Congrats to Orakpo for making it to the Pro Bowl in his rookie season. He had a good year and I think could have had an even better year if he played his natural DE position. Hopefully the new administration figures it out.
Still, feel bad for London Fletcher. The guy is the consummate professional. He is a great player, good leader, and upstanding person in the community. Still, he isn't the flashy type of player and he is undersized and came from a small college. He has never gotten the recognition he so duly deserves. As everyone says, he is the Susan Lucci of football. He handled the news well this year. Seemed like he was more upset about it last year but I think he saw how many people talked about him deserving the selection and that probably helped him to some degree. I'm sure he would love the chance to go at least once in his career and hopefully he gets the chance.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Mike Leach
Pretty ridiculous report out of Texas where TX Tech coach Leach is accused of keeping Adam James (son of former NFL player and current ESPN analyst Craig James) holed up in a shed standing by himself for several hours. Apparently he did this because James did not want to practice because he suffered a concussion the previous day in practice.
Reports are that Leach felt that Adam James was a prima donna and lazy and wasn't happy because of his lack of catches and playing time. Also, that Craig was like a little leaguer's father and calling and complaining about the lack of PT for his son.
It's interesting because it pits a top flight college coach against a Texas football star and high profile analyst for ESPN. Should be interesting.
If it turns out that Leach did anything remotely close to what he is being accused of, he should be fired immediately.
It will be interesting too to see if there are other players on the team that will come forward as witnesses or claim of being "punished" for their "indiscretions." Football is a tough sport and coaches in the high school, college, and even professional ranks demand toughness at the expense of players health/well being. There is also a culture of don't ask, don't tell and being a labeled a snitch and crybaby. Will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Reports are that Leach felt that Adam James was a prima donna and lazy and wasn't happy because of his lack of catches and playing time. Also, that Craig was like a little leaguer's father and calling and complaining about the lack of PT for his son.
It's interesting because it pits a top flight college coach against a Texas football star and high profile analyst for ESPN. Should be interesting.
If it turns out that Leach did anything remotely close to what he is being accused of, he should be fired immediately.
It will be interesting too to see if there are other players on the team that will come forward as witnesses or claim of being "punished" for their "indiscretions." Football is a tough sport and coaches in the high school, college, and even professional ranks demand toughness at the expense of players health/well being. There is also a culture of don't ask, don't tell and being a labeled a snitch and crybaby. Will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Skins pack it in
I didn't even bother to post anything on last week's Giant debacle.
Hoped to redeem ourselves yesterday against Dallas but it was another lackluster performance. It's tough because we had been playing so well for several weeks and then we just reverted to how we played at the beginning of the year. Offense is anemic and can't muster anything. Here are some general thoughts:
1. O line was terrible. No protection for JC and no running lanes.
2. Coaching seems to have packed it in. JZ has lost the team and there isn't any way around it.
3. Team has folded. Can't entirely blame them for all of the distractions they have had to put with this year. They know there will be major changes in the offseason and it's hard to play under those conditions.
4. JC looks beaten. The guy has taken a physical and emotional pounding this year. Feel bad for the guy. Will be interesting to see what happens to him in the offseason. He is restricted so it will be interesting to see what kind of interest he garners from other teams in the off season.
5. Defense was okay but safeties were playing way off the ball.
6. Coaching again. Seems like the Cowboys knew what we were going to do and when they didn't, they audibled into a more successful play easily. We didn't disguise much.
7. Looking forward to ending this season and getting started with changes for next season. Hopefully with Bruce Allen we have a guy with a plan and an opportunity to implement the plan.
Hoped to redeem ourselves yesterday against Dallas but it was another lackluster performance. It's tough because we had been playing so well for several weeks and then we just reverted to how we played at the beginning of the year. Offense is anemic and can't muster anything. Here are some general thoughts:
1. O line was terrible. No protection for JC and no running lanes.
2. Coaching seems to have packed it in. JZ has lost the team and there isn't any way around it.
3. Team has folded. Can't entirely blame them for all of the distractions they have had to put with this year. They know there will be major changes in the offseason and it's hard to play under those conditions.
4. JC looks beaten. The guy has taken a physical and emotional pounding this year. Feel bad for the guy. Will be interesting to see what happens to him in the offseason. He is restricted so it will be interesting to see what kind of interest he garners from other teams in the off season.
5. Defense was okay but safeties were playing way off the ball.
6. Coaching again. Seems like the Cowboys knew what we were going to do and when they didn't, they audibled into a more successful play easily. We didn't disguise much.
7. Looking forward to ending this season and getting started with changes for next season. Hopefully with Bruce Allen we have a guy with a plan and an opportunity to implement the plan.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Redskins talking to Shanahan
The Denver Post is reporting that the Redskins are negotiating with Shannie to be the new head coach. There is no question in my mind that the Redskins are/have been looking/negotiating with head coaches out there. Especially, now that they got rid of Cerrato and brought in a new GM, they want to start moving before other jobs become open (potentially Dallas, Chicago, Buffalo, Carolina, Oakland, TB, etc.).
Shannie seems like a good guy and he certainly has made it clear that he wants to get back into coaching. Not sure how I would feel about him coming. Yesterday, with the hiring of Allen, it seemed like Gruden was the logical choice. I actually like that choice for the reasons I laid out on the previous post. Interesting to see how this all unfolds.
Shannie seems like a good guy and he certainly has made it clear that he wants to get back into coaching. Not sure how I would feel about him coming. Yesterday, with the hiring of Allen, it seemed like Gruden was the logical choice. I actually like that choice for the reasons I laid out on the previous post. Interesting to see how this all unfolds.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
The circle is complete -- Bruce Allen hired as GM
Solid move. Frankly, just getting Cerrato out of there was a tremendous move.
Allen is a proven personnel guy that has built a Super Bowl winner in TB and a Super Bowl team in Oakland. He has strong ties to both the area and the Redskins. He grew up in McLean, and his father is still considered a legend in the area. George Allen coached the Redskins from 1971-77. Bruce Allen went to the University of Richmond, and his brother, George, is a former U.S. Senator from Virginia.
Having worked in Oakland, he knows how to deal with a hands on owner.
What's interesting is that Allen worked well together with Gruden in both Oakland and TB. Gruden just signed an extension to continue his run on MNF ending discussions of him coaching next season. However, we all know that he can change his mind. He was signed by NFL Network and jumped ship to go to MNF upsetting many at NFL Network. Will be interesting to see if he would be willing to jump MNF for the Redskins. I'm sure he wants to get back into coaching and he knows Allen well so will be interesting to see if he is lured back to the sidenlines in D.C.
Allen is a proven personnel guy that has built a Super Bowl winner in TB and a Super Bowl team in Oakland. He has strong ties to both the area and the Redskins. He grew up in McLean, and his father is still considered a legend in the area. George Allen coached the Redskins from 1971-77. Bruce Allen went to the University of Richmond, and his brother, George, is a former U.S. Senator from Virginia.
