Game Girl

What to Watch?

2011-04-28T10:21:00.000-04:00

Get your DVR ready, folks. The next few days present some major TV-watching dilemmas, and you need to be prepared. Tonight, it's the first round of the NFL draft, which is now in primetime and is oh-so-awesome to watch. Full of intrigue, mystery and excitement. And of course, my alarm is already set for tomorrow's royal wedding extravaganza, which might just cause me to stay in my pajamas and obsessively watch TV all stinking day (well, I would if I didn't have mommy duties to attend to, but hey, a girl can dream, right?)

And then there's the final show of The Office, where Michael turns out the lights and heads for greener pastures with Holly in Colorado. That starts at 9, I think, but I need to double-check. Oy. What's a girl to do??

OK, so the Redskins pick 10th, unless they trade up (or down), so that gives me some extra time to switch back and forth a bit between The Office and the draft. But who am I kidding? I won't miss a MINUTE of this year's draft, starting with Carolina at #1. Will they or won't they pick Cam Newton? Will there or won't there be player trades now that the lockout has been lifted? And on it goes. OK, so that means DVR The Office and watch later. Go to bed at a relatively decent hour so I can get back up at 4 to watch the wall-to-wall craziness that is the royal wedding coverage.

And it doesn't stop there. If you're an NBA fan, there are games all weekend. And NHL fans (including local Caps fans) have to squeeze in some hockey. And don't forget the draft goes all weekend, for those nuts like me who actually care which players their team drafts in the 7th round. Wow -- it's going to be one of those weekends where you know you're going to have to leave the house at some point, but you're really not going to want to.

All I can say is, embrace it. Enjoy every minute of it, because excitement like this doesn't come around too often. Seriously.

Pick Me, Pick Me!

2011-04-27T08:57:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow is Draft Day -- a big milestone in the NFL that this year, has been nearly overshadowed by the lock-out and labor dispute. But draft they will, even if the new players don't know how much they'll be getting paid, when they can start playing or even IF they'll be playing come September.

But for now, opportunity looms for many newly-minted players. The possibilities are endless. The choices wide and varied. For players and teams alike, the intrigue factor is high. Will the guy we really want be there when it's our turn to pick, teams wonder? And will the team I REALLY want to play for actually pick me, players ask?

Ah, the mystery. The secrets. The behind-the-scenes deals. What a blast it must be to be in those meetings as teams are deciding which players they're going to pick...who is available, who's not, and what kind of trading stock will it take to get the player they really want!

As always, I'm nervous and anxious to see who the Redskins are going to pick, since the draft has never really been our forte, thanks in large part to Dan Snyder and his player management people who seemed to feel it was better to pay handsomely for washed-up players on the free-agent market than to simply pick new players coming out of college. Duh. But things have been changing lately, and now the question is, what will the Skins do with their first-round pick? Draft a quarterback? Fill out the defensive line? Try to find a competent nose tackle?

We'll have to watch and wait and see. That's the beauty of the draft. No one knows. Absolutely no one! Not the players, not the media, and not even really the teams themselves. Major surprises on draft day can really shake things up.

I know one thing for sure -- it's going to be fun to watch.

It's About Time!

2011-04-26T09:07:00.000-04:00

So glad the federal judge from Minneaapolis in the NFL labor dispute lock-out has some common sense. Who knows? Maybe she's a closet Vikings fan herself. Or maybe, just maybe, she recognizes how absoultely ridiculous this whole situation has become and has decided enough is enough.

Whatever the reason, kudos to her. And props to the NFL Players Association for pursuing a federal injunction against this absurd lock-out in the first place. Now maybe both sides -- players and owners -- can sit down and really hash this thing out like grown ups. it's gone on long enough.

With the draft looming later this week, and mini-camps not too far behind, the normally busy NFL off-season needs to crank back into gear. Without yesterday's injunction against the lock-out, the off-season would have remained a pipe dream, with players continuing to work out on their own in local high school gyms around the country. NOT a good scenario if you are a player, or more importantly, a fan. Less preparation in the off-season means weaker players and weaker games when the real season begins. These players need to practice, to work out, to prepare. Football is a year-round game these days, and preventing players from practicing in the spring means upsetting the apple cart for the entire 2011 season.

Now, maybe the players can start practicing while their representatives meet with management at the negotiation table to hash out a deal both sides can live with. Here's hoping a deal gets done sooner rather than later. Please??

NFL fans say they’ll do more yard work if there’s no football in fall - Shutdown Corner - NFL Blog - Yahoo! Sports

2011-04-07T08:54:00.000-04:00

See? This ridiculous dispute over how to share 9 billion dollars might force me into doing more yard work next fall. AACK! Stop the madness, people!

NFL fans say they’ll do more yard work if there’s no football in fall - Shutdown Corner - NFL Blog - Yahoo! Sports

The Fat-Cats In Charge...

2011-04-06T14:25:00.000-04:00

Today's a big day of posturing and politics. Battles over turf. Lots of guys in suits desperate for their soundbytes to hit the news. Between the leaders in Congress fighting to keep the federal government from shutting down, and the NFL filing a motion in court to try to solve this whole revenue-sharing brawl, I'm already fighting a headache and it's not even lunchtime yet.

Do you ever get the sense that the bigger the stage, the smaller the substance of the discussion? I swear, watching the news this morning with Congressman after Congresswoman talking about how the "other side" is to blame for the pending goverment shutdown, you could almost believe that there isn't a competent person in charge anywhere in the vicinity of Washington DC. Oh right, sorry...many people already DO believe that!

