Riggo at it again

[DEHog]

John Riggins:....And I think any time an older player criticizes or says anything about his former team, unless he's throwing Bon Mots at them, that all of a sudden you get a, 'What's he griping at?' type of thing. Maybe that's the case. But truthfully, I do have an ax to grind and I just realized I have been a little bit disingenuous. But this is a bad guy that owns this team. I'll just tell you that upfront. Bad guy. And if the Commissioner is worried about potential new owners and saying some of these guys shouldn't apply, he might want to police his own inside guys....

Brown: "Why is he a bad guy?"

Riggins: "Because his business practices, I think. I don't want to say they are unethical, but I don't think it's a place, a climate that is created there where people can be successful. It's driven all by his ego and everything has to come from him. And I just don't think you can be successful in those situations and when you are dealing with someone with the mindset of a child and yet owns a franchise in the NFL. I think you have some problems there."

Cris Collinsworth: "We are talking about Daniel Snyder . Are you saying in some way he is unethical? Because I have dealt with him in the past and I have never sensed anything close to that. Or are you saying he has made bad decisions on the football side as an owner? Or what is specifically the issue?"

Riggins: "I am saying that I don't think that this franchise can be successful where you have people saying, 'Oh, this person Dan Snyder wants to win. He wants to win.' It's all about priorities. 'What's my priorities? The priority is it's all about me. I have to have my needs met, then I want to make money, and those are one and two, and then I want to win. You can see by the decisions that are made....I don't know if you have agreed with anything I am saying so far, but at this point, I would think you would say, 'Yeah, I'll go along with that.' This person knows nothing about football, absolutely nothing. I don't think they have a clue how a football team comes together, how it works. And yet they are the ones that are basically calling all the shots through a puppet, which is Vinny Cerrato. That is my take on it....I speak for the fans because these are the people that paid my salary for all these years. They are the ones that need to know that this is a bad guy."

Collinsworth: "There is a fine line between being a bad guy and a bad GM, if you will. Are you saying a bad guy as in the NFL needs to take a look at this?"

Riggins: "Let me put it to you this way, Cris, this person's heart is dark."

OOOOch!

[Skinsfan55]

Look man, Riggins was a great player but he badly needs to STFU. I know he's a broadcast personality now, but this is ridiculous. Telling Zorn he can coach his kid in Jr. High, saying Snyder's heart is black? What a bunch of nonsense. He's pretty much flushing all his credibility.

[Deadskins]

Yeah, it's one thing to say The Danny knows nothing about football. It's quite another to say he has a black heart.

[RedskinsFreak]

I'm gonna say that yeah, that goes too far.

There's ignorance, arrogance, ego, greed and a whole bunch of other things Snyder is probably guilty of to some degree.

But that doesn't make him THAT.

[old-timer]

I'm gonna say that yeah, that goes too far.

There's ignorance, arrogance, ego, greed and a whole bunch of other things Snyder is probably guilty of to some degree.

But that doesn't make him THAT.

Riggins knows, through his pro football contacts, a lot more about the internal workings of the Redskins than we do now, and probably ever will. I think everything he says rings pretty true, especially the idea about Snyder having the mentality of a child. If Riggins says his heart is dark, he could be basing that on things we might well agree with if we knew them too. You may not necessarily agree with him, but I think you have to acknowledge that he could be right.

[Redskin in Canada]

I speak for the fans because these are the people that paid my salary for all these years. They are the ones that need to know that this is a bad guy."!

He is RIGHT.

Riggins: "Let me put it to you this way, Cris, this person's heart is dark."

Take a moment to analyse his words and not only the punch line:

The premise of this punch line, I think, is:

Dan Snyder is all about his twisted sense of priorities:

Me, first,

Money, second, and

Win, third.

If this interpretation is correct, I am convinced that the conclusion of John Riggins is correct. You can argue all you want whether the correct adjective is EGOMANIAC, TWISTED PRIORITIES, or ... that a dark heart fits the order of priorities above.

I am convinced that Danny Snyder has no remorse about trampling over whoever to get what he wants. Whether it is hiring or firing at will, embarrassing coaches, players or fans, he has done it and he will do it again. Is that the sign of a dark heart?

