***Official*** Washington Redskins 2014 Offseason Thread (1 Viewer)

[TxBuckeye]

Allen: Thomas was going to start at safety last year

If Thomas hadn't been hurt last year I hope he would have been better than Rambo.

I don't follow the team nearly as closely as many of you. But thought this at might at least explain the lack of pursuit of a free agent safety.

 

[dehaven123]

Allen: Thomas was going to start at safety last year

If Thomas hadn't been hurt last year I hope he would have been better than Rambo.

I don't follow the team nearly as closely as many of you. But thought this at might at least explain the lack of pursuit of a free agent safety.

thomas' chances and prospects are what i pointed out last wk, in an effort to try and temper some of the frustrations displayed by my fellow fans early on in FA.

the guy has a real chance to contrbute and solve some of our secondary issues.

 

[Marvelous]

Allen: Thomas was going to start at safety last year

If Thomas hadn't been hurt last year I hope he would have been better than Rambo.

The Redskins were certainly giving Thomas every chance to be the starting SS last year. It was a big blow when he got hurt.

I am still mystified why the started Rambo when they had Reed Doughty available.

 

[fatness]

The problem with Thomas is..........................we don't know what the problem with Thomas is. He hasn't played. So minicamps and OTA's and training camp and preseason are going to be extremely important for him, and for the team who has to judge his ability to start. I'm rooting for the guy of course and for Amerson because they need good young guys in their secondary. But Thomas is a complete unknown.

As for starting Rambo last year, I think they made up their mind before the season that they were starting Amerson and Thomas because they were young and needed to learn at a position of need. And when Thomas got hurt they were starting Rambo ahead of Doughty for the same reason. Rambo sucked despite all of us rooting for him. We don't yet know what Thomas will do.

 

[fatness]

Despite having only one pick in the first 79 selections of this weekend's NFL draft, the Washington Redskins could trade up in an attempt to select a potential franchise quarterback, team officials said yesterday, such as Southern California's Mark Sanchez. "I think anything is possible," Vinny Cerrato, Washington's executive vice president of football operations, said during the predraft news conference at Redskins Park.

Blast from the past.

 

[fatness]

The first wave of free agency didn’t solve every problem, nor did the Redskins expect that to happen. But they still have other ways to bolster their roster, with more players still available – and with the trade market starting to form next week.

When coaches and general managers convene in Orlando starting Sunday for meetings, league business will be discussed. So, too, will potential deals now that teams have a better sense of what they need – and don’t want.

In other words, the Redskins aren’t done. Far from it. “We’re still having conversations with players and next week I’m sure there will be a lot of discussions about teams offering up players for trades,” Redskins general manager Bruce Allen said.

Yes, Allen will be receptive to such talk. “I’m listening to them, absolutely,” he said.

Whether or not something happens is another matter. And it’s his job, of course, to find other ways to improve, and that includes trade talk. Yes, quarterback Kirk Cousins has said he would welcome a trade, but the Redskins have said they’re not interested in trading him.

The overall point, though, is that it’s tough to accurately judge their offseason right now. There’s too much of it left; too many moves they can still make in addition to the draft. Another wave of players will hit the open market after the draft after getting released.

http://espn.go.com/blog/washington-redskins/post/_/id/6352/bruce-allen-redskins-not-done-with-deals?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

 

[TxBuckeye]

I can see the front office looking forward to players released after the draft. Will create more opportunity to pick up some much needed talent. As for trades? Not so much. They don't have enough talent to be trading it away for other talent. No depth anywhere. What could the skins truly afford to give up that anyone would want? Anyone tradeable just creates another hole when you let them go.

 

[fatness]

I can see the front office looking forward to players released after the draft. Will create more opportunity to pick up some much needed talent. As for trades? Not so much. They don't have enough talent to be trading it away for other talent. No depth anywhere. What could the skins truly afford to give up that anyone would want? Anyone tradeable just creates another hole when you let them go.

I agree with you about trades. Trading players is only a good option for teams whose rosters are overstocked with good or potentially-good players. The Skins roster isn't.

 

[duaneok66]

Hey fatness and others, I enjoy the thread.

Don't you think that the Redskins will draft a receiver in the 3rd or 4th round? They really need to get another receiver to grow with RGIII.

 

[Milkman]

They should draft Jordan Matthews with their second round pick if he's there.