And the same can be said of these ridiculous NFL people -- owners and players alike. Seems to me both sides are more concerned about pointing fingers and assigning blame than actually making progress to bring about a resolution to this problem. And whether they want to believe it or not, it really IS a problem. Fans aren't going to sit idly by while the owners and players fight over a 9 billion dollar surplus and proceed to ruin football in the process.

And neither are the American people going to sit by and watch our leaders in Congress on both sides of the aisle blame the other side for over-blown spending practices and a severe budget shortfall threatening to close down the federal government.

I mean, come on. Am I the only one who gets tired of watching these people sit on TV or stand at a podium and do nothing but cast blame on the other side? It doesn't matter if it's a Congressman or an NFL suit or player, the song remains the same: it's always the OTHER guy's fault. Didn't any of these people ever learn to accept responsibility for their own ills? Isn't that one of the first lessons we all learn in kindergarten? I'm certainly trying to teach my four-year-old not to blame others for his own problems...why do I have to listen to these ridiculous so-called "leaders" of government and sports play the blame-game?

Maybe we'll get lucky and some of them will come to their senses today and actually get something done. But honestly, I'm not holding my breath.

Buffalo Wild Wings takes aim at NFL lockout | Nation's Restaurant News

2011-03-30T08:25:00.000-04:00

Buffalo Wild Wings takes aim at NFL lockout | Nation's Restaurant News

Are these people for real?

2011-03-14T17:53:00.000-04:00

In the wake of the recent tragedy in Japan, the revolutions in Egypt and Lybia, and all manner of other international (and national) incidents great and small, I find this whole idea of the NFL strike/lock-out totally and completely uncalled for.

REALLY? The owners and players couldn't just sit down, figure out how to equitably divide up 9 billion (that's billion, with a B) in profits, and keep the trains running for the nation's most profitable and popular sport? REALLY?

After years of advance warning...knowing full well this situation was going to have to be resolved and having plenty of time to figure out how to fix it, they really, really couldn't get it done?

As I've posted before, I understand both sides of the issue. I do. But it's a bit ridiculous, don't you think, to believe this thing couldn't have been resolved without the current theatrics of player lock-outs, decertification of unions, etc.? Can't we all just get along and share our billions, NFL peeps?

To me, it just doesn't seem that hard. I'm no labor expert, nor am I a billionaire business owner (duh!), but even I know that negotiations mean both sides give a little in the spirit of cooperation in order to avoid catastrophic situations like the one the NFL is facing now.

What I DO know is this: the NFL -- players, owners, the league itself -- is trading on the goodwill of a loyal and dedicated fan base. I sure hope they don't gamble away that trust in the interest of greed.

Things I Miss About Football on TV

2011-02-22T20:38:00.001-05:00

Now that the shock has worn off and I've had time to accept that football season is over until July (or possibly longer, God forbid, if these labor negotiations don't resolve), I'm taking a step back to reminisce about all the things I really, really love about football on TV. I list them here in no particular order, and with a wistful eye toward next season.

1. Monday Night Football. What's not to love? (Well, except Mike Tirico, but let's not get picky...)

2. Jimmy, Howie and Terry. Need I say more? Notice I left off Michael Strahan and "that other one" who took James Brown's place, because nobody can really follow James Brown, and that's a fact.

3. The NFL Network, in real time. Without all the recycled content. And cheerleader shows. And games from 1955. Sheeesh.

4. "C'mon, Man!" - my favorite, all-time. It's just funny, plain and simple. I won't even attempt to write an explanation.

5. Followed only by, "Jacked Up!", another awesome ode to football at its best. I particularly love this when one of my Skins players is featured, which used to happen a LOT when Sean Taylor was alive. Not so much anymore.

6. College Gameday Live. Really?? How great is that show?! It's too bad I didn't go to a "real" football school when I was in college, and it's also too bad this show wasn't on when I was in school. Cause if I did, and if it was, I'd have been FRONT AND CENTER holding up some crazy sign and trying to get Kirk Herbstreit to gaze my way. Ah, to be young again.

7. Football Night in America - well, this one isn't really a classic, at least not yet. But it's work-able. I say, keep Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth, both of whom I LOVE, and just get rid of Dan Patrick and that ridiculous Keith Olbermann. And tell Al Roker to stop saying "Sunday, SUUUU-NNNNDAY" during his Today Show weather forecasts. Then, my friends, we might have ourselves a show.

8. Speaking of Sundays, let's not forget the real reason we love football on TV...'cause it's on ALL DAY SUNDAY. Sorry, but the NBA, hockey, skiing, ice skating, bowling, tennis, golf (except maybe the Masters) or even NASCAR just can't compete with a full slate of NFL games. The only thing that comes close during the off-season? The winter Olympics, but they only happen every 4 years and we've got a long time to wait, so I don't really count them on this list.

There's more, of course, but I'm getting nostalgic just writing this list, so I think I'll leave it there for now. Go ahead and gloat, baseball fans...it's your time to shine.

Smart People to The Rescue

2011-02-16T19:47:00.000-05:00

So, the NFL is THE most marketable, profitable entity in the world of sports. Hands down. Unless you count international soccer, which, for the purposes of this discussion, I don't. Why, then, is there all this crazy talk about work-stoppages, strikes, and I-don't-know-what-all surrounding our nation's most popular sport? Please tell me this is a joke, and not a very good one.

We've been hearing whispers of a labor dispute, contract troubles, and all sorts of disagreements between players and owners since early 2009. And all along, I personally felt the two sides would come to an agreement, since, as we all know, it is in the best interests of all key parties involved to get their butts in gear and negotiate a deal that keeps football in business - FOREVER.

And yet, here we are, just weeks after one of the best, and most watched, Superbowls in history, staring down a serious NFL labor strike. A lock-out. No football, possibly into the fall. For real.

