DC Pro Sports Report

Redskins Best Ever POll Series: Defense Complete

Sun, 12 Jul 2009 00:20:00 -0500

The Redskins Best Ever Poll Series here at DC Pro Sports Report has completed the defense, as voted by you, the readers of DCPSR and members of thewarpath.net. We have voted now on DE, DT, ILB, OLB, CB, and S.

Here are your results as the Best Ever Redskins at defensive positions.

Cornerback
Best Ever Redskin: DARRELL GREEN
Percentage of vote: 92%
Runner Up: Pat Fischer

Darrell Green easily walked away with this recognition. Green took 92% of the vote, not even close, nor should it have been. Not only does Green go down as the Best Ever Redskins CB, but an argument can easily be made that Green is one of the Best Ever Redskins period.

Green played his entire 198 year career with the Redskins, being drafted in the first round, 28th overall, by the Redskins in 1983 and retiring in 2002. During that great career, Green intercepted 621 passes and returned 6 for touchdowns. Although a small 5'8" corner, Green was a premier shutdown corner that many opposing teams simply avoided throwing at. He inherited the title of Mr. Redskin and will always be, Mr. Redskin.

The infamous punt return for a TD.

Safety
Best Ever Redskin: SEAN TAYLOR
Percentage of vote: 67%
Runner Up: Ken Houston

Sean Taylor was on his way to inheriting a title of Mr. Redskins from Darrell Green. After an initial rough start, personally, Taylor was settling in well with the Redskins winning nearly all hearts and minds of Redskins fans with incredible play, blistering hits, and shut down presence in the secondary.

Taylor was drafted by the Redskins in the first round of the 2004 draft. In an amazing 4 seasons, Taylor recorded 299 tackles and 12 interceptions for 242 yards. But, beyond stats, Taylor's presence in the secondary induced fear in opposing team receivers. Taylor's hit were punishing, calculated, and remembered. Unfortunately, Taylor's blossoming career was cut shot by senseless murder, when he was killed after being shot when 4 thieves broke into his Miami home. The death of Taylor crushed the soul of Redskin fans and was remembered by the NFL for an entire season. Taylor was inducted into the Ring of Fame at FEDEX Field.

We would be remiss to not simply add that many of the Taylor votes were heart strung votes. If tragedy never struck, Ken Houston would walk away with this easily. Not only is Houston one of the best ever Redskins safety's, but one of the b est that has played int he NFL.

Who can forget the Pro Bowl whack of Taylor on the AFC punter.

INSIDE LINEBACKER
Best Ever Redskin: SAM HUFF
Percentage of vote: 77%
Runner Up: Neal Olkewicz

Sam Huff won this with big numbers. The Hall of Famer though, only played with the Redskins from 1964-69. In his career, Huff recorded 30 interceptions over his 12 year career. Huff was a brutal inside linebacker that showed toughness, meanness, and was viewed as one of the best tacklers in the game.

Huff helped catapault the Redskins defense to 2nd overall in the NFL in 1965, anchoring the middle. He injured his ankle in 1967 and finally retired in 1968.

Huff was elected to the NFL Hall of Fame in 1982.

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER:
Best Ever Redskin: Chris Hanburger
Percentage of vote: 32%
Runner Up: Wilbur Marshall

Hanburger was a dominating Linebacker for the Redskins from 1965 through 1978. During his Redskins career, Hanburger amassed a ton of tackles, outstanding hits, 19 interceptions and 17 fumble recoveries. He was nominated to 9 Pro Bowls during his 13 seasons.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE:
Best Ever Redskin: Dave Butz
Percentage of vote: 93%

One of the baddest, toughest Redskins of all time. Butz sported a battered, often blood stained helmet to prove how hard he played in the trenches for the Redskins. Butz played for the Redskins from 1975 until he retire din 1988. He recorded 35.5 sacks during his carrer, but that is an extreme underestimation to what thgis man menat to some of the Redskins most vaunted defense. He was the middle plug, nasty, mean, and awesomely effective. Living through his awesome years as a kid, I have not seen that kind of passion and sill at Defensive Tackle in DC since.

Haynesworth pleads no contest

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 09:23:03 -0500

Redskins DT Albert Haynesworth, the team's prize acquisition during their orgy of spending early in the offseason, has pleaded no contest to charges of reckless driving that injured a man in Tennessee. Haynesworth avoids jail time, but will pay $5000 to a charity, do 25 hours of community service and have serve 3 months of supervised probation as part of his sentence.

