What Does Your Soul Look Like?

Way back in August, I kicked off this blog with the full disclosure that I was not, nor had ever been, a Redskins fan. Guess what: I'm still not.

Oh, it's not for lack of trying, believe me. I've lived in D.C. for ten years. I'm a rabid Nationals fan and have always been an NFL fan. When Ben invited me to join this blog, I figured it would be a great way to immerse myself in the team and its history, providing that needed spark to my newfound fandom. Here we are in Week 8 of the season, and I'm still waiting for that spark. I've watched every minute of every game, read the other Redskins blogs every day, and kept abreast of the saturation MSM coverage of the team. After all this, I 'm just as far from becoming a Redskins fan as I ever was. I'm not alone, either. I talk to lots of D.C. area football fans whose opinion on the Skins ranges from indifference to disgust. But still, so many people are so into this team; those of us on the outside looking in must be missing something, right?

I dunno. All I know is that I'm still having a hard time caring about the Redskins. Here's why:

Dan Snyder: 7 years, 4 coaches, umpteen free agent "saviors" and one owner. One is not only the loneliest number but the common denominator throughout the entire time I've been even peripherally aware of the team. It's not just that he meddles in player affairs and discards coaches- it's the odd, distasteful aloofness that embodies his public persona. The Redskins' owner, in my view, is ultimately responsible for alienating both existing and would-be fans. I've talked to people who used to be huge fans who've dropped the team and vow not to return until Snyder is gone.

It's not uncommon for fans to dislike owners, but the contempt for Snyder is visceral and stunning. It reminds me of Bengals fans' hatred of Mike Brown during the '90s. Of course, Brown hired Marvin Lewis and faded into the background, and now you scarcely hear his name. Snyder needs to do the same thing: hire a proven football guy to play the GM role, then disappear completely. Has there ever been an owner who successfully meddled in on-field matters?

The Revolving Door: The Redskins are the ultimate here today, gone tomorrow sports franchise. The minute things look sour, the coach is fired, the quarterback is benched, Gatorade is replaced with Powerade and Reebok for Nike. The team's NFL draft picks are viewed not as opportunities to acquire future talent but as trade bait for other teams' free agents. Other teams' GMs must love it when the 202 area code shows up on the caller ID in April; they know it's time for the Redskins' annual 2nd round pick giveaway.

Snyder's Redskins teams are collections of mercenary free agents led by the Next Big Thing in NFL head coaching. Troy Aikman said it best in the waning moments of last week's broadcast- the Redskins have no role players, just a bunch of guys who all want the ball. When a team builds through the draft, a sense of team develops that simply can't be bought on the open market. These are the kinds of teams that in the Lombardi Trophy each year. The Yankee Way doesn't work in the NFL.

Joe Gibbs: Now it's time to ask ourselves the tough question: what value does Joe Gibbs add to this franchise other than to remind fans of the halcyon days of yesteryear? He neither designs nor calls the plays. Whenever I see him on the sidelines he's simply standing there, expressionless, occasionally muttering into the headset. If he's not going to be the general who leads the troops, he should at least be the fife and drum corps. But Gibbs appears to have no capacity to emotionally lead this team. There is a time for stoic resolve, but when your team is 2-6 it's time to start throwing the clipboard and getting in some guys' faces. Maybe he could have started last Sunday with Santana Moss or Derrick Frost. Gibbs just stood there, arms folded across the chest, dreaming of Talladega.

Those are the three big reasons why I can't care about the Redskins this year. Note that I wrote nothing about running the ball more, the need for downfield passing or the need for the secondary to step up. Those problems are all incidental- the obstacles to the success of the franchise are institutional. It's not that the team doesn't have talent; there is plenty of that. The Redskins will not be a compelling football team again until they develop a soul on which to hang that talent. Halloween is upon us, but that soul is nowhere in sight.