tag:views.washingtonpost.com,2009:/theleague/19 2009-11-06T01:59:20Z Smart takes from players, coaches, and sports reporters on NFL news. Join the discussion at The League. Movable Type 4.2-en tag:views.washingtonpost.com,2009:/theleague/panelists//51.15001 2009-11-06T14:24:12Z 2009-11-06T17:30:18Z

Vinny Cerrato took to the airwaves on his radio show Friday morning to defend his boss from Riggins's charges of having a dark heart.

Dan Steinberg http://blog.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsbog/ John Riggins's outburst on Wednesday to Greg Blache's return-from-the-silent-void on Thursday. And in the interest of closing this week's loop of madness, I guess I should tell you that Vinny Cerrato took to the airwaves on his radio show Friday morning to defend his boss from Riggins's charges of having a dark heart. Riggins certainly rubbed at least a few fans the wrong way by turning this into a discussion of morals and ethics, but I still have to imagine that if he and Cerrato are duking it out in the arena of public opinion, the Hall of Famer will have the upper hand. Continue reading...]]> tag:views.washingtonpost.com,2009:/theleague/panelists//51.14998 2009-11-06T16:06:07Z 2009-11-06T20:12:11Z

When John Riggins was outspoken and even embarrassing folks would give him a pass. That legacy is not only intact, it's growing.

Charles Mann John Riggins in the 80's I can tell you that he is a fabulous self-promoter. What he said about Daniel Snyder on Showtime's "Inside the NFL" about him being a "bad guy" and having a "dark heart" is just that - self promotion. And Riggo will freely admit that. He may be a Hall of Famer but he needs to stay relevant and grow his business, and you can't blame him for that. I won three Super Bowls with the Washington Redskins, but I walk down the street today and the kids don't recognize me. Good, bad or indifferent he's doing what he thinks he needs to do to stay on the front page. So is there any truth to what he's saying? Of course. If there wasn't people would dismiss his comments as crazy or, worse still, ignore them. Let's face it though, the Redskins aren't doing so well. Fans, myself included, are so frustrated we take notice. And Riggo is a master at fanning those flames. Whether he really believes Daniel Snyder has a "dark heart" is irrelevant. What matters is that people sit up and take notice. And that carries over into his legacy. Riggo has always been a trendsetter, and he always got away with things that other people couldn't. He would wear camouflage shorts and cowboy boots one week, and the next week everyone else would be copying him. Sure he had his problems with alcohol, he had his problems with marriage, he had his problems with Sandra Day O'Connor, but how can you dislike Riggo? When he was outspoken and even embarrassing folks would give him a pass because it's just Riggo being Riggo. That legacy is not only intact, it's growing. ]]> tag:views.washingtonpost.com,2009:/theleague/panelists//51.14986 2009-11-06T05:01:06Z 2009-11-07T04:55:36Z

How will John Riggins' characterization of Redskins Owner Daniel Snyder as being a "bad guy" with a "dark heart" affect his legacy? Vote now...

Reader Poll ]]> tag:views.washingtonpost.com,2009:/theleague/panelists//51.14985 2009-11-06T05:40:59Z 2009-11-06T17:31:09Z

When was the last time John Riggins said something meaningful or insightful about anything? "Loosen up, Sandy, baby" doesn't count.

