 }})
'Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet'
- Aristotle
'All commend patience, but none can endure to suffer'
- Thomas Fuller
'Whoever is out of patience is out of possession of their soul'
- Francis Bacon
'Beware the fury of a patient man'
- John Dryden
'Patience has it's limits. Take it too far and it's cowardice'
- George Jackson
'Patience you must have, my young padawan'
- Yoda
- Aristotle
'All commend patience, but none can endure to suffer'
- Thomas Fuller
'Whoever is out of patience is out of possession of their soul'
- Francis Bacon
'Beware the fury of a patient man'
- John Dryden
'Patience has it's limits. Take it too far and it's cowardice'
- George Jackson
'Patience you must have, my young padawan'
- Yoda
One of the revelations of the 2023 Washington Commander's season has been just how far off real sustained success lies for this organization. It's emphatically clear, the Front Office and coaching staff are in over their heads. The roster many of us imagined as young and increasingly talented, now looks to consist of a promising but unproven young QB, a handful of very good skill position players, and some starting caliber defensive linemen. Our punter is elite, so there's that.
2023 has been a real eye-opener. The kind of waking up the morning after a drinking binge unsure where you are eye-opener.
We all can, and should, revel in the start of a Daniel Snyder-free future.
But folks, it's time for a little dose of reality. Clean out the Front Office. Sweep out the entire coaching regime. And look hard at this roster.
It's not good.
When NFL fans talk about rebuilding, they tend to seize on a comforting bromide to assuage their fears. We point to teams that have 'blown it up' and had near immediate success. It does happen once in awhile. But it's akin to waiting until the 6th round to draft your quarterback because, you know... Tom Brady. The gulf between 'possible' and 'likely' can be vast in the NFL, a seeming abyss, especially when you're talking talking about the franchise in Washington.
The chances are, the waters ahead are going to get pretty choppy for awhile.
The question is, do we have the stomach for it?
And what is 'it' going to look like? 1-2 seasons? 4-5 seasons?
The latter seems like a big ask for a fanbase that's been through what we have the past 25 years.
And what about Josh Harris and Company? How patient will they be with a presumed new Front Office and coaching staff? Only time will tell, but the impression I get is that Harris, Rales, and the other owners are 'results' guys. They'll commit and watch and support - but they expect the wins to come sooner rather than later. And if that's the case, unless they get it right the first time out, we could be looking at several iterations of 'blowing it up' and starting over before they find the right leaders and players and we're rewarded with real success.
I have to admit, it's a scary proposition. Maybe not as scary as having Dan Snyder as your owner in perpetuity, but there are no guarantees on what's to about to come.
When I was in the Marine Corps, I remember getting a couple days off and heading to a seedy little beachside bar in Emerald Island, NC with some jarhead friends. I was standing looking at the jukebox nursing a beer when the most beautiful woman I have ever seen sauntered over to me and threw her arms around me. As she literally drug me around the corner into an empty room she put her lips to my ear and whispered...
'Be patient... or I'll kill you'. Then I realized the room she had drug me into was the men's restroom. Classy.
Being a Washington fan is kind of like that. On the one hand, you're smitten, full of desire and passion, and breathlessly waiting for what might be just around the corner. On the other hand, the whole thing seems more than a little crazy and you realize you may be making a terrible decision.
So - gut check time. Are you ready - to be patient?
