For Those About To Rock: A YouTube Salute to Da Bears

The summer is my least favorite sports season.

 

No football, no basketball, and the World Cup once every four years.  Baseball is mildly entertaining to me, but not until August or September. 

 

By that time I have football back.

 

Anyway, to keep me entertained throughout the slow months of summer, I sometimes turn to YouTube.  I can look at Redskins and Tarheels videos that I may never have seen before. 

 

Even if I have seen them, there is nothing like a trip down memory lane to remind me of why I like sports.

 

This article is not about the Redskins or the Tarheels.  But it is my humble attempt at giving recognition to one of the most entertaining and hardworking NFL teams of the ’80s: the Chicago Bears.

 

I stumbled across the Bears innocently enough.  I put in Joe Theismann into the YouTube search engine to see what I could find.  When the results came up, there was one that intrigued me. 

 

The title of the clip was “A Bad Day for Joe Theismann,” submitted by Beerzgood5.

 

What I saw was a video that included highlights of the 45-10 thrashing that the Bears gave to the Redskins that autumn day in 1985.  The highlight (or lowlight) occurred early in the game after the Bears had injured the Redskins’ punter, and Joe Theismann was forced into emergency kicking duties.

 

The result was a highly pressured kick that yielded a net total of four yards.

 

I was going to write this article solely about this one game, but I decided to broaden my scope for two reasons.

 

First of all, when I looked up the box score for this game, it showed that the Redskins didn’t get dominated as much as the score and video would indicate.  They won the time of possession and out gained the Bears by 160+ yards. 

 

Although Theismann gave up three turnovers and was sacked four times, his overall stats weren’t that bad.

 

The second reason was that this video led me to other Beerzgood5 submissions that highlighted those classic Bears’ teams in a way that America’s Game can’t accomplish.

 

Each video had a catchy title, like “Bad day for Phil Simms (part one and two)” and “Bad Day for Cowboys QB’s”.

 

Also, each video was accompanied by an ACDC soundtrack (with a Who song thrown in here or there).

 

I’m not a huge ACDC fan or a huge Bears fan, but the combination somehow fits.  ACDC represents blue collar America, and so does the late ’80s Bears’ football team. 

 

There is nothing pretty about either the songs or the videos, but the results are powerful.

 

As I watched video after video, it occurred to me: This defense slaughtered some of the best offenses of all time.

 

Between 1983 and 1993, the NFC East accounted for seven out of 10 Superbowl titles.  Yet here was video proof that the Bears made these teams look like the expansion era Bucs.

 

They made Joe Gibbs look like Steve Spurrier. 

 

They made Tom Landry look like Wade Phillips. 

 

They even made Bill Parcells (Giants) look like Bill Parcells (Cowboys)!

 

The most revealing video was the two part video set against the Giants that documented a playoff game in 1985 and a MNF game in 1987, which pitted the two most recent Superbowl winners against each other.

 

The results are awe inspiring. 

 

I have never seen a Bill Parcells led team get out muscled like this in the trenches.  I also have never seen so many quarterback substitutions in one game (other than the Redskins/Eagles body bag game in 1990).

 

Simms starts and gets mauled.

 

Then Rutledge comes in and gets the wind knocked out of him.

 

Then Simms comes back in and goes back out after a monstrous hit that had me screaming obscenities into a computer screen 22 years after the event.

 

Rutledge comes back and gets slaughtered again.  There is one frame in the video that shows the two QBs talking to each other.  It looks like they are drawing straws as to who must go back into the game.

 

I know that the Chicago defenses of the 1980’s get a lot of respect and are mentioned along with the all-time greats.

 

But seeing them in the proper context (beer in hand, ACDC blaring, and crucial hits highlighted) has given me a new appreciation for what they were all about.

 

Plus seeing Mike Ditka sporting a black Kangol makes it all worthwhile.

 

If you are like me and are desperately searching for anything to keep you entertained during the next month, I suggest you watch these videos. 

 

Even a Packer fan might get inspired by watching the Fridge grab Walter Payton at the three yard line, and throw him toward the goal line in a prime display of sheer will to win.

 

Stand up and be counted!

Could Santana Moss Be the Best Reciever in the NFC East This Year?

I was looking at the Washington Redskins’ website a few weeks ago when I saw an article that caught my attention.

 

It was discussing the Redskin receivers and it mentioned that Santana Moss may currently be the best receiver in the division.

 

I love Santana, but I thought that the writer was being very biased by stating that Moss could be the best in the division.

