FanHouse http://www.fanhouse.com FanHouse http://www.fanhouse.com/media/feedlogo.gif FanHouse http://www.fanhouse.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/ City's Best: Washington DC's Top Five Athletes http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/06/21/citys-best-washington-dcs-top-five-athletes/ http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/06/21/citys-best-washington-dcs-top-five-athletes/ http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2007/06/21/citys-best-washington-dcs-top-five-athletes/#comments Unsilent Majorityby Unsilent Majority

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FanHouse is posting the top five current athletes for America's top 25 cities with the following criteria: 1) Who would a DC sports fan say is his/her favorite athlete? 2) Would the player's name (or face) be familiar to locals who don't follow sports?

Find your city's top five: ATL | BOS | CHA | CHI | CIN | CLE | DAL | DC | DEN | DET | HOU | IND | LA | MIA | MIL | MIN | NO | NY | SF | PHI | PHO | PIT | SD | SEA | STL

I want to say something before we get started. This is all about judging the most popular and relevant athletes in Washington DC. For those of you who may have forgotten this is a football town, the Redskins dominate the sports landscape for better or worse, depending on your perspective. So let me just apologize in advance to the loyal fans of the Nats and the United.

5. Roy Hibbert: The Magnificent Roy may be young but he's already been on the minds of DC sports fans for a number of years. After rooting against him for four years in high school I've had to learn to love him the same way he had to learn to run when he came to Georgetown (apparently Prep forgot to teach him that). This is going to be the year of Georgetown basketball and Roy will be leading the charge.

4. Alexander Ovechkin: DC isn't a hockey town but the Capitals have maintained a loyal and dedicated fan base despite the NHL's declining popularity in the wake of the recent lockout. It can be argued that Alexander the Great is solely responsible for that anomaly. He's an enigmatic young star at the top of his game and he talks good American. Of course he might be higher on this list if his nicknames weren't so pedestrian.
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]]> Citys BestCitysBest Unsilent Majority unsilent-majority 2007-06-21T23:53:00 00:00 Jon Jansen, Redskin For Life http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/02/07/jon-jansen-redskin-for-life/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/02/07/jon-jansen-redskin-for-life/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/02/07/jon-jansen-redskin-for-life/#comments Unsilent Majorityby Unsilent Majority

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Jon Jansen isn't going anywhere anytime soon, and I couldn't be happier with the news. As part of the off-season long mission to fit under the salary cap Jansen's deal was restructured. He'll now see more money up front (in the form of a $10 million signing bonus) with two years being tacked on to the end of the contract.

The Redskins' leader in longevity has been a stalwart on the offensive line since he was drafted in 1999. You remember that, when we drafted good players that stuck around--weird. Well now the 31 year-old is locked up for five years with a total contract value adding up to $23 million. It's rare to say such a thing about a pro athlete, especially one wearing burgundy pants. Jansen's a warrior and he plays hurt even when the team is playing for nothing but pride.

Once again it's great to see the team getting all of this out of the way well in advance of the draft and the opening of free agency. They've got a lot of depth to add and a few holes to fill, the sooner their financials are in order the better prepared they'll be to overpay for whichever big name player doesn't get franchised. YAY!

No I'm actually quite optimistic, why do you ask?

.

 

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]]> Unsilent Majority unsilent-majority 2007-02-07T16:01:00 00:00 Clinton Portis Returns to Miami-Good Times Had By All http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/02/07/clinton-portis-returns-to-miami-good-times-had-by-all/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/02/07/clinton-portis-returns-to-miami-good-times-had-by-all/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/02/07/clinton-portis-returns-to-miami-good-times-had-by-all/#comments Unsilent Majorityby Unsilent Majority

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Lord of the Blogs aka Jamie Mottram fulfilled his greatest dream during Super Bowl week--and it had nothing to do with strippers! While covering all of the goings-on for Sports Bloggers Live Jamie had the opportunity to interview some of the big news-makers around the league, but nothing could match up to everybody's favorite Redskin. The man, the myth, the Clinton.

Below you can see some video Jamie shot over at the Madden Bowl competition. Apparently Clinton was a bit disappointed with his elimination and he's obviously not afraid to get vocal.

For more from Jamie, including his must-hear interview with the enigmatic back and pictures of the best dressed man in town check out Mr. Irrelevant. Oh and Clinton, nice choice on the Creative Recreations... truly a man after my own heart.

