Game Girl

OK, three down and one to go. The most important preseason game each year is in the books, and it seems to me we're left with a few more questions than answers.

Like, Beck or Grossman? To many, that is THE question. And it's a valid one, for sure. But it's certainly not the ONLY question. I'm wondering a few other things of note, like what will become of the defensive line now that Jarvis Jenkins is gone? Will that push up front become weak like last year? And how about DeAngelo Hall -- he's an interception machine but gets beat in coverage way too often...and without a strong push up front, will he be even more exposed? And what about the health of Cooley and Landry, among others?

Yes, the offense looked pretty efficient against Baltimore last night. Can't deny that, although I'd like to have seen a few more visits to the end zone from the first-string offense. And the defense held up pretty well, except for the secondary getting beat more than I personally feel comfortable with. And our special teams looks solid, which is also good news. And how about Gruden and the gang fawning over our team's "hustle" and overall strength. That was all pretty positive.

So why do I feel sort of luke-warm about the whole thing? I guess becuase I still don't really get what this team is about. OK, I know now we are a zone running team, and a 3-4 defense (with MUCH better personnel this year). We play with heart, and with quick tempo. All good.

But who, exactly, ARE we? Who will lead this team? Who will quarterback this team? Who will help us move from the bottom of the NFC East cellar and into respectability.

I'm still waiting. Guess we'll find out on September 11th against the Giants...

All I'm going to say is, don't get too crazy yet. It's just ONE preseason game. Remember that ridiculous Osaka, Japan blow-out with Steve Spurrier back in the day? When he ran up the score, and we all got excited about the team, and they wound up just absolutely stinking the joint up ("Well, 5 & 11, not verrrry goooood", I believe was the parting shot Spurrier gave us during his infamous press conference exit...)

So, yes, the team looked good. Crisp. Fast. Tight and precise. Kept the penalties to a minimum and the offensive plays to a mazimum. All good, I agree. But, and this is a very big BUT -- it's ONE preseason game. With Rex Grossman at the helm, against a very vanilla Steeler's defense that wasn't exactly bringing any serious blitzes to knock him on his tailbone.

Don't get me wrong. I think the value of preseason for evaluating your own team -- their strengths and weaknesses, their knowledge of the playbook, their overall mental acuity and physical toughness -- has it's place. But I don't think it's necessarily an indication that our team is going to play well in their regular season opener against the Giants on September 11th. Rather, I think it's a good indication that the Shanahan gang knows how to run an efficient training camp, which seems to translate to a very visible quickness on the field that is hard to ignore.

Let's just say that at least our starters played well, for the most part. And our rookies had their moments, too...some better than others. Leonard Hankerson needs to learn to hold on to the ball, for example. But honestly, the team we all watched on Friday night could have, and for all intents and purposes, SHOULD HAVE, looked a lot more flat and confused and crappy. But they didn't.

So, I guess that's a good start. Let's see what Friday night's game against a very weak, Payton Manning-less team tells us this Friday.

I know, I know...I've been pretty lax about writing on my blog these past few weeks, but really, what was there to say? That I was totally depressed about the NFL lockout? That I was having nightmares about what my summer would look like without training camp to look forward to? That my worst fears about life without a football season seemed to be coming true? For your sake, and mine, I decided to spare you that drivel. It just wasn't going to get us anywhere.

But now...well, things are really looking up! Looks like football is coming BACK, baby, and aside from my son's 5th birthday this past weekend, THAT is some of the best news I've had all summer.

I'm trying not to get too over the top about it quite yet, as there are still some loose ends that need to be tied up before the "suits" and the players can finally put this labor dispute mess behind them. But for all intents and purposes, it looks like we are going to have a football season this year after all. And not just a season...we're going to get training camp and preseaseon thrown in for good measure. I'll write later about my passion -- make that my total OBSESSION -- with training camp. But suffice it to say that things couldn't look any better for those of us who are true football fans.

Hey, folks, we did it! And we should be congratulated, right? We were forced to wean ourselves off football right after the Superbowl back in February and really turn our attention to other things, and we were all able to somehow muddle through. Without any of the usual off-season tidbits, free-agency info, mini-camps or rookie symposium details to keep us going. Without any good news to pin our hopes on. And all with the niggling fear that maybe, just maybe, we were going to be forced to spend our fall Sundays mowing our lawns or going antiquing with our families. I can't even bear to think about it.

