****OFFICIAL 2009 Off Season Washington Redskins Thread**** (1 Viewer)

[Ripleys]

cut Betts before you cut V.Davis. I mean, I'm a Skins homer, but to me that's a no brainer.

 

[T Bell]

cut Betts before you cut V.Davis. I mean, I'm a Skins homer, but to me that's a no brainer.

He's got depth at both positions, though, so it really comes down to whether he believes whether Portis is more likely to be injured for an extended period of time or whether Davis can break out and become a starting caliber fantasy TE.

 

[jevy]

I would cut Longwell before I cut anybody, unless you must have a valid starting lineup at all times, or the other 31 Kickers are rostered.

 

[Sebowski]

Wow. Thanks for all the help guys.

I LOVE these......could you give us more info about your League?You actually have Malcolm Kelly on your Roster...if it really IS a 10-Teamer (or a 12-Teamer for that matter), he really has little business holding up a Roster Spot that you could be using on someone else who could provide more immediate ROI.***If you cut Kelly, I'd all but GUARANTEE he's available at the 1.10/2.01 turn. I also be inclined to bet there are better options than him available to you. Not only that, it would allow you a much better opportunity to 'have your cake and eat it too', in that you could keep Betts, and still get Kelly back if you want him******You dont' HAVE TO do anything regarding VD, despite what you gave up for him, and that kind of thinking can prevent you from seeing an opportunity that might otherwise be staring you down the barrel. Last year was last year, close that chapter and open a new one.

12 team league. Got 2.1 in a trade. my 1.10 is actually 1.11, but there is a forfeit of a pick before me so it will be the 10th in the draftInteresting take on letting Kelly go. This really boils down to the same thing I'm doing with Davis. I don't want to cut bait and then see him blow up on someone else's roster. This has worked for me with Roddy White, and not worked for me with Chad Jackson. I plan on going WR at 1.10, and probably again at 2.1, so maybe i just redraft Kelly there....Stafford or Sanchez is an option for me at 2.1 too, which means that maybe Campbell should be the guy I cut, but I have had him since he was a rook and this is do or die time for him.

Niner homer...there's a good Vernon thread floating around here.

Yeah, I've seen it. Thanks for the insight. This is his last chance at being an impact FF player. I feel like with Campbell, I'm pot committed at this point.

I would cut Longwell before I cut anybody, unless you must have a valid starting lineup at all times, or the other 31 Kickers are rostered.

If I do that I would have to waste 2.1 on a kicker.

 

[Sebowski]

Caught this on roto:

Chad Rinehart-G-Redskins Jul. 1 - 2:18 pm et Redskins offensive line coach Joe Bugel has noticed a "night and day" change in 2008 third-round pick Chad Rinehart.Rinehart gave Washington nothing as a rookie, but the team hopes he'll provide depth at guard. The Skins have done poorly developing their offensive line draft picks of late. There was concern last year that Rinehart would bust, but Bugel now says "he's going to be a real good football player for us."Source: Washington Post

 

[fatness]

For those interested in keeping up with Jason LaCanfora after graduating from Washington Post to NFL.com, here's his blog:

http://blogs.nfl.com/category/jason-la-canfora/

 

[T Bell]

Caught this on roto:

Chad Rinehart-G-Redskins Jul. 1 - 2:18 pm et Redskins offensive line coach Joe Bugel has noticed a "night and day" change in 2008 third-round pick Chad Rinehart.Rinehart gave Washington nothing as a rookie, but the team hopes he'll provide depth at guard. The Skins have done poorly developing their offensive line draft picks of late. There was concern last year that Rinehart would bust, but Bugel now says "he's going to be a real good football player for us."Source: Washington Post

I'm not sure there's news that the team needs more than this.

 

[buster c]

with a fairly consistent group of skin fans who regularly post here, and with our off-season lagging a bit, I thought maybe we should get to know each other a little better

so how about an informal poll: how long have you been a skins fan?

for me, the hook was set when the 5-0 Skins travelled to KC under George Allen in 1971. I have a few memories from before that game, but I can clearly remember the buzz building at church that morning. even the padre made some reference to the game from the alter. it was an electricity that a young buster cherry could not resist.

what about you guys?

 

[fatness]

I used to visit my cousins in the DC area. We'd play touch football, and have a radio in the window turned all the way up listening to the Redskins play while we did. They usually lost but they scored (and gave up) points faster than we could playing touch. I was hooked. Sonny Jurgensen, Charley Taylor, Bobby Mitchell, Jerry Smith.

Still hooked.

 

[buster c]

I used to visit my cousins in the DC area. We'd play touch football, and have a radio in the window turned all the way up listening to the Redskins play while we did. They usually lost but they scored (and gave up) points faster than we could playing touch. I was hooked. Sonny Jurgensen, Charley Taylor, Bobby Mitchell, Jerry Smith. Still hooked.

fat:that could be anywhere from 64-69. narrow it down some, son.was Len Hathaway making the call on AM630, WMAL?

 

[fatness]

I don't know who the announcer was, sorry. I just remember all the passing and all the TD's. I'd guess '65 or so.

 

[Ripleys]

been a fan since the late 70s. Man I miss our glory years. :(

 

[T Bell]

Fan since birth in '73. My parents were Redskins fanatics. I was born with red hair and still have it (hence my original handle) and when my mom would wheel me around the DC area in a stroller she'd be asked if I was Sonny Jurgenson's son. Some of my earliest memories were of babysitters coming so that my parents could go off to Redskins games with friends. I moved to SoCal in '82 but have always remained a 'Skins fan.

