Running Redskins

Peyton Manning is all the buzz in Washington this week

2012-02-11T12:30:00.000-05:00

The Washington Redskins fan base is obsessed with the possibility of the team signing the elder Manning if he becomes a free agent and is able to play--two BIG ifs in my mind. Manning and lessons to be learned from Super Bowl champion New York Giants occupied space on Redskins Hog Heaven this week.

Both of the teams in Super Bowl 46 prove the value of coaching stability says the story in Patriots and Giants lesson for the Redskins: stand by your man.

Greg Trippiedi listed the 2012 QB free agent class, shown by age.

What would the Redskins do if they do not land Peyton Manning or Robert Griffin III? Both are real possibilities, but there are options.

Throughout the Snyder ear, Redskins fans said "Peyton Manning could not win behind that line." We wondered if the Redskins were good enough to win with a healthy Manning. We looked at the stats of the Jets and the Vikings the year before Brett Favre joined those teams for comparison to the 2011 Redskins.

Know what? The 'Skins were not out of line with those teams. The offensive line comparisons were actually favorable. So yes, the Redskins are Peyton-ready, more so if they get a first class No. 1 wide receiver.

The bad news is that Farve proved to be a one-year wonder for both teams, neither of whom won a Super Bowl. Sic Semper Manning.

As usual, quarterbacks draw all oxygen from any football discussion, so it's no surprise that no one is talking about free agent wide receivers who the Redskins could use.

Running Redskins is a archive of my football thoughts from the NFL 2004 to the 2007 seasons. See Redskins Hog Heaven for my latest content.

Make English The Official Language Of The Super Bowl, 2011 Edition

2011-02-01T15:26:00.000-05:00

Planto English persona lingua of Eximius Scaphium.

That’s Latin for “Make English the official language of the Super Bowl.” This is Hog Heaven's/Running Redskins' annual plea to bring some good, old fashioned American values to the American game by banning an even more old fashioned value from the Super Bowl.

Roman numerals are the reason Latin is a dead language. Those old Romans needed four or more characters to express what we say with two or three. Just try to calculate the XI percent sales tax on a Super Bowl ticket (MMV Talents). No wonder the Barbarians sacked Rome.

They don’t even use Latin in Italy anymore.

I speak as a Catholic former altar boy of the old Latin Rite who flunked freshman Latin in high school. It was traumatic; an anchor on my grade point average that mocks me still. Hated it!

Super Bowl Ex-El-Vee? Can’t we just say Super Bowl 45? Or Super Bowl 2011? Or anything that makes sense?

Roman numerals haven’t made sense since the fall of the empire, much less since Super Bowl III. Does the NFL record scores in Roman Numerals? NO! NFL.com can’t fit “Saints XXXI, Colts XVII” in those little boxes in the box score.

And don’t even ask about stats. Did you know that in Super Bowl Ex-El-Eye-Vee Drew Brees was XXXII of XXXIX for CCLXXXVIII yards and II touchdowns?

Did EA Sports, who shapes so much of our modern view of football, introduce Madden XI? NO! They did Madden 11. You can’t sell Madden Ex-Eye to anybody. Surely, the NFL is as market savvy as EA Sports. Surely they can make their showcase game easier to understand than the CBA. If not, they should just cancel next season.

Oh. Wait....

This is America. We are Americans. We follow American football. Our numbering system is Arabic, but that's not the point. Can we express the American title of the American football championship in numbers Americans can read? Can we do it sometime before Super Bowl L?

In the Age of Madden, planto English persona lingua of Eximius Scaphium.

Washington will close the season as Giant-Killers

2011-01-02T11:25:00.000-05:00

By every measure of logic, the New York Giants should have their way with the Washington Redskins when the teams meet Sunday at FedEx field. But there's a fly in the ointment. The mindsets of these two teams are moving in opposite directions since their Week 13 meeting. Back then, the Redskins were in continuous shock by Shananigans and the Giants were flying high at 8-4. New York's future was in their hands.

Both New York and Washington have gone 1-3 since then. Now, the Giants are in shock and the Redskins stabilized with holes plugged by hungry young guys playing for the chance of a lifetime.

Last week, the Jaguars, without RB Maurice Jones-Drew, were seven point favorites over the Redskins and lost. Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw are disgustingly healthy for the Giants, yet New York is only 4 point favorites over a six-win team they beat eight of the last nine times they've played. The gambling sharps have figured out that the Redskins are going to give you a game with the outcome in doubt until late fourth quarter. The Giants perhaps are not sure of their post-season even if they win. They could be one-and-done even if they make the postseason.

Washington still has to show that it can stop elite runners. Anthony Bryant has shown himself to be a capable nose tackle. December is a tad late for DC Jim Haslett to discover that. OLB Brian Orakpo's probable return helps, although DE Adam Carriker and ILB London Fletcher have bigger roles in run defense. If I were New York OC Kevin Gilbride, I would pound the ball at Washington and not allow QB Eli Manning to throw more than 10 times.

The Redskins offense is all about Rex Grossman. Washington's receivers do seem to find openings in Kyle Shanahan's offense. Head Coach Mike Shanahan is testing the trade-off of Donovan McNabb's mobility against Grossman's better reads and slightly better accuracy to extend drives. Grossman turns the ball over more than McNabb, with more of those turnovers turning into points for the other guys.

Grossman has one good game and one so-so game in his audition as starter. His tie-breaker is Sunday. He has no interest in handing the ball off to a rusher. He wants to throw and Shanahan wants him to throw. The risk for Washington is that they don't allow the rushers much more than 10 attempts against the Giants.

It's odd, but the Redskins have more incentive to win than the Giants. I say the Redskins will win this game by three. My Magic 8-Ball disagrees ("My sources say No.")

The Redskins Defense Of Your Fantasy Dreams

2010-10-26T14:28:00.000-04:00

Repeat after me: The NFL's lowest ranked defense does not mean the NFL's worst defense. The Washington Redskins defense is suddenly the hot fantasy football play.

The Redskins are the fifth-best fantasy defense according to ESPN.com's fantasy scoring rank. Washington's D has 71 fantasy points after seven weeks. Washington was the second-best fantasy defense for week seven, thanks toDeAngelo Hall's heroics in Chicago. The Redskins scored 23 fantasy points, trailing the top ranked Cleveland Browns by a single point.

Only Chris Cooley approaches that achievement for the offense. Cooley is the seventh best scoring tight end on ESPN's fantasy ranking.

Read the rest of this story at Redskins Hog Heaven....

Root For Dallas?

2010-10-25T21:08:00.000-04:00

I've never been able to watch more than 15 minutes of the movie Napoleon Dynamite so I never got as far as the Vote for Pedro scenes in the movie. Napoleon Dynamite has some sort of cult following and those who enjoy it strike me as odd.

The Dallas Cowboys have some sort of cult following and fans of the team strike me as, um, heathen savages. It's so odd that I will be cheering for the Cowboys (1-4) against the New York Giants (4-2) tonight.

The Redskins intercepted their way in Chicago to a 4-3 record. If the Giants lose to the Cowboys, the Beast will be knotted in a three-way tie for first place, with the 'Boys a game and a-half behind.

The Giants are playing as if they are serious about winning the conference. They sacked Jay Cutler nine times in the first half of the Chicago game, a 17-3 win, but have yet to face a Beast team.

The Giants are ranked seventh in the Bloguin.com NFL Week 6 Power Poll. The talented but inept Cowboys are ranked 26th in the same poll.

In the idealized world of sports competition, the better teams win out. The Redskins need work, so any back door help is appreciated. I don't want the 'Skins to chase the Giants before they face them on December 5. New York plays Dallas twice and Philadelphia once before then.

Washington already has wins against Dallas and Philadelphia. A division loss by New York helps the cause. It won't hurt the Eagles or Cowboys, either. The best chance for a Giants division loss is tonight in Dallas, or November 21 at The Linc in Philly.

So just for tonight, I'm for Dallas even though it will feel as odd as watching Napoleon Dynamite. I'm going to do it alone, in the dark, very quietly with beer.

If the Cowboys win, I'll vote for Pedro. I promise.

Washington Less Sloppy Than Chicago, Beat Bears 17-14

2010-10-25T21:05:00.000-04:00

Every win is a good win, even the ugly ones. The Washington Redskins 17-14, um, beatdown of the Chicago Bears is as butt-ugly good as any win we'll see this season. The worst that can be said is that neither team played well enough to win a playoff game.

Lets save those thoughts for another post.

The thinking around here is that the defense is the stronger part of the team and that the defense would carry the offense until McNabb and company jells. Thus, Washington's last placed defense through six games is asked to cover for a top-ten offense.

If you are a regular reader of Redskins Hog Heaven, you know that last place defense doesn't mean the worst defense. The NFL ranks teams by yards. Yardage doesn't tell you enough about a team.

The Redskins had the 10th best defense in yards last season, yet they were hardly the 10th best defense. Washington snagged 11 interceptions in 16 games, scored no defensive points, and finished with 12 losses in 2009.

This year, the 'Skins have eight interceptions in seven games, five by DeAngelo Hall, four of those Sunday against the Bears. Washington has scored defensive touchdowns on an interception return and a fumble recovery, both by Hall.

So stop the hand wringing about last place in yardage and bask in the disruption of opponent's scoring drives. With that, I tip my hat to Hall. At last, his performance is worth the money.

To read the rest of this story, go to Redskins Hog Heaven....

Grief and Albert Haynesworth

2010-10-17T16:41:00.001-04:00

The writers at Redskins Hog Heaven figured the Washington Redskins for seven or eight wins this season. The Redskins are on that pace. The only surprise is the three teams they actually beat

The scenario we envisioned for the Redskins to break out to nine or more wins involved Albert Haynesworth and tonight's opponent, the Indianapolis Colts.

This is the last round of weekend games before the NFL trading deadline on October 19. What better time for Big Al and Mike Shanahan to work together on the outcome they both seem to want--Albert elsewhere. Both have been saying all the right things lately. That can be interpreted as talking up Haynesworth's trade value.

A great showing tonight might brand Haynesworth enough as a "must have" player that some GM might kick in the draft picks Washington needs to restock the team. GMs will just sit on their hands otherwise and wait out the Redskins who may release Haynesworth next season.

Haynesworth suffered a death in his family. He took bereavement leave from the team and did not return until Thursday. People deal with death in ways unique to themselves. We don't know how Big Al is coping. Whether he plays or not is a game time decision and it's likely his decision.

Working your craft while dealing with death is incredibly difficult. If you are my age, you've been through it. If you have, then you know what must be going through Big Al's head today. If you are under 40, just sit tight. Your day is coming.

To over-simplify the point, one can cope by withdrawing from work, or throwing oneself into it. If Haynesworth's head is not in tonight's game, he should remove himself without any comment or finger pointing from the peanut gallery.

Sports teams are entertainers and losses suffered by NFL players are very public. Its affect can take strange turns in the locker room. Look no further than what happened at FedEx Field December 2, 2007.

to see the rest of this story, go to Redskins Hog Heaven....

No Fear Of Payton Manning and the Colts by the Redskins

2010-10-16T12:06:00.000-04:00

Redskins Hog Heaven's preseason guess at the Washington Redskins final record was seven or eight wins. As gratifying as is Washington's 3-2 start, neither that record nor the Redskins middle-of-the-pack performance should cause visions of sugarplums this Christmas. The Redskins will be closer to 4-4 by midpoint of the season than to six or seven wins.

But hey, an eight win season is the benchmark of success for new coaches. Check the list of head coaches who finished 8-8 in their first year:

Joe Gibbs, Washington, 1981
Mike Ditka, Chicago, 1983 (First full season)
Marty Schottenheimer, Cleveland (4-4), 1984
Marty Schottenheimer, Cleveland, 1985
Marty Schottenheimer, Kansas City, 1989
Mike Shanahan, Denver, 1995
Marty Schottenheimer, Washington, 2001
Marty Schottenheimer, San Diego, 2002
Jim Zorn, Washington, 2008

The list is not exhaustive, and yes, you could call it the Marty and those other guys list. An eight-win season would be an accomplishment for Mike Shanahan. A win over defending conference champion Indianapolis Colts would cause everybody to rewrite their season projections to nine-plus wins for Shanny and the 'Skins.

To read the rest of this story, go to Redskins Hog Heaven....

Biggest Contest Between Donovan McNabb and Peyton Manning Is On Paper, Not On The Field

2010-10-16T12:02:00.000-04:00

When I was very young, back in the last century, I had a contest with my friend. We were about to make our first jump into the deep end of the swimming pool. The pre-jump dialog was something like "you go first." "No, you go first." "No,you go first."

The most interesting contest between Peyton Manning and Donovan McNabb won't be on the field when the Indianapolis Colts visit the Washington Redskins. The contest is who is first to sign a contract extension. Both McNabb and Manning are in the last year of their current NFL deals.

I can envision the text exchange between Manning and McNabb. You first. No, you first.

To read the rest of this story, go to Redskins Hog Heaven....

NFL May Throw Brett Favre For A Loss Before The Redskins Do

2010-10-16T11:56:00.000-04:00

The Minnesota Vikings play the Redskins at FedEx Field on November 28. The Washington Redskins never beat Brett Favre when he was with the Green Bay Packers. Should they be worried now that he is with the Vikings?

They may not need to. The NFL may sack Favre before he gets here.

In what may be another case of jocks behaving badly, sports-comedy web site Deadspin.com broke the story that good ol' boy Brett may have sexted hottie Jenn Sterger when both were employed by the New York Jets, Favre as the team's savior-quarterback and Sterger as the team's "GAMEDAY Host."

Favre supposedly texted suggestive invitations to Sterger that might have included revealing images of Favre's masculinity. Deadspin makes clear that Sterger was not the source of the stories, or of the voice recordings and images in their possession.

Typical twenty-something male readers of sports blogs will laugh at all this. We at Redskins Hog Heaven sometimes focus on the business of sports. From that angle, this story is more serious than you might guess.

Lawsuit serious.

To read the rest of this story, go to Redskins Hog Heaven....

Jason Campbell, Todd Collins Named Ex-Redskins Of The Week

2010-10-11T00:02:00.000-04:00

Ex-Redskins Of The Week: Jason Campbell, Quarterback, Oakland Raiders

Jason Campbell came off the bench in the second half to lead touchdown drives of 93 and 73 yards for the Raiders in the win against the San Diego Chargers. Campbell was benched in the second game of the season in favor of back-up Bruce Gradkowski. Gradkowski suffered a shoulder injury mid-way in the game. Campbell in relief competed 13 of 18 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. Oakland's win snapped a 13 game losing streak to the Chargers.

Ex-Redskins Of The Weak: Todd Collins, Quarterback, Chicago Bears

To see the rest of this story, go to Redskins Hog Heaven.

Whoda Thunk It? Redskins Over Packers 16-13

2010-10-10T23:56:00.000-04:00

Woop! The Washington Redskins beat the Green Bay Packers. This is no time to nitpick. It's time to celebrate.

We'll have more of our Redskins Hog Heaven thoughtful analysis early this week. For now, here are a few first impressions.

There are real concerns about the offensive line once you get past the starters. You knew that already. The line held up, um, ok, in the few plays when both Trent Williams and Jammal Brown were out. It worked for today, but could have been worse. Please don't make me watch that again.

The Redskins offense looked a lot better with Packers linebacker Clay Matthews out of the game. One "gets" the 3-4 defense by watching the Packers. The Packers defensive linemen pushed the Redskins linemen around far too much, giving Matthews shots at McNabb and the backfield. The Redskins' 3-4 did pretty much the same to the Packers; four sacks.

Is there anything Lorenzo Alexander can't do? Next time I buy a Redskins jersey, it's going to be an Alexander.

Read the rest of this story at Redskins Hog Heaven.

How Donovan McNabb Is Like Barack Obama

2010-10-08T17:14:00.000-04:00

Both Donovan McNabb's and Barack Obama's arrived in Washington amidst high hopes, great fanfare, greater expectations and enormous curiosity in the rest of the country about how their stories would play out.

No matter the success of either man in DC, they are bound to disappoint. It would take magic for McNabb or Obama to do all the things their fans expect of them.

To read the rest of this story, go to Redskins Hog Heaven.

McNabb vs. Vick Missed The Point. Sunday's Game Was About Snyder vs. Reid.

2010-10-04T23:47:00.000-04:00

All that hype about McNabb vs. Vick when the Washington Redskins visited the Philadelphia Eagles yesterday was just to sell tickets. Quarterbacks don't face against each other. They face defenses.

Sunday's more cogent contest was Daniel Snyder vs. Andy Reid. Snyder and Reid follow opposite paths to build a football roster. Both made significant changes to their rosters this year. Both followed their unique approach. The finished products were both on display at Lincoln Financial Field Sunday.

Andy Reid: Cycle players, conserve the cap, and build for today and tomorrow

The Eagles' approach under Reid couldn't be more different from Snyder's. They trade players for draft picks, and then use those picks to restock the team. Philadelphia had 13 picks in the 2010 NFL Draft, including the second round pick acquired from Washington for Donovan McNabb. The Redskins had six picks and are looking at four in the 2011 Draft.

Why on Earth would the Eagles trade Donovan McNabb?

To read the rest of this story, go to Redskins Hog Heaven.

Brandon Lloyd, Todd Collins Named Ex-Redskins of the Week

2010-10-04T23:33:00.000-04:00

Without fanfare, Lloyd emerged as the NFL's No. 2 wide receiver after four games with 454 yards on 25 receptions.

To read the rest of this story, go to Redskins Hog Heaven.

Hi. We're From Washington and We're here To Beat You. Redskins Surprise Eagles 17-12

2010-10-04T23:26:00.000-04:00

It turns out that the best defense against Michael Vick is to knock him out of the game. Vick left in the first quarter of the Washington Redskins-Philadelphia Eagles contest after being crunched by CB DeAngelo Hall and Kareem Moore.

Vick's injury came after a 23-yard scamper to the Redskins one-yard line. It was vintage Vick. His elusiveness still strikes fear whenever he plays. But this time, a holding call wiped out a game changing play. The penalty reset the Eagles down and distance to third down-16 yards on Washington's 34 with the birds down by 14.

The Eagles could do no better than a David Akers field goal. It was not enough to change the course of the game.

To read the rest of this story, go to Redskins Hog Heaven.

Redskins Re-sign Banks, Waive K. Williams

2010-10-02T21:10:00.000-04:00

The Washington Redskins re-signed wide receiver Brandon Banks to the roster this afternoon. The team released running back Keiland Williams to make room.

Mike Shanahan continues to tinker with the roster. It's interesting that he added a wide receiver, the shakiest group on offense. Banks, 5-7 and 150 pounds, caught eight passes for 129 yards during preseason. He averaged 15.4 yards per punt return.

Williams appeared in three games this season and seemed to be a receiving option out of the backfield. He caught six passes for 29 yards.

Also posted to Redskins Hog Heaven.

