After the first game of the pre-season (well, technically the Hall of Fame game) the sky was the limit. After the last game with Carolina, many fans’ feelings have changed.

I can imagine the news coverage starting with the weather…

“We have a warm front coming in from the south, and as you can see here on the Doppler radar there seems to be a hole in the clouds over Landover, where it appears that the sky has fallen…”

“Thanks Jim, we now go live to Landover, Maryland where our own Jane Doe is on the scene. How’s it looking out there Jane?”

“Thanks Tom, I’m standing here live at Fed-Ex Field where it appears that a very strong vacuum has sucked the sky right down to the ground. The source of this vacuum seems to be the result of the Redskins’ horrific performance versus the Carolina Panthers this past Saturday. I’m going to try and get some local reactions…excuse me, sir? Did you witness the game this past weekend?”

“You mean the Redskins’ game? Yeah they sucked.”

“There you have it Tom, ‘the Redskins sucked.’”

“Thanks Jane. We go now to Biff Bifferson, our roving sports reporter who is standing by with Vinny Cerrato, who does something with the Redskins but nobody seems to know what. Biff?”

“Thanks Tom. Vinny, in light of the recent environmental disaster the Redskins have plagued upon the residents of Landover, what is the team going to do to get the sky back where it belongs?”

“What?”

“I couldn’t help but notice that the parking lot here at Fed-Ex was full of birds forced to walk in the absence of sky, what is the teams official response and do you expect any fall-out from PETA?”

“Those are just Gulls, they are always here.”

“So is the team’s official response that there was, in fact, no sky to begin with?”

“No, it’s just…they’re scavenger birds. They are always here. If you run up on them they’ll fly away.”

“So is it the team’s official position that the birds of Landover don’t deserve a sky to fly in due to their bottom-feeder status?”

“What? No. Were you going to ask me questions about football?”

“Certainly, what do you have to say about the accusations that it was due to the Redskins’ sucking in their game at Carolina that caused the sky to fall?”

“The sky didn’t fall! Look, it’s still up there! See all of that blue stuff?! That’s the sky!”

“But what about the Redskins sucking…”

“Look, it was just a pre-season game, it didn’t mean anything! Sure we didn’t look good but it’s not the end of the world!”

“So, is it your position that Dan Snyder has plans to bring about the end of the world?”

“This interview is over”

“Well, there you have it, Tom. First; the sky. Next: the world. Live from Redskins park, I’m Biff Bifferson.”

(*Cue dramatic nature-like music & deep voice-over-type voice*) Like a bear – a big, burly brown bear – or wait, maybe a like a black bear, yeah, a black bear – like a black bear, I awaken from my winter slumber to emerge into the spring that is…..the NFL Preseason. Just like the bear, I am hungry – starving for sustenance. For him that means fish and berries – for me, it means Redskins football. And just like the bear, I have to poop, since I’ve been holding it for months. Actually, that’s where the metaphor falls apart, because I have been pooping all winter, but hang in there with me for a moment longer. (*Ahem*) Just like the bear, I’ve forgotten the struggles of the last year, and I look forward to the triumph that the new season seems to promise. And as the bear and I gaze upon the shining spring sun, we’re both thinking the same thing – ‘Man, I hate the *bleeping* Cowboys.’

So now that I’ve warmed up my metaphoric muscles, I’ll get to the meat of the act. I was going to write about how we as Redskins fans need to CALM DOWN and not get all giggly and squirmy just because the team has looked pretty darn good in the first couple of preseason games. But then I thought – hey, why not get all giggly and squirmy? This may be our only chance to get all giggly and squirmy, so we might as well do it now.

I’m not suggesting that the Redskins won’t do well this year, but look at the schedule. Three division games, all on the road, in the first five weeks. Plus a very good New Orleans team at home thrown in for good measure. A one and four start isn’t out of the question. No giggling and squirming going on there, that’s for sure (maybe some squirming, but not the good kind). It’s going to be a struggle right out of the gate, and we fans need to be prepared for that (meanwhile, the Patsies get the easiest schedule in the NFL, how’s that for justice?)

So let’s enjoy this while it lasts. In fact, I’ll just go ahead and make some very, very accurate predictions, based on what we’ve seen so far:

If you take Jason Campbell’s performance so far, and apply it to a 16 game season, he’d complete 80% of his passes, and throw for about 5300 yards. We can go on to assume, say, 57 TD passes, maybe a pick or two (everyone has a bad day), and a passer rating of 4 billion. Yes I realize that the passer rating only goes up to 158.3, but when it comes to Jason Campbell, I employ Nigel’s philosophy that ‘it goes to eleven’ (if you don’t get that reference, then shame on you, go out and rent ‘Spinal Tap’ immediately). I also predict that the networks start using subtitles during Jason’s interviews so we non-southerners can understand just what the heck he’s saying.

