HTTR24-7:Interview Transcript W/ Michael Lombardi 11/14/12..

[RememberOsaka]

I think it's far time that Brown is shown the door the whole department reworked. I was really surprised that the Skins didn't take a run at former staff member Bobby Depaul when the Bears let him go. Even more surprising is that a guy with Depaul's scouting experience and track record in Chicago (he orchestrated the Cutler trade among many other moves) ends up a position coach in the UFL ( former Skins Kurt Gouveia is on the same staff)

[thesubmittedone]

What is outside of Mike Shanahans control ?

2010 unrestricted pool, 2011 lockout, 2012/13 cap penalty... and walking into a situation he knew he'd need 5 years to fix. Of course, that was his choice, but it was something done to this organization he had nothing to do with. Let's not overlook the amount of players he's cut since he's been here that have done nothing in this league after they left. That's huge and automatically makes our situation different.

[Skinsinparadise]

Good article. Overall, I don't feel like I did in Zorn's 2nd year where I couldn't wait for him to go, but I am disappointed.

I've seen Lombardi talk about Shanny earlier this year on NFL Network -- he admires him as a coach but wonders about him as a GM. In a previous HTTR24 podcast, Lombardi said Shanny tended to overestimate his talent every year. To that point, where Shanny lost me a great deal was a couple of weeks ago when he said this is a top 5 defense without the injuries. That assertion struck me so ridiculous that it made me worry and still does that he won't right the ship for the defense.

[authentic]

http://www.redskins.com/team/staff/m...a-e0f87ba8779e

Here is Brown's resume prior to joining us in 2008:



If we are in to cleaning house, I am with that. But I am also with LL's philosophy... hire a GM... a young, hungry cat with everything to prove, and let him pick a coach and control the organization. That's the way you do it. He'll pick his own staff out. I don't want any of this... "well, you can pick out everyone, but little Schotty gets a job or it's no deal." Let him run the organization.

Morocco has been groomed for five years now and helped build some pretty good teams in Chicago, he was hired by Bill Polian as a scout for his first job in the league, worked under some good guys over in Chicago... he has some seasoning. I say lets see what he can do, but that's just my vote/opinion. Maybe it'd be better to get fresh eyes in here... but that'd be a waste throwing all of that time you've spent on M. Brown out the window.

I wouldn't be against this if they have done their homework and have identified Brown as the best candidate for the job.

[Hooper]

It's a reach, but it may have to be the approach. You have to give it to Dan, he is a recluse and hates bad press, but he's come a long way the last few years. He might surprise us.

I hear ya.

Also, I love that we all just want an owner to sit back and have no say.

If I bought a team for a billion dollars, I would definitely want some input. Hell, I'd probably insert myself under center.

Most owners in the NFL do insist on being involved at some level. The media has just latched on a couple. Woody Johnson somehow escapes being painted like Snyder even though Tannebaum is clearly his Vinny-like puppet.

[DC9]

2010 unrestricted pool, 2011 lockout, 2012/13 cap penalty... and walking into a situation he knew he'd need 5 years to fix. Of course, that was his choice, but it was something done to this organization he had nothing to do with. Let's not overlook the amount of players he's cut since he's been here that have done nothing in this league after they left. That's huge and automatically makes our situation different.

I am not going to disagree with you on any of that. Those were bad hands to be dealt, no doubt. This is why I give Shanny some rope on the personnel side of the house, and I think overall, he's done some pretty good and impressive things with his time here as Redskins Head Coach/GM/VP, etc... (<---I just noticed he has more names than Apollo Creed, lol).

My issues come from the field. His clock management, the penalties, the effort of the players, the staff he's put together, the way he acts to the press, the way his team responds to him, how players are developed, who is developing them... who picks the players, etc.

That all is something, that after three years, we should have some assemilance of success. Personally, I am unimpressed with how the players have been developed, or how the practice squad is a rotating treasure hunt instead of a place that you actually coach up a late round pick to contribute.