Matt Mosley: Michael Vick to Struggle Against Redskins

2010-10-01T21:36:00.000-04:00

Matt Moseley, the NFC East blogger for ESPN.com has a hunch that Michael Vick will struggle against the Washington Redskins this Sunday. Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles fans might have a hard time buying that after watching the Skins stumble against Sam Bradford and the Rams last Sunday.

Moseley says the Redskins will force Vick to scramble. That sounds like a bad idea to me. Vick is at his most dangerous when he's running. Here's how Moseley described in his Final Word post Washington's approach to defending Vick:

"I think [Jim Haslett] will have a defensive back spying on Vick at all times. He has told his players to get their hands up earlier than usual in an attempt to disrupt Vick's rhythm. The Eagles' quarterback looked brilliant against the Lions and Jaguars, but those teams did a poor job containing him. The Redskins will try to lure Vick into throwing the ball across his body...."

To read the rest of this story, go to Redskins Hog Heaven.

Redskins Plunge in Bloguin Power Poll

2010-10-01T21:28:00.000-04:00

The Washington Redskins dropped to 22nd place on the Bloguin NFL Power Poll following their 30-16 loss to the St. Louis Rams. The Skins were ranked 15th last week.

Washington's loss to St. Louis, the second in their last three games with the Rams, was unsettling if only because of defensive breakdowns. Defense has been a Redskins strength. The players are still adapting to Jim Haslett's schemes as shown by individual breakdowns. The Rams two touchdown runs were the result of whiffs by safety Kareem Moore who played his first game of the season following an injury.

To see the rest of this story, go to Redskins Hog Heaven.

Challenge For The Redskins: Defend Michael Vick

2010-09-28T20:56:00.000-04:00

Vick Week officially began at 10:15 AM, ET, Monday, September 27, when Wall Street Journal blog, The Daily Fix,published Prepare For a Week of Vick vs. McNabb. Vick vs. McNabb in The journal? Really?

FOX promoted the upcoming Washington Redskins at Philadelphia Eagles game unremittingly during the St. Louis beat-down. We expected that. When The Wall Street Journal blogs about Vick vs. McNabb, we've crossed the threshold of cultural significance. Yes siree.

It helps salve the wounds of the loss to the St. Louis Rams for fans already pronouncing the Dannyhan era a bust. You know who you are and shame on you. It's way too early to draw any conclusion about the season or anyone on the team.

We wonder, however, how can a defense that couldn't pressure rookie Sam Bradford suppress the elusive Michael Vick?

When the Redskins Hog Heaven writers predicted the season early this month, I called the Eagles game a win. Football is played emotionally. The emotion of Donovan McNabb's return to Philly to face the man who replaced him, Kevin Kolb, would sweep the Redskins to an upset win. To my chagrin, and FOX's delight, Kevin Kolb became Michael Vick. Oops! The Eagles are a lot harder to beat now.

Scouting Michael Vick

To read the rest of this story, go to Redskins Hog Heaven.

Rams Butt Redskins 30-16

2010-09-27T14:10:00.000-04:00

(Sigh) Our punter injures himself during pregame warm-ups. Is that a bad omen, or what?

Everyone circled the St. Louis Rams as the beatable team of the early schedule. I did. So did you, brother. And why not, for a team whose rookie quarterback suffered six sacks and five interceptions on the way to a 68.1 Quarterback Rating? The Rams generated 136 fewer yards of offense than the Washington Redskins. They did that against weaker teams than the Redskins faced.

In the euphoria of beating Dallas and the good fight against Houston, it was easy to overlook that the Skins were one holding call away from an 0-2 record going into Sunday's game.

No more.

Credit where it's due. The Rams did not resemble the team of the first two weeks. Sam Bradford was impressive in a game plan that suited him. The St. Louis offensive line was not the sieve we expected. Were the Rams supposed to control the ball that much when Steven Jackson was hurt?

Kudos to the Rams. They deserved the win. Two of their four wins since 2008 have been at Washington's expense. Ironically, Jim Haslett was coaching in each of those wins, as the Rams' interim head coach then and as the Redskins defensive coordinator now.

If you buy the cliché that more games are lost than won, you have plenty of evidence in Washington's 30-16 loss.

To read the rest of this story, go to Redskins Hog Heaven....

Redskins Are the Highest Ranked Beast Team on Bloguin Power Poll

2010-09-26T12:18:00.000-04:00

The Washington Redskins are the highest ranked NFC East team on Bloguin.com's weekly NFL Power Poll. The Redskins gained by precipitous falls of the 1-1 New York Giants and the 0-2 Dallas Cowboys.
Read the rest of this story at Redskins Hog Heaven....

Redeeming Daniel Snyder's Rep

2010-09-26T12:10:00.001-04:00

The rehabilitation of Danny Snyder's reputation takes another turn for the better in an upcoming (Oct. 11, 2010) Forbes Magazine profile. The Passion of Redskins Owner Daniel Snyder article was released online today on Forbes.com.

While noting Snyder's desperation to win a Super Bowl and his habit of plowing his fortune back into the team, Forbes author Monte Burke calls Snyder "the most reviled owner in professional sports."

"Naysayers point to the Redskins' failure on the field during his 11-year tenure (only three winning seasons and an overall record of 75--96); his imperious personality (he's been accused of demanding that employees address him as 'Mr. Snyder'); his 'meddling' ways (seven different coaches); his profligate spending on overhyped coaches and over-the-hill players ($5 million a year for college coach Steve Spurrier, who went 12--20 in two seasons; a five-year, $23 million contract for 37-year-old defensive lineman Bruce Smith). 'I have made some mistakes,' Snyder admits."

Would fans prefer a cheapskate, asks Burke?

Read the rest of this story at Redskins Hog Heaven....

Redskins Release Larry Johnson

2010-09-21T19:41:00.000-04:00

The Washington Redskins released running back Larry Johnson this afternoon, according to a story by Jason LaCanfora on NFL.com and Gary Fitzgerald's story on Redskins.com.

Both report that the team made the move to make room for someone else in advance of the Rams game this Sunday. Could that someone be a former Ram?

See the rest of this story on Redskins Hog Heaven.

Five Things To Like About The Washington Redskins

2010-09-21T19:00:00.000-04:00

The nature of Washington's play against the Houston Texans gives rise to optimism. It's pretty clear that the Skins are going to be competitive in every game. Washington was competitive last year too, in spite of top to bottom ineptitude. The competitiveness is of a higher quality now.

The fault lines on this team are still there--depth on offense, talent at wide receiver. But after two good showings and with the afterglow of beating Dallas (well, who doesn't?) we're just not going to focus on that today. So here are five things to like about the 2010 Washington Redskins:

1. LaRon Landry leads the league in tackles after two weeks. (London Fletcher ranks third) Landry wasn't cutting it at free safety. Jim Haslett moved him to where his skills are best applied as linebacker-lite, a.k.a. strong safety. Haslett is making better use than Greg Blache did of Landry and all the talent on defense. Lets hope Haslett is open to whatever suggestion DeAngelo Hall has for improved coverage--and that Hall is open to improvement after viewing game tape. We know how that conversation would have gone with Blache. Haslett is still learning about his players and has to do something to fix the bottom-ranked defense in the league. But I digress. Landry can be had in pass coverage and he still tends to hit late, but he's the beast we expected when we drafted him. We can work with beasts.

2. Donovan McNabb....

To read the rest of this story, go to Redskins Hog Heaven.

Redskins Hold Off Cowboys in 13-7 Thriller

2010-09-13T01:04:00.000-04:00

The Mike Shanahan era is off to a good start with a game plan that was not brilliant, but an astute use of the talent on the team, especially the defense. Dallas gained 282 passing yards and a touchdown, and 103 rushing yards, but the Redskins brought pressure to kill drives (five of 13 third downs converted) and disrupt plays. The Skins front seven exploited the Cowboys offensive line. Tony Romo handled that pressure to give Dallas its first lead as time ran out, only to see it evaporate when back-up OT Alex Barron couldn't handle Brian Orakpo.

Read the rest of this post at Redskins Hog Heaven

John Riggins Will Never Work For Dan Snyder Again

2009-10-13T23:08:00.002-04:00

Not after this....

Wow. Just wow.

Somebody Save Me From Daniel Snyder

2009-10-07T18:10:00.003-04:00

The Redskins beat Tampa Bay, but not by enough.

A win is a win, as Chris Samuels tweeted, but the Bucs lost the game as much as anything. They booted place kicker Mike Nugent from the team Monday after his two missed kicks cost them the win.

Samuels' attitude isn't good enough to save us...from Daniel Snyder blowing up the team again. Snyder making any kind of football decision is the biggest threat to the Washington Redskins.

Snyder's deputy, Vinny Cerrato, announced the appointment of Sherm Lewis as a special consultant, an "another set of eyes" on the offensive operations of the team (pun not intended).

Cerrato says it was his idea, but nobody believes that. Cerrato says head coach Jim Zorn approves of it. Nobody believes that either.

Pretty much everybody suspects this is the first step towards the banana peel for Jim Zorn.

In turning to Lewis, the Redskins picked a character with deep, if subtle, historic significance to the NFL.

Apart from the choice, the timing couldn't be worse. It's either 20 games too late, or 12 games too early.

Typical Snyder move.

Somebody save me!

Life Is A Circle And It Revolves Around Detroit

2009-09-28T18:21:00.005-04:00

I hate the Detroit Lions, not from yesterday's game when the Lions beat the Redskins to make fans the laughingstock of the football world.

When you lose to the worst team in football, you take their monkey from their back to yours.

My dislike of the Lions dates back to the 'Seventies when I was a fresh new graduate of Michigan State.

My big new job was in the Detroit area. In the days before the Internet and the NFL's expansive view of revenue capture, one was forced to watch the local franchise and little else.

The Lions were tailing off of a 10-4 peak in 1970. They lost 31-10 to Bill Austins' Redskins that year. Austin was the Skins' interim coach after Vince Lombardi's death.

By 1973, Detroit was a shadow of itself. It burned me up that the local media and fans were in denial of that.

The Redskins were scheduled to play the Lions Thanksgiving Day. The night before the game, the local TV preview show pumped the 4-6-1 Lions' chance to make the playoffs.

I don't recall the MC's name. He was to Detroit as George Michael was to DC. That guy was thoroughly dismissive of the 8-3 Redskins, who was the defending NFC champion. Like George Allen's Over-The-Hill-Gang were all flukes.

That burned me up.

Washington shut Detroit out 20-0.

LMAO!

The turmoil created in the Lions fan base was delicious. How could the Lions lose to the Redskins?

Those Lions fans expected that the team would challenge for a title every year, but they cited team talent from the 1950s.

Fast forward four decades and I find that a large segment of Washington area residents dislike the Redskins for the same reasons.

Washington fans begin every year as though the Redskins are an under performing Gibbs era 12-4 team only one player away from another Super Bowl. Washington hasn't been that since 1991.

So there is always anguished surprise when Washington hovers around .500. Like now.

I understand the annoyance because I was on the receiving end of it in Detroit.

Snyder era Washington fans have become the Detroit fans of the 'seventies.

That memory flooded back to me as I watched the Redskins lose to the Lions.

Outsiders have as much fun knocking Skins fans down a peg as they do bashing Daniel Snyder.

The Redskins are playing to its talent level. With a break, they might reach 9-7, or 10-4 if someone in New York or Philadelphia gets hurt.

Here's MLB London Fletcher:

"We're not a great football team — never have been since I've been here — and it hasn't been in a long time, since, what, the '80s? It's been a long time since the Redskins have had a great football team. We have to come in here with a workmanlike attitude, with the mindset that we must work to win."
~~ From USA Today.

Some of this is the team beating itself up. Some of it is a realistic assessment of where they are.

I thought Washington could finish 9-7, but with this loss it's looking like 8-8, again.

The team needs a pick-up that can only come from the owner. Daniel Snyder has to stand up and say "I believe in you guys. Go out and win 10 games."

I doubt he will do that.
_________________________

Master4Caster is not posting at this site regularly. His alter-ego now publishes at Hog Heaven. Follow the link to there, or check the Hog Heaven widget on this page.

Redskins Explode for Two-Point Win Over Rams

2009-09-21T12:47:00.003-04:00

Well, not really. But words can change attitudes, so lets call Washington's 9-7 escape over St. Louis a really good thing.

The best game summary by a blogger comes courtesy of DC Pro Sports Report who penned No Problem With Booing In Week 2.

Spense compliments Albert Haynesworth, pans the cornerbacks and receivers, and notes that Redskin legend and employee Sonny Jurgensen got testy with Jim Zorn's playcalling.

Careful Sonny. Take note that John Riggins is now a former radio personality on Redskins Radio.

Truthseeker at Riggo's Rag expresses fan frustration that led a lot of the Skins-friendly crowd at FedEx to boo the team.

Rich Tandler, as usual, bring level headed analysis to the game. Hit title, Monday Morning Apologist reveals his real feeling.

I went for mild sarcasm, much like the title of this post, on my pieces on Bleacher Report and syndicated to Hog Heaven.

Washington's offensive performance improved in week two in every way but scoring. Positive movement is a good thing. It shows the team, including Jim Zorn, is starting to get this offense with this group of players.

The offense is close to jelling and they are in the soft spot of their schedule to get things together.

Under-performing teams of 2008 aren't what make the schedule soft. Three of the next four opponents have rookie coaches. Zorn has a year up on them and it should show.

The Redskins should be 4-2 when they meet the Eagles October 26.

Even in their loss to the Saints yesterday, the Eagles scored more points (22) than the Redskins (9). The Eagles did that with their back-up quarterback, Kevin Kolb. The Eagles have Donovan McNabb, Jeff Garcia and Michael Vick on the bench...waiting.

But, first things first. The Detroit Lions are next up on the schedule. The Redskins have had the Lions number since forever. I need them to win big in Motown so I can sell my Tampa Bay tickets at face value.

Go Skins.

Something to Cheer For: Redskins 17, Steelers 13

2009-08-23T11:39:00.007-04:00

The Washington Redskins 17-13 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers was the perfect antidote to last weeks shutout against the Baltimore Ravens.

The Redskins opening drive was especially encouraging.

Rock Cartwright returned the opening kick-off 24 yards.

Jason Campbell's first pass was a deep strike to Malcolm Kelly, broken up by Troy Polamalu.

Campbell's next two passes were incomplete, but the Redskins gained first down on a trick play when the ball was snapped to Rock Cartwright instead of to the punter. Cartwright ran 15 yards to the Steelers 45 yard line.

Clinton Portis ran two plays for five yards. Jason Campbell's completed pass to Antwaan Randle El was nullified by a penalty on LT Chris Samuels.

On third and ten, Campbell completed a 10 yard pass to Chris Cooley for the first down.

Washington ran on the next seven plays but were stopped at Pittsburgh two yard line. They took the field goal.

I liked the coach's play calling. Deep passes, fake punts show a new level of comfort and confidence by Jim Zorn. Zorn's development as a head coach is as vital to the season as that of any player.

Jason Campbell did not silence his critics with his one for seven showing for 10 yards.

Campbell said after the game that he was not going for numbers. He and Zorn were calling high risk plays.

Those early deep passes probably made it easier for the Skins to run during the drive. Zorn did not call for Campbell to throw when near the end zone. That might not be the case in a real game.

Zorn designated Ladell Betts as the third down back. I hope it works. I am skeptical, however. After Clinton Portis' eight yard run to the three yard line, Betts could not score on the following two attempts.

One of those plays might have been a Campbell pass attempt if the game really counted.

While I would liked to have seen a three-for-seven performance out of Campbell and a touchdown run by Betts, a win is something to cheer for.

If I had a vote, I'd pick Marko Mitchell over D.J. Hackett for the fifth receiver spot.

Reactions:

Greg Trippiedi, Hog Heaven: Hog Hits: Redskins 17, Steelers 14

Benjamin F. Folsom, III, The Curly R: Jailbreak on Every Down

Jason Reid, Redskins Insider: Zorn Evaluates Campbell's Performance

David Elfin, Redskins 360: A Star is Born

Matt Mosley, ESPN.com: Thoughts on Skins Win Over Pittsburgh

Rich Tandler, Real Redskins: No reason to get wee-weed up

The NFL Network will re-air the Redskins-Steelers preseason game Monday, August 24, 4:00 p.m. Eastern. Check local listings.

What To Do With the Washington Redskins Tickets

2009-08-21T16:24:00.008-04:00

Times are tough. I have to let the Washington Redskins season tickets go.

Long time season ticket holders are anguished when it comes to this moment. My tickets have been a constant for me and my family from the Great Society through the Reagan Revolution up to the Age of Obama.

How do ticket brokers work?

StubHub, official ticket broker of the Washington Redskins, offers the tickets at the seller's price, which is typically high. The seller has to recover StubHub's 15 percent commission or eat that cost. As game day approaches, prices tend to fall.

StubHub's Web Site offers a search capability by seating section for the Redskins stadium, FedEx Field, with the number of tickets available in that section. That's a cool decision making feature you want to see on any online ticket broker site.

Surprisingly, StubHub prefers not to broker parking passes.

The agent cited company policy, but I gathered there were too many cases of the seller not shipping the parking pass with the tickets. I understand the need for the policy, but it's inconvenient for buyer and seller.

A local ticket broker offers face value for seven of the eight regular season games. I can select from the weaker opponents on the Washington Redskins schedule. The broker suggested the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs for the odd game out.

It's a quandry. Sell the tickets up-front at full face value for most of the games, or take a chance with StubHub and risk not closing a deal until September and the start of the regular season?

I suspect ticket prices are highest before the season begins, before anyone knows how the Redskins will perform.

A bad season by the Redskins risks a loss on brokering the tickets for late season games. A great season by the Redskins could lead to a premium over face value for last season games.

The Redskins have hovered around .500 since Joe Gibbs' return and departure. It's hard to read how to price the tickets.

Ticket demand by fans of the opponent drives prices, too. Sellers asked for premium prices ($125.00 each) for tickets for last season's Redskins vs Eagles game at FedEx Field, Sunday December 21, 2008, on the Thursday before the game.

That's the downside of FedEx Field. Jack Kent Cooke built a stadium large enough to accommodate all comers. There are always enough tickets to accommodate them, be they Eagles, Cowboys or Giants fans. And there are always tickets available on a per game basis for the Redskin fan not on the season ticket list.

Lower bowl seating is the clear preference, but you will pay for the privilege. My end zone seats provided unobstructed views of the field such that I did not need field glasses to see the action.

I only used the binoculars to focus on the Washington Redskins cheerleaders, the First Ladies of Football.

The upper deck works for those who want to attend the game. It's not a good experience. My upper deck seats lacked intimacy with the team. One might well watch the game from a skyscraper. It was hard to hear the Redskin Band play Hail To The Redskins fight song.

The Joe Gibbs Plaza Level, Section 300 Series, separates the upper from the lower deck. Plaza level patrons enjoy the sight lines and game experience comparable to the upper deck of old RFK Stadium.

Corporate and premium seats in the Plaza Level that drives the economic value of every franchise. FedEx Field was one of the first NFL stadiums to offer up-to-date corporate suites with indoor lounges, cigar bar and slightly upgraded food court. It's an irritant upper deck customers have to put up with.

