Maybe Portis Is the Problem in Washington

The NFC East in insane in the membrane. One of the best divisions in football, it's also one of the craziest. In Dallas, the inmates are running the asylum, Philly and New York have their own issues, and the Redskins are dealing with the star running back calling out the rookie head coach.

Earlier this week, Clinton Portis went on the "John Thompson Show" and called Jim Zorn a "genius" in much the same way those nasty liberal bloggers might refer to George W. Bush. That led to a closed-door meeting between the two, followed by rumors that Zorn's job might be in trouble, and now this from the Washington Post's Jason La Canfora:

As the season has deteriorated ... the private bristling of many players toward Zorn's increasingly ineffective scheme increased, and even Zorn was not shocked that Portis went public with his grumbling. Before the season, Zorn's staff had discussed how to handle Portis with one of Gibbs's former assistants. "He doesn't show respect," the former assistant said.

Over the years, many Redskins have come to consider Portis's periodic outbursts as self-serving, and his practice habits and cozy relationship with ownership bothersome. "Ain't nothing we haven't seen before," said one Redskins veteran, who did not want to be identified so as not to escalate the incident. "Whether he's dressing up [in costumes] or whatever, he loves to be the center of attention, and that's worked for him."

La Canfora writes that the problem has been exacerbated by owner Dan Snyder's "that's just Clinton being Clinton" attitude. And awarding Portis with a contract extension last winter (which included $20 million in guarantees) only emboldened the 'Skins running back.

Winning, as the saying goes, fixes everything, which is why nobody gave a crap about Portis' antics nine weeks into the season. On the upside, Mr. Tony thinks the latest craziness will allow Jason Campbell to prove he's a leader. So there's that.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

12-13-2008 @ 2:07PM

A.J. said...

Portis is more competitor than crybaby. He, like most of the fans of the organization, is sick of coming so close time after time and just not getting there. People like Jason La Canfora are the reason that Portis gets upset. He's been running with about a hundred injuries this season and the only things that ever get published nationwide are the things that he says that are perceived as negative - even if some of them are legitimate and truthful. The problem in Washington is a fanbase full of fair-weather fans that don't support their team when times aren't the best, but instead, want to blame someone for the problem and throw them under the bus. In fact, I'm surprised that Portis hasn't asked to be traded.

Clinton Portis, just like any other player in the NFL on a team that suddenly goes on a losing streak, is frustrated.

JLC is intentionally weighing in on this situation extremely late, especially the fact that people were talking about Zorn's job LAST week, Portis and Zorn had a meeting this week, seemed to have resolved their differences, and Portis has not missed a practice this week.

12-13-2008 @ 2:13PM

Adam said...

I wouldn't trust anything La Canfora says. He uses every opportunity to undermine the Redskins organization, especially the front office.

There's no team out there which goes 1-4 in a stretch and doesn't have grumpy players. I'm not concerned about it.

12-13-2008 @ 2:19PM

Daniel V said...

Its hard to say that Washingtons fans arent true and die hard, they are just sick of this bs with our team not showing heart and blowing money on busts. I think portis and fletcher are the two players that we picked up that play with all they have. Jason Taylor get about 700,000 a game and plays gentle and girly like so he gets his pay check and doesnt get hurt. Portis is not the problem VInny and Dan are crazy they are like a scientist trying to figure out which rat fits where. Build charcter and heart. Faireather fan, I am die hard but I am F'n sick of this bs. No Oline wtf Dline is garbage too. It starts up front and if portis had it maybe he wouldnt be hurt and frustrated with their losses.

12-16-2008 @ 12:10AM

texas redskin said...

I think you hit the nail on the head. The offensive line is old and beat up. There is no depth at o-line. The defensive line is scrappy but lacks game changers like Dallas d-line or Minnisota's d-line. I thought Jason Taylor was suppose to change that but i see once again a big name comes to Washington and shuts down, lose interest or whatever. I'm hoping Deangelo Hall will be different but we will see. I'm also waiting for Jason Campbell to show some energy, show some spunk. He just seems to be too laid back for me. He never gets excited therefore no one else on the offense gets excited. Please Jason get the dull look off your face! I'm a TEXAS REDSKIN and its getting harder to defend the skins down here in cowgirl country.

12-13-2008 @ 3:11PM

Jay said...

Let me give you a little piece of advice, never ever read anything that Jason La Cangora writes. He is a hack and he intentionaly tries to stir up a bunch or crap to get people to read his bs.

