Dallas Week: Memories…
Are you ready for Sunday night? If you’re not you will be after watching these highlights. HTTR
Nov 5, 2006 Redskins 22 Cowboys 19
Miracle win in the last seconds of the game after a nice return on a blocked FG by Sean Taylor and a 47-yard FG by Nick Novak. Click here to read my interview w/ Nick.
Dec 30, 2007 Redskins 27 Cowboys 6
The Redskins victory over the Cowboys locked up a playoff birth for the Redskins. The Cowboys rushed for 1 yard and the margin of victory was 21 points = Sean Taylor.
Dec 18, 2005 Redskins 35 Cowboys 7
The Redskins laid the wood to the Cowboys, Cooley had 3 TD’s and Daniels had 4 sacks.
Dec 22, 1996 Redskins 37 Cowboys 10
The last game at RFK, I was at this game and was on the field for the last 2 minutes of the game. The Cowboy helmet burning is sweet and we have a Shar Pourdanesh sighting.
Dec 11, 1983 Redskins 31 Cowboys 10
With everything on the line the Redskins rolled into Irving, TX (dressed in fatigues) and crushed the Cowboys in their own house.
Jan 22, 1983 Redskins 31 Cowboys 17
You know this one, one of my favorite days of all-time.
Cheers and Hail
Vinny, The Gift That Keeps On Giving
It’s Dallas week and starting tomorrow this blog will get more positive because the Redskins are going to win this Sunday night and the Redskins are going to make the playoffs this year. That being said I’ve been researching this post for several days and it’s got a lot of interesting stuff in it and I’m never going to get the time I’ve invested in it back…so read it and thank all that is good that we don’t have Vinny any longer. That’s all. HTTR
In May of 1989 Bobby Beathard announced his retirement from the Washington Redskins just 1 month after completing his final draft as the GM of the team. A quick look at his last 18 months on the job and what kind of shape he left the team in:
The Redskins won Super Bowl XXII 42-10 in January 1988, it was the 3rd Super Bowl in 6 years the Redskins had played in under his watch.
On draft day in April of 1989 Bobby Beathard traded Mike Oliphant straight up for Earnest Byner. Oliphant rushed for 127 career yards in the NFL, Byner would go on to become one of the 70 Greatest Redskins, make 2 Pro Bowls and become the Redskins 5th leading rusher of all-time.
On draft day in April of 1989 Beathard gave up the Redskins 1st round pick as compensation for signing Wilber Marshall. Marshall would also become one of the 70 Greatest Redskins and a Pro Bowler.
On draft day in April of 1989 Beathard traded the Redskins 2nd round pick in for Gerald Riggs. Riggs would go on to become a touchdown machine for the Redskins including 2 TD’s in Super Bowl XXVI.
In January 1992 the Redskins would win Super Bowl XXVI with a majority group of players drafted and signed by Beathard (with help from Casserly).
In July of 1999 Charley Casserly “stepped aside” as GM of the Redskins so Dan Snyder could bring in his hand picked choice…Vinny Cerrato. A quick look at his last 18 months on the job and what kind of shape he left the team in:
On draft day in April of 1999, Casserly had the balls to take Mike Ditka up on his crazy idea to trade the Saints entire draft for the opportunity to draft Ricky Williams. Casserly was still able to draft future Hall of Fame cornerback Champ Bailey with the Skins 1st round pick.
In the 2nd round of the 99’ draft Casserly picked Jon Jansen. Jansen would go on to start 10 seasons at right tackle for the Redskins.
Casserly was able to parlay all the draft picks from 1999 to position the Redskins to have the 2nd and 3rd overall picks in the 2000 draft. This gift turned into future Pro Bowler LaVar Arrington and another possible Hall of Famer in Chris Samuels. Even Vinny couldn’t F that one up.
The Redskins would go on to win the NFC East in 1999 with the team that Casserly built, it’s the last time the Redskins have won the division.
Casserly was chosen by several media outlets as the NFL Executive of the Year in 1999.
Photo via DC Sports Bog
In December of 2009 Vinny Cerrato resigned as GM of the Washington Redskins. A quick look at his last 18 months on the job and what kind of shape he left the team in:
In the 2008 the Redskins chose Thomas, Davis, Kelly, Rinehart and Tryon in the first 4 rounds. 2 years later Rinehart and Tryon are gone and Kelly/Thomas are barely on the team and have done nothing to date.
Only 2 players remain from the Redskins 2009 draft, Orakpo and Barnes. The 2nd round pick was traded for Jason Taylor…total debacle.
In March of 2010 new GM Bruce Allen and HC Mike Shanahan cut 10 Redskins players, nearly 20% of the roster and 10 guys that were huge contributors and starters for the Redskins 2009 squad…3 of those players are currently on NFL rosters and none of them are starters.
Cerrato left the Redskins with a 2010 roster that is picked by many to finish 6-10 or 7-9 at best this season, despite having a HC considered to be one of the best in the league. Critics say the Redskins just don’t have the players to compete this year.
Cheers and Hail
What Kind Of Season Can We Expect From Clinton?
Clinton Portis is set to begin his 7th season in a Washington Redskins uniform and the question is…how much is left in the tank?
Does he have 304 yards rushing in him? I’m going to go out on a limb and say yes. Ok, I’m not really going out on a limb and you’re probably wondering where the 304 number came from. Portis needs 304 yards to reach 10,000 yards rushing for his career. 10K is an elite club and that used to be a ticket to Canton, although that ticket is probably more like 12,000 now.
Does Portis have 876 yards rushing in him? Now that’s debatable. With 876 yards rushing this season, Portis would pass John Riggins and become the Redskins all-time leading rusher…something that would make Riggo absolutely crazy.