YouTube

 

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]]> Unsilent Majority unsilent-majority 2007-02-07T10:14:00 00:00 Should I Stay Or Should I Go: Now It's For Real http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/01/30/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go-now-its-for-real/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/01/30/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go-now-its-for-real/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/01/30/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go-now-its-for-real/#comments Unsilent Majorityby Unsilent Majority

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If you've been hanging around these parts during the off season you're probably familiar with this running series (if not click here, here, here, and especially here). Well it's become apparent that I'm not the only one out there thinking this way; the Redskins front office has begun their own evaluations.

In this morning's Washington Post the indispensable Jason La Canfora informed us that the Redskins are ready to to set the salary cap wheels in motion, their first task--James Thrash. OK, he's not the most interesting case study of the off-season but the team expects to shave a reported $380,000 off of the wide receiver/special teamer's 2007 cap number. Remember, this doesn't mean he took some kind of pay-cut, all they've done is move around some bonus money to create room under next year's salary cap. In exchange for his willingness to do almost nothing the franchise rewarded Thrash by tacking two more years onto the back end of his contract.

Obviously this is a positive move for the Skins. At times I've been a bit of a Thrash hater (actually I just hate the single wide formation they run with him... way to sell the illusion of the pass Mr. Saunders!) but it's become clear that he's a great leader and part of the ever-so-fragile "core" of the team. He's never going to standout for his leaping ability, speed, or size but he makes plays every damn week without fail.

It's the first of many steps the Skins brass (as well as the capologist they keep locked in the closet 10 months a year) will take towards fielding a competitive team next year. According to La Canfora you can expect to see several of Thrash's more noteworthy teammates restructure their contracts. So far the team has been in contact with the representatives for such players as Mark Brunell, Shawn Springs, and Jon Jansen. Stay tuned for more...

 

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]]> Unsilent Majority unsilent-majority 2007-01-30T15:25:00 00:00 The Redskins Ridin' Burgundy http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/01/27/the-redskins-ridin-burgundy/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/01/27/the-redskins-ridin-burgundy/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/01/27/the-redskins-ridin-burgundy/#comments Unsilent Majorityby Unsilent Majority

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I'm finally checking in from my vacation with a video worthy of my precious time. The guys at WPGC put together their remix to Chamillionaire's Ridin' Dirty, it's subsequently been set to images and uploaded onto YouTube. Enjoy the tribute and look for my draft prospect previews starting up this week.

 

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]]> Unsilent Majority unsilent-majority 2007-01-27T20:22:00 00:00 Should I Stay Or Should I Go: Derrick Dockery http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/01/18/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go-derrick-dockery/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/01/18/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go-derrick-dockery/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/01/18/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go-derrick-dockery/#comments Unsilent Majorityby Unsilent Majority

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If I go there will be trouble
And if I stay it will be double

Now that the "regular" season is over it's finally time to get down to business. If you're a true Redskins fan you know that our time to shine is nigh, it's the OFF-SEASON!

With that in mind Redskins Fanhouse will kick off the festivities by running down the team's unsigned free agents and potential cap-casualties (this could take a while). I'll try to offer up opinions on what I believe would be best for the organization and what I believe they'll really do.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is where the Redskins' off-season truly begins. Dockery is part of a dying breed, his talents have been developed in-house much like Ladell Betts. The way the franchise handles his contract negotiation will tell us how serious they are about reevaluating their philosophy regarding personnel.

2007 Salary Cap Number: Whatever the market will bear...

Importance to Team: With all due respect to Elvis Costello, nobody commits the false start quite like our own Double D. Regardless, young and physically dominating guards don't become available all that often. The team was fortunate to land Randy Thomas a couple of years back and they shouldn't be counting on another starter materializing in front of their faces. When the Redskins lack talent and continuity on the offensive line the team invariably struggles to find its way.

 

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]]> Unsilent Majority unsilent-majority 2007-01-18T17:00:00 00:00 Washington's Finest Still Alive In the Playoffs http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/01/13/washingtons-finest-still-alive-in-the-playoffs/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/01/13/washingtons-finest-still-alive-in-the-playoffs/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/01/13/washingtons-finest-still-alive-in-the-playoffs/#comments Unsilent Majorityby Unsilent Majority

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It really does suck when the Redskins aren't around to partake in the playoffs. Fortunately there are still reasons for local fans to watch this weekend, it's the DC Football Diaspora!