But we made it. And so I say, thanks, women's soccer, Osama Bin Ladin & Seal Team 6, and Kate Middleton for providing us some interesting diversions while we waited for football to come back. At least we had them to keep us busy and stop us from obsessing about a possible life without football. It could have been worse, right?

But now. OH, the excitement. The anticipation. Training camp is right around the corner, and all is right with the world. Pat yourselves on the back for a job well-done, folks. We can finally exhale. Football is BACK!

Get your DVR ready, folks. The next few days present some major TV-watching dilemmas, and you need to be prepared. Tonight, it's the first round of the NFL draft, which is now in primetime and is oh-so-awesome to watch. Full of intrigue, mystery and excitement. And of course, my alarm is already set for tomorrow's royal wedding extravaganza, which might just cause me to stay in my pajamas and obsessively watch TV all stinking day (well, I would if I didn't have mommy duties to attend to, but hey, a girl can dream, right?)

And then there's the final show of The Office, where Michael turns out the lights and heads for greener pastures with Holly in Colorado. That starts at 9, I think, but I need to double-check. Oy. What's a girl to do??

OK, so the Redskins pick 10th, unless they trade up (or down), so that gives me some extra time to switch back and forth a bit between The Office and the draft. But who am I kidding? I won't miss a MINUTE of this year's draft, starting with Carolina at #1. Will they or won't they pick Cam Newton? Will there or won't there be player trades now that the lockout has been lifted? And on it goes. OK, so that means DVR The Office and watch later. Go to bed at a relatively decent hour so I can get back up at 4 to watch the wall-to-wall craziness that is the royal wedding coverage.

And it doesn't stop there. If you're an NBA fan, there are games all weekend. And NHL fans (including local Caps fans) have to squeeze in some hockey. And don't forget the draft goes all weekend, for those nuts like me who actually care which players their team drafts in the 7th round. Wow -- it's going to be one of those weekends where you know you're going to have to leave the house at some point, but you're really not going to want to.

All I can say is, embrace it. Enjoy every minute of it, because excitement like this doesn't come around too often. Seriously.

Tomorrow is Draft Day -- a big milestone in the NFL that this year, has been nearly overshadowed by the lock-out and labor dispute. But draft they will, even if the new players don't know how much they'll be getting paid, when they can start playing or even IF they'll be playing come September.

But for now, opportunity looms for many newly-minted players. The possibilities are endless. The choices wide and varied. For players and teams alike, the intrigue factor is high. Will the guy we really want be there when it's our turn to pick, teams wonder? And will the team I REALLY want to play for actually pick me, players ask?

Ah, the mystery. The secrets. The behind-the-scenes deals. What a blast it must be to be in those meetings as teams are deciding which players they're going to pick...who is available, who's not, and what kind of trading stock will it take to get the player they really want!

As always, I'm nervous and anxious to see who the Redskins are going to pick, since the draft has never really been our forte, thanks in large part to Dan Snyder and his player management people who seemed to feel it was better to pay handsomely for washed-up players on the free-agent market than to simply pick new players coming out of college. Duh. But things have been changing lately, and now the question is, what will the Skins do with their first-round pick? Draft a quarterback? Fill out the defensive line? Try to find a competent nose tackle?

We'll have to watch and wait and see. That's the beauty of the draft. No one knows. Absolutely no one! Not the players, not the media, and not even really the teams themselves. Major surprises on draft day can really shake things up.

I know one thing for sure -- it's going to be fun to watch.

So glad the federal judge from Minneaapolis in the NFL labor dispute lock-out has some common sense. Who knows? Maybe she's a closet Vikings fan herself. Or maybe, just maybe, she recognizes how absoultely ridiculous this whole situation has become and has decided enough is enough.

Whatever the reason, kudos to her. And props to the NFL Players Association for pursuing a federal injunction against this absurd lock-out in the first place. Now maybe both sides -- players and owners -- can sit down and really hash this thing out like grown ups. it's gone on long enough.

With the draft looming later this week, and mini-camps not too far behind, the normally busy NFL off-season needs to crank back into gear. Without yesterday's injunction against the lock-out, the off-season would have remained a pipe dream, with players continuing to work out on their own in local high school gyms around the country. NOT a good scenario if you are a player, or more importantly, a fan. Less preparation in the off-season means weaker players and weaker games when the real season begins. These players need to practice, to work out, to prepare. Football is a year-round game these days, and preventing players from practicing in the spring means upsetting the apple cart for the entire 2011 season.

