Two Words of Hope.....

[TCIYM]

Realize that I am a fan of a particular team, not the league as a whole or the sport in general. My preference is the best interests of the Redskins, as I see them, not the NFL, any other team, the NFLPA, or the sport of football.

I realize, as are almost all who enter thehogs.net ... I also realize that fixing the game, loading the dice, cheating the game, instant gratification isn't the ultimate, or even the penultimate goal of the Washington Redskins. One or two good seasons is not the goal. Long-term success does not come from free agency alone, ever, under any league alignment. While I freely admit I place little faith in a head coach who allows his ego to override professionalism and who changes players like NASCAR crews change tires, those who fail to remember the history of trading away draft picks are doomed to repeat it. Drafting and development are no longer optional. Even if a team spends astronomically asinine sums of money on free agency it still cannot fill every need without the draft.

Most of what I have read here and elsewhere says Redskins fans are willing to be patient to a point and to a degree to allow this administration to build a legitimate annual contender, not a flash in the pan, feast or famine franchise. I fail to see how contraction on behalf of the Redskins interests alone is a more expeditious means to those ends.

[Redskins_Fanatic]

So, do you simply follow the Redskins or are you a fan? I follow a lot of teams; Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Detriot, St. Louis. I am a fan of only one team; The Washington Redskins.

They really are two distinctly different things. I may stop following St Lious, but I'll never stop being a fan of the Washington Redskins.

It depends on the day, Vet. I believe that true fandom is a two way street. If ey and company want people in the seats cheering... Give them something to cheer about. Give people a reason to root for you besides the color of your jersey.

I will probably always follow the Redskins fanatically. I will not, however, sit by and blindly approve of everything they do and cheer for them regardless of the circumstances. There have been a number of players in recent Redskins history who I've refused to root for (David Patten being one of them). When they give me a reason to be a fan I am. When they don't I will simply follow them fanatically.

[Deadskins]

Imagine for a moment a Washington Redskins offense quarterbacked by Tony Romo

I just threw up a little bit in my mouth.

That whole article is bunk, simply because you can always go back to any draft and say "we should have taken player X." Tom Brady was a sixth round pick. Who wouldn't go back and use their first rounder on him today?

[Deadskins]

Remember that I'm a believer in principles over results.

If that were true, you wouldn't have come back after your "I'm done" rant.

You need to update your location, as you still seem to be on this side of "goodbye."

Just curious, did you ever send your letters? If so, have you sent follow-ups informing them that you are giving them another chance? That would be the principled thing to do.

[Redskins_Fanatic]

You need to update your location, as you still seem to be on this side of "goodbye."

not by much but you are right.

Just curious, did you ever send your letters? If so, have you sent follow-ups informing them that you are giving them another chance? That would be the principled thing to do.

They never got mailed due to scheduling conflicts getting to the Worcester main branch post office. They needed to be mailed from there to get proper tracking numbers and the signature confirmation.

[GeorgiaSkin]

While I will admit he is a good player, I would rather have someone else at QB...

[KazooSkinsFan]

You need to update your location, as you still seem to be on this side of "goodbye."

not by much but you are right

Pretty square on this side, I doubt you ever seriously consider actually leaving Podster

[langleyparkjoe]

That's an issue for me because I hate draft picks and rookies in general for the most part. I'd rather trade away the picks for proven talent. I never pay attention to more than the first round of the draft.

Translation: I have enjoyed sucking for the last 10+ years and want to continue to suck. I enjoy having an aging overpaid team with no depth and also enjoy contradicting myself by simultaneously saying we should strive for excellence.

Again, I'm a bigger believer in building through FA unless you've got a high first round pick. I just don't believe you can tell enough about how college guys will do in the NFL to make the game of Russian Roulette called the draft be worthwhile except at the top of the first round.

Translation: The Patriots, Steelers, and Eagles are simply lucky since they trade away or simply release aging FAs, draft 10+ players a year, stay young, coach them, and are good year after year.



For those inerested in the truly ridiculous nature of this concept (5-minute read):

Imagine for a moment a Washington Redskins offense quarterbacked by Tony Romo, who hands off to LeSean McCoy and throws to Brandon Marshall and Wes Welker. The Redskins center is Dan Koppen with Michael Roos and Jermon Bushrod the bookend tackles. On defense, Trent Cole and Jared Allen zero in on the opposing quarterback from their defensive end spots with linebacker Manny Lawson coming off the edge on blitzes. Cornerback Asante Samuel and safeties Bob Sanders and Troy Polumalu patrol the secondary.

Maaaaaaaaaaaaan, that squad is better than VIAGRA!!!!!

[SkinsJock]

... even the most talented team cannot succeed if the coaches do not play to the strengths of the team. Coaching has to evolve and change too. They need to have a vision and take the team where it needs to go.

I am not sure Haslett will stay with us but if he does, he only gets another season to make a good difference.

