Coach Is Out Of...

It's been a while since I've posted. Life has been a whirlwind. But here we go let's get to it...

Jay Gruden is out of...

Ideas.
These last six weeks combined, they have scored a total of three points in the third quarter. It always seems like every other team comes out making adjustments except the Redskins. Lack of ways to motivate the team, maybe? Lack of innovative play calling? Maybe lack of intuition required to make an educated guess on how the other team will try to attack you in the second half based on the first... Whatever it is, when he gets on the podium, all we ever hear is "We'll have to get better" and "I don't know, I gotta go look at the film."

One Liners.
"The bang-bang plays kill us." "We laid an egg... a big egg." "We're competing." and other lovely anecdotes. Now most of the time all we hear is "I dunno."

Since we just got through discussing one liners...

"Fire in the belly."
Every game this man coaches he gets to looking more depressed, dismal and clueless. One could say that it's a side effect from taking a head coaching job in Washington. But how much more time do you need to learn when in 22 games here, your road record is now 1-10? That's not saying much. And neither is the expression/attitude you give off. Maybe HC is not your calling, bruh. Just throwing that out there.

Excuses.
Not sure how many people keep up with the press conferences after each one of the games but it's really interesting to see who/what Coach Gruden blames the Redskins losses on. Let's take a look at who has been thrown under the Gruden Bus to date:

Week 1 - Lack of attitude (whole team), Kai Forbath. As a result, Forbath was cut.
Week 2 - Win vs Rams, no blame given.
Week 3 - Pierre Garcon's inability to catch a ball thrown behind him
Week 4 - Win vs Eagles, no blame given.
Week 5 - Ryan Grant's slip and fall contributed to the pick 6 vs Atlanta.
Week 6 - Lack of run game (Morris/Thompson) and the wind.

I'm wondering what will be next should they fall to Tampa this weekend. It certainly won't be Kirk Cousins, that we can bet on.

Time.
It's interesting when you look at the chain of events. Gruden hired by his buddy to coach and fix the quarterback situation. Year one, all three quarterbacks noticeably regress. Year two, owner hires new GM. GM hires a QB coach. Gruden continues to try to plug and play QB's into his pocket passer offense and decides he's given up on Griffin and decides to stick with Cousins.

Has anyone ever wondered why if the GM is supposed to find the guys that the coach wants why Griffin is still on this roster? Is it the contract? Lack of trade value? I fail to believe that McCloughan would not have just cut his losses and gotten rid of Griffin if he didn't feel like he had to see the whole picture first before doing something so drastic. So management allowed Gruden to do things his way and gave him just enough rope to hang himself should his plan fail.

And now at week 6 and the former arena football quarterback turned coach has been reduced to blaming the elements. He's just about out of time and is at the end of his own noose. If he keeps up what he's doing right now, he'll be out of a job.

Follow me on Twitter: @NFLHustleMama

Dear Washington Post

Dear Washington Post,

I am a longtime reader. I subscribe to the Sunday section and have it delivered to my home on weekends. I get the coupons/ads I can use, plus I can peruse the paper all week long without the 20 story/month limitation. I'm cool with that.

What I have a problem with, is the content of the newspaper. Now I typically check out the main cover page, metro section and other areas to find out what's going on in the world and in the DMV, but I am an avid sports fan. I read the sports section every day.

The issue in the content lies in the varying stories reported in main sections of the sports page. If you look on the Wizards/NBA page today, currently there is a picture linked to a story about LeBron James degressing as an NBA player. There are a total of eight story headlines in reference to him, his team, etc. This is not including the story posted last week previewing the matchup with the Wizards.

Conversely, if you look at the Redskins/NFL page, there are a total of nine articles mentioning or referencing Robert Griffin, III. The big difference here, RGIII is the franchise quarterback for the team in this area.

As a reader, I don't want to go to the Wizards page and see LeBron plastered all over it. He doesn't play here... as a matter of fact he's at least a 10-12 hour drive away. Then when he came here to play, they got blasted. In case you all have not noticed, we actually have a very good basketball team. Right here. In DC. Why do I need to read eight stories about LeBron???? Why isn't John Wall's pic on the front page? If he pushed hard enough, he would have posted a quadruple double Friday night. Guess that's not as important as LeBron not playing up to his past success.

