Seahawks vs. Redskins Postgame Pics

Seahawks vs. Redskins 10/2/05
Postgame Pics

Here are the Intro and Pregame pages.

Patrick Ramsey and I. (Or is it me?) He was one of the first players out of the stadium, for obvious reasons. I was very, very tempted to ask him to autograph my shirt "Pharaoh." I doubt he would have found that funny. It was awesome to finally meet, especially after a win. But I sensed a bit of disappointment while in his presence. Um, with the team, not me.

Center Corey Raymer emeged next and signed hats. I wanted to confirm what I'd always suspected: that he once starred on the sitcom "Parker Lewis Can't Lose." Mission accomplished.

There was quite an uproar when Mark Brunell emerged from the tunnel. One month ago, he would have received polite applause, like the Oscar winner for "Best Documentary Short."

I obtained an exclusive interview with Brunell. Me: Seems like every week you're making the play of the game with your scrambling, huh? Mark: Yep. Remember, this is an exclusive.

The fans were divided on whether running back Rock Cartwright's stature was impressive.

There was no doubt that tackle Ray Brown is a man of great girth. By the way, I'm not sure which Hogettes are legit and which are mere posers. Can anyone tell me?

Assistant coach Joe Bugel gave some love to the gathered. I can only imagine standing in the Player's Lot when Darrell Green, John Riggins, and Art Monk played for the Skins.

I wish I'd thrown up my gang sign with star running back Clinton Portis. I don't regret that as much as forgetting to ask how much he paid for the basement stripper's pole he showed off on "MTV Cribs."

Man, kickoff returner and wide receiver James Thrash has one purposeful stride.

Superstar LaVar Arrington didn't endear himself to the cheering fans when we refused to sign any autographs, acknowledging everyone only with a mumbled "I gotta go."

Arrington rolls out in his sharp GTO. Suffice to say, few were cheering.

Wide receiver Santana Moss was also in a rush (to his limo, no less), but took the time to sign off on lots of fan items. The NFL has him listed at 5'10". If he's 5'10", then I'm Mrs. Buttersworth.

The tent for the players and famlies had great food, televisions, and tight security. That's Ray Brown's family and friends at the table behind us. My only regret is that His Joeness didn't come through. Hard to complain with free food in your mouth.

Seahawks vs. Redskins Pregame & Game Pics

Seahawks vs. Redskins 10-6-05

Pregame/Game Photos (click for larger)

Postgame photos are here. The Intro is here.

The Redskins Marching Band warms up. Yes, Mr. Announcer, we know they're more than sixty years old. Thanks for telling us for the fifth time.

A full hour before gametime, Seahawk punter Leo Araquz (#2) practiced giving the Redskins an easy safety.

Seahawks guard Chris Gray and tackle Sean Locklear model their team colors. After a little research, I've learned that it's not turqoise, it's not green, it's not even mauve. It's "Seahawk Blue."

Early in the first quarter, the Redskins offense huddles up and decides how much time to leave for Seattle. The concensus was about 1:49.

Seahawk cornerback Marcus Trufant, four seconds from being beaten in the end zone by Santana Moss.

Santana celebrates a touchdown that was overruled by replay. I haven't watched game tape, but I'm fairly certain you can see me and Pops in the stands. I wish I'd taken a pic of his footwork.

Who is this guy? How does he have carte blanche to wander anywere in the stands? Is he on the payroll? If so, can we get him some dental benefits? I'm losing sleep over this.

Tight end Robert Royal (#88) celebrates his touchdown with fullback Mike Sellers. Royal's bizarre gyrations, an exercise in the loss of motor skills, are even more odd to see in person.

Speaking of dancing...cheerleader Brittany leads the crowd in, well, nothing. Is it me or have NFL cheerleaders become little more than in-game flesh exhibition commercials? Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Up Close & Personal: Seahawks vs. Redskins

There are good days, there are great days, and then there was October 2, 2005.

Ever have one of those days where every moment continues to ascend to greatness, eventually ending in an amazing, surreal experience? You ever have a day when, for six hours, you think "there's no way this can get better." And then it does?

(The last time it almost happened to me, I was sitting at a concert, slack-jawed, glowing from the manifold radiance of She Who Is Fine, Sade. I elbowed my wife, who for some reason wasn't watching the stage, and rhetorically asked "Isn't she dreeeeamy?" Let's just say that the evening didn't end well.)

Well, Sunday was one of those days. Not only did I get to partake of great football on a gorgeous afternoon, but I witnessed the Redskins win in overtime, scoring all of their touchdowns right in front of me. I'm fairly certain that if you put your TiVo on slow-mo, you'll see me hollering like a banshee. I've said it before, I'll say it again: there's no substitute for being at a Redskins game. If that wasn't enough, my Pops and I happened to see an old friend of his in the parking lot pre-game, and he offered us passes to the Player's Lot to see if we could meet some of the Skins.

At the risk of sounding like a naive, hero-worshipping groupie, let me say that meeting some of the Redskins was one of the highlights of my life as a Redskins fan. I appreciated that most were cordial, even friendly, and took the time to sign hats, tickets, and shirts. That is, except for LaVar Arrington. More on him later.

With no further ado, allow me to present my Gameday Photo Essay: Pregame/Gametime and Postgame.

Dished Revenge Leaves Dallas Cold & Bitter

I have a bone to pick with Dallas fans. Before I delve into sophomoric name-calling, let me state that most Cowchip fans are law-abiding, tax-paying persons of common sensibilities. They just root for the wrong team. And I pity you.

But some of the other fans don't know what in the world they're talking about. Even when they're down, they have to find a way to pick on the Redskins. To wit: I've been reading some Dallas fan sites, scanning to see their analysis of their suddenly-.500 team. What do I inevitably see? Skins-bashing. They say that we've been lucky for two straight weeks, that our offense is dismal. My MVN colleague Will Parchman runs the Cowboy Roundup site, and dared say that the Redskins were the "worst 3-0 team in recent memory."

Hello?

I couldn't help myself. I logged in and posted the following:

I’m certain that Cowchip fans were searching for Quaaludes or something when the Redskins/Seahawks stats were shown. The Skins dominated the game for much of the contest, controlling the clock and dictating the tempo. Apart from a blocked figgie and a tipped interception, our game wasn’t all that close. (Of course Dallas fans remember the MNF debacle when you owned Washington statistically but laid up late at night wondering how you lost.) The ‘Hawks and Cowchips are playoff-caliber teams, right?

If winning three close games makes us the worst team ever, so be it. We’d rather be bad and undefeated than America’s Team and .500!

In all seriousness, if scoring points made your team great, then the Indianapolis Colts would be the '72 Dolphins and the Kansas City Chiefs would have three fantastic seasons of success. But neither is true because, well, there's more to football than buckets of points. You think that the 2005 New England Patriots wouldn't love to be undefeated? Think they'd excuse their victories if they weren't all against Indy and the Steelers? Of course not. Nor shall Washington verbally forfeit their wins.

What I love about Washington's two recent victories is that the naysayer's dire predictions (they can't win because of the quarterback position) have been safely detonated offshore via the play of Mark Brunell. Indeed, it's been because of his scrambling and accurate throwing--two abilities few thought he still possessed--that we are undefeated. His legs may give out before season's end, but my hat's off to him. Watching him on Sunday and on Monday Night Football was pure magic.

And not to put too fine a point on this, but how bad can Washington be if they beat Dallas? Is it our fault if your safeties and corners get beaten twice on the same play by the same player? Did we tell Patrick Crayton to run a three yard route on fourth and four?

Well, now I and my fellow Redskins fans are past such post hoc reasoning. In fact, up here in the Undefeated Atmosphere, your pitiful ramblings are nothing more than angry, gentle murmurings that give us peaceful rest. Kind of like soft rain. See, when you take the moral high ground, there's no need to stoop to poking fun and calling names.

