” Ive invested the day talking to our @WashingtonNFL household,” tweeted Jason Wright, the new team president Snyder employed previously this month.
But thats not what Snyder himself stated, because he was too hectic feeling the walls of the corner and thrashing out. There seems a two-level method where the owner is concerned: Say that the accusations are obsoleted and, thereforeinvalid; and confess to some level of detachment from the franchise, as if to say, “If I hadnt been on my private yacht, this wouldnt have happened.”
Both rejections are abhorrent. Do some of the accusations return decades? Absolutely, and the one that stands out is the tale of former cheerleader Tiffany Bacon Scourby, who said Snyder asked her to go to a hotel suite with one of his closest friends at a 2004 fundraiser. Snyders denial brought with it not simply a claim that the interaction didnt happen, but a more termination that since Scourby “did not report this alleged incident to anyone at the team in 2004, throughout her 8 years as a cheerleader, or at any time in the previous 16 years,” it should not have taken place.
If Snyder thinks that such an exchange didnt take place, its his right to safeguard himself. However the claim of an approximate statute of limitations is specious at best. Women who endure such hostile environments can reside in fear that raising objections could affect their ability to prosper and increase. Thats not just for cheerleaders. Thats for videographers and executive assistants and public relations interns and marketing executives. That worry was clearly part of the culture in Ashburn, so the frustration should not be that Scourby didnt come forward, but that the environment Snyder produced made her– and others– uncomfortable to do so.
Thats precisely appropriate in tone and substance, and its striking that it differs so significantly from the owners own words. Maybe Wright, with fresh eyes and an outsiders viewpoint, is the person to lead the franchise on this journey.
However Daniel Snyder has shown again and again that its a journey hes not ready to take.
Put aside the palm-to-the-forehead reaction any Washington football fan would have to the concept that Snyders absence of involvement is the problem.
Now, to the absentee concern: Snyder said in his statement to Schefter that he ought to have been around more.
” I have actually undoubtedly been too hands-off as an owner and allowed others to have daily control to the detriment of our organization,” he composed. “Going forward I am going to be more included.”
Rather, do the math. From 2008-11, 4 seasons, I covered Snyders team, driving to the Ashburn center every day players and coaches were available. Almost daily during that period, Snyder was in the building, announced by his parking lot up on the curb alongside the offices, if not left running in the spot for “Mr. Snyder.” He was there at practice. He existed managing the culture.
Those were specifically the days when previous members of the video department allege they were bought to make unique outtake reels of the cheerleader swimsuit calendar shoots, smut that the ladies involved had no idea they were subjecting themselves to.
Its spectacular, really, how a boss can be accused of promoting such an environment– consistently, over years, by females who knew each other and who didnt, a number of whom who spoke bravely about their experiences– and essentially dismiss the accusations as either relics from the past or invalid due to the fact that a particular accuser didnt put her or his name to it. Never ever mind all the courageous people who did, people who comprehended– perhaps even anticipated– retribution, yet spoke up anyway.
However thats how you d respond if the walls were surrounding you, which they plainly are on Snyder. The strategy here is remiss: Make a passing reference to responsibility, then attack and reject, assault and reject, with no reference of individuals who were damaged along the way.
Its striking that the group– Snyders team– issued a different statement that consisted of the following: “Our first concern is for the security and security of our teammates, and we have motivated any employees who have actually withstood similar experiences, now or in the past, to report it immediately.” How difficult was that? Its both rational lawfully and understanding mentally– a base human reaction.
Understand the absolute worry these ladies would have in sharing their experiences, since who knows how theyll be cast by the men who are in power? The extremely men who have currently demeaned them by commenting on their legs or their blouses.
Any woman– any staff member– who steps forward and says the environment was unprofessional and undesirable should be, at bare minimum, listened to. Snyders statement suggests that wont hold true.
If Snyder was “too hands-off” just recently, then that would include the duration of just more than 2 years earlier, when he hired a highly regarded executive, Brian Lafemina, as the groups chief running officer. One staff member, Rachel Engleson, who rose from intern to senior director of marketing and client services, grumbled to Lafeminas leading 2 deputies about what she considered constant harassment from Larry Michael, the groups radio play-by-play voice who managed all in-house media.
” Ive invested the day talking to our @WashingtonNFL household,” tweeted Jason Wright, the new team president Snyder worked with earlier this month. We are now setting a new culture, we will take swift and definitive action, and we will raise the heaviness my coworkers are feeling today.
Which brings us to today, and tomorrow, and the next day.
Rather, Snyders action– after he decreased duplicated interview demands before the storys publication– was obfuscation. I d state with the females who were wronged, however the only mention of them by Snyder is to question the validity of their claims.
The allegations in the story are more than just tawdry. Theyre serious. Snyder definitely believes he faced them head on, since in the first paragraph of his response, he says, “I take full responsibility for the culture of our company.” And after that he distances himself from the production of that culture.
Lafeminas deputies were supposedly frightened by Michaels reported habits. What was the outcome? Lafemina, among the organizations only expect modification, was fired simply eight months into his period– not for the culture he was attempting to produce, however due to the fact that earnings had actually fallen on his watch. If Snyder was undoubtedly so distant regarding not understand what was going on, why was he engaged enough to fire an executive whose people were advocating for modification?
Absolutely, and the one that sticks out is the tale of previous cheerleader Tiffany Bacon Scourby, who stated Snyder asked her to go to a hotel suite with one of his closest pals at a 2004 charity event. Snyders rejection carried with it not simply a claim that the interaction didnt take place, however a more dismissal that because Scourby “did not report this supposed occurrence to anyone at the team in 2004, during her 8 years as a cheerleader, or at any time in the previous 16 years,” it needs to not have taken place.
That fear was clearly part of the culture in Ashburn, so the disappointment shouldnt be that Scourby didnt come forward, but that the environment Snyder developed made her– and others– unpleasant to do so.
I d say with the women who were wronged, but the only mention of them by Snyder is to question the validity of their claims.
The environment he produced and even promoted should suffice to make his fellow owners want to cleanse their hands of him. Snyders reaction– loaded with rejection, absent of compassion– makes the scenario worse. The dysfunction in Ashburn isnt simply on the field. Its pervasive, ingrained in all levels of the franchise. Over the years theres just one constant: the owner, who need to go.