Technology threatens to undercut live season tickets. Washington Redskins tickets for the lower bowl are $99.00 per seat per game. Stadium parking is $35.00 per game. Two or three seats plus the parking pass for the season, including tickets for the largely unwanted, hard to unload preseason game, costs about the same as a 40 inch big screen TV and new furniture for a home theater room.

That presents interesting options. Build your own football suite at home and cherry pick the games you want to see live at FedEx Field, or write check to Mr. Snyder for season tickets that are losing their luster?

Even without the bad economy, new technology and brokered ticket options make season tickets a tough sell for the team and ticket holder.

SEP 2 2009 UPDATE: See the Washington Post story Redskins Fans Waited While Brokers Got Tickets, an expose of Washington Redskins season ticket sales practices that led the team to vendor some of its tickets to brokers instead of fans on the waiting list. ASC Tickets, the broker alluded to in my story, and StubHub are mentioned.

Plaxico

2009-08-20T22:44:00.008-04:00

I am a Spartan, though I attended Michigan State long before Plaxico Burress played football there.

So I feel sorry for Plaxico; sorry to hear that he has been sentenced to two years in prison for possession of a weapon in New York.

Burress was the only one harmed when his gun accidentally discharged to wound him in the thigh. He was not the only one at risk.

The thing fans like least is the player who feels the rules don't apply to him. Their stories become morality plays.

It's legal to carry a concealed weapon in 41 States. New York is not one of them.

Still, to be both the victim and the perpetrator of the same crime and to be targeted by the local mayor to make a point....

Burress couldn't handle success. He got more out of control after his greatest success. He brought this upon himself.

Don't we all?

See Interview With Plaxico Burress' Lawyer

Football and Fantasy

2009-08-20T15:22:00.008-04:00

August! Ah, yes.

Football season, pro, college, high school, and fantasy is close at hand.

ESPN980's promo picture for the fantasy football convention caught my, uh, attention. Staring at fantasy players is about all I do these days.

I'm a retired fantasy baller, preferring instead to suffer for my art as a writer.

There were two sites I followed religiously as an active fantasy GM/owner (1990-2004) in Grom's Fantasy League formed by co-workers in the Minneapolis branch of the world's largest computer technology company.

Joe Bryant's www.footballguys.com taught me 80 percent of everything I know about fantasy football, especially the concept of players tiered by position. His cheat sheets ranked the skill players within tiers.

Tiered ranking helped to avoid the second biggest error when drafting a fantasy team: over-reaching for stars. Do that and you'll build an unbalanced roster.

For example, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Drew Brees might be listed in the top tier of 2009 fantasy quarterbacks. (I haven't seen Bryant's list for this season, so this is hypothetical.) These three could be expected to deliver near the same fantasy points over the season, so they have equal value on fantasy draft day.

Here's the kicker. Pass up the chance to draft a higher tiered player at another position in a reach for your favorite quarterback will come back to haunt you.

Wide receivers get six points for catching a touchdown pass. Quarterbacks get three points for throwing one. Quarterbacks score more often. Receivers will get you more points per score.

But there's only one quarterback on a starting line-up while there are two or three wide receivers. Your objective is to build a balanced team that consistently scores from every position. Think of players by position and ranked by tiers on draft day on draft day and you will likely arrive at the right assortment of players for balanced scoring without getting carried away by any one star.

Balanced fantasy teams and tiered players inform my own thinking about real football teams. Imbalanceed teams are flawed teams. It's a pointer to which NFL clubs will not be post-season contenders.

We need not mention names of any local teams here. I've pointed fingers at them enough. Instead, look at the 2008 Denver Broncos: strong passing game, injured running backs, poor defense. They finished out of the playoffs in spite of a great start.

Joe Bryant is the founder of Bryant Boats. I've never met the man, but I've enjoyed his emails since 1992.

The guys at Fantasy Football Champs also have very good fantasy draft kits with spreadsheets that you can customize to your league's scoring system. They shine during the season, though.

Their projections on which players to start each week helped me get the most from my roster with success as measured by playoff appearances. No, I did not make the Fantasy Bowl every year, but I was a contender.

I wrote a sports column under the pen name Master4caster for my league in which I predicted the winner of upcoming games using a math formula derived from FFC's weekly projections. I correctly pick the winner of fantasy contests 67 percent of the time.

That happy experience led to the start of this blog in 2005 and later to work on Hog Heaven and Bleacher Report where I now deliver football content.

Site Meter says I still get hits on this site. Thank you for that. Check out my archive for old stories about the Washington Redskins football team. Hop over to http://redskinshogheaven.com for my latest on the team.

Follow me on Twitter @SkinsHogHeaven.

Become a fan of Hog Heaven on Facebook. Click here.

Not compensated by www.Footballguys.com or by www.fantasyfootballchamps.com for this review.

Michael Vick Still Draws Traffic

2009-06-04T14:09:00.002-04:00

A quick check of my traffic count shows that Michael Vick is still a draw.

Fifteen of the last 20 referrals to this site were clicks to the story Why Michael Vick is Worried posted August 14, 2007.

So now Running Redskins is a Michael Vick referral site?

I'll make it easy for you. Here's the link to to Micheal Vick archive on Running Redskins. All of it written in 2007.

The Football World is All A-Twitter

2009-06-02T23:39:00.002-04:00

These new technologies start out on the fringe as solutions looking for problems. Then they sneak up on you.

Twitter crossed that bar from the province of teen-agers and the empty headed, not necessarily the same people, who post vain and vapid microblogs of their action at a given moment.

Then Michael Lombardi put me straight. The former Oakland Raider front-office executive who now writes for The National Football Post tweets.

Tweeting is the act of posting 140 character entry on Twitter.

When Twitter was new and experimental, folks, like me, posted under a screen name...that whole "names were changed to protect the innocent" thing. But Lombardi tweets under his own name and as a front for The National Football Post.

That's different.

Eyes opened, I began to see that others are on Twitter and posting as their real identities.

Players agent Drew Rosenhaus tweets, as do his Redskin clients Devin Thomas and Rocky McIntosh and others.

Sports Illustrated Peter King tweets.

Local newspapers covering the Washington Redskins, New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys tweet.

NFL players Larry Fitzgerald, Champ Bailey, TJ Houshmandzadeh, Terrell Owens (25,499 followers), Chris Cooley, Mark Sanchez, Eli Manning (sorta) tweet.

Even the NFL tweets.

The media tweets to shill story that links back to the web site where value is created -- and revenue captured.

The players are mostly in the "what are you doing now" mode. Champ Bailey, 11:33 am, May 28: "itsucks when potato chip bags are half full!"

The fact that Twitter has attracted real people who tweet under their real names says there's a sea change for the platform.

Once, you didn't take Twitter seriously. Now, if you don't tweet, you aren't taken seriously.

Jon Jansen's Loss Could Be Fred Davis' Gain

2009-06-02T21:40:00.001-04:00

The Washington Redskins said good-bye to veteran tackle Jon Jansen today. Though not surprising, the news still hits with a shock.

Stephon Heyer looks to be the man with Jansen gone. But just last January it was a given that Heyer was not starter material. While we count on Heyer's development as a right tackle, Jim Zorn and Joe Bugel may have something else in mind to boost the line, Fred Davis and the two tight end set.

...more on Bleacher Report

Jason Campbell and the Beastly Quarterbacks

2009-06-02T21:35:00.001-04:00

The only certainty about the Washington Redskins' upcoming season is that Daniel Snyder is disenchanted with his quarterback, Jason Campbell.

Campbell finished the 2008 season ranked 19th in passing yards, sandwiched between Carolina’s Jake Delhomme and Jacksonville’s David Garrard.

That was enough to drive Redskin owner Daniel Snyder mad…for Jay Cutler and Mark Sanchez, both of whom would have single-handedly overcome late season breakdowns on the offensive line and the slow development of rookie wide receivers. Apparently.

Washington’s maneuvers raise a question. How does Jason Campbell compare to other NFC East quarterbacks at the same point in their development?

...more on Bleacher Report

Shaun Alexander or Marcus Mason

2009-06-02T21:32:00.002-04:00

Free-agent RB Shaun Alexander (Redskins) said during a radio interview with KNBR in San Francisco that he would like to return to play for the Washington Redskins this season

...more on Redskins Hog Heaven

I don't know what to call this, wishful thinking or abject denial.

Get Off Daniel Snyder's Back

2009-06-02T21:29:00.001-04:00

When you see one of those rankings of NFL organizations, you learn to look from the bottom up for Washington's ranking.

These things always turn into a bash-Daniel Snyder thing.

I understand that Snyder got that reputation the hard way; he earned it. I get that. But it's tiresome to see high name recognition player and big contracts always tied back to Snyder and the Washington Redskins, followed by how it all goes wrong, often before Snyder makes the decision.

...more on Redkins Hog Heaven

The Redskins Have a Ticketing Deal Just for Me

2009-06-02T20:58:00.003-04:00

A suspicion is abroad that Washington Redskin season ticket sales face challenges in this most challenging of economic seasons.

More evidence arrived in my email box this morning. Here's the note under the heading Extra Lower Level Season Tickets:

Due to a Redskins Sponsor seat relocation, a unique opportunity exists to purchase in your section, additional Lower Level seats. In addition, inside-the-beltway parking is available with the extra tickets. There are a limited number of seats remaining and will be sold on a first come, first serve basis. Payment plans are available.

Please call the Redskins Ticket Office at 301-276-6050.

Hmmm. Maybe this means nothing. It makes sense that current season ticket holders would be offered adjacent seats.

Would that offer come before or after the offer to someone on the waiting list?

Put that together with another Redskin ticket offer received May 27 and you wonder.

You are eligible for an upgrade of your lower level end zone seats to the corner of the end zone through the 10 yard line. This upgrade is at no additional cost to you.

I've never received offers like this before, much less two of them within two weeks.

I'm guessing there's an erosion in the season ticket fan base. Whether from the economy or dissatisfaction with the way the team is managed is the $64 question.

No Kentucky Derby Post Time for Me

2009-05-06T14:38:00.004-04:00

Well, that was a dud.

No, not the 135th running of th Kentucky Derby won by 50-1 long-shot Mine That Bird. The horse ran the race you'd expect to see in the movies; National Velvet without Liz Taylor.

No, I'm referring to my post If the NFL Ran the Kentucky Derby that ran on Bleacher Report and on Hog Heaven.

It seemed like a neat tie-in for the week between the NFL Draft and the Derby. But the story only gathered nine views on Bleacher Report between Wednesday and Derby day (Saturday) and a mere 17 on Hog Heaven.

Lesson learned. You can't push water uphill. You can't talk a niche topic on a football site and expect an audience.

I spend a lot of time thinking about boring organizational issues in managing a NFL team. It strikes me that pro football is exponentially better at building an audience than the horse racing industry.

The NFL promotes its stars -- the players on the field. Horse racing appears to promote handicapping. (Capital "T" that rhymes with "B" that stands for betting.)

Horses are the dynamic personalities in the sport. Racing sees horses as the basis for gambling.

Dependence on gambling is killing the sport, in contrast to the NFL which keeps a strict, arms-length relationship to gambling. You don't see parimutuel windows at NFL stadiums.

The disengagement forces the NFL to build other streams of revenue: TV contracts, endorsements, expensive ticket sales, logoed-items. The NFL has revenue the Jockey Club must drool over.

Gambling invites restriction by States and disapproval by tsk-tsk moralists.

The Maryland Jockey Club laments the decline of the sport in Maryland. What do they ask for? Slot machines to match Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

What do they get? A long, drawn out fight that results in slots package that gives the horsemen a smaller cut than they say they need to survive and bidders disinterested in horse track locations.

Instead of slots, the horsemen might have asked for tax breaks, or subsidized prize money, or livestock incentives. Maryland would likely have turned those ideas down too, because of the gambling.

I'll wager that Maryland wouldn't have turned them down if the case were made to save a horse personality, like Spectacular Bid.

Maryland has a rich thoroughbred tradition. From the Maryland Horse Breeder's Association web site:

Marylanders have been breeding and racing Thoroughbred horses for more than 250 years. From the famed 18th century race mare and producer Selima (by the Thoroughbred foundation sire the Godolphin Barb) to such 20th century champions as Gallant Fox, Omaha, Native Dancer, Nashua, Kelso, Ruffian, Spectacular Bid and Broad Brush, Maryland-owned Thoroughbreds have been providing both excitement and profits for Free Staters.

The battle for support was led by Magna Entertainment, a track operator now in bankruptcy.

The NFL would have based the fight with saving Joe Flacco. The Jockey Club would have done better by hiring the NFL to lead its fight.

Hmm. Another great post that nobody will read. Thought I learned that lesson! :-P

Redskins Schedule Set

2009-04-15T11:59:00.005-04:00

This year's bill has a high soap opera factor. Here's some of the drama.

Redskins @ New York Giants, Sun., Sept. 13, 4:15 p.m. ET, FOX
Oooohhh nooooo, Mr. Bill. Not another home opener against the Jersey Gints. Those guys put the "beat" in Beast.

St. Louis Rams @ Redskins, Sun., Sept. 20, 1:00 p.m. ET, FOX
OG Pete Kendall showed the best hands on the Redskins in the Ram's last visit (week 6, 2008). He grabbed a tipped ball just as it was about to hit the ground near the end of the first half. Then he lost the ball as he was tackled, turning a likely incomplete pass to a definite fumble recovery by St. Louis' Oshiomogho Atogwe who ran it 75 yards for a touchdown, giving the Rams the lead and the win nobody expected. Washington has no one to blame for that loss but themselves. This year, the Skins won't take these guys lightly.

Redskins @ Detroit Lions, Sun., Sept. 27, 1:00 p.m. ET, FOX
Can anyone tell me who will be on the Lions this year? Anyone? Lions GM, and former Redskin DB, Martin Mayhew are the only familiar names.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Redskins, Sun., Oct. 4, 1:00 p.m. ET, FOX
The Bucs are a mystery with a brand new coach, new quarterback and no Derrick Brooks. Don't you just hate playing one of these teams before you get a lot of tape on them? The vaunted Redskin pass rush should have a field day against presumed starter Byron Leftwich who is noted for his strong arm and slow feet. The vaunted Redskin pass rush better have a field day.

Redskins @ Carolina Panthers, Sun., Oct. 11, 1:00 p.m. ET, FOX
The Redskins showed a striking inability in an exhibition game last season to stop the Panthers on the ground. Albert Haynesworth is supposed to fix all that.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Redskins, Sun., Oct. 18, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS
Can Matt Cassel without Josh McDaniels elevate a lesser team? "Oh Toto, I don't think we're in Boston anymore."

Philadelphia Eagles @ Redskins, Mon., Oct. 26, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Shouldn't we be playing Dallas in a night game? Oh wait; That comes later this season.

BYE, Sun., Nov 1
Mid-season Byes are the best, especially after Monday night action.

Redskins @ Atlanta Falcons, Sun., Nov. 8, 1:00 p.m. ET, FOX
Atlanta will not sneak up on teams this season. The Dirty Birds swapped a player and two second day draft picks for...two second day draft picks. What is Tom Dimitroff up to?

Denver Broncos @ Redskins, Sun., Nov 15, 1:00 p.m. ET, CBS
Jason Campbell to Josh McDaniels: "I'll show you."

Redskins @ Dallas Cowboys, Sun., Nov 22, 1:00 p.m. ET, FOX
Four of the next seven games, starting with this one, are against the Beast. That will be the tale of the season. T.O. is gone, so all the Cowboys problems are solved, right?

Redskins @ Philadelphia Eagles, Sun., Nov. 29, 1:00 pm. ET, FOX
Back to back road wins over the 'Boys and Iggles last season gave the Skins a false sense of security. Hope they learned their lesson. First things first. They have to get past them Iggles. This is why DeAngelo Hall got the big bucks.

New Orleans Saints @ Redskins, Sun., Dec. 6, 1:00 p.m. ET, FOX
Ever hear of the Snyder Jinx? Former Redskins coaches dumped by Daniel Snyder have a habit of beating the Skins on their return meeting. This time it's Gregg Williams, defensive coordinator of the Saints. Pierson Prioleau is over there, too.

Redskins @ Oakland Raiders, Sun., Dec 13, 4:05 p.m. ET, FOX
I have no earthly idea what to expect from the Raiders.

New York Giants @ RedskinsMon., Dec 21, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
The first of two late season consecutive night games. The schedule-makers must think the Skins will still be in this thing.

Dallas Cowboys @ Redskins, Sun., Dec 27, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC
If everything works out, the games with the Giants and Cowboys will determine the division title. Go Skins!

Redskins @ San Diego Chargers, Sun., Jan 3, 4:15 p.m. ET, FOX
Ever hear of the Snyder Jinx? Norv Turner cried when he beat the Redskins in 2005. Now he's with a better team. On the other hand, he's still Norv Turner and in his third year of working his magic on the Chargers.

NFL games are subject to flex scheduling after November 22.

US Navy To The Rescue

2009-04-13T11:41:00.009-04:00

When you are a history buff like me, you see parallels to the past to the past in current events. Everything that's happened has happened before.

So I marvel at, but am not surprised by, the rescue of American merchant captain Richard Phillips from Somali pirates by the United States Navy.

Fighting pirates was one of the original tasks of the U.S. Navy when it was established in 1798.

What struck the buff in me is that the USS Bainbridge (DDG-96) was the nexus of the Navy's effort to confront the pirates. The Bainbridge is the fifth naval vessel named for Commodore William Bainbridge, USN, whose legacy as one of the fathers of the U.S. Navy rests on his confrontation with pirates and other accomplishments.

Bainbridge's 1800-'01 experience against the Barbary Coast pirates included the payment of bribes, under orders, to the Dey of Algiers. His stay would lead to serving as de facto ambassador to the Ottoman Empire at Constantinople, now Istanbul.

Bainbridge's success with the Sultan led to his return to Algiers with orders from the Sultan for the release of 400 prisoners captured by the pirates.

In 1803, while commanding the 44 gun frigate Philadelphia, Bainbridge ran the vessel aground and was captured by the Tripoli pirates. The Navy, in an action led by Lieut. Stephen Decatur and a contingent of US Marines, was obliged to burn the vessel rather than see it fall in the hands of Tripoli.

Bainbridge and his men were held captive for 19 months. He was acquitted by a Court of Inquiry for the action that led to the loss of the Philadelphia. As with most captains who run their ships aground, Bainbridge was assigned to shore duty at the New York navy yard.

Professor of history Thomas Jewett would call Bainbridge America's Unlucky Sea Captain.

History wasn't done with Bainbridge. With the declaration of war against Britain in 1812, Bainbridge was given command of a naval flotilla consisting of the frigates USS Constitution, under his personal command, USS Essex, under Capt. David Porter and the sloop Hornet, under Capt. James Lawrence.

Bainbridge would face and defeat the 49 gun British frigate Java in December 1812. His squadron achieved such extraordinary accomplishment so that Constitution, Essex, Hornet, and Bainbridge, remain valorous names in American naval lore. All but Constitution, have been the names of several U.S. naval vessels.

