Close... But No Cigar!!

It wasn’t easy to watch, but the Redskins put up a fight Sunday against the Eagles in a losing effort, 27-24. I still stand by what I said earlier, in that we have an 10-11 win team. But, when you have Albert Haynesworth, Clinton Portis, DeAngelo Hall, Jeremy Jarmon, Chad Rinehart, Mike Williams, Chris Cooley, Ladell Betts, Chris Samuels, Randy Thomas and even Mike Sellers either get hurt was already hurt coming into the game, you are going to have some problems. It would be en vogue to blame the owner, blame the playcalling, blame the GM and blame certain players, but we are supposed to have enough veteran leadership to counter all of that.

I have watched our Defense, which was ranked in the top 5 going into yesterday’s game, have communication breakdowns, resulting in long TD catches. DeSean Jackson got loose again yesterday. You can’t blame Carlos Rogers for that one folks. It is funny though. People who claim to know football can’t really explain what happened on those long TD’s. I don’t claim to be an expert so I wait for explanations on certain things before I open my mouth. And yesterday’s long TD catch by DeSean Jackson looked like, and for the most part, sounded like there was a breakdown in communication again. I couldn’t really tell if we were supposed to be in Man or Zone. Anyone care to chime in and let me know what the assignments were? I would like to know. In the meantime, I will tip my hat to Donovan McNabb, again.

I know people don’t like him. I know people don’t think that he is smart. I know people think that he is not accurate. I know people think that he is not a Franchise QB. I know people think that he needs to run more. I know people want him to sit in the pocket more. But what people don’t know is that I would like you all to SHUT UP!!!! Donovan wins games, PERIOD!!! I have never in all of my 25 years of watching football heard one player get scrutinized more than Donovan McNabb. Michael Vick and Vince Young gets scrutinized just as much, but not more. I’ll say it again. Philly is still missing key pieces of their team in TE Cornelius Ingram, and LB Stewart Bradley. This is one dangerous team. But the guy that is running the show, who finally has enough talent around him to make some noise is Donovan. I am not going to take away from his win yesterday by saying we gave them the game. Donovan did what he needed to do to win the game. If this were Tom Brady, Carson Palmer, Phillip Rivers, Eli Manning or Peyton Manning, they would be getting praised so I am praising Donovan McNabb.

Yesterday’s game shed light on a lot of things. First of all, Jason Campbell should have received a Roughing The Passer penalty call on the last Redskins' play. Had that been Tom Brady or Peyton Manning they would have made that call. And don’t anyone dispute it, because we watched a guy trip near Tom Brady, not even touch him, and get called for Roughing The Passer. Jason Campbell got slammed, what’s the excuse? But I digress. As bad as everyone claims the Redskins are, they have not been getting blown out of games. People are asking for Washington to be competitive, and for the most part they are. This team has a lot of heart. I have only been frustrated with Washington one time in all of my years of watching football and it was the 1993 season where I felt we underachieved big time. I feel that if we can re-sign Jason Campbell, draft a Left Tackle, draft a Free Safety (moving LaRon back to his "natural" position), sign/draft a CB, sign/draft a backup QB, use Ladell Betts a bit more, higher a new GM and keep the coaching staff in place, we, again, have an 11-win team on our hands. I know everyone disagrees, but riddle me this. Aren’t the Tennessee Titans the same team that went 13-3 last year? The only person that they lost was Albert Haynesworth. Are you going to tell me that the Titans have more talent than the Redskins? If so, why are the Titans 5-6? What changed? Could it be that the QB that they were looking for was one that was already on the roster? Just something to think about. For right now, the Redskins are 3-8, but I am going to say it again, this is not a 3-8 team by any stretch. Keep your head up fellas.

Redskins-Cowboys Recap

Another chapter in the storied rivalry was written Sunday. The Redskins-Cowboys game is always epic. It doesn’t matter what the records are, these two teams come to play. I was a bit disturbed about one thing. Had the Redskins won that game, would the fans have been happy? I mean, if Shaun Suisham would have hit one of the two Field Goals that he missed, would the Redskins fans have been happy with a 9-7 win? I seem to remember earlier in the season when we won a game 9-7 against the Rams, the fans were up in arms. So why is it that a 9-7 victory over Dallas is acceptable, but not over the Rams? Aren’t they both wins? Does it matter what the score was? Wouldn’t you trade in a win for loss right now? I am sure that the Cowboys fans are happy with it.

I can talk all day about Shaun Suisham missing two Field Goals, but the fact of the matter is, our Offense should have been able to score at least one TD Sunday. Now had we put some points on the board on Offense, Suisham missed the Field Goals, and then we lost, I would entertain the thought of him costing us the game. Dallas’ potent #4 ranked Offense couldn’t find the end zone with a map. The playcalling for the Cowboys was very spotty. But the Washington Redskins Defense needs to given some credit. They played a near perfect game. I mean if you hold a team who averages 27 points at home, to only 7 points, you should win that game right? Well not if you only put up 6 points yourself. We all know that the Redskins have had to endure injury after injury. But, I am pretty confident that our team is good for more than 6 points. I know fans of other teams don’t want to hear it, but the Redskins are much better than they are playing right now. And Sunday, was just another game of us not playing up to our potential on Offense. So please don’t blame the kicker.

The Cowboys are loaded with talent, but for some strange reason, in recent years, have not put it together this season either. Don’t get me wrong 7-3 is good, but not good enough for them to think that the have made it. After watching the Cowboys lose to the Packers last week, and barely escaping the Redskins Sunday, I am not impressed with them. But I understand it is all about matchups, and the Redskins and Cowboys are evenly matched, whether you believe it or not. Some would say that Miles Austin pulled a disappearing act. I say that with the play calling and the fact that Miles is a focal point now, the Redskins strategically took him away, until the last drive of the game for Dallas. This is the time for Roy Williams to step up right? WRONG!! He actually sold Tony Romo out a few times. If it were not for Marion Barber, Miles Austin late in the game, and Martellus Bennett, Dallas may have not even scored Sunday. I think Dallas may have given up too much for Roy Williams. But, the other players on the team can pick up the slack. After watching Williams cower going across the middle in fear of being hit by LaRon Landry, I’d be pissed off at him if I were his teammate.

