Welcome New Owner Josh Harris

[HigSkin]

17 minutes ago, 88Comrade2000 said:

Considering Sean Mcvay has thought about retiring last 2 years; he could leave Rams after another down year. I think he’d  go to tv for a while ; before returning to football.  
 

Bill gets the boot from Pats; I’m sure some desperate team will hire him but doubtful he would have any success.

 

If we are looking for a new head coach in 24 and decide that EB isn’t Ron’s replacement; we go after the hot oc, preferably young.

 

FWIW, I said wouldn't be surprised if the list included thoses types.  Personally I'd do a hot coordinator as well, including EB.  But then again, if EB and the offense is successful, scoring a lot of points, chances are we aren't in a coaching search next year.

[kingdaddy]

On 9/4/2023 at 10:12 AM, GoSkins1976 said:

I'm curious to see if Harris, Magic and the group will be out and about mingling with fans on opening day. A full stadium of rabid fans might present a tough challenge for them to get around but it would be cool to see them out tailgating and such

On top of that, I hope we see a LOT of Redskins garb instead of all Commanders stuff. Just because our name was taken doesn't mean they can take away our history and collective souls. 

[BringMetheHeadofBruceAllen]

4 hours ago, 88Comrade2000 said:

 

Bill gets the boot from Pats; I’m sure some desperate team will hire him but doubtful he would have any success.

 

 

Since Brady left the clock struck midnight and Belichick turned back into the guy who coached the Browns in the early 90s. Is Snyder were still here he'd be fueling up Commanders One and stocking it with Crown Royal for a flight to Boston within 5 minutes of the firing!

[Voice_of_Reason]

5 hours ago, MartinC said:

If things are mediocre and we win 7 or 8 wins and Sam is up and down and it’s clear Josh is going to move on in a different direction - then I think Ron will very likely retire rather than being fired. 

That will entirely depend on if he can get paid out in full of he retires.  
 

If he can’t, he will force Josh to fire him to collect his money.  Which is exactly what he should do.  
 

If they work out a “I’ll retire but you still pay me the vast majority of my contract” deal, he’ll retire from coaching.

[Skinsinparadise]

2) This year’s rookies. Would you believe Seattle thinks the 2023 class is just as good? Both Devon Witherspoon and Jaxon Smith-Njigba (before he got nicked up) have come as advertised and are expect to start, Derick Hall is in the defensive end rotation, and both Zach Charbonnet and Kenny McIntosh (who also is a little banged up) should add to what Walker’s bringing out of the backfield. That’s four guys who’ll play, with Day 3 picks Mike Morris and Olu Oluwatimi showing potential, too.

 

 

From Brian Murphy (@bmurph13): Who is the next OC/DC that takes the league by storm in the coming years? A la Sean McVay, DeMeco Ryans, etc.

This would be a good place to tease the great work our own Conor Orr does on this very subject—his list is coming out a little later in the month, so be on the lookout for it.

But if you’re asking me for some top names, among offensive coordinators, I’d give you Detroit’s Ben Johnson, Cincinnati’s Brian Callahan, Buffalo’s Ken Dorsey, Chicago’s Luke Getsy, the Giants’ Mike Kafka and Philadelphia’s Brian Johnson as guys who’ll be on head-coach lists next January.

The defensive coordinator list is actually longer, because they don’t get picked off as quickly. So I’d give you New England’s de facto DC Jerod Mayo, Detroit’s Aaron Glenn, Dallas’s Dan Quinn, Carolina’s Ejiro Evero, Cincinnati’s Lou Anarumo, Minnesota’s Brian Flores, the Giants’ Wink Martindale, Denver’s Vance Joseph and San Francisco’s Steve Wilks as names worth keeping an eye on.

And of course if the Commanders break through this year under new ownership and survive the transition (not an easy trick turn), Eric Bieniemy could get hot again.

 

https://www.si.com/nfl/2023/09/06/mailbag-seahawks-could-follow-familiar-formula-to-success

 

Interesting about Seattle.  Wonder if that's where they pluck their guy

 

 

Edited September 6, 2023 by Skinsinparadise

[Skinsinparadise]

‘The city was yearning’: Josh Harris pushes to revive the Commanders

Josh Harris, a little over a month into owning the Washington Commanders, still sounds perplexed by some of the requests that have come across his desk. His facial expression is a mix of disbelief and amusement. A new clock for the practice field? Done. Bigger hot tubs for players? Sure thing. 

“I’m like, ‘All right, stop,’” Mr. Harris laughs. “This is a pro team. Just get what you need.” 

