Why not? This topic has been on my mind too. My alternative title for this entry was Redskins Wars To Be Good Again: Shanahan The New Hope, but I don't know if that would have gone over as well. I am optimistic about this move to hire Shanahan, although I was doubtful about how good he would be during midseason when I first heard potential rumors about it (and as Alex will say, he called this early in the season).
Snyder has made plenty of coaching hire splashes. Marty Schottenheimer, who was fired after 1 season (and should have been kept. He went 8-8 after starting 0-5, is a proven winner, and would have been better than any of the coaching hires after. Just a stupid firing in general). He was fired to lead to Steve Spurrier, the big disaster of great, failed potential. Then there was Joe Gibbs, who was just too old for the game but excited everyone because well, it's Joe Gibbs! And uh, Jim Zorn was never a good idea. I also learned today that Zorn was 54 when he was hired. I thought the dude was in his 40s. So he was inexperienced AND old; what the f was Snyder thinking?
Now Shanahan has some caution flags. He might be too powerful with personnel decisions and might not be that good at it. He's older, sure. He had his best days with Elway in the late 90s. BUT, here are the positives.
Unlike Gibbs, Shanahan is only a year removed from his coaching, where he was fired in a way where he needs to prove himself again. He spent the year studying game tape in his own office, visiting training camps to get new ideas on what would work best on the field (he's considering 3-4), and he still knows the current game. Gibbs was stuck in an 80s era, bless his heart.
Another problem with this decade has been the involvement of Snyder/Cerrato in GM decisions, leading to huge contracts for an old Bruce Smith, Adam Archuleta, Jeff George over Brad Johnson, picking three receivers in the 2nd round instead of seeking OL help, throwing players like Campbell under the bus, the latest huge contract for Haynesworth, etc. Cerrato is now gone (he was also gone for Marty's one year. Interesting), and Snyder seems to be taking a step back, hiring a GM for his first time ever in Bruce Allen. Seems like Shanahan/Allen are running the show. For what it's worth, Shanahan only had two losing seasons. I can definitely, definitely live with that from my team's coach.
That's mainly it. I'm gonna stop writing now too. 10:42pm.
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