What is the problem? I know the owners and the players are far apart on their respective sides, but seriously, can't they find someone, or a series of someones, to help them figure this thing out? Otherwise, on March 3, when free agency opens, guess what? There isn't going to BE a free agency market. And then, no mini-camps, no OTA's, and - AAAHH - no training camp. And without training camp, there probably won't be a season...at least not a very good one.

The NFL, aside from being the most profitable sports behemoth in town, also boasts the absolute best off-season around. Fans -- myself included -- really love this stuff. Trades, free agency, the draft, rookie camps...it's all great. And training camp - well, without training camp, I might just curl up and die poolside this summer. Seriously.

Someone needs to get the owners and players back to the negotiating table and get them talking -- stat. Remind them what happened to baseball during their strike in the '90's, and how long it took to build up goodwill with baseball fans again. Let them know, in no uncertain terms, fans around the country are upset, angry, frightened about a future without football. It's looking bleak. And there is no good reason for it.

Let's be clear: I don't begrude the players for trying to get a fair and equitable settlement with their new collective bargaining agreement. And while I don't usually side with management, I can also understand the owners' side, although I think they are being really short-sighted right now and for that, I think they are going to wind up paying dearly for their stubborn resistance to negotiating.

In any event, I'm just in shock that it has actually gotten to this point. Both sides have had two years to get a deal done, and they've refused to yield. I fear that unless they call for reinforcements at the negotiating table, we're going to be in for the longest off-sesaon since 1984.

Someone call in some smart people and put them in charge of this mess, quick!

I Survived...

2011-02-02T16:29:00.001-05:00

Just remember, the first weekend is always the hardest. That's why they give you the Pro Bowl, and now the Senior Bowl, as consolation prizes. They are there to help wean us off the football-watching obsession we've gotten sucked into over the past 5 months (6, if you count training camp, which I most certainly do!) It's like quitting smoking. You need one of those patch-things to help wean you off the nicotine at first. And then slowly, you can start to cope on your own.

So, unless you are a Steeler or Packer fan -- and believe me, your time is coming soon, folks -- it's time, as they say, to hang up the cleats and move on. Sunday afternoons, and evenings, and Monday nights, are football-free now, much as it pains me to say. So now, it's time to figure out your plan. Ask yourself, "Where do I go from here? How do I move on?" I'm not going to say it's easy. I'm just here to say, you can do it. You have to. You have no other choice.

Some of you will segway relatively seamlessly into college basketball, or spring training, or even the NBA (does anyone actually WATCH regular-season NBA games anymore?? I guess they do...) Some won't need any "crutch sports", you'll just go cold turkey and start doing real-life things again like going shopping or seeing a movie on a Sunday afternoon. Ugh. And some sad sacks, like me, will twist in the wind waiting for any miserable scrap of football-related information to help keep us afloat until OTA's, mini-camp and training camp start up again. It's not a pretty life, but it's the one we've got, so I guess what I'm saying is, embrace it.

This is the longest stretch, kids. The most painful one. We just have to endure for a while. Try to cope. Take a vacation or something. Replace football with other things, like, uh, well...OK, like spending quality time with people again. I know it sounds hideous, but really, what other choice do we have?

There are some bright sides to this rather dim, depressing scenario. Like not feeling that panicky feeling on Sunday morning that you won't make it home in time for the game while in line at the Home Depot. Or not spending Sunday night in agony, reading blog post after miserable blog post, after your team loses...again. Or how about this? You can now wake up on Sunday and have the WHOLE day to do whatever you want to do.

I know, I know...what you REALLY want to do is watch football. But that's not possible now, unfortunately, so it's time to move on. Pull the band-aid off quickly, it hurts less that way. It's time to cut our losses and wipe the slate clean.

Just remember, it's a process. It will get better, little by little, I promise. And before you know it, free agency will open and life will begin anew...

Fan For Life?

2011-01-20T17:29:00.000-05:00

OK, it's been a LONG season of semi-misery for Redskin fans. 6-10 was not exactly what we had all envisioned last January when Shanahan took the podium and swore to return our team to greatness, now was it? But let's face it - things could have worse (and certainly have been in the recent past). We could all be Browns fans. Or Texans fans. Or even Dallas fans (aack!) And now that the dust has settled a bit, I'm of the opinion that the Shanahan regime - minus the drama - was definitely an improvement and has set us up nicely for a good run in the years to come.

Yes, I'm optimistic, but that's what fans do, right? We dare to dream...of next season. Of what might be lurking right around the corner. A few good draft picks, a couple of free-agent signings, and we'll be right in the mix next year. It could happen. And it just might.

So why, then, do so many fans of other local teams (this means YOU, Ravens fans), insist on dropping the obnoxious suggestion that "You can always become a Ravens fan". Really?? I can? How do you figure?

Let's see. I've been a Redskin fan my whole life. I grew UP as a Skins fan. I watched my team win 3 Superbowls, the last one while I was a senior in college. I bonded with my team...connected with the community through my team. Came of age with my team. Learned to love the GAME with my team. Supported them through thick and thin.

And yes, these have been the lean years. Obviously. It's been pretty ugly of late - we all get that. But seriously, people, STOP with the crazy "helpful" suggestions that I simply quit on my team, jump ship, and start wearing purple and black. Are you kidding me?

What kind of a fan tries to tell a fan of another team to just give up on his or her team when the going gets tough? And what kind of a COACH (this means YOU, John Harbaugh), suggests something similar? Talking about "coming to DC and taking over" - it's just crazy talk. Stop it. It's too much. You've totally gone over the edge.

