first

Congrats JLac.

You had me crying by the fourth paragraph...

Congratulations, Jason (and Lauren). Glad to hear everyone is doing well...even though it sounds like Lauren went through a really rough time. Love the name Rocco.

I'm really upset about this Briggs trade - and I think it will happen. Just proves the point that Snyder is behind EVERYTHING.
It makes no sense for the Skins to bring in Briggs and also I do not understand why the Bears refuse to pay Briggs but would be willing to pay the $$$ for our #6 pick. I'm sure they will ask for more than just our #6 and we will be stupid enough to give it to them. We will give them our #6 and one of our players OR our first pick in 08!

Jason, hearty congratulations once again. Mrs. Nate went through a similar C-section but it wasn't quite as risky as what you described. Warmest regards to all of you for being home now, healthy and whole.

Yeah, it's hard without our source of inside dope, but the methadone from Cindy and Howard seems to be getting us through the rough path. As long as you're back a few days before the draft to detail the palace intrigue from the Park, I think we hamsters will survive.

Jason, congratulations again! It's great to hear that you and your family are doing well. I agree that the Briggs deal makes no sense for the Redskins. The Bears have a disgruntled player, who stated that he would not play a single down for them. The player could be an upgrade at a linebacker position for the Skins, but the position is not a major current need. And the Bears are lowballing the Redskins! It amazes me that Dan Snyder, who is a very succesful businessman, is so inept when it comes to football decisions.

Good to hear everyone in the family is home and healthy. Love the image of JLC sneaking out to fire off a few texts...
I don't think the Skins should make the trade unless they pick up even more picks from the Bears but that isn't going to happen. Why is everyone surprised by this though? They want to win in 2007 ie now. JG doesn't want to wait out the development of a rookie when he can get an all pro on the field opening day. It doesn't fill an immediate need but apparently no DE that Drew represents is looking to cash out in DC.

Jason,

Congratulations on your new baby. Sounds like your Wife is some trooper. both my boys were C-Section babies. My best to you and your Family. I was out for a month after my second boy was born. I renched my back and my Wife had to do everything just 3 weeks after giving birth. That was almost 16 years ago and I still remember those days.

To the Redskins. This sounds like a bad deal and who know if it will come down.

I guess we have to start thinking about the college free agents the team will sign. Maybe another Mel Kauffman or Joe Jacoby in the mix?

Any thoughts on a kid named Jacob Bender?

Cheers, Larry

It's interesting that in all the excitement of the week we haven't missed out on any actual news during Jason's absence. Nothing's happened aside from some trade proposals -- de rigeur for this part of the calendar -- and rampant speculation.

Man, how snakebitten are the Wizards? Utterly ridiculous. Same old Wizard luck.

The curse was on a vacation but it is back in full force. Butler out is a killer

Granted, it was wrong for me to get my hopes up for the Hoyas and Wiz. Okay, the Hoyas did great, but I wanted them to win it all. And I wanted the Wiz to make it, like, to the East finals. Alas...

I was just hoping for a modicum of hoops glory because the Caps were finished in December and the Nats will be lucky to win four out of every ten games this season.

Of course, all this is spinning my wheels until September when the REAL games begin...

just hearing Snyder wheeling and dealing with Vinny at his side sickens me. where's Gibbs in all this? he's suppost to keep Snyder in check

Good luck JLC, looks like you have your hands full.

As for the skins. Pray Briggs goes some where else. I hope they don't make a stupid trade.

Show some damn restraint Danny boy. Don't mess this team up anymore then you already have.

Caron Butler breaking his hand broke my heart.....not sure the Wiz will even make it to the playoffs now.

Congrats JLC... best of luck to the whole La Canfora clan.

Welcome home new family. Congrats again, tell Lauren she is the best and you better be buying her lots and lots of gifts in the near future. Take care LaCanfora crew and enjoy the newborn.

J-La - glad to hear the family is home and in one piece after a tough moment. For whatever it is worth or she cares (and don't tell her if it causes her to consider changing identities and moving to Botswana)tell Mrs. J-La that we're all rootin and tootin for her.

I've decided that the motto for the Skins is the same as my old school district:

If it makes sense, don't do it.
If it is the most irrational idea available, pursue it like your life depended on it.
Then when the shti hits the fan, blame those in the trenches.

I'm thinking we should send the Danny and Uncle Junior the "I'm a walking shabingus" tees. Maybe they'll get the hint.

Jason, Congrats on the birth of your boy and best of luck to you and your family.

My wife and I are trailing you guys by a couple of weeks. Our first is due Apr-19th. Of the many lessons I've learned so far the simplest ones have been 1- buy as many batteries as you can cuz everything baby related needs batteries, and 2- Don't throw away the owner's manual no matter how simple it looks...

I just recently discovered your column and was instantly addicted! I'm another die-hard fan who goes through the same old routine every year. From the year we got the hottest offensive coordinator "Air Norv" to the year of the Four Horsemen, ("Can't Catch" Primetime, "Can't Sack" Bruce, "Prettiest Interception", George and who can't forget Mark "I think I Can" and his attempt to tackle McNabb) at least Mark Carrier wasn't the highest paid safety in league history!!! My gut tells me that Snyder's Skins will never see the Lombardi!!! I really hope I'm wrong...

welcome back jason. and i'm extremely happy that you liked the nurses at your hospital. and what i'm about to say should NOT be taken lightly:

anyone, everyone who's planning on having a baby at INOVA @ merrifield/annandale. PLEASE SWITCH DOCTORS!!! GOOD DOCTORS AREN'T WORTH PAYING THE PRICE FOR BAD NURSES!!!!!!

I HATE THE NURSES IN THAT HOSPITAL!!!! INOVA FAIRFAX SUCKS!!!!!!!

both of my children's births have been ruined by the nurses there. they suck! horrible! horrible!!! they give the health profession a bad name!!! and INOVA should be ashamed of them.

and i'm a person who's been to other area hospitals. unfortunately (in some cases).

i absolutely love holy cross. i love loudoun's birthing center. i love reston hospital.

i've only met two doctors who practice at inova. one of them is great. the other...let's just say if we were money hungry folks i would've bankrupt that hospital for what that fckr did.

and please please please when you're in a hospital don't ever ever buy the line "that's never happened before...". that is a LIE. it is a "company line".

sorry for the rant! honestly you don't know how lucky you are to have had good nurses. congratulations! and i'm going to keep having babies until my wife learns that a good doctor(an angel) isn't worth 3 days and nights of hell. just playing. we're so DONE!

this is my promise. if the skins give up more than the first round switch for briggs.

i'm going to F this team until snyder sells it.
i'm going to F this team until they change their name.
i'm going to not come to this blog ever ever again cuz i won't care about this team anymore.
and ohh...i'm going to F this team's season tickets! cuz the reality is 90,000+ stadium is pretty hard to fill.

i'm SICK OF THIS SHTI! ENOUGH!

Congratulations Jason, and to Lauren and Chloe also. I'm glad every one is fine and home now after what sounds like were some pretty scary moments. Take care.

As for this Briggs fiasco, I'm with you, Gfunk, WHERE IS Gibbs in all of this? I thought the three of them were making the big decisions together. Sounds like this was cooked up by Snyder/Rosenhaus/Cerrato, then Gibbs has to face the press and say something silly like "that one (Briggs trade) really got pumped up" I find it hard to believe he is really backing this trade, especially with the restraint that's been shown so far this offseason. If he is, it just shows his incompetence as a personnel man (2 second rounders and a sixth for a man they seem intent on throwing on the scrap heep if they sign Briggs). I would repect him much more as a coach and more importantly as a man if he would put his foot down now and say enough is enough and tell Danny Boy "Good Bye", if he insists on going through w/this deal. Gibbs would look alot less like a "doof" if he did. If Gibbs in anyway backs this deal, I believe he really has lost his football sanity and is in it only for Dan's money, just like everybody else. We'll see.

Jason -- congrats again. Way to git'r done.

Dealer -- deep breaths, man. You're making promises your fingers can't keep. This is the Tanya Roberts of the internet -- you know you want it, you know you need it!

