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Skins Claim Rights to LB Reuben Foster

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I say bring back Sonny!!

What? Wrong thread? Sorry.

What difference does it make in the grand scheme of things?
 
The real losers in all of this are the 49ers.

They drafted Foster in the first round of the draft, gave him a large bag of cash and expected all to be well despite the signs that Foster was at the least putting himself in bad situations and exercising questionable judgment.

I guess John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan aren't quite the geniuses guys like Schefter were promoting them to be at draft time.
 
Yep, Smith was drafted by SF, was suspended and released and then went to Oakland. But he was never able to right himself.
 
Haven't read all of the articles on this. But the media frenzy has been pretty over the top as it usually is. You have guys in the official media conference asking Gruden repeatedly if they 'called the victim' before making the decision. Call the victim? In what universe does a potential employer personally contact people who've made allegations agains a potential hire? That just doesn't happen and wouldn't be appropriate if it did. But it's supposed to be some 'gotcha' question from hyperventilating media types.

It's fine if any fans (or for that matter, outside groups) don't like that this guy was claimed. But the team that claimed him (be it the Redskins or had it been some other team) is not responsible for whether he did or didn't do something untoward or illegal. He's nothing more than a potential employee. If it turns out the 'charges' against him are substantiated and he becomes legally culpable for them, they'll no doubt release him. If the charges prove to be baseless and it's determined by law enforcement or the courts that nothing criminal transpired, then he will be a Redskin.

The Redskins are not morally or legally responsible for individual player actions off the clock. They are not. They may take a PR hit from those that want this guy shunned by society even before he gets his due process. But they haven't done anything wrong to date in my opinion.

By the way, I did see all of the uproar over whether the Skins FO did query their former Alabama players about Foster before pulling the trigger or not. The Riggo's Rag article doesn't even make sense. They state that two of the guys they asked about it said 'no comment'. Then they state that 'The revelation that the players did not speak with the front office, as the statement alleges, makes the referenced statement not just a factual inaccuracy, but an outright lie.' At least from what they stated in the article 'no comment' does not equate to 'I was never asked about him'.

I don't believe the offiial statement says they spoke with former Alabama guys *before* claiming him. I don't even think it matters. Claiming Foster would've been a time-sensitive action that could quickly be undone. I think they pulled the trigger with the thought of beating out any other team with the intention of doing due diligence on the guy (including former teammate discussions).

Doesn't really seem nefarious to me - but the media is trying to make it so.
 
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Sorry Boone. "The Media is picking on the Redskins!" argument lost it's cogency for me a long, long time ago.

It's not 'no risk' because, whether the Redskins front office likes it or not, people care about this stuff. The Redskins just claimed a guy that 31 other teams wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole. Foster isn't some poor victim here. It's one thing after another with him. This latest bit was just the last straw for a team that picked him in the first round. We're looking at a straight F student who walks in the door with another F and saying 'let's see how he does on the next test before being all judgey.'

Why?

At some point, it's not the rest of the world that has a problem. Dan Snyder and Bruce Allen get NO benefit of the doubt from me. None. They've spent all the good will they're entitled to and then some.

It's always something with this team. Always. And I'm sick of it.
 
My observations:

1. Foster has not been convicted of a crime. In fact the previous episode resulted in no charges being filed after there was a recant of the testimony and an alleged request for a cash settlement.

2. The NFL in attempting to appease Twitter and other social media outrage over specific incidents involving players is setting itself up as a separate judicial and executive authority. In the long run the NFL will not be able to sustain that role. There will be the inevitable over step and we are likely to see court action by the union in the future.

3. Much of the mainstream and social media reaction to the Foster waiver claim is based on a segment of ‘society watchdogs' for political correctness that continues its long running battle with this franchise starting with the name battles from 10 years ago. Would there have been a reaction if the Saints or Vikings had claimed him? Yes, but not nearly this much.

4. Running a business based on Twitter reaction is a good way to fail. Opinions are fickle and the ‘rush to judgment' crowd will have another cause in a week to be incensed over. Looking back at the Adrian Peterson case, there were calls at the time in MN to release him. Again, a couple of years later Peterson moves to other clubs and then the Redskins in 2018 and nary a comment about his history.
 
Until something meaningful actually happens, this is a such a non story.

In essence, it is absolutely a no lose situation for the team. The media are trying to make it into something that it is not, yet. They're pandering to buttercups who are all queasy in their "safe place" because something "might" have happened. If this turns out to be another Ray Rice situation, a little PR hit is the only damage done. It's no different than the "name change" lunacy. If someone wants to see it as a problem, they will. Regardless of not knowing, what we don't know.