LET ME BE CLEAR: Redskins fans KNOW our team has been bad recently. We KNOW our owner can be a jerk. We GET IT that we haven't won a playoff game in ages. OK. Point taken.

But Ravens fans -- STOP TELLING US TO QUIT ON OUR TEAM! I can't be clearer on this point. We're Redskin fans. We always have been, and we always will be. Just like you are Ravens fans. Good for you. Keep your purple pride - you deserve it. But leave us alone. We don't need your help, your suggestions, or an inviation to join your club. We've got our own.

Just remember -- you would have to sedate me to ever, ever get me to wear purple. Believe it.

So

Merry Christmas, But No Post-season of Cheer

2010-12-27T17:38:00.000-05:00

Well, at least they haven't given up, right? I mean, hey, things could be a lot worse -- our team could have gone out yesterday and laid a serious egg against the Jags ala last year's end-of-season meltdown versus the Giants! And, as a bonus, at least we're getting to see how some of these young guys we've been hiding on the practice squad can play. So there's that.

But it IS a drag, isn't it? I'm standing at the Cross Street Market in Baltimore with my husband's family, our kids, and about a thousand rabid Ravens fans on Christmas Eve, and I'm thinking, how LUCKY are these people that their team is moving on to the post-season. Meaningful games in January...what a concept. Something we've not seen around here in a long time. Not since that awful loss to the Seahawks a few years back...or the other crappy loss to the Bucs when our hopes were dashed on a fluke/bad call (I still HATE that Mike Alstott, by the way!)

I know, I know, it's a process. It takes time. We'll get there eventually. But will we, really? Has Shanahan really righted the ship here, or is it all just more band-aids and scotch tape? I had hoped we'd have a better feel for the direction this team is headed by this point in the season. After one full off-season, a draft, OTA's, training camp and a full season under our belt, wouldn't you think we'd at least see some progress? Instead, we've had more of the same. Drama, drama, drama. Haynesworth. McNabb. Kyle Shanahan, who I personally think seems like a real jerk. I've lost that lovin' feeling for our leaders, and I'm nervous about the future.

I could live with another non-playoff season if I knew we were at least headed in the right direction. Maybe I'll feel better if we beat the Giants and knock them out of the playoffs.

It's a start, right?

Same Crap, Different Regime

2010-12-21T13:41:00.000-05:00

Remember all those posts I wrote about how different the Shanahan era was starting to look? How nice it finally was to have some real professionals running the show out at Redskins Park? How we were no longer a league-wide laughing stock, and that win or lose, at least our organization was starting to take a turn for the better?

Well, forget I said ANY of that. The benching of McNabb, and particularly, the HANDLING of the benching of McNabb, speaks volumes about this new regime. And it doesn't bode well for the future as far as I am concerned. Guess what, folks? This regime and its leadership is not any different from the legions of idiots before them. The media "leaks". The benching on Thursday NIGHT before a Sunday game (after 2 practices!) Hey, the earlier benching during the final two minutes of the Detroit game. I mean, why even bother keeping McNabb around at all, since they obviously don't believe he can play a snap in this offense anymore. Or maybe they never thought he could.

So why, then, did they bring him here in the first place? Why give up two draft picks for a guy you think can't play? And now, with Grossman's semi-decent second-half play on Sunday, I guess Shanahan can puff out his chest and say to his critics, "See, I was right. McNabb was the problem."

Actually, Coach, I think YOU are the problem. You gave up two critical draft picks our organization can ill-afford to lose on a quarterback you now think isn't competent to run your vaunted offense. Really? Seems like someone didn't do his homework very well last off-season. McNabb is McNabb. He's ALWAYS been this way. A long bomb down field followed by a few short, ugly passes into the dirt. A scramble for a first down. A sly smile and a touchdown pass. He's inconsistent. Any Redskin fan worth his salt could have told you that.

So bringing him here is on YOU, Coach Shanahan. Stop trying to make McNabb the scapegoat for your bad decision-making. McNabb hasn't changed. He still gives you all he's got. He's a leader. A team-player. And a real class act.

He deserves better. And so do we. What a shame. Same crap, different regime.

Turn Out the Lights...

2010-12-14T13:59:00.000-05:00

The party is most definitely over. And thank goodness it is. I'm tired! This particular party guest has officially had enough. Let's call it a day and try again next year.

You know what's odd? I feel strangely relieved...you know what I mean? I'm actually sort of glad the season has officially ended (well, for all intents and purposes, anyway). Now I can just relax, turn on the TV on Sundays, and just watch football. No more pain and anxiety. No more yelling. No more hysteria or misery. Now, it's just football for football's sake.

Let's see how this team plays when the pressure is off. Let's see what kind of talent, character and leadership we really have. What kind of people and players these guys are. How our coaches handle these last 3 games.

now is when the real work starts, at least for this coaching staff. How will they fill the many holes on this team this off-season? How will they motivate aging veterans like Santana Moss who are just so, so tired of losing? How will they change the culture?

I have a million questions. But for now, I'm just going to relax, put my feet up, and enjoy the game. Phew!

Good Riddance!

2010-12-09T20:15:00.000-05:00

Don't let the door hit you on the way out of town, Albert. And don't come back!

Yes, as I have stated previously, I think this situation could have been handled better from the get-go by Shanahan and Allen, but the fact is, they rolled the dice and lost. Happens to the best of us. They tried to make lemonade out of lemons by keeping Haynesworth around and attempting to motivate him by appealing to his "conscience", his so-called "work ethic", and his "love of the game" of football. But they found out the hard way what so many others -- especially those in Tennessee -- already knew: that Haynesworth isn't motivated by ANY of those things. He's not even motivated by money...gobs of it. More money than 99.8 % of people will ever see in their lifetime. Dude couldn't even get his butt in gear for 40 MILLION dollars. Wow. Talk about spoiled, entitled athletes.