The only question of team chemistry will center on whether Clinton Portis will be jealous of Marcus Mason’s league rushing title. Mason’s current stats stretch out to only about 1425 yards over a 16 game season, but we do play teams like Cleveland, Cincinnati and San Francisco, so let’s round up to, oh, an even 3000 yards. Mason will also single-handedly save 48 orphans from a burning building while curing cancer using only his Blackberry.

There’s been much ado about Colt Brennan and his exhilarating performances in his first two games. With Campbell lighting it up all season, Brennan won’t get much of a chance to play, but he will win the championship of the newly-formed Back-Up QB UFC competition, created by the league to keep those clipboard-holders in good shape (and make more money for the NFL, of course). Colt will defeat Kurt Warner by ironically beating him unconscious with a package of Keebler Fudge Stripe Cookies (the same cookies that Warner used to stock back in his supermarket days).

But what about the injuries, you say? What about all those hamstrings? Well, you don’t know it yet because it’s top secret, but Dan Snyder’s scientists are developing a bionic hamstring – patented by the Redskins, so no other team can use it – set to be installed in every Redskins position player before the start of the 2008 season. At the same time, Tanya Snyder is developing the bionic bum, to ensure that the female viewer ship increases (as if it needed to with the addition of Jason Taylor).

And as if it needed to be said, Jim Zorn wins coach of the year AND the Nobel Peace Prize for taking his team to the Super Bowl, and developing a free sustainable energy source (what did you think he was doing while the defense was on the field?). In his acceptance speech, Zorn thanks The Hogs.net for inspiring him throughout the season, and more specifically, that bag-of-donuts guy for the weekly fruit baskets.


So there they are, my predictions for the 2008 season. Call them bold, call them overly-optimistic, call them insane, that’s really for the Mental Health Board to decide. You may say that my assumptions are not based in reality, and to you, sir, I say that you have never read any of my pieces before, or you would know that reality and I do not get along very well. I say that you have to grab ahold of the positives while you have them, squeeze them tight with both hands and suck the juice right out of them, until they lay limp and lifeless in your arms.

Of course, it could be that I’m still sleeping, still hibernating and dreaming of the delights that the upcoming season will bring. And if that’s the case, let me be, because this dream is way too good to be interrupted by your so-called ‘reality’.

Go to redskins.com and look to the right at redskins store...

"Pre order" your Jason Taylor jersey.

The guy hasn't even played one down for the B & G. He too could be bitten by the injury bug, and never play a down. (god I hope not) But you can send Danny your money for his jersey.

I am all for the Taylor trade, don't get me wrong. But, this is Danny Boy at his best. He is all about the $$$. If you don't think so, take your family to training camp this week, or even a game this year. It will hit you in the wallet. Hard.

Snyder is the national media's whipping boy, because he makes himself such an easy target. The guy is a businessman flat out. And, not a good person by any means. Our fans keep throwing money at him, but yet there has not been an on field product worth shaking a stick at since he bought the team. He is NOT a good person. He could give a rats ass about the average fan, as long as they re-new thier season tickets.

Now he wants us to buy Jason Taylor replicas...... the same ones we buy of other players and the numbers are rubbing off after the second wash. God forbid you buy an 'authentic' with other players nameplate ripped off..... then replaced with crappy effort....
If i ever do buy another jersey, it WILL NOT be from one of Danny Boy's stores. Since revenue is 'shared', maybe I'll buy from NFL shop... maybe. The first blog i ever did was on 'money grubbing' by the Danny, involving jersey sales...
http://www.thehogs.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19828

This is the same guy on "FAN APPRECIATION DAY" who charged fans $25 to park, and didn't allow the 'fans' to bring in any beverages. But, you could conveniently buy bottled water at the concession stand for $5 a pop. No water fountains available. http://www.thehogs.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19922

What an ass. Serious short man syndrome there. We pump out our hard earned "pennies" and this billionaire piece of crap continues to grab as many as he can. The american way I guess. Well, He won't get anymore of my pennies. I could care less to go to Fed Ex and fight the crowds. And I won't spend another penny that involves the "Redskins" directly. I know that all revenue is shared, but thats the way it will be. Danny WILL NOT get his hands on mine first. Most people now regard him as a 'progressing' owner. To me he is still the same piece of crap he always was. People don't change. Snyder won't either, as long as he is living in the lap of luxury at the fans expense.