If it turns out he's just stupid for not cutting all ties with some whacko gold digging bitch, after she already filed false charges once before, that's hardly anything he should face the firing squad over. The hyperventilating is amusing.

Premature, but amusing.
 
Sorry Boone. "The Media is picking on the Redskins!" argument lost it's cogency for me a long, long time ago.

It's not 'no risk' because, whether the Redskins front office likes it or not, people care about this stuff. The Redskins just claimed a guy that 31 other teams wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole. Foster isn't some poor victim here. It's one thing after another with him. This latest bit was just the last straw for a team that picked him in the first round. We're looking at a straight F student who walks in the door with another F and saying 'let's see how he does on the next test before being all judgey.'

Why?

At some point, it's not the rest of the world that has a problem. Dan Snyder and Bruce Allen get NO benefit of the doubt from me. None. They've spent all the good will they're entitled to and then some.

It's always something with this team. Always. And I'm sick of it.

Being fatigued with the Redskins FO seeming ineptitude is probably universal - but it doesn't really have any relevance in this situation. I don't think I said anything close to 'the media is picking on the Redskins'. They'd be hyperventilating about the Foster situation no matter which team picked him up most likely. I'm just pointing out that the media, ALL media, has a propensity towards sensationalism, and that the response to the Redskins claiming Foster reflects that.

I get that fans care about racism, about CTE, about domestic abuse - I do too. We should. I guess my perspective is that if all of the current charges against Foster prove to be substantiated, he'll be gone.

Is it possible this guy really isn't a domestic abuser? I have already said I don't know much about him and will do some reading today. But just for the sake of argument, what if his worst offense is not being very bright, not making great life choices, or being a difficult teammate? If that proves to be the only crimes he's committed, would being shunned by every NFL team and run out of the league because domestic abuse charges/rumors make people feel bad be fair?
 
PS @Henry... I do get your overall exasperation and fatigue. It's not easy being green... errr... Burgundy and Gold. I feel it too my friend.
 
I had to apologize when I took my father to a Redskins' game a couple of years ago (in re the fan experience at FEDEX).

He used to have season tickets at RFK but gave them up when he retired and only watched the FEDEX games on TV up until that time.

After going all the way out there to watch the game here were his reactions:

1. Why did anyone build a stadium this far away from ANYTHING?
2. Do any of the under 30 fans in the stadium know a sentence that doesn't begin or end with F***?
3. Why doesn't stadium security stop fights in the stands and parking lots anymore?

and wait for it......................

4. Why is this team so lifeless when playing at home? Didn't give the fans anything to cheer for.
 
I've been to quite a few games at Fed Ex and that certainly sounds about right BD. The experience in the Lower Bowl is better, but only marginally. There's very little in the Fed Ex Field experience that argues 'come back, you'll have a great experience!'.
 
I've been to quite a few games at Fed Ex and that certainly sounds about right BD. The experience in the Lower Bowl is better, but only marginally. There's very little in the Fed Ex Field experience that argues 'come back, you'll have a great experience!'.

I can say that my willingness to spend a little more, and having friends with Dream Seats, it's the only game day experience I could enjoy. And since it was mostly the EZ where the player tunnels are, it made it even better with so much action. Other than that, I would not go back unless I had dream seats or at least 1st 3 rows around that EZ. I haven't been to a game in over 2 years.
 
Inept football = declining fanbase.

Inept FO drama = declining fanbase.

Mid-tier coaching = declining fanbase.

NFL leadership political incompetence = declining fanbase.

Fewer long-term star players = declining fanbase.

Accelerating roster turn-over = declining fanbase.

Lopsided emphasis on offense = declining fanbase.

Fans will pay the freight, but the experience on/off the field has to be positive. The NFL hasn't provided that context for quite a while now. Who knew?!!! The Skins were way ahead of the trend!
 
This is what I had to say early on in the Foster acquisition:

 
I'm not saying he is guilty or innocent in this case, BB, but I read a report and it appears she was scratched in whatever incident this was. If that is the case, the police have DNA and that will resolve it. I have to think that if there was a way to see him cleared, SF would have hung on to him. He is too big an on field talent not to.

Color me concerned.
 
Again, reading the Redskins prepared statement, it included parts about getting through “potential discipline from the NFL” and talking to counselors with the team. That doesnt sound like “if he's guilty he's gone” to me.

Oh, analysis of what some citizens may or may not have thought in September and October belongs in the PA. If I wanted to discuss politics with anyone on this board I'd be there, not here.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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No political analysis for me in here. If you missed the point, then that is on you.
 
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