In 1815, Bainbridge commanded a powerful squadron in a show of force off Tripoli where the rulers again resorted to piratical acts against American merchantmen in the Mediterranean.

His namesake vessel seems to have come full circle with its role in the Somali adventure.

History teaches several lessons.

Payment of bribes to pirates is ultimately self-defeating. Modern day shipping companies and their insurers have resorted to paying ransom to Somali pirates for captured merchant ships and crew.

Even when the payments are are a mere percentage of cargo value, rewarding lawlessness only begets more lawlessness. It's simple human nature.

Somalia is a backward, largely ungoverned, land whose citizens have an unclear understanding of the value of the cargo contained on the ships they capture. But they are learning fast that shippers will pay much more than they've been asking to get cargo and crew back.

Both the number of incidents and the extortion demands are rising.

The feel good story of Capt. Phillip's rescue gives the immediate satisfaction of "don't mess with the U.S." It's as likely to drive the Somalians to shoot first next time, or worse, to tie themselves to bin Laden.

As was William Bainbridge's experience, military and naval power is insufficient without an equal diplomatic component.

There is no pan-Muslim Sultanate to negotiate with as Bainbridge did. That's fortunate. An anti-Western Caliphate is exactly what Osama bin Laden would like to re-establish. We don't want to negotiate with him.

The world won't solve the problem of Somali pirates until it solves the problem of Somalia. An Iraq style regime change is not the best course of action. The solution lays in a better way than piracy for the Somali to make a better living.

There are sure to be setbacks in this campaign. Occasional failure no predictor of an ultimate defeat.

William Bainbridge could tell you that.
_________________________

Photo Credits.

1. USS Bainbridge by MCPL Kevin Paul, The Maple Leaf, www.forces.gc.ca from here.

2. Com. William Bainbridge, USN, www.history.navy.mil

3. “Burning of the Frigate Philadelphia in the Harbor of Tripoli, February 16, 1804.” Oil on canvas by Edward Moran (1829-1901).

In sports blogging, the name is the game

2009-04-12T23:50:00.002-04:00

Tre Wells has an interesting premise in his Bleacher Report story How The NFL Is Destroying rivalries.

"Over the years the NFL has promoted its players over its teams. A marketing strategy of selling the stars of the game, over the cities of the teams, makes a lot of money in jersey sales, but diminishes the value of a rivalry. It no longer was the Green Bay Packers vs. the Chicago Bears. It was Brett Favre vs. Brian Urlacher."

True. True.

But is the NFL mistaken to do that?

I long ago noticed higher traffic for posts here and on Hog Heaven that headlined a player rather than the team.

"Redskins going to the dogs" would bring a few hits. "Clinton Portis comments about dogs" might boost traffic by a factor of two or three.

It's a stronger headline that mentions both player and team name. Try to mention the full team name--both city and mascot--at least once somewhere in the post to make it easier for search engine spiders to categorize the story.

It seems that fans love their team, but follow their players. That's too much for some owners to resist. They build the roster by bringing in a few big name stars as opposed to growing talent that fit the scheme of the team.

I'm not singling out any owners because the owner I'm thinking of is not the only one follow the practice.

We, however, are concerned about building blogs, not football teams. Building posts around a well known player will generally get more hits than a story about the team.

We live to write. We write to be read.

2009-04-09T14:43:00.005-04:00

OK, so my whole initiative to become an Internet marketing magnate is off to a slow start. Daniel Snyder I am not.

The payoffs for most bloggers are hits and linkbacks. Like writers of every media, bloggers write to be read.

Writing For The Web

After writing for blogs, starting with this one in 2004, I've learned a few things about writing for the web, all of it can be reduced to two sentences.

Use short sentences. Use little words.

They Aren't Reading You, Anyway

A writer named Jakob Neilsen reported way back in 1997 that web (blog) visitors don't read a web page. They scan it.

It may surprise you to know that the more literate the reader, the more likely they are to scan the page. Says Neilsen: "On the average Web page, users have time to read at most 28% of the words during an average visit; 20% is more likely."

That's indirect confirmation of something I observed at Hog Heaven and here on Running Redskins. Most Web visitors make a stay-or-go decision within 10 seconds of hitting the page.

Hungry For More?

See Jakob Neilsen's excellent post Be Succinct (Writing For The Web) on http://www.useit.com/, March 15, 1997.
See Writer's Tips on bleacherreport.com.

This was an exercise in web writing where every paragraph contained two sentences. If you liked it, link back to it.

Please. I write to be scanned.

How would you feel if you were Jason Campbell?

2009-04-07T14:26:00.003-04:00

Frank over at dc.metblogs.com tries some analogies for how Jason Campbell must feel after being told that he was "the guy" at quarterback for the Washington Redskins.

Is he a guy who got fired only to have the company call him back and say whoops-we wanted to fire you, but we can’t?

Is he the guy who’s girlfriend tried to date a better guy only to come back and say “actually, you’re as good as I can do.” ?

I can't relate because none of these things ever happened to me!

Any sentient being or starting quarterback with a pulse must fight feelings of rejection after going through what Campbell did last week.

Our Jason was marginalized by three teams, the Redskins, the Denver Broncos and the Chicago Bears. Peter King wrote on SI.com that Daniel Snyder was not close to making this deal once Denver's new coach preferred Chicago's Kyle Orton for his system instead of Jason Campbell.

Kyle Orton? The Broncos turned down the Snyderskins offer because of a preference for Kyle Orton?

So how does it feel to be rejected in favor of Kyle Orton?

And more important, how does it make Daniel Snyder feel knowing that his second big deal of the off-season was torpedoed because Denver more or less confirmed his own low regard for his quarterback?

Don't think for a minute that The Danny is chastened by this episode.

Snyder's not thinking that he should have followed the plan and allowed Campbell to have his second season with Jim Zorn because that's the fastest way of getting a productive, winning quarterback.

No, he's thinking what could he have done to pull off the deal?

Like, oh maybe, offering Campbell to Chicago for Orton instead of a second round draft choice. Then he would have had the quarterback commodity Denver really wanted before the Bears had a clue of where they really stood with Denver.

Surely, Chicago wasn't the only team to turn down Snyder's offer to trade Campbell for a second round pick.

So, Campbell may be P-O'd, as he should be, and motivated, as he must be. But he's also forewarned that the real progress he showed last season was not enough. He hasn't closed the sale with his next employer, whoever that may be.

He must double his 2008 performance of 13 touchdowns and six interceptions. If Jay Cutler (and Eli Manning and Tony Romo) proved anything, it's that 18 INTs is acceptable when you throw 25 TD passes and have 7+ yards per attempt.

Clinton Portis will be 30 this season, the age after which running backs begin to decline. The offensive line will face a major rebuild after 2009. There's no "next year" for these guys.

The Redskins must make a deep playoff run right now. Campbell must be the playmaker who wins by force of will. Thirteen touchdowns in 16 games won't cut it, no matter the quality of your receivers and blockers.

Either Campbell makes himself a franchised player for 2010, or he's looking at Patrick Ramsey's post-Redskins career path.

I believe Jason Campbell has it in him to do it.

But he has to do it.

Just do it.

Jay Cutler To The Redskins; Nevermind

2009-04-02T18:25:00.003-04:00

"The Chicago Bears pulled the big upset Thursday afternoon by acquiring Denver Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler." ~~ John Clayton, espn.com.

So the Broncos and Da Bears made April Fools of Snyder and Cerrato.

Of Jay Cutler and Jason Campbell

2009-04-02T08:52:00.004-04:00

If you only read one analysis of the Jay Cutler to the Redskins storyline, go take a look at Jay Brinson's story Jay Cutler Is in Redskins' Wheelhouse on nfl.fanhouse.com.

Brinson doesn't stop with a head-to-head comparison of Jay Cutler's and Jason Campbell's stats. He turn's to Football Outsiders' stat analysis to show that Cutler is two and a-half times more effective than Campbell per play and yields more yardage.

This is hard for me to write since I am a Campbell fan who still believes in the kid. I also believe in Football Outsiders. Their numbers are hard to ignore.

Also hard to ignore is Cutler's three years in the same system under the same coach that allowed Cutler to run high up the learning curve.

Whether Cutler would have been as successful in Washington's turmoil of the past three years doesn't give pause to anyone at Redskin Park.

Brinson is one of the first to wonder out loud, if Jay Cutler comes to Washington, can Mike Shanahan be far behind?

Meanwhile, over on Hog Heaven, I ask why Denver coach Josh McDaniels hasn't been fired by now?

Jason Campbell should be glad to go to Denver if he gets the chance.

Change Has Come to GM

2009-03-31T21:16:00.002-04:00

"In a startling departure, the Obama administration has decided that the price of failure in America should be failure."

~~ Roger Simon, politico.com

Regardless of the writings of Adam Smith, the markets are emotional, not rational.

President Obama decided Friday that General Motors' restructuring plan did not restructure enough to make the company viable. Nor would it be with GM Chairman & CEO Rick Wagoner behind the wheel.

Obama demanded that Wagoner step down as the price for consideration of any more government bailout. Wagoner did so, to his credit, on Sunday.

Wagoner continued a pattern of thinking that left America's automobile champion in a near death condition. Wagoner had to go.

The initial outcry about government intrusion in a matter best handled by the private sector was heart rending, as much as it can be for oppressed CEOs of failing businesses.

But, what's a president to do when the private sector, in the form of GM's board of directors, doesn't, you know, handle the matter?

What Obama did.

That was something of a shock to investors, on Monday.

"The big developments of Washington's edicts to General Motors and Chrysler hit Wall Street very hard on Monday, as investors like the idea of bailouts with no strings attached far better than they like the idea of bailouts with strings attached."

~~ Paul Hoosen, WizBangBlue.com

Lets sum this up. The guy who led GM to lose 90 percent of its market value and $80 Billion in losses since 2005, not to mention the loss of worldwide market leadership to Toyota, is finally forced from his job and the stock market tanks for a day.

See? Emotional.

Master4Caster Is Back

2009-03-31T14:41:00.005-04:00

The author of this blog (me) delivers content to Hog Heaven on the Most Valuable Network of sports blogs as the primary outlet.

Yet Running Redskins continues to get hits, about 40 per day, from interested readers. Thank you. That humbles me. It also inspires me.

So, Running Redskins will be revived with thoughts and comments about our favorite team, the Washington Redskins, football, sports, blogging and thoughts worth exploring.

Often, you'll find summaries of Hog Heaven posts here and scratch pads of ideas for future posts here or other sites.

First off the bat (baseball reference, sorry) will be whether Joe Gibbs' influence on the Redskins. I think it's waning.

Life after Gibbs

2008-02-23T14:49:00.003-05:00

The answers are in. Joe Gibbs left no lasting legacy from his second tour of duty with the Washington Redskins.

It took a nanosecond to see that owner Daniel Snyder intended big changes for the team, especially on offense. It took a mere month for Snyder to decapitate Gibbs coaching staff.

In Jim Zorn, Snyder found the perfect compliment to Snyder's micro-management style. Zorn is a hero in Seattle, much as Sonny Jurgensen is seen as a demi-god around Washington. He's been on the Seahawks coaching staff for seven years. Yet when the Seahawks looked for their next coach, it wasn't Zorn, but Jim Mora, Jr. When Mora looked for his designated offensive coordinator, that wasn't Zorn, either. How is it that Seattle's hero isn't good enough for the Seahawks, but is perfect for the Redskins? This is a formula for success?

Snyder was entirely appropriate to consider all his options for a head coach change. But, Gibbs' team might have won 10 or 12 games this season with Gregg Williams and Al Saunders in place. For Snyder to go in another direction, there should be some indication of greater success in 2009 and beyond. I'm assuming 2008 to be a transition year with anyone other than Williams as head coach.

There's no such indication with Zorn. I'm not saying he will fail anymore than I'm guaranteeing his success. You can't tell. There's no history, no track record, to latch on to. He is the high risk choice without indication of commensurate returns. Even if it works out, such choices are not wise business decisions.

I've resigned myself to a fourth place finish in the division and mid-to-bottom-half of the conference for 2008.

Joe Goes

2008-01-08T12:54:00.000-05:00

I live in mortal fear of what Daniel Snyder will do now that Joe Gibbs has decided to hang it up.

Snyder has a penchant for picking coaches and players by name recognition. It's almost always the wrong move when Snyder does this without adult supervision.

So, who do the smart guys on ESPN and NFLN say Mr. Snyder will call next? Bill Cower and Jason Garrett [Ohmygawdno, not another genius Cowboy offensive coordinator].

The meek, mild-mannered guy who occupies this space has the Gibbs resignation story up on Hog Heaven. Also check out my favorite Redskins bloggers who are certain to put up most excellent pieces today. Look here, here and here.

I thought maybe, possibly coach Joe would give up coaching duties to work the front office. It seemed the easiest, best transition strategy to me. That scenario offered the least disruption, especially important to Jason Campbell's development. He needs another year with Al Saunders.

If Snyder does what Snyder always does, he will rush to buy a high profile big name coach. Wrong first move. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

Snyder's next move should be to find an excellent general manager to be his partner in running the team. Then, pick a coach. A coaching career does not prepare one to be a general manager.

Joe Gibbs legacy postponed

2008-01-01T18:42:00.000-05:00

You know that series about Joe Gibbs legacy I was going to write? Well, it's postponed. Joe Gibbs done gone and upset my timetable by leading the Redskins to the playoffs.

That confounds both my schedule and my thesis. It's gone from something like "Joe Gibbs has only won one playoff game in four years," to "Joe Gibbs makes the playoffs in two of the last three seasons."

I can't write a legacy piece because Joe Gibbs is still creating it.

And that roster depth! Where once it was lost, now it's found; was blind, but now you can clearly see it.

The playoff run is achievement is because of players who've been here less than two seasons: Montgomery and Golston; "Scarface," Chris Wilson. Running back depth -- not just Ladell, but Rock Cartwright; and we haven't even used Marcus Mason yet.

Reed Doughty and above all, that Todd Collins guy.

Glad I didn't write about Gibbs legacy four weeks ago. I would have looked foolish now. I would have deleted it and pretended it never existed..

Happy New Year and Hail To The Redskins!

The controversy to come

2007-12-27T13:50:00.000-05:00

The Redskins may get a happy ending to a sad season if the they can get past the damned Cowboys and into the playoffs.

If the Skins do that, then make it as far as a second playoff game, starting quarterback Jason Campbell could be available. But, should he start?

Despite that old football cliche, a starter can lose their position if their replacement plays better. [See Jay Schroeder - Doug Williams, 1987] Collins has looked very good leading the Redskins to three critical wins. So, I'll say right now that while Campbell is Mr. Right, Collins is Mr. Right Now. As long as Collins produces, he should start for however far the Redskins get.

The case is made far more eloquently by Scott Van Pelt on Collins or Campbell? The Great Debate.

But, I'm getting ahead of myself. First the Skins have to beat the Cowboys.

What they are writing in Minnesnowta

2007-12-24T22:59:00.000-05:00

Here's the link to the StarTribune, the principal newspaper of Minneapolis, Minnesota with their sports columnists describing the butt-whuppin' the Vikings suffered at the hands of the Redskins.

The link points to the story of how Washington stopped the Vikings running game with an eight and nine man front.

Links to other stories laments the inability of the Vikings to defeat the Redskins strategy with their passing game.

Above all, don't miss Sid Hartman's column Madden: Jackson is still developing not so much for John Madden's comments about the Vikings QB Tavaris Jackson, but for the Minnesota links to the Redskins.

Anthony Montgomery played college ball for the University of Minnesota. Hartman traces his development from his Cleveland, Ohio high school, where was a quarterback, through college and his growth in the pros.

Hartman writes that one of the people who saw Montgomery in high school was Redskin scout Shemy Schembechler, yes the son of that Schembechler, who recommended Montgomery to Redskins defensive line coach Greg Blach before the 2006 draft.

Hartman also wrote about Vinnie Cerrato who hails from Albert Lea, Minnesota, and who began his football career as a grad assistant for University of Minnesota coach Lou Holtz in 1984. Cerrato followed Holtz to Notre Dame before taking his career to the pros.

I loved the part where Hartman described Cerrato as "one of the most respected football administrators in the NFL."

Redskin fan opinion may catch up with that sentiment depending on the progress made towards a championship this year and next.
____________________________________

Wishing all my readers, one and both of you, a very Merry Christmas and everything the spirit of Christmas brings.

I can thing of no better gift than to invite you to the blog roll to click on Hail To The Redskins link. You already know the words.

Sean Taylor to Pro Bowl

2007-12-18T18:47:00.000-05:00

Commissioner Roger Goodell said "The NFL is proud of Sean Taylor" when he spoke at Taylor's funeral last month.

This month, the NFL named the late Redskin safety as the Pro Bowl starter at safety.

Stories:

redskins.com
nfl.com
Hog Heaven

The Legend and Legacy of Joe Jackson Gibbs

2007-12-18T12:24:00.000-05:00

Joe Gibbs let it be known at his press conference yesterday that he was open to a contract extension that would keep him involved with the Redskins beyond his contract period. Gibbs five year contract ends after the 2008 season.

That answers one question, whether Gibbs would step down after this sad and ugly season. [I can't imagine that Daniel Snyder would fire him.]

It introduces another. What is Joe Gibbs' legacy in his second go-round?

When you are the coach, legacy is the same as wins and losses. But, Gibbs came out of retirement to be the turnaround agent. He said he wanted to restore the Redskins as a winning franchise.

That's a business goal. I'm a business guy who has been thinking about Gibbs legacy. Because of my background, I see Gibbs' larger role as a business management issue. That's how I, or rather that meek, mild-mannered reporter who occupies this space, will assess Gibbs over the off-season.

This post is to capture some ideas for the framework of the evaluation. Successful executives work towards building sustainable competitive advantage. Did the Joe Gibbs - Daniel Snyder make appropriate organizational decisions that will build an organizational advantage that will survive Gibbs departure?

Here are my first thoughts for how to assess Gibbs' legacy:

Impact on the owner -- Daniel Snyder is an earnest, eager, aggressive young owner committed to making the Redskins a winner. He knows how to make money. He knows how to promote a business. His football instincts are impaired. His approach to building winning teams is bass-ackwards. How has Joe Gibbs improved Snyder's approach?

Sourcing talent -- Early in his ownership, Snyder was aggressive sourcing "proven talent" to the roster, with "proven" being aging players on the downside of their careers cashing in on a lucrative last contract. You know how that worked.

If Snyder dimly and slowly perceived that a famous name was no substitute for a scouting report, what has Gibbs done to install a better system?

Valuing talent -- Football free agency tends to overvalue players who are changing teams. The Redskins tend to have minimal salary cap room, forcing them to an annual ritual of renegotiating player contracts. Every team does this, but the Skins have made it a high art form. They are cleverer at managing the cap than building a championship roster.

[I think the Skins have done well on talent valuation. The meek, mild-mannered guy will write something about that for Hog Heaven in the next day or so.]

Succession -- Gibbs is leaving someday. How much disruption will be triggered by his leaving? Succession planning is one of the key things organizational leaders must do well to ensure survival.

