Redskins owner Dan Snyder seeks dismissal of City Paper writer

[CAsterling]

I did a search and didn't see a reference to this article, but my apologies if it has already been reported.

Redskins owner Dan Snyder seeks dismissal of City Paper writer (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/01/AR2011020105889.html)

The article, entitled "The Cranky Redskins Fan's Guide to Dan Snyder," detailed dozens of Snyder's actions as team owner and businessman. It recounted such episodes as the controversy surrounding the removal of trees on land adjacent to Snyder's home near the Potomac River and his raising of parking and ticket prices at FedEx Field, the Redskins' home.

Basically Synder objects to this article which lists all the horrible things he has done during his 10+ years ownership.......I knew Snyder was a muppet, but I never realised how big a muppet he was.....thankfully even though I live in Virginia I am not a Redskins fan and after reading this I feel sorry for anyone who currently is.

The Cranky Redskins Fan's Guide to Dan Snyder - Washington City Paper (http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/40063/the-cranky-redskins-fans-guide-to-dan-snyder/)

[wade moore]

I'm VERY curious to know what the "objections" are. Seems they are being vague intentionally and basically want the paper to back-down out of fear.

I AM a Redskins fans, and Snyder makes me miserable.

[molson]

Dan Snyder has gone insane and thinks he's the king of a middle eastern country. "Silence that sedition!"

[albionmoonlight]

Dan Snyder has gone insane and thinks he's the king of a middle eastern country. "Silence that sedition!"

http://www.smbc-comics.com/comics/20080628.gif

[JediKooter]

Well, if the newspaper editor OKd the story to be published, then shouldn't he be asking everyone involved in the story to be fired and not just the author?

I didn't read the article, but, seriously Dan? You are the east coast Al Davis, deal with it.

[JAG]

I remember reading that a while back. It was a brutal piece on him.

[molson]

I feel bad for Redskins fans. There's nothing they can do. A bad owner cannot be overcome.

[Mustang]

Dan Snyder has gone insane and thinks he's the king of a middle eastern country. "Silence that sedition!"

He is not insane. He is a bully. He has the biggest toy in the yard and if you don't get on board with him he won't let you play with it.

[albionmoonlight]

It's the Donald Sterling model. Be an asshole. Put a horrible product on the field. Make money hand over fist anyway.

The only way you get a guy like Snyder to stop is by hitting his bottom line. The fans would have to organize a boycott--that actually affected attendance--until he sold the team. And, since I think the Redskins are one of those teams with tens of thousands of people on the waiting list for season tickets, that just isn't going to happen.

[Subby]

Snyder absolutely wants to win. He just doesn't know how.

[Bisbo]

There isn't a jury within 50 miles of DC that would rule in Snyder's favor on a case like this. He may file the suit, but he unquestionably doesn't have the balls to take it to trial.

[stevew]

Snyder absolutely wants to win. He just doesn't know how.

this is my take as well. If somehow the Skins figured out how to sign the right combo of players for once, and won like 3-4 titles, it wouldn't shock me.

[chesapeake]

And, since I think the Redskins are one of those teams with tens of thousands of people on the waiting list for season tickets, that just isn't going to happen.

I think the waiting list is now nothing more than a fiction. Mismanagement of the team over the Snyder era has led to that list being eaten away to the point that they now advertise season tickets on Metro buses.

I looked through the story again; the only thing I find objectionable is the juvenile doctoring of the the picture of a Jewish man to look like a devil. But it is hard for the owner of one of the most racist teams in pro sports historically -- that continues to market a nickname that is offensive to many -- to then cry racism. Even if it is warranted.

[chesapeake]

Snyder absolutely wants to win. He just doesn't know how.

Dola.

I used to agree; but now I believe that Snyder wants to make money more than he wants to win. Every decision he has made with the team over the years has been primarily to make more money. Inasmuch as winning helps you make more money, he is for that to. And it is certainly more fun to win. But when faced with a decision that will net him more money now or more on field success overtime, he has always picked the former.

[albionmoonlight]

they now advertise season tickets on Metro buses.

That I find funny. "We moved your team from one of the great urban stadiums of all time to a Phallus Palace way out in the suburbs so that only rich white people with cars can go there. Now, we are advertising on the Metro Bus to get all of you people to buy tickets."

[M GO BLUE!!!]

That I find funny. "We moved your team from one of the great urban stadiums of all time to a Phallus Palace way out in the suburbs so that only rich white people with cars can go there. Now, we are advertising on the Metro Bus to get all of you people to buy tickets."

Are you talking about the current Redskins or the 80's Lions?