All over the league Washington's native sons are leading their own teams to glory. While I normally wouldn't enjoy watching teams like the Ravens and Colts there I have found a reason to remain riveted. Instead of rooting for teams that I hate I can cheer for the all the players I remember for their high school glory. Here's a sampling of the great local players still alive headed into the Divisional round of the playoffs.

Shawne Merriman San Diego- How can you not love a guy who's nickname was PEPCO? Changing it to "Lights Out" may have been better for the national audience but I'll always think of him when a begrudgingly pay my electric bill .

Jonathan Ogden Baltimore- Despite the fact that Ogden went to St. Albans (a hated rival) and now plays for Baltimore (just hated in general) I still love the guy. He's been a perennial Pro Bowler which is no surprise to anybody in the IAC.

Dhani Jones Philadelphia- The only NFL player to grace the set of the Colbert Report is also one of my favorite players (even though he's played for Philly and New York). The mercurial linebacker is also known for designing his own bow ties. Perhaps after the season is over he could come back to Churchill High in Potomac and figure out just what the hell is going on over there.

 

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]]> Unsilent Majority unsilent-majority 2007-01-13T18:07:00 00:00 Should I Stay or Should I Go: Adam Archuleta http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/01/10/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go-adam-archuleta/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/01/10/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go-adam-archuleta/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/01/10/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go-adam-archuleta/#comments Unsilent Majorityby Unsilent Majority

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If I go there will be trouble
And if I stay it will be double

Now that the "regular" season is over it's finally time to get down to business. If you're a true Redskins fan you know that our time to shine is nigh, it's the OFF-SEASON!

With that in mind Redskins Fanhouse will kick off the festivities by running down the team's unsigned free agents and potential cap-casualties (this could take a while). I'll try to offer up opinions on what I believe would be best for the organization and what I believe they'll really do.

Today our task is not quite as difficult as others. We are here to examine the fate of Adam Archuleta. When we're done he can go cry himself to sleep on Jennifer Walcott's substantial pillows.

2007 Salary Cap Number: $2,428,000

Importance to Team: SPECIAL (teams)! We all know the story on Mr. Arch by now; first he was given the biggest contract in the history of the safety position, then he was written off as the biggest mistake in the history of free agency. If he were gone tomorrow it would have little impact on the team itself.


 

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]]> Unsilent Majority unsilent-majority 2007-01-10T10:47:00 00:00 Schadenfreude: Because It's All We've Got http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/01/07/schadenfreude-because-its-all-weve-got/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/01/07/schadenfreude-because-its-all-weve-got/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/01/07/schadenfreude-because-its-all-weve-got/#comments Unsilent Majorityby Unsilent Majority

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Over the course of the past week I slowly began to prepare myself for the unbridled misery of the NFL playoffs opening weekend. Not only did Dallas have a chance for glory but either the Giants or the Eagles are headed into the next round. Just thinking about it was enough to make me boycott the NFC playoffs (especially when you consider the crap-tastic participants).

Then last night happened, and suddenly I'm giddy like Gilbert on stage with Diddy. Watching Dallas blow last night's game in Seattle was pretty much everything I could have hoped for (if only Bill Parcells had gotten run over like JoePa!). In fact, it was the single greatest moment in the playoffs since the Giants fumbled that field goal snap against San Francisco. Things were just starting to look pretty good in Dallas and last night's events might be just enough to destroy their foundation. Parcells is going to bail, Jones is going to hire somebody stupid, and the Romo/TO feud will reach it's fruition come next season.

Last night's game has even gotten me excited for this afternoon's deplorable divisional match-up. Even though I can hardly imagine myself watching without the aid of some financial interest I know have something to root for, the complete and utter humiliation of one franchise. So what exactly could happen today that would match yesterday's debacle? Let's take a look.

1. Eli Manning plays the way everyone on Earth expects him to, he throws more interceptions than completions and prompts Giant fans all over the tri-state area to burn his Fathead in effigy.

2. Philly plays an amazing offensive game under the guidance of Jeff Garcia. The eastern half of Pennsylvania falls in love with his magnificently shiny forehead and a quarterback controversy rages throughout the off-season. Donovan gets so pissed off that he manages to opt out of his contract. A.J. Feeley manages to win the starting job and Heather Mitts lands a job on the cheerleading squad.

