Almost exactly one year ago, I wrote a BGO.C.D. blog entry called 'Sunday’s Smell'. Part reminiscence of all those Sunday mornings filled with anticipation for a great Redskins game to come, part bitter recognition that in 2009 excitement and hope were going to be hard to muster, it was not an optimistic piece.

A year has passed. The clock ticks inexorably towards an epic season-opening home clash with our most hated rivals (do I need to say their name?) on national TV. And I can hardly contain my excitement.

My, how the worm has turned in the space of one short year.

Stability
We’ve got it. As Zorn’s regime imploded during his final failed season, I lamented ‘where are all the grownups?!’ We’ve got grownups now in key positions. With Bruce Allen, the Redskins first legitimate GM in a generation, leading the way, the Redskins have a seasoned, experienced head coach with perennial playoff and Super Bowl credentials, and a Pro Bowl quarterback behind center. In 2010, when a prima-donna millionaire athlete throws a temper tantrum, he doesn’t get a free dinner with the owner, he gets put in timeout, where he belongs. There is stability at Redskins Park.

A Plan
Jim Zorn is one hell of a nice guy. But one sensed throughout his tenure in DC, he had no clue how to navigate the rocky, unforgiving terrain between failure and success. And even if he had a plan, he surely didn’t have the strength of will, moxie, leadership, cojones, whatever you want to call that intangible personal quality that makes men stand up and listen to you, to carry it out. The 2009 Redskins were Dan Snyder’s and Vinny Cerrato’s Redskins, plain and simple. And that was a recipe for disaster on an epic scale. And disaster we got.

That’s history. Bruce Allen and Mike Shanahan are in command of the Washington Redskins. There will be no Daniel Snyder meddling. Sycophant racquet-ball buddies have been discharged. Reason, leadership, and logic have experienced a re-birth in Ashburn, Virginia. We have a plan, and guys in place who know how to implement it. Our new plan involves many novel concepts. Players will play based on performance, hard-work, and commitment level. We will build the team from the trenches up. Experience matters. We will be smart and frugal in our business dealings. We will look for value additions to the team, not sexiness or headline-worthiness. We have a plan.

Glory, glory hallelujah.

Talent
Oh, the Washington Redskins had plenty of talent during the Zorn years, but no cohesion. An inarguable NFL truth is that every pro football franchise is loaded with talent. What separates the winners from the dogs are coaches that can put it all together to present an effective attack, a formidable defense, and opportunistic special teams. Job #1 for these coaches is always to find a guy who can be trusted under center. Jason Campbell, another nice guy, could not be trusted. Shanahan knew it before he’d finished watching his first Redskins highlight reel, and he made an authoritative decision.

This new breed of Redskins coaches also realizes that the importance of talent reaches far beyond the quarterback, running back, wide-reciever, and defensive end positions. You’ve got to have talent in the trenches, on the lines, on special teams, and really focus on those areas to produce a team that will place opponents on the ‘horns of a dilemma’ . Stack the line on defense to squash our running attack, we will pick you apart with play action. Bring in extra defensive backs to squelch our passing game, we will rip you with a power running game. The goal of an NFL coaching staff is to be able to present the opponent with an unsolvable dilemma every time players line up for a play.

To do that, you must have strength at every position, and must make organizational decisions that give you every opportunity to find talent across the board. The Redskins haven’t done that. Trading away draft picks like they were pre-season tickets has crippled the franchise since Dan Snyder flew his first Lear jet into DC because it severely limited our ability to find talent at multiple positions.

And not all talent has to be purchased. Shanahan seems to realize that it can actually be developed. By placing a premium on player qualities like determination, commitment level, perseverance, and guts, not just on 40 times and Pro Bowl votes, the new message in DC is ‘show me what you got’, not ‘tell me what you want’. That my friends is one refreshing sea change.

The Future is Now
Perhaps one of the most surprising cultural changes we’ve seen with our Washington Redskins since the close of the 2009 season is a commitment to ‘win now’. Of course, we’ve heard those words plenty over the last decade. But they were usually uttered in reference to the latest sexy free agent brought in for a bazillion gazillion dollars, as if the acquisition of the latest former star would turn it all around in an instant. The message this new Redskins regime is clearly sending is ‘Yes we are re-building, yes we will do so from the ground up, but we are preparing to win every game we suit up for, because that is who we are going to be’.

We aren’t waiting to see if some moderately-talented quarterback of the ‘future’ will grow up enough to be able to carry the yoke of team leadership, or to put the fate of the game on his back in the waning moments of the 4th Quarter. We aren’t going to see players do whatever the hell they want in the off-season with impunity. We won’t see players deciding when and where in-game substitutions will occur. We’re going to see an effort, beginning right now, to do whatever it takes to win every single game played with 100% effort. And that effort will be driven by a passionate, ferocious, coaching staff who will demand players give their all, not ask them for the courtesy.

There’s a new smell in the air. Next Sunday morning, as I roll out of bed and wipe the sleep of a long off-season out of my eyes, it’s going to waft through my house like the glorious smell of cooking bacon. I can’t wait to take in a deep breath and relish again the strangely familiar smell of something I can almost recognize…

I think they call it ‘Promise’.

Blognosticator - Neophyte

Welcome to the beginning of something we hope will become a feature you will look forward to every week during the regular season. As we are committed to the idea of making BGO a place driven by, and all about, member contributed content, we are launching a new member blog called Blognostications. It will be written by a different, staff selected, member each week and will feature that members take on the upcoming Redskins game, complete with his or her specific predictions on the final outcome, big plays, player stats, trick plays and on camera appearances by Dan Snyder. Ok, so maybe that last bit is optional. At the end of year, the member judged by the staff to have done the best job of blognosticating will be awarded a custom avatar and special title (staff not eligible).

With the change over in both Front Office and Coaching staff this year we thought asking someone to write up Game 1 based on the vanilla stuff we all hate seeing but hang on the edge of our seats over in Preseason was a bit unfair so I will be taking a crack at it, both to give those who follow something of a template (although this is not set in concrete and originality is certainly encouraged…hey, style points count here) and to save a member the potential embarrassment of not only being on a different page than the team but perhaps in a totally different book. The idea of thinking the Skins are approaching “War and Peace” when the truth might be closer to “Green Eggs and Ham” is very real and very scary (trust me, I am shaking as I write this).