Having worked in Oakland, he knows how to deal with a hands on owner.
What's interesting is that Allen worked well together with Gruden in both Oakland and TB. Gruden just signed an extension to continue his run on MNF ending discussions of him coaching next season. However, we all know that he can change his mind. He was signed by NFL Network and jumped ship to go to MNF upsetting many at NFL Network. Will be interesting to see if he would be willing to jump MNF for the Redskins. I'm sure he wants to get back into coaching and he knows Allen well so will be interesting to see if he is lured back to the sidenlines in D.C.
HALLELUJAH!!!! Cerrato is OUT!
It's a Xmas miracle. I literally feel like it's a Merry Xmas, Happy Chanukkah, and Happy Kwanzaa all rolled up into one being celebrated on my birthday as I lay on a beach in Hawaii chugging beer!!!! I could not be happier.
Good riddance to that guy. I hear about him being the eternal optimist and a good guy, blah, blah, blah. Bottom line is that he was terrible at his job and had the better part of 10 years to get it right. Not many people can do a shat job and stay on that long. Still, it happened and I'm elated.
Love Cerrato's statement. “I’ve had the pleasure of working with some great coaches such as Joe Gibbs, Greg Blache and Sherman Lewis, great people on the Redskins staff, and, most especially, some of the best professional football players in the world. I wish them all the best. I’ve also had the privilege of working for a franchise supported by the most loyal fans in the NFL.”
Love how he mentions Bingo but not JZ. It's a final jab as he walks out the door. Goodbye, crazy looking man!
The Redskins just corrected their biggest problem by 50%. Now we have to see who they hire. A clone of Cerrato acting as Snyder's yes man puppet is not what we need. It will be interesting to see who steps in. Still, we are 50% there Redskin fans!!!!
Good riddance to that guy. I hear about him being the eternal optimist and a good guy, blah, blah, blah. Bottom line is that he was terrible at his job and had the better part of 10 years to get it right. Not many people can do a shat job and stay on that long. Still, it happened and I'm elated.
Love Cerrato's statement. “I’ve had the pleasure of working with some great coaches such as Joe Gibbs, Greg Blache and Sherman Lewis, great people on the Redskins staff, and, most especially, some of the best professional football players in the world. I wish them all the best. I’ve also had the privilege of working for a franchise supported by the most loyal fans in the NFL.”
Love how he mentions Bingo but not JZ. It's a final jab as he walks out the door. Goodbye, crazy looking man!
The Redskins just corrected their biggest problem by 50%. Now we have to see who they hire. A clone of Cerrato acting as Snyder's yes man puppet is not what we need. It will be interesting to see who steps in. Still, we are 50% there Redskin fans!!!!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Bears Woes
Good article from the Trib.
Their 21-14 loss Sunday to the Packers not only mathematically eliminated them from the postseason and ensured their 10th non-winning season in 14 years, it was another come-from-ahead loss. The defeat marked the third time Smith's team has led entering the fourth quarter this season and wound up losing. The Bears blew a lead at Green Bay in the opener, squandered a lead to Philadelphia and also lost at Atlanta after being tied in the fourth quarter. Add in the failed last-minute drive at San Francisco last month and, yeah, this Bears' team is finished.
Smith is now 14-8 since the Super Bowl when the Bears enter the fourth quarter with the lead. And you thought the Cubs had issues with their closer. Things weren't always successful in his first three seasons, but in that stretch the Bears were 26-1 with a lead after three quarters. See a problem here? It was just one of the issues as the Bears were swept by the Packers for the first time since 2003.
Here are 10 more issues coming out of the game, ones that there will not necessarily be answers for in the final three weeks.
1. Penalties. The Bears were called for 13 of them for 109 yards, the most yards a Smith team has been penalized in his tenure. The 13 penalties is tied for the second-most in his six seasons. The Bears have not been very disciplined with nine penalties or more in five games. Smith says the penalties have not been an issue, but he's missing the mark here. Chris Williams' facemask penalty wiped out a pass to Matt Forte that would have moved the offense into Green Bay territory late in the fourth quarter. A holding penalty by Frank Omiyale negated a 21-yard scramble by Jay Cutler on third-and-11 in the first quarter. What's worse? The Packers entered as the most penalized team in the league, and they had four penalties for 30 yards.
2. Slow starts. It has been fashionable to beat up the offense for the slow starts and the big holes the Bears have found themselves in this season, but Ryan Grant's 62-yard touchdown run on the Packers' first play from scrimmage marked the sixth time an opponent has scored on its first possession. The defense isn't coming out ready. Sometimes the offense has a wrinkle the Bears were not expecting. Whatever the case, Smith's team isn't ready to play.
3. Two timeouts, one challenge, no excuse. Smith called the two timeouts lost late in the fourth quarter two different situations, but it was one big mess for the challenged in-game manager. He said the first timeout was needed because the Bears weren't ready. Then, the coaches in the booth must have seen the replays of Greg Olsen's non-catch and decided challenging the play was a good idea, exposing the Bears to lose a second timeout. Here's the biggest problem with that ill-conceived challenge: the principle the Bears were challenging on the Olsen play was the same one used when referee Mike Carey ruled a pass in the end zone to Packers wide receiver Greg Jennings was incomplete because he didn't control the ball to the ground.
4. Decisions, decisions. The play that turned the game came early in the fourth quarter when Cutler faced a corner blitz from Tramon Williams and floated up a pass toward Johnny Knox along the sideline. The ball never got close to Knox and safety Nick Collins intercepted to set up the Packers' go-ahead touchdown. There were other instances when Cutler didn't look to be on the same page as his receivers. Eventually, he's got to make plays in crunch time for his team.
5. Wale World. Remember last week when Adewale Ogunleye said it didn't look like Packers right tackle Mark Tauscher was in shape yet? Tommie Harris got a coverage sack and Lance Briggs had a sack and Ogunleye missed playing against Allen Barbre.
6. Safety dance. What are the chances the Bears change starting safeties this week? Strong safety Kevin Payne took a bad angle on Grant's long touchdown run, putting himself completely out of position to make a play. When Payne erred in the opener at Green Bay on Jennings' game-winning, 50-yard touchdown pass, he lost his job. Smith has changed starting free safeties 19 times since taking over. He has swapped out starting strong safeties 17 times.
7. It's about the carries. Offensive coordinator Ron Turner preached last week that it's about the carries. If the numbers add up by the end of the game, usually it's a good thing. Cutler threw 36 times and Matt Forte carried 12 times. He gained 51 yards, averaging 4.3 yards per carry. Seems that maybe he could have called for more carries. Or is it not about the carries?
8. Lost season. Greg Olsen now has 51 receptions, but for the sixth time this season he had three catches or less. He was supposed to have a breakout season with Cutler and now he might not have 600 receiving yards as he sits at 51 catches for 463 yards with three games to play. Olsen was a first-round draft pick, but he's not doing anything Desmond Clark couldn't have done earlier in his career if he was utilized a little more.