But y'all are ugly and your mother dresses you funny.

Un. Be. Lievable.

It is just past 1:30AM, and I cannot sleep.

I may have soiled myself just over an hour ago.

At one point, I was on the verge of tears.

And yet I cannot stop smiling.

Forgive me, this is going to be just a rambling, fan-wanking gush-fest of Redskins love.

We have beaten the Cowboys. In Dallas. When it mattered.

So much for entering Aikman, Irvin, and Smith into the Cowchip Ring-Ding of Honor, eh? I'm sure this is a day that Dallas fans will not forget for a long, long time. For all the wrong reasons.

So much for Bill Parcels and his 77-0 winning streak when leading by 13+ points in the fourth quarter, too. And sayonara to Washington being the only team not to score a touchdown this year. And we can forget MNF's stat (where do they get these things?) that Washington can't win when losing entering the final period.

So much for Madden's prediction that "the team that makes the first big play will win this game." Thanks for your vote of confidence, John. And yes, we all heard you do a complete 180 when Moss caught his second touchdown, saying "these Redskins just hung in there and never gave up..." Thanks for the late love.

Wow. I have so much more to discuss, such as my original title for this piece, "Grand Theft Offense," the play of Brunell, the play of Santana "Speed Kills" Moss, the gutsy bend-not-break of Gregg Williams' offense, the joy of soaking in this moment for the next two weeks...

Dallas' defense choked like the 2004 Yankees, allowing a team that had the guts to keep fighting back into a contest. Roy Williams, you had a brilliant 58 minutes. But it's those two minutes when you were torched that have me wondering--how do you get beat on the exact same play for touchdowns? Mere moments after each other? How do you let any receiver get beyond you when you know Washington has to score six points? Oh, to be in on the Dallas team meeting tonight.

Look at how close that Cowchip defender is to intercepting or disrupting that pass play. For years now, Washington fans have felt that we've been star-crossed, destined, and cursed to lose to "America's Team." Few expected the Redskins to be competitive, much less succeed. Heck, after three periods I was prepared to go home and begin to forget the whole sorry episode.

It was if it was meant to be. When I look at Moss' catches, and the needle that was threaded in sheer desperation, I see that it we were supposed to be the victors on this night. Finally, God winked our way.

And that makes for happy Redskins fans all across the nation. It's now after 2AM. I think I can now get to bed where my very patient (and Dallas-biased) wife has already retired.

I assure you my dreams will be most peaceful, dipped in burgundy and gold.

Go Skins.

The Ballad of Patrick Ramsey

By now everyone knows of the demotion of the Pharaoh Ramsey. Oy, it hurt. While it remains to be seen whether it is the right choice for Washington, what is clear is that it was a choice poorly timed and insensitively made. At least, that's what I'm arguing over at Hog Heaven.

I had originally considered writing this to the tune of Prince's "Alphabet Street" or Van Halen's "Panama," but time constraints proved prohibitive. So, with apologies to Robert Frost, e. e. cummings and Chuck D, I present

THE BALLAD OF PATRICK RAMSEY

This is the Ballad of Ramsey
star of the school Tulane
Of how his star was the brightest
now dim and ne'er the same

'02 the Skins drafted Patrick
his strong right arm the news
He spent his time subbing Wuerffel
worse only to Shane Matthews

'03 he started for Spurrier
("offensive architect")
The Fun 'n Gun's glaring weakness
was that it didn't protect

Oh! were the hits from the Eagles and
Cowboys and Bills and Bucs!
But Ramsey not once complained, tho'
it clear the offense sucked

Poor Ramsey was left to flounder
slow rising from his sacks;
Writers pitied this young hero
often getting shellacked

His Joeness returned in '04
new hope began to swell;
Fo'ty million later, who should start
but past-his-time Brunell!

So Ramsey again sat sidelined,
losses began to mount;
Returned Week 10 'cuz Mark's rating's
too low to even count

Coach Gibbs was quite impressed with him
"He starts for us next year!"
But post-draft day some wondered if
his promise was sincere

"Ramsey's our guy" the coach assured,
sanguine in his stance;
but truth be told, his words were cold
he never had a chance

The leash was decept'vely short
fair shake it didn't approach;
how apt to be blindsided by
the man he called his coach?

So now he knows, his time draws close
the faith in him shown lack;
not what it seems, this thing called team
Godspeed and don't look back.

Perchance to Dream

by Jeff Jones

Chicago 7, Washington 9

I count myself very fortunate to be able to attend some of this season's games at near ground level in the Dream Seat section of FedEx Field. Thanks to the suspiciously manipulative pecuniary vision of Daniel Snyder, the Redskins' stadium now has a row of seats so close to the end zone that fans can confirm which cheerleader needs to do more crunches and accurately guess which deoderant the opposing players are using. (I salute you, Right Guard.) When the players turn to exhort the crowd, they aren't gazing up at Section 440. They're looking right at you.









Sunday I got my first taste of the very-good life, courtesy my Pops. We've enjoyed games during the last four years in various places at FedEx, from the rafters (where our hot chocolate froze one November day) to the Loge level (with its carpeted, leather-seated, plasmas-in-the-lobby experience). I am indebted to ol' Pops for enduring the waiting list since the RFK days and making the financial sacrifice--which increases by 5% annually--to grab better seats when available. In honor of him, I have already decided to keep the tickets in the family for generations. Not that I'm, y'know, rushing Pops or anything.

For my dollar, the best time to attend a Redskins game is early in the season, when the weather's comfortable, the teams are fresh, and the Skins haven't taken themselves out of playoff contention. (So, by "early in the season" I mean September.) And there is something even more magical about attending the Season Kickoff; in the past Snyder has made sure to dazzle the crowd with costly pyrotechnics, military flyovers, and, um, Britney Spears.

Sunday's Pop Icon Performance was from the saccharine duo of Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey, who belted out "America the Beautiful" backed up by No Name Band #6. Unlike Mrs. Spears, the couple actually appeared in person at the stadium...and promptly ducked out after the song's final bars. This left us with the disappointing announcement that the one and only Roy Firestone would be singing the national anthem. I must not have been the only person thinking "wasn't Roy the anchor of the first season of ESPN's "Outside the Lines" or something?" because at halftime the stadium announcer reminded us that Firestone is a platinum-selling, Grammy-winning artist. Ohhhh. That Roy Firestone.

Early in the afternoon, my section was dismayed to learn from our preteen Food Maven that both ketchup and mustard were no longer available. Honestly, how does an entire stadium run out of two major condiments on the first regular season game in the first quarter? Were the fans that hungry? People are paying over a thousand bucks for seats and the stadium staff can't run to Giant for a couple bottles of Heinz?

(Speaking of food, to cleanse my mouth of a lead-based hot dog and sun-warmed Coke, I enjoyed a piece of tropical fruit Trident. On the ingredients panel, there is a prominently displayed, bold-face pronouncement: Phenylketonurics: Contains Phenylalanine. Does more than 3% of the total United States population have any clue what two of those three words mean? Trident is still gum, right? Somebody needs to look into this. Meanwhile I'll just keep enjoying this long-lasting, rich mango flavor.)

There are some distinct drawbacks to attending games at FedEx Field, and they do detract from the gameday experience. First and foremost, ticket prices are stupendously high...but as my Pops mentioned before kickoff, "every time I think these seats cost too much, I come to a game and change my mind." Second, they never show enough replays on the jumbo screens. Instead of showing us replays after turnovers, we go straight to the same hospital, courier, and airline commercials they've been feeding us for years. You know how the fans knew what happened to Ramsey or Portis' yardage on the day? We listened to the radio after the game.

By the way, this is where the Ravens' M&T Bank Stadium clearly trounces FedEx--their screens are roughly three times the size of Washington's and the clarity is so much better, it's like laser printer vs. dot matrix. If that's not bad enough, the Baltimore fans get to see the down, yardage, and other stats right there on the same screen (you know, like they've been doing on television for the last 25 years). So their fans got to watch their team lay a prime-time stinkbomb Sunday night in high-definition!

