What the retirement of Bugel really means

[Lanky Livingston]

Joe Bugel retired today - the press conference is available on redskins.com, worth the watch.

In my opinion, the retirement of Bugel signifies one thing - the Redskins aren't going to be competitive for at LEAST one season, possibly 2 or more. If the Redskins were going to attempt a quick turnaround, Bugel would probably stick around to try and win one more. However I don't think he's got the patience for another rebuilding project.

Say hello to a top-5 pick next year and the year after! Doh...

 

[Hog Fever]

I don't know man. Bugel will be 70 years old by the start of next season. At some point he's got to be looking to shut it down. The only reason he came out of retirement in 2004 was getting a chance to "put the band back together".

Bugel will always be a part of DC legend and will always be the man in my book but at some point it's just time. He's had a fantastic run.

 

[Elephant]

Was there any indication he would have been kept around by the new regime?

 

[riggins44]

I don't think there was any indication Shanahan wanted to keep him. Probably because he was ready to retire and didn't want to return.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

Shanahan himself said at the beginning of the press conference that he was excited to work with him, and was disappointed when Joe came in on his first day, and told him he was gonna retire.

 

[Larry Brown #43]

Shanny said he wanted to keep him, but I think that was just something nice to say. I'm not sure that Bugel's style meshes with the running and blocking style that Shanahan prefers.

Buges doesn't want to start learning and coaching a whole new scheme at age 70, I'm sure.

 

[Larry Brown #43]

Shanahan himself said at the beginning of the press conference that he was excited to work with him, and was disappointed when Joe came in on his first day, and told him he was gonna retire.

And I think Bruce Allen said he hadn't been in contact with Shanahan or any other coaching candidates after he took the Skins job...but we discovered that Shanny basically selected Allen, and not the other way around.

These guys say lots of things.

 

[Cycleans]

I'm glad he retired, I honestly wonder how much of his success was just being at the right place right time with the hogs. He didn't exactly light the world on fire at AZ and Raiders. Gibbs wanted him and got him but that was how many years ago? The Oline hasn't been above satisfactory since his arrival. That being said Buges is a worthy contributor in Redskins history and I'm glad he will retire as a Skin. HTTR

 

[GibbsFan]

thanks buges it,s been a great ride ...hope you enjoy your retirement.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

I'm glad he retired, I honestly wonder how much of his success was just being at the right place right time with the hogs. He didn't exactly light the world on fire at AZ and Raiders. Gibbs wanted him and got him but that was how many years ago? The Oline hasn't been above satisfactory since his arrival. That being said Buges is a worthy contributor in Redskins history and I'm glad he will retire as a Skin. HTTR

Dude...Buges took a bunch of late-rounders (outside of May and Grimm, 1st and 3rd round picks respectively) and UDFAs and turned them into one of the greatest OLines the game has ever seen.

Starke: 11th rounder
Bostic: undrafted
Jacoby: undrafted
Warren: 4th rounder
Walker: 4th rounder
McKenzie: 11th rounder
Schlereth: 10th rounder


Also, as Skins fans we should be intimately aware of the fact that some guys can be incredible at coaching a certain position, but horrible head coaches.

 

[Miles Monroe]

Dude...Buges took a bunch of late-rounders (outside of May and Grimm, 1st and 3rd round picks respectively) and UDFAs and turned them into one of the greatest OLines the game has ever seen.

Starke: 11th rounder
Bostic: undrafted
Jacoby: undrafted
Warren: 4th rounder
Walker: 4th rounder
McKenzie: 11th rounder
Schlereth: 10th rounder


Also, as Skins fans we should be intimately aware of the fact that some guys can be incredible at coaching a certain position, but horrible head coaches.

I think Cycleans point was that he hasn't been able to make the magic happen lately. I love Joe, but it seems to me, once you're "one of his guys", his loyalty can be counterproductive. Guys like Randy Thomas and Jansen have been kept around longer then they should have as starters, and I see it as a direct result of Buges being loyal to his guys. Why else do you keep players that aren't playing at a high level, or available ? People should have been getting groomed to replace these guys 3 or 4 seasons ago. Why hasn't he been able to turn some of the late round picks into solid starters as he did before ?

Point is, he hasn't been able to do much lately. I'm sure his hands have been tied to some degree, but when you don't say you need something, you're never gonna get it...............

 

[Lanky Livingston]

You can criticize a lot of things the past few years, but one of the things you CAN'T criticize is our running game. A lot of that has to be attributed to Buges, IMO.

 

[Miles Monroe]

You can criticize a lot of things the past few years, but one of the things you CAN'T criticize is our running game. A lot of that has to be attributed to Buges, IMO.

Buges can coach up a storm if ya give him guys that are consistently in the game. Our running game hasn't been something to brag about to be honest for a host of reasons.

Think about these three players. Had Jansen been replaced by a young player a few seasons ago, Thomas replaced last season, and Portis got his head out of his ass, and came to camp ready to actually play the game, what type of running game we might have had this season. Two out of three of those have to do directly with Joe.

When the O line is worn out after the first third of the season, there's a problem. Thinking back to when Jansen and Samuels were drafted, we fans saw it as a solid 9 or 10 years with high quality bookend tackles. That was ten years ago..... yet we keep long in the tooth vets that aren't producing, or available. Who's head does that fall on, if not the Line coach ? Samuels has a bit left in the tank because he hasn't been decimated by major injuries to his legs as Jansen had, but we need youth. If Chris comes back in 2010, his replacement should be on the roster too.

All the players I speak of, and Coach Buges are all people I love, and admire for their grit, but I can't let sentiment cloud my vision. Nothing lasts forever.........

 

[The Burgundy Ghost]

I will miss Buges a great deal and have a story about him that I will share on BGO and my blog coming up.

That said......if we're running a Shanahan running system it might be better to have another coach come in to teach it even though we have ran some stretch plays during Gibbs 2.0 and Zorn tenures.

 

[Neophyte]

When the O line is worn out after the first third of the season, there's a problem. Thinking back to when Jansen and Samuels were drafted, we fans saw it as a solid 9 or 10 years with high quality bookend tackles. That was ten years ago..... yet we keep long in the tooth vets that aren't producing, or available. Who's head does that fall on, if not the Line coach ? Samuels has a bit left in the tank because he hasn't been decimated by major injuries to his legs as Jansen had, but we need youth. If Chris comes back in 2010, his replacement should be on the roster too.

With all due respect Miles, we know that the coaches this last off season pin pointed the offensive line as the biggest area in need of an upgrade and the biggest reason for the late season slide in 08. The front offices answer to that was to sign a guy out of the league for more than 3 years and a couple of journeymen who had never been starters for any serious time anywhere else. When the draft came around the front office blew our 3rd rounder on a CB who spent most of the season on the inactive list.

With that in mind, who knows what Joe had been saying in the backroom for the last few seasons. Perhaps he had been screaming, behind closed doors, and being ignored by the guys bringing the players in.

We just don't know...