 

[buster c]

Fan since birth in '73. My parents were Redskins fanatics. I was born with red hair and still have it (hence my original handle) and when my mom would wheel me around the DC area in a stroller she'd be asked if I was Sonny Jurgenson's son. Some of my earliest memories were of babysitters coming so that my parents could go off to Redskins games with friends. I moved to SoCal in '82 but have always remained a 'Skins fan.

lucky guy - sounds like you came of age under St. Joe. I feel bad for those too young to have memories of that era.

 

[dgreen]

My parents moved to DC just before I was born. My dad grew up in Florida and is a Dolphins fan. My mom grew up in Tennessee and didn't have a team, but she started to like the Redskins after moving here. While my dad's a Dolphins fan, he's not a diehard. He never gave me a reason to latch on to them or detest them.

So, I'm 7 years old without a strong affiliation to any team and the Redskins and Dolphins are playing in the Super Bowl. I remember before the game saying something only a kid (or a chick) would say: "I like whoever has the ball." That way, I could root for both teams and be on either my mom's or my dad's side. As the game progressed, I found myself leaning towards the Redskins. It's just what I naturally wanted. Then Riggins busts loose and my allegiance was never to be split again.

I was a big Marino fan, though, and I'll root for the Dolphins if there is no Redskins interest in the game. But, I can't say I care too much if they win or lose.

I don't remember a ton of football being on tv in our house before SB XVII. I do remember watching SB XVI with SF and Cincy the year before. That's my earliest football watching memory. SB XVII is my second memory. Unfortunately, I have no memory of the NFC Championship game against Dallas at RFK. After that, I watched a ton of football, started collecting football cards, and played football outside as much as possible. I remember having to hold back the tears during the SB that we shall not speak of.

It was great growing up during Gibbs 1.0. But, while it's so great to have such great childhood memories of my favorite team, it skewed my view of how things happen. I just expected a SB every few years. That's just how it was. So, I don't think I enjoyed them as much, especially the last one. I was in high school for SB XXVI and thought it was great, but there was no way I saw the next 20 years coming. I thought, "Hey, cool, and SB! We'll get another one in a few years." If they can win another one in my lifetime, I think I'll enjoy it on a whole different level than before. I expect it to have a mix of the old childish joy and and adult realism of how things work.

 

[Sebowski]

Lived in Tacoma park my first 4 years then bounced around 8 different places the rest of my life with DC always being "home base" for the family.

My first football memeory is the Chicago-Pats Superbowl. I was 7ish. All I really remember is the game being on and Fridge scoring. After that I don't remember any football until the Skins-Broncos game. That memory is clear is day thanks to my older brother. After the first quarter down 10-0 my brother went nuts. Broke a couple things and slammed the door on his way out. Right then I was like, "whoa, this is some important stuff right here. Really hope the Skins win or big bro doesn't tear the place down." Then came that incredible second quarter and the rest is history.

My next vivid memories are of the 91 season. That's when my brother "taught me" that if the Skins were down you need to change seats or your shirt, and the channel(then change back). I remember that last Eagles game really well. I really wanted to go 15-1 instead of 14-2. I knew history wouldn't be as kind to a 14-2 team. I can still see that last minute FG going through the uprights for the Eagles. If we win that game and go 15-1 that 91 team is rightfully talked about as perhaps the greatest team of all time. As it is now they get buried on most lists for some reason (even though we played our backups in that game and still should have won). Man I hate the Eagles.

 

[Sidewinder16]

...but there was no way I saw the next 20 years coming.

I know it technically hasn't been 20 years yet, but that the 'Skins haven't even sniffed a SB since Rypien proclaimed he was going to Disney World is disheartening to think about.I'm the same as dgreen, in that I grew up with Gibbs 1.0 and after 4 SB appearances and 3 wins I developed the mindset that the 'Skins would always be contenders. I'm optimistic (read: naive ) enough to still hold out some hope each offseason that next year will be "the year". But with each passing year, "my team", the 'Skins of my youth, becomes a fainter and more distant memory.And I also agree, that if I ever see the 'Skins win another one, it will feel like the sweetest of them all.

 

[buster c]

Riggins busts loose and my allegiance was never to be split again.

Nice. Arguably the greatest moment in Redskin history.

 

[buster c]

I remember that last Eagles game really well. I really wanted to go 15-1 instead of 14-2. I knew history wouldn't be as kind to a 14-2 team. I can still see that last minute FG going through the uprights for the Eagles. If we win that game and go 15-1 that 91 team is rightfully talked about as perhaps the greatest team of all time. As it is now they get buried on most lists for some reason (even though we played our backups in that game and still should have won). Man I hate the Eagles.

I wanted that game bad. Agreed - a 15-1 mark would have mattered from an historical perspective.

 

[buster c]

...but there was no way I saw the next 20 years coming.

I know it technically hasn't been 20 years yet, but that the 'Skins haven't even sniffed a SB since Rypien proclaimed he was going to Disney World is disheartening to think about.I'm the same as dgreen, in that I grew up with Gibbs 1.0 and after 4 SB appearances and 3 wins I developed the mindset that the 'Skins would always be contenders. I'm optimistic (read: naive ) enough to still hold out some hope each offseason that next year will be "the year". But with each passing year, "my team", the 'Skins of my youth, becomes a fainter and more distant memory.And I also agree, that if I ever see the 'Skins win another one, it will feel like the sweetest of them all.

I gotta be honest here: as long as the little rich boy owner is in charge, my excitement will be tempered. That was the beauty of the 80's - at the top was a gentleman known as The Squire who had much cash, a lot of charm and class, a dash of crazy, but the good business sense to know to not try and run the team.

 

[fatness]

"whoa, this is some important stuff right here. Really hope the Skins win or big bro doesn't tear the place down."

This is awesome.