So, welcome to Dallas Week, right out of the box. I don’t know about you but I will have a tough time concentrating on work for the next few days and Sunday is going to suck because even though I will finally have the water of life that is real football to quench my thirst for the first time in some 7 months (as opposed to the vinegar of Preseason that the NFL would have me think is water) it will be rough waiting through pre-game shows, the early games, the late games and then Football Night in America for our team to throw down under the lights to open the 2010 season.

All I can say is I am glad the team is not on the road visiting the G-men again. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. Twice. No thanks.

Living in Dallas, I can tell you that this place is full of hype for the Cowboys, even more so than a certain cable TV studio in Bristol CT. Tough to believe but true. Folks here believe that anything short of a Super Bowl win this year will be a complete failure and the bandwagon is well past the overload point, which I find odd considering that this team has struggled in preseason on the offensive side of the ball and early injuries to the line had the team seriously considering sitting Romo down for at least one game. It can also be argued that they completely neglected their biggest need in the off season . . . the offensive line.

So…let’s get to the meat of this thing and put some skin on the line, shall we?

I think it is going to be a long night for the Dallas offense. I just don’t see the left side of their line doing well against Orakpo and Haynesworth (the assumption here is obviously that Haynesworth will either start at RE or, after sitting for a couple of snaps so he isn’t officially a starter, get the bulk of the work). I didn’t consider Doug Free much of an upgrade over Flozell “False Start” Adams to begin with and Holland in for the injured Kozier is going to be over matched with Al in his face. In short, I think Dallas is going to have to do something to help these guys out or Romo is going to spend a good bit of time wearing Rak and Al like cheap suits. In all honesty, if Haslett has half the bag of tricks the players talk indicates he does, I think Dallas will open this season in Washington like they left the playoffs in Minnesota, with Romo on the run and the offense ineffective much of the night.

That said, I am not sure it will be a much better night for Kyle Shanahan’s men. Trent Williams has been working against Orakpo for weeks so he is as ready as he can be for Ware but is that ready enough? I just don’t know. The interior of our line had issues in two meetings last year with Ratliff and 2 of those 3 guys are still here so I am thinking I will be tired of hearing Jay’s name by the end of the game, if not by the end of the first half. I’m pretty sure he made the Pro Bowl last year off his two games against Washington and my fear is he starts his campaign to be a Pro Bowler again with a strong first game.

Predictions

Who Wins and the Score: Says here the Men of Shanahan open up his tenure here with a surprise win over the most valuable franchise in all of sports. Call it 27-17.

How they do it: Kyle will look to get his stars off to fast start and McNabb will spread it around, going 22 of 34 for 275ish. The Skins will get receiving TDs from Moss and Cooley while Portis adds a third one on the ground with a run from beyond the 30 while running for over a 100 on less than 20 carries. Gano adds to FGs to complete the scoring for our heroes.

Big Play: Banks on an electrifying punt return. He won’t score on it but he will hang one of 50 or 60 yards on the Boys to set up one of the Redskins TDs. I call it electrifying because the only way we have seen 50 yards on a punt return in the last 4 years was if ARE went sideline to sideline.

The Other Half: Big night for the defense which opens with no less than 3 sacks of Romo, one coming on a wicked corner blitz by Carlos “Stone Hands” Rogers. I’m also seeing at least one INT by Hall and at least two stops for a loss by Fat Al.

Cowboy Stats: The news isn’t all good though as Romo throws for 2 TDs, one to the usually MIA Roy Williams who will then disappear again. Felix Jones will also run for at leas a buck. I see McNabb getting picked at least once although Miss Cleo won’t share who comes down with it for Dallas and he gets sacked twice but it won’t be Ware who gets him. Instead, look for Ratliff and Spencer to do the honors.

Owner Sightings: The over/under for appearances by Dan Snyder on your TV screen is 3 and I’d bet the over if I were you.

Ah, preseason. So sorry to see you go.

And now the cuts have been made too. Oh sure, there may be a few small moves left to be made, maybe even a bigger name to be picked up, who knows.

Now it's time for the real games.

Being a fan is an interesting phenomena. We have no (or very little) true, real connection with the team we live and die for. Speaking for myself, I don't know any players personally, in fact, I've never met any player on the Redskins' roster. Or any NFL roster. And yet, on Sundays this Fall, I will be rooting for my team like a madman, living and dying by every play.

And why?

It has been an overwhelmingly frustrating experience for the past 19 years. Why stick with it?

Hope.

When Andy looks at Red, and says they can never take his hope away, that's kind of emblematic of the human condition, isn't it? Doesn't matter how crappy our lives are, what our jobs are like, what we have to deal with on Monday morning, as long as we have hope.

Think about your own life for a moment. You have hopes and dreams that you apply to work, home and your personal goals. Maybe its that big promotion, new territory, raise, employee of the month this month, hell, maybe it's more flair. But you have work hopes, I hope anyway.

For home? Bigger home maybe, another kid, getting one kid to college, growing old with the spouse you love, a new kitchen, whatever.

Personal hopes can be to lose weight (looking in the mirror on this one, though P90x works!), improving relationships with friends and family, etc.

We all have hopes.

The Redskins represent those hopes to a certain degree. Our hopes and goals don't always materialize, just as the Redskins haven't in the past 19 years. Can you imagine if none of your hopes and goals had fulfilled themselves in 19 years? Yikes.

Sports teams give us another avenue of hope to root for. And when it pays off? Well... :)

Think about it. We invest ourselves in the teams we love as much as almost anything else in our lives for the Fall. We watch every play of every game, including preseason (and I have a feeling if they had a training camp channel, well, you know), analyzing plays and demeanor, hell even uniforms (thanks Om :)).

Why? Because of hope.

Because when it does pay off? Do you still get goosebumps when you hear "Mark Rypien?" How about "Second Quarter"? I wasn't old enough to remember "Riggins Run", but I assume the same holds true.

My dad was suffering through grad school in the Williams super bowl. He stayed up late, got up early studying and working on his dissertation, then going to his full time job to support us. Incredibly difficult years. But I still remember his face during the second quarter. And I smile every time I think of it. And it gives me hope.

Every time.

That's what my Redskins do. They give me hope, they remind me of hope.

So this is the time, folks. You have to decide if it is worth getting invested again? Given the last two years, I would understand if you said no. I almost said no last year, and kinda regret my decision.

But not quite. Because when we do win again, when hope is returned, 2009 and will be an example of the valley, the worst of the worst. Look how far we can go from last year.

So decide ladies and gentlemen. Are you in?

<Pushes everything into center of table>

HAIL!

