BlogsWashington Redskins By the Numbers: #24 - Champ Bailey, Kelvin Bryant
by sugar
on Jul 2, 2009 12:38 PM EDT
in Redskins By The (Jersey) Numbers
11 comments
I struggled with this one a little. As a kid watching those Gibbs teams make short work of regular season opponents on their way to the "second season", I remember Kelvin Bryant doing some things that made my eyes widen. He always seemed to be fighting off an injury, and he was never really the feature back for a whole season or any substantial stretch. But he had close to 1000 yards from scrimmage in 1987, and again in 1988. On the ground he picked up about 5 yards per carry over those two years in limited action and made up the rest through the air, proving to be a pretty consistent receiver out of the backfield with 40+ catches in 3 straight seasons. If I am not mistaken, Timmy Smith actually got the start in Super Bowl XXII only because Kelvin was not 100%. The rest is of course history there. So K.B., if you're out there, thanks for the memories.
#24 - Champ Bailey
But even despite the abandonment issues I struggled with (more on that below), Champ still gets my respect here. Who among us was not a huge Champ Bailey fan when he was wearing #24? I think it is safe to say he was never taken for granted by the fans. Think about how good he was to come in and play alongside Darrell Green, and Deion Sanders, and teams STILL threw away from him. When we drafted him, I remember wondering--as most of us did no doubt, if he would factor in other areas of the game for us. After all, he was a wide receiver, return man, and defensive stud coming out of Georgia. I think the coach down there said he did just about everything on Saturdays except play in the band at halftime. He was so crucial to our defense though, that the thought of him getting injured in another facet of the game (specifically offense) was unbearable to the coaching staff.
I used to play in a pickup football game on Saturday mornings (back in Champ's Redskinsheyday) and there was a guy who started wearing a Wayne Chrebet jersey every week. He fancied himself to be a scrappy receiver and he was one of the more athletic guys playing wideout each week on the other team. So I went to Modell's, bought a #24 Bailey jersey and wore it underneath a sweatshirt until we went on defense. I lined up opposite the Chrebet wannabe and called timeout. Out came the #24 jersey. I wish I could say I remember the exact score of that game, or even any stats--personal or otherwise--to make the story better, but if I were to get any wrong, one of the guys who was there that day would surely crucify me over it! What I can tell you is that my team really responded to the #24 jersey coming out. I know we won, and I have always credited the jersey. Champ Bailey was so good, that even a weekend warrior hack like me was able to channel something through that jersey that made a difference on the field. It not only made me more confident, but it seemed to make my teammates more revved up and loose.
And that really sums up how I felt watching him on Sundays. You always kind of felt comfortable with him on the field, like nothing too bad was going to happen with him locking down the other team's best receiver. It is a shame that we were not able to do more as a franchise while we had him in the fold. And his departure was truly a blow to the perception of an organization that was already suffering from a pretty bad public image around the league.
How do you reconcile the fond memories of a franchise player with the feeling of abandonment when he left? For me, I always kind of respected the way Champ conducted his business. I invite those of you with a different memory of this to chime in, because maybe I get it wrong, but my understanding is Champ really made his desire to leave known to Coach Gibbs in a face-to-face, man-to-man setting. I don't recall a big press conference with Champ and his agent demanding a trade. I don't recall Champ showing up on ESPN, or other news outlets, making statements about his dislike for coaches or players, tossing a tantrum to get out of town. I think it went down by Champ telling Coach Gibbs, "Hey, I am done with this franchise. I am done with the way they have been doing things here, and you should do what you can to get something in return for me now."
This was right as Gibbs was walking back in the door. It gave him a chance to do a quick survey of the league and find a player that could step in and be a guy he could lean on offensively. That ended up being Clinton Portis. I would prefer to set aside the very fair debate on whether or not a franchise corner is worth the same as a franchise running back. It seems clear in this day and age that there is almost nothing worth more than a franchise cornerback. (And God help me, I will never figure out how Denver got that extra second round pick out of us. Jebus...)
