Message from Coach Gibbs

[JWsleep]

Stick with it, folks. Rome wasn't built in a day.

From Gibbs press conference yesterday:

"What I try to tell the players is, we're looking for long-term and we're looking for a core group of guys. What are those kinds of guys? They're Redskins. When I say that, what's that mean? It means what's happening right now on our football team. A guy gets two shoulder stingers and goes back in and makes two of the biggest plays of the game. We have stories where the trainer tells a guy he shouldn't play and he turns around and two minutes later he's back in the game. We have those kinds of stories going on, and if you have the right kind of character, what you're looking for is that core group to build long-term tough guys that are smart guys. We went through some real adversity. I don't know, we may have to go through more adversity. That's also a time where you get to study each other, they get to study us, we get to study them. And rarely in life do you get to have great things where you don't have to go through some adversity. That's just the way life works. That's generally the way I feel it works. I'm just saying that's what I try to tell them. It's more about character. If you pick the right guys, you'll be okay."

[cpayne5]

That was his same winning formula in NASCAR. He surrounds himself with the kind of people it takes to win (kind of the anti-Spurrier). I think Spurrier may have been successful if he was the same way.

[Redskins_P]

Interesting.......I think he was talking about Smoot.

Could this mean that we will re-sign him in the offseason?

[AnonEmouse]

Originally Posted by Redskins_P

Interesting.......I think he was talking about Smoot.

Could this mean that we will re-sign him in the offseason?

I'd be VERY surprised if we don't.

[SUNRA]

Originally Posted by Redskins_P

Interesting.......I think he was talking about Smoot.

Could this mean that we will re-sign him in the offseason?

He was referring to Smoot. Gibb's the President of the team. If he wants Smoot, Smoot is here for the duration that he's here.

[sportscurmudgeon]

Smoot is incredibly important to this team. And barring some major interpersonal catastrophe in the locker room, he's got to be one of the guys on Coach Gibbs' "core player list". So, I'll buy that Gibbs will push to sign Smoot as a top priority.

However, I'm not going to sit here and delude myself into believing that Smoot will re-sign here for a significant discount over what he can make elsewhere. The Redskins will have to come up with a package that is as beg as the deal he and his agent get somewhere else.

In the past, Danny Boy has structured deals such that other teams could not quite match them and do whatever else they needed to do - remember the Jetskins? So, what happens if an owner like Robert Johnson of the Jets decides to return the favor and give Smoot such a huge signing bonus that it would strap the Redskins down for any other free agent signings?

I'm not saying this "payback" will happen, but Smoot could draw some really big offers at the end of the year - particularly if he makes the Pro Bowl which his agent will use as a lever to raise the price even higher.

[MTK]

Long-term is the thing to keep in mind here. Gibbs is working on building a winner, it's not going to happen overnight.

[Winskins]

Smoot is definitely a Redskin. I don't see Gibbs letting go of him for anything. Smoot won't want to wander anywhere else either. That guy loves the team he plays for and he plays will a hell of a lot of passion. He is like Deion Sanders...w/o all the BS.

(BTW, did you all see him lay some wood down on Sunday night!!!)

[bridaman51]

yeah and after what Smooty did (who I absolutely love) did this past weekend he will be one of those core guys. His performance was gutsy and he made big tackle after big tackle he never shied away from sticking his nose into the mix I loved it. SMOOTY ROCKS......

[JWsleep]

Smoot was amazing; just like the Dallas game last year. He hurt the shoulder, and on the next play back, he goes in low with the shoulder to make the big tackle. He talks the talk, and he walks the walk.

Now's he gonna head south and heal up:

"The bye week is coming," Smoot said. "I think I can come back good and healthy. I'm going [home] to Mississippi and I'll get my mom to put a little red clay on it for me."

SMOOOOOOOOT!

[MTK]

In high school we used to rub some dirt on an injury, I guess down south they rub some clay on it. Hey whatever works!

Smoot is a gamer, I love the guy

[4TH RING]

Anybody out there who thinks he's lost it is mistaken. If you were to walk away from your job and returned 12 years later things would be very different. Everything in the game is constantly evolving. So it's going to take some time to adjust. What Gibbs brings to the table though is something that in every team sport is vital. Loyalty, accountability, trust, and an overall sense of family within the team. It's something all great coaches seem to have & I think he'd be successful in any era. The way the team is united right now in the rough times is a testament to that. I think the foundation is there and once he get's his offense up to speed all the doubters will disappear.

[SkinsRock]

Originally Posted by 4TH RING

Anybody out there who thinks he's lost it is mistaken. If you were to walk away from your job and returned 12 years later things would be very different. Everything in the game is constantly evolving. So it's going to take some time to adjust. What Gibbs brings to the table though is something that in every team sport is vital. Loyalty, accountability, trust, and an overall sense of family within the team. It's something all great coaches seem to have & I think he'd be successful in any era. The way the team is united right now in the rough times is a testament to that. I think the foundation is there and once he get's his offense up to speed all the doubters will disappear.

This is right on the money. Gibbs knew it would take time to get caught up, so what did he do? He hired the top defensive guy available to get the defense to carry the team in the meantime. Granted, no one expected the (passing) offense to be quite as anemic as it is, but he most definitely knows what he's doing.
I know it isn't true, but sometimes I almost get the impression that this bad start was intentional....to see how the players respond to adversity to find out who the real Redskins are. Like I said, I don't think it was, but if the long term results of a 1-4 start are anything like the 0-5 start in '81, that's fine with me!

Oh yeah, of course he's talking about Smoot (among others)....Fred will be a LIFETIME Redskin!

[bridaman51]

they better have cap room to resign Smoot

[Shane]

Print that press conference quote up and frame it.