Player Spotlight: Carlos Rogers

It is my pleasure to write about my favorite group on the football field. The Defensive Backs. This is the group who, in my estimation, has the second hardest job on the football field. The hardest position is, by far, Quarterback. These are the only two positions where you are naked. Your mistakes are the most obvious. You cannot blame too much on anyone else. These are also the positions that you must have a short memory. A lot of things are going to go wrong, you had just better get over them quicker. You do not have time to sulk. Defensive Backs are responsible for defending the other teams pass catchers, the Wide Receivers. Make no mistake about it. The Wide Receivers in the NFL are world class athletes. And as a Defensive Back, you responsible for keeping them in check. Anyone who has ever played Cornerback or Safety knows that this is a tall task, as even the slowest Wide Receiver can give you fits. And you must except the fact that part of your day will be spent running backwards. But if you have a good athlete and great coaching, you do not need a lot of speed a Cornerback or Safety. Fortunately for the Redskins, Carlos Rogers does not have that problem.



Look at Carlos Rogers’ measurables coming out of college:

Weight: 199 lbs.
40-Yard Dash: 4.31
20-Yard Shuttle: 3.84
3-cone drill: 6.49 sec
Vertical Jump: 40.5 in.
Bench Press: 15 reps
Wonderlic: 14

In the 2005 NFL Draft, with the 9th pick in the First Round, the Redskins selected, Carlos Rogers, Jim Thorpe Award winning Cornerback from Auburn University. If you do not know, a college player that wins the Jim Thorpe Award is the best player at Defensive Back. So right off of the bat, Roger should be respected. There have been some solid Cornerbacks/Safetys in football who did not win the Jim Thorpe Award. Guys like Darelle Revis from the N.Y. Jets, Asante Samuel of the Philadelphia Eagles, Nate Clements of the San Francisco 49ers, Rhonde Barber of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Ike Taylor of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Ed Reed of the Baltimore Ravens and a host of other players never won the Jim Thorpe Award. They do not just hand it out people, this award has some merit. And it speaks volumes about Rogers who played in one of the toughest conferences in college football, the SEC (Southeastern Conference). So I can see why the Redskins would draft him. But if you know a bit about football, it is not always about talent. You have to have the right personnel and the right coaches using the right scheme. And in my estimation, the death of Sean Taylor and the early dismissal of Greg Williams did nothing to help Rogers in his development.

Greg Williams, Defensive Coordinator for the Super Bowl winning New Orleans Saints, was here in Washington for four years. And in his four years the Redskins Defense finished with a ranking lower than 8th one time in a season in which nothing seemed to go right. Three of Williams’ four years the Redskins finished 8th or better. Why is that? I mean they had to piece together their Defense for four years until they got the correct personnel to fit the scheme. So is it safe to say that the coaching had something to do with it? I mean I have seen Quarterbacks who are the best in the nation in college go to the pros and struggle. Does this mean that the Quarterback is not good? Can we chalk it up to inexperience? Can we say it has something to do with coaching? Hell the Raiders could get the #1 pick in next years draft and draft the best Quarterback on the board (who will probably be Jake Locker or my personal favorite Tyrod Taylor), does that mean they will win the Super Bowl in 2011? There are so many factors that come into play as it relates to a players performance, and if you have stuff out of whack on Defense, guess which position reflects that the most. Yep!! Cornerback.

Let us just say that the Defensive call for this particular play is 2-Man Under. Do you know what is supposed to happen? Neither do I completely, but I get the basics of this play. From my understanding, the Defensive Lineman are supposed to get upfield and try to disrupt the Offenses play in the backfield. The Linebackers are supposed to play Man-to-Man Defense on the Running Back(s) and Tight End(s). And the Cornerbacks are playing Man-to-Man on the Wide Receivers. But the Cornerbacks are playing a unique technique if you will. They are actually supposed to let the Wide Receivers get behind them, and the Cornerback are asked to trail the Wide Receives in hopes that the Quarterbacks would try to lob a pass over the Cornerbacks. There is just one problem. The Safety’s are supposed to play over the top to take away the lob pass. (I loved face guarding when I played basketball. It is a beautiful thing when everyone is on the same page). Now if your Safety does not get into position quick enough to discourage the lob pass, it will “look like” the Cornerback is getting beat, when in reality it is the Safety getting beat. But you would have to be in the huddle and on the practice field to know exactly what was supposed to happen. My point? This is just one play. Most teams have hundreds of plays to learn, hundreds of personnel packages, audibles, coverages, techniques etc. So how is that people know when a player makes a mistake? By listening to the commentators? LOL.. Half of the commentators never played football. So who do you listen to now?

I personally loved Greg Williams because he maximized his talent on Defense. He never asked any of his players (well maybe Sean Taylor) to do anything outside of themselves. Carlos Rogers had his best years under Williams. Let us not forget, it was in the 2008 season where Rogers, coming off of an ACL, and MCL injury, came back from surgery 3 months early and had his best pro year. That to me shows that, given the right situation, Rogers can be a solid cornerback. If you are like me, and you are at home watching the game, you would have to know how to evaluate a player before you could make a comment on their performance. Do you know how to evaluate a Cornerback? If not, this is what you look for:

1. Man-to-man coverage: How flexible are their hips and smooth are their turns? Do they have a good backpedal? How fast can they accelerate?

