Forget the Saints and Cards: It's Dan vs Marty

[88Comrade2000]

>>>Buildup to Showdown

By Tony Kornheiser

Sunday, December 30, 2001; Page D01

Now that the Redskins have been washed off the playoff board it's time to mull over what's going on with Washington's new fun couple, Dan Snyder and Marty Schottenheimer.

In the last week they've traded broadsides. First, Schottenheimer announced that he had no intention of making any changes with his coaching staff, and no intention of hiring a general manager. (This was a mixed blessing for the Schottenheimer Family Christmas. It was good news for the many Schottenheimers on the current staff, but discouraging news for cousins, nieces and nephews looking to break into the family business.)

But the very next day it was reported that indeed Snyder had retained the right to hire a director of player personnel to report directly to him. This person -- and just to stir the pot let's call him a GM -- could be hired without Schottenheimer's approval. There was no mistaking the message of the story: It was to remind Schottenheimer that while he sat on the throne, he didn't own it.

What we have here is something like the Cuban Missile Crisis. Two potentially hostile forces marking off their territory, and raising the stakes with every new blustery communiqué until they appear to be on the brink of war. And as they eye each other warily, everyone else waits to see which side blinks.

Realistically, this has been building all season. It began with the exhibition games when the Redskins were godawful -- a condition that extended through their regular season 0-5 start. Their rebound to 5-5 was a temporary salve that's worn off with their December collapse (0-3) at home. Through it all Snyder has stayed hands-off; whenever he's quoted, he has pledged his support of Schottenheimer.

But you can safely assume Snyder is livid at some personnel decisions Schottenheimer made that put the Redskins in such a deep hole. (Does the name Jeff George ring a bell? Seriously, if a bunch of dopey sportswriters knew way back in April that George would be a disaster with a short-passing, ball-control offense, why didn't Marty?) Snyder thinks he gave Schottenheimer too much authority. You can almost feel Snyder getting ready to go hands-on again. Story after story has sources saying Snyder wants to bring in Ron Wolf. Schottenheimer is clearly resisting this, and circling the wagons around his coaching staff.

This thing could go boom. Schottenheimer isn't Norv Turner; he won't wait quietly while an owner dangles him like a daisy and pulls off his petals. Schottenheimer's voice is made for talking, and his boots are made for walking. You know the guy has memorized "Patton."

So the question becomes: How can this situation be defused?

One way is for Snyder to fire Schottenheimer. Should Washington lose today at New Orleans, and again next week to Arizona, Snyder would have a free drop. There would be no outcry after a season that began 0-5 and ended 1-5 with four straight losses at home.

But if the Redskins win even one of their last two games, then firing Schottenheimer goes off the table. Two wins means the Redskins finished 8-3; one means they finished 7-4. That's proof that Schottenheimer is still a very good coach.

And then the fun begins.

Let's suppose Snyder does bring in a GM. Because at 8-8 if you're Dan Snyder, here's what you've got to be thinking: "Are you kidding me? Marty has a chance to bring in Doug Flutie or Trent Dilfer -- and he stays with Jeff George to run a short-passing offense! Then he cuts Larry Centers, who'd have had 85 catches! We should have been in the playoffs. I gotta get this guy some help."

The rationale for Snyder to bring in a GM is simple: to check and balance. Schottenheimer not only had all the power this year, but he also had an amen chorus of loyalists on his coaching staff. The Redskins needed someone to tell Schottenheimer, "Jeff George is the wrong man for this," and, "You can't cut Larry Centers." Presumably, a GM whose allegiance was to the team, not primarily to Schottenheimer, would do that. That way Marty the GM couldn't sabotage Marty the coach, as happened this season.

But then what? Would Marty quit?

You wouldn't think Schottenheimer would walk away from $7.5 million. (It would be awfully tough for me to get my legs to move at that number.) He might. But as long as he didn't have to change his coaching staff, what's the harm in staying? Schottenheimer's contract gives him the last word on player personnel. His say is still the loudest.

