Post mortem - Assessments of Redskins "Issues"

There's a difference between sports writers and sports bloggers. Writers have figured out how to make a living at this. When you get paid, it's working your "craft." When you don't, it's working your passion. Yup, that's blogging.

Writers can work full time to develop sources and develop original content built on quotes and confirmation. Blogger's work late into the evening because our time is committed to our income -- which isn't from blogging. Our stock-in-trade is insightful analysis. In this symbiotic relationship, writers' stories are raw material for blogger commentary, not to mention the images we "borrow," with attribution, of course. I'm convinced that writers get a lot of their story ideas from blogs, never with attribution.

In the aftermath of this season's disaster, local writers are publishing a raft of in-depth stories on why the Redskins did so poorly. All of it points to the top of the organization. Bloggers have been touching on it from the season's midpoint. Here are a few articles that Redskins bloggers will play off of from now to draft day.

Associated Press
Redskins biggest need? How about a general manager, by Joseph White, staff writer
Redskins growing weary of Gibbs' year-round routine, by Joseph White, staff writer

The Washington Post
Problems at the Core, by Jason LaCanfora, staff writer
Of Two Minds On Offense, by Howard Bryant, staff writer
Coordinator Assumes Old Defensive Crouch, by Les Carpenter, staff writer

The Washington Times
Lunch pail, pride beat big spending, by Dan Daly, sports columnist (Jan. 2005)

The Washington Examiner
Cue the Darlings of Downtime, by Rick Snider, staff writer
Rick Snider: Free agency is proving costly, by Rick Snider, staff writer
Suspect Architect, by John Keim, staff writer, a must read

The infamous ESPN article by Tom Friend, Reeling Redskins awash in troubles

WTEM AM - SportsTalk980
Clinton Portis' candid interview with Doc Walker and Smokin' Al Coken on SportsTalk 980. Portis names a few names. A must hear.

My blogging colleagues have started adding their gifted insight to these articles. Lee at The Redskins Report questions if Vinnie Cerrato is the real issue in the poor free agent class.

The always clever writers at The Curly R have serialized their thoughts in Too Many Cooks: 2006 Season in Review.

Skins Patrol at Hog Haven challenges the notion that fast offenses make bad defenses.

Anthony at Hog Heaven offers suggestions for what Daniel Snyder can do to fix this.

Photo: FedEx Sky, Anthony Brown

Washington Redskins