2. Zone coverage: Do they show good range? Do they cover a lot of ground? How are they in the deep half? How is their overall awareness and instinct?

3. Closing quickness: Do they plant and drive well? Do they close and get to the ball in the air?

4. Key and diagnose: How well do they read the QB? Do they anticipate well? Do they seem to be in the right spot?

5. Lateral pursuit: Can they get over trash (a pile of players)? How is the movement in their hips? Can they chase sideline to sideline?

6. Tackling: Do they wrap up well? Do they tackle low or high? Are they able to drag down? Do they tackle with power and are they punishing?

7. Pass drop: How flexible are their hips and how smooth are their turns? Do they get adequate depth? Do they show awareness in zone coverage?

8. Pass coverage/hands: Can they cover man to man? Can they match up in the red zone? Do they have good ball skills?

Obviously, no one checks out 100%. The guy that I see in the NFL that comes really close is Darelle Revis. And last I checked, there is only one Darelle Revis in the NFL? So with that in mind, I ask you to re-evaluate what you think of Carlos Rogers.

How many times have you seen a deep ball completed on the Redskins in the last two seasons? What Defense were they in at the time? How many times were the Safety’s out of position? How many times were the Redskins in the wrong Defensive package? How many times were there blown coverages underneath? How much did the Redskins blitz over the past two seasons? How many backs ran for 100 yards on the Redskins’ Defense? I mean, let us not forget, Cornerbacks have to come up in support of the running game too. If you are getting killed on the ground, imagine what a perfectly timed play action fake could do (a team fakes a run, only to drop back and pass). I think you get my point. You can think that you see everything, when in reality, you might see nothing. Unless you are in the Defensive film room, or in the Defensive huddle, you cannot make a judgement call on someones performance. So to say that Carlos Rogers is a bum is a bit of stretch. Even the great Deion Sanders met his match a few times? There is no Cornerback in the history of the football who has not been beaten. As I stated before, the Wide Recievers in the NFL are World Class athletes. I think that they will beat a few Cornerbacks in their careers. There is not a Cornerback in the history of football who has caught every pass thrown to them. I mean if you could have your pick, what would you like from Carlos Rogers this season?

a. Catch more interceptions?
b. Not let a pass be completed on him?
c. Break up a few more pass plays?
d. Make more tackles?
e. All Of the Above

And be honest with yourself. Who in the NFL does all of this on a consistent basis? If you are real with yourself, you will know that to ask any Cornerback to do all of this is unrealistic. So now that you have something to think about tell me what you expect from Rogers this year. Please leave your comments.

In closing, here is my take on Carlos Rogers. Until the Redskins address their OBVIOUS hole at Free Safety, I would never ask Rogers, Hall, Buchanon or any other Cornerback to play Press Coverage. They would have to play 10 yards off of every, and any Wide Receiver. Until then I do not want Rogers trying to go for Interceptions. I want Rogers to play solid Defense and put himself in position to defense/deflect/break up pass plays. I also do not want Rogers trying to make too many tackles. That is not what he is getting paid for. He is getting paid to disrupt the other teams passing game. If he has to choose, I would much rather have him give up a short pass play as opposed to a long pass play. But, this all goes back to personnel. If you do not have the right personnel, you will be exposed. And no other position is a better measuring stick for this than Cornerback. I mean, Darelle Revis has always been a good Cornerback, but when did he have his best year? When Rex Ryan brought in the right personnel for the Jets’ Defense and brought his blue print from Baltimore for a great 3-4 Defense. Now Darelle Revis is a household name. I believe with the right personnel Carlos Rogers can play at a level close to Darelle Revis. But I am not crazy. Revis by far is the best Cornerback in the game, hands down. But, does this mean Rogers could not be one of the good ones too?

Is It All A Dream... Is D-Mac Really On My Team?

This must be dream.  I mean I have been watching football since 1983 faithfully.  My favorite team has been the Washington Redskins since I can remember.  I didn’t know teams other than the Redskins, Cowboys, Dolphins and Raiders existed until the next year when the 49ers faced off against the Dolphins in Super Bowl XIX (19).  From 1984 until now teams have done everything that they could to make sure that their Quarterback stayed with them for the duration of, or at least the majority of, their careers.  Guy’s like Joe Montana, Dan Marino, Jim Kelly, and John Elway would not have looked good in other teams’ uniform.  Although we did see Joe Montana go to the Chiefs, and that was just wrong.  It was unheard of for a Franchise Quarterback to change teams, especially in their prime. But this past April I saw something that I never thought I would have seen.  A Franchise QB being traded to another team, not only in the same Conference, but within the same division.  That is why I keep asking myself, “Is this a dream?”  “Or is this a joke?”  Either way, it is the ultimate slap in the face.  And one that is not deserved, but if anyone can handle it in a classy way, Donovan McNabb is that guy.

I watched two starting Quarterback change teams this offseason.  Jason Campbell was traded away from the Redskins for damn near nothing.  Campbell went for a 4^th Round Draft pick in 2012.  That is 2 years from now.  Are you kidding me?  And a 4^th Round Draft Pick?  WOW!!!  With that said, Donovan McNabb’s situation was a bit better, but it was still a low blow.  Donovan was traded to the Washington Redskins for a 2^nd Round Draft Pick.  LOL…  I guess Brotha’s are still expendable.  I understand that a player’s value is what two teams agree upon, but give me a break here.  We are talking about a future Hall of Fame Quarterback.  We are talking about one of the best QB’s in NFL history.  We are talking about one of the best Winners of all time in the NFL.  And for the past five offseasons we were all waiting for the other shoe to drop.  We were waiting on the Eagles to cut ties with the best player in their Franchise’s history.  And that day came to pass on April 5, 2010. 