A battle could come if Snyder attempted to bigfoot the coaching staff; for example, if he suggested changes on the offensive side -- which is to the Redskins' defense what Taco Bell is to Alexander Graham Bell. But bringing in a GM of Wolf's stature would seem to be a proper move; anything more might appear provocative.

There's often conflict between a coach and GM. Go back a few years to New England and Bill Parcells and Bobby Grier. When owner Robert Kraft sided with Grier, Parcells left. We saw it here in the 1980s with Joe Gibbs and Bobby Beathard. They worked swell together for almost a decade; when it was no longer fun, Beathard left.

My recollection is when Gibbs and Beathard had a conflict they couldn't solve themselves, Jack Kent Cooke solved it for them. He called them in; said something like, "My dear Bobby, my dear Joe, are you boys at an impasse?" And then, with the power vested in him by virtue of ownership, The Squire informed them what the Redskins would do, and anyone who didn't like it could leave.

The Squire didn't act in the interest of Gibbs or Beathard -- he acted in the interest of the Redskins. Danny Snyder wished upon a star on those teams. He adored Gibbs and Beathard. (How could he have possibly known he'd grow up to be like Cooke?)

With his passion for the Redskins, his thrill for the arena and his zeal for power, Danny Snyder is The Squire's spiritual heir. John Cooke never lusted after the Redskins the way his father did. The Danny does.

Last year Snyder was too involved with the team. This year he hasn't been involved enough. You learn to be a good owner over time, like you learn to be a good coach and a good GM. The best interest of the Redskins now is to bring in a good GM to work with Marty Schottenheimer, a good coach. But the trick isn't hiring the GM; the trick is making it work between the GM and the coach. The Squire did it. Let's see if Dan Snyder can, too.

© 2001 The Washington Post Company<<<

[88Comrade2000]

>>>For Redskins, Shuffle Could Start at Top

Team May Find Room for GM

By Mark Maske and Leonard Shapiro

Washington Post Staff Writers

Sunday, December 30, 2001; Page D01

As a second straight disappointing season for the Washington Redskins nears its end, no one at Redskins Park seems to know for certain how different the organization will look in the coming weeks. Several team officials believe that the club might have a new general manager but do not know how that will affect the future of the head coach.

The team's optimism was overflowing on Jan. 4, when the Redskins introduced Marty Schottenheimer in a Redskins Park news conference, a day after announcing they had signed him to a four-year, $10 million contract to serve as head coach and director of football operations. Owner Daniel Snyder placed Schottenheimer in charge of the team's football-related matters and said he was confident that the coach's winning ways -- Schottenheimer had led his clubs to the playoffs in 11 of his previous 14 full seasons as an NFL head coach -- would continue this season.

But the Redskins will take a 6-8 record into tonight's game at New Orleans after losing three of their last four games and being eliminated from playoff contention. And last week, the unrest that had been simmering since the Redskins began the season with five straight losses was on display. One day after Schottenheimer said he had no plans to make any changes to his coaching staff or to hire a general manager, he acknowledged that his contract gives Snyder the full authority to hire a GM or a front-office executive with GM-like duties.

Schottenheimer declined to say what his reaction would be if Snyder hires a general manager. Sources close to the situation said that Snyder is leaning toward retaining Schottenheimer as coach but no final decision has been made.

The Redskins' results in their final two games and Schottenheimer's willingness to make some offseason changes and be open to working with a new personnel man, such as former Green Bay GM Ron Wolf, could be factors in Snyder's decision.

"What will happen? I have no idea," Redskins linebacker LaVar Arrington said. "I'm down here, and they're up there. That's out of my hands. . . . All I know is, I have a job to do this Sunday and next Sunday."

Snyder repeatedly has declined to make public comments on his plans. But former Redskins tight end Rick "Doc" Walker, a radio commentator, said that if Snyder has an opportunity to hire Wolf, he should consider it.