12-13-2008 @ 2:50PM

Lewis said...

I agree with you Daniel. As a die hard fan, most fans do rally around the team but its just frustrating when you see so much potential in this team and they don't pan out. But everyone seems to forget that this is the first season of Zorn's schemes. Yes it seemed like it would work during the beginning of the season but as the season progressed we see how much the the offense has really grasped the scheme. I think we will be fine, as long as we can build on this first season under Zorn. When you lose people get frustrated but if we were winning and the same thing happened, it would not be an issue.

12-13-2008 @ 3:05PM

I make the argument that Zorn actually had too much early success for his own good. It's made the fans and the management actually forget that we're supposed to be in something of a rebuilding mode.

Yes, Mike Smith and John Harbaugh are doing well in their respective positions, but both coaches have had something that Zorn hasn't had an opportunity to do - bring in great coordinators to help run their systems. Gibbs chose to retire at the one time where everyone was convinced that he was going to return for one last year. Atlanta got to start a coaching search early because Petrino bolted for the NCAA at the first opportunity. Billick got fired at the end of the regular season, so the Ravens knew they'd have to get a new head coach. The Redskins didn't realize it until after the playoffs, which put them in an awkward situation. That said, in the grand scale of the entire year, Zorn hasn't done that badly. But the Redskins have always been a momentum kind of team. They're extremely streaky. That's why you notice that they never go 3-13, but they never go 13-3. They have a half a season where they go on a great run, and then a half a season where it's not so great, which results in a lot of records between 6-10 and 10-6.

12-14-2008 @ 1:02AM

Chuck said...

Uhh... Zorn does have his own coordinator to help run his sytem, His name is Sherman Smith. The problem with Zorn's scheme is that he doesn't make adjustments to what defenses are trying to do to his offense.

12-13-2008 @ 5:05PM

Richard Clemence said...

wow ... that's a pretty strong statement about Redskins fans when we have stood behing this team for the last 10 yrs + selling out the stadium and cheering and bleeding for our guys no matter how lousy the outcomes ... perhaps you are the one who is not a Redskins fan ... the real trouble is ... with an owner that is still learning his way with the relations and dynamics of a football organization ... and a player that has pretty much dictated his own arrangements (while being a pretty amazing talent ) ... there is dysfunction in the organization that mainfests itself in outburst like the one Portis just had ... regardless of how frustrated he is ( or all of us are ) it is still a "team" ... including the head coach ... and if Clinton really believed what he says ... " he's the coach ... i'm the player" ... then he would accept and respect the decisions the coach makes ... and if he has a problem with it ... go seek out the man ( rather than whine because the man didn't seek you out ) and ask about the issue ... instead ... he does exactly the opposite of what he says Zorn should have done ... avoids talking to Zorn and goes to the media and takes cheap shots at a guy who has done everything he can to make life good for Portis ... he prioritized the running game and kept it the same ( setting ego aside ) to provide some continuity for the offense and Portis imparticular ... where is Portis' appreciation of that ??? ... if Portis wants to throw someone under the bus ... maybe he should be talking about his buddy Snyder who allowed Vinnie to pick 3 recievers instead of any linemen to help his cause ... i doubt Portis went off on Snyder for that ... i like Portis ... and i think he is the most well-rounded back in the league ... but i don't care how talented you are ... or how hard working you are ... if you can't follow the rules and live by the standards you set for others ... then there is a name for you ... CANCER ... we all know that allowances are made for star players ... but when you have an organization that is struggling to find it's identity and get on it's feet ... you just can't afford that kind of dissention ... sometimes you have to cut off a limb to rid yourself of the cancer and to send a message to the rest of the body ... WE ARE GOING TO GET BETTER ... and believe it or not ... sometime it's most effective if the guy you cut, is someone who everyone thinks you can't do without ... so lot's of love for what Clinton's done for us ... but shape up ... or ship out ... it's up to Dan Snyder to decide how this ship wil be run ... but i think Zorn is the right captain of the ship ... and if that's true ... then Snyder is going to have to show some resolve and backbone, with the players, to support his captain ... and with players that don't want to cooperate ... that is what the gangplank is for ... let's keep our eye on what the real problem is here ... thanks

12-13-2008 @ 5:10PM

oh ... by the way ... that last comment was in response to AJ's post ... "Portis is more of a competitor than crybaby"

12-13-2008 @ 5:16PM

JAY said...

