Smoke Signals: Don't worry about the game, look at all this Audi stuff!

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by Spence

Matt, the last decade has been a lot more bad than good, in my opinion. I write good things about the Skins when I think they are merited. And, after all, I did predict them to go 9-7 this year, which proves I'm a cock-eyed optimistic fool.

I can't remember you ever writing anything remotely positive about anything Snyder has or hasn't done. This Audi deal reflected his poor ownership, not re-signing Demetric Evans reflected his poor ownership...

[PennSkinsFan]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

I can't remember you ever writing anything remotely positive about anything Snyder has or hasn't done. This Audi deal reflected his poor ownership, not re-signing Demetric Evans reflected his poor ownership...

To be truthful, there hasn't been much. Take away the NFC East title in 1999, because that really wasn't Snyder's team, he has delivered nothing but an average to below average team and higher prices. I mean, we could all argue back and forth, millions of times, and Redskins Nation would been divided down the middle on Snyder. Half like him, half hate him. Maybe is just gets old watching organization like the Steelers, Giants, Colts, and others consistently put up good teams, compete for division titles, go to the playoffs, year after year. Yes, there are some years they have off years. But overall, they consistently win. We were like that in the 80s. We want that again. Can this owner deliver that? At this point, unless there are wholesale changes in the front office, a decade of trying would say no. The biggest stumbling block is and has been, the lack of a professional, prove General Manager.

Like I said though, when it comes to dan Snyder, opinion differ, but generally,t hey fall on one side of the line and the other side of the line.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by PennSkinsFan

To be truthful, there hasn't been much. Take away the NFC East title in 1999, because that really wasn't Snyder's team, he has delivered nothing but an average to below average team and higher prices. I mean, we could all argue back and forth, millions of times, and Redskins Nation would been divided down the middle on Snyder. Half like him, half hate him. Maybe is just gets old watching organization like the Steelers, Giants, Colts, and others consistently put up good teams, compete for division titles, go to the playoffs, year after year. Yes, there are some years they have off years. But overall, they consistently win. We were like that in the 80s. We want that again. Can this owner deliver that? At this point, unless there are wholesale changes in the front office, a decade of trying would say no. The biggest stumbling block is and has been, the lack of a professional, prove General Manager.

Like I said though, when it comes to dan Snyder, opinion differ, but generally,t hey fall on one side of the line and the other side of the line.

Fair points. But, for example, Snyder and Rosenhaus discussing a potential Briggs trade at a hotel bar before Gibbs even interjected is a fair thing to criticize. Snyder throwing all that money at Spurrier (even though other teams were interested as well) is a fair thing to criticize (even Snyder has). But the criticism has too often become based on simply hate (for lack of a better term).

[MTK]

I get that some don't like Snyder, and hey he certainly has done his fair share of things wrong. It just gets old though especially when it seems like the slams against him aren't always warranted or fair.

[Spence]

Look, as long as the team is bad and, often embarrassing, Snyder is going to take his licks. He's put himself at the center of decision-making on the team and is therefore appropriately held responsible.

I think me making fun of the Audi deal is being taken too seriously. To me, announcing another sponsorship deal now seems like shuffling the deck chairs on the Titanic. Snyder has found plenty of ways to make money from the Redskins [whether with sponsor deals or by gouging Redskins fans who want to park at his crappy stadium -- and yes, it's crappy, I've got season tickets and I bloody well know], but hasn't demonstrated that he knows what to do with the money he makes. So I make fun of him.

It also has to do with my view of FedEx Field. To me, the place is full of commercialism and too few football fans. I'm not impressed by cigar bars full of bozos who are too drunk to know or care who is winning the game and I'm not impressed by sticking a corporate logo on all and sundry. Yes, I realize other NFL teams do this, but I imagine it is a lot easier to endure if the team is winning. I'm a Redskins fan so I wouldn't know about that.

You can laugh at my jokes or not as you please, but let's not confuse what I'm doing with a hate crime. Not everything I write about the Redskins has to be a serious analysis piece. Sometimes I just take shots at Snyder because it is easy and fun to do. If you find it depressing you might be taking it too seriously.

[CRedskinsRule]

Originally Posted by Spence

Look, as long as the team is bad and, often embarrassing, Snyder is going to take his licks. He's put himself at the center of decision-making on the team and is therefore appropriately held responsible.

I think me making fun of the Audi deal is being taken too seriously. To me, announcing another sponsorship deal now seems like shuffling the deck chairs on the Titanic. Snyder has found plenty of ways to make money from the Redskins [whether with sponsor deals or by gouging Redskins fans who want to park at his crappy stadium -- and yes, it's crappy, I've got season tickets and I bloody well know], but hasn't demonstrated that he knows what to do with the money he makes. So I make fun of him.

It also has to do with my view of FedEx Field. To me, the place is full of commercialism and too few football fans. I'm not impressed by cigar bars full of bozos who are too drunk to know or care who is winning the game and I'm not impressed by sticking a corporate logo on all and sundry. Yes, I realize other NFL teams do this, but I imagine it is a lot easier to endure if the team is winning. I'm a Redskins fan so I wouldn't know about that.

You can laugh at my jokes or not as you please, but let's not confuse what I'm doing with a hate crime. Not everything I write about the Redskins has to be a serious analysis piece. Sometimes I just take shots at Snyder because it is easy and fun to do. If you find it depressing you might be taking it too seriously.

I bet the Lions are glad you aren't their fan.

Fed Ex does suck, but Snyder inherited that. What do you want him to do, tear it down and build a new one? (I wouldn't necessarily object). And to hate him, without acknowledging that he seems to have made strides, even if they are smaller than we all would like to see.

[Ruhskins]

Originally Posted by Spence

It also has to do with my view of FedEx Field. To me, the place is full of commercialism and too few football fans. I'm not impressed by cigar bars full of bozos who are too drunk to know or care who is winning the game and I'm not impressed by sticking a corporate logo on all and sundry. Yes, I realize other NFL teams do this, but I imagine it is a lot easier to endure if the team is winning. I'm a Redskins fan so I wouldn't know about that.

Every NFL team does this, including those that continue to have losing records year after year.

[Spence]

Originally Posted by Ruhskins

Every NFL team does this, including those that continue to have losing records year after year.

Right, but I'm not a fan of those teams.