9. Look on the bright side. The Vikings are talking about potentially securing the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs before their Dec. 28 game at Soldier Field. It's a Monday night matchup, so all of the week's action will be complete. If Minnesota is locked into that spot, maybe the Vikings rest some key players in the final game of the season at Soldier Field.
10. Numbers game. The Baltimore Ravens opened as a 10-point favorite for Sunday's game at M&T Bank Stadium. That's if you care about such stuff.
Time for purge and replacement. Bears offense is a mess. The D is getting older. The coaches are lost. They don't have early draft picks.
Good luck, Bear fan.
Their 21-14 loss Sunday to the Packers not only mathematically eliminated them from the postseason and ensured their 10th non-winning season in 14 years, it was another come-from-ahead loss. The defeat marked the third time Smith's team has led entering the fourth quarter this season and wound up losing. The Bears blew a lead at Green Bay in the opener, squandered a lead to Philadelphia and also lost at Atlanta after being tied in the fourth quarter. Add in the failed last-minute drive at San Francisco last month and, yeah, this Bears' team is finished.
Smith is now 14-8 since the Super Bowl when the Bears enter the fourth quarter with the lead. And you thought the Cubs had issues with their closer. Things weren't always successful in his first three seasons, but in that stretch the Bears were 26-1 with a lead after three quarters. See a problem here? It was just one of the issues as the Bears were swept by the Packers for the first time since 2003.
Here are 10 more issues coming out of the game, ones that there will not necessarily be answers for in the final three weeks.
1. Penalties. The Bears were called for 13 of them for 109 yards, the most yards a Smith team has been penalized in his tenure. The 13 penalties is tied for the second-most in his six seasons. The Bears have not been very disciplined with nine penalties or more in five games. Smith says the penalties have not been an issue, but he's missing the mark here. Chris Williams' facemask penalty wiped out a pass to Matt Forte that would have moved the offense into Green Bay territory late in the fourth quarter. A holding penalty by Frank Omiyale negated a 21-yard scramble by Jay Cutler on third-and-11 in the first quarter. What's worse? The Packers entered as the most penalized team in the league, and they had four penalties for 30 yards.
2. Slow starts. It has been fashionable to beat up the offense for the slow starts and the big holes the Bears have found themselves in this season, but Ryan Grant's 62-yard touchdown run on the Packers' first play from scrimmage marked the sixth time an opponent has scored on its first possession. The defense isn't coming out ready. Sometimes the offense has a wrinkle the Bears were not expecting. Whatever the case, Smith's team isn't ready to play.
3. Two timeouts, one challenge, no excuse. Smith called the two timeouts lost late in the fourth quarter two different situations, but it was one big mess for the challenged in-game manager. He said the first timeout was needed because the Bears weren't ready. Then, the coaches in the booth must have seen the replays of Greg Olsen's non-catch and decided challenging the play was a good idea, exposing the Bears to lose a second timeout. Here's the biggest problem with that ill-conceived challenge: the principle the Bears were challenging on the Olsen play was the same one used when referee Mike Carey ruled a pass in the end zone to Packers wide receiver Greg Jennings was incomplete because he didn't control the ball to the ground.
4. Decisions, decisions. The play that turned the game came early in the fourth quarter when Cutler faced a corner blitz from Tramon Williams and floated up a pass toward Johnny Knox along the sideline. The ball never got close to Knox and safety Nick Collins intercepted to set up the Packers' go-ahead touchdown. There were other instances when Cutler didn't look to be on the same page as his receivers. Eventually, he's got to make plays in crunch time for his team.
5. Wale World. Remember last week when Adewale Ogunleye said it didn't look like Packers right tackle Mark Tauscher was in shape yet? Tommie Harris got a coverage sack and Lance Briggs had a sack and Ogunleye missed playing against Allen Barbre.
6. Safety dance. What are the chances the Bears change starting safeties this week? Strong safety Kevin Payne took a bad angle on Grant's long touchdown run, putting himself completely out of position to make a play. When Payne erred in the opener at Green Bay on Jennings' game-winning, 50-yard touchdown pass, he lost his job. Smith has changed starting free safeties 19 times since taking over. He has swapped out starting strong safeties 17 times.
7. It's about the carries. Offensive coordinator Ron Turner preached last week that it's about the carries. If the numbers add up by the end of the game, usually it's a good thing. Cutler threw 36 times and Matt Forte carried 12 times. He gained 51 yards, averaging 4.3 yards per carry. Seems that maybe he could have called for more carries. Or is it not about the carries?
8. Lost season. Greg Olsen now has 51 receptions, but for the sixth time this season he had three catches or less. He was supposed to have a breakout season with Cutler and now he might not have 600 receiving yards as he sits at 51 catches for 463 yards with three games to play. Olsen was a first-round draft pick, but he's not doing anything Desmond Clark couldn't have done earlier in his career if he was utilized a little more.
9. Look on the bright side. The Vikings are talking about potentially securing the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs before their Dec. 28 game at Soldier Field. It's a Monday night matchup, so all of the week's action will be complete. If Minnesota is locked into that spot, maybe the Vikings rest some key players in the final game of the season at Soldier Field.
10. Numbers game. The Baltimore Ravens opened as a 10-point favorite for Sunday's game at M&T Bank Stadium. That's if you care about such stuff.
Time for purge and replacement. Bears offense is a mess. The D is getting older. The coaches are lost. They don't have early draft picks.
Good luck, Bear fan.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Redskins coach
Seeing how the team is playing completely different than it did at the beginning of the year, the thought creeps in whether we should actually keep this coaching staff intact.
Zorn appeared like a lame duck coach a few weeks ago but we have been making good progress each week and finally seem to be playing like the team I thought they would be. At this point, I still think he will get fired. However, if we finish strong, I would like to see him back. I feel like we are finally starting to build something positive here and would hate to fire him/his system and take steps back in hopes of taking a step forward.
The other thought that comes into my head is that should Zorn get fired, would it make sense to hire Bingo as coach? Bingo is a long time coordinator and was once thought of highly as head coaching material but never got his chance. The offense has certainly been MUCH better under his playcalling. We wouldn't have to change systems and he would have some familiarity with the players, surroundings, and routines so there wouldn't be too much new to learn.
I think the rest of the season will help determine what happens in the offseason but it should be interesting.
Zorn appeared like a lame duck coach a few weeks ago but we have been making good progress each week and finally seem to be playing like the team I thought they would be. At this point, I still think he will get fired. However, if we finish strong, I would like to see him back. I feel like we are finally starting to build something positive here and would hate to fire him/his system and take steps back in hopes of taking a step forward.
The other thought that comes into my head is that should Zorn get fired, would it make sense to hire Bingo as coach? Bingo is a long time coordinator and was once thought of highly as head coaching material but never got his chance. The offense has certainly been MUCH better under his playcalling. We wouldn't have to change systems and he would have some familiarity with the players, surroundings, and routines so there wouldn't be too much new to learn.
