BGO.C.D.: Bring Me the Head of Colin Cowherd - Page 2

riggins44 · 05-26-12, 12:39 PM

I have never been a Cowherd fan. His objective is to piss people off with his views and comments. Granted it works.

Anyway, great blog, Boone.

Boone · 05-26-12, 01:32 PM

Here's the Vegas Odds article that sparked the Cowherd comments:

http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-tr...ortsbook-press

To be fair, CC was merely assessing those odds - he didn't create them. The issue I have had less to do with the 6.5 win bar set for the Redskins than the lack of consideration that the Redskins might well be trending upward in the NFC East and be capable of a breakout season in near future.

servumtuum · 05-26-12, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boone

To be fair, CC was merely assessing those odds - he didn't create them. The issue I have had less to do with the 6.5 win bar set for the Redskins than the lack of consideration that the Redskins might well be trending upward in the NFC East and be capable of a breakout season in near future.

Boone, in my online travels throughout the league I have noticed an "image" a "mindset" defining the Redskins among NFL fans as well as sports media that has been formed based on the performance of the team, coaching staffs, and F.O. over the past dozen years or so. Every move the Redskins make-free agency, draft, coaching changes, player trades, and the like are viewed from the perspective of this "image". And the image? One of incompetence, free-spending, coaching carousels, overpaid free agents, sloppy drafting, inept front office maneuvers, and this image in the minds of those observing from this perspective, is justified by the Redskins chronic in-season under-achievement. Moves such as acquisitions of players that, from what might be called a more "objective" perspective, are moves that bode well for the future are viewed skeptically based on this entrenched "image" accurate or inaccurate as it may be.

We Redskins fans understandably get riled when a football media "pundit" disses a move we see as putting us on, or closer to, being on the track toward success but I don't think getting this image scoured from their heads is going to happen until the on-the-field performance becomes consistently good over more than one season. It's gonna be painful, but until the Redskins start having 9-7 or better winning seasons, 3 or more division wins, and at least a threat of a Wild Card appearance this lack of respect from the "sports pundits" no matter how uninformed and inaccurate it is will, in my estimation, be something we'll just have to grit our teeth and put up with.

Boone · 05-26-12, 02:29 PM

Great and insightful post serv. You just said in two paragraphs what it took me 1300 or more words to try and convey. I agree.

And for the record, I don't always write what I believe from a personal perspective - sometimes I throw in a little hyperbole, or stake out a position I know represents a segment of the fan viewpoint. As I said, anyone who tries to predict the output of a given season with any certainty, is mining fool's gold. As you so clearly stated, my issue is more with the widely held belief that these are 'the same old Redskins' and we're up to 'business as usual'. Cowherd didn't say any of that - but it's implied as it almost always is.

Regardless, your assessment of what drives that kind of 'herd' mentality is dead on.

Fear The Spear · 05-26-12, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by servumtuum

We Redskins fans understandably get riled when a football media "pundit" disses a move we see as putting us on, or closer to, being on the track toward success but I don't think getting this image scoured from their heads is going to happen until the on-the-field performance becomes consistently good over more than one season. It's gonna be painful, but until the Redskins start having 9-7 or better winning seasons, 3 or more division wins, and at least a threat of a Wild Card appearance this lack of respect from the "sports pundits" no matter how uninformed and inaccurate it is will, in my estimation, be something we'll just have to grit our teeth and put up with.

Under Gibbs II, from 2004-07, we had 2 playoff appearances in just 4 seasons. Does that not deserve any respect ? Not only from the performance itself, but Snyder's ability to coax Gibbs out of retirement ?

TomE · 05-26-12, 05:19 PM

We were the darlings of the NFL during that run after Taylor's death under Gibbs and had we actually gone a little further than Seattle. things might have stayed in the afterglow for a while.

Didn't take us long after Gibbs departure to go back to "normal" so the next time we present something special we'll need to continue the upward trend to be recognized by anyone but our own.

Neophyte · 05-27-12, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fear The Spear

Under Gibbs II, from 2004-07, we had 2 playoff appearances in just 4 seasons. Does that not deserve any respect ? Not only from the performance itself, but Snyder's ability to coax Gibbs out of retirement ?

A couple of points on this:

1. Yeah, two playoff appearances under Gibbs with a 5-11 season stuck in the middle.
2. We are 4 years removed from Gibbs.
3. Gibbs was followed by Zorn.
4. We signed Albert Haynesworth
5. We traded for Donovan McNabb

It takes a lot of winning to offset a little losing and a lot of smart to offset a little stupid in the minds of the media and the public. The two sides are most definitely NOT equal. This team will likely have to win the division outright at least twice, preferably in back to back years, before we start being the favorite to do it.