Champ has continued to be the class of the league at CB, and Clinton has been a pretty damn good Redskin in his own right. I should never have brought up that second round pick. I literally can't think straight now.
#24 - Champ Bailey
11 comments | 0 recs
Daily Slop: Offensive Line Better than We Think?
by KevinE
on Jul 2, 2009 8:57 AM EDT
in Daily Slop
14 comments
Chad Rinehart impressing big [Insider]
When asked on the difference of Chad between last year and this year...
"Night and day," Bugel said. "Difference between yesterday and today. He's going to be a real good football player for us....He's come back ready to go. He's about 309, 310 pounds, so I've been very pleased with him."
NFL Outsider ranks the top 10 most valuable Redskins right now [mvn]
(I disagree a little bit. I think Jason Campbell should be #1, and "Malcolm Kelly/Devin Thomas together should be #2. I don't think Cooley is more valuable than the London Fletcher. Losing London would be a MAJOR blow. Fred Davis could step in and lessen the blow for Cooley I think.) What do you think?
Kevin Barnes and Fred Smoot battling for nickel spot [Insider]
Redskins retain their 92 ranking (out of 122) for ESPN's Ultimate Experience Standings [espn]
(Interesting note is that the Redskins were ranked #36 in 2006. Mighty fall. I wonder how the new tailgating rules will affect the 2010 standings.)
Redskins fans recall memories from Michael Jackson's two 1984 shows at RFK [wusa]
The Fun Bunch celebrate 1st TD in 1982 Championship game [redskins rule]
14 comments
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Redskins Fans vs Romo Fans at Tiger Woods' Golf Tournament Today
by KevinE
on Jul 1, 2009 9:45 AM EDT
in Events
33 comments
At this moment, Tiger Woods and Tony Romo are playing at Congressional Country Club in the Pro-Am for Tiger's tournament this weekend. And in the 4-some directly behind him is Jason Campbell, Mike Weir, Antwan Randle El, and Bruce Boudreau.
Twitter world has been hilarious today between Matt Terl and Dan Steinberg's fantastic coverage. I will keep updating this post as tweets come in.
@barrysvrlugaSomeone wrote the following in Romo's yardage book: "Go Redskins!"
@dcsportsbogRomo on his match w Tiger at the turn: "He gave me two (strokes). They're used up."
@chaztopher There's no Redskins gear at Congressional b/c only #Cowboys fans are low-class enough to wear jerseys to a golf tournament.
@dcsportsbogTrue story: Just found a random golf ball iin some rough. Romo must have fumbled it.
@redskinsblogRandle El in "unreal" rough. Looks like length of my backyard.
@redskinsblogShaun Suisham: "Walking along with Mike Weir on Canada Day - could it get any better for a guy like me?"
@redskinsblogWell there's at least one Campbell jersey. And a Portis as well. Closing the gap!
33 comments
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Hogs Haven chats with Redskins LB Robert Henson
by KevinE
on Jun 30, 2009 6:45 AM EDT
in Interviews
18 comments
Ken (Sugar) and I had the great opportunity to spend dinner with 6th round pick Robert Henson, his new wife Sarah, and her son Malichi last Wednesday at the Red, Hot, and Blue in Ashburn. We really appreciate the time they took to meet with us, and I would like to also thank Robert's agent, Pat Capra, for being so cooperative in helping set this up. We covered everything from his offseason progression, TCU, draft day, Jason Taylor, London Fletcher, Deion Sanders, Madden Football, Colt Brennan, tough guy Ethan Albright and how the Redskins are improving. When we first sat down, we learned that Robert was three hours away from receiving his degree at TCU in criminal justice. So congratulations to Robert. I of course mentioned that the Bengals could certainly use his knowledge once his playing days are over.