"My personal opinion is you want to get the best football minds together that you can," said Walker. "That's minds, plural. If you can get a guy with a football mind like Ron Wolf and you want to win, you would be crazy not to be interested."

During an interview earlier this season, Wolf said he was happy in retirement but left open the possibility of joining the Redskins. He was not available to comment last week. He nearly hired Schottenheimer as Green Bay's coach a few years ago but backed off, reportedly because he felt Schottenheimer's primary concerns were financial. The Redskins might have to give the Packers draft-pick compensation if they hire Wolf because he remains on Green Bay's payroll as a consultant.

"I don't think one man, with all the nuances involved in the game today, can do both jobs," said Art Modell, owner of the Baltimore Ravens and Schottenheimer's boss in Cleveland. "Even Vince Lombardi would have trouble doing both jobs.

"Your general manager is responsible to the owner, looking more to the future. The coach is more concerned with the next game."

Walker cited the Redskins' former coach-GM pairing of Joe Gibbs and Bobby Beathard. They sometimes battled for control, and late owner Jack Kent Cooke had to referee some of their disagreements. But they produced Super Bowl-winning teams.

"There's going to be conflict when you put strong-willed men together," Walker said. "Look at Gibbs and Beathard. But the end result was championships. . . . If Ron Wolf is available -- and I don't know if that's true or not -- and you can do a deal, I would definitely explore it. I wouldn't force it. If your goal is not to win a championship, just keep it like it is.

"If you did your due diligence, you know what Marty is. He didn't just sneak up on anyone. If you hire Marty and then fire him after one year, that's unprofessional. [but] if Marty doesn't feel like a man like Ron Wolf, with his résumé, can help him win, that's ego.

"The owner needs to figure out the best combination to win a championship, and then let that take shape. And that's not one season."

When he was asked last week whether he would want to remain as coach with a general manager in the fold, Schottenheimer said he would not discuss such issues until after the season. But one NFL executive who has worked with Schottenheimer said Schottenheimer will oppose the addition of a GM. "He'll protect his turf," the executive said.

Schottenheimer, who said this season he would not consider resigning under any circumstances, indicated last week he has enjoyed his return to coaching after a two-year sabbatical.

"I really have enjoyed the year," Schottenheimer said. "It's been fun to see the development of our players."

If the Redskins fire Schottenheimer, they would have to pay him the remaining approximately $7.5 million on his contract. If Schottenheimer resigns, he would forgo that money and, according to people familiar with the contract, he would have to receive written permission from Snyder to accept a job with another NFL team. The two sides also could negotiate a buyout.

According to sources, the contract says that Schottenheimer would be involved in the interview process and input on the hiring of a general manager, director of player personnel or vice president of football operations. But Snyder ultimately can hire whomever he wants. This season, Snyder chose not to have the player personnel department report to him. Schottenheimer fired Vinny Cerrato as the Redskins' personnel director and hired John Schneider from the Seattle Seahawks as a replacement.

Still, a source close to Schottenheimer said his contract gives him the final say over player-related decisions -- including draft choices and free agent signings -- if there is a disagreement after a "full discussion among the head coach and vice president of football operations, in consultation with the owner." The source said that the contract calls for Schottenheimer's decision in such circumstances to be "final and conclusive."

It is not unusual for an NFL head coach to have final say over player personnel decisions. Even if a coach does not have such power in writing, he determines his roster and lineup. Schottenheimer's contract gives Snyder more power over football-related matters than Redskins officials previously had suggested.

The contract also gives Schottenheimer the final say over the composition of his coaching staff, sources said. There apparently is some unhappiness in the organization with offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye, with the Redskins next to last in the NFL in scoring.

Schottenheimer said last week: "I don't have any intention of changing our coaches. We've got a good coaching staff."

Schottenheimer seemed to be expressing a stay-the-course view when he said last week: "We're in a situation like most people in this league. You find the right mix of players. You add a few. You get a streak and you get some confidence, and you end up going from where New England was last year to where New England is now."

Some Redskins players said they believe the team can be better next season with changes that would fall short of a major overhaul.

