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

Vinny Cerrato spent like 17 million hours on the Mike Wise Show Tuesday afternoon, which probably means I'll come out with 14 million blog posts about it. Listen to it here. Here's blog number one, in which Cerrato explained what ruined Jim Zorn's hot start with the Redskins. It was Zorn's ego, turns out.

"Lookit, when we started out, we're 6-2 and the guy's doing a good job," Cerrato said. "But then I think ego got into play and then he stopped listening to coaches, became a celebrity. I mean, that's when Rush Limbaugh's on the sideline, he had all these people on the sideline. Give me a break. Just worry about Clinton Portis, Chris Samuels. Worry about the next team. To me, that's what happened. We're 6-2, we're on a run, and all you people in the newspaper were saying Dan finally got it right, hired a great coach, blah blah blah, and then see how fast you guys turned?"

Of course, it turns out that there were at least two things that led to Zorn's downfall. Here's another.
"It's like talking to the media, you tried to tell Jim Zorn, Jim, that's part of your job," Cerrato said. "When you talk to the media, you can't tell them everything. You know, he wanted to tell them everything. I think Jim's downfall was when he went on and started ripping the players, Chris Samuels, and saying it on air. You lose the team. They say bye bye."

At which point Wise asked about hiring Sherm Lewis as an offensive consultant, and embarrassing Zorn in front of his team and the world

"Not at all; it was about improving the football team. The offense was terrible," Cerrato said. "What we wanted to do was bring him help, because on the offensive staff there was nobody that had called plays. I mean, that was part of Jim's problem was the offensive staff that he hired, there wasn't the experience. There had been nobody on the staff that could call a play. I mean, you couldn't promote anybody, because there was nobody on the staff that could do it. And we had just seen Sherm in Detroit, and Sherm actually did a nice job, he came in and he worked, he would do whatever Jim told him to do. The coaches appreciated what Sherm did."

So I guess hiring a bad staff was another thing that did in Zorn.

It began with a caller who wanted to respond to Cerrato's contention that he would not draft Cam Newton.
Mike Wise: John, you there?

Vinny Cerrato: John? C'mon.

Caller: How you doing? Yeah, I just wanted really quickly to say that the first thing I've taken so far is that I would recommend to anybody you draft Cam Newton.

Wise: Yes, yes, Vinny said that.

Cerrato: You would draft him or would not?

Wise: No, Vinny said that he would not draft Cam Newton, go ahead.

Caller: Yeah, I would draft him because Vinny said he wouldn't. Number 2, is it amazes me how smug Vinny can be sitting there knowing that he ruined a franchise that's been storied for 12 to 15 years, and that he has every excuse in the book for why he failed other than the fact that he either made the wrong decision or was a yes man for a guy that is just completely incompetent.

Wise: He's blaming you for destroying a franchise. Vinny, your response?

Cerrato: Well, I would tend to disagree with John. I mean, he's got his opinion, so move on. Thanks for the opinion, John. Don't agree with it, but thanks.

I especially enjoyed this dialog between Cerrato and Mike Wise Show producer Chris Johnson, about whether or not the second Joe Gibbs Era was a success, especially considering the backsliding between years two and three.

Cerrato: Let me just say this, I'll make one statement: If Joe would have continued to call the plays after the second year, we'd have went to the playoffs again

CJ: Why did he stop? Why did he turn it over to Al Saunders?

Cerrato: The media.
CJ: The media????

Cerrato: Yes, you guys were killing him, you kept saying....

CJ: He's JOE GIBBS!!!!!! He's a HALL OF FAMER!!!!!!

Cerrato: Stop, stop a minute. Remember we had struggled against Philly, we had struggled against Tampa, and you guys, the media, were saying Joe you're over the hill, you can't call plays any more. We won the playoff game with Sean returning the fumbles for touchdowns and LaVar intercepting the ball or recovering the fumble, and Joe read all the media stuff, felt like if he brings in a guy....And I think you know what, I think if Joe would have continued to do what he was doing we would have went back to the playoffs again. Joe Gibbs, what he did for the organization, was he brought back confidence, faith, belief by the fans....And I think we were making progress, and I'm telling you, if Joe would not have left we'd have gone back to the playoffs in Zorn's first year, we would have went back again.

And suddenly, it's clear that the Redskins actually had the talent for four playoff berths in five years, instead of the two they managed. Later, Wise asked Cerrato how he reacts when people say he helped destroy their favorite franchise.

"I wouldn't say it's destroyed," Cerrato said. "One huge mistake. Jim Zorn was a huge mistake."

At which point Wise said you can't put everything on Zorn, and that Cerrato was in charge for two years, and then asked if he really blames his demise on Zorn.

"I don't blame it on Jim Zorn, I blame it on that we hired the wrong football coach," Cerrato said. "You know, if we would have got the right head coach? If Joe would have stayed? We would have been in the playoffs again. I totally believe that."

tribeofjudah wrote:BOOO....who cares?

MDSKINSFAN wrote:

tribeofjudah wrote:BOOO....who cares?

That's what I'm saying. Why would you even have this guy on your radio show? He is an idiot, we all know how horrible he was. He is in the past. Were past that, lets not keep looking back to the Vinny years. He is irrelevant right now. Having him on a DC radio show right now is just beating a dead horse. We get it he was a moron who helped ruined the franchise and blames everyone but himself, MOVE ON, its the Shanahan-Allen era now!

UK Skins Fan wrote:Vinny? Cerrato?

Nope, can't say I've ever heard of him. Sorry.

Irn-Bru wrote:Loved what that caller was able to sneak in there.

Although I have to say I agree with VC in part on Gibbs/Saunders. I agree that Gibbs would have done much better than Saunders in the season following our playoff run, and we might have been able to get to the playoffs again.

Then again, why the hell would you blame Saunders on the media when you and Dan Snyder have 100% of the decision-making power?!!?!?!?!?! Why? Why! Just take responsibility for it like a man: say that you caved into the pressure and made a decision that you would take back if you could, and that the fault rests at your feet for not having stood up for what you believed in.

Of course, as we all know, standing up requires a spine. So I guess I shouldn't be surprised at VC's answer.

1niksder wrote:

UK Skins Fan wrote:Vinny? Cerrato?

Nope, can't say I've ever heard of him. Sorry.

That's the government name for the guy you know as "the Danny's" lap dog