Who better to talk about the "glory days" of the Washington Redskins than someone who played for them when they were a team atop the NFL?
Eugene Profit was that man: he signed with the Redskins in 1989 after leaving the New England Patriots the season before.
A graduate from Yale, Profit knew at an early age that he had a slim chance of making it "big" in professional sports:
"I'm sure I said it [wanting to be a professional athlete] as a kid, but as I grew up and saw all the other people that wanted the same thing, I became more realistic."
Instead of relying on a career in professional sports, Profit instead earned his BA from Yale in economics.
Since his days in the NFL, Profit started his own investment company, Profit Investment Management, based in Silver Spring, Maryland. Their mission statement says a lot about why his company has been so successful:
“Profit Investments is focused on strong leadership, deep engagement and sound industry analysis.”
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="274" caption="Eugene Profit"]
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As a Redskins writer, I of course steered the conversation towards the turmoil DC residents, and fans across the country, call today's Washington Redskins.
What I was most interested in was the Redskins culture in the late 80's, when the team was consistently one of the best in the NFL.
"Back when I played," Profit said, "the Redskins were the upper echelon of teams; mentioned in the same breath as the 49ers." This was when the San Francisco 49ers were quarterbacked by the legend Joe Montana, who threw touchdowns to another Hall of Famer, Jerry Rice.
When Profit donned the Burgundy and Gold in 1989, players reported to Joe Gibbs: arguably one of the best coaches in Redskins history, winning three Superbowl titles in 1983, 1988, and 1992.
According to Profit, Gibbs surrounded himself with some of the most-respected coaches in the league, including offensive line coach, Joe Bugel.
Profit made it clear though: "It was Gibbs' team.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="403" caption="Coach Joe Gibbs shows off the Lombardi Trophy"]
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What was also made clear was if a player no longer fit the mold, they were cut loose: the reputation of the Washington Redskins as a team, and their motto of the "Redskin Way" was more important than any one player in the minds of Gibbs and the organization.
The owner of these successful Redskin teams was Jack Kent Cooke. Younger fans might not know this, but FedEx Field was originally named Jack Kent Cooke Stadium when it was completed in 1997.
According to Profit, Kent Cooke was an owner the Redskins organization had a great deal of respect for. He earned this respect by letting his staff, players/coaches/trainers/etc, do their job and run the team.
He let Bugel train the Hogs, let Dan Riley work with players in the weight room, and most importantly, he let Gibbs coach the team. Although he was the owner of the team, Kent Cooke realized he hired people for a reason: to run his organization.
While many things have changed in the NFL since the glory days of the Redskins, the changes to the Redskins themselves leave something to be desired. Today's Redskins have an owner who is "too hands on," a head coach who doesn't seem able to command respect and control of the team he was hired to run, and players who lack discipline.
If the Gibbs regime from the late 80's and early 90's was in place today, players like Fred Davis (who failed three drug tests and subsequently was suspended for the remainder of the 2011-12 season) would be written out of any future plans.
Instead, today's 2012 team is seriously considering placing a franchise tag on Davis, ensuring his place on the team next season.
With recent news of Redskins defensive players being paid bounties for "kill shots" by former Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams, it is apparent that the culture in DC is nothing like it used to be.
In fact, although based in Silver Spring, when asked about how he sees the culture having changed, Mr. Profit said "I get asked for more interviews pertaining to the New England Patriots [the team that drafted him] than I do the Washington Redskins."
Things have changed in DC, and I'm afraid not for the better. With a top-tier pick in this year's 2012 NFL Draft, and a new season ahead, there may still be hope. With hope comes the possibility for change--I've seen some good changes already, and am hoping for more.
(Jonathan Wigginton is the Chat Sports Senior Writer for the Washington Redskins)
(Photo Courtesy of the Washington Post and the Washington Times)
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