Who will really run the Redskins?

[Spence]

With Mike Shanahan hired as executive vice president and head coach and Bruce Allen hired last month as general manager, it appears owner Dan Snyder, who has served as the team's de facto head of personnel when Joe Gibbs wasn't around, has taken several steps back, allowing trained professionals to run his team. It appears that way. But how will it actually work? Will Snyder, who fired Marty Schottenheimer because he said he wasn't having any fun with Marty making all the football decisions, really put his team in the hands of someone else?

Read it all.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

Its interesting - Shanahan and Allen are both Executive Vice Presidents - meaning there is either a vacancy at Team President, or Snyder is going to step into that role...

 

[Yusuf06]

It's rare for me but I'm choosing to see the glass as half-full. I'm hoping that Snyder like Steinbrenner, has finally figured out that he really doesn't know as much as he thought he did. Whether he's able to maintain it over the long haul, only time will tell though.

What does trouble me a bit, is that Shanahan really did a lousy job with personnel in Denver and I don't think that will change much, depending on how much say Allen has and how much Shanny is willing to listen to him and the other personnel guys.

What I'm hoping for is something similar to what happened with Holmgren in Seattle. That is, after a few years of poor personnel moves holding him back, Shanny relinquishes personnel duties to someone else (Allen or someone new) who does a much better job of it, ultimately propelling him to that elusive non-Smellway S.B. ring he covets.

 

[The Burgundy Ghost]

Me, I'm pulling the strings on everything as we speak

I think the answer is Shanahan, straight up. Of course Snyder could fire Shanahan or Allen at any moment, but really this is Shanahan's team to run.

 

[Elephant]

What I'm hoping for is something similar to what happened with Holmgren in Seattle. That is, after a few years of poor personnel moves holding him back, Shanny relinquishes personnel duties to someone else (Allen or someone new) who does a much better job of it, ultimately propelling him to that elusive non-Smellway S.B. ring he covets.

This was my biggest gripe with the Shanahan hire. Can he coach and bring in the personnel that will give him the best chance to win? Let the coach coach! Let the personnel people get the coach the players the coach needs!

The only difference I see here is that Allen is there as well. That may play part in alleviating the duties of a Coach/Personnel guy.

Although I am not so sure I want you to be right, your scenario would mean a longer reconstruction period. LOL!

 

[Hog Fever]

I hate using this phrase so often but we’ll just have to wait and see.

All of the initial signs are positive. Coach and GM is too much job for one person, but the two jobs can’t be completely separate either. Ultimately I think the coach should have final say over what players he’ll coach. The team’s success, and his own, depends on it. If the coach thinks a player should go, the GM should help pack the bags. I think Shanahan is smart enough to know his limitations on the personnel side and at this stage should be focused more on finding out what he has than what he needs. He’s going to have to trust Allen and the scouting department to do their jobs and I think he will.

Regardless of what they both said about this not being a package deal, it almost certainly was and I’m fine with that. I think there is already a respect between Allen and Shanahan that will make things a lot easier when they come to their first dispute.

It’s just refreshing to know the front office isn’t in the hands of a rookie head coach and a toadie. I feel good about this. Time will tell if this is just another tease.

 

[EatSleepRedskin]

I think we'll quickly figure that out as this year progresses.

Just judging by their press-conference personalities, I think it'll be Bruce Allen.

Or maybe they will surprise us all and truly "work together."

 

[Henry]

What I'm hoping for is something similar to what happened with Holmgren in Seattle. That is, after a few years of poor personnel moves holding him back, Shanny relinquishes personnel duties to someone else (Allen or someone new) who does a much better job of it, ultimately propelling him to that elusive non-Smellway S.B. ring he covets.

That's the reasonable approach. My fear, though, is that Snyder won't have enough patience for that to happen. It took Holmgren four full years to put together a consistent winner. Will Snyder give anyone that much time?

 

[Hog Fever]

I don’t know if Dan has a lot of choice at this point except to be patient. Failing to do so might cost him all of the goodwill these latest moves have won him with the fans and around the league (coaches and players). If we are in Shanahan’s 3rd season and the team still isn’t in position to threaten for a playoff spot, then the current experiment has failed and who knows what happens then.

Next season all parties will have a free pass. I don’t see how the team, given the resources it will have at its disposal and the coaches we will have in place, could do any worse next season than we did this year. Even if they still finish below .500.it could easily be explained away as an unfortunate side effect of a rebuilding process. The fans would forgive. Year two we are going to have to see some definite progress, maybe not the playoffs, but definitely .500 or better. Year three we should be in the mix for the division title and certainly for the playoffs. We should have a group of stable starters and a clear pipeline of new talent coming in each year through the draft.

I don’t think those expectations are out of line given all of the factors. Maybe I’m dreaming here……

 

[Yusuf06]

That's the reasonable approach. My fear, though, is that Snyder won't have enough patience for that to happen. It took Holmgren four full years to put together a consistent winner. Will Snyder give anyone that much time?

...or, being fair about it, will the fans? Some of us are a pretty impatient bunch.

As for Lord Lilliput, I'm hoping that if nothing more, fear of what firing Shanahan might lead to will ensure at least a modicum of patience from him. If not, the fans will probably pick up where they left off with the "uprising". Or even worse, many might just decide they've had enough and turn to other teams or other activities altogether.
Posted via BGO Mobile Device

 

[romberjo]

I think some combination of Shanahan and Allen will control the direction of the team (rather than input from on high). My concern, as others have mentioned, is that Shanahan is not much of a personnel guy. The big problem is that Allen is not, either. Maybe Snyder should appoint himself to scouting qb's, and leave the rest to the Exec VP's.

 

[Henry]

...or, being fair about it, will the fans? Some of us are a pretty impatient bunch.

That's totally fair. I think one of the knocks on Snyder is that he acts too much like a fan at times. We are by definition not completely sane about our team.

 

[servumtuum]

Would it be considered acceptable to say that I'm feeling more positive because, among other reasons, it ain't the Dan&Vinny show anymore?

 

[Sarge]