Game Girl

The long wait is over. We made it through the drought...through endless weekends without our favorite pre and post-game shows, without Monday morning talk radio, without The NFL Redzone Channel (that amazing addition to our lives I'm not quite sure how we ever lived without). We made it through endless Sundays with nothing to watch but bike racing, golf and the occasional baseball game (thanks, Nats!) Granted, we had the winter Olympics to divert our attention for a little while, but come on, that was way back in the February doldrums. For me, at least, it's been a LONG time coming, this football season of ours, and I'm ready to savor every minute of it.

Tonight is going to be just like coming home again. Like going back to college after a long summer break...and those hideous summer jobs we all hated. Football is BACK! It's time! Aren't you ready? I sure am!

OK, I know it's just a preseason game, and it doesn't count. I KNOW Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson aren't even in the lineup, along with Jason Hatcher and Ryan Clark and a few other starters. I totally get it's only the first of four seemingly endless, and meaningless, preseason games. I know we still have another 2 weeks of training camp, plenty of roster cuts, and probably a preseason injury or two to get through before the real season officially kicks off in September.

I know all of that. I do. But honestly, when you see the Skins (or really, ANY of our NFL teams) suiting up to head back onto that field tonight, doesn't it just give your heart a little giddy-up? Doesn't it make you forget that long, long wait through those endless boring Sunday television weekends? Can't you just feel the excitement?

I'm not sure what's going to become of our Skins this season. I have no clue how Jay Gruden is going to coach, how Griffin is going to play, or if Santana Moss is going to make the team. I have absolutely zero feel for how this team is going to play together, or not. I don't even know who our kicker is going to be yet.

But for now, just for tonight, none of that matters. Football is back, and that's good enough for me.

Guess he finally knocked the rust off, huh? Looks like RGIII is back to form, thankfully, because it turns out that as RGIII goes, so goes the Redskins season. For real.

Yesterday, he certainly looked like the mobile, agile, quick-thinking, accurate, monster athlete we got to know well last season, didn't he? And the team definitely responded to his renewed energy and enthusiasm. It's infectious. (Just ask TE Jordan Reed...)

Gone were the wobbly throws, the sacks, and the pronounced limping (which was really starting to make me uncomfortable). In their place came record-setting rushing yards, one incredible bomb of a pass to Aldrick Robinson for a touchdown in the end zone, and lots of offense. LOTS of offense.

Yesterday's team looked ready to play. They looked intense and fired-up. They looked sharp and efficient. They looked, finally, like the team we expected to see coming off a play-off run last season. OK, there are still issues to be fixed, namely, the special teams, which I couldn't even bring myself to blog about last week after that atrocious loss to Dallas. And the defense is still pretty inconsistent. AND Brandon Merriweather has GOT to get a clue.

But compared to the team we were watching in early September, this one looks legit. Thanks to RGIII's ability to heal both his body and his mind so he isn't afraid to get hit anymore, our team might just be able to turn things around. And with Philly's season starting to unravel and the Giants in the basement of the NFC East, our chances of making the playoffs don't look quite as remote as they did a few weeks back.

The growing pains from the first few weeks were painful, but necessary. There probably wasn't any way around it - RGIII was going to have to get out on that field and test the knee at game-speed for a few weeks before he could really begin to get back into game shape. Losing a few games in the process was the price we had to pay, unfortunately, but with the way our division is shaping up, this probably wasn't the worst year for him to have to learn on the job.

Let's see what we can do against those Broncos...

Close, but no cigar. Yesterday's game was marginally better, but still not good enough to win. The defense, aside from scoring a touchdown, got torched once again (I just KNEW Calvin Johnson was going to come in here and stomp all over our secondary, and that's exactly what he did). Our special teams still can't figure out when to field a punt or kick-off and when to just kneel down and give the offense the ball on the 20. And the offense? Well, it all depends on how you look at it.

From where I sit, you can look at the offensive production (let's use that term loosely here) two ways. You can believe, as I choose to, that what we saw yesterday was a more mobile RGIII behind a tightened-up offensive line with a better, more productive running game. Or, you can point to the missed opportunities, the sailed passes, the penalties and the fumbles, and say this team doesn't have a chance.

If you choose to go that route, I certainly wouldn't blame you. It's depressing to watch a team we thought was going to be great put a crappy product on the field. But hear me out on this one -- can you concede that RGIII looked at least a little more like himself yesterday?

The 2 offensive drives that really looked crisp and sharp both ended with fumbles or interceptions. OK, that's bad. But at least the offense was able to move the ball yesterday, and stay on the field for more than one offensive series in a row. In my humble, biased, homer-clouded opinion, that's progress.