Helping with this site has been a blast to say the least. I have met so many good fans and friends, and been up close and personal at Redskins park. But, it has also allowed me to see how the Skins' brass operates up close and personal, and realize that I'm glad I have no official connections with Snyder and the Skins. In the scheme of things, if you are kissing Snyders ass, fine and good by the Redskins. If you actually have your own opinion, you are just a pain in the ass of Snyder. But I digress.

Everyone is going to make thier own decisions. Hopefully this blog has made you think twice about yours.

Again, this has nothing to do with the fact that we traded for Taylor. I love the move, It's just the fact that we are expected to pay right away, (which many, many will) without any shread of evidence that it will be worth it.




-HS

In this morning's edition of the Washington Times, David Elfin published a transcript of an interview he did with Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder and a corresponding article. While I have issue with some of the things David Elfin writes and was unimpressed with the way he handled the inclusion of fan sites in the 2004 Mini Camp I was lucky enough to attend, this interview gives an interesting insight into how Dan Snyder views himself and the organization in its current state.

Now I've never been one to bash Dan Snyder. I don't think he is always right, and I may question specific decisions that he makes or the processes he employs to make them, but overall, I'm of the opinion that he generally makes them with the best intentions. That being said, there is a specific question and answer in this article that I do have a beef with:

Quote:

Q: How are you doing with your fans? A: All of our (suites and club seats) renewed last year. Our waiting list is over 200,000. You can sign up on the Web site. (Smiles.)

One of the main arguments that "Snyder Bashers" harp on is the way Snyder treats the fans. There was a blog on this very site after fan appreciation day two years ago about how the fans didn't feel very appreciated. Another followed shortly there after, regarding the apparent recycling of $300 jerseys. This comment seems to validate the opinion of those bashers on what we, as fans, mean to the Snyder regime.

Dan, you could have taken this opportunity to reach out to the fans. You could have talked about trying to put the best product out on the field that you can, you could have talked about the upcoming draft day party, or even the Beach Blitz, which I assume will take place in Virginia Beach again this season. Instead, you brought up how many seats you sold and how many people are waiting for seats.

I realize that money is the name of the game. The NFL is a business, first and foremost. I just wish it didn't have to be so evident that you see fans as dollar signs, rather than the lifeblood of this flagship franchise.

permalink | comments (21)

Were you expecting anything less than this? A circus of media attention, dragged out for weeks, complete with flying rumors, disgruntled coaches, and hard evidence that Dan Snyder is an alien hell-bent on destroying the earth (I threw that alien stuff in there myself). If you expected a nice, quiet search for a new coach, then you, my friend, have not been paying attention.

I know you tried hard to believe that Dan had changed, that Joe Gibbs had taken him by the arm and illuminated the path to greatness – or at least the path to common sense. But Dan is what Dan is. However far Joe pulled him, when released to his own devices, Dan swung back to his equilibrium. As the sign in the Oracle’s kitchen says, ‘Know thyself’. Dan Snyder knows himself. He is what he is, and there’s not much we as fans can do about it, except grit our teeth and hold on tight, or get off the ride. Eat a cookie, you’ll feel better.

Am I letting him off the hook? No. I’m just trying to rationally see the situation for what it is. I expect to throw up my hands in frustration and sigh many times before Dan Snyder gives up control of the team. And you have to place a good part of the blame for this coaching debacle on a man who, to many, is above reproach: Joe Gibbs.

It’s been stated repeatedly that one cannot blame Joe for his decision to leave coaching, despite his promise to get this franchise back on track. However, the timing of the announcement was extremely poor. I would have liked to see him be more involved in the coaching selection before he left for good. And so here’s Dan Snyder, left without a prom date a few days before the big event, and he has to scramble to find another date. Granted, one doesn’t usually buy the dress and the corsage before you have the girl, but given the abruptness of Joe’s departure, I can see why an owner would panic.

The media attention and rumors attached to this process didn’t help. The Post and Times can write whatever they want about Dan and what a disgrace he is, but they cannot deny that they stoked the fire quite a bit. Fueled by a dislike for Snyder that was developed long ago, they were only to happy to vilify him every day the selection process dragged on. We may never know if Dan hosed Fassel by practically offering him the job, then pulling out. He wanted a look at a Superbowl coach, and so he had to wait, which just left more time for speculation and rumors. Had the Giants been beaten in an early playoff round, we may have ended our search weeks ago.