Almost exactly one year ago, I wrote a BGO.C.D. blog entry called 'Sunday’s Smell'. Part reminiscence of all those Sunday mornings filled with anticipation for a great Redskins game to come, part bitter recognition that in 2009 excitement and hope were going to be hard to muster, it was not an optimistic piece.

A year has passed. The clock ticks inexorably towards an epic season-opening home clash with our most hated rivals (do I need to say their name?) on national TV. And I can hardly contain my excitement.

My, how the worm has turned in the space of one short year.

Stability
We’ve got it. As Zorn’s regime imploded during his final failed season, I lamented ‘where are all the grownups?!’ We’ve got grownups now in key positions. With Bruce Allen, the Redskins first legitimate GM in a generation, leading the way, the Redskins have a seasoned, experienced head coach with perennial playoff and Super Bowl credentials, and a Pro Bowl quarterback behind center. In 2010, when a prima-donna millionaire athlete throws a temper tantrum, he doesn’t get a free dinner with the owner, he gets put in timeout, where he belongs. There is stability at Redskins Park.

A Plan
Jim Zorn is one hell of a nice guy. But one sensed throughout his tenure in DC, he had no clue how to navigate the rocky, unforgiving terrain between failure and success. And even if he had a plan, he surely didn’t have the strength of will, moxie, leadership, cojones, whatever you want to call that intangible personal quality that makes men stand up and listen to you, to carry it out. The 2009 Redskins were Dan Snyder’s and Vinny Cerrato’s Redskins, plain and simple. And that was a recipe for disaster on an epic scale. And disaster we got.

That’s history. Bruce Allen and Mike Shanahan are in command of the Washington Redskins. There will be no Daniel Snyder meddling. Sycophant racquet-ball buddies have been discharged. Reason, leadership, and logic have experienced a re-birth in Ashburn, Virginia. We have a plan, and guys in place who know how to implement it. Our new plan involves many novel concepts. Players will play based on performance, hard-work, and commitment level. We will build the team from the trenches up. Experience matters. We will be smart and frugal in our business dealings. We will look for value additions to the team, not sexiness or headline-worthiness. We have a plan.

Glory, glory hallelujah.

Talent
Oh, the Washington Redskins had plenty of talent during the Zorn years, but no cohesion. An inarguable NFL truth is that every pro football franchise is loaded with talent. What separates the winners from the dogs are coaches that can put it all together to present an effective attack, a formidable defense, and opportunistic special teams. Job #1 for these coaches is always to find a guy who can be trusted under center. Jason Campbell, another nice guy, could not be trusted. Shanahan knew it before he’d finished watching his first Redskins highlight reel, and he made an authoritative decision.

This new breed of Redskins coaches also realizes that the importance of talent reaches far beyond the quarterback, running back, wide-reciever, and defensive end positions. You’ve got to have talent in the trenches, on the lines, on special teams, and really focus on those areas to produce a team that will place opponents on the ‘horns of a dilemma’ . Stack the line on defense to squash our running attack, we will pick you apart with play action. Bring in extra defensive backs to squelch our passing game, we will rip you with a power running game. The goal of an NFL coaching staff is to be able to present the opponent with an unsolvable dilemma every time players line up for a play.

To do that, you must have strength at every position, and must make organizational decisions that give you every opportunity to find talent across the board. The Redskins haven’t done that. Trading away draft picks like they were pre-season tickets has crippled the franchise since Dan Snyder flew his first Lear jet into DC because it severely limited our ability to find talent at multiple positions.

And not all talent has to be purchased. Shanahan seems to realize that it can actually be developed. By placing a premium on player qualities like determination, commitment level, perseverance, and guts, not just on 40 times and Pro Bowl votes, the new message in DC is ‘show me what you got’, not ‘tell me what you want’. That my friends is one refreshing sea change.

The Future is Now
Perhaps one of the most surprising cultural changes we’ve seen with our Washington Redskins since the close of the 2009 season is a commitment to ‘win now’. Of course, we’ve heard those words plenty over the last decade. But they were usually uttered in reference to the latest sexy free agent brought in for a bazillion gazillion dollars, as if the acquisition of the latest former star would turn it all around in an instant. The message this new Redskins regime is clearly sending is ‘Yes we are re-building, yes we will do so from the ground up, but we are preparing to win every game we suit up for, because that is who we are going to be’.

We aren’t waiting to see if some moderately-talented quarterback of the ‘future’ will grow up enough to be able to carry the yoke of team leadership, or to put the fate of the game on his back in the waning moments of the 4th Quarter. We aren’t going to see players do whatever the hell they want in the off-season with impunity. We won’t see players deciding when and where in-game substitutions will occur. We’re going to see an effort, beginning right now, to do whatever it takes to win every single game played with 100% effort. And that effort will be driven by a passionate, ferocious, coaching staff who will demand players give their all, not ask them for the courtesy.

There’s a new smell in the air. Next Sunday morning, as I roll out of bed and wipe the sleep of a long off-season out of my eyes, it’s going to waft through my house like the glorious smell of cooking bacon. I can’t wait to take in a deep breath and relish again the strangely familiar smell of something I can almost recognize…

I think they call it ‘Promise’.

Gonna be all over the map on this one. Fair warning.

Om tends to wait before he writes; I like writing while it's fresh in my mind, including the emotion.

Couple of things. First, nice game last night by the Redskins. To my mind, the Ravens were a little more physical last week; the Jets can't make the same claim after last night. This was not as formulaic as a sports movie: team comes together fairly well, but then falls apart under some overwhelming adversity before finally deciding to take a stand and fight for each other against enormous odds. Think Remember the Titans, Rocky, We are Marshall, Revenge of the Nerds, etc.

This is still preseason, after all.

Stakes aren't nearly as big as they were for the Tri-Lambs, you know.

But still. I like to think we stood up to the big bad Jets. And their big bad coach who apparently hasn't given up swearing just yet, no matter what mom wants. Had to expect a battle, as this is the third preseason game and Rex Ryan is, um, full of himself and eager to make a positive impression.

Wonder what they'll say about that game on Hard Knocks? They pushed us, we pushed them. No quarter asked or given.

Yeah, I know. Preseason. Still, refreshing to see the Redskins not back down. Screw staying medium. If the other team is gonna push us, we're gonna push back. No more kicking sand in our faces.

I like it.

Oh, and Anthony Armstrong? Making this team. Even if it is just for special teams, he made three special teams stops last night. You have to reward effort like that. Especially in the face of all the Haynesworth BS. Show the team what happens when you work your ass off all the time. He has to stay.

