Propping up the sky around here

[Paintrain]

DAMN! This place is bordering on taking an "Extreme-"ist tone recently. You can peek into any thread and read about cutting everyone, firing everyone, blowing it all up, etc., etc., etc. I've been guilty of it too but tonight I'm saying enough.

This is the most frustrating time I've had as a Redskins fan in a long, long time but I am also able to see some sunlight through the clouds. Our next coach will have experience, his own coaching staff and hopefully-hopefully, a little bit more say on the roster. While this season is more than likely a washout and some sweeping changes are to come, all is not lost.

The defense is playing relatively well, not giving up too many points, although it would be nice to get off the field on 3rd down. While people (lazy media drones and their sheep) are inexplicably taking pot shots at Haynesworth because of his contract, they are ignoring that he's having a very good season, on par with why we brought him here. Hall, 2 obvious tackling errors aside, is having a very good season also. He's made 2 plays in the past 2 games that have led to points being put on the board. That's something we've missed around here for a while. We seem to have really hit on Orakpo, especially if the '10 defensive coordinator plays him as a full time DE. Fletcher and McIntosh are playing well and overall our defense is holding up their end of the deal.

For a worst case season, our offensive collapse could be a best case scenario. Even Vinny cannot ignore how awful our OL is now and it must be rebuilt next offseason. Like 3 new starters worth of rebuilt, possibly 4 if Samuels-as I fear-will be forced to retire. Portis has clearly lost a step and if there is a cap in '10 and we cannot release him, we will definitely address that position in the draft next year. As much of a Campbell supporter as I am, I think his dye is cast here and he's playing his final days as our QB. We can finally move on from the most divisive issue that we as a fanbase have. I wish him well on an AFC team next season (but don't be surprised if he ends up in SF and leads them to a couple of NFC West titles).

It's Week 6, 11 more weeks in what is shaping up to be a LONG season. Can we not turn every thread into a bitch, moan and rip session? I know it's gonna suck but it doesn't have to suck around here too.

[DCtoAZ]

Perhaps you have been in a coma for the past 5 weeks.

[Paintrain]

Originally Posted by DCtoAZ

Perhaps you have been in a coma for the past 5 weeks.

On the contrary, I've seen every play of every game, watch WaPo Live almost every night and read the WaPo online first thing every morning. I just don't see the point in being even MORE miserable by bemoaning each and every thing and further tearing down players and the team. If I wanted that I'd spend my time over at ES. Hell, I know it's a futile exercise but I wanted to try SOMETHING positive around here.

[Longtimefan]

Originally Posted by Paintrain

On the contrary, I've seen every play of every game, watch WaPo Live almost every night and read the WaPo online first thing every morning. I just don't see the point in being even MORE miserable by bemoaning each and every thing and further tearing down players and the team. If I wanted that I'd spend my time over at ES. Hell, I know it's a futile exercise but I wanted to try SOMETHING positive around here.

Sound like a great message to send to the media as well. In this area, no one seems to focus on the negative more than the local media, the frustration is now being shown by the players as well. This is all a result of not winning games, if the ship is ever righted you will see a change, if not expect more of the same because it's not going to go away.

[SmootSmack]

More power to you Paintrain. Suisham hasn't missed a field goal all year. All...Year!

[Smooter]

Good thread. I've been trying to stay positive and not completely lose it. I'm just gonna buckle up and go along for the ride. HTTR!

[tryfuhl]

The biggest question is WILL they address it.. not it's obvious that they should

it's been effing obvious that they should FOR AWHILE

[SmootSmack]

washingtonpost.com

[tryfuhl]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

washingtonpost.com

I don't give a damn how far we are from the bottom

I care how far we are from the top

this is seriously how apathetic that we've gotten

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by tryfuhl

I don't give a damn how far we are from the bottom

I care how far we are from the top

this is seriously how apathetic that we've gotten

Sure, we all agree...but this was intended to be a somewhat positive thread

[tryfuhl]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Sure, we all agree...but this was intended to be a somewhat positive thread

I'm not sure why that matters honestly.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by tryfuhl

I'm not sure why that matters honestly.

Ok, nevermind then

[djnemo65]

What I think is so frustrating to people is not so much the collapse of a season but the collapse of an era. This year is shot but there is no reason to believe we'll be able to contend for several years. What we are seeing is the final dissolution of a team that first started to come together with the Portis trade, the Griffin, Washington, and Springs free agent signings, and the addition of several other key players through the Gibbs years: the core Redskins. It's busted and we are (hopefully) going to be starting over from scratch next year with one playoff win and only a few key young players to show for it.

