency, Senate and House. In June, deputy mayor for planning and economic development John Falcicchio, one of Bowser’s top lieutenants, sent a letter to Mendelson, writing that it was critical to coalesce around legislation “while the political environment may be best suited for success.”

But months passed without change. In the November midterm elections, Democrats lost the House. Not long after, Bowser’s efforts to acquire the land without Norton and Mendelson ramped up.

Six days after her call with Goodell, Bowser appeared at a “Farewell RFK Stadium” event in Northeast Washington. In a news conference, Bowser stressed the 190-acre site was large enough for “recreation, housing, jobs, [better access] to the river and professional sports.” She reiterated that she believes D.C. taxpayers would support a stadium at RFK if it followed the Audi Field model, meaning the city would prepare the land and the team would build the stadium.

Meagan Flynn, Nicki Jhabvala and Mark Maske contributed to this report.

[Califan007 The Constipated]

15 hours ago, wit33 said:

Wonder where KC chiefs rank?

 

Wait a minute….

 

https://nflpa.com/kansas-city-chiefs-report-card

 

Sucks they won’t be able to sign anyone. This is mostly in jest, but some merit. I dislike Dan and want him out just as much as you do. 

 

I thought of your post again when I saw this just now lol...

 

 

 

[profusion]

I wouldn't have expected that from the Chiefs.

 

One interesting thing unites the Chiefs, Cardinals and Commanders is that, as far as I know, their owners don't have huge outside business interests and are more dependent on football revenue.

 

The Hunt and Bidwill families go back to the old days when the NFL was more of a budget operation and players weren't multi-millionaires. Dan's just a sleaze.

[KDawg]

12 minutes ago, profusion said:

I wouldn't have expected that from the Chiefs.

 

One interesting thing unites the Chiefs, Cardinals and Commanders is that, as far as I know, their owners don't have huge outside business interests and are more dependent on football revenue.

 

The Hunt and Bidwill families go back to the old days when the NFL was more of a budget operation and players weren't multi-millionaires. Dan's just a sleaze.

 

The Chiefs were saved by getting Andy Reid to go there. The situation there is not great, never really has been. But getting one guy like Reid can really save you from a lot of other issues. 

 

But Reid is a REALLY big get. The chances of getting a guy like that are lower than getting a franchise QB. 

 

Then they get Mahomes. 

 

And that's not to mention their front office. They are some of the best talent evaluators in the business. That group saves that whole franchise. If Reid and the main FO (Veach) were to move on... they'd be in trouble. Mahomes may be able to keep them afloat. 

 

They have the best "triangle" in the NFL and its not close. 

[wit33]

13 hours ago, Califan007 The Constipated said:

 

 

 

 

 

3 hours ago, Califan007 The Constipated said:

 

I thought of your post again when I saw this just now lol...

 

 

 

 

Good job by NFL to do a TMZ type report in the beginning of March to drum up discussion topics. 
 

Messy stuff to have a public report on. Fascinated to see if they do it again next season. People may lose jobs based on a league with huge turnover year to year and players who naturally are going to blame their organizations for seasons not going as planned. 

[Skinsfan1311]

12 hours ago, tshile said:

Ugh I can’t read that article but I wish I could

 

i bet I know what’s in there…

I hate that ****!

It drives me nuts, especially in the "Breaking News" that most of the articles require a paid subscription to read.  

[ultravin]

4 hours ago, Panninho said:

 

With the potential sale of the Washington Commanders in a state of uncertainty, the team’s stadium search appears similarly stuck in limbo. But whenever the stadium discussion resumes, a three-jurisdiction race may become a real possibility.

On Dec. 2, one month after team owner Daniel Snyder announced he was exploring the possibility of selling all or part of the team, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) that the league supported her efforts to obtain the RFK Stadium site from the federal government because he wanted D.C. to have a seat at the table in the Commanders’ efforts to build a new stadium, according to two people with direct knowledge of the call. Goodell also offered lobbying assistance from the league on Capitol Hill, the people said.

