Blast from the Past: Gibbs Takes Over in D.C.

Yahoo Sports ^ | 1/7/04

[leadpenny]

According to Sid Rosenburg, the Sports guy on the Imus in the Morning program, the Redskins are set to make an announcement today that the former Redskins Coach will be returning to be the new head coach.

Update:

Just a week after Steve Spurrier called it quits, the Washington Redskins have a new coach – their old one. Joe Gibbs agreed Wednesday to take charge of the struggling franchise. Gibbs coached the team from 1981-92, winning three Super Bowls along the way before resigning to pursue a career with his own NASCAR team. [link to source]

[HenryLeeII]

What a player does on or off the field reflects ultimately on the franchise. If its a one-time incident, then you can say it was a mistake. When it happens routinely, then its a character issue. Likewise, when a team has had one or two players over the course of decades that mess up, then that's just the law of averages in action. But, when player after player turn out to be dealing drugs, assaulting women, etc., then it reflects on the team (or should at least). And what makes you think that "Hollywood" Henderson wasn't doing the things he described in his book and elsewhere? People with out-of-control habits do bizarre things.

When you read the following quote from Landry, you can understand just how out of control the situation was in Dallas [from The Washington City Paper, November 29, 2002]:

In 1983, coach Tom Landry, responding to questions about [former defensive lineman Harvey] Martin's drug use, assured reporters that Martin wasn't an addict. "A year or two years ago, I don't know," Landry said. "Somebody can use coke and it's like beer to some extent. We're talking about recreational coke. That's a big difference with chemical dependency."

Well, let's say that Harvey Martin was only using on his own time and not during games. It seems as though drugs helped put an end to his career along with numerous other Cowboy players who had brilliant beginnings. That does affect the team, so maybe the coaches and executives should "jack with them."

[HenryLeeII]

Yes, Joe Gibbs was involved with a group that tried to buy the team, but I forget if he was with John Cooke or not. Not too much later he became involved with the Falcons as a minority owner (which begs the question: Does Washington have to give Atlanta a draft pick or anything else in compensation, the way we would if we were signing a coach?)

[jgrubbs]

I think Gibbs just has to sell his ownership in the Falcons.

[jgrubbs]

NASCAR has the story up

http://www.nascar.com/

But Redskins.com still hasn't posted it.

http://www.redskins.com/

[7thson]

Like him or not, he was a tough, athletic guy who caught some bad breaks. He was big, strong, fast, and had a cannon for an arm.

Go here and read about Shuler. He was big but not especially strong. Everytime he got hit he got hurt. He may have been fast in college, but with the Skins he was about as fast as a rock. And as I remember it, he couldn't get the ball 20 yards downfield much less compete with Gus Frerotte. The link I provided for you states he was more athletically gifted than Gus. I always heard that yet Gus is still playing in the NFL and Heath is selling real estate down in Tennessee. Oh, after reading the linked article, I remember now that when he came here he held out for three weeks, that put him in the doghouse with the fans. In the print media and on television, he came across as a whining prima donna who resented not only Gus but the Skins for daring to start anyone other then he as QB.

[jgrubbs]

[7thson]

Spurrie said in the paper that he was going to take a year off and think about his future. Hell, the crappy coach got ten million for two years of dragging the Skins through the mud. Not bad! I wish I could take a year off to figure out what I wanted to do.

[jgrubbs]

Gibbs agreed to a five-year contract, he announced on his NASCAR racing team's Web site Wednesday.

"The desire to coach has always been with me, even after being away from the game for 11 years," Gibbs said.

[VMI70]

Updates on Dexter


On Feb. 14, 1995, former Washington Redskin Dexter Manley was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance (David Aldridge, "At Rock Bottom, Manley Searches for a Way Back Up," Washington Post, March 5, 1995, p. D1).

(Given a 4 year sentence in October of 1995.

This is Manley's third drug-related arrest in four months, but he was not charged in two previous incidents. On Nov. 13, 1994, he was arrested in a raid on a reputed crack house. On Jan. 24, 1995, he was arrested for not paying phone bills at a motel and officers found a crack pipe in the back of the police car after transporting Manley to the station.




Arrest warrant issued for Dexter Manley
March 22, 2002
HOUSTON (AP) -- Former NFL star Dexter Manley faces an arrest warrant for failing to appear at a pre-sentencing hearing after his conviction on drug charges.

A jury found the defensive lineman guilty Wednesday of attempting to swallow less than a gram of cocaine during a January 2001 drug bust at a motel.

The 43-year-old Manley had said he was innocent. He remained free on $20,000 bail pending his sentencing but missed Thursday's hearing. His formal sentencing is April 5.

Manley's lawyer, Jonathan Munier, said his client was aware of the scheduled meeting.

"He was informed by both myself and the court," Munier said. "I'm terribly disappointed. I don't know where he is, but I would urge him, if he could hear me, that he needs to make his appearance before the court as soon as possible."