Speaking of Haynesworth, did I actually see him hustling last night? That was nice to see. Sounds like he and Shanahan are going to be sitting down with a cigar and a glass of scotch ala` Denny Crane and Alan Shore (:)) and hash things out. Good. If he is willing and able to put in the kind of effort we saw last night, maybe we can finally put this whole thing to bed.

Armstrong and Haynesworth are almost microcosms of the macrocosm that is the Redskins. Hopefully all three are able to put their troubles and difficulties behind them and concentrate on playing together and winning.

Think Animal House, after being disbanded (Christ. Seven years of college down the drain. Might as well join the ****ing Peace Corps.), yet still being to wreck the parade (Remain Calm, Remain Calm!).



Here's hoping we can wreck the Cowboys' parade.

I watched the first half 2x today (the 2nd half 1 more time, too never be watched again, seriously some of those guys better feel real freakin embarassed) and here's my thoughts in no particular order.

The receivers who dropped passes: Other than Davis in the endzone McNabb threaded the needle with some bullets. Our receivers aren't used to number one having a qb who'll attempt that throw and number two whose got that kind of zip. Couple more weeks together that will change.

McNabb: Still a little off on short throws, this is a timing thing, on the pass to portis his footwork was bad which is why it was off. This can be addressed again with practice together. He likes to thread the needle alot, but he's got the cannon to do it. This will cause some of us to scream at the tv, more often in excitement than disgust. The pass that the announcers said "could've have been picked" near the endzone, only if the db has Deion hands, that ball was coming hot.


T.Williams : Someone please put a picture of Buges in his locker with this saying "Get LOW". He was way to high a times which caused his footwork to get close , lower that base and keep those feet spread. Suggs only beat him because his feet and base were off. This kids gonna be a monster though.

LJ: I'm almost convinced he got his bell rung early, the first pitch outside he had a good burst, then it just disappeared. The O-line didn't help him much but his first two steps after that initial run were dreadful. CP on the otherhand looked great off the get go, still needs to get his feet up going through the hole but looked solid. CP is still the best blocking back in the league, the roll out pass to Cooley doesn't happen if he doesnt carry that block.

Moss: Competent QB, Moss performs, whodathunk

AA: Once this kid and McNabb get timing down it's going to be something to see. The pass McNabb underthrew wasn't really that far underthrown it's just AA has some wheels. The overthrown pass again was a timing issue, they'll get used to it.

The D: Yes Carter seems slightly like a fish out of water but I don't think its too much a reason for concern yet. His base is too high off the get go, Carter is not slow so I think as his technique improves so will his overall play. We know he will be liability at certain things, but Haslett should scheme to hide those issues or atleast try to make them manageable.

Rak: Geebies Geebies Geebies, straight butter. Has 2-3 sacks if not for massive holding. Oher got bitched last night or pun intended got BLINDSIDED by the manchild. He does still have some work in coverage but his closing speed is nasty.

DB's: Pretty solid, Haslett needs to work on the flats, they picked us apart a few times and either it was the scheme we played on those downs or bad execution. I couldn't figure which since in a cover 2 the db's have flat responsibility but they looked to be playing deeper zones with linebacker help. Someone who understands the 3-4 better than I can probabaly point the exact reason for the holes.

The Line: When we brought 4 or 5, Carter and Rak both came on some plays, we got pressure, minus the holding. Kemo played very well, eating up space, their running game was not efficient, there were a few times our OLB's overpursued causing some running lanes.

Overall minus the fake punt bs - really come on Harbitch thats a vagina move. It was 6-3starters against starters. Was it great, no, was it a vast improvement over what we've been calling Redskins football the past few years, absolutely. Progress comes in pieces, not large chunks like we'd like sometimes.

I have four children, ages 4, 5, 9 and 12 (the older three all about to move up one year). We have been watching more grown up movies with the older two lately. By "grown up", I mean Sleepless in Seattle, Mrs. Doubtfire, etc. My wife and I Netflix'd some movies we grew up with, and decided to watch Sixteen Candles, with the always adorable Molly Ringwald, with the older two girls.

All was fine, until roughly five minutes in, when there had been roughly 5 "assholes", "****"s and a variety of other swear words thrown around at a dizzying pace. Emily and I looked at each other, but decided to keep going, figuring it had to slow down. I mean, Sixteen Candles was rated PG. They were just getting it out of the way early, right?

Yeah... no. Maybe could have fooled ourselves into thinking that until the lingering shot on a cheerleader's naked breast and butt. I remember watching The Day of the Jackal with Mom and Dad growing up, and there was a scene with female nudity in it; the recollection of intense mortification is still so strong with me that I haven't even seen the Bruce Willis update. Yikes.

OK, gonna go talk to my shrink now, be back in a bit...

Anyway, all that to say that the way they rate movies today is vastly different from how they did it 20 years ago. A big part is the start of the PG-13 rating, which did not exist before 1984's Red Dawn (Wolverines!). But that was not the movie that precipitated the change.

No, that movie was The Temple of Doom.

Fascinating stuff, James. But this is a Redskins blog, no?

I'm getting there. Movie trilogies are fun, though with few exceptions, there is one weak movie in the three. Godfather III anyone? Star Wars is an obvious exception (preemptive strike).

Consider the Preseason as a trilogy for a moment. If you figure it as such, it makes sense, sort of. The first game is mostly about character development, getting to know who's on the team, where they play, new faces, etc. The second game gives you some meat to chew on and should leave you hanging a little, waiting to see how things will resolve. The third game then resolves things, and should leave you feeling better about going into the season. The fourth game doesn't count, and technically messes up my theory, so we're ignoring it.

Back to Indiana Jones. Out of the three, I always like the third one the best growing up. It was funny, action packed, sexy and wrapped up things nicely at the end. As an adult, I probably like the first one best. Nice mix of grit and humor, and some over the top action sequences to boot (Indiana sliding under the moving truck using his belt comes to mind here for some reason).

Either way, I never liked the Temple of Doom. Too serious. Too scary. Too violent. Not light hearted enough. Still isn't. Doesn't seem to fit with the other two. I mean, one guy has his heart ripped out on screen for crying out loud. That scene alone probably brought about the PG 13 rating system.

The game last night against the Ravens was definitely PG 13. Ugly and violent. Discouraging. So which team was real, against the Bills? Or against the Ravens?

