Where Do I Start

There's a lot to be said about the Redskins today... where to begin is the question.

Earlier in the game, I wanted to question the play calling of offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan. Then watching the execution of the team, I don't know if I could blame him as much. When you have five guys who line up in front of your quarterback and running backs that don't give the offense a fair shot, you can't expect to get the opportunities you'd like. I saw our biggest offensive lineman get trucked (and/or blown by) time after time after time... to the point on a few plays he just stood there watching the man he is supposed to be blocking clobber our franchise quarterback.

I saw Robert Griffin III, the man Snyder and Co. bet the farm on, walk off the field clearly upset about the loss and walk into an x-ray room because he took a hit so hard to his mid-section in the FIRST QUARTER OF THE GAME his body was sore the rest of the afternoon. Aside from the pain, the flung his body mercilessly amongst players leaving everything he had on the field.

I saw a coach call plays that let someone, who was injured most of last year with a concussion come in clearly unprepared to play football this season, block for our qb on a run play in the end zone. I also saw more plays where this player struggled to pick up yards on run plays and find the openings on the field and they called his number over and over and over again.

I know the refs made some questionable calls, but I still question the effort of this team. Greatly.

I know the old saying goes, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it..."
Well, what do you do when it IS broke?

Clearly the head coach doesn't know, he simply gave up on the team.

In the press conference following the game, Mike Shanahan remarked that after calling this game a "must win" and the team put out that disappointing effort that it's "time to start evaluating talent to see who's going to be here for years to come."

Translation: "There is nothing else I can do for this team this year; it's over."

After the game, it was noted in the locker room that some of the players were surprised to hear that sort of talk coming from their fearless leader after 9 games. Some people on other media outlets are saying the move was premature.

What do I think? Sadly, he's probably right. Out of the last 7 games, 5 of them are against division teams. They would essentially need to run the table against those 5 games alone to even be in wild card consideration. That's asking a lot at this point. Especially for a team who gives up 330 yards in the air a game among other stats.

Then to put the preverbial icing on the cake, Carolina RB DeAngelo Williams goes on twitter ranting about why the Redskins are having a "homecoming weekend." Aside from his remarks being classless and unprofessional, it seems like the pot is calling the kettle black... they aren't exactly the cats meow of the league either.

Any way you slice it, today's showing on the field was one of the most gutless, heartless performances we've ever seen from a group that suited up in the burgandy and gold in quite some time. Who keeps their job after the bye week? I don't know. But when your athletes don't know what the problem is after all this time, it's because the coaches aren't explaining it. So I hope when Pop Shanford says he's going to start "evaluating talent," that the coaching staff is on that evaluation list.

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RGIII: Keeping Score

1 For 1 So far. The past week or so was the beginning of what's probably to come throughout Robert Griffin III's career here in the Nation's Capital. Someone trying to pick at him for a couple of duckets. I'm sure judging by how things blew over, he probably took notes from the chick at the W Hotel Restaurant when Fat Albert came in for dinner one night.

Yes, it's already begun. Still no word of an inked deal with Dan Snyder yet. But of course we already know about the Adidas deal... and of course there's other endorsements (including Subway and others). Someone is already after Griff's pot-o-gold. Some town idiot who he went to school with fabricates a story to get money out of the guy, after he makes it big.

[Town Idiot (n.) - A person known in some circles to make a complete buffoon out of him/herself amongst others and is known to do so on a repeated basis.]

Consequently, this T.I. was also seen on Judge Judy a few years ago trying to wiggle money out of someone else. The storyline was, she lost her chihuahua, he "found" it, paid for medical treatment for the dog for one price, took her to court for the amount of the treatment (plus additional money). I use the term "found" very loosely, because he knew this girl for four months before the incident. (You "found" her dog, huh? Yeah, okay buddy.)

Sure this kind of stuff happens all the time all over the place. But being the Nation's Capital already puts anyone on a pro team in a demographic that demands national attention. What would probably get blown over by other news stories in other cities becomes nation wide news when it happens here.

Albert Haynesworth sexually harassed a waitress at a local restaurant here in DC, it was a national story that the entire country followed. Same thing happened when he punched out a motorist in road rage. If this had happened in Tennessee, it would have probably made a small section of the post and no one in California would have even cared.

Clinton Portis dresses up as Southeast Jerome at a press meeting at Redskins Park, and all of America is following the stories to see who he becomes week after week. Someone would have assumed it was some sort of charity stunt or something had it happened in his hometown of Laurel, MS.

Bryce Harper hadn't been brought up from the minors yet. Of course this only really concerned the Nationals. But the whole country was watching when they finally let him play. If this was going on in Omaha, NE or somewhere, it would have just been considered some kid in the minors that wasn't ready for the MLB.

No one would care about who Alex Ovechkin's latest girlfriend is if he was back in Russia or in some other smaller demographic in the United States. But because he plays for the Washington Capitals, it automatically becomes a B.F.D.

Rod Strickland seems to have had terrible eating (and drinking) habits for quite some time. But no one would have paid attention if he were only throwing up in games at DePaul or some other smaller scale area. But because he was wearing a Bullets uniform when his stomach let go of the hot dog, pizza and soda he had before the game, everyone wants to know why he's had the same pre-game meal for so many years.

In the end of it all, no matter what RGIII will do... whatever socks he decides to wear... if he decides fully to get dreadlocks vs the twists/braids he currently has... The whole country will be watching. Not to mention other parts of the world. It's true everyone was already watching because this was going on at Baylor. But this fall he puts on the Burgandy and Gold and steps on the field as a Washington Redskin.

That's a big difference from a small school in Waco, TX.


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#Redskins: Camp On The Move?

Over the past several years (or decades, however you want to look at it), the world of Washington Sports has been quite the roller coaster. The charismatic figures... the drama... the losing... It's hard to watch the teams compete, but the constant news makes it hard to look away. When Gilbert Arenas was still in a Wizards uniform, yes there were plenty of people who were clammering for him to score 40 points every night. Then there are also those who tuned in to the games not because they were hoping the Wiz Kids would win and score over 100 points so they'd get a half off pizza the next day, but they watched because of the circle of drama surrounding Agent Zero's life.

Likewise, of course there's a plethora of Redskins fans all over the DMV (and the rest of the world). Of course they watch the games because they want to see the team win. Then, there's the other group of fans (and non-fans) who watched the games because of drama surrounding Albert Haynesworth's personal life or his latest decisions on where to take a nap. Forget how many sacks he was capable of racking up. They watched because they were waiting to see what new character C.P. would come up with next... not to see if he'd break 100 yards. They watched to see how well or poorly Donovan McNabb played... not because they wanted to see him lead the team to victory, but because of the poor relationship between he and Shanford and Son.

So then how do we rid the teams of the constant distractions? Cutting players? That never fully worked. Press conferences? Please. Moving training camp out of town? There's a thought.

Earlier this week, Dan Snyder decided to move the team's training camp down to Richmond, VA starting next summer. Some people think this is too far. For me, Ashburn is a long drive for fan appreciation days (didn't stop me from going). And then what about the people who made the voyage to Carlyle, PA for camp during the Joe Gibbs' era. Consequently, the level of distractions was significantly lower during that time. Seems as though the beauty of moving camp away is minimizing media exposure of the players... reducing at-home distractions... allowing the group to work through their on the field and off the field issues apart from everything else familiar to them.

If you ask me, given the track record of this team in recent years, Richmond isn't far enough.

HTTR...