Maybe as Black people we are a bit too sensitive.  I mean for decades Black people have been slighted and underminded.  We see changes in society, but then we have constant reminders of what America’s ugly past was all about.  People do not want to admit it, but sports are a microcosm of society.  And although we have a Black President now, it does not mean, people’s discriminatory and sometimes, outright racist attitudes have changed.  And no where is this more apparent than in football at the Quarterback position.  Although the number of Black Quarterbacks have increased, the guidelines are still the same.  As a Black Quarterback, you have to be athletic, you must have a big arm and you have to be built a certain way (READ: muscular).  Notice, there is no reference to intelligence, just as long as you are not too smart.  God forbid you are intelligent as a Black QB, you will get Black-balled.  Just ask Duante Culpepper.  He is smart enough to understand NFL contract’s, and is still better then half of the Quarterback’s in the league and the only starting job that he was offered was with the lowly Detroit Lions.  But hey, it’s an NFL paycheck right?  As a Black Quarterback, you just need to be able to pick up the teams playbook and be able to run.  But even if you are intelligent, you will not get credit for it.

Jason Campbell has learned six to seven different Offensive Playbooks in the last nine years.  Do you think that he is intelligent/smart/heady or whatever bull---- term they are using today?  I think that Jason Campbell is very intelligent.  My proof, as a Black Quarterback, if he was not, that would be the FIRST thing in the way of criticism, that you would hear.  But it is not just Jason Campbell and it is not just about intelligence.  Can you imagine what would really happen if a Black Quarterback were really and truthfully groomed?  There is already a fear of the Black Quarterback in the NFL because every other position is dominated by Black players.  There is a note of athleticism, but couple that with intelligence and, “Houston we have a problem!!”  Maybe there is a fear that if Black Quarterbacks are given a fair shot, that the NFL will be completely Black in the next decade.  I mean, look at the NBA.  There is a conscious effort to slight Black Quarterbacks.  There is this subtle message to change positions, to avoid the "criticism."  Some are even told that they are “too athletic” to play Quarterback.  What kind of garbage is that?

How long do people expect Black Quarterbacks to endure criticism without lashing back?  Truth be told, Jake Delhomme would never get another starting job in the NFL if he were Black.  Carson Palmer would be getting death threats and would have been gone a few years ago.  People would be calling for Tony Romo’s backup.  Aaron Rodgers would be a bust.  Marc Bulger would have been gone two seasons ago. Jay Cutler would have been traded for a 4^th-7^th Round draft pick.  Alex Smith would have been released two seasons ago.  Matt Hasselback would have lasted 3 years.  Chad Pennington would have been long gone.  J.P. Losman would be bagging groceries.  Ben Roethlisberger would be staring down a year long suspension.  Phillip Rivers would have been on the hot seat coming into the 2009 season.  And, Matt Schaub would still be a backup in Atlanta.  A Quarterback’s value is in their production on the field and people’s perception of them.  The “it” factor, again, is the backing of an organization.  So when you hear the term, the “it” factor (i.e. … this kid has the “it” factor), know that “it” is a bunch of garbage.  It is a term that is made up just to separate two people when nothing to distinguish the difference is apparent.

This brings me back to Donovan McNabb.  Donovan is the perfect Quarterback.  He fits the description of most Black Quarterbacks, and even the stereotypical White Quarterback.  Here is my scouting report on Donovan:

-Big, strong, athletic kid

-Live arm; can make all of the throws

-Good at spreading the ball around

-Very mobile, especially within the pocket

-Can make plays with his feet

-Great deep ball thrower

-Very smart

-Great leader

Now a lot of people are going to have a problem with this blog.  I really could give a rat’s ass.  Anyone that knows me will tell you that I may be very opinionated and tough, but I am fair.  And the way Donovan McNabb has been unfairly scrutinized and overlooked for the duration of his career is very unfair.  The funny thing is, he is still going to be in Canton, OH in the future, so it makes no difference what anyone says. 

Peyton Manning and Tom Brady are great Quarterbacks and are going to be in the Hall of Fame.  Brett Favre is another great, and he too will be in Canton, OH in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  But you would be hard pressed to find anyone else from this era that is well on their way to the Hall of Fame other than Donovan McNabb.  You might be able to make a case for Ben Roethlisberger, but that is about it.  Maybe in a few years, I will entertain conversation about Drew Brees, but one Super Bowl win a Hall Famer it does not make.  Hell, Trent Dilfer and Mark Rypien both have Super Bowl rings, and I do not see Canton calling them anytime soon, if at all.  A Super Bowl ring, although nice to have, only says that you had one good season.  When you get two rings, you are doing something, when you have three like Tom Brady, you are the man.  Now if you can couple those rings with some good seasons then you are writing your own ticket to Canton.  I want you to be the judge of Donovan’s career to this point.  If you are going to get emotional and start spouting off dumbness, do not even bother writing me.  Please respond with some intelligence.  Take a look at this mans career and tell me if you think he has had a Hall Of Fame worthy career:

