Posts Tagged ‘free agency’

Larry Johnson…Yes, No, Maybe?

I must say that when I wrote last week about the Redskins having a slow developing plan and how I couldn’t wait to see how it played out, I never imagined the scenario of the Skins signing another 30+ running back. I mean, I’m still surprised we didn’t get rid of the one we had! 30+ running backs are supposed to be over the hill, so why are we collecting them?

On paper, I don’t like this signing at all… but the games are not played on paper, they are played by little men inside our TV’s…thanks for that line Kenny Mayne. Something tells me in my gut that LJ may have something left in the tank and maybe that’s what the Skins game plan is, gut decisions. Hey, 40 GUT was a zone blocking play, right?

Anyway, the signing of LJ is curious. Again, I didn’t think a 30+ running back was an option, and if it is/was, I’m not sure LJ was the right choice. I’ve heard arguments made that although LJ is going to be 31, he still hasn’t had a ton of carries in his career. To that I would respond that he’s had 3 straight years of declining productivity and he hasn’t had a lot of carries because he’s gotten himself in a lot of trouble over the years. I’ve also heard the argument that LJ didn’t have a good offensive line with KC last season and when given the chance in Cincy he played well. To that I would respond that Jamaal Charles rushed for nearly 1,000 yards and 6 yards per carry in the 8 games after LJ left. LJ averaged 2.9 ypc and had only 377 yards in 7 games with the same line.

Of the 5 30ish RB’s in the free agent market (Taylor, Parker, Tomlinson & Jones,) LJ has had the fewest yards per carry (3.8) and appeared in the fewest games over the past 3 seasons. In fact, LJ’s statistics pale in comparison to these guys…especially Thomas Jones. Thomas Jones has averaged nearly 1,400 yards and 10 TD’s over the last 3 seasons while showing no signs of slowing down. Why not Thomas Jones?

I’m not ready to call this signing a disaster, it may turn out well? LJ has tried to find common ground with Skins fans by announcing that he is a lifelong fan. Evidently he grew up rooting for the Redskins and hating the Cowboys. That’s cool, but in the process of describing his Skins loyalty, he ran the bus over one of the most beloved Skins of all-time. Tomorrow, I will post my Gary Clark autograph story.

Cheers and Hail

Redskins: A Booty Call No More

Siskel & Ebert gave Booty Call 2 Thumbs up?

It was what every NFL agent and every NFL player anxiously awaited, the middle of the night phone call from Ashburn, VA asking…do you want to come over? The agent and player might put up a soft fight for a little bit, “I don’t know it’s late, you know I’m sorta seeing the Giants right now.” But, they would be won over by the private plane rides and the wining, dining and …the money!

But, all is quiet at Ashburn this year and Redskins fans don’t quite know what to think. We, as fans, have been trained to expect the big name free agents to come to Redskins Park to not only visit, but to sign lucrative contracts that we can both praise and bitch about. This is the way things work, right? Not this year. Redskins One sits quietly at Dulles Airport and the pilots have had some unexpected time off. Agents are checking the batteries of their cell phones to make sure they are working properly, the free-agent tracker has nothing to track and Morton’s business is way off compared to last year.

The booty calls have been reversed and now it’s the agents calling and begging if their clients can come over. It’s the Redskins saying “you can, but I’ll tell you right now nothings going to happen.” The Morton’s steaks have been replaced with an intern placing an order at Chick Fil A. The private jet has been replaced by train and bus tickets. Terl’s dropping Randle El off at Union Station, he can pick up Willie Parker at the same time.

Ok, I am embellishing the story a little bit. Of course the Redskins brass is still going to dine at Morton’s or The Palm. But, by not making major changes so far in free agency, it proves that things have indeed majorly changed. It’s a new day at Redskins Park…so far that has meant addition by subtraction. And so far, I’m happy with that. The only possible free agent I personally liked was Darren Sproles, who never made it to free agency (I think the Redskins may have made a move on him had he become available.) I can’t shed any tears over the cuts the Redskins made, although I appreciate the time the players spent in burgundy and gold (except for Randle El.)

The Redskins still have major holes to fill and I expect they have a master plan on how to do that. It’s obviously a slow developing plan and not an immediate results plan, which tells me that Dan Snyder is not calling these shots. Again, addition by subtraction. But, I did hear that Dan called Vinny the other night in the wee hours of the night, just for old time sake…”you wanna come over?”

Cheers and Hail

Editors Note: While writing this post I realized I am so old that when I was a college aged kid making booty calls there were no cell phones, internet, email, texting or Skype. I had to do the 1 ring and hang up phone call technique, hoping that some chick would hear it and call me back. The moral of the story? Women should rejoice that I never had such forms of mass communication in my heyday, I would have been a drunken pain in the ass.

Great News… The Recession Is Over

By 9am this morning the Skins have inked 2 of the best free agents available. They’ve retained Deangelo Hall @ $55 million, and added the prize of free agency Albert Haynesworth for another $100 million. But, apparently they are not finished. “Fish on,” with Chris Canty, Ray Willis, and Derrick Dockery. As a fan, I’m excited as hell. Haynesworth is a beast. Hall is a difference maker. Dockery was our best offensive lineman 2 years ago. Canty and Willis would be definite upgrades.

As an honest, hard working American struggling thru the hardest economic times I will ever see in my lifetime, I’m confused. I wrote a post the other day in which I went shopping for free agents. I was shopping at Target (tar-j), Mr. Snyder is still shopping at Nieman Marcus (needless markup.) You see, I thought the Redskins were suffering as well. Only 8 million below the cap (I’m assuming big time cuts are coming to cover the spending splurge,) and I was a little thrown off by the firing of nearly 30 (at least) employees in early January. Or maybe it was the second round of layoffs just a couple weeks back.

So while I’m excited as a fan about the product that I will see on the field next fall, I’m not comfortable with the ethics of the organization. 40 employees at an average of 50k per year = 2 million. The teams salary cap for players is $127 million, which by smoke and mirrors the Skins will exceed. Add another 15-20 million for the coaching staff and front office. $155 million committed to just 2 players! It just doesn’t add up.

40 employees lives crushed, their spouses and children deeply effected. Is it all worth it? I think not. There is no grey area here, it’s black and white, there is a right and a wrong. And…it’s just wrong. If the Danny has any integrity he would pick up the phone and personally call the individuals he laid off. He should offer them their jobs back and apologize. But we all know that would never happen.

He’s at Morton’s wining and dining the next player, ordering off the menu, and dangling million$$ in their faces.

Cheers and Hail

Fire Up Redskins One