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#Redskins Top 10: Collusion Suit

So if this collusion suit thing goes through, and the Skins get back the $35 million that they are owed by the NFL, here's my list of the top 10 things to happen should they get it back:


10. Get Darrel Young a backup.
Not that he doesn't play great, because he does. But with these injuries, you just never ever know.

9. Find a couple big men to block for kicks on special teams.
When Trent Williams went down, we saw just how big a hole he left not only on the offensive line, but on special teams. People blamed Graham Gano for the blocks... hits on the kicker... Gano can't be the blame for all of that. They have to protect him just like the quarterback. They have to make a clean path for him to get the football to through the goal post 50 yards down field. They have to get  better on the line for special teams if they intend to win.
8. Find a full time understudy for London Fletcher so the One Man Gang can return to his own devices.
There is no telling when Mr. Fletcher will call it quits. One thing is for certain, it will definitely be on his own watch. In the event he's ready to hang up his cleats for the very last time, someone has to be in place who has had the opportunity to shadow Fletch for some time and can fill his shoes (at least on the field anyway).

7. Bring in a strong safety at least 6'3" who has no history of hamstring or Achillies injuries.
It's not even necessary to explain the void a healthy LaRon Landry has left on this team (even when he was here). The tenacious force in the middle of the field that was fast enough to be anywhere and hit harder than anyone on the roster... those are big shoes to fill. But someone needs to fill those shoes for 16 games... not a handful. These smaller guys who aren't as fast and don't hit as hard aren't as effective on these mammoth tight ends and wideouts.

6. Refer to #3.

5. Give London Fletcher a REAL contract.
Ok, so we already have the quarterback that lured him back into uniform, but not paying the man for all he's done for this organization is just not fair. It's not everyday you come across a timeless talent like this. Still, to lead the league in tackles time after time while pushing 40... gotta give the man the respect (and contract) he has earned. He will probably only play for another year (maybe two), but you can guarantee he'll give 110% every single snap.

4. Get a legitimate backup for Trent Williams.
We all saw what happened when he went down for nearly half the season. This team was second in the league in most sacks/hits on the QB behind St. Louis. You think Shanford and Son will allow their prized quarterback to become the next victim in burgundy and gold to be trampled from the blind side by a defensive end charging at the pocket like its lunch? If Trent goes down with injury (or God forbid rolls another "j"), Griffin will likely be screwed.

3. Find another right tackle worth starting for 16 games.
They can't realistically be satisfied with Jammal Brown. And until we know what these rookie offensive linemen can do, Brown and other second string guys are all we have. There is no legitimate starting right tackle on this team. Remember what happened when DeMarcus Ware switched up in the fourth quarter of the first game last year vs. the Skins and Brown got eaten alive for 15 minutes? Uh huh. Yeah. Let's improve here, coach.



2. Go buy a shut-down corner.
And when I say buy one, I mean it. There isn't one readily available, so it will take some duckets to get one. DeAngelo Hall is a great player, but he thrives off of someone taking other guys out of the game for 60 minutes. He has plenty to thank Carlos Rogers for in the year he made his most recent pro-bowl appearance. There simply isn't a shut down corner on this team. 




1. Refer to #3.
Really can't stress that point enough. There's too much of an investment taking snaps to allow him to be clobbered by guys because there's no one blocking. If this money comes back to the budget, there is no reason whatsoever why they can't find the means to protect No. 10.


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#Redskins O-Line: The Bli-- Open Side???

A lot of the work from the draft went into snagging arguably the best quarterback in the pool -- Robert Griffin, III. So we expected that with this selection, surely Brucey would wheel and deal for more protection. We knew it really couldn't happen too much in the draft. But nothing really happened in free agency either.

Yes, last year the focus was fixing the defense. And they're not all there either. There's a gaping hole in the secondary. With no smothering corner like the guy Shanford and Son allowed to slip away to go out west, most of the responsibility to take a receiver out of the game shifted on to DeAngelo Hall. That experiment didn't exactly work out. He's not a bad player, but he's not the type of player to smother someone and make their stats irrelevant. Neither is Josh Wilson or Kevin Barnes. They all thrive off of that "guy" who can make a wideout disappear.

If that's not a big enough problem, there's always the offensive line (heck, it's been an issue for the last two decades). Trent Williams is back, vowing to "do better." Hope he holds that promise, we sure do need him. Kory Lichtensteiger is back and healthy, which is great news. No one really realized how important he was until he went down (which seems to be a trend with all of Washington sports... don't know what you got till it's gone, right?). Will Montgomery signed a new contract to get him back on the squad. So you can pretty much say with confidence that the guy making snaps and the blind side is covered. But what about the "open" side (is that what it's called)?

All of our quarterbacks are right handed guys which means if (or when) the guys on the right side get blown by or trucked, all three of them will be in a position to look directly at these monster defensive ends barreling down on them at full speed. Chester will be back... and familiarity is good, but is Big Mo Hurt a better guard? And let's not get started on Jammal Brown. Yes, once upon a time he was a pro-bowler, but the past few years have been flooded with one injury after another.

Sidebar: Why does it seem like guys are healthy and prosperous until they get here, then they stay hurt??? (I guess that's another blog for me to write)

Point is, there's a ton of uncertainty on that right side. Maybe that's why Pop Shanford deemed RGIII the starter. We all know that Rex isn't a big time scrambler. And when he does, he pretty much never makes a good decision with the ball. Let's hope with these guys drafted that some real depth is brought to this group of men paid to protect the guy we bet the farm for. Lord knows, if something happens to No. 10, that front five will NEVER hear the end of it.

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#Redskins' Liability QB Insurance

My car is about five years old and some people wonder why I still pay for full coverage insurance when I can save money and just get liability. Problem is, a lot of people either get liability because it's cheaper or they think that they are great drivers and if something happens it won't be their fault. Thing is, if something does happen and it IS your fault, you still gotta pay your insurance premium AND pay to either repair or replace your vehicle.

Conversely, a lot of people who paid attention to the draft wondered why the Redskins drafted Kirk Cousins after betting the farm on RG3. Especially when they still have Grossman on the roster. The same guy who threw 20 interceptions in 12 games last season (including four in 3/4 of a game vs. Philly). The same guy who came back after being hospitalized with pneumonia and had over a 90% QB rating the very next game. Lots of people thought that Cousins was a waste of a fourth round pick, especially since there weren't that many picks this team had left to begin with.

There are some people though who feel it was a great pick. Some say he's trade bait, some think he is a formidable backup. To have two guys on the team who can grow together... to have another young qb who can fill in for our franchise guy in the event of an injury. Then the question remains: What happens to Rex?

Minutes after Cousins was drafted the news came out about John Beck being cut. Why wasn't Rex?

He HAS been hanging around Kyle Shanahan's playbook for quite some time now. He may not make the best decisions all the time, but he does know/understand the offense. Beck was still learning a lot, and his timidity got the best of him -- he wasn't able to move the ball at all. At least with Grossman you have a partial backup plan -- just be prepared to have a couple of interceptions while the rest of the plan is working.

As useless as Grossman may seem at this point, he's the liability policy being kept on this roster until Griffin and Cousins can carry the load on their own. Rex isn't getting any younger, but the team around him is. And at some point, he will have to hit the dusty trail. But for now, he's the last resort back up plan. Just like car insurance, he's the necessary evil that you have to keep paying because one day, God forbid, you just may need to use him.

Hey, if caterers can have $1M insurance policies, why can't Shanford and Son?


