Now that's how you win the offseason in a manner that helps you win during the regular season. In the span of 24 hours the Redskins removed two storylines that refused to die in 2010... and the Shanahan era can begin in earnest.
Donovan McNabb's days were numbered the moment he was lifted against Detroit last October... can you believe the Skins were 4-3 (already equalling 2009's win total), 2-0 in the division and had beaten the two teams that would advance to the NFC Championship Game? After that Halloween afternoon- McNabb's conditioning and intelligence were called into question... but his future was secure as a former Redskin. After giving up a 2nd and 3rd/4th rounder (conditional) to get #5, the team receives a #6 and conditional 6th. Talk about depreciation. For whatever reason, McNabb didn't fit in with Kyle Shanahan's offense-- and it's a good thing he's off to an offense more attuned to his skill set and he's not lurking in the shadows around Ashburn.
The McNabb drama was the TV show that you like because you know the lead actor... but somehow never clicks with an audience and gets shuffled around the schedule and cancelled after one season (think REUNION). Meanwhile, the Albert Haynesworth comedy was the program some were wary about from the start... was funny for the wrong reasons and a disaster on many levels... yet somehow avoided cancellation for much longer than it should have (think JOEY). From the "fitness test" to "lying down against the Eagles"... Haynesworth gave the DC area more material than anyone since Dan Quayle. While McNabb represented a missed opportunity for the future, Haynesworth was an exhibit from the past-- and how the team conducted business. The fact he stayed and somewhat played an entire season under a new regime is amazing in and of itself.
Now the offense can take shape with John Beck (still figuring out that one) at the controls... with Jabar Gaffney and Donte Stallworth added to a crowded receiving corps (is there a 7-wideout set that I don't know about?). The defense prepares in earnest as a 3-4 unit with Stephen Bowen and Barry Cofield the newly acquired building blocks (from division rivals, no less) and Josh Wilson an impact corner (4 INT returns for TDs in 3 years).
Bring on the preseason.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Unlocked! The NFL takes a page from Friday Night Lights and gets it done on the last play...
What was amazing about the four month water torture that was the NFL Lockout was how close we came to the precipice of disaster only to have resolution that benefits everyone. Sort of surreal, right? I'm used to half if not entire seasons being blown out, postseasons eliminated and whatever happens during the future Major League Soccer strike.
Owners get more money. Isn't that what they were looking for in the first place? They also get another safeguard against being stupid: the rookie salary cap will eliminate the type of albatross we saw in the person of Jamarcus Russell. The get their "soda" in full: because owners charge regular season prices for preseason games, preseason parking and preseason concessions yet only have to pay players their preseason rate, their margin is ridiculous for the two August home games (like soda at a fast food restaurant: you don't want to know how much profit's in a medium sprite). They also get a team option on a fifth year for first round picks-- a semi-franchise tag if you will.
Players get a better quality of life. Lightening the offseason workload will allow the body to heal better and not be subjected to the constant pounding that makes players more susceptible to wear and tear injuries. Veterans will get the mad money that was thrown at rookies (thanks to the salary floor). And health care benefits will be a little more appropriate for players this time out.
Fans get a full season of football-- although let's take a moment of silence to mourn the loss of this year's Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio. Fans can plan training camp trips, fantasy leagues, and weekend journeys to see their team play. And ten years of labor peace. The NFL's streak of not missing any regular season play since 1987 continues.
Who loses? New coaches, coordinators and quarterbacks. Six new head coaches haven't had the benefit of a fully productive offseason and will find it challenging to put their stamp on the team. Offensive coordinators have to fit three months of studying into three weeks of cramming. And unlike years where we saw a Marc Sanchez, Matt Ryan or Joe Flacco guide a team to the postseason-- there will probably be a steeper learning curve.
Whither the Redskins? Can a team with a less than awesome track record of procuring talent make the right moves? Will a non-offseason of working out the kinks of the 3-4 haunt a unit still not built for the new defense? How long will Donovan McNabb remain a Redskin-- and will John Beck justify the Shanahan's optimism? And what about Albert Haynesworth's progressive infection of a locker room and organization trying to move on? Thank goodness we're no longer worrying about transition tags, rookie caps and percentages of the gross.
Owners get more money. Isn't that what they were looking for in the first place? They also get another safeguard against being stupid: the rookie salary cap will eliminate the type of albatross we saw in the person of Jamarcus Russell. The get their "soda" in full: because owners charge regular season prices for preseason games, preseason parking and preseason concessions yet only have to pay players their preseason rate, their margin is ridiculous for the two August home games (like soda at a fast food restaurant: you don't want to know how much profit's in a medium sprite). They also get a team option on a fifth year for first round picks-- a semi-franchise tag if you will.
Players get a better quality of life. Lightening the offseason workload will allow the body to heal better and not be subjected to the constant pounding that makes players more susceptible to wear and tear injuries. Veterans will get the mad money that was thrown at rookies (thanks to the salary floor). And health care benefits will be a little more appropriate for players this time out.
