There was a collective sigh of relief when Dan Snyder finally made a choice of football coach for the Redskins 2010 season. Whispering had become gale force. Fear was in the air.
Some knowledgeable Snyder-watchers felt certain that he could not restrain his wild, impulsive nature. Gamblers were beginning to lay bets with bookies, and the name "Joe Paterno" was increasingly being offered as a "Snyder-type coach."
Joe Paterno offered the Redskins owner a stellar, "winningest-coach ever" type of reputaton. Paterno would offer Dan Snyder the sublime pleasure of fooling everyone by "pulling a rabbit out of his hat" with a coach whose reputation and record were such that even the most savage Snyder critic would have to agree that his choice was outstanding. Frankly, no one would want to criticize Joe Paterno. It would be in football culture the equivalent of "dissing" America.
Perhaps because he has had such a beating by critics of the Redskins' performance over the last few years, Dan Snyder apparently opted for a "safe" selection: a former Super Bowl-winning coach. How Mr. Mike Shanahan performs as coach of the Redskins can't be known at this time. I'm confident Washington Redskins fans will welcome and support him - at least for three games.
Yet, some of Washington's savviest fans cannot help but wonder what it would have been like to have Joe Paterno commanding the Redskins into battle.