 

[Sidewinder16]

Matt Mosley picks a breakout player for each NFC East team. His Redskins selection:

Redskins

Devin Thomas, WR: I realize this is going out on a limb. I still have a healthy fear of all Michigan State receivers, but Thomas is taking a much smarter approach this offseason. And I think he's ready to make a significant impact. And yes, a Redskins coach is whispering things to me.

 

[dgreen]

Matt Mosley picks a breakout player for each NFC East team. His Redskins selection:

Redskins

Devin Thomas, WR: I realize this is going out on a limb. I still have a healthy fear of all Michigan State receivers, but Thomas is taking a much smarter approach this offseason. And I think he's ready to make a significant impact. And yes, a Redskins coach is whispering things to me.

Interesting. Aside from the OL, I think we've all been saying that having another WR step up is probably the most important thing for this team. They simply need to score more points and another threat in the passing game would be a huge help.

 

[dgreen]

Link

Haynesworth Pleads No Contest

Washington Redskins DT Albert Haynesworth pled no contest this morning to reckless driving, a Class B misdemeanor, and was given a three-month suspended sentence, according to Terry Wood, assistant district attorney of the 21st judicial district in Tennessee.

Haynesworth will be under three months supervised probation, will make a $5,000 donation to a charity and must also complete 25 hours of community service and an eight-hour defensive driving class.

The charges stem from a December accident in which another passenger was seriously injured. The second count, driving with an expired registration, was dropped.

Haynesworth will make a donation to 119 Frontline, a charity that provides counseling for firefighters, police officers and first responders, according to Wood.

 

[PinkydaPimp]

Theismann thinks Jason Campbell is bound for the Pro Bowl

 

[Sidewinder16]

Link

Haynesworth Pleads No Contest

Washington Redskins DT Albert Haynesworth pled no contest this morning to reckless driving, a Class B misdemeanor, and was given a three-month suspended sentence, according to Terry Wood, assistant district attorney of the 21st judicial district in Tennessee.

Haynesworth will be under three months supervised probation, will make a $5,000 donation to a charity and must also complete 25 hours of community service and an eight-hour defensive driving class.

The charges stem from a December accident in which another passenger was seriously injured. The second count, driving with an expired registration, was dropped.

Haynesworth will make a donation to 119 Frontline, a charity that provides counseling for firefighters, police officers and first responders, according to Wood.

So, probation, community service and what essentially amounts to a fine. Is there precedent for Goodell to mete out his own punishment for players receiving similar legal sentences? Could Haynesworth miss any NFL time?

 

[T Bell]

Link

Haynesworth Pleads No Contest

Washington Redskins DT Albert Haynesworth pled no contest this morning to reckless driving, a Class B misdemeanor, and was given a three-month suspended sentence, according to Terry Wood, assistant district attorney of the 21st judicial district in Tennessee.

Haynesworth will be under three months supervised probation, will make a $5,000 donation to a charity and must also complete 25 hours of community service and an eight-hour defensive driving class.

The charges stem from a December accident in which another passenger was seriously injured. The second count, driving with an expired registration, was dropped.

Haynesworth will make a donation to 119 Frontline, a charity that provides counseling for firefighters, police officers and first responders, according to Wood.

So, probation, community service and what essentially amounts to a fine. Is there precedent for Goodell to mete out his own punishment for players receiving similar legal sentences? Could Haynesworth miss any NFL time?

I was wondering the same thing.

 

[Marvelous]

From PFT, Redskins could be interested in DE Jeremy Jarmon in the supplemental draft:

Jeremy Jarmon draws 18 teams to workoutPosted by Mike Florio on July 10, 2009 8:18 AM In some years, the NFL's supplemental draft attracts ample interest. In other years, it doesn't.This year, next week's supplemental draft is getting some but not much interest, thanks to a guy who lost his college eligibility after testing positive for a banned substance.Per the Lexington Herald-Leader, 18 teams showed up Thursday for the pre-supplemental draft workout of former Kentucky defensive end Jeremy Jarmon.One team that sent a fairly heavy delegation to Lexington was the Redskins. Executive V.P. Vinny Cerrato spoke about the process of evaluating a player like Jarmon."First you evaluate [Jarmon] on film, and if you like what you see on film then it brings you down for the workout," Cerrato said. "It gives you a chance to see him move around and see him athletically, and you get to talk to him, his coaches and trainers and find out all the background information."The fact that the most one of the most important pieces of background information -- a failed test for a banned substance -- didn't stop 18 teams from showing up tells us all we need to know about the attitude toward cheating in football.The fans don't really care, the media doesn't really care, so why should the teams care?

I have been surprised the Redskins have not been more aggressive in the supplemental drafts. It's a great opportunity to spend one of next year's draft picks. A little more seriously, if there is a Jared Gaither caliber player, it does make sense to go for it.

 

[fatness]

So, probation, community service and what essentially amounts to a fine. Is there precedent for Goodell to mete out his own punishment for players receiving similar legal sentences? Could Haynesworth miss any NFL time?

Goodell seems to make up his own precedents and sanctions or lack of them as he goes along. He'll either be strict or lax based on PR value, not any consistent pattern. He's going to run into problems with this during the next CBA negotiations. There has to be a more standardized conduct policy than "what the commish wants at the moment". Quite a few players are angry about this, but of course not revealing their names to avoid league wrath. I did post a link about it in the Burress thread, where Goodell was supposedly enraged and considering leagues sanctions against Burress because he did not accept a plea bargain. Think about that one. Your boss will punish you if you don't plead guilty. Very thin ice there.

I don't think Haynesworth misses any games. Look at what the charge was: reckless driving.

