There is much going on. For a quick primer, read CptChaosSidekick's fanpost on recen shenanigans. I quote him because he speaks for me:
I'm a beliver that everyone on the team should attend these practices as to build team unity and esprit de corps.
Esprit de corps, for those of you who, like me, have not served in the military, in simple terms refers to morale. The concept is far from simple for those who have served, though (like CptChaosSidekick and we appreciate you for it, brother). I know this because I was raised by a Marine veteran, and had a house filled not with Narnia books but instead Fields of Fire by James Webb, A Rumor of War by Philip Caputo, On War by Clausewitz, The Short Timers by David Erban (you know it as Full Metal Jacket), With The Old Breed by Eugene Sledge, etc. I say this for a reason; there will be a test shortly.
I also happen to be a full on esprit de corps cheerleader and true believer that it's a meaningful concept that enables individually normal people to elevate themselves to the spectacular. Hence, I too feel that people should be at the OTAs. Having said that, let's dive in, because there's a lot a lot a lot of info on the interwebs regarding our OTAs.
First up: Landry is back. Per Redskins Insider, he says:
LaRon Landry says he missed Monday's OTA session due to a family issue but plans to be around here. Coach Jim Zorn didn't make a big deal out of his absence and Landry was back with the first-team defense in practice.
I heard it first as a case of flight missing, though I suppose it's perfectly logical that he missed his flight because of family issues, as the two are not mutually exclusive. What matters is that Zorn didn't punish and Landry is where he needs to be, so I'm moving forward as though nothing at all happened. Sean Taylor missed these kinds of things and was the best defender on the team, so I sweat not (especially with a guy as talented as Landry).
Next, Santana Moss owns up:
Added Moss of partying as a 29-year-old, "you think you're still young and you can still hold up, but they all know what time it was. Have to chalk it up and be ready the next day."
Yes, for the Redskins, that's a good enough reason for an excused absence. And I say, good for the Redskins.
Me too, actually. Ignoring all that nonsense up top of this post about esprit de corps, part of being a well balanced young human male is going out and enjoying drinks on one's birthday (also, I'm told by the literature that esprit de corps can develop through activities like sharing prostitutes and getting arrested by military police for being totally tanked with your fellow soldiers, so why can't it include a relatively harmless birthday bash?). Santana Moss is a well balanced young human male. He partied on his birthday. I'd be more surprised if he didn't. Everyone who called bullshit on the "I had flu" excuse gets a point, though.
Enough talk of who wasn't there, let's honor one of the stalwarts that did show up:
Left guard Pete Kendall did turn up for practice and drew praise from coach Jim Zorn for running wind sprints after practice a month before his 35th birthday.
I am 10 years before my 35th birthday and am positive I could not run wind sprints right now. As far as I can tell that's the only mention of Pete Kendall being a total badass at 34 anywhere on the internet, which is kind of a sad indictment of the likes of me; I dwell on the negative.
I do not know if Rocky McIntosh practiced:
While accounts by both Jason LaCanfora and the Associated Press both said that Rocky McIntosh was on the sidelines during today's OTA session, Dave Elfin of the Washington Times apparently saw something different.
Which links to Redskins 360, who says he's back at the will. Who knows?
Finally, and if this post smells uninspired it's because it is -- I've been driving for the past hour and am getting ready to jump back into my car for more -- Dan Steinberg has the quotable Greg Blache on the OTAs:
You guys can worry about who's not here. I've got to worry about the guys that are here. It's like, you guys probably sit around worrying about your girlfriends that left you instead of worrying about the people that love you, you know? Take care of the people who love you, don't worry about the ones who left you. I've got to worry about the players who are here.
He could be saying that he doesn't love LaRon Landry. He could be saying that we shouldn't worry about the people who don't show up. He could be saying he believes Pete Kendall loves him like an ex-girlfriend can't. He could be saying he's breaking up with Shawn Springs. Or, more likely, he's just being Greg Blache, more from above Sports Bog post:
On his uncertain coaching future with the Bears: "If we wanted to do something easy, we'd have gone into insurance or real estate or something like that....You don't come into coaching thinking it's going to be easy. There's going to be times like this, but that's part of the excitement, that's part of the thing that makes it what it is because there's so much jazz involved. Some guys hang glide, some guys downhill ski, some guys bungee jump. We coach."
Anyone can ski down hill. You just find hill, apply skis, wait, finished. You show me the guy who can ski up hill and I'll show you a man who can do anything well, including hang gliding, bungee jumping, and coaching NFL players.
WTF misc.: Both Chris Redman and Tommy Maddox are former insurance salesmen.