Well, Jim Fassel can always install the Ravens offensive system, as that's where he was last.

Daniel Snyder is a lot of things, but predictable ain't one of them, unless one means predictably unpredicatable. He probably has Tom Cruise hang around so Snyder can look normal by comparison.

As a dedicated Niners fan, I can verify that Mike Singletary got precisely zero interviews.

Can't say that I think Saunders is much of a loss...

I don't mind losing Saunders, but Jason Campbell does. Saunders is the first guy to work with Campbell for 2 years in a row since he started college.

In any case, what does Fassel bring to the table which is better than Williams, except an offensive background? Must the Redskins turn into the Raiders, only hiring HC's with offensive reputations?

I'm not saying Williams is a sure thing, but give the team some continuity, please, for all our sakes!

He's getting the 'Norv Turner Bump'. Won't be long before Rich Kotite gets a HC position.

I don't think I can stomach being a redskins fan if this friggin happens.

I will quit cold turkey.

That being said, I'm also quitting the NFL is the PAts win the superbowl.

3: I'm assuming that was a good thing from your perspective? Singletary seems to be fairly popular around here. Speaking of the Niners, navin is probably shouting "YES!" right now, in the hopes that Schwartz is available next year. Are there any vacancies left? Atlanta, Baltimore, Miami, and Washington were the only ones, right? I assume the organizations complied with the Rooney Rule (at least in form), but were there any minority candidates seriously considered? (Other than Caldwell, obviously.) In addition, Cameron was hired as Baltimore OC, if anyone's interested.

The link is broken, and the article does not seem to exist anymore. There is another article on the foxsports site (link below) about Jim Zorn being interviewed for the OC job, but only says that Fassel and Williams are the top candidates.

Maybe I don't know anything about football. Maybe I only know how I would run the team if real life was like Madden. But I wouldn't do this. Being a Redskins fan has been hard enough these last few years, and I'm not sure I could stomach this kind of move either. I see no reason for the team to change course--the Saunders/Williams combo worked well enough this year, and the similar Gibbs/Williams combo of 2005 was f~ing sweet.

So sure, if you can hire Cowher or Schottenhimer go for it, but failing those two, who's better than sticking with the guys they have? Who knows though, maybe they hire Fassel and win with him. I'm sure I'd come around, but I don't see that happening, only more misery and underachievement.

This linked article claims that "League and team sources said yesterday afternoon that they expected Fassel would get the job, but as of [today] the Redskins said they had no plans for a news conference making such an announcement."

re5
You say Redskins turn into Raiders. Might be ture, some team has to turn into Raiders because Raiders ending their losing streak in 2008. Raiders taking place of Colts and Patriots soon.

Snyder's Redskins have by all accounts been a cash cow for him.

They have perhaps turned the corner very recently on the player evaluation and acquisition front. They certainly survived an incredible slew of injuries this year and yet still made the playoffs b/c of some very, very surprising depth.

However, on the Coaching front, they continue to be an absolute circus.

Snyder bought the team in 1999, inheriting Norv Turner.

1999: Turner, 1-1 in playoffs as NFCE champ
2000: Turner fired at 7-6
2000: Interim coach Robiskie 1-2
2001: Marty, 8-8 (6.4 pythag wins)
2002: Spurrier, 7-9 (same 6.4 pythag!)
2003: Spurrier, 5-11
2004: Gibbs plus 999 coaches, 6-10
2005: Gibbs, 10-6
2006: Gibbs, adding the 1000th coach in Saunders, 5-11
2007: Gibbs, 9-7

So for all that flailing about in hiring, the most succesful coach under Snyder's ownership, indeed the only coach with a winning record, is the one he inherited, the lousy Norv Turner.

Color me completely disappointed with the Fassel choice. I thought Williams was the obvious choice, keeping Saunders to run the O. You'd get:
1. Continuity on both sides of the ball
2. A coach in Williams who showed a great ability to adapt his system this season -- ie., he's a learning person!!
3. Less conflict on offensive philosophy than you had w/ the Gibbs-Breaux vs. Saunders stuff.

I once worked for a very successful, completely self-made entrepreneur (like Snyder). He was brilliant at marketing and at certain aspects of ops, but he was an absolutely terrible judge of managerial talent. I wonder if there's some kind of connection there.

The WaPo was originally reporting that Fassel was a done deal, but they've changed their tune. Meanwhile, ESPN quotes a team source as denying that any offer has been made.

Part of this story is that apparently Snyder/Cerrato/whomever liked Fassel when they interviewed him in 2004 (presumably before they went with Gibbs), so I guess they only remembered that and not that he was awful as the Ravens OC.