 

[Sidewinder16]

So, probation, community service and what essentially amounts to a fine. Is there precedent for Goodell to mete out his own punishment for players receiving similar legal sentences? Could Haynesworth miss any NFL time?

Goodell seems to make up his own precedents and sanctions or lack of them as he goes along. He'll either be strict or lax based on PR value, not any consistent pattern. He's going to run into problems with this during the next CBA negotiations. There has to be a more standardized conduct policy than "what the commish wants at the moment". Quite a few players are angry about this, but of course not revealing their names to avoid league wrath. I did post a link about it in the Burress thread, where Goodell was supposedly enraged and considering leagues sanctions against Burress because he did not accept a plea bargain. Think about that one. Your boss will punish you if you don't plead guilty. Very thin ice there.

I don't think Haynesworth misses any games. Look at what the charge was: reckless driving.

Yeah, I agree that his pattern of punishments has seemed inconsistent at times, so I guess "precedent" may not be the most accurate word for what I was looking for. Just a general "what has happened before" in similar situations (probations/community service/fines), only to get an idea of what might happen to Haynesworth.There is also an on-going civil suit. Not sure how the outcome of that might bear on Goodell's decisions/actions (if any).

 

[Sidewinder16]

The Sporting News is doing team-by-team breakdowns leading up to the start of TC. Today they started the NFC East with Dallas (page 16). Tomorrow will be the Giants, Sunday the Eagles and the 'Skins will be on Monday.

Part of the break down includes an "Opponent's View (An anonymous opponent breaks down the Cowboys)". Here's what that opponent had to say:

“You’ve got a situation where there is a lot of talent on that football team that for whatever reason is underachieving. I hate to say anything about Wade, but he has fallen right in line with the way his teams play—just over .500 or right around it.

“They’re certainly dodging a circus atmosphere, and the removal of (Owens) is going to help that and may bring a little bit of stability to an offensive side that isn’t playing anywhere near what they’re capable of with the type of guys they have over there.”

“Defensively, you’re looking at a top-10 team but they need to play to their ability on that side and they’ve underachieved a little there, though the defense kind of carried them last year.

“They’re very poor on special teams as well, which to me sometimes is indicative of an undisciplined group. Generally, I see a situation where the emphasis from the staff is not being placed on field position and that sort of thing.”

So, to sum up, the Cowboys have the talent to be Super Bowl contenders and a coaching staff that can't, for whatever reason, bring the pieces together to do so. That sounds about right.

 

[dgreen]

I hadn't looked at Matt Terl's blog in a while and just saw Larry Weisman is joining the Redskins Broadcast team:

"The discussions that we've had so far have been primarily about me doing a lot of things with Larry Michael on the TV end of things," he said, "with the Comcast SportsNet show Redskins Nation and some other things that may be in the works. Some radio things, some of which I think also need some discussion, and some contributions to the dot-com."

I love this...assuming he'll still be the same Larry Weisman we hear with Andy and Steve. He's usually my favorite guest host. He's extremely knowledgeable about the whole league and the game itself and I always thought he was fair to the Redskins. He bashed things that needed to be bashed and provided clarity to situations that most of the media blew out of proportion.

 

[Sidewinder16]

Also from Sporting News Today, Zorn letting veterans commute to TC:

Redskins coach Jim Zorn is taking a rare, but not unprecedented, step of allowing veteran players to sleep at home during training camp.Sixteen other NFL teams are holding training camps this year at their year-round headquarters but are requiring all players to stay in dorms or team hotels for 2-4 weeks, according to NFL Network. Zorn is bucking conventional wisdom in allowing players with four-plus years experience to make daily commutes from their own homes if they wish.Zorn says former NFL coaches Mike Shanahan and Brian Billick, at times, allowed veterans to sleep in their own beds during camp.This is a change for Zorn, who directed a much more regimented and physically draining training camp last year than predecessor Joe Gibbs. Zorn says it’ll be each player’s option whether to stay at the team hotel or at home, but as many as 19 starters could opt to skip out on the en masse lodging.“If I had a really young roster, no way we’d be doing this,” Zorn told NFL Network.If this works well for the Redskins, other teams could adopt the path as a means to keep veteran players fresh and to reduce costs

 

[fatness]

Andy and Czabe were harassing Wiseman about the move. Besides congratulating him, they were asking him if he'd be completely muzzled and kept referring to him as "my new boss." It was some pretty funny stuff. I hope Wiseman doesn't change, but if he does it'll be easy to tell.

 

[dgreen]

CBS is bringing some sports talk radio competition to the DC area.

CBS Radio plans to take on the Snyder-owned stations in July by switching WJFK (106.7 FM) from its guy-centric talk programs to sports talk, people involved in the change say.

Link

With WJFK 106.7 set to flip to sports talk on July 20, multiple industry sources have confirmed this preliminary lineup:

6-10: The Junkies

10-2: Mike Wise and Bill Rohland

2-6: LaVar Arrington and Chad Dukes

Ugh. Lavar and Dukes will be horrible. No idea who Rohland is, but I generally don't like listening to Wise. Love the Junkies.Looks like Mike O'Meara is out. I hadn't listened to him much since Don retired, but still kind of sad to see that's ending.

 

[T Bell]

I hate to say anything about Wade, but he has fallen right in line with the way his teams play—just over .500 or right around it.

Pounds?

 

[pablito]

Chris Cooley does a guest MMQB on SI.com with Peter King on vacation:

I was very excited to be asked to fill in for Peter King this week, though I'm slightly disappointed to be the third person asked -- I mean, seriously, Trent Green? Still, this is a very cool opportunity, and I am happy to do it.

