Joe Gibbs doesn't sound like he's in Wash.

[Dr. Rock]

http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/news/story?id=1975954

 

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Joe Gibbs is passionate about football, but doesn't intend to stay in coaching much longer.

 

 

 

He's also passionate about NASCAR, and plans to stay a part of the sport for a considerable period of time.

 

 

 

"My time in football will be short,'' Gibbs said Tuesday during a stop by the NASCAR media tour at Joe Gibbs Racing. "Hopefully, we'll be here forever. If we don't win a few more games next year, my time in football will be real short.''

 

 

 

In his return to the NFL after an 11-year absence -- during which he established his successful NASCAR team -- Gibbs' Washington Redskins struggled to a 6-10 record. It was the worst showing in the Hall of Fame coach's 13 seasons with the franchise.

 

 

 

As much as he loves racing, Gibbs, who took his team to four Super Bowls and won three of them in his first stint in Washington, is determined to get the Redskins back near the top before calling that career quits and returning to JGR on a permanent basis.

 

 

 

"I signed a five-year contract and what I'd like to do is get the Redskins back to being a consistent winner,'' Gibbs said. "I don't know what that will take. I don't know if it's five years or a little longer than that.''

 

 

 

Meanwhile, the racing operation is in the hands of his eldest son, J.D., and general manager Jimmy Makar, an original Joe Gibbs Racing employee.

 

 

 

"We started with 17 people and now we've got 250,'' the elder Gibbs said. "It's a big responsibility, but J.D. and Jimmy and the rest of the senior management group do a great job. When I'm away, they call me when they need advice, and that's not much.''

 

 

 

The big difference between the two sports for Gibbs is the schedule and weight of responsibility on his shoulders.

 

 

 

"It's so time consuming in the NFL for those 4½ months,'' he said. "It's a real structured thing and it's a drain, a real strain.

 

 

 

"It's totally different than this sport. Here, I'm ownership. I have that senior management group and racing can continue without me being here on a full-time basis.''

 

 

 

Gibbs acknowledges there were times during the NFL season when he wondered why he went back to football.

 

 

 

"I think when you do something like that, you miss this,'' he said. "I did. And, of course, you hit on bad times up there and you have those normal feelings of `What in the world did I do?' But I love football and I love the challenge it presents.

 

 

 

"And we're always going to be in racing.''

[Jumpin Johnies]

The man has two Championship caliber drivers in the Cup series and some promising up and coming drivers in the Bush series. Why would he aggravate himself with 6-10 seasons?

[DemonKnight]

What a shame that would be. I hope they have a playoff season next year and thats enough to keep ol' Joe around.

[johnsonk2]

What a shame that would be.  I hope they have a playoff season next year and thats enough to keep ol' Joe around.

 

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me too!!

[pork chop express]

I don't even like to contemplate the thought of him leaving the Redskins. He had a rough year, but he gets a pass as long as he wants, as far as I am concerned.

[smithkt]

This begs the question: If the 'skins have another losing season and Gibbs steps down to return to racing, would this tarnish his image at all? There were a lot of people in the media questioning whether the game had passed him by when he signed on. Does this give validation to those people?

 

He has a very impressive history and a ton of respect from the football community, myself included. What are your thoughts Redskins homers?

[godtomsatan]

What a shame that would be.  I hope they have a playoff season next year and thats enough to keep ol' Joe around.

 

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Not a Redskins guy at all, but how much "coaching" is Gibbs involved in? There seems like there's a lot of experienced and well-paid assistants on his staff.