Now, do I think we can fly out to Oakland and beat the Raiders? Well, I don't know about that. For one thing, our defense has now won the crown for the most yards given up over 3 games EVER, and Terrelle Pryor is a bit of a gamer, so I'm not going to be too quick to count Sunday's upcoming game as a win just yet. If our offense can put together a few drives like they did yesterday and actually come away with points, well, then we might just have a chance. We can't leave it up to our defense to win the game (or, not lose it), or we will be totally up a creek.

So, the glass is half-full, I think. At least for now.

Seriously, I think I might still be feeling woozy after watching that disaster of a game yesterday. Did I miss something? Did someone bring Jim Zorn back and dress him up like Mike Shanahan on the sideline? WHAT the hell is going on?

Not only did this Redskin football team play another totally uninspired game against the Packers, but they didn't seem all that upset about losing! I guess I expected Mike Shanahan to be angry, irritated, and cranky during his post-game press conference, but honestly, he seemed almost jovial about the whole thing. He even had the gumption to say he thought the team "did some good things" (what those were, he didn't exactly say, probably because he couldn't lie so easily on command). But come on, at least try to LOOK like you're upset about getting your butt whipped. That's your job as the coach. Can you at least pretend to be annoyed? I could, for the amount of money he's making...but that's another story.

And RGIII wasn't much better. I'm unpleasantly surprised by the way he's playing. It's pretty hard to ignore the obvious signs of injury that seem to be still lingering, and the fact that he looks like he's absolutely refusing to run the same read-option offense that got him to the playoffs last year. But I'm even MORE annoyed by his demeanor on the sidelines during the game. He's either huddling with Kyle Shanahan, looking bewildered, or he's sitting by himself on the bench. I want to see him firing up his teammates, getting them ready to play, encouraging them to get out there and bust a move. Instead, he's sitting there looking dumbfounded.

Not good.

I don't have a clue what is happening, but I'm beginning to buy in to the conspiracy theorists out there who say there has to be more to this story. I don't know what it is, or why, but for some reason, this team looks like they aren't all playing from the same script. Did Shanahan change the offense? Or, as some have suggested, is RGII just refusing to run it? Is he still hurt? Somethin' ain't right, as my friend Kathy likes to say.

It's like the whole damn team took a hit when Griffin's knee got whacked last January. And they haven't been the same since.

Someone needs to get to the bottom of this, quickly.

Uh, OK. That wasn't exactly the start we were all hoping for last night, now was it? I have to admit I was worried all pre-season about facing the unknown Philly offense in action under the bright Monday Night Lights, and my fears were definitely realized (although our defense actually held up pretty well, all things considered.) It turned out to be our OFFENSE that was a mess last night, and that was definitely an unpleasant surprise.

RGIII needed to shake off the rust, obviously. And the fact that he sort of improved (marginally) in the second half certainly helped to allay some of my initial agony. A little. But come on! What happened to our lightening speed offense? We looked pretty crisp during the pre-season, even with Rex at the helm, so why did we look so flat and uninspired in the first half last night? And Jon Gruden's ever-present gushing over Chip Kelly's coaching, his offensive wizardry, and his overall "magic" didn't really make me feel much better either. Overall, I felt pretty nauseous by halftime, quite honestly.

I'm anxious to see what the coaches do to get this team ready to play what promises to be a pretty angry Green Bay team this Sunday. Clay Matthews doesn't like mobile quarterbacks, and he probably doesn't like all the hype surrounding OUR particular mobile quarterback, so I think we'd better all buckle our seat belts for this game. It could get ugly pretty fast.

I watched RGIII's press conference last night where he refused to concede that he wasn't totally ready to face the game in real-time, and I have to wonder why? Why couldn't he just say, "yup, not playing in the pre-season probably put me behind a little bit, but I'm OK now"? He wouldn't admit anything other than "the whole team didn't play well". OK, so, what are we going to do about that?

Since we can't get a do-over, let's hope we're going to come out swinging this Sunday.

The offense is moving the ball. The defense is getting a pass rush. Special teams are actually covering kicks. The whole team is looking sharp. And it's only half-way through preseason, WITHOUT our star quarterback. What does it all mean? How do we read the tea leaves here? Could it be that we're actually starting to really come together as a team? Is it possible that all the hard work since Shanahan took over is starting to pay off?

