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"Please don't keep me wonderin' no longer"
No one knows why the Burgundy and Gold continue to play this maddening type of football, and I'm tired of pretending I do. I would contend, the facts indicate they have not improved as much as most of the teams they have played so far this season. From what I've seen, they will not become a playoff team this year.
Seven clubs, Dallas, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Green Bay, Indianapolis, Chicago, and Detroit have gotten better over the course of this season. Houston, Tennessee, and Minnesota are on par with Washington, and only if they were to play Tennessee again would I feel comfortable predicting a victory. How has Shanahan perfected the unusual ability to appear to be in a lot of these games, yet end up losing, or perhaps more frustrating, winning on the last play to make everybody believe they have finally put it all together? Are they on the cusp of the long awaited resurgence, or is this the same irritating charade?
There is no palpable offense, and although the defense has played well at times, when it positively, absolutely has to get there, they falter. The special teams are the only unit of this team that plays reasonably well. If it weren't for Brandon Banks, what would their record be? After looking at Bank's 77 yard punt return in slow motion, it was apparent Byron Westbrook had a hold that would have affected Banks return; it obviously was not called.
The attitude and energy they have played with seems to be adequate most of the time. I do believe the coaches are putting in the effort, as well. What it comes down to is Shanahan. He's in a new environment after a year layoff. He has imported his son's offense, as well as changing the defensive front to a thirty four. He also brought in a lot of aging players, and then we hear how long it takes to perfect his brand of football on both sides of the ball. By the time they get it, won't they be too old to contribute at the level that's needed in the NFL?
We're seeing more of an infusion of youth. That is good. But isn't the only reason we're seeing them because the older players have either been injured or just not able to play at an acceptable pace?
Shanahan, like all of us, is not beyond self doubt; the longer his offense stays mired in ineptitude; eventually he will begin to ask himself, "Can I still coach at this level?" His team's play cannot be what he imagined it would be at this point of the season. There are so many questions to be asked, and we're not the only ones with inquiring minds. Right now, he too, only has questions. It is reminiscent of Steve Spurrier after his 5-11 season, "Not too good."
Love the show..Watch it everyday on MASN in Houston.
Where's Lou?
The problem is the Skins have failed to draft a franchise QB so they wind up playing russian roulette with over the hill scrubs.Look at all the teams that have drafted franchise QB's over the past few years, Falcons,Ravens,Houston,St.Louis.Jets,with a bunch of other poosible ones. Wasted a $100 million on Hanesworth,no one player is worth that except maybe Peyton and Brady.
Absolutely love the show Riggo! The Skins do nothing regarding Xs and Os that is worth covering or analsyizng, all the important stuff goes on off the field. Glad you're covering it and lambasting it as is appropriate. Keep up the great work!
Hi John,
I am married to your biggest fan. We still enjoy going to the games. He only has one gift on his list this year and it's a John Riggins jersey. Any idea where I can find one.
Thanks and GO SKINS!!!!!
John Riggins:
No one else has told it "like it is" in Washington sports, since Shirley Povich passed on. You could have made a fine living as a sports commentator, even without your remarkable football career! KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!
Also you do not criticize nor comment just to sound sharp & superior yourself.
You always include opinions of others, & you offer practical suggestions of how better results might be obtained. (I suspect Sonny agrees with most of what you say, but he is handicapped by a contract that clearly involves owner Dan Snyder.) You do not! You have also a lifetime of expressing your views on life with a very appealing candor.
May I offer you a new traget to the lack of research, planning, & judgement by the Redskins owner. You cannot help but notice he strong & growing link between the Military Order of the Purple Heart and the Redskins.
There must be 50 non-profit organzations which are theoretical dedicated to
helping military veterans. Annually several organizatons poll ALL these groups (as is MOST common for ANY charitable society) about how much they spend in order to collect monies to help veterans. MOPH is apparently the worst of all 50 in the militray/veterans arena ! They do not respond to these polling groups & are about the only one to be graded "F" annually, since MOPH began.
I have been told the assocation founder pays himself some $400,000 a year as COB, & his wife as vice chair another $300,000. I have not seen these numbers in print, but this is the sort of information that the OTHER 49 charitable veterans organizations are happy to share with those who try to rate charities. These fees are known in the DC military assoaition "underground." I'm confident Dan Snyder would be shocked if he knew.
It is particularly reprehensible to cloak themselves in the Purple Heart award, which is presented only to wounded servicemen & women. I think any inves- tigative reporter could easily confirm these annual reports, & then alert the public -- & the Redskins -- that MOPH provides a far, far smaller portion of the large amounts of funds collected to deserving veterans. Evidentally, the group has conned a goodly number of purple heart honorees to help boost this group.
These association rating reports appear annully in the POST, but in a tiny article few see or know of.
The cause is maganificent, but investigation will reveal there seem to be some feet of clay among the basic founders of MOPH.
I note a little of my background, so you will realize I am not just some jealous clown shouting in the streets. I am a retired naval reserve captain. & a public affairs specialist. My wife has the same background. I also worked for the US Navy as a civilian for 30 years dealing with most military & naval associations. I am a member of most officer & enlisted associatons. I was elected national president of the Reserve Officers Association (we have the bulding on Capitol Hill accross from the Senate office buildings) in 1985-86. I have been active 45 years in ROA, NRA now AUSN, NERA, FRA, NOUS, MOAA, NAUS, AFCEA (also a big sponsor of the Redskins, but NOT a CHARITY) & others. I ran the Navy's Advanced Plan ning Briefing Institues (twice yearly classified meetings for industry) 20 years. For 12 years I was senior civilian assistant to seven of 12 4-star Chiefs of Naval Ma- terial. I also published THE MARINER for NERA for six years, including writing
"The Last Word"-- an inside column on the Hill & Navy affairs on the inside back cover. I was also the first national public affairs officer for the Naval Reserve Association (now the Association of the US Navy) from 1966-1972.As a Navy civlian I established the Navy Marine Corps Council for SecNav Paul Nitze in 1967 (these 20 some groups still meet annually with SecNav, CNO, & CMC).
I will be happy to work with anyone you suggest to help bring the truth about MOPH & whatever deals it has with the Redskins. Frankly, I doubt Dan Snyder has any idea MOPH has such a terrible record of providing charity services from the vast sums of money collected from people who are unaware that less than 25% of the funds contibuted actually help veterans -- let along, wounded veterans.
I am 78 years old, have five daughters, & five grandchildren, married, & am retired in West Virginia since mid-1993. I have followed the Skins since 1957-59 (active Navy duty in DC) & 1965-1993 (while living in MD & VA), & since then in WV. I have twice held Club seats (which requires 5-year contracts), & finally was al- lowed regular season tickets in 1997 -- after 31years on the "waiting list." I bought six, but had to give up two when I asked to drop my first Club seat pair one year early.
I support the team, but the administration of the franchise & team leave a lot to be desired. (I even bought a set of four tickets to the Uline Area CCTV series back in the 60s when Sam & Sunny first became a host team. I was one of the few white faces at Uline, where we sat on bleacher seats over cakes of ice. Fortunately my darker neighbors brought along plenty of warming fluids which they were happy to share. So we all managed to survice in this frigid atmosphere (far colder than either RFK or FedEx in the heart of winter.)
You seem to be just about the only (& thus the ideal) figure able to bring these financial injustices to public light.
Sincerely,
David L. Woods, Phd (Ohio State) & CAPT, USNR (Ret.)
118 Sherando Trail, Hedgesvile, WV 25427
304 754-4818