Escaping D.C. an understandable goal
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By DERON SNYDER (as published on 106.7 The Fan)
There are two options when finding yourself in a workplace you’re not crazy about.
You can gripe and moan about the environment, clearly expressing your unhappiness for the duration of you stay.
Or, you can say all the right things and present a positive outlook while waiting for your chance to leave.
Some consider the latter an example of taking the high road.
But critics will accuse you of being a plastic phony.
Which bring us to Kirk Cousins. First there was Skins defensive back DeAngelo Hall telling reporters recently that teammates sensed a lack of commitment and wondered why Cousins rejected Washington’s long-term offers.
This week, a columnist wrote that Cousins too often was a “me-first” guy and refused to negotiate with the team in good faith. In the same article, Senior V.P. of Player Personnel Doug Williams is quoted saying “I know it’s about money” and “it would be hard for me not to still be here.”
I guess teammates and management feel jilted by Cousins, who reportedly is headed to Minnesota for roughly $84 million over three years. Most of us know the pain of expressing desire for someone, only to find out that the feeling isn’t mutual.
I get it. But objective observers certainly must understand why Cousins might prefer to play elsewhere.
Even if the Skins offered an identical contract, I wouldn’t blame Cousins if he respectfully declined. Considering everything he experienced in Ashburn and everything he knows about owner Dan Snyder and president Bruce Allen, you could argue Cousins would be a fool to stay.
When it comes to being a respected, efficient, and well-run organization, let’s just say Washington has a long way to go. And some of us doubt that the franchise will ever arrive unless there’s a change at the top.
If Cousins decided at some point that he couldn’t put his faith in management, that he didn’t trust it create the culture and add the pieces that would enable him and the entire team to flourish, he did the next-best thing.
He played hard. He refrained from bashing anyone. He looked at the bright side. He kept a flicker of hope alive.
You can say he was fake and didn’t really want to be here.
I say he was classy and demonstrated sound judgement.