I’m not going to even venture a guess on this, especially since I prematurely sent him out to pasture last year. I will say that Portis appears to have some burst this preseason and also looks to be in the best shape I’ve seen him in years. Cooley says he’s a #2 fantasy pick and will have a solid year.
What do you think? Will Portis stay healthy, will he have a big year?
Cheers and Hail
Hazing At A Medium Pace
Part of being a rookie in the NFL is going thru your rookie “hazing” and earning your stripes with the veterans. The term “hazing” is more associated with the old school way of initiating players into the NFL, such as the Saints did with Cam Cleeland. Today’s rookie initiations are much easier.
Nowadays rookies have it pretty tame, well as far as we know. They may have to carry the veterans shoulder pads, something Dez Bryant was not down with. They may also find themselves taped to a goalpost or they may have to perform skits imitating coaches…or a $100 million dollar defensive tackle hurting his knee taking a dump. Another popular choice is to have a rookie stand up and sing a song in front of the team. While covering the aforementioned knee injury while dumping, D.C. Sports Bog unearthed this gem of Chris Cooley’s initiation by song.
“I sang Adam Sandler’s ‘At a Medium Pace,’ ” he told me. “I got a lot of blank stares. From anyone who knew it, roars of laughter, which was mostly the white guys. And then most of the black guys on the team were like don’t haze him any more. He’s done. He did his part.”
I’m not going to link the song, even for this blog which is not politically correct and a little on the edgy side, the song is not for everyone’s ears. Either you know it or you don’t. I love the song and I’ve been listening to it for 15 years. I love Sandler’s stuff from that era, included but not limited to The Goat, Toll Booth Willie and Joining the Cult.
What I really want to know and what I would have paid to have seen was Joe Gibbs reaction to the song. What was the look on his face after the line “I’m about to begin…loving you?” How long did he let the song go on for? There are questions that need to be answered and follow up that needs to be done on this matter. Perhaps between the Bog and myself we can get answers to some of these questions and bring closure on this matter.
Cheers and Hail
A Bad McNabb Is Still Good
photo via Redskins.com
I saw the player I loved to hate for so many years play like the player I loved to hate in the Redskins-Ravens pre-season match up. All the things I used to make fun of Donovan McNabb for were on display. He missed receivers high and low, he missed them left and right…he even threw a couple of his patented 20 yard knuckleballs. And you know what? I loved him.
I now realize what I didn’t see all those years, a Quarterback who makes plays and is a leader on the field. I saw a QB that is going to make a handful of plays each and every game that may be the difference between winning and losing. I saw the difference between Campbell and McNabb and that difference is like night a day.
McNabb throws the ball downfield and he looks to make a play past the first down marker on 3rd and long, instead of pulling a JC and dumping it off to the running back. A perfect example was the 3rd and 7 on the Redskins first drive. McNabb delivered a perfect strike with a lot of heat on it to a double-covered Moss 13 yards downfield. JC would have dumped it off to Portis, who always seems to fall down we he catches the ball.
McNabb senses pressure and he steps up in the pocket or he rolls away from it. JC would clam up, wind up and eventually take a sack which 50% of the time would result in fumble. A perfect example are two plays to Cooley. On the first drive on 3rd and 14 McNabb had several guys blitzing up the middle and he casually rolled to his right and hit Colley for a 14 yard gain and a 1st down. Later, from his own end zone McNabb faced a heavy blitz from his blindside and was able to step up and hit a wide open Cooley on a post pattern for a big gain. That play had sack, fumble and 6 points for the Ravens written all over it if JC is at QB.
McNabb makes throws JC would never dream of making. Besides the aforementioned Moss 3rd down throw, the dropped touchdown by Fred Davis was a great play by McNabb. Back of the end zone in traffic, should have been a TD. JC doesn’t attempt that pass, he throws it to the back of the end zone, but it’s 20 yards into the seats.
I didn’t mean for this to be a bash Campbell post, but it’s clear to me now that McNabb is a difference maker and a much better QB than JC. Things clearly aren’t always measured on stat sheets. Checking off to RB’s is a good thing for your completion % and keeping your interceptions down, but that doesn’t win football games. And Philly fans knocked McNabb for a lack of emotion? Wow, imagine what they what have thought about JC, guy had the same look on his face for 4 years. I guess you don’t know what you got till it’s gone…and for the Redskins that’s a good thing.
Cheers and Hail
Breaking News: Haynesworth Visits Mayo Clinic
Who would have thought that this little piss ant blog would be the first to get a huge news breaking story like this one, but I’ve found out thru several sources that I consider to be very solid that Albert Haynesworth is at the Mayo Clinic undergoing a battery of tests. Initial tests have revealed no confirmation that Haynseworth is suffering from rhabdomyolysis, as previous reports have indicated.
The Redskins earlier today denied reports that Haynesworth suffered from rhabdomyolysis, and asked Haynesworth’s agent to provide them with medical data confirming such a condition. Redskins team doctor Kenneth Noisewater examined Haynesworth and found nothing wrong with him, although I’m sure it wasn’t for a lack of trying. The Redskins then asked Haynesworth to be examined by an independent doctor from the Mayo Clinic. The independent examination found that Haynesworth is indeed suffering from an ailment, although it is not rhabdomyolysis, as initially reported. Haynesworth was found to be suffering from this ailment, which could lead to him being placed on the IR or his outright release.
Seriously though, it’s time shit or get off the pot with with this situation. Every relationship you have in life is based off of communication, whether it be a personal relationship or a business relationship. Without good communication, the relationship will not be healthy. The Redskins and Albert are obviously in a bad place in their relationship…they need to sit down and work things out, or move on. One way or another it needs to be decided, so everyone (including the fans) can just move forward.
Cheers and Hail