A couple of weeks ago, I squatted over my helmet next to Shaun Suisham on the practice sideline of Redskins Park. It was your every-day water-cooler dialogue, the kicker being the guy who has nothing to do, ever, and then lingering around, begging for someone to scheme with. Conversations with a kicker are typically nonsense-filled ideas ranging from Barack Obama staring down girls' backsides to Michael Jackson's death dragging his estate out of debt. Every so often, we even talk about football, but with a kicker it's usually something about how a holder's chubby, jittery hands can mess up an entire season or why adding two games to the regular season would be so much harder on a kicking leg.

Our recent talk actually led to a profound idea. The topic was actually brought up in a kicking state of mind, wondering why the goal posts don't continue upward for another 10 yards, thus eliminating any judgment call about whether a field-goal attempt is good when the ball is kicked above the end of the bar. Then the brilliance of Smart Football was born!

Many judgment calls should be taken out of human hands. Just ask anyone from Baltimore if Santonio Holmes crossed the goal line or any Chargers fan about the Ed Hochuli blunder that led to San Diego losing in Denver last season. Those two calls alone spurred enough controversy about the NFL's referees and replay system to demand some kind of change.

The correct call in every crucial situation would purge a lot of ugly emotion and relieve tension, but can the human eye be correct every time? Seriously, look at the Holmes catch again. Watch it from every possible camera angle, then try to decide for sure whether it's a touchdown. Smart Football eliminates the guesswork.

The system begins by placing sensors in both tips of the ball and then it works with a laser or GPS system. At that point, the possibilities are endless. Technology is so advanced that determining anything that happens on the field with the ball is possible. The sensors indicate the instant the ball crosses the goal line, or any line for that matter. This eliminates officials having to slog in from the sideline, peer over 22 enormous men and try to determine from memory where the ball may have reached.

It doesn't have to stop with the end zone, the league can sensor the first-down markers, as well. Furthermore, it wouldn't be so hard to tell when a ball started or stopped moving forward or backward, which would, accordingly, determine forward progress. I'd be willing to bet Al Davis would have paid Smart Football to give Oakland the opportunity to take Tom Brady's fumble and go on to the Super Bowl.

Yes, this great new method also applies to kickers and Suisham's short goal-post theory, though it can't make ex-punters any skinnier. Goal posts are simply extended by shooting a laser upward, easily determining whether ball went through.

Oh, and before complaining about how much this would cost, consider that I'm talking about the NFL. The league in which defensive tackles receive $100 million contracts. I think there would be a way to swing some GPS technology on the field. Just maybe.

Ten Things I Think I Think

1. I think the Washington Redskins are going to have an outstanding season and win a ton of games. We've done everything a team can do in the offseason to get better. Jason Campbell is so close to being one of the best QB's in the league; he will have a great year. Note: I have to say all this regardless, but it's nice to actually believe it.

2. I think all the talk about making young quarterbacks wait their turn and learn before they play is B.S. The best way to get better at something is by doing it, so if they're ready to play, let 'em play. I know teams are very considerate about a player's psyche, but if a quarterback can't handle the scrutiny of throwing a pick in his first season, how is he going to handle it throughout his career? Might as well find out.

3. I think the NFL uniform rule is much too stringent. Guys are now being fined in the third and fourth quarters for their jerseys being untucked. Assessing a $5,000 fine for a untucked jersey is ignorant. When the thing gets yanked out of the pants it just looks like the guy is playing harder. The NFL is also fining for other minuscule things, like socks not being pulled up enough and hand towels being two inches too long. Obviously, the NFL has to keep things within reason, but insignificant uniform infractions do not affect the integrity of the game.

4. I think, sticking with the game-integrity theme, I don't know why touchdown celebrations are being eliminated. I'm not a celebration guy myself, at all, but it's part of what makes our game exciting. A touchdown is a huge moment in a game and a huge accomplishment for a player, so take it easy on fining guys for having a little fun celebrating. Besides, the last time I checked the NFL was an entertainment business, and I love watching the creativity of guys like Chad Johnson.

5. I think adding two extra games to the regular season would be great if the league would shorten the preseason by two weeks. Also, the pay raise would have to fit accordingly. With all the offseason work players put into today's game, the six weeks of training camp and preseason are a burnout. Plus, what fan wouldn't rather watch real games?

6. I think I made the Pro Bowl the last two seasons. This offseason, Tony Gonzalez and Kellen Winslow were traded into the NFC, and with young guys like Greg Olsen becoming better players, it will be very competitive when it comes to filling the two NFC tight end spots in this year's Pro Bowl. Oh, I forgot to mention Jason Witten.

7. I think the Pro Bowl should never leave Hawaii. No questions asked, it is the best place for all the players to get together with their families and celebrate a great season. Miami, the site of the 2010 Pro Bowl and Super Bowl, will be too crazy the week before the Super Bowl for anyone to relax.

8. I think if athletes/celebs are out having a good time, fans should not try to take advantage of them by sneaking photos Online. Cell-phone cameras are out of control right now. Just shake hands and say hello. Oh, and I know that if someone tries to video me taking a piss again, I'm not going to hesitate to punch them square in the face.

9. I think putting peanut butter, mustard and ham on a sandwich is awesome. The three ingredients are magical when put together.

10. I think athletes are usually terrible writers. "Cough! Donovan McNabb!" To be honest, most of the time I can't stand to read anything football players write, sorry Matt Birk. Now after stopping for a minute, I'm pretty concerned about what I've put together. Oh well, one thing's for sure, I can take a hell of a lot of criticism.

 

[dgreen]

6. I think I made the Pro Bowl the last two seasons. This offseason, Tony Gonzalez and Kellen Winslow were traded into the NFC, and with young guys like Greg Olsen becoming better players, it will be very competitive when it comes to filling the two NFC tight end spots in this year's Pro Bowl. Oh, I forgot to mention Jason Witten.