 

[Archer]

I will be pissed if they don't go WR in the second unless a CB falls that shouldn't be there. And if that is the case, then surely 3rd round right?

 

[Marvelous]

I will be pissed if they don't go WR in the second unless a CB falls that shouldn't be there. And if that is the case, then surely 3rd round right?

When teams target a specific position in the draft, they frequently end up reaching for players.

The Redskins need to draft the best player available. They have enough holes in the roster that they cannot turn down good players in the draft. The only exception I can think of is quarterback. But even at QB, I could even see them taking a QB late in the draft to develop.

Also, once you are in the 4th round or so, you can depend on draft picks to fill needs this year. Most late round picks cannot step in on day 1 and start. Josh LeRibeus was a high 3rd round draft pick and he was inactive all 16 games last year.

 

[dehaven123]

I will be pissed if they don't go WR in the second unless a CB falls that shouldn't be there. And if that is the case, then surely 3rd round right?

When teams target a specific position in the draft, they frequently end up reaching for players.

The Redskins need to draft the best player available. They have enough holes in the roster that they cannot turn down good players in the draft. The only exception I can think of is quarterback. But even at QB, I could even see them taking a QB late in the draft to develop.

Also, once you are in the 4th round or so, you can depend on draft picks to fill needs this year. Most late round picks cannot step in on day 1 and start. Josh LeRibeus was a high 3rd round draft pick and he was inactive all 16 games last year.

this. was going to post something similar.

bpa at any spot in the draft would likely result in an upgrade at nearly every position on the roster.

i dont think we should pigeon hole ourselves into any one positionwith any pick, even the 2nd rd'er.

 

[fatness]

I will be pissed if they don't go WR in the second unless a CB falls that shouldn't be there. And if that is the case, then surely 3rd round right?

When teams target a specific position in the draft, they frequently end up reaching for players.

The Redskins need to draft the best player available. They have enough holes in the roster that they cannot turn down good players in the draft. The only exception I can think of is quarterback. But even at QB, I could even see them taking a QB late in the draft to develop.

I'm not totally in agreement with you. A team having a list of 350 players staying rigidly to their ranking is going to make some draft picks that aren't the best for the team. For example: they have a RB rated #29 and a S rated #34 when their 2nd round pick comes up. Drafting the S makes more sense than the RB this year. Teams know full well their rankings are not concrete and infallible, and if they don't know that they're doomed to continue to be bad teams. They're pretty good at ranking this S better than that S, but when you mix all the positions together what's the objective measure they use to compare a RB to a S? There isn't one, it's subjective.

A player rated 29 and a player rated 34 by the same team are basically seen as comparable in ability. In the case above they should take the S due to the obvious need.

It would be vastly different if the RB was rated 29 and the S was rated 84.

 

[RGIII HTTR]

I will be pissed if they don't go WR in the second unless a CB falls that shouldn't be there. And if that is the case, then surely 3rd round right?

When teams target a specific position in the draft, they frequently end up reaching for players.

The Redskins need to draft the best player available. They have enough holes in the roster that they cannot turn down good players in the draft. The only exception I can think of is quarterback. But even at QB, I could even see them taking a QB late in the draft to develop.

Also, once you are in the 4th round or so, you can depend on draft picks to fill needs this year. Most late round picks cannot step in on day 1 and start. Josh LeRibeus was a high 3rd round draft pick and he was inactive all 16 games last year.

I agree, they have several positions of need and that should afford them the luxury of picking the best player from those positions (CB, S, ILB, DL, OL, WR). Their value chart and player tiers should be what determines who is taken where and I think that is the smartest approach.

 

[RGIII HTTR]

I will be pissed if they don't go WR in the second unless a CB falls that shouldn't be there. And if that is the case, then surely 3rd round right?

When teams target a specific position in the draft, they frequently end up reaching for players.

The Redskins need to draft the best player available. They have enough holes in the roster that they cannot turn down good players in the draft. The only exception I can think of is quarterback. But even at QB, I could even see them taking a QB late in the draft to develop.

I'm not totally in agreement with you. A team having a list of 350 players staying rigidly to their ranking is going to make some draft picks that aren't the best for the team. For example: they have a RB rated #29 and a S rated #34 when their 2nd round pick comes up. Drafting the S makes more sense than the RB this year. Teams know full well their rankings are not concrete and infallible, and if they don't know that they're doomed to continue to be bad teams. They're pretty good at ranking this S better than that S, but when you mix all the positions together what's the objective measure they use to compare a RB to a S? There isn't one, it's subjective.