Now, maybe the players can start practicing while their representatives meet with management at the negotiation table to hash out a deal both sides can live with. Here's hoping a deal gets done sooner rather than later. Please??

See? This ridiculous dispute over how to share 9 billion dollars might force me into doing more yard work next fall. AACK! Stop the madness, people!

NFL fans say they’ll do more yard work if there’s no football in fall - Shutdown Corner - NFL Blog - Yahoo! Sports

Today's a big day of posturing and politics. Battles over turf. Lots of guys in suits desperate for their soundbytes to hit the news. Between the leaders in Congress fighting to keep the federal government from shutting down, and the NFL filing a motion in court to try to solve this whole revenue-sharing brawl, I'm already fighting a headache and it's not even lunchtime yet.

Do you ever get the sense that the bigger the stage, the smaller the substance of the discussion? I swear, watching the news this morning with Congressman after Congresswoman talking about how the "other side" is to blame for the pending goverment shutdown, you could almost believe that there isn't a competent person in charge anywhere in the vicinity of Washington DC. Oh right, sorry...many people already DO believe that!

And the same can be said of these ridiculous NFL people -- owners and players alike. Seems to me both sides are more concerned about pointing fingers and assigning blame than actually making progress to bring about a resolution to this problem. And whether they want to believe it or not, it really IS a problem. Fans aren't going to sit idly by while the owners and players fight over a 9 billion dollar surplus and proceed to ruin football in the process.

And neither are the American people going to sit by and watch our leaders in Congress on both sides of the aisle blame the other side for over-blown spending practices and a severe budget shortfall threatening to close down the federal government.

I mean, come on. Am I the only one who gets tired of watching these people sit on TV or stand at a podium and do nothing but cast blame on the other side? It doesn't matter if it's a Congressman or an NFL suit or player, the song remains the same: it's always the OTHER guy's fault. Didn't any of these people ever learn to accept responsibility for their own ills? Isn't that one of the first lessons we all learn in kindergarten? I'm certainly trying to teach my four-year-old not to blame others for his own problems...why do I have to listen to these ridiculous so-called "leaders" of government and sports play the blame-game?

Maybe we'll get lucky and some of them will come to their senses today and actually get something done. But honestly, I'm not holding my breath.

Buffalo Wild Wings takes aim at NFL lockout | Nation's Restaurant News

In the wake of the recent tragedy in Japan, the revolutions in Egypt and Lybia, and all manner of other international (and national) incidents great and small, I find this whole idea of the NFL strike/lock-out totally and completely uncalled for.

REALLY? The owners and players couldn't just sit down, figure out how to equitably divide up 9 billion (that's billion, with a B) in profits, and keep the trains running for the nation's most profitable and popular sport? REALLY?

After years of advance warning...knowing full well this situation was going to have to be resolved and having plenty of time to figure out how to fix it, they really, really couldn't get it done?

As I've posted before, I understand both sides of the issue. I do. But it's a bit ridiculous, don't you think, to believe this thing couldn't have been resolved without the current theatrics of player lock-outs, decertification of unions, etc.? Can't we all just get along and share our billions, NFL peeps?

To me, it just doesn't seem that hard. I'm no labor expert, nor am I a billionaire business owner (duh!), but even I know that negotiations mean both sides give a little in the spirit of cooperation in order to avoid catastrophic situations like the one the NFL is facing now.

What I DO know is this: the NFL -- players, owners, the league itself -- is trading on the goodwill of a loyal and dedicated fan base. I sure hope they don't gamble away that trust in the interest of greed.

Now that the shock has worn off and I've had time to accept that football season is over until July (or possibly longer, God forbid, if these labor negotiations don't resolve), I'm taking a step back to reminisce about all the things I really, really love about football on TV. I list them here in no particular order, and with a wistful eye toward next season.

1. Monday Night Football. What's not to love? (Well, except Mike Tirico, but let's not get picky...)

2. Jimmy, Howie and Terry. Need I say more? Notice I left off Michael Strahan and "that other one" who took James Brown's place, because nobody can really follow James Brown, and that's a fact.

