At first I was afraid.
Sheeeeeiiiiit, I was petrified...thinking I would surely die without football in my life. Now, with over 100+ days under the belt with no football, I feel like...
Wait a second. This is how ridiculous this lockout is, and it took the NBA Lockout to make me realize it: we have not gone 100+ days without football. We have just had a rather uneventful offseason. We have not lost even one down of football, and it is possible we won't lose a single down when all is said and done.
The NBA Lockout...well, that is another story. I will be SHOCKED if there is an NBA season next year. For NFL fans, we have not yet lost anything. For all the angry rants some people (okay, me) put out there in March and April, the fact is that the NFL could very well play their whole season under a new CBA that could result in the most exciting free agency period we have seen in years.
Don't get me wrong--we are all within our rights to call out super rich folks for squabbling over their share of OUR money. At least in the last month or two, there has not been a huge media blitz by either side to try and garner fans' support for their position. We support our position, which is and always has been: fix this immediately and get back on the field so we can play fantasy football and watch sexified beer commercials.
There is a growing sentiment that the lockout will result in sloppy football when players return to the practice fields. Talking heads are predicting that the lack of preparation that would have otherwise taken place in the offseason will lead to an abundance of penalties and a disappointing product on the field.
So...just to be clear, Redskins fans will not notice ANYTHING DIFFERENT?
Hell, the lockout might be the real equalizer for Washington this year. It could bring down the bulk of the league to our level! Sloppy football? Lack of focus? Stupid penalties? Scrotum-twisting ineptness on both sides of the ball?
WELCOME TO MY WORLD, fans of the rest of the league!
When football comes back and John Beck assumes his mantle as the second coming of Tony Banks, Redskins fans will literally have no visible evidence of the lockout. The awkward development of our first- and second-year players will blend right in to the backdrop of "Post-Lockout Sloppiness." The ongoing effort to install our offensive and defensive philosophies will look just fine next to the rest of the league getting back up to speed.
Here's hoping the lawyers take advantage of this positive momentum in the negotiations. Here's hoping a new CBA is in place with enough time to play the full season--but not too soon before that. The less time everyone has to get ready for games in September means the more level the playing field will be for the Redskins in 2011.