Enjoy the misery!

 

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]]> Unsilent Majority unsilent-majority 2007-01-07T13:55:00 00:00 Art Monk Is a Hall of Famer; Just Watch the Video http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/01/04/art-monk-is-a-hall-of-famer-just-watch-the-video/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/01/04/art-monk-is-a-hall-of-famer-just-watch-the-video/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/01/04/art-monk-is-a-hall-of-famer-just-watch-the-video/#comments Unsilent Majorityby Unsilent Majority

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Thanks to our friend Skin Patrol from Hogs Haven I was able to view the greatest video ever assembled by man, beast, or machine. A website appropriately entitled Monk for the Hall has released 21 minutes of pure rebuttal to all those who choose to not vote Art Monk into the Hall of Fame.

While it features an incredible collection of video highlights chronicling his many records and milestones it's best feature is it's reasoned counter-argument. For ease of viewing it's available broken down into six glorious sections, but you should really watch the full opus. Even Dr. Z would have to back Monk's bid for Canton after a single viewing.

Perhaps my favorite part of the video is the praise Monk received from some of the most respected men in the league's history. First comes the gushing of Howard Cosell and John Madden, that's followed by countless endorsements from a wide spectrum of Monk's peers.

Of course all Redskins fans should feel compelled to watch the video but I urge others to watch it as well. It does a perfect job of presenting one of the greatest careers in NFL history. When they vote him in I'll be there to enjoy the enshrinement, that's about the only way you'll get me inside of Ohio.

Monk4theHall

 

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]]> Unsilent Majority unsilent-majority 2007-01-04T23:14:00 00:00 Should I Stay or Should I Go: Mark Brunell http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/01/03/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go-mark-brunell/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/01/03/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go-mark-brunell/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/01/03/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go-mark-brunell/#comments Unsilent Majorityby Unsilent Majority

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If I go there will be trouble
And if I stay it will be double

Now that the "regular" season is over it's finally time to get down to business. If you're a true Redskins fan you know that our time to shine is nigh, it's the OFF-SEASON!

With that in mind Redskins Fanhouse will kick off the festivities by running down the team's unsigned free agents and potential cap-casualties (this could take a while). I'll try to offer up opinions on what I believe would be best for the organization and what I believe they'll really do.

Today's victim is Mark Brunell who's earnings, talent, and reverence towards Coach Gibbs should make for an interesting situation

2007 Salary Cap Number: $6,715,000 ($4,629,000 dead cap penalty if cut before June 1st)

 

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]]> Unsilent Majority unsilent-majority 2007-01-03T16:01:00 00:00 Should I Stay or Should I Go: Shawn Springs http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/01/02/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go-shawn-springs/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/01/02/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go-shawn-springs/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/01/02/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go-shawn-springs/#comments Unsilent Majorityby Unsilent Majority

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If I go there will be trouble
Now that the "regular" season is over it's finally time to get down to business. If you're a true Redskins fan you know that our time to shine is nigh, it's the OFF-SEASON!

With that in mind Redskins Fanhouse will kick off the festivities by running down the team's unsigned free agents and potential cap-casualties (this could take a while). I'll try to offer up opinions on what I believe would be best for the organization and what I believe they'll really do (I smell an extension of you Mr. Brunell!).

Today the spotlight belongs to Shawn Springs. I'm starting with the veteran corner because the way the Redskins handle his situation will go a long way towards determining the team's near future.

2007 Salary Cap Number: $7,358,000


 

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]]> Unsilent Majority unsilent-majority 2007-01-02T21:48:00 00:00 Redskins Insider Delivers the Goods http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/01/01/redskins-insider-delivers-the-goods/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/01/01/redskins-insider-delivers-the-goods/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2007/01/01/redskins-insider-delivers-the-goods/#comments Unsilent Majorityby Unsilent Majority

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This morning's edition of the Washington Post is noteworthy for one reason (and no, it's not the List), so go grab your copy from underneath the unconscious party guest on the front steps. Jason LaCanfora, the paper's Redskins Insider, unveiled the first of a three-part examination on the failures in Washington. It's basically the most devastating piece of journalism to come out of the Post since Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman busted that President (but that was all make-believe).