Michael Kun John Riggins' "Inside the NFL" interview, and only a few. 1) Before we all get too worked up about this, since when does anyone care what John Riggins has to say about anything? And I mean ANYTHING. Oh, that's right, it was when he made drunken and disrespectful comments to Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. I believe his exact quote was, "Loosen up, Sandy, baby." 2) Quick, name the last time John Riggins said something meaningful or insightful about anything. And I mean ANYTHING. Go ahead, I can wait. And, "Loosen up, Sandy, baby" doesn't count as meaningful or insightful. 3) The fact that someone racked up a large number of rushing yards (largely because of the otherworldly offensive line in front of him) doesn't mean that we should listen to what he says or that we should trust him. Exhibit A: Simpson, O.J. Exhibit B: Henry, Travis. Exhibit C: Riggins, John. 4) Regarding Riggins' comments that Skins owner Dan Snyder is a "bad guy" and has a "dark heart," one has to wonder whether Riggins has the unique and magical ability to look into someone's soul. If so, does that power only extend to NFL owners, or does it reach beyond that? If it only extends to NFL owners, or only those owners in the DC area, that's a strangely limited power. But if it extends beyond that, perhaps John could be very valuable in helping us elect Presidents or select mates. Now incidentally, if God were going to give someone that great power to look into others' souls, would he really select John Riggins? Note: if you answer that affirmatively, you may be calling God an idiot. 5) It's one thing to say that an owner has made bad business decisions. It's another to say he's a "bad" person and has a "dark heart." The former is a professional assessment; the latter, a personal insult. Even the most unsavory of politicians understand that difference. And Redskins fans know the difference. While they've blasted Snyder for the way he's run the team, they've generally limited the criticism to professional matters. 6) By making a personal attack, Riggins has just made Snyder sympathetic in a situation where he had received little sympathy to date. Snyder should send him some flowers to thank him. Seriously. 7) Irony alert: Doesn't making a personal attack on a national TV show arguably make you a "bad guy"? I mean, would a "good guy" do that? 8) Doesn't Snyder's refusal to respond in kind by calling Riggins a "[expletive]" demonstrate to some extent that Snyder is actually a "good guy" -- good guy who's made some questionable decisions perhaps, but a good guy nonetheless? (Unlike me, who just suggested that a Hall of Fame running back might be a "[expletive]." but at least I have evidence to back it up. Exhibit A: The "Inside the NFL" interview. Exhibit B: "Loosen up, Sandy, baby." Exhibits C-Z: Do a Google search. 9) Rinse. 10) Repeat. Let's just file this whole thing under "Teapot, Tempest in a." Hopefully, we'll all forget about it as swiftly as we forgot about the brouhaha when Artie Lange was on "The Joe Buck Show." And hopefully everyone will think twice about asking John Riggins to comment on anything. And I mean ANYTHING. ]]> tag:views.washingtonpost.com,2009:/theleague/panelists//51.14983 2009-11-06T05:32:17Z 2009-11-06T04:19:54Z

He's John Riggins. The Diesel. Big John. Riggo. That will never change. Never.

Leonard Shapiro John Riggins rip into Redskins team owner Daniel Snyder on Showtime's weekly NFL anthology show? Do we need to be reminded about all manner of previous verbal Riggo drill classics, as in: "I'm bored, I'm broke and I'm back," after ending a season-long holdout in the early 1980s. "Loosen up Sandy, baby," directed at Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor at a memorable banquet (he may not remember himself, for all the obvious reasons). "Ronald Reagan may be the president, but I'm the king," not long after scoring the clinching fourth-quarter touchdown against the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XVII. Riggins has been ripping into Snyder and his Redskins Park minions all season, which is certainly his right as a paid pundit on various local media outlets, as well as his hilarious YouTube contributions. He's paid for his opinions, and anyone who has ever spent any time with Riggins face-to-face or watched him for years sparring with George Michael and Sonny Jurgensen, on Channel 4, knows he's never been shy in expressing them. Does he have an axe to grind, the operative cliché being used by all his critics? Well, he was working for one of Snyder's radio stations up until last year, but when ESPN 980 also was purchased by Snyder, there was no room in the lineup for a guy who surely would have rattled a lot more coffee cups than a few of the sports talk hosts now employed (are you listening John Thompson, a frequent guest in Snyder's owners box on game days). So you decide about that ax. Did he go too far in describing Snyder as being a "bad guy" or having a "dark heart?" Riggins knows the man far better than I do, and if that's what he believes, more power to him for telling it the way he sees it. Amazing that other former Redskins, particularly Brian Mitchell and LaVar Arrington, also have been taking heavy on-air shots at Snyder as well. As for Riggins' legacy being tarnished by his comments. Please spare me. He's in the Hall of Fame. He rivals Sonny Jurgensen as arguably the most popular Redskin of all time, both when he played and now that he's retired. They're not going to throw him out of Canton. His records are still on the books. That touchdown against Miami will always rank as one of the all-time greatest plays in team history, if not the very best of the best. He's John Riggins. The Diesel. Big John. Riggo. That will never change. Never. ]]> tag:views.washingtonpost.com,2009:/theleague/panelists//51.14973 2009-11-06T05:48:13Z 2009-11-06T02:00:12Z

Except in the eyes of the most rabid Redskins fans, John Riggins' rant will hurt his legacy.

