Two and out

The ol'ball coach has hung them up.

After some confusion and cell phone troubles on the golf course (shocker!) Steve Spurrier has finally decided to forego the remaining three years, $15 million of his contract and say goodbye to the Washington Redskins.

In a somewhat surprising turn of events, Spurrier leaves the Redskins franchise in utter disarray and the fans wondering where their team is headed.

Over the past two years, Redskins fans have run the gambit of emotions from optimism to sheer disgust.

When the announcement came that Spurrier was to become the new head coach two years ago, disillusioned fans, including myself, had images of Danny Wuerfel throwing to four or five wide open receivers down the field and Spurrier running up the score on his opponents.

We had thoughts of singing "Hail to the Redskins" at the top of our lungs at games and at pubs.

Fed Ex Field would be filled with actual Redskins fans and not fair-weather Dallas fans that only seem to pop up when they are doing well.

Spurrier was different, he had such a cavalier attitude of how things were gonna be done, he had the charisma and an air of confidence about him that you couldn't help but believe that "yeah, we can beat anybody and win it all."

His credibility never came into question after recording one of the most successful college coaching careers in a major conference.

He accumulated accolades from the Florida swamps to the Washington Monument, yes, he was going to bring the Redskins back to glory.

But, oh how quickly things change inside the Beltway.

A record of 12-20 over two years will change the perceptions of a coach from savior to pariah.

A team that regresses will make all those promises seem as empty as the campaign slogans that are flung back and forth across the Potomac River.

The first year was acceptable, as growing pains are inevitable when a new coach and staff take over.

Besides, 7-9 was a very respectable record and signs of life were detected.

It could have only gotten better with quarterback Patrick Ramsey in for a full training camp.

Under the tutelage of supposed quarterback guru Spurrier, Ramsey was gonna be the next (insert favorite quarterback here).

When Dan Snyder plundered the Jets roster to shore up the Redskins weakest positions, you knew that this season was going to be special.

A 3-1 start to the 2003 season had all but assured a post-season birth.

Then, disaster.

The Fun'N'Gun had nothing but an empty chamber for the rest of season and the 'Skins would eventually limp to a 5-11 season.

Losing is not taken very lightly in this town and Spurrier knew it, and he had enough foresight to fold the hand he was dealt.

His "system" didn't work in the NFL and by resigning he managed to save what little face he had left.

He just committed a $10 million experiment in the NFL with the Washington Redskins and its fans, so you have to wonder whose face needs saving.

The blame had to placed somewhere and as is always the case the head coach took the brunt of the criticisms, although there were some reasons the Redskins weren't successful that didn't get much publicity.

For example -- how about Bruce Smith's pathetic attempt to reach the sack record.

Or, how about the fact that Ramsey was still technically a rookie when you consider how many games he had started in 2002 when the season began.

How about a defensive line so porous that sheets of Bounty are stronger against the run, or an offensive line that seemed like five matadors doing an ole to the opposing defense.

Funny how these things are overlooked when you have a high-profile coach at the helm.

Bottom line, however, is that teams can go from worst to first in this league and the fans and owners don't have the patience to build a program like in college.

The Pitch and Catch days are thankfully over, no more experimenting of systems, no more "aw shucks we just got our butts whooped," answers, no more Danny Woeful or Rob Johnson or Shane Matthews or any other weak armed, greasy handed, former Gators' quarterbacks.

Spurrier's tenure was about as memorable as a session in Congress.

He was the old ball coach in a radically new NFL who underestimated what it took to succeed and what would be in store for him in the "big leagues."

In a league of workaholic coaches like Jon Gruden, fear instilling leaders like Bill Parcells, or well respected disciplinarians like Jeff Fisher and Bill Cowher, Spurrier didn't stand a chance of connecting, motivating or earning the respect of players, which probably saw him in his office instead of on the field while the team was in a losing streak.

Spurrier will be successful in the collegiate level if he chooses to go back, but in the NFL, he was just the wrong guy at the wrong time for the Redskins.

It's ironic that his departure will bring the same images of optimism his arrival invoked.