"There's a lot of sorting-out going on," said guard Dave Szott, who played nine seasons for Schottenheimer in Kansas City and was signed by the Redskins during training camp this year. "I think we've got a lot of the pieces in place. There are a couple things we've got to tweak. A lot of the things are here now. There's been so much transition from last year, but there are a lot of things we do well. It's really hard to run the ball in the NFL, and we do that well. For the most part, we pass-protect well. Our defense is sound. Our special teams have played real well. We just have to work with that and add a couple things."

Said Arrington: "If we get some guys to stay around and add some guys, I can't see it not coming together, with all the potential in here. This is year one. A lot of things had to come about. I don't see this team being in the same situation, the same predicament, next year."

The Redskins have 18 players, including nine starters, eligible for unrestricted free agency in the offseason. They likely will try to upgrade at quarterback by signing a free agent or perhaps by attempting to craft a trade for demoted Patriots starter Drew Bledsoe.

Snyder took an active role in assembling the 2000 team, which had a record player payroll of nearly $100 million but finished 8-8 and missed the playoffs.

That cost two head coaches -- Norv Turner and his interim replacement, Terry Robiskie -- their jobs. Snyder pursued other big-name coaches, such as Bill Parcells and Steve Spurrier, before hiring Schottenheimer.

This season, Snyder remained in the background, as he had promised Schottenheimer. According to sources, Snyder authorized a player payroll of at least $80 million for this season. But Schottenheimer kept the payroll under $60 million, and confronted the club's brewing salary cap troubles.

Now some observers, and even some team officials, say they wonder whether the club is better off now than it was 12 months ago. Walker said he can construct valid arguments on both sides of the debate about whether Schottenheimer should be retained.

"This team should have won the NFC East and been a threat to go to the Super Bowl," Walker said. "If someone isn't held responsible for that, that's bad management. . . . This team is close. This team should be going to the playoffs, and isn't. It shouldn't have been 0-5. . . . They've got to figure out what direction they're going. Nowadays, you don't have to build for two or three years. You can do it now. And they should have done it this year."

© 2001 The Washington Post Company<<<

[Art]

I think Doc Walker said it very well. If you have a chance to get a guy like Wolf, you should see about doing so. I don't know how interested Wolf is. But, I'd make a play for him for certain, no matter the fact that, really, Marty has not done a terrible job at the head of player personnel here.

Wolf, though, is the kind of guy that seems to have a pretty unique eye for talent and would certainly help the organization. Marty still will have the ultimate say, so I don't even think he'd be overly upset with that. The frustrating part of things is that the ruling with Phillips in Buffalo dictates that Snyder can't compel Marty to make changes on his coaching staff, then fire him for insubordination if he doesn't do so.

Given that Snyder is really powerless to make Marty do anything on his coaching staff without simply terminating Marty and taking the contract hit, I don't know if there'll be a big showdown on the GM as that still seems to tilt Marty's way. It'll be an interesting offseason though.

I was very happy to have Marty named coach here. It took Marty a year to fall in my eyes where it took Norv longer, but, I think he's going to be back -- at least looking at things today and 6-8 -- but, it'll be interesting to watch.

------------------

Doom is in the box.

[NavyDave]

Here is my question. If Marty hire Schneider to be Vice president of Football Operaions what does that make Marty?

And doesnt President of football Opeations carry more power than GM?

------------------

Take A Sip of the Marty KoolAid and Believe.

[bulldog]

I can take on the role of the wishful thinker and say that I am confident Marty is going to exorcise all those old demons and make a fresh start here that will end with the Redskins in the Super Bowl one day.

I just don't believe it with my rational mind. In other words, I am not confident enough to bet on it.

In my mind the best football teams are ones where the owner is clearly in charge of the organization and flows some of that authority down to the GM and then the Head Coach not as a matter of some legal language in a clause on a contract, but because it is agreed that this is the best way to do business.

There has to be an elemental level of trust to begin with.