Although I'm honored to have you reading Redskins Fanhouse you'd be best served by taking a look at the manifesto for yourselves. I'll just recap the highlights for now but the best parts come from the candor of LaCanfora's sources.
  • Joe Gibbs seems incapable of evaluating talent in what LaCanfora calls his dual role. As expected both coordinators had a great deal of input in the process of selecting players, that just never seems to end well.
  • Brandon Lloyd isn't really buddy-buddy with the coaches or teammates. Based on some of the comments made about the receiver by unnamed sources I can understand why he isn't hanging out with Clinton Portis or Carlos Rogers at Wizards games.
  • We already knew that TJ Duckett was a mistake and the abandoning of draft picks has been disastrous. Well now you get to know what other football people think of the Redskins management! Not many glowing endorsements here.
  • For now it doesn't look like anything of significance is going to change.
When you wake up tomorrow be sure to check out Part 2 entitled Adjusting to Al Saunders. I'm sure it will be even more depressing than trudging back to work.'

The Lost Season: Gibbs Juggles Dual Roles

 

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]]> Unsilent Majority unsilent-majority 2007-01-01T19:21:00 00:00 Washington's Week 17 Learning Experience http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2006/12/31/washingtons-week-17-learning-experience/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2006/12/31/washingtons-week-17-learning-experience/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2006/12/31/washingtons-week-17-learning-experience/#comments Unsilent Majorityby Unsilent Majority

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The Redskins failed to end the season with a victory, of course all that means is we're going to be subjected to the Eli Manning Playoff Experience (buckle up). The good news is we got to see a free show from Jason Campbell ... just look at those jazz hands!!!

Even thought the game was essentially meaningless I always enjoy watching Campbell take the field, in fact, I think I'm developing another man-crush (please Gil, don't be jealous). Once the Giants decided to drop back into a generous zone defense offensive coordinator Al Saunders did a much better job calling the shots. He recognized what the defense was willing to give up and he then allowed Campbell to spread the ball all over the place to exploit the coverage.

Once the Skins offense thoroughly shredded the Giants defense (the way they should have in the second quarter) they reverted back to their base coverages. That's when Campbell showed how special he can truly become. Just a handful of starts into his NFL career and he's throwing darts all over the field and picking up first downs with some perfect scrambles. Let's just say I have extremely high hopes for the future (much more on this throughout the off-season).

Just because the "season" is over doesn't mean Redskins Fanhouse will be going anywhere. And why would we? The off-season is when all the magic happens in this town. Be prepared for an intensive look back at the season that was coming up soon. Then we'll have all the time in the world to look at the Redskins salary cap concerns, free agency, and the draft. At least last night's loss ensures us a great spot in the first round ... of course they'll probably trade it for another short yardage back.

 

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]]> Unsilent Majority unsilent-majority 2006-12-31T18:30:00 00:00 Redskins and Giants at the Half http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2006/12/30/redskins-and-giants-at-the-half/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2006/12/30/redskins-and-giants-at-the-half/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2006/12/30/redskins-and-giants-at-the-half/#comments Unsilent Majorityby Unsilent Majority

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I need to be quick with this because I want it to be timely (actually Agent Zero and Les Boullez are doin' their thing on channel 214). With that in mind here are my edited* thoughts on the first half featuring the almighty bullet points. *You don't even want to know the $#!+ I'm thinking right now.
  • A lot of people probably want to know exactly what the hell is wrong with the Redskins run defense. Well his name is Lemar Marshall and he also happens to be the team's leading tackler. Even though he's accumulated enough tackles to not appear to be a total joke it cannot hide the truth for long. Judging by the angles he took on the countless Tiki Barber saunters I have to assume that he failed geometry. I've never seen a linebacker so utterly lost in run defense ... are you telling me Adam Archuleta couldn't do his job?
  • Chris Collinsworth is an overbearing prick (nice black turtleneck you jackass, way to make Bryant look like the man of the booth). Yeah, Tiki's retiring early and you just can't seem to wrap your head around the notion. Perhaps the only reason it bothers CC so much is because he knows Tiki could take away any of his jobs with relative ease.
  • I do not care for Brandon Short. He did make the fine play pictured above (speaking of which, who still wants to trade Clinton?) but that was just the beginning. The hit he took on Jason Campbell was dirty even if a flag wasn't thrown. Granted the league's policy on protecting the quarterback has begun to border on ridiculous, but you just can't go head to head with a sliding quarterback (especially when your two teammates backed off to allow the slide).

