Looks Like Someone Has a Sixpack of the Mondays

1. Among the many things sports fans enjoy doing the most, coming up with nicknames for their teams and players ranks way up there. I thought a good way to get the summer started would be to start brainstorming for some nicknames that we can use during the upcoming season. With all the new toys we have to play with, and the various configurations we will see on the field, we really need to focus our efforts on this project, and I know I have come to the right group.

2. We have had "Kerrakpo" for a couple years now and it has been great, but there is a new pass rusher in town. Trent Murphy is going to have to find his niche as he goes, but we feel confident that he will share the field with Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan enough to get us all excited. The question is, what nickname will we give to the pass rushing package of Murphy, Orakpo and Kerrigan?

3. The Washington Redskins wide receiving corps was recently ranked as tops in the league by Bucky Brooks, which comes as no surprise to us. Most of us remember "The Posse," which consisted of Art Monk, Gary Clark and Ricky Sanders. While the current group of players has a long way to go before it is ever as beloved as "The Posse" (likely impossible), it is very possible that this group could challenge them soon in the productivity department. For clarity, we are looking for a nickname that would apply to Pierre Garcon, DeSean Jackson, Andre Roberts and Jordan Reed. Aldrick Robinson, Leonard Hankerson and Santana Moss would be de facto members, but the other four would be the frontline guys.

4. It pains me to suggest coming up with a name for our new offensive line because it is a reminder that we kind of don't really have one yet (an offensive line). "The Hogs" were legends. We don't have anything even remotely close to that. Even the short-lived "Dirtbags" era was a step up from what we have now--which again, is nothing. Now, I am not arguing that the players we have can't form a solid offensive line. I am just saying that until we see who lines up where and how they do in the most optimized set, we can't sink our teeth into anything. I think this should be part of the nickname. There has to be something we can come up with that encompasses the idea that we are on the ground floor of this whole thing. Hmmmm...The Ground Floor...something is there. This nickname is likely transitional, as we agree that nothing permanent can be applied until we know who is who.

5. The Washington secondary has not done a whole lot in recent memory to warrant getting a fancy new nickname, but it is May, and our imaginations are entitled to run at least a little wild. There is a lot to work with as far as material for coming up with nicknames there. Ryan Clark is the elder statesman and Brandon Meriweather is oft-penalized one. DeAngelo Hall has been around the block, but the rest of our corners (minus Tracy Porter) are pretty green. I do have high hopes for David Amerson and Richard Crawford this season, but I learned last season that my highest hopes were only good enough for an historically terrible performance. Again, if these guys get a nickname at this point, it has to imply they aren't there yet--but we have faith that they will.

6. There are countless configurations of sets and subsets on this team we could try and name, but for the purpose of fleshing out the Sixpack, I thought that as long as we were wistfully thinking of names for groups of players that have yet to really establish themselves, why not include our special teams unit? The Washington Redskins were right at the forefront of giving special teams its due in this league. We spent resources on coaching that other teams did not and we dedicated practice time and gameplanning to special teams that other organizations refrained from doing. As a fanbase, maybe the next move is ours? Maybe if we become completely rabid for our special teams units and players, it will somehow have an effect on the actual play on the field. Seriously, how is it not worth a try? We certainly couldn't cause it to be worse. Free agency and the draft gave us increased depth at  linebacker and defensive back, and we have multiple options when it comes to deciding who to send back to return kicks. These reasons alone should increase our effectiveness of special teams. Maybe it is time to concentrate our rooting efforts on this group in the hopes we can lay claim to some of the credit when they blow up for a huge year.

Let the brainstorming begin.