There is no surprise that football and controversy
go hand in hand in the Nation’s Capital. In a city that houses the most
influential man in our country and a society that thrives on consistently being
the center of everything when it comes to making decisions that are correct for
the nation, why wouldn’t it be? Another season has come where the Washington
Redskins instead of proving critics wrong and making moves in the NFC East have
found themselves in a losing spiral that shows the team’s inability to get over
the hump. Moreover, they are caught in the midst of an internal firestorm that
has become the National Football League’s weekly rendition of the Days of Our
Lives. Something the fans of the organization know too well.
It is crazy to believe
that at one point two years ago, 2012 to be exact; this was a team on the move.
It has become a regularity to be frustrated with the management of the
organization over the years. Daniel Snyder has not always proven himself a
mastermind when it has come to the constructing of his squad. Moreover, for a
man that has proven himself to be the man with the big bucks, it has not always
resignated to him being the big man on campus in a sense. The question that
continues to lerk around that everyone wants to know is whether or not he is
really in this because he wants to build a successful franchise? Or is the
money that he can make off of them the only benefit he sees? Well, needless to
say that year he put his money where his mouth was, finally, and did something
that was needed for the team. Robert Griffin III was delivered by the football
Gods to the Skins’ front door and the culture was changed. His emergence indeed
ignited the flame that would have that squad clicking. Aw man, they were clicking! They would go on
a 7-0 run to finish the season, actually win the division and made it to the
playoffs. The true greatness of all of this would be the backdrop of a
beautiful scene showcasing the rejuvenation of the city and its faithful and
proving that football was back in DC.
Fast forward to the
past two previous seasons and all of that translates to a myth. The personnel
that runs on the field every Sunday does not embody the same zeal as the squad
they were two years ago and although the seats may be continuously filled in
FedEx Field, it is not with happy campers. We can dissolve ourselves in this
saga that has played out recently between Coach Jay Gruden and RGIII or we can
get to the bottom of things, which will flat out show anyone that the
Washington Redskins just are not a team PERIOD. When you look at the
organization and its body of work this season, it truly demonstrates there is a
lack of cohesiveness and comradary from the coaching staff down. The true
ideology of what the word team really represents is a group of people
associated in some joint action. Whether one is a part of the NFL, NHL, NBA or
MLB the purpose of what is done is to portray a joint effort in reaching the
goal of being the best team in that sport and win. Fans go out and support
their favorite teams, key word being TEAM. Sitting at the bottom of the NFC
East at 3-10, they do not embody this concept. There are too many chiefs and
not enough Indians. Who is the real leader of the team? Who is going to stand up and take
responsibility for the debacle that has become their season?
The very nature to
which people tune into football is to see competition, not to watch two grown
men going back and forth with each other via numerous media outlets like women
bickering like Jay Gruden and RGIII have. The dynamic between the man who calls
the plays and man that executes them has definitely served as the catalyst that
has broken the team. Instead of trying to prove supremacy and trying to
maintain while one individually is above being the problem, let the discussion
be about how both have contributed to the problem. That confession, however,
may be too above neither to come to the conclusion to. On the other hand, if
either had the best interest of the team at heart it is something that would
not be, right?? Let’s proclaim the first public service announcement to Jay
Gruden. Honestly, you were brought to DC to change the culture of an
organization to something that is to be looked upon as a winner. Instead, the
hype that has surrounded your system has been one that has not lived up to the
hype. Ironically, taking the time to optimize the talent that was presented to
you as a coach already was not done and you denounce that you ever had anything
to work with. This particularly pertains to the quarterback. Granted it is only
his first year as a coach, but if his verdict is not yet sold on Griffin, what
does that say about his own verdict as far as coaching abilities go? To what
degree do the Redskin faithful have in believing in him?
In switching gears to
public service announcement number two that leads us to RGIII. The reason you
are not the man of choice is because of your own doing. Jay and his coaching
staff have a point when they say that RGIII has not performed to a level this
season that deems him adequate enough to lead the team week in and week out.
Instead of showing he deserves the top spot, it is almost as if he truly
believes he deserves it and the title should be handed to him with a silver
spoon as such. Reality check RGIII, 2012 is over and its time you come down
from that high that you have developed that has led to a bad spiral of lack of
maturity and big-headedness on your behalf. Most recently, in reports to combat
his coach’s disdain he has come out and proclaimed “It is my team and I will
lead it,” well if that is the case young man do that, but be responsible enough
to admit your faults in doing so. Gain control of the people that look to you
and gain their trust. Until you do that statement has no validity.
The Skins’ can continue
to utilize Colt McCoy and Kirk Cousins all it wants to. When it comes to the
whole notion of the “Real QB” in the city standing up straying away from RGIII
is not the answer. Jay Gruden please pay attention to the fact that the QB to
lead your team is standing right in front of you. It is in you to inspire and
hone his craft and be the positive authority figure he has yet to see in his
professional tenure. The title is RGIII’s. Not to discredit the work of Kirk
Cousins or Colt McCoy. In Kirk’s tenure at the helm 1,710 yards and 10TDs speak
volumes in their own right and no one can forget about the “Cinderella story”
that is Colt McCoy. On that Monday night game against the Dallas Cowboys he stood
tall and led his team at the time and beat one of the best teams in the NFL and
a NFC East rival. In DC that game means a lot to people and he allowed them to
feel good about the rest of their week. That night he helped the Redskins not
only stun every sports conosciour, but the nation and for that he should keep
his head held high. On the flip side of that as much as respect is given to
both these men, at the same time both did what they were supposed to do as a
backup quarterback and that is to win and sustain order when the starter is
down. Quite frankly, it is not like both came out publicly demanding the job of
starter in their own rights. In fact, when that is done then that is where the
true controversy begins. It is extremely hard to believe regardless of the
relationship that has been known to define the RGIII/Gruden era in the Nation’s
Capital that these two men cannot co-exist as a unit that provides structure
for the rest of the team and an all-around winning environment. Moreover, if
both would take the time to harness the dynamic that is in front of them things
can move right along. For Jay, Robert being a read option quarterback poses a
problem for his system. But, it is hard to fathom the idea that Pete Carroll,
Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks can be the only ones to create a
winning system that involves a QB as such. Ding Ding!!! That system is what got
happy seats in the stadium in the first place two years ago.
In the grander scale
of things 82 men are built on a football roster. One man or one coach does not
make the whole team and for that point alone EVERYONE that has on a Redskin
jersey and helmet should feel some type of way about losing. The defensive line
and offensive line, special teams and so forth should have a burning desire to
shake this monkey off their backs. Being a true professional of the sport means
that one takes the time to soak in the good and the bad and realizes both are
meant to be taken on as a unit. “In any war, you put your back to mine; I put
my back to yours, and let’s do what we gotta do.” Words of a wise man known as
Ray Lewis and words said to define a team that would go on to greatness. In
this statement you see a man totally take himself out of the equation and in
rewinding back to the Washington Redskins just remember until all holds on this
degree and bands together, the unfortunate thing is that it will not be good or
bad in DC, it will just continue to be just plain ugly.
No comments:
Post a Comment