I think the rest of the season will help determine what happens in the offseason but it should be interesting.
Skins roll up on the Raiders!
Great performance yesterday. I know it is the Raiders but we have had our own struggles this year and to beat the Raiders who had beaten the Eagles, Steelers, and Bengals at their place is still big.
The Skins have played much better over the last 5 and half weeks (starting with the second half of the Falcon game). Honestly, we look like a different team. What's even better is that we have nothing really to play for but the fact that these guys come out there and play hard is a testament to these players and coaches.
Here are my thoughts on the game:
1. Defense was MUCH more aggressive. I suppose the plan was to apply heavy pressure because we were stacking the line early and often. That led to 8 sacks with Orakpo in on 4 of them. He had a monster game. Still, the pressure resulted in them getting some bigger plays because the secondary had to be thinned out. Still, we made adjustments at halftime and pretty much shut them out.
2. I liked Landry playing closer to the line. Have to give credit to Scott and Deepie who I think both have said previously that Landry should be the SS. It's apparent this is where he is best suited. He isn't so much a ball hawk or open field tackler (both of these skills needed in the FS position). He is more of a guy that can provide the safety blitz and serve as almost another LB that can shed through blocks and make tackles with the occasional dropping back into pass coverage.
3. JC had another very good game. Another 100+ rating. He continues to impress not just with his passing but his ability to avoid pressure and then make the play. I have always been a JC supporter and would love to see him get rewarded. I certainly think he is deserving of it and definitely believe he is an NFL starting QB.
4. Once again, like that the young WRs are making plays. Fred Davis had another good game catching 2 TD passes. He seems to have really buckled down and is maturing and his play on the field is supporting that. Also, like that Thomas seems to be firming his role up as the #2 WR. He seems like a guy that can certainly spark the offense and make some big plays. Kelly chipped in with a catch or two. JC said that there are plays now designed for those guys so it's good to see that we are actually letting them play and utilizing them.
5. Randle El is useless as the punt returner. I have no idea what the fascination is with him back there but enough already. He can't run and now he can't even catch the punts. Please replace him!
6. New kicker seemed solid. His kickoffs were high and deep and he made a couple of FGs so good for him.
7. Coaching - have to hand it to JZ for keeping this team motivated. It would be very easy for them to lay down and quit given all that has taken place this year but they seem more prepared and focused than at any point during the year. Glad to see they still have fight in them.
8. Playcalling - very good. Again, nice mix of run and pass and very good job of distribution. Everyone is getting their hands on the ball. Over the last several weeks, the offense is now averaging around 350 yards/game and 24+ points/game. I suppose Bingo can call more than just numbers.
All in all, a very solid performance and entertaining game. Sure, we aren't playing for anything but with home games against the Giants and the Cowboys in the next two weeks we can play spoiler to two divisional rivals trying hard to get into the playoffs. Should be fun.
The Skins have played much better over the last 5 and half weeks (starting with the second half of the Falcon game). Honestly, we look like a different team. What's even better is that we have nothing really to play for but the fact that these guys come out there and play hard is a testament to these players and coaches.
Here are my thoughts on the game:
1. Defense was MUCH more aggressive. I suppose the plan was to apply heavy pressure because we were stacking the line early and often. That led to 8 sacks with Orakpo in on 4 of them. He had a monster game. Still, the pressure resulted in them getting some bigger plays because the secondary had to be thinned out. Still, we made adjustments at halftime and pretty much shut them out.
2. I liked Landry playing closer to the line. Have to give credit to Scott and Deepie who I think both have said previously that Landry should be the SS. It's apparent this is where he is best suited. He isn't so much a ball hawk or open field tackler (both of these skills needed in the FS position). He is more of a guy that can provide the safety blitz and serve as almost another LB that can shed through blocks and make tackles with the occasional dropping back into pass coverage.
3. JC had another very good game. Another 100+ rating. He continues to impress not just with his passing but his ability to avoid pressure and then make the play. I have always been a JC supporter and would love to see him get rewarded. I certainly think he is deserving of it and definitely believe he is an NFL starting QB.
4. Once again, like that the young WRs are making plays. Fred Davis had another good game catching 2 TD passes. He seems to have really buckled down and is maturing and his play on the field is supporting that. Also, like that Thomas seems to be firming his role up as the #2 WR. He seems like a guy that can certainly spark the offense and make some big plays. Kelly chipped in with a catch or two. JC said that there are plays now designed for those guys so it's good to see that we are actually letting them play and utilizing them.
5. Randle El is useless as the punt returner. I have no idea what the fascination is with him back there but enough already. He can't run and now he can't even catch the punts. Please replace him!
6. New kicker seemed solid. His kickoffs were high and deep and he made a couple of FGs so good for him.
7. Coaching - have to hand it to JZ for keeping this team motivated. It would be very easy for them to lay down and quit given all that has taken place this year but they seem more prepared and focused than at any point during the year. Glad to see they still have fight in them.
8. Playcalling - very good. Again, nice mix of run and pass and very good job of distribution. Everyone is getting their hands on the ball. Over the last several weeks, the offense is now averaging around 350 yards/game and 24+ points/game. I suppose Bingo can call more than just numbers.
All in all, a very solid performance and entertaining game. Sure, we aren't playing for anything but with home games against the Giants and the Cowboys in the next two weeks we can play spoiler to two divisional rivals trying hard to get into the playoffs. Should be fun.
Osakpo is a Beast!
Great game by Osakpo yesterday. Skins D had sacks with Orakpo in on 4 of them. He is certainly making a case for rookie of the year. He has 11 on the year tying him with fellow Redskin Andre Carter as fourth overall in the league.
Would love to see him as a DE as opposed to LB.
Would love to see him as a DE as opposed to LB.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Oh Tigger!
So there are reports of 12 women having affairs with Tigger. They are all coming out of the woodwork and who knows how many are legit.
Grubbs has also released some of the text messages and they are out there in all of their steaminess.
Gatorade dropped the Tiger drink but they said that they were going to do this even before all of this happened.
It's pretty terrible. Again, I agree that Tiger should be allowed to handle all of this privately but that isn't the world we live in. Right or wrong, fair or not, this has continued to be a big story. Society loves scandals and the bigger they are the harder they fall and the more the public enjoys.
I also agree that Elin should just divorce him. Get as much money as possible and Tiger should try and be the best father he can and just move on with his life as the best golfer in the world and continue his trysts more openly and comfortable knowing that he doesn't have a wife anymore to cheat on.
Grubbs has also released some of the text messages and they are out there in all of their steaminess.
Gatorade dropped the Tiger drink but they said that they were going to do this even before all of this happened.
It's pretty terrible. Again, I agree that Tiger should be allowed to handle all of this privately but that isn't the world we live in. Right or wrong, fair or not, this has continued to be a big story. Society loves scandals and the bigger they are the harder they fall and the more the public enjoys.
