A Fresh start for Metro?

Whether it is Mike Shanahan taking over the coaching reins of our beloved Washington Redskins or his equivalent taking over Metro's operations, their success or failure is not preordained.

How they are supported is crucial. Coach Shanahan will need freedom to pursue his vision for a winning team. He will need sufficient economic resources and he will need effective oversight from his experienced general manager, Bruce Allen. Less interference from owner, Dan Snyder would also be helpful. http://www.maryland-law.com/blog/redskin-fans-a-new-era.cfm

Amazingly this is the same formula proposed by the Washington Post for Metro. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/14/AR2010011403979.html?hpid%3Dvoicesopinion⊂=AR

Metro has been plagued by insufficient funding, erratic and ineffective oversight and parochial regional meddling. Metro's coach, its general manager, has been replaced 5 times in 4 years. Sounds like the Redskins, who have had six coaches in a short period of time.

Metro has been plagued by the often conflicting needs and whims of its local governmental partners ,Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. They are the equivalent of Redskins owner, Dan Snyder, who wants to win, wants to maximize his profits and wants to be able to schmooze star players and their agents over dinner at his mansion.

Sometimes Mr. Snyder's practices conflict with the goal of winning. Coddling Clinton Portis alienates the entire rest of the team and yet meets Snyder's need to stargaze.

So too with Metro. Virginia's Republican legislature has hampered regional agreements for long-term funding of Metro because Metro serves only a small geographic portion of the state. It is very easy for downstate Virginia lawmakers to vote against long-term funding commitments for Metro because their constituents feel they do not benefit.

That this is short-sighted, as Northern Virgina is the economic engine of the state's tax base is ignored. Parochialism hampers the Redskins and Metro and at Clark and Steinhorn we hope that Metro's partners and Dan Snyder can garner an appreciation of the big picture.