We have put together a collection of Hogs articles. All of these links used to point to offsite links. Over the years, many of the links ended up broken.
We have put these articles in the blog, so that they will always be available. Each link shows where and when it was published, and who the original author was.
Hogs Articles – Originals
Some Redskins ‘Hogging’ the Victories
Originally published in The Washington Post, Saturday Final Edition. Posted on November 27th, 1982 By Paul Attner
Joe Bugel, the Washington Redskins’ offensive line coach, looked at center Jeff Bostic and guard Russ Grimm one day last season and decided they were built like hogs.
The Redskins’ Offensive Linemen: Roll Out the Pork Barrel
Originally published in The Washington Post, Sunday Final Edition. Posted on December 12th, 1982 By David Kindred
That’s because the Redskins’ offensive linemen have named themselves the “Hogs.” They have printed T-shirts with drawings of angry hogs on the chest. These shirts are awarded to Redskins who prove themselves macho porkers able to block superbly. When the Redskins built the longest winning streak in the NFL, the Hogs became famous because, as John Madden once said in praise of offensive linemen, “The route to easy street goes through the sewer.”
Sports of The Times; Hoggish on the Redskins
Originally published in The New York Times, Saturday, Late City Final Edition. Posted on January 23rd, 1983 By George Vecsey
There was nothing beautiful about Riggins and the other Hogs -nine offensive linemen who make the Redskins go. But even with seven and eight Cowboys bunching up in the middle, Riggins was able to dive and slash and push and crawl his way to 140 yards, behind the broad backs of the Hogs.
For the Offensive Line, A Casual Nickname Sows a Hog Happening
Originally published in The Washington Post, Super Bowl Edition. Posted on January 30th, 1983 By Paul Attner
“They are short guys with big bellies,” Bugel said. “I started to say to the whole line at practice, ‘Okay you Hogs, let’s go down in the bullpen and hit those sleds.’ Some guys might have resented it but these guys loved it.”
SOOOOEEEEY; A Hog: What Every Offensive Player Wants to be when He Grows Up
Originally published in The Washington Post, Sunday Final Edition. Posted on August 21st, 1983 By John Ed Bradley
Praise for the Hogs extend far beyond the boundaries of the game. On April 19, when Columbia University alumni congregated at the Four Seasons Hotel and presented the John Jay Award for distinguished professional achievement to four celebrated honorees, George Starke (BA, ’71) brought the house of black ties and evening gowns to its feet. He set aside the speech he’d spent four days researching and writing, gazed absently into the vast sea of faces and said without pretention, “Ladies and gentlemen. I am Head Hog.”
On the Redskins’ Offensive Line, It’s Still a Hog’s Life
Originally published in The Washington Post, Sunday Final Edition. Posted on October 30th, 1983 By Gary Pomerantz
Perhaps the most telling stat about the Redskins offensive line is this: among the five down linemen, none has missed a game due to injury in two years.
Sports of the Times; Hogs in Three-Piece Suits
Originally published in The New York Times, Thursday Late City Final Edition. Posted on January 19th, 1984 By Dave Anderson
But as Super Bowl XVIII approaches, the Hogs have joined Miss Piggy and the Three Little Pigs as the most storied swine in history. These are prize Hogs on the cleat instead of the hoof – the five offensive linemen, two tight ends and the fullback John Riggins – who will be helping the Washington Redskins defend their National Football League championship Sunday against the Los Angeles Raiders.
The Hogs: Not as Famous, but Still Proud
Originally published in The Washington Post, Super Bowl XXII Edition. Posted on January 31st, 1988 By Tom Friend
Bugel’s method of separating the Hogs from the men is putting them through what he calls “a pain and torture program.” In other words, training camp.
Hogs Articles – V2.0
Tough to Root Out a Hog; Redskins’ Beefy Boars Prove a Long-Lived Species
Originally published in The Washington Post, Super Bowl XXII Edition. Posted on January 4th, 1991 By Ken Denlinger
Hats and tee-shirts are a motivational tool within the Redskins. One of the shirts rewards a “KO block” and is given only when a lineman flattens an opponent and also causes his head to snap back on the ground.
HOG HEAVEN; Offensive line brings home the bacon for Redskins
Originally published in Metro Edition. Posted on January 20th, 1992 By Jim Souhan
Eleven years later, Bostic still starts at center. Jacoby still starts, although he has proven you can teach old Hogs new tricks by switching from left tackle to right tackle to wherever else they need him. He has played mostly at right tackle this season.
Former backup Raleigh McKenzie has taken over at left guard. Two relative newcomers – All-Pro left tackle Jim Lachey and first-time Pro Bowl guard Mark Schlereth – have made an already formidable group one of the most heralded units in pro football, along with the 49ers’ receivers and the Eagles’ defensive line.
Introducing the Most Powerful Group in Washington
Originally published in The New York Times, Tuesday Late Edition. Posted on January 21st, 1992 By Thomas George
The starters are Lachey at left tackle, McKenzie at left guard, Bostic at center, Mark Schlereth at right guard and Jacoby at right tackle. Adickes, Grimm and Ed Simmons are reserves.
Tight end Don Warren, when not lined up in the backfield as an H-Back, gives the group more beef up front. And when the Redskins go with their Heavy package, adding either tight ends Ron Middleton or Terry Orr, the Hogs become Whales.
Rooting for Redskins: An Honor Among Hogs
Originally published in The Columbus Dispatch (Ohio). Posted on January 22nd, 1992 By Dick Fenlon
As a token of his esteem, quarterback Mark Rypien presented each of the Hogs a watch. However, none was noticed to be wearing his yesterday.
”Hogs don’t wear jewelry – ever,” Bostic snorted.
Originally published in The Boston Globe, Friday City Edition. Posted on January 24th, 1992 By Joe Burris
A decade later, the Hogs are still the most celebrated and, without a doubt, the most quoted offensive line in NFL history. And they are still going strong; Starke and May are gone, but Jacoby, Bostic and Grimm remain, and the Redskins have added fine talents like All-Pro Jim Lachey, Raleigh McKenzie and Mark Schlereth, who has supplanted Grimm as a starter. Together they allowed quarterback Mark Rypien to be sacked just seven times this year, tying an NFL record set by Miami in 1988.
The Hogs: Redskins Offensive Line Has Grip on Nation’s Capital
Originally published in The Seattle Times, Saturday City Edition. Posted on January 25th, 1992 By Steve Kelley
Everything in the Washington Redskins’ offense starts with The Hogs. They give quarterback Mark Rypien the time to throw those remarkable deep routes to his fleet receivers. The Hogs open the cracks that Ricky Ervins darts through and they push forward for Earnest Byner’s punishing short bursts.
Originally published in The Chicago Sun-Times, Sunday, First Edition. Posted on January 2nd, 1994
In their heyday — 1982 through 1991 — the Hogs inspired T-shirts, pennants, snouts, an entire line of clothing. For a while, there was even Hog beer.
“The thing just exploded,” recalled Grimm, the left guard in the original 1982 quintet and now a tight ends coach for the Redskins.
“It got so big that you could ask a person in Alaska, who are the Hogs? And the answer would come back, Washington’s offensive line.
“It was just like we were professional wrestlers. We took a lot of pride in it.”
Need more to read? Visit the History of The Hogs section.