I'm almost afraid to say it out loud, but I'm NOT a superstitious person by nature, so I will: The Redskins look like they're going to be a pretty good team. No, I didn't say Superbowl contenders (at least, not yet!) I didn't say they're the best, or awesome, or anything crazy like that. I just think that for once, finally, after years of missteps and miscues, draft mistakes and game day debacles, we might really be heading in the right direction. I love the solid team atmosphere Shanahan has built.

I love the camaraderie of the players, the focused attention of the coaches, and the dedicated commitment to winning he seems to finally have been able to instill here. I even dig that new "Hail To The Redskins" signage on the stadium field -- did you catch that last night? VERY classy. Whoever Snyder paid to design that stuff did a pretty good job. How cool is that Jon Gruden was getting so fired up about our pass rushers last night? I mean, he was totally gushing. That says something, at least to me (and yes, I KNOW I'm biased because of that whole "crush on Jon Gruden" thing I've got going on, but let's put that aside for a minute). National attention is national attention, and when it isn't focused on how great RGIII is (which he is, obviously, but again, let's stay on track here) and the national media pundits are going on and on about our defense, doesn't that say something?

I think Shanahan has been able to move the needle on the Skins, and finally been able to bring back legitimate respectability to the hapless teams of years' past. OK, so what, you're thinking...who cares? It's just preseason. I know. But how much more fun is it to turn on the TV and watch a team getting it done, instead of a bunch of dudes collecting a paycheck and phoning it in? I'll take this bunch any day!

It's nearly time. You know what I'm talking about. Don't pretend you aren't as excited as I am, even if you aren't a Skins fan. Because I KNOW you are. Yeah, I said it...I just KNOW you can't wait. And neither can I. Now that school's out, camps are in session, vacations are underway and the 4th of July is behind us, it can only mean ONE thing, and one thing only. Only 16 more days until my absolute, all-time favorite summer right-of-passage arrives.

Not sure what I'm referring to? Has the summer heat fried your brain or lulled you into a false sense of sports laziness where baseball reigns supreme?

Let me help you out here. I've got two words for you: Training. Camp. Ah, yes. Training camp! I'll say it again, just to savor the sound of the words rolling off my tongue. Training camp. It really doesn't get much better than that, now does it?

Training camp - a time when "all things football" begin anew. Old wounds have healed, last season's bitterness has been wiped away. It's time for a new football storyline to be written. New players, new coaches, new enthusiasm. And in our case, a brand-spanking new training facility to watch our beloved players strap on the pads and start playing our favorite game again.

God, I love training camp. Those who follow my blog probably remember my obsession with this annual summer ritual from years past. But that won't deter me from revisiting my passions again here, so indulge me if you will. I absolutely LOVE training camp. I love the sweat, the heat, the excitement. I love rookie players suiting up for the first time (I don't really count mini-camp as the "real" thing), I love wanna-be players trying out for the practice squad, I love veteran players hitting the sleds in the sizzling summer heat. I love fans schlepping out to watch practice as the sun rises, then lining up for player autographs afterwards. I love the comraderie of communing with my fellow die-hard fans ('cause only crazy fans actually show up for this stuff in the first place). I love shelling out money for a few pieces of brand-new Skins merchandise to add to my growing collection of fan crap. I love taking my kids to see the players up close and personal (even though those traitor children of mine have moved to the dark side and become Ravens fans).

Doesn't matter - training camp is a rite of passage I simply refuse to miss, surly pre-teen Raven fan children aside. On July 25th, I'll eagerly tune in to the local sports newscasts to watch the first Skins practice of the 2013 season, which reminds me of another thing I absolutely LOVE: those local media tents where sporstcasters like Dan Hellie broadcast live from the practice facility sporting sunburns and sunvisors and sweaty hair.

Sigh. I'm getting giddy just thinking about it all. So, 16 days and football will begin and all will be right with the world. Take a deep breath, because the long stretch between Superbowl Sunday and the beginning of football season is about to come to a close.

We are ALMOST there.

It's so exciting, isn't it?  Another Superbowl set...two teams, and two regions, ready to celebrate.  Two fan bases ready to showcase their community pride to the nation and the world.  And two new sets of fans poised to experience incredible memories that will endure for a lifetime.  This is how life-long fan bases are built.  This is how fans become fans, through thick and thin. This is when memories are created, and then passed down from generation to generation.

My kids - both Ravens fans - are going to have that opportunity now, and I'm thrilled for them!  Yes, of course, I'm a Redskin fan.  Always will be.  And so many people ask me, time and time again, WHY are you a fan of that (insert curse word of choice here) team??  THIS is why.