While my vote was for Gregg Williams, I can somewhat understand the reluctance to give him the head coaching gig. His arrogance and seeming lack of respect for authority would give any owner pause. Don’t get me started on Jim Fassel. I didn’t like him in New York, and, at 60-something, I certainly didn’t like the idea of him coming here to be the ‘future’. We already had an older coach who supposedly put this franchise back on track, we don’t need another one. Mooch would have been okay with me – he’s a high energy, smart guy, and I think he would have done well.

In the end, Dan decided to take a chance on a relatively young guy, without a whole lot of head coaching (or coordinator…or play-calling) experience. If the Redskins flop the next few years, then Dan was an idiot. If Jim Zorn turns out to be a smashing success….well, let’s face it, to many of us, Dan will still be an idiot who just got lucky. But that’s the game. Do you think that Bob Kraft knew he was getting three Superbowl wins (and possibly more to come) when he hired Bill Belichick? He HOPED he would, but he was taking a chance, especially with Bill’s dismal coaching record at Cleveland. Same goes for many coaches in the NFL – you don’t know what you’re getting until you’ve got it. Who would have ever expected Steve Spurrier to fail?!? (Just kidding). The simple fact is that we don’t know – and we won’t know for awhile – whether this is a good hire, or a bad one.

Now, my metaphor falls apart here, because Dan ends up taking the dress (sans girl) to the prom, which is a bit weird, in a Norman Bates kind of way, but you get the idea. But if that pink, frilly dress ends up leading us to greatness, then perhaps one day this soap opera of a coaching search will end up being just a funny story, and we can cut Dan some slack. That is, until the next soap opera.

... and see the unbelievable, logic-defying Washington Redskins!!

As the NFL looks on... and laughs... I'm left wondering what on earth it is about the Washington Redskins that I love so much.

Because it isn't the organization itself.

Frankly, the organization is downright embarrassing right now.

I don't care what anyone thinks about Jim Zorn - it has nothing to do with it. By all accounts he is a very capable coach and someone who was likely destined to move on to bigger and better things eventually anyway. But now? And under a veil of what seems like desperation?

Those of you who think that this was by design are nothing more than apologists for the organization. This whole freak show wasn't by design - it was an evolution of mistakes.

I don't exactly feel sorry for Gregg Williams - he was paid handsomely to put up with the kind of crap that he put up with when he left. But don't take that as a vote of confidence in the organization... I'm merely acknowledging that Gregg got paid very well to come to Washington and sit in the wings and wait.

That doesn't justify the means by which it all came about, or rationalize the complete travesty that has been this Redskins coaching changeover though. Once again, this organization proved implicitly that without a good football mind making decisions, we're a laughing stock.

Yes I said laughing stock.

Over the last few days I have been bombarded with snide comments and jeers as fans of other teams sound off on the state of MY football team. They just point and laugh and trail off into oblivion as they cackle 'Jim Fricking Zorn'?

Now I'm not one to put much stock in what the fan's of other teams say in jest - but none of them are joking. They're not having a go at me, as football enthusiasts, they are truly shocked that an organization like the Redskins could manage to UNDO so quickly what Gibbs restored in his tenure - respect.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T... find out what it means to me.

It isn't crapping on your defensive coordinator as he heads to a new place because you hosed him on a job.

It isn't naming coordinators before you even have a coach.

It isn't telling the fan base that there will be continuity when you're bringing in an entirely new offensive system and named a new defensive coordinator.

And it sure as hell isn't doing ALL of this when you should be topping up your draft wish list, trimming salary cap fat, and finding a way to bring in a free agent or two. How do you conduct a draft with so little structure within? How do you target players for your system when you don't even seem to have a system yet?

The answer to both questions is probably - poorly.

I can only speak for myself when I say - No Mas.

When will Redskin fans learn that an organization whose FIRST concern is MAKING MONEY will never win anything?

When will you learn that LOVING THE WASHINGTON REDSKINS doesn't predicate that you come up with a rationalization for every stupid move ever made by the organization itself?

Learn to separate the two - team and organization.

Your credibility depends on it. You can't arbitrarily 'okay' everything ever done by management just because you love the team, well not if you expect people to take you seriously.

I will always love my Washington Redskins TEAM... but I'm fed up and thoroughly disgusted by the state of the organization itself.

I always thought that Snyder's marketing prowess took a page out of PT Barnum's playbook. And go figure, now I'm looking at a complete circus act.

"I am a showman by profession...and all the gilding shall make nothing else of me." - PT Barnum

All the gilding in the world won't turn Snyder and Cerrato into a viable football General Manager either.

Don't stick your head in the sand as you try to ride out the latest wave of Redskin embarrassment; separate team and organization and place your frustrations where they truly belong - and are so richly deserved - the organization itself.

