Update [2007-2-26 20:39:29 by Skin Patrol]: I missed it a while ago but it needs mentioning. Check out Redskin Report for Lee Gibbons Legend Profile: Cliff Battles. Must read.
New format for Blogrolls, of which I will begin to offer with more regularity as we approach the season, and consequently the normal Washington Redskins News Cycle. This weekly or perhaps semi-weekly piece should have a standardized name, a la Burnt Orange Nation's Morning Coffee. Feel free to suggest alternate titles.
I use Robble because I've always been a big fan of the Hamburglar and that's all he ever says. Whenever loved ones talk at me in a way that I don't necessarily agree with, a few dismissive "Robble Robble Robble" quickly ends the conversation in lieu of a disgusted sigh from the offending party. I do not know the etymology of that word or why it came to be used by yours truly as such, but it just seems to work. Pending a more interesting or funny title for this weekly or semi-weekly installment, I'm going with it. Also I'm adding bullets, yeehaw.
First and foremost, it is feeling like I won't be able to get much blogging done today, so I encourage all lurkers to register and post their thoughts, much as Hogs Haven regular Sincethebeginning did in his Mock Draft.
A lover's quarrel has broken out at The Curly R as Brandon, responding to Ben's 2 part essay on retirement/pensions/etc., takes the NFLPA's side. Two great minds have now staked out positions and I hope that they engage each other totally and completely until only one is left standing. It shall be a Football Debate Battle Royale, or else it won't be. I encourage and demand that Hogs Haven readers familiarize themselves with the relevant points and make clear their own position, as this is a debate that is worth having. First installment is here for reference.
Also, Jack Kent Cooke's daughter is kind of hot.
If you live in the D.C. are you need to keep a close eye on Redskins Insider as Jason La Canfora documents the latest successful binge drinking venture by JaLa and company. In the spirit of the event I also drank heavily. Perhaps alone. No further comment.
Master4Caster at Running Redskins pretty much totally captures my thoughts on foolish free agency spending with the kind of brevity that only those crazy Latins could provide: Caveat emptor!.
Hog Heaven thinks Saunders' Offense will bloom in 2007 and I cautiously agree.
The statement especially applied to the quarterbacks. Jason Campbell started mid season without taking reps with the starters until the bye week. Veteran Mark Brunell also struggled to grasp Saunders' playbook. He delivered a better statistical performance (86.4 QB rating) than young Campbell (76.5 QB rating), but his effort did not results in wins. It was thought that Brunell's experience would put the Redskins in the better position to win...
Continuity is beneficial to coaches as well as players. "I think I have a better feel for Clinton [Portis] now," Saunders said. "I know watching him run up and down the field with Denver was a scary thing. If he would have had the same opportunities as Ladell, Clinton would have ended up in the Pro Bowl."
AOL Fanhouse's Sportz Assassin thinks Shawn Springs will be cut at the June 1st deadline. I think he's right, though I don't know whether that means under pre-June 1st or post-June 1st cut rules. Pre means we take his total cap hit (around 7.5M) this year; post means we take 2.5M this year and 5M next year. If I had to predict, I'd say he is cut after June 1st.
Melinda Waldrop's Redskins Huddle is a neat, efficient blog that focuses primarily on asking pertinent Redskins-related questions. Recently she's asked how should we use Adam Archuleta? That's an excellent question that I'm sure Redskins fans everywhere are scratching their head's over. I'll have a post about this eventually, but would love to get reader feedback. I'm sure Melinda would as well, so stop by and post your own thoughts.
Harry Hog Football outlines the pros and cons of picking up Atlanta's DE Patrick Kerney to solve our pass rush problem. Main concern: His age. Main positive: Would allow us to use the #6 (or later) pick(s) on something else. Ultimately I say no; the problems with our pass rush are the result of allowing our D-Line to age for far too long without even attempting to plan for the future. Adding Patrick Kerney exacerbates that. If Kedric Golston hadn't miraculously played far beyond expectations we would've been in even worse shape defensively than we were in '06 -- if that is possible.
Dan Steinberg posts the Redskins awesome slow motion Tecmo High Five 1986 Redskins video. Like Dan, I can confirm that prior to last week, I'd never seen the video. Frankly I think it is awesome and cannot get enough.
Hat Tip: Pride of Detroit, who caught PFT rumoring that London Fletcher is already a Redskins (kind of sort of):
Of course, even if the 'Skins and Fletcher have a deal, it doesn't mean that the arrangement is binding. Since any contact between a pending free agent and a different team is prohibited, there can be no binding contract at this point.
Speaking of Pro Football Talk, they say (notice, I don't call it a "rumor" because a rumor requires an unnamed source, at least):
On the surface, the chances of the Giants trading Strahan within the division seem to be remote at best. But, as the rumor goes, Strahan is prepared to be difficult in the locker room if the team won't let him leave.
The presumed motivation? Money. Strahan had a lot of it. Last month, he was ordered to give a lot of it to his ex-wife.
And the Redskins are always willing to overpay. Especially at a time when the free-agent market doesn't contain many high-end performers at the position.
Gaines Adams says playing for the Redskins "would be a dream come true" per the Post. Good news; if we get a guy I'd like for him to either be happy to play for the Redskins or willing to pretend to be.
My fingers is carpel-tunneled and I'm done. Post your own thoughts, dreams, or inspirations below. I'm taking all suggestions for renaming this post as well, though if I get insulted or moody I might just Robble at you.