Because when I was a kid growing up in Northern Virginia, the Redskins were good.  Great, even.  They won 3 Superbowls between my 4th grade and college senior years, and those wins -- and the entire experience -- made quite an impression on me that endures to this day.  The pride of knowing the team from your local region is now on the national stage.  The joy of watching the players you've supported take their game to the highest level.  The excitement of celebrating with your neighbors, your friends, the folks from your church, the kids at your school.  It is something that, as a kid, you never forget, and it binds you to your team forever. 

This new generation of local kids here in our area (and out in California, too) is going to have that same opportunity now.  What a thrill!  My kids will remember this moment forever, and they will most likely remain Ravens fans now no matter what happens.  No matter where they live, or where they go in the future, they'll never forget this moment in time.  When they grow up, head off to college, move away to start their lives, they will take a part of this experience and their civic Ravens pride with them.  I am so excited they will have that experience.

The NFL should never forget that THIS is where true fan bases are built -- at the grassroots level, family to family, community to community, over time.  I heard on the radio the other day that a kid who grew up as a Redskin fan was finally able to understand what its like to experience true pride in his team after watching RG3 play so well this past season and take the "legend" of Redskins fan-dom that he grew up hearing about from his parents and watch it be transformed into real-life experience.

My kids aren't going to have to wait that long, and for that, I say, Go Ravens. 

Ok so your time in 4th grade may seem like any other grade but have you ever wondered what a other 4rth grade glass is like? Well it all depends on what kind of kids you have in your class. In my class the girls and boys all get along great, some things we have in common are: we all like sports, we all like World Record Books, and we all like to talk. Also we do not have a lot of girly-girls. The girls mostly all play the same sports and watch the same shows; same with the boys. Well, there you have it a view of another 4th grade class.

That's all she wrote, folks.  After an incredible season, lead by an amazing quarterback and a team who fought like hell to get to the playoffs, it all ended in a woeful, agonizing loss to the Seahawks yeterday.  And I, for one, am just plain sad.

Yes, it was a great ride, and an unexpected season most of us fans never expected we'd see, at least not this year.  We all hoped RG3 wasn't going to be a bust after all the pre-season and post-draft hype surrounding him.  And it turned out that he not only WASN'T a bust...he was the unquestioned leader -- dare I say a legend-in-the-making -- for this team, right out of the gate.  And then they DID get to the playoffs, and won the NFC East title for the first time in more than a decade to boot.  So it seemed logical, I suppose, that they would come out yesterday, knock off the Hawks, and keep the magic flowing.

But it was not to be.  Instead, we watched RG3 hobble around (thanks A LOT, Haloti Ngata!), watched our receivers drop pass after pass, and saw our Superbowl hopes go up in smoke.  Damn, I hate losing.

Yes, I know.  We finally have hope now.  We have a team we can build on for the future, with a quarterback who, unless he's severely injured, is going to be the foundation of this team for years to come.  We have a good coaching staff, a good draft class, good depth at many positions.  I know.

But it still stings, doesn't it?  I was starting to get giddy just thinking of the notion that we might hit pay-dirt this year and go all the way to New Orleans.  Who can blame me?  Didn't YOU feel that way, too?  Our team caught lightning in a bottle, and I, for one, was ready to believe it could take us all the way.

But the Seahawks had other plans (and let me just say, THAT team is starting to piss me off after knocking us out of the playoffs for the third time), and I guess it just wasn't our year.  The playoffs will go on, but they won't be the same.  We'll have to endure weeks of endless speculation about Griffin's knee.  Listen to a bunch of nonsense about what Shanahan knew and when he knew it (or didn't).  Watch endless replay footage of that ridiculous Dr. James Andrews wearing his silly Redskins hat with the pom-pom on it while staring at Griffin writhing in pain on the field after yet another vicious hit. 

What we won't be watching, unfortunately, is our team competing for the Superbowl.  And in the end, that's all that matters.  For those who say "there's always next year", keep your opinion to yourself, please, and let me wallow for a while in my misery.

Hail to the Redskins. 

Admit it.  You thought it was crazy when the Skins drafted Kirk Cousins in the fourth round last April.  I mean, like wacky-crazy.

You did.  I know it. 

Let's review:  we drafted RG3 number two overall, and in the process, gave away nearly all of our draft collateral for the forseeable future.  We bet the farm on this guy.  Mortgaged our team's future.  Left us without a first-round pick till my oldest daughter hits middle school.  So, during the draft, just for kicks and giggles, weren't you thinking, "Hey, we couldn't at least grab a corner, a lineman or a safety in one of the late rounds, just to be safe?"

