My Annual Letter to Daniel Snyder

Dear Daniel Snyder,

This is the 2nd year that I am writing you a letter to address issues I consider important to my favorite NFL team - which you happen to own - The Washington Redskins. The last time was when the choice of who was going to succeed Joe Gibbs came up and the whole Jim Fassel debacle popped off. I was one of the fans unhappy about that "hire".

I am also unhappy about the way you didn't provide Jim Zorn with the support he needed in the way of an experienced offensive staff - - - but how could you have, when the "GM" in the building didn't know what the hell he was doing either?

THANK YOU for letting Vinny Cerrato go. I can't begin to tell you how 99.9% of Redskins fans rejoiced at that news.

STOP hiring GMs and coaches without embracing the Rooney Rule. Perhaps you really did "interview" Jerry Gray this year and Jim Caldwell last year, but the perception is that you are one of the full-of-shit owners who interviews minority candidates just because you have to. Not because you are racist, but because you "already know" who you want to hire and go do what you want. Yet somehow, we ended up with Jim Zorn as our coach last year? Be for real. I like Zorn, but everyone knew he wasn't ready to be a HC before being an OC. Why would you even put him in that position? Sheesh.

WHY won't you change the name of the team? Tradition isn't an excuse for bullshit or racism. And frankly, the word Redskins is both. Come on son. I know u didn't come up with it but at least do something to move the franchise forward. Pick a good new name and the people will love you.

FANTASY football isn't what you are supposed to be doing here. Haynesworth seemed like a good idea last offseason, so I'm not going to bring up old signings for spite. But we do need you not to go around only considering big name coaches for the job. Mike Shannahan and Bill Cowher do have Super Bowl rings, yes, and so did Joe Gibbs when you lured him back. But Norv Turner and Marvin Lewis were on your staffs and got away. Gregg Williams too. It's not always about flash. This isn't Dallas. DC fans actually know and understand the game of football. Older coaches are set in their ways. Find us someone young, hungry and READY to make it happen... Someone who's ran at least half of a team before would be great.

JIM Zorn... you owe him an apology. His temperament is PERFECT for that of an NFL head coach. But you cut the legs out from under him by REFUSING TO ADDRESS THE REAL ISSUES THE TEAM HAS - The offensive line. Bringing back Derrick Dockery plugged one of 3, perhaps 4 holes along the offensive line we knew of at the end of the 2008 season. Randy Thomas gets hurt all the time but you didn't replace him. Stephon Heyer isn't ready to be a full time starting OT, but you didn't replace him. We didn't see Chris Samuels' spinal thing coming but there's a "depth" thing you're supposed to have along the o-line and its crazy how this year we're signing random fatties off the street and castoffs from other teams to be able to field a team. GTFO of here with that.

THE DRAFT this coming April is very very very important. DO NOT FUCK IT UP BY DRAFTING A QUARTERBACK IN THE FIRST ROUND.

I understand Jimmy Clausen may be good and Sam Bradford has hype (he won't be shit in the in NFL, trust) but the Skins have Jason Campbell. Now, I'm not a JC fan, but in the 3rd quarter of this season, the random patchwork offensive line was able to keep him clean and guess what... he played like a starting NFL quarterback. But through 14 games he had been sacked 38 times? Get this man some friggin protection and don't start wasting our next two seasons with some young punk who may or may not pan out. Don't we have Colt Brennan too? See what he can do. My position on this is bouyed by the fact that if we make it through the 2010 season, QBs will be available. Kolb and Vick from Philly will both be free agents for example. And Jake Locker will enter the draft (better than Bradford) if you insist on starting over.

The only acceptable position for the Skins to draft in 2010's first round is OFFENSIVE TACKLE. Samuels may retire.

That means the acceptable position for us to draft in the 2nd round is ALSO OFFENSIVE LINE.

3rd round pick is gone from getting Jarmon in the supplemental draft. GOOD pick. He got hurt but he's going to be great with Orakpo on the other end and Haynesworth in between. I'm very excited about this next season. It took a long ass time but in one offseason, the D-Line went from liability to potential strength... USE THAT LESSON AND FIX THE OFFENSIVE LINE BEFORE I HAVE TO GO OFF. Thanks.

4th round - running back. Someone productive in college. Doesn't matter what school he went to.

5th round - linebacker depth.

GM - Thank you for hiring a real GM to run the team. Please let him run the team.


That's enough for now. I'd like to say that I'm so happy with Cerrato being gone, this letter took a totally different tone than if he was still around. Big changes have to be mad, especially in your own behavior, but at least we can see you aren't blind.

Finally - give JC a fair two year contract, let your ineffective friend Clinton Portis ride off into the sunset, and gives us a product on the field that will make me regret passing up those season tickets I put down a deposit for this year.

-Hail to the Redskins,
Dr Hak