What do you think of Daniel Snyder?

[Irn-Bru]

It's obvious where the media stands, just look at any ESPN article. But what I'm not so sure about is the status of the fans. The media always seems to indicate that fans don't like Snyder too much, usually by making fun of him for being rich (owning a private jet, his player strategy, etc.). I used to despise the guy, but to be honest I've really come around to liking him more and more as time has gone on. I don't see him as some evil overlord (anymore), but rather a younger guy that's just trying to win in this league--and one that will do whatever it takes to do so. In my opinion, that's deserving of my respect.

[GibbSkins]

i didnt like it when he bought the team ...i would have like to see it stay in the cook family..since that time snyders been trying to find his way...we kinda lost our tradition and identity...
talking gibbs into comeing back is not only the smartest thing danny has done to date but it brings back the tradition and identity that we've been missing and helps to pass the true heart and soul of the skins onto the next generations... bleeders of burgandy and gold....
plus dannys always been a fan of the skins he isnt trying to destroy the team he loves..and i would take an owners who isnt afraid to open his check book to get what we need..

[skinsfaninroanoke]

take a look at the first in a series of articles I am doing for this site - http://www.thehogs.net/content/main.php?id=265

This is from the reporters point of view - next batch - the fans pro and con, then hopefully - if they respond - the Skins point of view...

The fourth side to the story is the truth which will probably be all three sides in a mixture...

[redskinz4ever]

i was not sure what to expect from him when he purchsed the team and the past couple of years have been really painful all the coaches and awful personnel moves...but at last some hope has been restored,to this team that i love so much.coach gibbs being hired has giving me the trust i have been seaching for in this guy.i don't think he will be putting his nose where joe does not want it to be.in short i think dan has and will continue to grow as an owner.it sure will be sweet to get his first superbowl,hopefully within the joe gibbs time frame.REDSKINZ4EVER!!!!!

[Jake]

I didn't like Snyder when he bought the team. Him bringing in Joe Gibbs was something no other owner could do, so I have to give him credit for that. He didn't help his cause when he called me "sweety" when I got his signature in 2000, though.

[Magoo]

i love this question because it's the toughest question for any skins fan to answer.

he's been a poor caretaker of the most important non-work, non-family passion in my life since he bought the team. like you guys and gals, i've been gut sick over some of the yo-yo moves he's made - hire and fire and slash and burn. what's frustrating is that he's like your favorite crazy relavite who you've got to lock in the bedroom when your boss comes over for dinner - he's family now and we gotta love him because we can't leave him no matter how much he drives us crazy. he's young. he's wealthy. and he's not going anywhere in my lifetime. so hating on him is like hating on the sky for being blue . . . pointless.

but i do respect him even though i don't much like him. and that respect is one click away from genuine appreciation. i don't care if he delivers super bowls. i want a respectable team that is always in the hunt. super bowls will come. but i want a team to be proud of every single year. we've been nfl court jesters for the last four seasons, and i'm getting tired of being league clown-arounds.

i'm hoping he's finally decided to make that focus of his efforts because that's what we all need as fans - the last ten years have been just wicked lame.

and to that end, i love mr. snyder this year, he's been silent and let the coaches take center stage. and they have brought instant cred and repsect to our beloved team.

i'll leave on this note - without mr. snyder, what would we have to debate about? he's the single best off-season owner in all of pro-sports. he's turned the league upside down in the off-season - now if he could just get that same kind of consistency kickin' from september to january, we'd all be in hog heaven.

[JonC56]

The funny thing about snyder is, he picked the wrong sport. Imagine if he was the owner of the orioles. Without a salary cap he'd give stienbrenner a run for his money.

The thing about snyder is his intentions are always good, he's just trying to win and going about anyway he seems fit. Hopefully hes learned from his past failures(giving Gibbs total control was a good start).

[hailskins666]

i think he's at least trying to make all the right moves. but i want to see it all come together before i say i actually like him. don't get me wrong, i think there are way worse owners. but he's just got to continue to stay in the shadows like he has been these last couple months.

[Irn-Bru]

A lot more people are responding with "I've always loved him, from day one" than I really expected.

I'm a bit cautious to fully say that I love the guy, but even when Spurrier was here I was already warming up to him. I guess I feel like so many people around the country couldn't stand the guy (including Skins fans, or so it seemed), I had this obligation to give him my support as a fan.

And Jake, how could you NOT like Snyder after he called you "sweetie"?