But whatever. Shanahan tried. His teammates tried. The defensive coaches tried. OK, so we don't know the whole story. Who said what to whom. But here's what we DO know: we know Haynesworth didn't want to play in the "3-4" defense (if that is the defense this team is even running). We know he didn't want to train in the off-season with his teammates. We know he didn't (or WOULDN'T) give his all on every play each and every time he was on the field. We know he sure had a lot of "issues" for a rich guy living the dream of playing in the NFL.

So, as Shanahan said yesterday, it was just time. Time to cut our losses and take our lumps for the biggest free-agent bust of all time, at least where the game of football is concerned.

What happens now? Well, I for one certainly hope we can wipe the slate clean. Learn from our mistakes. Take a good, hard look at where all this ridiculous obsession with free agency has gotten this franchise...staring down another 5-11 season with mediocre talent, overpaid past-their-prime stars and a whole lot of disgruntled fans. Pay attention, Dan Snyder -- this means YOU! Remember when you said you had learned "patience" from Joe Gibbs? Well, funny how after he left, you went out and signed the world's most selfish, entitled player to join our team. Raced down to TN in your plane like the world was on fire to get him as soon as the market bell clanged. Brought him here on a bloated contract and watched as he tried to destroy this team and this franchise. Stole your money -- and not just your money. MY money. The fans' money. We pay for all those jerseys, those tickets, those beers at the stadium. And YOU, Dan Snyder, squandered our money on the worst personnel move anyone has ever witnessed.

Here's hoping we have finally hit rock-bottom. Maybe we can finally starting heading in the right direction.

Happy now, Haynesworth?

OVER it!

2010-12-05T20:46:00.000-05:00

Well, I've officially had enough. Enough of the pain and suffering. Enough of the embarrasment. Enough of the angst. Last week I said I wished this team would make up it's mind and decide which direction it was going in -- either decide to be good or be bad and just be done with it. But maybe I was too hasty. Because they must have heard my plea, and decided to go with "bad". Yuck.

How many ways can I write about my disgust with losing? Week after week, I'm singing the same damn tune. We need a better pass rush. Our offensive line is, to coin a phrase, offensive. McNabb is inconsistent, and it doesn't help when his receivers continually drob passes. Our special teams are up and down. We just can't get out of our own way.

Today was something else, wasn't it? When the Giants drove down the field on their opening possession and scored that touchdown as easily as you can say 1-2-3, well, I knew it was going to be a bad day. I'm actually surprised the final score was as low as it was, considering how porous our defense was and how many times we turned the ball over (6, if you're counting).

When that first Giants drive was finished, and the cameras flashed on Haslett and his one-word expletive (four letters, first one is an "f"), that pretty much summed it all up, didn't it? And while we're on the subject of dear old Haslett, does anyone else think his days are numbered? And if they're not, don't you think they should be! Why on EARTH did he come in here and take the one semi-strength of our awful team from last year -- our defense -- and turn it upside down, inside out, and proceed to essentially wreck it in the process?

And to add insult to injury, why are we benching Albert Haynesworth when we need him so desperately? What kind of point is Shanahan trying to make -- that being late to a meeting won't be tolerated? How about losing to our freakin' division rival in an embarrassing fashion...how about not tolerating THAT?? The NFL isn't the place to teach grown men life-lessons. That's not what I'm paying for as a fan. It's not what I'm watching this team for, either. It's great that London Fletcher is such a nice, classy guy. But would it matter to me if he wasn't? Not particularly. He's such a great player, I'd be willing to settle for him being less than perfect as long as he continues to produce on the field.

Seriously, what is to become of this Redskin team this year? And what about next year? And the years to come? I'm beginning to think this whole team is cursed. From our crappy stadium to our horrible gaffes and bad luck on the field, we are simply a franchise in disarray. Sure, we all thought Shanahan was going to have his hands full when he got here. But didn't you think he'd at least have us heading in the right direction by now?

Did you really think this team would be this bad off?

One Step Up...

2010-11-29T22:14:00.000-05:00

and you know the rest. Sigh. I'm getting so tired of this very non-linear process we are going through with this team. We're up. We're down. We're winning. We're losing. We're in overtime. We win -- jubilation! We lose -- agony. Questions. LOTS of angst.

WHAT is the deal with this team? I listened closely to the local sports talk jibba jabba today (I can't really deal with the national pundits, except when we win), and not surprisingly, they sound as confused as the rest of us these days.

Some say this team simply isn't very good. Others say we're heading in the right direction and just need a few more good players to push us into future playoff contention. Some are in Shanahan's corner, others seem to think he's a horrible personnel guy who's going to lead us into disaster ala our old pal Vinnie. Fans calling in today sounded perplexed, too. Some support the team, Shanahan and McNabb. Others want to blow the whole thing up (ACK!) and start from scratch. Again.

Where do I net out? Honestly, I'm just not sure. I was truly beside myself after that loss yesterday. Believe it or not, I think I was more upset over this loss than the one to the Eagles! This loss was close. But not really. This loss meant more, because we had a chance to pull closer to the Giants and Eagles and generate a winning record. This loss, quite frankly, pissed me off.

I was angry. I think I actually lost my voice from screaming at the TV so much. I mean, talk about the agony of defeat...when that Brandon Banks' touchdown run was called back, I nearly threw myself into the TV headfirst.

Enough, Redskins. Pick a side. Start trending "good" or "bad" so I can get on board and go with it. Either we're going to be good this year or we're not, so let's just get on with it already.