In the abstract, I'm not sure replacing Saunders is a terrible idea. It became pretty clear that the Saunders offense required skils that Jason Campbell doesn't have right now, and also that it didn't make the best use of those skills Campbell does have. So I can see where the rationale for going with a new offensive system came from. But going with Fassel specifically...

Finally, I'll be curious as to what happens to the legion of assistants should Fassel/Zorn/whichever DC they hire comes in. The older Gibbs guys will most likely just retire/not look for a job, but what happens to Williams and Saunders? The dearth of HC openings this year means there hasn't been a ton of trickle-down to assistant openings. Plus, any job they take would likely be a large-to-massive pay cut. Any bets on whether Herm Edwards regrets not waiting to see what happened with Saunders?

Why are people so concerned regarding the Skins' offense? If history is any indication, they are always one offensive tackle injury away from mediocre, considering that Synder's big spending ways for free agents doesn't do much for depth. THAT is the team's biggest offensive liability, not who's calling the plays. If you can keep people off your QB and run the ball effectively, then you are likely to have offensive success. It doesn't take a genius to realize the value of line play.

About the Fassel experiment in Baltimore, he was fired in part because he couldn't undertake as much ownership over the unit as he would have liked. Billick wanted to have considerable input. Also, it's tough to be productive when your line is aging, your QB has a pitchfork in him that hinders his mobility and overall health, and the backup QB is Boller.

I'm considering withdrawing my support for the team under Snyder if this goes down. I've put up with 7 years of his BS, and have given him complete benefit of the doubt... this includes, "let's start Jeff George/I love Steve Spurrier/Fire Marty after he turns the team around...".

Thought Snyder had finally realized that he wasn't much of a football guy when he hired Gibbs 2.0 and stayed out of the way for the most part. It seems as if having to yield to Gibbs only fueled his desire to run the team and be seen as a football genius.

Snyder is convinced that having his friends around is best for the team. Hence the promotion of Vinny Cerrato, and also this move to put Fassel over Williams. At least I thought Snyder would let Williams coach for one year, and then if he goes 9-7 or fails to win a playoff game he could go and hire whomever he wanted. But no, he seems intent on just assuming the fan base is going to support him... even though his decision making skills rival those of Tom Cruise, who also is one of his friends or something.

I don't even buy that Snyder is a fan. If he was a football fan he'd realize the best direction for this team is probably not Jim Fassel.

It's an especially galling slap in the face to Williams due to the way the team came together in light of the adversity of Sean Taylor. Maybe that was mostly Gibbs, but Snyder has no leg to stand on with this hire...

re:7, 17

I would reconsider, if nothing else, for the fact that you'd have to buy new gear for your new team. That's quite a cramp on the wallet... :D

This sounds like a rumor that got out of hand and now the media knuckleheads are withdrawing the story.

I can't believe that anything Fassel has ever done, even making the Super Bowl in a very weak NFC in 2000, should elevate him above Williams in the candidacy.

I am pretty excited about Jim Schwartz still being on the board!

re: 16

Despite all the problems you listed with the Ravens offense, they happened to be well above average for the nine games immediately after Fassel was fired. For the 2006 season, Fassel was definitely part of the problem, and the offensive unit showed itself capable of being quite productive.

As a Cowboy fan I fully support this move.

Hiring Gregg Williams is dicier than people think. His tenure as HC in Buffalo was strange and disappointing.

His first year, 2001, was a wash, since the team was in the latter stages of Cap Hell. It was a blow-up-and-rebuild season, and everybody knew it. They went 3-13, terrible in all parts of the game. Nobody in the press, or anyone I knew, held it against Williams.

Year two of the Williams Era brought an early-season offensive explosion that settled into mediocrity and, later, crap. Remember when Bledsoe had that amazing half-season? This is it. The second half of the season, that offense was uglier than a shaved mule wearing lipstick. Averaged out over the full season, the offense was a little below average. The defense was a little better than the year before, but still in the bottom third. The team came in at 8-8. At the end of Year Two, Williams declined a contract extension, figuring that he would get a better deal next year at the end of his contract, when the team reached the playoffs.

Year three had a pretty dang good defense and a horrible offense. They went 6-10, and the sense in the Buffalo sports media was that Williams had lost the team.

His strengths are obvious from his tenure on the Redskins: he's a great defensive planner. He has preferred schemes, but he's smart enough and flexible enough to adapt them when situations call for it. Usually.

His weaknesses as a head coach in Buffalo were two. First, he had no experience in offensive playcalling, and his approach to it was, to be kind, poor. His OC in 2001 was a buddy of his who installed a pure, textbook West Coast Offense. Problem is, a pure WCO had been obsolete for at least five years, and defenses stopped 'em cold.