I know it's your job to post the hottest story lines to keep people informed, but how is a story about someone who does not play here outweigh the success of our own home team who in the past had not played well? It makes me think that the beat reporters and story writers for the Wizards are a group of King James Stans that have to be heard.

Now granted, there are many people who have denounced our local sports teams because of their poor performance. But then when they do well, is this the type of support you expect to see? If I were a resident of a different area, I would think it looks as though the people in DC don't even care about their own team. Which isn't the case... especially if you've been to the Verizon Center recently. The place stays sold out these days.

I know that WaPo is an internationally read paper. But I'm a Washingtonian. I was born and raised here. I remember going to Redskins games as a kid with my dad and seeing the rocking bleachers and feeling the swirling, blistering winds in RFK. I still have Bullets gear. I remember the vote on the new team name and I still don't like the choice (which is why I still refer to them as the Bullets). My family is still a family of Georgetown season ticket holders. I've been rocking the red since I was a kid, changed to that funky teal color when the logo changed, and now back to red. Though when I grew up there was no baseball in DC and we watched the Birds, I support the Nats. I still follow sports at Eleanor Roosevelt through the Post because it's my alma mater.

So when I go to WashingtonPost.com, I want to feel like I'm reading MY newspaper. From MY hometown. Not someone else's.

Hail to the Redskins, Let's Go Caps, hats off to the curly Ws, Go Raiders, and oh yeah, Go Bullets.



Follow Me on Twitter: @NFLHustleMama

Help! I'm Not Offended!

Given the ruling today to lift the trademark of the Redskins team name, despite the native lineage on both sides of my family, I have a few thoughts:

1.       Being politically correct is such a slippery, slippery slope. If you're not offended by something, don't worry: there are enough people to feel offended on your behalf. Then there's others who will tourment you because you don't agree with them, and they believe you should (even though we're all entitled to our own opinions anyway). That's why the majority of the stuff I hear about the name being changed, I generally shrug it off. The entire world has gotten so that it doesn't matter what it is; if one person feels like something is wrong, without ration, the bandwagon gets full. QUICKLY. I've gotten kind of numb to the excessive PC activity, quite honestly. Hard to say what's really important anymore when everyone makes such a big deal about EVERYTHING.
2.      What team is next? Weren't they supposed to change the Cleveland Indians logo? A bunch of people are offended by the "Colts" team name because the organization was stolen from Baltimore. The Colts got their name because years ago because of Baltimore's history of horse racing. What does it have to do with the city of Indianapolis? What about the New England Patriots???? There's a Caucasian dude on the logo but we all know they weren't even here first (to hell with Columbus -- he didn't discover jack). A patriot is defined as someone who loves, defends and fights for their country with devotion (I guess if you steal something away from someone else, it's yours to fight defend smh)... Is the Kansas City Chiefs logo next??? No one cares about the name, apparently, but many Natives are offended by people dressing up in war paint, chicken feathers and what-not on Sunday doing the tomahawk chop in the stands... While we're on the "chop", how bout the 'Noles and the Braves? Are we going to stop people from using the song/arm movement everywhere? FSU has put the song in commercials to invite people to attend school there. What about the Tri-City Blackhawks? Oh my bad, the I meant the Atlanta Hawks... But since we mention the Blackhawks, are they going to change their name and logo like the Hawks did? Because they're offending people too.
3.      To add to the list of things people are offended by, here are some things that offend me: potholes (well, they offend my car, but I paid for my car); sagging pants in public (I don't want to see your undies, neither does anyone else); people who walk up to me and ask me where I get my tracks from (just because my skin looks a certain way doesn't mean everyone that tone has the same type of hair -- beyond popular belief, it DOES grow from my scalp. All cliches aside, I really do have Indian in my family); people who don't take women and/or people of color seriously (get a clue, we matter); ashy feet (it's gross to me -- especially when so much lotion is available); people who try to tell me how I should feel (no explanation necessary). Anyone want to go to Change.org and start a petition on behalf of any of these things? Inbox me, I've got more things that I'm offended by.
4.      Are they going to change the name of the state of Oklahoma, which means "red people?" Oh I guess you can't do that; the government has 33 federally recognized tribes there... Let's move on... (Just for fun, "The Sooner State" was nicknamed after the non-natives who President Cleveland allowed to settle in on unclaimed land prior to the Indian Appropriations Act of 1889.)
5.      Why wasn't this much press started to abolish the n-word? I guess Redskins is more offensive to the big wigs in office. Maybe people should research how and why that word formed. The Africans kidnapped from their own land didn't call each other "black" to describe their own skin color; it was a characterization bestowed on them by the shanghaiers that removed them unwillingly from their own land (n-word is derived from the word "niger" which means black... multiple slave trade records show derivations of the word in the description of the captive Africans). Somehow the FCC still allows it to be used loosely in movies, music, etc because someone considers it "art." (freedom of speech, right?) People buy tickets to movies, people's concerts, some still buy cds/mp3s of "artwork" containing the n-word; no one says a thing.
6.       I guess the financial and social struggles of Native Americans are less important things to fight for (meanwhile Snyder started a foundation to help fight those issues... I didn't really see anyone else trying to attack what the vast majority of natives consider to be the "real" problem in their culture). We'll continue to let Natives be culturally oppressed with poor job, housing, education, etc situations so other people with money can continue to thrive. God Bless America!
7.       Everyone can conclude that the ORIGIN of the name is BENIGN. Everyone also concludes that Europeans tried to kill them off in an attempt to take over America. While the latter prevailed, the prior did not. They tried to eliminate an entire people and use their scalps as trophies but they are STILL HERE. That says a lot. So I can definitely see why there are so many Natives proud of the name and would be upset if it changed. For many, It DOES stand for something to them. It represents for strength and resiliency. It says to the Europeans who in essence did take over the country, "Nice try, we're still here."
8.       Alas, thought #7 doesn't matter because Amanda Blackhorse and Ray Halbritter have rallied up a small group of natives to speak for the 500+ tribes across America. (Meanwhile it's still under debate whether or not Halbritter is legitimately part of the Oneida Nation.)
9.       Wonder who would get paid off of the name change... certainly wouldn't be these politicians on the PC bandwagon or the school systems on the reservations... and it doesn't directly help Natives get jobs or better housing... undoubtedly the money would go to the NFL -- a multi-billion dollar organization. Meanwhile Roger Goodell still made $35M last year and Halbritter is still making lots of duckets being a casino tycoon and paying pennies to his tribe members... (Just putting that out there...)
10.       Whatever happens, there will still be 91,000 fans in FedEx on Sunday wearing the colors and the logo singing "Hail to the Redskins." That my friends, is a fact. Whether or not we (people and/or Americans) will start prioritizing our battles to fight for what's really important, has yet to be seen. 