Or is it something in between? Could it be that our team is not as good as they looked against the Bills, but not as bad as we looked last night? There are plenty of flaws in Raiders of the Lost Ark - are we supposed to believe Indy just floated while attached to a submarine's periscope? The captain never felt like submerging? - if you want to look hard enough. And there were plenty of flaws last week against the Bills - Carter in space at LB comes to mind - if you felt like looking.

And if you look at the Temple of Doom, while completely improbable at best, parachuting out of a crashing plane in a rubber dinghy that slides you down a mountain, off a cliff and into a river is really pretty cool. Also, the rides through the mines in the carts was the best roller coaster ride ever, I would imagine. Not all was awful against the Bills either. Armstrong is looking to make a serious bid to make the team. McNabb showed us that yes, he will fire off some worm burners, but there are few QBs under pressure in the NFL today with his poise. Even if our line doesn't give him all the time he wants, he can still make plays.

All that to say that it was ugly last night. First PG 13 movie ugly. But it's not the end of the world. Speilberg redeemed himself with the Last Crusade, and our beloved Skins can too, against the Jets. We have experienced two extremes in the last two weeks. The Jets game may very well provide us with something more in the middle, which may be exactly what we should be expecting as we move into the regular season.

Though if we moved back to what we saw in the Bills game, I wouldn't complain.

Yes, this is gimicky. Yes, it is probably something Bill Simmons would do or has already done.

But he hasn't done it about the Redskins, darn it!

So I'm going to pull some random quotes from the best comedy of the 2000's and apply them to the Redskins. Those of you who enjoy coarse, repetitive male humor might think this is funny. Those with more refined sensibilities, might I suggest Boone's or Om's blog?

:)

In honor of our opponent, the Buffalo Bills:
Veronica Corningstone: My God, what is that smell? Oh.
Brian Fantana: That's the smell of desire my lady.
Veronica Corningstone: God no, it smells like, like a used diaper... filled with... Indian food. Oh, excuse me.
Brian Fantana: You know, desire smells like that to some people
News Station Employee: What is that? Smells like a turd covered in burnt hair.

Good Lord the Bills looked awful. That is really the one thing that tempers my enthusiasm the most about the results of the game last night. Seriously, terrible looking. Like they might struggle to win 4 games terrible. I would like to think we were that dominate, but there was more than a passing resemblence to my high school football team, which won a grand total of 4 games during my four (not five smart asses) years there. Go Panthers!


In honor of the Albert Haynesworth drama maybe being put to bed, finally:
Ron Burgundy: Let's go to Brian Fantana who's live on the scene with a Channel 4 News exclusive. Brian?
Brian Fantana: Panda Watch. The mood is tense; I have been on some serious, serious reports but nothing quite like this. I uh... Ching... King is inside right now. I tried to get an interview with him, but they said no, you can't do that he's a live bear, he will literally rip your face off.
[to the Panda]
Brian Fantana: Hey, you're making me look stupid. Get out of here, Panda Jerk.
Ron Burgundy: Great story. Compelling, and rich.


Umm, yeah. As compelling and rich as that story has been, Haynesworth looked pretty good last night, admittedly against second teamers. But what was most encouraging was his interactions with teammates on the field and on the sidelines. Looks to me like folks have moved on. We should too.



In honor of Dan Snyder's booth interview:
Ron Burgundy: I don't know how to put this but I'm kind of a big deal.
Veronica Corningstone: Really.
Ron Burgundy: People know me.
Veronica Corningstone: Well, I'm very happy for you.
Ron Burgundy: I'm very important. I have many leather-bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany.

OK, cheap shot, I know. Couldn't resist. Actually, Mr. Snyder was humble, and almost seemed... pleasant. Best to move on quickly before we jinx it or something.


In honor of Joe Theismann's announcing:
Ron Burgundy: You stay classy, San Diego. I'm Ron Burgundy?
Ed Harken: Dammit. Who typed a question mark on the Teleprompter?

Joe, we love you, honest. We all wish we could be you, truly. But, yikes. I mean, yikes. My wife looked up a couple of times in wonder from her computer last night during the game with a look of smiling wonder on her face.


In honor of us, the fans, and how we feel today:
Brian Fantana: That was one crazy party. I am hung over.
Champ Kind: I woke up on the floor of some Japanese family's rec room, and they would NOT stop screaming.
Brick Tamland: I ate a big, red candle.

OR

Ron Burgundy: [sporting an erection after talking to Veronica, addressing the office] Don't act like you're not impressed.

Still looking at the highlight shows to verify things did happen the way I remember this morning. Really, really nice to be on that side of an ass-kicking for a change.


In honor of our favorite team DOMINATING their first preseason game:
Ron Burgundy: Boy, that escalated quickly... I mean, that really got out of hand fast.
Champ Kind: It jumped up a notch.
Ron Burgundy: It did, didn't it?
Brick Tamland: Yeah, I stabbed a man in the heart.
Ron Burgundy: I saw that. Brick killed a guy. Did you throw a trident?
Brick Tamland: Yeah, there were horses, and a man on fire, and I killed a guy with a trident.
Ron Burgundy: Brick, I've been meaning to talk to you about that. You should find yourself a safehouse or a relative close by. Lay low for a while, because you're probably wanted for murder.

It did get ugly quick. Offense, defense, and special teams all clicking, looking good. Still have work to do, but loving the first game.

There are lots more Anchorman quotes, and I may come back and revisit as the preseason wears on. Once the regular season starts though, we will need to be more serious.

Maybe the Naked Gun?

What a crazy, topsy-turvy year it’s been for the NFC East.

Upheaval, transition, tectonic plates shifting. The landscape of the greatest division in Pro Football has changed dramatically in just one short year, and none of its die-hard fans can know what to expect for certain in the coming season.

In Philadelphia, strange things were afoot at the Circle-K. Trading away a perennial Pro Bowl quarterback still in his prime, a guy upon whose back (and arm) you’ve built a franchise, was shocking enough. That the Eagles sent him packing to a hated inter-division rival, and at a reasonable price, was a nearly jaw-dropping decision.

Sure, Mcnabb was not without his detractors. His inability to win one for the Gipper in Philadelphia’s only Super Bowl appearance ever certainly fuels critics claims that, push come to shove, Mcnabb can’t get over the hump. That the most enduring memory of that so-called ‘failure’ is Mcnabb vomiting on national TV only accentuates the point. Mcnabb also had a penchant for sulking and whining during his tenure in Philly that rubbed some the wrong way. It often seemed to be more about Mcnabb, than about what it would take to get his team back to the Super Bowl. And of course, many claimed it was the greatness of Head Coach Andy Reid, not his QB, which had made the Eagles a feared opponent for most of a decade.