“The league and Mayor Bowser agree that Washington, D.C., should be at the table when a new site is considered,” an NFL spokesman said in a statement. “We will continue to work with the mayor’s office, the Commanders, and Congress to that end — just like we are in contact with local officials in Maryland and Virginia as they review site and stadium options.”

Bowser’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

Days after the December call, Bowser met with then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and the office of Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) in hopes of getting a provision attached to the 2023 government spending bill that would transfer ownership of the 190-acre parcel on which RFK sits from the National Park Service to the city.

Drew Hammill, a spokesman for Pelosi, confirmed Pelosi and Bowser had met “at the mayor’s request” and said Pelosi “encouraged continued cooperation and discussions with” Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) and Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), the then-chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, which has jurisdiction over land transfers.

On Dec. 19, Congress released the spending proposal, and it did not include the RFK provision.

The lame-duck effort was Bowser’s boldest yet to gain control of RFK, and it circumvented Norton and D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D). For months, Norton had said she would not introduce RFK legislation in Congress until Bowser and Mendelson could agree on how to use the site and whether to try to lure the Commanders.

“[The mayor’s office] knew it was a Hail Mary,” said one person with knowledge of the city’s plans, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing process.

Now, with a divided Congress, there are new challenges. Republicans control the House — including the Natural Resources Committee, which has jurisdiction over land transfers — and may oppose the terms of a transfer. Bowser has two options: continue carrying the city’s political football with the NFL and the Commanders or try to work with Mendelson to facilitate Norton’s introduction of legislation.

For now, D.C.’s struggles to obtain the RFK site don’t seem to be hurting the city in a competition.

Maryland’s offer from last year stands: a $400 million package to improve the area surrounding FedEx Field that explicitly forbids aiding the construction of a new stadium. Virginia has not reintroduced the stadium authority bill that failed last summer, and last month, state senators signaled opposition to the proposal of Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s (R) to spend $500,000 in 2024 on studying ways to lure the Commanders.

If Snyder does sell the team, it could stoke competition for the new stadium. The NFL and a new owner would probably make replacing aging FedEx Field a top priority, and each of the three jurisdictions could become more aggressive. In November, when Snyder announced he was considering a sale, Bowser pointed out that the second of her two longtime objections to the team returning to the RFK site — the former name and the owner — might soon be gone.

One person with knowledge of NFL stadium matters, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing negotiation, said Goodell regularly speaks with local officials, and that person expects those conversations to continue.

“He did that in New York with the Bills deal, which turned out to be a heck of a deal,” the person said.

In 2022, the Commanders spent $580,000 on lobbying, according an analysis by the nonprofit Open Secrets. Most of it was related to the House Oversight and Reform Committee investigation of the team’s workplace culture, but the team also paid the firm Squire Patton Boggs $110,000 to lobby lawmakers on RFK.

In June, when lead lobbyist Matthew Cutts left Boggs for the firm of Dentons, the Commanders hired Dentons, according to disclosure reports.

Cutts declined to comment.

In D.C.’s quest to gain control of RFK, 2022 seemed like an opportune year. Democrats controlled the presidency, Senate and House. In June, deputy mayor for planning and economic development John Falcicchio, one of Bowser’s top lieutenants, sent a letter to Mendelson, writing that it was critical to coalesce around legislation “while the political environment may be best suited for success.”

But months passed without change. In the November midterm elections, Democrats lost the House. Not long after, Bowser’s efforts to acquire the land without Norton and Mendelson ramped up.

Six days after her call with Goodell, Bowser appeared at a “Farewell RFK Stadium” event in Northeast Washington. In a news conference, Bowser stressed the 190-acre site was large enough for “recreation, housing, jobs, [better access] to the river and professional sports.” She reiterated that she believes D.C. taxpayers would support a stadium at RFK if it followed the Audi Field model, meaning the city would prepare the land and the team would build the stadium.