McD5 · 05-27-12, 02:16 PM

You wrote a great piece Boone, and I personally dislike Cowherd. But to play devil's advocate for a minute, history would show that his assumption is pretty safe.

How often do truly bad NFL franchises, the worst of the worst, turn it around to become great teams? I can't think of many. The one that jumps to mind, and something we should strive to follow, would be the Detroit Lions at this very moment. But that's taken a first round QB, a phenomenal WR, and a D-line that we might be talking about for the next decade. It took years and years of competent drafting for them to make the playoffs.

We may finally have the QB. And while we don't have Megatron, Pierre Garcon could be a highlight reel for the next five years. But both are learning new systems, and developing rapport with new players and coaches.

Awful franchises usually have a multitude of reasons for being lousy. Many aren't even visible to the public eye. Perpetual losing, just like it's counterpart perpetual winning, becomes a habit. And one that's tough to suddenly break from.

Of course, our improvements at both the GM and HC positions are a welcomed relief from the terrible course we were on, and both provide hope for our future. But realistically, just how much hope? We are still dealing with an owner who has been highly questionable at best, a HC who has had one playoff victory in the last ten years, and a GM who hasn't exactly built powerhouses. But that GM does have a last name that Redskins fans recognize and like.

A very rational argument could easily be made that we should expect about the same record as the Carolina Panthers had last season. As everyone knows, their QB dazzled, and broke rookie records. He was an absolute machine. But even with his stellar performance, when the dust settled, how did they look in the W-L column?

It's certainly possible that we could turn it around immediately--anything is possible of course. That's why they play the games. But would you bet that other wounded franchises like the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills or Cleveland Browns will suddenly turn the corner?

It seems like lazy, biased reporting. And it may be. But it's safe. And it's safe because it's usually right when talking about organizations like ours.

It's so difficult to turn the ship so quickly, even if you are fortunate enough to have a Cam Newton at the wheel.

Jimbo · 05-27-12, 04:29 PM

While Cam Newton was great last year, the Panthers STILL had a losing record. I'd prefer the Skins look and play a little more like last year's Bengals and RG3 manage the offense the way Andy Dalton did. He doesn't have to be spectacular but if he can move the chains consistently and not turn the ball over at inopportune times like Rex did then I see no reason why we can't win at least 7 or 8 games.

Neophyte · 05-28-12, 08:06 AM

Newton had little to do with the Panthers losing record though, Jimbo. Their defense allowed something like 2 more points per game, on average, than the offense scored and the offense was like #4 in the league in scoring. That was one seriously bad defense.

Henry · 05-28-12, 09:51 AM

Excellent post, McD5. I think the team we should hope to emulate is the Rams. Two years of suckage while quietly building a team, find a QB and it all comes together.

Sure it's a long shot, but we can dare to dream.

Cowherd doesn't get paid to do that. He gets paid to tell people what they want to hear. And like you say nobody outside of DC is going to expect much from us. So while I won't defend that no-talent hack, I do understand his viewpoint on this one.

Jimbo · 05-28-12, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neophyte

Newton had little to do with the Panthers losing record though, Jimbo. Their defense allowed something like 2 more points per game, on average, than the offense scored and the offense was like #4 in the league in scoring. That was one seriously bad defense.

Was just trying to point out that, as great as Newton was, I would rather RG3 manage things the way Andy Dalton did because our TEAM is a lot closer to being last year's Bengals than last year's Panthers.

Fear The Spear · 05-28-12, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimbo

Was just trying to point out that, as great as Newton was, I would rather RG3 manage things the way Andy Dalton did because our TEAM is a lot closer to being last year's Bengals than last year's Panthers.

I'll be happy if RG3 can just be this year's T.J. Yates

Ax · 05-28-12, 02:42 PM

Here you go Boone. What do I win?

Bulldog's Twin · 05-30-12, 01:51 PM

But then there are those that are pumping the Bucs or Seahawks, teams that have been mostly losers in recent years and have a mother lode of questionable personnel moves on their ledger.

The truth is some media feel sorry for these smaller market teams, including Cleveland which may be the worst run sports team after the NBA Bobcats.

They are loathe to criticize them.

Cowherd and others would rather rattle the cage of bigger market teams like the Redskins, Jets, and Dolphins for their shortcomings.

My favorite offseason moment to laugh?

When Mike Holmgren said to the press that the Browns wanted Griffin but the Rams for some reason wouldn't take their picks, even though they were the same number and rounds as Washington's.

Talk about not getting that lovin' feeling........
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