Regardless of what you believed – seeing the Eagles dump Mcnabb in favor of a talented, but relatively unknown Kevin Kolb – sent shockwaves through the NFC East.

On to Dallas, where drama always seems but a few days away. Crowned Super Bowl favorites every year, usually before an official snap has occurred, nothing ever seems certain for these boys. Arguably the most talented team from top to NFC East bottom, Dallas has looked almost cursed in recent years. The 2009 season began with the bizarre, apocalyptic crash of a massive inflatable practice facility and opened to the visage of cheerleaders dancing on stripper poles in the stands.

Although the team rebounded from that tragic start to take the division crown, they again faltered. After a decisive wildcard win over the Eagles, Dallas wilted before an inspired Vikings team lead by a geriatric hero. Jerrah Jones, who in a somewhat bizarre move had already named Wade Phillips eventual successor, made subtle threats throughout the season. Fail to make it to the big show and the consequences might be severe. The Cowboys did not make it to the big show. Again. Dire consequences were nowhere to be seen however, and big Wade Phillips was retained. And so the once again, a highly-touted and talented Dallas squad, takes the field to claim their rightful and destined place. Led by Adonis, the greatest QB ever to fumble away his team’s destiny on a gimme field goal snap, the Cowboys enter the 2010 season as heavy favorites and media darlings.

Again.

And those Giants? They’re the most unpredictable of them all. World beaters one year, shooting themselves in the foot (pun intended) the next, they’re a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. Like their rather volatile coach, the Giants seem to go where their emotions take them. Eli Manning may share the same genetic gifts as his brother and had a solid 2009 season, but one senses he’s never more than 1 or 2 horrible interceptions away from looking more like Rex Grossman than Peyton Manning.

One wonders how many more average seasons an at times embattled Tom Coughlin can weather? Our guess is, not many more. The Giants move into a brand spanking new stadium this September, perhaps an ideal time to turn over a fresh leaf and get back to on the field success. Felon or not, Eli Manning sorely misses his erstwhile favorite aerial target Plaxico Burress, who may or may not be forgiven for his sins and return. But New York will remain another wildcard in the shifting sands of a 2010 NFC East.

And finally, our most obvious entry in the Wild, Wild East. Blown-up, rebuilt, demons run out of town, and hopefully cleansed of former sin, the revitalized 2010 Washington Redskins bear little resemblance to the ones that bumbled, stumbled, and grumbled their way through a horrid 2009 season. Rid of Zorn and reborn, hopes abound in DC. Words like ‘opportunity’ and ‘enthusiasm’ have been replaced with ‘competence’, ‘experience’, and ‘control’ and the ‘Slip N’ Slide’ has given way to real discipline, skilled coaching, and an emphasis on hard work.

But even amid new-found stability, strange drama and intrigue persists, questions abound. Will millionaire crybaby and professional flopper Albert Haynesworth earn his paycheck and return to the on-the-field dominance of which he is clearly capable? Will Donovan Mcnabb rise to the biggest challenge he’s ever had placed before him and return to Pro Bowl form? Will Santana Moss navigate questions regarding his possible use of performance enhancing, and illegal drug use and be a key weapon, or will the Redskins two-headed TE attack have to carry the offensive load? And which Clinton Portis will show up for Mike Shanahan in 2010 and what will he be wearing? A 2010 Redskins team, rebuilt from top to bottom, is an absolute unknown.

To anyone paying attention, it’s obvious what’s going to go down in the NFC East this season.

Anything.
Everything.
Who the hell knows?

The only certainty is, it’s going to be Wild.

Really Wild.

Mom and I had our pastor and his wife (Bills fans), and my grandma (the reason I'm a Skins fan) over for dinner and to watch the game tonight. Sorry I couldn't be with y'all, but we had a great time nonetheless. (My family, more so than my pastor had a good time...lol.)

Some quick thoughts on what I saw:

Trent Williams is a very strong 1-on-1 pass blocker. He made a few mistakes (a false start, and a hold, IIRC) but I watched him frequently, and he was VERY solid.

McNabb is what I expected. Good (not great) passer, still very mobile, and a leader. I was nervous after the first series, but he settled in and gave me what I wanted....reliable QB play.

Ryan Torain is the real deal. The kid has a great knack for making something out of nothing, and making the MOST out of a play when he has an opportunity. Keiland Williams is a pretty strong runner too, but I don't expect him to make the team. Hopefully he'll catch on elsewhere if not.

My "WTH" reaction when we signed Rex Grossman now appears utterly ridiculous. He showed good command of the offense, and VERY nice touch on a few mid to deep balls. If he ends up having to play, I have confidence in him at this point.

The defensive scheme was pretty bland, which is fine by me. We still got some good pressure, and it led to TURNOVERS. (If you're not familiar with that expression, "turnovers" means our defense taking the ball away from the offense via fumble or interception. LOL.) Turnover margin, +3. Nice.

Devin Thomas is here to play football. If tonight is any indication, he will play himself into the starting lineup by Week 1.

ALBERT HAYNESWORTH....did what was asked of him. He tied up defenders, got a good push up the middle, and made it possible for the LBs to make plays. He did all of this while slapping hands with his teammates and smiling. I was impressed. I'm not sold on him, but he deserves credit for what he did tonight. Kudos to the big man.

Our special teams are in good shape. Kickoffs were regularly in the end zone or to the goal line, Bidwell punted well, and....well....Brandon Banks is F-A-S-T. :laugh:

Perry Riley may just make this team. As a 4th rounder on a team stacked with LBs, I wasn't sure, but the kid played very well tonight. He's quick, strong, and seems to have a nose for the ball. I hope this isn't bad news for HB Blades, who was uncharacteristically quiet.

For the Bills:

I don't know who the corner named "Corner" was, but he was getting smoked all over the field tonight. They may have been hanging him out there, just to see what he could do, but kid got flat out abused repeatedly.

If having two QBs is the same as having none, then having three must be less than that. I think they have three decent backups, and no real starter.

John McCargo still hasn't lived up to his draft position, IMO, but he played very well tonight on a team that had nothing going right for it.

All in all, I couldn't have asked for a better start to the preseason. Not just the dominance on the scoreboard, and all phases of the game, but emerging injury free. I'll be anxious to see how this team looks against top-flight competition like the Ravens and Jets. With all respect to my pastor, I think the Bills are in for another VERY long season.