Meagan Flynn, Nicki Jhabvala and Mark Maske contributed to this report.

can chatgpt write a paragraph summarizing this article.  i'm just too lazy to read it.  lol

 

[@DCGoldPants]

3 minutes ago, ultravin said:

can chatgpt write a paragraph summarizing this article.  i'm just too lazy to read it.  lol

 

 

The Washington Commanders' potential sale and stadium search are in a state of uncertainty. The NFL commissioner has expressed support for the Washington, D.C. mayor's efforts to obtain the RFK Stadium site from the federal government, offering lobbying assistance from the league on Capitol Hill. Bowser has attempted to gain control of the RFK site but was unsuccessful in getting a provision attached to the 2023 government spending bill that would transfer ownership of the 190-acre parcel. For now, D.C. struggles to obtain the RFK site are not hurting the city in a competition with Maryland and Virginia. However, if the team is sold, competition for the new stadium could increase.

 

In 2022, the Commanders spent $580,000 on lobbying, and most of it was related to the House Oversight and Reform Committee investigation of the team's workplace culture, but the team also paid the firm Squire Patton Boggs $110,000 to lobby lawmakers on RFK. In D.C.'s quest to gain control of RFK, 2022 seemed like an opportune year, but Democrats lost the House in the November midterm elections, and Bowser's efforts to acquire the land without Norton and Mendelson ramped up. Despite the challenges, the NFL commissioner continues to speak with local officials, and the Commanders are expected to make replacing aging FedEx Field a top priority if the team is sold.

[Chris 44]

8 minutes ago, wit33 said:

 

 

Good job by NFL to do a TMZ type report in the beginning of March to drum up discussion topics. 
 

Messy stuff to have a public report on. Fascinated to see if they do it again next season. People may lose jobs based on a league with huge turnover year to year and players who naturally are going to blame their organizations for seasons not going as planned. 

This could become a bit of an issue, each year teams "have to" compete against each other, spending additional money on various metrics so they are not listed in the lower tiers. It could become a bit ridiculous when each year teams are ranked low yet there really isn't an "issue". Someone has to be last/worst. Granted, this report definitely sheds some damning light on certain teams but in the long run I could see this being an issue moving forward. If reports were not  a letter grade but more substantive to highlight real areas of concern I think it would better serve everyone.

[spjunkies]

17 minutes ago, wit33 said:

 

 

Good job by NFL to do a TMZ type report in the beginning of March to drum up discussion topics. 
 

Messy stuff to have a public report on. Fascinated to see if they do it again next season. People may lose jobs based on a league with huge turnover year to year and players who naturally are going to blame their organizations for seasons not going as planned. 

 

This was done by the NFLPA not the NFL, mate.

[wit33]

18 minutes ago, spjunkies said:

 

This was done by the NFLPA not the NFL, mate.

Thank you. Good point. Still I wonder if they’ll continue with this report. 

[KDawg]

Just now, wit33 said:

Thank you. Good point. Still I wonder if they’ll continue with this report. 

They should. Accountability is important. Hold team's accountable.

 

On the same token, the players also need to be held accountable.

 

And it shouldn't always result in firings. It should be quality feedback for improvement. 

[samy316]

10 minutes ago, wit33 said:

Thank you. Good point. Still I wonder if they’ll continue with this report. 

 

They definitely should.  This is a clear picture of which teams in the NFL care about their players, and which ones need to do more.  The Top 5 was kind of eye opening, because I wouldn't figure the Texans being that high, and I also didn't expect the Chiefs and Patriots to be on the bottom third of this list.  The last place team should surprise no one.  We've heard this for years from former players AND reporters who have spent time in Ashburn and at the stadium.  This is a poverty franchise, no doubt about it.  We are terrible in every way imaginable.  It's a wonder that T-Mac and Jon Allen even re-signed with us at all. 