At least he's not Leonard Little or Donte Stallworth.

Caps Development Roster Announced

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:05:33 -0500

Development Camp is set to begin on Monday at the Ketter Ice Complex for the Washington Capitals youth.

Here is the announced roster:

FORWARDS: Francois Bouchard, Greg Burke, Andrew Glass ('08 DP), Benjamin Casavant ('09 DP), Phil DeSimone ('08 DP), Garrett Mitchell ('09), Jake Hauswirth, Joel Broda, Stefan Della Rovere Mathieu Perreault, Trevor Bruess, Dmitry Kugreyshev, and Anton Gustafsson ('08 DP)

DEFENSE: Brett Flemming ('09 DP), Zack Miskovik, Joe Finley, Josh Godfrey ('08 DP), John Carlson ('08 DP), Patrick Wey ('09 DP), Dmitir Orlov ('09 DP), Eric Mestery,

GOALIES: Braden Holtby, Dan Dunn (08 DP)

Noticeably absent, but expected, is 2009 first round pick Marcus Johansson.

Lebron James is a little man

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:53:35 -0500

He got dunked on. Someone filmed it. He didn't like that and decided nobody needed to see it. Ever. I keep telling you Lebron James is a little man. Maybe now you'll believe me.

Luxury Taxman cometh for the Wizards

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 09:05:51 -0500

The NBA has announced the 2009-10 salary cap and luxury tax threshold and it contains some predictably bad news for Abe Pollin's Washington Wizards.

The salary cap will be $57.7 million and the luxury tax level will be $69.92 million next season, which is down from last season when the respective numbers were $58.68 million and $71.15 million. The cap declined for just the second time since it was instituted in 1984, although league-wide revenue increased 2.5 percent.

The Wizards currently have a payroll of $75.8 million for 13 players and would owe roughly $6 million in luxury tax penalties. That tax penalty will likely increase if the Wizards add more players to their roster in free agency.

The mid-level exception is $5.854 million next season, but you can be assured that the Wizards have no intention of using that to add frontcourt help, since the dollar for dollar tax penalty would make that free agent worth about $12 million (that essentially took Antonio McDyess out of the equation for next season). They intend on adding a forward by using their bi-annual exception which is worth $1.99 million (which will work out to about $4 million in tax penalties).

That $2.5 million on draft night should soften the blow some.

In other words, whatever front court help the Wizards find during this off-season had better be pretty inexpensive. I reiterate my interest in rookie Josh Heytvelt, who was good enough to be drafted late in the first round, went undrafted and is playing in the Wizards Summer League mini-camp. Heytvelt can't be all the front court help the Wizards get, but he could be half of it.

In any case, let's not hear any more about Abe Pollin being cheap.

Wizards Summer League is almost here

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:24:01 -0500

Here is a list of the Washington Wizards summer league mini-camp invitees. The mini-camp will last from July 10-13. Then the Wizards move west to Las Vegas to play in the EA Sports Summer League, beginning July 14. The Summer League schedule is also below. Check it out.

I like that Javaris Crittenton, Javale McGee, Dominic McGuire and Nick Young will all be taking part. Each player has a lot of work to do on his game and they need to be working all summer to earn a spot in Flip Saunders' rotation.

I love that James Lang is back. Not because I think he will make the team, but because he's a lot of fun.

And I'd like to get a look at Josh Heytvelt, a player I thought deserved to be taken in the late first or early second round of the NBA Draft. I wrote a post about the Wizards taking him at 32, but obviously the Wiz decided to sell the pick to the Houston Rockets [who need it] for cash. This is what I wrote about Heytvelt last month:

Another possibility is Josh Heytvelt, a 6'11" and 245 pound power forward from Gonzaga. He's another very good athlete and a solid, though not special, rebounder. He can step out and hit shots like most guys from Gonzaga, just don't ask him to bang with the big boys in the paint 'cause he doesn't like to do it. [What do you want, this is the second round!]