All I can say is it's probably a GOOD thing there are still four preseason game. With so many good things happening this game, evaluations are gonna be tough although that third string Defense left a lot to be desired.

My quick hits:

Hard to tell if the Skins are that good or the Bills are that bad but first blush has me thinking a little of both.

O-Line played well as a whole although I was a little disappointed in the blocking on Maybin after Trent Williams life the game. Speaking of Williams, EXCELLENT start to his career.

The running game, compared to last year, will be like Night and Day.

The 3-4 looked pretty good initially and got some nice pressure but, as we all figured, it's still a work in progress. We won't become dominant overnight but you sure can see the groundwork.

Keiland Williams likely assured himself of at least a spot on the practice squad. There is just no quit in the guy.

After that silly attempt to catch the kickoff, Devin Thomas redeemed himself. Sure it was against backups but he made the most of his chances. He's gonna have to keep that up to make the team.

If the Comb does not play next week, and LOOK GOOD, he's a goner.

Don't know if Grant Paulson will make the team but I purposely watched his blocking. He already may be our best blocking TE. He looked very good on that last TD drive.

After Keiland Williams caught that 35 yard pass from Sexy Rexy, the one that was called back, I actually said out loud, "Oh my God, it's Osaka!".

John Beck's first few series made me think of Jason Campbell. Batted passes, tripping over either his or a lineman's foot on a dropback and unsuccessful dumpoffs.

Special Teams coverage units have some work to do.

I'm more excited than I probably should be but it's hard to temper your enthusiasm when your team scores 42 points. :cheers:

The day starts like any other weekday…alarm, shower, coffee, e-mail. It is pretty much like every other work day I have had since Jan 3rd of this year. Oh, my office is a bit warmer than most of those days and I am dressed a bit more casually than most of those days (I’m in shorts and Crocs rather than jeans and sneakers) but it is pretty normal otherwise.

Except it isn’t. Not really.

You see, IT returns today.

IT is Redskin football and there isn’t much in the world like IT.

While I know there is a lot of talk about the changes in Ashburn and new look Shanahan/McNabb lead burgundy and gold clad team, it doesn’t change how this day feels. It is like this every year.

There is hope.

There is excitement.

There are dreams.

Today the race for the Lombardi starts and there are 32 equal clubs out there (well, OK, maybe not equal because the Rams, the Raiders and the Chiefs are still the Rams, Raiders and Chiefs but you know what I mean).

This is not NCAA football where if you aren’t a Division 1 team in a BCS conference starting the season on somebody’s Top 25 you can pretty much write off any hope of a National Title. It also isn’t the English Premier League where if you aren’t Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal or Liverpool you know you are playing for 5th place before you buy that first pint with which to watch that first match (can you tell I might still have a bit of a soccer hangover after the World Cup…yes, I will up tomorrow morning at 6:30am for the EPL kickoff between Man City and Tottenham on ESPN2). Nor is this the NBA where if you aren’t the Lakers or the Celtics you are a long shot every year.

This, my friend, is the NFL where anything can happen and nearly every year something in the “anything” category usually does.

Two years ago it was Tom Terrific going down with a season ending injury of the first quarter of the first game to drag the Super Bowl favorite Patriots back to the ranks of the merely gridiron mortal.

Only months before that it was the Giants, riding a Wild Card entrance to the playoffs, beating that same All World New England team in the Super Bowl after the Pats did what was previously considered impossible and went undefeated in the regular season.

This is the NFL where the Saints can win a Super Bowl. Where an undrafted free agent QB from a small school can start for one of the premier franchises in all of sport (yeah, that hurts to write but sometimes the truth hurts).

In this league a team can go 9-7 in the regular season and play for all the marbles in the Super Bowl after hosting the NFC Championship game.

Tonight we, the fans of the Washington Redskins, get a look at the new players (hello Trent Williams, Donovan McNabb, Adam Carriker and Larry Johnson), a peek (for surely a peek is all it will be) at the schemes of Kyle Shanahan and Jim Haslett, and a chance to see a bunch of guys who will be waiting tables in a few weeks live their short dream of being a pro football player for one of the most storied franchises in the history of any professional sports league.

And I know those things are important (just not as important as they will be Sept 12) but more than any of that, we get to see IT, in burgundy and gold, for the first time in 7 and a half long months.

Revel in IT, my friends, for Redskins football is IT and IT is back.

Yeah, I know.

My wife has already cued this up in response to the thread title.

Sorry about that. A little backstory seems appropriate.

I am not a huge Star Trek fan. In fact, I'm not really one at all. But I love William Shatner. Why, you might ask?

Denny Crane.

One of the great, under appreciated shows of the last decade, in my somewhat humble opinion, is Boston Legal. My wife and I are watching them again for the first time since the show went off the air a couple of years ago; we are all but through season 3, and I am in awe of William Shatner.

Denny Crane. An extremely well-written character, perfectly acted by Shatner. More than a little crazy, able to play off the rest of the ensemble cast beautifully well, a person you find yourself admiring, laughing with, and genuinely caring for. His ability to step back from the limelight and allow James Spader, Christian Clemenson, Julie Bowen, Candace Bergen, et all to take over when necessary, but still able to steal the show when needed is fun to watch.

And so the comparison to McNabb.

Let's think back, shall we, painful though it may be. When McNabb first entered the league, he relied to his talent and charisma to get by. He could dominate at any point in a game or a season, simply because of his talent, which was evident to all.

(I still have nightmares about the Mark Carrier fake :twitch:)

You Star Trek fans can (and I'm sure will) tell me if I am wrong, but the replays of the old shows tell me Shatner was exceptionally talented, but not a great method actor. He relied on his charm and charisma more than anything else. Fair?

Then there are the middle years. Knight Rider? Remembered by most with a grimace and a shake of the head.

Middle years for McNabb? TO? Grimace and shaking head, anyone? Some success, but never the ultimate prize, forced to do things largely on his own.

So maybe now, McNabb is entering Denny Crane territory? Perhaps he has been there for a while, actually. The Iggles never bothered to even attempt to support McNabb with a quality running game or quality wide receivers until the very end. And then they shipped him off.

Ever think McNabb looks at the Eagles' roster today and bangs his head against the wall?

"Wish I'd had McCoy, Jackson, Maclin, Celek all those years I had... wait, aside from Westbrook, who were the receivers I had again?"

They finally stock the offensive side of the ball with an ensemble cast and... kick him out of town?

Nice.