That's the approach. It's only a start. I'll refine the approach as the season winds down and write it up in a series between January and the Draft.

Full Disclosure: I am a Joe Gibbs fan. I see the team as better off for his being here. Before Gibbs returned, the Redskins were trying to foist Trung Canidate and Danny Weurffel on us. We are way beyond that. I am not a Gibbs apologist who thinks the team president is above criticism. My loyalty, however, is to the team, so I'm going for a balanced assessment.

Most of you know that I'm posting here on a weekly basis during the season. My content is posted over at Hog Heaven. So check over there for the freshest content. Look here for deeper thoughts, or crib notes of stories being developed for Hog Heaven.

Michael Vick pays the piper

2007-12-11T11:13:00.000-05:00

Michael Vick's day of reckoning came yesterday when U.S. District Judge sentenced him to 23 months imprisonment for participating and bankrolling an interstate dog fighting ring.

Rather, Vick was convicted for the dog fighting, but sentenced for lying about it before and after his guilty plea. Wilbon writes that he was suprised by the harshness of Vick's sentence, but should not have been, given Vick's lack of candor with the feds.

The whole self-made tragedy of the Ookie saga rests on that string of deception from the first news to the final FBI lie-detector test.

Worst lie of all was Vick's initial story that relatives living at his Moonlight Drive property were responsible. You're in this thing up to your neck and you throw your family under the bus?

If I were the patriarch of Vick's family, I would want to know why my one grandson publicly maligned my other grandson. I wouldn't be so quick to overlook it because the one was the goose laying golden eggs for the family. But, that's just me.

It's none of my business whether that accounting happened within the Vick-Boddy family. If it did not, however, it informs why Vicks' instincts led him to make the wrong decision at every turn in the saga; why he never outgrew his Ookie side.

Michael Vick never learned to hold himself accountable.

ESPN's John Clayton speculates that Vick could be back in the NFL as soon as the 2010 season. Maybe, if Virginia does not convict him on separate charges and extends his sentence beyond the fed's. [I still think those Virginia charges are piling on. It may be the law, but it's not justice.]

And maybe the 30 months of closely supervised probation will restrict Vick's movement after his release just enough to inhibit joining a team right away. Whenever he joins a team -- if that happens -- it will surely take a full season for Vick to get his "game legs."

It could be 2012 before you see Michael Vick on the field.
_________________________

I'm trying to fight the tendency of judging Vick too harshly, now; not to be one of those "evangelicals" who are quick to condemn human weakness in others while blind to their own.

There's a little Ookie in everyone. Whether you cheat on your taxes or cheat on your spouse, lie to your boss, or mistreat small animals, everybody is hiding something. Everybody wants a little understanding and a second chance if they get caught.

So now the Michael Vick story morphs to parable -- a tale with a moral lesson for all of us. And the moral is this,

If you can't do the time, don't do the crime.

Photo top: http://www.missxpose.com/?p=921

Photo bottom: VarvelBlog found here.

Sean Taylor: Requiem

2007-12-03T18:41:00.000-05:00

Watching the Redskins lose to the Buffalo Bills on an appropriately dreary day was draining.

So was Sean Taylor's funeral. The meek, mild-mannered guy who shares this space posted his piece on the funeral over at Hog Heaven. It portrayed a side of Taylor that never got press, but should have. Sean Taylor never knew how many people loved and admired him.

Rich Tandler put up the best post I've seen [so far] on yesterday's game Insignificant But Not Unimportant. He points out that Joe Gibbs' brain boo-boo was not the cause for the loss, just the last of a string of events that resulted.

Tandler lists them for the game, but gets to the heart of the issue by writing:

"And, truth be told, the game was lost at about 3:30 on Tuesday morning when Sean Taylor’s heart stopped beating. Football is a game of emotion and the Redskins had expended a ton of it during the course of the week. When they went up 16-5 it appeared that the Redskins simply ran out of emotional gas. There is only so much in the human tank in a given period of time. Usually, even in a losing locker room, there is some energy there, some adrenaline still flowing. Yesterday there was nothing left but tear-filled eyes and deep sighs."

I've tried to figure out why Sean Taylor's death would affect me so personally. Great player? Tragic circumstances? Yes. But, there are plenty of Redskins players who would not have generated this outpouring.

The loss of Taylor is the loss of hope. Sean Taylor and Jason Campbell are the two players you can -- could have in Taylor's case -- build a team around. I connected with them. Watched them grow as players and presumed their growth as people. I wanted to see how far they would carry the Redskins, and therefore, carry me.

Yet, it's more than the loss of a key player. After watching the Redskins of the 1990s, Taylor was personification of the Redskins we want -- hard-hitting, uncompromising, and yes, intimidating. The better part of the Redskins died a week ago tonight.
_________________________
I am Catholic. The Gospel reading for yesterday's Mass comes from Matthew 24:37-44

Jesus said to his disciples: “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
In those days before the flood, they were eating and drinking,marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark.
They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away.
So will it be also at the coming of the Son of Man.
Two men will be out in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left.
Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left.
Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.
Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into.
So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

That passage always had a special meaning for me. My Catholic, all-male high school required us to attend Mass every Friday. That passage from Matthew was burned in my brain one Friday afternoon.

My last class that day was sophomore geometry, with time passing in that dreadfully slow way that only occurs at school. At about 2:35 p.m., someone came to the classroom door and spoke quietly to the teacher, Fr. Austin. It was November 22, 1963, and a visibly shaken Fr. Austin informed us that President Kennedy had been shot.

Kennedy, Taylor, both victims of gun violence; both life & death lessons of that passage from Matthew. Ironic that particular reading it should roll around now.

Grief and anger over Sean Taylor

2007-11-27T09:00:00.000-05:00

Elizabeth Kubler Ross famously identified five stages of grief for patients with terminal illnesses. Versions of the "stages" are popularly applied to those who have lost loved ones.

Denial (this isn't happening to me!)
Anger (why is this happening to me?)
Bargaining (I promise I'll be a better person if...)
Depression (I don't care anymore)
Acceptance (I'm ready for whatever comes)

Regarding Washington Redskins star safety Sean Taylor, I'm at the angry stage.

I hope they nail the bastard sonofabitch murderer who took Sean away from his family and his fans.

Does Florida have a death penalty?

Yeah I said it.
_________________________

I am native to Washington, DC, but lived elsewhere in 1986 when Len Bias died prematurely. Bias' death hit the Washington, DC community like a tidal wave. Bias, from Landover, Maryland, was the native son on the verge of making good. The perception of life changed with Bias' scandalous death. People still talk about it.

Though not from the Washington area, Sean Taylor's death will have a similar effect on local fans.

Taylor was not as good a football player as he was going to be. You could see his development, especially this year. His best years on the field were ahead of him.

Widely admired from the day the Redskins signed him, he was the player the team would build the defense around. That Gregg Williams-Joe Gibbs strategy of upgrading the secondary to boost the pass rush was to take maximum advantage of Mr. Taylor's skills. And it was working.

It looks more and more like Taylor was targeted for attack. To be awakened in the middle of the night and cut down by an armed intruder in your own home violates so many principles sacred to us. So, lets find this guy and . . . [mess] him up.

God bless you, Sean Taylor

2007-11-26T14:00:00.000-05:00

Several story ideas noodling around the old noggin following the Redskins loss to Tampa Bay. None of it is important today.

Today, the important thing is Sean Taylor who was shot in his home last night. It doesn't look good. The bullet that struck Taylor severed his femoral artery. He went into surgery today for life-threatening injuries and is said to be in a coma.

I pray that he lives. I hope that he walks. All that football stuff can wait.

Ben at The Curly R is leading on the blog updates. Look there for the latest.

Redskins turn game over to Bucs

2007-11-25T16:05:00.000-05:00

I like to think that my alter ego and I provide thoughtful analysis about the Redskins and football. That's why "we" pay attention to stats. The answers and the tendencies are revealed by the numbers.

It's also a truism that stats don't mean anything. The score is the only stat that matters.

Could today's 19-13 loss to the Buccaneers prove that any better? The Skins dominated the Bucs, statistically, in the second half while the game was in reach. Their effort was undercut by turnovers from the first quarter to the last.

Bet there's a mathmatic formula for that; something like losses result when possession is undercut by turnovers [L=P/TO].

What do you do when your stars fumble their opportunities? That meek, mild-manner guy who lives here will probably have more to say about that on Hog Heaven Tuesday or Wednesday.

While, I haven't given up on the Redskins or the season, I'm only watching for entertainment value from this point.

This team just isn't good enough to go deep in the playoffs.

Michael Vick Surrenders

2007-11-19T16:23:00.000-05:00

Micheal Vick turned himself in to U.S. Marshals to begin serving his anticipated prison sentence for interstate conspiracy early. He is scheduled to be sentenced by the U.S. District Court on December 10.

He is being held in a regional jail pending his sentencing.

This is the second smartest move Vick made in his dog fighting saga. The best was hiring a first class legal team to represent his sorry butt when the damage was already done.

This move was smart because Vick will at least avoid the media excess and the protests and counter-protests that accompanied his earlier court appearances.

Vick still faces Virginia dog fighting charges. To put it in a football context, that's a late hit. Federal prosecutors accelerated their action when it appeared that the Commonwealth Attorney was dragging his feet at prosecuting a charge.

The State's case is based entirely on evidence developed by the feds and Vick's guilty plea to those charges. Legal fairness demands that Vick and his legal team were aware that they were putting themselves in jeopardy by his plea.

Virginia may have a case to proceed, but that's not justice. Fifteen yard penalty and loss of down.
_________________________

I always say that Jesus lives in jail. So many people seem to find Him there.

This intervention may the the thing that causes Vick to get a grip and reassess the direction of his life and choices. That's not a bad thing and Vick's life and career is not at an end. It's a time out, perhaps making up for the time-outs he didn't get [when needed] in his youth.

So, while Vick finds God and gets religion, he might also take inspiration from Martha Stewart, convicted of securities fraud in 2004. Like Vick, she chose to enter prison early, to complete her five month sentence early. [Her prison nickname was "M.Ditty."] So, she resumed her life and career that much sooner, albeit with some restrictions, and is still admired and beloved by her fans. She even made peace with PETA.

Michael Vick has a life and it's in football. I believe Atlanta is the best team and best market for him, if he can overcome Arthur Blank's sense of betrayal to get another chance.

The other market is Oakland, that NFL haven of former bad boys. The Raiders not only have a cultural ambiance where Vick can find acceptance, but a supportive African-American demographic that is attuned to prosecution and second chances; sin and redemption. It's a population deeply suspicious of the case against Vick that would resist the appeals of perceived Utopian outsiders like PETA.

More to the point, in three years, the Raiders may need a quarterback. We don't know yet if JaMarcus Russell is the answer.
_________________________

Some of the Bad Newz dogs may be adoptable.

Running Redskins' Michael Vick archive

Soooooo Close

2007-11-18T23:17:00.000-05:00

The Washington Redskins have had their share of ugly wins and nasty losses. Today's game against the Cowboys was not one of them. It was a good loss.

A good loss is the kind where you played at your best, executing a good game plan, but lost to a better team playing a better game.

While the Redskins were not perfect, they were in the game until the last 90 seconds. That's better by far than I expected. Would Terrell Owens, that emotionally needy man-child [used to call them sissies], have made four touchdown passes over the middle if Sean Taylor was lurking in the secondary?

Taylor and Fletcher-Baker are the two defensive players who cannot be replaced. The team showed they could cope with other injuries.

Al Saunders showed that his offense can work here. Joe Gibbs showed that he could trust it to win games. Jason Campbell showed his growth as a quarterback running that offense. That's something to build on for the rest of this season and in the future.

Campbell has shown that he can run the offense. Now he has to learn how to win!

I feel good about that.

Oh yeah, you only get one "good loss" per season. No more moral victories, guys.

Who's hitting the Redskins?

2007-11-18T23:15:00.000-05:00

I can't prove anything, but I think the DB who broke Brandon Lloyd's collar bone in practice is the same guy who tried to assassinate LaRon Landry with that paint gun.

Brandon Lloyd will be glad to leave

2007-11-15T02:39:00.000-05:00

Can anything else go wrong for this guy?

Lloyd broke his collar bone on the last play of practice Wednesday. He's likely done for the season. [I'm fighting the temptation to say he was done anyway. Oops.]

His season here is a bust. He's an athlete. This surely wasn't what he hoped when he signed his contract.

The Redskins are more patient with him that I would have been. They need him to succeed and were giving him every chance to be successful. I need to see him succeed, but had no expectation of seeing success.

With Moss gimpy and Thrash out, Sunday at Dallas was Lloyd's golden opportunity. And he broke a bone. In practice. When it was nearly over.

"We're talking about practice." ~~ Allen Iverson

LaCanfora at The Post says the Redskins will sign WR Jimmy Farris, who has been on and around the Redskins the past few seasons. The Redskins added Burl Toler to the practice squad.

Everyone expects Lloyd to be released by June. With everything that's happened to him here, he will be glad to leave.

Sometimes a change of scenery is just what the doctor ordered. Doctor. Oops!

The Redskins at Bunker Hill

2007-10-30T01:54:00.000-04:00

Once again, the Patriots showed what they do to interlopers in red clothes who attack them at home.

52-7 is a stunning loss and it took awhile for the fan in me to recover.

Cleverest headline from the game: 'Skinned alive at thesunchronical.com.

The my meek mild-mannered alter ego wrote Speechless at Hog Heaven on Monday. It was some of his best stuff, but no one saw it because Greg Trippiedi posted an even better piece about an hour later. See Did Pats run up the score?

Joseph White is often overlooked by bloggers as a Redskins writer because he is not part of the Post, Times or Examiner stable. But, as the Associated Press beat reporter, it's his recaps that shows up on nfl.com, espn and outside newspapers like USA TODAY.

White did a "morning after" story for Monday's USA TODAY that asks Following 52-7 blowout loss to Patriots, Redskins wondering how it happened.

So are we.

White wrote this post mortem on the Skins:

"New England showed the rest of the league how to attack Washington's deep zone: Run the ball and dump short passes to the running backs in the flat and the slot receiver over the middle. The Patriots' 486 yards sent the Redskins plummeting from No. 1 to No. 6 in the NFC in yards allowed, and cornerback Carlos Rogers was lost for the season with a knee injury.

"That's nothing compared to the offensive problems. The Redskins are now the only team in the NFL without a touchdown pass to a wide receiver. Clinton Portis is averaging 2.7 yards per carry in his last three games. Moss has 49 yards receiving in his last three games."

I don't agree with White's assessment on attacking the defense. What the Patriots showed was how they could attack the Redskins defense. The Jets, the Eagles, the Bears, most of the teams on the schedule do not have the wide receivers who can lure Sean Taylor and LaRon Landry out of the way by running deep patterns. Some that do, like the Cowboys maybe, don't have the talent to exploit it the way the Pats did. Marvelous team.

Busted Illusions

New England showed how far the Redskins have to go to be a Super Bowl competitive team. Our biggest loss was the loss of illusion, and that's not all bad.

The Redskins are a pretty good team, even very good when everyone is healthy. They are sitting pretty for a 9-7 or 10-6 record. They might even make the playoffs. They are unlikely to win a playoff game unless a lot of things improve.

This is football. Teams are never healthy. The teams who make the playoffs and thrive are the ones who manage for that with roster resiliency through depth, the ones who survive attrition. The Redskins don't have that. With the way they assess and source their talent, it's unlikely they will get it.

Carlos Rogers strained the tendons in his knee and he is out for the season. Now the team is thin at that position again. They will have to go out and get someone. That's how we got Mike Rumph.

You can't take shortcuts to building a championship, not and compete with the likes of the Patriots and the Colts who have championship front offices that build winning teams for the long haul. Like the Redskins used to do.

Everybody knows your name

That line comes from the CHEERS theme song. Right now Boston is on everybody's lips. The Sox won the Series. The Patriots are going to the Super Bowl. Boston College is No. 2 in the BCS poll. The Celtics, with Kevin Garnett, are looking up. It's great to be a Boston sports fan.

As a Democrat, I shudder at what that could say about Mitt Romney.

Mitt is the son of George Romney who was Governor of Michigan when I was a college student at Michigan State. I admired George Romney. He was one of the few Republicans I considered voting for. The elder Romney was moderately conservative. That's not red enough for today's Republicans.

As Secretary of HUD, Romney enticed Richard Nixon to visit a Washington, DC housing project to give the president a feel for the struggles of living in a slum and what Romney, as HUD Secretary hoped to do about it.

Even in the news reel, you could see that Nixon was about as comfortable in that environment as "W" was in New Orleans. But, I digress.

In sports, it's a good time to be from Boston.

A different Brandon Lloyd

2007-10-26T01:48:00.000-04:00

Brandon Lloyd did an eight minute interview with WRC-TV. It's a different view of Lloyd. He comes off as candid and personable. Go take a look here.

I never let myself forget that I can't do what the athlete I'm criticizing can do. [say that three times fast.] So, interviews like this one present a different facet of Lloyd. You want to see him do well.

Your defense homework

2007-10-24T10:09:00.000-04:00

OK, fellow bloggers and readers, your next reading assignment is John Keim's article in The Washington Examiner No blitz, no problem (hat tip to ExtremeSkins.com).

Read it as the companion piece to Matt Bowen's article Skins at home in Tampa Two, also from the Examiner.

Those two stories explain how the Redskin defense fixed its problems to become so effective. It sure looks like Gregg Williams ideas are better conceived than the offense. I think the Skins are going to beat New England 3-0! Maybe that third "g" really does stand for "genius."

Former Redskin safety Bowen has put out nice pieces for the Examiner. Go back and read is piece following the Eagles game Defense not afraid to win the game, offense should take similar approach.

Good stuff

Max McGee

2007-10-22T18:46:00.000-04:00

I'm fortunate enough to have seen every Super Bowl. That's more championship games than I can count in Roman Numerals. That means that I saw the first NFL-AFL World Championship Game between the Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs while sitting in my college dorm's TV room with a bunch of mostly other guys. [We thought ourselves fortunate that Michigan State provided us with a big 25" color TV.]

Green Bay trounced the Chiefs 35-10 and the onslaught was led by reserve wide receiver Max McGee who scored the first Super Bowl touchdown on a pass from Bart Starr.

McGee died Saturday after a fall from the roof of his house. Sad.

Max McGee had a life after football as a restaurateur. Think of him the next time you are in a Chi-Chis or Original Pancake House.

Photo: i.a.cnn.net

Cardinal rule: win ugly if you have to

2007-10-22T08:53:00.000-04:00

This time, the Washington Redskins held on for the win after a letting a big lead evaporate. Twice before this season, the Redskins let the other guys pull away from them.

They got the win, so the glass must be half full. The score and the wins are the only stats that count.

