Where you and I part on Gruden is that while you (and others, I know) criticize him for not benching Griffin right out of the box, in his first year as coach, I tend to credit him for actually trying to make it work with Robert, and then having the guts to do exactly what we're criticizing Shanahan for not doing, and drawing a line in the sand his second year and going with Kirk. This despite the knowledge of how that move would be viewed, and the firestorm it was going to create whether it worked out or not.
We certainly differ here. As I've said before, I think Gruden made his mind up that Griffin wasn't his guy, 10 minutes after he walked through the door. I actually give him credit for knowing, quickly, that Griffin didn't fit what he wants at the QB position. I'm an instinct guy myself. Where I lose some, not all, but some, respect is not doing what he believed to be best for him and his system/philosophy right away. That, and the disdain in his voice when he talked about Griffin. From his footwork, to being too stupid to count to three. And I believe since he knew in his gut that it wasn't going to work, his efforts with Griffin were just for show. How can you truly work with/help someone, when you ultimately don't believe in them. He gave a half-assed effort, at best. IMHO
My feeling is there are very few rookie head coaches anywhere, in any sport, who would have been willing to throw down on the kind of immediate "total control" option in the kind of atmosphere Gruden inherited with RG3 and Dan Snyder.
But Gruden is no babe. He's the son of a coach. Has a brother with a SB ring as a coach. Has many years of coaching experience. He was the head honcho, albeit with the junior varsity team. (which is as good as anything if you ask brother McD) He negotiated a guaranteed contract specifically
for that total control. And then pussed out the first time he needed to use it. I can't give him a pass on that.
Ultimately I see Jay Gruden having played his cards on this one right; the most compelling argument for that being how well it worked out---Kirk played well, and more importantly, the team jumped from 5 to 9 wins and now heads into year three of his tenure with realistic expectations of contending for a playoff spot again.
None of this is new, I know--I've seen others advance the same idea. I guess I just fail to see the justification in continuing to take Gruden to task over something that has turned out as well or better than we, or even he, probably could have hoped.
It's worked out well, so far. Few, barring brother El, who hates all black people named Robert (jk, of course) thought anything but the sky was the limit at the end of 2012. The story wasn't over then, and it ain't over now. Lots can happen between this chapter, and the end of the book.
I just want the last line to be, "And the Washington Redskins, have won another Super Bowl".
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