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"Dear Kyle..." A Letter to the Redskins O.C. -- Camp Decisions

"Dear Kyle,

Read the news today... never thought you'd change your mind about me. At least not that quickly. I mean geez, I haven't even started coming to OTAs yet so you can see how I look out there! And I lose my job? I mean what did I do?!

I always have your back, I love your plays -- I learned them all, honest!

I mean is it my arm? The special connection I had with Gaff? (No homo) I can spread the passes around! Remember that one game where Hank had over 100 yds?? Or all the games that got Freddie D over 800 yds before he got suspended. And what about my homeboy Cooooooooley?! Well, besides that injury vs. Philly, I mean he's great! Sure I may have led him right in Asomugha's path, but it was an accident for cryin' out loud!

Ok, so I can work on the picks... yeah I had 20 of them last year. That's no good for anyone, but mistakes happen. You and I both know I was goin' with my gut on every one of those passes. While we're on my gut, I really hope this wasn't a weight issue. Everyone knows that I really dropped off in weight after I got sick. So much for Hefty Rexy. And I still kept you guys in games! I mean, even 'Tana vouched for me last year. How much more respect can you get from the Wideout Corps?!! And what about that monster bomb to AAA last year in Seattle?! Maybe you didn't feel the magic on that one, because this is the thanks I get.

The John Beck experiment lasted long... as long as I had pneumonia! I came back from the hospital and was ballin outta control fresh from intravenous treatment! And you decide to move me, Sexy Rexy, a nine year vet, back on the depth chart behind a scrawny little college kid who never even played in a pro style offense?!! I led Da Bears to a Super Bowl for Pete's sake! What's next, Cousins will be named #2? SMDH.

You know Kyle, we go back. Way back. Like ping pong balls and 16 oz red cups. I'm just mad as beans right now. I hope you can understand. I don't want to end our friendship, I just needed to vent because I'm very, very hurt right now.

I just hope at some point I can win back your trust as the guy at the top of the depth chart.

Your #1 #2 QB (I hope),

Rex

P.S. - Is this your father's idea? We both know he can be as brash as he is stubborn. If he's the reason behind this, then kindly retract this letter from the record."


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"Dear Kyle..." A Letter to the Redskins O.C.: Pre-Draft Thoughts

"Dear Kyle,

How's it goin? I was thinkin' about coming back out to Ashburn to get started this year, then I heard they were doing that pilates stuff again... I'll pass.

Sooo... just a couple more days till the new kid gets here. Everyone here seems so excited about it... I don't get it. He already came out and said he has to go to battle with Sexy Rexy to win the spot! Yeah, we'll see how that goes. We'll see if everyone in the DMV is still hyped up come week one. #RG3ToDC huh... Ha! (I'm not bitter, I promise)

So how was your summer? Did you guys take another big Shanahan Family Adventure to the Caribbean or somewhere like in past years? On and off the field... you guys make family time look so fun!

I think I'm going to have a draft party just like last year. I wish I could remember everything, but I guess that's what makes it great!  But yeah, when you guys get to the third pick, I hope you plan on beefing up the right side of the offensive line. I mean, how else do you expect to protect me and John??? I mean, I'm glad you guys re-signed London, he deserves it. But geez, everytime I turn around I keep hearing about a safety or linebacker being signed. What about an offensive tackle? I mean, I may have to really get chisled to be able to run away from guys without any real help! Not to say that I don't trust your judgement, because you ARE the best o.c. in the world, but it really concerns me. :-\

Oh yeah, and what about special teams? I hope Danny's got some new blocking schemes for #16... he's gonna get him killed out there!!! Graham too!! He already took a hit last year that made a disc in his back mess up real bad! Thank God he started nailing 50 yarders a month or two ago... but he still needs to be protected.

Also, I think I may have to get my pads and jersey in a larger size this year. Last summer, trying to squeeze into the shoulder pads was a bit of a problem... Waaay too tight across my chest. Must have been all that bench pressing over the summer... Ha! And the jersey made me look like I was actually... ummm... fat. We gotta fix that. That look does not say "Sexy Rexy" at all.

Well, I guess I'd better get in teacher mode... Griff's gonna need all the help he can get. It'd be an honor to be a supplemental instructor for Kyle the Great!!

Hail to the Rexskins Redskins!!!

P.S. - Are we gonna get those black unis that leaked out on the internet last year??? Those threads were bad to the bone!! I feel like I can get my Mean Rex on in that getup!!! Yessss!"


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Second Chances

Allstate gives people second chances on their car insurance... they call it "accident forgiveness."

Kids try to get second chances in games they play with their friends... they call it a "do-over."

Chris Brown got a second chance with Rihanna... while I call it stupid, they call it "starting over."

But what about Roger Goodell?

He came out a few years ago and said he believes "everyone deserves a second chance," referring to Michael Vick. But will he say the same about Gregg Williams? Some people may argue that their situations aren't that different. In a way, I can see how that's understandable. In another light, I can also see that they're quite far apart.

Vick viciously tourmented animals for profit. Yes, Vick had PETA and many other animal lovers on his bad side, boycotting the games that he played in, even going so far in some cases to boycott the games of the team(s) he played for, regardless if he was suiting up. He had all this going on at his home in Virginia... even going so far to build a kennel to house the dogs that were fighting. It IS pretty extensive. But Goodell gave him a second chance.

Williams paid players under the table for dirty play. He was even so bold to boast his tactics in front of a video camera rolling from a reporter doing a documentary, while he was flashing the bounty gang signs and all. While I'm positive its pretty common for defensive players to target the known injuries of their opponents, it's pretty damning when you're caught on tape instructing your team to concuss another player (something clearly against the rules, and to the point where players are receiving steep fines for it).

But will Goodell give him a second chance?

Vick affected animals, and people who fight for animal rights (and many others). In reality though, the number of people turning in their Falcons or Eagles tickets were quickly replaced by people dying to get a seat in those stadiums. No one else on his team went down with him. No one else in the league went down with him. So in hindsight, financially, Goodell isn't really affected too much.

Williams, on the other hand, has endorsed something that affects the health of the league's prized millionaires. The guys paid to put butts in the seats of the 32 stadiums nationwide. It's enabling outright defiance of rules put in place to keep players from getting seriously or permanently injured in their line of work. It could potentially effect the ability of a team to win or lose, from the mere fact that a player could be knocked out of play indefinitely (or for good)... it could also mean a player or group of players could be suspended for their reckless play.

Losing the tokens that keeps the game going effects the pockets of every team in the NFL in one way or another... a multi-billion dollar industry. While in some ways it could be a positive effect, other ways its negative. A couple guys get suspended for a illegal hit in a game means another team could have an easier job against that position the following week. It could also mean that a player could lose his job, or an ability to use a normal body function/activity because of a serious injury that could possibly cause him to retire. More importantly to Goodell, it effects the fans' decision on whether or not to go to a game... or to even watch it on TV. It effects if someone will buy a guy's jersey from their team store or let it get dwindled down to some ungodly low clearance price before sending them to a third world country to people who need clothes.

Be that as it may, its hard to believe Gregg Williams will have a job in the NFL again. Heck, whoever would be bold enough to hire him would have to be prepared to have every personal foul against their defense investigated for the remainder of his career as defensive coordinator. I don't think any team would want to draw that sort of negative attention to their locker room.

Peace out, Gregg... it's been real.


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A Redskins Version of "Would You Rather"

With free agency cooling off, the draft coming in 30 days from today, and the whole cap penalty thing on top of all that... let's play a little game of "Would You Rather!"