Fans get a full season of football-- although let's take a moment of silence to mourn the loss of this year's Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio. Fans can plan training camp trips, fantasy leagues, and weekend journeys to see their team play. And ten years of labor peace. The NFL's streak of not missing any regular season play since 1987 continues.
Who loses? New coaches, coordinators and quarterbacks. Six new head coaches haven't had the benefit of a fully productive offseason and will find it challenging to put their stamp on the team. Offensive coordinators have to fit three months of studying into three weeks of cramming. And unlike years where we saw a Marc Sanchez, Matt Ryan or Joe Flacco guide a team to the postseason-- there will probably be a steeper learning curve.
Whither the Redskins? Can a team with a less than awesome track record of procuring talent make the right moves? Will a non-offseason of working out the kinks of the 3-4 haunt a unit still not built for the new defense? How long will Donovan McNabb remain a Redskin-- and will John Beck justify the Shanahan's optimism? And what about Albert Haynesworth's progressive infection of a locker room and organization trying to move on? Thank goodness we're no longer worrying about transition tags, rookie caps and percentages of the gross.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Summer Bloggin- had me a blast...
Mid-July means you wake up from a month-plus of napping by the pool only to realize that the majority of the year is in the lower half of the hourglass (cue MacDonald Carey)... summer reading included "Rawhide Down" (about the Reagan shooting) and "Black Swan Green" (once you get past the British colloquialisms, David Mitchell's writing is dynamic).
Football frenzy-- so I guess after four months of the non-story story... there actually is NFL Labor progress. I'm looking forward to seeing which teams are able to make better snap free agent judgements once the lockout ends. Back in the 70's, the NFL held its draft in late January and the front offices that had their act together (Dallas, Pittsburgh, Oakland) were able to take and maintain their personnel lead over the rest of the sad sacks that couldn't get out of their own way (New Orleans, New York Jets, Kansas City). Let's see if the Redskins make smart or silly moves this July-- Bruce Allen will earn his paycheck this month.
College Corner-- Kudos to Maryland for getting games in Baltimore again-- especially with 7 home games a year now the Terps can play one of their games in their home state's largest city. Sad thing-- it's probably easier for me to get from my home in Arlington, Virginia to M & T than Fed Ex Field... can't wait for Terps-Notre Dame this November. Meanwhile, the ACC has long tried to become "bigtime" in football... as the purging of the Big East last decade brought the conference to 12 schools and an anti-climactic championship game. Another move to bridge the gap between the ACC and the SEC: PROBATION. Because you know, if you aren't cheatin' you aren't tryin'. I'm not saying Georgia Tech's the SMU of 2011... but the Yellowjacket sanctions mean a vacated championship in a league that's always held itself above others when it comes to running clean programs (Clemson football in the 80's and North Carolina State basketball in the 70's notwithstanding).
British Open-- Youth and age were served in round one with 20-year old amateur Tom Lewis and 40-year old Thomas Bjorn capturing the Thursday headlines... followed by Lucas Glover and Darren Clarke surging on Friday. So much for the Rory McIlroy era of extreme dominance(the curly-haired one is 6 shots off the pace entering the weekend). I've always likened the British Open to tennis' French Open-- odd conditions that often steal the headlines from the actual competition... and a slew of clay court/links specialists like Gustavo Kuerten and Paul Lawrie outshine the mainstream elite.
Swing and a miss-- by the prosecution. For twenty-plus years, Roger Clemens intimidated hitters with a blow-by fastball and often caught them swinging while looking for the heater. Yesterday federal prosecutors pulled a hamstring in the first inning while swinging for the fences-- as the ignorance of an evidence ban set in motion the mistrial of Clemens' perjury case. Really? You messed this thing up on day two? Hopefully they'll send those attorneys down to AA Traffic Court in Anchorage.
All Star Blah Blah-- The buzz coming out of Phoenix was as lukewarm as you could get. Lower TV ratings than last year. And the impression that more than a few players would have liked to have been anywhere else. How do you fix this potential July juggernaut? Make the starting position players go at least six innings. Pitchers toss two innings each through the sixth and no dugout dumping of reserves onto the field. Remember how Oscar nominees say just being nominated is an honor? Well just being an All Star reserve should be honor enough. Unless you're Timmy Lupus, as a reserve you don't have an unalienable right to appear in the game. Sorry-- that's what you get when the game is for home field advantage in the World Series. And as far as players skipping the event-- if you have an all star incentive clause and don't show up to the game, you shouldn't pick up the check. Ninety percent of success is just showing up-- and if you can't make it to the All Star Game-- you shouldn't get your All Star Bonus.
