Here we are, two years after Steve Spurrier's triumphant debut as the Washington Redskins new head coach. I think back on how optimistic I was that this troubled franchise would right itself and return to its days of glory.

But as of yesterday, Spurrier chose to resign his position rather than give it another year with the Redskins. Now, I'm not sure how often coaches voluntarily resign, but I don't think it happens very often. Here is a excerpt of a Washington Post article in which Spurrier was questioned as to why he, the league's highest paid coach, chose to resign:

"The whole thing wasn't working," Spurrier said in a telephone interview from Florida. "If we need a lot of new assistants, you might as well have a new head coach. This is the best thing for everyone concerned. I really believe that. They can start fresh with a new coaching staff, and I can start fresh with something else in my life. It's best for everyone. It's best for the Redskins, and best for me."

In other words, Snyder was demanding massive changes in staff and personnel, assuming that this was the logical solution, and Spurrier disagreed to the point where he would rather resign than go along with these demands. Once again, Snyder misjudges and makes a bad situation worse.

This whole situation only serves to reinforce the concerns I've had from almost the first days of Daniel Snyder's reign as the new owner of the franchise. In the years since Snyder took ownership fans have have seen his profits grow to be the highest of any team in the NFL, while, at the same time, the teams' success has dwindled. The incredibly loyal fans here in Washington D.C. have willingly forked over increasing sums of money for the honor of seeing their beloved Redskins play, while overall, the fortunes of the team on the field seem to grow ever bleaker.

Snyder seems expert in his ability to come up with new schemes to fleece the fans, but he seems unable to bring in the leadership that might give fans even one successful season. Fans have willingly sacrificed, paying high prices for tickets, parking, shuttle service, food, and everything else, and yet have had nothing but heartbreak for all their sacrifice. They deserve better.