A player rated 29 and a player rated 34 by the same team are basically seen as comparable in ability. In the case above they should take the S due to the obvious need.

It would be vastly different if the RB was rated 29 and the S was rated 84.

It's best player available for your needs. Every team has a list of positions that is needed, some just are for depth and others are for starter spots. When locked in to one spot, that is when you reach and let other valuable talent fall to another.

 

[Marvelous]

I will be pissed if they don't go WR in the second unless a CB falls that shouldn't be there. And if that is the case, then surely 3rd round right?

When teams target a specific position in the draft, they frequently end up reaching for players.

The Redskins need to draft the best player available. They have enough holes in the roster that they cannot turn down good players in the draft. The only exception I can think of is quarterback. But even at QB, I could even see them taking a QB late in the draft to develop.

I'm not totally in agreement with you. A team having a list of 350 players staying rigidly to their ranking is going to make some draft picks that aren't the best for the team. For example: they have a RB rated #29 and a S rated #34 when their 2nd round pick comes up. Drafting the S makes more sense than the RB this year. Teams know full well their rankings are not concrete and infallible, and if they don't know that they're doomed to continue to be bad teams. They're pretty good at ranking this S better than that S, but when you mix all the positions together what's the objective measure they use to compare a RB to a S? There isn't one, it's subjective.

A player rated 29 and a player rated 34 by the same team are basically seen as comparable in ability. In the case above they should take the S due to the obvious need.

It would be vastly different if the RB was rated 29 and the S was rated 84.

I would tend to stay more on the draft board than make on the fly adjustments, but making adjustments does make some sense.

I also remember Adam Schefter saying on the radio that during the 2008 draft, the front office wanted to draft Jamaal Charles in the 2nd round. He strongly implied Dan Snyder vetoed the pick and it ended up being Malcolm Kelly. Of course, we already were stocked at RB with Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts.

 

[fatness]

I remember hearing that too. Hopefully what we've been led to believe is true and Snyder is totally out of drafting now. That's half of good drafting. The other half is having the people doing the drafting make good choices. This year and next year Bruce Allen, Morocco Brown, and Scott Cambell better do well. There's no Snyder or Shanahan to blame it on.

 

[fatness]

No compensatory picks for the Redskins this year BTW.

 

[(HULK)]

Interesting letter from Dan tonight.

 

[nittanylion]

Interesting letter from Dan tonight.

Yes. Yes it was. I hate Dan Snyder for a great many reasons, but on this issue, I'm very happy with how he's handling it.

Wonder if it'll get some particular folks who should have never entered the discussion to begin with to finally shut the #### up. Sadly, probably not.

 

[MattFancy]

Interesting letter from Dan tonight.

I had been saying all along that he should set up some sort of charity for the cause if he really wanted to keep the name. He's going to be doing more for Native Americans than those that are calling for the team to change the name. It's easy to call for change, it's much harder to actually do something about it. I applaud Snyder.

 

[dgreen]

I'm no PR expert and I'm obviously biased, but I thought the letter was good. When I opened the email this morning, I cringed at the thought of what it might say since they usually do a horrible job with these types of things. I expected to read him basically saying, "You are all wrong and stupid for being offended."

I'm sure plenty of people will have a problem with the letter. His motives will be questioned, but whatevs. I'm sure tweets and stories will come out soon about something horrible Dan did while on these tribe visits or something else will be brought up. The FFA thread about the potential name change will probably be lively today.

For those who haven't seen it, here's the letter:

To Everyone in our Washington Redskins Nation:

Several months ago I wrote you about my personal reflections on our team name and on our shared Washington Redskins heritage. I wrote then – and believe even more firmly now – that our team name captures the best of who we are and who we can be, by staying true to our history and honoring the deep and enduring values our name represents.

In that letter, I committed myself to listening and learning from all voices with a perspective about our Washington Redskins name. I’ve been encouraged by the thousands of fans across the country who support keeping the Redskins tradition alive. Most – by overwhelming majorities – find our name to be rooted in pride for our shared heritage and values.

“There are Native Americans everywhere that 100% support the name,” Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians Chairwoman Mary L. Resvaloso told me when I came to visit her tribe. “I believe God has turned this around for something good.” She told me that it was far more important for us to focus on the challenges of education in Native American communities. I listened closely, and pledged to her that I would find ways to improve the daily lives of people in her tribe.