Wow, hadn't thought about that. He's going to have a hard time making another PB for a few years.

 

[Sidewinder16]

Here's the summary from the Sporting News' breakdown of the 'Skins:

The Redskins are a mediocre team. They usually bounce between 9-7 and 7-9, so last year’s 8-8 record was no fluke. The offensive line is past ripe, the quarterback has not matured and the receivers are in transition. They rely too heavily on Portis on offense, and on defense, they’ll bank on Haynesworth to elevate

everyone’s level.

Washington needs to make more big plays on offense, force turnovers on defense and shore up its special teams. Even with all that, this team will be hard-pressed to make the playoffs in the competitive NFC East.

 

[Dexter Manley]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4322356

Nice article on "The Drunken Master" Jim Zorn:

ASHBURN, Va. -- Jim Zorn is sitting in the office that Joe Gibbs built, next to a leather couch that the legendary coach used to fold out and sleep on between Super Bowl strategy sessions. Zorn is talking about flattops. Not just any old flattop, a 3½-inch, did-you-see-that-guy's-hair kind of 'do. Zorn reaches in his desk and pulls out a trading card of a cartoon character to show what his hair used to look like 20 years ago, when he went to his first coaching convention.

Coaches On The Hot Seat

The Redskins' Jim Zorn is one of five head coaches who need a big 2009 season to bolster their job security. John Clayton

His head coach had begged him to get a haircut before the convention, but Zorn was young and stubborn. So the hair stayed high, and Zorn topped his ensemble off with a pair of purple-and-green hiking shoes.

Needless to say, he stood out in a room full of polo shirts and penny loafers. Zorn laughs as he's telling the story, then his face grows serious. He says he learned a lesson that day, about individuality and conformity, and leans in a little as if he's sharing a secret.

"I'm no different today than I was then," Zorn says. "I still try to be myself, and my drum beats a little differently in some of my interests. But I don't think it takes me away from knowing, deep down inside, what I have to get done. I just like to have fun along the way."

He was a left-handed quarterback in his NFL playing days, and is, by all accounts, a left-handed coach. When he became head coach of the Washington Redskins 17 months ago, he raised eyebrows with his unconventional teaching methods, from throwing Pilates balls at his quarterbacks to using a Slip 'n Slide in a drill.

His candor is even more out of the norm. In an era when coaches are buttoning up into Bill Belichick mode, revealing as little as possible, Zorn lets people in, just enough to leave them guessing. He has climbed Mount Rainier, tooled around Seattle in a gaudy, yellow Volkswagen Bug and taken his mountain bike on rides so treacherous that when he reached the summits all Zorn could do was laugh because he'd tested himself and made it.

His most dangerous ride starts in a few weeks, when training camp opens in what is no doubt the most pivotal year of his career. He'll do it under the eyes of a very involved owner, a rabid fan base and in possibly the toughest division in the NFL.

"I don't feel the hot seat," Zorn says.

"There's a method to what I'm doing. I'm not just kind of bouncing down the stream here like a pebble. I do have a plan. We've got things in place in an organizational standpoint where we're going hard and fast."

'It all happened so fast'

The start was unconventional. On Jan. 25, 2008, Zorn was hired as the Redskins' offensive coordinator, one of the first pieces of a staff that did not yet have a head coach. Less than two weeks later, his wife Joy was back in Seattle, waiting for their son, Isaac, to finish band practice, fiddling with the radio.

[+] EnlargeJames Lang/US Presswire

Entering just his second season, Zorn says he doesn't feel as if he's on the hot seat with owner Dan Snyder.

She wanted to know how the coaching search was going, and figured she'd just call and ask Jim. The voice on the other end was serious and rushed.

"I am in my car going back to my apartment to put a suit on," he said, "because Mr. Snyder has asked me to interview."

Joy had so many questions, but no time to ask. She couldn't say anything, not even when the family boarded a plane for Washington a couple of days later for a news conference announcing Zorn's hiring as head coach.

She worried that the man so obsessed with details would drive himself crazy. Of course, she thought, Jim would be out there every day with the field crew, trying to help them mow the lawn or adjust the sprinklers. And what about his hands-on teaching? Would he find the time to work with Jason Campbell like he molded Matt Hasselbeck and Seneca Wallace in his days as the quarterbacks coach in Seattle?

He'd be replacing Gibbs, a retiring coach who led the Redskins to three Super Bowl titles and 10 playoff appearances. He'd do it with little time to think.

"It all happened so fast," Joy says, "I felt like it was difficult to process. I did think to myself that if I had planned this scenario, I might've had his first head-coaching job kind of in the boonies a little bit. But it didn't surprise me that that thought didn't go through Jim's mind at all. He likes to risk it all, and I don't."

From his days as the starting quarterback with the Seattle Seahawks from 1976 to '83, scrambling out of the pocket as a young man, dodging time with a plate and six screws in his foot toward the end, there was never time to hesitate. He climbed 14,400 feet up Mount Rainier years ago, then Joy decided to do the same thing. During base training, she told him she was worried about possibly having to save somebody on her rope. Jim told her that was one of the best parts about the climb, the possible opportunity to save someone's life.

Before his name got bigger in the coaching ranks, and the demands got larger, he loved to kayak, through treacherous currents, and climb rocks. In the spare hours he has now before camp starts, he goes on 30-mile bike rides with Joy.

They were seemingly opposites when they met three decades ago; the England-born girl whose family thought football was "a stupid American game," the young charmer who was the starting quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks. Joy was working as a waitress to help pay for college when Zorn came into the restaurant one day with a date.