35 Alade Aminu F 6-10 225 09/14/87 Georgia Tech R
42 Ryan Ayers G/F 6-7 210 07/16/86 Notre Dame R
22 Jimmy Baron G 6-3 195 05/23/86 Rhode Island R
8 Javaris Crittenton G 6-5 200 12/31/87 Georgia Tech 2
54 John Edwards C 7-0 275 07/31/81 Kent State 2
55 Josh Heytvelt F/C 6-11 260 06/02/86 Gonzaga R
34 JaVale McGee C 7-0 237 01/19/88 Nevada-Reno 1
43 James Lang C 6-10 285 10/17/83 Central Park (HS) 1
5 Dominic McGuire G/F 6-9 220 10/20/85 Fresno State 2
21 Tywain McKie G 6-2 182 03/07/86 Coppin State R
31 Tyrese Rice G 6-0 183 05/15/87 Boston College R
16 Jason Rich G 6-3 211 05/08/86 Florida State R
24 Alex Ruoff G 6-6 220 08/29/86 West Virginia R
20 Diamon Simpson F 6-7 230 09/08/87 Saint Mary's R
30 Kyle Spain F 6-5 220 01/05/87 San Diego State R
40 Brandon Wallace F 6-9 203 03/14/85 South Carolina R
1 Nick Young G/F 6-6 200 06/01/85 Southern California 2

WASHINGTON WIZARDS SUMMER LEAGUE SCHEDULE
Washington Wizards vs. Cleveland Cavaliers - Tuesday, July 14 at 3:30pm
Washington Wizards vs. Denver Nuggets - Wednesday, July 15 at 7:30pm
Washington Wizards vs. Minnesota Timberwolves - Friday, July 17 at 5:00pm
Washington Wizards vs. Los Angeles Clippers - Saturday, July 18 at 5:30pm
Washington Wizards vs. New York Knicks - Sunday, July 19 at 1:00pm

Wizards games moving on the dial

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:02:27 -0500

Washington Wizards games have been broadcast on radio on WTEM 980 AM, the all sports radio station now owned by Redskins owner Dan Snyder. [Ditto for Caps games.] That's now changing, as WJFK FM 106.7, which, as we reported here, is moving to an all sports format. Wizards radio games will be broadcast on WJFK for at least the next two years. [No word on Caps games, which could also move this year.]

This is fine because WJFK has a very strong signal and everyone should be able to hear the games clearly. As long as Dave Johnson continues to do play-by-play on the broadcast, Wizards fans should be fine with this change.

Obama digs Ovechkin

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:53:24 -0500

Speaking to the New School in Moscow as part of his current U.S.-Russia summit, President Barack Obama sang the praises of our favorite hockey player.

"As a resident of Washington, D.C., I continue to benefit from the contributions of Russians -- specifically, from Alexander Ovechkin," the President said. "We are very pleased to have him in Washington, D.C."

Sweet. But, uh, has President Obama ever been to the Phone Booth to see Ovie play? Chuck Todd of NBC asked that question, already knowing the answer.

Todd: You mentioned Ovechkin in there, our friend in Washington. Do you think should you have been transparent and said you've never been to a hockey game? Are you going to fix this?

Obama: The truth of the matter is is that i have watched this guy play, and he's outstanding. But you know, Chuck, I grew up in Hawaii....

Todd: Don't tell those Blackhawk fans that. You became a Bulls fan!

Obama: We have basketball [in Hawaii]. We didn't have hockey. I love watching hockey.

Sounds like it is past time for President Obama to take up Ted Leonsis' offer to attend a Caps game. Get on it, Prez!

Ryan Zimmerman an All Star

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:14:34 -0500

Washington Nationals 3B Ryan Zimmerman was selected to the All Star game on Sunday. In the midst of his first season in a new 5 year deal, Zimmy is hitting .295 with 123 homers and 46 RBis.

Zimmerman, instead, received word about his selection to play in this year's All-Star Game, scheduled for July 14 in St. Louis. Acta, and others in Washington's front office, shared an immediate awareness of what Zimmerman's selection meant. The 24-year-old will represent, for the first time, the franchise that drafted him.
For several years now -- but especially since he signed a five-year, $45 million contract extension in April -- Zimmerman has stood as the central piece of the Nationals' rebuilding plan. Zimmerman's status as an all-star, the organization feels, helps validate his worthiness of that role.

It is a well deserved nod for Zimmy. Despite a whopping 22 home runs, Adam Dunn was not selected, more than likely because of his sub-par fielding. Zimmerman was the only Nationals to get the nod.

Meanwhile, as for the Nats, they have put together a two game winning streak, defeating the Atlanta Braves today 5-3 behind a second consecutive strong start from P Scott Olsen. Since returning form the disabled list, Olsen has pitched 15 innings in two starts allowing 5 runs. Olsen picked up the win to move to 2-4 on the season.

The Nats scored 3 times in the first 2 innings and never relinquished the lead.