 

If people weren't sure why we can't attract FA's anymore, look no further than this report card.  The owner and FO are obvious reasons as to why we can't attract quality talent to come here to DC, but all the other things that matter to team culture (travel, hotels, food, training departments and flights) are a clear window into how you will be treated as a player on a team.  We rank dead last in almost every category that matters.  Can you imagine a prospective FA being contacted by Washington, and coming to Ashburn to tour the facility?  What a nightmare.  This team has to seriously overpay FA's for them to even consider coming here.  What stings even more, is the Cowboys, Eagles and Giants all rank highly on this report card.  Those teams care about their talent, and will invest in their facilities to give their players everything that they need.  Those teams are the Ritz-Carlton, and we're the run-down, roach-infested Motel 6.

Edited March 3, 2023 by samy316

[RVAskins]

7 hours ago, wit33 said:

Messy stuff to have a public report on. Fascinated to see if they do it again next season. People may lose jobs based on a league with huge turnover year to year and players who naturally are going to blame their organizations for seasons not going as planned. 

I read a report that said collectively, the value of NFL franchises, including team-related businesses and real estate held by owners, is $132 billion.

That number may be up for debate but there is no reason for any NFL team not to have state of the art facilities and top notch staffs. And while we're at it, why not have paid officials and not ones who do it as a side gig.

Edited March 3, 2023 by RVAskins

[Skinsinparadise]

 

When the Washington Commanders announced in early November that owner Daniel Snyder was exploring the possibility of selling the franchise, the annual meeting of the NFL’s team owners in late March seemed to be a reasonable target by which a deal with a buyer could be found. Yet with that meeting now just weeks away, the next steps in the prospective sale of the team appear uncertain.

 

 

Several potential buyers have been identified, at least two of whom have submitted bids, but the interested party with the most financial wherewithal has been prohibited thus far from making a bid. Snyder has made demands of the league and other team owners for legal protections that would extend beyond him selling his franchise, three people with direct knowledge of the NFL’s inner workings now have said. And with the league’s second investigation of Snyder and the team’s workplace entering its 13th month, some owners leaguewide are angry enough about those demands to renew their consideration of taking a vote to remove him from ownership if he refuses to sell.

NFL owners have never voted to oust a fellow owner by forcing the sale of a team, and they have reasons to be cautious in considering such action. The first is that the legality of such a move has never been tested, and even if it held up, it likely would be far from an expedient process.

 

Asked whether such an action would withstand a legal challenge, Gabe Feldman, the director of the Tulane Sports Law program, said this week that it’s difficult to predict the outcome of unprecedented decisions. Feldman noted that the NFL’s constitution and bylaws — a set of documents to which all owners agree — clearly spell out the process for removing an owner. That process includes a closed-door hearing that gives the owner in question the opportunity to challenge the decision. In Feldman’s analysis, as long as the NFL follows its own procedures, its decision would stand up in court.

 

...The owners are confident that any vote to force Snyder to sell his franchise would withstand a legal challenge, according to someone with direct knowledge of their views, who said: “You will not defeat that. But it would be bad for everyone."

 

If Snyder digs in, he could ask a court for a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction to put any decision by the owners to force him to sell his team on hold while an underlying lawsuit proceeds, Feldman explained

“This type of emergency relief is rarely granted, but it would — at least temporarily — almost immediately prevent the NFL from removing him,” Feldman said. “Without the immediate relief, the case could take months or years to wind its way through the courts.”

 

The possibility is under consideration after Snyder angered several owners and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell by issuing his demands, according to the three people with direct knowledge of the situation. According to those people, Snyder seeks indemnification from future legal liability and costs if he sells his team and has threatened to sue if that condition is not met.

 

...“He’s not going to get that,” said one person familiar with the owners’ views.

ESPN reported Tuesday that the federal investigation of allegations of financial improprieties by Snyder and the Commanders in the Eastern District of Virginia is focused on a $55 million line of credit the team had taken out without the knowledge and required approval of Snyder’s former limited partners.

Goodell declined to comment Tuesday at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis.

Snyder also wants to keep confidential the findings of attorney Mary Jo White’s investigation into him and the team, the three people with direct knowledge of the situation have said. The NFL has said that it will release White’s report publicly. The Commanders denied the accounts of the sale process of those three people.