Follow Me On Twitter: @NFLHustleMama

He's THAT Guy

He's THAT guy. He's the my-way-or-the-highway type of guy who wants things done his way only. He probably knows Kyle needs development as a play caller to help with clock management and keeping defenses on their toes, but chose not to assist this year because he's THAT guy.

You know how some people get pissed they are about to be fired and go off? He's the guy who knows he's on his way to being canned and instead of shaping up decides to sabotage his team as his final "up yours" to the organization. Nevermind the fact that two Super Bowl wins with John Elway at quarterback would be enough to at least get on a ballot to Canton at some point in life, he'd much rather take his pride over doing what he's been paid $7M to do... win. He's THAT guy.

Yes, the read option offense caught the entire league off guard last year. Yes, it's probably a good idea to do a little something different so people don't know what's coming. Would last year's playbook have worked this year? Likely so. But whatever. He kept the same west coast offensive line, then tell them to play for a pocket passer (even though everyone knows he didn't build them operate like that anyway). He's that kind of guy.

Never talked to Haslett about making second half adjustments either. Must not have been important. And told Burns to keep up the good work. After all, he's THAT kind of guy.

Oh, and then don't forget to send a thank you card to whomever told you to change your entire offensive scheme from something that worked to something that doesn't. Not sure if it was the owner, or Griffin's father. Yep, be THAT kind of guy.

And when it's all over, get on a podium at a post game presser and give completely vague, useless answers about what he thinks (or doesn't think) is wrong. Doesn't matter, he's on his way to taking his iPad and two notebooks and going home (now THAT'S record time for cleaning out an office!). The whole while, the guys are covering his butt and saying it's their fault. He's THAT kinda guy.

Then don't forget he put useful players in the doghouse. Sure it would have been absolute murder on an opposing defense for Jordan Reed and Fred Davis to line up together. There's no way a team can simultaneously contain them both. And even though the season is over, it probably is a good idea to keep giving Robert SOME reps to aid with his recovery (keeping those fast twitch muscles on the up and up). He doesn't have to start, just get reps. Not important though since he's TRYING to be canned. He's THAT guy.