The Redskins Offense, on paper, should have been thoroughly dominated by that Dallas Defense. But the lowly Redskins and their Offense moved the ball quite well all day. What killed us Sunday is what has been killing us all year…. PLAYCALLING!! Especially when we get deep into the other teams territory. But Sunday shed light on something that every football fan should be aware of. Any given Sunday, you can be beaten. And although Sunday was not the day for the Cowboys, I would not be surprised if the Redskins-Cowboys matchup later in the season ends with a Redskins win. As poor as our Offense is supposed to be, they should me heart and fight Sunday. I mean the Redskins have lost 3 Offensive Lineman for the season and are down two Running Backs, but can still remain competitive enough to give themselves a chance to win a game. I guess that Offense is not that bad after all, huh?

I will give Dallas credit for one thing. Their Defense did play a good game Sunday. And their Defense kept them in the game long enough for them to have a chance to win the game at the end. And they did what any good team would do. They took advantage of opportunities, or in this case, an opportunity. They won a game that was left on the table for them to win. Right now, Dallas is sitting in 1st place of the NFC East. But, I am looking forward to their games against Philadelphia and the second game against the Redskins. These are always great matchups. Who ever wins the NFC will end up in the NFC Championship Game this year. Bank on it. For right now, I will try to accept the fact that my Redskins lost a game that they dominated for 57 minutes. The 7-6 loss was reminiscent of a 9-7 loss about 5 years ago when Stephen Davis fumbled inside the Cowboys 10 yard line in the closing seconds. And just like that season, we were left wondering how many more ways can we lose games. I hope I don’t have to find out.

The System Vs. The Player

I have this discussion all of the time. Do you get players to fit your system, or do you adjust your system to fit the players that you have? Most coaches/recruiters/trainers are not willing to adjust their system to fit the talent. Is it ego? Is it the fear of failure? Is the fear of the unknown? Stepping outside the box to see what happens can be scary. The unknown may turn out to be a place of success. But, the unknown may also be a place of failure. Do you take the chance? Or do you stick to your guns? Which is the right answer? The System or the Player?

I ask this question because of the issues that the Washington Redskins have had this 2009 season. But if you look around the league there are other teams who have a bit of an issue with this topic as well. Vince Young or Kerry Collins? Shaun Hill or Alex Smith? J.P. Losman or Trent Edwards or Ryan Fitzpatrick? Brady Quinn or Derek Anderson? Bruce Gradkowski or JeMarcus Russell? Josh Freeman or Josh Johnson? Jay Cutler or Kyle Orton? I mean I’d love to see if Matt Hasselback could play outside of the West Coast Offense. If you ask me, Hasselbeck has been average at best, but for some reason he gets a pass. Please don’t give me any crap about Hasselbeck making the Super Bowl. He didn’t win it. I mean Donovan McNabb and Rex Grossman made the Super Bowl too. So, if Hasselbeck get’s a pass so do they. Could Peyton Manning play in the West Coast Offense. Hell if we switched Petyon Manning and Matt Hasselbeck what would the results be? Would Jim Mora switch to a Spread Offense to suit Peyton? Or, would Peyton have to learn a new system. That should be easy for him right, I mean the general consensus is Peyton Manning is smart, so switching Offense’s should be easy for him right? Does Seattle have the parts around Peyton for him to be successful? I certainly think that Indianapolis has everything for Matt Hasselbeck to be successful.

Let’s look at Michael Vick and Matt Schaub. Remember Matt Schaub played well when Mike Vick got hurt? Well the reason why Michael Vick didn’t do so well in that system is because he had to sit in the pocket. If any bright ass was watching Vick at Virginia Tech, we all know that Vick NEVER sat in the pocket. This to me is poor coaching. You can make the point that Vick never studied. Point well taken. But isn’t this the same guy, whom we just established never studied, that later ran the Spread Option Offense with Warrick Dunn and basically ran his way into the record books? This is also the same guy that went 12-4 in 2004 and was one game away from the Super Bowl. But for some strange reason people believed that Matt Schuab was better than Michael Vick. Imagine if Michael Jenkins and Roddy White didn’t leave their hands in the locker room all of those years. This may have been one of the most potent Offenses in the league. Matt Schaub has since moved on to the Houston Texans. I do see why people were high on him. He is a solid QB, but he hasn’t won anything folks. And truth be told, he actually has more talent in Houston right now, than he did when he was in Atlanta. So why is he not winning? Was it the system? What do you think? You make the call.

I had a guy run me down one day. He is an Eagles fan, but for some strange reason doesn’t like Donovan McNabb. My initial belief was that he thinks Donovan can’t win big games. But after delving deeper into the situation, I was amazed at what I heard from this guy. He believes Donovan is not accurate. He also believes that Donovan can only throw the deep ball. So I asked a dumb question, “Is the degree of difficulty higher the longer/deeper the pass?” I then asked him to name his top 3 QB’s in the NFL? Keep in mind, this is like 2 years ago. He says Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Drew Brees. Fair enough. I then asked him to give me another 3, he then says Phillip Rivers, Carson Palmer and Eli Manning. At this point I am livid. At this particular time, Carson Palmer was stinking up the joint and so was Eli Manning. So I asked him about his own teams starting QB, and he says that his teams QB (Philadelphia Eagles – Donovan McNabb), was not in the Top 10. Now I don’t claim to like him, but even Tony Kornheiser thought that people should recognize Donovan as the #3 QB in the league. I mean isn’t this the same guy who ran the hell out of the West Coast Offense with #2 and #3 WR’s for like 4 straight years? Do we remember what happened when he actually got a playmaker at WR, in Terrell Owens? What was Carson Palmer’s excuse? He was in the same system with two legit #1 WR’s (T.J. Houshmanzedah and Chad Ochocinco [then Johnson]), and never matched McNabb’s production. The only difference is Donovan was in the right system with the wrong pieces. What was Carson Palmer’s excuse? He had the right pieces, was he in the wrong system?

