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Burner’s Burning Questions – The First Two Weeks
After being absent the first week of the season, BBQ returns with three serious questions for you to consider as the Redskins start the 2013 season at an unpleasant 0-2. The coaches are not happy. The team is not happy. The fans are not happy. A zero and zip record will have that kind of effect and the hope for a turnaround looms large.
In this installment of BBQ, we will ask two difficult questions and add a third thought provoking one for good measure. Feel free to chime in with your passionate responses, insights, ideas, solutions, and thoughts.
Q1: If there is little to no improvement by the bye in two weeks, what changes should we make to the team?
Answer: On offense - First and foremost, there should be no changes at QB unless there is an injury. You go with the original decision to help with Robert Griffin, III’s process towards being 100%. Promote Jordan Reed to starter and waive Fred Davis. If Maurice Hurt is able to return at mid-season, waive LB Bryan Kehl. Promote WR Nick Williams from the practice squad.
On Defense – Rob Jackson and Jarvis Jenkins will return and should provide a much needed boost to the defense. Cut Philip Merling and Jerome Murphy when these two players are added back to the roster. Cut Brandon Meriweather and move DeAngelo Hall to SS. If Adam Carriker is able to return at mid-season, waive LB Nick Barnett.
Special Teams – Assuming that Kai Forbath is healthy this week, waive John Potter and promote Nick Williams from the practice squad. Bring at least two punters for a tryout during the bye as a message to Sav Rocca.
Do you agree with these changes? Disagree? What would you like to see during the bye?
Q2: Is Robert Griffin, III becoming “bigger” than the team? Is his overall publicity affecting the Redskins?
Answer: The offseason is rather long in football for obvious reasons. This gives players a lot of free time to pursue other ventures to a lesser degree. Acting in movies, appearing on TV shows, doing commercials, endorsing events, public appearances, special shows, autograph sessions, and exotic vacations are amongst the endeavors some may indulge in during the offseason. Most of it has little to no effect on a player or the team, but it can be a distraction.
After much thought, BBQ has come down on the side of it being a distraction. Doing a few commercial endorsements is fine and to be expected. Even a brief celebrity appearance is not over the top, but devoting an entire show to rehabilitation efforts and numerous commercials doing the same has not been a positive for Griffin or the team. The Redskins need to set some limits and team leaders should set the example. A carnival type of atmosphere at Redskins Park or Bon Secours is not needed.
What are your thoughts on this controversial topic?
Q3: The team name is taking on the most serious challenges from critics than ever before. Why is it happening now and what can be done to stem the tide?
Answer: The obvious answer to supporters seems to focus on the political correctness crowd and while there is some truth to the matter, it is a very small reason. If it was truly offensive to this crowd, then the uproar would be much larger than a few members of the media and select politicians.
The real reason? Money. Follow the money trail. A lawsuit from 1992 was filed in order to go after the team name AND its trademarks. If successful (and it wasn’t), the plaintiffs could’ve profited in many ways – selling old team trademarks and memorabilia or selling the rights to any other organization. While this would be morally reprehensible, it would not be illegal. Another group filed a similar lawsuit and it is working its way through the legal system. Perhaps the idea is to litigate the team out of existence. No matter the reason for these legal challenges, BBQ believes it is all about money first and foremost and not about some morally higher ground.
BBQ also believes that a team name change is coming within the next five years or less. The media will increase the pressure and it will be brought to bear more with the league than the team. This battle with the NFL should intensify after meeting a dead end at Redskins Park. BBQ predicts that the NFL will take a stance and force the change with threats of draft pick forfeitures and/or cap space. BBQ does not support these efforts, but realizes that the movement for name change is heading in this direction.
What are your thoughts on the ideas presented here today? Feel free to add your comments on any of these questions. See you again next week.
Hail To The Redskins!
After being absent the first week of the season, BBQ returns with three serious questions for you to consider as the Redskins start the 2013 season at an unpleasant 0-2. The coaches are not happy. The team is not happy. The fans are not happy. A zero and zip record will have that kind of effect and the hope for a turnaround looms large.
In this installment of BBQ, we will ask two difficult questions and add a third thought provoking one for good measure. Feel free to chime in with your passionate responses, insights, ideas, solutions, and thoughts.
Q1: If there is little to no improvement by the bye in two weeks, what changes should we make to the team?
Answer: On offense - First and foremost, there should be no changes at QB unless there is an injury. You go with the original decision to help with Robert Griffin, III’s process towards being 100%. Promote Jordan Reed to starter and waive Fred Davis. If Maurice Hurt is able to return at mid-season, waive LB Bryan Kehl. Promote WR Nick Williams from the practice squad.
On Defense – Rob Jackson and Jarvis Jenkins will return and should provide a much needed boost to the defense. Cut Philip Merling and Jerome Murphy when these two players are added back to the roster. Cut Brandon Meriweather and move DeAngelo Hall to SS. If Adam Carriker is able to return at mid-season, waive LB Nick Barnett.
Special Teams – Assuming that Kai Forbath is healthy this week, waive John Potter and promote Nick Williams from the practice squad. Bring at least two punters for a tryout during the bye as a message to Sav Rocca.
Do you agree with these changes? Disagree? What would you like to see during the bye?
Q2: Is Robert Griffin, III becoming “bigger” than the team? Is his overall publicity affecting the Redskins?
Answer: The offseason is rather long in football for obvious reasons. This gives players a lot of free time to pursue other ventures to a lesser degree. Acting in movies, appearing on TV shows, doing commercials, endorsing events, public appearances, special shows, autograph sessions, and exotic vacations are amongst the endeavors some may indulge in during the offseason. Most of it has little to no effect on a player or the team, but it can be a distraction.
After much thought, BBQ has come down on the side of it being a distraction. Doing a few commercial endorsements is fine and to be expected. Even a brief celebrity appearance is not over the top, but devoting an entire show to rehabilitation efforts and numerous commercials doing the same has not been a positive for Griffin or the team. The Redskins need to set some limits and team leaders should set the example. A carnival type of atmosphere at Redskins Park or Bon Secours is not needed.
What are your thoughts on this controversial topic?
Q3: The team name is taking on the most serious challenges from critics than ever before. Why is it happening now and what can be done to stem the tide?
Answer: The obvious answer to supporters seems to focus on the political correctness crowd and while there is some truth to the matter, it is a very small reason. If it was truly offensive to this crowd, then the uproar would be much larger than a few members of the media and select politicians.
The real reason? Money. Follow the money trail. A lawsuit from 1992 was filed in order to go after the team name AND its trademarks. If successful (and it wasn’t), the plaintiffs could’ve profited in many ways – selling old team trademarks and memorabilia or selling the rights to any other organization. While this would be morally reprehensible, it would not be illegal. Another group filed a similar lawsuit and it is working its way through the legal system. Perhaps the idea is to litigate the team out of existence. No matter the reason for these legal challenges, BBQ believes it is all about money first and foremost and not about some morally higher ground.
BBQ also believes that a team name change is coming within the next five years or less. The media will increase the pressure and it will be brought to bear more with the league than the team. This battle with the NFL should intensify after meeting a dead end at Redskins Park. BBQ predicts that the NFL will take a stance and force the change with threats of draft pick forfeitures and/or cap space. BBQ does not support these efforts, but realizes that the movement for name change is heading in this direction.
What are your thoughts on the ideas presented here today? Feel free to add your comments on any of these questions. See you again next week.
Hail To The Redskins!