Great, because of dealer's rant now I'm too scared to sleep. See, I often dream of nurses, only now they'll be evil nurses. Damn you, d.

And sfskin, re: your former employment situation and motto: by "school district" did you mean "United States Marine Corps"? Just rang a loud bell, is all . . .

Heal quickly Lauren!

JLC - longtime reader first time blah blah blah. Congrats on the baby and that everyone is healthy.

The tone of resignation in your post is echoed loudly here. Nothing they do surprises me at all. Would Briggs bring marginal (or even more) improvement to the team? Sure. But he does not rush the passer and does not stop the run . . .so what happens next?

The Bears will try and guage the Skins for more picks, which, since the Owner does not value (a nameless draft pick does not have an agent to tell the Owner that he is doing a fantastic job and the World does not know what the World is talking about when the World says otherwise) we will give. My guess is the 6th pick, Rocky, and a 2 and 3 next year.

Cload..Good take on Tanya...High Roller baby!!!!!!!!!!

j-la,

Congrats and I'm glad everything's OK with Rocco and Lauren.

I've been through the cord around the neck thing and the no epidural thing (on separate occasions) and neither is a picnic.

So, the Skins are going to get themselves fleeced in another trade, setting up another losing season. Les Boullez are as good as done without Caron. The Caps continue their march toward being demoted to the ECHL and the Nats might as well be starting Ricky "Wild Thing" Vaughan and Willie Mays Hayes on opening day.

Oh well, at least DC still has Go Go and Double Dutch.

Congrats JLC.It is great to hear that everyone is doing well.

If they make this trade I will be done. When in God's green earth are they going to learn?

Welcome back, JLC!

Regarding the Skins, the article this morning by How Bry made me sick to my stomach. You really didn't have to be a genius to know that the Bears were going to try to get MORE from us in a potential deal for Briggs. The sad part is that they will undoubtedly get it. Look at all of those trades with Denver. Look at the extra pick thrown in for Brunell. You don't think the Bears know that? They are going to string this thing along and eventually the Danny will give in and ship the Bears anything they want. This is why we suck, folks. Have a good day.

How can the Skins be so STUPID as to give the Bears more than just how #6 pick for Briggs???? We have the HAND here. Briggs has adamantly stated that he will not play for the Bears....Bears have determined there will be no long term contract...we have no need for another linebacker...and we are the only takers!!!! Please someone explain this to me. WE HAVE THE HAND!!!

Lisa,

The Wiz should be in good shape as far as the playoffs (PLAYOFFS???) go. I really can't see them dropping 7 games in the standings over the next few weeks. However, without Butler, I agree that they will NOT win the SE, they will be a 6-7 seed, and they will be a first round exit for sure. And I still can't get over the shot from Friday night... what a back-breaker.

Back to the Skins... why can't we be the ones to finally play some hard ball? Danny/Vinny/Space Cowboy... if you guys are reading this is how it should go...

So you guys want an extra pick and Rocky McIntosh? HA, FINE. Now our offer is OFF THE FREAKING TABLE. Have fun letting your disgruntled LB sit on the pine all year while you could have had the 6th pick.

I mean, seriously, what do we have to lose? It's not like we are desperate. We already have 2 capable weakside LB's on our roster, one of which we traded UP to get last year. We can also keep the 6th pick and use it or trade back and get 2 more starters. Heck, I think I like that situation better anyway, don't you guys?

Man, we do business like we have NO OTHER freaking options. HELLO!!! Teams are holding out for MORE because they know you'll give it to them. STOP being the laughing stock of the league. PLEASE!!!

Look, picking up Urlacher is worth the extra picks or players, that guy is a beast.

Wait a minute...Who? Seriously? Nevermind.

Do the Lerners want to buy a football team? I would take Nats style rebuilding of repeatedly shooting ourselves in the foot.

I am sort of coming around on the Briggs trade, assuming we get some value at 31 in the first round 07 draft. It seems more likely though (based on past history) that the Skins will try to move up for Calvin Johnson if he's available.

I would not care if Lemar Marshall was the extra player given to Chicago, or if we dumped a 5th rounder or later pick in the 2008 draft or something that lets Chicago feel they got some value, especially since they helped us unload Arch deluxe. But I also agree the Skins could just wait and see what happens. They might get Briggs without moving down in the draft at all, since noone else is interested.

I wish there was some way to unload Lloyd to the Bears for Briggs as part of this deal. That would be cool. No way should we let go of Golston or MacIntosh, especially based on what picks we gave up for McIntosh.

DTC,

I don't think the Bears helped us out with the Arch Delux deal. In a weird, twisted kind of way, I actually think we helped them.

I mean, they wanted this dude just as bad as we did last year. Now, just one season later, they are getting him at a ridiculously discounted rate. AD is also well rested and there is no doubt in my mind that he'll thrive a system that allows him to play to his strengths.

Back to Briggs, I think you walk if the Bears want anything more than the exchange of 1st rounders. Lisa is right, we have the hand here. We are the only team interested. Use that to your advantage, MORONS. Don't let them trick you into trading away a young stud in Golston or Rocky, a valuable piece of depth in Marshall, or more and more draft picks. It's just stupid.

This team just doesn't get it... Nothing they've tried has worked, and it won't as long as you have guys like Snyder, Cerrato, and Gibbs deciding on personnel...They are terrible at judging talent.

I seriously think there are some of us on these boards who could go and buy 5 or 6 draft magazines and do a better job of picking players than the 3 Stooges we have now.

Sorry, Gibbs apologists, but I'm no longer drinking the kool-aid. Gibbs version 2.0 has been mostly a disaster.

Congrats Jason, this will be a bad deal if you think about it giving Lemar or Rocky or Kedric. If they have to give any of these away then it should lemar because he's older also kedric and Rocky have a bright future ahead of them.If for some reason we let rocky go to the bears we should get a 3 round pick for him. that's what I think...

Last season I was not a big fan of our linebacking corps. To be brutally frank, they were terrible. That said, trading for Briggs makes no sense. Especially after spending big bucks on a new middle linebacker, allowing the current people to actually play in their best positions. A lot of the bad linebacking looked worse because of the very poor defensive line play.

This trade would cement our current reputation as the worlds worst judge of free agent talent and their prospective worth to the current defensive schemes. We don't owe the Bears anything for taking Arch off our hands and the only way this trade makes any sense is if we get Chicago's first and second or third. We should not give up any young defensive players (maybe we should have hung on to Holdman and offered him).

I do not see how we can afford to sign Briggs if we do get him in view of our current cap situation.

If Chicago asks for anything in addition to the draft switch this trade should be dead dead dead, and they should be offering more for a 25 place upward swap.

I can't see how they could contemplate moving up in the draft to go after CJ. They have no signing cap space and nothing to offer other teams other than the 6th pick and some overpriced free agents.

Now that is off my chest, Jason and family best wishes for continued health and happiness.

Alexander,

I hear ya. If these clowns do ship off another player/pick, it better be Marshall or it better be a late 2nd day pick.

But even a 3rd for Rocky, which might as well be a 4th since it's the 31st pick, is crazy. We gave up our 2nd last year AND this year for the guy. The guy barely saw the field last year. Heck, maybe HE's the next Lance Briggs. But instead of finding out, we're ready to ship him off for much less than we traded away to get him last year? Man...

Ricky Bobby, your rants are almost in midseason form. Clearly you're benefiting from the supposedly voluntary but really just about mandatory offseason training program.

After the crippling injury that put you on the fan DL at the end of '06, rendering you unable to rant for a few months, your speedy rehab has been nothing short of miraculous.

We expected you to be in game shape by pre-season, but you have proven the doctors and skeptics wrong by coming back early. You're a role model to the rest of us. A core blogger if ever there were one.

HAIL

Jason, so relieved that everyone made it out alive. Nothing scarier than a cord in the wrong location. You guys were in my thoughts last Monday/Tuesday ... I actually got a little sweaty at one point. Wierd.

