1. The last thing a diehard fan wants is to be at odds with the team he or she loves. If you are a fan of the Washington Redskins, you have come to know a few of the soul-killing ways the organization has employed to target its fans in recent years (suing fans, Signgate, Vinny Cerrato...these things happened). That said, I honestly believe the team has attempted to lay a little low on that front. The Bruce Allen and Mike Shanahan era has resulted in a very low profile for owner Dan Snyder. He has done exactly what we all were begging him to do: put competent football people in charge and let them do their job. With that step backward on the football side of things has come a step forward on the public relations front. The lawsuit against the newspaper notwithstanding, Dan Snyder has done a fairly decent service to himself in his pursuit to win the hearts and the minds of the fanbase.
2. On the eve of the NFL Combine and all the action that will soon be hitting us in rapid-fire, here's hoping they see Hogs Haven for what it is: the greatest community of Redskins fans on the planet led by a group of writers that very much care about keeping the trust we have earned in the almost four years we have been on the scene.
3. Speaking of the story that won't die, it seems the national media is just catching on to what happened here two weeks ago. From MSN, to NFL.com, to NFL Live, we have seen headlines detailing Jim Haslett's denials. I just have to believe that if the Redskins were a winning team...if the Redskins were a team that garnered the attention and respect of the casual fans around the country...if the Redskins were the same kind of team they were 20 years ago...this would never have taken two weeks to hit the national scene.
4. Talk about going at it the hard way to get a true sense for the lack of any relevance whatsoever for this team right now. Look for that to change by the end of 2012.
5. While I am pretty decided that Peyton Manning coming to the Redskins makes next to zero sense, I do have moments when I falter. I think of the contract that will be almost insultingly franchise-friendly with its incentives and performance bonuses. I think of the allure that Mike Shanahan might actually be to a guy like Peyton. I think of the freedom it would give Allen and Shanahan in the first three rounds of the upcoming draft. I think of the invaluable experience that would be gained by a slew of young players getting the opportunity to play with a living legend. I think of the unimaginable high that would result from an improbable run deep into the playoffs. On most days, I am decided...but some days I falter.
6. I would say right now there is a 43% chance Peyton Manning signs with the Redskins.
7. I know that it would be crazy to target and sign Mario Williams. While on one hand I would love to see a coaching staff find a way to get Orakpo, Kerrigan and Williams all involved in a pass rush, the other hand would be palming my face if we sign the shiniest toy available.
8. Does anyone think there is less than a 90% chance the Redskins sign C Chris Myers?
9. Get ready for a full offseason of Hank the Tank talk. Sure, one would be tempted to zip it after a year in which they talked up a player that struggled to find his way into the starting lineup and suffered a season-ending injury. Not me...I am doubling down. I fully expect Leonard Hankerson to be a star this season for us. Two words: Pro Bowl.
10. Why in God's name won't people take us seriously?