 

Then I started to really think about it.  The more I pondered it, the more I agreed with it.  Santana Moss may well be the best receiver in the NFC East this season.

 

When I first started to think about this my mind went to the big guns.  Surely Terrell Owens and Plaxico Burress are better than Moss.  Then I realized that although they probably are neither player is playing within the division this year.

 

Suddenly I became optimistic.

 

My next train of thought was to compare Moss to other receivers in the division.

 

Right away my mind went to Jason Whitten and Chris Cooley.  They certainly are better than Moss.  However, both are tight ends.  If we are talking about all players that catch passes they would be ahead of Moss.  But strictly regarding receivers eliminates these two from consideration.

 

Then I went roster by roster, considering each team’s best receivers.

 

Dallas’ big name is Roy Williams.  Williams is a very popular receiver, but as I looked at his stats it occurred to me that he has only produced one breakout season.  His 2008 result of less than 500 yards confirmed my belief that Santana is better.

 

The next team on my list was the Giants.  I really do like several of their receivers, but none have proven that they can carry the load as a go to guy.

If their late season collapse is any indication the Giants may be in more trouble offensively than many would think.  They drafted Hakeem Nicks, who I think will be an absolute stud in the NFL, but as a rookie he won’t be able to put up the numbers of a Santana Moss.

 

Lastly I looked to the Eagles.  This is the team that many believe will win the division.  This is the team that has several receivers who could be legitimately compared to Santana Moss. 

 

Kevin Curtis is the Eagles’ most reliable target.  He is very under rated and my favorite Eagle receiver.  But given his history with injuries and his career performance I can’t feel comfortable saying that he is better than Moss.

This brings me to DeSean Jackson.  He may be the most explosive player in the division.  He may also end up with the greatest overall career.  He certainly is the cockiest receiver in the NFC East. 

 

But I am a superstitious man.  I believe in things like sophomore slumps and Madden curses.  Therefore, if I was a betting man, I would take a player who has averaged around 900 yards a season over the last six years over a player who has only done it once.

 

The same logic can be applied to Jeremy Maclin.  He has many sportswriters and Eagles fans abuzz with his skill set and potential.  I’m cool with that.  Just don’t expect me to rate him above an established veteran like Moss before he plays his first NFL game.

 

I am not guaranteeing in any way that Santana Moss will have the best season of any NFC East receiver.  Injuries can take their toll on even the best players.  Also Moss is coming off of a thousand yard season.  He has never had back to back thousand yard seasons in his career.

 

It is quite possible that one of the players that I have mentioned will have a breakout season and leave Moss in the dust.  But until this happens you must acknowledge that Santana Moss may very well be the best receiver in the division.

Joe Gibbs: The Greatest Coach of the Superbowl Era?

I will admit it right from the start.

I love the Washington Redskins. 

I am probably a little biased. 

Although I am probably looking at Joe Gibbs through burgundy and gold colored glasses, please disregard my bias and seriously consider my arguments

Now that I have gotten the disclaimer out of the way let me get down to business.

There have been many great coaches in the Superbowl era.  Coaches such as Vince Lombardi, Chuck Knoll, Don Shula, Tom Landry, Bill Walsh, and Bill Belicheck. Each of these men have created dynasties that have produced multiple Superbowl wins and countless hall of famers.

Joe Gibbs has led just as many or more teams to the Superbowl.

The only coach in the superbowl era with more titles is Chuck Knoll.  But it is the path that Gibbs took that separates him from the others. 

If at the end of this article you still don’t consider him the best coach, you will at least understand that he was unique among his peers.

If you take a look at the coaches who have won multiple Superbowl’s, they all have one thing in common.  They all have had the good fortune to have a franchise quarterback to guide their team throughout their triumphs. 

Each coach that I have mentioned had a quarterback who is either in the Hall of Fame or soon will be.

Vince Lombardi had Bart Starr as his field general.  Knoll had Terry Bradshaw.  Shula had Griese, Landry had Roger Staubach, Walsh had Montana, and Belicheck has a guy named Tom Brady that a few of you may be familiar with.

 

History has shown us that no matter how good a coach you are you need a great quarterback to sustain championship success.

Joe Gibbs is different from these great coaches in that he didn’t have a marquee quarterback.  He won three Superbowl’s with three different quarterbacks.  Only Bill Parcells has ever won even two Superbowl’s with different quarterbacks.