Anyway, sounds like J-La's text messaging isn't saying anything about a Skins player in the mix, only another pick. Given the Skins' quality history in the late rounds, fine. [Of course, the Bears probably will use it on Devin Hester 2.0.]

If there IS a player that has to go, I disagree with DTC. While I agree that the price paid for RockyMac was higher than for Lemar (trading two picks to move up v. undrafted rookie FA pickup), Lemar has demonstrated better performance, including utility infielding, plus has no history of knee injury. Bad frachise decision-making? Yes. But better roster result swing toward Lemar. Nothing wrong with becoming a multi-year starter for the same team after not having been drafted. Lemar has the makings of "core" guy, like Sellers, no ego worries.

Still, another pick from the Skins tilts the favorable ratings toward the Bears. I say one more roster move to even things out. If its a first round switch for Briggs, plus one late round Skins pick, then also would like to see "low priority" player swap. I say Todd Collins for Kyle Orton. Orton has started before (and done better than Collins). I say let him compete with Brunell and Bramlett. Todd Collins is dead to me.

sween, if you're going to talk rationally about this wholly irrational trade, which (lest we forget) sprung fully formed from Drew Rosenhaus' devious mind, you're giving it a lot more cred than it merits.

We don't need this Briggs fellow. We simply don't need him. We have too many other holes to fill this offseason, and specifically in this draft, to be dilly-dallying about a disgruntled weak-side LB who's going to eat cap space that we need to spend on D linemen.

We are 'okay' at LB and actually have -- dare I say it -- a wee bit of depth at the position. We're done with LBs now. Next question.

J-La, congrats to you and your family. Having been present for the birth of my 3 children, I'm firmly convinced that women are the superior sex. Best to you and yours however.

Regarding football matters, still not a fan of this trade, IF it actually happens. If we have to do it, and we HAVE to include Marshall, I'd like for OUR demands to increase as well.

Nate,

Hysterical. Yes, I am back (and NOW working for the government), so you guys will have to put up with me even more than before.

In any case, I would love nothing more than to post something positive about this franchise... but let's be honest, there isn't much to write.

Even the positive things like Jason Campbell or Chris Cooley are clouded with thoughts of them pulling a "Ramsey" on Campbell and drafting Russell or putting Scott Boonell back in... or pulling a typical "core Redskin" move on Cooley by signing guys like Arch Delux and Lloyd to huge deals all while letting Cooley walk at the end of his rookie deal. And what about the miracle drafting of Golston with last years 6th rounder... ah, sorry, might be getting shipped off to Chicago for another 20 mill free agent.

Basically, I hope for the best but expect the worst with this team. And for anyone who has followed this team since '92, who can blame me?

But hey, I'll still be paying $35 to park and will still be sitting in my $90 upper deck seats this season.

Redskins have:

1) Worst stadium in the league
2) Worst Personel man in the league
3) Worst owner in the league

What does that equal? 3-13 in '07.

This would be one of the worst trades EVER! We should offer Chicago next year's second round pick. The Bears have no leverage in this situation, yet we give it to them.

Nate, there are cynics and skeptics. A skeptic is a cynic with idealism. Not anticipating this Briggs thing for the reasons you say is pure idealism. On this, I'm not a cynic, but I wanna be pragmatic. When The Owner wants to open his wallet, money goes flying. [He is trying to out-coke the WaPo trying to feed the coked up hamsterhood that lives here.]

What you say about "needs" at DL is not diminished or, frankly, affected by this Briggs move (except to restrict the amount of money that can be spent on new DL hires ... but you gotta think the Skins are keeping some money aside to pay for rookie hires, including at DL). If they move for Briggs, its a pure roster upgrade ... that also happens to result in two first day picks instead of one. Moving down from #6 means the new first round guy is cheaper to sign, even leaving enough money to sign another first day pick.

if we're going to pay a huge price in picks and salary, can we at least go get antonio pierce back?

when should we expect the skins to cancel the draft-day party?

Jason,

Congrats again. I am so glad to hear everyone is doing well.

Re Briggs, this is where Coach Joe needs to step up if his true forte is bringing players together and getting the most out of a team. He was perilously close to losing the locker room last year. He is going to have a very hard time explaining Lance Briggs's $20 mil guaranteed contract to the "core Redskins."

Let's review. Dock is allowed to walk (though at an obscenely high price I admit), and LeMar Marshall -- who has done everything the team has asked of him at league minimum pay for 3 years and has two surgeries every off-season and without whom we never would have made the playoffs in 2005 -- is kicked to the curb. The Skins then pay Lance Briggs, who is not really needed, more money than any Redskin in history, dwarfing the $16.5 mil guaranteed that big Chris got back in 2005. And Briggs has never made a single tackle for the Skins and could just as easily be the next Trotter.

So how exactly is Gibbs going to sell this all-for-one-and-one-for-all stuff to his core guys, his lunch pail blood-and-guts guys (Thrash, Rock, Samuels, Marshall, Sellers, Jansen, Washington) guys and not sound like a phony?

i have just one question for those who defend the skins moves. How many bad/horrible non-playoff and non winning seasons is it worth to win one superbowl the skins/snyder/gibbs way?

re: the fairfax inova. after about 1000 deep breaths. i really really meant every word i said about fairfax inova.

one more request: if you haven't checked out Discovery HD's "Plane Earth". you are missing some UMMMAAAAZING footage. it's worth buying an HD TV and HD DVR if you don't have one. my only qualms with it is that the segments are too short. they could've stretched it but i guess they don't want you to take your eyes off the tv.

Its not a good blog, until someone whines for 'getting Pierce back'. Nice.

sweeny, I had this silly dream that we might NOT hit the cap simply acquiring players, and might keep a little walking-around money in our pockets for Cooley and the Reaper.

You know, kick them back a couple mil just to keep things cool while we work on those long-term deals to keep them in DC. Couldn't we do something like that? A little performance bonus?

and sween, I'm just trying to stay sane as a fan. I totally understand that you're doing the same thing, you're just farther along the road to acceptance than I am.

I want to believe that this front office WON'T go through with this incredibly stupid-for-us Rosenhaus scheme. I want to believe they've changed.

I want to believe that they were watching the same games I was last season, watching Stephen Jackson and Tiki Barber run through our D-line like the EM-50 Urban Assault Vehicle through that border checkpoint. I want to believe that their top priorities are fixing the D line and plugging the hole at left guard.

You're being much more honest with yourself and trying to see the silver lining since it appears a deal, some deal involving Briggs, is a foregone conclusion.

I just don't like how this team insists on working within $2 of the cap max every year. This leaves you absolutely zero room to sign guys DURING the season. Case in point, Derrick Dockery. We could have resigned that guy for 20-30 mill less than he got... at the beginning of last year.

I'll give them credit with Betts, but they had to restructure about 17 contracts to free up that money. The same thing is going to happen with Cooley this season. They will either free up money by giving Samuels ANOTHER extension, making his cap hit in 2011 40 billion, and sign him... OR they let him go to free agency and he walks when teams have 60 mill more in cap space to work with.

The "compounding effect" (there is that word again) on all of these moves is depressing to watch.

From profootballtalk.com:

SNYDER TO SELL IF 'SKINS STUMBLE AGAIN?

After eight years of trying to take the Washington Redskins back to the Super Bowl, owner Dan Snyder could soon be admitting that he's not cut out for the role.

A league source tells us that, if the 'Skins fail to make the playoffs in 2007, Snyder might be firing the only person whom he hasn't fired yet. Himself.

"He seems to be starting to realize that he's the common denominator for every season since he bought the team," said the source. "The question right now is whether he loves the Redskins enough to walk away and let someone else take over."

The source said that another possibility would be for Snyder to sell the majority share of the team to someone else, and then to take a backseat to a new owner.

>>> unfortunately, this was posted yesterday (April 1st).

Okay, reminding myself that I came in to work early to actually, you know, work.

Four weeks to the draft! I hope we have at least one pick on the first day!

Dealer...Inova Fairfax sucks soo bad I took my son to Boston children's instead no matter what it was going to cost me....

If we was going to give a lot of money to a lb. Then Joe Porter is the one that they should have went after.