His OC in 2002-03 was Kevin Gilbride, the krazy guru. Gilbride's offense, notorious for its complexity and pass-wackiness, led to some deeply strange playcalling. Third-and-two was a passing down. Unfortunately, this offense also played to the best and worst tendencies in new QB Drew Bledsoe. When it worked, it was amazing, and when it didn't, it was a sick, sad joke. For one and a half of the two seasons, it didn't work. Calls to rein in Gilbride's stupidities, override the OC, and run the dang ball, something the team did decently well, didn't sway Williams. He left Kev to work his "magic." Why, I don't know. Maybe he was unsure and trusted Gilbride when Kev said he could turn it around. Maybe he refused to go back on his decision and figured it would turn around eventually.

That's troubling, but it isn't damning. He stunk at picking OCs and wasn't good at managing them. That may have changed over the last few years, and even if not, he may get lucky and end up with a good one anyway.

The other rap on Williams is that he's an egotistical hothead, and that his blustering style works really well in short doses and loses teams in the long run. From what I've read, he falls into that category that can be called "fiery competitor" or "insecure blustering little man" depending on your perspective. His tenure on the Redskins indicates that hasn't changed.

He could work out as a retread -- he may have learned a few things from his time in Buffalo and under Gibbs.

I wouldn't hire him for "continuity." That's how San Diego got Norved. I'd only hire him if I could be convinced that he'd learned to handle those not-insignificant weaknesses.

Yeah, I'm wordy.

23 - good insights. Don't necessarily agree with all your points but an excellent post. Question for you: Do you know how involved Williams was in the offense in Buffalo? Did he leave all offensive calls up to Gilbride?

RE: 13,

That pretty much matches my sentiment. I like the idea of retaining Williams, who has done a fine job with the defense this year. I'm not totally convinced Saunders is the answer at OC, but I'd give him at least one year of post-Gibbs tenure to see what he can do with Campbell. Either way, I don't like the Fassel hiring - I'd much prefer to go with a promising young coordinator than a re-tread, if we're choosing to hire from outside the current coaching staff.

RE: 23,

I fully believe you that Williams is a lousy play-caller and a poor evaluator of offensive coordinators. As long as he's separated from the offense (other than the go-for-it-on-fourth-or-not stuff) this shouldn't be a problem.

I don't see how the Norv hire relates to this. If San Diego was going with continuity (assuming they still got rid of Marty) their coach right now would be Wade Phillips.

Of course, the most important thing that needs to happen in Washington is an overhaul of their approach to the draft, free agency, and salary cap management.

Wade Phillips was gone when the Chargers fired Marty. So was Cam Cameron. Part of the selling point on the Norv hiring was that he was the one who installed the Chargers offense, so it would provide continuity. And Norv would presumably know how to use it.

The circus is definitely in town in DC!! WaPo's La Canfora, who is about as reliable in these things as can be, is reporting that people close to Williams say he is not the choice and at this point they're "not sure" he'd even take it the way he has been handled. Whatever that means.

Snyder truly is a floundering idiot when it comes to these things.

#23 - I think you completely miss the mark with your criticism of continuity by equating it with Norv. SD was in a terrible spot b/c they'd already lost both their OC and the DC when they got around to firing Marty, ans so they went with a guy who had failed as a HC in two full fledged opportunities, and whose reputation for offensive genius was for guiding an offense that included at least 4 future HOF players.

Gregg Williams hasn't coached a single future HOF player during his DC days in WAS, and yet he has produced outstanding D's in 3 out 4 years, and this year showed a great ability to adapt to his personnel instead of force fitting them to a doomed scheme. He's put together these outstanding defenses without really have much if any star talent on defense. I think in those 4 years, Sean Taylor made 2 pro bowls (only playing 1.3 seasons, Marcus Washington made 1 probowl, and Sean Springs was all-pro once. 4 seasons of coaching, and only 4 player-seasons recognized as outstanding. That's called coachin' em up.

I appreciate your comments on Williams' Buffalo tenure since I never saw them play (at least that I remember). Sounds like he was terrible w/ the O. I guess what I've seen of him in WAS is a clearly demonstrated ability to change his tactics and his style. In light of media stories of his being a jerk, I think it's notable that several defensive players have been outspoken in their support for him as HC. If they didn't like him, they could cut him down off the record, or just keep their mouths shut. London Fletcher-Baker followed him from Buffalo, so he couldn't be all bad.

