Hello, My Name Is...

The single most important word in the vocabulary of a child is his or her name. It's repeated over and over again to them, used in games, etc... all in an effort to help them recognize themselves. Parents go through great efforts helping them write their names, posting their name on items around the house so they can identify what belongs to them, and all kinds of other activities to help them remember their name. Whatever it takes to get them to know their name. As they get a little older, they may see their name on a television commercial or on a sign or advertisement and say, "Hey! That's MY name!" They may even encounter someone with the same name and tell them, "We have the same name!" In grade school, attendance is usually a significant portion of your grade. Usually, you are counted in attendance by responding to what? The call of your name. When you graduate from school, a degree or diploma designates that the person's whose name is on the certificate has completed the requirements for a program. A person's name is important. It identifies who you are. Learning to recognize your name is just as important.
But what happens when a child gets older and doesn't know who they are? Working in youth ministries, I come across this a lot. Kids get older, make mistakes or unfavorable decisions, and the first thing the parents do is complain. The boy is doing poorly in school and the parents don't understand why... The girl ends up dating the wrong type of guy and the parents are confused. Are the kids responsible for the things that they did? Sure. Not completely, but yes. They CHOSE to do the things they did, but at some point you have to think, "at any point in this child's upbringing did the parents let their kids know who they are?"

Not just their name. There are so many kids growing up without the affirmation of their parents, it's not even funny. They miss out on the attention and validation they should receive from their parents and then when they get older, they seek it from other people. They lack the encouragement and extra effort of a parent growing up and when they start failing classes the parents go, "I don't know what their problem is" or tell them how inadequate they are.

You ever imagine how the self-esteem and self-worth of a child would be altered if parents spent the same amount of energy getting their kids to know their names to tell them that they're fearfully and wonderfully made? To tell them they're smart and can be anything they want in life? To tell them that if someone doesn't respect you that they don't deserve your time? To tell them that sports and activities are great but your education will take you further than athletics and clubs? To tell them that it's better to wait? To tell them how damaging drugs and alcohol are to your body and that you were created in the image of God himself? That God has a perfect purpose for their life that will cause all creation to give him glory? What if parents spent time repeating to their kids over and over and over as they grow up WHO they are and WHOSE they are... and not just teaching them their names?

Alas, we have boys who think their only way out of the hood is playing football. And girls who think their only fulfillment in life comes through the attention of a man, even if he has another woman. We have kids who think school is something you have to do because you're told; not as an avenue or platform to propel the rest of your life. We have men and women who physically abuse and disrespect each other in relationships and kids having kids. We have men and women struggling with drug and alcohol problems that started just trying to numb the pain.

I'm not saying that repeatedly affirming kids of who they are will eliminate every one of these problems, but I'm sure it would alleviate most of it. Many times when we sit down and talk with kids about what's going on with them, a lot of what their pain and frustration stems from is broken or struggling relationships with their parents (everything from name calling to lack of quality time). This isn't an exaggeration: they are usually very open with us about this. They feel like their parents don't care, so they don't care either.

Well, can you blame them? I honestly can't.

Now You Know What You Must Do

Redskins' QB Sacks (1980-2010)

(Year - Record - QB - Sacks:Games [Total Team Sacks])
1980 - [6-10-0] Theissman (31:16) [31]
1981 - [8-8-0] Theissman (28:16) [28]
*1982 - [8-1-0] Theissman (30:9) [30]
1983 - [14-2-0] Theissman (34:16) [34]
1984 - [11-5-0] Theissman (48:16) [48]
1985 - [10-6-0] Theissman (37:11)/Schroeder (15:9) [52]
1986 - [12-4-0] Schroeder (28:16)/Williams (0:1) [28]
*1987 - [11-4-0] Schroeder (17:11)/Rubbert (1:3)/Williams (7:5) [25]
1988 - [7-9-0] Williams (10:11)/Rypien (14:9) [24]
1989 - [10-6-0] Williams (2:4)/Rypien (16:14)/Humphries (3:2) [21]
1990 - [10-6-0] Rypien (6:10)/Humphries (9:7)/Rutledge (6:10) [21]
1991 - [14-2-0] Rypien (7:16)/Rutledge (2:16) [9]
*1992 - [9-7-0] Rypien (23:16)/Conklin (0:1) [23]
1993 - [4-12-0] Rypien (16:12)/Conklin (8:4)/Gannon (16:8) [40]
1994 - [3-13-0] Frerotte (3:4)/Friesz (6:16)/Shuler (12:11) [21]
1995 - [6-10-0] Frerotte (23:16)/Shuler (13:7) [36]
1996 - [9-7-0] Frerotte (22:16) [22]
1997 - [8-7-1] Frerotte (23:13)/Hostetler (10:6) [33]
1998 - [6-10-0] Frerotte (12:3)/Green (49:15) [61]
1999 - [10-6-0] Johnson (29:16) [29]
2000 - [8-8-0] Johnson (20:12)/George (12:6) [32]
2001 - [8-8-0] George (6:2)/Banks (29:15) [35]
2002 - [7-9-0] Matthews (9:8)/Ramsey (18:9) [27]
2003 - [5-11-0] Ramsey (30:11)/Hasselbeck (9:7) [39]
2004 - [6-10-0] Brunell (15:9)/Ramsey (18:9) [33]
2005 - [10-6-0] Brunell (27:16)/Ramsey (30:11) [57]
2006 - [5-11-0] Brunell(12:10)/Ramsey (23:9)/Campbell (7:7) [42]
2007 - [9-7-0] Campbell (21:13)/Collins (7:4) [28]
2008 - [8-8-0] Campbell (38:16) [38]
2009 - [4-12-0] Campbell (43:16)/Collins (2:3) [45]
2010 - [6-10-0] McNabb (37:13)/Grossman (9:4) [46]

