- Joined
- Feb 22, 2010
- Messages
- 259
- Reaction score
- 60
- Points
- 43
I wish the media pool would leave some of this stuff until decisions are actually made. Playing the victim card isn't a very attractive look for Ron imho. Yes - he was in a tough situation with Snyder as owner, just as every other HC we've had in the past 20 years has been.. But he took the job knowing what he was getting into. The 'I got us a QB and changed the culture' stuff just seems a little delusional. If Howell proves to be the guy long-term, the Rivera regime absolutely should get credit. The fact that it took more than a year for Rivera to realize (probably with some prodding from others) that Howell might be a hidden gem is what it is. But that doesn't negate that they were the team that drafted him.
As far as 'changing the culture', I think it's hard not being in the building to know exactly what 'the damn good' culture was really like just prior to Rivera coming in, and what it's like today, how much validity to assign that? While not a Jason Wright fan, I suspect that he and other younger executives who have actually worked for modern organizations and know at least theoretically how those should operate in terms of equality, respect for staff, professional work practices, and diversity, may have had more to do with improving 'the culture', Rivera has conducted himself as a responsible, respectful, and generally competent team leader and deserves kudos for that. But Rivera certainly didn't change the football culture - in terms of creating a winning tradition. On that front he has been more or less a failure.
Anyway, not a fan of publicly putting Rivera on the spot with these types of questions. What are we really expecting him to say? He knows that in all probability, his tenure in DC is coming to an end. I find it especially awkward, and a little unfair, to ask him to address how he feels about that in-season.
100% agree. at this point in he should be talking only about winning the next game. When he gets into the other stuff and shows he knows things like, JDR isn't getting it done, but won't say it out loud. It's a terrible look. He chose loyalty over a guy he brought in that isn't performing, over trying something different to win games. He has nobody but himself to blame now because he holds athletes in their early 20s to a higher level of responsibility than a 60 year old coordinator.
Don't care about putting him in a position with these questions. This isn't a tough media market. He has been doing this long enough to have learned ways of redirecting without putting his foot in his mouth. It's part of the job that I'm sure no HC likes. But some clearly realize putting some practice into it, makes their lives easier.