The first topic we touched on was draft day. Robert told us that only a few teams had really spoken to him seriously leading up to the draft (Texans, Colts, Chargers).
Sugar: How did you come to be drafted by the Skins? Was there a connection? A coach, or former teammate with ties to the Washington organization?
Sarah: Well, Vinny Cerrato's sister goes to the same church as our family. I happened to see her in the last week or two leading up to the draft, and of course was like, "Put in a good word for Robert!"
Robert: It ended up working out for us. Vinny was able to call his sister and get some background on me and some of the "supposed" character issues that I had. It was easy for him to figure out quickly that there was nothing to those stories.
Sugar: Did Vinny call you when we picked you? Who called you?
Robert: Dan Snyder called me. It was very cool.
Kevin: TCU plays a similar defense to the Redskins but they actually ran a 4-2-5. That will help you I'd imagine.
Robert: The TCU zone blitz. I had to cover receivers man-to-man. Vertical and out. It teaches you patience and the right angles and all of that.
Kevin: So it's settled. You and London can be the two.
Robert: [laughing] London is definitely up on all the plays. I've seen him make checks that even the coaches didn't notice. And the coaches will be like "that's a good idea" and write it down. London's the most under-rated LB I know. He's not flashy. He makes plays and then gets back up and goes into the huddle. He's not a Ray Lewis-type which is my type of football. I celebrate a lot. Emotional. I'm crazy on the field. I'm a different person. But from what I heard London is the same way. I'm learning a lot from him. He's not giving me too much though because at the end of the day this is a competition, and I respect that. KO [LB coach Kirk Olivadotti] though been helping me a lot.
Sugar: Seeing some of the the youtube tape of your skills, I think you'd be able to contribute to special teams right away. Do you think you'll be able to crack that lineup right away?
Robert: Oh yea. I feel like I can. Danny [Smith]'s been doing a great job working with me and helping me learn the concepts. What I like about him is he always puts us in a position to win.
18 comments
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Flashback (Video): 1982 Championship Locker Room After Beating Dallas at RFK
by KevinE
on Jun 29, 2009 6:32 PM EDT
in Videos
4 comments
I came across this great 4 minute clip on redskinsrule.com of the 1982 Championship game when the Redskins beat the Cowboys 31-17 . It's a tough one to forget with Dexter Manley knocking Danny White out of the game and Darryl Grant sprinting, darting, chugging for a TD after intercepting a pass tipped by Dexter Manley. The video is in great quality, and certainly brings back memories of Jack Kent Cooke's greatness when Dave Butz gives him the game ball.
4 comments | 1 recs
Washington Redskins By the Numbers: #23 - Todd Bowles, DeAngelo Hall
by sugar
on Jun 29, 2009 1:22 PM EDT
in Redskins By The (Jersey) Numbers
3 comments
When D Hall intercepted that ball against the Cowgirls in his first game as a Redskin, it took a second to register what was happening. After all, it had been a while since we had seen that kind of play made by a member of our secondary, much less from a #23. Sure, the ball was thrown right at him, but it was still an awkward catch that required an athletic play on the ball and it was nice to see the concentration to get the ball secured first before worrying about running back up field. But with less than a year of service wearing the Burgundy and Gold, can D Hall really be our #23? (Extra credit given to him since he grew up as a Skins fan.)
As you all know, I love to dip into those Super Bowl rosters, and the next two numbers give me the chance to do just that.
#23 - Todd Bowles (left of Art Monk here in picture)
If you watched the Skins in the mid-80's, you remember Todd Bowles. He started at safety for the Redskins in Super Bowl XXII. I picked him over D Hall because he was a player who was clearly smart and disciplined and in the back of Petitbon's defense, he may not have been an All-Pro, but he was no slouch. Lending to the case for Bowles as a player with a high football IQ: Bill Parcells has added him to the coaching staff down in Miami. He is the Assistant Head Coach and Secondary Coach. While Parcells is no hero of mine, he obviously knows a little about coaching, and his endorsement of our former safety as a man with a future on the sidelines is pretty telling.