I don't have much energy left anymore.

Redemption

2010-11-23T07:46:00.000-05:00

Well, that was better, wasn't it? After the debacle against the Eagles on Monday Night Football last week, I was not exactly sure which team was going to show up yesterday against the Titans. The team that got "Vicked" on national television, or the one that looked like it was finally starting to come together before that weird benching of McNabb during the Detroit game a few weeks back.

THIS team pulled out a somewhat miraculous win yesterday, considering all of the injuries they endured before and during the game. (Jeez, anyone remember the body-bag game of '91?) THIS team -- down to it's last offensive lineman by the middle of the third quarter -- only gave up 3 sacks and gave McNabb a ton of time to throw the ball downfield. THIS team didn't get burned by Randy Moss, beat in the middle of the field on the short passing game, or give up a back-breaking fourth-down touchdown (THANK YOU for the push-off, Moss, and thanks to the refs for finally giving us a call!)

The team we saw against the Titans showed grit. Effort. Desire to win. They didn't quit after getting their butts kicked last week, even after the media and many fans began to question their unity and ability. They pulled together.

Was it coaching? Players working together? A fluke? I guess only time will tell. This week isn't going to be any easier...we've got the Vikings coming to town sporting a new head coach in Leslie Frazier. Seems like every time we play a team with a new coach, a new quarterback, or some other new wrinkle, we fall short. Remember that loss to Detroit last year against rookie Matt Stafford? Or that Rams quarterback from Harvard who had never taken an NFL snap? OK, I don't want to keep opening up old wounds, but seriously, we never seem to be able to adjust our game-plan when things change on the fly. Over and over again, we've lost to teams with new players, new systems, rookies coming off the bench, etc. So let's hope this week's mojo doesn't disappear.

But at least that Monday Night disaster is starting to become a distant memory!

My Longest Night as a Fan

2010-11-16T13:40:00.000-05:00

Dear God, what a shellacking! Last night's game against the Eagles (can we even call it a game? Was the outcome EVER in doubt after the first play from scrimmage??) was such a debacle I'm not quite sure where to start. How about I begin by saying that for the first time ever, I actually turned off the Redskins game before it ended. And that is saying something.

I didn't quit during any of the Spurrier disasters. During the Patriots beat-down. Not even after the "swining gate" game of the Zorn-era. I have watched every single humiliating play, every bungled snap, every sack, fumble and strip-for-a-score we've had to endure around here since the good ole days of the 1991 season when I was in college and was so optimistic and naive, I thought things would be forever rosy...boy, did I have a lot to learn!

But last night, I simply couldn't take any more. It was bad enough to watch our defense get gashed, our offense sputter, and our coaches look befuddled. But to have to endure the obnoxious trio of Gruden (of whom I USED to be a huge fan of, until last night), Jaws and Tirico (whom I NEVER could stand, and last night sealed the deal) gush over Michael Vick and basically mock our team, players and entire organization...well, it was all too much.

I told you, didn't I? We ALWAYS lay an egg on national television. I believe, if I'm not mistaken, that Patriots debacle was a night game, too, wasn't it? Well, doesn't much matter. There've been enough others. See my post earlier yesterday -- I referenced Baltimore, Pittsburg and Dallas as games I could remember off the top of my head during which we embarrassed ourselves royally on national TV.

But really, wasn't last night just the worst game you can ever remember having to sit through? Maybe it was so spectacularly bad because we were all lulled into thinking that with Shanahan, Allen and McNabb at the helm, our team was actually headed in the right direction this year. Boy, I'll bet last night certainly cured you of that notion, didn't it? If that wasn't an indication that the way we've done business around here for, oh, the last 20 years simply DOESN'T WORK, then I don't know what would be.

It was bad. Oh, it was bad. So bad I had to walk out of the room on more than one occasion. So bad I refused to read any stuff coming over the twitter line or the Post Insider site. So bad I wouldn't answer any of the consoling texts coming my way. So bad I yelled at my husband, cursed more forcefully at the TV than I can ever remember, and threw things across the room. So bad, I had to actually quit watching. I just couldn't do it anymore.

So, where do we go from here? I'd love to say we go on to soundly thump Tenessee this weekend to make up for our misery, but really, how can anyone even say something like that after last night's performance? We'll be lucky to make it out of the season with any more wins at this rate.

Shhh...if you listen closely, you can just make out the faint sounds of hysterical laughter. Sounds like Jim Zorn, Steve Spurrier, Marty, and even Joe Gibbs to me. Even they never had it this bad!

What to Expect

2010-11-15T10:16:00.004-05:00

I have no idea which team is going to show up for tonight's re-match with the Eagles. The team who totally dominated the Eagles back in early October during their first meeting...or the team who went out with a fizzle before the bye week with a loss to Detroit. That loss, by the way, looks even more depressing now, doesn't it? Yikes!

In any event, the fact that Donovan McNabb's agent is in town to supposedly garner a contract extention for his client today may signal that the turmoil and messiness surrounding McNabb's benching is firmly in the rearview. Or, it could just be a smoke screen, designed to get the monkey off Shanahan's back before another nationally-televised game tonight. Maybe they send the guy packing after the lights go out at Fed Ex Field tonight, and McNabb continues to play in the limbo-land he's been in for some time now.

Who ever knows with this team? For a while, as you know, I was so optimistic about our team, our leadership, our mojo, if you will. But now, I'm back to the basics -- feeling nervous, anxious and downright baffled about who this team is and what they are capable of. Back to crossing my fingers, closing my eyes, cringing, and yelling at the TV.