Its not a good blog, until someone whines for 'getting Pierce back'. Nice.

This is great.

jm220, Porter is a good player, but he's older, and hasn't played in the 4-3. He's been a 3-4 backer his whole career. Briggs is 4 years younger, to boot.

sween,

Exactly. NO chance that article is accurate. Danny Boy makes way too much money off this team to give them up. And besides, he and the Space Cowboy ACTUALLY believe that they are "going about things the right way UP HERE". Man those quotes tick me off. I can't wait for the season but I really wouldn't mind if I went temporarily deaf every time the Space Cowboy had a press conference.

Greg(Boston) yeah but we still would have our pick at # 6 and no telling what else these clowns are going to give up for Briggs.

Big loss for me in the circumstances category ... with April Fool's day on Sunday, missed out on lots of work hi-jinx.

Also, based on the reports in the Chicago papers, Lisa and Ricky Bobby got it right about the Skins' hand. We have it b/c no one else is interested in Briggs. Plus, over the weekend, during the Angelo press conference at their "fan appreciation day" (why don't we get that? oh, yeah, we're ungrateful coked up hamsters who should be doing the appreciation of $nyder, but I digress), the overwhelming fan support is pro-Angelo/pro-Bears and decidedly anti-Briggs.

really...for this team to have a winning season...JC will have to be the next d. mcnaab at the very least.

so i guess snyder will be selling next year. wooo hoooooooooo!

To bust one of the WaPo blog rules about personal attacks, another thought about The Owner. He's not so much Napolean, but more like that guy who just died in Turkemistan, Turkmenbashi. $nydermenbashi.

dealer, I'd be fine with JC being the next Philip Rivers (at least for this year).

jm, we don't want the 6th pick, one way or another. Had we signed Porter, we'd still be looking to get out of it.

I'm starting to come around on this one. Even if Marshall is included, he's Just A Guy, when you come right down to it. I'd rather have Briggs and the 31, than Marshall and the #6.

sween, i was trying to say that this team needs a lot of help especially on D. they have no corners without springs. they have no safeties without ryan clark. they have no LB's without AP and with MW coming back from a major surgery. (no, i don't want AP back). they have no D line without griffin being 100%.

the offense is run by two "Offensive Geniuses". they have one wide receiver.

so that's why they need JC to play like the league MVP in order for skins to win the SB/make it further than the 2nd round of the PO's.

We unfortunately have to accept that nothing will ever change until the Danny starts losing money.

Why should he change anything when he's running the most profitable team in the history of the universe.

The fans have to take it upon ourselves to hit the owner where it counts --the wallet.

Don't renew your season tickets, don't by any redskins merchandise and boycott anyone who advertises on Triple-X radio.

It will be hard to dis the skins like that, but it's for their own good. We have to take a tough love attitude with them.

And I'll see you all at the Opener this year. I'll be the guy with the Briggs jersey and transistor radio :)

This is the CB I think the Skins should go for. I'm not sure how to pronounce his name, and when I read his first name, I'd like to buy a vowel, but the guy is the sht!

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/sports/football/nfl/oakland_raiders/17010219.htm

Looks like he is really only around Oakland for another year, so the Raiders (and their #4 defense in the NFL) seem like could be good trade partners (plus you gotta love Wierd Al, the majority stockholder).

well, well well. After what appeared to be a somewhat sensible offseason little Danny's itchy trigger finger prevails. One has to wonder how this guy ever became a successful business man. Consistently showing your cards before a possible trade means consistently getting taken to the cleaners when the trade goes down.

Why the hell is 'Next Question' dictating what we do with our #6 overall pick?! Are you fing kidding me? If what Bryant wrote this morning is true, it explains a lot about the last few years. Our team has been hijacked by 'next question', Cerrato the mouth-breathing yes man fool and Danny the high school loser who never made it with a lady.

...had to throw the Aerosmith reference in there since Boston is my new home.

A big heartfelt congratulations go out to the entire La Canfora family on the safe and healthy arrival of Rocco. Enjoy the time together!

etrod,

LOL Exactly. We all know what we need to do to make an impact on Snyder (hit him in the wallet), but very few of us actually have the fortitude to do it. I know when the ticket invoice comes in the mail, I meditate on whether or not I should pay it. Ultimately, wanting to see the team wins out. And, I *always* think, "yeah, watch me give up my seats this year and they'll actually have a winning season and a playoff game at home." *sigh* A girl can dream, can't she?

Is anyone else worried that JC is going to get "Ramsied"?

I mean, don't forget how courageous Boonell is. Don't forget about Gibbs pushing aside questions late in the year about his starter JC, instead choosing to talk about his boy, saying he "isn't done yet". Don't forget that Gibbs wouldn't name Campbell his starter for this season until the Space Cowboy was backed into a corner.

from si.com's 'truth and rumors' ... reads great till the location at the very end ... things that make me go "d'oh!"

"Assuring his desire to return to the Dolphins, running back Ricky Williams has prepared a letter to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell requesting reinstatement back into the league. Williams' agent Leigh Steinberg said his client has followed a well-behaved year in the Canadian Football League with several months of passed drug tests while teaching Yoga in Grass Valley, Calif..
-- Miami Herald"

ricky, i'm expecting it but i'm not worried. we're so far beyond the worrying at this point...

Ricky Bobby,

Judging from the fan reaction when Boonell replaced JC for just a few plays at the Giants game in December, if Gibbs attempted a "Ramsey," I do believe the fans would storm the field and drag Scott *and* Gibbs off of it.

It's funny. I had gone on a Skins sabbatical during the era of the one whose name I dare not speak (Marty's successor) because I just couldn't stand the stupidity any longer. When I heard Coach Gibbs was returning, I imagined a stable team that would progress yearly. Because he had been out of coaching for so long, I wasn't expecting anything approaching a Super Bowl in the first few years, but I was certainly expecting for the team to be markedly better in 2007 than it was in 2003. But, it's not. And, I'm back to feeling like I am in a disfunctional romantic relationship -- it's eventful and exciting, but not nearly rewarding enough to justify the energy you invest in it.

Congrats JLC!!

This organization just doesn't get it. Enough already.. My God what a mess this is. Can we please, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, get a REAL GM who knows how to select players and make favorable trades!! This just sucks........

My first son had the same problem. The chord wrapped around his neck and they had to perform a C-Section. It can be pretty nerve racking when you are in the delivery room and you realize everyone around you is in full emergency mode.
All the Best JLC.

I doubt that this trade would go through. You would think some people would have football smarts in this orginazation, right??

Like a couple people on here, I was starting to come around on the Briggs trade a little bit. I still think their needs and money would be better spent elsewhere. Well after reading that article I have to say F Angelo and the Bears. Let them have the problem and a player who will do nothing for them this year.

For the record I could def get through another awful season if it meant Dan Snyder would sell the team.

according to wash po last month: denver would give us al wilson a great locker room guy and multi pro bowler with an existing contract that isnt outrageous, plus #15 and a 2 and a 3 for the sixth pick. but we are willing to accept briggs and 31 for the sixth. Now we have to throw in one of the few bright young players we have. why god do i have to be a fan of this team? i would rather kill myself taking all of vinny c's propecia pills than to see this happen. we have chicago over a barrell. we are the only ones willing to pay this idiot briggs (surprise!) and noone else will give them anything for him. If they let him sit out 10 games the egg is on their face. they have to move him so how can they ask for more. the answer. The danny wants a new toy and he will get it this has been proven over and over. this sucks!! we should trade the 6 for briggs and 31 and 37 or not do it at all.

OK, I get it, no one is interested in the roster upgrade at OLB, even if the money to do it is around. I'm just saying, there's always at least two ways to view a situation (on this one, no one seems to like the roster upgrade that turns a first round pick into a first round & first day pick). To each his/her own.

Something I found here, from Saturday's USA Today, made me think about two view a situation. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/redskins/home.htm . Gibbs explains his view that the New Orleans and Carolina games were "upsets."