 

The Commanders, under the last owner, didn’t always resemble a professional team. Before Mr. Harris purchased the franchise for $6.05 billion from Dan Snyder, scandals and losing had made the club a punchline. But as another NFL season kicks off Thursday, the Commanders enter the year with hope that perception is starting to change. 

 

The new owner at the center of it all, meanwhile, has methodically set about proving, one handshake at a time, that he’s a different kind of billionaire than the reclusive Snyder.

Mr. Harris has greeted fans at training camp, bought rounds of beers for the faithful at bars and this preseason stood in the stands with the rest of the crowd during a game in Cleveland.

 

If it feels like a strategic rebuke of Mr. Snyder, who increasingly receded from the limelight as controversies mounted, that’s because it is.

Mr. Harris, without acknowledging his predecessor, said a change in approach was warranted.

“I think the city was yearning for someone they could believe in,” Mr. Harris told The Washington Times. “I think it’s very important. I said I was going to be here. It’s a lot. I’m here a lot. … That was part of the bargain that I made with the city. 

“Yeah, I felt it was really something I needed to do.”

 

Winning back the fans

The day after Mr. Harris’ introductory press conference at FedEx Field in July, the new owner, several of his partners and the team’s brass met for an 8 a.m. video call to discuss plans for the coming season. It didn’t matter that it was a Saturday. There was a lot of work to be done. 

“We have a really short window to deliver an elevated experience,” said Commanders limited partner Mark Ein, one of Mr. Harris’ 20 business partners with the franchise.

“We’re like, ‘OK … Let’s go. Let’s go. Let’s go,’” Mr. Harris said.

 

...Building a contender

As much as Mr. Harris has focused on the Commanders’ business and their fans in the early stages of his tenure, his ownership group will ultimately be judged on whether he can make Washington a perennial threat once again.

Mr. Harris’ ownership of the 76ers and the Devils provides insight into how he might help accomplish that goal. Mr. Harris’ teams have a history of prioritizing sports science, relying on analytics and making the kinds of deep investments some analysts see as critical to fielding a winning product.

 

...Mr. Lasry said Mr. Harris is “great” at recognizing when he’s made a mistake. 

“Obviously, in retrospect, he should have kept Jimmy,” Mr. Lasry said. “I think if he had to do it over again with what he knows now and what he’s learned, he would have kept Jimmy. And I think one of the things that is really beneficial if you’re a Commanders fan is Josh doesn’t mind admitting if he’s made a mistake. 

 

“If he’s made a mistake, he’s going to fix it, and he’s going to fix it right away.”

Mr. Lasry also knows how much of a hands-on approach Mr. Harris can take when owning a team. During the 2014 NBA draft, Mr. Lasry’s Bucks held the second overall pick with the 76ers right behind them at No. 3. That year, Mr. Harris called Mr. Lasry because he wanted to know whether the Bucks were leaning toward drafting forward Jabari Parker or center Joel Embiid. Mr. Lasry said Mr. Harris made no secret of his team’s interest in Embiid and wanted to gauge Milwaukee’s interest in trading back.

Mr. Lasry, being a friend, told him he had nothing to worry about because Milwaukee planned on taking Parker. But recalling the interaction all these years later, Mr. Lasry appreciated Mr. Harris’ honesty. They were able to build a trust that’s rare to find among owners competing to win, Mr. Lasry said. 

 

...Mr. Harris can sympathize with that concern, understanding the dynamic of businessmen buying their way into the realm of sports. He joked that if Joe Gibbs came to him wanting to run his finance company, “I would look at him like he had two heads.” Instead, Mr. Harris laid out a simple goal: Have the best people work on your behalf.

Mr. Harris said he’ll be involved with “very big” decisions and hold people accountable. But there’s a balance, he adds.

“I don’t want to micromanage the football team,” Mr. Harris said. “If you’re asking me for, if we’re talking about massive dollars and extension, then I’m going to want to hear a lot about it before we do it and really push on it and try to develop, ask a lot of questions.”

 

Work to be done

Sitting in an open-air suite, Mr. Harris has to raise his voice so he can still be heard as the speakers blast music through the newly renovated sound system at FedEx Field.

The upgraded speakers are part of a series of differences at the stadium this year, changes that Harris and his group hope draw people back to games.

 

After finishing with the league’s worst attendance a year ago, Harris and his group have committed to a $40 million investment in the suburban Maryland stadium. That money is already being spent on fixing broken-down infrastructure, renovating suites and updating imagery around the stadium. Mr. Harris said the improvements aren’t a fix-all for an older stadium, but said there are “a thousand things” to improve. 

Mr. Harris’ financial commitment to the stadium was one of his first major acts as owner. But the commitment was also made with the understanding that FedEx Field needed improvements — in part because the Commanders’ search for a new stadium has effectively started over. 

