NYT: Coach Embraced as Hopes Soar in Washington

[bubba9497]

Coach Embraced as Hopes Soar in Washington

By TIM WENDEL

Published: January 9, 2004

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/09/sports/football/09GIBB.html

ASHBURN, Va., Jan. 8 — Joe Gibbs, who guided the Redskins to three Super Bowl titles, tried his best Thursday to lower expectations of ecstatic fans after he was introduced as Washington's new coach.

"I'm not kidding myself," Gibbs said at a news conference, which included his family, former players and several of his new assistant coaches. "I have a lot to learn. I'm going into this realizing that some of those guys standing on the other sideline have been here, and I'm going to have to have people around me to help cover that. So, I realize I've got a lot to learn."

Gibbs, who stood in front of a table on which the three Super Bowl trophies were placed, maintained that his learning curve will be steep after being away from the National Football League for 11 years. But his cautiousness did little to dampen the festive atmosphere inside the auditorium at Redskins Park and throughout the Washington area.

The Associated Press reported that two thousand names have been added to the waiting list for Redskins season tickets in the past 48 hours. Outside the Redskins' training complex here in suburban Virginia, fans cheered when the five-limousine caravan with Gibbs and his family arrived. Gibbs shook hands with many of them who stood behind orange cones leading to the front entrance. One fan held a sign that read: "Joe Gibbs — God, Mr. Snyder — Genius, Being a Redskins Fan — Priceless."

Shortly after 5 p.m., with the television cameras rolling, Daniel Snyder, the owner of the Redskins, introduced Gibbs by saying, "Who better to set our strategy and lead the Redskins back to championship glory?"

Gibbs, who has also been given the title of team president, said his relationship with Snyder would be a partnership.

"It's got to be one that can overcome a lot of adversity," Gibbs said.

Gibbs has signed a five-year, $25 million contract. Gibbs and Snyder have already worked together in pursuing assistant coaches for his staff. It is expected that the previous Buffalo Bills coach, Gregg Williams, will become the Redskins' defensive coordinator.

"He has a formula, a formula for winning," said Don Warren, who played tight end for Gibbs on all three championship teams. "It doesn't matter how long he's been away. He'll turn this around in a year or two."

Warren predicted that the Redskins with Gibbs in charge would win 10 or more games next season.

The former Redskins linebacker Neal Olkewicz came to Redskins Park from his home in Maryland because he said he wanted to show his support for Gibbs and what he stands for in Washington. "If anybody can bring us back, put us back on top, it's him," said Olkewicz, who played on two of Gibbs's championship teams.

Mark Mosley, Joe Jacoby, Gary Clark and Darrell Green were among the former players in the attendance.

"Sometimes you have to go back to the past and to bring back the glory," said Ken Harvey, the president of the Redskins alumni group. "It was important for me and a lot of others to be here."

Green added: "Can he succeed? All you can go on is what you see when you look at his record."

When news of Gibbs's return began to spread Wednesday morning, local televisions cut into their regular programming. All of them, as well as Washington's all-news and all-sports stations, carried Gibbs's news conference live.

"We didn't hesitate at all to do that," said Jim Farley, vice president of news and programming for WTOP, the all-news radio station. "The Redskins are one safe topic of conversation in this town. It doesn't matter if you're Republican or Democrat, black or white. People in this town follow the Redskins."

Farley said the last time WTOP interrupted its regular programming was for Saddam Hussein's capture.

Since buying the team in 1999, Snyder has had four head coaches. Gibbs replaces Steve Spurrier, who resigned last week with three years remaining on his contract. His teams went 7-9 and 5-11.

Gibbs said he and Snyder have mostly talked football in negotiating his return to the nation's capital. Gibbs would not divulge how much he made in 1992, his last season in Washington.

During the news conference, Gibbs, 63, was often upbeat and occasionally appeared on the verge of tears as he explained the reasons for his improbable return to the N.F.L.

"I had my life pretty planned out," he said. "I apologize to all those people that I said, `No way.' This is kind of a shock to me. I had no clue. I thought that football was done."