Would You Rather...
Go find a cheap free agent ILB or just simply re-sign the timeless veteran London Fletcher.
I don't really know who is out there that comes close to Fletch. Brucey, quit your dawdling. Sign the man to whatever he wants.
Cheap Alternative <<< #ReSign59

Would You Rather...
Sign a cheap free agent RB and depend on Helu and Royster or sign Tim Hightower to another deal.
I think you have to re-sign Hightower. The trio has already played in the offense and it'd be less of a hassle than trying to find someone who can block half as well as he can. ACL/MCL = freak accident. He'll be alright. At least he got the surgery.
Low Price F.A. RB < Hightower

Would You Rather...
Cut your losses and ride it out this year with the same secondary as last year or trade up in the draft to get another defensive back.
They didn't go after Cortland Finnegan, and no one is really sure that there is another defensive back with some size, tenacity and skill worth picking up to put in Dirty 30's spot. Trade up and draft someone in the 2nd or 3rd round.
Same Secondary <<< Trade up in the draft for a DB

Would You Rather...
Try to trade or pick up some offensive linemen in free agency or wait till the draft and pick up a team of offensive tackles.
I think you wait till the draft. The development of Big Mo Hurt and Chris Neild proves that Brucey and Shanford and Son can pick good linemen late in the game. There's a host of great offensive linemen in this draft that will be hanging around for a few rounds. Just wait and draft a few guys to grow together.
Trade/FA OL Guys <<< Draft some dancing bears

Would You Rather...
Keep John Beck on the roster for insurance purposes, or just roll with two QBs in RGIII and.. well... RGIII
At this point, it's safe to say Beck will probably have to go. He didn't make much of an impact on this team at all last year, offensively. Strange as it sounds, Kyle will be just fine with Griff and Hefty Rexy.
Beck to the Future < Griffin + Grossman

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Black Sheep of the Redskins

Last year, Dan Snyder followed behind Jerry Jones and started construction on the party decks in the nosebleed section of FedEx field. Once again, today Snyder and the Redskins joined forces with their worst enemy to fight the NFL’s decision to penalize both Washington and Dallas for excessive contracts signed last season (an uncapped year). The teams officially filed a grievance against the league today in rebuttal of the combined $46 million chisled off the salary caps of both clubs. Now rumors are coming out saying that the cap issues are halting progress with defensive captain London Fletcher.

Despite his “age” (and I use that term loosely), he has been one of the most, if not the most consistently productive player on the entire team for the past several years. My question is, why is it that someone of his caliber was not a first priority come the end of the season. He made it very clear on several occasions before his contract had expired, before the last season was done, that he wanted to remain a Redskin. He felt like there was “unfinished business” in Washington and didn’t want to leave. On top of that, the 36 year old linebacker led all of the NFL in tackles last year, and made it to his third Pro Bowl in a row (even if it was by default).

The release of safety Oshiomogho Atogwe was sort of shocking, considering the health issues with LaRon Landry and his contract. Yes, he had a lackluster season due to injuries, but many people in the league did last year. Not having a camp I’m sure had a lot to do with all the Achillies, hamstring and knee injuries all over the league. Then in less than 24 hours, the team signs WR Pierre Garcon to a $50 million deal, twice that of Atogwe.

Again, if they could do this, why wasn’t #59 a priority? (To quote Chris Rock in the movie Head of State, “That ain’t right.”)

Defensive end Adam Carriker was resigned to a $20 million deal that he worked his tail off to earn last season. OG Kory Lichtensteiger was resigned. Even QB Rex Grossman was resigned to a one year deal.

But no word on London. That ain’t right.

They went out of their way to sign another free agent wide receiver (Josh Morgan), and two free agent safeties (Brandon Meriweather and Cedric Griffin).

Still, when we ask about London, all we hear is crickets. That ain’t right.

I fail to believe that the cap penalty is the reason why they haven’t given Fletch whatever he wants to stay. He has gone above and beyond for this organization and still continues to play at a high level. When he hangs up his cleats, it will be because he has DECIDED to quit… not because a team has decided for him. To treat the man that put the entire defense on his back this way is unbelievable. We will find out in the coming weeks what will happen with Jer and Danny as they take up their issues with Roger Goodell in writing. If they get the cap money back (as they should), they need to give #59 as big of a signing bonus as they possibly can.

While they’re at it, they need to re-sign Hightower too.


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NCAA's Invisible Children

I went to Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, MD. Under the direction of great coaching, our school has been able to achieve more than 15 outdoor state championships and even more indoor in a span of 20 years... not to mention numerous county and regional titles, plus nationally ranked athletes in many events. I took my husband on a tour of my alma mater a few years ago and he saw how run down the track was... how small and limited our weight room was and he asked, "How did you all produce so many great athletes out of this???"

The money comes from the county, which is divided up from the budget received from the state every year. Most of that money goes to academics, paying teacher's salaries, etc. Nothing really happens to the athletic facilities unless someone begs for it or a fortunate alum gives back to the school to help out the up and coming athletes of tomorrow. In NCAA sports, money for college athletic scholarships mostly comes from the association. That money mostly comes from television network agreements to broadcast sporting events on the air. It pays the tuition, room and board fees for a number of students every year and covers team expenses for uniforms, entry fees for competitions, travel, and more. Other large sums of money that comes in to run the university and contribute to the upkeep comes from donors, state governments (if it is a public institution), sponsors, and bonuses achieved from sports. And usually, if you're more important than another institution, you get a bigger piece of the pie.

Just looking at the Men's NCAA D-1 basketball tournament, each school gets $239k per win. The money doesn't go directly to the school... but to the conference to be dispersed amongst each school. So you have the collection of Big East schools who so far have brought in 9 wins, or $2.15M to the conference to be split up between 16 schools. But then schools like Norfolk State, who surprised many people this weekend and knocked off Missouri, only made the minimum to be spread out among 13 institutions (about $18,000).

Those 13 schools don't get as much money from wealthy alumni or even state money (minus Bethune-Cookman, Howard and Hampton which are private).  When I was a student at North Carolina A&T, I remember hearing of how hundreds of millions of dollars went to other state schools every year, some not that much bigger than our school, and the living and educational facilities at A&T were severely lacking. As a freshman, I remember that you could count on one hand how many dorms on campus had air conditioning. Now after millions in grant money there's only a couple dorms that do not have a/c. Still, it's a bit unbelievable to think a school with a history of graduating more African-American engineers than any other school in the country could have such sub-standard living facilities for students after the turn of the century.

It all comes back to who gets what. When your most important sport (football) is a Division I-AA program, even though it's in the same education system as NC State and UNC, you just don't get the same financial contribution from the NCAA. Or the state. And because you don't get the funding, you won't usually find the most prominent high school football players in the country scratching at the door to go to a small HBCU that doesn't get any national attention... especially when you can go to an SEC school who helps the NCAA earn part of that $10.8 Billion contract that CBS and Turner sports has to broadcast the sports on national tv, not just ESPN-U occasionally.

One would think that if more money from the NCAA was contributed to these smaller schools they would be able to build up a program that gets better national attention and give a better opportunity to more students. Maybe then a Division 1 Norfolk State basketball team winning a game in the big dance would be about as commonplace as a kid from A&T graduating with an ABET accredited engineering degree. Maybe Elvin Bethea wouldn't be the only A&T Aggie in the NFL Hall of Fame. Maybe then those schools could also tag the athletes and recognition to raise their football programs from I-AA to I-A. Maybe the college football bowl game pool would be a lot more interesting. Will it happen? Who knows. Unfortunately, it all depends on who is voting on the money distribution.