[gstelmack]

Dola.

I used to agree; but now I believe that Snyder wants to make money more than he wants to win. Every decision he has made with the team over the years has been primarily to make more money. Inasmuch as winning helps you make more money, he is for that to. And it is certainly more fun to win. But when faced with a decision that will net him more money now or more on field success overtime, he has always picked the former.

Please explain how signing Albert Hayensworth fits the "make money more than he wants to win" theory.

[NorvTurnerOverdrive]

Please explain how signing Albert Hayensworth fits the "make money more than he wants to win" theory.
he's buying hope. hope sells everything. tickets, jerseys, etc. etc.

[TroyF]

OK, just taking the obvious "Snyder is a dick" out of the equation here, this has to be one of the most mind boggling stories I've ever read.

First off, under no circumstance can you ever get a court to fire someone. You sue the someone for gobs of money and that usually takes care of things, but you can't get that in an order.

Second, what grounds is he suing on? Where are the errors in the story. Let's say, for example, Snyder is suing on the grounds that he never wanted to hire Jim Fassell and the Greg Williams thing is all conjecture. His problem is that the same story was reported in a ton of other spots without retraction or lawsuits by the team. I don't think he gets to pick out one newspaper when 200 were reporting it.

Third, all this lawsuit does is make more people read the damned article. Anyone who missed it on the first go around now gets to see it on the second go around.

The guy is made of money, he has legal advisors and yet he's going through this? Unbelievable behavior. I hope the lawsuit gets thrown out right away so the target of this asinine suit doesn't have to pay a ridiculous legal fee.

[MikeVic]

Never heard about the article until this thread was created. What a horrible, horrible owner. I read maybe a quarter of it at most and the stuff I read was just so stupid. They should reverse the suit and make Snyder pay some of his profits back to Redskins fans.

[chesapeake]

Please explain how signing Albert Hayensworth fits the "make money more than he wants to win" theory.

Look into the same file cabinet where you will find Smith, Bruce; Sanders, Deion; Archuleta, Adam; and McNabb, Donovan. I could go on. Sometimes people just say that, but not in this case. Jeff George, Mark Brunell, Laveranues Coles, Antwan Randle El. There's a lot more.

The point is that the Redskins always win the offseason with the biggest FA signings so they can turn around and market the big names and sell more tickets. Secondary is whether or not these big splashy names will actually help the team. Since they have only 1 division championship and 1 playoff win in the Snyder era, I think I am on solid ground when I conclude that these BIG SIGNINGS have been consistently awful.

Remember, also, that all these transactions (including Haynesworth) took place under a salary cap with a minimum you must spend. The Danny knew he was going to spend this money already, so he continues to employ a strategy that is strong from a marketing standpoint but generally fails on the field: Pay above market prices to get big names to sell tickets. No one buys season tickets to see the 4th round pick from Iowa play, so get rid of those. Haynesworth is a prime example of this strategy. He didn't fit into the system they had when they got him and Shanahan adopted a system when he arrived knowing that Albert had no interest in playing in it. They knew that the signing would sell tickets; they simply hoped that the player would help the team.

[RainMaker]

Damn, I had no idea Snyder was such a douche. I mean I knew he was bad, but the guy basically is gouging fans every way he can.

[EagleFan]

Damn, I had no idea Snyder was such a douche. I mean I knew he was bad, but the guy basically is gouging fans every way he can.

Great, now he is going to sue FOFC to have you removed...

:)

[GCCSteel]

The guy is made of money, he has legal advisors and yet he's going through this? Unbelievable behavior. I hope the lawsuit gets thrown out right away so the target of this asinine suit doesn't have to pay a ridiculous legal fee.

Living in DC here for the past 3 years, I have known that he is terrible beyond belief. Practically every Skins fan I know believes he is the anti-christ.

Hopefully that entices a few good attorneys to take up the papers side pro-bono if it were to go to trial. If there are two things DC has enough of, one of them is attorneys.

Edit: I happen to personally believe he is trying to strong-arm the paper into firing the guy. That fits his personality. It won't work.

[Ronnie Dobbs2]

Never heard about the article until this thread was created.

Streisand effect - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streisand_effect)

[terpkristin]

Don't care much about the Redskins but would be THRILLED if they decided to leave Loudoun County...or at least Loudoun County parkway. Saw the article in City Paper and none of it exactly surprised me. Loved Gene Weingarten's story in the Post in response: Gene Weingarten - Memo to Dan Snyder: Thank you for your stewardship of the Redskins (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/02/AR2011020205483.html)

Even the opening paragraph is great..
I just want you to know you have my full support in this matter, as I support everything you have done during your stewardship of the Redskins. You rock. I wish you good health and long life and hope you run the franchise for many, many years to come. I say this with utmost sincerity as a lifelong fan of the New York Giants.

