October 2009 Archives

There was word around town prior to the Redskins loss to the Kansas City Chiefs was that there was a fan blackout. Fan's were supposed to come to the game in black to show their distaste in the things that are the current Washington Redskins, specifically the way the team is managed. What is not a surprise is that the team is fighting back against the fans. And not in a good way.

In the aftermath of Monday Night Football loss to the Eagles, stories are coming out about how Dan Snyder is handling things with the fans. Banners are no longer welcome at Fedex Field. T-shirts are being turned around. According to WUSA-TV, the local CBS affiliate, their sports director Brett Haber was told that they could not interview fans tailgating on the Fedex Field grounds. In essence, the Redskins are trying to blackout the rightful negative attitude of the fans.

It's amazing that in the season that has a losing team with no hope of recovery this was the tactic chosen. Stories of the team suing fans who signed ticket contracts came out earlier this season. Even possibly worse than that was the news that tickets were sold to brokers instead of allowing fans sitting on the legendary wait list to get them. It is unbelievable that Snyder is authorizing the latest actions. Don't let anyone tell you that he's not at least knowing about this activity. He is the real GM as Vinny Cerrato is clearly a puppet...great front man to take the the brunt of the hits, but terrible at building a team. The surprising part of Snyder's actions is that he built huge marketing company from scratch. He sold the firm to buy the Redskins. See Snyder Communications for those of you who have not heard this.

Amazing how fast this team has fallen in the short decade Snyder has owned the Redskins. Hiring JIm Zorn may not have been ideal, but it is not completely Zorn's fault the team is not winning. It is the total package, from Owner/GM to the clear ignorance of Cerrato down to the water boy. Something is fundamentally wrong with the system and structure of the team. Now the question is can change come quick enough to convince the fans. Even die hard fans like myself are losing faith.

Recently hired Sherman Lewis may be calling the plays as Sherman Smith relays the plays to QB Jason Campbell as Head Coach Jim Zorn listens and look on, but there may be a more simplistic route available to the Redskins. The Redskins could set up a PSIII or Wii system in the booth and play Madden 2010. Queue up the game and when the Redskins are on offense they could ensure Madden 2010 is loaded for the Skins to be on offense too. Then the Redskins can just click the "Ask Madden" button. It's simple and effective - no fuss no muss and no need for the play to come in late causing a delay of game penalty or a wasted time out.

This could even lead to the next coach of the Washington Redskins. If Dan Snyder could lure "The Ball Coach" Steve Spurrier from the college rankings, coax Joe Gibbs out of retirement and talk Marty Schottenheimer to coach the team then why not bring John Madden out of true retirement. Madden could coach home games and road games via satellite phone with Dan Snyder on the sidelines for away games. Snyder could then claim victory as assistant head coach on road games besides being owner and as some say GM, too.

Unless you've been in a cave somewhere for the past 10 weeks, 10 months, or 10 years (as long as Dan Snyder has owned the team), the Washington Redskins suck. PERIOD. And they might have hit rock bottom losing to the previously winless Kansas City Chiefs, Yes, they get their "i" back now that they have won. Great Googally Moogally.

How do we count they ways they suck?

Coaching debacles. Steve Spurrier, Marty Schottenheimer, Jim Zorn. All had reasons to be the coach. Spurrier deserved to be fired. Schottenheimer did not. Only AJ Smith and the San Diego Chargers made all time top head coach firing for dropping him after a playoff birth. He only managed 8-8 in his one Redskins season. The book has been written for Zorn since the day he was hired as QB Coach Offensive Coordinator Head Coach. We are just waiting to read the last chapter.

GM/Drafting debacles. Fine, you don't want a GM. But at least put a good guy in the spot. Vinny Cerrato, who sounds like a good man with his personality does not know how to run a football team. You could use the analogy that a blind date has a nice personality. Evidence Exhibit A: 3 receivers in the 2008 draft in the second round, when the team was and still seeking, good offensive line help.

But we've somewhat expected that from the Redskins over the years. What may have finally got them to hit rock bottom? That the Redskins post game show called out Cerrato. For those of you not in the know, the official Redskins post game show is produced by the flagship radio station, WTEM 980. WTEM is owned by Red Zebra Broadcasting, which is part of the Dan Snyder empire. Late after the game, I was listening to the post game show when they got Kevin Sheehan on the phone. Sheehan, who is WTEM's main reporter covering the Redskins slammed Cerrato. Vinny needed to go and they need to bring in a real head of football operations to run the team. That's harsh when a sister company calls you out. You've hit rock bottom.

However, the Redskins have to be the Redskins, and dig a deeper hole. They relieve Jim Zorn of his call playing duties and hand them over to Sherm Lewis, a man retired from football 5 years ago. Can Lewis be effective? Maybe, but this move alone will not turn around the entire team. Cerrato stated on his Friday morning radio show that Zorn's job is safe for the remainder of the season. Finally, apparently, Snyder is tired of buying people out. Guess what? Us fans have been tired of that for nearly a decade.

So 14-6. 14-6. In case you are not sure of the acronym in the title, refer to this NSFW site. Redskins lose again.

What is there to say? It seemed to be a better game than usual. Yet, the hook was put on Jason Campbell as Todd Collins started the second half. Well losing 3-0 at half didn't help. As usual, the defense played well. That 14 points was not 2 touchdowns. All you can expect from a solid defense is to hold the opposition. Apparently ours needs to score. Collins in the game seemed to spark the Redskins, but that was short lived and only amount to 2 field goals. The best part of the game? I got into the Montecristo Club on the Club level and spent $20 on a cigar and a jack and coke.

At this point, you wonder why the Redskins just don't cut Campbell? Tomorrow. Really, are we to expect him to bounce back? Start Collins and sign a free agent. Jeff Garcia is out there.

