Washington fans are probably tired of hearing the word “culture.” It all started back in 2019 when former team president Bruce Allen was asked about Washington’s culture.
His answer would become a meme, one of many things fans and the media would relentlessly — and deservedly mock him for.
Here’s Allen’s answer from 2019.
"The culture is actually damn good." — Bruce Allen on October 7, 2019
The Washington Post story is expected to highlight the culture Washington really had all these years.pic.twitter.com/I3IKsenA0u
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) July 16, 2020
When Allen was fired at the end of 2019, then-owner Daniel Snyder brought up the word culture when hiring Ron Rivera to oversee all football operations as well as coach the team.
Four years later — with Snyder long gone — Rivera still talks about the culture. Fans, of course, are more concerned with wins, something the Commanders haven’t done enough of in Rivera’s four seasons.
After Sunday’s loss to the Giants, Rivera was asked about coaches being judged by wins and losses. He clearly was uncomfortable with the question but remained professional with his answer.
On Monday, in his day-after press conference with the local media, Scott Abraham of ABC 7 in Washington, D.C., asked Rivera what defines a good culture since there appears to be a disconnect between what Rivera believes and what fans see.
Here’s Rivera’s response:
“OK, again, this is how I look at it,” Rivera began. “Guys learn to do things the right way, and then they go out and do it. Now, that’s what we’re trying to work on, that’s what we’re trying to get across, that’s what we’re trying to do. We’re trying to go ahead and get it to the point where we can be consistent with everything we do. Are there some things that are missing right now? Yes. But we’re working to get those things corrected; we’re working to get those things right. At the end of the day, it’s about what happens each day and then forward.”
There’s nothing wrong with that answer. The problem is Washington continues to lose. A good culture is a winning culture. At least, that’s how it’s defined in professional sports.
Rivera is a good man with the best of intentions. He came to Washington with the right ideas. He was the exact leader the franchise needed during some dark days. He improved many areas of the franchise. But the most important thing — winning — he’s fallen short.