Cerrato's Radio Show Lacks Insight

"I don't know how he could find the time to fit it in," one long-time general manager said. "You have to make yourself available to the media, but his own radio show? I don't think so."

"I couldn't imagine my guy doing it," one former head coach said. "Maybe when you retire, but during the season? It's a joke."

But if you are a fan of the Washington Redskins, this is no laughing matter.

Seriously, wouldn't you much rather have Cerrato on college campuses Monday watching practices and game tape of potential draft choices? Or have him in his office working the phones, trying to improve his roster with a trade or a signing of a recently waived free agent who might fit in? Or have him in a personnel meeting discussing all the options if and when a starter goes down the previous day?

What if you're yakking on the radio with Ricky from Rockville when a desperate general manager calls to offer you a third-round pick for your third-string running back? What if you're not there, and that GM calls someone else?

That being said, if Cerrato insists on staying on the air, here's what else I'd love to see:

Maybe The Danny could show up as a guest on a regular basis and, better yet, field questions from the fans, as in, "Why are you allowing Vinny Cerrato to waste time doing a radio show while he should be trying to improve your football team?" Or "How come I'm paying $40 to park my car a mile away from my seat?" But don't count on it from a media-shy team owner who's been ducking the tough questions from the day he bought the team.

If the Redskins truly care about their fans and want them to get an unbiased, unfiltered, all-access inside look at the football team, the answer is not to put Vinny Cerrato on the air to offer his party-line pabulum and Skins' spin. They might just open practice up and allow the media to do its job, just as the director of football operations ought to be doing his job -- four-hour-a-week radio show not included.

Leonard Shapiro can be reached at Len.Shapiro@washingtonpost.com.