Clever headlines about yesterday's 21-19 win over the Arizona Cardinals:

Cardinals Skinned in Washington, Cardinals.com courtesy ExtremeSkins
With London calling, Skins are winning, Rich.com courtesy ExtremeSkins
By the Red Skin of their teeth, Hog Heaven
Attack of the one-armed quarterback, at The Curly R

The cause of everything

I am of the opinion that the line causes 51 percent of everything that happens on offense. This is from anecdotal evidence after long observation of football. It's not scientific like the stuff you find on Football Outsiders, but I believe it to be true. The recent struggles of the Redskins offence is more evidence of that.

Joe Jacobi commented on the SportsTalk 980 Radio after the game that a team could cope with replacing one player on the offensive line, but replacing two would be very difficult. Replacing three would present near insurmountable problems. The Redskins have replaced four if you count right guard Pete Kendall who arrived in late training camp via trade.

Good trades and bad

Kendall is an example of a good use of the trade to bring in a key role player to fill a specific need. Kendall performs with no let down of talent of the man he replaced. That's unlike so many other Redskin trades that are not additive: lose a top cornerback and a draft choice for a top running back; swap a receiver [Lav Cole] for another receiver [Santana Moss]; drop an unproductive receiver [Rod Gardner] and trade for a less productive receiver [Brandon Lloyd].

The Redskins may never overcome the tendency. Consider how close the owner came to the Lance Brigg trade. If that were executed, the Chicago Bears would have our No. 1 draft pick and Rocky McIntosh, but hey, we would have Briggs. Few fans in Washington favored the deal. How does a like-for-like swap build on what you have. If a deal were to be done, we wanted a D-lineman.

Only the owner was enticed by the offer. Joe Gibbs did his best service for the Redskins by killing it, help along by Bears GM Jerry Angelo's demand for McIntosh to sweeten the deal.

But I digress.

Unnatural acts

Offensive linemen are anonymous because they must play as a unit. Everyone else is a skilled player. It seems to take two or three seasons of playing together for linemen to jell as a cohesive unit. Going into the season, we saw the O-line as a strength because of how well they played as a unit over the years.

Injuries have blown that up. Joe Bugel is resorting to unnatural acts to cope. Mike Pucillo is doing OK as a center, but is lost to the team in the flexible extra blocker role he plays in the jumbo package. TE Todd Yoder is a better blocker that Chris Cooley, so do you keep Cooley out so Yoder can block, or do you play Cooley to block so that he can at least pretend to be a receiving threat? Can you have Scarface Alexander play on both the offensive and defensive line? Do you really want Rich DeMulling to start?

Injuries are part of football. Watching how teams cope is part of the drama of the game, part of the test of a champion. Fixing the issues on the O-line will fix 51 percent of what ails the offense.

How many ways can the Redskins drop the ball?

2007-10-15T09:38:00.000-04:00

There are fifty ways to leave your lover and just as many ways to drop the football, apparently.

As I sit here, forehead collapsed in the palms of my hands, contemplating yesterday's Green Bay game, I come to one inescapable conclusion. Our stars dropped the ball. They let us down, man.

I could see in their faces how badly they felt. I know that Clinton Portis and Santana Moss will win us more games than they lose, but yesterday they blew it. My meek, mild-mannered alter ego will write about that on Hog Heaven later today.

Oh-for four against Brett Favre. It's the moral equivalent of the Lions' 0 for 21 against the Redskins in Washington.

In truth, it was a game I always figured the Redskins to lose on the way to a 9-7 record. So, I don't see the loss as losing ground, but when your stars drop the ball . . . .

The loss hurts because it puts the Skins at a tie-breaker disadvantage to the Packers for a wild-card.

There's another, more important, streak the Redskins have to be concerned about. They haven't won at the Meadowlands since the '90s [have to verify that, but think it's true]. They visit the Jets and the Giants this season. They have to beat the Giants at the Meadowlands, thanks to blowing it at home in week three. Beating the J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets would make up for lost ground.

Tough assignment, but they can do it; as long as our stars hold on to the ball.

Oh yeah, remember how Mark Brunell played so poorly in '04 and it turned out he was injured? Same thing for Santana Moss. He's just not the same player. I'm convinced that his groin injuries have a role in that. Twaan Randle El will be our leading receiver this year. I hope he's durable enough.

Redskins Big Spending

2007-10-14T01:05:00.000-04:00

If you do nothing else today, spend the time to read Redskins' big-spending philosophy contrasts with Packers posted at PackersNews.com. It's lengthy, but a good summation of the pros and cons of free agency for building a pro football roster.

The Washington Redskins franchise is the poster child for free agency in contrast to the frugal Packers.

After last season's free agency orgy, the Redskins went all republican this year. Limited draft choices and salary cap does that to you. But, the story hints that maybe, just maybe, the Skins are altering their approach to roster building. The future of the team rests with its draft choices: Sean Taylor, Jason Campbell, LaRon Landry, Fred Smoot, Chris Cooley, Chris Samuels, Rocky McIntosh.

We may look back and see that 2007 was the year the Redskins recognized that. A good GM would have helped them see it sooner.

Michael Vick Talking?

2007-10-07T21:45:00.000-04:00

Heard on the street, or rather, on the parking lot at FedEx, Michael Vick is talking his head off.

To have some impact on his November sentencing, Michael Vick is spilling what he knows about dog fighting, including potentially damaging information about past and present NFL players.

Information heard in parking lots from people you are barely on a first name basis is far from confirmed sources. So, you have to take this as potentially alleged rumor.

It reminded me that there is more to come from this story, probably around the time of Vick's sentencing in late November.

Roadskinned

2007-10-07T21:35:00.000-04:00

Oh no. Not here. Not today.

That's what the Redskins were really saying to the Detroit Lions and their highly vaunted offensive.

34-3! What a display of dominance. One thing that 34 point, fourth quarter comeback last week against the Bears did was to alert the Washington Redskins to the Lions threat, which removed any risk of a trap game.

I can't find any better description of the magnitude of today's accomplishment than the Detroit News, ROADSKINNED: Lions outplayed in D.C. rout. Go take a look. [Note: may require registration.]

Join the Redskins team

2007-10-05T16:49:00.000-04:00

Director of Consumer Marketing - Washington Redskins (Washington, DC)

The Washington Redskins is seeking a seasoned strategic thinker to join our team as the Director of Consumer Marketing. The selected candidate will report directly to our Chief Operating Officer and will be responsible for product development, market segmentation, database development, and direct marketing as well as identifying and defining other consumer marketing support elements.

Qualifications & Responsibilities:

A minimum of 7 years of progressive career experience within marketing, with emphasis in consumer marketing experience.
Experience conducting extensive consumer, industry, market, geographic, product, and segment trend analysis to maximize marketing effectiveness and identify expansion opportunities.
Implement, monitor and evaluate all aspects of direct marketing in order to maximize “response.”
Database development experience, preferable with a marketing schema.
Excellent strategy development, marketing, financial, analytical, critical-thinking, and interpersonal skills; attention to detail and ability to think both strategically and tactically.
Experience presenting programs, ideas, results, and promotional information.
Capable of analyzing and creating reports to ascertain behaviors and key findings from consumers.
Strong time management skill is required to consistently meet deadlines and ensure implementation of initiatives.
Demonstrated leadership qualities and ability to lead and influence diverse and cross functional groups toward meaningful results.

The Washington Redskins offer a competitive salary and an excellent benefits package.
EOE/AA/M/F/V/D

Note: When you apply for this job online, you will be required to answer the following questions:

Yes/No: I have at least 7 years of consumer marketing experience.
Yes/No: I have previous marketing experience with a sports team.

Apply for this position.

Click here to see all current NFL career opportunities.

Note: According to the Washington Business Journal, Terry Bateman is the COO of the Washington Redskins.

Okoye named Rookie of the Month

2007-10-04T23:16:00.000-04:00

Not that I'm complaining about LaRon Landry, but Amobi Okoye has been named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month for September 2007.

I was pulling for the Washington Redskins to select Okoye with their first round draft pick to add some pass rushing to the defensive line. The Skins selected safety LaRon Landry and Okoye was later picked up by the Houston Texans.

Anthony Montgomery is doing fairly well on the Redskins D-line, but Okoye has 10 tackles and 4 sacks, so far. Montgomery has 4 tackles, but no sacks.

With injuries and other problems we see on the Redskins, the team should use the first three picks in the 2008 Draft on a wide receiver, an O-lineman and a D-lineman. It's too soon to say in what order.

Detroit is Coming

2007-09-30T21:41:00.000-04:00

They ain't playin' and I ain't lion.

The Washington Redskins next opponent were down 7-3 at half time to the Bears, then put up 34 points in the second half to beat Chicago.

The Redskins couldn't put up seven points in the second half of the Giants game.

There's no reason to panic, but the team formerly known as patsies cannot be dismissed. When Gregg Williams looks at game film, he should pull out tapes of that Mike Martz St. Louis Rams offense since that's what the defense will face. The 3-1 Lions are less talented than the Greatest Show on Turf, but they will challenge our cornerbacks. Those guys better be healthy and ready.

Adding to the intrigue is the Arizona Cardinals who held off the mighty Pittsburgh Steelers 21-14 today. That's a small measure of vindication for Russ Grimm and Ken Whisenhunt, both passed over for the Steeler head coaching job.

Detroit and Arizona were the comfortable home games on the Redskins' October calendar. Away games in Green Bay and New England are sandwiched between them. Suddenly, that cushy early schedule doesn't look so soft.

Good thing the Skins got their break now.
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LaVar Arrington had some interesting things to say about the Redskins in a New York Daily News interview last week. He is still bitter at his treatment by the Redskins during the Gibbs II era. Those big contracts you hear about are a mirage, because they are back-end loaded. The Redskins will get rid (his words) of Clinton Portis and Chris Samuels before the Skins pay them the big bucks. That, or the players will agree to restructure their deals.

Most of what Arrington learned about business, he learned at the feet of former friend Daniel Snyder, he says, as he works on the December opening of Sidelines, his restaurant and sports bar at the Boulevard at Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland.

Yeah, I'm going when it opens. I still like LaVar.

That meek, mild-mannered guy who lives here has the story over at Hog Heaven.
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Redskins owner Daniel Snyder ranks as the 40th most powerful person in American sports, according to a panel assembled by BusinessWeek. Joe Gibbs, Redskins president and coach-in-chief, and owner of Joe Gibbs Racing, is ranked No. 93.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Tiger Wood and NBA Commissioner David Stern are ranked No. 1, 2 and 3 on the list.

Master4caster, Skin Patrol, Ben Folsom and Lee Gibbons are not on the list, so how credible is this information? I mean really?
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Wide receiver Keenan McCardell will be in Redskin Park Monday and, assuming he passes a physical and workout, will sign a contract to join the team.

Pay attention to what the Redskins say, or don't say, about the signing and who gets released to make room. The very fact that the Skins continue to look at wide receivers this late says something. The fact that they are looking at experienced receivers [Corey Bradford, Todd Pinkston] says something, more, although it's pure guesswork what it all means.

People will jump to the obvious conclusion that Brandon Lloyd isn't working out. Or, the real fear that Santana Moss is more hurt than they are letting on. It may be more than that.

Without checking the facts, it seems to me that the Skins are playing a lot more from the shotgun spread formation with three and four wide outs. That's the Al Saunders influence. Assuming that one of those wide outs will be TE Chris Cooley, the other three have to be wide receivers.

I think the coaches don't think they have three reliable wide receivers to run Saunders' passing game, especially in the middle distances [10 to 20 yards].

While we are focused on the return to hardnosed Gibbs ball, I think we will look back and see that Al Saunders was more influential in the passing game than now obvious.

"Buckle your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy night." ~~ Bette Davis in ALL ABOUT EVE.

Tampa Two Lesson

2007-09-27T02:43:00.000-04:00

Former Redskin safety Matt Bowen has an easy to understand explanation of the Tampa-2 defense in the Washington Examiner -- Skins at home in Tampa Two.

Go take a look.

For the Redskins defense

2007-09-24T13:53:00.000-04:00

I just can't wait to read my favorite Redskins blogs over the next two weeks. After blowing the Giants game and opportunity, the comments will be ripe and richly deserved. And the best part is that we have two weeks for it all to sink in.

Not to worry, Redskins fans. The team is favored to beat the bye by four points; same as they were favored to beat the Giants.

Among the anguished newspaper columns about the game was Mike Wise's No Offense Taken. Wise reflects what surely is felt in Redskinnation today, but he makes some statements that I take exception to. So, I'm going to stand in defense of the Redskins against Wise's charges.

CHARGE: ". . . it's hard to fathom why throwing the ball to Mike Sellers in the flat from the one yard line makes any sense with a shot at overtime on the line . . . ."

DEFENSE: NOT GUILTY -- In 2005, Sellers scored seven touchdowns, all of them through the pass. One of the criticisms of Al Saunders last season was his poor use of Sellers, especially in the red zone. Sellers, along with Chris Cooley is exactly who the Skins should look for when close to the goal line.

Execution of the play is fair game, but the play call was a good one.

CHARGE: "It's harder to understand the reasoning behind not having Clinton Portis on the field for the final three plays on offense."

DEFENSE: NO CONTEST -- Apparently, the TV commentators suggested that Portis was benched because of a fumble earlier in the game. I didn't hear the comment, but if anything, he might have been benched for throwing the ball after a play. That drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Joe Gibbs demoted Brandon Lloyd for tossing his helmet late last season. Derek Frost got a stern talking-to after similar conduct. Both of those incidents resulted in penalties. Coach don't play that.

Wise does make the point that Portis should have been in the backfield for at least one of those plays. Coach can say that both Portis and Ladell Betts are equivilent, but they are not. Betts is a bruiser, and a fast one. Portis is a scorer. He is the Mr. Touchdown of the team. Send a play through the middle of the line? OK, use Betts. Running to the perimeter? Absolutely use CP.

CHARGE: "The Redskins were out of timeouts, but Campbell inexplicably spiked the ball with 1 minute 15 seconds left -- plenty of time to get to the line of scrimmage and not waste a down."

DEFENSE: NOT GUILTY -- This is not inexplicable at all. The coaches called for the spike. First down was as good a time to do it as any.

When you are a running team with no timeouts [as Wise said] and with intent to run the ball from the one, you are going to spike the ball sometime in the series. Gibbs wanted the jumbo package in the line-up. And the offense needed to get itself together and set for the play. That's a lot going on with the clock ticking. Bearing in mind the confusion and penalties at the end of the half in the Eagles game, stopping the clock to take a deep breadth on first down was a good call.

Wise might have questioned why the Redskins used all three timeouts before the two minute warning. Or, why a running team can't run a bleeping yard with the game on the line. Those are less defensible [and I hope someone asks the question]. That wasn't his charge, so I'm not answering it here.

CHARGE: "They [the Redskins] had every opportunity to put a woozy team away with a roundhouse right. The main reason they could not is because the offense failed to bring the hammer down and finish the job the defense started."

DEFENSE: uh, Guilty, your Honor.
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Frightfully Funny
Philadelphia's surprisingly easy win over Detroit comes as no surprise to me. Detroit took one look at the Eagles throwback uniforms and died of laughter.
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Bad Karma
I had a fleeting feeling before the game that it would be a rough day for the Skins. For one thing, they were the unanimous favorites to win. I just don't think the team can take that kind of press[ure].

And why the 1970-71 throwbacks? They are knock-offs of Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers uniforms. You don't see the Packers, who won yesterday, wearing imitation Redskins uniforms.

The Skins went 15-12-1 in that get-up, including George Allen's first year record of 9-4-1. When Allen's 11-3 team went to the Super Bowl the next season, they were in an early version of the current uni's.

Make those fake Paker uniforms go away.

Redskins win in Philly. Hell freezes over.

2007-09-18T02:24:00.000-04:00

Even when things didn't work right, they worked for the Washington Redskins. Consider this series at the end of the second quarter of the Redskins game against the Philadelphia Eagles:

1st & Goal, PHI 1 (:14) - QB Jason Campbell spikes the ball to stop the clock.
2nd & Goal, PHI 1 (:14) - PENALTY, delay of game, -5 yards
2nd & 6, PHI 4 (:14) - PENALTY, false start on Jason Fabini (WAS), -5 yards
2nd & 11, PHI 11, (:14) - Redskins set up for field goal, Philadelphia calls time out. The Skins then set up for an offensive play.
2nd & 11, PHI 11 (:14) - PENALTY, false start on Jason Fabini (WAS), -5 yards
2nd & 16, PHI 16 (:14) - Jason Campbell pass to Chris Cooley, TOUCHDOWN!

With that improbable series of plays, the Redskins retook the lead at the half and never relinquished it. With most pundits expecting the Redskins to pound the ball, it was quarterback Jason Campbell who turned up the heat, completing 16 of 29 for 207 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT.

Campbell showed a nice touch with the deep ball, completing a 48 yarder to Santana Moss in the first quarter, that the Skins converted to a field goal four plays later.

Earlier, Campbell tossed a deep pass to TE Chris Cooley, who dropped the catch.

In the third quarter, Campbell found Ladell Betts for a screen pass that Betts converted to a 28 yard gain to the Eagles 35. Later in the drive that carried into the fourth quarter, Campbell found TE Todd Yoder for an 18 yard gain. Yoder was hit by Eagles DB Brian Dawkins, who was injured during the play. He left the game.

Clinton Portis slammed the ball into the Eagles endzone with his six yard coffin closing TD run.

The game was a characteristic NFC East defensive struggle. The defense denied the Eagles an offensive touchdown. They pressured gimpy Donovan McNabb, who never-the-less completed 28 of 46 passes for 240 yards. DC native Brian Westbrook managed 162 yards of total offense. The Eagles could only manage field goals when they needed touchdowns.

The Redskins are 2-0, tied for division first place with the Dallas Cowboys.

Chris Cooley is worth every dime of his new contract.

NFL game recap. Washington 20, Philadelphia 12

Where was OJ Simpson . . .

2007-09-17T13:20:00.000-04:00

. . . when Michael Vick really needed him?

Not that Simpson's recent arrest would have helped Vick's legal case, but it certainly would have deflected a lot of press attention and public wrath from Ookie Vick.

Vick's defenders, and there are still many of them, cry that the public outcry is not in proportion to the crime. Maybe, maybe not. I think something else is at work. The come-uppance.

Vick's case isn't like Simpson's. In that regard, Vick's supporters are right. They are just dogs. Vick didn't plead guilty to murder [of people]. A lot of the umbrage in the case was fed by Vick's own attitude, showing that he was in need of a come-uppance.

His cavalier regard of the animals; his use and destruction of them for entertainment and gambling -- as opposed to food and clothing, his shifting blame to his uninvolved relatives; his seeming attitude that "everybody loves Michael Vick" no matter what he does, betrayed a hubris in need of a come-uppance.

Michael wasn't treated any different than any other come-uppance case. Leona Helmsley was a come-uppance case, as much for her haughty personality as anything. Martha Stewart went to jail for lying to investigators to protect her broker. Who was she to tell the feds that the whole matter was silly?

Watergate and Monicagate were come-uppance cases. Opponents of Nixon and Clinton could not beat them at the polls. Both scandals were prolonged by political enemies taking advantage of an opportunity. All Nixon had to do was come clean early by saying "a couple of my guys got carried away." The country was ready to believe him.

