Leonsis's Invention of Not Lying

redsk1 · 10-06-2009, 04:06 PM

washingtonpost.com

I'm posting this Caps-Ted Leonis article in the Locker Room, because its what many of us would like to see happen in the Skins Front Office. I apologize in advance for another FO thread, but it's a great article.

A couple of quotes stand out:
"It is very sobering and painful when you look in the mirror and don't like what you see," Leonsis said. "It's easier to go down the 'We're-one-player-away' path. I've been there when I brought in Jaromir Jagr.

"But when you come to that clarity, 'Can this team win a championship?' And if your answer is, 'No,' then you have to do something."
Like tell the truth.

"Of course it was a gamble, because we had a team with brand-name players that fans thought they loved but in hindsight were just familiar to them," Leonsis said. "I said, 'You're going to hate this plan. This is a very hard message for you to internalize. But if you are patient with us, this is the only way we're going to compete for the Cup.' "
Risking losing even his loyalists by waving the white flag, he directly communicated "rebuild" instead of "reload," trotting out an on-the-cheap outfit for two years while promising eventual rewards from the draft and farm system.

SmootSmack · 10-06-2009, 04:16 PM

I've seen up close and personal what Leonsis has done (along with McPhee and the rest of the front office) to turn the Caps around and it has been very impressive. He gets it, whatever it is, he just gets it. And he's a great guy...still he has had the benefit of owning the Capitals.

As much as DC loves the Capitals now, they have flown (skated?) under the radar for years in our nation's capital. That has been great for management as it has allowed them to make some pretty wretched mistakes to get to where they are now.

SOUL-SKINS · 10-06-2009, 04:16 PM

God I hate Hockey

SFREDSKIN · 10-06-2009, 04:24 PM

Maybe he and Dan can swap franchises or have Ted buy the Redskins.

RobH4413 · 10-06-2009, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SOUL-SKINS

God I hate Hockey

Have you been to a game? Four years ago I would have said the same thing. I hated on the NHL, Caps, and the entire sport.

I went to a game, started learning the ins and outs of it, and fell in love with the atmosphere. It's got the old school grit that football has... there's fighting, and there is the finesse aspect of the game as well (see Ovechkin, Crosby, Malkin, etc...).

Plus when your home team has a player that's the football equivalent of Sean Taylor mixed with Peyton Manning, its hard not to fall in love with the sport.

People sometimes accuse me (and somewhat accurately) of hopping on the bandwagon. My response is, "Look. My entire life I've been a Redskins fan, an Orioles fan, and a Wizards fan... I've now been introduced to Hockey as a sport... so please feel sorry for me, and let me be a Caps fan. I will never jump off this ship"

SmootSmack · 10-06-2009, 04:33 PM

There is nothing like watching hockey live. TV really doesn't capture hockey well at all.

Big C · 10-06-2009, 04:33 PM

the capitals really did a great job blowing up the old expensive team pre-cap, and now are a force. was painful to watch for a while, but really pleased with the result.

SFREDSKIN · 10-06-2009, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big C

the capitals really did a great job blowing up the old expensive team pre-cap, and now are a force. was painful to watch for a while, but really pleased with the result.

A force? Hell, they just might be the best most talent young team in the NHL. I'll go out and limb and say barring any serious injury, they will their first ever Stanley Cup. I like what Leonsis did, he had great vision and a master plan which he executed to perfection. If there's one weakness is goalie, even though I think Varmalov just might be the answer.

redsk1 · 10-06-2009, 04:51 PM

Those points that the article brought up are legit Skins questions.

1- Can we win the SB w/our current team? My honest answer would be no. Sure any NFL team has a shot but a legit strong chance? No.

2- Why do we always think we are a player or two away? Are we? No, oline help, help at the playmaker positions-WR-RB-QB, and maybe a playmaker on D (even though Orakpo could be that guy).