 

Mr. Harris said building a new venue by 2027 — when the lease expires at FedEx Field — is “aggressive.” A leaked document from Mr. Harris’ group during the sales process suggested a more realistic timetable for a stadium could be 2031. But since taking over, Mr. Harris has spent part of his time meeting with local politicians and hiring a consultant (Thad Sheely) to help the Commanders find a new home. 

“We have momentum now,” Mr. Harris said. 

 

Building a new stadium isn’t the only long-term priority. At some point, Mr. Harris and his group will have to declare whether they’re willing to commit to another rebrand. Mr. Wright said in a local radio interview last week that the franchise was not considering a return to its former Redskins moniker, but stuck to the company line when asked about the possibility of another name change. Mr. Wright maintained there are other priorities for ownership at the moment, declining to definitively say one way or another. 

 

Mr. Harris will also spend this coming season evaluating the futures of key figures like coach Ron Rivera and Mr. Wright. The owner expressed confidence in both, saying that he hopes to work with each of them “for a long time.” But performance will matter. Rivera, in particular, has made the playoffs only once in three seasons, and the Commanders have yet to have a winning record under him. 

Rivera and Mr. Harris have met for a series of conversations that involve both men outlining their vision and expectations for the team. Rivera has enjoyed their interactions, as well as Mr. Harris’ willingness to invest. The coach noted Mr. Harris’ “immediate response” in helping upgrade the team’s locker rooms, add new equipment in the training room and weight room and update the team’s technology with new iPads.

 

“A lot of things we needed to get taken care of are finally being done for us,” Rivera said.

Mr. Harris hasn’t been fazed by all the work required. He said he felt that people would respond if he and his group “did the right things.” And so far, he said he believes that’s what is happening.

“Sometimes just change helps,” Mr. Harris said. “I’ve done this. I really feel like I’m well-suited to get going here and do this.”

 

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/sep/6/city-was-yearning-josh-harris-pushes-revive-comman/?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=SocialFlow

[FootballZombie]

The social awkwardness does not phase me one bit, so everything Harris has done to this point has been great.

 

He is also heavily dipping into the revive the fanbase playbook that we all discussed at length by fixin' up the stadium, improving the team facilities at least in small scale for now and even getting new food vendors at FedEx.

 

He has done all the things you would expect of a new owner to this point and even a few small personal touches that are well appreciated.

 

I don't really have anything to complain about when it comes to ownership. Nice change of pace.

 

...

 

but it feels kinda wrong after all these years. lol

[TheShredder]

22 hours ago, kingdaddy said:

On top of that, I hope we see a LOT of Redskins garb instead of all Commanders stuff. Just because our name was taken doesn't mean they can take away our history and collective souls. 

Man, I get what you're saying. I look at it this way...In the box score it was and has always been WSH. Nothing past that for me. In this view, nobody lost anything and Snyder is gone. That's really is a big deal that makes this season a celebration and hope.

[Skinsinparadise]

12 minutes ago, FootballZombie said:

The social awkwardness does not phase me one bit, so everything Harris has done to this point has been great.

 

He is also heavily dipping into the revive the fanbase playbook that we all discussed at length by fixin' up the stadium, improving the team facilities at least in small scale for now and even getting new food vendors at FedEx.

 

He has done all the things you would expect of a new owner to this point and even a few small personal touches that are well appreciated.

 

I don't really have anything to complain about when it comes to ownership. Nice change of pace.

 

...

 

but it feels kinda wrong after all these years. lol

 

We heard before he bought the team that he's not the most engaging public personality and doesn't like the limelight -- but brings many other good qualities.

 

But clearly he's willing to go outside his comfort zone because he knows the fans want some transparency and to be engaged with ownership for a change -- so he's done so which I think is cool for him to do.

[Conn]

Remember this time last year when we had a poster arguing that Snyder was investing in the stadium by letting unpaid fans put up their artwork and home-made 3D prints on the walls? lol

[Skinsinparadise]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Skinsinparadise]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ixcuincle]

 

[Skinsinparadise]

 

 

[ixcuincle]

An owner belongs nowhere near the team pre-game and doesn't need to talk to the team. Let the coaches and players talk.

[Skinsinparadise]

 

 

[ixcuincle]

 

 

 

 

[ixcuincle]

 

 

[hail2skins]

Reading the Wash Times article that SIP posted and the part where Rivera was asking for certain facility improvement things. Surely this isn't the first time these things have been asked for. Were these requests denied by the prior owner?

 

If so, just infuriating.

[Skinsinparadise]

6 minutes ago, hail2skins said:

Reading the Wash Times article that SIP posted and the part where Rivera was asking for certain facility improvement things. Surely this isn't the first time these things have been asked for. Were these requests denied by the prior owner?