What would my resolve to honoring our legacy mean if I myself—as the owner of and a passionate believer in the Washington Redskins—didn’t stay true to my word? I wanted and needed to hear firsthand what Native Americans truly thought of our name, our logo, and whether we were, in fact, upholding the principle of respect in regard to the Native American community.

So over the past four months, my staff and I travelled to 26 Tribal reservations across twenty states to listen and learn first-hand about the views, attitudes, and experiences of the Tribes. We were invited into their homes, their Tribal Councils and their communities to learn more about the extraordinary daily challenges in their lives.

“I appreciated your sincerity to learn about our culture and the real-life issues we face on a daily basis,” Pueblo of Zuni Governor Arlen Quetawki told us after we toured his reservation. “I look forward to working together with you to improve the lives of Native Americans in any way possible."

The more I heard, the more I’ve learned, and the more I saw, the more resolved I became about helping to address the challenges that plague the Native American community. In speaking face-to-face with Native American leaders and community members, it’s plain to see they need action, not words.

Yes, some tribes are doing well. And in our candid conversations, we learned that we share so much with Indian country. We find their appreciation of history, legacy, caring for their elders and providing a better future for their youth inspirational and admirable.

But the fact is, too many Native American communities face much harsher, much more alarming realities. They have genuine issues they truly are worried about, and our team’s name is not one of them. Here are just a few staggering, heartbreaking facts about the challenges facing Native Americans today:

-- The official poverty rate on reservations is 29 percent, as determined by the U.S. Census.
36 percent of families with children are below the poverty line on reservations, compared with
9 percent of families nationally. Jobs are scarce, and so is genuine opportunity.

-- Rampant diabetes, alcohol and drug abuse, violence, and heightened suicide rates afflict Native American youth, adults, and veterans. Life expectancies in high poverty Native American communities are the lowest anywhere in the Western Hemisphere—except for Haiti.

-- Tribal reservations can lack even the most basic infrastructure that most Americans take for granted. For example, according to the independent, highly respected Millennium Project, 13 percent of Native American households have no access to safe water and/or wastewater disposal, compared with just 0.6 percent in non-native households. Similarly, 14 percent of homes on Native American reservations have no electricity, compared to just 1 percent among non-native households. It is hard to build for a better tomorrow without the basic needs of today.

These aren’t rare circumstances. These are the unfortunate facts found throughout Indian country today.

I’ve listened. I’ve learned. And frankly, its heart wrenching. It’s not enough to celebrate the values and heritage of Native Americans. We must do more.

I want to do more. I believe the Washington Redskins community should commit to making a real, lasting, positive impact on Native American quality of life—one tribe and one person at a time. I know we won’t be able to fix every problem. But we need to make an impact.

And so I will take action.

As loyal fans of the Washington Redskins, I want you to know that tomorrow I will announce the creation of the Washington Redskins Original Americans Foundation.

The mission of the Original Americans Foundation is to provide meaningful and measurable resources that provide genuine opportunities for Tribal communities. With open arms and determined minds, we will work as partners to begin to tackle the troubling realities facing so many tribes across our country. Our efforts will address the urgent challenges plaguing Indian country based on what Tribal leaders tell us they need most. We may have created this new organization, but the direction of the Foundation is truly theirs.

Our work is already underway, under the leadership of Gary Edwards, a Cherokee and retired Deputy Assistant Director of the United States Secret Service, as well as a founder and chief executive officer of the National Native American Law Enforcement Association.

Because I’m so serious about the importance of this cause, I began our efforts quietly and respectfully, away from the spotlight, to learn and take direction from the Tribal leaders themselves. In addition to travelling and meeting in-person with Tribal communities, we took a survey of tribes across 100 reservations so that we could have an accurate assessment of the most pressing needs in each community.

The stories I heard and the experiences I witnessed were of children without winter coats or athletic shoes; students in makeshift classrooms without adequate school supplies; text books more than decades old; rampant and unnecessary suffering from preventable diseases like diabetes; economic hardship almost everywhere; and in too many places too few of the tools and technology that we all take for granted every day—computers, internet access, even cellphone coverage.

In the heart of America’s Indian country, poverty is everywhere. That’s not acceptable. We have so much, yet too many Native Americans have so little.