1) First, in keeping with the Danny-fueled spirit of "Change Without Purpose" I am dropping the we I previously relied on in this column. So there you have it. Secondly, thirdly.

2) OK, to clear up some old business. I had said that if Joe Gibbs demonstrated that my assessment of his skills (i.e. my assertion that he should step down as head coach and into a GM role) was incorrect, I would admit it. Before I get to the question of my judgment, I want to say (belatedly) that Gibbs' character and leadership over the final weeks of the season were remarkable and inspirational. I even admire his decision to step away from the game, though I regret he did it so completely. My notion of his taking the reigns as a de facto (though not de jure) GM was somewhat fueled by wishful thinking. However, not only do I admire his choice to step down, I agree with it.

3) You read that correctly. I'll explain why: as remarkable (and it truly was remarkable) as the team's final surge to reach the playoffs was, it was fueled as much by the totally unexpected (a player's death and the emergence Todd Collins, among many other things) as it was by coaching. I'm not suggesting that replacing Gibbs in that scenario with another coach would have resulted in the team making the post-season. In fact, I am convinced it would not.
Stick with me, what follows are some snippets from the column in which I initially expressed my concerns about Coach Gibbs (written following the loss to the Patriots):

"We're NOT suggesting players lack respect for the head coach, we just question whether, at this stage in his life and his career, he WANTS to be the alarm. We see that type of respect as something more befitting a grandfather and less an NFL head coach.
"We do not for a second think he is being facetious or disingenuous when he talks about how much he loves his players and how much the losses hurt him. We question whether that bond is preventing him from, for lack of a better phrase, becoming a pain in the ass when it is necessary.
We don't think Gibbs is a bad coach per se, we just question whether he still wants to be a coach period."

4) As much as Joe Gibbs the man impressed me in those final weeks, and that grandfatherly distinction served him very well, I didn't see anything that would substantially shift my beliefs about Joe Gibbs, the coach. I know the players love him, beyond a shadow of a doubt, but I still saw a guy who lacked the fire he once had and you need some of that to make it as an NFL coach. I told my father during the season that it seemed to me that Joe would be much happier being a wealthy grandfather than a head coach. Turns out I was right. That's not to say I wasn't stunned by his decision to retire, make no mistake about it, I was stunned. But it's difficult for me to look at everything that happened last season and conclude Joe would have been the best man for the job in the future. Oddly enough, that all being said, I would have preferred that he stayed next season. I was then, and am now, an advocate for continuity.

5) So much for that. As many others have said, there may be some very good reasons behind the decisions to fire Al Saunders and Greg Williams. But, in January, after what this team (and, by extension, the fans) went through last season, I am having a great deal of difficulty seeing any wisdom in the decisions being made by Snyder and (I REFUSE to use his title) Vinny Cerrato. I'm not as panicked by the Vinny thing, I had no hopes of his ever being dismissed (or a GM being hired), so that was expected, in a way. I'm not passionate about how Vinny handles the cap but (assuming he was the one making the decisions) his track record the past few seasons in player acquisition is filled with many more wins than losses.

6) The coaches on the other hand ... well, there simply is no wisdom in sinking that much money into a coaching philosophy with a proven track record and then scrapping it before it could realize its full potential. It's certainly par-for-the-course with Snyder but a small (and obviously naive) portion of me hoped the course had changed. So it's (yet another) off-season of upheaval for the Redskins. Maybe/hopefully I'll be admitting how wrong I was about the need for change in 9 or 10 months. But I have a lot of trouble believing that now.

Better late than never, they say…..

Ouch. Losing in the playoffs is like getting drunk and having a one stand that you shouldn’t have had – not only does it have immediate repercussions (as in the embarrassment of getting out of there the next morning), but the potential long term ….um, ‘effects’ (in a burning sensation sort of way) are a bummer as well. The loss hurts now, and once you get over that, you can look forward to the realization that there’s another 7 months to go before you see your team on the field again.

Excuse me while I throw up. If I have to listen to one word of that ‘12th man’ crap, I’m gonna lose my balony sandwich. Yeah, it had such an effect on the Redskins that they took almost three and half quarters before they had their first false start.

Open mouth, insert foot. Funny how Cris (or Chris, if you’re from Seattle) Collinsworth failed to mention his statement a few weeks ago after the Bears game that the Redskins had ‘no chance’ to make the playoffs. Perhaps it slipped his mind.

And now, back to Antwaan in the studio… After watching Randle El’s introduction, tell me he won’t be on TV someday.