 

If so, just infuriating.

 

Part of what makes it infuriating to this day is Dan's defenders through this day who were mostly his player pals from the Gibbs 2 era like Portis, Smoot, etc will say yeah maybe Dan had some issues but you can't say he wasn't willing to spend.  

 

That's absurd.  At least when it comes to the last 10 years give or take.  Yes he would overpay for FAs especially early on.  But more and more stories have came out over the years that he was cheap as heck across the board and in turn let the stadium decay among other things. 

 

They were behind the curve on diet measures, facility, recovery equipment -- overall spending in that building including the business department, scouting, etc.  Dan was uber cheap aside from overpaying for FAs.

Edited September 7, 2023 by Skinsinparadise

[ixcuincle]

8 minutes ago, hail2skins said:

Reading the Wash Times article that SIP posted and the part where Rivera was asking for certain facility improvement things. Surely this isn't the first time these things have been asked for. Were these requests denied by the prior owner?

 

If so, just infuriating.

prior owner was cheap as ****

[RVAskins]

12 minutes ago, Skinsinparadise said:

Part of what makes it infuriating to this day is Dan's defenders through this day who were mostly his player pals from the Gibbs 2 era like Portis, Smoot, etc will say yeah maybe Dan had some issues but you can't say he wasn't willing to spend. 

It's obvious that the previous owner was more concerned with financing his lifestyle than spending on the team. Good riddance.

[Skinsinparadise]

9 hours ago, RVAskins said:

It's obvious that the previous owner was more concerned with financing his lifestyle than spending on the team. Good riddance.

 

Big time.  I got so annoyed with those who say that Dan would at least spend.  BS.

 

Years ago the stories would filter out that he didn't pay scouts like other teams did. Ditto paying just about everryone who worked in that building.  Chris Russell shared a story from Shanny that until shanny fixed this Dan would serve his players peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as their dinner on the plane.  He guve them cheap junk food as their cusine a the building.

 

On and on.  Keim put some of that on Bruce that a major shoft about them being cheap happened with him at the helm.  But I've read even with Ron there they still underpaid so clearly it was part of Dan's thing.  Chris Russell had a good line about Dan treating tha building like it was a dollar store.

 

The sexual harassment stories talked about how they didn't even have a full time human resource worker whereas other teams have multiple full time ones.  That aspect of the story was totally on brand.  the guy was as cheap as Mike Brown in Cincy, maybe cheaper.  Brown had the reputation for it because Cincy was like that forever.  But Dan clearly gave him a good run for his money.

Edited September 7, 2023 by Skinsinparadise

[Chris 44]

9 hours ago, RVAskins said:

It's obvious that the previous owner was more concerned with financing his lifestyle than spending on the team. Good riddance.

The thing is, if he had put the time and investment into the business end he would have made a lot more money on the backend for himself. Dude is an absolute idiot! NFL franchises print money....but it still requires a little effort on the individual organizations part. Add in some self awareness and outreach to the community/fans and its a cant miss.

[Skinsinparadise]

24 minutes ago, Chris 44 said:

The thing is, if he had put the time and investment into the business end he would have made a lot more money on the backend for himself. Dude is an absolute idiot! NFL franchises print money....but it still requires a little effort on the individual organizations part. Add in some self awareness and outreach to the community/fans and its a cant miss.

 

Yep.  And he was a dumb businessman post his telemarketing buisiness across the board.  He ran everything else into the ground.

 

I liked to say during that period when Dan hired Bruce it was the perfect combination to bring down the business.  Early Dan did spend to some extent.  But Bruce helped bring out his uber frugal nature.   They became boring, cheap and even more arrogant.   

 

Heck Dan worshipped RG3 and arguably his demise ironially was fueled by the awful field conditions and at the time they didn't want to invest in maintaining that field, where they needed to replace the grass every now and then, etc.  It became a league punch line.

 

So many stories about how frugal-cheap that dude was.   I recall the story from ex-players about how they spoke to Tanya as to spending a few hundred bucks per bathroom to make it more baby friendly and she punted on that and said wait for the next stadium.

 

 

 

Josh Harris, a little over a month into owning the Washington Commanders, still sounds perplexed by some of the requests that have come across his desk. His facial expression is a mix of disbelief and amusement. A new clock for the practice field? Done. Bigger hot tubs for players? Sure thing. 

“I’m like, ‘All right, stop,’” Mr. Harris laughs. “This is a pro team. Just get what you need.” 

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/sep/6/city-was-yearning-josh-harris-pushes-revive-comman/?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=SocialFlow

Edited September 7, 2023 by Skinsinparadise