 

Moreover, Snyder has refused to entertain a bid from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who owns The Washington Post, out of “spite” over The Post’s coverage of Snyder and the team, according to one person with knowledge of the process. While it is not clear whether that is simply a negotiating tactic by which Bezos eventually will be allowed to bid, continuing to exclude the wealthiest prospective buyer would rile fellow owners further, according to a former NFL executive well-versed in franchise sales. Owners have expressed public support for Bezos to own an NFL franchise. That could be the Commanders. Or it could be the Seattle Seahawks, if the estate of late owner Paul Allen sells the team in the coming years, as expected.

 

“When you’re looking at somebody who can pay more than $5.5 billion, but over personal pique or immaturity you exclude him from the process, I think that’s just going to [irritate] more owners because that’s their money, too,” the former executive said. “The valuation of their organizations will be based on the most recent sale.”

It is unclear if Snyder will relent on Bezos. Some people within the league and connected to the sales process doubt that Snyder would let his animus for The Post rule out getting the highest possible price for the Commanders.

 

“I don’t understand why you would exclude the one person who could pay you the most,” said a person with direct knowledge of NFL owners’ views.

 

...But at some point, Snyder must pay down the debt, leading some in and around the sport to question how long he can hold out for a bid to his liking.

If Snyder tries to hold on to the team, the owners would “definitely” move toward a removal vote, according to one of the people with direct knowledge of the owners’ views and the league’s inner workings.

 

The owners’ preferred outcome is that Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones — who, as Snyder’s closest ally within the league, is best positioned to broker an amicable resolution — convinces Snyder to sell the team and exit the NFL without further acrimony, one of the people with knowledge of the league’s inner workings said. A second person expressed hope of the owners still “working something out” with Snyder. The Cowboys said that Jones was not available to comment this week on the topic.

 

NFL owners regard a removal vote as the step of last resort — not only because of the unwelcome precedent it would set and the risks and rigors of litigation, but also the collateral damage.

“If they move to take the team from him, they have suppressed the value of the team because somebody is now buying the team in a fire sale and in an environment that they know will be subject to pretty significant, disruptive disputes,” the former NFL executive explained. “It’s destructive.”

Edited March 3, 2023 by Skinsinparadise

[Andre The Giant]

 

[FrFan]

The Only Question for Washington at the NFL Combine Is About Dan Snyder

[Andre The Giant]

 

[rockluc]

3 minutes ago, Andre The Giant said:

 

No chance in hell that Dan is capable of that kind of introspection. 

[Skinsinparadise]

5 minutes ago, Andre The Giant said:

 

 

Yeah I said something similar aside from Dan being his own worst enemy a key narrative about that ESPN story is how they got those confidential documents.  

 

 

 

 

The documents at the heart of the ESPN report are not the sort of papers that typically find their way into stories. It’s not your typical leak. There are only a handful of people who might have had access.

Certainly the minority owners — Smith, Schar and Rothman — had access, since it was their case.

And God knows they would have motive to have damaging documents wind up in yet another public shaming of their avowed enemy.

But according to a source familiar with the businessmen, it’s not their style.

Skipper Dan lives in daily fear that someone will reveal his secrets, some of which may be far more damaging than what we have learned in the last several years.

He’s certainly not about to drop these documents off at ESPN headquarters.

That pretty much leaves the NFL. But as much as the league may want to pile the garbage on top of Skipper Dan publicly in its effort to drive him out of the league and force the sale of the team, the ESPN story was damaging to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell as well.

“Goodell was hardly a bystander to Snyder’s Bank of America loan,” the ESPN story states. “The commissioner’s signature appears in a confirmation agreement that approves the team’s new credit line on the day it was approved: Dec. 13, 2018.

“Goodell knew about the loan,” a source with firsthand knowledge of the matter told ESPN, “but the partners didn’t.”

When the arbitration between Skipper Dan and his then-partners was suddenly railroaded into mediation, there was no appetite on the part of league officials to look into the secret bank loan.