[TopHawg]

Wehn he first came in he seemed to think he knew what he was doing when he didn't. As he learns and grows he gets better and better. Which is to be excpected. What I do like about him is that he always seems to do whatever he can to make this team a contender on paper. Which is a good first step but he could never quite make it a contender on the field. I think he finally figured out how to do that when he brought in Gibbs. Danny boi is just fan like you and me except he has the power to do what he wants. He has is own real life fantasy football team he just needs to learn to make the smart bet. I don't, however, like the way he's been known to treat the fans when he's said people can't walk to the stadium so that we have to pay for parking. Fortunately the courts said he can't do that anymore. Or when he charged to go see traning camp. Fortunately he ended that, or at least I think he did.

[riggofan]

You have to respect that D.S. obviously loves this team.

I don't really agree with the way he has chosen to operate the team and alot of the decisions he has made. But he could be worse, right?

[skinsfaninroanoke]

I keep saying - who would you rather have - Bidwell with a lot of money, no knowledge and who doesn't believe in spending on his team to try and keep it together, or Snyder who screwed up through a fans love of the team and way overspending for "stars" who he thought would aid the Skins - once he has figured out his mistake he has changed course and is moving in a different direction - and it is that change that convinces me he is going to be a really great owner eventually...

[Scooter]

I think the guy wants to win and loves the Redskins. He may have made mistakes - like Dieon - but he's entitled to make mistakes. Plus, it was Dan Snyder that brought Joe Gibbs back - nobody else saw it coming because they've bought into this *sh$t* about Snyder being stupid. Snyder was forced to chose between Norv and Casserly - he picked the wrong guy - so what! Things are turning around and Snyder is the leader of the turnaround. When he makes mistakes people act like it's the end of the world. When he does something right - people yawn and shrug. I respect him, like him and think he's one of the best owners in the NFL. Dan is the MAN! - not that I have an opinion or anything :0)

[LetsRollBurgundyNGold]

As far as likin Lil Dan...I never have, probably never will. While I don't doubt his desire to win (and will give him respect for that), some of his faux paus' have shown he doesn't give a d@mn about the fans:

*Charging to watch practice (only stopped because of the backlash)

*Restricting foot traffic to the stadium to boost his already excessive parking revenues (Took a court order to stop him from doing that)

My take on the Snyder legacy so far is encapsulated into one sentence: Lil Dan bought a team that went to the playoffs in his first year as owner, and turned it into a 5-11 team in four years with his mismanagement.

He's a smart man to get Joe back and stay out of his way. He just better continue to do so.


PS: One more thing, I will say it could be a LOT worse. Unlike the 49'ers John York, Dan didn't blow up the team on purpose, and unlike the Bengals' Mike Brown, he ain't tight fisted when it comes to paying the talent. Just let Joe steer the ship, that's all I ask...

[Redskins Rule]

I can understand if your angry for having to pay to enter training camp. Every time you get angry at that just think of how many other owners will hold a draft day party every year and this year actually let the fans on the playing field. How many other owners will bring their new head coach to that event on a white horse? He didn't charge a fortune for the food and drinks either. Above all he has learned through all of his mistakes. He's learned enough to realize that the Redskins needed Joe Gibbs back and he actually was able to do what the Packers couldn't do for Lombardi, or the Bears with Mike Ditka, or the Giants with Bill Parcells. I just don't see how anyone can hate him.

[JOJATK]

Folks, never is an awfully long time and though I've not liked the way Mr. Snyder has handled the team I won't say I'll never like him. I won't even say it is unlikely that I'll ever like him.

For example I hated that he brought in Steve Spurrier but was thrilled that he brought back Joe Gibbs. And I was MORe thrilled with the Gibbs hiring than I was disappointed with the Spurrier hiring. Sure he's got a bunch of things to make up for but there's no doubting that he is and always has been a fan of the Redskins and that he wants to win.

I would dearly like to like Dan Snyder because he is one of the things that is making it hard to be a Redskin fan. I'll always be a 'Skins fan whether they win or lose but I don't need the owners antics making it harder to be a fan than it needs to be. But as I said, I'll hope for the best and try to like Mr. Snyder.

[REDEEMEDSKIN]

I'm still trying to get over the release of Marty Schottenheimer, Brian Mitchell, Danny Wuerrfel (who may have single-handedly saved the OBC's job had he stayed), and other mishandlings of the team headed by Snyder.