I love Joe Theismann, Doug Williams, and Mark Rypien, but I have to be honest when I say that none of them will ever make the Hall of Fame.  Even Theismann, who led the Redskins to back to back Superbowl’s and is the best of the three, has no reasonable shot at making it.  He only started seven full seasons and only played at a pro bowl level in three or four of them.

This reason alone separates Gibbs from his contemporaries. 

But there’s more.

 

You may bring up the valid point that Starr, Bradshaw, and Greise were game managers and it was the running game that mainly propelled their teams to greatness.

You would be correct in that assumption.  The Packers, Dolphins, and Steelers all had Hall of Fame caliber running backs to carry the ball.

Once again, Gibbs succeeded with three different running backs in three different Superbowl’s.

John Riggins is without question a Hall of Fame running back and one of the main forces behind two Superbowl Redskin teams.  But he retired after the ’85 season.

Gibbs continued what he had built with Riggins by clever drafting, great line play, and players considered past their prime by many in the NFL.  Earnest Byner (who was the starter for the 1991/92 championship team) was a very good running back.  But he was labeled as a fumbler and hounded out of Cleveland, where his untimely fumble cost them a Superbowl birth against (guess who) the Redskins.

The running backs on the Redskin team Byner’s Browns would have faced consisted of journeyman Gerald Riggs, unheralded Kelvin Bryant, and rookie Timmy Smith, who had not started a game all season.

Due to injuries to starter Riggs Gibbs decided to go with the rookie.  The result was the greatest single rushing performance in Superbowl history.  Smith ran for 204 yards that day, breaking a record previously held by Larry Csonka, Franco Harris, and John Riggins.  Smith quickly faded into obscurity following his epic Superbowl performance.

Many of the mighty dynasties of yesteryear also had great receivers to help them win their championships.  The Redskins did have a very good receiving corps, but only Art Monk among them has made it into the hall, and that only happened last year after years of being overlooked.

In fact, of all the coaches and teams I have mentioned, the Redskins have the least amount of Hall of Fame inductees out of all of them.  They only have three players who were significant contributors to their Superbowl’s that are currently in the hall.  Two of them (Darryl Green and Art Monk) finally got in last year.  Before that it was one (Riggo).

There is one final piece of evidence that I would like you to consider.  The NFL has experienced two strike shortened seasons in the Superbowl era.  Gibbs’ Redskins won both Superbowl’s.  You may say that due to the strikes Gibbs had it easier.  I disagree.

The 1982 squad only played nine regular season games, but because of this the NFL extended the number of teams allowed in the playoffs.  This forced the top seeded Redskins to play four postseason games.  Normally a top seed only plays in three, including the Superbowl.

The 1987 season featured replacement players for four games.  Joe Gibbs managed to coach these players into a cohesive unit that ended up winning three out of four replacement games.

The 1987 Redskins were the only team to not have a single player cross the picket line before the strike was resolved.  This means that in the latter weeks of the replacement season the Redskins faced more and more legitimate NFL players.

This was most evident during the last week of the strike.  The Redskins faced a Dallas team that had eleven starters playing in the game, including Tony Dorsett.  The Redskins defied the odds and won the game in what has to be considered one of the greatest upsets in modern sports history.

To sum it all up Joe Gibbs coached his teams to four Superbowl’s during his tenure.  He is the only coach in league history to have a different starting quarterback, a different starting running back, and a different leading receiver in each of his Superbowl victories.

Gibbs is also the only coach to have won three Superbowl’s and have his team not considered a dynasty.  This is with good reason.  The length of time between Superbowl’s and the personnel changes in between them are all convincing evidence that the Redskins were no dynasty.

This is the point.

Joe Gibbs built three different championships with three different sets of players.  What do these teams have in common? 

The answer is Joe Gibbs.

No coach in the Superbowl era has done more with less than Joe Gibbs. 

No coach in the superbowl era has responded to adversity as well as Joe Gibbs. 

That is why to me he is the best coach the NFL has seen since the AFL-NFL merger.

Does Terrell Owens Belong In The Hall Of Fame?

Does Terrell Owens deserve a spot in the NFL Hall of Fame?

This is an interesting question that is not as cut and dry as one would think.

I would like to state for the record that I am not a T.O. fan and think that many of his on-field antics have no place in professional football. I am from the Barry Sanders school of thought when it comes to touchdown celebrations. Barry asked players to “Act like you have been there before.”

My feelings on Owens aside, I think that based purely on his statistics he should be a first ballot hall of famer.

However, history has taught us that the Hall of Fame committee takes more than just stats into consideration when judging Hall of Fame talent.