Manley faces up to two years in prison and a $10,000 fine

He was stopped Jan. 10, 2001, when officers watched him leave a hotel room they were about to search. Police said Manley tried to swallow the cocaine as they were attempting to arrest him.

Prosecutors said Manley was not the subject of the warrant and just happened to be there.

Drugs led to Manley's retirement from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1991 after a second failed drug test. Manley had previously failed a drug test in 1989 while playing for the Washington Redskins. He was suspended from the NFL and the next year joined the Arizona Cardinals.




Dexter Manley says two-year jail sentence on drug charges was unfair
April 4, 2002
HOUSTON (AP) -- While he accepts his recently imposed two-year jail sentence for drug related charges, former CFL and NFL star Dexter Manley says the punishment was unfair.

Manley was sentenced last week for evidence tampering after he was convicted March 20 of swallowing cocaine during a January 2001 drug bust.

When he failed to show up for a court-ordered meeting after his conviction, an arrest warrant was issued for him. Manley was arrested at a Houston hospital, where he was admitted for treatment of depression.

"It was a great mistake I made (not showing up for court-ordered meeting)," Manley told Houston television station KRIV from the Harris County Jail. "If I had to do it all over again I would not do the same thing.

"I would adhere to what the judge asked me to do."

However, Manley, 43, called the two-year sentence "harsh," saying he had done everything the courts had asked him to do since his January 2001 arrest.

Manley, a former NFL star who also spent time in the CFL with the Ottawa Rough Riders and Shreveport Pirates, could have received as little as probation. His possible state jail term ranged from six months to two years. He received the maximum.

[HenryLeeII]

That's all I've heard, as well. I'd like to hold on to our No. 5 pick, or at least trade down for multiple picks or veteran players. Has anybody mentioned former Redskin general manager Bobby Beathard? I guess that would be too much to ask for!

[ABG(anybody but Gore)]

Truth be told, I read the hernia thing about a Cowboy's kicker in a SI article back in the early '80s. I don't know if it was Sapien, but they reported that the team doctors and coaches withheld the information until the season was over, when they told him "Oh, by the way, you need an operation".

[7thson]

Just remember, that Gibbs won his first championship with players that George Allen got - Thiesman, Riggins, Dave Butz. He'll have this machine racing in no time. I'm beginnoing to like this already. I cannot wait for the next Cowboys-Skins game. It's a whole new ball game folks!

[HenryLeeII]

Mud, you're right. With Reid, Parcells, Coughlin, and now Gibbs, the NFC East is going to be tough! I can't think of a division with four better coaches! It will be a tough fight just to win the division, but that makes for better teams and more playoff success! Should be interesting the next few seasons!!!

[HenryLeeII]

Signing one player with a checkered past, and who has sat out a suspension, is not the same as grooming generation after generation of drug dealers (how many hundreds of pounds was that former offensive lineman caught with), child molestors (Septien wasn't the first), wife-beaters, etc. Dallas has been a rotten franchise for decades. Maybe Parcells can help clean that up. We'll see...oh wait, he put up with LT's excesses, so I guess anything goes to win a ballgame.

[Moose4]

Hey, I'd take Riggo over Rae Carruth, Nate Newton, Dexter Manley, even Michael Westbrook. All Riggo ever did was get loaded and try to hit on Sandra O'Connor.

Those Hogs did like their brew. The first Redskin sighting I ever made after I moved to Fairfax in 1987 was seeing R.C. Thielmann and Donny Warren pounding beers at P.J. Skidoo's in Fairfax...at lunch.

}:-)4

[HenryLeeII]

You're right! And let's not forget that Gibbs came from the Air Coryell School of Pass First and Pass Again. After losing his first five games as head coach in Washington, he looked around, saw John Riggins sitting on the bench, and switched to the 50-Gap and Counter-Trey attacks, finished the year 8-8, and won it all the following season. That's a little different than what happened under the Ol' Ball Coach from Florida!

[sinkspur]

Well, let's say that Harvey Martin was only using on his own time and not during games. It seems as though drugs helped put an end to his career along with numerous other Cowboy players who had brilliant beginnings. That does affect the team, so maybe the coaches and executives should "jack with them."

In spite of the drug use, Dallas was the winningest team in the NFL, from 1970-1990.

So, the "drug use" obviously didn't affect the team.

If anything, Dallas showed patience with people like Harvey Martin, who would have been canned had he been working for IBM.

But, when player after player turn out to be dealing drugs, assaulting women, etc., then it reflects on the team (or should at least).

And, if you're referring the the Landry or Johnson-era Cowboys here, you're flat-out wrong.

Barry Switzer, Johnson's successor, tolerated Michael Irvin's and Nate Newton's and other players' off-field antics, just as he had with the Oklahoma Sooners, yet still went to the playoffs and Super Bowl with them.

You've got a grudge against Dallas, and single them out, when there were as many or more druggies, and wife-beaters and malcontents on other teams.

They didn't win, though, so who the hell cares, right?

