Core of the Redskins problem: Greed

[Drift Reality]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

We didn't have that much turnover this year. We have two new starters defensively. That shouldn't tear a defense apart.

Matty, I think it goes deeper than what is on paper. I think there is a culture of a team, just like there is a culture at work - and that culture seeps into everything that happens. It is not only about the two new defensive starters, but it is all about the starters we don't have - guys who have come from nothing and really busted their asses but when it comes time to get paid, the Redskins are looking at other players with greater marquee value.

I think it is the culture that is at stake here.

[MTK]

Turnover happens everywhere.

Look at the Patriots, they've let a few key veteran players go over the past few years and they've had some very sticky situations with some of these guys, just see Branch this year. Does it tear apart the team? No, it doesn't because the team has a philosophy and in the end the players have to respect the fact that the team sticks to their guns. They may not like it, but they have to respect it.

I'm tired of hearing how letting Ryan Clark go has somehow damaged this team's psyche behind repair, or even worse that the locker room is split over a 'race issue' with Archuleta. All of this is pure speculation on our part, and very irresponsible speculation at that.

[JGisLordOfTheRings]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

Turnover happens everywhere.

Look at the Patriots, they've let a few key veteran players go over the past few years and they've had some very sticky situations with some of these guys, just see Branch this year. Does it tear apart the team? No, it doesn't because the team has a philosophy and in the end the players have to respect the fact that the team sticks to their guns. They may not like it, but they have to respect it.

I'm tired of hearing how letting Ryan Clark go has somehow damaged this team's psyche behind repair, or even worse that the locker room is split over a 'race issue' with Archuleta. All of this is pure speculation on our part, and very irresponsible speculation at that.

Great point......

[Longtimefan]

Originally Posted by SouperMeister

We're all fooling ourselves if we think that Gibbs doesn't have final (and probably first) say in all of these trades of draft picks for players. I'm on record repeatedly saying that the Philly / New England approach of stock piling and building thru the draft first, then filling holes via free agency is the only way to LONG-TERM success. It provides a team with quality depth for far less than signing free agents left and right. We make Snyder a convenient target, but I believe Gibbs has caught the "instant gratification" bug from Snyder when it comes to feeding our lust for big FA signings. I was hoping that Gibbs would bring a more mature approach by building a winner patiently. Look at Lovey Smith and the Bears, another prime example of a team that had the patience to take their knocks while drafting/developing young talent.

This team talks about SB every year without realizing there's a process. One would think that a coach of JG experience and reputation would recognize this. I too firmly believe that JG has just a little of that GA fever in him preaching "The Future Is Now". I'm not convinced JG has the patience or tolerance to build a football team the conventional way espically when he's working for an owner who wants to win now. The only way we can build the kind of team we would like to field, we'll have to take some lumps which would mean some down time when the team might not be very successful. However that's part of the process, and you have to have coaches who are teachers, and can instruct young players how to play the game of professional football. Some of us can take a bunch of all-pros who know how to play the game and make us look like a very good coach, but can we take the young players and develop them and mold them into a cohesive unit capable of winning football games. How many would dare say we have these type coaches on this team at this time. I don't think so, that's why year after year we rely on free-agents or experienced players who do not require the same level of coaching and/or instruction. Free agency has done nothing for us but kept us caped out each year with no depth, and no future.