If you are like me, surely you thought the Shanahans, and Bruce Allen, had gone a little nuts during the draft.  Like maybe all the excitment of picking so high up had rendered them temporarily insane.  Seemed a bit Vinny Cerrato-like, actually.  (Ugh, remember him?)

Well, they all look like draft geniuses now, don't they?  Wow.  Think about it.  Kirk Cousins comes off the bench in the final minutes of a close game -- in what was shaping up to be a classic Beltway showdown -- and with ice water in his veins, the dude puts us into overtime!

Then, Richard Crawford does what our old pal Brandon Banks has seemed incapable of all season.  He runs a punt back for a big-time gain in overtime.  Nearly scores a touchdown all by himself.  (Thank goodness, because I was beginning to think the days of decent punt returns were gone forever.)

And the hits kept coming. Jordan Pugh let loose on a safety blitz that set up a Flacco sack.  Other seeming no-name draft picks were pressed into service, under pressure and with the game and a possible play-off berth looming down the road, and kicked it into high-gear. 

As far as I'm concerned, the depth of our bench suddenly looks pretty impressive.  Hell, our new kicker is still a perfect 13-0 since we brought him in!

All of this with a number of serious injuries, suspensions, and other issues that have sidelined a number of our best players.  The big men in charge managed to keep things intact despite having guys like Orakpo and Carriker out for the year, which tells me they have at least somewhat of a clue about what it takes to build an organization. 

Finally.  And without any Snyder-vention to mess things up.

With RG3's health in doubt for Sunday's upcoming game, I'm suddenly feeling like things might turn out OK for this team.  Aren't you? 

Yeah, uh, Vinny...I think we've got things under control now, buddy.

He did it during the draft.  During mini camp, training camp, and the preseason.  During our first few games this fall.  Against the Giants back in October.  And most recently, on a nationally-televised stage on Thanskgiving Day against the Dallas Cowboys, in one of the most revered and storied NFL rivalry games.

RG3.  Exceeding expectations.  Staring down the pressure under the glare of the national spotlight.  Succeeding in ever-impressive ways.  And tonight, on Monday Night Football, my bold (or maybe not-so-bold, considering his recent history) prediction is he will do it again.

He will rise to the occasion.  Facing a hated division rival on Monday Night Football, under the watchful eyes of Jon Gruden, Al Michaels, and an entire nation eager to see if he's for real, RG3 will do what he's consistently done since he was drafted last April (and really, since his football career began in his youth):  He will stay poised, calm, confident, and in control.  And most likely, he'll win.

He will answer the call.  Despite the pressure, or maybe because of it, he will continue to impress.  Against a formidable Giant's defense, he'll scramble, escape, maybe throw an unlikely bomb to an unlikely receiver like Santana Moss.

He will do it with grace.  With style.  With confidence. With leadership.  And unlike so many players in the league today, he WON'T need to toot his own horn while showcasing his talent.  His athleticism, his leadership, and his talent will speak for themselves.

After the Gruden interviews, the pre-game media hype, the unyielding scrutiny, he'll do what he always does tonight.

He will just get it done.

Yesterday's game was definitely the start of something big.  Our NFC East rivals better be paying attention, because with Griffin on our team, the Skins are clearly ready to compete on a completely different level.  Justin Tuck, DE for the Giants, said in his post-game news conference last night he's not looking forward to playing against Griffin twice a year, and that Griffin is "the real deal".

But we already knew that.

Now, however, with the latest injury to TE Fred Davis -- who has really stepped up his game this season and has obvious chemistry with Griffin -- and with receiver Pierre Garcon sidelined with some bizarre toe injury that seems destined to linger, Griffin is going to have to go it alone.

Sort of.

Next man up?  Chris Cooley.  Dust off your cleats, put down your paint brushes, loosen your already sloppy tie, and give up your seat next to Dan Hellie on Channel 4's "Locker Room Report", dude.  Looks like you're going to be pressed into service after all.

Kyle Shanahan can only do so much to mask the lack of playmakers we currently have on offense.  Griffin is magic - yes - but he needs SOMEONE to throw to, at least some of the time.  Now that Davis is out for the season, I guess that someone is going to be Cooley.

Remember back in training camp when they cut him?  Remember the outrage, the indignation, that absolute outcry from Cooley loyalists who were horrified at his treatment by the Redskins?  And yet, as good of a player as many of us (me included) thought he was, Cooley didn't get that big paycheck from another team we expected.  Instead, he stayed in town and took a seat in the locker room, reporting on the Redskins for Channel 4 News and waiting.

