The-Hogs.net - Washington Football Discussion, Redskins to Commanders Era

chaddukes wrote:I just posted a question to him. It was this...."It seems to me that you don't really know much about this team. Why doesn't the Post have someone else doing this job?"

Chad

Schlabach duties at The Washington Post include covering local college sports and boxing. He spent the past 10 years as a staff writer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, covering University of Georgia football and basketball, as well as other college sports. He spent two years as the newspaper's NFL beat writer, covering Super Bowl XXXIV in the Georgia Dome.

Atlanta, GA: You say the O-line is a problem when it is clearly one of the best in the NFL, and question whether or not Gibbs' system can work in today's NFL when several current clubs use that same system. Why should we take anything you say seriously?

Mark Schlabach: i didn't say the offensive line was a problem. i said i thought the jury was still out on it. chris samuels would be the first one to tell you that he played poorly last season. they blame everything on spurrier.

Washington, D.C.: What's going on with Iffy Ohalete? He seemed prepared to battle it out with Matt Bowen for the starting spot. Now it seems that Andre Lott has supplanted him. Is Lott playing well enough to make the coaches notice him more or has Ohalete fallen out of favor?

Mark Schlabach: if i'm not mistaken, lott is playing free safety, along with sean taylor. bowen and iffy are playing strong safety. unless things have changed since monday.

Jake - Maryland: Seeing my boy Chris Samuels go above and beyond sanity to improve himself was great for me to see. He has been running post-practice sprints and got himself under 300 pounds for the first time in years. He's definitely a changed player and maybe even a changed person.

What has impressed you the most about Chris in camp?

Thanks for answering!

Mark Schlabach: i think his admission that he stunk up the place last season. a player can't get better until he admits he stunk. chris worked hard in the offseason and i'm sure he feels like he's got a lot to prove this year.

Atlanta, GA: I think you give the Cowboys too much credit, Mark. They had a weak schedule last season and got some lucky breaks (the Giants and Eagles kickoffs come to mind). Do you really see them getting back to the playoffs this year?

Mark Schlabach: i said parcells wouldn't win the super bowl with quincy carter at quarterback. that team overachieved last season and, you're right, did play a weak schedule. and eddie george isn't a great improvement at running back ,not at his age.

DC: With Trotter "happy to be back with the eagles", do you see him becoming the next ex skin to beat up on us twice a year then help his team make it to the superbowl?

To be fair, he was hampered by a line with no pass rushers and a torn anterior cruciate ligament injury that he says he only now is fully recovered from.

Mark Schlabach: and still led the team in tackles last season. at least you don't have to play champ in the regular season.

Atlanta, Ga: How are the receivers adjusting their routes to the lefty vs. righty feel they are getting from Brunell and Ramsey. Is it that big of a deal, or do they run the exact same routes, no matter who is in there? Also, who is going to emerge as the third receiver? Thrash or McCants? I personally like McCants inside the redzone. But I do know that Thrash is a gamer, despite the reputation he got while in Philly.

Mark Schlabach: i think the righty vs. lefty thing is a little overrated. it's more of a concern for the offensive line than the receivers. mccants probably has an edge because of his size. nice target in red zone. thrash is a tough, tough guy though. he'll go across the middle and isn't afraid to get hit.

JSPB22 wrote:He did a better job today than yesterday, but he still seemed to know only generalizations about the team, that anyone outside the DC area could have given us. The Boss' reports are much more informative.

DieselFan wrote:Jake got one in too...about Chris Samuels, of course. I asked him a question...well, really, I was just trying to get a plug in for thehogs.net. But, for the second day in a row, he ignored me. The question was something like: "Rumor on the premier 'Skins fan site, thehogs.net, says that you are only an authority on the SEC. Prove to me that their wrong....what say you?"

I guess the Bill O'Reilly "what say you?" line doesn't go over well...but I think it's a crack up.

Jake wrote:Sweet! I didn't even see mine get in. After reading his answer and his analysis I couldn't help but think "what horrible grammar and verbage that guy has!" I aleady knew about Chris admitting to his faults but that was a good step, whether it was completely his fault or not.

And he said "stunk" like 50 times! Ok, it was twice but what "pro" journalist uses "stunk" that many times?

Mark Schlabach: i think both lines are still somewhat questionable. the offensive line can blame the blocking scheme all they want, but they've still got to put a body on somebody. samuels was a revolving door last season.