I'll give him credit for being a HUGE fan of the squad, but I must say he's doing his best to get a return on his investment. The fact that the "common man" can no longer take his family to a game without breaking the bank makes it difficult for me to see him as FAN friendly. He is certainly friendly to those who can afford to pay the price for all his additions and marketing strategies. Where are the RFK faithful who caused the ol'park to rock and brought fear to grown men's eyes? They get to stay at home and watch the games on TV, while fans of the visiting team come in and take over Fed Ex.

Hopefully, that stops this year. I applaud him for staying outta the limelight this offseason (and outta Joe's way). He's been able to bring excitement back to the team. The upside is great going into this season. Let's hope he can ride this momentum into future seasons, so we can wipe out the hurt from the past 5-6 seasons.

I hope I made sense. YIKES!

[SkinsChic]

Don't like him much....but I do think maybe he's FINALLY learned something and will let Joe Coach the team. Something Dan doesn't know how to do but tried to do that along with owning the team for a few years.

[redskincity]

Personally I know him....So it dont matter. He wants to win so how can you dislike a man like that?

[Scooter]

B- Mitch was at the end of his career. He went to Philly and then New York??? If memory serves, he could have taken a paycut to the minimum and played a few more years in DC. I still like B-Mitch a ton/ but wish he would have stuck with us.

Marty would not get a real offensive coordiator and thought Tony Banks was the next Joe Montana. Marty tried to intimmidate Snyder - and got canned for it. B - Mitch, I can sorta see some reason. Marty? I'm glad he's gone. Danny W - I thought I was the only guy in the world that liked him! I was hoping he'd stick around too. Good post and yes, you made sense - plenty :0).

[redskincity]

B- Mitch was at the end of his career. He went to Philly and then New York??? If memory serves, he could have taken a paycut to the minimum and played a few more years in DC. I still like B-Mitch a ton/ but wish he would have stuck with us.

Marty would not get a real offensive coordiator and thought Tony Banks was the next Joe Montana. Marty tried to intimmidate Snyder - and got canned for it. B - Mitch, I can sorta see some reason. Marty? I'm glad he's gone. Danny W - I thought I was the only guy in the world that liked him! I was hoping he'd stick around too. Good post and yes, you made sense - plenty :0).

See Scooter.... now Ive changed my mind because DS got rid of B-Mitch.

BM was willing to take a paycut and DS booted him with his pair of children sized "Pro Keds."

[REDEEMEDSKIN]

Danny W - I thought I was the only guy in the world that liked him! I was hoping he'd stick around too.

You're definitely not alone. Maybe we can petition to have him invited to camp this year.



Okay, NOW I'm not making sense.

P.S. I do rock my Wuerffel jersey from time to time, in honor of the man, the myth, the legend.

[Irn-Bru]

I'll give him credit for being a HUGE fan of the squad, but I must say he's doing his best to get a return on his investment. The fact that the "common man" can no longer take his family to a game without breaking the bank makes it difficult for me to see him as FAN friendly. He is certainly friendly to those who can afford to pay the price for all his additions and marketing strategies.

When it comes down to it, though, it only makes sense from a rational standpoint to charge as much as they do for tickets/season tickets. If you owned a football team, and you could fill the stadium charging anywhere from $10 a ticket to $150 a ticket, and you wanted your team to improve over the years, it only makes economic sense to charge more. Snyder (I would think) wants to have the stadium filled to exactly how many people would be willing to pay his price, while the others take their money and buy their family pizza in order to watch the game at home, and keep their money.

It sounds harsh, but it's the only way that, in the long run, the Skins are going to have continued success.

As for the 'common man' being able to take a family to the park--I do sympathize with you and wish that it was different. Then again, what is the common man? Perhaps you and I could afford $35 tickets instead of $100, but then others who could afford $25 tickets but not $35 dollar ones will make the same argument. Besides, demand would be through the roof, making chaos out of the whole bit.

This all sounds like a harsh (or even Snyder) attitude to the fans, but doesn't it make sense economically in the long-run?

p.s. this is meant to defend ticket prices and not the parking expenses (as well as the others).

[REDEEMEDSKIN]

FFA - You are on point. I do not disagree with anything you said. It's Danny's team and he can do as he wishes.

[Irn-Bru]

Thanks for the support, Redeemed-Skin. . .although after all of that I must say that I agree with you as well. It is lamentable that going to football games cost that much--after all, it's because of price that I've never been to one!

But I'm still holding on to hope. . .