When did you realize? When were you altogether certain?
Kevin Sheehan recently asked guests Thom Loverro and Howard Gutman when did they realize Washington Commanders owner Daniel Snyder was going to be a problem. It made for an interesting discussion.
In my own case, a diehard fan since the 1969 season, I wish I could honestly proclaim it was early that I was absolutely certain he was trouble. But I can’t do that and be honest.
Yes, before his first season even began in 1999, when Mr. Snyder released GM Charley Casserly, I was disturbed. Yet, the team won the NFC East, Brad Johnson threw for 4,000 yards, and they won a playoff game, so I gave Snyder a reprieve.
When Mr. Snyder was signing several free agents (all beyond their prime) I again was uptight about his involvement in football matters. I excused Snyder to some degree because the team was 6-2 in the first half of that 2000 season. Then when the team folded going 2-6 in the second half, and he fired Norv Turner before the last two games of the season, I was again perturbed.
But the owner then hired Marty Schottenheimer, and I again offered him absolution. However, when he fired Marty and rehired Vinny Cerrato, I was aghast.
However, he hired Steve Spurrier, and I thought, “perhaps the Spurrier offense will be exciting and effective.” When it didn’t, I was absolutely certain Snyder could never get anything right. But then he hired Joe Gibbs (2.0). I loved Coach Joe, and believed in Coach Joe.
After four seasons of Coach Joe leading Washington to the playoffs twice, I felt the respectability to the franchise had returned, Yet, Mr. Snyder then first hired offensive and defensive coordinators, prohibiting a new head coach from hiring his own coordinators. That was the last straw for me. Sure enough, he had to settle for Jim Zorn and proceeded to make that situation a mockery stripping Zorn of play-calling in his second half and last season (2009).
Don’t know about you, but at that point, I had experienced enough that my mind was completely sealed on the matter. He confirmed my judgments by hiring Bruce Allen, whom I’d already learned not to trust following the Bucs down here in central Florida.
The frustrations with Washington ownership have continued over the last decade. There cannot be any truce, no pardon in my mind. Unlike in earlier years when good hires and some success on the field changed my opinion of the owner, if this 2022 team experiences great success, my assessment of the owner cannot possibly change.
How about you? When did you know for certain the Washington owner was bad news for the franchise?