Arrington: 'I could have handled things a bit better'

[PSUSkinsFan21]

Look, I think we need to be a little careful here. If you all want to say "I told you so" to the people who thought up crazy conspiracy theories about Williams and Gibbs, I have no problem with that. But let's not go down this path of "you're not a real Redskins fan if you questioned the coaches' decisions" or "you're not a fan of the team if you thought Arrington should have been in there all along."

I've always maintained that if Arrington was healthy, I believed he should be playing, and I think he showed why in the San Fran game. That doesn't make me any less of a fan than any of the rest of you just because I questioned the coaches' decision. This is a forum where we are supposed to be free to discuss our opinions, and if my opinion is that I disagree with the coaches, then so be it. That has nothing to do with my loyalty to the Redskins.

Again, I can't speak for everyone because I'd like to distance myself from some people who said some pretty crazy (in my opinion) things about the coaches and Arrington, but let's not start this "you're a fan of the player, not the team" crap. Hindsight is always 20/20 and some of you jumping on the "I told you so" bandwagon now were some of the first people to take exception to the "I told you so's" coming from those supporting the decision to play Arrington after the San Fran game.

I'm just trying to head this off now before it gets out of control again. We are ALL entitled to our opinions. Period.

Now let's focus our collective energies on the Eagles.

[FRPLG]

Originally Posted by PSUSkinsFan21

Look, I think we need to be a little careful here. If you all want to say "I told you so" to the people who thought up crazy conspiracy theories about Williams and Gibbs, I have no problem with that. But let's not go down this path of "you're not a real Redskins fan if you questioned the coaches' decisions" or "you're not a fan of the team if you thought Arrington should have been in there all along."

I've always maintained that if Arrington was healthy, I believed he should be playing, and I think he showed why in the San Fran game. That doesn't make me any less of a fan than any of the rest of you just because I questioned the coaches' decision. This is a forum where we are supposed to be free to discuss our opinions, and if my opinion is that I disagree with the coaches, then so be it. That has nothing to do with my loyalty to the Redskins.

Again, I can't speak for everyone because I'd like to distance myself from some people who said some pretty crazy (in my opinion) things about the coaches and Arrington, but let's not start this "you're a fan of the player, not the team" crap. Hindsight is always 20/20 and some of you jumping on the "I told you so" bandwagon now were some of the first people to take exception to the "I told you so's" coming from those supporting the decision to play Arrington after the San Fran game.

I'm just trying to head this off now before it gets out of control again. We are ALL entitled to our opinions. Period.

Now let's focus our collective energies on the Eagles.

Agreeden!
I know my issue isn't with the people who thought he should be playing. My issue is with people who thought he should be playing simply because they liked him basically and wouldn't admit that they couldn't evaluate the situation without emotion. Those are the ones who seemingly cared more about one player than the entire team. They may be "real" fans but they're not real good fans. The kind that most sports organizations can live without if they want a truely rabid fan contingent. I don't remember you being one of this group. So while i might say "I told you so" I won't question your fandom. Others aren't so lucky.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by PSUSkinsFan21

Look, I think we need to be a little careful here. If you all want to say "I told you so" to the people who thought up crazy conspiracy theories about Williams and Gibbs, I have no problem with that. But let's not go down this path of "you're not a real Redskins fan if you questioned the coaches' decisions" or "you're not a fan of the team if you thought Arrington should have been in there all along."

I think the conspiracy theorists and the sudden Williams haters are what we're mainly talking about.

I have no problem with people rationally questioning a decision, but some of the far out theories that were tossed around were ridiculous.

[PSUSkinsFan21]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

I think the conspiracy theorists and the sudden Williams haters are what we're mainly talking about.

I have no problem with people rationally questioning a decision, but some of the far out theories that were tossed around were ridiculous.

And to be clear, Matty, I'm totally with you on that.

Right now I've just had my fill of this whole "you can't question personnel decisions and still be backing the team" attitude from certain people (obviously not you). I might be wrong when I question the coaches (as I was when I questioned the decision to bench Ramsey in favor of Brunell), but being wrong and being a fan are two completely different things, and that's the distinction that I believe needs to be made.

[FRPLG]

Originally Posted by PSUSkinsFan21

Right now I've just had my fill of this whole "you can't question personnel decisions and still be backing the team" attitude from certain people (obviously not you). I might be wrong when I question the coaches (as I was when I questioned the decision to bench Ramsey in favor of Brunell), but being wrong and being a fan are two completely different things, and that's the distinction that I believe needs to be made.

100% correct in my opinion. If I come off as thinking you can't question the coaches and still be a fan then I apologize because that is in no way what I mean. I think people do need to realize that while we can have opinions about this type of stuff we basically know nothing compared to the coaches and it seems silly to get so ardently behind a position in opposition to the coaches. I learned this very thing with the whole Brunell deal. Like Terry Bradshaw said "I will never think I know more about what is going than Joe Gibbs(paraphrase)". That's not to say Gibbs is always right but I do trust that he has the best intentions and clearly knows a hell of a lot about football and how to win at it. I have areal problem with the conspiracy theorists who obviously are emotionally attached to a player over the team. I don't have a problem with someone who says they think Lavar should be playing and that the reasons he isn't playing are wrong.