There are moments, though, when there is nothing better than sitting in that stadium. When the Bears began their final, game-winning drive, they committed an incomprehensible three false start penalties in a row. With every mistake, the noise level grew. One play later, they turned the ball over and the game was effectively sealed. This huge change in momentum wasn't the result of the Washington defense's pre-snap shifts, nor that the Bears offensive line suddenly turned timid. It was me and 91,000 of my closest allies who together created a cacophony that prevented Chicago from performing the most basic of tasks.

That, dear friends, is why you go to the game: to say I was there, and I'll never forget the experience.

Lord willing I'll be in Section 30 on October 2, sipping hot soda, yelling myself hoarse and dreaming that I and my Redskins can go home victorious, singing "Hail to the Redskins" loudly, mumbling the lyrics, and off-key. Doesn't get much better than that.

For my game review, check out Hog Heaven soon!

Madden 2006: One Game Played Review

Few moments signal the beginning of the pro football season like the brouhaha surrounding the annual release of EA Sports’ Madden NFL. From spring to August, the buildup over the game—whether in “exclusive” screenshots on gaming sites, prime-time commercials or NFL Network informercials—creates a fevered anticipation of newest incarnation of the beloved franchise.

I approached this year’s game with some trepidation. Reviews, usually stellar for this best-selling title, have been lukewarm, one even suggesting that this be the first year that hardcore Madden fans don’t add the latest version to their library. Uh-oh.

With my online-purchased game on backorder, I threw caution to the wind and used a rapidly expiring Blockbuster coupon to rent Madden 2006. Below I provide my impressions after playing one game.

Upon startup, you are given the option of selecting your favorite team, which changes the background highlights and featured cutout player accordingly. Naturally, I picked Washington. I couldn’t help but laugh when two of the “highlights” were alternate portions of Clinton Portis’ dramatic, game-winning reception against Green Bay…that was called back by an illegal motion penalty. Another video clip was a cutaway of Mark Brunell leading the offense to the line of scrimmage. Those are the highlights? A play that didn’t happen and a quarterback who is rapidly sinking to third string?

Selecting Play Now, I was pleased that the Redskins were automatically chosen as the home team; Sábado Gigante were the default visitors. I might be wrong, but the Redskins were an underwhelming 77 rating; the Giants were a dismal 71.

GRAPHICS
The reports are true: the graphical improvements over 2005 are minimal. You still have the same four bozos in the stands with “Hi Mom!” painted on their stomachs, still doing the Hip Hop Hooray wave, still complaining after inconsequential, game-ending plays. Sigh.

Player animations have minor tweaks, like the ability to look back for passes and new hard-hitting tackles. (I had two helmets go flying…in the first half. That happens, what, once every other game in the NFL?) I appreciate that rookies, who previously were represented in menus by silhouettes or empty space, now have generic, race-specific player images. Rookie cornerback Carlos Rogers, for instance, seems to be the love child of Ray Parker, Jr. and Grace Jones. I’m sure his family’s proud.

What happened to the cheerleaders? Do they only show up in regular season games? Sure, they were grotesquely face-mapped clones of Grand Theft Auto hookers that danced offbeat. But they’re a part of the game that shouldn’t be denied. I don’t think I’m alone on this one.

SOUND
John Madden didn’t have much to say during my game after the contest was no longer competitive. For once, when a team is losing by 35 in the 4th quarter, I’d like to hear him say “Those guys have no heart and less talent. Clearly they’re mailing it in. Their fans must be hanging themselves as we speak.” Would that be so hard?

The audio mix is supposedly in THX. According to my Panasonic 7.1 THX certified receiver which receives a signal via digital optical cable, it’s in run-o’-the-mill stereo. The referees, on the other hand, have their on-field mics turned up to 11.

GAMEPLAY
Madden 06 features a new twist on the traditional passing procedure, adding the Quarterback Passing Cone, or QPC, which represents your player’s scope, direction and distance you can throw your pass. While the spirit of the new scheme is to be praised, its execution left me choosing more running plays. Whoever at Electronic Arts thought that changing a proven formula made good business sense apparently has never heard of New Coke.

My first pass—my second play from scrimmage—was a 55-yard touchdown rainbow to Santana Moss off a play action fake. But as the great poet Billy Dee Williams warned, “Don’t let the smooth taste fool ya.” The learning curve for passing is high, and for the rest of the game I struggled to maneuver Ramsey’s 15% pie cone from left to right without getting creamed. You can look off one, maybe two receivers before you’d better throw somethin’.

One immediately annoying point is the remapping of the change player button pre-snap defense. If you’ve played through four or five seasons of Madden 2005, you develop an instinctive feel for adjusting player assignments quickly. In 06, the X button cycles player control left, O cycles to the right. Kickoff coverage then has a different arrangement for changing players. It sounds nitpicky, but when the first time you can’t drop your left lineman into zone coverage because you’re controlling the right side, you’ll see what I mean.

GAME RESULTS
Oddly enough, my game ended in a similar fashion to my early 2005 gaming experience. Portis was virtually unstoppable behind the counter trey, breaking off runs for 80, 70 and 44 yards en route to setting a new NFL record of 298 rushing yards. Add to that six touchdowns on 23 attempts and you’ve got yourself a Tecmo Bowl kind of day.

The Skins’ defense, even though it could “read” Eli Manning’s throws, had some awful lapses in coverage. (One occurred when I foolishly tested the “Ask Madden” feature. We immediately gave up a 54 yard touchdown to Amani Toomer. Thanks, John.)

The post game passing and rushing logs are great once you decipher them (so that’s why the game includes an instruction book. Hmm!) I learned from the logs that every one of my successful runs came from the I-formation. Eat your heart out, Joe Bugel.

Final score: 70-28, Redskins. Perhaps bumping the difficulty up to All-Pro would be in order, eh?

FINAL THOUGHT
I like Madden 2006. The new playbooks, updated rosters, and extra animations make this a definite play. But unless you simply must have this game before September, wait and pick it up for less than $49.99. The initial experience says that it’s an expansion pack, not a great advance in gaming football. Don’t believe the hype.

If anyone would like a brand new, unopened copy for the PS2 for $45, let me know.

8 of 10

Gibbs: Bigger Man Than I

I consider myself a pretty nice guy, exhibiting a measured, calculated love for the Washington Redskins. I try to be fair in my criticisms of trades, draft picks, and gametime decisions, understanding that it's a lot harder to perform than critique. I know that professionalism and sportsmanship are qualities that any leader should exemplify; surely a leader should take the high road.

There are some things, however, that a Redskins coach should not do. First, never sacrifice promising players and the future for a one-shot run at the playoffs. Jack Pardee did that back in 1980, in opposition to general manager Bobby Beathard, and owner Jack Kent Cooke gave Pardee the axe when the team started out 3-10. Second, never fail to respect and communicate with your players in training camp . Marty Schottenheimer admitted he didn't keep the lines open, and his team gave up on him in 2001. And the less that is said of Steve Spurrier's catastrohpically myopic approach to professional football, the better.

Those are bad moves. But there is one thing a Redskins head coach should never, ever do.

Ever.

Apologize to Dallas Cowchip fans.

During Fan Appreciation Day, His Joeness stood before his team's fans, laughed and said the following:

"I know we don't have any Dallas people here. They're the ugliest people in the world."

Now we all know that Dallas fans aren't the ugliest people of the world. That's obviously an exaggeration, like saying that "Battlefield Earth" was the worst movie ever made, or that Phil Hartman was the greatest SNL member ever. It's probably true, but reasonable minds may disagree.