Pictures will be loaded later. Very telling is how empty the concession stands and parking lot were.

It seemed like the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim had everything going their way when the playoffs started, but their luck may have just run out, as they now have to face the red hot New York Yankees.

Carrying the burden of their fallen teammate, Nick Adenhart, the Angels blew past the Boston Red Sox. Many had eliminated LAA before the series had even started. It was for a good reason too, since the Angels have not been able to advance past Boston in the playoffs in a long while.

While Boston is a good team, the Yankees are an entirely different beast. Not only do they have some of the best players in all of baseball, but they also play together like a team. It is been what has been missing from New York for several years.

Game 1 of the American League Championship Series was close for most of the team, but in the end it was C C Sabathia's eight strong innings that caused the Yankees to prevail. The pitching matchup's are interesting but it wills imply come down to offense.

Both teams have good pitching, but all of them can be hit if you have a strong hitting team. New York just has too many good hitters. Nick Swisher, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and of course Mark Teixeira are all part of a line up that has troubled some of the league's best pitchers.

If the Angels are going to have any chance of winning this series they must beat the Yankee's at their own game. Manufacturing runs and putting runners in motion will not be good enough. Every opportunity the red and white have to power the ball for an extra base hit must be taken advantage of.

Many say playoff games come down to one or two runs; apparently they haven't seen this Yankee's team before. The Angels are a good team and they can beat the "evil empire," they just have to change their game. Six runs or more is going to be required to topple New York.

Whether it is the Angels or Yankees winning the championship, one this is for sure it will be a long series with lots of scoring.

If this sounds familiar, well that's because it is. Due to lack of everything, the Washington Redskins lost to the Carolina Panthers this past weekend and yet let another team record their first victory for the season. On the bright side, The Sports Freak, Q, and I ventured down to Charlotte to see the game in person and visit a friend of ours. That was such a great idea in pre-season when it was planned out. Not so much last week.

Name the facet of the game and there was a problem with it. The offense was the classic Jim Zorn offense. No guts, thus no glory. Throw a 6 yard pass on 3 and 7. Simply not enough. Add to that, Chris Cooley, our leading receiver, was taken out of the passing game because he had to stay in and help an injury depleted offensive line. Note to Vinny Cerrato, in case you hadn't noticed in the past 4 seasons, we need offensive linemen. There's this little thing called the NFL draft. I hear you can find these magical unicorns called O-Linemen there.

The Defense fared as good as they can. That's one of the few good things on this team. Sure Carolina is awful, but shutting down the opposition's offense deserves accolades. Because that 2 points wasn't the defenses support. Note to Carlos Rogers, work with the wide receivers, maybe they'll show you how to catch the ball.

Even Special Teams had their bad moments. Hunter the Punter Smith was sidelined so we got some guy to kick in his place. If it was going to go like that, you might as well have let backup punter Cooley punt, since he wasn't doing much on offense. Of course there was also that "fumble" on the punt return. Note to zebras, please get it right after you get 3 chances. Maybe you finally did give the right call, but you didn't correct the fact that you told us there was a violation of fair catch spacing.

So now we get the Kansas City Chefs (spelling intentional until they get a win, like probably this week). Matt Cassel is no Jake Delhomme...no, he's better. That is scary, but the defense can possibly contain him. Unfortunately points are required in order to win, and unless their kick/punt returners give it up like Carolina, it's going to be a long afternoon at Fedex Field.

As the Redskins face the Carolina Panthers in today's game, there's really only one key to the game. It's the same issue that persists week in and week out and has been an issue for the past few seasons. Can Campbell become the leader of the offense and effectively move the team down the field and into the endzone consistently.

The Redskins could definitely win the game despite the lack of production from the offense led by Campbell, but ultimately for the team to succeed the level of play must improve from the starting QB.

It's too easy to say that the keys to victory for Washington today would be to shut down the one dimensional offense and running game of Carolina or not to allow a big play on defense (by allowing Steve Smith to make a game changing play) which Hall (prone to giving up a play on double moves) or Rogers (who drops potential interceptions and lacks the speed to cover elite receivers) have occur.

Jason Campbell has the talent and skill, as well as the intelligence to move the ball, but at a certain point in time its easy to see that Campbell doesn't command the offense when young quarterbacks like Ryan, Flacco, Sanchez, Stafford, and Cassel have all adapted to the speed of the game and the complexities of the professional defenses thrown their way.

Many of Campbell's peers can move their team down the field where Campbell falls short repeatedly. The Redskins may not have the best offensive line or receivers, but do the Jets, Lions, Raiders, Broncos, Bucs, Ravens, and Falcons have such a vastly superior offensive line or recievers? Do any of these teams have a better running back than Portis or tight end that's better than Cooley (ok well maybe Tony G.), so it really only leaves the QB.

When the lowly Raiders and Lions can even move the ball down field and the Redskins can't it falls on the leader and facilitator of the offense and on the field that role belongs to the starting QB. Campbell isn't the most accurate QB either, but the lack of leadership and confidence in himself to make the right read quickly to deliver a quick and accurate strike to inspire and invoke confidence in himself and the team inhibits the team from forming a sustained drive. Does anyone feel when the offense steps onto the field that the offense will successfully drive down the field or is it more likely that fans feel a three and out is more likely? The answer at the QB position will have more to do with the success this season then any other question that fans had to start the season.

Is Week 4 too early for a must win? Not for the Redskins. After subpar performances against the NY Giants, St Louis Rams, and Detriot Lions, Washington is looking at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers squarely at 1 PM today. This should be a win, but so were the Rams and the Lions. Only the Rams more inept play squeaked out a Redskins win.

The Sports Freak and I will be at the game today, hopefully getting out of there with a win. Follow BMTSports on Twitter to get semi-live tweets.