Somebody get a doctor! I am convinced that Matt Hasselbeck has what I refer to as ‘Favre Disease’. The symptoms are an involuntary unsnapping of the chin strap immediately following the play, and trying to look cool. Get well, Matt.

Wow. LaRon Landry was all over the place. How does this guy not get any recognition for Defensive Rookie of the Year? Aside from the two brilliant picks, he made tackles all over the field. Wait – and he’s only going to get better?!?

Pressure, pushing down on me. In my opinion, the key to this game was pressure. The Seahawks applied to our QB, and we failed to return the favor. When we did, Hasselbeck made mistakes. When we didn’t, he hit his receivers perfectly. All the more reason we need a disruptive, strong, quick defensive end in the draft. And the effect of the pressure could not have been more apparent on the touchdown pass that should have been, if not for Collins getting pummeled and underthowing a wide open Santana Moss.

Just like they taught him. Bobby Engram had a picture-perfect hold on Lee Torrence on the first touchdown. His shirt looked like sail, for crying out loud.

Speaking of which… the officiating was HORRIBLE – both ways. Let’s see, aside from the blatant holding on the TD, there was Collins’ ‘incomplete pass’ which should have been at least called a fumble and then reviewed, Campbell’s low block on a kickoff return where he his the guy in the chest and then slid down, Betts taking a swing at a Seahawk with no penalty, and Torrence’s pass interference on Landry’s second pick. Bad day for the guys in black and white.

It’s not you – actually, yeah, it is you. As much as I applaud Fabini and Heyer for stepping in and playing almost the entire season, I’ll be happy to see our right side back again in ’08. Fabini had a horrible day, and Heyer had his hands full. But I guess you can’t expect to go too far in the playoffs with half of your starting O’line in street clothes.

Sweet! Knight Rider is back, baby!

Who? If you don’t know how to spell ‘Hackett’, as Shawn Springs. He should have the name memorized by now, seeing as though he was looking at it most of the game.

My official favorite play of the game. Smoot’s hit on Hasselbeck.

True colors. Todd Collins has played admirably in place of Jason Campbell. But I think we saw that he is not the long term answer as he fell apart under pressure in the final minutes of the fourth quarter. Both interceptions were not only poor throws, but worse – poor decisions. There is no reason to rush a throw to Moss in double coverage with five minutes left on your own 45 yard line.

Turning point. You can blame Sean Squeeze ‘em if you want, but by the time he stepped on the field to miss his 30-yarder, the tide had turned already. The Redskins recovered the ball on the 14 yard line after the botched kickoff return, and failed to score. Even if they hit the field goal, that’s a victory for the Seahawks. Keep in mind that Cooley dropped a pass on the two yard line on that ‘drive’.

The Joe Gibbs School of English. Anyone catch Collinsworth saying that our guys ‘fought their guts out’?

Stop making sense. As much as I can’t stand Collinsworth, he was dead on when he argued the benefits of a weak division. Having cruised to a fast start, the Seahawks had the luxury of resting players as they played the Cards, Rams and 49ers – a luxury we don’t have in the NFC East.

True love. I absolutely LOVED seeing Landry sitting on the bench after the game with his head down. Do I like seeing our players depressed after a loss? Heck no. But tell me that guy isn’t feeling pain. His teammates are all shaking hands, laughing, joking, and he’s replaying the game in his mind over and over. Tell me he won’t be thinking about the game while he’s training in the offseason. Or during training camp. Tell me he won’t take the pain with him into next year’s playoffs.

Bittersweet déjà vu. Having jumped on the bandwagon back in ’83, I remember the pain and shock I felt when Joe Gibbs retired the first time. You could almost sense the storm coming as he walked out the door. This time, I feel almost the same way, but more disappointment. I understand why he’s leaving, but are we really better off than we were four years ago? Are we a contender? I agree that we have more character than any other team in football, but is Joe Gibbs leaving us a winner? Only time will tell, I guess, but I’m a bit concerned that if a brand spanking new coach is hired, we’ll be starting from scratch yet again.

Get me Dan Snyder on the line. Despite the NFL owners failing to take my advice when they discovered that Paul had been in a coma for nearly four years (no one noticed) and need to select a new commissioner, I’ll take a shot at my top three candidates to take over as head coach of the Redskins:

3. Steve Spurrier – ha ha ha! Whooo! Gotcha! ……Okay, not funny, I agree. Moving on…

2. George W. Bush – I have on good authority that he will be available around this time next year, and he has experience running a sports franchise (not to mention various other enterprises) into the ground (Texas Rangers). Plus, the added benefit is that you all get to see crazyhorse’s head explode with fury.