Changing schemes on both sides of the ball would basically make next year a rebuilding year with zero chance of playoffs or further. This team has borderline playoff talent today, which isn't enough to overcome an overhaul of the coaching staff. The Gibbs Geezers should be shown the door, the staff should be reduced, and Williams and Saunders should be given a shot to show what they can do.

Yes, current rumours out of DC are 2-fold.
1) Snyder wanted to hire Fassel as HC, Zorn from Seattle as OC, and Rex Ryan from Baltimore as DC. Seattle and Baltimore don't want their assistants to leave or have contracts, and additionally Rex Ryan is saying he's not taking the job unless he is the Head Coach.
2) There are also rumours that Snyder is feeling the fan backlash in regards to Williams, especially if he hires re-tread Fassel.

As far as I see it Williams should be the only viable re-tread. At the very least Snyder could give him the job and then fire him the moment they reach 3 games under .500 or the moment they miss the playoffs, or even the moment they fail to win a playoff game. At least he'll give the guy a fighting chance.

Barring Williams I don't want to see Fassel, Carroll, or Mora Jr. even.

re12
Raiderjoe clearly best fan ever. Russel jipped for ROY and MVP. Brady not as good.

Next year Raiders beat Patriots record and go 20-0. Entire AFC Pro-bowl roster is Raiders, so it counts as extra game.

#29 - you forgot to mention that the the Raiders will be the first undefeated team to win in the wildcard round, so next season their record will be 21-0.

I figure if any team will be the first to do it, it'll be the raiders.

#29 - Brilliant

#30 - Is that because even after having a perfect record the leauge will still punish them wild card game? I think its a perfect punnishment for having to watch their games over the last couple of years ...

I think the Redskin fans are overreacting a bit. Fassel had a very successful run with the Giants. It appeared to me that Kyle Boller was making significant strides under Fassel's tutelage. The play calling problems in Baltimore were an example of 'too many cooks spoiling the soup.' If Snyder believes that the long term success of the team rests in the development of Jason Campbell then Fassel seems to be a logical choice.

anybody know why Russ Grimm isn't getting any face time?

#29 nice parody. He's my fav too ...

No No No. The Seahawk obviously will have a better record than the RAIDERS!!!

As a Philly fan the hiring of Fassel seems like a solid idea - not flashy but solid so I guess it won't happen! Re-treads can be successful and Fassel got the Giants to the Superbowl and is known for developing QBs. As for Wiliams / continuity I don't think it's going to happen, the Redskins appear to me to be a dysfunctional organisation held together by a HOF Coach, with him gone it's going to fall apart and I don't think Williams is strong enough to keep it together. Better to clean house now and start again rather than waste next year watching it fall apart.

What is this about Fassel being able to develop QBs? Maybe I'm just not familiar with his track record, but his QBs have been most recently Kerry Collins (who I'll admit he wrung a lot of use out of, but he himself was a retread) and Kyle Boller, who it sounds like everyone is about to give up on.

re33
Redskins probably know Grimm not going to be good coach

#29:

How does a team go 21-0 in 20 games (16 reg + 4 playoff)? I guess they could send every player on their roster to the Pro Bowl and win that, too.

so now the skins have hired Rip Torn to be their offensive coordinator... but they haven't even hired the HC yet!! I know Jerry Jones did this last year, but, seriously, you want to follow Jerry Jones' lead??

Oh, Danny, I sure wish I could quit you.

Good Grief!

Baltimore/ Washington er, Prince Georges County. Two cities, two coaching changes, two different zeitgeists! One rational, the other completely insane!

Ravens fire Billick, turn around and hire John Harbaugh - just like that. I would have liked it if the Ravens had kept Rex Ryan as DC, but nobody asked my opinion. Everything in Owings Mills is businesslike.

Gibbs 'resigns' and the situation deteriorates into a soap opera. This is (a) typical and (b) why the Prince Georges County Redskins suck.

- The Ravens have a good core of veterans and some young stars. They need to field a quarterback who can throw farther than ten yards ... whose name isn't Boller.

- The Redskins have a bunch of geezers on the field, year after year. It always tough when your best player is a dead guy (Sean Taylor). The Skins are always the slowest, stodgiest team on the field. The Redskins are the Whigs of the NFL.

- The Redskins' front office has been a mess since Bobby Beatheard left town. What Snyder knows about football can be etched on the head of a pin. The PG Skins will never win anything until Snyder either sells the team or hires a GM.

- The new GM needs to build on the draft and savvy, underrated free agents ... like the Patriots do - and the Gibbs I and Beatheard combo used to do in the 'glory years'!