But Joe Gibbs is a devout man of faith, kind and considerate to all. Much to my disappointment, he really didn't mean to smack-talk about the Big D faithful, which would've taken me, if only for a moment, back to the 1970s and 80s, Beat Dallas Weeks, and seriously bad blood between two stellar franchises. Remember when Washington fans chanted "we want Dallas!" and the Dallas and Washington mascot guys (did they ever get a paycheck?) would shove and point fingers at each other in the stands? What 'bout those days?

The moment was lost when, on Saturday, Gibbs addressed the media with the following:

``I tried to make a joke,'' Gibbs said. ``I was joking. It didn't come out probably like a joke or like it should've. I hope all my buddies in Dallas -- because I've got a lot of buddies down there -- took it the right way. I hope they thought it was a joke.

``But if they didn't think it was a joke, or if anybody took it the wrong way other than a joke, when you make a mistake like that, you've got to apologize. So I apologize to anybody that might have taken it the other way.''

Compare that to what the late George Allen said of the Cowchips:"This is the year Dallas falls from grace, and the Redskins are going to be the ones doing the pushing." Before a game against Dallas quarterback Roger Staubach, Allen warned "He will scramble at his own risk."

That's old-school, from the heart, smack-talk. The kind that might rally players, but would instead galvanize the Redskins faithful while infuriating Cowchip fans. Honestly, given the state of the rivalry, we need some old-fashioned finger-wagging and bravado. Ain't that football?

In sum: Redskins coaches can concede a loss, praise a worthy opponent, even ogle their cheerleaders. But you must never, ever apologize to their fans.

I plan to place a "But Dallas fans are ugly!" banner at FedEx, first chance I get. Sorry, Joe.

Steve Young Interview Excerpts

OK, here's some of the text from the interview. Unfortunately, the .pdf of the transcript is password protected and the transcribers, ASAP Sports (asapsports.com) haven't posted it on their site. So you're going to have to trust me on this one. Below is my question(s) to Hall o' Famer Steve:

Q. You got your law degree in 1994 from the J. Reuben Clark Law School?

STEVE YOUNG: Yes, I did.

Q. That's kind of a rare asset for a pro player. How do you think that prepared you or helped you in your understanding the complexities of the NFL game?

STEVE YOUNG: Well, more than anything, it drove me a little crazy backing up Joe and not playing much, and I was going nuts. So law school was a help more than anything in the off-season to get -- I think that a lot of quarterbacking is processing information, processing it quickly and efficiently. There are a ton of guys who are playing in this league who have not made it because they could not process information over and over again. You've seen it, call a play and on the third play there's this bonehead move that happened and you can't explain. Too much was going on too fast, and they couldn't process it fast enough.

I think that training yourself is only going to help in the NFL. Memorizing – law school is a lot of memorization and I learned from watching Joe, a lot of football memorization. It really paid off. When you know everything that's going on with you, you can really get good pretty fast.

So there you have it. I do wish the transcibers had included the gnarled mess of Spanish diction we all heard between my questions. Alas. I'll sign off, but here are Steve's comments on entering the Hall of Fame with Dan Marino, the importance of winning championships, and his view of the spectacle that is Terrell Owens:

Q. Having achieved so much in your career on the Pro Bowl, Super Bowls, where does being in the Hall of Fame rank?

STEVE YOUNG: Well, it's different because it's obviously not on the field. I mean when you're accomplishing things on the field, I've always said, the position of quarterback in the NFL is the best job that I could ever imagine. It takes every bit of you, so to be successful, it's a tough thing. So those accomplishments that are on the field are really great.

Now this one, this one encompasses everything that was on the field. So I've got to say, not playing anymore, this is as good as it gets, and this is the end. I think that it allows you to kind of -- it allows you to put it to rest. I appreciate that because, you know, you keep thinking to yourself, maybe I didn't play long enough, maybe I should have played longer, maybe should I have played better, maybe I could have done this or that and now you go to the Hall of Fame, and now, it's done. You don't have to worry, you don't have to think, you did what you did, you put it on the line, you went out there and now it's over.

Q. When you look at your career and Dan Marino's career, how important is it for you to go into the Hall of Fame with a Super Bowl triumph, and considering he is the most prolific passer in history, how important is that Super Bowl victory for you right now?

STEVE YOUNG: I think Super Bowls, for good or bad, are career-makers. They leave you, hopefully, with fans forever and championships. No matter how many yards you throw or how efficient you are or how many MVPs you get, people tend to respond to championships. It's just the way it is.

So the fact that I got one is very important. I don't think in the big picture it matters whether you do or you don't (win a Super Bowl), because the truth is, championships are won by a team. And quarterbacks certainly have a lot to do with it, but I don't think that -- I would not knock somebody for not winning a championship. There are tons of guys in the league today that are great, great players that are not going to see Super Bowls because they don't have the organization behind them or they don't have the talent around them. You have to realize that football is a team game and that's just part of how you judge people.

Q. Given what you just said about contracts and holdouts, what's your take on Terrell Owens situation with the Eagles?

STEVE YOUNG: Terrell is great at theatrics. In that respect, you look at the contract that he signed last year, you knew that this year was a leverage year for the Eagles to find out whether things were going to work out. I think Terrell at the end of the year realized maybe too late that was the case. If I were Terrell, because of the nature of him, I would probably call and say, ‘Hey, look, I'm upset, but, I want to lead the league in receiving this year, and when I do, final regular season game, I'm going to have a ceremony at half-time.’ I think people would respond to that. I think people would respond to that kind of a bold statement. I'm going to go prove that I'm the best receiver in the game, again, and then I'm going to -- I think that's probably the best way to handle it. If he shows up for work and things happen, no matter what his words say, I know him, he'll play hard, he'll fight hard and he'll have a great season.

My Moment With Greatness: Hall of Famer Steve Young

Big news! I just finished my first Q& A with an NFL player. And no, he wasn't a Redskin. You may have heard of him: Steve Young, member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2005.

For the uninitiated, Young played in the NFL from 1984-99, and was twice named NFL MVP in 1992 and '94; he's the only player in league history to post a passer rating of more than 100.0 in six seasons. He was named to seven consecutive Pro Bowls and as a member of the San Francisco 49ers is the NFL's all-time leader in touchdown-to-interception ratio (2.16). Most people can't do that on Madden '05. Fun fact: he is the first left-handed quarterback to be elected to the Hall of Fame. He currently offers his gameday insights on ESPN with Stuart Scott, Chris Berman, and the Human Hype Machine, Michael Irvin.

Young will receive the NFL's highest award on August 7th along with perhaps the greatest of quarterbacks (and Isotoner glove pitchmen), Dan Marino. Since I can't be in Canton, Ohio, for the induction ceremony (my wife mentioned something about a wedding anniversary), I joined in a media conference call with his honor.

And just to prove I ain't lyin', I'm posting this before the official NFL transcript of the call is made public. Skeptics.

I was impressed. He's easy to talk to, and was professional enough to endure some hilariously phrased inquries from the linguistically-challenged foreign press. The conversation covered topics from his adjustment to retirement ("you wake up one day and realize you're not good at anything else") to his views on the modern player's penchance for holding out and some thoughts on Terrell Owens. He even threw in a funny Dick Butkus story. You can never go wrong with a Butkus story. When I get the transcript I'll post some highlights.

What I'm so excited about is that I actually managed to slip a question in amongst the international field of reporters. I even added a dramatic pause to make sure I wasn't talking over Mel Kiper, John Clayton, or whoever else was trying to rush in a query. Here's what happened:

Me: Steve, you received your law degree from the J. Reuben Clark Law School in 1994...[pause]
Telemundo Reporter: [unintelligible mangling of english]
Steve: ...yes, I did.
Me: That is such a rare aspect for a professional football player to have. How do you think it helped prepare you in understanding the complexity of the game?

