Looks Like Someone Has a Sixpack of the Mondays

1. I have my Redskins 2013 schedule post coming out later this week--if you can't be the first, might as well be the millionth! Clearly, all of you who know me understand how much I love the night games at FedEx. It makes the tailgating unbelievably long and glorious.

2. About a month ago, Rich Tandler told me not to worry about signing our draft picks. I had just finished rambling on about how freaked out I was about using money to sign players like Jeremy Trueblood instead of our top picks. In the calmest voice he could muster--I am assuming he wanted to slap me--he said that signing our draft picks was absolutely the least of our salary cap concerns. He laid out the "Top 51" argument and how their addition plus the subtraction of the contracts they would be replacing would result in minimal maneuvering. Well, Rich...I am pleased to announce that you are the ONE MILLIONTH person to rationally talk me down from one of my illogical and often alcohol-induced freakouts. Your set of oven mitts is in the mail. Of course, Rich was right...Mark Maske said the same thing today in the Washington Post. Tandler...you diabolical genius!

3. On Saturday night, I watched the NFL Replay of the Redskins game against Dallas that we WON to take the division title. I was on vacation with my wife and kids, with only one television at our disposal. I employed the old "I haven't seen this game in months and fortheloveofgodit'sRG3andAlfredwreckingshop" argument. As my words jumbled together into incoherence, St. Megan knew that getting the remote out of my hands was about as likely as Kevin having his next birthday party at the home opener of the Washingon Mystics. (Wait, I just got invited to WHAT?!?!?)

4. I can't recall many shows I have ever watched that were as gratifying as watching this one. As I yelled obscenities at the screen each time Tony Romo dropped back, St. Megan realized that her eye mask was not going to successfully block out the experience of me watching this game next to her in the hotel bed. At one point, she asked me if I actually knew the outcome. That is probably because when Dallas scored to make it 21-18, I punched the nightstand, yelling, "Oh my f'ing Lord, this is how we are going to lose this game!!" I informed her that when the Redskins play the Cowboys, you THROW OUT THE RECORDS...including the historical record! I would not get caught taking this one for granted...not this time...not this night.

5. I am pretty sure hotel security was alerted when the referees blew that delay of game call just prior to Romo hitting Jason Witten for a touchdown. (I only say that because they knocked on the door right around that time.) Thankfully, they didn't believe for a second that all that noise could be coming from the room of a man who answered the door in his underwear, whispering because he "has three kids and a wife trying to sleep." I suggested they check a few doors down--I had seen a guy wearing a Dallas jersey go in there earlier in the day.

6. Having successfully staved off a heart attack during this game--AGAIN--I took a few deep breaths and gently laid down the remote control that was now perfectly contoured to my hand thanks to a two-hour, stress-induced ninja grip. Watching that game gave me so much hope for the 2013 season. So many of those guys are still around, continuing the growth and development they displayed that night against the hated Cowboys. So much of the ideology on offense and defense can and will remain intact and will continue the evolution that began some time after the Rams debacle.

(I think we can take Seattle in the Wild Card round!)