- The Skins could have tried to sign Wes Welker and Randy Moss ... instead they are saddled with slug- like rejects such as Brandon Lloyd.

- Head coach, who cares? With the continuing trends in Redskin 'talent', Vince Lombardi back from the grave would wind up tearing his hair out in clumps. The names offered are not 'Lombardi'; Gregg "I Lost My Team in Buffalo' Williams, Pete Carroll (for Christ's sake!), Jim 'The Fossil' Fassel ... why not bring back Terry Robiskie?

- Any number of good YOUNG coaches are available; I like Ron Meeks and Rex Ryan, but not to forget Schottenheimer(s), Cowher (next year), and eventually ... Norv II.

- The PG Skins could save money by using a computer as 'Head Coach'. Run on first down (sideways, not toward the goal line), run again (sideways) if it's second and less than seven yards, pass (short, toward the sidelines) on third, punt on fourth. Click, click, click ...

I figure Ravens next year @ 8 - 8 with the playoffs in 2009.

Redskins @ 5 - 11 and looking for a new head coach ...

UPDATE: Saunders AND(!) Williams are out.

Greg Bla(n)che is the new DC.

So they've named an OC and a DC, but no actual HC???? How stupid is this?

I am officially no longer a skins fan. I'm just too rational a person to put myself through this kind of torment for any longer.

but that leaves me stuck. I now live on the WC and kinda fell for Marty's Chargers last year, but I cannot stand to root for another Norv coached team (once in a lifetime is enough, thx), so I literally didn't care about them at all this year.

I lived in NY for many many years and developed an affinity for the Gints (never rooted for them over WAS, but always liked to see them do well otherwise).

Can I convert myself to a Gints fan? Is it possible to rid yourself of boyhood and early adulthood bred fanboyism? I'm never moving back to DC, so this is kind of sensible move anyway, but what has sense got to do with being a fan. Where's Nick Hornby when I need him?

Carlos,
Hanging around in Football Outsiders land is a start. I feel the same way. This has been a tragic season for the Redskins defense... I couldn't envision Snyder breaking it all up (at least not the defensive side). He really is a dope. There's no difference between the Redskin and Cowboys owner.

It looks like its going to be Fassel, I think Snyder will interview the Giants DC (Spags...). Maybe I'll cool my feelings off when the season begins again, but I just can't believe there is such a foolish/cruel owner who will blow up a team after they make the playoffs like the Redskins did. Who would want to work for Snyder now? Let's review what he's done:
1) Mike Nolan, received vanilla ice cream from the owner because of his vanilla defenses.
2) Marty Schottenheimer turns around the team, is not given more control over personnel decisions. Is fired or forced his way out after going from 1-7 to 8-8.
3) Made comments about Laveraneus Coles watching Redskins game on a HDTV.
4) Feuded with Lavar Arrington, in hindsight Snyder's people were probably the ones leaking negative info on Arrington.
5) Gibbs era relatively uncontroversial I think.
6) Hired a coaching re-tread when there was a groomed under Gibbs coaching re-tread waiting on the staff. Apparently he did this because he didn't trust Gregg Williams or something or other... (maybe Williams didn't want to be a puppet).

Maybe it will not turned out to be too bad, and I'm not one who believes in turning on the home team... but I just don't like the way Snyder treats the people who work for him.

In another thread I posted: Norv must be a great coach, he lasted two [2] years in Oakland! Well he's even better!?! With the Snyder person as owner he posted a winning record! This is fantastic!!??! Then he manages to win two [2] playoff games with the Chargers. This is Hall of Fame stuff!!!!!!
Speaking of mules. On which end is the lipstick applied???

Speaking of floundering idiots. Who is ahead, Snyder or Blank. Blank on points because of Vick!

39,

Well Garrett worked out okay.

42,

"There’s no difference between the Redskin and Cowboys owner. "

Oh yes there is. Jerruh is way better.

3- Mike Singletary interviewed for the Baylor job, but quickly removed himself for consideration afterward.

Hiring an OC and a DC before the HC is nuts.

Jason La Canfora, Skins beat writer, has tossed out some idle speculation that the target may be Steve Marriucci. It's an interesting thought, and it doesn't stick in my craw like Fassel does.

Not into Fassel at all. Could live with Mariucci. But what about Josh McDaniels?

In the Snyder era we've had more than our share of retreads and celebrity hires -- so any young turk sounds good to me. And a young turk with Patriots pixie dust all over him sounds even better.

Maybe Snyder wants a bigger name than McDaniels, but is Fassel or Mariucci really the guy? McDaniels is a much sexier hire. No idea how he'd mesh with Zorn, or whatever, but I like the notion.