I also agree that Elin should just divorce him. Get as much money as possible and Tiger should try and be the best father he can and just move on with his life as the best golfer in the world and continue his trysts more openly and comfortable knowing that he doesn't have a wife anymore to cheat on.
Portis sent to IR
CP is done for the year with his continued effects of the concussion he suffered weeks ago. CP said yesterday that he is even thinking about his future and possible retirement.
The guy is only 28 but has had a lot of work over the last few years. Still, he is still a solid back and has a couple of years left in him assuming he is healthy.
The bigger issue is does the team want him. He is overpriced and he thinks he is a superstar. I believe the Redskins are tired of his thinking he is above the team and seeing how they have been more successful running the ball without him may be the reason for not wanting to bring him back.
I'm sure many players do not like that he doesn't practice and don't like that he has direct channels to Snyderatto. I also think that CP's ego is hurt that the players/team do not miss him that much since he has been out. I'm sure those are some reasons for him saying what he said.
Still, I would welcome a healthy and dedicated CP back as I think he is still a quality back in this league.
The guy is only 28 but has had a lot of work over the last few years. Still, he is still a solid back and has a couple of years left in him assuming he is healthy.
The bigger issue is does the team want him. He is overpriced and he thinks he is a superstar. I believe the Redskins are tired of his thinking he is above the team and seeing how they have been more successful running the ball without him may be the reason for not wanting to bring him back.
I'm sure many players do not like that he doesn't practice and don't like that he has direct channels to Snyderatto. I also think that CP's ego is hurt that the players/team do not miss him that much since he has been out. I'm sure those are some reasons for him saying what he said.
Still, I would welcome a healthy and dedicated CP back as I think he is still a quality back in this league.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Suisham cut
Suisham had been fairly reliable on other field goals, but he missed a 39-yarder that could have helped win the game against the Cowboys and a 23-yarder against the Saints on Sunday. Two very costly and very makeable misses. It isn't a big surprise.
I like Suisham and was having a pretty good year until recently but you have got to that 23 yarder.
Skins signed former Florida State standout Graham Gano to replace him, according to a league source. Gano, who spent last summer in training camp with the Baltimore Ravens and this season in the UFL, beat out kickers such as Mike Nugent, Nick Novak and Shane Andrus for the Redskins kicking job.
Hopefully Gano proves to be the answer but kickers are a dime a dozen and there are plenty of others out there.
I like Suisham and was having a pretty good year until recently but you have got to that 23 yarder.
Skins signed former Florida State standout Graham Gano to replace him, according to a league source. Gano, who spent last summer in training camp with the Baltimore Ravens and this season in the UFL, beat out kickers such as Mike Nugent, Nick Novak and Shane Andrus for the Redskins kicking job.
Hopefully Gano proves to be the answer but kickers are a dime a dozen and there are plenty of others out there.
What now Tiger?
10 days ago, Tiger's public life was so squeaky clean it was ridiculous.
We all know about his "transgressions" and his accident and the bashed in windows and how he has holed himself up at his Orlando compound. Still more women are coming out of the woodwork and claiming affairs with him. Yesterday reports that a Florida trooper who suspected Woods was driving under the influence sought a subpoena for the golfer's blood results from the hospital he was taken to after crashing his SUV, but prosecutors rejected the petition for insufficient information, according to a police report released Monday.
A witness, who wasn't identified in the report, told trooper Joshua Evans that Woods had been drinking alcohol earlier. The same witness also said Woods had been prescribed two drugs, Ambien and Vicodin. The report did not say who the witness was but added it was the same person who pulled Woods from the vehicle after the accident outside his home (Elin).
Now this morning, an adult woman was taken to the hospital on "advanced life support."
Oh Tiger, what have you done now? Pretty shocking at how quickly this guy's life has changed in the public eye.
Good luck, Eldrick!
We all know about his "transgressions" and his accident and the bashed in windows and how he has holed himself up at his Orlando compound. Still more women are coming out of the woodwork and claiming affairs with him. Yesterday reports that a Florida trooper who suspected Woods was driving under the influence sought a subpoena for the golfer's blood results from the hospital he was taken to after crashing his SUV, but prosecutors rejected the petition for insufficient information, according to a police report released Monday.
A witness, who wasn't identified in the report, told trooper Joshua Evans that Woods had been drinking alcohol earlier. The same witness also said Woods had been prescribed two drugs, Ambien and Vicodin. The report did not say who the witness was but added it was the same person who pulled Woods from the vehicle after the accident outside his home (Elin).
Now this morning, an adult woman was taken to the hospital on "advanced life support."
Oh Tiger, what have you done now? Pretty shocking at how quickly this guy's life has changed in the public eye.
Good luck, Eldrick!
Jimmy Clausen going pro
The only reason why I mention this is that in the ESPN report on their website it mentions the Skins as being a team interested in this guy.
Fine, Clausen worked in a pro style offense, had a good year, and was away from home in a high profile position, and also worked behind a poor O line in his career. I still don't want him unless he is around in the 3rd/4th round.
The Redskins need to focus on O line in the first two rounds at least. If we take Clausen, I will be ticked.
Fine, Clausen worked in a pro style offense, had a good year, and was away from home in a high profile position, and also worked behind a poor O line in his career. I still don't want him unless he is around in the 3rd/4th round.
The Redskins need to focus on O line in the first two rounds at least. If we take Clausen, I will be ticked.
Monday, December 7, 2009
HEARTBREAKING!!!!!
I have no aspirations of the Skins going to the playoffs and it has largely been a disasterous year but the last month the Skins have really started playing the best football of their season. Yesterday, they had an opportunity to be the first team to beat the very powerful Saints. Going into the game, I thought we would put up a decent fight but didn't expect to win the game. However, the Skins came out aggressive and physical and never really looked back and we found ourselves with a very good chance to win the game only to blow it at the end. It was devastating. Still, that's what happens. Good teams find ways to win and bad teams find ways to lose. All that said, here are a few thoughts:
1. JC had a great game. A large part of this was due to the O line playing very well. Still, it appeared the game plan was sound, the play calling was good, the protection was solid, and his decision making was on point. The guy spread the ball around and it was good to see what this offense could be.
2. O line was good. I know I already mentioned this but felt that their play deserved it's own point. They didn't allow a sack and gave JC adequate time to make the play and opened up good running lanes for the backs.
3. Devin Thomas and the young WRs stepped up. Thomas had a career day with 100 yards receiving and 2 TDs. I also liked him back as the kick returner. The young WRs accounted for 14 receptions for 166 yards and 3 TDs. We just need to give them the opportunity and they can perform. Looks like they are finally coming around.
4. Playcalling was fantastic. We were aggressive from the get go. Before we would run stretch plays for nothing on first and second downs followed by a third and long where the receiver would go a yard or two short of the first down marker and then get tackled. Yesterday we attacked. We threw short passes on first/second downs close to or over the first down markers and were able to consistently move the chains. What was even better was that all through the second half we stayed aggressive and tried to put up more points.