I submit to you another player who, based on his statistics, deserves to be in the Hall of Fame: Ricky Watters. However Watters is not in Canton, and the reasons for his exclusion bear a striking similarity to the career of T.O.

Owens and Watters both boast statistics that are significantly better than players of their position that are already in the Hall of Fame, but both players have been condemned as “me-first” players who seek individual glory over their team’s best interest.

Both Watters and Owens have been at odds with teammates, and both have left promising teams due to off field circumstances. Watters left the 49ers after winning the Superbowl amid a contract dispute. Owens was suspended for conduct detrimental to the team the season after he helped lead the Eagles to the Superbowl. His grievances with the Eagles stemmed from trying to renegotiate his contract with several years left on his current one.

Both Watters and Owens have public persona’s that have created enemies within NFL circles. Both have offended writers who vote on the Hall of Fame to the point where certain writers have sworn to leave them out of their HOF ballot as long as they vote on the Hall of Fame Committee.

They are also similar in that their career can not be associated with one franchise. Waters played for the Eagles, Niners, and Seahawks, but are not considered truly a part of any organization.

Owens also gives off the vibe of a hired gun. His stints in San Francisco, Philadelphia, Dallas, and now Buffalo make not only the question of merit a consideration for the Hall of Fame, but of what team he would be inducted for.

Lastly, both Owens and Watters have spurned the same franchises that are among the most loyal and unforgiving in the NFL. If you can use Watters’ career as an example you don’t burn your bridges with two of the most popular NFL franchises and easily gain entrance to the Hall of Fame.

This is not an excuse to bash Terrell Owens, but to give legitimate questions to his Hall of Fame credentials. When does personal achievement supersede team goals and accomplishments?

If Ricky Watters is an example of the HOF committee’s mindset, Owens’ place in the NFL Hall of Fame may not be as set in stone as most of us would think.

Recognize the Face, But Not the Team: Players Holding on Too Long

There are many Packer fans out there who have worshipped Brett Favre over the years. Some of them are dumbfounded and even angry that he could even think about playing for another team. Some are concerned about how this will affect his legacy.

This article has been written to put Favre fan’s minds at ease and assure them that the majority of fans will forget that he ever played for another team and remember him solely as a Packer. The proof lies in NFL history.

After searching for photos of these NFL stars with unfamiliar teams at the end of their career I have become even more convinced that Favre’s recent antics will be forgotten in ten years. Honorable mention goes out to Johnny Unitas, Emmitt Smith, Andre Reed, Cris Carter, and Thurman Thomas. I wanted to include you in this list but got tired of looking for photos of you in Charger, Cardinal, Redskin, Dolphin, and Dolphin uniforms respectively.

Many more greats have finished there career unloved in foreign cities, but here are a few of interest.

An Improved Redskins D-Line Gives Greg Blache Creative Freedom

The Washington Redskins achieved a feat last year that is almost unheard of in modern sports history.  Their defense managed to finish fourth in the league in total yards given up despite having one of the lowest sack totals of any team.

 

Anyone watching film on the Redskins last year came away with two definite conclusions.

 

1.      The secondary is very good.  Week after week opposing quarterbacks were given all day to throw a pass and still had trouble making plays.

 

2.      The defensive line must be upgraded.  Aside from Andre Carter (and disregarding Jason Taylor, who played injured the entire season and was not a factor) the Redskins had no other player on their d-line who would start for any other team in the NFC East.

 

The only way that Defensive Coordinator Greg Blache could generate any pressure on the quarterback was by blitzing.  Blitzing can be very successful, but it is not a permanent solution.

 

Bringing linebackers, safeties, and the occasional cornerback off of their primary cover duties on passing situations is risky.  It puts those still in coverage on an island and leaves zero room for error. 

 

An upgrade along the line was long overdue.  Dan Snyder and Vinny Cerrato came through this past off season by signing free agent Albert Haynesworth and drafting promising speed rusher Brian Orakpo.

 

Given the Redskins’ recent history regarding the production of free agents I know that success is in no way guaranteed.  But barring injury or a catastrophic regression in play by Haynesworth I would have to think that the Redskins will have a much better line this year.

 

If the new line plays up to their potential it will open up new possibilities for Greg Blache and allow him to change defensive strategies.

 

A front four of Andre Carter, Cornelius Griffin, Albert Haynesworth and Brian Orakpo has a chance to be really special.

 

Try to imagine how much more effective this defense (which was very good last year) could be if they could generate an effective pass rush without blitzing.  Rushing only the four down linemen and dropping seven players back into coverage will clog up passing lanes and will almost assuredly lead to more turnovers.