Year	Games	Games Started	Attempts	Completions	Completion %	Yards	Yards/Attempt	Touchdowns		Interceptions	Rating
1999	12	6	216	106	49.1	948	4.9		8	7	60.1
2000	16	16	569	330	58.0	3,365	5.91		21	13	77.8
2001	16	16	493	285	57.8	3,233	6.56		25	12	84.3
2002	10	10	361	211	58.4	2,289	6.34		17	6	86.0
2003	16	16	478	275	57.5	3,216	6.73		16	11	79.6
2004	15	15	469	300	64.0	3,875	8.26		31	8	104.7
2005	9	9	357	211	59.1	2,507	7.00		16	9	85.0
2006	10	10	316	180	57.0	2,647	8.36		18	6	95.5
2007	14	14	473	291	61.5	3,324	7.00		19	7	89.9
2008	16	16	571	345	60.4	3,916	6.90		23	11	86.4
2009	14	14	443	267	60.3	3,553	8.00		22	10	92.9
Totals	138	132	4,303	2,534	58.9	29,320	6.80		194	90	86.5
Playoffs	12	12	419	249	59.4	2,630	6.26		18	12	80.1

First of all, Donovan has NEVER, thrown more Interceptions than Touchdowns.  Take a look at the things that stick out, that are not on this chart.  McNabb has five NFC Championship appearances and one Super Bowl appearance.  And please take a look at the 2004 Season’s stats.  That is the one year that McNabb had a viable, respectable target at Wide Receiver in one Terrell Owens.  Next take a look at the 2008 season.  Please be advised that it was during this time that Donovan McNabb was benched for he first time in his career.  That season ended in one of Donovan’s five NFC Championship appearances. It was during that season that Philadelphia drafted a young speedster by the name of DeSean Jackson.  Finally, take a look at what Donovan has on his resume as of May 2010:

NFL Records

• Most consecutive pass completions, 24; vs New York Giants, Nov. 28, 2004; vs Green Bay Packers, Dec. 5, 2004
• Least-intercepted Quarterback per pass attempt of all time, (4588 attempts-96 interceptions, 2.09%)
• Second-best Touchdown-to-Interception ratio of all time, (209-96, 2.18) behind Tom Brady (217-92, 2.36)
• First NFL Quarterback ever to throw for more than 30 touchdowns and fewer than 10 interceptions (2004) [8]
• One of six Quarterbacks of all time to have over 25,000 Passing yards and 3,000 Rushing yards (alongside Randall Cunningham, Steve Young, Fran Tarkenton, Steve McNair, and John Elway)
• Currently the third-highest winning percentage among active quarterbacks (83-45-1, .647) behind Peyton Manning (119-59-0, .669) and Tom Brady (88-25-0, .779)

Eagles records

• Most Career Attempts (4,303)
• Most Pass Completions (2534)
• Most Passing Yards (29,320)
• Most Passing Touchdowns (203)
• Most Single-Season Completions (345, 2008 season)
• Most Single-Season Yards (3,916, 2008 season)
• Most NFC Championship Appearances (5)

I ask you one more time, why does this man not get respect?  Don’t give me garbage about him “not winning the big one.”  Dan Marino, Fran Tarkenton and Jim Kelly didn’t either.  Stop making excuses and start getting real.

Recapping the 2010 NFL Draft For The Washington Redskins

Well the 2010 NFL Draft has come and gone. In the last 10 NFL Drafts the Redskins have done well with the 1^st round draftees.  But everyone looks like a genius in the first three rounds so I don’t want to pat them on the back too much here.  You make your money in rounds 4-7.   Some names that come to mind for good 1^st Round picks are guys like Champ Bailey, Chris Samuels, Brian Orakpo, Sean Taylor, LaRon Landry, and Jason Campbell.  But one of the most successful late round picks for the Redskins that I have ever seen is Chris Horton.  It is rare to see a 7^th Round draft pick performing the way Horton did.  It kind of makes you think that the “experts” got it wrong.  I mean, even the great Tom Brady went late (6^th Round) in the NFL Draft.  In any event, this draft was a little intriguing and somewhat surprising.  But aren’t all of them like that?

In the 1^st Round the Redskins selected Trent Williams, Offensive Tackle from Oklahoma University.  Williams performed well enough at the NFL Scouting Combine to be rated an 8.6 out of a possible 10.  To me this was a good pick, but I wonder why we didn’t get Russell Okung.  I hear it was because Okung seemed to be too slow-footed for Coach Shanahan.  I hope that the Redskins do not live to regret this decision. We used our 2^nd Round pick to land Donovan McNabb in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles, so I am not too upset about this one.  We used our 3^rd Round pick last year in the 2009 Supplemental Draft to get Jeremy Jarmon, Defensive End from Kentucky.  From what little I saw of Jarmon, he was worth the pick and he is going to be a major player on the Redskins’ Defense for years to come.  In the 4^th Round the Redskins selected Perry Riley from LSU Outside Linebacker from LSU.  A good pick up considering depth at the Linebacker positions are a priority now that the Redskins are planning on using the 3-4 a bit this upcoming season.  In the 6^th Round the Redskins selected Dennis Morris, Tight End from Louisiana Tech.  I am not really sure about this pick.  I mean depth at the Tight End position isn’t bad, but we had a bigger need at Cornerback considering that we just released Fred Smoot.  I know that Phillip Buchanon was signed to replace Smoot, but we still need one more Cornerback, unless the Redskins plan on using Justin Tryon and/or Kevin Barnes more this season.  To close out the draft, Terrance Austin, Wide Receiver from UCLA, Erik Cook, Center for New Mexico and Selvish Capers, Offensive Tackle from West Virginia were all selected in the 7^th Round.  These seem to be good draft picks, but we still need to fill a hole at Free Safety.  Hopefully the Redskins will address that need with an Undrafted Free Safety.  But the biggest surprise of the draft involved Jason Campbell.

Jason Campbell being traded to the Raiders was not that big of shock.  It was almost comical.  He is the poster child of how Black Quarterbacks are still being clowned in the NFL.  The Redskins NEVER had any intentions of taking care of Jason Campbell after coach Gibbs left.  Why draft this man in the 1^st Round just to waste his time?  I know all of the undercover racist football fans are going to say that my anger is misguided.  But how many non-Black QB’s have you seen mishandled the way Jason Campbell was?  Take your time. I have all day.  I have asked it before and I will ask it again, why is it with all of the Black QB’s in the NFL we cannot find one that people consider a Franchise Quarterback?  I’ll tell you why.  No one wants to admit that the requirements of the Quarterback position would change if Black QB’s are given a fair shot.  Amazing that Donovan McNabb, again, has accomplished all that he has with very little help, yet he is ridiculed for not “winning the big one.”  Yet, Fran Tarkenton, Dan Marino and Jim Kelly all played, and played well I might add, but they all, combined, have as many rings as Donovan McNabb.  Please stop making excuses.  Admit it people, the NFL has not gotten to the point where the Black QB is judged on a level playing field.  I just hope Al Davis takes care Jason Campbell the way he has taken care of JaMarcus Russell (and we all know, you cannot expect to groom a QB in that kind of circus environment that some refer to as a football franchise).  That is almost like giving a drug addict a newborn baby and then wonder why the hell the baby grew up to be a drug addict.  But any in any event I will always be a Jason Campbell fan.  Good luck Jay.

On a lighter note, although I was a bit pissed with the Redskins, I was happy to see some of my favorites get drafted. The other notable players that I actually took a liking to during the college season or during the NFL Combine were guys like Ndamokung Suh who is probably one of the most athletic Defensive Tackles I have ever seen, Gerald McKoy who is the other most athletic  Defensive Tackles that I have even seen, Eric Berry, Sam Bradford,  Tim Tebow, Joe Haden, Brandon Graham, Dez Brant and Aarelious Benn who I have had an eye on since he was right here in our backyard at Dunbar Senior High.  Benn was so good that he was featured on a show that replays on Fox 5 here in D.C., entitled Sports Stars of Tomorrow narrated by the great Pat Summerall.  This was, by far, the deepest draft that I have even seen and I have watched 6 NFL drafts.  There is usually a significant dropoff after the first 2 rounds, but not this year.  All the way through to the 6^th Round I was still seeing players that I liked and that I thought would do well.  This brings me to my analysis.

The QB that will have the best career in the draft will be, surprise, surprise….  Sam Bradford.  He has all of the tools to be a good QB and I think the Rams will surround him with enough talent to succeed.  I like his young receivers Keenan Burton and Donnie Avery.  And I like the running game with Stephen Jackson.  Message to St. Louis: GET THIS MAN A TIGHT END.  My surprise QB will be Tim Tebow.  For all of the criticism that this man endured, I still say the coaching failed to attempt to prepare him for the NFL. I cannot expect Tebow to do stuff that I have not taught him.  So coaches, get off of your lazy asses and teach the kid what you want him to know, then judge him.  The Terrell Owens of the draft will be Arrelious “Regis” Benn.  This kid is a sick talent that got lost in Illinois.  I think he will put the NFL on notice by the end of the season.  Bruce Campbell will be the steal of the draft.  I don’t care what the experts say.  If you have a complaint with a kid that has something to do with skill or strength development, YOU NEED TO TEACH/TRAIN HIM.  Stop making excuses.  Bruce Campbell has all of the physical tools to be the best Offensive Tackle in the NFL.  And guess what people, he will be.  The other steal of the draft will be Taylor Mays.  This is another case of a guy who was unfairly judge by numbers.  Turn on some film and you will think that you were watching another version of Sean Taylor.  He has all of the physical tools to be the best Free Safety in the NFL.  And in San Francisco, with coach Singletary, don’t be surprised if that happens within the next 3 years. 

All in all, the 2010 NFL Draft was a good one this year.  I love this part of the game.  This is where you have to groom the talent to fit your scheme.  But note to coaches: It is a fine line between grooming and changing.  You can’t change what made a player successful in college and then wonder why they are struggling in the NFL.  You have to groom the talent and fill holes in the talents game.  Get out of your egos and teach.  That is why guys like Coach Mike Singletary, Mike Tomlin, Bill Bellichek, Ton Dungy, and Jeff Fisher are so well respected.  They know how to handle talent.  And they will do it again this year.  I just hope Coach Mike Shanahan’s name is added to this list by the end of the 2010 season.  Barring injury I am expecting a 10-6 season from the Redskins and a playoff berth.  But I don’t think that the Redskins will make it past the Wild Card Game.  Sorry fans.  I still love them though.

I Wanna Be Like Mike..... Shanahan!!!

Just in case you have been living under a rock, Mike Shanahan is the new coach of the Washington Redskins. I have mixed feelings about this. It is a step in the right direction for a club that went 4-12. But, Shanahan struggled his last 3 years in Denver going 24-24. Hardly a record that is impressive. He is known as an authoritarian, and he has a ton more talent here in Washington, than he did in Denver. This could work out in his favor. But what should his first move(s) be? What should he do first? If I were a GM, I would start very simple. I want to be like Mike (Shanahan) for the next 7 months.

I have a sick obsession with the John Madden football game. Every year that it comes out, I am itching to get it. But, I wait for about a month to go buy it. Why, you might ask? Because, I have another sick obsession with the NCAA College Football game. And I have an Xbox 360 now so the game requires you to talk to the prospective college students to persuade them to attend your school, and even do in home visits/sit downs. You also have to schedule visits to your school and make promises to prospective students, if you so choose. It is extremely tedious, but once you have gotten your recruit and you see them through all four years of college and watch them develop into a pro prospect, you can export them to the Madden game. This is when the real fun starts. I love playing the Madden season and importing all of those college players that are pro prospects. I purposely get the worse team in the NFL, just so I can turn the team around. I love rebuilding a franchise. I love developing talent. I love the grind of Free Agency, the NFL Scouting Combine, The NFL Draft, and Training Camp. Most people want the pretty, well put together, teams. Give me the worst franchise and give me the power to make all of the final decisions. That to me is fun. It may be a bit crazy, but it gives me a chance to prove to everyone that I know what I am doing, and I can rebuild my franchise, my way. I do not like to follow others. I like marching to the beat of my own drum. This is where Mike Shanahan could take notes from me. I understand this is not a video game, this is real life. So here are my real life franchise moves regarding the Washington Redskins, if I were Mike Shanahan.

The very first thing that I would do, is grab Jason Campbell by the facemask, and tell him, "You are my guy. You are a Franchise Quarterback and I am going to get the best out of you over the next 4-5 years." My next task would be to grab Santana Moss and tell him, "You are my #1 receiver. You are a dynamic player. You are going to be a big part of what we do here, so please be ready for a great year." I would then go to Devin Thomas and Fred Davis and tell them, "You two will be my #2 Wide Receiver and #2 Tight End respectively." My next move would be to grab Clinton Portis and tell him, "Look, you have about two good years left in you before you really start to decline. I am going to milk you for everything that is left in your tank. So you'd better get with our Strength and Conditioning Team and get to work." My next move would be to go to Albert Haynesworth and ask, "How bad do you want to be the best Defensive Tackle in the game? Because if you want it bad, I want to know what Tennessee asked you to do. Whatever they asked you to do there, I want you to do here. No more of that asking you to occupy two blockers on 95% of the plays." My last move, before the draft, would be to go to Bobby Crumpler and Harrison Bernstein, the Strength and Conditioning Team, and tell them, "Hop in the next flight to Columbus, OH, to see my friend and Godfather of the Conjugated Method, Louie Simmons. Louie Simmons is going to break down the Russian style of training that made his gym, Westside Barbell, so popular. Westside is probably the strongest gym in the world. An 800 lb Squat, 500 lbs. Bench Press, and 700 lbs. Deadlift is a joke at Westside. They have 19 year olds doing that. Louie is also good at conditioning. His lifters are in such good shape it makes no sense. If you have to ask who Louie Simmons is, you do not need to be in the Strength and Conditioning field." By the way, if you were paying attention, this is the style of training that players like Donald Brown, Tiki Barber, Miles Austin, Deon Anderson and Brian Cushing used to get to the NFL. With that said, we will be off to the 2010 NFL Draft.

With the 4th Pick (4th selection, 1st Round) in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins select..... Taylor Mays, Free Safety from Southern California (U.S.C.). This will allow us to move LaRon Landry back to Strong Safety and fill a void left by the death of Sean Taylor. (R.I.P. Sean) Chris Horton will be used in certain packages during the season and Reed Doughty would be traded for a future (2011) Draft pick.

With the 36th Pick (4th selection, 2nd Round) in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins select.... Bruce Campbell, Left Tackle from the University of Maryland. Just in case Chis Samuels cannot finish his career, we are prepared.

We have no 3rd Round Pick because we used it on Defensive End, Jeremy Jarmon in the Supplemental Draft in 2009. I think it was a pick well spent. I just hope he recovers from his ACL injury.

With the 100th Pick (4th selection, 4th Round) in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins select.... Mike Johnson, Offensive Guard from the University of Alabama. We need a back up for Derrick Dockery. Although Dockery is a beast, and durable as hell, we have learned injuries are not predictable. So this is just in case.

With the 132nd Pick (4th selection, 5th Round) in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins select.... Sherrick McManis, Cornerback from Northwestern University. I have been following this young man his entire career at Northwestern. With Carlos Rogers' tenure up in the air and Fred Smoot aging (and doing nothing about it to try to slow it down), I have to build for the future. McManis and Kevin Barnes would be my featured Cornerbacks for years to come.

We have no 6th Round Pick because we traded it away on Jason Taylor, and then we released him. So what do we have to show for it right now? Good move Vinny "The Dipstick" Cerrato.

With the 196th Pick (4th selection, 7th Round) in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins select.... Stevenson Sylvester, Outside Linebacker from the University of Utah. I have been following this young man for the past two years. And since the Brian Orakpo Project is not working out at Linebacker, and Marcus Washington is not walking through that door, I think we need a Linebacker to play Strong Side and handle some of the speedy Tight Ends and Halfbacks that we are going to face, especially within our own division. This will allow me to use Brian Orakpo the way he is supposed to be used, as a Defensive End.

That would be it folks. There will be no big name signings in the Free Agency period(s). There will be no big re-signing of any of our Restricted Free Agents. They are getting 2 year contracts that have options to be picked up in the second year, and will be loaded with incentives. So they can play around if they want to. I would have no shame in going back out on the market to replace them. You have to be a bit indifferent towards the players. Once they feel that you have no backbone, you are done. It is like dating. You can't let someone walk all over you, and then think that you are going to get your power back later. It is a pipe dream. I hope Coach Shanahan shoves his foot so far up some players asses that they have to open their mouths to tie his shoe. You cannot sugarcoat anything. We were 4-12 in 2009 and it WILL NOT happen again, while I am on the job. I guess this is why I am not the coach. I would have a radical approach. But, what if.... what if my approach worked? Would it be the blueprint for others to follow. Because if you know me personally, then you know that I am not going to follow anyone else. But I will blaze a trail. And I hope Mike Shanahan is the same way. Good luck coach.

Two Guys.... One Heck Of An Accomplishment

In the spirit of Black History month, I felt compelled to give a bit of history lesson. See in today’s game, there are a number of Black Quarterback’s, but in the 1960’s it was a rarity. Although Black Quarterback's (QB) have come a long way, they still have a very, very long way to go. Nothing annoys me more than listening to people talk about Black QB's like they are indentured servants. Underneath that uniform is a man. A man that has to endure a set of rules that are not spoken anymore, just understood. Most people think sports are just sports. Nothing could be further from the truth. Sports, football especially, are a microcosm of society. And no position in football reflects that more than the Quarterback position.

Pictured above is the first Black QB in modern day football. Marlin Briscoe, stood a mere 5'10" tall. Coming into the 1968 football season as a Rookie, Briscoe was 8th on the Denver Broncos depth chart. He was pretty much buried alive. Drafted in the 14th Round he was hardly given a chance to survive professional football. Sure enough, Briscoe saw action due to an injury and spotty play by QB's ahead of him on the Denver Broncos' depth chart. Briscoe may not have ripped it up with his completion percentage, but he did set a Rookie record with 14 Touchdown passes (still to this day a Broncos Rookie record). The Broncos thanked him for his services by not bringing him back in the 1969 season. As a result, Briscoe never played QB again. What is most disturbing, is the fact that he was never given another opportunity to play QB in the NFL. Although Briscoe did win two Super Bowls playing Wide Receiver (WR), most people don't even know that he was the first Black QB. It was guys like Marlin Briscoe, who paved the way for others like Warren Moon, Vince Evans and Randall Cunningham. But one guy broke down another barrier following Briscoe’s historic achievement. And I had the pleasure of watching him do it, and do it what a “Touch of Class.”

Douglas (Doug) Lee Williams was born in Zachary, LA on August 9, 1955. Doug had the pleasure of playing college football for Hall of Fame Coach Eddie Robinson at Grambling State University. Although Williams was red-shirted in 1973, Doug became the starting Quarterback the next year. Doug really left an indelible mark on Grambling guiding them to three SWAC (Southwestern Athletic Conference) Championships and three Black College National Championships. In his Senior year, Williams was up for the Heisman. Although he only finished fourth, that alone is one heck of an accomplishment. Most players at Black colleges aren’t even considered equally as good as the players at the major colleges. But when you have a 35-5 record and set numerous school records, people may take notice. And the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was one NFL team that thought his accomplishments were worthy of an NFL Draft selection. So with the 17^th overall pick in the 1978 NFL Draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected him.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were the laughing-stock of the NFL. That was, until Doug got there. Over the next four seasons, Doug Williams guided the Buccaneers to three playoff appearances which included the 1979 NFC Championship game. If you want to talk about a guy carrying a franchise, Doug’s name should be mentioned. Sadly Doug was only being paid $120,000 a year, the lowest of any starting QB in the NFL, and also lower than 12 backup QB’s at that time. To put that in perspective in relation to today’s game. That is not even the league minimum today. For some players, that is a week’s salary. When it was time to talk about money, Doug wanted a raise and rightfully so. Doug wanted $600,000, the Bucs offered $400,000. Doug would have still been one of the lowest paid starting QB’s in the NFL. So in a standoff Doug took his talents to the USFL. Although his stint in the upstart league was short-lived, Doug’s finest moment came in the Nation’s Capitol. And boy was a special moment.

Can you imagine being unemployed and getting a phone call from Coach Joe Gibbs of the Washington Redskins asking you to come to the Redskins to play QB for the team? Well this is exactly what happened to Doug in 1986. Coach Gibbs used to the Offensive Coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and remembered Doug from his days in Tampa. Because of spotty play along with injuries from Jay Schroeder, Doug Williams was in and out of the line up for the Redskins in early 1987. Couple that with the fact that the NFL season was shortened because the players strike, which included replacement players playing 3 games, and the fourth game being cancelled, Doug had to wait a while for his moment to come. But as the Redskins inched closer to the playoffs, Doug Williams inched closer to the field. And once the Redskins qualified for the playoffs, Coach Gibbs made the bold move of naming Williams the starter. Although I was a young man (11 years old), I remember the 1988 (technically the 1987 Season) Playoff run. After knocking off the Chicago Bears (21-17) in Soldier field, and beating the red hot Wild Card team in the Minnesota Vikings (24-17), Doug became the first Black QB to appear in the Super Bowl (XXII). And what a game it was.

After falling behind 10-0, Doug Williams caught fire in the 2^nd quarter leading the Redskins to a record 35 second quarter points (still a record to this day) while throwing four Touchdown passes. This resulted in the Redskins winning 42-10 and Doug being named Super Bowl XXII MVP. And to think, this man had a root canal a few days before that made it impossible for him to get ANY sleep and Doug sprained his knee early in the game. Although Donovan McNabb and Steve McNair followed in Doug’s footsteps, Doug Williams is still to this day, the only Black QB to win a Super Bowl. Doug has been mentioned as a good player, but among the greats he gets lost in the shuffle. But we all know there are moments in time that can’t be undone. And Super Bowl XXII was one of them. I would hate to think what would have happened had the Redskins lost that Super Bowl with Doug at QB. But because Doug won, we see guys like Michael Vick (first Black QB ever drafted #1 overall in the NFL Draft [2001]), Donovan McNabb, Daunte Culpepper, Troy Smith, David Garrard, Vince Young and others get the opportunity to play in the NFL today.

This is why when I sit down to discuss football I acknowledge the fact that I am a Redskins fan first. I like the Steelers second. And my third team is every, and any team that has a Black starting QB. At that point it is bigger than football. They are carrying the burden of representing Black men in society. I always say that sports are a microcosm of society. No sport reflects this more than football and no position in football reflects this more than the QB position. But it doesn’t matter who your favorite NFL team is/are, you have to tip your hat to Doug Williams and Marlin Briscoe both were trailblazers. And both should be recognized.

.... And Then There Were Two!!!

The stage it set. Super Bowl XLIV (44) is going to have the two top seeds in both conferences playing for the championship. We had two very interesting conference championship games. And now, we are down to the final two teams.

#1 New Orleans Saints

vs.

#1 Indianapolis Colts

Peyton Manning vs. Drew Brees. The two hottest Quarterbacks square off. The NFC's best against the AFC's best. The two hottest teams in the NFL go head-to-head. This is one matchup that actually has me intrigued and it doesn't involve one of my favorite players or my favorite team(s). I can, however, point out the fact that I told a lot of people about the young WR for the Colts, Pierre Garcon. See when you play Division III football at Mount Union (who is a Divison III powerhouse in football), and get invited to the NFL Combine, you are an exceptional player. But for some reason, Garcon was not highly praised. I was very happy to learn that he was picked up by the Indianapolis Colts in the 6th Round (205th Overall) in the 2008 NFL Draft. I was even more excited to see him on the field. Not many Division III players get a shot in the NFL and here I was looking at one who could be a star. Well fast forward to this past Sunday. Garcon posted 11 catches, 151 yards and a Touchdown catch. Not bad for a guy from a Division III college, playing in the AFC Championship game with a heavy heart as his homeland of Haiti was recovering from being hit with an earthquake. Couple that with the fact Coach Jim "Cool Azz" Caldwell is a Rookie Head Coach, and could be the second Black coach to win a Super Bowl, I would be happy if the Colts won the Super Bowl. But I'd be happy if Saints won as well.

Johnathan Vilma was clearly the best player on the New York Jets for years, but the Jets just weren't getting it done. Vilma, also a Haiti native, was playing with a heavy heart this past Sunday as well. In his 6th season (second with the Saints) from the University of Miami, or as we all know them, the "U", Vilma is one of the NFL's good guys. I was happy for him when I found out he was going to the Saints to play on a potential Super Bowl contender. Coaching Vilma, is a guy that should have been a head coach two years ago. Greg Williams orchestrated a top 10 Defense, three of his four season in Washington. When Coach Gibbs retired for the second time, the Redskins decided it would be in their best interest to ship Greg Williams off as well, paying him $1 Million in the process. Williams landed in Jacksonville first, and then New Orleans. And now Williams will be landing in Miami to Coach in his second Super Bowl (Tennessee Titans, 1999). Love him or hate him, he always has good Defenses and has a knack of getting the best out of all of his players. Add that to the fact that Drew Brees was basically a cast off from the San Diego Chargers as well as overlooked for a second consecutive year for the NFL MVP Award, Reggie Bush was labeled a bust, Marques Colston was overlooked by 31 NFL teams at least 6 times in the 2006 NFL Draft before being drafted by the New Orleans Saints, and Jeremy Shockey was shipped off from the New York Giants the year that they won the Super Bowl, I would be happy if the Saints won the game. So who am I picking?

In a shocker of all shockers, I am predicting a win by the New Orleans Saints and Drew Brees gets the Super Bowl MVP Award.

Final Score: New Orleans 34, Indianapolis 28.

This will be the last football game until August so I hope it is a good one.