What I do know for sure is this: we've had a history of laying major eggs on national TV in the past few years. Those shellackings against Baltimore and Pittsburg still sting, don't they? So, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that tonight looks better. That our team comes to play. That McNabb has finally "grasped the offense", whatever that means.

Please, let's not get embarrassed again in front of millions tonight!

What a mess!

2010-11-01T13:33:00.000-04:00

Yesterday might be just a bad loss for the Redskins, who could (emphasis on COULD) go on to fix what ails them and redeem themselves this season. Or -- and I sincerely hope and pray this isn't the case -- yesterday could signal the beginning of the end for this season, and maybe the entire Shanahan era.

I can't believe I'm even writing this, considering I've been such a fan of Shanahan since he arrived here back in January and considering how large and in charge he has seemed since his coaching debut. I mean, until the last five minutes of the game yesterday, I was so optimistic that this team was headed in the right direction that I started to forget about the angst we've all had to endure up until this point...the misery, the fear, the worry that our team was headed in the wrong direction, by people in charge who didn't know what they were doing. Until yesterday's benching of McNabb, I had begun to put all that pain and suffering in the rear view and focus on enjoying football games again.

But then, I watched in dismay and anger and total disbelief as Rex Grossman -- REX GROSSMAN -- ran onto the field with the game on the line in the final two minutes of the game yesterday at the urging of his coaching staff, who apparently traded 2 drafts picks for a quarterback they clearly don't trust when the going gets tough. They pulled McNabb out when it mattered most, and then they stood there after the game was lost (which of course, it was, in truly UGLY fashion!) and said they thought McNabb wasn't as smart or capable as Grossman. WHAT??

How is this even remotely possible? How, in the space of 5 minutes at the end of a horrible game in Detroit, could Shanahan and his staff have fallen so far, so fast? Don't they realize the implications of the decision they made? Do they have any clue at all about the can of worms they just opened by pulling their starting quarterback -- a future Hall-of-Famer -- in favor of a washed-up 2nd stringer who coughed up the ball on his first play from scrimmage and wound up costing us the game (and possibly the season?)

This isn't Denver, folks. Or Houston. Things like this don't just fly under the radar here. This is the big leagues. Within 15 minutes after the final whistle, the words "quarterback controversy" had been uttered on every network and radio station both locally and nationally. This was major. Big time. A serious decision that goes WAY beyond winning or losing to Detroit. This decision goes to the heart of their personnel management abilities, their coaching acumen, their leadership. A decision like this, made recklessly, can lose or divide or RUIN a locker room. This is not something to be taken lightly.

I am hoping it was just a mistake. Something Shanahan and his son will revisit today and realize was an impulsive decision made in the heat of battle. I'm hoping they will come out today and apologize, say they made a mistake, and restore order and unity to the team and the fan base. Put McNabb back in charge of the offense where he belongs and let him lead by example. I'm hoping they squelch this "controversy" talk before it does further damage to the team they have been building with such painstaking care.

Stay tuned. If they don't...well, things are starting to look a lot different than I thought.

A Real Dilemma

2010-10-25T13:39:00.001-04:00

OK, so the Redskins won yesterday. Hooray! I am thrilled about the win, and excited about their surprising record at 4-3. At this point, they have as many wins under their belt as they did ALL of last season, which is pretty amazing (and a testament to how truly awful they were last year!)

But I can't break down the game today, or discuss the 4 interceptions by DeAngelo Hall, or laugh about what a terrible quarterback Jay Cutler is. Nope, I've got nothing today. Why?

Because I faced a serious mommy/fan dilemma yesterday, and I know many of you can relate. Here goes: as I have stated repeatedly, I am a ridiculous fan of this team. So ridiculous that I never, EVER leave the house on game-day, or if I have to leave, I make sure there is a TV wherever I'm going so I can watch the game (or listen to it on the radio, at the very least). In any event, you get the point. Game day is MY day. I'm off-duty as a mom for the 4 hours or so the game is being played. I don't make lunches, do laundry, open the mail, or even answer the phone. My kids, who are 4 and 8, know about my obsession with the Skins and frankly, they tend to steer clear of me on game days, which is unfortunate as I wish my little guy, at least, would watch with me and catch some of my Skins fanaticism. But I digress.

Let's just say I schedule my Sundays around the Redskins, and I don't feel the least bit guilty about it. As I have also repeatedly said, some women talk on the phone, some women shop or work out...I watch the Redskins. It's my thing. It's what I do. As my husband often says, there are worse hobbies I could take up.

So, how, you ask, did I find myself at a 5-year-old's birthday party in the middle of the second quarter of the Bear's game yesterday? It's a sad tale of woe, and one I'm not eager to repeat. My husband had to go to a funeral yesterday unexpectedly (so that gets HIM off the hook), which left me to shuttle my four-year-old to his little pal's birthday party. "No sweat," I'm thinking, "I'll just drop him off and listen to the game in the car, then pick him up and get home in time to see the fourth quarter."

Good plan, until...OH, the horror! It was NOT a drop-and-go kind of party. Imagine my surprise when I walked into the backyard, saw the moonbounce and the party favors, and ALL the other moms standing around chatting about pre-school, potty training, and all sorts of other unimportant mommy-based issues. Catch me on a Monday and I'll chat with you all you want about potty training. Talk to me during the Redskins game about potty training and I might try to hit you in the mouth.

So, there I was, trapped...standing in a strangers' backyard, nodding my head amidst all the mommy chatter and frantically thinking, "What's the score? Why, oh why, didn't I set the DVR before I left the house? I only set it for the Comcast postgame show. Didn't think I'd NEED to set it for the game..." And on and on and on.