Waiting for his chance to play for the Redskins, the team who drafted him.  Waiting for his chance, perhaps, to be a part of what he must have known all along was going to be a unique opportunity to play with a superstar quarterback.  Cooley probably saw Griffin's ability, his skill, his smarts, and his leadership back in July and thought to himself, "Why go play for another team for a league-minimum salary when I might have the chance to return and hook back up with a playmaker like Griffin?"

He rolled the dice and it might have paid off.  He's going to get his chance to play with the team he loves, with a quarterback he clearly respects, in a season that still might turn out to be more than just a practice season for the future.

Let's hope Cooley's gamble pays off for ALL of us.

Quit.  Yes, I realize I'm quoting MC Hammer...the poet laureate of the '80's (not!)  I'm sure I can find a more relevant and updated reference to express my level of joy.  But honestly, in my humble opinion, our man RG3 truly IS too legit to quit.

Literally.

The guy just doesn't quit.  He never gives up.  He never stops looking downfield for an open receiver.  Never stops fighting to make a play.  Never stops, period.

He seems like he's always reading the opposing team's defense, like he's always in control.  And when in doubt, we KNOW he's always ready to take off and run.  He even learned how to slide this week in practice, thankfully (so we can breath a sigh of relief that he might actually live to fight another down...)

His style of play is controlled, but still unpredictable for opposing defenses.  When he's on the field, you just KNOW something good is going to happen. 

When he's got the football in his hand, I personally never hold my breath anymore waiting for the traditional sack, strip, fumble plays that used to befall our former quarterbacks of old.  Instead, I'm left gaping at his abilities.  He can run, of course, but he can also throw.  His passes are sharp and accurate.  His receivers seem like they are running the right routes, and he seems like he knows where every offensive weapon is on the field at all times.

For years, our offense has let us down.  Our quarterback play has been erratic, at best.  Players like Santana Moss -- old reliable -- have been subject to tipped passes, overthrown balls, and UN-thrown balls from unprepared or incapable quarterbacks that were often stripped and taken the other way for touchdowns.

Not anymore.

RG3 has given this team hope.  He'll keep fighting until he wins the game or they cart him off the field (God-forbid).  For the first time in two decades, we've got a team we can believe in, because we have a player who is athetically gifted, incredibly poised, and a truly capable and effective leader both on and off the field.

To that I say...Can't Touch This.

Have I mentioned recently that being a Redskin fan can sometimes be hard work?  It really can.  (No, this post isn't about RG3's concussion.  I just can't face that drama right now, so I'm going to pretend the issue isn't looming over all of us like a ton of bricks just waiting to wreck our season.  I prefer to stick my head in the sand and pray that the recently-tightened NFL concussion rules will bring Griffin back ASAP.  Emphasis on the S - SOON!)

In any event, back to things being hard for us Skins fans.  Especially when you live in an area that is sort of muddled, fan-wise, like I do.  Yesterday, I faced one of those situations that had me thanking my lucky stars my DVR had been pre-set.

I took my kids to a party in Baltimore, fully expecting the Raven's game to be on the main TV and the majority of the guests watching the game.  Fine, no sweat.  I can manage, right?  I'll just slip down to the basement, where the "other" TV is, and join the group of dudes gathering down there to watch what I assume will be the Redskins game. 

Guess what?  It wasn't the Skins game they were watching.  It was the Eagles/Steelers game.

Crap. 

So, I had a couple of choices.  Stay in the basement and pretend to care about the Pennsylvania bowl.  Head back upstairs to the main level where the Ravens are involved in a very boring defensive game against the hapless but feisty Chiefs.  Race to my car and try to grab the occasional update from Sonny and Sam's broadcast.  Or just give up and wait until I got home to watch the game on DVR.

I was so distracted and annoyed by those dudes in the basement I wanted to scream.  I mean, the Ravens thing I understood.  But who put the Eagles' fans in charge of the other TV?  Why did THEY get to decide to hog the downstairs TV like they owned the damn thing, when there were clearly at least one or two Redskins fans who wanted to see the game? 

I am happy to report I managed to control myself and stay calm.  I didn't get obnoxious with the downstairs guys.  Nope, I even tried to cheer them up (sort-of) when Vick kept fumbling the ball, time and time again.  I was polite.  Affable.  Not even a HINT of rudeness.

I suppose I could have asked to change the channel, but I'm not sure I would have been very effective or convincing.  Trying to get a bunch of dudes watching football to take a woman like me seriously can be diffcult indeed.  And with Eagles fans, well, it could have been downright dangerous.

