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Is Mike Shanahan or Daniel Snyder to blame? Washington doesn?t deserve either of them - The Washington Post
Some highlights...
Who deserves more blame, Mike Shanahan, the weasel of a coach who defames his enemies, deflects blame and now may duck out of town if he gets the firing he craves? Or Snyder, the man who picked Shanahan, his seventh coach in 14 years, while all around the NFL old hands said, “If this ends badly, those two guys really deserve each other.”
Shanahan, it now seems apparent, wants to be fired. His motives can be ascertained in the future. But his targets as he leaves we probably already know: Snyder, the easy-but-always-deserving target, and Robert Griffin III, the quarterback to whom the franchise future is tied. Last season, Shanahan left RGIII in far too long against Seattle and contributed to a knee injury that may limit the ceiling on his whole career. What psychological scars and damage to reputation will he leave now as he departs?
So, we’re supposed to believe that, after a 7-0 run led by Griffin which had resurrected Shanny’s frayed reputation, that the coach was fuming about limos and security guards? That would mean that Shanahan had the NFL’s most fragile, most easily threatened ego. Or that he feared any locus of team authority not centered in himself. If true, that would even open the possibility that a simmering disgruntled Shanahan “ready to quit,’ would perhaps subconsciously leave RGIII in that Seattle game too long. Wishing him harm? Oh, surely not — at least consciously.
When the head coach, red in the face, defiant, is virtually holding a “Fire Me, I Dare Ya” sign at his own news conference, the mood of the day changes.
You can only laugh to keep from crying for so long. Shanahan and Snyder may deserve each other. But Washington doesn’t deserve either of them. Even if this team’s fans are loony with adoration at times, they merit far better than an inept owner and a coach who wants to undermine the reputation of the team’s quarterback as he slinks out the door with his loot.
Some highlights...
Who deserves more blame, Mike Shanahan, the weasel of a coach who defames his enemies, deflects blame and now may duck out of town if he gets the firing he craves? Or Snyder, the man who picked Shanahan, his seventh coach in 14 years, while all around the NFL old hands said, “If this ends badly, those two guys really deserve each other.”
Shanahan, it now seems apparent, wants to be fired. His motives can be ascertained in the future. But his targets as he leaves we probably already know: Snyder, the easy-but-always-deserving target, and Robert Griffin III, the quarterback to whom the franchise future is tied. Last season, Shanahan left RGIII in far too long against Seattle and contributed to a knee injury that may limit the ceiling on his whole career. What psychological scars and damage to reputation will he leave now as he departs?
So, we’re supposed to believe that, after a 7-0 run led by Griffin which had resurrected Shanny’s frayed reputation, that the coach was fuming about limos and security guards? That would mean that Shanahan had the NFL’s most fragile, most easily threatened ego. Or that he feared any locus of team authority not centered in himself. If true, that would even open the possibility that a simmering disgruntled Shanahan “ready to quit,’ would perhaps subconsciously leave RGIII in that Seattle game too long. Wishing him harm? Oh, surely not — at least consciously.
When the head coach, red in the face, defiant, is virtually holding a “Fire Me, I Dare Ya” sign at his own news conference, the mood of the day changes.
You can only laugh to keep from crying for so long. Shanahan and Snyder may deserve each other. But Washington doesn’t deserve either of them. Even if this team’s fans are loony with adoration at times, they merit far better than an inept owner and a coach who wants to undermine the reputation of the team’s quarterback as he slinks out the door with his loot.