 

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]]> Unsilent Majority unsilent-majority 2006-12-30T21:19:00 00:00 Upset Minded Redskins Host the Reeling Giants http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2006/12/30/upset-minded-redskins-host-the-reeling-giants/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2006/12/30/upset-minded-redskins-host-the-reeling-giants/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2006/12/30/upset-minded-redskins-host-the-reeling-giants/#comments Unsilent Majorityby Unsilent Majority

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Once again the Redskins will command the attention of a national audience, let's just hope they make the most of it to avoid further embarrassment. Sitting at 5-10 they're now playing for next year while the rival Giants can still make the playoffs with a win (despite their eight losses).

While the Redskins have shown marked improvement on the offensive side of the ball they've still lacked any sort of killer instinct to put the opponent away for good. Even though Eli Manning should command all the respect of a young Scott Mitchell he can still lead a comeback. The big key tonight will be for the Redskins defense to stifle New York's running attack.

Tiki Barber has a storied history of running over, around, and past burgundy-clad defenders; if he does still give a damn about football he can propel his team into the playoffs. Fortunately the Giants' potent (yet obnoxious) offensive threats seem to be falling apart all over the place.

Eli looks like a frustrated high school sophomore and Plaxico looks like the angry wide receiver that's going to beat the crap out of said sophomore. Then there's Tiki who's got one foot in the locker room and one foot in the press box. Perpetual schmuck Jeremy Shockey won't even factor into tonight's result, he's too hurt to play in what could be his team's final game.

I'm never one to make predictions but there's no reason to think the Redskins shouldn't win tonight. In fact, it might even require a small investment ... enjoy the finale.

 

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]]> Unsilent Majority unsilent-majority 2006-12-30T19:04:00 00:00 Archuleta Speaks, Gregg Williams Remains Silent http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2006/12/28/archuleta-speaks-gregg-williams-remains-silent/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2006/12/28/archuleta-speaks-gregg-williams-remains-silent/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2006/12/28/archuleta-speaks-gregg-williams-remains-silent/#comments Unsilent Majorityby Unsilent Majority

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Adam Archuleta does not like to be lied to; now he knows how I felt after Gregg Williams told us he could cover an NFL receiver.

Arch chose this of all days to finally speak his mind about the disaster that has become his season (although this is the kind of disaster that adds eight digits to his W-2) despite the fact that the nightmare will be over in ten days. While this story won't carry the same cache as the Deepthreat-gate his words speak volumes about the ineptitude in high places down in Ashburn.
"I'm a grown man. I don't like getting lied to," Archuleta said. "All people want is for people to be straight up with them. I don't mind bad news. I don't mind negativity. I don't mind if somebody says to my face what my flaws are and what I'm doing wrong and what kind of person they think I am.

I welcome those kind of things because an honest assessment is all anybody wants in this business. I don't need someone to sit here and tell me how great I am: 'I'm doing good, just keep working hard.' I don't need that. I need real stuff. That's the only way I can make an evaluation as to who I am as a player."
So we've learned two things this season; Arch is a crappy defensive back and Gregg Williams has his head up his ass.

 

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]]> Unsilent Majority unsilent-majority 2006-12-28T18:50:00 00:00 Washington's Defense: A Tale of Two Safeties http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2006/12/26/washingtons-defense-a-tale-of-two-safeties/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2006/12/26/washingtons-defense-a-tale-of-two-safeties/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2006/12/26/washingtons-defense-a-tale-of-two-safeties/#comments Unsilent Majorityby Unsilent Majority

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Sean Taylor is supposed to be Washington's most feared player, so what the hell was going on in St. Louis? Frankly his performance was depressing, especially when you consider the outstanding effort put forth by Vernon Fox, a guy they signed off the street halfway through the season. Their performances on Sunday go a long way towards telling the story of this doomed season.

