
But that's the exact sentiment that brought me to this conversation Mike. Every team has a 'chance to win'. Every game, every Sunday. What you really mean is that Griffin gives us a 'realistic chance to win'. I'm not opposed to that and you'd have to be mentally challenged to not acknowledge that this is an improvement. But it's also pathetic in a sense, because although we can also see that we can't consistently win with a horrible defense, a non-existent secondar, error-pone special teams, and an offensive line that can't protect the QB.Dynasty is something I dont think any real fan is talking about but it is hard not to get excited when you see him step on the field and every single week it comes down to us having a chance to win.
Another great piece of writing and evaluation, Boone. RG3 is fantastic, but it seems like he is playing against a stacked deck--one that the organization seems to bring upon themself.
You hit on a few of the problems; I'd expand that list to include some larger, more macro issues that prevent us from ever being among the elite:
1. We just recently built an indoor practice facility. That should have been completed five years ago. Blame for that may rest on Gibbs, but I put it on Snyder. We haven't given our players the best tools with which to compete during his ownership. From Vinny, to poor coaches, to something less apparent like an indoor facility--we've been worlds away from ever competing with the big boys.
2. Shanahan. I'll take Jim Harbaugh, please. Shanahan teams have always been marked by awful defenses, and poor personnel decisions. It's what cost him his job in Denver. Why would any of that change here? Haslett? Bob Slowik? Come on.
3. Our training staff. Like our lack of an indoor training facility, I believe this is another area that Snyder neglected for far too long. All teams have injuries--it's just that ours seem to be diagnosed incorrectly, or that our players never recover from them. Torrain, Hightower, Helu and now Garcon are just a few recent examples. Shawn Springs and Marcus Washington were never healthy.
Elite organizations demand perfection. They won't accept losing. I'm not so sure that winning is required here to keep a job in a way that it is expected with the better teams.
As Mike pointed out, I'm pretty sure when ShanAllen were drawing up the D, they weren't planning on the injuries. Clearly, this is a defense designed to get pressure quickly on the QB. Without Carriker to draw the occasional double, and Rak to get fast pressure, we have no choice but to leave our average corners on an island. It's gonna take time, guys. There is NO position on the field more influential than QB. In other words, even if we drafted the next RGIII on defense, he couldn't have the same impact.How can any of us (Ryman or otherwise) NOT talk about the defense Goal? If we had even an average version, we'd be leading the NFC East right now.
It's not about what fans 'rationally' think...but there's a definite belief and sense out there that is readily apparent that many of them truly believe now that we've got RGIII that we're destined for greatness.
There's no such thing as 'destined for greatness'. Greatness is earned, and the road to it is paved by years and years of planning, good decision-making, and clear vision of the objectives. I think it's obvious that some of the plans the Redskins have made are not working. It remains to be seen if Shanahan and Allen are up to the task of building a complete team. I'm not yet sold that they are.
Boone -- from your title, I thought you were going to make a different (though related) Pyrrhic point about RGIII -- i.e., that while he may very well be the genuine article, we have paid so much to get him that we'll end up losing the fight because we can't compete in 2 of the 3 phases of the game.
I sure hope not Sol. I'm hoping that's changed. I like a lot of what I've seen the past 2 years (not so much the first) particularly with the youth movement. We need to continue that.All of this combines to suggest that foresight, patience and planning are anathema to the Redskins as an organization.
I'm with most fans here - we are better with RGIII (regardless of cost) than without him. He at least gives us some hope. My area of contention is with the idea that he's SO GOOD, he can raise the Redskins to respectability and perennial relevance all by himself. He's not. He needs help and lots of it.And this essentially draws us to a corrollary of your point: when one of their best decisions (taken in isolation) has come to fruition in the form of a draft pick of RGIII, it's hard not to look at the decisions that preceded it and followed it and whether in aggregate we're better or worse off.
Agreed.In any event, I'm not convinced that RGIII is a Pyrrhic victory just yet -- all will be determined on the basis of how strongly we finish and whether we're able to actually build on this year instead of play our regular game of fix one glaring hole which ignoring the others that are growing daily.
Yeah. It has that feel to it. I'm kind of flabbergasted how many Redskins fans are 'happy' with 3-4, especially when with just competent effort in a couple of spots, we could easily be in command of the division. I'm happy RGIII is a Redskin, but I am not happy with our team overall. I think I'm in the definitie minority on this front.Maybe RGIII almost serves as a opiate to lessen the effects of the suffering...gotta be some Greek tragedy about that...
Very interesting and thought provoking post, Boone.
I think something interesting has happened.
RG3's unexpected superlative success at QB has only accentuated by contrast the deficiencies we as fans continually-and justifiably-lament as we edge ever closer to winning games only to let them slip from our grasp yet again. We should be winning most of the games we're losing "oh so close."
The problems are suddenly so glaring it's difficult to imagine someone connected with the Redskins organization not seeing them and exclaiming "Holy Crap we gotta fix that!"
O.K., here's the position I'm at right now-subject to change, of course, as evens unfold-granted we have no first round picks for a while and Mara and Goodell have screwed us cap-wise-but we still can make an effort to shore up the "weak spots." I'll be watching very closely the next draft and FA, and watching if accountability matters among the coaching staff. This includes scouting and personnel acquisition.
Sound like I'm being too patient? Sue me.
I'm giving the mule time to respond to the two-by four.
I don't think anybody would argue against that. It has sounded however, in some of these posts however, that some would like these improvements to take place now in the middle of the season. Through magic, I guess. If we don't address these areas in the off season, them yeah, I think we will all be upset.That's it - exactly Serv!
I can see 'what could be' - which has made the 'we almost did it' performances that I'd normally find solace and comfort in (because, afterall, we're the Redskins!) almost excruciatingly intolerable.
I know that I should be more patient.
I want to be more patient.
But I cannot be patient.
We've got a great QB - finally! Now let's get a damn team built around him![]()
I don't think that's it at all. Magic? How about building something in the first 3 years? It's fine to say 'address these areas in the off season'. But it ignores the fact that Shanahan and Haslett have had several off seasons to 'address' some of this stuff.I don't think anybody would argue against that. It has sounded however, in some of these posts however, that some would like these improvements to take place now in the middle of the season. Through magic, I guess. If we don't address these areas in the off season, them yeah, I think we will all be upset.