“Goodell and (NFL lawyer Jeff) Pash were not interested in talking about those allegations or any allegations between the parties,” the source said, according to ESPN. “The partners were furious that Goodell and Pash had blocked their request that the arbitrator seek bank records from Bank of America, the source added.”

All of which brings us back to the unanswered question: Among the few that had access to these documents, who felt courageous or angry enough to give these to ESPN?

Maybe start with how all this furor started — emails.

The reality is that none of this — the congressional hearings and probe, the follow-up investigations by the Virginia attorney general, the Maryland attorney general, the D.C. attorney general, the NFL’s investigation by hired attorney Mary Jo White into sexual misconduct allegations against Skipper Dan by former team employee Tiffani Johnston, and the U.S attorney of the Eastern District of Virginia — none of it likely ever happens without the October 2021 leak of emails to the Wall Street Journal that revealed racist comments between former Washington team president Bruce Allen and former Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden.

A second group of emails with more damaging comments by Gruden and his friend Pash were leaked to The New York Times and resulted in Gruden losing his job. He is currently suing the NFL over his firing.

By that time, the sham of an investigation of the Washington football team’s toxic workplace by Beth Wilkinson had been completed, and despite a deserved level of outrage for the coverup of those results, the momentum against Skipper Dan had ramped down.

But then, some of the revelations in those emails prompted the House Committee on Oversight and Reform to get involved.

And who leaked those emails in the first place? According to testimony from Allen to the congressional panel, the leaks came from Skipper Dan himself.

Allen recounted a conversation with Lisa Friel, the NFL special counsel for investigations: “I said, ‘Well, who in the hell is giving my emails to The Wall Street Journal? Why don’t I — I’m the only person that doesn’t have my own emails. Why?’  “And she went on to say, ‘We didn’t do it at the league office. It came out of their side,’” referring to the Washington football team.

There is no federal grand jury investigation into bank fraud against Skipper Dan without the congressional investigation, set in motion by the Commanders owner’s own self-destructive leak to the Wall Street Journal.

And maybe those confidential arbitration documents never see the light of day publicly in the ESPN story if there wasn’t someone inside the NFL whose instinct to protect Roger Goodell was trumped by his determination to get revenge against Skipper Dan, whose worst enemy stares him in the mirror every day.

Edited March 3, 2023 by Skinsinparadise

[BringMetheHeadofBruceAllen]

Incompetent Dictators, at Home and Abroad

https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/incompetent-dictators-at-home-and-abroad/

 

Every once in a while, observations about wildly disparate topics intersect.

 

From yesterday’s Corner post, discussing potentially dangerous research on viruses in dictatorships: “Autocratic regimes cannot tolerate any admission of any mistake in institutions they run or oversee; any concession of fallibility could trigger the ruled public to ask why they put up with an autocrat if the autocrat can’t even deliver competence alongside the oppression.”

 

From a week ago, writing about the potential sale of the Washington Commanders: “If you don’t live in the D.C. area, you may not grasp the degree to which Washington Redskins-turned-Commanders owner Dan Snyder is detested by the team’s fanbase and most locals. It makes progressives’ attitudes toward Donald Trump look calm, rational, and mild.”

This week, the National Football League Players Association issued report cards for the facilities and management of every team. The verdict on the Commanders is scathing:

The Washington Commanders are ranked 32^nd (last) in our team guide. Besides the strength coaches who received great feedback and grades as one of the best groups in the league, the rest of the club’s operations and facilities were rated by player respondents at the bottom of every single category.

The locker room does not have confidence that club owner Dan Snyder is willing to invest to upgrade the facilities, as player responses rank him 31^st in this category.

Players had significantly more concerns with each area of the facility than the player respondents on any other team. For example, they were the team most consistently identified as having an understaffed training room.

Somehow, the Commanders scored grades of “F−” — not an F, an F minus! — on their locker room and team travel.