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"Dear Kyle" A Letter to the Redskins O.C. - Offseason Concerns Pt. 3

"Dear Kyle,

It took me a while to compose this letter properly. I'm sure you can imagine how distraught I have been the past couple of days. I mean, I wake up Saturday morning after a riveting evening of beer pong to find out that you guys have bet the farm on the second pick in the 2012 draft...

At first I was hopeful that maybe you were going all out to get Matt Kalil to help out with protecting me in the pocket or maybe even get Justin Blackmon as an offensive weapon so I can throw it deep more... Then I turn on the news and all I see is that you've "fallen in love with two guys" and the whole town is going nuts over the Griffin kid from Baylor (a school who doesn't even run a pro style offense).

You can't begin to imagine how much this hurts me to the core.

I mean, Kyle, you cannot possibly expect this KID to come in and start. I'm hoping if you do draft him next month that it means you hope for me to my very best (and I would because we're buds) to teach him your complex offensive system. We all know Sexy Rexy can't hang around forever, time to groom a protege, right? I hope this is the case. Either way, it's been bothering me quite a bit. Yeah sure he can run around real fast and throw passes 40 yds deep on his heels in motion, but I've never lost a game of Three-Man... that's REAL talent! (Well, ok, maybe I lost once). Anyways, I feel like the only child who finds out that I won't be the only child anymore. I mean, I'm the ORIGINAL RG3... can't knock that!

Also, what's going to happen to John? He and I go fishing on our days off and talk about how the game went... I hope he's around.

It's going to be sort of strange going into the locker room in a month without seeing what color beard The Caveman will have... he will definitely be missed. But I do have a question: if we don't know what's going on with LaRon (besides his conquest to look like a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle), why'd they get rid of O.J.? Seems odd. Hmm... maybe it's to get me my long term contract (hint, hint :-)

Well, tomorrow is the start of free agency at 4:00 PM sharp and I have yet to hear from Brucey about a contract extension. I hope to hear from him tomorrow before 4:00... I feel like I've earned it!

Hope to hear from you soon and Hail to the Rexskins... I mean Redskins!!
(Man I can't seem to quit doing that!)

Sincerely,
Rex

P.S. - Would you guys consider doubling the salary I had last year? I mean, I came back after pneumonia and was a rockstar, if I do say so myself... SWAAAAAAAG!!!"


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Redskins Top 10 for March 13

Top 10 Things Most Likely To Happen At Redskins Park On March 13, 2012

10. Some adjustments will be made to the receiver corps.
With the news coming out that the team will be looking for a "high profile" wide receiver (especially with their being a bunch of great guys in free agency that will be available), I think a guy or two gets signed that day.

9. We will find out what plans the Skins have for Dirty 30.
Two years of the Achillies problem + refusal to get surgery = A shaky situation for Gucci's caretaker. I personally think the change in his size has played a part in the injuries he's had. Your body has to make a lot of adjustments when you gain any kind of weight. And to try to do the same things you used to do when you were a different size, certain things will compensate and injuries can occur. Personally, if they hold on to him, I think they should move him to linebacker. Just sayin.

8. Despite 50% of the DMV wanting to give him a one way bus ticket out of town, Brandon Banks will still have a roster spot.
Yeah he made a few mistakes this year with handling the ball, but getting into the end zone is not 100% his responsibility. I'm sure Shanahan/Smith know that. I'm sure they also know that there are probably a small handful of returners in the league that carry that type of capability to be explosive as he can be, despite his size. If Danny Smith is back apart his coaching blunders, Banks will be back.

7. Rocky McIntosh will likely walk.
The season before last, he had a career high in tackles, last season he had a little more than half that. Plus some of the things that happened surrounding the final game of the season with him being disciplined by Pop Shanford I'm sure will leave an impression on the front office. I don't think he's around this fall.

6. The Brandyn Thompson Roster Shuffle will likely kick back up again.
Let's face it: they just don't know what they want to do with this guy. I wouldn't be surprised if he started out on the 80 man roster then ended up on the P-Squad again come the first game of the season. I got a feeling though, they keep toying with him, someone will pick him up.

5. London Fletcher will get his contract extension.
This may wait longer than March 13, but it will probably happen by then. No reason to let this guy go. He's still playing at a high level despite his age and he's winner in the locker room. This is someone you make that stretch to keep in uniform.

4. John Beck will still be hanging around... At least until April 28.
I don't think he'll be gone yet until they figure out this whole draft thing. Will they go with two QBs again? Who knows. But Beck will be gone before the season starts.

3. Hefty Rexy still won't have a contract. This may wait till after the draft.
They will wait till the last minute again to come to terms with Grossman. I think he's earned his roster spot, and I believe Shanford and Son feel the same way. But I don't think they will bend over backwards to get him his duckets before London Fletcher and Fred Davis.

2. A couple players and some picks (and maybe even some cash) may be missing for the Rams' 1st round pick in the draft next month.
Mike Shanahan will get on the phone with his buddy early in the morning that day and the deal will be done before 10 AM. I can feel it.

1. The bubble still won't have an occupancy permit.
I swear it's taking forever to finish this thing up. Danny won't be happy with this at all. LOL

Whatever happens on March 13, we will all be attentively waiting to see what goes down. RG3 or Bust!!


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"Dear Randy" -- From The Desk of Phillip

"Ran,

Just thought I'd drop you a line or two to see how things have been going. How are you feeling? Is your hair falling out yet? Sorry, didn't mean to be so direct. Well... is it? I've enrolled myself in one of those hair club thingies since leaving town, hope it kicks in before the summer! As for my personal life, my stress levels have never been lower! Been spending less time at the bar sulking and more time on the beach having a Mai Thai (did I tell you about my severance package??? It's a-mazing. America is a wonderful country).

Just got through watching my DVR of the Rising Stars game... Bravo John Wall! That kid is something special. What's the deal with Dray though? Is he making excuses about why he can't come back yet? I swear its been 6 weeks. Doesn't surprise me. I see you haven't quite gotten them to work on the turnovers and rebounding either. I swear I tried. I guess walking out in the middle of practice wasn't the best indicator to "do better" to a bunch of 20 year old kids. I thought maybe doing that or picking on them a bit in press conferences every other day would get the message across, but I ended up on the street. Oh well... at least I have my severance package!

Haven't figured out JaVale yet I see... his mom seems to have some ideas... I'll leave that alone.

Has Ted started knocking on your door to talk to you about "progress?" If he hasn't, don't worry, its coming. They're "responding" to you right now, let's see how they respond later on in the year. They always start off looking like the owner did the right thing, then later on, they fall off the face of the eastern conference.

Well, hope you have better luck after the All-Star Break. Back to the beach for me!

Later,

Flip

P.S. - Is it me or did JaVale get robbed from the dunk contest two years in a row? Oh well, good luck explaining THAT to the media... haa!!! Back to my Mai Thai...."

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Dear Kyle" A Letter to the Redskins O.C. - Offseason Confessions Pt. 2

"Dear Kyle,

Hey buddy! Hope your offseason is going well. Mine is going swell! I did miss you at my Super Bowl Party. I heard some rumor that you and your dad went out for drinks at some bar in Leesburg and you guys took shots everytime one of my former teammates did something good.... must have been a long night!