5. Defensively we played pretty well in the first half but again we get beaten with the big play. Landry got burned twice on double moves. The second one was the most egregious because it came with about a minute left and the Saints needing a TD to tie. As a safety, you have to know not to let anyone behind you. His overaggressiveness caused the breakdown.
In a nutshell, yesterday came down to three critical/key plays:
1. Kareem Moore intercepting the ball right before the first half on a 3rd and 26. If he just stays down, we go into the half 17-10. Instead he tried to run and make a play and was easily stripped of the ball allowing the Saints to recover and run in for a 40+ yard TD making the score 17-17 going into the half. That was a huge momentum shifter.
2. Suisham missing the 23 yard chip shot with less than 2 minutes in the game that would have made it a 2 possession game and the Saints not having a timeout. No words can describe the shock I felt when he missed that. I literally went from thinking we had this game in the bag to utter shock in a matter of seconds. The broadcasters were essentially handing the game to the Redskins before that miss. They showed Brees and Payton on the Saint sideline and they both had a look of resignation before the kick. Once he missed, the Saints were exuberant and just like the last few weeks, you knew that bad things were coming.
3. Sellers fumble in OT. Frankly, I don't think there was enough evidence to overturn the call but it is what it is and we gave them the ball with great field position. It's tough because again, we won the coin flip and were moving the ball and had an opportunity to win the game again but we squandered it.
It's a painful and disappointing loss and I don't like to take consolation in a close loss. Still, no one would have given us a chance to be in that position. Also, again, the last several weeks, I feel like we are a very different team than we were early in the year. We look more like the team I thought we would be going into the season.
It will be an interesting off season. JC is really making a case to be the starter for the team. I have always liked him and felt like he is a NFL starting QB. It's interesting though because he has his share of haters and even yesterday a friend got on him for his INT. For goodness sake, the guy threw for nearly 370 yards, 3 TDs and had a QB rating of like 111. Still, people will focus on the INT. People expect perfection from him. Seriously, yesterday was the first day in a long time where I can remember he had ample time in the pocket and you really got a chance to see what he can do.
The other interesting issue is Levi Jones and if he is playing well enough to earn the starting LT job next year. This has been an interview for him and he is shining. Will be interesting to see what becomes of him.
Also, with the dramatic increase in performance over the last 5 weeks, would it even make sense to bring back the entire staff and continue on? I don't think this will happen and expect Zorn to be fired but in some ways that may be taking another step back. Zorn has said that it takes a full 3 years for his system to be fully understood and it seems just now it is starting to click. Sherm Lewis is the playcaller but it is still the same system. It would be tough to move to a different system and start over again, especially for JC (assuming he is back) and the young WRs.
Moving to Lewis, the playcalling has been dramatically better over this stretch compared to Zorn. In fact, if you look at the one thing that has changed from the beginning of the year to the last few weeks, it was the change in playcalling. Clearly, it was an issue. Will be interesting to see if Lewis is retained next year. Will be interesting to see if Lewis gets the head coaching nod. If someone else is brought in, will they want to keep the WC offense? Will they want to keep Lewis?
The one thing is at least we are playing with pride and I like the fight our guys are showing. The mistakes happening now are correctable where as the issues we were facing at the beginning of the year were more fundamental in nature. Assuming we continue to play the rest of the year the way we have played the last few weeks, will be interesting to see what moves are made in the offseason.
1. JC had a great game. A large part of this was due to the O line playing very well. Still, it appeared the game plan was sound, the play calling was good, the protection was solid, and his decision making was on point. The guy spread the ball around and it was good to see what this offense could be.
2. O line was good. I know I already mentioned this but felt that their play deserved it's own point. They didn't allow a sack and gave JC adequate time to make the play and opened up good running lanes for the backs.
3. Devin Thomas and the young WRs stepped up. Thomas had a career day with 100 yards receiving and 2 TDs. I also liked him back as the kick returner. The young WRs accounted for 14 receptions for 166 yards and 3 TDs. We just need to give them the opportunity and they can perform. Looks like they are finally coming around.
4. Playcalling was fantastic. We were aggressive from the get go. Before we would run stretch plays for nothing on first and second downs followed by a third and long where the receiver would go a yard or two short of the first down marker and then get tackled. Yesterday we attacked. We threw short passes on first/second downs close to or over the first down markers and were able to consistently move the chains. What was even better was that all through the second half we stayed aggressive and tried to put up more points.
5. Defensively we played pretty well in the first half but again we get beaten with the big play. Landry got burned twice on double moves. The second one was the most egregious because it came with about a minute left and the Saints needing a TD to tie. As a safety, you have to know not to let anyone behind you. His overaggressiveness caused the breakdown.
In a nutshell, yesterday came down to three critical/key plays:
1. Kareem Moore intercepting the ball right before the first half on a 3rd and 26. If he just stays down, we go into the half 17-10. Instead he tried to run and make a play and was easily stripped of the ball allowing the Saints to recover and run in for a 40+ yard TD making the score 17-17 going into the half. That was a huge momentum shifter.
2. Suisham missing the 23 yard chip shot with less than 2 minutes in the game that would have made it a 2 possession game and the Saints not having a timeout. No words can describe the shock I felt when he missed that. I literally went from thinking we had this game in the bag to utter shock in a matter of seconds. The broadcasters were essentially handing the game to the Redskins before that miss. They showed Brees and Payton on the Saint sideline and they both had a look of resignation before the kick. Once he missed, the Saints were exuberant and just like the last few weeks, you knew that bad things were coming.
3. Sellers fumble in OT. Frankly, I don't think there was enough evidence to overturn the call but it is what it is and we gave them the ball with great field position. It's tough because again, we won the coin flip and were moving the ball and had an opportunity to win the game again but we squandered it.
It's a painful and disappointing loss and I don't like to take consolation in a close loss. Still, no one would have given us a chance to be in that position. Also, again, the last several weeks, I feel like we are a very different team than we were early in the year. We look more like the team I thought we would be going into the season.
It will be an interesting off season. JC is really making a case to be the starter for the team. I have always liked him and felt like he is a NFL starting QB. It's interesting though because he has his share of haters and even yesterday a friend got on him for his INT. For goodness sake, the guy threw for nearly 370 yards, 3 TDs and had a QB rating of like 111. Still, people will focus on the INT. People expect perfection from him. Seriously, yesterday was the first day in a long time where I can remember he had ample time in the pocket and you really got a chance to see what he can do.
The other interesting issue is Levi Jones and if he is playing well enough to earn the starting LT job next year. This has been an interview for him and he is shining. Will be interesting to see what becomes of him.
Also, with the dramatic increase in performance over the last 5 weeks, would it even make sense to bring back the entire staff and continue on? I don't think this will happen and expect Zorn to be fired but in some ways that may be taking another step back. Zorn has said that it takes a full 3 years for his system to be fully understood and it seems just now it is starting to click. Sherm Lewis is the playcaller but it is still the same system. It would be tough to move to a different system and start over again, especially for JC (assuming he is back) and the young WRs.