Now Steve did answer my question; I believe he remarked something intelligent about training your mind to analyze information quickly and make decisions. But to be honest, I missed most of it because I was pumping my fist, awash in the realization that Steve Young, the man who studied under Joe Montana, threw touchdowns to Jerry Rice AND appeared on "Wheel of Fortune" was talking to me.

Finally I get to pull a Joe Theissmann and respond, for the rest of my natural life, to any Young-related statement with the prefix: "You know, I spoke with Steve Young on Monday, and..."

2005 Season Review Part Deux

The 2005 Season Review continues...
Here's Part One
Week Nine
(November 5) FedExField was ablaze with excessive pyrotechnics when Philadelphia came calling, live on ESPN Sunday Night Football. Perhaps former Redskin and commentator Joe Theissmann put it best: "I spoke with Coach Gibbs Friday night, and you could see that he really wanted to win this game. The Redskins can move into first place in the NFC East, and that door is a window that won't always be open." Perhaps not.

Washington was fortunate to face a rusty Terrell Owens, who finally ended his contractual holdout in October. ("The reason I did that," Owens revealed, "was to show to my friends and family that I do care about people other than myself. This was for them. But I'm back, baby, and I'm ready to get back on the field and prove myself again." But it was far too late in the eyes of Philly fans; he had been burned in effigy next to Rocky on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. "I don't care how good you are--nobody disrespects us. He's lucky I had a meeting, otherwise I would have officiated the ceremony," Mayor John Street was quoted in the local press.) Philly quarterback Donovan McNabb couldn't resist the draw of having Owens back on the field, foolishly ignoring the young wideouts who'd brought him early season success, Greg Lewis and Reggie Brown. However, Terrell was but a shadow of his 2004 self, dropping passes and looking like he hadn't bothered reading the playbook since January. ("I didn't know they'd change the plays," he later admitted.)

Washington, on the other hand, put together a solid performance behind Ramsey's 19 for 28, 235 yards and few mistakes. Portis added another 100 yard effort while Chris Cooley and David Patten continued to be the perfect safety valves for Ramsey when Philly's Hugh Douglas and Javon Kearse charged hard into the backfield. But even that wasn't enough, as Egos back Brian Westbrook had an outstanding day. His one-yard dive into the end zone tied the contest at 20, sending the inebriated Philly fans in attendance into raucous E-L-G-A-L-S- Eagles! chants. Their revelry was short lived, as Washington won the overtime toss and marched into place for kicker Jeff Chandler to end the evening. Moments later, Gibbs was hoisted upon the shoulders of his players in victory. Washington won, 23-20, and The Washington Post's Tony Kornheiser backed the Bandwagon out of storage.
Week Eleven
(November 20) "It was like (Raiders head coach) Norv Turner did some 'Revenge of the Sith' Order 66 *#$#% on us," muttered Redskins linebacker Michael Barrow. "He was in our heads, making us screw up." Turner pulled a Palpatine on Daniel Snyder's Republic, exacting a measure of revenge on his former team for dismissing him years ago. Washington seemed ill-prepared following big divisional wins and a trouncing of the Buccaneers in week ten. Portis' third fumble of the year set an ominous tone for the game and mental errors doomed any chance of success. The AFC's hottest tandem made Washington pay. Kerry Collins and Randy Moss foiled the Skins' attempt to win six straight, connecting for two touchdowns and frustrating Shawn Springs. ("I wish my brother Smoot was here..." he opined.) Washington takes a mulligan, 21-7. Sports Illustrated's Dr. Z called the loss "like sniffing 2003 Neudorf pinot noir in a dirty glass."

Week Fourteen
(December 11) It didn't take long for the bloom to fall off the burgundy and gold rose. Three consecutive losses, to the Raiders, Chargers, and Rams, and fans from Anacostia to Cumberland began jumping ship and pointing fingers. "I can't stand how this team just doesn't have heart when it counts. I could get this team back to glory by myself!" exclaimed "RiGGoRoolZ" at ExtremeSkins.com. "...and (Washington Post writer) Nunyo Demasio sucks!" Former Hog Rick "Doc" Walker could bear to see no more: "We are an embarrassment! Man, we will never be what we used to be, back when we had tight jerseys and no free agency. That's when the Redskins I loved played." Though they sat at a reasonably comfortable 7-5, the grumbles resounded through Redskins Park. "Look, I just put the best product I can out there. We have to give the coaches and players a chance, maybe a little slack," stated team owner Daniel Snyder via intercom from his underground bunker.

If there be a cure for the football blues, its name is the Arizona Cardinals. Despite injuries to LaVar Arrington (hamstring), Santana Moss (turf toe), and Mark Brunell (pine splinters in the rear), Washington stymied 'Zona's offense and rolled over their defense. Arizona, who had shocked Jacksonville in overtime one week earlier, was a franchise on the rise. They were, however, no match for a disciplined, ground-control attack and blanket coverage on Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. Cardinals coach Dennis Green hoped that Kurt Warner's Year of Rejuvenation would continue but was disappointed to see the veteran sacked three times. Clinton Portis finished with 133 yards on 40 carries and though he needed Gatorade IVs and oxygen on the sidelines, refused to quit. Said Portis: "I wasn't gonna pull no Tyson out there." Washington won, 14-6.

Week Fifteen
(December 18) For fans, it didn't matter much that the visiting Cowchips were 5-8 and the Redskins were 8-5. "There is such a history of bad blood between these two franchises that you can almost sense the spirits of Tom Landry and George Allen patrolling the sidelines," viewed FOX analyst and hair stylist Chris Collinsworth. Indeed, this game was a mirror of their earlier hard-fought meeting, but with a very different result.

Washington is avenged, 34-28 in front of a sold-out FedEx Field. "Hail to the Redskins" rang loudly throughout Prince George's County when Keyshawn Johnson dropped a desperation hail mary pass on the game's final play. Players hugged, fans roared, and up in the media booth, Troy Aikman silently wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.

Even felony-free Sean Taylor couldn't resist the moment, whispering to Pardon the Interruption's Mike Wilbon "Yo, this was awesome...don't tell nobody I said that."

The Redskins now faced two NFC East opponents in the final weeks, but felt a new momentum pressing them toward postseason play. Peter King offered the following high praise in this week's "10 Things I Think I Think": 6. I think Brett Favre still has some touchdowns left in the tank, Bill Belichick has Tom Brady and company ready for another Super Bowl run, and Joe Gibbs ain't so bad after all.

Week Seventeen
(January 1, 2006) It came down to this: one play, one chance and one playoff spot. In the bitter cold of Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field, a weary Patrick Ramsey glanced at the play clock, then the game clock. :08, one play's worth, was all that remained of the Redskins' season unless the offense could find the smallest of seams in a defense which had heretofore been without error.

Washington's home loss to New York's Giants and Philly's win over Arizona in week sixteen set a unique stage for this late day contest: the winner wins the East and a guaranteed playoff spot; the loser must ironically hope that Dallas bests St. Louis in the Sunday night game. Ego coach Andy Reid knew the stakes, saying "We can't let our destiny hinge on somebody else's work. We have to make it happen on our own."

David Akers' four field goals provided a slim, tenuous six point margin for victory. The Redskins, stymied into only earning six points, managed to sneak into Ego territory late in the fourth period. Aided by suspect defensive holding calls on Brian Dawkins and Lito Sheppard, Gibbs' men found themselves in the red zone and 18 yards from a season's validation.

Ramsey stooped down, gathered his linemen, backs and receivers, and called his play. Santana Moss and David Patten split left and right, while Portis remained in the backfield. Philadelphia defensive coordinator Jim Johnson showed no fear in his defensive alignment, bringing his linebackers up to the line in a blitz package. Washington offensive coordinator Don Breaux saw the arrangement and hoped he'd guessed right. The hometown crowd rose, as Gregg Easterbrook might say, to military afterburner decibels. The ball was snapped.