Our work has already begun:

-- As the bitter Arctic winds swept across the Plains this winter, we distributed over 3,000 cold-weather coats to several tribes, as well as shoes to players on boys and girls basketball teams.

“It’s been one of the coldest winters on record,” Lower Brule Sioux Tribe Vice Chairman Boyd Gourneau told me. “The entire Tribe is so appreciative of the coats we received for our youth and elders. It’s been such a great relationship, and we hope it grows.”

-- We assisted in the purchase of a new backhoe for the Omaha Tribe in Nebraska. The Tribe will now be able to complete the burial process for their loved ones even in the coldest winter months, as well as assist in water pipe repairs which, without a functioning backhoe, has left the tribe without water -- for days.

These projects were the first of many and we currently have over forty additional projects currently in process. We look forward to telling you more about these as our work proceeds.

For too long, the struggles of Native Americans have been ignored, unnoticed and unresolved. As a team, we have honored them through our words and on the field, but now we will honor them through our actions. We commit to the tribes that we stand together with you, to help you build a brighter future for your communities.

The Washington Redskins Original Americans Foundation will serve as a living, breathing legacy – and an ongoing reminder – of the heritage and tradition that is the

Washington Redskins. I’m glad to be able to launch this vital initiative today.

With Respect and Appreciation,

Dan Snyder

P.S. Throughout this journey, there have been many incredible moments. One of my favorite fan moments took place in Gallup, NM – to the cheers of dozens of Washington Redskins fans. As Pueblo of Zuni Governor Arlen Quetawki noted, “We even had an unprompted welcoming party of Washington Redskins fans from Zuni and Navajo greet you when you departed from the airport!” The passion and support for the Burgundy and Gold throughout the country has been overwhelming.

 

[pablito]

Thanks for sharing the letter. This may be Dan Snyder's finest moment.

 

[Milkman]

Interesting letter from Dan tonight.

I had been saying all along that he should set up some sort of charity for the cause if he really wanted to keep the name. He's going to be doing more for Native Americans than those that are calling for the team to change the name. It's easy to call for change, it's much harder to actually do something about it. I applaud Snyder.

Yeah I think it's a good move. First this foundation is going to help people that truly need it and at the same time it will likely increase the acceptance of the team name among Native Americans. It's widely accepted now but improving that acceptance even more will help.

 

[TobiasFunke]

Can't believe you guys are buying Snyder's incredibly transparent load of BS.

If he cared he would have done this a long time ago. It couldn't be more obvious that he's simply trying to buy his way out of a bad spot rather than address it on principle. If people give him a pass because of this it amounts to saying that it's OK for people to be wrong or offensive as long as they're rich.

If he wanted to address it on principle he would have called it the "Original Redskins" foundation and would have referred to the people he's helping as "Redskins" instead of "native Americans" in the letter. Says a lot that he's not willing to do so.

 

[RGIII HTTR]

Thought it was a nice and good letter. A person can easily say that his motivation for doing this is questionable, but if the result is truly positive and makes an impact then who cares why it was started. I think if Daniel Snyder wasn't so disliked for past instances, this type of thing would be taken and run with by such an over whelming positive media storm. Unfortunately, it's left as a "we'll forget this type of thing" and just bash him and how dysfunctional he and his Redskins organization is (ie. Sally Jenkins, Mike Wise, etc, etc...).

 

[Pumpnick]

Think reed will be a huge part of the offense this year ?

 

[MattFancy]

Think reed will be a huge part of the offense this year ?

If he stays healthy, sure. Not like there are a ton of other options in the passing game outside of Garcon and Roberts.

 

[TobiasFunke]

Thought it was a nice and good letter. A person can easily say that his motivation for doing this is questionable, but if the result is truly positive and makes an impact then who cares why it was started. I think if Daniel Snyder wasn't so disliked for past instances, this type of thing would be taken and run with by such an over whelming positive media storm. Unfortunately, it's left as a "we'll forget this type of thing" and just bash him and how dysfunctional he and his Redskins organization is (ie. Sally Jenkins, Mike Wise, etc, etc...).

Yes, it's great that he's giving money to charity, the end result of that is a good thing. But it doesn't change anything. The name should still be changed, and he's still a huge ###hole. Perhaps more so- he's obviously using his money to as a shield, which is a weasel move. It's pretty telling that he (1) didn't do this until now, (2) made a point of telling you just how bad the Native American community has it to heighten your sympathy, and (3) made a laundry list of every little thing he's doing.