1. Rebecca Romijn – Yes, I may have a slight obsession with Ms. Romijn, but tell me you won’t tune into Redskins TV every freaking day to watch the interviews. She could join the cheerleaders at halftime, do post-game interviews clad in a bikini. You think we set attendance records this year?!?


Only crumbs left in the donut box. So that’s it. Thanks for tolerating my drivel this year. I may pop my head in once or twice this year if my brain starts leaking uncontrollably. If I decide to give my other arm and leg to DirecTV for the NFL Sunday Ticket package next year, you’ll see me in 2008, like it or not.

In the meantime, while I’ll closely monitor the selection of the new head coach of the Washington Redskins, I do need a break. It’s been a long, exhausting season, and I need lie down for a few weeks. And eat some donuts.

Life, as they sometimes say, gets in the way of drivel, which explains the lack of said drivel in the past couple of weeks. Darn that pesky life.

Wah. I’ve been really surprised by the talk by Terri Glenn (and no, that misspelling is no mistake) that Landry was intentionally targeting his knees. First of all, in case Terri hasn’t noticed, this game is violent. Players try to knock each other out. If it bothers you, try soccer. Next, it’s clear from the video that Landry wasn’t even looking at Glenn, and was diving for the ball. Any Cowboy fan who argues otherwise is probably just sporting a bruised ego from the beating.

Speaking of which… I know Cowboy fans and players alike will argue that the game didn’t mean anything to them, that had it been a meaningful game, they would have played with more passion, and how they would have staged a comeback in the second half. Still, as meaningless as the game was, this was not the type of game that Dallas wanted to see.

Joe’s Donut of the Week Award goes to… Tony Romo! Of course, there are many great moments during the course of the game when we beat the Cowboys, the one that made me laugh was the slo-mo replay of Romo slamming his coat down on the bench. You could almost hear him whine ‘I’m so mad I could slam my coat!’ Some players will slam helmets, Gatorade tables, even other players. But Romo slams coats. Poor coat.

When fiction becomes reality. You know that Pepsi commercial where the offensive coordinator for the Cowboys sends in a play with a yawn at the end, and it gets sent to the field, and then Cowboys are bouncing off each other? Well, it became reality during one defensive play, when Bradie James (I think it was him) called an audible, and as he and Ware switched places, they bonked smack into each other.

I love him, but… I love Chris Samuels, and I think he’s a true Redskin, but it seems like it may be time to start grooming his replacement. He had quite a bit of trouble with Ware, and while Ware is an excellent pass rusher, Samuels should be just as excellent in his pass blocking, and I didn’t see that on Sunday.

Shhh. Andre Carter has quietly has a successful season. Led the team in sacks, played the run well all year, and did a good job of generating pressure. The ‘Carter is a bust’ threads have been few this season.

If only…. With the Joe Gibbs’ December record now at some amazing percentage, it sure would be nice to go into the month with 7 or 8 wins, instead of having to play catch up every year.

Someone get an eye doctor! I have some serious concerns about Roy Williams’ health, specifically his eyesight. After watching him play for several years, I have come to the conclusion that he suffers from a condition that allows him to see opposing ball carriers only from the shoulder pads and above. I mean, why else would he be seemingly unable to make a single tackle by hitting a ball carrier below the head?!? Get well, Roy.

…but they don’t fall down… While Wade may have changed the staff in Dallas, one requirement that has remained from the Parcells era is the size of the belly. In his all-blue jumpsuit, he looks a bit like a Weebil.

Write in candidate. I vote for more dump offs to Portis. He’s cutting up the secondary right now.

Bully. Flozell Adams must have been one of those guys who picked on smaller kids in school (of course, there probably weren’t too many kids larger than him), given his cowardly showing of shoving a 200 pound Shawn Springs around.

Do it again! As many times as it was shown, my kids never get tired of seeing the Fox robot guy dodge a few snowballs, catch one in the face, and have a load of snow fall on him. It was the one time when I cursed my TiVo, because I was constantly pestered to rewind so they could watch it again.

Challenge challenged. Joe Gibbs’ luck on challenges just stinks. Four reversed calls in the first half alone that went the other way.

Brain fart. Everyone is allowed to have them, I just wish that Al Saunders would have them while he’s mowing his lawn or playing Madden or something, and not while he’s calling plays. A swing pass with 9 seconds left in the first half?!? It’s a good thing it was off target, or we would have missed the opportunity to kick the field goal.

Could it be…. …that we’re actually learning to finish games? No more second half collapses. We can only hope that this new killer instinct carries over to the playoffs, and 2008.