Philadelphia's three-man rush wasn't intended to sack Ramsey; that was the task for the delayed blitz of middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter. Portis met him two yards behind the line of scrimmage, chipping him just enough to delay his attack. David Patten, flanked right, performed a ten yard stop-and-go, gaining a step on cornerback Sheldon Brown. But strong safety Michael Lewis saw it coming, and had already begun drifting Patten's direction.

On the opposite side, Washington's fastest receiver ran a simple go route, testing Lito Sheppard's endurance. Sheppard was more than up to the task, barely losing ground. He wasn't concerned because he knew hard-hitting Brian Dawkins had already planned on sliding out to double-team Moss.

What the Egos had not anticipated, however, was slot receiver Darnerian McCants. He blew past linebacker Dhani Jones and streaked on a post route, cutting once toward center field. Ramsey saw the mismatch, and after pumping once in Moss' direction, launched a spiral up the field. Both safeties could only watch as McCants made the easy grab and dove into the end zone.

Euphoria ensued in Washington, a stark contrast to Philadelphia where fans began looking for flammable materials.
---------------
So that's what I saw. Or think I saw. We made the playoffs, probably facing St. Louis or Seattle in the first round. I'd like to say that we won, working deeper into the postseason. But the truth, for a lot of us Skins fans, is that we'd be happy with just a playoff appearance. Just an opportunity to show the great throngs of naysayers that this franchise is more than just a fantasy owner's plaything, that Gibbs really does know what he's doing, and that Laveranues Coles was a traitorous whiner for demanding to leave.

One can dream, can't they?

Don't forget to check out my NFL Police Blotter over at Hog Heaven!

2005 Season Review

I've been watching the Redskins' offseason closely, and Coach Gibbs has had a pretty rough winter and spring. What with Fred Smoot, Antonio Pierce, Laveranues Coles departing, newly acquired Santana Moss holding out on a contract whose ink wasn't even dry, LaVar Arrington contradicting Coach in the media about his rehabilitation, Sean Taylor refusing Gibbs' calls en route to picking up a criminal charge and every sports writer second-guessing his draft-day decisions, I bet His Joeness sometimes wonders if coming back was such a great idea after all. Certainly Gibbs and Snyders' detractors have had field day predicting doom for the 2005 season.

Coach, fans, cheerleaders, Redskins haters, I've got news for you. I do. The Redskins are going to the playoffs!

I know because the other day I sought wisdom and insight from The Source of Redskins Truth through a time-honored sacrament. In other words, I squeezed my 32 year-old head into my childhood-sized 1978 Rawlings Redskin helmet and let the claustrophobic recession of blood from my brain guide me from the present through the next eight months. (Hey, it worked before and brought Gibbs back to Washington!)

When I came to, disoriented and drooling, I realized I was witness to a revelation: The 2005 Redskins Season Results.

Preseason Game 4 (because the first three really didn't matter)
(September 1) The Baltimore Ravens welcomed the Redskins to That Stadium Next to Camden Yards, eager to avenge their crushing loss to Washington during a summer scrimmage. The bad blood in this Battle of the Beltway wasn't evident in pre-game warmups, as Deion Sanders and Sean Taylor were seen at midfield laughing and comparing egos. The hard hitting was left primarily to young players eager to make the final cut, but that didn't stop Ravens coach Brian Billick from sending federal prison furlough Jamal Lewis in during the fourth quarter to ensure that he continued his streak of 50 yards per preseason game. The Ravens won, 24-20, and Billick defended his decision, confidently assuring the media that "Lewis will be fine for our opener. He's a tough guy. Remember: I'm an offensive guru!" Gibbs, when asked about his teams' 1-4 preseason, shrugged his shoulders, replying "I'm just glad we have everyone healthy, no players are holding out, and that Chad Morton isn't eating up cap space anymore. Wait, don't print that last part."

Week One
(September 11) It didn't take long for Chicago Bears fans to lament their quarterback situation. Chad Hutchinson tossed two interceptions and fumbled once beneath the smothering Washington defense, orchestrated by coach Gregg Williams. LaVar Arrington played like a man possessed, earning eight tackles. Cornerbacks Shawn Springs and Walt Harris had a field day, smothering Muhsin Muhammad and Bobby "Hot Sauce" Wade; Bears coach Lovie Smith was left to scan the sidelines for a quarterback replacement. Realizing that Jeff George, Jonathan Quinn, and Craig Krenzel were his options, he was overheard asking for "that kid we sent to NFL Europe...Kittner somebody." The Redskins offense strutted its stuff against a wearied Chicago defense: Clinton Portis ran for one score, while Patrick Ramsey tossed one touchdown to speedster Santana Moss and was efficient in dumping passes to Chris Cooley and David Patten. "I felt good today," Ramsey later stated, "though it helped that Urlacher and his guys were on the field for 43 minutes." The Redskins won, 20-3.

Meanwhile, the Indianapolis Colts squeezed out a win against the Ravens, primarily because of Baltimore's inability to run out the clock in the final minutes. Colts kicker Mike Vanderjagt minced no words, saying "Lewis just looked tired out there, it was like he'd just run out of gas. Didn't Billick learn in 2003?"

Week Two
(September 19) Nothing draws ratings like rivalries, and ABC knew what it was doing when it scheduled the Redskins to visit the Dallas Cowchips on Monday Night Football early in the season, before anybody's year was already screwed up. The two proud franchises kept viewers glued to their sets late into the night, with both defenses dictating the game's pace. It wasn't until kicker Billy Cundiff inched a 42-yard attempt inside the left goal post with ten seconds left that viewers could finally catch their breath. Coach Bill Parcell's draft-day focus on defense proved to be money well spent, and Big D lived up to its nickname. Left guard Derrick Dockery summed up the day: "Our guys shut down (Dallas quarterback) Drew Bledsoe, but on our side of the ball...we just didn't get it done. I hate losing to them." Lose Washington does, 17-14. John Madden astutely noted "When you look at these two teams, you realize that they, historically, have played some good games and bad games. That's what makes them great." Which was followed by Al Michaels in stunned silence.

Week Three
The Redskins spent their bye week licking their collective wounds and strategizing methods to beat Dallas. Suggestions that included spiking their Gatorade, sabotaging the team bus and kidnapping owner Jerry Jones were considered, but ultimately dismissed. "We sure could've used those three practice days the league took from us back in June..." Coach Gibbs wondered, trailing off into thought.

Week Four
(October 2) Fans who got to their FedEx Field seats early for the Seahawks versus Redskins game got a treat, watching Sean Taylor intercept Matt Hasselbeck's second pass, intended for the slippery-handed Darrell Jackson, and skip untouched for a touchdown. The Washington faithful, unsure of whether they approved of the offseason miscreant, sat on their hands in general indifference. The scoring didn't stop there for Washington, as Patrick Ramsey finally showed the naysayers that he could throw well when given a little pass protection. Accordingly, Santana Moss and the receiving corps had a wonderful day. David Patten scored his first touchdown, burning free safety Ken Hamlin for a 76 yard score en route to 112 receiving yards. "We were confused, uncoordinated, just a mess," Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren later admitted, "It was like watching Evander Holyfield on 'Dancing With the Stars.'" Many in the media room nodded in agreement. Washington started strong and never looked back, winning 28-14.

Week Five
(October 9) Washington visited Mile High Country, home of the Denver Broncos, and witnessed firsthand why Denver was impressive in their previous three wins. Coach Gibbs reasoned "We knew coming in that we had to focus on avoiding Champ (Bailey), containing Jake Plummer, and keeping an eye on (Jerry) Rice and Rod Smith." Despite the attention to detail, the Broncos were the better team today. Without much pressure on Plummer, he picked apart the Skins' secondary, only errant once, tossing a line drive pass to safety Matt Bowen. Skins linemen Joe Salave'a and Cornelius Griffin offered little resistance to Broncos back Garrisson Hearst, who replaced Mister Irrelevant, Ron Dayne, in the second half. The Broncos walked away smiling, 17-9. With the Skins at .500, Sports Illustrated's Peter King reported that Gibbs is an abject failure as a coach and reiterated his 2004 prediction that he won't see another Super Bowl. When asked to respond, Coach Gibbs said "King? You mean that CNN guy with the suspenders?"