He happened to plop down at her station again six months later, then called her manager to ask if she was single. God sent him there that second time, Joy believes, and they've been together through thick and very thin times in Seattle, Green Bay, Winnipeg and Tampa Bay, through coaching stops in Idaho, Utah, Minnesota and then back to the NFL in Seattle.

He is interested in so many things that if a stranger sat down with Zorn and talked to him, Joy says, they probably wouldn't know he was an NFL coach. He'd go on about a book he'd just read, or a piece of art that made him stop and stare. Zorn once went to a career-counseling center to figure out his next path. One of the suggestions was museum curator.

"You cannot put him into a box," she says. "He just won't fit in. He squishes out all over the sides."

Lessons for a quarterback

A few months into the offseason, after the Redskins' offense sputtered in an 8-8 year, Zorn sat Campbell down in his office. He told Campbell that the front office was looking into the possibility of obtaining Jay Cutler, who was disgruntled in Denver.

The conversation lasted about 10 minutes. Near the end of it, Zorn encouraged Campbell to stay focused and everything would work out. Zorn knows he could've lost his quarterback there, or in the following weeks when the Redskins mulled over Mark Sanchez, who was eventually drafted by the New York Jets.

[+] EnlargeTim Sloan/AFP/Getty Images

Zorn isn't all football all the time. One Sunday morning last September, he went mountain biking with then-President George W. Bush.

"I tried to be as upfront with him as I could," Zorn says. "I just think with myself … it's easier for me if I'm dealt with up front than sort of this circumventing, and then on the back end of this thing you finally find out what the truth really was."

Zorn was in a similar spot years ago with the Seahawks, when he felt his starting job slipping away. It was midway through the 1983 season, under new coach Chuck Knox, who was nicknamed "Ground Chuck" because of his affinity for the running game. Zorn badly misfired on a pass to Curt Warner, saw Knox fling his hat and clipboard, knew the end was coming. He was replaced at halftime, then Knox called him into his office Monday to deliver the news: The Seahawks were going with Dave Krieg permanently.

Losing his starting job, Zorn says, was far tougher than getting cut. For 7½ years, it was his team, his locker room. And then he had to face those same teammates every day, relegated to the role of a handoff man in practice. Those first few days after the demotion, Joy could hear it the moment he walked in the door at night, that his step just didn't have the same bounce.

Within a week or so, Zorn had a new purpose, to do whatever he could to make Krieg the best quarterback in the NFL. Zorn knows those pride-swallowing days helped him become a better coach, to understand what Todd Collins and Trent Dilfer were thinking.

But when he sat Campbell down, he spared him the "back in my day …" speeches.

"I don't try to beg for things," Zorn says. "I think players are more attracted to coaches who aren't phony, coaches who are real, who are truly giving you what they are."

To this day, Zorn lists Knox as one of his bigger coaching influences, even though he demoted him and wasn't exactly helpful on the way out. Zorn once asked Knox if he'd hire him as an assistant, and the coach said no, that he didn't know if he'd be committed enough.

Zorn was angry, but now appreciates the climb he had to take. He says he admires Knox's toughness. "Just the grit he had, and how he wanted to see football," Zorn says. "He wanted to just run, run, over people. I love that about him."

An NFL cheer?

The chant was, by most accounts, strange. The Redskins went to Dallas in Week 4 last season and pulled out a surprise victory, and Zorn huddled the men together in the locker room and implored them to break out three rounds of "Hip hip hooray!"

At first, veteran linebacker London Fletcher didn't think Zorn was serious. They'd watched their new coach go against the grain, grab a hose and a Slip 'n Slide so his quarterbacks could hone their dive moves at the end of scrambles. They'd heard his mantra that will soon be found in the 2009 media guide: If you do what you've always done, you will be what you've always been.

But "Hip hip hooray" sounded a bit too cheesy.

Zorn, seen in 1979 with receiver Steve Largent, is now in his second season as a head coach in the NFL. "There's a method to what I'm doing," he says. "I'm not just kind of bouncing down the stream here like a pebble. I do have a plan."

"Everybody kind of got caught up in the moment," Fletcher says, "and we did it. We had fun with it. It was something different, and you can appreciate that."

His enthusiasm, almost childlike, along with his slightly spiked hair, makes him seem much younger than his 56 years. Zorn has been known on occasion, Fletcher says, to break up the monotony of an illustration to the team by doing a little dance. He calls Zorn's moves "awful."

They know, Fletcher says, that "he's a little bit different," and that's not a bad thing. One of his favorite mottos is "stay medium," never get too high or low, and many of Zorn's ex-players have said the coach is a calming influence in a violent and unpredictable sport.

"I think initially, you may be a bit taken aback, so to speak," Fletcher says. "You're kind of like, 'Oh my goodness, who is this guy?' Then you realize that's his personality, and you kind of just appreciate it. He's not trying to be somebody else. He's very comfortable within his own skin. It's refreshing."

On the clock

Zorn hates the taste of coffee. He is fueled by three parts adrenaline, one part caffeinated vitamin drink, and appears to have a great bounce on this mid-summer day, a couple of weeks after the team has finished offseason workouts. This is really the only time NFL coaches have to recharge, and in past years Zorn would be hiking or biking or spending time with his kids. But Zorn has work to do.

His West Coast offense has been in place for a year now, and he's confident that Campbell has a new resolve. He loves the quarterback's mettle. When Campbell met with Zorn and Dan Snyder, who was unavailable for comment for this story, the owner apparently told him to prove he was a franchise quarterback, and Snyder would pay him accordingly. Campbell didn't get angry or sulk. He just worked harder.

Sherman Smith, the team's offensive coordinator, looks out a window at Redskins Park and points to Campbell. He is firing footballs down the practice field in the late-morning sun.