I brought all of this up to talk about a guy that I think is unfairly criticized, Jason Campbell. He is more suited for a Power Running game. Sure he ran the West Coast Offense in college, but in which system was he most successful when he got the NFL? We can talk about the owner, the V.P. of Football Operations, and the General Manager all day, but the guy that I think tried to do the right thing, but reverted back to his old ways was Coach Jim Zorn. He had the right idea last year and trying to combine a Power Running game with the West Coast Passing Game. I understand we suffered some injuries on the Offensive Line, but why do you think the Redskins started 6-2 last year. People tried to say it was film, but it doesn’t take 8 weeks for any NFL team to figure you out. Trust me people, it really takes about 2-4 days before any NFL coach can figure out what you do. People knew what we were doing, they just couldn’t stop it. Coach Zorn adjusted the system to fit the players, that’s why he was successful. Why is/was he struggling towards the end of last year and the beginning of this year? He tried to make the players fit the system. The reality is, everyone has injuries at this point in the season. And although we have had our fair share of injuries, the Redskins played one of their best games of the season against the Broncos. If you were paying attention, the play-calling was something straight out of the book of Joe Gibbs, minus all the motioning pre-snap. Imagine what happens when/if the starters come back. Although Ladell Betts had a great game, just remember the guy that he replaced had 1,487 Rushing yards last year. He got 1, 000 of those yards in the first half of the season in 2008 before injuries got a hold of him and the Offensive Line. But we also stopped doing what was working. So we will never know if it was truly the system or the personnel. So to answer the original question, is it the player or the system. It is a combination of both in some cases, but you have to be open to going either way.

All Betts Are On, All Day!!

I know, I know. I am the biggest Redskins fan there is and I didn’t pick us to beat the Broncos yesterday. Tar and feather me!! I did, however, know that Ladell Betts would have a good game. Partly because our Offensive Lineman, although two are fill-ins, were all playing their original positions. This kind of helps a bit. But Betts has filled in for Clinton Portis before and had over 1,000 yards in only 9 games. Most people, myself included, had been blinded by Betts’ inability to hold on to the ball lately, but yesterday we were quickly reminded as to how good this guy is and why we liked him in the first place. He had opportunities to go elsewhere, but he said that he loved being here, he loved being a Redskins. Although he is a football player, we could take note of his unselfish attitude. Why? Because like everything else, attitudes like this are contagious.

Matthew Ladell Betts grew up an only child in Kansas City, KS. While in high school, Betts was a track star, but was widely known for his accomplishments on the football field. His Senior year in high school, Betts not only led his team to a 10-1 record, but he was also named USA Today’s Missouri Player of the year. He garnered All-State and All-Metro honors on the gridiron. He also won the Thomas Simone Award, which usually goes to the best high school player in the Kansas City area, and was named a Parade and Super Prep All-American. The foundation was laid for Betts to be a very selfish player. But he was not highly recruited coming out of high school so he attended the University of Iowa. Some would consider this a humbling experience. After winning a team MVP award, as well as making All-Big Ten 2nd team, Betts was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the 2nd Round (56th Overall) of the 2002 NFL Draft. Again, this is enough for people to develop the “ME” attitude, but Betts never showed any signs of being that way.

Talk to his teammates, talk to reporters, talk to the Coaches, they all share the same sentiments. Betts is the consummate professional, a great teammate and a great locker room guy. This is a Joe Gibbs kind of player. If you bust your ass during the off-season, bust your ass during training camp, and bust your ass in practice, you will not be surprised at what happens in the game. So what Ladell Betts did yesterday (26 carries, 114 yards, one TD) versus the Broncos was something that I have come to expect from him. It was good to see a good guy get a great opportunity, albeit unfortunate circumstances. About three years ago, I envisioned using him and Clinton Portis as a 1-2 punch, but that never materialized. And at the end of the 2006 season, Betts could have gone anywhere in the NFL as he was a Free Agent. But, he chose to stay here in a backup role. Why? Because, he enjoys being a Redskin. In an organization that is in turmoil, it is nice to see and hear a story like this one.

Now at the ripe old age of 30, standing at 5’11” and weighing in at 225 lbs., he may be considered small, but when it comes to heart, there are very few who can match Ladell’s heart in size. I wish him nothing but the best because guys like this don’t grow on trees. Players like this aren’t born everyday. And teammates like this only come by once in a Blue Moon. Although, people are quick to say Clinton Portis is finished, people have to consider the fact that Portis and Betts are pretty much the same size and height [Betts 5’11”, 225 lbs.; Portis 5’11” 221 lbs.]. The only difference is, Betts (30) is about 2 years older than Portis (28). So if you think Portis is done should you not think the same thing about Betts? I mean we all have heard that Portis is “old and slow.” But, Betts showed yesterday that age is just a number. I know what you are going to say, "Portis has been banged up for the past two seasons." That might be true. But don't you also hope that Betts can continue to produce the way he did yesterday. Who knows!! If Portis is able to return again this season we have a pretty good Spell Back in Betts. And if we keep this particular line in tact we could be looking at two 1000-yd. rushers. But until then….. RUN BETTS, RUN!!!

He's Moved On, But Have We?

Anyone that knows me understands that I am very biased when it comes to Defensive Players, especially Cornerbacks. I think it is extremely hard to draft Cornerbacks. I also think that it is extremely hard to find a cornerstone at Cornerback. I am really a fan of bigger, more athletic Cornerbacks. Nnamdi Asamougha, Al Harris, Ike Taylor, Cortland Finnegan, Mike McKenzie, Antonio Cromartie and Domonique Rodgers-Cromartie are all favorites of mine. But I am leaving one guy out, and it hurts me to admit this, but it’s been about 5 years now and I still miss him. I am selfish, I wanted him to stay and work it out. I know we got Clinton Portis in the trade, but if you ask me, I have always said that Denver got the better end of that deal.

Roland “Champ” Bailey was not your average Cornerback. This was the guy that any franchise would have used a 1^st round draft pick on. I would venture to say that he could have easily gone #1 overall in just about any NFL Draft, but thank goodness he went #7 to the Redskins. Standing at 6’0”, weighing in at 192 lbs., he may not be a giant, but he is big enough to cause some problems for the other teams passing game. His blazing speed (4.28 40-Yard Dash Time) and ridiculous vertical (44”), made it extremely hard for the Redskins to pass on him. And, although I hate the damn test, he scored a very impressive 25 on the Wonderlic (a good score for a Cornerback is an 18). I guess you can be athletic and smart after all huh? But all of the workout numbers pale in comparison to what he as done on the field.

Just look at what Champ’s done in his career. He has 547 Tackles, 2 Sacks, 43 Interceptions including a season in which he had the fewest passes thrown at him, but he led the NFL with 10 INT’s. He is also a 1998 Branko Nagursky trophy winner (awarded to the best college Defensive player in the nation), 8-time Pro Bowler, 3-time All-Pro 1^st team, and 3-time All-Pro 2^nd team selection. Probably one of the most decorated Cornerback in NFL history. And probably the closest thing you are going to get to a “Shutdown Corner” (a term that I hate because it is impossible to completely shutout any Wide Receiver). If you can’t see why I was heartbroken when he left, you don’t know football.