In today's NFL, there is absolutely no reason for teams to lose for prolonged periods, with the salary cap and draft structured to punish winning and award losing to an extent. Throw in the tremendous monetary advantage the Skins enjoy and you have a team that, at the very least, should be above average over any 5-10 year period. But here we are, in exactly the same position we were in when Spurrier split, with a team falling apart, lacking discipline, lacking leaders, lacking any sense of direction or purpose. And we have precisely one playoff win to show for it.

This is a tough pill to swallow and it's not so suprising to me that the angst is starting to bubble over. But doesn't it make us all feel better to come here and commiserate? The most awesomest Shakespeare play King Lear talks about such shared grief quite well.

When we our betters see bearing our woes,
We scarcely think our miseries our foes.
Who alone suffers suffers most i' the mind,
Leaving free things and happy shows behind:
But then the mind much sufferance doth o'er skip,
When grief hath mates, and bearing fellowship.
How light and portable my pain seems now,
When that which makes me bend makes the king bow,

[Paintrain]

Originally Posted by djnemo65

What I think is so frustrating to people is not so much the collapse of a season but the collapse of an era. This year is shot but there is no reason to believe we'll be able to contend for several years. What we are seeing is the final dissolution of a team that first started to come together with the Portis trade, the Griffin, Washington, and Springs free agent signings, and the addition of several other key players through the Gibbs years: the core Redskins. It's busted and we are (hopefully) going to be starting over from scratch next year with one playoff win and only a few key young players to show for it.

In today's NFL, there is absolutely no reason for teams to lose for prolonged periods, with the salary cap and draft structured to punish winning and award losing to an extent. Throw in the tremendous monetary advantage the Skins enjoy and you have a team that, at the very least, should be above average over any 5-10 year period. But here we are, in exactly the same position we were in when Spurrier split, with a team falling apart, lacking discipline, lacking leaders, lacking any sense of direction or purpose. And we have precisely one playoff win to show for it.

This is a tough pill to swallow and it's not so suprising to me that the angst is starting to bubble over. But doesn't it make us all feel better to come here and commiserate? The most awesomest Shakespeare play King Lear talks about such shared grief quite well.

When we our betters see bearing our woes,
We scarcely think our miseries our foes.
Who alone suffers suffers most i' the mind,
Leaving free things and happy shows behind:
But then the mind much sufferance doth o'er skip,
When grief hath mates, and bearing fellowship.
How light and portable my pain seems now,
When that which makes me bend makes the king bow,

Two quick points. There's no reason we should flail for years to come after this season. We've got a very good defensive base for the next few years. If we re-sign (or find suitable replacements for) Rogers and McIntosh to combine with Haynesworth, Hall, Orakpo and Jarmon we're going to be ok on defense.

For as terrible as the offense has been, Moss and Cooley are two weapons most teams would love to have. I am interested to see what a new staff does with Thomas/Kelly. The O-line needs to be remade and we are probably looking at a new backfield but the cupboard is nowhere near as bare as the Spurrier era.

[djnemo65]

Originally Posted by Paintrain

Two quick points. There's no reason we should flail for years to come after this season. We've got a very good defensive base for the next few years. If we re-sign (or find suitable replacements for) Rogers and McIntosh to combine with Haynesworth, Hall, Orakpo and Jarmon we're going to be ok on defense.

For as terrible as the offense has been, Moss and Cooley are two weapons most teams would love to have. I am interested to see what a new staff does with Thomas/Kelly. The O-line needs to be remade and we are probably looking at a new backfield but the cupboard is nowhere near as bare as the Spurrier era.

Fair point about the defense, we have some quite decent young guys at safety as well. But the offense is not going to be good anytime soon. First, we'll be starting over with a new qb and system next year (Campbell is goner than gone) as well as an OL rebuilding project that is likely to take at least two years, assuming we draft perfectly. Moss is north of 30, I doubt he'll be a factor when this team gets back on track. Thomas and Kelly might get it together I guess but I'm not counting on that either.

So I see an offensive rebuilding project that is bleaker than what Gibbs had after Spurrier, where JG took over a solid line (almost the same as today's only five years younger) a proven playmaker in Coles (who became Moss) and a stud corner with trade value who became one of the best young running backs in the league. Also, Spurrier's left over defense ranked third in the league the year after he left and clearly had more talent than we realized.

So I don't know, I still think we're in bad shape, especially without a qb.