That is why you normally see an owner select a GM and then allow that GM to choose a coach he feels he can work with and has a similar philosophy and commitment.

Can differences emerge? Certainly. They did for Bobby Beathard and Joe Gibbs. They did for George Young and Bill Parcells.

Ultimately someone had to leave.

But the basis of that friction was largely an outgrowth of the success of the franchises and the increased visibility and influence of these Super Bowl coaches.

In the Redskins current scenario, it is obvious the agreement of last January is not workable long-term.

Why?

Because even in the beginning it does not suit the inclinations of both of the major actors that HAVE to get along in order for the team to be successful.

Kornheiser is right that in an attempt to fend off the criticism of the Norv/Terry debacle, Snyder over-compensated by signing Marty to a sweetheart deal where Marty believed he could rule as an unchecked Caesar on the throne.

There is no voice in the organization to act as a 'loyal opposition'. Everyone in the front office and on the staff is either a relative, a career-long Schottenheimer follower or in the case of Schneider too young to have a resume suited to such a role.

At 6-8 the Redskins like San Diego, Kansas City and Arizona is a team with a new coach and staff that has stumbled along in the first season, having some success for a stretch but in the main failing to show the staying power necessary to be a playoff contender.

Doc Walker is right that the Redskins overall have more talent than these other teams. There was no reason the Redskins should have started out 0-5. There is no reason we should now be in position to perhaps finish 3rd or 4th in the weak NFC East.

But that is where we are. And whether you can point to a given good move or bad move by the GM/HC the fact remains the bottom line doesn't look good.

In fact not much has changed on the record. The Redskins are going to suffer through a second non-winning season in a row. Like the 2000 team, the 2001 Redskins disappeared in December, going 0-3 at home when a playoff berth was on the line. Like the 2000 team, the Redskins lost twice to a Dallas team that couldn't get within 25 points of the Eagles in their two contests. Like the 2000 team, we are below .500 at home. Like the 2000 team, we are ending up the year with question marks about the starting quarterback, wide receiver and defensive line positions.

When Marty was hired I realized the tradeoff could be that we could end up a 10-6 caliber team that fails to get over the hump. On the other hand there was the hope that Marty might just have learned something in the booth over the past 2 years that could give him a greater perspective on his past successes and failures.

Instead, Marty came in and has seemed to be a step or two behind events each step of the way. You can't tell me that Jeff George was 100% on board with the program and all of a sudden quit on the team in Week 2 while watching a film review of the Green Bay game with the coach. There must have been rumblings.

Indeed, there must have been rumblings in camp that everyone was not on board. And uncharacteristically for a veteran HC, Marty let the situation stew for a very long time, shrugging off the poor preseason performances as being mere aberrations.

For $10 million over 4 years and with 15 years as an NFL head coach, I expect better performance management out the top dog.

For a guy who says he takes charge and is in charge, it appears strange his response to what the team was showing on the field was so delayed and indecisive.

[88Comrade2000]

If Dan is set in bring in a GM and I feel need one though not Bobby B or Bill Polian; then it seems were are heading for showdown to me.

Maybe Dan regrets hiring Marty in first place and he knows just how to get Marty to leave. Force the issue where either Marty walks, agrees to a buyout or Dan fires Marty.

I still think we are heading for a showdown.

[indyskinsfan]

Walking a tightrope here. I see Art's point that maybe the GM won't mind. This could be true in the short run, just make sure the right players are brought in for Marty to evaluate in the WCO. If Marty falters in 2002, then the GM would accumulate ALL the authority of a more broad based executive and Marty would be let go, with his compensation. We'd take the hit, and begin a more defined rebuild or retool.

The other case can be made that to even get a GM, does signal something along the lines "do it, or else" or "Loading Up for 2003".

Snyder's inexperience has shown up once again, this time in signing a coach that has a stipulation in his contract that could allow him to walk, and we'd be strapped a little more in the cap room.

[ by indyskinsfan on January 02, 2002.]