Don’t get me wrong, I am biased but, I am also greedy. I wish that it was some way that we could have gotten Clinton Portis without giving Champ Bailey. Can you imagine that? But I know we had to give something to get something. And although I love Clinton Portis, I still say that Denver got the better end of the deal, because we have yet to replace a guy that would have been a cornerstone for years. Well this Sunday he comes back to FedEx field for the first time since the trade. I know he is filled with anxiety and anticipation. But he will also be a bit nostalgic. For a long time I thought he wanted to leave. Well the story was, that the free spending Daniel Snyder, who usually never spares any expense, didn’t want to pay Champ Bailey. I am no scout, I am not even close to being considered an expert, but I know one thing. This is one guy that I would have been locked up in a contract for a VERY long time. There is no way Champ would have ever left. In any event, I will enjoy seeing him come back to FedEx field, even if it with another team. I will always remember the time that he played here in D.C. I can look like an expert right now stating the obvious, that Champ Bailey was, and probably still is a Top 5 Cornerback. But use your own two eyes in evaluating talent, especially the young men coming out in the draft. Tell me if you think that guys like Champ Bailey grow on trees. I can sure as hell tell you that they don’t and this is one mistake Daniel Snyder will always have to live with. Imagine if you will, for a minute, a starting lineup featuring:

Brian Orakpo – Defensive End

Jason Taylor - Defensive End

Cornelius Griffin – Defensive Tackle

Albert Haynesworth – Defensive Tackle

London Fletcher – Middle Linebacker

LaVar Arrington – Weakside Linebacker

Marcus Washington – Strongside Linebacker

Sean Taylor – Free Safety

LaRon Landry – Strong Safety

Sean Springs – Cornerback

Champ Bailey – Cornerback

I know it is a fantasy, but you can’t blame me for thinking it.

He Was Doomed From The Start

I have been biting my tongue for so long now, it is about to come off. I can’t do it anymore. I heard the most preposterous, most insane, most ridiculous solution to the Redskins problems the other day, and I just about lost it. “Bring back Mark Brunell!!” What in the world was this person smoking? Don’t get me wrong, I loved Mark Brunell, but do people have selective amnesia? Wasn’t Mark Brunell replaced by Jason Campbell? Hell wasn’t Mark Brunell replaced by Byron Leftwich in Jacksonville. And this is what people call a solution to the problem? Are you kidding me? I am going to ruffle some feathers, but some of Jason Campbell’s problems stem from him being a Black QB. Prove me wrong on this one, and I’ll stop posting.

I have been watching football for a while now. Do you recognize these names? Names like Vince Evans, Randall Cunningham, Warren Moon, Doug Williams, Daunte Culpepper, Donovan McNabb, Michael Vick, Vince Young, David Garrard, Byron Leftwich, Kordell Stewart, Aaron Brooks, Seneca Wallace, Dennis Dixon, Charlie Batch, Andre Ware, Troy Smith, Chris Leake, Josh Johnson, Josh Freeman, Andre Woodson, JeMarcus Russell, Pat White, Quincy Carter and countless others. There are other Black QB’s who were asked to change positions in the NFL in order to continue their careers. Do you recognize names like Michael Robinson, Josh Cribbs, Hines Ward, Brian Mitchell, and Antwaan Randle El? By no means am I saying that all of these guys were great, but are you meaning to tell me that not one of these guys were good enough to be considered a Franchise Quarterback? Not one of them? Are you kidding me? See when you have people like Mel Kiper telling you that Ryan Leaf will be better than Peyton Manning I don’t know how much I want to listen to him. Or when I hear Tim Couch is the best player in a draft that featured Daunte Culpepper and Donovan McNabb, I tend to scratch my head. And if you ask me Jason Campbell was doomed before he started.

I remember watching the draft and hearing when Jason Campbell was drafted. I was excited because you rarely hear anything good on draft day about a Black QB. One of the first things that I remember hearing Coach Joe Gibbs saying about Jason Campbell was something that I NEVER hear people say about any Black QB. “He is super smart.” How many times have you heard this about any Black QB? Go ahead and think. I’ll wait. I have all day. I have heard this numerous times regard non-Black QBs. Another term that I hear about average non-Black QBs is, “He has the “it” factor.” To me this is a cop out. The “experts” can’t really find anything to say that will set this guy apart so they make up something. The “it” factor!!! The “it” factor is a bunch of IT if you ask me. See right now, there are a myriad of things wrong with the Washington Redskins that are minor, but the general consensus is Jason Campbell is the biggest problem. Really?

See a couple of years ago when Carson Palmer was stinking up the joint, the “experts” were saying Palmer didn’t look like himself and that he is distracted by his Wide Reciever Chad Ochocinco (then Johnson), and that his Offensive Line was banged up, and that he was still feeling the after affects of his ACL surgery 4 years later. These are all excuses people. Even last year when Peyton Manning was struggling, he got a free pass. “Peyton Manning doesn’t look like Peyton Manning.” Look, just say the dude was playing poorly. Don’t get it twisted, I love Carson Palmer and Peyton Manning is the best QB in the NFL right now (but we all know when he gets healthy, Tom Brady is the best QB in the NFL, hands down). I think he’s a stud at QB, but he gets a free pass. Even Donovan McNabb, arguably the #3 best QB in the NFL at one point wasn’t getting his due respect. Matt Hasselbeck has pretty much done the exact same things McNabb has done, but for some strange reason, Donovan gets most of the criticism. Poor Josh Freeman couldn’t even celebrate his first NFL start and first NFL win in peace before some “expert” said that he didn’t have a great game. Which game was he watching? My point is, it doesn’t matter what Jason Campbell does at this point. He will never be considered good.

