Redskins a reflection of owner

John Riggins recently said that Washington Redskins owner, Daniel Snyder, isn't a good guy. Monday night's beat down by the New York Giants is proof of what Riggo was talking about. You see, the Redskins had some momentum late in the season. They were improving. Then last week, after a rare victory in Oakland, and with three games left for players and coaches to make a case for themselves and their jobs for 2010, Snyder brought in a new general manager. And with that odd timing, the end of the coach Jim Zorn-era was all but signed and sealed. Therefore, the team had less motivation to play for Zorn on Monday night. The team lost its incentive, its edge. The distractions created by the front office became too heavy to overcome. And Zorn, a genuinely nice guy, got caught in the Snyder web.

Don't get me wrong -- the previous GM, Vinny Cerrato, needed to be replaced -- but the timing of it appears suspiciously manipulative. It seems feasible that Snyder didn't want Zorn to succeed in these final weeks. A few late wins could drum up public support for keeping Zorn, which Snyder doesn't want to do. So he more than likely had his boy Vinny resign to create a new layer of uncertainty for the head coach and players. It's textbook corporate-like nonsense by another rich guy who thinks messing with people's lives and professions is a birthright. Why didn't Snyder just fire Zorn? Read on.

It's been apparent that Snyder wants Zorn out so he can bring in yet another big-name coach, even though few top-rated coaches would work for Snyder, which should be further evidence of all not being right in the owner's box. But Zorn is a smart cookie and isn't going to leave money owed to him on the table by resigning. Snyder should do the right thing and put Zorn out of his misery. And he should pay Zorn for his remaining contract year.

So when Riggins, the Hall of Fame running back, said disparaging things about Snyder, he was indicating that this is the way some people in power go about their business. They try to embarrass subordinates into quitting so they don't have to pay out contracts. They hide behind lies and deceit. They create an unfair playing field for those who fall out of favor and have an uncanny ability to create a climate of fear and mistrust. And ultimately, the product suffers from all these smoke-and-mirror tactics that have become all too common in businesses of all kinds. In a larger sense, this is why big business in America is failing. Too many top dogs have forgotten how to be human beings first and CEOs second.

The egos of some owners are large enough to believe they can repair the damage they create (see Jerry Jones of the Cowboys). Well, it hasn't happened for this team under this owner as coaches come and go like the seasons. Thousands of fans sat in FedEx Field in freezing temperatures Monday night to watch a team that has been directly or indirectly undermined by its own owner for years. It's not that Snyder wants to have losing seasons or drive away support for the team, it's just that he is pretty much what Riggins said he is. The Redskins are a toy for Snyder who doesn't seem to have that intuitive touch needed to be successful in sports. Being smug doesn't work in sports. It might work on Wall Street or in corporate board rooms for a while, but sports rely more on honesty, hard work and sincerity to motivate employees to physically perform. You have to know that the boss (owner, GM or coach) has your back in order to put your body at risk. Money generally doesn't buy championships in sports that require bravery and heart. "The Dan" confuses desire with heart. He might be a fan of the team, but he's not a good leader of men. His team is a reflection of himself -- profitable and well marketed, but without substance. It doesn't matter who the coach or general manager are as the years under Snyder have proven.

There was no fight in the 'Skins Monday night. They embarrassed themselves on a national stage. A large part of that is on the players. This was not a professional effort. If at least half these players aren't replaced next year, expect a similar record under new GM, Bruce Allen.

By the way, it seems rather obvious that the hiring of Allen was yet another public relations stunt. Allen's father, George, was a beloved Redskins coach, and his brother is a popular Virginia politician. I don't believe Allen's NFL track record is as stellar as Snyder claims. But Snyder knew few would question the hiring. Like many folks in power, Snyder appears to have some sort of need to be liked more than respected. Some folks might even applaud Snyder because of the ties Allen has to the Redskins and Ashburn, Va., where the Redskins train. But is Allen really the answer?

Hopefully, Zorn will soon get back to his native West Coast, either California or Seattle. Two years in D.C. has aged him. The lines on his face have become more obvious. Some bosses and jobs aren't worth that sort of stress, especially as one begins to get older. Zorn is still a hero in Seattle where he is remembered as the best quarterback in Seahawk history. He's still a straight shooter despite two years in Washington -- a place where spin and backstabbing are epidemic. Zorn might not be head-coaching material, but under Snyder, who is? The main reason the inexperienced Zorn got the job two years ago was because no one else wanted it. For the elite, seasoned coaches, there isn't enough money in the world to work for a dysfunctional organization under an owner who has failed to deliver a serious run at a championship or even a decent game-day experience for fans.

