What the hell happened?

[jsarno]

I leave for Hawaii and Greg Williams is the front runner for the HC spot. I come back (and mind you I didn't watch ANY TV for the past 11 days or pick up ANY newspaper...NOTHING) and my brother calls and tells me we are interviewing Fassell. I said, nah, it's probably a formality, but I thought GW would take the HC spot...he replied, no, GW was fired. Silence. I picked my jaw up, and laughed and said, stop f-ing with me. He said they fired BOTH Saundes and GW. I really thought he was joking again. He convinced me he was telling the truth by saying that Blache was taking over at DC and Breaux was taking over at OC, then I knew he was telling the truth cause he would not have known those names.
So I ask you, warpath, what the hell happened that they BOTH get fired? I do not have the time to look up all the archives, I am piled up at work. I am going to assume this has been talked about several times over, but I saw nothing in the initial pages of WHY GW and Saunders were fired.

I leave for 11 days and the entire orginization turns to poo? What the hell? I thought we wanted to keep consistancy in the coaching staff?

[BDBohnzie]

Dude, don't start. Just remember the lazy days of Hawaii...

Brief synopsis: GW and AS get let go, Jim Zorn and Greg Blache take their spots. Front Runners for HC include Fassel and Meeks and Cerrato and Snyder's love child.

That should have caught you up.

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by BDBohnzie

Dude, don't start. Just remember the lazy days of Hawaii...

Brief synopsis: GW and AS get let go, Jim Zorn and Greg Blache take their spots. Front Runners for HC include Fassel and Meeks and Cerrato and Snyder's love child.

That should have caught you up.

I am assuming by that comment, this has been a hard past couple weeks for everyone here, and fairly emotional. I am not trying to start anything, just trying to get caught back up to speed here.
I understand they are gone, but what I am not aware of is why.

Please tell me the Cerrato comment was a joke.

[tomo366]

ROTFLMFAO................you should have stayed there.....

[redsk1]

DS: Consistency is key
DS: Vinny, you are promoted since you've done a great job!
VC: GW and AS's...Get outta here...we don't need you we'll Hire Jim Fassel
Media and Fans revolt against Jim Fassel
VC: Hires majority of staff before a Head Coach
DS and VC: Maybe we shouldn't hire JF...let's interview 8-10 other candidates
Media and fans: What the hell is going on?


Ahhh...never a dull moment in Snyderville.

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by redsk1

DS: Consistency is key
DS: Vinny, you are promoted since you've done a great job!
VC: GW and AS's...Get outta here...we don't need you we'll Hire Jim Fassel
Media and Fans revolt against Jim Fassel
VC: Hires majority of staff before a Head Coach
DS and VC: Maybe we shouldn't hire JF...let's interview 8-10 other candidates
Media and fans: What the hell is going on?


Ahhh...never a dull moment in Snyderville.

So are you saying the "why?" part is because Cerrato wanted them gone?

This is not good...can I just click my heals and go back to Hawaii?

[ArtMonkDrillz]

Originally Posted by jsarno

I am assuming by that comment, this has been a hard past couple weeks for everyone here, and fairly emotional. I am not trying to start anything, just trying to get caught back up to speed here.
I understand they are gone, but what I am not aware of is why.

Please tell me the Cerrato comment was a joke.

I think he means don't start because reviewing the past week will make you crazier than if you listened to a tape of the ?3 thread narrated by Dennis Hopper while taking LSD.

GW wasn't fired so much as he was told that he was no longer being considered for the HC spot and that he was free to go look for another job. It was all very passive-aggressive.

[BDBohnzie]

Originally Posted by jsarno

I am assuming by that comment, this has been a hard past couple weeks for everyone here, and fairly emotional. I am not trying to start anything, just trying to get caught back up to speed here.
I understand they are gone, but what I am not aware of is why.

Please tell me the Cerrato comment was a joke.

Well, Cerrato being the VP of Football Operations isn't a joke. But his and Snyder's love child being up for consideration for HC was...

As far as we "know", Williams wanted more power than Snyder and Cerrato were willing to concede, hence why he's no longer a candidate. Snyder and Cerrato also were disappointed with Saunders' offense, and have hired Jim Zorn to replace him.

As far as consistency goes, just about every other coach (with the exception of Byner and the aforementioned) will be back.

Yeah, it's been very on edge for a lot of people here. Just be fortunate you weren't here and go with it. IMO, there are a lot of Chicken Littles running around here...

[EARTHQUAKE2689]

yeah it has been a very crazy hectic week with all the things that have been going on with the Redskins

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by ArtMonkDrillz

I think he means don't start because reviewing the past week will make you crazier than if you listened to a tape of the ?3 thread narrated by Dennis Hopper while taking LSD.

GW wasn't fired so much as he was told that he was no longer being considered for the HC spot and that he was free to go look for another job. It was all very passive-aggressive.

Well, I can see Williams being upset at that, we all thought he was the first choice, so he could see that as backstabbing and want to move on. I could even see it as an argument with Snyder. GW- "well if I'm not the HC, I will quit" DS- "well you don't have to quit, you're fired."
So that somewhat explains GW, what about Saunders?
Also, how does Carrato figure in here?

[MTK]

GW and Saunders leaving really wasn't all that surprising when you think about it.