He can go win a Super Bowl or two later on in his career and all people will remember is him struggling. He doesn’t get the excuses Palmer gets. Jason Campbell’s line is actually banged up. Jason Campbell is actually suffering from some minor injuries. Jason Campbell has never been backed up by the organization. Jason Campbell has never been referred to as a Franchise QB. Jason Campbell could go to other teams and start. Which teams you might ask? Buffalo, Miami, Cleveland, Kansas City, Oakland, Chicago, Detroit, Carolina, Tampa Bay, St. Louis, San Francisco and Seattle. But all he endures is criticism. I will hear people say that he doesn’t have a #1 Wide Receiver. I will hear people say that he holds on to the ball too long. I will hear people say that his Offensive Line is horrible. I will hear people say that he is playing for a poorly run organization. I will hear people say that the Redskins have no running game. I will hear people say that the Redskins don’t have the personnel to run the West Coast Offense. Well if Jason Campbell has all of these things working against him, why doesn’t he get a free pass? Because, from the beginning no one is really sold on Black QB successfully running any team. They are still looked at as athletes who happen to play QB. No one really thinks Black QB posses the mental capacity to handle a play book or to think quickly and make decisions (thanks to dumbest test in the world, the Wonderlic). And when the chips are down, people will use some very harsh and unnecessary adjectives to describe that particular player. Worthless, stupid, sorry, dumb, and god forbid the QB is a pocket passer, which Jason Campbell happens to be, he is called…. SLOW!!! All of these words ring with racial undertones that give me flashbacks. Face it people. Football is a microcosm of the real world. Guys like Jason Campbell could have a building fall on top of him, and for some strange reason, it would still be his fault.

I am one who believes in looking at players as players, not based off of skin color and I don’t use code words. I talk straight. If you ask me right now, I will tell you that I am sold on Tom Brady being the best QB in the NFL. I will tell you that the owners for New England and Pittsburgh are exactly how an organization should be run. I will tell you that, even though I am a bit biased, Joe Gibbs is the perfect mix between being an authoritarian and a players coach. At the same token I will tell you that the most controversial player in the NFL, Terrell Owens, is still the best player in the NFL. Donovan McNabb and Tom Brady are the only two QBs in the NFL to win on a consistent basis with less than stellar talent around them. The best Center in the NFL is Jeff Saturday. The best players in the NFL floating under the radar are Kyle Orton and Miles Austin. The next guy to be considered the best WR in the NFL is Brandon Marshall. The best Defensive Coordinator in NFL is Dick Lebeau. I am only biased when it comes to Defensive Coordinators. So I am by no means, blindly playing the race card. But, I will call a spade a spade. Jason Campbell is in the worse possible situation right now, and does not deserve the criticism that he is being laced with. We need to rethink our standards of what a good QB is. He is by no means the worse QB in the NFL, but he is the QB in the worse position. You can put Mark Brunell, Peyton Manning, Joe Montana, or Tom Brady back there, and they wouldn't do any better. If you know football, New England and Indianapolis got it right. Give your QB a line and it is amazing what they can do. Tom Brady is the perfect example. He won 3 Super Bowls with average Wide Receivers, but a stellar Offensive Line. In my opinion, give Jason Campbell an Offensive Line and a vote of confidence and he will join Doug Williams, hopefully one day, Donovan McNabb, as the only Black QB's to win a Super Bowl.

Atlanta Down, Denver Next!

Needless to say, the Redskins-Falcons game was a tale of two half’s. The funny thing is, I recognized both Redskins teams from each half. We are either clicking on all cylinders or totally embarrassing ourselves. And in the 1^st half of Sunday’s game, we were embarrassing ourselves. But something happened in the 2^nd half, we woke up.

I am not one to think you can just insert players and expect things to turn around. It doesn’t work that way people. It never does. You had better have a stable structure in place or your new parts are going to pick up old habits. We can fire Coach Jim Zorn, and we can let Jason Campbell go, but are those the best options for a team, an organization, or a fanbase that is wants to win now? Are people willing to be patient to wait for a team to turn it around? See the fans all think that they have the answer(s), but if we make any drastic changes, it will not equal a Super Bowl win people.

I would like some of the people who think that Jason Campbell is not good, to get under center themselves. That would be very interesting. The fact of the matter is I think Dan Snyder listens to the fans too much in my opinion. Everyone wants to win now, our owner makes the drastic moves that he thinks will equal Championships, and when it doesn’t work out, which is not a surprise, people start saying that Snyder doesn’t know what he’s doing. He may not be a football guy, and he may have a friendship with Vinny Cerrato that needs to be evaluated along with Cerrato’s job, but Snyder has done things that show me he wants to win now. The problem is someone needs to explain to him that you build through the NFL Draft and with the right Free Agents. I have heard every dumb statement under the sun. Here are some of the dumbest things that I have heard:

Jason Campbell is not an NFL Quarterback.

Todd Collins needs to start.

Clinton Portis has lost a step.

Santana Moss is a #2 or #3 Wide Reciever.

We need to start Colt Brennan.

LaRon Landry is worthless.

Marko Mitchell needs to start.

We spent too much money on Albert Haynesworth.

We need to bring back Mark Brunell.

We need to get rid of DeAngelo Hall, Fred Smoot and Carlos Rogers.

To steal a line from Chad Ochocinco, “Child please!!”

Anyway, I don’t want to spend too much time talking about nonsense. I wanted to give my opinion on the Denver Broncos game. And I wanted to start with a guy that everyone ran me down about but he has the Broncos clicking on all cylinders on Offense, and that is Kyle Orton. Do you believe me now that Orton can play at the NFL level? It helps every Quarterback in the NFL to have a game changing player at Wide Receiver. And boy do they have a scary Wide Reciever in Brandon “The Beast” Marshall. But we need to keep in mind that they have two other good Recievers in Jabar Gaffney and a guy the “experts” said was not that good, Eddie Royal. To me Eddie Royal is the perfect #2 Wide Receiver. He runs good routes, has sure hands and is faster than “they” said he was. They also have two good backs in Correll Buckhalter and Knowshon Moreno. But what really scares me about the Broncos is that Defense. With all due respect to Brian Dawkins and Champ Bailey, the guy on that Defense that should have everyone worried is Elvis Dumervil. At 5’11” 248, “they” said that he was too small to play Defensive End, but he is perfect in a 3-4 Defense as an Outside Linebacker. Boy were the experts right!! He is 2^nd in the NFL for sacks (10) only to Jared Allen (10.5). To make a long story short, they are going to give the Redskins problems, but there is a chance to win this game.

The Redskins have to do exactly what they did in the 2^nd half of the Falcons game. We have to have a ball controlled attack on Offense. Chew up some clock and keep that potent Denver Offense off of the field. The problem is, that Denver Defense is very good at creating turnovers, so don’t expect any deep passes from Jason Campbell. You need pass protection to allow those plays to develop downfield. And I don’t know if you have been watching, but our line is not good at pass protection. We have to take a conservative approach to give ourselves a chance to win, especially considering that Clinton Portis, more than likely, will not play. I hate to admit this, but even from the beginning of the season, I didn’t have us winning this game. My prediction is

Denver 20, Washington 14.