I think this also applies to the other coaches and specifically Danny Smith and Kyle Shanahan

I hear that there are a number of good free agents coming on the market soon and we don't have a lot of draft picks in this draft albeit we do have some - this franchise needs to get a lot younger and we have a lot of positions to address - if we are able to add some good players and get younger this off-season and this franchise is not competing for the playoffs, then guys like Haslett, Kyle and D Smith better be worried

I really thought that we could get to 8-8 or 9-7 - I think that 10-6 or 11-5 should be a realistic goal for next season

[Irn-Bru]

For those inerested in the truly ridiculous nature of this concept (5-minute read):

Imagine for a moment a Washington Redskins offense quarterbacked by Tony Romo, who hands off to LeSean McCoy and throws to Brandon Marshall and Wes Welker. The Redskins center is Dan Koppen with Michael Roos and Jermon Bushrod the bookend tackles. On defense, Trent Cole and Jared Allen zero in on the opposing quarterback from their defensive end spots with linebacker Manny Lawson coming off the edge on blitzes. Cornerback Asante Samuel and safeties Bob Sanders and Troy Polumalu patrol the secondary.

I'm a fan of building through the draft, but that article is inane. It's the equivalent of telling someone that they should invest in the stock market, because "imagine for a moment that you had invested in McDonalds in the 60s, Nike in the 70s, Microsoft in the 80s, Starbucks in the early 90s, Apple in the late 90s . . ."

Uh, OK. Imagine I had a crystal ball that told me everything I needed to know about the future before it happened. Yeah, that would be sweet. Wait, what were we talking about again?

[Deadskins]

For those inerested in the truly ridiculous nature of this concept (5-minute read):

Imagine for a moment a Washington Redskins offense quarterbacked by Tony Romo, who hands off to LeSean McCoy and throws to Brandon Marshall and Wes Welker. The Redskins center is Dan Koppen with Michael Roos and Jermon Bushrod the bookend tackles. On defense, Trent Cole and Jared Allen zero in on the opposing quarterback from their defensive end spots with linebacker Manny Lawson coming off the edge on blitzes. Cornerback Asante Samuel and safeties Bob Sanders and Troy Polumalu patrol the secondary.

I'm a fan of building through the draft, but that article is inane. It's the equivalent of telling someone that they should invest in the stock market, because "imagine for a moment that you had invested in McDonalds in the 60s, Nike in the 70s, Microsoft in the 80s, Starbucks in the early 90s, Apple in the late 90s . . ."

Uh, OK. Imagine I had a crystal ball that told me everything I needed to know about the future before it happened. Yeah, that would be sweet. Wait, what were we talking about again?

That was my point, too. You can look back at any draft and say, wow, we should have drafted (insert name of star player here).

[Redskins_Fanatic]

Well folks, with the benching of Donovan McEagle, and the comments I was reading from Shanahan over at Redskins.com, these two words ring even louder in my ears.

We go 5-11, pick somewhere around #8 and so long as Luck and Newton both declare for the draft Cam should fall right into our lap.

[Smithian]

Mallett has injury issues and that's something which totally turns me off to a player in the draft. We won't get Luck and I'm not sure I could really find much positive in the selection of Mallett.

Really? I'm interested in learning about this. I know think year he got a concussion and was back the next week. Or maybe you're talking about the offseason ankle injury which caused him to miss no game or summer practice time? But that hasn't affected his play at all this year. I don't know what your talking about. Do teach me though.

Anyways, as far as Cam Newton? NO!!!

Guys and gals, you don't play with fire when it comes to QBs high in the draft. Cam Newton is currently in a shotgun only, Hurry Up No Huddle offense under Gus Malzahn. That is radically than anything he'll do in the pros. They're even a vastyly run first offense. Does anyone else think this sounds like anyone in particule? Yes, Alex Smith. The #1 overall pick of the 49ers a few years ago. He even came from the Urban Meyer offense which is where Cam Newton started at.

The only other real spread QB you can point at past few years is Sam Braford but even then he started out at OU in a more conventional, pro style offense. Vince Young was the same way, he showed up at UT-Austin behind Chance Mock when they were a pro style offense.

Cam Newton has played only under Urban Meyer, a JUCO coach, and Gus Malzahn. Nothing conventional about that upbringing.

Cam Newton would not be a baaaad pick. But taking him over Mallett or another safe pick would be risky.

[Redskins_Fanatic]

[]Really? I'm interested in learning about this. I know think year he got a concussion and was back the next week. Or maybe you're talking about the offseason ankle injury which caused him to miss no game or summer practice time? But that hasn't affected his play at all this year. I don't know what your talking about. Do teach me though.

I don't follow college ball that much, but several of the draft resources I've seen list him as having injury concerns. I would suppose that they're more concerned with the ankle than the concussion. I am NEVER in favor of taking a player with injury issues.

I like Newton's physical skills more than anything. I understand he's a project, but I don't know if Mallet would be able to come in and start immediately either.

We are going to probably have an interesting offseason.