Listen, we could turn this thing around this year. Let's play it out and see. At the end of the year if we are mediocre or worst, it's time to be honest.

over the mountain · 10-06-2009, 05:03 PM

yup the caps and ted have come a long way from when ted was squaring off with caps fans after he got rid of bonzai and others.

i still cling to the days of kelly miller, michal pivonka, mike ridley, langway, pete peeters, dale hunter, dino, alan may, bobby gould . . . even that nancy larry murphy. oh the glory days of hockey, how i miss them so . . .

oh back on topic . . . the DS could take a few pointers. I heard an interview with ted and he was asked what did he do when he first got the team and how did go aobut turning the caps around. he said he studied the nhl teams that always put out consistent winners and how they went about it thru the draft and developing their talent with a competent farm system. it was a great interview and ted really highlighted all the background research and studying he did in deciding to take the caps in the direction he did. but really the point he was making was that an owner should really breakdown and study the long term successful teams and model your approach after theirs.

the DS needs to eat some humble pie and spend a few dinners with ted to see how owners can learn, adjust and then thrive.

go skins!!

53Fan · 10-06-2009, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

There is nothing like watching hockey live. TV really doesn't capture hockey well at all.

I hated hockey.....until I went to a game.

BleedBurgundy · 10-06-2009, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobH4413

Have you been to a game? Four years ago I would have said the same thing. I hated on the NHL, Caps, and the entire sport.

I went to a game, started learning the ins and outs of it, and fell in love with the atmosphere. It's got the old school grit that football has... there's fighting, and there is the finesse aspect of the game as well (see Ovechkin, Crosby, Malkin, etc...).

Plus when your home team has a player that's the football equivalent of Sean Taylor mixed with Peyton Manning, its hard not to fall in love with the sport.

People sometimes accuse me (and somewhat accurately) of hopping on the bandwagon. My response is, "Look. My entire life I've been a Redskins fan, an Orioles fan, and a Wizards fan... I've now been introduced to Hockey as a sport... so please feel sorry for me, and let me be a Caps fan. I will never jump off this ship"

Gotta agree, I used to hate it. I still don't follow the pro game or watch on tv. But i go watch the local minor league team (Hershey Bears) who are the farm team for the Caps. It's a hell of a good time. Even my wife likes it.

SmootSmack · 10-06-2009, 05:24 PM

It's just not the same owning the Redskins as it is owning the Capitals. Patience is harder to come by for the Redskins community.

skinsguy · 10-06-2009, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

It's just not the same owning the Redskins as it is owning the Capitals. Patience is harder to come by for the Redskins community.

True! But then again, we've waited almost 20 years for another Super Bowl Championship and still have not gotten close.

Daseal · 10-06-2009, 05:35 PM

SS makes a great point. This city is a skins city, and we never seem to be willing to just accept a bad team in the name of rebuilding. I think we need to throttle back, go young, reload, and build.

Also, I think part of the reason the Caps were so quiet in this town were two fold.

1) We now have arguably the biggest star in the NHL in DC right now, which is huge, especially in a sport like Hockey.
2) The strike hurt hockey a lot in general, and now the whole sport is rebounding a bit, not just the Caps.

I'll admit, I'm new to Hockey -- but going to a game got me hooked. I love it now!

10-06-2009, 04:06 PM	#1
redsk1 The Starter Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 2,351	Leonsis's Invention of Not Lying washingtonpost.com I'm posting this Caps-Ted Leonis article in the Locker Room, because its what many of us would like to see happen in the Skins Front Office. I apologize in advance for another FO thread, but it's a great article. A couple of quotes stand out: "It is very sobering and painful when you look in the mirror and don't like what you see," Leonsis said. "It's easier to go down the 'We're-one-player-away' path. I've been there when I brought in Jaromir Jagr. "But when you come to that clarity, 'Can this team win a championship?' And if your answer is, 'No,' then you have to do something." Like tell the truth. "Of course it was a gamble, because we had a team with brand-name players that fans thought they loved but in hindsight were just familiar to them," Leonsis said. "I said, 'You're going to hate this plan. This is a very hard message for you to internalize. But if you are patient with us, this is the only way we're going to compete for the Cup.' " Risking losing even his loyalists by waving the white flag, he directly communicated "rebuild" instead of "reload," trotting out an on-the-cheap outfit for two years while promising eventual rewards from the draft and farm system.