Sorry fellas. I still love you though.

The Diesel’s Mouth Is In Overdrive

From the stories that we have heard over the years, we all know that John Riggins will speak his mind. It is good to finally hear someone who will say what they want to say, when they want to say, but will also give people their due respect when it is appropriate. I will listen to the The Diesel before I will listen to Skip Bayless. Riggo at least put on some pads and has some experience on the gridiron. But, I think the Diesel may have gone a bit too far. There is something to what he says about the disconnect between former Redskins players, and the organization, but to say Daniel Snyder has a dark heart was a bit comical and over the top.

I am glad that Riggo pointed out the fact that there is something wrong with ownership. I mean I have been wondering for years, why is it that Joe Theismann, Darrell Green, Art Monk, Monte Coleman, Jeff Bostic, Brian Mitchell, Joe Jacoby, Russ Grimm or even Mark May along with a list of others, are not in high positions with Washington Redskins Inc.. We all know that Daniel Snyder is not a football guy. We all know that Vinny Cerrato is not popular with the fans. We all know that Dan Snyder is the one responsible for Vinny Cerrato’s decisions. But to say that this man is a bad person takes this entire situation beyond football. If you do not like Dan Snyder I can respect that. But before you make a comment about a man, make sure you know that man. Riggo has no personal stories that will back up his claim. To a man, it is alright to go off of your gut feeling, but once you open your mouth you had better know what you are talking about. I love John Riggins to death as a former Redskins player, but this claim is mistimed and misplaced.

The one thing that I will give Riggo is that he has been consistent with his disdain for Dan Snyder. I understand that he believes Dan Snyder has driven the Redskins organization into the ground. I mean the Redskins have a 78-89 record during Snyder's regime. We (the Redskins) are also 52-66 since Cerrato's second tenure began in 2002 and Coach Jim Zorn is the fifth head coach since 2000. The organization has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on players and coaches in the last decade and has three playoff berths (1999, 2005 and 2007), and two wild-card playoff victories (1999 and 2005) to show for it. But call Dan Snyder a failure as an owner. Call him a sorry excuse for an owner. Call Dan Snyder an egomaniac, but do not call him a dark hearted person.

A dark heart is the D.C. Sniper from 2002. A dark heart is anyone who is willing to kill themselves and others because of religious beliefs. A dark heart walks into a building and starts shooting people just because of their ethnicity, religion, or skin color. Dan Snyder is not a dark heart. I am sorry I have to defend him in this respect. I do not agree with a lot of moves that he has made, but no one can say that he has not tried to win. No one can say that he has not tried to take a different approach to trying to put out the best product on the field. He may not have done it correctly, but he has tried. I do not know what happened with Coach Joe Gibbs and Greg Williams. We all know that something went on behind closed doors that is not being discussed. We all know that it was for personal reasons why Greg Williams was not Joe Gibbs’ successors. It could not have been for performance reason. We had a Top 5 Defense, three of the four years that Williams was here. But this has nothing to do with Dan Snyder being a dark hart.

I understand that we are all frustrated. I understand that we all want to win the Super Bowl this year. But we all need to calm down. I remember in 2005, the Pittsburgh Steelers were 7-5 and left for dead. People wrote them off and basically had the Steelers playing for a high draft pick. Well Pittsburgh rolled off 4 straight wins, locked up the #5 seed in the AFC Playoffs, and played three road games before landing in the Super Bowl against the Seahawks. By the way, Pittsburgh won the Super Bowl that year, 21-10 and had a very young Ben Roethlisberger at Quarterback. I also remember a 5-7 Redskins team from 2007 that rolled off four games and made the playoffs. What about the 5-6 Redskins team from 2005 that rolled off five straight wins and made the playoffs? My point being, you just do not know when the ship gets righted. You do not know when things are going start to clicking. People do not like hearing it, but Vinny Cerrato did put together a Playoff teams, but injuries, and lack of experience at Wide Reciever, as well as knowledge and trust of the West Coast Offense, have ravaged what should have been the NFC East Champs. We actually have the talent to go 11-5, but we are just not there yet. Blame that on whoever you like, but to question a mans heart is fighting words. And of all of the things that I have heard people say about Dan Snyder, this one crossed the line. Sorry Riggo I love you to pieces, but you went overboard.

London In The Middle

Most people wonder why I like football players who are virtual unknowns. The main reason why is because I have this theory that people like to take the safe road and draft “can’t miss” players. I am more of a person who will gamble on player if I see something that I like. It wouldn't matter to me what "they" say about him. By the way, who the hell is "THEY"? Take for instance Bill Walsh’s gamble in 1985 drafting on Jerry Rice out of Mississippi Valley State with his pick in the First Round (16th Overall). Most people thought that he had lost his mind. I mean this kid was going to a Historically Black College that was considered small for a Division I-AA (now the FCS [Football Championship Series]), and reportedly only ran a 4.71 40-Yard Dash. But Bill Walsh being the genius he was, said that he liked what he saw on film and wanted this kid no matter what. Well I think Bill Walsh’s gamble paid off just a little bit. Fast forward to 1998. Why didn’t anyone see the same thing in London Fletcher? Not only was he disrespected by not being drafted in 1998, but the disrespect continues to this day.

London Levi Fletcher-Baker was born in May 19, 1975 in Cleveland, Ohio. Standing at about 5’10” and 245 lbs., this guy, at least to me, is built like a football players, but the “experts” didn’t think so. Some said that he was too small. London played both basketball and football, lettering in both sports, in High School. This should have been clue #1 people. There are skills that carry over from basketball to football, and vice versa. London initially started at St. Francis University playing basketball, but then later transferred to John Carroll where he not only played basketball, but football. Now I understand that John Carroll is supposedly a Division III college. For those of you who don’t know, Division III is the lowest level of college sports. But, how was a player who is this productive, overlooked? How did the “experts” miss London Fletcher? I get testy because these people will criticize these young men to no end, but will never admit when they have made a mistake. One such player who immediately comes to mind is Dallas’ standout Wide Receiver, Miles Austin. This, to me, is pathetic. Austin is one of the most talented receivers in the NFL. And he actually attended the NFL Scouting Combine and he still didn’t get drafted. And guess what, London Fletcher didn’t get drafted either. But, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that the “experts” missed Fletcher. He doesn’t “look the part” to them. What in the world were they looking at?