The coaches will not say if this is a make-or-break year for Campbell, or for themselves. Last winter, when the Redskins lost six of their last eight games and the speculation swirled, Zorn, according to Smith, said that whatever happened, if Snyder brought somebody else in, a Bill Cowher or a Mike Shanahan, it didn't mean they were bad coaches. Or that they were all that different.

"I always look at the patience of the NFL game," Zorn says. "We have sort of the patience of instant coffee, you know? You pour hot water over instant coffee, and poof, we've got coffee here. But the best coffee is the coffee that's brewed."

Even if it's a caffeinated vitamin drink, served in the heat.

 

[buster c]

3. I think the NFL uniform rule is much too stringent. Guys are now being fined in the third and fourth quarters for their jerseys being untucked. Assessing a $5,000 fine for a untucked jersey is ignorant. When the thing gets yanked out of the pants it just looks like the guy is playing harder. The NFL is also fining for other minuscule things, like socks not being pulled up enough and hand towels being two inches too long. Obviously, the NFL has to keep things within reason, but insignificant uniform infractions do not affect the integrity of the game.

10. I think athletes are usually terrible writers.

if he actually wrote this, he's the exception to his own rule with his correct usage of the often-botched "too" and "affect"

 

[fatness]

if he actually wrote this, he's the exception to his own rule with his correct usage of the often-botched "too" and "affect"

He also capitalized the first letter of each of his sentences.

 

[dgreen]

if he actually wrote this, he's the exception to his own rule with his correct usage of the often-botched "too" and "affect"

He also capitalized the first letter of each of his sentences.

 

[fatness]

His Goals: First Goal Win our Division, 2nd Super Bowl, 3rd Top Defense in the League, 4th Double Digit Picks, 5th Pro Bowl!

DeAngelo Hall's goals

 

[buster c]

if he actually wrote this, he's the exception to his own rule with his correct usage of the often-botched "too" and "affect"

He also capitalized the first letter of each of his sentences.

 

[BuckeyeArt]

3. I think the NFL uniform rule is much too stringent. Guys are now being fined in the third and fourth quarters for their jerseys being untucked. Assessing a $5,000 fine for a untucked jersey is ignorant. When the thing gets yanked out of the pants it just looks like the guy is playing harder. The NFL is also fining for other minuscule things, like socks not being pulled up enough and hand towels being two inches too long. Obviously, the NFL has to keep things within reason, but insignificant uniform infractions do not affect the integrity of the game.

10. I think athletes are usually terrible writers.

if he actually wrote this, he's the exception to his own rule with his correct usage of the often-botched "too" and "affect"

I was thinking he could have used a couple extra inches on his towel last year.

 

[nittanylion]

It's being reported that we took Kentucky DE Jeremy Jarmon in the 3rd Round of today's NFL Supplemental Draft...

You all know how much of a cynical pessimist I am by now, but this...this is GREAT NEWS, if true!!!

Kid got a raw deal from the NCAA, but having gone through Spring Practice before being suspended for 2009, he's gotta be in roughly the same degree of 'football shape' as these guys coming out of OTA's/minicamp...

Say what you will about Renaldo Wynn, the guy was a Starter-Caliber DE for several years, and Philip Daniels is a Meast...this kid is going to get tutored by some quality vets right out of the box, without having the world of expectations placed on him, and I like that. He's got quality run-stopping skills to build on, which is nice...

The D just keeps getting better!

Very, very pleased!

 

[T Bell]

It's being reported that we took Kentucky DE Jeremy Jarmon in the 3rd Round of today's NFL Supplemental Draft...You all know how much of a cynical pessimist I am by now, but this...this is GREAT NEWS, if true!!!Kid got a raw deal from the NCAA, but having gone through Spring Practice before being suspended for 2009, he's gotta be in roughly the same degree of 'football shape' as these guys coming out of OTA's/minicamp...Say what you will about Renaldo Wynn, the guy was a Starter-Caliber DE for several years, and Philip Daniels is a Meast...this kid is going to get tutored by some quality vets right out of the box, without having the world of expectations placed on him, and I like that. He's got quality run-stopping skills to build on, which is nice...The D just keeps getting better!Very, very pleased!

Jarmon picked in third roundESPN.com news servicesThe Washington Redskins selected defensive lineman Jeremy Jarmon in the third round of Thursday's supplemental draft.Jarmon was the only player selected. Jeremy JarmonThe Redskins added depth to their defensive line with the selection of Jeremy Jarmon.The 6-foot-3, 278-pound Jarmon left Kentucky because he was declared ineligible for his senior year because of a failed drug test after testing positive for a banned diuretic supplement.Jarmon fits perfectly in a 4-3 defense. He can play end or tackle.Jarmon took the supplement while recovering from a shoulder injury and was not taking part in activities. He had been taking the supplement for 15 days before checking with the training staff, who told him to stop taking it."But it was too late," Jarmon said, reading from a prepared statement in May.Jarmon said his goal in the offseason was to become leaner. He bought a dietary supplement while shopping for vitamins on the recommendation of a worker at a nutrition store, not knowing that it contained a banned substance."I do not need to cheat to be successful," he said.Jarmon has the third-most sacks in Kentucky history. He was an honorable mention on last season's AP All-Southeastern Conference team.Information from ESPN.com's John Clayton and The Associated Press was used in this report.

 

[Dexter Manley]

I really like this move.

Also, Adam Schefter is reporting that the Lions submitted their 4th round pick for Jarmon, so the FO did an outstanding job using the lowest pick possible to acquire him.

 

[T Bell]

So wait- in one calendar year we used two high draft picks on DL's?