There are two options when finding yourself in a workplace you’re not crazy about.
You can gripe and moan about the environment, clearly expressing your unhappiness for the duration of your stay.
Or, you can say all the right things and present a positive outlook while waiting for your chance to leave.
Some consider the latter an example of taking the high road.
But critics will accuse you of being a plastic phony
I get it. But objective observers certainly must understand why Cousins might prefer to play elsewhere.
Even if the Skins offered an identical contract, I wouldn’t blame Cousins if he respectfully declined. Considering everything he experienced in Ashburn and everything he knows about owner Dan Snyder and president Bruce Allen, you could argue Cousins would be a fool to stay.
When it comes to being a respected, efficient, and well-run organization, let’s just say Washington has a long way to go. And some of us doubt that the franchise will ever arrive unless there’s a change at the top.
If Cousins decided at some point that he couldn’t put his faith in management, that he didn’t trust it to create the culture and add the pieces that would enable him and the entire team to flourish, he did the next-best thing.
He played hard. He refrained from bashing anyone. He looked at the bright side. He kept a flicker of hope alive.
You can say he was fake and didn’t really want to be here.
I say he was classy and demonstrated sound judgement.