Vision Quest: Give Me Spags!

It’s been well over a month since my last Vision Quest article. I admit that I have been in a funk with all things Redskin related. It was a hard season with brief moments of optimism. But I have to admit even the most fervent optimist had to be down at the way the Redskin season ended. It was not just the loss once again to Seattle after riding a 4 game winning streak into the playoffs. It was the realization that 2 of our young stars on defense Rogers (injury), McIntosh (Injury), will not be back with the Redskins in top form and Sean taylor will never come back being the victim of a senseless crime. And lastly, iIt was the sudden and shocking retirement of our coach Joe Gibbs.

Say what you want about Joe Gibbs, and many of us did just that during his 4 year return, no one could argue that the loved the Redskins and wanted to bring glory back to this franchise. He brought our team to the playoffs in 2 out of the 4 years he returned. In the 13 years he was gone the Redskins managed to get into the playoffs just once. On that basis alone his return was a success, or as much a success as anyone could hope for with this flawed organization.

At the end though it was time for Joe to go, He just could not coach at the level he wanted to. The death of Sean Taylor and the obvious coaching mistakes, especially the two timeout debacle against Buffalo weighed on his heart. Age was also taking a toll and the constant threat of his health deteriorating from his Diabetes. And the cold hard fact is the NFL Head Coaching gig is a young man’s game. The pressures and the constant round the clock schedule is just not meant for a 67 year old grandfather of six.

Unfortunately we had to say goodbye to Joe and this was the day I was dreading for several years. Sure Joe’s coaching talents had waned in the final days, but his mere stature and legendary presence was all that was preventing the manipulative and incompetent hands of owner Daniel Snyder and lackey Vinny Cerrato from taking over the franchise in every way, shape, & form. Coach Gibbs was the thumb in the dyke of incompetence and not that water is flowing freely, and we are drowning in it.

Look at what has happened in the last month during this coaching search. First there was the press conference where Snyder all but ruled out ever getting a GM with his now infamous “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it” routine. Then there was the promotion of Vinny Cerrato to vice president and de-facto general manager. As if that was not bad enough a poorly worded press release revealed that Vinny would be given “roster” control. The Redskins quickly issued a clarification on the subject however it remains to be seen whether that clarification was only meant to detract from the immediate negative reaction that such a duty would be given to anyone other then the head coach.

Though Gregg Williams, the Assistant Head Coach Defense, was widely thought to be the front runner and heir apparent, he was eventually passed over. Though that made this blogger personally happy, as I do not hold Williams in as high esteem as some Redskin Fans, the way in which the matter was handled. Snyder had 3-4 interviews (depending on what you believe) to determine whether someone who has already been in the organization for the last 4 years. Finally after several “leaks” indicating possible reasons (Williams was arrogant, disrespected Gibbs) the redskins would not hire Gibbs they finally decided to release Williams from his contract and officially deny the leaks from earlier.

Then there was the Mora & Fassel mess that was in the middle of the Williams mess. That is right we are so incompetent that we can actually balance 3 head coaching messes at the same time. Widespread rumors were abound that the Redskins were going to offer Jim Mora Jr. the HC spot. So widespread were the rumors that Mora felt he had to officially withdraw his name from the process to avid confusion. And then it looked as if Jim Fassel was going to be hired, so much so we were talking to his 2 top choices for OC (Jim Zorn) and DC (Rex Ryan). But when the latter seemed to fall through, so did Fassel’s candidacy, apparently.

But hold the phone, because flash forward a week and Jim Zorn was hired anyways to offensive coordinator and Greg Blache was promoted to defensive coordinator. Al Saunders and Gregg Williams were dismissed and the only thing that could come next would be a head coach signing…yet the Redskins announced that they would wait until after the Super Bowl to decide, a full two weeks later. Then rumors went to Steve Mariucci who just happened to have a contract ending with the NFL network after the Super Bowl and wanted to return to coaching, and just interviewed last Sunday.

And thrown away in all of this is Jim Schwartz (DC Tennessee) and Ron Meeks (DC Indianapolis) who were also interviewed by the brain trust that is Snyderrato (not my term but an apt description of the amorphous 2-headed form that now runs the Redskins). Bill Cowher was wooed both publicly and privately. Pete Carroll was brought in for nine hours before he then declined to be interviewed.

So among all those names who do I want to be the next HC of my beloved but troubled football team?

None of them. Give me Spags.

Steve Spagnuolo, defensive coordinator of the Super Bowl XLII Champion NY Giants, is simply the best choice to launch a new era for the Washington Redskins. I admit this is largely in reaction to his Super Bowl performance, as I had reluctantly been for Mariucci before this column. Yet, the more I analyze this move, the more In hope that after his interview on Tuesday he will be announced as a member of the Burgundy and gold family. And here are just a few reasons why:

Spagnuolo is the hot assistant HC in the NFL. Just for once I would like to be ahead of the NFL then reacting from behind. No I know we have been burned here before, yes Norv I am looking at you. Yet this is different. Spags is a player’s coach but also a tough SOB. He knows what to expect from his players and pushes them to excel. We need that with the talented yet underproductive players we have on contract here.

His biggest asset is our biggest need. Spags understands that winning football games starts on the line, especially the defensive line. Sure he had talent, but Usi and Tuck were there last year and did nothing before Spags came on board. The Giants leapfrogged to the best sacking team in the NFL from one of the worst in just one year. Our defensive line needs a makeover and a HC who understands that.

He understands the importance of developing a young QB. Sure he is a defensive coach, but he saw the growing process of Eli Manning this year. The NY Fans were ready to kill him as late as 7 weeks ago. However he witnessed what can be done when you give a young QB the freedom to grow and learn; sometimes they rise to the challenge. Jason Campbell will benefit from that more then anything.

The game and season is not over until it’s over. Spags was the leader of the defense that not only won the Super Bowl for the Giants, but got them into the playoffs and through the playoffs as well. This is despite being on the road the entire time. This despite playing icons like Romo, Favre, and Brady. It was the defense that bottled up Dallas. It was the defense that got the interception to set up the game winning FG in Green Bay, and it was the defense that held the record setting Patriot offense to 14 points. I want the guy in charge of that defense to be in charge of our team.

Addition by subtraction. I admit it; I am scared of the looming problem that is the NY Giants. They are relatively young and Eli Manning is blossoming. Taking away one of their best assistants will not only give us insight to their organization but perhaps hurt them as well. And since Spags started his NFL coaching career as an intern to the Washington GM office in 1983, let’s bring him back home.

He has a history of not choosing assistants. Spags inherited the entire defensive staff and many veterans when he became DC of the Giants this year. He focused on making them better then on demanding wholesale changes. We need a HC who will do the same with the redskins if we hope to be competitive at all next year or beyond. Will changes be made eventually, probably, but with this late start this may be the best opportunity for Spags to step in and start picking up the pieces.

Danny and Vinny, I implore you not to let Spags leave Redskin Park without a contract offer tomorrow. The very future of our franchise depends on it.

Give us Spags!!!

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