This staff seems less interested in refining skills and coaching and more interested in out gaming and out scheming the other guy... which they don't do well either. So what good does it do to keep them around for another year when you could get the guy you want to go on a run with Robert next season and get them acquinted, comfortable, and allow them to build around and grow together?

---------- Post added November-15th-2012 at 02:12 PM ----------

I hear ya.

Also, I love that we all just want an owner to sit back and have no say.

If I bought a team for a billion dollars, I would definitely want some input. Hell, I'd probably insert myself under center.

Most owners in the NFL do insist on being involved at some level. The media has just latched on a couple. Woody Johnson somehow escapes being painted like Snyder even though Tannebaum is clearly his Vinny-like puppet.

hahaha, I think about this everytime the lottery get's around $400 mil. I'm like... would Dan sell me 25% of the Redskins for that? I would just go to games on Sunday, be involved in charity, and be on the bay fishing and crabbing the rest of the time. But that's just me... Also, if I was the only guy, I would definitely be a little more involved with logistics. I wouldn't assume I know anything about football, but my team would have the best of everything. But fair points.

[darrelgreenie]

I don't want Mike Shanahan gone. And I doubt very few people, even those that are critical of the personnel decisions under his regime, want him gone. I think that discussion is a waste of time that waters down this thread/article.

Fans that are critical of Synder in this thread but not of Shanahan make me scratch my head. Imho Dan Snyder's past mistakes leave him sort of hamstrung when it comes to Mike Shanahan as the GM. But, if Synder has grown wiser as owner like as his recent history suggests maybe he realizes the need for a true GM to guide the franchise?

Synder is smart dude, at his core he's a salesman. He needs to sell Mike Shanahan on the sales pitch that I believe will lead this team in the direction that Griffin is ready to take us.

[DC9]

I don't want Mike Shanahan gone. And I doubt very few people, even those that are critical of the personnel decisions under his regime, want him gone. I think that discussion is a waste of time that waters down this thread/article.

Fans that are critical of Synder in this thread but not of Shanahan make me scratch my head. Imho Dan Snyder's past mistakes leave him sort of hamstrung when it comes to Mike Shanahan as the GM. But, if Synder has grown wiser as owner like as his recent history suggests maybe he realizes the need for a true GM to guide the franchise?

Synder is smart dude, at his core he's a salesman. He needs to sell Mike Shanahan on the sales pitch that I believe will lead this team in the direction that Griffin is ready to take us.

We are talking about convincing Pablo Escobar in his prime that he doesn't need any oversite on the operation... You really think Snyder could pull that off? I'll bet Mike learned a thing or two from the Zorn contract rumors that Steve Largent put out into the public and got everything he wanted in the contract. Realistically, Snyder is probably hamstrung to that and the only way out would be to fire him and move on. Remember the state of the franchise when Mike showed up? He probably got daily massages and tanning booth time worked in.

[MartinC]

I've heard this sentiment a quite a few times around here, but how do we know Morocco isn't part of the problem? If I understand correctly (and I'm simplifying the process here), he gets all the info together on pro and college players, gives Shanahan a list of "good" players, and then Shanahan makes the ultimate decision. How do we know Shanahan hasn't just been given bad info?

As the decision maker it's Mikes job to test and challenge the information he is given. If all he is doing is just taking the list of players and grades given to him by his player personnel guys and following the order you or I could do his job. If he is getting bad info he has to smoke that out during the process - and then fire the folks feeding him the bad data.

Mike knows offense and his decision making on that side of the ball in free agency and the draft have been good. I don't think he has a good feel for evaluating defensive personnel so my take is we need strong scouting with a defensive back ground and a DC who does know what he needs and has a voice in the process. It's the defense that really needs fixing this offseason.

[Oldfan]

2010 unrestricted pool, 2011 lockout, 2012/13 cap penalty... and walking into a situation he knew he'd need 5 years to fix. Of course, that was his choice, but it was something done to this organization he had nothing to do with. Let's not overlook the amount of players he's cut since he's been here that have done nothing in this league after they left. That's huge and automatically makes our situation different.

