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Ex-Giants Coach Fassel Meets With Redskins

By Mark Maske and Leonard Shapiro
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, January 2, 2004; Page D01


Washington Redskins officials met yesterday with former New York Giants coach Jim Fassel to discuss their vacant head-coaching job.

The Redskins got the jump on the other teams chasing Fassel, who won two NFC East titles, made three playoff appearances and reached one Super Bowl in his seven seasons with the Giants but was fired last month. Sources said Redskins officials, including owner Daniel Snyder and vice president of football operations Vinny Cerrato, began meeting with Fassel late yesterday afternoon and were scheduled to have dinner with him last night. The parties were scheduled to reconvene over breakfast this morning.

Fassel quickly has emerged as a hotly pursued candidate among the seven NFL clubs with head-coaching vacancies. He is scheduled to interview with the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday and with the Chicago Bears on Monday or Tuesday.

Redskins officials declined to reveal the location of yesterday's meeting with Fassel. But it perhaps was near San Francisco, where Fassel had been in recent days. Snyder and Cerrato traveled to the West Coast late Wednesday on Snyder's private jet. Snyder had begun his pursuit of Fassel with a telephone conversation.

The Redskins plan to interview former Minnesota Vikings coach Dennis Green this weekend and hope to interview Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes on Monday or Tuesday. Club officials placed Fassel, Green and Rhodes at or near the top of their list of candidates soon after Steve Spurrier resigned Tuesday. Snyder spoke to Green by phone this week.

Fassel, 54, had a record of 58-53-1 with the Giants and led them to the Super Bowl in the 2000 season before losing to the Baltimore Ravens. He had a 24-17-1 mark against the current NFC East clubs (and was 32-19-1 in division play counting games against the Cardinals before they were moved out of the NFC East). He seemed to do his best coaching when the circumstances looked the worst, as when he guaranteed a playoff appearance when the Giants were stumbling midway through the 2000 season.

But he had only three winning seasons in seven years in New York, and the Giants unraveled and went 4-12 this season. Fassel is familiar with the Redskins players but has spent little time with Snyder and Cerrato and would have to work out a system with them for making player-related decisions. He worked with a general manager, Ernie Accorsi, in New York and probably will not seek the final say on player moves, as Green has said he will.

Green, who already has interviewed with the Cardinals, has a home in San Diego and will huddle with Snyder and Cerrato this weekend.

Also, the Redskins have received permission from Seattle to interview Rhodes. But Rhodes, who served as the Redskins' defensive coordinator in 2000, has indicated that he does not want to interview until after the Seahawks' season is over. They will play at Green Bay on Sunday in an NFC first-round playoff game.

An NFL source said yesterday that Rhodes, whom Snyder has always liked, has remained reluctant to become a head coach in the league again after difficult experiences in Philadelphia and Green Bay. He was fired by the Packers after only one season.

Redskins officials said yesterday they plan to give little or no consideration to hiring a college coach after watching Spurrier go 12-20 in his two NFL seasons.

Jim Fassel interviews with Redskins|
By Ralph Vacchiano
New York Daily News

NEW YORK — Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder’s quick-strike approach to wooing Jim Fassel began with a four-hour interview on Thursday night, followed by dinner in San Francisco. The two will meet again for a few hours on Friday.
Snyder and Redskins vice president Vinny Cerrato flew to San Francisco, where Fassel attended the San Francisco Bowl on Wednesday night, so they could get the jump on the Arizona Cardinals, who will interview Fassel in Tempe on Saturday and Sunday. Fassel is believed to be the Cards’ top choice and there’s speculation they’re preparing to offer him their job.
Fassel’s agent, Steve Rosner, said his client still plans to interview with all the teams that want him, including the Chicago Bears, who have set up an interview for Monday.
‘‘By next Wednesday or Thursday, if he does have an offer and an opportunity that fits his criteria, the process will be done,’’ Rosner said.

I really hope the Redskins don't sign Fassel right out of the gate! Hopefully, they'll interview several candidates and then determine which one is the best for them!

DEHog, that sounds like a perfect line up. It allows change with familiarity...which is something we lack.

Fassel, who led the Giants to three playoff appearances and one Super Bowl in his seven seasons, may be the hottest candidate among available former coaches. His record, his comportment under pressure, his relationship with veteran players and his reputation for being able to work with management make him an attractive candidate for any of the six available jobs (Bills, Bears, Redskins, Falcons, Raiders and Cardinals).
Fassel is so appealing that Redskins Owner Dan Snyder jumped on his private plane New Year’s Eve to fly to San Francisco to find out if there was mutual interest. Over three days, Snyder and Fassel met for about 12 hours.
‘‘If Jim was adamant about not working with Daniel Snyder, I don’t think he would go forward with the interview,’’ said Steve Rosner, one of Fassel’s agents. ‘‘Jim was very impressed with Dan Snyder and how businesslike and prepared he was. Dan definitely has Jim’s attention right now.’’
Snyder’s compulsive nature was stoked by information that Fassel was to meet with the Cardinals Saturday. Snyder wanted to beat Arizona to the punch and give himself a possible advantage before Fassel’s tour continued with the Bears (Monday and Tuesday) and likely the Bills.
It’s expected Fassel might have an offer by midweek and it wouldn’t be a great surprise if the first came from the Redskins.

This team will never win as long as Dan Snyder owns it. No if's, and's, or but's. You all know it but are in flat out denial. personally, I hope these "top" candidates turn us down so danny has to put his "coaching selection qualities" to untested work. finding a needle in the haystack.

Don't forget Synder has 1 division titled under his belt and was a lucky bounce of the football away from going to the NFC champ.

hailskins666 wrote: this wasn't good enough. he completely dismantled that whole team to do what he thought would make us better.....( smith, george, sanders, carrier )

If you and I can see it, why can’t DS and VC see it???