It’s as bad as its ever been here in Washington. I’m not talking about the health care debate, but football. The real glue in this transient city has long been the Redskins. But its been nearly 20 years since the Redskins have fielded a consistently good team.

Making matters worse is that not only is the team mediocre, the Redskins are no longer a respected franchise. And now it appears, the next nail is being hammered – the fans are turning off. The same fans who have technically sold out every home game since the sixties. The same fans who used to watch in big numbers on TV at home.

The man who usually takes most of the blame for Redskins’ woes is Dan Snyder, a hands-on owner, whose only experience in football was when he bought the team ten years ago. Surprisingly I don’t think Synder is the biggest problem anymore. The real threat to the team is apathy.

I was at the game Sunday. Another horrendous loss to a no-win team. Previously 0-5 Kansas City came into Washington’s FedEx Field and shocked the falling Redskins 14 – 6. The Redskins are floundering with a 2 – 4 record on the season.

There were a lot of empty seats as thousands stayed at home. While there was a good measure of booing from those who were there, I got the distinct impression that many of them didn’t really care, and were booing out of habit. For some of them going to the game now is just a ritual.

And sadly many of the young Redskins fans have no idea what a good team wearing burgundy and gold actually looks like.

The Redskins have not scored more than 20 points in a game in two years.

Last week the team brought in an old bingo caller (really) as an offensive consultant, to make recommendations to head coach Jim Zorn. One of a series of desperate moves the team is now making.

But the man they should have called is in Tampa right now – Doug Williams. The former Redskins quarterback and Super Bowl hero is a player personnel executive for the Buccaneers. But he should be here in Washington in some capacity.

Doug won nearly 80 percent of his games as the head coach of his alma mater, legendary Grambling State. He has worked as an NFL assistant coach as well as in the front office.

Doug, who proved at Grambling as both a player and a coach, that he has a creative offensive mind, would bring football savvy to a floundering team, give the Redskin’s fan base the positive jolt it needs and serve as a mentor to the guy who now wears number 17, Jason Campbell.

Memo to Dan Snyder: You seem to be able to find room for just about everyone else, find room for Doug Williams. He could be your general manager or your coach or advisor.

I’m pretty sure he will take your call.

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Dear Mr. Campbell,

You have taken the high road for weeks, while your boss, Washington Redskins owner, Dan Snyder, has now twice tried to publicly fire you and embarrass you.  I commend you for your decency during what must be an uncomfortable and trying time.   You are truly a southern gentleman.  You are much more decent and dignified about being slapped in the face than most of us might be under similar circumstances.  

I wonder though, doesn’t it make you a little angry that Snyder, who just a couple of weeks ago promised that his flirtation with another quarterback, Jay Cutler, was just a passing fancy and that he was really committed to you, lied about that?  His commitment lasted just about a week, and then he turned his attention to a smooth talking college kid to play your position right behind your back.  Isn’t that some BS!!   But you, Mister Classy, simply said only that you were “shocked” that Snyder would do that.  I applaud you for your self-control.

But here is the bottom line.   Mr. Snyder and his team of advisers, despite their best efforts, couldn’t get the men they wanted to play quarterback.   And now they are “stuck” with you.   And its either a pretty messed up position for all of you to be in, or perhaps, irony of ironies, potentially the best situation of all.    Its what you make of it.

No, Jason, I’m not a Redskins fan, I never have been except for the briefest of moments.  Once to cheer for a past-his-prime, Doug Williams, who heroically played one of the greatest Super Bowl games in NFL history.  And one other time to root for Marty Schottenheimer, who is the only coach in the Dan Snyder era to truly mold the Redskins the right way, even though it meant Snyder had to cede power to someone who actually knew how to put together a professional football team.   The ceding control thing; I especially liked that.

But now I’ve decided that even if I don’t completely root for the Redskins,  I will definitely pull for you, Jason Campbell.  And I’m sure I am not alone here.  You have been wronged.  We know it and so do you.   And most folks I know hate to see someone get played, the way Dan Snyder and the Redskins have tried to play you.   Nonetheless, like the upstanding, respectful young man that you are, you have displayed a dignity far beyond anything that should rightfully be expected from anyone.  I like that and respect that.   But right now as a new fan and member of what has to be a growing fan club, I want more from you.

Please seize control of this team.  Even though Dan Synder owns them, circumstances now dictate that the Redskins can become your team now – if you want that responsibility.

The Redskins have done virtually nothing in the Snyder years.  But if you can take over the team with your leadership, your poise and your play, you will have stock in this town and this team that Dan Snyder will never be able to take away from you.

You wear number 17, just like Doug Williams did, so its time for you to act like number 17 and produce with big numbers the way Doug did in the Super Bowl two decades ago, when he played the greatest game any Redskins quarterback has ever played, when everything was on the line.

The biggest complaint against you is that you might be too nice, too soft spoken and accommodating to be a star in the NFL.  But I believe it is not too late to show that nice and decent doesn’t mean weak.  You haven’t nearly reached your prime as a player.   But you have already been tested.  And so far you have aced all the dignity courses.   Now its time to for you to earn your advanced degree in signal calling and team leadership.   You can do it.  I know you can.

Sincerely,

A New Fan

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