Well, the draft combine starts this weekend, should be pretty exciting. There's a lot of great offensive linemen in this draft to use that number 6 pick on. Or even if you wanted to go with Trent Richardson or Blackmon... still a solid choice! Even that Dre Kirkpatrick kid would be a great addition to our secondary with the sketchy condition of our safeties... I can dig it. :-)

So... I hear you guys will be meeting with Griffin on Saturday... you gonna pick up some tricks for me to use next year out of Baylor's playbook? Not that your playbook needs improvement, you've got the best arsenal of plays in the whole NFL! Every team should be jealous... I just know they are! That's all we really need... Griffin, Luck, Tannehill... those guys don't have the guts that I have. Plus, the whole squad is already behind me. You saw how they reacted when you started John. Fans weren't happy!

Well, I've been getting in some workouts this offseason, you know, just trying to keep my armstrength up. Nothing too serious yet. I'll start my serious cardio regiment in April with everyone else. Doing that much running this soon just doesn't work for me. As a matter of fact, I think that's when I'll start lifting weights too. May even start swimming then too. The playbook? I already know that stuff. Can't you tell?!

Well, I'd invite you to my draft party to see who you pick up (BYOB again) but I know you and your dad will be pretty busy. I hope to hear from Bruce on March 13... I'll be waiting attentively by my phone!

Hail to the Rexskins... Redskins!!! (Why do I keep doing that?! Force of habit!!)

Talk to you soon,
Rex

P.S. - When I come back, do you think we could talk to the equipment manager about loosening up my shoulder pads? The straps were really tight across my chest last season. Thanks buddy!"

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Where Jason Campbell Could End Up

Former Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell has been in the news more recently for issues with his personal life, but let’s not forget his professional career: He’s a free agent. The bigger question is where will he end up this spring for training camp. A lot of teams could use someone with his talent.

The obvious first choice is Oakland but the idea is kind of sketchy after last year’s transactions. Acquiring Terrelle Pryor in the supplemental draft, then trading two picks for a retired Carson Palmer just screams sketchy to me. To think they would extend themselves for JC after going all out for Palmer and not even give Pryor a chance just doesn’t seem like it will happen.

Indy? Don’t think so. You never know what Irsay is thinking though. I think they have their own QB issues though. And having the first pick in the draft doesn’t really warrant a reason to go after Jason, either.

Cleveland… Wouldn’t put it past them. They already expressed that they’re not sold on Colt McCoy, and Holmgren loves RG3. Will he trade up and get Griffin? No one knows yet. Would he go after Campbell in free agency? Why not. Not like they couldn’t use a guy of his caliber in a Browns uniform.

Cowchicks… Now I wouldn’t put it past them either. After reports coming out that they intend to interview Griffin at the combine, makes me think that I don’t know if they plan on drafting a quarterback, but they’re at least considering adding one to the team. I’d start Campbell over either guy on that team. Plus, he’s got a bit of ammo to sign the contract there after how things ended up in Washington. Who wouldn’t want an oopportunity to get revenge against the team who dumped them two times a year? I don’t want to see him in that uniform, but it wouldn’t surprise me one bit if he ended up there.

Kansas City… A team he torched a number of times already. A team who has been going through their own quarterback shuffle. What have they got to lose? Plus, Zornado would probably be over the moon to have a chance to work witih JC again. It may not be that far fetched.

Miami… This wouldn’t surprise me either. They have been going through a bit of their own issues at that position. They’ve made it pretty clear they’re looking to draft someone too, but it wouldn’t hurt to have a proven guy on the roster who can get the ball to Brandon Marshall 40 yards downfield faster than you can call the play. It’s an idea worth entertaining.

Ok, ok, Washington…. heck no. I think Jason loves the DC area, but I seriously belive he would not play for this team again as long as Shanford and Son are in charge of things. These are the same people who came into town, day 1 said that he was their starter, then day 3 traded two picks for McNabb and let Campbell find out via a phone call from a reporter. I’d love to have him back, but don’t think it will happen folks. Seriously.

While no one really knows where he will end up, it sure will be interesting to see who courts him come March 13. I’ll be looking out to see what happens next for the kid from Mis’sippi.

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Redskins Next Most Important Need

I think I can safely say that all of Redskins Nation is in agreement that the biggest, most important need at the moment is addressing the quarterback situation. We all know that this is not the only need this team has to rectify if the organization is to return to the glory it once had. Outside of that, the opinions swirl around a bit. Its usually a mixture of wide receiver woes, holes in the offensive line, or other issues.

Could the lack of training camp last year been the reason why people feel this team is lacking at wide receiver? Could Big Bank Hank have just needed some time and reps to evolve into the receiver we were hoping for before the hip injury? Hopefully he will come back 100% in the spring and show everyone why Mike and Bruce drafted him last spring. We also hope that things are good with Freddy-D and and Captain Chaos to take the pressure off of the Wide Out Corps. The other question is will Mike and Kyle want to keep 13 guys on the roster again? Who knows.

Then there's the issues with the offensive line. This team is very deficient in tackles. They've got 3 guys who can play center, a bunch of interior linemen, and Trent Williams at LT. But guys get hurt and there's no telling if there's really a guy who can step in and start at that position should he go down again. Jammal Brown came back this year after having the surgery on his knee, but was once again plagued by injury for a big chunk of the season. It took two years for Shanahan to actually admit that there is a lack of depth with the offensive linemen. Let's be real... these are not The Hogs, folks.

On special teams, we're not really sure what is going on. A lot of people want to blame Brandon Banks for not getting into the end zone more or Graham Gano for not making more kicks. But it IS a team effort. There is a certain amount of individual merit that goes into anything these guys do, but it takes people blocking for Brandon and a group of guys who will block vicious defenses trying to block every kick and extra point. We'll see what coach Danny Smith comes up with this fall.

And what about the secondary? Ever since the departure of Carlos Rogers, there's been a void that has been felt in the backfield. Yes when he was here he had "issues" catching balls that hit him in the numbers... but, he did a good job taking guys out of the game, freeing up someone like DeAngelo Hall to be the playmaker he is. Now with these receivers getting bigger, and tight ends getting even bigger than that, having someone who can cover them is an issue. This team does not have a shut down corner, and has health issues at saftety. DeJon Gomes did a fairly good job stepping in at safety, but his size created a mismatch problem with guys like Gronkowski and Witten (just saying). Hopefully Dirty 30 comes back healthy and stays that way all season, but there's no way of knowing that for sure. But there's obviously a problem out here that needs fixing.

I guess the biggest question is, what does the organization view as its second most important need... I guess we shall see in free agency and the draft. Hopefully they have a formula that will work. If not, the Shanford and Son experiment may be officially over. Don't think Danny can take another 5-11 or 6-10 season.

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Why The Redskins Would Franchise Freddy-D

A lot of people have mixed reviews on the new buzz (no pun intended) about the Redskins franchising TE Fred Davis. Some people think that he doesn't deserve it, some think it's a good idea... I think there's a number of ways to view it. Walk with me, if you will.

The Redskins Are Protecting Themselves

Franchising someone means that other teams cannot sign him. Which would probably be a really good thing for this organization. I mean, we all know how our draft picks fare after leaving here. Ask Carlos Rogers how his first year abroad went. Mike and Bruce would be at some bar in Leesburg drowning their sorrows in a bottle of scotch if they allowed Davis to leave and he goes on to have a career year and spends time in Hawaii on top of that (I wouldn't be surprised if they did that this year when 'Los made it). Think about HOW they got rid of Albert Haynesworth. They didn't just cut him. And they didn't just trade him either. They traded him to an AFC team that couldn't really hurt this team. They're not fighting with the Pats for a playoff spot at the end of the day. But they are fighting with the Eagles (someplace he already expressed interest in being), other division rivals or other NFC teams. It was smart. Bruce Allen should have been sent a basket of fruit and cheese for it.

