Wizards beat Bulls - close out the series

On a night where both teams struggled from the field, the Wizards used their offensive rebounding to put the game away.  It was actually a pretty boring game.  The Bulls just seemed to lack energy and flow particularly given that their season was on the line.  Even their fans seemed to lack any energy.  The Wizards weren't great but they did enough to pull out the win.  Give Gortat, Nene, and Booker a lot of credit for picking up several offensive rebounds late in the game to ice it for the Wiz.  Chicago looked beat in the fourth quarter.  They really looked like they had had enough of the Wizards and understood who was the better team. 

Wizards get a couple of well deserved days off as they await their opponent for Round 2.  If the Hawks beat the Pacers tonight, we end up having home court advantage against them in the second round.  Frankly, the way the Pacers have been playing the last month (what happened to Hibbert?), the Pacers might be the easier draw.  In any event, the Wizards played very well in the first round and I don't see any signs of this team letting up or being satisfied with what they have accomplished thus far.

Nobody beats the WIZ!!!

Wizards have a chance to close out the first round of the playoffs against the Bulls tonight.  I really like the way they have played in this series.  They seem to be playing like a team with much more experience and maturity than they have.  Wall and Beal have proven to be unfazed by their first taste of playoff basketball and show a maturity of not settling for a win or even a series win.  They really do seem focused on carrying this team as far as possible. 

Then the play of Nene and Gortat at the bigs has been huge.  They are proven veterans that have shown not to be intimadated by the physical Noah and Gibson.  Ariza had a huge game in Game #4 but has been solid all season.  Andre Miller has provided tremendous veteran leadership and a calming presence and good change of pace to Wall's up tempo game.  Miller was exceptional in the third quarter of Game #1.  The role players of Webster, Booker, and Gooden have been huge.

What you really love to see is the mix of youth and veterans coming together where everyone understands their role and is comfortable with it.  It truly looks like these guys play unselfish basketball and play for each other as opposed to themselves.

Not to be forgotten in this is the coaching of Randy Wittman.  He seems to have gotten the most out of this team and it appears the players really enjoy playing for him. 

In the end, it's a fun team to watch that doesn't look scared or overly excited on the bigger stage.  There is a lot of talent on the team and they can beat you in many ways.  If one guy isn't shooting well, they have several other guys that can pick it up.  We saw that in Game #1 where both Wall and Beal struggled from the field but others picked up.  In Game #2, Gortat wasn't great.  In Game #4, Ariza was on fire.  Each night/game it could be someone else. 

This is a fun team to watch that has talent and given the way the playoffs are shaking down who knows what could happen.  Still, can't look ahead.  Have to take care of business with the Bulls tonight.  Hopefully we can close it out and get some rest to get into round 2.  Should be fun.

Oates and McPhee gone!

Too bad it didn't work out.  McPhee has been with the team for 17 years and has had much success starting a youth movement in bringing in Ovi, Semin, Backstrom, Green, etc.  He also took a chance on an unknown coach in Bruce Boudreau and they saw tremendous regular season success culminating with a President's Award a few years back. However, the regular season success never translated into playoff success.  The aging of the "young guns" and the firing of Boudreau seemed to be the start of the end for McPhee.  In came Dale Hunter whose defensive minded approach was a vast difference to Boudreau's high flying offense didn't seem to fit with the personnel.  After he left, in came Adam Oates who seems like a brilliant tactician but not sure he connected well with the players.  Under Oates, we became a one trick pony.  The PP was fantastic but we were not great 5 v 5 and the constant shuffling of defenders, lines, and goalies seemed to create an atmosphere of distrust with the team.  After a number of interviews with people throughout the team and organization, Leonsis felt it was in the best interest to remove both McPhee and Oates.  For me, it seems like the right move.

What made matters more difficult was that apparently, Oates and McPhee did not see eye to eye on things.  So what is done is done.  The question is what should be done now?  I think the search for a GM takes precedence.  The draft is coming and we need a GM prior to the draft.  The GM will need to evaluate our current roster and see what are our needs and then make decisions on the draft and FA based on where we need help.  The GM also needs to find a coach that he can get along with and shares his vision of the team.  Ideally, we need a coach similar to the Chip Kelly school of thought.  Not bring a system and force it on the players but rather look at the players and build a system that suits the players.  I also think it will be important to find a veteran coach.  Given that this is mature team with a proven superstar, it will be important to find a guy that is proven and has had success and can work with the stars on this team.  The guys that immediately come to mind are Barry Trotz and Peter Laviollete.  I don’t know these guys well but I do know that they have experience and have had success.  Should Pittsburgh falter in the playoffs and Bylsma get fired, he too would be another potential candidate.  In any event, will be interesting to see where the Caps go from here.

There's something wrong with Richie Incognito

Transcripts of voice mail messages and text messages left for the Miami Dolphins' Jonathan Martin by teammate Richie Incognito indicate a pattern of racial epithets and profane language.

Multiple sources confirmed to ESPN that the following is a transcript of a voice message Incognito left for Martin in April 2013, a year after Martin was drafted: "Hey, wassup, you half n----- piece of s---. I saw you on Twitter, you been training 10 weeks. [I want to] s--- in your f---ing mouth. [I'm going to] slap your f---ing mouth. [I'm going to] slap your real mother across the face [laughter]. F--- you, you're still a rookie. I'll kill you."