So basically since he was convinced to give up draft picks he didn't want to relinquish, he feels like some people are getting preferential treatment (even though he went the nepotistic route and hired HIS SON as offensive coordinator)... he decides that it's time to go. And since he can't just "quit" and hurt the boy, it's "easier" to get fired.

By any means necessary. Stir up controversy. Leak info to Schefty and friends. Tank fifty-three guys who put their faith, trust, and future in your hands. Cut your nose off despite your face. Then front and say the locker room isn't divided knowing full well it's been divided since week one. And didn't forget to take the final step of making it all believable by telling everyone how much you love your guys and then taking ownership of what he's done in week 13 by finally telling the media that it's his own fault that the team wasn't prepared to play.

Which is true. It IS his fault. We just didn't think somone could display a complete lack of pride in their work... never could imagine someone who had been called a "stand-up guy" on a number of occasions would actually do something so selfish like this ON PURPOSE.



Yep, he's THAT kind of guy.


Follow Me On Twitter: @NFLHustleBabe

The Blame Game

Let's do something we all like to do after things are over with in the sports world... play The Blame Game.

There are a plethora of reasons people have been using as to why the Washington Redskins have ended up the way they are this year. I'll examine some of them:

Lack of talent due to cuts in the salary cap
This is a problem. But let's be realistic about this: they had the same problem last year and came out of nowhere to win a division title. So I can't use this as an excuse. It DID mean they couldn't re-sign Lorenzo Alexander, but that's just two people (that's not a typo). It DID mean they couldn't put the franchise tag on anyone this year because money needed to be spent elsewhere. Is it the main reason they did so poorly? No. Getting the duckets back next year will help though.

The Offense
It isn't the same offense as last year. Let's face it. The scheme is DIFFERENT. Majority of the players are the same though. Have there been some execution issues? Yes. Do the players on the team carry the inate ability to accomplish what they did last year? Absolutely. But it did not happen. Not because the personnel has drastically changed... but the game plan has. I agree that people had the opportunity to study the offense last season so you have to do something different because there is a chance someone has figured out how to stop you. On the other hand, there is also the old addage of, "If it ain't broke..." Well, you know the rest.

The Defense
Though not spectacular, not the best either. This group probably had the most drastic changes in personnel from last year than anyone else. I mean, they drafted nearly an entire secondary. But we have to take into consideration that those guys are young and require development. Is it the primary reason for failure? Not likely. There have been plenty of games where the defense has kept this team in the game when the offense couldn't score (or when special teams was giving the game away in a happy meal bag with a toy). I also can't get away from the fact that every other team in the NFL has defenses that make adjustments at halftime. I have yet to see this team change anything. Teams come out in the second half most of the time and sort of have their way. And don't get me started on lack of tackling (I'll get into that later).

Special Teams (or lack thereof)
We don't know who the return man is, no one seems to know their role on blocking or tackling... it's just all around bad. Our special teams unit signed a well deserved contract with the Arizona Cardinals this year. Can all nine losses to date be blamed solely on this part of the team? Nope. There are other problems.

The offensive line (particularly the right side)
This is still a huge problem. Justin Tuck had two sacks all season long until Monday night vs the Redskins. That night, he had four. By himself. No half sacks... solo sacks. And all over the right side of the line. Maybe this can go back to the salary cap issue or even RGIII (draft picks), but to be honest, everything else has been more of a focus than fixing this line. It isn't a priority of this coaching staff. But somehow the success of their quarterback is (ironic, isn't it?)  Is this the primary reason for this team's demise? No. Can it be blamed for the lack of success for the offense? It's possible.

Robert Griffin III
There are a number of reasons people point the finger at him. Here's a few:

