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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