The Redskins Are Desperate

This offense hasn't been explosive for a while now. Half of the reason for that is lack of a franchise quarterback. The other half is the inconsistency of the rest of the players on offense. Cooley was severely hurt last season. There's no argument about how thin this team was at the tight end position. Here's to hoping Cooley comes back better than ever, but we hoped the same thing about LaRon Landry last year, and it simply did not happen (could happen for a third season with him not getting his Achillies surgically repaired). Bottom line is, despite his mistake, they would be really foolish to allow him to get away. They cannot afford to lose a talent like Davis.

The Redskins Are Putting Pressure On Davis

Mike Shanahan made it clear at the end of last season that he really believes in Fred. His comments about how he really believes that he made a mistake and fully expects him to be re-signed showed then that he wanted him back. Maybe the idea behind franchising him puts a certain amount of pressure on him. It could cause him to really see how much he means to this organization and how much they're risking to keep him here. He would have to know that he needs to be stellar and clean to live up to what they're doing for him. After putting yourself in a position to be suspended for a year, this is a lot of pressure to be franchised. Maybe that's what Mike Shanahan wants. The same sink or swim mentality he carried over here from Denver. Maybe he wants him to realize that Dan Snyder is betting the farm on his success and to really see how much he'd be losing if he were to throw it all away for a buzz. Yep, that sounds like Shanny.

We'll probably never know the real reason why this was done until the contract has been signed, but regardless, it does make you wonder.

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Redskins Analysis: How To Beat A Champ

Since this game has been over, I've bounced between three different ideas/explanations of how the Redskins beat the Super Bowl Champion New York Giants twice, but could not beat the NFC best record 49ers (who the Giants beat in the conference championship) or the New England Patriots (AFC champs). The New England game was close... but no cigar. The Niners game wasn't even a contest.

One thought I had was that maybe it was just the sheer will and drive of the players in the game. Could the Pats and Niners just have wanted it more than the Skins in those matchups? It's possible. The Pats game came down to the final quarter and mistakes separated the Skins from them. Against San Fran, The defense played well, but the offense just couldn't seem to get the ball rolling. There were tons of mistakes in that game. Then against the G-men, the momentum ball started rolling early and they never let up. The "Any Given Sunday" factor still seems like a viable option.

Another thought was maybe the teams just matched up better against the Giants than they did the Pats or the Niners. San Fran has a great defense that stifled the Skins offense for most fo the game. The defense played them pretty well but the offense just couldn't get it going. Later in the season, the Patriots, carrying the worst statistical defense in the NFL, probably matched up pretty well in this game. Washington could have gotten some calls from the refs that could have changed the game, but in the end, they just didn't put enough points ont the board. The Giants really didn't have an aswer for the Skins. They were outmatched/outplaed.

Last theory, was it the coaching? Could it have been that the first two theories really stemmed from Mike and Kyle Shanahan being outsmarted in the 4th qurter? With basically the same personnel on all four teams were the same (or about the same), logic says that the Skins should beat them all. Of course, this wasn't the case. So maybe the Harbaugh and Belichick just really won a chess match that Shianford and Son may not have not been prepared to fight. Again, another viable reason.

No one really knows the answer for that. So I'll leave you with this a better question people want answers to this morning: Why wasn't Mario Manningham the MVP?

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"Dear Kyle" A Letter to the Redskins O.C. - Offseason Confessions Pt. 1

"Dear Kyle,

Hey there! I hope your off season is going as swell as mine. Not too long ago I was at a fundraiser at a bowling alley and ran into Gio Gonzalez... judging by his twitter page, he seems to be behind the team! HTTR! Oh, and that photo that surfaced... don't mind the drink I'm holding... I promise I won't come back with a gut this spring. I'll get it together!!

Anyway, I really wanted to kind of express my concerns about the team. We made a lot of progressions last year and I feel like our squad is moving in the right direction. I meant what I said about no one wanted to face us last year... so what if we were 5-11. We made progress that you can't pick up on a stat sheet! I think once our wideouts get healthy they're going to be a pretty tough bunch to beat!! Our defense really stepped it up last season. Sidebar: What's going on with London and LaRon? From what I hear, neither has a contract and the other won't have surgery for the second year in a row... what's that about?!

Well, I'm not sure what your plans are for free agency, but I know we're set at quarterback! John and I, we got this. Who needs Peyton, Andrew or the Griffin kid?! Hell, I'm the original RG3, baby!!!!

Have you spoken with Graham? I heard he fractured some bones in his back on the last game of the season and I'm not sure if he's okay. Maybe that's an area to address in free agency. Here's an area to address... the offensive line. We had 41 sacks this year... and 108 hits on the QB (3rd worst in the league). That's pretty bad. If you want me to throw it deep, we gotta work on that pass protection!

Anyway, I've got some things around the house to get ready for my Super Bowl party this weekend. I sent you an E-vite, I hope you can make it!

Hail to the Rexskins Redskins!!!!

Signed,

Rex

P.S. - If you DO decide to drop by, don't worry, I've got a 6-pack waiting on ya, buddy. Everyone else... BYOB!! Now to find those ping pong balls and big red cups... ha!"


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Trumaine Johnson: Next Redskins Project?

With LaRon Landry's health in question from the Achilles injury two years ago that is still giving him problems, it makes you wonder what's next for the Redskins secondary. Carlos Rogers leaving for San Francisco didn't help either. You have to notice the huge void left in that part of the defense. After last year's draft, we can safely say that the front seven is pretty solid. But the back four is an issue. Especially when facing teams with huge receivers and/or oversized tight ends. There's no one on this squad to cover them.

The bigger problem is, since the greatest need is a quarterback in the upcoming draft, you can't really see them drafting a defensive back with that first round pick. Maybe a good idea would be to draft someone in the second or third round  who could be flexible enough to play safety or corner but big and fast enough to cover the Gronkowskis and Dez Bryants of today's NFL.

The only person I can see that could fit that category would be Montana's Trumaine Johnson. Recruited as a wide receiver out of high school, he was asked to convert to corner the second day of practice at UM. Over the past four years, he finishes with 15 interceptions, 11 kick returns for 178 yds (22.3 yds/return average). Not to mention he was selected as an AP FCS First Team All-American this past season. He's probably a bit of a raw talent, but could be worth the pick for the size... 6'3" 210 lbs, running a 4.48 40 yd dash. He could be a guy the Skins could grow into a dominating defensive back.

Not to mention, he could also solve an issue to have that extra wideout on the team. If you check out Johnson's highlights, some of the acrobatic interceptions he makes sparks a thought as to why Montana didn't play him at wide receiver more. A multi-dimensional guy with the size that is becoming more necessary at the DB position... I'd say get him to work on his speed and add a few pounds to that frame, throw in a few games of experience, the investment could pay off in as little as a year.

Write the check, Danny.

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Glasses vs Lasik

I wear glasses (and/or contacts, depending on where I'm going or what I'm doing). I didn't start wearing them on a regular basis until about a few years ago when I took jobs that required me to sit behind a computer every day. I never thought about getting lasik, because my eyes aren't that bad. I only have a -1.5 contact prescription. Nothing too serious. So getting surgery that lasts about 10 years isn't in my radar, I'll just rock the frames or contacts. No big deal. Still winning.

Now if I had the prescription of say, my younger brother, who is about 3x as bad as me, then I would probably call a doctor for that decade long solution. It'd be worth it then. Makes sense, right?