The good news is a significant portion of the staff is returning including key guys like Bugel, Smith, and Blache.

[WillH]

You know about as much as we do about why they were let go. Suffice it to say that on certain personnel matters DS and GW differed (some have suggested that VC was the main point of contention). As a result, DS decided to look at more candidates then originally planned; during that time GW was getting fed up with being left in the dark, as were all the assistant coaches. Gibbs calmed them all down as best he could, and said the decision would not come until after the Super Bowl. Gibbs also encouraged GW to stay in the race, until GW met with DS and VC and they all decided "mutually" that GW not be considered a candidate.

Since then the OC, DC. and other assistant positions have been filled. This has led to speculation that there is already a candidate in mind, or at least that the candidates they do have in mind seem to have no objections to the assistant coaches hired. Candidates include Jim Fassel, Steve Spagnuolo (sp?), Ron Meeks (recently brought in for 2nd interview), and Steve Mariucci (scheduled for an interview today).

As far as Saunders, it seems that he was going to be fired whether GW was HC or not. Apparently the organization (ie. DS abd VC) was not satisfied with his performance and wants to go in a new direction offensively. The new direction is assumed to be a West Coast Offense, but the main concern in this transition seems to be the development of Jason Campbell. Hence, Jim Zorn (former QB coach of Matt Hasslebeck) replaced Saunders, and was given the position of OC.

[Redskins247]

Originally Posted by jsarno

Well, I can see Williams being upset at that, we all thought he was the first choice, so he could see that as backstabbing and want to move on. I could even see it as an argument with Snyder. GW- "well if I'm not the HC, I will quit" DS- "well you don't have to quit, you're fired."
So that somewhat explains GW, what about Saunders?
Also, how does Carrato figure in here?

Jsarno...I was wondering why I hadn't seen any posts from you during the madness. Cerrato being named vice president of football operations is Snyder's best effort at having a GM...and I don't think either were in the Saunders fan club. I always got the feeling he would be gone even if GW had been named head coach. As of now, I kind of like the hiring of Zorn...I think he will be good for Campbell.

Oh, and also Jeff Gordon is leaving Hendricks for DEI!!! now that IS a joke :cheeky-sm

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by BDBohnzie

Well, Cerrato being the VP of Football Operations isn't a joke. But his and Snyder's love child being up for consideration for HC was...

I knew the love child part was...LOL...but how can Cerrato be promoted??? He, IMO, is HURTING the skins, not helping. Has Dan fallen off the path again?

As far as we "know", Williams wanted more power than Snyder and Cerrato were willing to concede, hence why he's no longer a candidate.

That makes sense, not from a "we want to win next year" standpoint, but from their objective.

Snyder and Cerrato also were disappointed with Saunders' offense, and have hired Jim Zorn to replace him.

My football knowledge might be a little off, but wasn't Zorn the QB coach in Seattle? I think I remember the name as him being a QB back in the early 80's for Seattle too. Why in the world did he get it? Or am I missing something that he did to make him that deserving?

As far as consistency goes, just about every other coach (with the exception of Byner and the aforementioned) will be back.

Byner is gone too? He did a good job, why is he gone?

Yeah, it's been very on edge for a lot of people here. Just be fortunate you weren't here and go with it. IMO, there are a lot of Chicken Littles running around here...

That's ALWAYS the case...shoot, look at the gameday threads...we'd be winning and Chicken littles would show up.
I am not as concerned with the fact that they are gone (although VERY shocked) I am more concerned with WHY.
Now I am hoping someone will tell me why Byner, and more importantly, Saunders is gone.

My brother told me Don Breaux was the new OC...where is don now?

[skinsguy]

Originally Posted by jsarno

Well, I can see Williams being upset at that, we all thought he was the first choice, so he could see that as backstabbing and want to move on. I could even see it as an argument with Snyder. GW- "well if I'm not the HC, I will quit" DS- "well you don't have to quit, you're fired."
So that somewhat explains GW, what about Saunders?
Also, how does Carrato figure in here?

Jsarno,

Here's the deal. GW interviewed with DS and VC 4 times, but no contract was ever discussed. Apparently, DS just didn't feel GW was the right man for the job. Anyways, GW took his name out of the running and mutually agreed with the team to part ways. Saunders was fired because DS and VC just never really felt his offense was progressing the way it should've. So, Vinny grabs Jim Zorn (which actually too bad of a move,) to take AS place. Incidently, both Gregg Williams and Jim Fassel liked the move to get Zorn as the OC. Of course, Greg Blache has been promoted to DC, which also isn't too bad of a move. Really, the only major change on the coaching staff (of course other than Williams leaving) is Saunders getting the boot. The rest of the coaches will be back (with the exception of Earnest Byner as he was just offered a one year extension.)

What's getting confusing is if Jim Fassel is our next head coach, why they are waiting until after the Super Bowl to announce it. After watching Comcast Sports last night, Charlie Casserly seems to believe that Snyder backed off of Fassel because of the overwhelmingly negative sentiment from the fans. The majority of the fans just don't like Fassel as our coach. Therefore, Steve Mariucci is supposedly being interviewed either today or in the immediate future. So, it's possible that the Mooch might be the Redskins' next HC. No matter which guy is going to be head coach, we're probably going to be implementing a West Coast Offense.