Right now, eventhough the Redskins are 2-5, Fletcher is on pace to have 162 tackles this year. This is ridiculous, but not a surprise. Since 2000 London Fletcher has not missed a game. That’s right, a Middle Linebacker in this day and age who has played in every game since 2000. And if you watch any game in which he plays, he always seems to be in on almost every play. He averages about 10 tackles a game. Still not impressed? This guy has finished in the top 10 for tackles almost every year. Right now, the only player that I can see doing that is Patrick Willis for the San Francisco 49ers. What is amazing to me is that Fletcher has NEVER been voted to a Pro Bowl. Now I know that the Pro Bowl is a popularity contest, but come on now people. We want the best players in the NFL represented at the NFL’s All Star game. Jon Beason, Patrick Willis and Brian Urlacher are VERY good players, but so is London Fletcher. We have to get together to help this future Hall Of Famer take a trip to Honolulu, HI (or Miami this year) to put the icing on the cake for a player who is not supposed to be in the NFL according the experts.

The fact of the matter is this guys position is very brutal. He has to ram his body into another players body on almost every play. As one trainer put it, his position requires him to use his body like a battering ram. And we all know that football is a collision sport, so when I hear the team “Injury Prone” it makes the hair on the back of neck stand up. Injuries are a part of the game and are pretty much the luck of the draw. Yes, you can train your body to minimize injuries or the impact of injuries, but you can’t completely avoid them. And well all know that just about everyone plays hurt. Fletcher is no exception. I am pretty sure he has little aches and pains all season long. But, the amazing thing is, here we have a player who has not missed a day of work in almost 10 years. How many people can say that. His job is one that is thankless, but if you are good people will take notice. There is no surprise that when Defensive Coordinator Greg Williams, left St. Louis to go to Buffalo and then Washington, that he made sure to bring London Fletcher with him. If you ask me, in a season of disappointments, Fletcher has been one of the bright spots. But then again it doesn’t surprise me. I have been watching/paying attention to the draft for about 4 years now, and I have seen players like Terrell Owens and Brandon Marshall get drafted in later rounds, but players like Tim Couch go #1 overall. No knock on Couch, you are worth what teams are willing to pay for you. But Tim Couch isn't even in the NFL anymore. So did the experts get that one right? By the wa, how much is London Fletcher worth? To me, he is worth a 1st Round draft pick, but if nothing else, at least one trip to the Pro Bowl. Get on it people.

The Safety

I have been a Redskins fan for over 25 years. I have watched a lot of games and I have liked a lot of players. I can remember wanting to be Joe Washington, or Charlie Brown. I can even remember thinking I was going to be the next Art Monk, Darrell Green, or Gary Clark. But, when I went to college in the mid 1990’s, especially after Art Monk left, I lost a bit of interested in the Redskins. I loved football and I loved the home team, but past Michael Westbrook, there was no player on the Redskins that could catch and hold my attention. And that all changed in the Spring of 2004, when one Sean Michael Maurice Taylor of the University of Miami was drafted #5 overall. I had not seen him play in college, but just watching his highlights at the NFL Draft that year caught my attention enough for me to look forward to the 2004 NFL Season.

The “experts” had Sean Taylor as possibly the best player in the draft. Keep in mind, that same year, players like Ben Roethlisberger, Eli Manning and even Phillip Rivers were available in that draft. This just further illustrates the kind of talent Sean Taylor possessed. Taylor’s 2003 season in college was a very decorated one in which he garnered All-American honors, Big East Conference Defensive Player of The Year, and was a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award. At the NFL Combine, Taylor was clocked running a 4.51 40 Yard Dash, which is good for a Defensive Back, especially a Safety. He also weighed an astounding 231 lbs., which is almost the size of a Linebacker. But the most impressive thing about him was his unheared of Vertical leaping ability (39”) and the range he had in coverage. So needless to say, I was a bit upset that I never saw him play college ball, but I got to see enough of him in pro’s, and he did not disappoint.

One of the things that I liked about Sean Taylor, was his team approach. I know he never really participated in voluntary workouts (if it is voluntary, there should not be a big stink about him not participating), but when he did show, I never once heard or saw him take any plays off. His teammates loved him and more importantly, the Redskins fans adored him. He was never one to do things to thrust himself into the spotlight. He always let his play do his talking for him. From his bone crushing hits, to his timely interceptions, to his willingness to lay a lick on a defender from the other team on Special Teams, this guy showed people how you should approach the game of football. You would be hard pressed to find too many Redskins fans that do not miss Sean Taylor. We all knew that he was going to bring it every game, every play, every year.

I knew he was a special talent when he would take time out to talk to children. He was so gentle and compassionate when it came to kids. It surprised me that someone so ferocious could have such a soft spot for the little people. But, of all the things that I have seen him do, one particular play of his stands out to me the most. In a game in 2007 against the Detroit Lions, the Redskins were thoroughly dominating. There was a 4th down in which the Lions were punting the ball. James Thrash was back to return. As Thrash caught the punt and started to make his way up the field, he was doing his best to avoid defenders. Thrash catches the sidelines and has a defender from the Lions in hot pursuit of him. In a split second, I saw the defender from the Lions disappear as I heard a loud pop. It happened so fast that I had to wait for the replay to be shown so I could see who had just delivered this timely, but vicious block. When the replay was shown, it was not that much of a surprise that Sean Taylor was the man. And when the cameras caught him on the sidelines, a guy that never smiles during a game had a smile on his face from ear to ear. He was just as happy to block on Special Teams as he was to run down and smash a Running Back or Wide Receiver on Offense, or to intercept a pass. Trust me, this guy could have play numerous positions on the football field, but he chose Safety. This was the icing on the cake for me.

Sean Taylor, could have played Wide Receiver, Running Back (which he did in High School), Tight End, Cornerback, or Linebacker (trust me at 230 lbs. he wasn’t too far off). But he chose to play Safety, Free Safety at that. If you don’t know there is a fair amount of intelligence that a player needs to posses to play Free Safety. You have to have a feel for the game and anticipate, before the ball is snapped, what the other team is going to do. I know the fashionable thing to say is he has good instincts, or he is such a good athlete with natural ability, but let’s be honest people. At his position you have to be smart. This is an attribute that is not mentioned when people discuss Sean Taylor and it is bit disturbing, but I’ll save that for another post. It says a lot to me for a guy with that kind of ability chose to do an unselfish thing and play a position that doesn’t necessarily attract a lot of attention for the benefit of the team. This is the real reason why I liked Taylor.