 

 

Now, no one would dispute that Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is a larger-than-life personality, with his own massive ego, his own impulse to meddle in coaching decisions, his own controversies and traits that strike others as insufferably arrogant. And yet, at least in the eyes of the players, the Dallas Cowboys organization is well-run and values them as people: “The Dallas Cowboys are ranked 5th best in the team guide. As you would expect for a team that is ranked this high, most of what was reviewed – facilities, equipment, staff and general support of players – was top notch.”

 

A lot of billionaires have big egos, and quite a few surround themselves with yes-men, reflexively reject criticism, fire anyone who seems insufficiently loyal, and run their organizations like tyrants. But everyone who’s watching the Commanders is wondering why Dan Snyder can’t deliver competence alongside the oppression.

Edited March 3, 2023 by BringMetheHeadofBruceAllen

[TD_washingtonredskins]

22 hours ago, @DCGoldPants said:

 

I bet this is 100% true.

 

I also admire the irony here that Audacy with106.7 and 980 is basically running both stations the same way these days as Snyder runs the team.. Down to like 3 shows each that go way too long (4 HR each?) with hosts that are recycling and probably on the cheap.....Doc and Chris Russell for example having their own shows.

 

Well, you need interest to do sports talk radio...look at their content. They have this team...a perennial loser run by the worst owner in sports. The consistent winner in town happens to be the hockey team - say what you want, but that's never going to be a large group of people. The Nats were chokers except for one magical year. And, the one other sport that could bring this area together has the Wizards. 

 

Point being...what is there to talk about? Ron Rivera? Yawn. If Howell can lead the offense to 10 wins? Get real. How many times can that be the topic? Back in the 80s I understand how they could fill up the airwaves...there was an expectation each year to get to the NFC Championship Game. That's FUN to talk about. Now, it's discussing how the culture is going to ruin good players like Jon Allen and Terry M. I don't blame the stations at all. 

[Skinsinparadise]

Leslie Shepard, ex-WR who played here, just on 106,7 with Brian Mitchell both saying money talks in FA but they would factor facilities in the mix and how the players are treated and referenced since that survey is from the players, they likely would get some of that out of the players when they hit FA -- players know each other and would ask each other what its like there, etc.  KJ Wright a few days ago said something similar on 106.7

 

But what got me the most is Shepard ripped Dan's ownership, and about how he needs to go.  

 

Edited March 3, 2023 by Skinsinparadise

[@DCGoldPants]

12 minutes ago, TD_washingtonredskins said:

Well, you need interest to do sports talk radio...look at their content.

 

There is a sportstalk thread in the tailgate. I'll just say here that I think they station owners don't see the value (maybe right) in talking about much past football. Most hosts aren't very good on the other local pro or college sports, and those teams in general like the Wizards, have never been that good. So, nobody wants to really listen to more than a 15min segment every few days. It feeds into every show having the same topics. I personally would like more variety in the background of hosts who maybe played a different sport than Football. Playing doesn't give you special insight. Look at Doc Walker. He's done this for like 30 years and still couldn't talk scheme to save his life. 

[lovemaskins]

3 hours ago, KDawg said:

 

The Chiefs were saved by getting Andy Reid to go there. The situation there is not great, never really has been. But getting one guy like Reid can really save you from a lot of other issues. 

 

But Reid is a REALLY big get. The chances of getting a guy like that are lower than getting a franchise QB. 

 

Then they get Mahomes. 

 

And that's not to mention their front office. They are some of the best talent evaluators in the business. That group saves that whole franchise. If Reid and the main FO (Veach) were to move on... they'd be in trouble. Mahomes may be able to keep them afloat. 

 

They have the best "triangle" in the NFL and its not close. 

This is why I believe we grossly undervalue what Ron has done since he got here.  We have the worst owner in pro sports, trash facilities, and distraction after distraction, and yet he's changed our culture, roster, and outlook in three years, and made or been close to making the playoffs each year, while undergoing chemo for cancer that he beat. 

 

Not sure we can ask for much more from a coach, other than a better offensive coordinator...., oh yeah, we just hired the best coordinator on the market in 2-time Superbowl champion, 5 straight AFC championship Andy Reid disciple, Eric Bienemy.  

 

But folks want him fired?🤔