So, I suffered in semi-silence, made my excuses, and headed home in time to catch Redskins Postgame Live.

Next time, I'll know to stake my claim a little earlier!

One of the best parts about having a blog is being able to share what's on my mind.  And what's on my mind today is friendship.  Specifically, the very important matter of girlfriends.  Besties.  Gal pals.  Guys, you can probably skip this post...it's really just for chicks.

Anyway, I got to thinking about my own girl friendships, and how much I value them.  How much I dearly love my girlfriends.  Old and new.  The old ones I've had since the fourth grade, and the more recent moms I've become friends with from my DAUGHTER'S fourth grade.  The friends who make me laugh.  The friends who support me.  The friends I go shopping with.  The friends who love my kids.  The ones who listen, and laugh, and love.

Girlfriends.

What do they have to do with football, you may ask? 

Well, I started thinking about how much my "team" of girlfriends are somewhat similar to my favorite (Redskin) football team.  How critical each part of the team can be to the whole.  And how you really need all the different parts of the team to make it function as a unit.

My girlfriends are just like that. 

I've got my offensive line friends -- the ones who will go to the mat for me, for my kids, for my family.  Through thick and thin.  No matter what.  These girls call me, check in on me, make plans to hang out, and are always there.  And vice versa...I do the same for them.

I've got the defensive line girls.  These chicks are in my corner all the time.  Mess with me and you'll have to deal with them.  'Nuff said.  I've got your back, girls, and I'm thankful you have mine.

My special teamers are the fab specialty friends.  We do cool stuff together, these girls and I.  They're my concert-going friends, the movie night and book club chicks, my awesome new bible study friends.  They are all special in different ways, just like the kick returners and long snappers for the Skins, and can always be counted on for fun, for sharing, and lots of good times.

I've got my quarterback "best friends".  My wide receiver divas who can be flashy, but in a GOOD way.  My halfback dependables.  My running back go-to girls.  My reliable tight ends.

If you are fortunate to have a team of girls like I am, consider yourself lucky.  Remember to be grateful for your team.  Celebrate your team.  Be a team player back.  And don't ever, ever take your team for granted.

Hail to my girlfriends!

When was the last time you felt good about a situation that didn't look good?  I know, it seems like a strange question to ask.  But humor me.

It's first and ten on the Redskins 1-yard line with about a minute and a half left in the game.  Down by a touchdown, the Skins have to march down almost the entire field in order to tie the score and put the game into overtime...or go for two and win the game outright (which would normally be so far out of the realm of possibility it wouldn't even be worth mentioning!)

Impossible.  Skins have been in this position countless times over the past, what, 20 years, right?  No way to overcome the odds.  No way to get a first down, much less imagine tying the game.  And winning it?   Well, forget it.  Too hard.  No way.  Not gonna happen. 

How have these scenarios played out over the past multitude of miserable seasons?  You know how.  The Skins go 3-and-out.  Shank a punt.  The opponent gets the ball on their own 40, score a touchdown, and we lose by 14. 

Or, we manage to eke out a first down -- by hook or by crook -- and call a timeout when we don't actually HAVE a timeout.  Throw a challenge flag when we don't have one to throw.  Misjudge the leg of our kicker and miss a field goal.  Fumble a snap and don't manage to kick the field goal at all.

Any number of disasters could befall us.  And they have.  Over and over again.  Year after miserable year.

Except this year, we've got RG3.  And the impossible suddenly doesn't look so impossible anymore.

RG3.  He's in complete control.  He lines up under center on his own 1 yard line and starts moving the offense down the field.  Quickly.  No huddle, no stress, no fear.  No confusion.  He just gets our team moving and off they go.

OK, so we didn't actually score the touchdown.  There WAS some confusion, a false start penalty on what looked to be a go-route into the end zone, and some bizarre unsportsman-like conduct flag that I STILL don't understand.

But so what?  Didn't you feel, for the first time maybe ever, that with RG3 in charge, that winning the game was totally possible?  Maybe even probable? 

I did.  Three games into the season, this team is in a totally different situation than they've been in a long, long time.  We have a captain at the helm who can beat the odds.  With his arm.  With his feet.  With his smarts.  His calm.  His leadership.

So, don't be discouraged about yesterday's loss.  I know, I know, the defense is a mess.  Special teams ain't looking so special right now.  But with RG3, remember, ALL things are possible!

