The-Hogs.net - Washington Football Discussion, Redskins to Commanders Era

LEN HOLDS AN IMPRESSIVE GRUDGE

Four years after Len Pasquarelli of ESPN.com got his Friar Tuck hairdo out of place when former scoop-feeder Vinny Cerrato failed to give Len a head's-up regarding the stunning decision of Joe Gibbs to come out of an eleven-year retirement, Len is still throwing darts at the Hall of Fame coach.

Amazingly, Pasquarelli claims that age kept Gibbs from succeeding in his second stint: "He was, simply, too old to handle his players, to understand their perspectives, to push their buttons in this era of salary-cap football (remember, Gibbs didn't have to worry about the salary cap during his first stint). And the wear and tear of a season is hard on any coach, much less one who qualifies for senior citizen discounts at your neighborhood cafeteria."

(Hopefully, Gibbs and Pasquarelli don't dine at the same cafeteria -- otherwise, the real benefit of the early bird would be for Joe to get some of the food before Len eats it all.)

Never mind the fact that Gibbs didn't have a Bobby Beathard or comparable front-office talent to set the table with high-end players, or that mismanagement of the roster prior to Gibbs' arrival put the team in a hole from which it was difficult to escape.

Here's the reality -- the Redskins went to the playoffs in two of four seasons under Gibbs. Most NFL coaches, young or old, would love to bat .500 when it comes to getting to the postseason.

So it's just as easy to praise Gibbs as it is to condemn him. We choose the former; he emerged from more than a decade out of the sport and performed pretty well in a far different environment than he last experienced in the final season before the onset of free agency and the salary cap.

And the team is in better shape than it was when Gibbs returned. Before him, the 'Skins made the playoffs only once in five seasons of ownership by Snyder, and were in a four-year drought. Now, there's a feeling that the team is moving in the right direction.

Though, in the end, Pasquarelli is entitled to his opinion, we'd have more respect for it if we thought that it was derived not from the fact that he's still miffed about failing to have fed to him with a side of fries what ended up being one of the bigger news entrees of the decade.


http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm




How freaking awesome is that! I read the Len story this morning and it was so full of cheapshots it made me sick. Not surprising in the least, but made me sick that such a CLASSLESS person would continue to take shots at probably the most CLASSY guy in all of organized sports. I just wanted to get this article out to as many people to try to discredit and show everyone that Len is more of a biased mud slinger that a journalist. Spread the word.

Those who can, do. Those who can't, write for ESPN.

Hey, if I were a virgin at Len's age, I'd be angry too. Heck, his right hand probably rejects him on a nightly basis.

I saw the article on ESPN yesterday and I couldn't figure out why he could talk such trash when every other media outlet, even some in Dallas, praised Gibbs as one of the greats and how his leadership had turned the Skins around. I guess Len really does hold a grudge. What a jerk...

Yea its pretty weak. Everyone is confirming that while his 2nd stint didnt equal his first, (obviously ANYone would be hardpressed to duplicate that success) that he is still a class act and leader of men. And then lenny has to pop off and throw some low blows. God i cant wait for his inevitable heart explosion.

ESPN is obviously where the morons go to die.

Also!
http://www.extremeskins.com/forums/show ... ge=1&pp=15

The funny thing about lenny's article is that he says Gibbs' age was the reason he wasn't successful this time around. I find that ironic because i think two of the biggest factors to his retirement came from a 24 year old and a 3 year old. I truely believe that the death of Sean Taylor was the contributing factor as to why Gibbs retired. I believe that Sean's death showed Gibbs that football was not the place for him to be putting his energy. I think instead he wanted to be with his family and his sick 3 year old grandson.

I just don't think that after this year's run that Gibbs wanted to walk away. I just think that he realized family is more important and that although he had not completed his goal of turning around the redskins, he definately got them back on the right track.

Lenny also said that he was unable to relate to players and could not push them the way they needed to be pushed. I think this is a joke because it was the complete opposite. Gibbs didn't have to do anything to push them. A lot of players on the team played hard just so that they wouldn't be the ones who tarnished Gibbs' record. And it seemed all of them looked up to him in one way or another.

Gibbs second tenure was not as successful as many had hoped because of two reasons. Injuries and Mark Brunell.

Year 1 - rebuilding
Year 2 - playoff run (with a win on the road in tampa)
Year 3 - Mark Brunell
Year 4 - Injuries (still made the playoffs)

I for one wish he would stick around and am fearful for what will happen to the skins post Gibbs. And i totally disagree with Lenny's article and find it offensive and a cheap shot at a guy who should get nothing but respect from those around the league. Would be nice to see snyder offer the job to fat lenny and see how well he does.

Fios, an extremeskins account?

How could you?

In my opinion this article is complete garbage. Gibbs did not fail. Sure we never won a superbowl but when Gibbs took over this team we were in sad shape and the work that Gibbs did was just awesome. Len Pasquarelli is an old goat that needs to retire because as he made sure that it was in his article its a young mans game. Look at how old all the coaches in or was in the playoffs are Gibbs 67, Phillips 60, Coughlin 60, Holmgren 59, Belichick 55, Turner 58, Dungy 52, Del Rio 45, Fisher 49, Gruden 44. Also you add Romeo Crennel 60, that almost got his team to the playoffs. Len its time that you retire, and I hope that you NEVER write another article again. You are a disgrace and should have had more class on writing something on Gibbs.

Fat Len is a sad, pathetic, bitter old man. The response of the blogosphere indicates that most of the world knows it. Shame ESPN continues to give him a podium.

BnGhog wrote:Fios, an extremeskins account?

How could you?

... for the record, I don't have an ES account, Deadspin had that link up and I always liked the story of Redskins fans getting under Lenny's skin ... and what a chore that is.

Frankly, I don't know what they are thinking at ESPN. I cannot convince myself to even watch Monday night football anymore (unless it's a Redskin game). They seem to have the WORST of the WORST in color guys and writers.

If there is to be any criticism of Gibbs, it should have taken place later on, and not immediately after the retirement news.

When I see Fat Len on espn, I always laugh cause I know it took the make-up people hours to fix Len's ridiculous comb-over. He looks like a fool.

we all know what a hatchet wound Lenny is, but there is also a funny mp3 clip on football rumors that len takes Great offense to a radio guy calling todd pinkston, todd STINKston. Hilarious, if you havnt heard it.

4olddc wrote:I saw the article on ESPN yesterday and I couldn't figure out why he could talk such trash when every other media outlet, even some in Dallas, praised Gibbs as one of the greats and how his leadership had turned the Skins around. I guess Len really does hold a grudge. What a jerk...

Fat Boy can be inspirational