Turning off Friday Night Lights-- I don't watch much television... and haven't tuned into NBC's red-haired stepchild since the season two murder plot (coupled with the musician turning into a game-winning wide receiver after 3 weeks of practices) led me astray. But one of TV's best network programs in the last ten years leaves without the mass over celebration that marked Lost's overrated final season. Friday Night Lights had a certain groove and feel that felt genuine-- more so than the three-camera sitcoms and flashy dramas where they actually clean the sets in between takes. From lunatic booster Buddy Garrity (unintentionally funny fake TV ads for his dealership make one scream) to consistent foul-up Tim Riggins (ironically the onetime onscreen boyfriend of Minka Kelly's character racked up the most impressive run of hookups since, um, Derek Jeter), not everybody comes out a winner-- just like the actual games. Well done TV is hard to find-- and the network didn't make it easy for Friday Night Lights to find the audience it deserved. Now there were blemishes... from all the last-second game-winning touchdowns to the coaching carousel (West Dillon had 5 coaching regimes over 4 fictional seasons)... but for the most part like a quality football program this one delivered and leaves the airwaves a winner-- making room for more repeats of "The Marriage Ref". Thanks, NBC...I'm buying another David Mitchell book today.
Football frenzy-- so I guess after four months of the non-story story... there actually is NFL Labor progress. I'm looking forward to seeing which teams are able to make better snap free agent judgements once the lockout ends. Back in the 70's, the NFL held its draft in late January and the front offices that had their act together (Dallas, Pittsburgh, Oakland) were able to take and maintain their personnel lead over the rest of the sad sacks that couldn't get out of their own way (New Orleans, New York Jets, Kansas City). Let's see if the Redskins make smart or silly moves this July-- Bruce Allen will earn his paycheck this month.
College Corner-- Kudos to Maryland for getting games in Baltimore again-- especially with 7 home games a year now the Terps can play one of their games in their home state's largest city. Sad thing-- it's probably easier for me to get from my home in Arlington, Virginia to M & T than Fed Ex Field... can't wait for Terps-Notre Dame this November. Meanwhile, the ACC has long tried to become "bigtime" in football... as the purging of the Big East last decade brought the conference to 12 schools and an anti-climactic championship game. Another move to bridge the gap between the ACC and the SEC: PROBATION. Because you know, if you aren't cheatin' you aren't tryin'. I'm not saying Georgia Tech's the SMU of 2011... but the Yellowjacket sanctions mean a vacated championship in a league that's always held itself above others when it comes to running clean programs (Clemson football in the 80's and North Carolina State basketball in the 70's notwithstanding).
British Open-- Youth and age were served in round one with 20-year old amateur Tom Lewis and 40-year old Thomas Bjorn capturing the Thursday headlines... followed by Lucas Glover and Darren Clarke surging on Friday. So much for the Rory McIlroy era of extreme dominance(the curly-haired one is 6 shots off the pace entering the weekend). I've always likened the British Open to tennis' French Open-- odd conditions that often steal the headlines from the actual competition... and a slew of clay court/links specialists like Gustavo Kuerten and Paul Lawrie outshine the mainstream elite.
Swing and a miss-- by the prosecution. For twenty-plus years, Roger Clemens intimidated hitters with a blow-by fastball and often caught them swinging while looking for the heater. Yesterday federal prosecutors pulled a hamstring in the first inning while swinging for the fences-- as the ignorance of an evidence ban set in motion the mistrial of Clemens' perjury case. Really? You messed this thing up on day two? Hopefully they'll send those attorneys down to AA Traffic Court in Anchorage.
All Star Blah Blah-- The buzz coming out of Phoenix was as lukewarm as you could get. Lower TV ratings than last year. And the impression that more than a few players would have liked to have been anywhere else. How do you fix this potential July juggernaut? Make the starting position players go at least six innings. Pitchers toss two innings each through the sixth and no dugout dumping of reserves onto the field. Remember how Oscar nominees say just being nominated is an honor? Well just being an All Star reserve should be honor enough. Unless you're Timmy Lupus, as a reserve you don't have an unalienable right to appear in the game. Sorry-- that's what you get when the game is for home field advantage in the World Series. And as far as players skipping the event-- if you have an all star incentive clause and don't show up to the game, you shouldn't pick up the check. Ninety percent of success is just showing up-- and if you can't make it to the All Star Game-- you shouldn't get your All Star Bonus.
Turning off Friday Night Lights-- I don't watch much television... and haven't tuned into NBC's red-haired stepchild since the season two murder plot (coupled with the musician turning into a game-winning wide receiver after 3 weeks of practices) led me astray. But one of TV's best network programs in the last ten years leaves without the mass over celebration that marked Lost's overrated final season. Friday Night Lights had a certain groove and feel that felt genuine-- more so than the three-camera sitcoms and flashy dramas where they actually clean the sets in between takes. From lunatic booster Buddy Garrity (unintentionally funny fake TV ads for his dealership make one scream) to consistent foul-up Tim Riggins (ironically the onetime onscreen boyfriend of Minka Kelly's character racked up the most impressive run of hookups since, um, Derek Jeter), not everybody comes out a winner-- just like the actual games. Well done TV is hard to find-- and the network didn't make it easy for Friday Night Lights to find the audience it deserved. Now there were blemishes... from all the last-second game-winning touchdowns to the coaching carousel (West Dillon had 5 coaching regimes over 4 fictional seasons)... but for the most part like a quality football program this one delivered and leaves the airwaves a winner-- making room for more repeats of "The Marriage Ref". Thanks, NBC...I'm buying another David Mitchell book today.
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