Will the Redskins Coach Please Stand Up?

Photo: cheezburger.com

   There has been much speculation about who will be the next coach of the Washington Redskins. Big-name coaches, of course, were tossed around as possible candidates for the job—Jon Gruden, Lovie Smith, Bill Cowher, to name a few. However, those rumors got quiet rather fast once Gruden and Cowher both announced they have no plans to coach again, and then Smith signed a five-year deal with Tampa Bay.
   Then there were the Art Briles rumors that multiple "experts" believed to be a sure thing. Briles and the Redskins' coaching vacancy was a hot topic, causing as many negative arguments as positives ones. Yet, he will not be in the fold for the team because he has stated that his coaching days will continue at Baylor. There seems to be a pattern here. But, the truth is, it does not matter who everyone predicts will be the next man in charge; only Dan Snyder and Bruce Allen will have the final say. But hey, it does not hurt anyone to speculate.

   Mike Shanahan seemed qualified enough for the job, giving fans reason to be optimistic for a return to the promise land. That did not work out as planned. In fact, it has been too long to remember since a coach for this team has worked out as planned. Past achievements or fun personalities do not necessarily equal a winning formula, ah hem, see Shanahan, Jim Zorn, Joe Gibbs. Therefore, the 'Skins organization appears to be looking in the direction of NFL coordinators and college coaches, rather than has-been coaches and anyone that has strong ties with Robert Griffin III. 

   The list of candidates is quite long, at 11 total to date. Some of the names will have fans scratching their heads, with the likes of Rich Bisaccia and Perry Fewell. Neither one appears to be the next head coach of this franchise. But, that could be the type of thinking that has plagued the 'Skins when searching for someone in the past. 

   Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden, brother of Jon Gruden, has jumped ahead of the coaching line and seems to be the front-runner for the job. On Tuesday night, Allen took Gruden out to dinner at a restaurant in Reston, Va. While this does not assure a hiring, it certainly shows interest among the two sides. Perhaps Allen will buy him dessert to sweeten the deal.