Clinton's fatal blow was "I did not have sex with that woman ...." That was the moral equivalent of Nixon's "I am not a crook." Most people would have been satisfied knowing the president had to face Hilary. That was punishment enough.

Bill Belichick is a come-uppance case. He's hardly beaten on the field since he got to New England. Yet, he was 36-44 at Cleveland. So, how exactly has he been getting those wins with the Patriots?

Belichick knew better, broke the rules anyway and got nailed by the commissioner. There's still a hue & cry for a suspension. It's a cry for a come-uppance. [Suspension would be deserved if it could be shown that used the purloined defensive signals against the Jets during the game. That would have been underhanded and deserving of a suspension.]

Helmsley, Stewart and Belichick are evidence that Micheal Vick can resume life and career after he has his come-to-Jesus experience. Maybe he will be better off for it.

[We need to get off Helmsley for providing for the care of her dog, Trouble. Twelve million dollars is only 00.3 percent of Helmsley's estate. If I provided the same proportion of my estate for my dog, who is a lot of trouble, it would only keep him in dog food for a few months.]

Photo: news.bbc.co.uk (AP)

Cowboys most valuable, FedEx doomed

2007-09-15T11:51:00.000-04:00

So, Forbes Magazines ranks the Dallas Cowboys as the most valuable franchise in sports, thanks to their soon to be completed stadium. At an estimated $1.5 Billion, that's a mere $33 Million more than the value of the Washington Redskins [at $1.467 Billion]. Chump change. This is like saying you are wealthy because of the equity in your house.

Skin Patrol at Hogs Haven points to a story posted at footballguys.com that ranks NFL teams in real money. As the story puts it:

Washington absolutely demolishes the rest of the league in total revenues ($312mm) and has a fantastic 21% operating margin. In other words, for all that money Daniel Snyder wastes, er, I mean spends on big ticket free agents, he’s got more profits to spare than anyone else in the league.

Daniel Snyder is a prideful guy. I don't think he will sit still at being No. 2 to the Cowboys. If a new stadium is all it takes to make the Cowboys the most valuable team, then Danny will want a newer, bigger one. FedEx Field is still a teenager, but it's doomed. Or, domed, whichever comes first.

Such pecuniary topics obscure the really important things about football. Tuesday Morning Quarterback on ESPN Page 2 has this to say:

"Back-to-back summer-weather nationally televised games hosted by Washington and Dallas confirmed beyond doubt what NFL observers have been thinking for several years -- the Redskins cheerleaders are now the league's hottest dance team, leaving the Cowboys cheerleaders in their aesthetic dust. Twenty years ago, the Cowboys' pep squad may have been the best-looking and best-dancing in the NFL. Now, it's not even close -- the Redskins cheerleaders are No. 1 in looks and in choreography. Here they are, and here's their warm-to-the-touch swimsuit calendar. At this point, the Broncos cheerleaders tie the Redskins cheerleaders in beauty and the Eagles cheerleaders tie them in choreography, but Washington finishes first overall, including for game-day professionalism."

Roger that.

Photo: Washington Redskins

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You have to scroll waaaay down in the column to get to the cheerleader quote. Gregg Easterbrook, the Tuesday Morning Quarterback, opens with a lengthy story about the growing use of the shotgun spread offense in NCAA football. It's a fad that becoming a trend. Easterbrook's description is a particularly good read.

When reading the story, I understood the Redskins drafting QB Jordan Palmer, who played exclusively from the shotgun formation at UTEP. Until now, I never understood why the Redskins would take a guy who never took a pro style snap from under center.

Drafting Palmer was a flyer, but not so much because of the shotgun offense.

The Marcus Mason Story

2007-09-12T15:41:00.000-04:00

Marcus Mason was a story you like to write about. He was living every boy's dream of growing up and playing for the home team.

Alas, Jon Jansen's injury triggered a series of moves that ended in Mason's release -- for now -- from the team.

The Return of a King is Aaron Stern's story in The Connection Newspapers about Mason, growing up in Potomac, Maryland, his college experience and triumph in making the Washington Redskins roster.

Stern lightly touches the issues of Mason's college transfer from Illinois to Youngstown State and covers that tense afternoon on cut down day, September 1, as Mason waited for the call that never came, the call informing him "thank you, but . . . ."

"No call is a good call," Rock Cartwright informed the rookie. The realization that Mason made the team set off a joyous family celebration. Mason's Mom is a former Cowboys fan, recently converted to Burgundy & Gold.

I think and hope that we see Mason on the field at FedEx again. Omar Stoutmier was called back. Mason is too good not to be.

Return of a King is a good read, so go read it.

Mason Released

2007-09-11T16:49:00.000-04:00

Elfin at The Times reports that the Washington Redskins cut Marcus Mason, their sensational rookie UDFA running back.

The move makes room on the active roster. The Skins expect Mason to clear waivers and will add him to the practice squad.

Risky.

Elfin also says Redskins signed WR Reche Caldwell to the roster, perhaps explaining the Mason move.

Like Elfin, I say if you are signing borderline talent like Caldwell, you must be really unhappy with the receiving corps, or with someone on it.

The difference between Betts and Portis . . .

2007-09-10T10:27:00.000-04:00

. . . is 39 yards and a touchdown. In the off-season, it was fashionable in some circles to doubt the value of Clinton Portis. Some comments on fan forums proposed trading Portis for draft choices, now that Ladell Betts emerged as a NFL starter caliber running back.

Fickle fans prove that Daniel Snyder isn't the only one capable of making dumb personnel moves [I can honestly say that none of the bloggers I follow ever suggested any such thing. If they did, I wouldn't take them seriously as the authoritative Redskinologists they are.]

Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images

Today's story in The Washington Examiner reports that the doubters and haters served to incite Portis to prove them wrong. He made a good start Sunday in the Dolphins game. Portis and Betts both carried the ball 17 times. Betts ran for 59 yards. Portis for 98 and a score. As Rick Snider said in the Examiner story

"Betts is a playmaker that every team loves to have, but Portis is a game-breaker."

Losing CP last year cost the Redskins eight touchdowns, I figure, and at least two games. You can blame the defense for the rest of the '06 disaster.

Portis is reading the devaluation stories as disrespect and he is out to prove the haters wrong. But, in that way that athletes use to motivate themselves, he's seeing everybody as haters, so he's out to prove the world wrong. Great. That can only help the Redskins.
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Watch the game in the stadium and you get a different impression than watching on TV with the announcers giving background details. From the stands, it seemed that Betts gained much more than 59 yards and 3.4 yards per carry. Live and in person, he looked better than that.

Nothing about the Portis comments above is meant as a put down of Betts. He's a nice change of pace back who may well extend Portis' career. We are lucky to have him.

One of the conflicts between the Old Ball Coach and the owner was the choice of keeping young running back Kenny Watson or Betts. The OBC wanted Watson [with the Bengals last I heard]. The owner opted for Betts. [I remember reading that account, but won't trouble to look it up.]

I have little respect for the owner's ability to build a winning organization and often point out the error of his ways. Fairness compels me to give him his props when he makes a right call. Betts was a right one.
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Also from the stadium, it seemed that Trent Green was completing deeper passes that his stats showed. Cam Cameron made good use of him in the game. Green showed that 35+ year olds can be sharp.

One game does not make a season. I thought the same of Brad Johnson last year after the Vikings game. Johnson looked good on his way to horrible season. But Green causes us to wonder what might have been if the Redskins managed to keep him.

Green was a cap casualty in 1998, with ownership inattention as a contributing factor. The Redskins were in the process of being sold. John Kent Cooke, son of old Jack, but not his heir
for the team, was fighting off the bid by Daniel Snyder's consortium. Team roster was not at top of mind. Cooke lost. Snyder won. Green was lost [signed with St. Louis].

Snyder looked to make a big splash with high profile signings. If Green were here at the time, it would have been him, instead of Brad Johnson, who would have been left unsigned at the end of his contract because the owner preferred the big gun of Jeff George. Everybody in football, save Snyder, knew better than to take George.

Season scratchpad

2007-09-06T21:39:00.000-04:00

This is a scratch pad of my thinking of how the season will go for the Redskins. The write-up will be on Hog Heaven [more about that below].

Dolphins: The Dolphins have the same profile as the Vikings last year - new coach, aging QB, respectable defense. I picked the Redskins to win that game and got fooled. I'm picking them again because this year, the Skins are a better team. Win, 1-0

@ Eagles: I don't know how the Eagles do it. I mean Hank Basket? C'mon. Whether Hank Basket or Easter Basket, Skins won't win here. Loss, 1-1

Giants: I have respected the Giants, but their fans are beginning to annoy me. Not like those Iggles fans, but annoying. I figure the Skins to split. They won't beat the Giants in the Meadowlands; so, it has to be here. Win, 2-1

BYE Week: Too early in the season.

Lions: Kitna says the Lions will win 10 games this year. I believe him. I'd be worried if they were playing in Michigan. Speaking of Michigan . . . . Win, 3-1

@ Packers: There is no reason to believe that the Skins will lose this game, except for Farve and the Tundra. I'm calling it a loss, but the Skins could steal this one. That will go a long way towards the playoffs. Loss, 3-2

Cardinals: Jason Campbell and Matt Leinart on the same field. Oh, the hype! The Cardinals have a legit #2 wide receiver. When can we get one of those? Russ Grimm returns to Old DC with the Cards. Pay attention, he could be the next head coach. Naw, the owner will go for a bigger "name." Dammit. Win, 4-2

@ Patriots: Will the improved secondary cause the quarterback to hold the ball too long? Fuhgetaboudit. Or, do they only say that in New York? Loss, 4-3

@ Jets: The Skins are jinxed at the Meadowlands. Loss, 4-4

Eagles: Stupid Iggles fans. I hate them all. At 4-4 (or better), there shouldn't be too many extra tickets floating around for Iggles people to buy. Good. At FedEx they are all illegal immigrants, anyway. Stop them at the border. Unfortunately, they will admit Donovan McNabb if he's healthy. Loss, 4-5

@ Cowboys: Purely a homer pick. Win, 5-5

@ Buccaneers: Forget that pseudo Ravens "rivalry." The Buccaneers are where it's at. If they realign the NFC East, I'm voting these guys in. The Skins - Buc's series always has controversy, and the games always mean something. Gruden is fighting for his job. I'm expecting war. The loser will have a tough time the rest of the season. Win -- a close one. 6-5

Bills: If the Skins lose to these guys, they should just bolt the door on the way home. Win, 7-5

Bears: The revenge of Adam Archuleta. Lovie Smith will use Arch the way he is supposed to be used and Arch will have a good year. Redskins fans will hate him for that, too, because, as you know, the entire defensive collapse was solely his fault. Loss, 7-6

@ Giants: The Meadowlands will still be jinxed. Loss, 7-7

@ Vikings: The Vikes have a very respectable defense. That's what you worry about. They have no one to catch the ball and I never heard of the one throwing the ball. Adrian Peterson can't help you when you are playing from behind. Win, 8-7

Cowboys: Post season may be on the line for both teams, so this game will be a dandy. This game is always a dandy. Win, 9-7

The Redskins will contend for a wild card.
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Some of you may know that Master4caster is the alter ego of meek, mild-mannered blogger Anthony Brown, the principle writer for Hog Heaven on mvn.com [not to be confused with Hogs Haven on SBN. Hog Heaven and Hogs Haven enjoy a productive and friendly relationship in Redskinology, but MVN and SBN are competing blog networks.].

Last year, Master4caster reserved the insightful, the profane and the off-color for Running Redskins, and the newsy stories for Hog Heaven. This year, I'm making a strategic change of direction.

Blogs are here to stay. The next evolutionary development of the medium is blogs networks. In two or three years, I think blog enterprises like MVN and SBN will give ESPN a run for the money and stand-alone blogs like Running Redskins will remain niched.

This prediction may be no better than my football forecasts, but I'm placing my bets on networks, so will post more insight more often on Hog Heaven, saving the profane humor and background thinking [and off topics like Ookie Vick] to Running Redskins. Bram Weinstein's Covering the Redskins [which I will add to the blogroll soon, I promise] is my model for this.

I expect to post here about twice a week during the season. I have many blogging friends -- I think of you as friends -- who stop by, and didn't want anyone to think I abandoned you, or this blog.

If you want the newest stuff from the thinking machine that is me, see the meek, mild mannered guy at Hog Heaven. If you want rants, stick around.

CHAOS ON THE REDSKINS!

2007-09-01T15:36:00.000-04:00

YES! YES! YES!!!

The Redskins extended Chris Cooley's [a.k.a. Capt Chaos] contract by six years.

See the story at Hog Heaven.

The case for Casey Bramlet

2007-09-01T11:27:00.000-04:00

I have to admit, it's not a strong one. In his last two games with the Falcons, Bramlet completed 5 of 9 passes for 80 yards; no TDs, no interceptions.

Bramlet played in the second half of Atlanta's game against the Ravens last night. While his numbers weren't bad, I thought he was slow of foot for an NFL player. On one occasion, it looked like he held the ball too long when he was sacked.

Sometimes that's exactly the right thing to do. You have to be a coach who knows the play and can see where the scheme broke down to assess responsibility.

This discussion take on an air of urgency after watching Jordan Palmer's play in the second half of the Redskins game against the Jaguars. Palmer looked like what he was: a small school rookie who had no reps in practice playing with a bunch of guys. He went 2 of 10 for 12 yards for a QB rating of 0.0. Bramlet looks good in comparison. So, why did the Redskins cut him?

I'm guessing the Redskins knew more about Bramlet from the '06 training camp and the NFLe film and this season's training camp. I'm guessing further that the team believes that Casey is already the best he will ever be.

Palmer is unknown. He reportedly has a bigger arm than Bramlet and maybe a bigger upside. It was hard to see that in Thursday's game. In any event, the Skins needed more tape on Palmer. So he stayed and he played. You would expect Bramlet to be more polished, but Palmer is very raw. He is nowhere near the talent of his big brother Carson.

For a team that makes every other personnel decision based on who can help now, you would think Bramlet would be the choice.
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Jamaal Anderson was a fan favorite as the top draft pick for the Redskins. The Skins took LaRon Landry and Anderson was drafted by the Falcons. So, as long as I am stoking those woulda-shoulda fires, I'll point out that in preseason game three, Anderson was Atlanta's leading tackler with five tackles and two sacks. I'm not sure the Redskins made two sacks all preseason.

I'm not knocking the Landry selection. He fits Gre-double G's defensive schemes better. Williams and the Skins are putting great faith in the youth movement on the D-line. Time will tell if that was a good move.

Skins show their stuff

2007-08-31T12:28:00.000-04:00

The Redskins lost their final preseason game to the Jaguars big time. Personally, I'm fine with it.

I saw enough from the starters -- who weren't the real starters -- to be confident that Washington will contend for a playoff spot.

I'm not saying Super Bowl. I'm not even saying they take the division. But, they will contend.

Jason Campbell looked sharp. Rocky McIntosh looked sharp. H.P. Blades looked sharp. Marcus Mason looked real sharp. 'Twaan Randle El was the leading receiver; one catch, but it was a dusey.

Photo: Casey Bramlet and Jason Campbell (AP)

Then, a lot of guys who won't be with the team Sunday played in the second half and flubbed the game away, allowing two Jacksonville touchdowns. The Jaguars defense converted an interception to another touchdown and voila, Jax 31, Was 14.

WTOP-TV reported a story that the Redskins were close to trading Mark Brunell to the Seattle Seahawks for a draft pick. After watching rookie QB Jordan Palmer's play in the second half, I bet the coach-in-chief is rethinking that move.

Palmer was awful, completing 2 of 10 passes for 10 yards. OK, lets say that he had no reps in training camp and that he was playing with the bottom of the talent barrel, a high schooler should not have thrown into that coverage.

Oh well, you learn more from your mistakes.

The Redskins could compound Palmer's mistake by trading Brunell. With #8 gone, the QB line-up would be Campbell, Collins, Palmer. Campbell, Collins, Bramlet makes me feel better.

The knock on Bramlet is that he is immobile and does not throw the deep pass well. Palmer looks immobile and throws wildly. I don't see the distinction.

The Redskins always favored the guy who could win now. In my mind, that's Bramlet. With more time in the league and NFLe experience, he's further along than Palmer, who will need a lot of tutoring.

Bramlet's real problem was the "not invented here" effect. No one sponsored him. Palmer was drafted, and he's Carson's brother. Good genes. Yeah, right; that sure worked for Tim Hasselbeck. And Marcus Vick.

Bramlet plays tonight when the Falcons face the Ravens. His play could make me feel good or ill about Palmer.

Joe Theismann (I think it was Theismann) said that Palmer played exclusively from the shotgun formation at Texas El Paso. His Redskins experience is the first time he's taken a snap under center. Yup, l-o-ts of tutoring!

Mark Brunell looked sharp, completing 4 of 5 with a TD pass. It's the best he's looked all preseason. Heck, it's the best he's looked since 2005. Seemed like an audition to me. But, I would tell the coach-in-chief to hold on until Sunday before making that trade. Lets see first what quarterbacks are cut Saturday evening.

Who knows, maybe we get Bramlet back.

Michael Vick comes clean

2007-08-28T09:38:00.000-04:00

Michael Vick wants you to forgive him. You and Commissioner Goodell and Arthur Blank and all the little kids. And Jesus.

Photo: Don Juan Moore/wireImage.com

You can read his apology here or watch on YouTube.

I watched his statement live. He came across as sincerely contrite. I do believe that he is sorry. Except that part about "Dog fighting is a terrible thing, and I did reject it."

I think he does not know why people see dog fighting as cruel. He knows that he screwed up. Big time.

He implied that immaturity was the source of his poor decisions. I believe that, too. The perpetual kid in a candy store with an unlimited check book. Like Peter Pan and Michael Jackson, Vick is the kid who never grew up. Like Jackson, his wealth gave him a certain immunity from accountability, that curse of grown-ups. He never had to pay a price -- before now -- for bizarre behavior. Wealth can do that. If you don't learn how to control wealth, it will control you.

He's grown up a lot in that breath-taking period between April and August. Looking at a world crumbled by stupidity, He's found Jesus.

People are having a problem with that. I don't know why. Troubled times are exactly when people turn to Jesus. That's what He's there for. Redemption is for sinners. Jesus lives in jail. So many people find Him there, apparently for the first time.

He sure couldn't count on friends like "T" and "Q," who he may also meet in jail.

Michael Vick exposed, again, the racial gulf that exists between black and white in America. Vick's most loyal followers are black, of course. Many of them cite societal issues for unfair treatment of Vick. I'm black and old school. I disagree with them. What happened to Rodney King, or Lindsey Lohan, has nothing to do with running a gambling ring based on dog fighting. Dog fighting is not a victimless crime.

To be discriminatory, you have to show that Vick is being treated differently than, say, Peyton Manning or Brett Favre if they conspired to run an interstate criminal enterprise that involved killing. I think the media would make just as much of an issue as with Vick. More so, because Manning and Favre both won Super Bowls. The Vick believers will never buy that.

