I Miss the Old Dan
It is definitely official. I like the old Dan Snyder better. I started this blog in July of last year, and if I had any idea that Dan would get some common sense, I’m not sure I’d have bothered. In the old days, a blogger could count on pickups like Bruce Smith and Deion Sanders to give us days worth of stuff to talk about. The old Dan would overpay for the right to dump Champ Bailey and we could moan for a week.
If you are anyone but a blogger you have to be pleasantly surprised by the fact that the only guy we’ve brought in so far is DJ Hackett. The Redskins are being patient and letting the market come to them like champions do, and keeping their draft picks to help build depth. Anyone who watched the way the Giants took a good but not great team and turned it into a champion with a great draft has to look at the Redskins and think they have the potential to do the same thing.
But yawn. What can I write about until the draft? Should I spread rumors about that really hot Chidi Iwuoma rumor? Are we going to sign Bhawoh Jue next?
Look, I’m not really complaining. I’m thrilled Dan has learned some lessons. But there really is a funny “you asked for it” moment here as a fan. As someone who prides himself on trying to be objective about analysis, I shun the concept of the “marquis signing” or the “big splash.” As a fan, I can’t say I haven’t gotten really used to it. I realize now why owners feel a need to do these kinds of deals. If someone who worships at the mountain of the Football Outsiders and drafting over free agency can get antsy, what about the other half of the coin?
Anyway, I don’t have anything overwhelmingly interesting to say. I just wanted to say I’m proud of where we’re going, and wanted to take your pulse. What do you think, guys? Are we moving in the right direction or are we just boring?
-DW
It’s not an either-or situation. We’re moving in the right direction AND we’re really boring. I can’t think of a single team that went crazy in free agency that I’m jealous of. This season especially, there were a lot of overpriced duds out there. If the eagles had landed Randy Moss, I’d have been jealous, but they didn’t. I really think we’re doing the right thing, and I’m falling asleep while we do it. It’s a sad state of affairs when you’re getting really excited about possibly signing DJ Hackett, and I was very happy to see us retain the Rock, mostly because it’s showing that we value our team players. But really, *yawn* says it all. Wake me when it’s draft time.
March 13th, 2008 at 12:46 pmDon’t you guys have basically no cap room?
March 13th, 2008 at 2:45 pmNope. We have over seven million in cap space. And that’s after we re-signed Rock Cartwright. The media loves to make a huge deal about how over the cap we are, every year. And every year we re-write contracts and we’re just fine.
March 13th, 2008 at 3:40 pmAs of March 12th, we have "7.7 million cap space IN ADDITION to having set aside money to sign their pick in the upcoming draft and additional players during the season, if needed, because of injuries." http://blog.washingtonpost.com/redskinsinsider/
March 13th, 2008 at 3:46 pmThis is one of the more shocking blogs I have read from you yet. First off, where the heck have you been? I was worried about you, little love dove. What is shocking is that you expect Danny to continue making the big flops. It is hilarious that you bring up Deoin Sanders because boy did he pull one on you guys. Bruce Smith? Dave, really? You know the Skins have no cap room because of his silly moves last year that really didn’t help the team a whole lot, because the offense was pretty weak (no touchdown to a wideout until week 8???). Finally, fate has hit the Skins and it might actually help them. Danny’s purse strings are tied, and you actually have to build chemistry around the players you have, who got you into the playoffs. But wait. Instead of ridding players and snagging free agents, he fired his entire coaching staff. It’s 100 percent horrible ownership, Dave. Get to the juice of the argument, and for once, pound your owner for being a piece of crap.
March 13th, 2008 at 3:51 pmReading deeper into your post, I see what you are saying. You complain in one way and then also say it is about time.I don’t know Dave….the Redskins could surprise again.
March 13th, 2008 at 4:25 pmUh…we have more cap room than the Cowboys, Landry. Also, Dave has a giant man-crush on Deion Sanders. I will NEVER understand it, but it is what it is.
March 13th, 2008 at 7:29 pmI think what Dave is saying is that we used to have the most exciting offseasons. And we did. And everyone would talk about how strong we were looking. And then we’d flop. The off-season was our highlight of the year. Now that we’re using some amount of caution before blowing all our cap on overage veterans, it makes for a much less exciting off-season. It’s GOOD for the Redskins, but it’s also boring after so many exciting off-seasons of the past.
March 13th, 2008 at 7:31 pmWHat, are you his freaking spokesman? Get outta here!!! It’s like you follow me everywhere I go on these forums!!!! Weird!Secondly, I am banning your Redskins Guy name on the landry hat. You must use gehenna.
March 14th, 2008 at 11:42 amI had three comments on this post before you did. I think, technically speaking, that YOU followed ME here Landry. Get it straight.
March 14th, 2008 at 3:35 pmWhy should you ban my name? What the hell?
March 14th, 2008 at 7:35 pm