Calling his motivation for doing this "questionable" is like saying my motivation for talking up a hot bimbo at the bar is "questionable." It's as transparent as can be. I'm trying to #### the hot bimbo, and Snyder is trying to buy good will.

 

[pablito]

Can't believe you guys are buying Snyder's incredibly transparent load of BS.

If he cared he would have done this a long time ago. It couldn't be more obvious that he's simply trying to buy his way out of a bad spot rather than address it on principle. If people give him a pass because of this it amounts to saying that it's OK for people to be wrong or offensive as long as they're rich.

If he wanted to address it on principle he would have called it the "Original Redskins" foundation and would have referred to the people he's helping as "Redskins" instead of "native Americans" in the letter. Says a lot that he's not willing to do so.

I prefer to think that people can change and grow. If he's trying to help and/or make amends, then I say more power to him regardless of the motivation.

 

[TobiasFunke]

Can't believe you guys are buying Snyder's incredibly transparent load of BS.

If he cared he would have done this a long time ago. It couldn't be more obvious that he's simply trying to buy his way out of a bad spot rather than address it on principle. If people give him a pass because of this it amounts to saying that it's OK for people to be wrong or offensive as long as they're rich.

If he wanted to address it on principle he would have called it the "Original Redskins" foundation and would have referred to the people he's helping as "Redskins" instead of "native Americans" in the letter. Says a lot that he's not willing to do so.

I prefer to think that people can change and grow. If he's trying to help and/or make amends, then I say more power to him regardless of the motivation.

I'm a little surprised that some people can be so easily bought and manipulated. You don't find it odd that he felt the need to announce these measures in a mass letter sent directly to football fans instead of announcing it quietly though a spokesman, or at a forum on the subject, or not at all, like most philanthropists would do?

 

[pablito]

Have it your way. He's doing something good for some down-trodden poeple and I will not fault him for it.

 

[TobiasFunke]

Have it your way. He's doing something good for some down-trodden poeple and I will not fault him for it.

I'm not faulting him for it either. It's great that he's doing this- would have been a lot greater if he'd done it 15 years ago to help stem some of the problems he lists, but better late and with weak motivation than never.

I'm just amazed that people are buying what he's shoveling. It's laughably transparent.

 

[TobiasFunke]

This was my favorite part:

Because I’m so serious about the importance of this cause, I began our efforts quietly and respectfully, away from the spotlight, to learn and take direction from the Tribal leaders themselves.

"I began our efforts quietly and respectfully. Now, let me tell you about those efforts in great details in an unsolicited mass email that will be sent to hundreds of thousands of people and reprinted everywhere for millions to read."

 

[dgreen]

Have it your way. He's doing something good for some down-trodden poeple and I will not fault him for it.

I'm not faulting him for it either. It's great that he's doing this...

I understand his motivations are in question. His past brings a lot of legit skepticism.

But, given that we think his current efforts are a good thing, how do you go about advertising a new charitable organization that you are starting (which I'm assuming we all agree it's good to advertise a new charitable organization)? Is there any way he could have started and advertised this organization without people assuming he's shoveling something?

 

[dehaven123]

This was my favorite part:

Because I’m so serious about the importance of this cause, I began our efforts quietly and respectfully, away from the spotlight, to learn and take direction from the Tribal leaders themselves.

"I began our efforts quietly and respectfully. Now, let me tell you about those efforts in great details in an unsolicited mass email that will be sent to hundreds of thousands of people and reprinted everywhere for millions to read."

personally, i think your cynicism is reasonable.

he will always be fighting an uphill battle against people who think similarly as you.

'damned if you do, damned if you dont' kind of thing.

 

[dehaven123]

Think reed will be a huge part of the offense this year ?

without a doubt. big dynasty buy imo.

assuming the concussion issues abate, watch out.

 

[TobiasFunke]

Have it your way. He's doing something good for some down-trodden poeple and I will not fault him for it.

I'm not faulting him for it either. It's great that he's doing this...

I understand his motivations are in question. His past brings a lot of legit skepticism.

But, given that we think his current efforts are a good thing, how do you go about advertising a new charitable organization that you are starting (which I'm assuming we all agree it's good to advertise a new charitable organization)? Is there any way he could have started and advertised this organization without people assuming he's shoveling something?