Mike Wise John Riggins' legacy. Oh, sure, the truly rabid will hold him up as the voice of the disenchanted fan. But when Riggo goes into "bad guy" and "this person's heart is dark," and doesn't explain personal, heavy insult like that against Snyder, he runs the risk of alienating the on-the-fence person who always wondered why the most popular player in franchise history seems to be so emotionally wounded. I mean, until he explains exactly why he feels that way, it's just out there in the ether. And at some point, when it gets that personal. ]]> tag:views.washingtonpost.com,2009:/theleague/panelists//51.14971 2009-11-06T05:58:00Z 2009-11-06T02:32:09Z

John Riggins was a great Washington Redskin. Now he's an entertainer, a great listener but not an insider.

Les Carpenter John Riggins is not going to ruin his legacy by criticizing Redskins Owner Dan Snyder, no matter how personal the attacks become. Snyder's popularity is as low as it has ever been and, the chances are, a great proportion of the team's fanbase consider him to be as evil as Riggins suggests. Riggins has certainly done and said enough outlandish things in the past to destroy his good name dozens of times and people have never cared before. They'd smile, they'd shake their heads and they'd say "oh there goes Riggo again." This has always been his charm: saying something crazy and getting away with it. The fact is no one should take what Riggins says about the current Redskins seriously. He simply doesn't know. He was a great football player and a bright man with a wonderful understanding of the game, but he doesn't have firsthand understanding of what goes on at Redskins Park. Greg Blache said he hasn't seen Riggins in Redskins Park in all of the six years he has been with the team. And even accounting for the fact that Riggins might well have dropped by the building at times when Blache didn't know he was there, the fact remains that Riggins -- like many of the former Redskins of his era -- is an outsider now. Recently he suggested that Redskins Coach Jim Zorn should probably not be coaching above the high school level. This is, of course, absurd. Zorn came here with a reputation as perhaps the best quarterback coach in the league and was at the top of several prospective head coach's lists for offensive coordinator. A high school coach? Come on. It's a great comment for the radio or makes a cute video when speaking off the cuff while knocking off after a hard day of chopping wood but it is not insightful commentary. It's something most people who have listened to Riggins on the radio should understand by now. He's funny, he's a great listen. He has some good points about the game. But he is an entertainer now. Not an insider. ]]> tag:views.washingtonpost.com,2009:/theleague/panelists//51.14970 2009-11-06T05:44:17Z 2009-11-06T02:12:52Z

I don't have to listen to John Riggins to dislike Daniel Snyder.

Dave Goldberg John Riggins to dislike Daniel Snyder. I just have to remember when he bought the Redskins a decade ago and started firing people who had been with the franchise for years. Why? Because he could. So when Riggins says Snyder has a "dark heart,'' I don't think back to Riggo's various transgressions, like his inebriated: "Loosen up, Sandy, baby" to Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. I just think of an insecure 33-year-old NFL owner who had to show some loyal low- and middle-level employees who was the boss. OK, Snyder has matured to the extent that we all do in a decade. But he's still feuding with Redskins season-ticket holders. He still runs a stadium that is one of the least pleasant to visit in the NFL. And, worst for his fans, he still can't figure out how to put together a winner. He is, as I've termed him over the years: "Dan the Fan,'' someone whose idea of building a team is similar to ideas promulgated by people who call talk shows and suggest: "Why don't we trade Jason Campbell and a No. 1 pick to the Patriots for Tom Brady?'' That latent insecurity was obvious in his response to Riggins: ordering up a press release that has defensive coordinator Greg Blache defending him. "There's times he's come to me when he's heard about issues in my family and offered his assistance ...,'' Blache is quoted as saying or Snyder. "He's one of the most generous, kind individuals you'll ever meet.'' Look, all owners in all sports are subject to criticism when they lose. Including, occasionally, from ex-players. The smart ones ignore it, instead of denouncing the denouncer. Al Davis, who's down there with Snyder on an "NFL's worst owner'' list, did the same thing this week, attacking ESPN for alleging that his coach, Tom Cable, struck an ex-wife and a former girlfriend. The most obvious way Snyder can make Skins fans happy is to win. Absent of that, he can put his team on the right track to doing that by doing what every smart owner in every sport does: hire the best person he can find to run the team and getting out of the way. There are examples to the immediate to the north of him: Jeffrey Lurie in Philadelphia; John Mara and Steve Tisch in New York and Robert Kraft in New England. Do that and even Riggo might forgive him... ]]> tag:views.washingtonpost.com,2009:/theleague/panelists//51.14968 2009-11-06T05:57:29Z 2009-11-06T16:26:16Z