Cerrato takes the low road

Woke up to the news that Vinny Cerrato resigned as the Redskins' executive vice president of football operations today. For most fans in Washington, that's good news. The team has floundered under Cerrato's leadership. But a few questions remain.

First, how much was owner Dan Snyder involved in the poor decisions that the team has made in recent years? Is Cerrato truly responsible for the gridiron mess in D.C.?

What is the next move? The radio talk shows are buzzing that there will be more news later today. Possibly a new coach? Maybe a new general manager? Is Joe Gibbs coming back again?

Regardless of where the team goes from here, Cerrato made a parting statement that was less than classy: "I've had the pleasure of working with some great coaches such as Joe Gibbs, Greg Blache and Sherman Lewis, great people on the Redskins staff ..." Uh, what about the current coach who you hired, Vinny? You mentioned Blache, a coordinator, and Lewis, an adviser to the team for just a few weeks, but you don't mention the head coach, Jim Zorn?

When people at Cerrato's level fall, they generally don't fall far. They have enough money in the bank to last a lifetime. Failure in one place almost guarantees he will get a good job elsewhere in the upside down world of professional sports. He spent a lot of time doing a radio show, when some thought he should be spending that time improving the team, so maybe he will become a broadcaster.

I am sensitive to anyone losing their job these days, but Cerrato, like most top executives, will be just fine. The system is setup to protect these types of high-ranking insiders regardless of whether they have talent or not. More than anything, these guys know how to play the game (I cleaned that up because this blog is g-rated). In Cerrato's case, however, the game didn't respond to his maneuvers. And in a public arena like pro sports, it is hard to hide incompetency and failure. Fans wanted a change. The Redskins were becoming a public-relations nightmare. Snyder had to put aside his personal feelings for Cerrato and make a move. I am sure he took good care of his friend Vinny.

Update: Bruce Allen, the son of legendary Redskins' coach, George Allen, has been named Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Washington Redskins, according to ESPN980. Allen was GM for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Senior Executive with the Oakland Raiders.

Even casual sports fans can see through this

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!

When things go bad for so long, look to the top

I don't think Jim Zorn is the main problem with the Washington Redskins. I rarely think that lower or mid-management is the root cause of dysfunction in any organization. While Zorn might not be Vince Lombardi, he's not a terrible coach in my opinion. As a quarterback, he was a pretty innovative and creative player. I doubt those characteristics disappeared when he went into coaching, and many other respected coaches around the NFL speak well of him.

The constants with the Redskins, through all the losing and mediocre seasons, are the owner and the guy bringing in sub-par talent. These are the people with the power calling most of the shots. The blame goes to Dan Snyder and Vinny Cerrato, respectively. They are the people hiring and firing head coaches. They are the ones evaluating players and signing them to long-term contracts, which then pressures Zorn (and coaches prior to him) to play these below-average athletes. If he doesn't play them, then he appears like he isn't being a good company man. But it's impossible to make chicken salad out of chicken ... Well, you get my drift.

It won't matter who comes in next to coach this team. Snyder is wrong to think he can win a Super Bowl by running his sports franchise the way he runs his other businesses. That's one of the things I enjoy about sports. It tends to expose character flaws in a way big business doesn't. You can't bully your way to a championship. You can't create a monopoly. You have to do the work and be smart within the rules of the game. You have to build the business, build trust and retain good people. These are things Snyder struggles with.

As for Cerrato, c'mon ... look at his drafts. Unfortunately, Cerrato and Snyder are pals, so Vinny is probably safe.

When ownership or top management fails to hire and retain the right people, sports teams like businesses, tend to spiral downward. It is clear that in terms of judging character and skill the Redskins' front office is about as bad as any failed company. Luckily, taxpayers won't have to bail out this team, as the Redskins remain one of the most profitable sports franchises. Maybe when fans start staying home and don't buy merchandise, Snyder will revise his way of running the team.

Coaches are like mid-level managers in business. They can only work with what they are given. They are also vulnerable to being fired because upper management has to fire someone in order to deflect blame from themselves.

I am afraid Zorn will fall victim to Snyder if the 'Skins (2-3) lose to the Kansas City Chiefs next week, perhaps sooner if Cerrato sees he can save his own butt by firing the coach. But what really needs to change is the front-office structure of the Redskins. People of integrity and institutional knowledge must be hired to run the show. And Snyder needs to let them do their jobs. He's not a football guy. He's a rich dude who could afford to buy a team. He should be happy to be that and give the Redskin fans something to cheer about.