Week Eight
(October 30) New York's Giants, led by Eli Manning, welcomed the challenge of the visiting 4-2 Washington Redskins. The Skins were riding high after dismissing the 49ers and Chiefs in convincing fashion, allowing rookie quarterback Jason Campbell to get some garbage-time snaps. ("He did a great job, when we got him in there, of taking a knee. This kid's got a bright future." reflected Gibbs.) The New York fanatics believed that former Washington linebacker Antonio Pierce would have a strong game against his former team; instead it was revealed that Pierce was great in Gregg Williams' system. Clinton Portis rumbled for more than 120 yards and two touchdowns (one receiving), earning him a game ball in the Redskins' 16-7 win. ESPN's John Clayton proclaims Washington his locked-in pick for the playoffs...if they can beat the high-rolling Philly Egos.

Will Washington finally beat the NFC Champions? Will Sean Taylor avoid his semiannual brushes with the law? Will Peter King finally give Gibbs some love? These questions--and many more--are answered in Part Two of the 2005 Review!

Prepare the Valley of the Kings...

During the days of ancient Egypt, the burial ground for rulers was of such importance that elaborate tombs were carved into mountains, deep underground, and adorned with priceless jewels. The West Bank at Thebes was the home for the greatest burial chambers of all, and is known as the Valley of the Kings. The bodies of kings and royal famly were preserved there, and kept safe for years under unfaltering protection. Archaeologists have discovered in these final resting places extensive depictions on the walls, chronicling the accomplishments of its fallen heroes.

Perhaps the time has come to prepare the chamber and ready the scribes to author one last sonnet for a Pharaoh: Ramsey.

If there is such a thing as Writing On the Wall, Patrick Ramsey should surely have seen it in the last five days. Over at Hog Heaven I capsulized the rumors and speculation surrounding Washington's draft preparation, which included trading valuable future picks to the Denver Broncos to acquire the 25th overall pick in this year's draft. With Washington's original ninth pick, the Skins filled an obvious hole with cornerback Carlos Rogers.

With their 25th pick, Coach Gibbs and company selected Auburn quarterback Jason Campbell. Rumors had circulated that Gibbs met with Campbell on Tuesday--I don't believe he visited any other potential draftees this week--though no official intent was communicated. Ramsey, when questioned about the possibility of competition being drafted by the Skins in the first round, said that it didn't matter one bit whether Washington drafted Campbell.

God bless Ramsey, keeping his head up and being professional. Even Gibbs stated that such a move would not reflect on Patrick Ramsey and that a new quarterback would take years to get up to starting quality. So said this Washington Post article.

I realize that the news is still very fresh, but as I watched the 2005 draft, I could swear I could hear Coach Gibbs telling Ramsey that, in no uncertain terms, his days are numbered with this organization. Though His Joeness made it clear at last season's end that Ramsey is his 2005 starter, Washington's mortgaging of next season's draft picks to attain Campbell places a "Use By" date on Ramsey's helmet. You don't give up three picks on a player that you don't expect to see making plays until 2007. Gibbs is building for the future, and his field general will be Campbell.

What I don't get is why Washington would bother re-signing Tim "00.0 Rating" Hasselbeck and restructure Mark "$34 Million" Brunell's contract so that they too could remain on the team. So now Washington has four quarterbacks? I would be perfectly happy with Ramsey as starter, Campbell as backup, and Hasselbeck as waterboy. Heck, the Skins could've brought veteran ex-Redskin Brad Johnson, available in February, back to D.C. to serve as support for Ramsey. Then grabbing Campbell would've made good sense.

I have a fear that "Quarterback By Committee" will be spoken in the halls of Washington this season.

If I'm Patrick Ramsey, I study my gamebook really, really well this spring and hope that I can pull off a Drew Brees-like performance, staving off the high-priced incumbent. Otherwise, this Pharaoh's tomb will tell of a man whose glory was never reached; only the afterlife in another city holds hope.

It just better not be in Dallas.

Gibbs Can't Win For Losing

The media's love with Coach Gibbs continues to barrel headlong toward a jagged precipice. What a surprise. The sports media has seen all the evidence they need to judge Coach Gibbs on how he hasn't been able to keep some of his so-called core players. Surely, they suggest in not-so-subtle ways, Ol' Joe has lost a step in the game, perhaps spending too much time inhaling NASCAR gas fumes while the NFL morphed into its current state.

For instance, on Tuesday's 6PM SportsCenter, one of the "5 Burning Questions" in sports was the following: Has Joe Gibbs' legend lost luster in Washington?" Mr. Sal Paolantonio's talking head fielded the question, and said that in light of Washington spending more than $10 million in free agency last season--more than any other team--yet finishing last in the NFC East, yes, he has lost luster in the eyes of Redskin fans. It should be noted, Sal continued, that Gibbs went to Daniel Snyder with a controlled-spending plan, and that led to the loss of Pierce to the Giants and Smoot to the Vikings.

On Saturday's Full Court Press, hosted by NBC-4 sportscaster George Michael, a roundtable of sports yakkers including the Washington Post's Michael Wilbon and ESPN's Stephen A. Smith considered whether Coach Gibbs has any idea what he's doing with the team. The outspoken Smith, never one to resist the siren's call of a preposterous question, immediately had an answer. But first he feigned disgust, griping "I'm sick of seeing these senior citizens disguised as coaches." He didn't elaborate as to whom he might be alluding, but continued complaining about Gibbs, reasoning that from last season's results and this offseason that the game has passed him by. Mike Wilbon didn't necessarily agree with Stephen Smith, but opined that coaches in charge of player personnel are rarely successful and that the players benefit from having separate general managers.

I know I touched on this topic last week, but seeing these two programs got me worked up again. Gibbs is in an unfortunate no-win situation. If he pays out large sums of money to keep players like Fred Smoot, the Redskins continue their mortgage-the-future habits; if he stands on principle and refuses to finance high-priced free agents, Gibbs is painted as a senile tightwad who has lost his grip on the team.

Now Common Sense 102 says that if something doesn't work, do something else. The Redskins have stunk up the NFC East for far too long, and been a laughingstock of the league because of the searching-for-a-cure spending by the front office. Might it be time to applaud a coach who looks two or three years down the road and plans accordingly? There's a word for that. Leadership.

I believe the Redskins will have a better season than last year, and sometime during November the pundits will sing "...Gibbs has turned this team around...the team really trusts Gibbs..." Sure, sure. Hop on the bandwagon now. There's always room in March.

There was plenty of other news for the Skins this week. Check me out at MVN's Hog Heaven!

One more thing:

Dear Mr. Stephen A. Smith,

I am not surprised by your comments, considering that you cover the NBA more than the NFL. I respect your right to an opinion, but please don't delude yourself into believing that because you speak with passion you speak with precision. After hearing your commentary, I no longer wonder what the "A" in your name stands for.

Sincerely,
Jeff

Gibbs' Patriot Game

The news for Washington hasn't improved much in the last couple of days, depending on who you want to listen to. Last week, the Skins lost their most productive tackler to an NFC East rival. As my Hog Heaven partner Chris mentioned earlier this week, Laveranues Coles was traded to the New York J-E-T-S for Santana Moss and Fred Smoot signed with the Minnesota Vikings.

Now Coach Gibbs finds himself having to defend the losses of Laveranues Coles and Fred Smoot, two of his so-called "core" players. Come to think of it, the only other player Gibbs called "core" was recently re-signed Chris "Skins4Life" Samuels. Losing two of your three keeper players doesn't sound like good management, does it?