/tk

[NorvTurnerOverdrive]

dan snyder is the dubai of nfl owners. tallest building in the world. man made islands. no running water.

[RedKingGold]

I look forward to Andy Reid as the Redskins head coach by 2013.

[Big Fo]

dan snyder is the dubai of nfl owners. tallest building in the world. man made islands. no running water.

And he has enough money to bribe FIFA into letting him host the World Cup.

[Abe Sargent]

And he has enough money to bribe FIFA into letting him host the World Cup.

Dubai's not hosting the world cup, and neither is it's country

[Big Fo]

Dubai's not hosting the world cup, and neither is it's country

:banghead:

I get the small, oil-rich places in that part of the world confused from time to time. Whoops.

[albionmoonlight]

Dan Snyder’s Odd Case Against Washington City Paper - NYTimes.com (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/07/business/media/07carr.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&src=twrhp)

Extortion 101: Don't do it in writing.

[albionmoonlight]

dola:

I am sure that this will get settled once Snyder realizes that it is in his interest for it to go away.

But I would love to see a trial on this. Since truth is a defense to liable, the paper would have every right to put on evidence demonstrating the truth behind every one of the accusations made in the paper (or, at a minimum, to force Snyder's side to admit to their truth).

[JediKooter]

So he filed it in New York City? Sounds like maybe an improper venue to me.

[wade moore]

dola:

I am sure that this will get settled once Snyder realizes that it is in his interest for it to go away.

But I would love to see a trial on this. Since truth is a defense to liable, the paper would have every right to put on evidence demonstrating the truth behind every one of the accusations made in the paper (or, at a minimum, to force Snyder's side to admit to their truth).

Yeah, I've been following the various articles in the Washington Post and this one in the NY Times.

It's really kind of surreal. From the perspective as a Redskins fan with only a loose understanding of how the law works here, it seems like he has absolutely no case whatsoever. At best he maybe can prove that they threw some opinions into a factual story (like that his wife was doing charity work just to improve his image, which seems to be one of the main things making him angry), but it seems he'd have to let a LOT of dirty laundry get out there to try and prove liable.

As the article states, really all he's done is made what was a very limited audience story blow up to be big national news and highlight his failings even more.

[JHandley]

So he filed it in New York City? Sounds like maybe an improper venue to me.

Atalaya Capital Management (owners of the Washington City Paper) is headquartered in NY.

I think he understands he can't directly do anything to the paper. However, he's trying to get the paper defunded and shut them down that way.

[RainMaker]

Yeah, I've been following the various articles in the Washington Post and this one in the NY Times.

It's really kind of surreal. From the perspective as a Redskins fan with only a loose understanding of how the law works here, it seems like he has absolutely no case whatsoever. At best he maybe can prove that they threw some opinions into a factual story (like that his wife was doing charity work just to improve his image, which seems to be one of the main things making him angry), but it seems he'd have to let a LOT of dirty laundry get out there to try and prove liable.

As the article states, really all he's done is made what was a very limited audience story blow up to be big national news and highlight his failings even more.

He has no case. He even sort of implies it in the letter which is why the threat is more about "I have more money than you and can make you spend a fortune on lawyers so stop saying bad stuff about me".

[JediKooter]

Atalaya Capital Management (owners of the Washington City Paper) is headquartered in NY.

I think he understands he can't directly do anything to the paper. However, he's trying to get the paper defunded and shut them down that way.

Ah well, that explains that. :)

Not sure how staff lawyers are paid, but, I assume that they get a set salary from the company and do not bill the company. If that's the case, unless the court fees are through the roof, not sure how this will hurt Atalaya.

[molson]

Ah well, that explains that. :)

Not sure how staff lawyers are paid, but, I assume that they get a set salary from the company and do not bill the company. If that's the case, unless the court fees are through the roof, not sure how this will hurt Atalaya.

They might have some kind of libel insurance policy that covers it, and I'd think that they'd be able to go after Snyder for costs and attorney's fees for filing a frivolous lawsuit. It'll be interesting to see how far Snyder goes with this. Sure, he must know he has no case, but from the tone of that threatening letter, I don't think these guys think there's any limit to the general strategy of "I'M DAN SNYDER DAMN IT."

Hopefully this writer can parlay this into his next job. He has to love the attention.

