The Washington Redskins are 0-4 and this week they will host the 4-0 New England Patriots. There are a number of storylines surrounding the Redskins and they all seem to stem from the same issue: the front office or, to be more specific, Owner Daniel Snyder.
To me, Snyder comes across as the spoiled little boy who has a big pile of money and spends it anything he wants. That's fine. That's his right. Unfortunately, he doesn't know how to use what he buys and no matter who tries to show him the proper way to use it or at least tries to prevent it to be broken, they are wrong and little Danny is right.
The owner of the team is the top of the heap. It is they who is able to call the shots and pull rank on the employees when it comes to all decisions in the company. Running the business is one thing. Having people who know the intricacies of handling player selection, talent evaluation and hiring coaches is another. Let's go back to the Patriots.
The New England Patriots were the tackling dummy and laughingstock of the NFL in the late 1980's and early 1990's. They were bought and sold multiple times during that period until Bob Kraft stepped in and bought the team in 1994. Kraft was a fan who wanted to keep the Patriots in New England. Any fan younger than 30 may not remember the Patriots being so bad you couldn't get the game on TV. A waiting list for season tickets? You couldn't give the tickets away.
Everything was going well for the Patriots until a slight misunderstanding between Kraft and Head Coach Bill Parcells at the 1996 NFL Draft. Kraft was enamored with Terry Glenn, a wide receiver from Ohio State. Parcells wanted to spend the number one draft pick on a defensive player. As owner of the team, Kraft overruled Parcells and Glenn was drafted by the Patriots. The move led to Parcells saying, "If they want you to cook dinner, they should at least let you shop for the groceries." The quote has embedded itself in New England sports lore.
Glenn's time with the Patriots was unpredictable and filled with controversy on the field and off.. He played with the Patriots until the 2000 season. By that time, Parcells had left the Patriots and Kraft was starting to realize he didn't know as much about football as he thought he did.
Sadder and wiser, Kraft hired Bill Belichick, ironically, after speaking to Parcells and trading draft picks to the New York Jets. The result has been an era of success not seen in any of the four major sports.
It all happened because Kraft finally realized he wasn't as knowledgeable as he believed he was. His ego took a hit but allowing himself to take a step back has resulted in six Super Bowl wins in nine appearances. Snyder still doesn't get it. He thinks he know it all. He thinks being the owner is an automatic degree in the science of football. It's not. In the time the Patriots have tallied a 6-3 record in football's ultimate game, The Redskins have managed to make the playoffs four times and win one game.
What does this mean for fans of the Redskins. It means nothing. It means nothing is going to change. Snyder continues to drive the Redskins into the ground. The arena is half-empty and fans are waiting to see what will happen first: Will Head Coach Jay Gruden quit or will he be fired? Whatever the outcome, Gruden will not be back for the 2020 season. It's like the house in the neighborhood where the parents are always arguing and everyone sees it but the problematic spouse. They are going to be alone unless they change their ways. Even after they are left alone, they will not be able to see what happened or why the atmosphere is toxic.
What happens? My opinion is this: Things will get so bad Snyder will move the team to a city that will build him a stadium and people, excited about getting an NFL franchise will pack it in. This will continue until Snyder continues his destructive management style, the team continues to lose, and the stadium looks half-empty. Think that won't happen? Go ask fans of the Baltimore Colts or the original Cleveland Browns if a historic team relocating is unfathomable.
The Washington Redskins fortunes will not change until Dan Snyder learns he needs to get out of his own way and let football people make football decisions. When he does that, the Redskins will return to the success and lore that made them one of the most storied franchises of professional sports. Unfortunately, the problem person in a situation is always the last to know they are the problem... If they realize it at all.
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