Note: This post was updated (below) on Oct. 23.If you listen to sports talk radio in the D.C. area, the soap opera that is the Washington Redskins is fairly entertaining, particularly on FM 106.7, which is the non-Redskins-affiliated station. No pulling punches on that station. But even more than being a show, the team's misery is quite an example of what happens when fairly direct, honest people collide with masters of spin in the world of business. Doesn't seem to matter what the business or issues are. Frankness does not mix well with deception.
Coach Jim Zorn was, in a sense, demoted this week when the team's quasi general manager, Vinny Cerrato, "suggested" Zorn not call plays anymore. According to Zorn's old teammate and former congressman, Steve Largent, Zorn was given an ultimatum. Stop calling plays or else. However, Cerrato denies that claim by Zorn's old pal from the Seattle Seahawks. Zorn himself stopped short of calling the suggestion an ultimatum.
It is clear to most people what is going on in D.C. It's the oldest game in the book and it's not played on the field. It's most likely management/ownership wanting to force someone out without having to pay them. In Zorn's case, he has about $4 million owed to him if his contract is terminated now by Cerrato or team owner, Daniel Snyder. If he quits, however, the team wouldn't have to pay Zorn. Even for a rich guy like Snyder, this is not the time to be throwing away millions. In addition, I think Snyder and Cerrato want to save face and not fire another coach, which is in essence would be an admission that they keep hiring the wrong people.
You have to wonder how Snyder and Cerrato have gotten as far as they have in life. Their antics have become so transparent that any casual fan in D.C. can see right through them. One doesn't even have to be a sports fan to understand this game.
To make matters worse, the new play-caller for the team is a 67-year-old retired coordinator who hasn't coached in five years. In fact, Cerrato in a recent interview didn't seem to know what the coach was doing when summoned by "the Dan" a couple weeks ago. The coach, Sherman Lewis, was calling bingo games when the offer was made to act as a consultant for the Skins. Now, out of retirement, he's going to be calling plays for the Redskins. This was Cerrato's decision and a ploy, some allege, to humiliate Zorn into quitting. After all, Zorn was originally hired specifically to run the offense as a coordinator, not a head coach. Then when Cerrato and Snyder couldn't find anyone to coach their team, they offered the head position to Zorn.
There are times when sports businesses practices mirror other industries. This is truly embarrassing because it's so public, but not that unusual if you consider what has gone on in corporate America recently with sketchy leadership. It's as dysfunctional in some ways as anything that has occurred at GM. But the results for the 'Skins are easier to judge. It's seen in the win-loss column, which currently stands at 2-4 against five of the worst teams in the NFL.
The majority of fans calling talk radio want an end to this nonsense and for Cerrato to be canned and for proven football people to run the front office, hire the coaches and pick the players. It's a mystery to many why Snyder retains Cerrato, but one theory is that Cerrato is weak and won't challenge "the Dan," who is the man really calling all of the shots, according to local commentators. Boy, talk about another typical trait of poorly run businesses. When ownership surrounds itself with yes men, nothing good can result in any business. Things will eventually deteriorate.
Hall of Famer, John Riggins, blasted ownership this week in a YouTube video. The ex-Redskin echoed many of the same charges heard from fans about incompetency at the top. Riggins is never at a loss for fightin' words, so some took big John's remarks with a grain of salt. But when former Indianapolis Colts head coach, Tony Dungy, took issue with what is going on in Washington, specifically with the manipulation of Zorn, people took notice. Dungy, now a television broadcaster, is far from a controversial figure. He's one of the more mild-mannered people to have ever coached in the league. He was also a winner.
The Redskins are part of the fabric of the D.C. area. I live a few miles from their headquarters and training facility in Ashburn, Va. While not a fan, I do root for them on occasion because Redskin wins do seem to lift the spirits of many people in these parts. But I also have been around the block a few times and realize no business can be successfully run by micromanaging bosses who play smoke and mirror games with personnel and the public.
Zorn is known to be an honest guy. He's not the most charismatic coach, but he won't spin things the way Cerrato does. And he won't hide in the shadows like Snyder, who essentially doesn't talk to the media during the season. Some say Zorn is too positive and should get angrier when things go south. But I get the sense his optimism is honest and real - not contrived. If he's a little naive, so be it. Better than being sneaky and insecure.
There have been a lot of not-so-great stories told about Snyder on the radio this week. Stories about him as a human being, not just an owner. Even a relative of the team's previous owner said some unflattering things about "the Dan." At least one story I know is true because it made the news a few years ago. Bucking area regulations, Snyder cut down trees on his property so he could have a better view of the Potomac River from his home. I guess, among other things, he's not a big environmentalist. That's not to say he doesn't do good work in other areas of his life. I just never hear about any potentially positive things from the media when it comes to the team's owner.
Where there is smoke there usually is fire. And the fire is burning bright at Redskins Park. Snyder has taken quite a publicity hit this week. Fans are literally screaming for him to sell the team. Even fans who aren't thrilled with Zorn are beginning to feel sorry for the guy. It seems people are not only thirsting for wins, but they also want some integrity restored to operations. They want a more fan-friendly owner who provides a better game-day experience and who rewards their longtime loyalty.
The worst fear is that Redskin fans will go from angry to apathetic. While the games are sold out years in advance, many fans aren't showing up on Sundays anymore, and some are selling their tickets, often to fans of opposing teams. Makes for an embarrassing home-game atmosphere when the opposition receives louder cheers than the Skins.
You can bet that next Monday night, when Washington hosts the Philadelphia Eagles on national TV, there will be even more talk about this latest fiasco. Philly fans will make the trek down I-95 to try to buy tickets from fed-up Washington fans. Plays will be called by a man who was calling out bingo numbers two weeks ago. And the Skins are finally playing a decent team that could destroy them. It could get very ugly. Many believe Zorn will be fired next week.
UPDATE. Team executive Vinny Cerrato announced on Oct. 23 that Jim Zorn would remain the head coach of the Washington Redskins for the remainder of the season. Stay tuned!
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