I thought I was alone in my grief and sorrow to receive the news that Sean Taylor had passed away. But, as I made my way around Washington, D.C. I saw t-shirts, hats, jerseys, even cars, sporting Sean Taylor paraphernalia. At the next home game at FedEx Field, there was an inordinate amount of #21 jerseys, and hand towels, pictures and signs honoring the life of Sean Taylor. But nothing stuck out more to me than a train ride home one day on the Red Line here in D.C. in between Brookland and Fort Totten train stations. A concrete wall displayed how deep our cities grief went. Someone took the time to spray paint Sean Taylor’s name on the wall. To me this is a sign of respect. Sean Taylor had respect in the ‘hood. Everyone old enough to watch football loved him, and we still miss him. I don’t ever think we will see another player like him in a long time. I think it’s only fitting that he was inducted into the Ring of Honor at FedEx Field, because we all know, he would have been taking a trip to Canton, OH had he had the chance to play out his career. But as much as I, the fans, his family and his teammates miss him, the real loser in this situation was his precious little girl, who will never know her daddy. This to me is the real tragedy. And for all of us, he is irreplaceable.

R.I.P. Sean!!! God made you for us, but he needed you for much bigger things.

Is This The End?

Is this the end? Is it over? It can't be. I don't want to hear it. I mean, it’s not everyday that you hear someone talking about an Offensive Lineman, but I had to say something about a very important piece on the Washington Redskins’ Offensive Line. The reality is we may have seen him take his last snap in the NFL, but what a career did this man put together. I am talking about Chris Samuels. Next to your Center, your Left Tackle is probably the most important position to fill on the Offensive Line, and did we fill it in the 2000 NFL Draft with our 3^rd overall pick. Samuels played in 141 games, played in 6 Pro Bowls, was 2^nd team All Pro (All NFL) 2001, and was the 1999 Outland Award winner in college for being one of the best Lineman in the country. So when we talk about cornerstones of a franchise, or a Franchise player, Chris Samuels is/was the very definition.

The fact of the matter is at his position of Left Tackle, in about 90% of the cases, you are protecting your Quarterback blindside. That’s because most Quarterbacks are right-handed. And most teams put their best Defensive Ends on the right side of their line, which is the left side of the Offensive Line, so guess who has the honors of facing the best pass rushers in the league on a weekly basis? Not only did Chris Samuels face them, but in many cases, he made them pull a Whodini and disappear. His job is thankless. Block to keep your Quarterback clean, and to open holes for your Running Back. Boring, right??!! Not so much when you are the Quarterback of a football team. Your Left Tackle is the equivalent of a Body Guard. He should be every Quarterbacks best friend. The other team’s goal is to get your Quarterback and knock him out of the game. It sounds brutal, but it is the very nature of the game. You have to have a mean streak. You almost have to be borderline nasty. Trust me, when you are staring down pass rushers like Julius Peppers, Mathias Kiwanuka, Osi Umenyiora, Jared Allen and Trent Cole, that nice guy stuff goes out the window. But Chris was a different person. He was a monster on the football field, but a compassionate person off of it.

Chris Samuels started the Chris Samuels Foundation in 2006. Their mission is to strive for community stabilization through home ownership education, economic development and youth initiatives. The youth initiative is something that stands out to me because of one particular situation. A young lady from Washington, D.C. wanted to attend the Alvin Ailey School for dancing in New York City. With the cost of attending being out of her reach Chris Samuels and his Organization stepped in to help this young lady fulfill her dream. Here we have this NFL player who plays a position in which you have to be nasty, and he takes time out for a young lady whose dream is attend a dancing school. But, it doesn’t stop there. Samuels is also currently active in the lives of teenagers who attended two Washington, D.C. inner city schools in Ballou and Anacostia. If you are a D.C. native and you attended either one of these school in the 80’s and 90’s, you know that a lot of people didn’t want to deal with the children there. Again, here we have a man that doesn’t need to take time out of his busy schedule to make time for inner city kids. But Chris Samuels is more than a football player. He is very definition of what is means to be a real man. Doing what needs to be done, when it needs to be done.

I remember walking into a club here in Washington, D.C. and seeing two massive human beings standing by the bar. As I walked closer, I immediately recognized one guy as a young man with whom I attended High School. He motioned for me to come over. Now I am not a little guy by any means, but he and the other guy dwarfed me. I was very hesitant to walk over to greet him, because this other guy looked like he was ready to strangle someone. As I got closer, I started planning my escape route if this other guy didn’t like me for some reason. My old High School friend says, “Hey Desmond what’s up? I want you to meet Chris.” Now at this point I have not made eye contact. So I slowly turn around to shake hands, it’s none other than Chris Samuels. If you don’t know, Samuels is about 6’5” 310 lbs. and is only carrying around about 6% bodyfat. I am thinking to myself, I don’t need this drama. I reached out to shake his hand. Why did I do that? His entire hand covered mine. And with a smile he says, “What’s up?” So I am feeling a bit more at ease. Well we talked shop for about 5 minutes. I thanked him for his time, said goodbye to my friend and walked away. I have meet a lot of people, but he left a favorable impression on me and forever changed the way I view Offensive Lineman in football. I see why a lot of people like him. He is very well mannered, well spoken, and friendly, but you have to get him to talk to you. For some reason he does not strike me as a person who opens up to a lot of people. I don’t really blame him because when you are a star, everyone wants to be your friend.

When you are watching a football game, remember that the guy whose names that you don’t hear have the most important jobs on the field. We tend to forget, that if you are not hearing their names, they are having a good day. The have to push against another human being on almost every play. Their legs are always in the line of fire. The heads take an inordinate amount of punishment. They have to be very intelligent and make quick decisions. They have to be big, powerful and strong, as well as agile. They have to endure criticism as a group even if four of them are doing well and one isn’t. They are Offensive Lineman. They are the guards, the gatekeepers. They are always key to the outcome of any game. Chris Samuels is one of these guys. He is the most recent in long line of Lineman that played for the Washington Redskins. Now we can hear his name mentioned with the likes of Jeff Bostic, Joe Jacoby, Russ Grimm, George Starke, Mark May, Jim Lachey, and even Mark Schlereth. We may not see him in a football uniform again so I wanted to take this time to say this.

Thanks for the years you gave to Washington Redskins. I have no doubt that, even if we never see you in the burgundy and goal again, we will see you in Canton, OH someday.