AS A FAN OF THE SKINZ I HAVE 2 SAY WE SUCK WE HAVE NO OFFENSE WE GET BEAT SINGLE HANDEDLY BY RUNNING BACK LIKE THE RAVENS AND THE COWBOYS MARION BARBER BUT ITS NOT THE DEFENSES FAULT ITS OUR OFFENSES ...CAMPBELL NEEDS TO GET BENCHED AND ZORN NEEDS TO GET CUTT

12-20-2008 @ 7:07PM

Matt said...

Zorn isn't the problem. Our defense is rock solid, but its hard to stop the other team's offense when your out on the field 90% of the time. The redskins need some excitement back on the offense. I wouldn't object the trading of clinton portis. Ladell betts isn't bad and neither is rock cartright. And we could trade him for some decent linemen.

12-16-2008 @ 4:40PM

jamane23 said...

i am a die hard redskins fan. if you dont think that jim zorn isnt out there trying the best that he can to get this thing going right, then you have to be sadley mistakin. he is upfront and i think that we will see a more competitive team next year. when things where going good, fans where all on the band wagon and now that they are going bad, everyone has on there parachutes ready to bail out. so to all you band wagonders just go ahead and leave. we dont need no one who is not going to deal with the hard times.

12-13-2008 @ 5:57PM

Craig said...

I've followed the Redskins since the early 70's, seen alot of mediocre football during that time, BUT, I also sat in the Rose Bowl and watched John Riggins rumble (man, what a memory). The Redskins have always been a great organization, and I'm proud to be a loyal fan. Whether we lose, or win, I'll still be a fan. I thought, and still think, that Jim Zorn will bring championships to Washington. He reminds me alot of Gibbs in the early years. Portis is a great back(period). The guy lays it on the line each game. Yes, he speaks his mind, but I still think he has matured over the years. The whole team is grumpy right now, they need a win BADLY! But I still see them fighting like a TEAM. You can't compare Dallas to Washington, Dallas is a soap opera each week!

Before the season I said that I would be happy if we went 9-7. I also started dreaming of championships after our great start, but have been humbled over the last few weeks. We are exactly where we should be with a first year coach, an aging offensive line, and in need of a big (in size) veteran receiver and a young edge defensive end that can sack the quarterback. Give Zorn two more years, drafting the kind of players he needs (plus a couple more free agents), and we will be a constant force in the East once again!

12-13-2008 @ 8:43PM

Sammy Ball said...

Portis runs into the hole expected to be opened by the offensive line and particular play called....

...the line has been injured and thus changed from week to week.

Portis runs hard and hits hard and blocks more effectively than any other back I've seen recently.....rarely have I've seen him simply just run out of bounds. He pushes for every yard when inches are needed.

The coach is in his first year...the offense he is trying to execute is in the first year.....the defense is very capable.

...I didn't expect more than an 8 and 8 season before the start.

...Gibbs was 0 and 5 before eventually winning....
Walsh had a similar beginning before his Hall of Fame years.

Let's not kick down a horse tripped by flying mud balls.

12-13-2008 @ 8:51PM

jesse said...

Great players always blame the coach when they don't succeed

12-13-2008 @ 8:55PM

ziggy marla said...

This writer is a loser. This is old news find something new to write about.

12-14-2008 @ 9:04AM

vaskinfan said...

Wow...the Skin fans stand behind there team ?? I too am one who has has season tickets the past 3 years....and I have to disagree. Were you at the Steeler game..all those yellow towels that "diehard" Redskin fans sold...and the NY Giant game was just as bad !! I can't wait to see how many Philly fans are at the game. I'd throw my tickets away before I'd sell them to the opposing teams fans !!!

12-14-2008 @ 12:38PM

Sam said...

I agree with vaskinfan.
Those of you that sell your tickets to opposing team fans should loose your rights as ticket holders. We are the Greatest fans in the NFL and support the Greatest Team in any sport regardless of our record. I bleed Burgundy and Gold. If you cannot attend the game donate your tickets to someone you know that will represent the 12 th man. I live in GA. I would go to any game I could. You don't realize what you have. I know I don't have season tickets anymore and I miss all you fans more than you know. We are the tradition. Get up and stand strong for your team. Cheer louder than you ever have. I will be at the game against the Eagles and you will hear me by god. Peace be with you and the Skins.