Strained relationships with owner, star QB put Shanahan's job on the line

[thisnumbersdisconnected]

Redskins fall hard, Shanahan's job in jeopardy​

LANDOVER, Md. – Mike Shanahan had the look of a beaten man, one who might be counting down his final days with the Washington Redskins.

The strain was showing from Sunday’s 45-10 thumping by the Kansas City Chiefs, as well as the constant swirl of questions about his status. There was even a report before the game that he was close to quitting last year because of his relationships with owner Dan Snyder and quarterback Robert Griffin III.

How much interaction should a star player -- in this case, Robert Griffin III -- have with his team's owner, who has apparently provided limos, security details and other amenities to Griffin and his wife, while other players haven't had those things made available to them?

How much influence should a player have over a coach's tenure?

When a coach gets a premier player around which to build success, but the construction project fails, who rightfully gets the blame?

When player, coach and owner have such a confused, complex relationship, what's the best answer, outside of firing the coach, trading the player, or selling the team?

This is an interesting drama unfolding in Washington. Shanahan and Griffin were supposed to be the 'Skins' "saviors." Obviously that hasn't worked out.

Thoughts?
Scorns?
Diatribes?

 

[ccrobinson]

The owner's paying the salary, so he gets to decide how much interaction there is between he and his star player. Perhaps part of the problem is that the team and the coach resents how much the owner is doing for RGIII that he isn't doing for anybody else.

How much influence should a player have over a coach's tenure?

Ideally, none. I'm not even sure RGIII has a lot of influence. I think that the fact that they aren't winning and look terrible while doing it has more to do with Shanahan being on the way out than anything else.

When a coach gets a premier player around which to build success, but the construction project fails, who rightfully gets the blame?

They both get some blame, but you can always find a new coach. You can't just go out and get an RGIII. The Redskins offense has started pretty much every game looking like hot garbage and that's a direct result of coaching.

The biggest problem the Redskins have is they were penalized for being over the non-existent salary cap in the uncapped year. They had holes from last year's team to fill and they were unable to do so since they had so little cap room after being penalized.

When player, coach and owner have such a confused, complex relationship, what's the best answer, outside of firing the coach, trading the player, or selling the team?

Owning an NFL franchise is a license to print money, so I sincerely doubt that Snyder sells the team. A relationship doesn't have to end badly, but sometimes, it just has to end. That time seems to have arrived for Shanahan and the Redskins.

 

[thisnumbersdisconnected]

The owner's paying the salary, so he gets to decide how much interaction there is between he and his star player. Perhaps part of the problem is that the team and the coach resents how much the owner is doing for RGIII that he isn't doing for anybody else.

Isn't it incumbent on the owner not to create that situation in the first place?

Ideally, none. I'm not even sure RGIII has a lot of influence. I think that the fact that they aren't winning and look terrible while doing it has more to do with Shanahan being on the way out than anything else.

I think that's probably 100% correct.

They both get some blame, but you can always find a new coach. You can't just go out and get an RGIII. The Redskins offense has started pretty much every game looking like hot garbage and that's a direct result of coaching.

Again, probably 100% right. That's why Bowlin got fed up with Shanahan in Denver.

The biggest problem the Redskins have is they were penalized for being over the non-existent salary cap in the uncapped year. They had holes from last year's team to fill and they were unable to do so since they had so little cap room after being penalized.

Great point which the sports media regularly forget to include in their set pieces speculating on the estimated half-life of Shanahan's tenure. Nonetheless, he could do a better job of prepping a game plan.

Owning an NFL franchise is a license to print money, so I sincerely doubt that Snyder sells the team.

I didn't mean to suggest he would, but included it as the only comparative option to the other two alternatives.

A relationship doesn't have to end badly, but sometimes, it just has to end. That time seems to have arrived for Shanahan and the Redskins.

Again. Seems to be a habit for him recently.

 

[InTheLight]

How much interaction should a star player -- in this case, Robert Griffin III -- have with his team's owner, who has apparently provided limos, security details and other amenities to Griffin and his wife, while other players haven't had those things made available to them?

Owner and player can have as much interaction as they want. It's possible the limos and security details are a part of his contract, if so, other players need to shut up. It could also be a verbal agreement, either way, other players shouldn't complain.

How much influence should a player have over a coach's tenure?

Tricky question. In this case the Redskins went "all in" with RG3, so he's bound to have some influence on Shanahan. There's also the possibility that the coach is not designing an offense around a player's strengths, which would be an error on the part of the coach. Not saying that is happening in Washington, necessarily but I remember when the Vikings traded their future to the Cowboys for Herschel Walker and then proceeded to use him in the dumbest way possible.

When a coach gets a premier player around which to build success, but the construction project fails, who rightfully gets the blame?

Depends on whether or not the coach plays to a player's strength or tries to make the player conform to his system. If the coach doesn't utilize the player's talents to its fullest the blame is on the coach. This is what happened with Brad Childress and the Vikings. He wanted to run a west coast offense and the Vikings didn't have the personnel. Then the Vikings got "Him", Brett Favre, and the offense changed and the Vikings had some success. There were many times when Favre would audible a different play because he didn't like the call from the sidelines--and Favre was right.

When player, coach and owner have such a confused, complex relationship, what's the best answer, outside of firing the coach, trading the player, or selling the team?

I'm going to hammer my point home again--the offense needs to be designed around the player's strengths, not the coaches pet system. It's obvious that RG3 is the future of the Redskins offense, therefore the coach has to go.

Thoughts?

I think it's likely that RG3 is not playing at 100% after the injury last year.

 

[ccrobinson]

Isn't it incumbent on the owner not to create that situation in the first place?

I think so, but Snyder does things differently than just about anybody else. The failures of the Redskins to consistently win during his tenure as owner lies directly at his feet. Since I dislike every team not named the Bears, I say he should own this team as long as possible.

:thumbsup:

I think it's likely that RG3 is not playing at 100% after the injury last year.

Agreed. He was clearly not at 100% at the beginning of the season and it seems unlikely that he'd somehow manage to be at 100% with 3 weeks to go.

 

[Bob Alkire]

If I recall correctly, Synder didn't want Brad Johnson at Qb, but wanted Jeff George. Now how did that work out?
From reading down here, it seems not all the players on the team are as high on RGIII as Mr. Synder and RGIII. Some thank it is to much, me,me with RGIII, I don't know.

 

[InTheLight]

Washington has had 5 coaches and 7 QBs in the last 13 years, all under Dan Snyder's ownership. Through this week the W-L record over this span is 86-119. I'm starting to think it's not the coach or the QB.

 

[just-want-peace]

I'm no fan, but it peers to me that the guy behind the steering wheel needs to yield control to somebody who is a little more road savvy.
This record looks like the "leader" is just barely keeping it out of the ditch on both sides of the road.
But that's just me; like I say, I didn't even know the team record until the previous post.:sleep: