Former Redskin Leigh Torrence Now A Saint

The New Orleans Saints claimed former Washington Redskins cornerback Leigh Torrence off waivers according to a report. Leigh Torrence was a back up corner under Carlos Rogers, Fred Smoot, and Shawn Springs. He was a stand out special teams player, and very active in the Washington DC community. Couldn't find a nicer guy. He was released over the weekend to make room for newly signed cornerback DeAngelo Hall, a two time Pro Bowler.

The Saints now have a good corner back/special teamer, but more importantly a good person with a good head on his shoulders. More info on Leigh and his on/off field life can be found at: www.LeighTorrence.com.

GOOD LUCK LEIGH!

HAIL.

Redskins Portis has sprained knee, '50-50' for Sunday

Wow, didn't see this coming! The AP reports that Redskins running back, Clinton Portis, has a sprained knee. Wowzers! The Redskins are already missing Ladell Betts. It would not be good to not have a stud like Portis against the hated Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. It is an NFC East division game that the Cowboys MUST win. A heavy dose of Portis is what is needed to sweep the Cowboys in the 2008 season.

Per the AP, "Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis is unable to practice because of a sprained knee, and coach Jim Zorn says the running back is "50-50" for Sunday night's game against the Dallas Cowboys. The pain got progressively worse after Portis was treated following the game, however, and Zorn said Monday that Portis has a bone bruise on the femur as well as a sprain."

Clinton Portis is a tough S.O.B. - I say he plays, and takes back the rushing lead from Adrian Peterson. Just ask Bubba Tyer to give him one of those Vitamin B shots he gave Riggo back in the day.

HAIL.

Redskins No Longer Have NFL Leading Rusher

The Washington Redskins surprised many during the first half of the season. Jim Zorn, coming from the pass happy West Cost Offense, had the NFL's leading rusher through mid-season. Clinton Portis dominated and led the league with 995 yards as he went into the bye week. Enter Minnesota's Adrian Peterson. He now holds the NFL rushing lead with 1,015 yards, and has banged out 5 straight 100 yard games.

It will be interesting to see if the Redskins bye week rest is what the offensive line and Clinton Portis needed. It will be even more interesting to see if Portis can keep up with Peterson for the NFL rushing title for the 2008 season. Portis has always said he would rather have W's than stats, but c'mon...Portis wants that recognition badly. He wants the league to put him back at the top of running back totem pole. He wants the league, the fans, and himself to know what he is capable of.

If the bye week rest was all that was needed then I think Clinton Portis just might give Adrian Peterson a RUN for his money.

HAIL.

Hall Signs With Redskins - Back In Burgundy

Well, that was fast. The internets just got word that DeAngelo Hall is now a Washington Redskin. The Redskins gave Hall a prorated one year deal, meaning he will get paid for the remainder of the 2008 season at the same rate he was to get from the Jokeland Raiders. He will be a free agent come March 2009.

This is a good signing. You can never have too many cornerbacks, especially in the NFC East. Also, this Redskins team is full of high character players, so Hall will know right away not to mouth off...Portis, Fletcher, Campbell, Moss, hell...any player....will put him in his place. This is a good environment for Hall who has played with losing teams since he left the Virginia Tech Hokies. He will have a very experienced coaching staff to transition him to the playbook and the culture of this football club. Just what the doctor ordered for this young talent.

It will be interesting to see if he sticks around for 2009, it would be wise for both I think (as I said on the previous post).

HAIL.

DeAngelo Hall Clears Waivers, Eyes Redskins

Crazy old guy Al Davis (below), the owner of the dismal Oakland Raiders cut Pro Bowl cornerback DeAngelo Hall the other day to "make a statement" to the team. That's just crazy in my opinion. Now there are reports Hall is considering the Washington Redskins as his third team in 5 seasons. He's only 24 years old, and he does have skills. But, he also has an ego...the T.O. type ego. Not Pacman, more like T.O. and Chad Johnson/Ocho Cinco.

The thing I've noticed is that players like T.O. and Chad get humbled, get put in their place, then perform. This would not be a bad signing for the Redskins as they head into the second half of the season and have a bunch of games against pass happy offenses. It just may be what they need as insurance for the regular season and possible playoffs. I mean, the Cowboys picked up Pacman Jones...that was stupid. Hall is a great corner that was playing for a crappy team. If his ego got bruised a winning atmosphere may be just what he needs to "get on track".

Sure, the Redskins have Carlos Rogers (who is breaking out), Fred Smoot (ol' reliable), and Shawn Springs (savvy injured veteran), but adding Hall to that group would allow the Redskins to compete with the Giants, Eagles, and Cowboy potent pass attacks. And if it works out you could have Rogers and Hall next season with Good O'l Smoooooot holding down the nickel next season. Remember, Springs' contract is up. Worth a shot, at least an incentive based contract. And the best thing....NO DRAFT PICKS REQUIRED!

I say pull the trigger and let Blache teach this kid how to be a REAL professional football player.

HAIL.

Redskins vs. Steelers - Monday Night Football

The Washington Redskins are 6-2 midway through the 2008 NFL season. The Redskins will be facing the 5-2 Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football at home in the Nations Capital at FedEx Field on the eve of the Presidential Election. The Steelers are a good squad, so this will be a nice test to see if the Skins are as good as their record. So, are you going to the game????

If you are a Loudoun County resident you may want to consider taking the Skins Bus (www.SkinsBus.com) which is operated by some great people who happen to be die hard Skins fans. The bus leaves Lansdowne Town Center, includes all you care to drink beer/soda/water and tailgate food (provided by The Dock this week). The bus also has a bathroom (no waiting in long lines in the cold for a messy Don Jon) and plasma TV's airing the pre-game and post-game show. The cost is $60 per person, and that includes the beer/food/and piece of mind of getting to and from the game safely. Parking passes alone are $60 and you have to pay for gas and sit in traffic! Why do all that when you can ride the Skins Bus with fellow fans?

The SkinsBus leaves at 4PM SHARP on Monday. For more information visit www.SkinsBus.com

HAIL.

Redskins Todd Collins Ranked Best Backup QB

Don Banks, the ever so opinionated writer for SI.com, ranked the NFL's back up quarterbacks...and Todd Collins (a.k.a. Rainman) was his top choice. No, not Colt Brennan. All you visitors from Hawaii will have to wait a few years for that to change.

I think Collins is a great backup, but the best in the NFL? Numero Uno? If that's the case, the current Redskins backup QB is ranked higher than five...yes 5...former starting Redskin QB's.

#07 - Trent Green (now with St. Louis)
#11 - Brad Johnson (now with Dallas)
#16 - Gus Frerotte (now with Minnesota)
#18 - Mark Brunell (now with New Orleans)
#20 - Patrick Ramsey (now with Denver)

And, according to the rankings, Todd Collins just barely beat out the number 3 ranked backup in the league...Sage Rosenfels (now with Houston). Funny how three former Redskins "developmental quarterbacks" are on that list. It's weird in general to see all of those former Redskins quarterbacks still playing in the league yet none of them seemed to work out here in DC. I guess the Redskins have had mediocrity at QB since the former players are at least contributing in the league still.

But Todd Collins at #1? Above young stars Matt Leinart and Brady Quinn? Above seasoned vets Kerry Collins and Billy Volek? Sure, why not...it's just a preseason backup ranking.

Here's what Banks said about Collins:
Washington: Todd Collins -- The unspoken truth in D.C. is that the veteran would run Jim Zorn's offense better today than starter Jason Campbell, who I still think might struggle in his transition to the West Coast style attack. It was Collins, not Campbell, who orchestrated the Redskins' four-game late season winning streak and wild-card playoff berth last year.

Another question is, will Jason Campbell follow the trend or stick around? I think (and hope) he does the latter. I would hate to see his name on Don Banks 2010 back up QB rankings.

2 Redskins vs. Jaguars Tickets

Can't make the game, if anyone wants the tix let me know. $25 ea., Dulles/Loudoun area.

The good thing is starters will be playing and you can move around the stadium since a lot of seats are open. Will also be odd to see Gregg Williams defense against Jim Zorn's offense.

Let me know...later.

Redksins Sign Linebacker, Cut Former Terp

ESPN reported that the Washington Redskins cut tight end Jason Goode. He was recently known as the guy who caught the pass from Colt Brennan to score the winning touchdown against the Jets. Former Terp. End of the road with the Redskins (for now at least).

The Redskins signed another free agent with no experience to replace Matt Sinclairs' roster spot. You could argue that Sinclair had a little more experience/value than the new guy Danny Verdun-Wheeler. I don't think Danny Verdun-Wheeler or recently signed linebacker David Holloway will make the team...so why bother? The team has to trim the roster again soon, so these guys may not be around next week.

I think a lot of people have pointed out the lack of depth the Redskins have at linebacker. There's a lot of injury prone guys there, and not much experience behind them. It amazed me that the Redskins didn't consider signing former Pro Bowl LB Takeo Spikes in the off season. Sure he is old, but would make a good back up...at least better than Danny Verdun-Wheeler. But, too late. The San Fransisco 49ers signed him on August 10th. But then again, the Redskins don't have much cap room after signing Jason Taylor at the start of training camp.

I'm worried about the Redskins linebackers going into the regular season. I don't know what else to say than that. 3 of the top 5 have injury history and the others have little experience. Khary Campbell is in that top 5 but Greg Blache has called him more of a special teams guy, not an every down linebacker.

Redskins linebackers in camp:
Fletcher, London (10 years) Starter
Washington, Marcus (8 years) Starter
McIntosh, Rocky (2 years) Starter
Campbell, Khary (6 years)
Blades, H.B. (1 year)
Fincher, Alfred (3 years)
Gatewood, Curtis (R)
Holloway, David (1 year)

Redskins Cut LB Matt Sinclair

Just got a txt that Matt Sinclair has been released by the Washington Redskins. He has been having back spasms lately, but it was revealed he has fractures in his vertabra. This is not good news when it comes to the depth at linebacker for the Washington Redskins. Rocky McIntosh is coming off a season ending knee injury and Marcus Washington has been knicked up the last few years, and has recently been hurting from this long preseason. In addition, H.B. Blades just had his knee scoped. Look for the Redskins to scour the NFL waiver wire for a linebacker with experience in the coming days/weeks.

Matt Sinclair

Also, Good news for Jason Campbell and the offensive line....Giant's DE Osi Umenyiora is out for the season with a knee injury.

Redskins Release Fox, 2 Others...Taylor Out 10 - 14 Days

After the horrible showing in Charlotte you would think the Redskins would cut half the team, well no, just three. Veteran Vernon Fox was one of them according to Redskins.com. The other two were back up defensive end Dorian Smith and defensive tackle Babatunde Oshinowo (both were buried on the depth chart). It was a little surprising to see Fox cut due to his special teams skills, but the newly drafted safeties Kareem Moore and Chris Horton have had a good camp and appear they will stick. The Redskins will cut two more before Tuesday for the 75 man roster limit (I think Devine and Gant).

In other news, good news...and old news, Jason Taylor appears to just have a knee sprain and is expected to be out 10 - 14 days. The slow motion recap with Joe Theismann having flashbacks made me think Jason Taylor was doneski. Well, the dude seems lucky...and the Redskins horrible night in Charlotte is not as bad as it could have been.

Still, I did not see any contribution from Taylor or Carter...or any defensive starter really. They are starting to look counterfeit. They've got one week to get things right. Gonna be a long week in Ashburn for these guys. Let's hope Taylor recovers quick and take Manning out on the opening drive.

Hail.

WTF??? Redskins Get Blown Out

Seriously, what the hell just happened? The Redskins were a complete debacle in Carolina. The only thing worse that their performance was Jason Campbell's GEICO commercial. Very fitting for a total collapse of the team.

At least there was a 65 yard punt...rad.

Get it together Skins.

Friday Redskins News

Corey Masisak - Washington Times - Redskins' Doughty tackles hearing loss
Just another reason to like Reed Doughty. The guy has been through a lot, and we continue to find out more about this guy who doesn't let anything get in his way.

Mike Wise - Washington Post - Losses That Come Too Soon
A great followup article to his recent story on the Bugel family.

J. La Canfora and J. Reid - Washington Post - Redskins Have A Lot to Mourn
Recap of yesterday's sad news around Redskins Park and the tragedies that have affected this team recently.

David Elfin - Washington Times - Frost may keep job with solid showing
I think this may be the last article about Frost in DC. Too many fans are tired of the ups and downs of the punting. Like an offensive lineman, it's good to not hear your name in the press.

Rich Tandler - Real Redskins - Flashback Friday: Redskins vs. Panthers
Rich reminds you that the Skins own the Panthers. And the great Sean Gilbert heist!

Mat Terl - Official Redskins Blog - Travel Day
Matt shows the inside scoop on the travel process to away games. Coordinating the trip of about 100 people, equipment, and Larry Michael's tanning bed takes precision. Something the average fan doesn't think about but it's interesting.

Joseph White - AP - Redskins' Rogers, McIntosh return from injuries
The remarkable recovery from season ending injuries less than a year ago. Their return to the Redskins lineup makes the defense almost identical to last years top 10 ranked squad.

Craig Garrison, Sr. - Bleacher Report - Redskins-Panthers: What Will We See This Week?
A breakdown on what to expect Saturday when the Redskins are expected to play their starters a full half and allow the players on the bubble another opportunity to make the team.

Skin Patrol - Hogs Haven - Outsider Bill Barnwell talks Redskins and the NFC East
A quick, unbiased Q&A about the Skins and their rivals

Redskins Owner Gives Rare Interview To WSJ

Shirley S. Wang, of the Wall Street Journal had a very rare interview with Dan Snyder, owner of the Washington Redskins. Snyder BASHES the Washington Post. The Redskins have been publicly at war with the Washington Post over the last few years...and I don't see it stopping anytime soon. Media is very competitive and both the Redskins and the Post are in it together. While the fight is entertaining to watch, it is annoying at the same time. The fans are the ones that get screwed in this situation. Oh....and vacationing with Jerry Jones? What?

Here are some of the excerpts:

WSJ: In June you bought a radio station, WTEM, which is a very popular local sports station. There's some concern among fans that it might become a propaganda tool for the Redskins. What do you say to that?

Mr. Snyder: It's actually just the Washington Post. We have a problem in this marketplace with our local newspaper. There's a monopoly. I have no problems saying that. They have been losing circulation by the droves, losing advertising by the pound load and they are desperate to create controversy. They had a Washington Post radio business at the time -- it's since gone out of business -- that was a competitor. We did write them a letter saying obviously you're a competitor, so don't use your newspaper to affect the business. Other than them, you won't find any of that type of talk.

WSJ: Are you saying there's a not a reason for concern?

Mr. Snyder: No, I think we're careful to ensure that content remains content. Eighty percent of the local talent -- on-air talent -- I don't even know, never even met. So they're doing their thing. They can say whatever they want. If we're winning, they're going to say good things and if we're losing, they're going to say bad things. That's life.

WSJ: How would you characterize your style of ownership?

Mr. Snyder: I'm a passionate owner who wants to win on the field and off the field. I also think [the fans have] seen me grow as an owner. When I bought the club, I was 34 years old. I was much more naive and probably immature than I am today. Since then I've had cancer, my wife's had cancer, I've lost my father. I think I'm probably a lot more patient than I was when I first got here.

WSJ: Some people have described that as more micromanaging.

Mr. Snyder: I'm not in any of the coaching meetings. I never have been. I don't watch film with the coaches. I let the scouts scout and the coaches coach. What I try to do is help get the deals on the business side done. After the scouts and coaches come up with the grades, for example, on free agency, I'm the one that's eager to go sign the player and negotiate the contracts with their agents. When it comes to, 'OK, this is the player we really would like to have,' then I'm going to help with the help of the salary-cap people to make that work.

WSJ: Are you still in touch with Coach Gibbs?

Mr. Snyder: I talk to him probably every three or four days. We're good friends. He's very respectful of Jim Zorn being the [new] head coach.

WSJ: Gibbs's tenure wasn't the same is it was the first time around when he led the team to the Super Bowl. What do you make of that? Did his time pass?

Mr. Snyder: No, I think if you look in the last three years we made the playoffs twice. We got close. We should have beaten Seattle two of those years and I think we would have had a lot of fun playing Dallas. But I think we just didn't finish. We got close but didn't finish. It's a shame that Joe felt that at 67 he needed to retire again. He just felt that he couldn't give it everything, the commitment.

WSJ: Are there owners you admire?

Mr. Snyder: I admire Pat Bowlen [of the Denver Broncos]. He has a tremendous desire to win. And in the offseason, I get along great with Jerry Jones [of the Dallas Cowboys]. We have a lot of fun times together with our wives. We vacation together. But during the season, we are definitely enemies.

Full WSJ article link here

Joe Bugel's Daughter Passed Away

According to the Washington Post and Redskins Blog - Washington Redskins assistant coach Joe Bugel's daughter, Holly, has passed away from osteosarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of bone cancer. She has fought this since December 2007.

The Washington Times did a story on the Bugel family back in January.

Another good story from Mike Wise was written in July. It gave you a glimpse into the Bugel family and the strength Holly and the family have. Just about everyone (including me) has been affected by cancer somehow. Just earlier today Gene Upshaw passed away suddenly from cancer. It really is a devastating disease that affects so many people.

Thoughts and prayers with the Bugel and Upshaw family.

UPDATE: The videos on Redskins.com show some pretty sad football players.

From Washington Post, Joe Gibbs on Holly Bugel:
"Obviously, our heart goes out to coach Bugel, Brenda and the Bugel family," Gibbs said in a phone interview between meetings at Joe Gibbs Racing in Huntersville, N.C. "I left voicemails for Joe and Brenda and I talked to Brenda personally. I told her I was praying for her and praying for their family. Everybody is so close.

At this time of the year, coach Bugel is probably spending more time with the football team than he does with his own family, and so it's like family, you have two families.

"What happens is, when you have a loss and somebody grieves, it has a big effect on everybody. It is a grieving process. But the thing that you have there is that you get real comfort from all that are around you who care about you."

Jim Zorn:
"Win or lose it'll be somber after that football game, but also they will take pride in doing a good job without Joe there, and if he does happen to come back, they'll work hard for him as well. It's just very, very difficult, but I think his wife and Holly his daughter, bless her heart, I think they both realize this is his passion, and they've figured this out. ... It was surprising that he would come out and be on the football field, but the way he explained it was this was where he needed to be in order to lose himself a little bit in the familiar surroundings. I think that was one of the things that he touched on when he came out here. These were very family surroundings to him and this is where he felt most comfortable."

"We try to do what it is that he'd want us to do, which is prepare and play. I don't think there's anything you can say to anybody to make the loss of a child any easier. They've known she's been sick for some time, but my guess is that you can think you're prepared mentally for something like this to happen, and then find out you're totally not. My heart breaks for him, It's got to be the most unnatural thing in the world to bury your child. You just wish him peace of mind and that he gets together with his family and that their hearts heal quickly, because there's really nothing else you can do."

Casey Rabach:
"Whether it Sean's murder last year, or Vernon Fox losing a dear friend early in camp and now Coach Buges losing a daughter, this is not just a football team, this is a family. When one's person heart is hurting is affect everybody on this team, especially with us offensive linemen having such a close relationship with Buges."

The Weird World Of Washington Redskins Stuff

There is a reason why Dan Snyder makes so much money. I've stumbled across some random Redskins stuff for sale on the net. Note to bachelors: tread lightly or you may look like the 40 year old virgin Redskin fan.

Take your date home and show her your room:

When hanging a giant "Dallas Sucks" sign:

Trust me, chicks dig these bro:

And girls love this stuff, it's all about the logo...not the fit:

You can sit on your couch, watching the clock tick until kickoff, drinking a brewski:

Then play some games during half time:

Or fire up the grill:

Ok, that's enough. I gotta stop. It's obvious Dan Snyder has half of China hard at work building us these incredible products. For real though, a jersey is sufficient, there is a thin line between bleeding burgundy and falling victim to commercialism.

I love seeing the old school stuff that fans made with their own hands. You know, the old bus that was converted to a tailgating machine, those Redskins bean bag toss games you see in the parking lots, an old refrigerator painted burgundy and converted into a giant kegerator, or a simple Redskins blanket hand made by a relative. That's the good stuff. Made for fans by fans. Let me know if you have any custom built Redskins stuff and I'll post it. Or tell me about a cool Skins contraption you've seen.

Hail.

Redskins Have Two Weeks To Get It Right

I happened to catch the first half of the Giants/Browns game on Monday night. The first 15 minutes of the game was total domination by the defending champions. I immediately thought, "Wow, Zorn better get things going before September 4th". In case you missed it, the Giants ran the ball with ease, threw the ball all over the field, and scored at will....that was just the offense in the first quarter. Then their defense shut down the Browns (who were actually very good last season). They even knocked the Browns starting quarterback out with a concussion. And, for the hell of it, they blocked a punt for a safety, then returned a kick for a touch down. All of this happened in the first quarter. Score: 30 - 3.

The Washington Redskins will open the season in the Meadowlands in a couple weeks. I have liked what I have seen from Zorn & Campbell so far, and I think the defense will be just as good if not better than last year. But after that performance against the Jets it makes you wonder a little. Who will show up come September 4 when the Redskins and Giants kickoff the NFL season on prime time? Will Jansen and Samuels hold off Umenyiora and Tuck to give Campbell time to throw? Will Taylor and Carter keep Manning out of a groove? Will Portis and Betts out gain Jacobs and Bradshaw? Will Fletcher out-tackle Pierce? These teams are pretty similar, huh?

We'll have a better idea after Saturday's preseason game in Charlotte. This is the best chance to see what we've got. The Redskins plan on playing the starters a full half of the game. This is when Jason Campbell must take some shots down field...air it out, it's the preseason! This is a great chance to put Cooley and Davis in on two tight end sets...let's see how a defense responds to that. This is the chance for Fred Smoot and Shawn Springs to actually intercept a football instead of pounding the turf as the ball wobbles on the ground next to them (they've each dropped an easy pick this summer). This is when we should see Clinton Portis rip of a 75 yard run like Rock Cartwright did last week. Jake Delhomme seems like a fine specimen for the Andre Carter/Jason Taylor experiment to be unleashed on. And last, lets see a couple of those creative fleaflickers that Zorn dreamed about doing while being an assistant in Seattle all those years.

You see, some of these things need to be "tried" in case the season opener against the Giants turns into a shootout...or nail biter. So better test them this weekend for two full quarters. I don't think there will be much time the following week against the Jaquars. So Zorn, let it rip this weekend. Practice makes perfect. We may just need it come Thursday night, around 10:15 p.m. on September 4th.

Hail.

Former Redskin Heath Shuler Is "Washington's Finest"

Upcoming Washington, D.C. magazine "Washington's Finest" has former Redskins Quarterback of the Future - Heath Shuler on the cover in one of their preview ads. I saw it and did a double take. Washington's finest? Seriously?

For those that do not know or remember, Heath Shuler was the Redskins first round draft pick (number 3 overall) in 1994. He was dubbed the Redskins Quarterback of the Future for all of 18 games that he started for the Redskins. Shuler was traded to the Saints after his third season in Washington and losing the starting job to Gus Frerotte (who is still in the NFL).

I am sure Heath Shuler is a good guy, and maybe even a great congressman, but Washington's finest? Maybe this new magazine should consider putting Brandon Lloyd on the cover for a special Christmas edition of Washington's Finest. LMAO.

Almost, but no cigar

At least the Redskins moved on from Shuler very quickly. The recent drawn out quarterback projects in Detroit, Houston, San Fransisco, Chicago, and Baltimore have paralyzed those respective teams for years (then again, so were the Skins after Shuler). Maybe Joey Harrington, David Carr, Alex Smith, Rex Grossman, or Kyle Boller can one day return to their inaugural team's city and run for mayor or something....maybe they can be on the cover of that city's newest and lamest magazine.

Hail.

Redskins Depth Players Put Up Stats

With two weeks left in the preseason the Washington Redskins make their presence known on the NFL stat tracker. Sure, they had an extra game to pad their stats but so did Indianapolis. And when it comes to the Colts, it's a good thing to be in their company when mentioning stats for offense or defense.

According to NFL.com the Redskins are in the top 5 in four of the six main categories (Passing Yards, Rushing Yards, Receiving Yards, Tackles). Marcus Mason leads the NFL in rushing with 233 yards, but Rock Cartwright is third with 148 yards. Matt Sinclair is second in the NFL with 18 tackles, Khary Campbell is right behind Sinclair with 15 tackles, Billy McMullen is fourth with 142 receiving yards, and Colt Brennan comes in fifth with 239 yards passing.

If you look a little deeper you'll see Shaun Suisham is fourth in kick offs. Yeah, kickoffs. Suisham was pretty lousy at that last season, so it's good to see him averaging 70.9 yards per kickoff with 2 touch backs. He'll need to keep that up when the season starts, but this is promising.

Durant Brooks in 10th in the league in punting (not bad for a rookie) while Derrick Frost is 38th. I think the writing is on the wall for Frost.

This shows that our depth players are starting to stand out in the league. It's always a good thing when your third and fourth string guys out perform the rest of the leagues third and fourth string guys, especially under a new head coach.

Again, it's just preseason, but to see our depth players make these kind of contributions is definitely a good thing and long overdue. Teamwise, the Skins are just so-so in the middle of the pack, but they have been pulling out wins this preseason and have been lucky at times. The next games against the Panthers and Jaguars will wrap up the preseason, but I think we've seen enough from the guys mentioned above...I say they all make this squad.

Hail.

Former Redskin Great Joe Jacoby Wants to Coach...

First, Joe Jacoby needs to be in the Hall of Fame. Along with Russ Grimm.

It was reported last month that former Redskins Hog Joe Jacoby wanted to get into coaching. And it was reported today that Jacoby took a "volunteer" assistant coaching job with the small Shenandoah University.

You'd think that the Washington Redskins would have room for a guy of his caliber to help out Joe Bugel with the offensive line, especially with Bugel being out for some time to be with his ill daughter. And, the fact that Jacoby is volunteering at Shenandoah University makes me think either Jacoby didn't want to start coaching in the pros or the Redskins didn't want him to start here either. Whichever the case, I think Jacoby would make one hell of a coach and if he eventually coaches in the NFL like Russ Grimm he would likely increase his chances of getting into the Hall of Fame due to the publicity and being around the game more.

Joe Jacoby #66

With Bugel getting up there in age, and retirement a possibility, I think Jacoby would fit in nicely with the Dirtbags. There is no doubt he could help teach the young guys (Heyer, Reinhart). Guess we'll have to wait and see.

Other notable former players turned coaches:

Tom Landry, Dan Reeves, Mike Ditka, Mike Singletary, Bill Cower, Tom Flores, Jim Zorn, Sam Wyche, John Madden, Chuck Noll, Don Shula, Earnest Byner

Share your thoughts on Jacoby coaching, or any other former player turn coach.

Jim Zorn Pulls Pants Down; Bonds With Redskins Players

I knew the Redskins got a nutty coach on February 10th 2008. The infamous Maroon & Black press conference was just the beginning of the quirky head coach from Seattle. Sally Jenkins was one of DC's first to write about Zorn's likability...and she was right. The man is an open book that says what he thinks, and does so in his own unique way. That's exactly what went down recently, according to Matt Mosley of ESPN. According the the article, Zorn got his point across, and continued the bond he has formed with his players. As the Redskins were getting ready to travel to Ohio for the Hall of Fame game Zorn had a meeting about the dress code:

In what must've been a surreal moment for the players, Zorn began naming off certain brands (True Religion, Republic, 7's for All Mankind) and noted that he understood that people would be wearing $250 T-shirts.

Then he turned around, pulled down his pants and tightened his belt.

"But I don't want you to wear saggy jeans," he said to roaring laughter.

Campbell characterized it as a breakthrough moment for the new staff.

Steve Largent & Jim Zorn (looking kinda brokebackish)

I couldn't imagine former Redskin coaches Joe Gibbs, Steve Spurrier, or Marty Schottenheimer pulling that one. Jim Zorn gets his point across, but in his own way. And in a town full of politicians with full time speech writers telling you what they think the people want to hear, we have Jim Zorn, who only says what he wants to say. This could be well received by the DC people for the foreseeable future...all Jim Zorn has to do now is WIN.

Jim Zorn Signature (via his right brain artist stuff)

Here are some interesting facts about Jim Zorn:

• Given name: James Arthur Zorn (Art Monk's given name: James Arthur Monk)
  
• The meaning of Zorn in the modern German language means wrath but its meaning in old Germanic is more to "tear apart" or destroy.
  
• The town of Zorn, Texas is 233 miles from some crappy city called Dallas, Texas
  
• Jim Zorn led the NFL in pass attempts in 1976 (over Tarkenton and Staubach)
  
• Jim Zorn led the NFL in interceptions in 1976 (over Stabler and Namath)
  
• Jim zorn led the NFL in yards per completion in 1977 (over Bradshaw)
  
• Jim Zorn led the NFL in sacks in 1978 (over Theismann, Jaworski, Manning)

Quotes on Jim Zorn:
Steve Largent: "There's no question, Jim comes at things from a different perspective, he thinks about things differently than a normal person does."

Matt Hasselbeck: "He's just honest. He's a very bad liar. He'll tell you what he thinks, and he'll tell you the truth."

Mike Holmgren to Dan Snyder: "You absolutely did the right thing. Now help him as an owner. Help him. Do everything you can to help him because you've got a good man."

Quotes by Jim Zorn:
"I always want to be good at everything" - July 16, 2008

"I won't be here until 2 o'clock in the morning" - July 21, 2008

"We're just going to jump right in" - July 21, 2008

"Bigger, faster stronger - that's what this league is" - July 30, 2008

"It's going to be really fun, but there are going to be some errors" - August 2, 2008

"You sort of have that image in your mind of how a head coach is supposed to behave" - August 7, 2008


HAIL.

Redskins 2008 53 Man Roster - Prediction

The Washington Redskins kick off the regular season in about 4 weeks. The guys on the fringe have a lot of time left to get noticed, so this can change, especially if there is an injury. Here is my prediction of the 53 man roster when the Washington Redskins walk into the Meadowlands on September 4th and give the NY Giants a beat down.

Quarterback

Campbell, Jason
Collins, Todd
Brennan, Colt

Running Back

Portis, Clinton
Betts, Ladell
Cartwright, Rock

Fullback
Sellers, Mike

Wide Receiver

Moss, Santana
Randle El, Antwaan
Thrash, James
Thomas, Devin
Kelly, Malcolm
McMullen, Billy

Tight End
Cooley, Chris
Davis, Fred
Yoder, Todd

Offensive Line
Rabach, Casey

Samuels, Chris
Jansen, Jon
Thomas, Randy
Kendall, Pete
Heyer, Stephon
Fabini, Jason
Wade, Todd
Rinehart, Chad

Defensive Tackle
Griffin, Cornelius
Golston, Kedric
Montgomery, Anthony
Alexander, Lorenzo
Boschetti, Ryan
Defensive End

Taylor, Jason

Carter, Andre
Evans, Demetric
Wilson, Chris
James, Erasmus (PUP List)

Linebackers
Fletcher, London
Washington, Marcus
McIntosh, Rocky
Blades, H.B.
Campbell, Khary
Sinclair, Matt

Safety

Landry, LaRon

Doughty, Reed

Fox, Vernon

Horton, Chris

Moore, Kareem
Corner Back
Springs, Shawn
Smoot, Fred

Rogers, Carlos
Torrence, Leigh
Tryon, Justin

Kicker
Suisham, Shaun

Punter
Brooks, Durant
Long Snapper
Albright, Ethan

Jim Zorn may decide to keep two fullbacks, and if that is the case you may see Nehemiah Broughton take a roster spot from an aging offensive lineman. Either Fabini or Wade could be out since most teams usually only carry eight linemen. But, I think Broughton will end up on the practice squad if he is still eligible for it.

The safety position really scares me. Who would have thought that this time last year when the late great Sean Taylor was teaming up with LaRon Landry to form one of the greatest tandems ever seen? If Landry gets dinged up from his wild man play then you're looking at a pretty big step down. Blache has indicated they will keep five safeties, and including the two rookies Moore and Horton, that's all they have.

The defensive end position looks good. Jason Taylor and Andre Carter are getting a ton of rest this training camp and should be ready to roll come September 4th. Demetric Evans will rotate in on some downs, while Chris Wilson is strictly a back up pass rusher. Erasmus James is still hurt, so he will be on the PUP list until October and will not count against the roster until then.

A lot of people love Marcus Mason and he has looked good so far this camp. But you have to be real here. You have three very capable running backs on the roster ahead of him. Having four running backs is a luxury and that one extra spot could be used at a position with more need, like the defensive line or linebacker. Mason will likely end up on the practice squad again.

Well, that's my take. There is plenty of time for people to play well, play poor, and get hurt. So it will be interesting to see how this looks in four weeks. But, I would not mind heading into the regular season with the roster above....pretty solid in my opinion.

Hail.

Washington Redskins Cut Adam Archuleta 2.0

Phew...that was quick. Adam Archuleta, err, Stuart Schweigert was cut yesterday afternoon by the Washington Redskins.

I saw this news come across the wire about 6:30 pm yesterday...and didn't think much of it until today. Then I realized how close the Redskins were to Archuleta Redux. No, not the huge contract, but the possibility of a malcontent.

You see, the Washington Redskins have put themselves in a bind in the past. They sign a guy to a huge contract, it doesn't work out, then the player gets unhappy. The only problem is that crazy huge contract makes it almost impossible to part ways the moment things go sour.

Not in this case. Stuart Schweigert was a decent safety in Oakland and he had a decent shot at making the Redskins roster even though the Skins drafted Kareem Moore and Chris Horton late in the 2008 draft. Enter Sunday...Chris Horton had a great game (for a rookie) and Schweigert didn't show up. If you factor in the practices the writing is on the wall. After two weeks of training camp Horton improved (and impressed) and Schweigert didn't. Two men enter, one man leave.

You see, the Redskins are learning. No huge bonuses being thrown around, no draft picks wasted, and most importantly no time wasted at another players expense. Another player as in, Moore and/or Horton. Those guys will only benefit from the departure of Schweigert. Go back to 2006, when Archuleta was on the Skins roster. That was also the year Pierson Prioleau blew out his knee and the year we drafted Reed Doughty. You can't help but imagine how much more Doughty would have learned/improved had Archuleta been released the moment the Skins realized he wouldn't fit in. Or, the long shots Antuan Edwards, Ben Emanuel, or Mike Rumph...maybe they "could have" had just that much more attention from coaches to make a difference.

Maybe Kareem Moore and Chris Horton make the team in 2008, maybe they don't. But, by the Redskins releasing Stuart Schweigert they will have a better chance not only making the team, but to learn more in the coming weeks. That's how you grow your team through the draft.

Hail.

James Thrash is 3rd Redskins WR, Others fight for 6th spot

Redskins Insider reported Washington Redskins veteran wide receiver James Thrash has the third wide receiver spot locked down. This isn't surprising since rookies Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly are both injured, but what is clear is that it appears likely Thrash will make this squad.

There was some speculation earlier in the year that a youth movement may be underway in the Redskins receiving corps. But it looks like the special teams stud, Thrash, will remain and may even contribute to the offense while Thomas and Kelly heal and try to catch up on what they missed.

The following will definitely make the team:

Santana Moss
Antwaan Randle El
James Thrash
Devin Thomas
Malcolm Kelly

These dudes are on the bubble, with likely one spot left on the roster:

Anthony Mix
Billy McMullen
Horace Grant
Burl Toler
Maurice Mann

My bet is on McMullen. I was a fan of Mix, but a lot of drops early in training camp followed by an injury may have given McMullen an advantage.

The other dudes are too raw in my opinion, but you never know.

Besides, does the 6th wide receiver really matter? Sure depth is good, but Campbell already has many options when he drops back (Moss, Randle El, Cooley, Davis, Portis, Sellers).

Pictures from Hall of Fame Weekend

I am trying to recover from the weekend and catch up on work...will be updating some more later. But, here are some pics from an awesome weekend in Canton Ohio.



HAIL.

Live from Canton Ohio...Redskins Fans Have Taken Over

Redskins fans are everywhere, all you see for a 30 mile radius is burgundy.

I just got done with the Hall of Fame museum after a 45 minute line wait...then it was crazy packed inside. Really cool stuff..pictures will be posted soon so check back.

The Hall of Fame is dry, meaning no alcohol. So Redskins fans are sniffing the air and finding the only bar in town...The Stables. We are all here boozing it up and singing Hail to the Redskins over and over.

Again, there are so many Redskins fans here. All of the Canton locals I have talked to say they have NEVER seen anything like this before. Really amazing here.

Gotta go, check back soon for pictures and video.

Cheers! Hail!

Fox 5's Dave Feldman in da house...

Ok Skins fans at home...you're not missing much. I am posting this live from my blackberry and these parts are, well, country...as Smoot would say. I ran into the great Dave Feldman from Fox Sports, had a little chat about the Skins, Monk, Green, and the beat. The dude is cool, and knows his Skins stuff. So be sure to check him out on Fox and his Sunday night program after the local Fox news.

Also, have you ever been to FedEx Field and seen the Monk Dudes in their Monk outfits? Well, they are here too to watch the Monk get inducted. Will be interesting to see if they continue their dress at FedEx this season.

Aight, going to a bar with the homies, I am 30 miles south of Canton tonight and SKINS FANS are everywhere...everywhere. And this podunck town doesn't know what to do. Call it an invasion.

I will have my camera tomorrow and will update whatevs.

Centreville. Little Rocky Run.

Cheers!

Sneak Peek at Monk and Green HOF Busts

Redskins greats, Art Monk and Darrell Green will be inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame tomorrow. Those bronze busts that line the walls of the enshrinement gallery are made by hand...and here's a sneak peek of Art and Darrell courtesy of renowned sculptor Blair Buswell and the Washington Times:

Darrell Green by Blair Buswell

Art Monk by Blair Buswell

Check out the article if you're curious about the statue stuff.