Portis Goes Off On Zorn; 8-8, Here We Come

Clinton Portis went on the John Thompson Radio Show today and went off on Redskins coach Jim Zorn. My phone was buzzing endlessly around 3:15 today with friends writing about the verbal carnage. I couldn't listen (and haven't mustered the courage to listen online), but luckily Dan Steinberg did. Some select quotes can be seen on his DC Sports Bog. The quote that will be most widely disseminated over the next few days is one that came after Portis was asked about adjustments Zorn can make to get the offense back on track:

"We got a genius for a head coach, I don't know, I'm sure he on top of things. He's got everything figured out. Hey, that's up to him. All I can do is when he calls a play is go out and try to execute to the best of my ability."

This was a few weeks coming. The Redskins haven't played a good game since they beat Philadelphia back on October 5. They aren't a good football team. Plenty of that has to do with the personnel (VINNY), but Zorn is also to blame. But, unlike most coaches, Zorn chooses to blame his players and their "execution." Joe Gibbs, he's not.
Zorn's play-calling has been unimaginative, he isn't utilizing the right players on the right downs and Jason Campbell looks lost in his offense. That's not enitrely JC's fault, Zorn plays a huge role. Tailor the offense to the quarterback. Don't wait until December to "simplify".
About Campbell though, my buddy Jaf had a good take on it today, after we exchanged emails about the questionable theories Michael Wilbon espoused in a column this morning. Wrote Jaf:

watching jeff garcia last night, you see what it's like to have a quarterback who makes plays. now, i don't want jeff garcia, not at all, but he remains open-minded about each play until its conclusion, whereas j.c. is often check 1, check 2, dumpoff/sack. also, the sentence about j.c. needing time to go through his progressions is entirely correct, but it doesn't take into account that j.c. seems to make these progressions slowly, and seems so focused on the actual progressions that improvisation doesn't occur to him.

That's it in a nutshell. I still like JC, but he's not football smart. I've been holding out hope that he'd develop football smarts, but he hasn't. I don't know if he ever will.
Back to Portis, I don't blame him. However, I can see how this is going to go and many people might point the finger at him for this mess. In this scenario, Zorn is going to be martyred and Portis is going to be cast as the villian, even though this sort of fire and candidness is why everyone loves Portis in the first place.
If these comments are the beginning of the end for Portis in D.C., there will be paralells to the Manny Ramirez situation in Boston this summer. Except, with Manny, he gave up. Portis never gave up. He's the ultimate gamer, and that's why I'm with him. Ladell Betts is terrible. Clinton Portis is an All-Pro and was in the MVP debate up until mid-November.
You see what happens Danny? You see what happens when you hire a quarterbacks coach to be head coach??! This is what happens, Danny. This is what happens when you hire a quarterbacks coach to be head coach.

Update: Some more on this via me at Shutdown Corner. Former Efird residents, please note the reference to the greatest flip-cup team of all-time.

Update x2: Just listened to the interview. Lost in the Zorn-hating was this veiled shot at backup RB Ladell Betts: "I guarantee I know the system better than anyone else. I guarantee when we go for blitz check-up, I don't miss my man." And, again, Portis is right. Ladell always misses his man. Clinton never does.
Stepping back for a second, I can see why Clinton will get some deserved criticism for the way he handled this. And, I agree, he could have waited. But I still think this honesty is why Portis is so beloved in D.C. and I think Zorn opened himself up to this when he started blaming players for the team's struggles three weeks ago.

Update x3: Something interesting was just pointed out to me and I think I may have it all wrong. CP is Dan Snyder's favorite player. Who will Snyder have more loyalty to -- Portis or his 8th choice for head coach?