3. The NFL Network, in real time. Without all the recycled content. And cheerleader shows. And games from 1955. Sheeesh.

4. "C'mon, Man!" - my favorite, all-time. It's just funny, plain and simple. I won't even attempt to write an explanation.

5. Followed only by, "Jacked Up!", another awesome ode to football at its best. I particularly love this when one of my Skins players is featured, which used to happen a LOT when Sean Taylor was alive. Not so much anymore.

6. College Gameday Live. Really?? How great is that show?! It's too bad I didn't go to a "real" football school when I was in college, and it's also too bad this show wasn't on when I was in school. Cause if I did, and if it was, I'd have been FRONT AND CENTER holding up some crazy sign and trying to get Kirk Herbstreit to gaze my way. Ah, to be young again.

7. Football Night in America - well, this one isn't really a classic, at least not yet. But it's work-able. I say, keep Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth, both of whom I LOVE, and just get rid of Dan Patrick and that ridiculous Keith Olbermann. And tell Al Roker to stop saying "Sunday, SUUUU-NNNNDAY" during his Today Show weather forecasts. Then, my friends, we might have ourselves a show.

8. Speaking of Sundays, let's not forget the real reason we love football on TV...'cause it's on ALL DAY SUNDAY. Sorry, but the NBA, hockey, skiing, ice skating, bowling, tennis, golf (except maybe the Masters) or even NASCAR just can't compete with a full slate of NFL games. The only thing that comes close during the off-season? The winter Olympics, but they only happen every 4 years and we've got a long time to wait, so I don't really count them on this list.

There's more, of course, but I'm getting nostalgic just writing this list, so I think I'll leave it there for now. Go ahead and gloat, baseball fans...it's your time to shine.

So, the NFL is THE most marketable, profitable entity in the world of sports. Hands down. Unless you count international soccer, which, for the purposes of this discussion, I don't. Why, then, is there all this crazy talk about work-stoppages, strikes, and I-don't-know-what-all surrounding our nation's most popular sport? Please tell me this is a joke, and not a very good one.

We've been hearing whispers of a labor dispute, contract troubles, and all sorts of disagreements between players and owners since early 2009. And all along, I personally felt the two sides would come to an agreement, since, as we all know, it is in the best interests of all key parties involved to get their butts in gear and negotiate a deal that keeps football in business - FOREVER.

And yet, here we are, just weeks after one of the best, and most watched, Superbowls in history, staring down a serious NFL labor strike. A lock-out. No football, possibly into the fall. For real.

What is the problem? I know the owners and the players are far apart on their respective sides, but seriously, can't they find someone, or a series of someones, to help them figure this thing out? Otherwise, on March 3, when free agency opens, guess what? There isn't going to BE a free agency market. And then, no mini-camps, no OTA's, and - AAAHH - no training camp. And without training camp, there probably won't be a season...at least not a very good one.

The NFL, aside from being the most profitable sports behemoth in town, also boasts the absolute best off-season around. Fans -- myself included -- really love this stuff. Trades, free agency, the draft, rookie camps...it's all great. And training camp - well, without training camp, I might just curl up and die poolside this summer. Seriously.

Someone needs to get the owners and players back to the negotiating table and get them talking -- stat. Remind them what happened to baseball during their strike in the '90's, and how long it took to build up goodwill with baseball fans again. Let them know, in no uncertain terms, fans around the country are upset, angry, frightened about a future without football. It's looking bleak. And there is no good reason for it.

Let's be clear: I don't begrude the players for trying to get a fair and equitable settlement with their new collective bargaining agreement. And while I don't usually side with management, I can also understand the owners' side, although I think they are being really short-sighted right now and for that, I think they are going to wind up paying dearly for their stubborn resistance to negotiating.

In any event, I'm just in shock that it has actually gotten to this point. Both sides have had two years to get a deal done, and they've refused to yield. I fear that unless they call for reinforcements at the negotiating table, we're going to be in for the longest off-sesaon since 1984.

Someone call in some smart people and put them in charge of this mess, quick!

Just remember, the first weekend is always the hardest. That's why they give you the Pro Bowl, and now the Senior Bowl, as consolation prizes. They are there to help wean us off the football-watching obsession we've gotten sucked into over the past 5 months (6, if you count training camp, which I most certainly do!) It's like quitting smoking. You need one of those patch-things to help wean you off the nicotine at first. And then slowly, you can start to cope on your own.