What a debacle!  Yesterday's slate of NFL games were some of the worst I've ever witnessed. Fights between players.  Missed calls.  Non-calls that SHOULD have been calls.  Flags thrown, then picked up.  Beanbags thrown because a ref couldn't FIND a flag in his own pocket.  Interminable wait times between plays.  Frustrated players, fans, coaches and TV broadcasters.  It was, as Chris Ryan put it on the FOX Redskin broadcast I was watching, "A mess.".

I concur.

I'm wondering what Roger Goodell's endgame is here.  Is it to prove a point?  What point?  That the replacement refs can change the outcome of a game?  I would hope not, but it's too late for that.  Seems they've already burned that bridge.  Just ask Baltimore, or DC, or any number of other teams yesterday who found themselves in totally unacceptable situations that turned the course of their games.

Why is he keeping these unskilled, untrained, in-over-their-heads replacement refs -- whom I'm sure are all very nice people but who are CLEARLY not ready for the bright lights of the NFL season -- in these games?

What is it going to take for Goodell and the NFL to relent and pay our real refs what they deserve so we can move on from this disaster before any more damage is done?  OK, it's a typical labor/management stand-off, and I do understand the logistics of negotiations.  Going through a pretty ugly one myself right now, and I know all about waiting for the other guy to blink first.

But in this case, it's not going to be about who blinks first.  I'm fearful it's actually going to be who breaks a LEG first, or worse, sustains a horrible injury, before things turn around.

It's unsafe to have these replacement referees out there officiating these games when they clearly can't protect the players.  We are a tragic injury away from things getting totally out of hand.  And when they do, Goodell is going to have a really serious problem on his hands.

And then it won't matter who blinks.

Yup, it's time!  With training camp and all its sweaty fun behind us, tonight is the night.  The night we all come back to life as die-hard football fans.  The night we can all breathe a sigh of relief, knowing the interminable wait is finally over.  The night we welcome Al Michaels and my all-time secret crush Jon Gruden back into our living rooms for the season. 

We're back, baby.  We're back.  Sigh of relief. Football is BACK.

What else can I say?  Even with two of my least-favorite teams playing tonight (God, I hate the Cowboys!), I can't wait! Can't wait for the best song EVER sung by a long-haired hippie redneck country star to put me in the mood.  Yes, my friends, I AM ready for some football.

I'm ready for major football.  I'm ready for 24-7 football.  I'm ready for good football, bad football, and semi-crappy football.  I'm ready for fantasy football.  Foorball pools.  Football jersey Fridays at my kids' school.  Football arguments in the bank line.   Those awesome football balloons in the grocery store.  Even those dumb football cupcakes they sometimes sell (often in Ravens purple, much to my dismay) here in my town.

We've endured another long off-season.  Another draft.  Another set of mini-camps, training camps, cut-down days, and that awful fourth pre-season game even I don't ever watch.

So, now it's time.  We've been patient, and it's paid off.  We deserve it, so enjoy.  And get ready for another great season of the best game ever played.

It's not fair.  Watching the highlights from Redskin Park this week, it feels like the Skins are actually in camp, doesn't it?  The helmets.  The jerseys.  The perfect spiral passes RG3 is lobbing at his receiving corps.  The water boys...OK, NOT the water boys, but you get my drift.  It's hopping over at the Park these days, isn't it?

But it's all an illusion, folks.  A smoke screen.  The Skins aren't REALLY in training camp, at least not yet.  But all of that footage from the Park can definitely be misleading, that's for sure.  If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck, right?

Nope, not a duck.  Just minicamp & those pesky "voluntary workouts" they say aren't mandatory but we all know otherwise -- there's nothing voluntary about them, at least not this year.  Thankfully for our team, it looks like we've got full compliance from most, if not all of our guys in terms of particpation.  The guys seem ready and willing to get out there and compete.  Eager to see what RG3 can do when given the ball, an offensive playbook, and some room to run.  Ready to put last year's disaster behind them and redeem themselves.

Well, they're not the only ones!  I personally am counting the days until training camp opens, just like always.  Except the minicamp footage that usually looks so dismal and uninspiring is looking anything BUT this year.  It looks like the real deal.  The big kahuna.  Training camp at its best.

But alas, it's still not time yet.  Soon.  Very soon.  But not yet.  We need to hang on just a little bit longer.  Endure a few more weeks of those practices-before-the-practices.  We're almost at the end now.  The end of the longest season of the year...the season without football.  We're close.

So take a page from my playbook.  Try to keep busy just a little while longer..  Focus on things outside of football if at all possible.  Go for a run.  Swim at the beach.  Take a vacation.  Because come the end of July, we'll be playing for keeps, folks.  And so will our Skins.