In the past 30 years, the Redskins have offered some pretty horrible sack totals. The worst was 1998 season where 61 sacks were recorded between Gus Frerotte and Trent Green (Green was sacked 49 out of the 61 times). Second worst was 2005 where Patrick Ramsey and Mark Brunell were sacked for a total of 57 times. Third place was 1985 when Joe Theissman and Jay Schroeder were brought down a total of 52 times. Fourth place is Theissman again in 1988 being sacked 48 times. Coming in at 5th worst in the past 30 years is the 2010 season; where Donovan McNabb and Rex Grossman were sacked 46 times and 6th place is the 2009 season where Jason Campbell and Todd Collins were sacked 45 times.

Out of those 6 seasons, the only winning season was 2005 -- the year Sean Taylor was murdered.

I've heard a lot of talk about all these wide receivers and defensive backs who are free agents and what the Skins should do when free agency starts...

I think those 6 seasons says enough.

People keep talking about getting Randy Moss, Plaxico Burress or another WR here when you have Anthony Armstrong who came out of nowhere to get the second most receiving yards of any rookie receiver in the NFL (even though they didn't consider him a rookie because he was on Miami's practice squad a few years ago)... and he did it in just 13 games (over 800 yds). You have two guys in Malcolm Kelly and Terrence Austin who weren't even really given a chance yet. Then there's our return specialist, Brandon Banks, who makes it hard for just about anyone to catch him. Oh, and not to mention Santana Moss (who they need to re-sign as quickly as possible if they have half a brain). Yeah he's 32, but he's still extremely productive and the young guys have a TON they can learn from him. Then you drafted a handful of receivers, including Miami's Leonard Hankerson whose highlight clips look like a video game... and half the time he doesn't even appear to be trying that hard.




Then there's talk about replacing Carlos Rogers. Don't know about that idea. No, Shanford and Son don't want to pay him what he wants, but the reality is, they can't afford another hole. Yes we've all seen how well he picks people off (not), but he's a reliable shut-down corner. I say you work something out with 'Los and keep him here. One thing is for sure, you didn't hear a whole lot about him getting burnt or losing a bunch of yards on the guys he covers.



 

There's a bunch of other positions I could talk about that people want the Skins to go after in free agency, but none is more needy than the offensive line. They make the entire offense work. But nothing works when your QB spends 1.5 seconds safe after the ball is snapped to end up scrambling or pinned on the ground under a pile of defensive linemen. You ever wonder how many more yards the receivers and tight ends could have if McNabb or Grossman were given a reasonable amount of time to get the ball to them? Or how bout how much health would have been in the body of CP while he was here had he had better protection? Or the production of Fred Davis and Chris Cooley? What about Donovan's black and blue hamstrings toward the end of the season? Didn't come from excessive jumping jacks. Come to think of it, the first four games would have been a heck of a lot worse if a certain RB from Mississippi nicknamed Southeast Jerome wasn't throwing up blocks to help out those five guys up front... the next 4 games, D5 got sacked 4x as much, and lost an average of 30 yards per game just from sacks. (Some people probably didn't want to hear that, but the numbers don't lie. CP made a big difference out there when he was healthy.)




Anybody got NFL Sunday Ticket? Yeah?  You catch any Oakland games this past season? Jason looks a lot different behind a decent line.  Just sayin...



So I don't want to hear about what wideout the Skins should go after or what corner they should tempt with a large contract.  You don't fix the line, I can name almost 10 people who will suffer.