Andrew Goldman published outtakes today of his interview with Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder for the New York Times Magazine. That interview was widely viewed for revealing that Snyder had not read the story The Cranky Redskins Fan’s Guide to Dan Snyder.
Snyder sued for defamation the publisher, The Washington City Paper, and author, Dave McKenna, over the story. Snyder wisely dropped the suit concurrently with the NY Times Magazine story. That might have been coincidental. The Redskins press release says the two sides have been in settlement talks for months.
Goldman published Snyder’s answers to three other questions in a small story posted today on The 6th Floor blog on nytimes.com (Daniel Snyder, Owner of the Redskins Keeps On Talking). Golden asked Snyder about his reaction to statements by Washington Post columnist Sally Jenkins and Redskins/Jets Hall of Famer John Riggins.
Snyder says “The media that knows me wouldn’t write that” stuff that Jenkins wrote about him. Snyder likened it to tabloid journalism.
Of Riggins, Snyder says, “all of us admire him from his days as a Redskin. But you know, you try to ignore what he says on talk radio, or what have you.”
Snyder was more interested in talking about the solar panels being installed by NRG at FedEx Field, writes Golden, and the owner seemed surprised that questions about his stewardship came up.
We have already suggested ways for Snyder control his image through social media in the genuine hope that he follows the advice. No, that is not sarcasm. Yes, I hope he takes the advice. The Redskins will not become a championship team until Snyder becomes a championship owner.
Part of becoming a championship owner is to be less insulated than Snyder is and to be more candid in dealing with issues than he has been. You are perceived to be more powerful when you are seen confronting an issue and describing solutions. Snyder has had front men like departed COO Dave Donovan stand for him when crises arose.
I do get the sense that Snyder, until very recently, is surrounded by yes men. I have not met those folks, but I recognize yes men behavior when I read it in the paper because I spent much of my career being one (unless they told me to say ‘no.’ Then I became a no man.)
There is a ring of truth in Golden’s sense that Snyder may still be oblivious to the depth of antipathy towards him for his management of the team. Snyder seems to believe that his image would improve if the media stopped saying those things about him.
In my neighborhood, we call that “shooting the messenger.”
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