10-06-2009, 04:16 PM	#2
SmootSmack Uncle Phil Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 45,256	Re: Leonsis's Invention of Not Lying I've seen up close and personal what Leonsis has done (along with McPhee and the rest of the front office) to turn the Caps around and it has been very impressive. He gets it, whatever it is, he just gets it. And he's a great guy...still he has had the benefit of owning the Capitals. As much as DC loves the Capitals now, they have flown (skated?) under the radar for years in our nation's capital. That has been great for management as it has allowed them to make some pretty wretched mistakes to get to where they are now. __________________ You're So Vain...You Probably Think This Sig Is About You

10-06-2009, 04:16 PM	#3
SOUL-SKINS Impact Rookie Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Connecticut Posts: 896	Re: Leonsis's Invention of Not Lying God I hate Hockey __________________ TODD COLLINS WILL ALWAYS HOLD A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART

10-06-2009, 04:24 PM	#4
SFREDSKIN Living Legend Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Pacifica, CA Posts: 15,164	Re: Leonsis's Invention of Not Lying Maybe he and Dan can swap franchises or have Ted buy the Redskins. __________________ Joe Gibbs- The best coach of all time, Lombardi trophy should be renamed Gibbs. Art Monk- Art was like an OL playing WR, doing the dirty work and not getting the glory. Darrell Green- Best DB ever. Purveyor of fine Filth

10-06-2009, 04:33 PM	#6
SmootSmack Uncle Phil Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 45,256	Re: Leonsis's Invention of Not Lying There is nothing like watching hockey live. TV really doesn't capture hockey well at all. __________________ You're So Vain...You Probably Think This Sig Is About You

10-06-2009, 04:33 PM	#7
Big C Mr. Brightside Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Leesburg, VA Age: 38 Posts: 4,453	Re: Leonsis's Invention of Not Lying the capitals really did a great job blowing up the old expensive team pre-cap, and now are a force. was painful to watch for a while, but really pleased with the result. __________________ "I don't care what nobody say I'm a be me, stay hood stay real, cause I'm out here grindin'" -Joe Gibbs

10-06-2009, 04:51 PM	#9
redsk1 The Starter Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 2,351	Re: Leonsis's Invention of Not Lying Those points that the article brought up are legit Skins questions. 1- Can we win the SB w/our current team? My honest answer would be no. Sure any NFL team has a shot but a legit strong chance? No. 2- Why do we always think we are a player or two away? Are we? No, oline help, help at the playmaker positions-WR-RB-QB, and maybe a playmaker on D (even though Orakpo could be that guy). Listen, we could turn this thing around this year. Let's play it out and see. At the end of the year if we are mediocre or worst, it's time to be honest.

10-06-2009, 05:03 PM	#10
over the mountain Playmaker Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: close to the edge Posts: 4,926	Re: Leonsis's Invention of Not Lying yup the caps and ted have come a long way from when ted was squaring off with caps fans after he got rid of bonzai and others. i still cling to the days of kelly miller, michal pivonka, mike ridley, langway, pete peeters, dale hunter, dino, alan may, bobby gould . . . even that nancy larry murphy. oh the glory days of hockey, how i miss them so . . . oh back on topic . . . the DS could take a few pointers. I heard an interview with ted and he was asked what did he do when he first got the team and how did go aobut turning the caps around. he said he studied the nhl teams that always put out consistent winners and how they went about it thru the draft and developing their talent with a competent farm system. it was a great interview and ted really highlighted all the background research and studying he did in deciding to take the caps in the direction he did. but really the point he was making was that an owner should really breakdown and study the long term successful teams and model your approach after theirs. the DS needs to eat some humble pie and spend a few dinners with ted to see how owners can learn, adjust and then thrive. go skins!! __________________ Life is brutal, but beautiful

10-06-2009, 05:24 PM	#13
SmootSmack Uncle Phil Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 45,256	Re: Leonsis's Invention of Not Lying It's just not the same owning the Redskins as it is owning the Capitals. Patience is harder to come by for the Redskins community. __________________ You're So Vain...You Probably Think This Sig Is About You

10-06-2009, 05:35 PM	#15
Daseal Puppy Kicker Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Arlington, Virginia Age: 41 Posts: 8,341	Re: Leonsis's Invention of Not Lying SS makes a great point. This city is a skins city, and we never seem to be willing to just accept a bad team in the name of rebuilding. I think we need to throttle back, go young, reload, and build. Also, I think part of the reason the Caps were so quiet in this town were two fold. 1) We now have arguably the biggest star in the NHL in DC right now, which is huge, especially in a sport like Hockey. 2) The strike hurt hockey a lot in general, and now the whole sport is rebounding a bit, not just the Caps. I'll admit, I'm new to Hockey -- but going to a game got me hooked. I love it now! __________________ Best. Player. Available.

Leonsis's Invention of Not Lying

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