Looking at the two games individually and out of context, the Skins had a bigger/better game in New Orleans than they did at FedEx against the Panthers. In context, however, the Carolina game was a MUCH bigger game b/c when it happened, the Skins were on a losing stride and, as a result of that game, it looked like they COULD have turned around the season. As it turned out, of course, the season did not get turned around, but comparing those two views, you reach a different conclusion about which was the better upset depending on the context.

My view about the Briggs deal is from a different context from most folks here. My context (probably like $nydermenbashi's) is that there is only next season. I think the reason it looks so intuitively bad to folks is because the chance of losing RockyMac, which already has cost plenty, creates a context that includes past seasons. I take the "only next season in isolation" context because the bad history is already split milk under the burnt bridge. [I think the FO has the same context due to psychological ailment, repeating the same course of action and expecting a different outcome.]

Break out the Vasiline because we are about to get F@@ked....and not in a good way! P.S., we have a GM and his name is Drew.

Again JLaC...best wishes to you and your family.

This is a risky deal at best (with Briggs) maybe he only seemed so good because he played next to Urlacher, i.e. Jordan/Pippen

If they unload anything other than the #6 we will again be a laughing stock within the league. Its time The Danny gets voted off the island.

NFC East - Where the teams are @ at this moment in time.......

http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=71&p=2&c=631518

Glad to hear all is well, JLC.

As for the pursuit of Briggs, the current deal that the 'skins have offered is not that different from trading down in the draft for more picks - except that instead of getting two prospective players, they would get one pro-bowl caliber starter and one prospective player late in the first round. If all they give up is the 6th postition in the draft to get Briggs and the 31st overall pick, that sounds like a steal to me.

And as for why they might want to upgrade at 'backer: no part of the defense distinguished itself last year - and while newly acquired London Fletcher has some years left, he will be 32 at the start of next season. Briggs is an established player that would immediately upgrade the 'backer corps and give Rocky MC more time to develop and give the 'skins quality backups in Marshal and RockMC.

The only problem? That Chicago realizes the deal favors the 'skins, and that they are feeling unfairly pressured by a player whose rights they completely own. They want more, and if they get it, then the 'skins lose on this.

Wow ... an emergency C-section. I'm very glad to hear that Lauren and Rocco are ok. C-sections aren't all that comfortable anyway, but I'm speechless. Very glad everyone is doing well.

I'm willing to give the Bears our first, Rocky M. and Marshall for their first and Briggs . . . as long as they take Snyder and Cerrato too.

JLaC-

Great news! Glad to hear the family is doing so well. My wife had an unscheduled C-section, but thankfully the epidural was in full effect before they started. Enjoy your well earned time off and spoil Lauren, Chloe, and Rocco as much as possible.

As far as the Briggs thing, of course the 'Skins will give up too much. That's par for the course (yes, golf analogies since it's Masters week) for this team.

*getting his bat and staring at a dead horse*

I think Dan Snyder is a good thing to the extent that the money he has can atract players and he is not afraid to pay.

We need a no nonsense football GM to tell him who to write the checks to.

PS - re: Denver's (rumored) trade proposal of Al Wilson and lower draft picks for the 'skins #6:

According to Scout.com's NFC East News and Notes, posted March 31st: Al Wilson "failed a physical March 23" for the NY Giants.

Suddenly Denver's "deal" doesn't sound so good, huh? It doesn't matter how good a player is in the locker room if they can't play on the field!

I don't like the trade at all but if they are determined to do it they need to hold strong. The Skins are the only one offering the Bears anything right now so the Redskins should reject any counter offer period. Bears have no wiggle room. Lance Briggs does not want to play for them so either take the offer or he can hold out and cause nothing but a headache for the Bears.
Congrats on the little guy and enjoy fatherhood!!!!!

F U DEALER.....you are a moron.....get your head out of your ass. You have no clue of what you speak, again, F U!

Oh, btw, DEALER....that was regarding your moronic rant of the nurses.....they do more good in one shift than you will in your whole life......F U.

I for one love nurses

Briggs trade? Just say no. Is it me or does this offseason seem more up in the air than most with regard to the draft. The draft is four weeks away and does anybody have any idea what the skins will do? I'm sure that's part of the plan. Common sense would dictate getting help on defense (dline in particular) but talks of trading up for CJ when they've already got millions invested in Moss, ARE, and Lloyd (sadly), the Briggs even though from the outside looking in their LB core doesn't look that bad, have really confused things. While its enjoyable to have them in the news this much (lots of blog fodder), at some point you'd think they should just lay low until the draft gets closer.

Hey, anonymous, the personal attack on dealer is way out of line. Pipe down.

dealer's trademark is emphatic statements that cannot be readily justified, corroborated or even understood; like me, he's not known for bringing the facts, but for shooting from the hip. But he's one of us, doggone it.

YOUR trademark is being an anonymous troll who offers nothing to the conversation. Either pick a nickname and sign all your posts with it, joining us in the ongoing conversation, or consider yourself ITA'd.

there is no rhyme nor reason for this trade to even be in the discusson. The Skins do not need a LB, and Briggs is not worth half the money and draft picks being discussed. One thing folks at Redskin Park should know by now is some players can be coached to look good in systems. If the brain trust of this team does not see the glaring weakness is the DL I cannot fathom what they few as strengths or weaknesses.

Nate -

get back to work and stay out of other peoples biz.

Wait for it... wait for it...

ITA

Is this a football blog or a sewing circle? So many are complaining bitterly about a deal that hasn't even happened. Do people believe all the gossip they hear as well? Danny and the boys are innocent until proven guilty, even if they have committed crimes in the past. But you have to admit, they've made no bad moves this offseason, at least not yet. Points:

1. We should have every reason to be optimistic about this year's offense. We'll have Portis and Betts as a one-two punch. Campbell looked pretty good for a young QB his first time out, and will have the advantage of an offseason throwing to the first string WRs, and will have a year of Saunders'/Gibbs' hybrid offense under his belt.

2. If the Briggs deal goes through, it's probably ok. The bonus he gets would not be much more than the bonus the #6 would get. Also, the lack of sacks and interceptions should not worry. A survey of the five highest paid LBs in the league showed none of them had sacks and interceptions. LBs get paid to make tackles, and Briggs makes as many as almost anyone. And it trumps the Eagles' Tekeo Spikes move.

But the Skins should not give up McIntosh, Marshall, Golston or anyone else. Marshall is a core Redskin, and the other two are the future. Bad idea to give up young players with upside. Good idea to keep players who know the system and know they are appreciated.

Anonymous troll- If you come up here like that, it becomes all of our business. ITA...

4-12...join Nate in the category of get back to work and stay out of other peoples biz.

Nate, I think he/she (the dealer screamer) is a maternity nurse at INOVA.

Time for some education...

What does ITA mean?

Nate, keeping the blog in track, BTW shabingus street signs in the mail to you today, If I can figure out how to mail the things

skinfanman, I agree with all of what you say. Now could you please pass the burgundy thread spindle and the gold pin cushion?

You can't both address and ignore him.
As Yoda would say, "do not try. do. not try"...

So some of BearsNation wants to get rid of Briggs and bring in LaVar as a cheap replacement...

Cheyenne, ITA means "ignore the @$$clown(s)"

"... and bring in LaVar as a cheap replacement...

Posted by: cload and daggar | April 2, 2007 12:33 PM"

HA! they also might be able to get Big Daddy * as a cheap replacement for Tommie Harris!

*trade just voided btwn Donkeys and Fins

I cant beleive I didnt know that by now. I feel like such a Freshman.

skinfanman, the reason we are complaining about a trade that has not yet happened is because it is going to happen!!! My understanding is that the Skins have already offered the trade....and the Bears are not going to be stupid enough to turn it down. Now will the Skins be stupid enough to toss in more than they need to make it happen? A definitive YES.

Again, We have the hand - and need to use it with restraint.

PRESEASON SCHEDULE (If anyone cares)

Aug. 11 @ Tennessee Titans 8 p.m. ET

Aug. 16-19 Pittsburgh Steelers* TBD

Aug. 23-26 Baltimore Ravens* TBD
Aug. 30 @ Jacksonville Jaguars* TBD

The countdown begins...

connskins, you da MAN. Shabingus street signs sound amazing. We should set up some kind of blog contest and use the street signs as an award.