[A Reuters story by Matthew Bigg says the black-white distinction is not so clear cut.

"Those who demonstrated for Vick supported him as an athlete and man while those protesting against him were against animal cruelty . . . ."]

Mary Sanchez at the Kansas City Star gets it right, when she says "as long as we keep looking at Vick and shake, shake our collective heads, dismissing it all to race and class, we will miss ever understanding more about the deeper demons that people wrestle with." This is all about Michael Vick.

Funny thing, and this may be good for Vick, His problems brought him in close contact with black men of real accomplishment. Men like Billy Martin, his lawyer. I bet this is the first time he's worked closely with a non-athletic black superstar.

The clue is in Vick's suit that closely mimics Martin's normal attire, as does Vick's personal grooming. It's anti-hip-hop and more formal that the urban chic Vick wore at his arrainment. Yes, I realize his legal team dressed him for the occasion. Michael Vick is young enough that maybe a few other positives will rub off, too.

Photo: Steve Helber/AP

Here's an idea for redemption. Michael Vick pledges to pay for the care of the Bad Newz dogs for the rest of their natural lives. As fighting dogs, many of them will be unfit as pets. Their life expectancy will be short through no fault of their own. Vick's plea agreement already requires him to pay for their care while they are in government custody. Vick asks the court to let the dogs be kenneled and cared for on him. That's restitution for the dogs. That wins him some points.

Vick can set up a foundation to fund their care and call it Good Newz Kennels Foundation.

Don't worry Michael Vick fans. The NFL forgives quick. MV7 will play again, if he can put his legal troubles behind him before he's 30. The only question is where? There are two markets where Vick can fit.

Oakland has an owner with the requisite "fuck you" attitude to defy the animal extremists who will dog (oops) Vick's every step forever. And Oakland have a fan base that historically accepted social misfits. Oakland's large black community will give born-again Vick a shot at redemption.

The other market, ironically, is Atlanta where the black fan base adopted Vick as the face of the franchise and defiantly support him still. Whether the owner will ever trust him again is another matter. Arthur Blank's flexibility depends on how well Joey Harrington does as Vick's replacement

Photo: Michael Vick and Arthur Blank/AP

I wonder how Joe Gibbs would have worked with Michael Vick? We came ever so close to finding out. In January 2004, Arthur Blank invited Gibbs to lunch to feel him out about coaching the Falcons. Gibbs owned a small percentage of the franchise. Gibbs heard during that lunch that Steve Spurrier just quit as the Redskins' coach and Blank said he knew that he'd lost Gibbs for the Falcons.

Steve Spurrier saved Joe Gibbs from Michael Vick.

Wilbon - A Long Way to Go

Capehart - Michael Vick's Self-Defeat

Ookie's day in court

2007-08-27T07:35:00.000-04:00

Michael Vick's immediate future is in the hands of U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson. Vick appears before the bench today to formally enter his guilty plea. Vick filed his statement with federal prosecutors Friday acknowledging that the government "would prove its case beyond reasonable doubt." The statement of Vick's Ookie side may be read on The Smoking Gun.

Michael Vick is compiling quite an archive at The Smoking Gun.

Give Vick his due process

The prosecution's statement accompanies Vick's guilty plea. In it, they say Vick acknowledges that, by entering his plea, he is waiving his legal "due process" rights, which are:

the right to plead not guilty and to persist in that plea;
the right to trial by jury
the right to be represented by [legal] council
the right to confront and cross-examine adverse witnesses, to be protected from compelled self-incrimination, to testify and present evidence, and to compel the attendance of witnesses.

Due process is a legal term. When Vick's Atlanta supporters cry out for his due process rights, they are referring to his shattered reputation based on news releases. They buy into Vick's initial denials of involvement even as mounting evidence exposed Vick's series of lies. [That ends today, of course.] And they want him to play football, before, during and after the fallout of the ugly episode. After all, "they're just dogs."

These are p.r. issues, not legal ones. Mr. Vick is well represented by council. Both his signed statement and the prosecutor's written statement acknowledge Vick's due process.

They were just dogs

Because they were just dogs, Vick is looking at 12 to 18 months rather than life imprisonment (see Carruth, Rae).

The real deal

Vick agreed with the prosecutors to waive his right to appeal, if the sentence imposed by Judge Hudson varies from the prosecution's recommendation. And he agreed to pay any monetary penalties immediately.

Vick will also pay for the disposition of Bad Newz Kennels stable of dogs now in government custody. The dogs are the subject of a civil action known as United States v. Approximately 53 Pit Bull Dogs, Case No. 3:07CV397. That involves "all costs associated with the care of the dogs . . . , including, if necessary, long-term care and/or the humane euthanasia of some or all of the animals as may be directed by the judge in that case."

He agrees to give up any ownership interest in the Bad Newz dogs.

Vick agrees to cooperate truthfully with the prosecution in future grand jury testimony and pre-trial conferences (presumably against others); to submit to polygraph examinations; to fully debrief the government on the details of his operation and of other dog fighters that he may know of. His signed statement of fact was sufficient to support his plea deal. He knows more and he agrees to tell all.

Any violation of any law by Vick will affect his reduction of sentence.

Vick agrees that, if he does not cooperate truthfully, his statements may be used against him in future prosecution. He effectively waives his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination.

Hard swallow

These provisions must be hard for Vick. He was reared in a socio-economic strata that views the Man with deep suspicion, born of ham-handed treatment by the law. Cooperation with the police is seen as almost traitorous. I have no idea of Vick feels that way. ESPN's Howard Bryant touched on this his lengthy piece Vick's next role is an unsavory one: Government informant.

"He may be called a snitch, but aiding federal authorities is the most honorable thing for this disgraced man to do at this late date. It could even be the beginning of his redemption."

Bryant's story speculates that Ookie could provide so much new evidence about the underground dog fighting culture that he could escape jail time altogether. I'm not sure about that one, but Bryant points out that the deal means that Vick would have to rat out other NFL players involved in dog fighting.

Commissioner Goodell's problems in this area may only be beginning.

Vick Pleads Guilty

2007-08-24T15:13:00.000-04:00

UPDATE: NFL Suspends Vick Indefinitely for "cruel and reprehensible" conduct.

Vick files plea admitting to dogfighting.

This does not end the story, only the chapter. Billy Martin, Vick's lead attorney, says his client will speak to the public about his role that Martin says is different than that of the other defendants. That, my friend, is what you call "theater."

Michael Vick plead guilty to conspiracy charges and acknowledged that he bankrolled the Bad Newz Kennels operation, including paying the gambling losses of the group. However, Vick denies a hand in the actual killing of dogs and in placing any bets.

Ten questions for Michael Vick:

What the &%#$ were you thinking?
What lessons have you learned from this experience?
Who initiated the Bad Newz enterprise, you or your co-defendants?
What was your reaction when your co-defendants changed their plea and agreed to cooperate with the prosecution?
What are your true views about dog fighting today? Do you think people make too much of it? Is it a sport?
You've lost your good name. What's your plan to get your reputation back? Do you understand why people reacted as they did when the story broke?
How will you factor ethical choices as you make personal decisions in the future?
Dog fighting has emerged as an activity of an urban criminal element. Are you a thug, or just a thug wannabe?
Your lawyer says your role was different that that of the co-defendants. How does that justify your participation in this enterprise?
Should personal conduct have any role in determining if an athlete should play professional sports? Why, or why not?

Photo: www.1010wins.com from here.

Jason Campbell on Brandon Lloyd

2007-08-24T10:03:00.000-04:00

Question, from ExtremeSkins.com chat session with Washington Redskins QB Jason Campbell:
"What improvements have you seen in Brandon Lloyd's game since the end of last season?"

"Overall I think Brandon Lloyd’s attitude has been a big improvement this season. He’s been dedicated to coming out and trying to participate in practice and go full speed. It’s carrying over to the field for him right now. His development in the offense has also improved. He’s running great routes right now. He’s a speedster, so his main thing is that he can get down field for us to help stretch the field, help stretch our passing game. He can be a tremendous asset. He’s just got to continue dedicating himself."
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The Redskins have reverted to type and started bringing in experienced players to audition for a spot with the team. Maybe they are not seeing enough from the rookies. Or, maybe they just see guys like Randall Godfrey as depth role players. I doubt that one could cast Todd Pinkston in that mold. Running backs who are past 30, like Fred Beasley, are pretty much on the downward arc of their career [see Davis, Stephen].

What I find interesting, without being critical, is that Godfrey, Pinkston and Beasley were free agents who did not play last year. News reports say that the Skins courted Godfrey all thought the offseason, but Pinkston and Beasley would have jumped at the chance to be here sooner if only for more time to learn the playbook.

So why weren't they here before now? You allocate your OTA and training camp slots to players you think will develop over time. That's seeding the future. As they are released, you look at vets, "known quantities", who can fill spots. Of the four 30+ players recently added to the roster, only Godfrey and Pete Kendall are likely to stick. The Redskins will vote Pinkston and Beasley off the island if an more interesting vet gets cut from the active roster of some other team.

Yeah; that's it.

Marbury Speaks

2007-08-24T03:35:00.000-04:00

We've seen this before around here, only this time it's basketball player Stephon Marbury who lamented that Michael Vick was being charged with the sport of dog fighting while others kill Bambi for sport and get away with it.

Marbury didn't exactly use the Bambi device (that's mine). Marbury was actually quoted as saying

"I think it's tough," Marbury said, according to Albany TV station Capital News 9. "I think, you know, we don't say anything about people who shoot deer or shoot other animals. You know, from what I hear, dogfighting is a sport. It's just behind closed doors."

Marbury has already backed off the contention when he said Vick "should be punished" and stating that his comments should be put "in the right context."

"It is not uncommon for my comments to be misconstrued in the media," the Knicks point guard wrote in a statement released by the team. " ... What Michael Vick did was wrong and he has admitted his guilt. He should be punished. However, he should be given a second chance as others have received for more serious crimes."

Anthony Brown dealt with the dog fighting as sport in a essay Blood Sports are Savagery, not Fair Competition that appeared on MVN.com. You an find it here.

Greg Hansen, columnist for the Arizona Daily Star points out that "the deer that are killed are not left to rot in the forest. They are harvested very carefully and subsequently find their way to dinner tables everywhere." He adds "Deer hunting can be and often is a dangerous endeavor. But unlike dog-fighting, it is not inherently a malicious one."

Like Marbury, I'm a kid from the inner-city. Hunting is not part of my cultural DNA. I've known and befriended hunters and talked with them about the activity. I sort of get it that there is an ethic about hunting that is absent from dog fighting and other so called blood sports.

I also understand that maybe that sense is beyond Marbury's and Clinton Portis' experience. I suspect their real beef is that Michael Vick may be banned from football for life. As athletes who committed their lives to their sport, they must empathize with Vick on that one.

They would argue that ability alone should be the sole determination of an athlete's right to play. What society is telling them through Ookie and Pacman and others is that more is expected than ability. It's a cool idea not to offend paying customers, both fans and sponsors. I'm not sure they like that.

Stephon shouldn't worry. The NFL forgives quick. Michael Vick will play again somewhere. There is one team that has always been a haven for social misfits with a bad boy image. If that JaMarcus Russell kid doesn't work out, Michael Vick could just fit the bill for the Oakland Raiders in three years or so.

Poindexter Speaks

2007-08-24T02:51:00.000-04:00

Oh, NOW Surry County wants to aggressively prosecute Michael Vick on dog fighting charges. So says Commonwealth Attorny Gerald Poindexter in a story in yesterday's Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Poindexter, whose deliberate pace of investigation probably triggered the federal government's more active participation, says he will base his case, in part, on evidence developed in the fed's prosecution of Vick and his Bad Newz Kennels co-defendants.

That's no more helpful now than was Surry County's snail's pace effort before. All the more so because it gives Vick's defense team something more to think about as they craft his guilty plea to federal charges. Now they must avoid any admission that could weaken Vick's defense to State charges.

In football, there is a penalty for late hits. There should be one here too. Justice is best served by having Vick admit to everything in one swoop. That does create the situation where Vick is guilty of the conspiracy, but not charged with the underlying crime.

State charges should have been lodged first, or at least concurrent with the federal indictment. Now, State charges are anti-climatic and complicate matters for the feds as much as for Ookie. I think Vick's guilty plea this Monday will be less comprehensive than it might have been before Poindexter's announcement. [UPDATE: Vick will deny killing dogs]

The newspapers make a point of saying that States can level charges based on federal evidence. Such steps are not double jeopardy under the Bill of Rights because the accused faces different charges under a different, but related, set of facts. Double jeopardy is a violation of the Fifth Amendment.

That's the wrong angle for this story. The Bad Newz guys are pleading guilty to federal charges and admitting to the criminal facts that violate Virginia law. To use those guilty pleas in State charges now seems like a violation of the Fifth Amendment prohibiting self-incrimination. I don't see how the State can get away with that. But, I'm not a lawyer. I just watch them on TV.

Surry County, so slow to move in the case before, should move slowly now. Better yet, drop the case if Vick admits violating Virginia law in his federal plea. Lets not make this prosecution a persecution.

Michael Vick and Master4caster, crashed and burned

2007-08-22T23:28:00.000-04:00

Damn! You nurture an idea, sniff out the drama behind the story, post about it chapter by chapter until it reaches the dramatic high point, then your computer crashes.

On the weekend that Michael Vick reached the momentous decision to acknowledge his guilt in bankrolling a large-scale dog fighting ring, my poor PC was infected by a massive virus attack and crashed. It's being serviced (I'm writing this on a borrowed machine), but my access to Running Redskins is severely restricted until the problems are fixed.

I hope to be back in business by Monday. For the latest Redskins news, see the outstanding bloggers on the list to your right. For the latest in the Micheal Vick saga, see Michael Wilbon's article Brought Down by Arrogance. Wilbon touched on some themes I wanted to write about Monday.

Bear with me as I work through this.

Bad News Kennels nearly K-put

2007-08-17T15:02:00.001-04:00

Michael Vick's last two co-defendants in federal conspiracy dog fighting charges changed their plea to guilty this morning before the U.S. District Court in Richmond, Virginia.

Purnell Peace, 35, of Virginia Beach and Quanis Phillips, 28, of Atlanta face sentencing of up to five years on the charges. Both signed statements acknowledging that all of the facts in the federal indictments against them were true, and that they would cooperate with prosecutors in the case against Vick.

CNN reports that the statements included details that Vick joined the two defendants when they "executed approximately eight dogs that did not perform well in testing sessions" in April of this year by methods such as hanging and drowning. Vick met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in late April and denied any involvement in dog fighting.

The feds threaten to file superseding charges against Vick next week when a federal grand jury will be empaneled. Those charges are likely to include racketeering charges. They have offered Vick a plea deal that would call for Vick to spend a year or less of jail time. No agreement was reached by Noon today.

Vick apparently is weighing the impact of a guilty plea on his ability to return to football at the end of any sentence. His agreement to a plea deal depends on what he thinks he hears from the NFL about his future.

Vick has contract law and the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement working in his favor. The NFL does not have sole discretion to just drop him. The league owners agreed to restrict that right last year -- mistakenly, I think -- to reach the new contract with the NFL Players Association. The NFLPA objected to the disciplinary actions that Philadelphia Eagles used against Terrell Owens.

Working against Vick is the additional charges the fed intend to file. Racketeering and gambling charges are serious business. The league suspended Paul Hornung for a year for gambling. The NFL might be persuaded to limit itself to an eight game suspension for a dog fighter. Racketeering could get you banned for life.

It seem unlikely that Vick would plead guilty to racketeering. If a plea is coming, it will be before the more serious charges are filed next week.

Vick likely to plead out

2007-08-16T12:32:00.000-04:00

According to a story written by Jeremy Redmon and Bill Rankin at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"Falcons quarterback Michael Vick will most likely join his three co-defendants and agree this week to a plea deal with prosecutors in his federal dogfighting case, according to two people with knowledge of the case.

"Vick has not made a final decision, according to the two people with the knowledge of the case, because he wants to hear from the NFL what a guilty plea would do to his football career."

Vick hired a crack legal team, giving every indication of his intent to fully fight the charges. Plea deals by all of his co-defendants tackled Vick for a loss. It's bad when you are dogged by your dawgs in federal court.

The AJC story points out that one of Vicks considerations is how the NFL will respond to the developments. One of the smarter moves Vick made was to hire Butch Williams for his legal team. Williams, of Durham, NC, represents athletes in contract law and professional league rules. He represented one of the accused in the Duke rape case. I suspect that Williams is leading negotiations with the NFL.

And it is a negotiation. The league wants to be seen as taking action as a result of the scandal. But, there are contracts and union rules in play. Like the feds, they might be open to exacting a less severe penalty if Vick waives some of his rights.

Roger Goodell's good behavior policy does not use criminal conviction as a triggering event. Repeated actions that go beyond personal reputation to taint the league is substantiation enough to act. The NFL is investigating the facts that have emerged about Vick's Ookie side to see if he violated the league's personal conduct policy.

Butch Williams would be wise to open a dialogue with the NFL Players Association as part of his efforts. The players' union is obliged to monitor player treatment by the NFL. They supported Terrell Owens' outrageous behavior in 2005. Vick has a price to pay. Both his legal team and the union will want to see that he's not railroaded. The union pretty much has to do so.

The NFL wants to sanction Vick. I'm not so sure they want to ban him. Vick is, or was, the NFL's most popular individual star. As voiced by an anonymous man who sat behind me at FedEx Field, "the NFL forgives quick."
_________________________
As a black man, I am furious at Michael Vick. To waste his talent and resources on the silliest of diversions; to be so blind -- or so unfeeling -- to the savagery of the enterprise; to fail to put aside the low-lifes in his life, is criminal in its own right.

I'm not sure if Bad Newz Kennels was Vick's idea in the first place. I am certain (without knowing the parties involved) that Quanis Phillips and Purnell Peace would not have involved themselves in the venture, except for the glamor of being in Vick's inner circle.

That's the biggest crime of all. Phillips, Peace and Tony Taylor might have been elevated to better circumstances, better lives, through Michael Vick. Instead, he allegedly financed their way to federal prosecution. Something about laying down with dogs . . . .
_________________________
The black community, especially the Atlanta black community, has been in a quandary about Vick. Advancement and hope for African-Americans have only come through government action. Slavery was banned in the U.S. in the sixties, that's the 1860s. However, it was replaced by a system of economic deprivation and social isolation that ended about a decade after the modern Civil Rights movement. The blessings of America were not enjoyed by large numbers of blacks until the seventies, that's the 1970s.

Wide disparities in the treatment of blacks and other minorities remain in the criminal justice system. Folks get uncomfortable when it looks like a young black man is getting railroaded, whether the man is named Ookie, or O.J. The barrage against Vick feels like the bad old days to many people.

The venerable, Atlanta-based Southern Christian Leadership Conference, once led by Martin Luther King, Jr., considered a show of support for Vick at its upcoming convention. Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed. Unfolding events would have made them look silly.

Michael Vick does not need their help. Ookie Vick does not deserve their sympathy.