If you had been the victim of such treatment, you would say so. Unfortunately, an ever increasing number of fans are being even censored unnecessarily at the Stadium. Would a woman who wanted to say hi to her husband in Afghanistan feel that that she was unfairly treated? Yes! Is Danny responsible for it ultimately? Yes. Does that action alone make him have a dark heart? Probably not. But if you add all the history and put together a PATTERN, you will discover a very ugly picture.


I wish John Riggins had used a different punch line. Otherwise, his message is impeccable. Thanks John Riggins for speaking for the fans who paid your salary. There is accountability in your soul.

[Irn-Bru]

I agree that Riggins has not gone too far. That lineup of priorities is difficult to dispute, given Snyder's actions in 10 years as an owner.

Judging character should not be the taboo that it often is in our culture. Riggins may be right on this one.

[riggofan]

There's ignorance, arrogance, ego, greed and a whole bunch of other things Snyder is probably guilty of to some degree.

But that doesn't make him THAT.

So arrogance, ignorance, ego and greed don't make a person a bad guy? Are you serious?

Maybe Riggo went a little far by saying Snyder has a "dark heart". Nobody can really know that about him. But its hardly surprising to hear that Snyder is a jerk.

Riggins is awesome.

[RedskinTexan]

I think his comments were out of line and quite frankly crossed over to being too personal and mean spirited in nature. He obviously has anger towards Dan Snyder and his comments serve no purpose. As a matter of fact they make Snyder a little more sympathetic and more likely a victim.

[CanesSkins26]

I think his comments were out of line and quite frankly crossed over to being too personal and mean spirited in nature. He obviously has anger towards Dan Snyder and his comments serve no purpose. As a matter of fact they make Snyder a little more sympathetic and more likely a victim.

Completely disagree. I'm glad that Riggins said what he did. He needs to keep doing it.

at Snyder looking more sympathetic. He is despised and hated by pretty much the entire DC metro area.

[RedskinsFreak]

I'm just taking "dark heart" at the extremes of the definition.

I can't think that of anyone.

But anything short of that, of course. Snyder is a vewwwy, vewwy bad man.

By the end of it all, even Darth Vader left the dark side.

[HEROHAMO]

The more negative press the better.



There is a major problem within the Redskins "leadership" or front office!

That is the bottom line.


We need to drill it in Snyders head. Redskins fans want a man who knows football running the operations!

If Snyder can get it through his thick skull then all this pub is worth it.

Riggo has been around the orginization and knows Snyder better then any of us would know him on a personal level.


With the combination of fans, former players and the rest of the NFL speaking negatively maybe this time Snyder may listen? Maybe , maybe not?
We will see what happens this off season.

[langleyparkjoe]

I think his comments were out of line and quite frankly crossed over to being too personal and mean spirited in nature. He obviously has anger towards Dan Snyder and his comments serve no purpose. As a matter of fact they make Snyder a little more sympathetic and more likely a victim.

You people be real, he's not saying "dark heart" like murderers and rapists, he's speaking of football.. "dark heart" in football terms to me means embarrasing people publicly for no reason (DS..check), firing people w/out fair opportunities (DS..check), forcing paying fans to trash signage (DS..check), treatment of former players like Lavar (DS..check) not allowing fans to scream out anything they want w/out curse words (DS..check), taking away convenient parking locations for fans and instead charge these same people (DS..check), using a gopher such as Vinny Cerrato to cut corners on his product (DS..check)... So I guess I can say I agree with Riggins 100% here.

More sympathetic? Here in the DC area? The only way we'd be sympathetic to that guy is if (knock on wood) something tragic would happen to his family. Other than that, dude, ABSOLUTELY no way!!! I want more former Skins to trash this guy since they were SUPPOSEDLY his favorite guys growing up.

[langleyparkjoe]

The more negative press the better.



There is a major problem within the Redskins "leadership" or front office!

That is the bottom line.


We need to drill it in Snyders head. Redskins fans want a man who knows football running the operations!

If Snyder can get it through his thick skull then all this pub is worth it.

Riggo has been around the orginization and knows Snyder better then any of us would know him on a personal level.


With the combination of fans, former players and the rest of the NFL speaking negatively maybe this time Snyder may listen? Maybe , maybe not?
We will see what happens this off season.

