DCLance

Hip Hip.

// October 8th, 2008 // No Comments » // DC, Redskins, Sports

Games 4 & 5

My goodness this is fun. After five weeks, the Redskins are 4-1, have beaten the Cowboys and the Eagles on the road, and are ranked third on ESPN’s Power Poll. Not third in the NFC East, not third in the NFC – but THIRD. The Redskins to my knowledge have NEVER been third on ESPN’s Power Poll because quite frankly, I’m not sure ESPN.com even EXISTED the last time the Redskins were this good. I mean, we’re talking a good seventeen years here.

The Redskins are thirteenth in the league in giving up 303 yards per game on defense. Some may be concerned by that number, however the Redskins have played the first, third, fourth, fifth and ninth best offenses in the NFL through five weeks without a starting defensive end and arguably their No. 1 cornerback for the majority of that time. Meanwhile, the Redskins offense is the sixth highest rated in the league, with the second highest rusher.

The Redskins are wining with defense, they’re winning with a great run game, they’re winning with incredibly solid quarterback play, and they’re winning with “Hip Hip Hooray.” We could not have asked for a more ironically cool and quotable head coach. A great defense and a great running game combine to be the old school path to victory. Victories like these should have an equally old school cheer.

After the bungling of, the misinformation about, and public relations nonsense surrounding this January’s coaching search, I was pretty much over the Redskins. What started as pure anger and disgust in January had faded into apathy by July. I didn’t watch the draft, I didn’t read about training camp. I just didn’t care – and indifference about your favorite sports team is a great deal more tragic than hating it.

In January I made my “Rolling in His Grave Since 1999” and “Sell the Team” t-shirts and started composing my epic case against The Danny. After week one it looked like those t-shirts would sell lot hot cakes, and that piece when finished would be read by many. It’s funny how winning changes everything. Instead of hanging The Danny in effigy, we’re laughing with him as he makes an ass out of him in two consecutive weeks in the locker room after the game. Suddenly we’ve forgotten about the scoreboard, the parking lots, this purposeful misleading of fans and members of the media, the treatment of Gregg Williams and the subsequent coaching search, and all we’ve got is euphoria. And you know what, that’s fine by me.

Jack Kent Cooke T-Shirt

// September 21st, 2008 // 1 Comment » // Redskins, Sports

Rolling in His Grave Since 1999 T-Shirt

I’ve mentioned to a few people along the way that DCLance.com was the place to get the Jack Kent Cooke “Rolling in His Grave Since 1999″ t-shirt, but I realized I didn’t have a link to the site where you could actually purchase the shirts.  Here’s the link to the DCLance Spreadshirt Shop.  You can also pick up a “Tailgating Our Guts Out” t-shirt (in homage to Joseph Jackson Gibbs) or a “Sell the Team” shirt which I mentioned here previously.

I Can’t Say I Was Surprised

// September 5th, 2008 // No Comments » // DC, Redskins, Sports

Washington Redskins a Lucky 7, New York Giants 16

The Redskins’ preseason offensive woes continued into opening night of the regular season, though I guess calling them ‘woes’ might be a bit generous.  They were AWFUL last night.  As I was standing in an overcrowded and overrated Crystal City Sports Pub, I couldn’t help but laugh at the situation these Redskins and Redskins fans now find themselves.  There have been many stretches where the Redskins offense has looked amateurish during the last nine years, but the first half of last night’s game probably takes the cake.  When you’re cheering for personal fouls against your team (which happen to be your biggest plays and the only way your team can sustain drives), you’ve reached a low point as a fan.

Almost every aspect of the game was disconcerting.  The pass protection was poor, the run blocking was weak, receivers and defensive backs seemingly dropped more balls than then caught, and the punting…well, the punting kinda made you miss Frosty.  The one bright spot for me was No. 26.  Though he played sparingly (and begrudgingly) in the preseason, Portis ran hard, was hit hard and laid people out.  Clinton Portis is not, and has not been the problem here.  He gives maximum effort on every play and does not take his blocking responsibilities lightly. 

A few take aways:

• Washington held the ball for 24:17 and entered Giants territory only three times (the last of which was in the final seconds).
• The Redskins were penalized seven times.
• Jason Campbell did not complete a pass until 1:19 remaining in the first half.  
• I like Durant Brooks, and it is only one game, but averaging 37.9 yards a punt (especially when you have seven opportunities) is not getting it done.  Frost averaged 41 yards a punt last year, and has a 41.1 career average.

In a related note, I must send a hearty kudos to the web team at WashingtonPost.com for the redesign of the Redskins section of the site, as it is much cleaner, more organized, and MUCH LESS FLASH-Y.  While you’re there, check out Sally Jenkins’ Zorn Inherits a Mess. Her continued verbal assault on The Danny warms the cockles of this fan’s heart.

He’s Accountable, but Nobody’s Perfect.

// September 4th, 2008 // No Comments » // DC, Redskins, Sports

If there weren’t enough about which to angry these days, Jason La Canfora and Jason Reid collaborated on a story about Vinny Cerrato for the Washington Post that pretty much made me want to pull out my few remaining hairs.  Meet the Boss is a maddening piece that highlights just how out of touch Vinny and The Danny are.

We have a good feel for what fits the Redskins, what does well for the Redskins, and what helps us win games.

Seriously Vinny? Seriously?  As my friend Degnan would say, “the proof is in the pudding,” and this pudding is a less than delicious 50-62.

I’ve always thought of Vinny as a somewhat affable clown.  He seems like he likes to bullshit and he seems like he’d be an engaging raconteur.  I’ve never hated him as much as I hate The Danny (though this article makes it close).  Heretofore it has been difficult to ascertain exactly how much blame Cerrato deserves.  The the lack of a long term plan, the carousel of coaches and their philosophies, the murky role and rank, and the obviously meddlesome owner would make a fool out of any general manager, and have also obfuscated the true level of Vinny’s ability.  You always knew Vinny was involved, but exactly to what degree?

Well, he’s clearly No. 2 now…He claims to have a long term plan, he chose Jim Zorn, and the murky role and rank have been cleared up.  Whether or not Cerrato thinks he “probably” should be criticized if the team does poorly…he’s going to be.  Unfortunately for the fans and Vinny, he still can’t do anything about that meddlesome owner.