 

Turnovers have been hard to come by in recent years for the Redskins.  I feel that one of the main reasons for this was the poor pass rush.  Pressure from the front four not only makes the quarterback have to throw before he is ready, it allows linebackers to drop back into areas where a quarterback does not expect a defender to be.

 

The combination is a recipe for creating turnovers!

 

Carlos Rogers and DeAngelo Hall are well suited to playing single man coverage, and I think they will still be asked to do this from time to time.  But I feel that Blache will have more flexibility this year and will install more zone coverage schemes.  This will give help to Fred Smoot in nickel and dime coverage’s.

 

Following the Redskins my entire life has taught me two very important things.

 

The first thing is that Dallas is evil.

 

The second and probably most important thing is that anything can happen from one season to the next.

 

While I don’t enter the season assuming that the recent off season acquisitions will definitely pan out and return the Redskins to glory I am intrigued by the potential of this defensive unit.  If everything falls into place and the injury gods are kind to us this year we could be looking at a very special defense.                     

 

I can’t wait to find out.  There is only nine more weeks until show time.  Start your countdown now!

 

Not Enough Brett Favre Articles

I am really upset with the national media and its lack of Favre coverage.  One article a day is not nearly enough.  This is a story that everyone loves and needs to hear. 

I feel that sportswriters are being lazy, so I thought I should give them some ideas to follow.

First, I want daily reports from Brett’s doctor, his agent, and Minnesota management.  So much can happen between one article and the next and I believe the public are missing out.  Since I am sure that Brett and his agent are in daily contact with the Vikings we should be privy to these encounters as well.

Secondly, I want TV coverage of every rehab session and practice session at the high school.  There should be an ESPN film crew permanently on location in Hattiesburg.  If he plays catch with his kid in the back yard I want a camera man in a tree giving us the overhead angle.  Another guy can be in the bushes for the on field angle.

I want one candid interview with Favre a day.  Chris Mortensen gave this to us last year and every fan appreciated it.  I know Brett will give the media the access, so what are they waiting for?

I want a radar detector documenting the speed of his fastballs and change ups.  That way we can gauge his level of recovery on a daily basis.

I want HBO to make this season’s Hard Knocks show a reality show involving Brett and his family.  Seriously, who produces this show?  Does HBO really think Chad Ochocinco and the Bengals are a better soap opera than this?

I think every newspaper in the country would be wise to devote a special section of their paper to the events surrounding Favre and the Vikings.  They do this to preview the upcoming season and for the Superbowl, why is this any less important?

Topping the list, and I can’t stress enough the importance of this, I want visual evidence of every bowel movement he makes.  I want a bulletin running under the screen on ESPN if it has corn in it.  They should bring back Keith Olbermann for this job exclusively.

I want to turn on SportsCenter tomorrow and hear him say “Last night Brett Favre produced two solid pieces of fecal matter.  They were brown with a hint of green.  I am happy to announce there were no floaters. 

“I think I can speak for all of us at ESPN when I say that I am relieved that the taco diarrhea he experience yesterday is firmly behind him.”

I ask all sportswriters and sports TV channels everywhere to step up their game.  This topic is the most important cultural event since the Kennedy assassination.  We must treat it accordingly.

Brett Favre Signs With Vikes……as Running Back!

The Vikings have announced that they have officially signed Favre and have designated him as their featured running back for the 2009 season. 

A Vikings spokesman said that the Vikings were impressed by his speed and especially his ability to catch passes out of the backfield. “We envision him playing as a Brian Westbrook type of player. He will be flanked out wide from time to time.” 

The source also said the Vikings were installing special “wildcat” formations for him and were also considering letting him field punts. Adrian Peterson has embraced a backup role wholeheartedly. 

“I’m willing to do whatever it takes to win,” Peterson told us on the phone Tuesday night. “Obviously when you have a choice between Favre and Adrian Peterson you will pick him every time. I think this will be a great one-two punch.”

Favre has praised Peterson for his unselfish attitude.  He has asked for the Vikings to feature a two back set with Peterson serving as a fullback to help clear blocking lanes for the future hall of fame runner.

“I’m excited about this new opportunity,” Favre told us. “The Jets used me as a more traditional type of back, but I feel I can be effective catching passes also. I am a really good route runner and linebackers will have problems keeping up with my speed.”

With Sage Rosenfels handing off and throwing to Brett Favre the Vikings now look to be the odds on favorite to win the Superbowl this year.  Place your bets early folks.