Former NFL Steve McNair dead

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 17:56:52 -0500

Former NFL QB Steve McNair was found dead of a gun shot wound to the head in his Nashville home today. He was 36 years old.

Caps Sign Knuble

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:23:52 -0500

The Washington Capitals added one spot they coveted, another top line right winger. The Caps agreed to terms on a 2 year, $5.6 million deal with former Philadelphia Flyer Mike Knuble.

Knuble recorded 47 points last season with the Flyers. He had 27 goals and 20 assists. The year prior, Knuble recorded 29 goals and 26 assist. Along with offense, Knuble brings some size for the Caps, standing at 6'3".

Can anyone really argue with this signing. Several reasons why I don't think so. One, Knuble is the type of player Washington has been missing. We have ranted and raved, left and right, about the unwillingness or inability of caps to park in front of the net. Besides Brooks Laich, Washington was limited in guys willing to do that. Knuble is perfect and does it well. Problem solved. He also has some great size, which Washington generally has all over its roster. He is a gritty, tough player. Something needed in DC.

To make the move even smater, look at the deal itself. Caps are getting a guy that will net between 25 and 30 goals, for roughly $2.8 million per year. Not a bad deal. Kudos to George McPhee.

Brashear departs for New York

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:19:46 -0500

Tough guy and enforcer Donald Brashear will not return to the Washington Capitals. Brashear inked a year 2.8 million deal with the New York Rangers.

The fact Washington made no efforts in resigning Brashear before free agency was a signal the Caps chose to go in a different direction. One thing Washington is likely trying to do is eliminate penalites and penalty kill situations.

A real mystery: The continuing employment of Austin Kearns

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:31:28 -0500

Let's just establish this immediately: Austin Kearns is not a quality Major League Baseball player. He was at one time, 2007 was the last time, but no longer. He's 29 years old, doesn't play the outfield well, is batting .197 with 3 HR and 16 RBI, and slugging percentage of .322 [actually an improvement over last season]. In other words, he doesn't really belong in the Majors, not even on the worst team in the Majors. He might do better in AAA, but considering his age it is probably time for Mr Kearns to consider his life after baseball. [That's Mr Kearns in the photo to the right, doing what he does not do best -- playing baseball.]

And yet, he continues to be employed by the worst team in the Majors, the Washington Nationals. He doesn't play every day, but he does play often enough to remind Nats fans of how utterly horrid the team is right now. And when the Nats needed to send a player to the minors to make room on their roster, they sent OF Elijah Dukes instead of Kearns. Granted, Dukes is hardly tearing up the league, but his numbers are better than Kearns' across the board and he's younger, too, at 25. Sending Dukes down while leaving Kearns on the roster is dumb as shi a difficult decision to understand.

Is Kearns still on the roster because he is making $6.3 million this year? Is that the reason? If so, it must be the only reason. Understandably, the Nats are finding it difficult to trade Kearns. Another way to go, at this point, is to simply cut Kearns and eat his salary. If nothing else, it would demonstrate to the fans that the possibility exists that the Lerners occasionally allow their decisions to be affected by something other than money.

Live Microphone

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:10:27 -0500

For those of you eagerly and anxiously awaiting the 12 Noon opening of NHL free agency, and may be yearning for a big time free agent signing ---- forget it!

"Don't expect us to do big money deals or long-term deals," McPhee said. "Those just haven't worked around the league. For the last several years, there have been lots of players that have signed big money deals and you'd be hard pressed to find a handful that were any good. It seems that six months after those deals are signed, GMs are trying to move that same guy."
"So we're going to be prudent tomorrow and see if there's anything makes sense for our club. If there is, we'll be involved and try to sign somebody. But if doesn't make sense, we're not going to do anything right now. No deal is better than a bad deal."

Nats trade Milledge, Hanrahan

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:38:17 -0500

The Washington Nationals have traded two chronic under-achievers, OF Lastings Milledge and RP Joel Hanrahan to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Nyjer Morgan and Sean Burnett. Morgan is a left-handed outfielder who does something the Nats don't do -- plays defense. Morgan turns 29 this week and he runs like the wind, covering a ton of space in the outfield and stealing bases [18 so far this season] when he gets on. He hits for pretty good average, but has almost no power.

Burnett is a 26-year-old left-handed relief pitcher who is having the best year of a relatively obscure career. In 38 relief appearances this season, Burnett has a 3.06 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP.

On first blush, the good news is that the Nats traded absolutely no one of real value.