The question if Riggins crossed the line is pretty much moot, because he left that checkpoint in his rear view mirror years ago.

Gene Wang incendiary comments on "Inside the NFL" after the Hall of Famer said Dan Snyder, the owner of the Washington Redskins, was a "bad guy" and his "heart is dark." The question if Riggins crossed the line is pretty much moot, because he left that checkpoint in his rear view mirror years ago. Remember this is the guy who passed out at the National Press Club dinner after telling a supreme court justice to "loosen up." As for Riggins' recent comments, Redskins defensive coordinator Greg Blache didn't take kindly to them and broke his self-imposed media silence with an impromptu news conference at Redskins Park during which he defended his owner. "In the six years [I've been with the Redskins], I've never seen John Riggins here," Blache said. "Never seen him in the building. So to hear such a vicious criticism of somebody I consider not just my employer, but a good friend, bothered me." Blache also said the problem was "people outside the building" were misrepresenting Snyder. "They don't know Dan Snyder, and that's the problem," Blache said. Exactly, and that gets to the heart of the issue for Redskins fans. No one outside Snyder's inner circle really knows him because he chooses not to talk on the record. He has denied repeated interview requests from The Washington Post, and only recently did Snyder speak publically about the team. Even then, Snyder did not respond to questions from the media about specifics. The ticket buying public, the fan base that has made Washington the second most profitable NFL franchise in the land, deserves more from Snyder. Where's the accountability during this lost season? Cleveland Browns owner Randy Lerner gets it, even though he finds his franchise in a similar circumstance as Snyder's. Lerner's team is struggling on the field. There's internal unrest after George Kokinis was fired as the general manager. Coach Eric Mangini is embattled. Yet Lerner, who like Snyder goes to great lengths to avoid the media, found time to speak directly with disgruntled fans this week. According to the Canton Repository, Lerner met with Mike Randall and Tony Schaefer, and both said they were impressed with the owner despite the Browns' woes. While fans in Cleveland may have had the chance for a civilized exchange with their owner, it's almost inconceivable Snyder would elect to meet with members of the Redskins fan base. That's why Riggins said he felt the need to speak out. "I speak for the fans because these are the people that paid my salary for all these years," Riggins said. "They are the ones that need to know that this is a bad guy." You can debate all you want about whether Riggins should have attacked Snyder on a personal level. What you can't deny is the fact the Redskins are 2-5 with a coach who has been stripped of play-calling duties and a general manager who did little to address the team's most glaring weakness -- the offensive line -- during the offseason. "Nobody pains more when we are unsuccessful than Dan Snyder," Blache said. "There is nobody that cares more about the fans than Dan Snyder." Oh really? Then tell us why, as the team sinks deeper into dysfunction, does the owner find it necessary to sue season ticket holders, ban signs at FedEx Field and continue to charge exorbitant prices for parking and concessions. Apart from his on-field exploits that include perhaps the greatest run in NFL history, Riggins is revered because he doesn't filter his comments. He speaks with conviction, passion and intelligence, and he knows the subject matter from years of playing in the NFL. No matter what Blache says to defend his owner, no fan is going to take Sndyer's side over perhaps the most beloved player in Redskins history. Plus, don't you wonder if Blache should have been more concerned about stopping Michael Turner, Roddy White, Tony Gonzalez and Matt Ryan than riffing on why he doesn't agree with Riggins? Riggins on many levels has earned the right to speak freely and in this case harshly. Not only is he a Washington icon, but he's long been a respected analyst, and it's part of his job description. Is it fair? Maybe not. But is it fair to Redskins fans who spend their hard-earned money to have to watch such a dreadful product? Perhaps that's the real injustice in all of this. ]]>