NEWSWEEK: Dan, why such hostility toward you?
SNYDER: The one thing I’ve always done is speak my mind. I’m not afraid to speak the truth or how I feel. The media wants an owner who doesn’t say anything. People see me as Dan Snyder, he’s impatient. But they don’t know me. The columnists, they judge. I’ve never even met these people.
Did you ever consider a little lower profile?
SPURRIER: Ain’t no low profile when you pay $800 million.
SNYDER: I guess that’s the simplest way to look at it.
Any reservations about becoming the fourth Redskins coach in four years?
SPURRIER: Not particularly. The reason I wanted to coach in Washington, D.C., was because I knew all the critics and skeptics would be here. That’s the fun part. I don’t really want to go somewhere where everyone is telling you how good you are, how great you’re going to be. And maybe if I went to an [NFL team] in Florida I would have had that. But I am a football coach and this is the biggest. I figure it’s fat city.
SNYDER: I was honest when I hired him, too. [Last time] I made a mistake.
A mistake?
SNYDER: I made a ton of mistakes. I listened to the media when they told me I needed a traditional football guy, an NFL guy, so I did that [hiring Marty Schottenheimer], and I got a 1960s football team. And 1960s football teams don’t really do well these days. I guess that’s putting it blunt. Is that too blunt?
Wasn’t there more to it?
SNYDER: I gave up all authority. I sat back and did nothing. And I let the football guy run the show. It’s impossible for a coach to decide every single thing, including where people sit on airplanes, sleeping assignments in different hotels, what the team is going to eat every single meal. I absolutely saw this thing micromanaged. It doesn’t work. You need more than one mind total.
What’s different this year?
SNYDER: The difference is Steve’s a real motivator. The players are enjoying themselves. We now have guys who communicate, who hang out. Everyone gets involved.
SPURRIER: [Snyder’s] more around because I’ve encouraged him to do that. I really believe that Dan Snyder has changed a little bit in the last year or so. I think he’s becoming more friendly with everyone in the office.
Dan, is there an owner to model yourself after, like the Ravens’ Art Modell or the Patriots’ Bob Kraft who’ve recently won Super Bowls?
SNYDER: What model is Art Modell? He owned the team 42 years and won one Super Bowl. The Patriots have proven that when a team is healthy and has chemistry, it can do great things. I now firmly believe the coach is where everything starts.
A lot of people seem to be rooting against you two.
SPURRIER: It’s easy to dislike Florida. They’re the biggest, wealthiest school in the SEC. They’re the big dog, so you’re not supposed to like them. If you’re not a Gator, you’re not going to like them. Now Dan Snyder has hired Steve Spurrier. Well, if you’re not a Redskins fan, you’re not supposed to like us. That’s the way life is.
Is there any NFL coach you admire?
SPURRIER: [St. Louis Rams coach] Mike Martz to me is the best coach out there.
Also with the best talent.
SPURRIER: I’ve heard some say if they had the Rams’ talent, they could do that too. They’re full of crap. Martz is the only guy that can coach that offense.
Why make your coach the league’s highest paid?
SNYDER: I didn’t negotiate. It wasn’t a bidding war. That’s what I thought the deal was worth. I always take care of people in my company. At the end of the contract in five years, people are going to be saying I got a really good deal.
SPURRIER: I was already making as much money as I could spend in a lifetime. I didn’t go to the Redskins for the money. He wanted to hire me and maybe he went a little overboard. When you’re dead and gone, it doesn’t mean a damn how much money you made. How many championships you won is all they remember you by.
Can you two describe your relationship?
SNYDER: We hang out a bunch. He’s a lot more fun in the off-field hours than I ever imagined. Win or lose, I’m there with coach Spurrier. Win or lose, we’re joined at the hip.
SPURRIER: One of the guidelines for a successful manager is to maintain the balance between boss and friend. He’s my boss and we’re friends. I’m the boss of the assistant coaches and we’re friends. There’s this balance, but it’s not easy to do it.
What if it doesn’t jell right away on the field?
SNYDER: I will be as patient as necessary.
SPURRIER: I’m trying to teach him some [patience]. If our team is competitive, has a good attitude and the ball ain’t bouncing real well, he’ll know that. He just needs to see the team going in the right direction.
So you expect to be a winner.
SPURRIER: I hope we don’t sound too overconfident. Balance is the key. You got to be confident, but you got to be a little scared.
Does losing frighten you?
SPURRIER: Somewhat. You have to understand that it can happen. It’s going to go sour sometimes. Hopefully, when it does go bad, you have the resources to keep on keeping on. Don’t go in the tank. Remain positive. But losing’s got to hurt. Some SEC guy said, “That Spurrier is a bad loser.” That’s the best compliment I can have. Show me a good loser and I’ll show you a loser.
SNYDER: I agree with that.