[88Comrade2000]

Originally posted by indyskinsfan:

Walking a tightrope here. I see Art's point that maybe the GM won't mind. This could be true in the short run, just make sure the right players are brought in for Marty to evaluate in the WCO. If Marty falters in 2002, then the GM would accumulate ALL the authority of a more broad based executive and Marty would be let go, with his compensation. We'd take the hit, and begin a more defined rebuild or retool.

The other case can be made that to even get a GM, does signal something along the lines "do it, or else" or "Loading Up for 2003".

Snyder's inexperience has shown up once again, this time in signing a coach that has a stipulation in his contract that could allow him to walk, and we'd be strapped a little more in the cap room.

[<IMG SRC="http://www.extremeskins.com/ubb/edited.gif" border=0> by indyskinsfan on January 02, 2002.]

Personally I think Dan's EGO is getting in the way of him making smart football decisions. He was obsessed with getting a big name coach and he settled on Marty when noone else was taking him up. Why the rush. He should've hired a gm first and the GM would've found him a good coach. Now he wants to get a GM but he has the coach has all the power. I see a fan who able to live out a dream and own a football team. I don't think this fan: Dan Snyder has a clue as to what it takes to run a football team. The Skins are nothing more an ego thing to him. He's with the big boys of the NFL now. So he wants to show he can play with the Joneses. You don't need a big name to run things. Some of the greatest coaches in history were nonames but became legends. Joe Gibbs comes to mind.

IF Dan botches this up in the offseason then you forget about seeing a superbowl under Synder.

[indyskinsfan]

RDSKNS2000,

You know the strange thing is both Deion and Marty leave him in a gray area where the decision cuts into the actual progress of the team, if you let them go before the end of the contract. The advantage was getting Smoot in place of Deion, while losing over 7mil. Immediately it hurt, but over the long run, Smoot should pay back big dividends, as he already has shown his doggy style is coming - 5 INT's.

For Marty's situation, he has done at least what the TEAM needed, improve the character, instill a need and a desire to achieve better from the past week and play as a team, not as an "contract thief (Dana Stubbafield, Deion Sanders). He also made the needed areas more glaring by pushing the team and making them make results. Not the laid back passive style of Norv. For this, we simply must let him come back, as it is what is needed for this team and fair right now.

The stickler is: Dan wants the improvement. I believe it's coming in 2002, and the focus should be where the media saw Dan - looking at QB and how well he played. That IS the best case scenario right now for the team and that is most likely place for Snyder to help. This will relax relations with him and Marty and allow the players to build even a better bond among each other. Marty wouldn't mind that the possibility of a GM in 2003 might exist and by then we'd all see where it should head. Right now, because of the possible 8-8 record and mediocre look finish, we really can't tell until we unload Banks, and hope like he** we can unload Raye. If Marty keeps Raye, it will be the equivalent of the last 8 games we had last year when Stubbafield said he was letting up and Deion began to run out of gas.

So both Deion in 2000 and Marty 2001 had given us questions that still needed answering after the season and letting them go early could be cap He**!

However, unlike Deion, Marty was able to rekindle something that had been missing for 8 years, set goals publicly (in your face) whether it backfired or not, challenged players, stood his ground, and admitted his number one character flaw got in the way in the first 5 games and most the preseason. That is more than enough to keep some kind of stability and look forward to a year with more effort to improve. After all his last 11 games have been promising and he allowed Banks all the time in the world to prove his point. Banks could not and he still is a project. We just don't have the time for that at QB. We need results!

Marty is NOT Deion and his situation will result in a much better team than when he found it. As the comparison of contract impacts at the time of change, Snyder benefits to a degree (as long Marty has a better finish than this season) and could have actually helped himself if he is patient to wait until 2003 to consider bringing in a GM and insist on unloading Banks and Raye, if he feel he has to mention it. I believe Marty knows. If he doesn't then Snyder salvages any monetary losses or major personnel changes in 2003, because a GM will have the core to work with and will have more availability from the coaches to the players in 2003.