If Shanahan's given up, what hope do we really have with him? A pretty darn disappointed and disillusioned long time backer of the HC.

[Yeen80]

Well Shanahan is saying exactly what all of ES said yesterday during the game. So maybe, he actually heard us.

[The Robert Griffin Experience]

I think that the book on Shanahan is that he never should have been the GM, he should have let a quality GM do player acquisitions (though he'd have significant input).

I agree with many here who have said that the "coach buying the groceries" doesn't work, and this is just another example. Parcells bought the groceries in New York (Jets) and Dallas, he never was better than 10-6. Holmgren bought the groceries in Seattle and Cleveland, and those were failures. Shanahan already failed in Denver buying the groceries, and he's failing exactly - literally exactly - the same way here. It's just not a viable model.

I think Shanahan should be stripped of GM duties, given that we simply have not drafted very well, but he absolutely should be retained as coach. Holmgren went to the Super Bowl after he was stripped of GM duties. He's done well in prioritizing the key spots on the team (QB, LT, pass rushers) but Shanahan the GM has probably done enough for him to be fired. The problem is how to do that without firing Shanahan the coach.

[DogofWar1]

You do realize that you characterized the McNabb trade as " ill-advised" ??? C'mon !! Call it what it really was. STUPID! BONEHEADED!! An attempt to quick fix a huge problem. Those two draft picks we gave up could've been our CB and RT. I understand that some want to be optimistic, ( if this.. and if that) but ignoring the reality of the situation is senseless. Yes we have injuries across the board, but so does every other NFL team. People act as if this is his 1st year, this is his 3rd!! And our hopes rely on a rookie QB to keep us in games because our coach's hand picked personnel isn't good enough.

If you take a step back and look at the results from 3 years of building a team we have absolutely no play makers on the team except two rookies from this year. In three years Shanahan has drafted two play makers! That's just unacceptable. And unless he learns how to motivate his less than stellar personnel he will be gone and rightfully so!

McNabb was stupid in hindsight, but going into the trade it looked like a decent strategy. McNabb was still producing well. We did overpay, that's on Shanahan. McNabb hitting the wall, and going from productive starter to crappy analyst in 2 years? Not entirely on Shanahan, but not entirely unforeseeable.

Also, our injuries are very bad, even compared to other teams. I mentioned it in the "why are we 3-6" poll thread, we have the 2nd most inactives of any team in the NFL (we have 14, Pats, who play games with IR and PUP, have 16). 6 of those inactives are starters. 2 players who haven't played all year (Garcon and Meriweather) aren't even inactive. Only 6 teams have 10 or more inactives, 18 teams have 7 or fewer.

Long story short, we're beat up worse than almost everyone. The "everyone has injuries" argument works only so far. When you've lost four starters on defense, 3 starters and some contributors on offense, it's tough to win, no matter who you are.

Also, do elite LTs not matter? Do solid starting ILBs not matter? What about a solid all around defender and pass rusher? No, they're not all-pro offensive or defensive weapons, but they're an important part of the team. Again, 2010 was poor draft year outside of Williams and Riley, but 2011 was just last year. How often to stars spring fully grown into the NFL? Almost never. They need time. Players usually don't hit their maximum potential until year 3 or 4. We have only one draft even into year 3, and 2011 and 2012 aren't even that far.

Give these drafts time. Like I said, if the only starters we have from these three classes come 2014 are Williams, Riley, Kerrigan, Jenkins, RGIII, and Morris, then yes, that's poor drafting. But the jury is still out, so stop pretending like a guilty verdict has already been handed down.

[KingGibbs]

Maybe stopping the charade of not having a GM?

Hire a GM and let him build a team and hire a coach.

I'm all for this, but I meant who would be our next coach? I Should've clarified that.

[Sticksboi05]

I like Gibbs, but the game had passed him by.

And yet he's the only coach in over a DECADE to lead the Skins to the playoffs. And he did it twice.

---------- Post added November-5th-2012 at 11:47 AM ----------

Get over it. "BSPN" has shaped the way sports are covered and it has done nothing but benefit us diehard sports fans.

BTW. While Smith makes you want to smack the **** out of him sometimes, he nailed it here.

Thank you, Stephen A took the words out of every competent person's mouth with that rant.

---------- Post added November-5th-2012 at 11:47 AM ----------

I don't actually mind the statement. It is the truth, and it should have been evident from before the season started. This isn't a championship team. This year should be about evaluating players and finding ones that will be able to contribute to being a championship team 2-3 (or more) years down the road.

My problem is that they don't act like it. Cooley should never have been resigned. We don't need to evaluate his ability to contribute to a championship team some time in the future.

You do NOT, at 3-6 with a bye week, give up and say it's evaluation time. You sure as hell don't say it to the media and create unnecessary hooplah.

---------- Post added November-5th-2012 at 11:47 AM ----------

Shanny deserves every bit of criticism he is getting. He has done this to himself in a multitude of ways. Too many to list. Some folks on here just want to keep continuity for continuity's sake and that's nothing short of cowardly IMO. We are seeing NO improvement under Shanny. His fingerprints are all over this team from personnel decisions to coaching. He has been a complete and utter failure.

