Sunday, January 20, 2013

Top 5 Redskins Hog Heaven posts from October 2012

The man once known as Master4Caster now delivers Washington Redskins commentary on the Redskins Hog Heaven blog. Go there to see current commentary about the team.

Below are links to the top five Hog Heaven posts from October 2012. By then, the football world was fully aware of Robert Griffin III's super powers. However, October was a bad month with the Redskins going 1-3.


Oct 22, 2012 -- Skip Bayless and every Redskins fan reacts when Eli Manning cancelled RGIII's TD pass.  Bayless reenacted his reaction when Manning completed a 77-yard catch and run by Victor Cruz for the Giants' winning touchdown over the Redskins with about a minute to go on the game. New York's play came 20 seconds after Griffin III's pass to Santana Moss gave the Redskins a 23-20 lead.

"Sign of depression – when you resort to quoting Skip Bayless."

May 23, 2012 -- A quick look at the Redskins in 2013...without y'know, $18 million in cap space.  Hog Heaven contributor Greg Trippiedi wrote this piece in May, but it mysteriously got a lot of hits in October. I never figured out why, but some credible site must have linked to it. I wished I knew who it was so that I could thank them for the traffic. 

Trippiedi goes into deep detail the front office's action that incurred the wrath of the NFL Management Council. Then, he takes a long look at possible roster moves to save 2013 cap dollars. Do you release veterans like Santana Moss and DeAngelo Hall on March 1 to create cap room? What about Brian Orakpo who is entering the last year of his contract in 2013? should you extend his deal now, or defer by franchising him in 2014?

Football isn't like baseball. A tight salary cap demands owners and their front offices have a strategic plan to sustain a winning team. NFL teams do not get to hoard the best players. Teams win from the middle of their roster with players on their first contract. Arbitrage positions that are undervalued in salary and make the most of it. 

That's why receiving tight ends are all the rage now. They are cheaper than wide receivers, but can improve your pass game while saving cap dollars. 

Trippedi tries to channel Redskins GM Bruce Allen to map out all the options. You'll have to read this two or three times to "get it," but getting it is key to understanding the motives behind the Redskins' 2013 off-season moves.

Oct. 1, 2012 -- This just in, Robert Griffin III is amazing, Billy Cundiff is not. The Redskins shocked the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with three rushing touchdowns. Billy Cundiff, future ex-Redskins kicker, shocked the Redskins with three missed field goal attempts.   

Oct. 2, 2012 -- And now, a word from a Cowboys fan [Bwahahaha]. This YouTube video of a rant by a Cowboys fan is your laugh of the day. No other words required.

Oct. 9, 2012 -- Redskins sign guy off the street to replace Billy Cundiff. Admit it. You never heard of Kai Forbath before the Redskins signed him. If the scouts were good enough to know this guy, why wasn't he in training camp in August? Just askin'. 

Thursday, January 03, 2013

Top 5 posts from Redskins Hog Heaven, September 2012

WOW!

Although this is a retired Redskins fan site, you people are still showing up here -- 164 unique visitors and 247 page views in the seven days around the Cowboys at Redskins game when the Washington clinched the 2012 NFC East championship. HAIL!


Running Redskins is still retired. The man now known as SkinsHogHeaven posts new content on the Redskins Hog Heaven blog, part of the Bloguin Network. As a service to those who still visit here, -- thank you for that, by the way -- we will post links to the top five most visited Hog Heaven stories of a past month, starting with September 2012.

Here ya' go:

Sept 11, 2012 - Josh Morgan was right about RGIII, but real test is last half of the season.

"Everyone gasped a little when Washington Redskins receiver Josh Morgan compared rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III to a near-great and two great veteran quarterbacks. It sounded a little too over-the-top."

Sept 05, 2012 - Bet on it -- Robert Griffin III will pass for 3700 yards and 22 touchdowns.

"The gambling sharps expect a very Andy Dalton-type year from Robert Griffin III, and they expect a typical performance from Pierre Garçon. That expectation for Griffin is exciting; for Garçon, it's rather ho-hum."

May 08, 2012 -  Is RGIII the 6th best QB Draft pick of all time? Expert says yes.

This post from May 2012 was still getting traction in September. Excitement over RGIII was just that high. Given what we know about Griffin III's rookie performance, the expert assessment might have been too low.

September 14, 2012 - 15 smart guesses about Redskins at Rams, beginning with Alfred Morris.


"Let's call them hunches more than predictions (to eat less crow. If I get three right, send me a contract...).

"1.  Alfred Morris will break 100 yards, probably by utilizing more outside tracks to the left behind LT Trent Williams. He will score twice again." Author: Scott Hirsch

Sept. 21, 2012 - The GOOD NEWS hidden within the Redskins' season start.

The Redskins just lost Adam Carriker and Brian Orakpo to injury, but we noticed Mike Shanahan's commitment to the youth movement and had an inkling that would pay off big -- not quite as fast as it did, I will admit.