Alternatively, we could do a guerrilla project to replace the Loudoun County Parkway street signs close to Redskins Park with 'Shabingus' signs. Not that I would advocate such an egregious violation of local laws. I'm just sayin.'

Hey,

Does anyone know what's up with Len Pastabelly? I was reading Peter King's MMQB and he makes it sound like Len is sick. Just curious.

So we have the Ravens back at home this pre-season, huh? I thought they were rotating those pre-season games between here and Baltimore.

DCSween - This is for you....

http://www.redskins.com/news/newsDetail.jsp?id=25395

Nate will send out, and if there are contests that you want the winners to get then let me know and I will either send to you or to that person directly. You should have some samples by the end of the week assuming USPS is on top of things

the curse of les boulez is back!!!!!

Okay, I know it's just the pre-season opener, but we have to exact some revenge on the Titans for coming in to our building in week six and getting their first win of the season.

Yes, it was surpassed by far bigger embarrassments later in the season, but that was a major blemish on our '06 season. We came in 2-3 and really needed that win before going to Indy the following week. Instead we blow it, 25-22, then lose at Indy and go into the bye week at a gruesome 2-5. Fantastic.

(Or maybe we'll stink in all those pre-season games and have to hear the "These are exhibition games, the outcomes don't really matter." loser talk. Seriously, we could go 0-4 in pre-season and start the season already feeling like losers. It's happened before.)

Speaking of which, 4-12, have you picked out a moniker for the upcoming season? Waiting for the draft or training camp before your declaration? Uncanny, and sad, how close 4-12 was to our ugly 5-11 record. Ugh.

I like the trade offer for Briggs as is (swap 1st round picks), though the Skins shouldn't budge and give up more. I don't know why everyone is asking about McIntosh. Marcus Washington has one or two more years at best left, while McIntosh has not shown he's ready to take over as a starter. Having Washington, Fletcher, and Briggs with Lemar Marshall and Rocky McIntosh providing depth will give the skins one of the best linebacker corps out there. McIntosh can then be groomed into a replacment for Marcus Washington down the road.

Nate,

Ugh... I'll never forget the arrogance of our coaching staff in the pre-season last year. "We've only shown 2% of our plays. We're fine. We only need practice to run our completely new complex offense. 0-4 is not a big deal because we're super smart, blah, blah, blah". Makes me angry.

Almost as bad a bait-and-switch as running up the score on the Niners in the Ol' Ball Coach's first pre-season.

"Huh. Shane Matthews can really play in this league! Who knew? We're gonna be fiiiiine."

Nate- I'm thinking training camp at this point for the new moniker. I wanted to do it soon, but with all the potential trade shabingi, 'it wouldn't be prudent at this juncture'.
Briggs...trade up...trade up even higher... please please please just be blowin' smoke up our collective arses.

4-12, you may not need to pick a new moniker.

Sad but true etrod. So sad but @#$%^&* true!

Ugh... I'll never forget the arrogance of our coaching staff in the pre-season last year. "We've only shown 2% of our plays. We're fine. We only need practice to run our completely new complex offense. 0-4 is not a big deal because we're super smart, blah, blah, blah". Makes me angry.

Actually, RB, I think the fact that a lot of us, myself included, sucked the Kool-aid down with that pill only makes us that much more angrier about last season. It's also why we're barking up the trees a lot more this offseason. Seeing what the organization can do to wreck itself leaves us little confidence in its ability to avoid doing it again.

We get the regular season schedule later this week, somebody said? That will be grist for many a comment up here in the coked-up Habitrail. Can't wait to see how the schedule shapes up. Hope springs eternal.

Hey guys,

I was just watching the NFL Network and Adam Schefter just gave a quick update on the Briggs situation. He said the Redskins had made it clear to the Bears that the initial offer was the final offer. So, if Schefter is correct, they will not be sweetening the offer with any additional picks or players.

Flim,

Yeah, I was also one of the guys who tried to back this coaching staff while we were getting fleeced 41-0 in NE.

Nate,

Schedule comes out Thursday afternoon, but usually gets leaked that morning. I always look forward to the schedule announcment because that is the day my buddies and I start deciding which city we will spend a thousand dollars to travel to, ultimately to see them lose.

Nate,

I think the regular season schedule is due out by Thursday, if I remember correctly.

I'm such a junkie. I've already made arrangments to go hang out with my godmother and her husband in Nashville and go to the Titans pre-season game.

justme ... did adam say if he thought the deal was going to happen or what the bears counteroffer was ?????

Jason - good to hear everyone's ok. Congrats !!!

Now to the Redskins point;

We do NOT need a LB !!! Please spare me the "noone on the defense did well last year so upgrading at LB is ok" nonsense. The Redskins problems on defense were a result of 4 things last year;

1.) Noone on the D-line could get to the QB
2.) Very few times the D-line could actually play the run well
3.) No CB depth (when Springs was out we had Mike Rumph and Kenny Wright playing the ole' style of defense)
4.) No starting quality Safety to go alongside Taylor.

We're getting Prioleau back and signed Smooter so that takes care of #3 and #4. Which leaves our D-line to be addressed (something you'll note that we have failed to address year in and year out with our first day selections)

We currently have ONE first day selection (#6), thanks to our Front Office's stupid decision to wishfully think that we'd be picking 32nd and "Oh well, in THAT case we don't need these other picks so here ya go - take 'em" attitude. Now its nice to believe you are going to "win it all" each year...you shouldn't be squandering your next year's draft picks on that basis. You shoudl be treating next year's draft picks like you are going to "lose it all". We didn't last year and now have traded away the 2nd,3rd, and 4th picks which are high up in each round.

So now that Dockery left and our O-line is also getting old we need the following;

1.) a DE that can get after the QB and also play the run
2.) a young stud Guard
3.) more secondary depth
4.) DT-depth
5.) an OT propsect to mold into a starter

#3-5 can be taken on the second day. But to do #1 and #2 we gotta have at least 2 picks on day ONE.

The skins need to trade down out of #6 and draft DE and BPA in the 2nd or 3rd (whichever we get as a result of the trade).

The fact that they are even THINKING about this deal is mind-boggling. So if this deal goes down and we get a cancerous LB that us a product of the defensive system he was in (Archuleta repeat anyone?) along with his big contract and have to give up getting a young stud DE or DT and continue letting the 140 year old D-linemen we have now start then I'm going to cancel my season tickets and no longer buy Redskins gear.

Since the Redskins are apparently giving up as a competitive team, I see no reason for its fans to not give up rooting for the team until some sanity is returned or The Danny is no longer the owner (in which case sanity will return on its own in a nanosecond).

The only thing that is bad is that The Danny is my age. Which means that unless I outlive him, I'll never again see another Lombardi trophy come back to Washington.

One follow-up to my last post...

Those of you who keep saying that Briggs is a monster and is great and "woah did you see how well he tackles?"...

Answer me this;

How well he tackles ain't of much comfort if he's doing it 6-8 yards beyond the line of scrimmage because the D-line ain't good enough.

annonymous, sorry but i think you misunderstood what i was saying. which is n't all that uncommon cuz i have difficulty expressing myself.

my anger is not with nurses but with nurses at fairfax inova. not all of them are bad but most of them are. AND the fact is that not all of the nurses are nurses. they're using someone else's credentials. [i know this because i knew a nurse who was "leasing" her credentials to someone else. this is what happens when you live in a country with a healthcare crisis. i'm not a hillary fan but "doggone it" i'm with her on this one.]

also the skilled positions (people in OR's) aren't filled with great people either. our on-call doctor in the middle of a surgery actually said "i want to file a complaint, i can't work under these conditions. this is unacceptable." while she had my loved ones gutts wide open.

and without getting too personal on here i can actually support my claims by more facts like above. unlike my other rants as nate stated above. thanks nate. BAMF!

and as jack i love nurses too. i actually love doctors who are nurses first. because it teaches them bedside manners. (which many many great ones lack) and how to be more human/humane.

trust me you don't want to end up in that hospital.