Dag dude, I should'a waited till you responded.. you pretty much said everything I felt

[DEHog]

Redskins Defensive Coordinator Greg Blache


On John Riggins’ comments about Redskins Owner Daniel Snyder:

“This morning when I came in, I turned my computer on and I was looking at Pro Football Talk and I saw a comment that John Riggins had made about Mr. Snyder and it really bothered me the more I sat there at my desk because there has been a lot of criticism about him over the last few weeks. This is a man I’ve known for six years, since I’ve been here. And in the six years, I’ve never seen John Riggins here. I met him once at the Beach Blitz down in Virginia Beach – never seen him in the building. So, to hear such a vicious criticism of somebody I consider not just my employer, but a good friend, bothered me.

“As much as I hadn’t been talking to the media, I felt like this was something I needed to do. Somebody needed to stand up and set this record straight. The comment that was made was ‘a dark heart’ – that’s totally, totally untrue. The problem is the fans don’t get to know Mr. Snyder like we do. They get an impression from things that are written and from things that people say. Let me just tell you something, for a person that’s been here for six years, that’s gone to him for things that I needed in my family - there’s times he’s come to me when he’s heard about issues in my family and offered his assistance – is unsurpassed. He’s one of the most generous, kind individuals you’ll ever meet.

“My wife and I are involved in Hospice and there’ve been countless times he’s come and helped us with issues and stuff with Hospice. To see that and get the feeling that that’s what everyone on the outside is hearing about this person, I decided it was time to come and set the record straight. It’s enough. It really is. We’ve had criticisms from people outside the building saying who Dan Snyder is and who is isn’t. They don’t know Dan Snyder and that’s the problem. Trust me because he and I, we work together. I’m not going to tell you that this is a utopia. There are no utopias in football, and there are no utopias in life. At the same time, enough is enough. Every story, there is one person’s side, another person’s side, and then behind it all there is a third side and it’s the truth.

“I just felt like it was time for somebody to come and throw a little truth out there. We keep hearing these other sides, these other factions, and to be quite candid, the third side – the truth – is that this person, all he wants to do is win. That’s all he wants to do. He will spend his money, he will spend his time, he wants to win, he is here for the people, for the fans, for the Washington Redskins. Nobody pains more when we are unsuccessful than Dan Snyder. There is nobody that cares more about the fans than Dan Snyder. There is nobody that wants to win here, more than Dan Snyder. I just think that its time to put out there, for you guys to understand, that everything that is wrong with this organization is not Dan Snyder.

“It’s so easy for people that have access to the microphone everyday to point fingers and shuffle it on somewhere else. At the same time, I’m in on a ton of those meetings when decisions are made. A lot of the things that are right here, you can’t go back and say its so-and-so’s fault. Just to set the record straight, I just think it was wrong. I wish the best for Mr. Riggins in all his endeavors and whatever that he does. For me, that was enough. For me to wash my face in the morning and to feel like a man, or to talk to my kids about doing the right thing, I needed to come here and make this comment today. I got no other interests in it. I have a contract for next year so it’s not like I’m trying to dig something up and if they send me home, the way coaches’ contracts are written, they have to pay me anyways. Quite honestly, this is unsolicited, but from the heart and something that I thought I needed to do.”

[Redskin in Canada]

Oh Greg !!! Just when I thought you were smart enough to shut your big mouth shut and stay out of this mess.

Well Mr. Blache, let us address each one of your points:

He will spend his money,

He will spend some of his money and make much more from that investment. The fact that he has spent foolishly in several transactions does not give him any good points in my book.

he will spend his time,

I do not want his time !!! I want him out of football operations. You say that he stays out of the building but he ALSO spends time???
I want him out of football and managing the Redskins. Let him spend his time with Tom Cruise for all I care.

he wants to win, he is here for the people, for the fans, for the Washington Redskins.

Please ask him to STOP LOVING US so much. He is killing us. So, there is no business side to this, is there? The purchase and management of the Washington Redskins was a PHILANTROPIC ACTION.

The more you open your mouth, the more you get in trouble.

Nobody pains more when we are unsuccessful than Dan Snyder.

Given the money that he makes EVERY year the pain is rather sufferable, Don't you think. You see ... people are PAYING a lot of money for a subpar product and experience for OVER A DECADE !!!