How about alerting philanthropic organizations and people interested in similar causes instead of football fans?

Maybe he did that, I don't know. But blasting out a mass email to football fans talking about what a wonderful person you are for helping these miserable people is pretty transparent and a little silly. And judging by this thread it's having the desired affect- look at how many people are conflating these efforts with the name issue. For example, from MattFancy:

He's going to be doing more for Native Americans than those that are calling for the team to change the name.

Well yeah, no ####. He's obscenely wealthy to the point where this effort will not impact his lifestyle at all- the only possible impact that would affect him in that way is negative PR associated with the name that he's trying to shield himself from with money. If the name is bad, this doesn't make it OK. If for example Kramer donated money to the NAACP after his infamous rant, it would be a nice gesture but it wouldn't make what he said any less terrible.

Or another one from RGIIIHTTR:

Unfortunately, it's left as a "we'll forget this type of thing" and just bash him and how dysfunctional he and his Redskins organization is (ie. Sally Jenkins, Mike Wise, etc, etc...).

Why should being charitable (only after bad press, but whatever) shield him for the many terrible things he's done as the owner of the Skins? I bet every sports owner in America is charitable. It's easy to be charitable when you're a billionaire.

 

[Faust]

NFL Draft Needs: Redskins

 

[fatness]

Anyone want to talk football instead of football team names?

 

[fatness]

1. The salary cap penalty remained an issue. The Redskins could only spend a little bit the past two offseasons because of the salary-cap penalties. They had around $30 million to spend, but that was before they franchised linebacker Brian Orakpo. And they needed to fill many holes that they could not do in 2012 and '13.

“There's clearly a ripple effect,” Allen said. “The teams that had a lot of cap room this year carried cap room over from previous years. Could Perry [Riley] or [brian] Orakpo and DeAngelo [Hall] have been signed a year ago? Yeah, probably. But that's in the rear view mirror as well. We're dealing. ... It's not an excuse.”

But because of the cap problems, the Redskins needed to build depth in certain areas and find starters elsewhere. They were not a player or two from a complete roster.

“We were clearly not in position to put all of our eggs in one basket,” Allen said, “and the way we approached it and are continuing to -- free agency will end in July -- and there will be a new wave of players getting released after the draft. In saying that, we were able to identify the guys that we could fit into this year's cap, allow our young players on our roster to still grow and develop.”

2. One agent said Allen likes to “slow-play” negotiations. Allen said that's not true in every case, but the fact that they needed so many players caused them to be more disciplined and conservative on some contracts.

“Each negotiation is unique. You can't have one style because every player is different and every agent is different. There are some people we've done more deals with that go quicker and then others [don't]. ...

"Once again, we weren't looking for one or two players. If we're looking for one player or two players I'd imagine negotiations would have gone very quick.”

3. They are well aware of contracts coming up in the next several seasons, including left tackle Trent Williams, quarterback Robert Griffin III, linebacker Ryan Kerrigan and running back Alfred Morris.

http://espn.go.com/blog/washington-redskins/post/_/id/6407/redskins-limited-by-cap-issue-future-deals?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

 

[fatness]

The Washington Redskins haven't abandoned their desire to sign Kenny Britt. They're just waiting for him to make up his mind, a team source said Tuesday.

Britt, the talented wide receiver whose career has been marked by off-field issues and a major knee injury, also reportedly has visited Carolina, St. Louis, Buffalo and New England. But Patriots owner Robert Kraft reportedly said New England would not sign Britt.

That would leave the other four teams in the hunt for his services. Britt told Buffalo reporters Friday that he hoped to make his mind up over the weekend. Clearly, that didn't happen. His agent, Pat Dye, told Fox Sports 1 reporter Alex Marvez that they were looking for a short-term deal.

http://espn.go.com/blog/washington-redskins/post/_/id/6420/redskins-remain-interested-in-britt?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

 

[TobiasFunke]

Anyone want to talk football instead of football team names?

Come on. It's a Tuesday in late March, more than two weeks since the start of free agency and a month away from a draft in which the Skins don't have a first-round pick. No reason to get snippy about discussion of what is clearly the #1 subject surrounding the team at the moment.