Moving to Lewis, the playcalling has been dramatically better over this stretch compared to Zorn. In fact, if you look at the one thing that has changed from the beginning of the year to the last few weeks, it was the change in playcalling. Clearly, it was an issue. Will be interesting to see if Lewis is retained next year. Will be interesting to see if Lewis gets the head coaching nod. If someone else is brought in, will they want to keep the WC offense? Will they want to keep Lewis?
The one thing is at least we are playing with pride and I like the fight our guys are showing. The mistakes happening now are correctable where as the issues we were facing at the beginning of the year were more fundamental in nature. Assuming we continue to play the rest of the year the way we have played the last few weeks, will be interesting to see what moves are made in the offseason.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Mike London to be named UVA football coach
Apparently there is a Monday 1 pm press conference to introduce London as the new football coach at UVA. Interesting choice to stay in state. The guy is young and has had great success at FCS Richmond. We'll see if that translates to the ACC.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Interesting developments
The 2:30 pm press conference scheduled by Gloria Allred for Rachel Uchitel was cancelled due to "unforeseen circumstances."
Yeah, RIIIIIIIGGGHHT. I'm sure Camp Eldrick frantically tried to get in touch with Allred and said we will give you XX amount of money but just do not have this press conference.
Eldrick is on the run and reacting to everything he can. The cancellation just makes the story that much more juicy.
Good luck, Eldrick!
Yeah, RIIIIIIIGGGHHT. I'm sure Camp Eldrick frantically tried to get in touch with Allred and said we will give you XX amount of money but just do not have this press conference.
Eldrick is on the run and reacting to everything he can. The cancellation just makes the story that much more juicy.
Good luck, Eldrick!
Post article on Tiger
Good article by Howard Kurtz in today's Post on Eldrick.
It starts out with the following:
"All those who said Tiger should keep his head down and his lips zipped and the tabloid circus would quiet down, raise your hands.
You hit it into the rough.
That was never, ever going to work.
If this was just a matter of a spat with his wife and the damage to his Cadillac Escalade, maybe he could have gone the strong-and-silent route.
But come on: from the moment he rammed into that tree, Tiger has acted like he's got something to hide.
There's a reason that generations of PR professionals have advised all manner of miscreants to get the bad news out early and put the embarrassment behind you. If you're a big-deal public figure, it's going to come out anyway, especially in this age of blogs and gossip sites, of voice mail and texting.
So you get what Tiger's got right now: an image as a stonewaller, followed by an apology for unspecified "transgressions." Worst of both worlds. A bigger handicap."
Again, the guy should have just come out early on.
Rest of the article is at the following link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/03/AR2009120301007.html?hpid=topnews
It starts out with the following:
"All those who said Tiger should keep his head down and his lips zipped and the tabloid circus would quiet down, raise your hands.
You hit it into the rough.
That was never, ever going to work.
If this was just a matter of a spat with his wife and the damage to his Cadillac Escalade, maybe he could have gone the strong-and-silent route.
But come on: from the moment he rammed into that tree, Tiger has acted like he's got something to hide.
There's a reason that generations of PR professionals have advised all manner of miscreants to get the bad news out early and put the embarrassment behind you. If you're a big-deal public figure, it's going to come out anyway, especially in this age of blogs and gossip sites, of voice mail and texting.
So you get what Tiger's got right now: an image as a stonewaller, followed by an apology for unspecified "transgressions." Worst of both worlds. A bigger handicap."
Again, the guy should have just come out early on.
Rest of the article is at the following link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/03/AR2009120301007.html?hpid=topnews
Eldrick's next move
So far Eldrick has stayed in seclusion and offered a couple of well crafted written statements that have been reactive in nature to things that have come up against him.
His statement was an apology, but not an admission. In response to Grubbs statement and issuance of the voicemail allegedly of Tiger, Woods issued a carefully worded apology that admits nothing, only his regret that he "let [his] family down." Indeed, most of the statement is devoted to excoriating the media for creating the firestorm that now surrounds him and his family. "Personal sins should not require press releases, and problems within a family shouldn't have to mean public confessions," Woods said. An admirable sentiment, but Woods' apology is likely only fuel for the fire.
I pulled excerpts from a CNN article on what Eldrick should do.
Tiger Woods really needs his wife. And his A-game. That's the advice of experts in the art of getting people through media crises such as the one the golf champ faces after his single car crash led to multi-woman pileup of infidelity allegations. If Woods can persuade his wife Elin Nordegren not only to stick by him, but to opine in the presence of a large media outlet or two that she has forgiven her imperfect husband and that everyone else should feel free to do likewise, then resurrecting his image is easier than nine holes of putt-putt.
Being in the room while he makes a statement of contrition (see playbooks by Spitzer, Silda or Bryant, Vanessa) is a close second.
(See the top 10 apologies.)
"What Tiger and his advisers have managed to do so far is make this a much bigger story," says Michael Sitrick, CEO of crisis management firm Sitrick and Co. "There's this mindset that if you hunker down and take the 'high road,' it will go away." The publicist points to Bill and Hillary Clinton as exemplars of the "wife-first" approach; once Hillary said it was between Bill and her, the heat lowered. "If he can get his wife to support him, I'd pick one print and one broadcast outlet and then never talk about it again."
Again, as I have been saying, he should have just come out and made a brief apology and statement early on. No need to field questions and try and move on. His approach so far has not worked. The story has snowballed and become SO MUCH bigger than it ever should have.
Good luck, Eldrick!
His statement was an apology, but not an admission. In response to Grubbs statement and issuance of the voicemail allegedly of Tiger, Woods issued a carefully worded apology that admits nothing, only his regret that he "let [his] family down." Indeed, most of the statement is devoted to excoriating the media for creating the firestorm that now surrounds him and his family. "Personal sins should not require press releases, and problems within a family shouldn't have to mean public confessions," Woods said. An admirable sentiment, but Woods' apology is likely only fuel for the fire.
I pulled excerpts from a CNN article on what Eldrick should do.
Tiger Woods really needs his wife. And his A-game. That's the advice of experts in the art of getting people through media crises such as the one the golf champ faces after his single car crash led to multi-woman pileup of infidelity allegations. If Woods can persuade his wife Elin Nordegren not only to stick by him, but to opine in the presence of a large media outlet or two that she has forgiven her imperfect husband and that everyone else should feel free to do likewise, then resurrecting his image is easier than nine holes of putt-putt.
Being in the room while he makes a statement of contrition (see playbooks by Spitzer, Silda or Bryant, Vanessa) is a close second.
(See the top 10 apologies.)
"What Tiger and his advisers have managed to do so far is make this a much bigger story," says Michael Sitrick, CEO of crisis management firm Sitrick and Co. "There's this mindset that if you hunker down and take the 'high road,' it will go away." The publicist points to Bill and Hillary Clinton as exemplars of the "wife-first" approach; once Hillary said it was between Bill and her, the heat lowered. "If he can get his wife to support him, I'd pick one print and one broadcast outlet and then never talk about it again."