[JediKooter]

They might have some kind of libel insurance policy that covers it, and I'd think that they'd be able to go after Snyder for costs and attorney's fees for filing a frivolous lawsuit. It'll be interesting to see how far Snyder goes with this. Sure, he must know he has no case, but from the tone of that threatening letter, I don't think these guys think there's any limit to the general strategy of "I'M DAN SNYDER DAMN IT."

Hopefully this writer can parlay this into his next job. He has to love the attention.

I know I would go after them for doing that if I was them. Not sure if New York is a 'loser pays' state, but, if they lost, I'm sure Dan could afford it. I totally agree, I think Dan & Co. are so smug with themselves that they probably don't even see the hole they dug with that letter. But, then again, they could possibly do some judge shopping and find one that is sympathetic to their grievance.

I would not be surprised if the writer is getting a good dose of the BSE (Barbara Streisand Effect) and if is smart, can use it as a spring board.

[fantom1979]

Redskins owner refiles defamation lawsuit in DC - NFL - Yahoo! Sports (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-redskins-snydersuit&print=1)



HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP)—Washington Redskins (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/was/) owner Daniel Snyder refiled a defamation lawsuit against the Washington City Paper on Tuesday, marking a change in strategy by the billionaire businessman.


Snyder initially filed the complaint in New York state court in February, naming the owner of the alternative weekly newspaper, New York City-based Atalaya Capital Management, as a defendant.


The new complaint, filed in D.C Superior Court, drops Atalaya and adds columnist Dave McKenna, the author of a biting Nov. 19 cover story, “The Cranky Redskins Fan’s Guide to Dan Snyder,” that prompted the lawsuit.



The $1 million lawsuit also names the Washington City Paper and its Tampa, Fla.-based publisher, Creative Loafing Inc.




Editor Michael Schaffer said Tuesday that the City Paper stands by McKenna and his article.


“We had a good, solid story and we will defend it vigorously,” Schaffer said.
Snyder’s new complaint tones down the previous version’s rhetoric about anti-Semitism and McKenna’s supposed lack of respect for Snyder’s wife to focus on three alleged falsehoods in the article. Chief among Snyder’s revised complaints is his dispute with a statement in the third paragraph that Snyder “got caught forging names as a telemarketer with Snyder Communications,” a marketing company Snyder owned.


The basis for the statement appears in the 67th paragraph: Snyder Communications was fined by Florida authorities in 2001 for having its workers forge people’s signatures to switch their long-distance service without permission to GTE, a Verizon brand. Under a settlement announced by the Florida attorney general, Snyder and Verizon together paid $2.5 million, and Verizon paid another $600,000.


Snyder’s attorneys said in a conference call with reporters that the article libeled Snyder by stating that he personally committed forgery.


“There is a difference between calling somebody a criminal personally and saying that he owned a company,” said Lanny Davis, a former special counsel to President Bill Clinton who said he has been friends with Snyder for 15 years.


Lead attorney Patty Glaser said City Paper Publisher Amy Austin acknowledged the falsehood in a Feb. 23 open letter to readers. Regarding the forgery, Austin wrote, “In fact, we have no reason to believe he personally did any such thing— and our story never says he did.”
Schaffer, the City Paper editor, said Tuesday that the story didn’t say Snyder personally committed forgery.


“I don’t think that any reasonable person can imagine that the CEO of a multimillion-dollar or billion-dollar or enormous public corporation is engaging in the frontline work of telemarketers,” Schaffer said. “If you read the entire story, it makes it very clear.”


The article, accompanied by a photo of Snyder, with a devil’s horns and mustache drawn onto it, provided an A-to-Z guide of what the publication described as Snyder’s “many failings.”


Since Snyder bought the Redskins more than a decade ago, he has turned it into one of the NFL’s most valuable franchises but has also been a target of fans and sports columnists for the team’s on-field struggles and free-agent busts as well as his leadership style.


In a letter published by The Washington Post Tuesday, Snyder explained that he was refiling the suit because the paper “refused to issue an apology and retract false and damaging attacks on my integrity.”


“If it had done so, there would have been no lawsuit,” said Snyder, who says he would donate any award to the homeless.


Snyder also noted in the letter that his late father worked as a journalist, that he is “not thin-skinned about personal criticism,” and considers himself fortunate to be the team’s owner.


“I understand the anger people feel toward me when the Redskins have a losing season or when we sign a veteran player who does not meet expectations,” Snyder wrote. “I have been a Redskins fan all my life, and I get angry, too, including at myself. I am the first to admit that I’ve made mistakes as an owner. I hope I’ve learned from them. All I want is for the Redskins to win!”