Extremeskins vs Lenny Pasta

[hurrykaine]

Ok, maybe this could've been a separate thread, but how about Pasta's latest ESPN article? He has something personal against Gibbs. How many times can you count the word "Gibbs" in this article? Not once! How do you write about a team that just won a playoff game without mentioning the head coach even once?

It is evident in his conversation with the extremeskins fan when Pasta proclaimed "you won't win the super bowl - not with this coach!" Wonder what the guy has against Gibbs. As fas as I'm concerned, Gibbs' biggest contribution to the redskins has been on the hiring (both coaches and players) and team-building front, not in offensive strategy.

That this team is a playoff team (and a very dangerous one) is as much attributable to Gibbs team-building expertise as it is to Greg Williams' stellar defensive schemes. To fail to acknowledge that speaks to Pasta's weakness as a sports writer.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/playof...len&id=2284184

[skinsguy]

Originally Posted by hurrykaine

As fas as I'm concerned, Gibbs' biggest contribution to the redskins has been on the hiring (both coaches and players) and team-building front, not in offensive strategy.

You certainly have your opinion, but I believe you need to take another look at what you said and look at this team as a whole. Gibbs' offensive strategy is a major reason why we're in the playoffs, coupled with a great defense.

[CRT3]

Well if you guys read the article apparently he is not a historian.

"Fortunately for the Redskins, who won their first playoff game since 1992, their defense was far nastier."

Well the idiot forgot we won in 1999 against Detroit at FEDEX. The last time Gibbs won was in 1992.

This guy should be told to get out of the press box cause he is doing a injustice to all journalist .

[hurrykaine]

Originally Posted by skinsguy

You certainly have your opinion, but I believe you need to take another look at what you said and look at this team as a whole. Gibbs' offensive strategy is a major reason why we're in the playoffs, coupled with a great defense.

It is one of the reasons, but I don't see it as a major reason. Putting the offense in Clinton's hands is nothing new - it is what Gibbs has always wanted to do - its no brilliant innovation to implement a run first strategy.

In the Gibbs II era, just my humble opinion, Gibbs greatest contribution has been team building (assembling character guys and getting rid of weeds) and great coaching hires (Bugel, Williams, Blache, Lindsey Musgrave etc.). If the head coach has to face the music everytime the team fails, then when the team wins - you have to give the head coach props, even if he had nothing to do with defensive strategy - that's my point and motivation for criticizing Pasta's imbalanced article.

[skinsguy]

Originally Posted by hurrykaine

It is one of the reasons, but I don't see it as a major reason. Putting the offense in Clinton's hands is nothing new - it is what Gibbs has always wanted to do - its no brilliant innovation to implement a run first strategy.

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I just don't see how one can discredit an offensive strategy because it's a run first strategy. It's alot tougher to be successful running the ball to move the offense downfield. If it wasn't so tough, there would be no need for a quarterback - we'd just direct snap to the running back on every play.

[hurrykaine]

Originally Posted by skinsguy

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I just don't see how one can discredit an offensive strategy because it's a run first strategy. It's alot tougher to be successful running the ball to move the offense downfield. If it wasn't so tough, there would be no need for a quarterback - we'd just direct snap to the running back on every play.

Saying the run-first is a basic philosophy behind the Gibbs offense is in no way meant to discredit the strategy. Its just that there's nothing innovative about it a la the schemes of Greg Williams. Lest this be misunderstood, my original post is not a "why do we need Gibbs" post - that would be a Pastabelly type statement to make. My opinion is simply that Gibbs' has brought more to the redskins by way of his genius and expertise on the team building and team management front than on the innovative playcalling front.

[illdefined]

oh and both a record setting WR and a RB in the top four of the NFL, thank god for only Williams!!

[celts32]

How can ESPN not fire him? I am a little angry that ESPN would allow him to continue to work for them. They can't be blind to this...

They need to get that tape into the right hands over at ESPN...

[onlydarksets]

He has devolved into a sad, petty little (relatively) man. This is all he has, and he ain't got much.

[MTK]

I'd prefer to see a guy admit it when he's wrong, that's all.

Lenny said that by the time Gibbs was done with this second tour of duty he would be just an ordinary Joe.

Well, in year 2 he's got the Skins in the playoffs and a wild card winner.

If Lenny isn't man enough to admit that Gibbs is anything but an 'ordinary Joe' then it's obvious the guy has an axe to grind. His language and reactions to the guys from ES are inexcusable in my opinion, this guy has a job because of the fans but he's basically spitting in our faces.

Of course I can't say if the guys from ES were at all to blame for perhaps provoking some hostility outta him. And I'm sure all the fans on his chats calling him names and making fat jokes doesn't help matters either.

[FRPLG]

One of my biggest problems with Lenny is that he positions himself as two different types of journalists. One has an opinion and states it regularly. This makes him a columnist. We usually have issues with his opinions but that's all they are; opinions. The other guy positions himself as an insider. He breaks stories with regularity and actually does a real good job on this front. His work as an insider is very good and should be commended. Problem is when you are an insider it is hard for readers to seperate your opinion from your insider info. I think you can effectively be one or the other but I think to be both you have to be very good and he doesn't pull it off that well.

[tomahawk134]

Originally Posted by FRPLG

One of my biggest problems with Lenny is that he positions himself as two different types of journalists. One has an opinion and states it regularly. This makes him a columnist. We usually have issues with his opinions but that's all they are; opinions. The other guy positions himself as an insider. He breaks stories with regularity and actually does a real good job on this front. His work as an insider is very good and should be commended. Problem is when you are an insider it is hard for readers to seperate your opinion from your insider info. I think you can effectively be one or the other but I think to be both you have to be very good and he doesn't pull it off that well.

Reps to you for the observation .. Lenny is being paid for his opinion as a columnist ... and for his inside information ... YOU ARE CORRECT he does do both very well ..