4-12, I'm all for the NO CHICKEN COUNTING approach to the season. I think you should hang onto the nickname until they win a 5th game (and upgrade then). Send the mojo that makes the Skins EARN your nickname. We can ALL celebrate your name upgrades if and when they happen. Everyone will know who you are if and when you metamorphize into 5-11, etc.

Tentative blog rule (valid upon acceptance by 4-12): nicknames starting with 4-12 and ending with 16-0 (where there are numerals on either side of the hyphen that add up to 16) are reserved for the blogger currently known as 4-12 unless and until the Skins lose a game, at which time the last of the reserved nicknames becomes available for general use.

[Note: This would not be too prescriptive. Something tells me that 16-0, 15-1, 14-2, 13-3, and 12-4 are likely to become available relatively quickly.]

BREAKING NEWS
The Redskins have re-signed punter Derrick Frost.

I hope that Adam Shefter report is accurate about the Skins refusing to offer a sweetener in the deal. Based on what the Bears have said to date, that would kill the deal I hope/pray.

Reg-season sked should be out Thursday, altho we know home and away opponents, as you all know. Here's a refresher:
Home:
Dallas, N.Y. Giants, Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit, Arizona, Buffalo, Miami
Road:
Dallas, N.Y. Giants, Philadelphia, Green Bay, Minnesota, Tampa Bay, New England, N.Y. Jets

FlimFlam & Ricky Bobby,

Count me as a preacher of the 2% of the playbook crap. I was SO convinced that we had yet to "bring it!!!"

Damn skins for breakin my heart last year. I dvr'd the NFL Network replay game against the Jaguars and replayed it last night, Golston was a beast in the begginning of the season, what happened to him later in the year?

Also, I can't wait to no longer see kenny wright in a skins uni ... what an embarassment!!! SMOOOOOT

Harry,

He really didn't say whether he thought the deal would happen or not. But, it seemed from what he was saying that it was definitely a "take it or leave it" thing as far as the Skins are concerned.

I attended the FedEx Field draft day party before Spurrier's inaugural season -- oh, we were so young, so foolish -- and heard the Ol' Ball Coach speak briefly when he helicoptered in from the Park.

When Spurrier (at that point, without an NFL loss on his coaching resume) introduced Marvin Lewis, I started a cheer of "DEE-fense! DEE-fense!" which the hundreds-strong crowd lustily took up, eliciting the rictus grin which was Marvin's trademark in those happy days. Damn, that was a fun day.

Oh yeah, and after trading back once or twice (?) and frustrating the fans waiting for the team to make a pick, we selected Patrick Ramsey, who approximately zero people in the stadium had ever heard of. You could feel the air whoosh right out of there.

Since this comment is a non sequitur anyway, Captain Obvious will now redirect to this mysterious line from Patrick Ramsey's Wikipedia bio: "In 2000, he led the third-best passing offense in the ocean."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Ramsey

"BREAKING NEWS
The Redskins have re-signed punter Derrick Frost.

Posted by: Cindy | April 2, 2007 02:49 PM"

I'm a little hazy memory-wise (happens during beer-soaked second halfs), but didn't Frost -- like Lloyd -- get a penalty for taking off his helmet? After his pre-season and early season stint as whipping boy, I remember liking him for a while, but I have this hazy recollection of being pissed about him again.

"he led the third-best passing offense in the ocean."

This one reminds me of a cartoon that someone posted on ES during the season. The characters looked kind of like SouthPark characters, but it included Brunell and Gibbs, with the Gibbs character saying how "super smart" Brunell was, plus Brunell unable to throw the ball to hit a barn, and then unable to throw the ball into the ocean. Ahhh, at least Ramsey has that one up on Brunell...

More from that Wikipedia site about Ramsey, his collegiate javelin throwing records ... he didn't have to worry as much about the interceptions.

"I'm a little hazy memory-wise (happens during beer-soaked second halfs), but didn't Frost -- like Lloyd -- get a penalty for taking off his helmet? After his pre-season and early season stint as whipping boy, I remember liking him for a while, but I have this hazy recollection of being pissed about him again."

Yeah didn't he do it in Indy during that infamous kick-off that started at like the Redskin 10 yard-line. What a bunch of idiots.

Thanks, Cindy, we needed that little bump of coke to keep it going.

I believe Frosty kicked all our punts last season. espn ranks our punt team as 20th overall. (We punted 81 times. Dallas only punted 56 times! How is that possible? Did they go for it on a third of their fourth downs?)

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/statistics?stat=teampunt&pos=off&league=nfl&year=2006&season=2

It was the Indy game. I think they were trying to kick off when they should have been punting. He go angry because they stopped him 2 or 3 times as he approached the ball to kick it. LOL

It was so stupid. But, I remember admiring the fact that the kicker had some fire since it was in such supply on that team last season.

Yeah, I was at the game in Indy. We actually kicked off from the 5-yard line if you can believe that.

Frost was actually one of the suprising players from last year. After his repeated 20 yard punts and 7-yarder in the Tampa playoff game in 05, I remember thinking St. Joe had completely lost his mind after not even really bringing in competition for ol' Frosty in 06. But the guy actually improved. Hopefully he, along with Suisham, will have another solid year.

Congrats JLC & Lauren on your new addition to the LC family. It's always nice to honor a family member by giving your child their name, although sometimes, the child may exhibit the traits of that family member, which can be a "blessing."

Now for some Skins business. Can the front office be any more incompetent. I do not for the life of me understand why the Redskins don't look to trade down for multiple picks on Draft Day. More often than not, one of these prospects seems to fall down the draft board. Does anyone else see Brady Quinn and Adrian Peterson falling beyond the top 5? No doubt, should the Skins wise up and keep the pick until draft day, they will get plenty of offers for one of the guys who inexplicably falls down in the draft.

Let's see what happens with this Briggs deal. Should both sides agree, I feel that this move would doom the Skins beyond Gibbs' 2.0 reign.

Maybe one day the Snyder will wisen up and hires a GM.

I like the trade if it is our 6th for briggs and their #1. I think what the skins are saying about the 6th pick is they like a lot of the players available but don't think any are worth the #6 selection and there are many D players they do like worth between 10 to high 2nd round. So trade down is what they would like to do but it doesn't seem aleast right now they have anyone willing to move up.The trade up option is because the only can't miss in the draft is CJ. Despite our needs on D if someone is willing to listen and trade with you, you have got to explore that.I would give up players plus #6 but no picks next year for CJ how bout Jansen and springs ( Two high priced older injury prone) to Detroit.

Lisa

If what is reported is true, then at least the skins are not stupid enough to sweeten the pot. It means they're not going to trade Marshall or anyone. And the way I see it, the way the D got banged up last year I'll be glad to have depth at LB. But I agree when people say that we need to address the DL. Maybe if we start spreading rumours about Anderson he'll slip to 31.

Dealer - I'm with you. Considering the amount we pay for health insurance, the least they can do is have competent nurses. Besides, health care is very personal because it effects our most precious asset, our health. If you felt that you got crappy care then, by all means, let it out. This is America and we all have a right to voice our opinion (even BOOFER). In fact, maybe somebody from INOVA will be reading this blog, try to make some changes and then we are all better off.

Although I have never been to Fairfax INOVA, you have, so that other idiot needs to come with something better than "F U."

Old School, are you saying you wouldn't have steam coming out of your ears if we traded up for Calvin Johnson and consequently added NO D line help on day one of the draft? That would absolutely drive me nuts.

drafting a WR top 10 is usually a bust. Only positions worth that high of a pick are positions that would cost a lot in free agency (i.e. hard to find good help). CB, DL, OL, QB.

Lville,

That is a great point about the draft. But you and I both know we aren't that shrewd.

I've posted on this before but just go back to 2005, the year we drafted JC. We made that trade with Denver 4 days before the draft. HA, what fools. Even worse, Lenny P and all of the other journalists correctly predicted we traded up to get Campbell, which again was STILL 4 days before the draft. I work in procurement, and that is like an offeror telling the competition their proposal 4 days before the bid opening. It's MORONIC.