If that is simple enough to understand, then what I don't get is the people who want to lobby for Shanford and Son to bring in Peyton Manning (and possibly Jeff Saturday who contemplated retirement already this season). Manning is owed $28 Million 3 days before free agency starts. So whoever trades for him better have deep pockets. On top of all that, the real question is, how much time does he have left? Because if it's only for a year (two if they're really lucky), he just seems like a really expensive band-aid.

Another scenario: They get him to come to DC, and can't beef up the line because they owe him so much money. What if he takes a hit that ends his career for real and he ends up going to Canton in a wheelchair? Does neck/spine injuries run in this family? His other brother Cooper Manning who also played football ended up in a wheelchair for a while from spinal stenosis. If something like that were to happen, the Skins would be right back where they started... looking for a franchise quarterback. Maybe worse off, if you consider how much money you'd be giving up in the process. Plus, if he goes down, and this team has another dismal record at the end of the year, how will Mike Shanahan explain himself to Dan Snyder? So that means a new coach and new system... again.

Bringing him here seems more like a setback to me. Especially when this team has other needs. They definitely need more depth on the offensive line. Ask the last 10 years of quarterbacks in the burgundy and gold. They need to find a buddy for LaRon Landry in case Dirty 30 isn't 100% next season, there's a huge void at strong safety. They need a shut down corner. They have a playmaker, and solid guys. But no one to blanket someone and take them out of the equation. They could use another backup quarterback. I don't see Beck coming back. They may even need a kicker, after Graham Gano fractured a couple of bones in his back during the last game of the season. Sheesh.

So if I were in the Redskins front office, I'm not looking for a new set of glasses or some fancy contact lenses. I want the long term solution. Enough with the patching. My skin can't take any more bandages. We've tried that several times before, and it hasn't worked. Since we're "rebuilding" (and I use that term both literally and figuratively), I want the lasik. It will last longer.


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Why The Redskins Need A Franchise Quarterback

The Washington Redskins have not had a franchise quarterback since.... I'm not really sure, to be honest. The past dozen seasons, the position has been quite the undesirable job: registering somewhere around an average of 45 sacks a year (Campbell's last full season I believe there were 62). Since the break up of the gritty group of men known as The Hogs, there really hasn't been much of a front to protect the guy taking snaps or much less block for the guy running the ball either. The offensive line has been a problem since the exit of Gibbs 1.0, but the quarterback position has been a huge question mark in D.C. as well.

Rex Grossman has made a plethora of mistakes here and in Chicago, though he's done a lot of good. He's a high risk high reward type of player, but he's not a "Franchise Quarterback" by a mile. The team trusts him more than John Beck, but even the sometimes sketchy play calling offensive coordinator, Kyle Shanahan, even admitted that they're still looking for their guy.

Could they have had their guy before trading away draft picks to Philly for the last leg of Donovan McNabb? The guy coulda had a shot if they protected him. During his tenure, the best protection he had happened when a 220 lb running back by the name of Clinton Portis (self proclaimed "sixth offensive lineman") was sacrificing himself taking hits for the guy. After he went down with a groin injury, the number of sacks McNabb suffered per game tripled for an average of 30 more lost yards per game. But before McNabb, there was Jason Campbell. A guy who valiantly hung around for 5 years before being notified on the phone by a reporter that his organization had just traded for McNabb (I'd request to leave too after all that). Alas, he didn't have much help on blocking either. After leaving for Oakland, in an interview, he remarked, "Yall still think I'm the problem?"

Before Campbell, there was Todd Collins, Mark Brunell, Patrick Ramsey, blah, blah blah. It's like someone puts the quarterbacks' names on a wheel at the beginning of the season, takes a spin, and goes with it. Aside from not having a lot of offensive line help, there's no consistency at all at the QB position. So being in a locker room where every year your fearless leader is a different guy can be quite frustrating. Guys lose their jobs due to their performance and then it's on to the next one. Still, no franchise guy.

The Denver Broncos have found their franchise guy. It took poor play from Kyle Orton and demands from the fans to get him in the game, but Tim Tebow is playing lights out right now. He's not the most talented. He probably doesn't have the best footwork. Probably not the fastest. May not have the best "cardiovascular endurance" either. But John Elway has something that Dan Snyder needs. Not another QB from Florida (we've got one of those). But a guy that makes every single person in that locker room believe. The un-teachable something special that makes him and his team play beyond their talent level to succeed when the odds are stacked against them. Is it RG3? Is it Flynn? Who knows. They're both talented. But let's hope and pray Shanford And Son are also looking past a QB rating and a few sick TD passes for that intangible quality that makes a Franchise Quarterback.

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Review: Danny Smith -- The Good, The Bad, The Unacceptable

After this 2011-2012 Season, the main coach on the hotseat is not Mike or even Kyle Shanahan... not Jim Haslett... but special teams coach Danny Smith. There's been a lot of good that has come from him being here, but lately a lot of bad... and worse. Let's take this time to review how things went with him in charge of the special teams unit this season:





The Good
Punting. Sav Rocca has been pretty automatic all season long. At more than one point in the season, he led or was in second place for the most punts downed inside the 20 yard line. Which says a lot about his placement skills, but also a lot about the people working around him.

Place Kicking. There's been a number of mishaps about Graham Gano, some self inflicted. But just analyzing the fair opportunities he had (fair = good blocking/holding), he's done a decent job, beating out kicker after kicker to hold on to his job.

Kick Coverage. If you haven't paid attention to Lorenzo Alexander or Anthony Armstrong flying in your screen on kick returns to make big time tackles, you must be blind. There has been very little of return guys breaking free against this unit on kick returns.

The Bad
Blocking for Banks. Granted, a lot of kickers have begun to "respect" Brandon Banks' abilities and have kicked the ball away from him on several occasions, but the times where the ball goes to him, he hasn't been able to break free once. The guy has a natural instinct for the return man position and unbelievable speed and quickness. But he IS only 150 lbs... maybe. You have to protect the guy. You don't want to see him get creamed in the middle of a return because the blocking scheme doesn't work anymore. Figure something else out.

Banks' Fumbles. Despite the fact that the rest of the unit has to do a better job blocking for him, he has got to do a better job concentrating on the ball during returns. Losing the ball when someone knocks the crap out of you sucks, but is more understandable than fumbling the ball when no one is touching you. Gotta protect the ball better.

The Unacceptable
Kick Blocking. 5 blocked field goals is not acceptable at all... especially when the majority of them were blocked under 30 yards. These are chip shots that are supposed to be automatic. They shouldn't be so easily contested by anyone with half a vertical leap. Now I understand that the offensive line depth has a lot to do with this because the same guys are blocking in for FG's. However, there must be more practice blocking these guys on the kicks. Gano shouldn't have to explain why he didn't knock in an extra point or similar field goal.

Penalties. It's bad enough that your top return guy gets the ball kicked away from him half the time, but when he DOES get the ball, you can't afford the little bit of yards your poor blocking scheme allows him to have revoked by a hold or block in the back. I know these guys are pros, and they should know better when they step out on the field. But when they make the same mistakes over and over again, is anyone saying anything to them? Or maybe it's a situational thing that they need to be coached around. Whatever it is, it's not working. Penalties will not keep your job.

Decision Making. I'm sorry, but that short kick at the end of the Dallas game was absolutely unacceptable. Mike Shanahan had to ask around why the ball was kicked so short then finds out that it was Smith's idea. Turned out to be a 30 some yard return that landed in Washington territory when the team was in a position to beat the Cowchicks at FedEx Field when the game was on the line. You just CAN'T do stuff like that and expect to keep your family photo on a desk in Ashburn.

All that being said, peace out Mr. Smith. It's been real.



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