We are currently trying to reach out to Todd to see if he will answer some questions for us about his time in Washington, as well as his perspective of the D.C. franchise as a coach in the league. I've played some phone tag with the Dolphins' PR employees so I am still a TAD optimistic.
In the meantime, let the people speak...D Hall or Todd?
3 comments | 0 recs
Brian Orakpo at LB
by SSBlitz
on Jun 26, 2009 12:43 PM EDT
25 comments
I'm reading the rookie first impressions report by Steve Wyche over at NFL.com, and can't help but think that he's made another wrong assumption. Steve Wyche has never really impressed me. You may remember that it was his "source", and only his "source" that said the Redskins were going after Sanchez in the draft (and if you've seen my other posts, you'll know I think this is vastly exaggerated). Now in this article, he is saying that Orakpo is going to be playing OLB.
Like English, Orakpo is making the transition from collegiate defensive end to outside linebacker. The 13th overall pick has shown well enough in offseason workouts that he will enter training camp as the Redskins' starter on the strong side.
Now I have read that he has been practicing with the LBs at OTAs, and will be used (probably frequently) in situations at strong side linebacker. But I haven't read anything about him being our starting SAM, and everytime I hear reference to his position change, there is an emphasis to note that he is still coming in to attack the quaterback (and will be back to practicing mostly with the linemen in training camp).
So what do you think? Are we going to see Orakpo more at SLB or DE? And is there any justification for calling Orakpo our starting LB?
25 comments | 0 recs
Washington Redskins By the Numbers: #22 - Carlos Rogers, Curtis Jordan
by sugar
on Jun 25, 2009 1:30 PM EDT
in Redskins By The (Jersey) Numbers
43 comments
We have fallen behind...ok, I have fallen behind. For a series that was designed to help us mine content during the offseason, we have found ways to make articles about forgotten kickers fun...to write (hopefully it was fun to read about Ali Haji-Sheikh, Reggie Roby and of course, Tom Tupa's dad.)
It will be time for training camp soon enough so we need to pick up some serious steam. What we will do going forward is put together our pick for the number of the day (or numbers of the day) and then as we are able to fill in with interviews and stories, we will update/re-post. As always, we remind you that we aren't naming the greatest Redskin to ever wear the jersey. Think of this as more of the game you might play on a road trip, trying to name a Redskin for each number. We'll throw out one or two, and you fill in the rest, with your own stories and opinions, as well as anything else going on that day. We would love to get through 99 this summer, so efforts must be doubled.
#22 - Carlos Rogers
I am not too old to remember the name Curtis Jordan, but I am too young to remember much more than the name. He was drafted the year I was born (1976). Carlos Rogers is the obvious #22 today. When we drafted him #9 overall back in the 2005 draft, I remember thinking how much we needed a cover corner to come in and be a stud for us. Pacman Jones and Antrel Rolle went ahead of him to Tennessee and Arizona respectively, despite Rogers winning the Jim Thorpe Award for being the nation's top defensive back in the 2004 collegiate season.
There were those who doubted he was the best pick for us in that draft. And we have all witnessed him struggle with bringing the ball down when the interceptions have been there. But this past season he stepped up in a major way, coming off the knee injury.
The contract situation remains a bit dicey. But only for Carlos it seems. The word on the street is that the league is going to enter an uncapped year next year. If that is true, Carlos, who is entering the final year of his contract (same as JC), wil NOT be an unrestricted free agent, as he will not have the required service in the league to do so. This explains why Carlos may have been antsy to get his new deal from the Redskins (or anyone else) in the last year.
So I am hard-pressed to call this a contract year, but here's hoping that Rogers does what most NFL players seem to be capable of these days--putting together his best year with all his future money on the line.
#22 - Carlos Rogers
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