Again, as I have been saying, he should have just come out and made a brief apology and statement early on. No need to field questions and try and move on. His approach so far has not worked. The story has snowballed and become SO MUCH bigger than it ever should have.
Good luck, Eldrick!
Couple of Tiger Jokes
What's the difference between a golf ball and a Cadillac Escalade? Tiger can drive a golf ball more than 300 yards.
What did Tiger and wife Elin do on Thanksgiving night? They went clubbing.
This is about what you can expect for quite some time.
Again, if Tiger had just come out and attacked these issues head on early on, it would have been much better. The "story" has taken off and snowballed into something MUCH bigger than it had to be. Golf.com printed a good story about Tiger. Here are a few excerpts:
The wave crested when he refused to be interviewed by the Florida Highway Patrol. That made him look like he had something to hide or, even worse, like he thought he was above the law. Then he announced he wouldn't play in his own tournament, the Chevron World Challenge, an off-season event that supports the charitable works of the Tiger Woods Foundation, or even show up to serve as host and glad-hand. In a release, he claimed he was under a doctor's orders not to travel. Let's see, he could win a U.S. Open at Torrey Pines with multiple microfractures in his leg but couldn't fly in a comfy private jet to California because of a cut lip and some bruises?
On Wednesday, Woods issued a statement apologizing for his "transgressions," but he didn't get into specifics. After saying he had let his family down, he went on to criticize the tabloid press for invading his privacy and printing erroneous rumors. (He never supplied the police, the public or the media with any facts to avoid all the speculation.) Yes, being the most famous person on the planet can be a terrible burden, but in his apology he sounded more sorry for getting caught than for his actions. Maybe that's harsh. Maybe that's unfair. But that's the way the public is going to view this.
Perception rules over facts in the court of public opinion, and this verdict is going to go against Tiger, no matter what is ultimately revealed. Forget those seven wins he had on the golf course this year. What we're going to remember about Tiger's 2009 is a crashed Cadillac, a $164 citation for careless driving and a betrayed wife.
Tiger's image will never be the same. Neither will his life. All we really know for sure is, this was all his fault.
Additionally, USA Today's Christine Brennan, a well respected sports journalist for years, said the golfer's apology falls short. "The first paragraph is an apology," Brennan said on CNN's Larry King Live. "The second two paragraphs, he attacks everybody else, when of course, this is a self-induced scandal."
Again, Tiger doesn't have to tell us anything. Again, in a perfect world he would be able to deal with this the way an average joe would deal with it and that is in the privacy of his own home. The problem is that he is TIGER FREAKING WOODS -- arguably the most recognizable athlete in the world. The reality is that the general public feels owed and entitled an explanation and an answer. Holing up and hiding doesn't help. If he had come out early on, he could have appeared more human and less of an icon and even garnered some sympathy. It is MUCH worse now.
Good luck, Eldrick!
What did Tiger and wife Elin do on Thanksgiving night? They went clubbing.
This is about what you can expect for quite some time.
Again, if Tiger had just come out and attacked these issues head on early on, it would have been much better. The "story" has taken off and snowballed into something MUCH bigger than it had to be. Golf.com printed a good story about Tiger. Here are a few excerpts:
The wave crested when he refused to be interviewed by the Florida Highway Patrol. That made him look like he had something to hide or, even worse, like he thought he was above the law. Then he announced he wouldn't play in his own tournament, the Chevron World Challenge, an off-season event that supports the charitable works of the Tiger Woods Foundation, or even show up to serve as host and glad-hand. In a release, he claimed he was under a doctor's orders not to travel. Let's see, he could win a U.S. Open at Torrey Pines with multiple microfractures in his leg but couldn't fly in a comfy private jet to California because of a cut lip and some bruises?
On Wednesday, Woods issued a statement apologizing for his "transgressions," but he didn't get into specifics. After saying he had let his family down, he went on to criticize the tabloid press for invading his privacy and printing erroneous rumors. (He never supplied the police, the public or the media with any facts to avoid all the speculation.) Yes, being the most famous person on the planet can be a terrible burden, but in his apology he sounded more sorry for getting caught than for his actions. Maybe that's harsh. Maybe that's unfair. But that's the way the public is going to view this.
Perception rules over facts in the court of public opinion, and this verdict is going to go against Tiger, no matter what is ultimately revealed. Forget those seven wins he had on the golf course this year. What we're going to remember about Tiger's 2009 is a crashed Cadillac, a $164 citation for careless driving and a betrayed wife.
Tiger's image will never be the same. Neither will his life. All we really know for sure is, this was all his fault.
Additionally, USA Today's Christine Brennan, a well respected sports journalist for years, said the golfer's apology falls short. "The first paragraph is an apology," Brennan said on CNN's Larry King Live. "The second two paragraphs, he attacks everybody else, when of course, this is a self-induced scandal."
Again, Tiger doesn't have to tell us anything. Again, in a perfect world he would be able to deal with this the way an average joe would deal with it and that is in the privacy of his own home. The problem is that he is TIGER FREAKING WOODS -- arguably the most recognizable athlete in the world. The reality is that the general public feels owed and entitled an explanation and an answer. Holing up and hiding doesn't help. If he had come out early on, he could have appeared more human and less of an icon and even garnered some sympathy. It is MUCH worse now.
Good luck, Eldrick!
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Most recent Woods family photo
This is pretty much the kind of stuff that will be popping up on the world wide interweb.
You can forget any hopes of Tiger getting privacy. Reporters have been trying to contact any and all of Tiger's family and friends. His father in law has already been contacted in Sweden and does not want to discuss this.
Now Jaimee Grubbs, a waitress in Vegas, is claiming a 3 year on and off again relationship with Eldrick. AP reporters have been sent to contact her. Media is all over this and is doing anything but respecting his privacy. This will continue. Good luck, Edrick!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Ovie day to day
Whew! Ovie went crashing into a Carolina Hurricane in last night's game and there was a knee to knee collision. Ovie was given a 5:00 major and a game misconduct and may face additional suspensions from the league but the larger concern was that Ovie was on the ice for several minutes and then needed to be helped off of the ice. It looked bad but reports this morning was that he was able to walk on the bus under his own power after the game and then he took part briefly in the morning skate.
Apparently he is day to day and barring any suspension could be made available for the Caps next game.
Losing the reigning 2 time NHL MVP would be a devastating blow to the Caps who are looking to go to the Cup. Right now, they have one of the best teams in hockey and look to be hitting their stride. The best part is that others are contributing and both Theo and Varly are solid in the net.
Apparently he is day to day and barring any suspension could be made available for the Caps next game.
Losing the reigning 2 time NHL MVP would be a devastating blow to the Caps who are looking to go to the Cup. Right now, they have one of the best teams in hockey and look to be hitting their stride. The best part is that others are contributing and both Theo and Varly are solid in the net.
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