So, for the first time in I don't know how long, I missed the game. Simply MISSED it. Yes, I was able to excuse myself every now and then to fire up the radio in my car and check the score, and I watched the box score on my iphone, but it wasn't the same. I missed the game. I missed the nuances that make up those 3 1/2 hours on game day. I have to be content with highlights, post-game analysis, and the re-telling of stories from others.

But it won't be the same. And why? Because I faced a serious mommy-dilemma. Did I mention there wasn't a man in sight at that birthday party yesterday? Nope, they were all home watching the game.

UGH!

Loss Doesn't Feel So Bad...

2010-10-18T10:04:00.000-04:00

Well, we lost. To the Colts. At home. During primetime. But you know what? I don't feel so badly about the whole thing. I mean, yes, would I prefer to have beaten Peyton Manning on that last drive with 2 minutes to go in the fourth quarter last night? Would that have been a statement that all of the changes this team has endured since last January are finally starting to pay off? (And would it have spurred on those contract extension talks for Donovan McNabb a little bit?) Yes, of course. But there is no shame in losing the way we did last night. As Joe Gibbs was so fond of saying, we fought "our guts out". I'll say it again, and I'm starting to sound like a broken record, I know, so bear with me here: this team has HEART! They competed until the bitter end last night. They were in that game all the way through the fourth quarter. And you know why they lost? They beat THEMSELVES!

That's right. It wasn't Manning's arm or Dwight Freeney's spin moves that killed us last night, although both were a factor. What really hurt us was, well, US! We dropped 3 more interceptions which could have stopped the Colts from scoring. If we catch even ONE of these, we win. We missed a long but still make-able field goal, and if we make it, we at least tie and force an overtime. We had ample opportunities to put that game away last night, and we squandered every single one.

So yes, a loss is a bummer. But this loss, in particular, gives me pause, and dare I say, hope...because we didn't get blown out by a superior team. No, we kept ourselves from winning through our own inability to put the Colts in the rearview. We lost to a team with whom we were evenly matched. Our team needs to learn how to win those close games. We need to learn how to put our foot on the jugular of our opponent, even a team like the Colts, and keep the pressure on.

And we've GOT to learn to catch those interceptions!!!

Victory Monday...and Tuesday, and Wednesday, etc.

2010-10-13T19:59:00.000-04:00

When the Redskins win a game on Sunday, doesn't it just totally and completely make your week? I mean, come on...isn't it just more fun to go to work and face that obnoxious Cowboy (or Raven, or Steeler, or insert-team-name here) fan when our team has beaten our opponent, no matter how ugly the win?

It's sad to say, but I personally just feel BETTER in general when the Redskins win. I'm nicer to my kids, kinder to my husband, more inclined to watch my tongue with the annoying volunteer lady at my daughter's school or that neighbor borrowing yet another cup of something at 7 o'clock in the morning. I'm less frantic to get into my car to listen ad nauseum to the sports talk radio dudes dissect the game, less worried about what the national sports analysts are saying about our team.

It's weird, isn't it? You would think I'd feel the opposite -- that I'd be more interested in what the media has to say about the Skins when they win, but while I love to hear the joyous mayhem on the phone lines on sports talk radio after the game and the following day(s), I'm less likely to sit in my car and listen endlessly to "one more thing" when they win than when they lose. It's almost as though when they win, I can just relax and move on with the rest of my life. But when they lose, well, the angst just goes on and on.

And so, this week has been a week free of anxiety. Full of fun, happiness and contentment. I'm free of the agony, at least for a little while. I'm not worried just yet about the Colts, Peyton Manning's arm, or Dwight Freeney's crazy spin move. Those worries are for Saturday and Sunday.

Today, I smile. I soak it in. I embrace...victory Monday!

A Change in Culture

2010-10-11T13:20:00.000-04:00

Well, perhaps Mike Shanahan knows what he's doing. Maybe getting rid of some of last years' players -- the over-paid and the under-achieving -- was a good idea after all. I've been a bit of a naysayer as far as some of our illustrious coach's roster moves are concerned, going all the way back to OTA's and the release of fan-favorites like Ladell Betts, Rock Cartright, et al. Up to and including Saturday's surprising release of Devin Thomas.

But I have to admit, this team is playing with conviction and with heart, two things sorely lacking under the Jim Zorn regime and even somewhat MIA during Joe Gibbs' tenure, so heck, what do I know? Maybe some of the old players from the teams of old just weren't going to be able to get it done in this new era. I'm just a fan watching from the stands and from my couch, week in and week out. And what I see is improvement. Belief. Hope. A team that last year, probably would have folded their tent along about the third quarter of yesterday's game and gone home...but this year, they fought back. STORMED back, actually. And utilized the new regime's new players to do it!

From Anthony Armstrong to Brandon Banks -- newbies playing with fire and intensity, to wily old vets like London Fletcher and Laron Landry (what a BEAST that guy is!), this team is comprised of new players with a fresh attitude, plus old hold-overs from last year with a new lease on life.

I'm liking what I see. How about Clinton Portis cheering on his team from the sideline while leaning on his crutches? Or Brian Orakpo dancing on the sidelines after Gano's kick sailed into the end zone? I can remember many a game in the recent past where players sat on the sidelines during a losing effort and laughed...joked and LAUGHED with their teammates! Not this group. They are working together, cheering each other on, pulling for one another. It's really something special.

We fans have always said this team needed a major attitude adjustment, kinda like I say to my 8-year-old from time to time. And we're definitely seeing a sea change happening at every level of this once-dysfunctional organization. Bruce Allen has picked some good players (and gotten rid of some dead-weight), and Mike Shanahan is getting them to play like a team. Win or lose, this team is on to something...and I'm glad I'm along for the ride.