 

[RGIII HTTR]

Thought it was a nice and good letter. A person can easily say that his motivation for doing this is questionable, but if the result is truly positive and makes an impact then who cares why it was started. I think if Daniel Snyder wasn't so disliked for past instances, this type of thing would be taken and run with by such an over whelming positive media storm. Unfortunately, it's left as a "we'll forget this type of thing" and just bash him and how dysfunctional he and his Redskins organization is (ie. Sally Jenkins, Mike Wise, etc, etc...).

Yes, it's great that he's giving money to charity, the end result of that is a good thing. But it doesn't change anything. The name should still be changed, and he's still a huge ###hole. Perhaps more so- he's obviously using his money to as a shield, which is a weasel move. It's pretty telling that he (1) didn't do this until now, (2) made a point of telling you just how bad the Native American community has it to heighten your sympathy, and (3) made a laundry list of every little thing he's doing.

Calling his motivation for doing this "questionable" is like saying my motivation for talking up a hot bimbo at the bar is "questionable." It's as transparent as can be. I'm trying to #### the hot bimbo, and Snyder is trying to buy good will.

I know I'm guilty of it, sometimes we need certain events in life to change our perspective. This creates an opportunity to think "out of the box" and although I have no knowledge of it, my thinking it what has been occurring with him and the organization in general. The media bandwagon has jumped on him and in his hearts (for many reasons, good or not) he believes in keeping the name. It is naive to think PR is not attached to it and in this day of coverage, that has to be taken into all that is done. Social Media and the instant spread of information or misinformation makes everyone re-think how a correspondence should or what is included. I'm not defending him, but after all the blasting he's taken from Sally Jenkins, Mike Wise and everyone else...him/organization putting together a list of what they are doing seems at minimum to be reasonable. Don't have to like it, but it surely is reasonable.

Again, regardless of the motivation...at least some unfortunate people will benefit from it. Oh and yes, before you or anyone else goes there...Daniel Snyder and the Redskins organization will be able to claim it on the taxes (charity giving) too.

 

[fatness]

Anyone want to talk football instead of football team names?

Come on. It's a Tuesday in late March, more than two weeks since the start of free agency and a month away from a draft in which the Skins don't have a first-round pick. No reason to get snippy about discussion of what is clearly the #1 subject surrounding the team at the moment.

Tobias, one person here is snippy lately. You. Sorry I want to talk football and to ruin your day. There's a FFA thread on the Redskins name, isn't there? I care about the team, not the name.

 

[dgreen]

To talk some football...

One of my sons is playing flag football this Spring in an NFL Play 60 league. He got on the Washington Redskins team . This Saturday is the "opening ceremonies", whatever that means. I know he'll have a scrimmage and there will be other activities. Fred Smoot and either Santana Moss or Ryan Kerrigan is supposed to be there. I've been informed that they league organizers are trying to get Griffin to make an appearance during the season.

 

[RGIII HTTR]

When my older son was younger, he was placed on a team call the "Cowboys." He turned to me with a befuddled look and said, "Dad, is it okay if we play on the cowboys?" I told him, as long as they don't put "Dallas" in front of it, we should be okay. He then agreed and made sure to wear something of the Redskins at each practice during the entire season.

 

[dehaven123]

When my older son was younger, he was placed on a team call the "Cowboys." He turned to me with a befuddled look and said, "Dad, is it okay if we play on the cowboys?" I told him, as long as they don't put "Dallas" in front of it, we should be okay. He then agreed and made sure to wear something of the Redskins at each practice during the entire season.

that's a good little story and good for him, too.

 

[TobiasFunke]

Anyone want to talk football instead of football team names?

Come on. It's a Tuesday in late March, more than two weeks since the start of free agency and a month away from a draft in which the Skins don't have a first-round pick. No reason to get snippy about discussion of what is clearly the #1 subject surrounding the team at the moment.

Tobias, one person here is snippy lately. You. Sorry I want to talk football and to ruin your day. There's a FFA thread on the Redskins name, isn't there? I care about the team, not the name.

I'm sorry- which of us was complaining about the direction of the conversation? Pretty sure it wasn't me.

I have absolutely no problem doing both. Talk all the football you want. And FWIW I wasn't the person that introduced the topic to this thread. That was several other people who, like me, are fans of the team and wanted to discuss the owner's recent move, one that was clearly done with an eye on the future of the organization. If it wasn't he wouldn't have sent his email to ticket buyers like me. There's room to discuss both here- like I said it's pretty much the slowest time of year.