That being said. I don't know what the anwer to this problem could be.

Bingo, just because Snyder fired Marty at 8-8 (among other quick pulls) doesn't mean you keep Mike just to say we didn't screw up in the same way again. I have zero confidence in Shanahan and co. We need a real GM who will hire a coach and get coordinators with proven track records not f-ing Jim Haslett.

[Painkiller]

That being said. I don't know what the anwer to this problem could be.

and that's why before you take action...you better have a plan.

[Stophovr6]

I pointed out at the end of the game versus the Steelers that Shanny had given up. It was clear to me. Then he doesn't prepare his team for a must win game at home, for our homecoming, and then states the season is over. The guy is a quitter. I said it then and it holds true. I really don't want to give up on him but he clearly has given up on us. Thanks for getting us our Franchise QB, the door is behind you, pack your ****.

[Sticksboi05]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/85...ot-giving-2012

[Painkiller]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/85...ot-giving-2012

to further quote what everyone wants to hear

On Monday, Shanahan said it was not his intention to suggest that the Redskins were no longer playing for 2012.


"What I meant by that is, anytime you have adversity, now you've got a chance to see all of these guys play every game the rest of the way like it's a playoff game," Shanahan said in the phone interview. "What you want guys to do when there's adversity is to play harder and play better, and that's when you see what kind of guys you have in your locker room."

Makes sense to me.

[SkinsCrushCowboys]

I have been tweeting with Tandler, who was at the presser about the comment being taken out of context. His thoughts (below)
Again, just an opinion, but interesting from someone who was there. I hope he is wrong

Hail

Rich Tandler ‏@Rich_TandlerCSN
Yes, he said that and the clear message was that evaluation was all there was to play for in 2012

Rich Tandler ‏@Rich_TandlerCSN
Nope, I was sitting there for the whole thing. It was not taken out of context.

@Rich_TandlerCSN Is it possible at all that he stated that to see who truly deserves to be on the team in the future?

@Rich_TandlerCSN Rich, you being there, interpret it as a white flag for the year?

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

I have been tweeting with Tandler, who was at the presser about the comment being taken out of context. His thoughts (below)
Again, just an opinion, but interesting from someone who was there. I hope he is wrong

Hail

Rich Tandler ‏@Rich_TandlerCSN
Yes, he said that and the clear message was that evaluation was all there was to play for in 2012

Rich Tandler ‏@Rich_TandlerCSN
Nope, I was sitting there for the whole thing. It was not taken out of context.

@Rich_TandlerCSN Is it possible at all that he stated that to see who truly deserves to be on the team in the future?

@Rich_TandlerCSN Rich, you being there, interpret it as a white flag for the year?

What's just as staggering to me, even before today's desperate PR clean-up spin, was the amount of people so ready to dismiss this as either something and nothing/ Mike just telling the truth; or ( ridiculously naively) trying to suggest he was in some way trying to motivate his players.

I've been a staunch defender of the HC on here, often in the face of things that really shouldn't of been defended; but to defend the indefensible like what he said yesterday is blind homerism in the extreme.(To be kind.). And flat our asinine ridiculousness, to be more truthful.

Hail.

[Sticksboi05]

Hey, some people are desperate for everything to be okay in D.C. And things aren't. At all. So what he goes PR and tries to save his behind. He meant what he said. And even if he didn't he never should've left it to chance.

[SkinsCrushCowboys]

What's just as staggering to me, even before today's desperate PR clean-up spin, was the amount of people so ready to dismiss this as either something and nothing/ Mike just telling the truth; or ( ridiculously naively) trying to suggest he was in some way trying to motivate his players.

I've been a staunch defender of the HC on here, often in the face of things that really shouldn't of been defended; but to defend the indefensible like what he said yesterday is blind homerism in the extreme.(To be kind.). And flat our asinine ridiculousness, to be more truthful.

Hail.

I am trying to take a pragmatic approach and look at both sides. Knee jerking has not served me well at times in the past. I am just very dissapointed in the situation. The bye is here at a good time for the sanity of everyone.

Hail

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Hey, some people are desperate for everything to be okay in D.C. And things aren't. At all. So what he goes PR and tries to save his behind. He meant what he said. And even if he didn't he never should've left it to chance.

I love the way in the ESPN piece you linked he's turning it back onto the press with the 'insinuation' claim on what he said.

They were your own words Coach. Nobody has to spin anything in any other direction than how you said it.

Hail.

---------- Post added November-5th-2012 at 01:51 PM ----------

I am trying to take a pragmatic approach and look at both sides. Knee jerking has not served me well at times in the past. I am just very dissapointed in the situation. The bye is here at a good time for the sanity of everyone.

Appreciate the dialogue between yourself and Tandler man. And you re-posting it here.

Thank you.

Hail.

[BRAVEONTHEWARPATH93]

Hey, some people are desperate for everything to be okay in D.C. And things aren't. At all. So what he goes PR and tries to save his behind. He meant what he said. And even if he didn't he never should've left it to chance.

that's what it all boils down too. Some ppl will jump through hoops to find/invent the positives. I guess 20+ years of being awful will do that