• He wasn't ready to come back (health): Whether or not he's "football ready" to come back is irrelevant. If you're an athlete that has had to overcome a major injury, even after being medically cleared to play, it still takes time to get your brain back coordinated with the rest of your body. You may want your legs to go, but because of an injury (and your body's natural defense mechanisms), your brain sends signals to the legs saying, "whoa... not yet..." or "okay, but take it easy." You can't get over this hump doing drills in practice... it takes game speed reps to get back to normal.
• He's a distraction.: There was a lot of hype about this season and RGIII's knee before he was even cleared to play. Every time you turn on NFL Network, SportsCenter, or any other sports media outlet, it is the primary focus when discussing the NFL. It brought all kinds of attention to the team to the point where other players had grown disgusted of talking about another man's knee (understandable). But the hype of RGIII, his personal life (this includes his wedding and relationship with his father), and his knee only added to the tremendous amount of pressure already bestowed upon him as the franchise quarterback. And he's not even 25 years old yet. For someone in their second year out of college, they should really be just focusing on football. However, the media will never allow this.
• He isn't the same player anymore: Whenever someone has a major injury, even after recovery, they're never the same again. They can be better, worse, or slightly different than what they were initially... but never exactly the same. Still, upon returning to complete form, he's still a better option than a few handful of quarterbacks in the league.

Is Robert the primary reason for failure? Nope. Sure, a lot of people depend on him to get the job done. But he also depends on a lot of other people to be able to do his job. Whenever he is on the field, there are five guys he depends on to keep his jersey clean and block for run plays, three or four guys he depends on to catch balls when passed to, and one or two guys he depends on to execute run plays. Sure he's had a more than fair share of screw-ups this year, but it's a unit out there, not one man.

The coaching staff
Despite the fact that they are not on the field making plays, the fact of the matter is, they put together game plans and assist with on-field player development. These are the nuts and bolts of the machine. We've seen way too many plays where we're questioning someone's technique, execution, etc... and it comes back to the position coaches. We've seen too many games where we question why the game plan shifted so drastically... why the defense let up... why the offense went away from the run... this comes back to the coordinators and head coach. Are they the reason for this year's demise? Likely so.

Kyle Shanahan
Kyle has a great playbook. It's been said it's too long by some people but the plays I've seen are great ones. Problem is, I haven't seen that he consistently calls them in the right order. Some days, he's clicking on all cylinders calling effective plays left and right keeping the opposing defense on their toes play after play after play. Other days, it's like he's playing Madden and just sort of guesses or goes, "hmm, I want to try this." The latter has definintely cost them games since he's gotten here. Primary reason for failure? No, but it's up there though.

Jim Haslett
Jim still has me guessing at the moment. He always starts off the game clicking on all cylinders but then tapers off after the second drive of the game. Then it seems when they should be blitzing or playing man, they're doing the opposite and the opposing offense just does whatever they want. It seems that he hasn't come up with an appropriate scheme for the personnel on hand to be successful. It seems like the plan is constantly, "ok let's try this to see how it goes, and when all else fails, bltiz." There's never a methodical plan to shut down another team's offense and create turnovers, but more like a bonus when it happens. Primary failure reason? No, but it's also up there. Maybe right below Kyle.

Mike Shanahan
Despite all the issues listed above that people continue to reiterate over and over, it all comes back to one man: the head coach. At the end of the day, he is the head of personnel and pieces together this roster. At the end of the day, he approves the game plans. At the end of the day, he makes the roster decisions on activating 46 guys every week. This is also a man who will rather hold a grudge or cut/trade someone that can help the team win versus activating on them on Sunday. This is also the man who took the risk to go after the draft picks to pick up RGIII, but didn't make it a point to protect him. He built this offensive line to suit a fast paced west cost offense, then told them to perform like The Hogs (it didn't work). Sunday, his bell cow running back had only eleven carries (including no carries after the 10 min mark in the 3rd quarter). His first response to if there was a reason why he wasn't used: "Um, no, not particularly." (Sidebar: Is Alfred in the doghouse now, too???) Yes, this is the same two-time Super Bowl winning head coach who came here after being fired from Denver and was expected to save the franchise. When he got here, he had to gut the team and start from scratch. Then encountered the salary cap snag a couple years ago. Then there was The Great Knee Injury of 2013. Now we have The Great Plummet of 2014. Etc... Etc... Etc. There's a dozen reasons why people think this team is failing, but every one of these reasons comes back to one man who has a $35M deal over 5 years because he came in and told Dan Snyder, "...if you don't understand that this is a process and give me at least five years, then you don't want me for the job." Ultimately every decision made on this team comes back to this one man. Primary reason for failure? Yep. Undoubtedly so. Will he get another year? Likely so. Because Snyder will like to see how he recovers from all of the above issues and see if this five year plan pans out in the end.


Follow Me On Twitter: @NFLHustleBabe

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.

Follow Me On Twitter: @NFLHustleBabe

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...."

Follow Me On Twitter: @NFLHustleBabe