Why were the lockout and the unrestricted pool bad breaks? Building a roster is a competition with 31 other teams. All were equally affected.

If Mike didn't know his cap strategy put his team at risk for a penalty, he should have -- no excuse.

He took a poor roster and made the situation worse by changing schemes on both sides of the ball. Why is that not his choice?

He has added five starters through the draft since 2010 (not counting Jenkins who starts because of injury). Meanwhile Belichik adds eight in the same time frame by better handling of his picks.

[justice98]

Why were the lockout and the unrestricted pool bad breaks? Building a roster is a competition with 31 other teams. All were equally affected.

If Mike didn't know his cap strategy put his team at risk for a penalty, he should have -- no excuse.

He took a poor roster and made the situation worse by changing schemes on both sides of the ball. Why is that not his choice?

He has added five starters through the draft since 2010 (not counting Jenkins who starts because of injury). Meanwhile Belichik adds eight in the same time frame by better handling of his picks.

I agree with this 100%.

[BRAVEONTHEWARPATH93]

Why were the lockout and the unrestricted pool bad breaks? Building a roster is a competition with 31 other teams. All were equally affected.

If Mike didn't know his cap strategy put his team at risk for a penalty, he should have -- no excuse.

He took a poor roster and made the situation worse by changing schemes on both sides of the ball. Why is that not his choice?

He has added five starters through the draft since 2010 (not counting Jenkins who starts because of injury). Meanwhile Belichik adds eight in the same time frame by better handling of his picks.

You have to remember that the Skins' roster pre Shanny was the worst thing in life times a million divided by 12.

That's his argument. I don't agree

[justice98]

Let's not overlook the amount of players he's cut since he's been here that have done nothing in this league after they left. That's huge and automatically makes our situation different.

I envision the next coach is going to be making the same argument.

[WhoRUSupposed2Be]

We are talking about convincing Pablo Escobar in his prime that he doesn't need any oversite on the operation... You really think Snyder could pull that off? I'll bet Mike learned a thing or two from the Zorn contract rumors that Steve Largent put out into the public and got everything he wanted in the contract. Realistically, Snyder is probably hamstrung to that and the only way out would be to fire him and move on. Remember the state of the franchise when Mike showed up? He probably got daily massages and tanning booth time worked in.

To even a fool's knowledge, the wisest thing for Snyder to do is to sit back and let this play out.

[Lavarleap56]

2010 unrestricted pool, 2011 lockout,

Unrestricted pool and 2011 lockout... come on bro. Every team in the league dealt with the same circumstances.


[/QUOTE] 2012/13 cap penalty...[/QUOTE]

Like I said earlier.. Allen/Shanny rolled the dice and got busted. Can't fault them for trying,Don't agree with the NFL having "rules in a uncapped year", Don't agree with the timing of the penalty. Reality is that they tried and failed so Mike and Bruce created that situation.. not out of his control.

walking into a situation he knew he'd need 5 years to fix.

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfceast/post...-family-affair

MS: "You just know that you've got two more years to get the job done, because they never let you go through the five years. You get it done in four years or you're gone. But that's what I love about this profession -- the pressure of it, what goes with it. The thing that I enjoy is that I've got an owner that's going to give me a chance to be successful. And if I can't get it done in four years, even though I've got a five-year contract, then I shouldn't be here."

THIS is where the Lombardi comments should hit home.. A very difficult task to improve in year 4 and a coach who says he shouldn't be here if he hasn't done it by year 4.....

That is very ominous to me and paints a picture of spinning mud for the next 23 games...

Let's not overlook the amount of players he's cut since he's been here that have done nothing in this league after they left. That's huge and automatically makes our situation different.

I agree we have cut a lot of players that didn't get picked up by other teams but some did and some start like Locklear etc.. we have cut a lot of players Shanny picked as well.