Rick Snider: Redskins' circus is full of clowns
By: Rick Snider
Examiner Sports Columnist
October 20, 2009
There is a game going on at Redskins Park.
Owner Dan Snyder sent vice president Vinny Cerrato to strip coach Jim Zorn of playcalling power so the owner doesn’t look meddlesome. Cerrato wants Zorn to finish the season so fans don’t concentrate on him next. Zorn is trying to outlast everyone to keep a job he never should have been given or will ever receive again.
Meanwhile, the Redskins think the red zone is a red light district to be avoided. Washington may not win again unless Sherman Lewis’ new offense includes a play called B-9 for a bomb to Santana Moss. Lewis has zero chance of success. At least he has his job at the bingo hall to fall back upon.
It’s pure anarchy from fans to the front office. The Burgundy Revolution is about to dethrone the Redskins as Washington’s team. From 35,000 no shows to a large percentage wearing black to represent opposition to owner Dan Snyder to those chanting under the owner’s box for him to sell the team, it’s the most chaotic season locally since 2000.
It starts with skullduggery in Ashburn.
Snyder is trying not to scare off coaches Jon Gruden, Mike Shanahan or whomever’s desperate enough to take the job in January. Snyder is using Cerrato as the lead pawn rather than expose the owner to even more public ridicule for interfering. Sorry, it’s not working. Everyone can clearly see this is Snyder’s work.
Anyone believing the Redskins saying Zorn was OK with being emasculated is nuts. Zorn said he “complied” after strong urging from Cerrato. Forget the sanitized version by the team on Sunday night that Cerrato just wanted Zorn to be successful and the coach completely agreed with the move. That story should be labeled fiction.
However, Cerrato wants Zorn to stay as his shield. Wasn’t Zorn chosen by Cerrato? Wasn’t Cerrato the one who drafted three lousy second-rounders last season who all appear busts?
Snyder will likely dismiss Cerrato come season’s end. After all, Snyder nearly fired both Zorn and Cerrato after last season.
Zorn will endure anything to remain head coach or he would have forced Snyder to fire him rather than accept Lewis. It’s sad seeing such a nice person twisting in the wind like laundry on a Bronx clothesline.
And you wonder why the team can’t perform inside the three-ring circus.
It’s not like they’re short on clowns.
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more at TheRickSniderReport.com or e-mail rsnider@washingtonexaminer.com.