There is nobody that cares more about the fans than Dan Snyder.

PLEASE ask him to stop loving us and taking care of us. If this was true, he would allow signs to be brought into the stadium. He would be man enough to accept the criticism and become accountable.

How come he needs people like you to face John Riggins and all his other critics. Is he not man enough to do so?

There is nobody that wants to win here, more than Dan Snyder.

You would THINK he would have learned at this time after A DECADE that if he wants to win, he is the WORST person designed to achieve it. He does not know the NFL or football. And he refuses SUTUBBORNLY to accept it.

I just think that its time to put out there, for you guys to understand, that everything that is wrong with this organization is not Dan Snyder.

I for one agree with this one.

I think that the failure on defense this season is all on YOU and the schemes that YOU have put in place. So, no, it is not all on him. And if you are man enough to call Riggins on this one, YOU should show some accountability and RESIGN for your own failure.

I want Greg Blache outta here!!!

Misplaced loyalty will get you somewhere with his charity work. But it will not give you any brownie points for not recognising the root of the problem.

PLEASE DO THE HONOURABLE THING AND GO AWAY IF DO NOT LIKE IT HERE !!!

[grampi]

It's not going too far when you're telling the truth!!!!!!!

[Redskin in Canada]

Watch the Riggins interview on you tube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiI1F-BJxdQ

[dlc]

All Blache did was prove himself a Yes Man. Riggo is just expressing what a majority of fans have believed for years. Shows you how much Blache even knows/cares about fan sentiment to choose such a topic to break his silence, not to mention how bad of a judge of character the guy is.

We all are defined by actions, not words. Snyder's actions show egomania, disingenuousness, and disdain for any opposition, including the fans. Riggo has hit the nail in the head. Winning is the last thing Snyder wants to happen if he isn't the person responsible for it. He'd rather this franchise burn in flames if he's not at the helm. He probably thinks the fans are suckers for hating him so much but giving him so much of our money. That's what feeds his ego now.

No more for me.

[Skinsfan55]

Blache is a yes man because he objected to this anti-Synder BS?

Greg Blache objects to the personal attacks on Dan Snyder, as should anyone with a brain in their heads. Snyder deserves blame for the poor product on the field, but that doesn't make him a bad person, or greedy, or evil or dark hearted.

[tribeofjudah]

I think his comments were out of line and quite frankly crossed over to being too personal and mean spirited in nature. He obviously has anger towards Dan Snyder and his comments serve no purpose. As a matter of fact they make Snyder a little more sympathetic and more likely a victim.

Maybe that what it's gonna take to make the ownership RIGHT this ship...
Shock Jock or not........someone has to press Snyder into being accountable to all of US, the fan base.

[Irn-Bru]

Greg Blache objects to the personal attacks on Dan Snyder, as should anyone with a brain in their heads. Snyder deserves blame for the poor product on the field, but that doesn't make him a bad person, or greedy, or evil or dark hearted.

If you read the story, you'll find that Riggins isn't saying that it's because there is a poor product on the field that Snyder has those qualities.

[HEROHAMO]

In my honest opinion Blache is an old fart whos schemes are outdated.

The Eagles game was enough proof for me to want another coordinator. I say next season clean house all the way round. From GM all the way down to ball boy. Well maybe not the ball boy but you know what I mean.

There is no way you let one player burn you for three touchdowns. That is a sign of poor coaching. All good teams may make mistakes. Letting one player do it over and over is inexcusable. I point my finger to the coordinator Blache.

Wow so he speaks and we are all supposed to respect his opinion. Quite frankly I want you fired too Blache. In fact I already have my cut wish list made out. I will post this in GM forum.

[chiefhog44]

Keep it up Riggo. It's exactly how I feel right now. Maybe not the dark heart part (because I don't know), but I'm pissed, and Riggo, who bleeds burgandy and gold, is pissed too. And there is one person who is responsable...Snyder, and one way to fix it...Hire a GM.

So...Keep it up

[so.il.SKINSFAN]

I agree with everything Riggo said and I hope that he keeps saying it! The only thing that would've made that interview better is if he would've b?!&*h slapped Collinsworth(I can't stand that guy).