Anyway, like you said, who knows what will happen on draft day. Players slide. Teams get desperate and offer more. But instead of waiting for that, we take the first trade offer thrown our way, which usually comes from Denver. I mean, I still believe we could have saved a few picks on Campbell if we just would have waited UNTIL DRAFT DAY.

Seriously - this " Briggs is a can't miss" stuff is ridiculous. Briggs is also a 50/50 proposition. He could quite simply be a product of the system he's in and not fit with our Defense.

Trotter was a Pro Bowl type LB for the Eagles ... came here and flopped. Archuleta - another product of the system he played in.

So just because a player is currently "great" on his team doesn't mean that we won't face the same prospect of him coming here and flopping. If we do this and Briggs flops we screwed ourself out of possibly getting a young Omobi Okoye or a Jamaal Anderson or another young stud D-lineman.

We do NOT need another LB !!! We need D-line !!! And trading down to get multiple top prospects will address this concern.

Anyone remember the last D-lineman we took on Day 1 of the draft? Anyone ?

And how many did we take the years before that one? Which years did we do it?

When s the last time we got a consistent pass rush from our front 4? Anyone remember that far back? I don't ...

Thaiphoon - I'm thinking maybe Charles Mann...

I still believe we could have saved a few picks on Campbell if we just would have waited UNTIL DRAFT DAY. - PURE SPECULATION, on your part. There is no way to EVER know. It could have cost us more on draft day. Who knows?

dcsween- That's very funny stuff. I will make them earn my nickname. (It's like the opposite of the old E.F. Hutton- They lost my business, and haven't earned my trust.)

RB- And the shti of it all is, we'll do the trade, and then the Bears will wait until draft day...somebody huge will be available at 6, and they'll trade down, picking up a later 1st rounder, a 2nd, and a 4th rounder, and a great shabingus cloud will envelope Redskin Park for yet another season.

DCSween and Others - Happy Birthday

http://www.bangcartoon.com/cartoons/index.cfm/fa/viewcartoon/cartoon/2004Archive%7Cpassingfancy.swf

If my memory serves me right, that would be Kenard Lang. Don't remember which year that was though.

Ricky B, remember the good days when Mike Ditka traded his entire draft to us just to get Ricky Williams. I think we ended up trading the majority of those picks away too. Wasn't Vinny C. part of that front office?

Anyone else up for getting on the '09 Skins bandwagon for Saunders 1.0 reign (sorry Gdubb) only if they sign the Reaper & Cooley to extensions?

Does anyone know what's up with Len Pastabelly? I was reading Peter King's MMQB and he makes it sound like Len is sick. Just curious.

Posted by: Ricky Bobby

Ah, just send him to INOVA Fairfax - we will take real good care of him!

L'Ville - Important to note that, not only did the Saints trade us all of those picks, we also were able to pick a pretty decent corner that year out of the University of Georgia.

Lville Skins Fan - We traded most of them for a competent QB - Brad Johnson.....

Frost resigned! Super Bowl here we come!!
But seriously, why don't the Skins take a clue from this experience and realize that you can develop young players into good football players - you don't have to go out and break the bank on crap players who just end up eating your cap space.

BT.....

I'm certain somebody in your office needs some coffee or their dry cleaning picked up.....go make yourself useful.

Okay, so how long is this Briggs trade proposal/counter-proposal dance going to continue? When can we officially announce this particular shabingus of an idea dead?

I know, I know, I really want to believe this latest rumor that the Skins are standing pat with their original offer. But I think we're all ready to move on to other things.

No doubt! Drafting Champ in '99 was great.

The point I was trying to make is that it's a better idea for the Skins to hold on to the #6 pick as a prospect who's projected to go in the top 5, will fall, and some team (probably Denver or NYJ) will step up to the plate and offer an array of picks.

Nate - I agree. This is supposed to be a fun time of the year where we debate how to draft. It's almost like the Redskins are trying to go overboard to hide who they want to select from the other teams. Are they that smart?

I personally can't wait til we draft either Adrian Peterson or Brady Quinn.

cdubb - the funny thing is, I wouldn't be surprised one bit...

BT.....

I'm certain somebody in your office needs some coffee or their dry cleaning picked up.....go make yourself useful.

Posted by: | April 2, 2007 04:20 PM

Way to argue your point. I am begining to think that the anonymous poster is just a little kid who's parents work at Fairfax INOVA. Again, you need to come with something a little bit better than that...

ITA!

ES, the link didn't work, so I went in directly. This might work:

http://www.bangcartoon.com/2004/passingfancy.htm

Note to Lisa, do not watch this; it makes fun of Brunell.

"Okay, so how long is this Briggs trade proposal/counter-proposal dance going to continue? When can we officially announce this particular shabingus of an idea dead?

Posted by: Nate in the PDX | April 2, 2007 04:21 PM"

Nate, my hamster friend, step away from the coke. These things take a while to pan out or die of natural causes. No need to jump to hasty conclusions.

Speaking of jumping to hasty conclusions, no one responded to my idea of adding a player swap (Todd Collins and Kyle Orton) to the Briggs deal. My hasty conclusion is that you all hate that idea and are all lovers of TODD COLLINS! F Collins lovers!

If the Skins made it clear that the offer was final then wy is there talk of a counter offer. Who will be responsible for making the statement that the deal is a no-go?

Hey La Canfora!

Great to hear that things are now going well after a not-very-smooth start in the delivery room. Best wishes to Lauren and Baby Rocco as they negotiate these first few weeks of post-surgical life, and best wishes to you and Chloe as well. Enjoy this time together as a family.

A special note - do NOT let Lauren watch any funny (comedy) shows or movies on the television for the first two weeks or so. Those C-section stitches and staples can tear or pull out very easily from laughing too hard. It's a not-very-pretty version of "laugh until it hurts".

I wouldn't be completely shocked CC but I would be very mad. I just want this draft to be quietly over with. Draft at 6 or drop down a few spots. We are not a Lance Briggs away from the Super Bowl.

sween - we can trade Collins for a bag of footballs and a kicking tee as far as I am concerned. I haven't seen Bramlett ever play but he can't be any worse than Orton. The Bears were winning in spite of him.

Cheyenne- Because a 'Skins final offer is sort of *nudge nudge wink wink* final offer. The Bears know the 'Skins are just itching to throw in a player and/or a 2nd rounder next year.

cdubb, THAT's the spirit! We need the kind of backup QB with whom we can win in spite of his poor play! Someone who inspires the best in others, while being sucky himself. We need Kyle Orton (actually, the more pressing need is more cowbell, but we've agreed to disagree and moved on). How about all you other Collins lovers who defend his sorry career with your screaming silence?

4-12 I hope thats not the right answer. i think the Skins making it known that it was the final offer (and sticking to that) will show that maybe they have learned at least a little something.

Cheyenne -

Offers and counter-offers are quite common in the negotiation game. The Redskins may have insisted that their offer is a "final offer" but the Bears will probably not believe that until they offer a counter that is subsequently rejected.

If the Redskins are firm on their "final offer", the Bears may make several counter-offers in order to entice the Redskins to make a deal. Typically, each subsequent counter-offer would offer more.

If the Redskins have actually learned how to negotiate well, they hold a tremendous advantage by actually doing nothing and standing firm on their original offer, regardless of what the Bears offer initially. (That "the Redskins have actually learned how to negotiate well" is like science fiction, however, so it is impossible to predict what might actually happen.)

The wiki shows Todd Collins was born in Walpole, MA. "Walpole" is a rather accurate description of his career to date.

The Raiders are in desperate need of an experienced backup QB, regardless of who they draft. Collins would be an excellent guy for the job there. He could also deliver Chiefs secrets to Al Davis. Maybe the Skins can trade Collins to Oakland for some motorcycle jackets.

We should hold out, Mole. Collins should fetch one of those shiny track suits Davis loves. At least a pair of pants.

New nickname for Collins -

The Walpole Tadpole.

If Todd Collins had started the first 9 games last year, my blogname might've been 4-12.

Oh, nevermind.

We desperately need impro