So, unless you are a Steeler or Packer fan -- and believe me, your time is coming soon, folks -- it's time, as they say, to hang up the cleats and move on. Sunday afternoons, and evenings, and Monday nights, are football-free now, much as it pains me to say. So now, it's time to figure out your plan. Ask yourself, "Where do I go from here? How do I move on?" I'm not going to say it's easy. I'm just here to say, you can do it. You have to. You have no other choice.

Some of you will segway relatively seamlessly into college basketball, or spring training, or even the NBA (does anyone actually WATCH regular-season NBA games anymore?? I guess they do...) Some won't need any "crutch sports", you'll just go cold turkey and start doing real-life things again like going shopping or seeing a movie on a Sunday afternoon. Ugh. And some sad sacks, like me, will twist in the wind waiting for any miserable scrap of football-related information to help keep us afloat until OTA's, mini-camp and training camp start up again. It's not a pretty life, but it's the one we've got, so I guess what I'm saying is, embrace it.

This is the longest stretch, kids. The most painful one. We just have to endure for a while. Try to cope. Take a vacation or something. Replace football with other things, like, uh, well...OK, like spending quality time with people again. I know it sounds hideous, but really, what other choice do we have?

There are some bright sides to this rather dim, depressing scenario. Like not feeling that panicky feeling on Sunday morning that you won't make it home in time for the game while in line at the Home Depot. Or not spending Sunday night in agony, reading blog post after miserable blog post, after your team loses...again. Or how about this? You can now wake up on Sunday and have the WHOLE day to do whatever you want to do.

I know, I know...what you REALLY want to do is watch football. But that's not possible now, unfortunately, so it's time to move on. Pull the band-aid off quickly, it hurts less that way. It's time to cut our losses and wipe the slate clean.

Just remember, it's a process. It will get better, little by little, I promise. And before you know it, free agency will open and life will begin anew...

OK, it's been a LONG season of semi-misery for Redskin fans. 6-10 was not exactly what we had all envisioned last January when Shanahan took the podium and swore to return our team to greatness, now was it? But let's face it - things could have worse (and certainly have been in the recent past). We could all be Browns fans. Or Texans fans. Or even Dallas fans (aack!) And now that the dust has settled a bit, I'm of the opinion that the Shanahan regime - minus the drama - was definitely an improvement and has set us up nicely for a good run in the years to come.

Yes, I'm optimistic, but that's what fans do, right? We dare to dream...of next season. Of what might be lurking right around the corner. A few good draft picks, a couple of free-agent signings, and we'll be right in the mix next year. It could happen. And it just might.

So why, then, do so many fans of other local teams (this means YOU, Ravens fans), insist on dropping the obnoxious suggestion that "You can always become a Ravens fan". Really?? I can? How do you figure?

Let's see. I've been a Redskin fan my whole life. I grew UP as a Skins fan. I watched my team win 3 Superbowls, the last one while I was a senior in college. I bonded with my team...connected with the community through my team. Came of age with my team. Learned to love the GAME with my team. Supported them through thick and thin.

And yes, these have been the lean years. Obviously. It's been pretty ugly of late - we all get that. But seriously, people, STOP with the crazy "helpful" suggestions that I simply quit on my team, jump ship, and start wearing purple and black. Are you kidding me?

What kind of a fan tries to tell a fan of another team to just give up on his or her team when the going gets tough? And what kind of a COACH (this means YOU, John Harbaugh), suggests something similar? Talking about "coming to DC and taking over" - it's just crazy talk. Stop it. It's too much. You've totally gone over the edge.

LET ME BE CLEAR: Redskins fans KNOW our team has been bad recently. We KNOW our owner can be a jerk. We GET IT that we haven't won a playoff game in ages. OK. Point taken.

But Ravens fans -- STOP TELLING US TO QUIT ON OUR TEAM! I can't be clearer on this point. We're Redskin fans. We always have been, and we always will be. Just like you are Ravens fans. Good for you. Keep your purple pride - you deserve it. But leave us alone. We don't need your help, your suggestions, or an inviation to join your club. We've got our own.

Just remember -- you would have to sedate me to ever, ever get me to wear purple. Believe it.

So