[bubba9497]

Coach Embraced as Hopes Soar in Washington

By TIM WENDEL

Published: January 9, 2004

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/09/sports/football/09GIBB.html

ASHBURN, Va., Jan. 8 — Joe Gibbs, who guided the Redskins to three Super Bowl titles, tried his best Thursday to lower expectations of ecstatic fans after he was introduced as Washington's new coach.

"I'm not kidding myself," Gibbs said at a news conference, which included his family, former players and several of his new assistant coaches. "I have a lot to learn. I'm going into this realizing that some of those guys standing on the other sideline have been here, and I'm going to have to have people around me to help cover that. So, I realize I've got a lot to learn."

Gibbs, who stood in front of a table on which the three Super Bowl trophies were placed, maintained that his learning curve will be steep after being away from the National Football League for 11 years. But his cautiousness did little to dampen the festive atmosphere inside the auditorium at Redskins Park and throughout the Washington area.

The Associated Press reported that two thousand names have been added to the waiting list for Redskins season tickets in the past 48 hours. Outside the Redskins' training complex here in suburban Virginia, fans cheered when the five-limousine caravan with Gibbs and his family arrived. Gibbs shook hands with many of them who stood behind orange cones leading to the front entrance. One fan held a sign that read: "Joe Gibbs — God, Mr. Snyder — Genius, Being a Redskins Fan — Priceless."

Shortly after 5 p.m., with the television cameras rolling, Daniel Snyder, the owner of the Redskins, introduced Gibbs by saying, "Who better to set our strategy and lead the Redskins back to championship glory?"

Gibbs, who has also been given the title of team president, said his relationship with Snyder would be a partnership.

"It's got to be one that can overcome a lot of adversity," Gibbs said.

Gibbs has signed a five-year, $25 million contract. Gibbs and Snyder have already worked together in pursuing assistant coaches for his staff. It is expected that the previous Buffalo Bills coach, Gregg Williams, will become the Redskins' defensive coordinator.

"He has a formula, a formula for winning," said Don Warren, who played tight end for Gibbs on all three championship teams. "It doesn't matter how long he's been away. He'll turn this around in a year or two."

Warren predicted that the Redskins with Gibbs in charge would win 10 or more games next season.

The former Redskins linebacker Neal Olkewicz came to Redskins Park from his home in Maryland because he said he wanted to show his support for Gibbs and what he stands for in Washington. "If anybody can bring us back, put us back on top, it's him," said Olkewicz, who played on two of Gibbs's championship teams.

Mark Mosley, Joe Jacoby, Gary Clark and Darrell Green were among the former players in the attendance.

"Sometimes you have to go back to the past and to bring back the glory," said Ken Harvey, the president of the Redskins alumni group. "It was important for me and a lot of others to be here."

Green added: "Can he succeed? All you can go on is what you see when you look at his record."

When news of Gibbs's return began to spread Wednesday morning, local televisions cut into their regular programming. All of them, as well as Washington's all-news and all-sports stations, carried Gibbs's news conference live.

"We didn't hesitate at all to do that," said Jim Farley, vice president of news and programming for WTOP, the all-news radio station. "The Redskins are one safe topic of conversation in this town. It doesn't matter if you're Republican or Democrat, black or white. People in this town follow the Redskins."

Farley said the last time WTOP interrupted its regular programming was for Saddam Hussein's capture.

Since buying the team in 1999, Snyder has had four head coaches. Gibbs replaces Steve Spurrier, who resigned last week with three years remaining on his contract. His teams went 7-9 and 5-11.

Gibbs said he and Snyder have mostly talked football in negotiating his return to the nation's capital. Gibbs would not divulge how much he made in 1992, his last season in Washington.

During the news conference, Gibbs, 63, was often upbeat and occasionally appeared on the verge of tears as he explained the reasons for his improbable return to the N.F.L.

"I had my life pretty planned out," he said. "I apologize to all those people that I said, `No way.' This is kind of a shock to me. I had no clue. I thought that football was done."