[7thson]

Wrong again Staubach breath. Under Gibbs, the series was tied 12-12. However, during the George Allen/Jack Pardee/ Joe Gibbs era - 1971-1992, the Ploughboys have a slight edge with 23 wins and 18 loses. However, again, in playoff match-ups we own you with two lopsided victories over you clowns. Gibbs will bring the rivalry back to to town and without LT, we will see how good Parcells is. Just remember, Gibbs went out and got Jim Leshey(sp) for the left side of his offensive line. That effectively shut LT on that side, giving Gibss QB's time to pick the New Jersey Dwarfs apart. Lord, I feel better already!

[jgrubbs]

http://www.redskins.com/story.asp?ContentID=12482

The updated the site!!

IT'S OFFICIAL: GIBBS RETURNS!
01/07/2004

By Gary Fitzgerald
Redskins.com
The Redskins have gone back to the past for their next head coach. And what a glorious past it is. Redskins owner Daniel M. Snyder announced Wednesday that Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs will return to the franchise as head coach and team president.

The most successful coach in Redskins history, Gibbs brings back his relentless work ethic, demanding leadership style, and tradition of excellence and respect that defined his tenure with the team for 12 glorious years.

Gibbs, who coached the team from 1981 to 1992, turned the Redskins into an NFL dynasty during his tenure. He led the Redskins to four Super Bowls—winning three titles—and accumulated a 124-60 record during regular season play and an amazing 16-5 post-season record (.789 win percentage). No Redskins coach in history has enjoyed such success on the playing field.

“Joe Gibbs helped define what the Washington Redskins stand for—integrity, hard work, determination, winning and championships,” Snyder said. “Who better to set our strategy and lead the Redskins back to championship glory.”

“The Redskins are very dear to me and my family,” Gibbs said. “We’re very excited about this opportunity to return to where we have so many friends and loyalties.”

Among NFL coaches, Gibbs holds a special place as well. His 140 wins is the 14th best in NFL history, accomplished in just 12 seasons, six seasons less than his 13 counterparts. His all-time win percentage of .683 remains the best among all NFL coaches with more than 125 wins.

Gibbs took the helm of the Washington franchise as a rookie head coach in 1981 and turned the Redskins into a winning machine. After just his second season, he led his Redskins team to Super Bowl XVII, beating the Miami Dolphins 27-17.

Gibbs returned to the Championship game in 1983 and was named NFL Coach of the Year. The Redskins went on to win Super Bowls XXII and XXVI under his watch, building a tradition of excellence that has remained unmatched to this day. Gibbs led the Redskins to titles with three different quarterbacks at the helm: Joe Theismann, Doug Williams and Mark Rypien.

Gibbs' offenses, refined as an offensive coordinator under Don Coryell with the San Diego Chargers, quickly translated to the Redskins’ personnel, which included the likes of John Riggins, Joe Theismann and Art Monk—not to mention “The Hogs,” one of the greatest offensive lines in history that included the likes of Russ Grimm, Joe Jacoby and Jim Lachey, among others.

In all, Gibbs recorded 11 winning seasons in his 12 years, taking the team to the playoffs eight times. In the history of the NFL, only Vince Lombardi and Weeb Ewbank have had better playoff win percentages.

Gibbs took his rightful place among other NFL legends in 1996, when he was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

Since 1993, he has stayed involved in football, first as a television broadcaster during NFL games and most recently as a minority owner with the Atlanta Falcons.

His leadership skills have not been relegated to just the football playing field. In 1993, he left the Redskins and the NFL at the pinnacle of his career, looking to spend more time with his family and NASCAR race team, established in 1991.

Gibbs quickly established Joe Gibbs Racing into a force to be reckoned with on the NASCAR circuit, assembling a team that would go on to find similar success to what he achieved in the NFL. In just his second year, Gibbs’ team, with driver Dale Jarrett, won the Daytona 500, the sports premier event.

Gibbs would go on to recruit drivers Bobby Labonte and Tony Stewart, both who have flourished with Joe Gibbs Racing, taking the NASCAR season-long championship Winston Cup crowns 2000 (Labonte) and 2002 (Stewart).

Gibbs takes over a team that has struggled in recent seasons. Last year, the team finished 5-11 and was 12-20 in two seasons under Steve Spurrier, who resigned on Dec. 30.

[End Times Sentinel]

Bethard did some phenomenal work with the 70's Dolphins and late 70's- early 80's Skins, now doubt about that.  However some of his recent work, like Ryan Leaf or perennially trading next year's #1 (or the year beyond that because he'd already traded next year's pick) for a number two that was a bust, led me to believe that his better days are behind him.

 

Like we discussed, though, it would be good to see some "Football People" calling the personnel shots. 

 

Hey, I may have missed it above, but aren't the Skins going to get in trouble with the NFL for violating Johnnie Cochran's Token Rule?  Or did they call in the janitor for a quick face to face?

Owl_Eagle

" WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
DIVERSITY IS STRENGTH"