Ah, but His Joeness makes what I think is a pretty compelling argument for his stance. On Thursday, Gibbs stated that, given the team's budget, he did his best to keep the players he wanted as a foundation for the future. Some were either unhappy or asked for more money than he was willing to give. Coach also noted how successful the Patriots have been while smartly handling money. The Washington Post says he put it pretty simply: "If we go too far on one player...it's going to cost us other players." The rest of that news conference is here. Imagine that: the Redskins following Suze Orman's 9 Steps to Financial Freedom.

Ironic, isn't it, how Washington's front office has been maligned and mocked as Fantasy Football managers for years now (and yes, I may have captained that boat), yet when Gibbs shows some fiscal responsibility by refusing to budge on an offer to Fred Smoot while retaining most of his other free agents, he has to face the proverbial media music? If he decided to go cash-happy, wouldn't the D.C. faithful roll their eyes and raise the SOS (Same Old Skins) flag? Mike Wise over at the Post goes so far as to suggest that trying to emulate the proven Patriot method of free agency is foolish. Huh?

Even in fantasy football the method works. Those who followed the Redskins Review this past season know that I chronicled my Fantasy Football league, Festivus Maximus. My brother Roy joined the league in August, not long before our draft. Because some team owners didn't return, he ended up inheriting one of their teams which contained such standouts as Ricky "High Times" Williams and Morten "Single Bar" Andersen. His squad suffered untimely injuries and uncharacteristic poor production en route to a 2-6 midseason record. And one of those wins was by forfeit.

So he employed his own version of the Patriot Game, stalking the free agent waiver wires for cheap, available players whom he believed could rise and shine. Who-dats and third-stringers like Reuben Droughns, Lee Evans and Michael Clayton found their way onto Roy's Boys. Meanwhile, the rest of the league laughed at his Quixotic desperation. That was, until he went undefeated the rest of the regular season, upsetting nearly every top team and eventually hoisting the Festivus Championship trophy.

That said, I think that plugging Lemar Marshall in for Pierce and Walt Harris in for Smoot isn't as egregious a crime as the critics think because of how effective Gregg Williams' defensive schemes were last year. Again, who-dats filled in for our Matt Bowen and LaVar Arrington. It also appears that Gibbs & Company want to go deep more often with Moss and Patten, an exciting proposition when you consider that Patrick "Pharaoh" Ramsey has a strong arm. If he can keep on eye on his hot reads (likely Clinton Portis and Chris Cooley), this offense could finally, um, score some points.

In other news, hats off to the Baltimore Ravens who look startingly like the Skins and Jets two season ago, picking two players (cornerback Samari Rolle and wideout Derrick Mason) from one team. The Titans' loss is the Ravens' gain, solidifying an already stingy defense and finally giving Kyle "Hail Mary" Boller somebody to throw to not named Heap. I know it's only March, but I'm a little fearful of the Baltimore defense.

By the way, if anyone's interested in tickets to the sold-out Jill Scott concert, word on the street is that Mike Tice can hook you up.

Good news to report for the Redskins Review. We've been picked up by the Most Valuable Network, a freelance journalist sports site, covering sports form baseball to football to hockey. I'll be contributing my Review blogs to MVN, sharing space on the Hog Heaven page with my partner Chris Hiteshew. I'll continue to add my thoughts on NFL action in both arenas. Check it out sometime and leave a comment!

Pierce, Patten...Progress?

As these tenuous days of the NFL free agency continue, the news for Washington both improves and saddens. The bad news (and I say “bad” in a relative sense; it’s not as bad as, say, news of the continued modern exploitation of childhood favorites like Herbie the Love Bug and Bugs Bunny) is that middle linebacker Antonio Pierce has signed with Sábado Gigante. Pierce led Washington with 112 total tackles—85 solo—and also contributed two interceptions and fumble recoveries. He’s going to be missed, though the silver lining for the despondent fan is that defensive coordinator/maestro Gregg Williams was able to compensate for multiple player injuries on the fly all season. And we still finished the season ranked as a top five defense.

Replacing Pierce—whom Coach Gibbs desperately wanted to keep as a “core player”—won’t be easy. Fortunately, the Skins have some good replacements. Mike Barrow is back from injury and likely will stand in Pierce’s stead; the Washington Post reports that Lemar Marshall, who stood in when LeVar Arrington was injured, may shift from outside linebacker to the middle to help compensate.

What stinks is that an NFC East rival picked Pierce up.

Washington’s good news is the acquisition of former Ravens center Casey Rabach and former Patriot wide receiver/defensive back/kick returner/tax accountant David Patten. This is exciting news, particularly in light of the resigning of Chris “Skins4Life” Samuels and the impending departure of Rod “Parkay” Gardner. Laveranues Coles may still be swapped for New York Jet Santana Moss, so Patten could by virtue step into a top receiving spot. I dunno about you, but I lack confidence in the likes of Darnerian McCants, so we should look into grabbing another above-average wideout.

Nonetheless, the Skins look like they’re wisely choosing their free agents, based upon blatant deficits. Sure the linebacker loss is great; but the improvement of the offensive line and receiving corps provides more than enough balance. So far (and it’s early!), Gibbs and Company are walking with wisdom.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Welcome, dear friends, to the magical time when Redskins fans slumber peacefully, warmed by vivid visions of post-season play. The sub-par season having begun its fade from memory, we contentedly roll over and smile; our dreams are sprinkled with Super Bowl pixie dust born from the checkbook of Mister Sandman, Daniel Snyder.

Ah, March. The offseason. This is when the Redskins' season truly begins. This is when we make our championship run. Ironically, this is also where our seasons are lost.

For the last couple of years, Washington Redskins fans have knelt at the altar of Free Agent Saviors, each season believing that these acquisitions are the One Thing that this team was missing to take it over the Cowchips, past the Eagles, and into the playoffs. Since 2000, the Redskins have cracked .500 a grand total of once. And that coach, quizzically, was fired. Snyder has consistently bankrolled the highest-salary, least-productive players possible. We're like the Yankees, but, you know, without the wins, prestige and championships.

Lest we make the same mistake this year, let us reflect upon some of the mighty offseason pickups who were supposed to spark the Return To Glory, but essentially got their children Snyder Fund college scholarships. It's painful to recall, like picking a week-old scab, but so very necessary. Grab your Neosporin and remember when D.C. was excited about:

Mark Carrier...Irving Fryar...the Family Schottenheimer...Jeff George...Brad Johnson (okay, he wasn’t that bad)...Ray Rhodes...Bruce Smith...Deion Sanders...Eddie Murray...Shane Matthews...Jeremiah Trotter...Jessie Armstead...Chad Morton...Steve Spurrier...Trung Canidate…Mark Brunell…

Free agency can work wonders, too. One should note that via free agency, the Baltimore Ravens managed to find gems by the names of Tony Siragusa, Rod Woodson, Sam Adams, and some guy named Shannon Sharpe to produce a Super Bowl Champion.

But those positive results are few and far between for this Washington organization. Laveranues Coles had a very good year, catching a career-high 90 passes, assistant coach Gregg Williams crafted a top-ranked defensive scheme that succeeded despite injuries to key players, and though the team finished below 8-8, Joe Gibbs is a dedicated and determined leader for the (near) future.

This team hopefully has learned its lesson, and appears to be showing the kind of calculated restraint that produces a stable franchise. Daniel Snyder isn’t flying veterans across the country and treating them to gourmet crabcakes. Yet. Perhaps now we are seeing the real influence of Coach Gibbs on Daniel Snyder.
This Redskins team already has the makings of a contender, but for some offensive gaps (one of which was shored up with the generous resigning of tackle Chris Samuels). But true to our history, Washington’s name came up when Randy Moss was shopping around; and former Tennessee Titan Samari Rolle is rumored to be a replacement for departing Fred Smoot. Can’t leave well enough alone, can we?

And whaddaya know, Brad Johnson is now available!