Shatner blossomed with Spader to play off, and a full strong cast to take some of the spotlight away from him. He won two Emmy's for the role of Denny Crane, and should have won more. Could McNabb follow that trend?

He has a coach who will, shockingly, run the ball to take pressure off him, a defense that promotes turnovers, blitzing, and generally promises to be more aggressive than last year, and a head coach who is hungry to prove that his success in his last stop was not due only to John Elway and Terrell Davis.

Seems like maybe McNabb won't have to dominate every week, no? Maybe the running game will do it one week, the defense will take care of the next week, and he will have to provide only 3-5 spotlight performances this year.

Maybe our Tribbles will melt away. :)

<ducks>

Anyway, I will be watching this season anxiously to see how McNabb enjoys not having to carry the offense all by himself.

And who knows, maybe with an ensemble, hungry cast to help, awards or prizes could be in the offing?

While I will not subscribe to the entire point fansince62 is making, I do believe there is some merit. I was never a huge fan of Shanahan. When the rumors were swirling last year about his courtship with Danny Boy, I expressed my displeasure with this move. Having seen the lean years of the 60's, the good years of the 70's, the great years of the 80's-early 90's, and the leanest years of the past 2 decades, I am sure fs62 has seen much to give him some insight, but I think he is overlooking a couple of differences with Mike Shanahan, Head Coach of the Redskins.

There are two glaring differences in this team for Shanahan as opposed to the non-Elway Broncos, but first I am not sold on his idea that Shanahan is a "complete failure" without John Elway. He had flaws that Broncos fans have been exposing to us since he was hired, but he was not a failure out there. He competed in the AFC and their juggernaut teams of the 21st century. 4 AFC teams have won the majority of Super Bowls in the AFC during that time. I am not certain that if Denver had a small bit of luck like any of those teams that won the SB, Denver could have advanced to the SB and beaten most of the NFC opponents.

Anyway, here are the differences I see here that I didn't see in Denver without John Elway. When I was arguing my desire for coaches, I wanted Snyder to bring in some youth at the coaching level, someone hungry to win with a fresh approach provided there was experience and stability in the FO. Well, I think we have better than that. Shanahan has proven he demands respect or at the least control of the team, the key in my mind is his son.

After watching Kyle yesterday and seeing how he handled the Texans top ranked offense last year, I am convinced with a few more years of refining he will be a Head Coach in the NFL. He is fresh, mature and poised. It is this fresh young mind that will compliment the stern elder coach.

The other factor is Donovan McNabb. McNabb's travels thus far are online with Elway's before Shanahan came along. I wasn't sure I bought into this theory when it was mentioned before, maybe because I was remaining guarded as the off-season wore on. But if you look at their careers paths pre-Shanahan, they are parallel. So without Elway, Shanahan was a little more than mediocre (May I remind you that is way better than we have been over the past 19 years since winning our last SB and yes I would rather have the success the Cowpukes have had much more than where the Skins have been over the last 5 years!). McNabb has had a parallel career to Elway prior to Shanahan. So why can't Shanahan with a year off to contemplate be successful with McNabb?

Throughout this off-season, I have been guarded as I watched things unfold. I remain skeptical, but I see hope. I see a positive future. Am I as giddy as I was when Joe Gibbs came back. No way! I will not be "giddy' until I see an NFC Championship Game in our future. Do I see that this year, no. But with Donovan McNabb at the helm guided by a fresh young coach and the leadership of his father, this team will probably double their win total from the previous season, at least!

It may have escaped your notice.

But this little baby, our burgundy and gold swathed pride and joy, was birthed one year ago today.

I love my little Nathan Junior!

And as with all anniversaries, we would be a little remiss if we didn't engage in just a little retrospection and sentimentality.

Today, I asked myself the question. It was the original question. Why build a Redskins fan site? Lord (and Daniel Snyder) knows, there are plenty of them out there. BGO was actually born from a casual conversation with a friend when I offered to help out on his blog site. Next thing I know, he'd fallen from a slick commode while changing a light bulb, hit his head on the sink, and woke up with his vision for the flux capacitor....err....a brand new Redskins messageboard! Truth is, I wasn't sure then why we were going down this path. Except that my best friend was asking me to take a plunge into the mysterious unknown with him. And when friends ask, the only answer a friend gives in return is 'Hell yes!'. We found a couple of other old dear friends to tumble into the abyss with us. An idea was born.

The real 'why?' we figured out along the way. We'd found, experienced, and helped build a great Redskins community before. We'd seen impassioned groups of fans who *gasp* met, talked, argued, and discussed a common obsession, all on the internet. We'd seen people, comfortable, safe, and secure behind anonymous usernames, step out into the light, voice their true names and identities, even meet and forge real-life friendships. But we'd also seen the promise of beautiful online communities dissolve into something less admirable and rewarding. Whether that decline came as a result of low expectations, lack of vision, poor management, or just because enough humans in one place will eventually
figure out how to muck things up, really didn't matter. We had learned that true community, even on the web, is a fragile thing to be cherished and protected.

We spent a lot of time talking about what OUR site would be about. We wrote it down for our future members, cleverly christening these words 'What We're About'. We were going to be about a lot of things.

Intelligent discussion.
Respect.
Passion for a common obsession.
Civility.
Community.
Fan-produced content.
Creativity.

Those were the words we said over and over again in those early months. Once we knew who we wanted to be, we dove into minor details, like moving beyond an 'idea' to an actual website. Not knowing HTML from ROFL seemed like a minor obstacle given our enthusiasm. We taught ourselves vbulletin software, we learned basic HTML coding, we spent countless hours discussing the look of the 'vessel' that would hold our community and help define what kind of place it would be. We designed every graphic on the site with meticulous care.

Somehow, with determination, elbow grease, a lot of Google searching and Help file reading, and a couple of human sacrifices to appease the Gods, BGO was ready for its unveiling. She opened her doors to the Redskins-loving public on 15 July, 2009.

Slowly, inexorably, other dear friends showed up. We didn't advertise. We didn't market. We didn't beg, solicit, or pimp ourselves. We just opened the doors and put out the Welcome mat.

So mostly, other than the obligatory, requisite, and aforementioned sentamentality and retrospection, I just wanted to say Thank You dear friends. For showing up. For staying. For starting countless conversations, wowing us with your smarts, passion, friendship, and style. For giving us a great first year, and a wonderful fledgling community of great fans who are now dear friends.

BGO is not the biggest site in the Redskin's web-o-sphere. And that's not among our goals. But it's a special place. And we're just getting warmed up.

Happy Birthday BGO!