Are you buying into the Shanaplan?

[Skinzman]

Originally Posted by rbanerjee23

I'm curious -- when did it become my job as a fan to suggest alternatives? My job is to cheer the victories, boo the losses and then pontificate about the respective greatness/worthlessness of the team. Saying that you don't buy into the Shanaplan isn't hating. If it is, then why was the question asked in the first place? Do you just want a bunch of yes men on this forum or people who challenge the common mentality with admittedly imperfect arguments.

Building something with as many moving pieces as a football team in an environment as volatile as the NFL is absolutely a multi-year endeavor. But I'm allowed to be upset about the, somewhat, wasted year right? If not, let me know and I'll never say anything negative again.

I dont recall saying you were hating. You are more than welcome to quote me saying that. Until then, dont put words in my mouth. You have every right to your opinions, I have every right to disagree with you. Spare me the dramatics about never being negative again.

The fact is, the last two years is the first time that this team has tried to build a long term contender since Beathard and Gibbs. Gibbs II was about building a team to win now and putting cap affects into later years. That was never sustainable long term.

But lets be honest here, when looking at some of the most important pieces of a team. We are starting to get not only young, but good as well. The fact that we have a year 3 LT who is looking really good, a rookie QB and RB, Younger WR's outside of Moss. Those are good building blocks that will be around a long time. Does the OL need more improvements? Absolutely, but for the first time, some important components of our offense are not only young, but also good.

Complain about year 1 all you want, I do. I have always said McNabb was a mistake and that even though he talked about a long term plan of youth, he abandoned that plan in year 1 to try and win now. Year 2, what QB? As much as people complain about Rex/Beck, who else was he getting. The main ones available were Gabbert, Dalton, or Kapernick in the draft, or to sign Hasselbeck as a FA. OK so how much are we winning with any of them? Dalton/Kaepernick would easily have been best, but do we go to the playoffs last year with either? No we dont. Dalton would have gotten pummeled behind our Oline. Kaepernick needed to sit last year to help develop. Do we get RG3 if we draft either of those 3? No we dont. I personally believe that RG3 is head and shoulders above all of those, and even with the extra draft picks, going after him is worth it.

We have been bad for almost 20 years. Signs that the future will be better are important. And I saw those last year. Yeah, the record sucked, but we actually have started adding younger pieces. And the future looks good. I didnt buy into Shanny's plan at all in year 1. Because he preached youth and went for win now with a crap roster. But year 2 and 3 have been about building a team. Year 3 we are seeing those signs pretty clearly. To change now is a huge mistake.