For me the saddest moment of the game was not the Ladell Betts fumble that probably cost them the game, it was Steven Jackson's 64 yard touchdown reception. Fortunately nobody has uploaded video of that fiasco onto the internet as of yet. That play should have been nothing more than a substantial gain and it should have ended with a Sean Taylor tackle. Instead of taking a direct route Sean did something unthinkable to anyone who enjoys his reckless abandon, he back-peddled. It was the first time I've ever seen Taylor react to a play with trepidation and it resulted in Jackson walking into the end zone for the last twenty yards. Absolutely sickening.

Instead of Taylor it was Vernon Fox making all the plays. Not only did he block Matt Turk's punt but he also led the team with an astounding 16 tackles (primarily because nobody else showed the gumption to step in earlier in the play). Fox made countless plays on special teams in addition to his play on defense and two months ago nobody knew who he was. I know I'm not the only person that finds this sad. With Shawn Springs out of the game the roll of the safeties became even more important, unfortunately only one of them seemed up to the challenge. Sean is still the Redskins most dynamic defensive threat but next year something needs to change.


 

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]]> Unsilent Majority unsilent-majority 2006-12-26T17:08:00 00:00 The Way We Were: Celebrating the Redskins' Past http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2006/12/26/the-way-we-were-celebrating-the-redskins-past/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2006/12/26/the-way-we-were-celebrating-the-redskins-past/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2006/12/26/the-way-we-were-celebrating-the-redskins-past/#comments Unsilent Majorityby Unsilent Majority

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So the Redskins completely blew another one on Sunday and I still can't force myself to spew the righteous indignation the situation probably deserves. The fact is that this season was over long ago and I'm content to watch the future unfold before my eyes. Of course when that's over I still have a jones for true greatness, that's when I take a fond look towards the past

The following is one such example, Darrell Green running the 40 (year-old) dash. For years Darrell was my favorite athlete of all time, he was exciting, he was great, and he was a Washingtonian (Gilbert Arenas picked up that torch last year).



Admit it ... that was sexy. Allow me to be the first to ask Mr. Green to come back for one more game. Are you telling me he couldn't stick with Plaxico? Are you telling me that he's not better than Ade Jimoh? Please Darrell, we need you in our lives.

Now enjoy this well conceived highlight reel from 1987's triumphant season, it sure beats watching SportsCenter's "highlights" of Sunday's game.

 

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]]> Unsilent Majority unsilent-majority 2006-12-26T14:00:00 00:00 Redskins Fall to the Rams in a Shootout http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2006/12/25/redskins-fall-to-the-rams-in-a-shootout/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2006/12/25/redskins-fall-to-the-rams-in-a-shootout/ http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2006/12/25/redskins-fall-to-the-rams-in-a-shootout/#comments Unsilent Majorityby Unsilent Majority

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Boy, that escalated quickly ... I mean, that really got out of hand fast.

In front of hundreds of their fans the St. Louis Rams offense rolled through the injury depleted Washington defense for a Christmas Eve victory. Of course all the folks that decided to stay home yesterday were out of luck; because of the game's paltry attendance it was blacked out on local television.

The Redskins may not have given us fans a holiday win, but they sure didn't fail to entertain (for the time being I've chosen to focus the positive aspects of yesterday's game while saving the negatives for a less festive occasion). Even though the team lost the overtime heart breaker there were still plenty of moments of joy. Yesterday was probably the best performance we've seen all year for the special teams as well as the offense (version 2.0).

Did we really even need this win to make us happy? Come on, it's not like a one game shift in the standings was going to make a damn bit of difference (unless you're talking about April's draft order). Watching the Redskins block a Matt Turk punt was almost as great as watching them make Eli Manning cry for his mommy (wait, that's not 'til next week). Sure it might seem like a relatively trivial moment in a disappointing season, but I really (really) hate Matt Turk (I still blame the playoff loss to Tampa Bay on that piece of crap ... it seems nicer to blame it on Matt than his deceased brother).

I know everybody is already overreacting to the loss because once again our fragile defense was exposed for it's greatest deficiency, it's utter lack of depth. After Shawn Springs went down in the game's first series it became obvious that the Rams were going to attack Kenny Wright and Ade Jimoh. Anytime a competent offensive coach sees his talented receivers matched up against an inferior opponent they are bound to attack ... except of course for Al Saunders, who apparently hates wide receivers.

I'll be back throughout the week to examine the play of several key Redskins, including Sean Taylor, who was just plain bad.

 

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]]> Unsilent Majority unsilent-majority 2006-12-25T13:28:00 00:00