Speaking of which…. If you’ve watched any of the Patriots games this year, you’d have noticed that they attack your weaknesses without mercy. The Redskins attacked the Cowboys weak corners until they had their fill. As little respect as I have for the Pats integrity, you have to admire the approach to the game, and hope that the Redskins are finally learning how to finish teams off.

Am I right, or am I right? I’ve spoken numerous times about the critical importance of third down conversions on both sides of the ball. This past week, the Redskins were a modest 9 for 15 on third down, but held the Cowboys to zero conversions in 11 attempts. Zero. You can’t get much better than that.

Biggest question of the game…. Ryan Seacrest – Dallas fan or Redskins fan? Bigger question – do we WANT him as a Redskin fan?

I was wrong (don’t tell my wife). A few short weeks ago, I was beginning to be convinced that Joe Gibbs was done, that the game was now too much for him, and that he should move into a front office role, and let someone younger take over the head coaching duties. Shows what I know. After watching player after player hug him and have a few words with him after the game, I don’t know of a coach in the NFL that has more support from his players right now.

Yay! Yay! Wheeeee! Seattle is a tough opponent, and it’s a very difficult place to play, but I can’t help but laugh every time I see that clip of Alexander clapping and jumping up and down like a little girl (my apologies to little girls).

Deeper Meaning quote of the day: ‘Dallas defensively is a bit confused…’ When Joe Buck said this, he was talking about a single play, but I think you could apply this to the whole game, and both sides of the ball.

Expletive of the Week goes to…. While I usually win this award, this week Julius Jones and Marion Barber get the honors, because of their visible frustration at the whopping one yard they combined to gain. One. Yard.

Don’t talk to me. Boy, it’s a good thing that Joe Gibbs didn’t have someone telling him the status of the Vikings game, given Denver’s collapse. How do you let a game go into overtime when you’re up by 16 with 6 minutes to play?!?

Dumb. While I was shaking my head in disgust at the squib kick to end the first half, I’m sure Cowboys fans were doing the same thing as Romo was pulled to the ground while trying to generate some magic on the untimed down.

Not better, just different. Watching Todd Collins run the offense, I felt that the ‘problem’ with Jason Campbell was not his abilities, but that he was simply trying too hard. I’m hoping that he is watching and learning, and will return next year a calmed quarterback.

Score! If we wish to continue with the high school cheerleader metaphor a bit longer, it looks like after being teased earlier this year, we’ve now been invited over to her house on Saturday night while her parents are away for the weekend. Waka waka.

How far is far enough? Making the playoffs is wonderful, especially after the accomplishment seemed impossible a few short weeks ago. But how far is far enough? If we lose in the first round, is it still a successful season? Or do we need a NFC Championship appearance to honor Sean Taylor’s death? How far should the motivation of his passing take us?

The final word. If I traveled back into the past and told my past-self that the Redskins this year would endure the tragic death of their star defensive player, plus season ending-injuries to two offensive lineman early, plus others as the season wore on, not to mention key injuries to the secondary and receiver cores, and top it all off with the second most difficult schedule in the league, my past-self would no doubt have predicted a very poor finish. And yet we sit here at 9-7, and are going to the playoffs. I love that. It speaks directly to the character of the players and coaches on this team.

The Pats can have their 16-0, the Cowboys can have their number one seed, Seattle can have their loud stadium. I’ll take this team and its character any day.

Go ‘skins.

THE SKINS MAKE THE PLAYOFFS!

Whooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Here are some game links to re-live the magic...

At NFL.com
Game Center
Recap
Box Score
Play-By-Play
Official Gamebook Stats

At Redskins.com
Recap
Wild Redskins Head to Seattle For Playoffs
Collins Continues His Impressive Run
Manley Honored Before Cowboys Game

Other Recaps:
ESPN
Fox
CNNSI

Some articles:
Red-hot Redskins clinch playoff spot
TWT: A Hall of Fame coach demonstrates why
TWT: On defense, just dominant
TWT: Portis returns to form during four-game tear
TWT: Seen and Heard at Fed Ex
WP: Redskins Find a Reason To Celebrate Their Season
WP: Gibbs Soaks It Up
Resurgent Redskins in playoffs
Redskins earn playoff berth with win over Cowboys, 27-6

Videos:
Highlights at NFL.com

Photos:
NFL.com
ESPN.com
Washington Times

Our message board threads:

Official Game day thread (now locked)
Official Post game Discussion


CP shows off his Taylor-pride after his touchdown

Photo Credit: ESPN: AP Photo/Nick Wass