Considering Renunciation

The Redskins have their foot so far up their ass it hurts to look at.

Last season they spent a lot of money on Mark Brunell, who everybody else in the league knew was washed up. He played half the season and guess what - he was washed up! For some reason, we haven't cut him yet, although I hope the axe will fall soon. So then we turned to Patrick Ramsey, who's had an okay stretch of games but hasn't really gotten comfortable. Gibbs named him the starting quarterback for 2005. Finally, a little consistency, a little patience.

Then what did we do? Trade THREE draft picks for ONE draft pick to select a first-round player who most experts predicted shouldn't have been picked until the second round at the earliest. This guy was good at Auburn, fine, but also had the top two running backs in the country behind him. Even I can look good handing off. I'd say more on this, but Kornheiser does it better.

I was excited when Daniel Snyder bought the team several years ago. He spends the money, and he's clearly dedicated to winning. What he has not demonstrated is a learning curve, and that is what deeply distresses me.

Let's count the MAJOR missteps:
1. Keeping Norv Turner while firing our GM
2. Deion Sanders/Bruce Smith/The entire overpaid 2000 squad (although we did finally make the playoffs, which roucked)
3. Letting Steve Spurrier in the building
4. Cutting Stephen Davis
5. The LaVar Arrington contract dispute
6. Trading Laveranues Coles for a crappy second-string receiver with the last name Moss and the first name not Randy
7. Letting Rod Gardner sit around and pollute the franchise
8. Headcases from Miami
9. Not upgrading our terrible offensive line or cutting overrated Chris "False Start" Samuels
10. Having the most boring, predictable, non-shotgun-running offense in the NFL
11. Sending out at least three contradictory statements the week before the draft
12. Letting Antonio Pierce and Fred Smoot sign elsewhere

OK, there were some good moves too, like dumping Champ Bailey and bringing back Gibbs. But they've looked really dumb recently, and not getting a good wide receiver or upgrading our terrible offensive line in this draft looks extremely stupid. We can't run or pass because our line sucks. It's clear. They need new people there.

Worst of all, the Patriots keep making quiet signings and contract extensions and keep mining the low rounds of the draft for inexpensive gems. And keep winning Super Bowls. But the Redskins don't pick up on that, Dan Snyder doesn't learn the intracacies of the sport - instead they trade away draft picks to get quarterbacks they don't need, continue to overpay the wrong people, and put a bad team on the field.

Even with Norv Turner, them Randy Moss Raiders are looking pretty good about now...