Second Generation Washington Redskin

Some people seem to be born into a profession.  Everyone knows the type.  We have all met people who are third generation doctors and fourth generation servicemen.  We all know someone like this.

I also was born into a proud tradition.  One not as lucrative or respectable as being a doctor or lawyer, but I am proud of it just the same.

I am a second generation Redskin fan.

My father was a diehard Redskin fan who somehow managed to get along with my mother’s family, who were all Giant fans (my grandfather taught me another fine tradition: gambling. 

We bet on all Giant/Redskin games from the time I was three).  There are pictures floating around my parent’s house of me with a Redskin jumper sitting on my dad’s knee at the advanced age of one watching Joe Gibb’s first season as coach.

Most people don’t retain memories before the age of four or five.  I have a vivid recollection of my first memory.  My dad’s boss had given him two tickets to see the ‘84 Super Bowl between the Raiders and Redskins. 

I was excited…until I realized he was taking my mom to California to watch the game instead of me.  I had to stay with Grandma and Grandpa Giant.

It turned out to be a blessing in disguise.  If I had gone and watched the Redskins get humiliated in the Super Bowl before a 95 percent Raider crowd I would have looked like that little kid after the Duke /Maryland game that is so famously pictured crying in his dad’s arms, while his dad looks like he just had an accident in his pants. 

Instead I got to cry at home, where at least no one was snapping pictures.

Despite his lousy performance against the Raiders I was a huge Joe Theismann fan.  My father was, too.  We have a porcelain Theismann Christmas tree ornament that we hang on the tree every year.  It’s become a tradition.

I mention this because a funny thing happened to this ornament.  In 1985, about a month after Lawrence Taylor gave Theismann an extra knee joint halfway down his shin, we began putting up our Christmas decorations. 

Somehow the Theismann ornament fell as we were taking it out of storage and it broke the same leg that he had just broken in real life.  My father and I saw the irony immediately.

My dad super glued the leg back onto its body and our injured hero went back on the tree, where he will be this Christmas and every one after.  Unfortunately for the Redskins, it proved to be much more difficult to glue the real Joe Theismann’s leg back together.  The injury would end his career.

Despite this setback the Redskins were just beginning their golden era.  They would go on to three more NFC championship games and win two more Super Bowls.  Many Redskin fans agree that Riggo’s run in the ‘83 Super Bowl was the greatest moment in franchise history. 

While it may be more important historically, the game that holds the fondest memories for me was the Redskins/Broncos Super Bowl in 1988.

My parents used to go to a Super Bowl party at their friend’s house and I used to go with them.  My memory is a bit hazy, but I don’t remember any other kids at these parties.  They had a pool for the game that was broken down by points during each quarter. 

I remember the safety during the Bears/Patriots game two years before that gave me the winning point total for that quarter.

I would like to say I won the pool during the Redskin/Broncos Super Bowl by predicting Doug Williams’ glorious second quarter, but I don’t think Williams himself could have predicted the turn of events that took place.

Most of the guests at this party were Steelers fans.  For some reason they had an AFC loyalty and were pulling for Elway and the Broncos.  When Denver jumped out to a commanding 10-0 lead there was a lot of hooting and hollering. 

I cringed when Williams hyper extended his knee and had to leave the game momentarily.  I was having flashbacks of Joe Theismann’s career ender just two years before.

The injury did not end Doug Williams’ career that day, however.  When he returned during the next series he led the Redskins to the greatest one quarter performance in Super Bowl history. 

Thirty-five points later you would have been able to hear a pin drop at that party.  At least you would have if that annoying eight year old kid would have stopped bouncing up and down and screaming.  I’m sure a few of the adults did not appreciate being taunted by an obnoxious kid while their team was getting steamrolled, but I was oblivious. 

The recent history of the Redskins has not been nearly as exciting as their Super Bowl era.  I must admit that being a Redskin fan sometimes makes me feel like a battered wife.  I know that they will probably disappoint me but I go back to them every year.  Even after the black eye they gave me last year I still cling to hope.

People ask me sometimes why I don’t switch allegiances and start following another team.  To me that would be similar to dropping my daughter off at the doctor’s office and leaving with another child.  As much as it pains me sometimes I am emotionally invested.  I was born into this.

As I reflect on my birthright as a lifelong Skins fan, I am preparing to hop back on the Redskins’ roller coaster for one more spin around the tracks of the NFL season.  I remain hopeful that this time there aren’t as many unexpected drops at the end of the long climb up the hill.

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