I get rookie hazing and stuff.  That's been around forever but first Martin is not a rookie and second this stuff goes way beyond what is normal/acceptable.  Incognito has had his issues in the past but he owes Martin and the team a very sincere apology.  Also, where was the Dolphin leadership in all of this?  Don't tell me that they didn't know that some of this stuff was going on.  Shame on them for not recognizing this situation and addressing it before it blew up like it did.

Skins beat Chargers in OT

Game shouldn't have ever gotten that close as the Skins had a 10 point lead deep into the fourth and had a number of plays that if any one of them go their way, it's an easy win.  Still, give credit to the Skins for stopping a 1 and goal from the 1 foot line and forcing the Chargers to a game tying FG and then taking the ball the length of the field in OT to win it. 

I thought the Skins were certainly the better team in this game.  A very good balance of run and pass.  The stars shined as RG3 passed well and ran effectively when needed.  Garcon got 172 yards receiving including a couple of very nice one handed grabs.  Morris ran for over 120 yards.  Jordan Reed had himself another nice game.  Game ball probably has to go to DY Darrell Young for his 3 TD performance including the game winner.

Defensively a very solid effort stopping a very good Charger offense.  Thought David Amerson had himself a very nice game making a great INT.  This guy looks to be a very solid pick for us and will be able to take the CB spot for years to come.  Would have liked to have gotten a little more pressure on Rivers but all in all a good effort capped with the tremendous goal line stand at the end of regulation.

Again, the big concern is special teams.  It seems that every aspect of special teams in an adventure each game.  The Skins first drive of the game started inside of their 5 yard line and they drove it the length of the field and took up a lot of clock.  It was just the kind of drive you want to start the game.  Unfortunately we couldn't punch it in and had to settle for a chip shot FG and it was blocked.  A big momentum shifter.  Again, it just seems like every game there is something in our special teams that fail us.

In the end, it was a very entertaining game and I'm glad we came out with the win.  Next up is the Viqueens who look to be playing a little better with a desperate Ponder back at the helm trying to get hold of the starting QB spot.  A win there and we are a game out of first and picking up some momentum.  I do believe the Skins are playing better with each week and I expect that to continue and we are starting to look like the team we expected to be. 

HAIL SKINS!!!

Skins - Chargers preview

Skins are still looking to put a complete game together.  For the second week in a row, the defense was outstanding for the first half but cracked in the second half.  What was more difficult to take was the offense in the last game.  Seemed to me a combination of problems with RG3 not going through his progressions, to guys dropping passes, to the coaching running less and going for home run balls.  I had difficulty understanding the play selection but I can only speak as a fan watching the game.  Would like to understand what the game plan was there in the second half.

I didn't expect to beat the Broncos in Denver.  However, when we were up 21-7 in the third expectations did change and was disappointed in the last quarter and a half. 

Whatever, on to this week and a chance to bounce back against the Chargers.  Here are my keys:

1. RUN - Alfred Morris has yet to carry for more than 20 times in a game.  Running is our bread and butter and he has been effective.  We just need to stick with him more.  Also, RG3 was effective running in the Dallas and Pear games but did very little of it in the Broncos game.  This is part of our offense and we need that to be successful.

2. Stop Rivers and Gates - these guys are both having a good year and we have to slow them down.  Gates presents some matchup problems for us but if we can get to Rivers a few times, he will make mistakes.  This is the key.  Haslett needs to draw up some blitzes and get after him as he will make the mistakes.  Also, the defense needs to stop the screens to the RBs and the bubble screens to WRs.  Denver crushed us with those and we need better contain and pursuit.  The Chargers coach is a good offensive minded coach so no doubt he will come in with a good game plan.  We just need to be prepared for him.

3. Take advantage of being at home - It's difficult for teams to travel cross county and perform.  We have to take advantage of them traveling cross country and then give our crowd something to get excited about and keep them excited.  This can be a huge advantage for us.

We have been looking better each week but we have to put an entire 60 minutes together.  I believe we will get back on track this week and the we pull out a 27-17 win.

HAIL SKINS!!!

Meriweather going after knees

Brandon Meriweather, who served a one-game suspension Sunday for the way he hits, vowed to begin targeting players' knees. Meriweather has received numerous fines over the years for his helmet-to-helmet hits. After two more incidents against the Bears on Oct. 20, the NFL suspended Meriweather for two games until an appeals process reduced the ban to one.
"I guess I just got to take people's knees out," Meriweather said Monday morning in the Redskins' locker room. "That's the only way. I would hate to end a guy's career over a rule, but I guess it's better other people than me getting suspended for longer.

"You just have to go low now, man. You've got to end people's careers. You got to tear people's ACLs and mess up people's knees. You can't hit them high anymore."

I'm sure he is not intending to end people's careers but I do think he may take his hits lower.  I get that the NFL is trying to make the game safer but the game is inherently violent.  There are going to be violent collisions.  There will be helmet to helmet hits as guys are crossing the middle and jumping and a DB is trying to make a play.  DBs are reacting and intentional or unintentional, there will continue to be helmet to helmet hits. 

I will say Meriweather's hit on Jeffery was deserving of a penalty/fine but the one on Marshall looked more like a reaction and there was contact.  Meriweather has a history and no doubt calls will come against him because of his reputation.  I do believe there are times he is lunging in with his helmet and he needs to be more aware that he has to go in with his shoulder and wrap up.  Frankly, basic tackling is a lost art in the NFL as more guys are looking to just hit and knock the other guy down without wrapping up. 

I just find it interesting how the NFL is trying to balance safety with inherent violence of the game.  Guys are getting bigger, faster, and stronger and there are reactionary plays that happen in the game and guys are taking penalties for it.