Die Hard Sports Fan

The Washington Post published an interesting article today that featured a number of quotes from Clinton Portis. For instance:

“I wish I could go to a team for one week with the best offensive line, or the team with the best scheme, and switch places with their back and see how others would do in this system,” Portis said, sitting on a couch the other day at Redskins Park. “I get a lot of touches with nowhere to run. I could see if I got all those touches and had some lanes, but there’s nine or 10 men in the box. “You know, I’m dodging all the people in the backfield, fighting just to get back to the line of scrimmage, and people [are] looking around like, ‘Oh, he just missed it.’ I’m dodging people getting the handoff, because nobody’s really respecting us as a passing team.”

WOW! I wonder, when I read that, if he really intended to slam his QB and offensive line like he did. But, a moment later, he expresses confidence in Jason Campbell by saying, “I believe in him.”

Lightly speaking, perhaps Portis was interviewed after watching tape of Reggie Bush from last week. That aside, without a doubt, his comments will spark another round of Jason Campbell criticism. But, in this context, I do believe Portis has a valid point. He’s right. He is being asked to do what is inherently unsuccessful in this league; run successfully against eight, nine, or even ten defenders in the “box.”

When Portis arrived in D.C., it was the start of the second Joe Gibbs era. They tried to make a slash and dash RB into John Riggins or any of the other big, bruising backs we’ve had. And, as late as last week, we were still trying to run some of those “legacy” run plays that Joe Bugel loves so much.

Clinton Portis is not a bruiser. Though he ran with “violence” last week, and will do whatever is needed, which includes putting his head down and fighting for three, maybe four yards per carry, Portis is best used in space.

I realize that we are trying to gradually phase in the “new” by maintaining some of the “old.” But, unlike my willingness to be patient with Jason Campbell, I’ve grown tired of our running game. I love Joe Bugel. He’s a great guy, based on what I know of the man. I loved watching the Hogs back in the day and dominating the opposing team with John Riggins. But, that was then. This is now.

We need to allow Jim Zorn and Sherman Smith to implement a running game that will create the space Portis needs to flourish, much in the same way that the New Orleans Saints are doing with Reggie Bush. Still, as he said during the interview, it begins with a healthy passing game; one that is respected by the defense.

And, yes, I concede that a healthy passing game begins with our QB, Jason Campbell. Our offense is predicated upon a quick drop and release. If Campbell continues to hold on to the ball too long, the entire offense suffers. Given that to be the case, Portis will continue to have a career that is inherently limited by the lack of opportunities to run to daylight.

I’m not an individual that likes to dwell on the question of, “what if…” And apparently, neither is Portis. But, it’s hard to not wonder what his career would look like today if he’d been able to continue doing what he had in Denver. All other considerations included, such as avoiding serious injury, his growth as a person and a leader of the team, his willingness to train in the offseason, Portis would be having an NFL Hall of Fame career.

As it stands now, we’re just shortening his career.

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Earlier, I made the case for having patience with regards to Jason Campbell. But, is there a strong case to be made for the urgency of now?

When Dan Snyder bought the team in May, 1999, it would be safe to say that Mr. Snyder felt an overwhelming sense of the urgency of now. He is a man that was and remains accustomed to dancing to the beat of his own drum. And that drum beats to a rhythm that says, “I want what I want, and I want it now!”

One of the first moves he made was to offer the naming rights to the stadium to corporate bidders. He was one of, if not the first owner to do this. Today, it is common place. But, what Snyder is best known for today is his rapid and continuous hiring and firing of head coaches. When he purchased the team, Norv Turner was in place. Who can forget the exuberant Snyder giving Norv a big bear hug that first year? But, soon thereafter, perhaps after losing to the Cowboys (I’m not sure), Turner had to go. Next, in comes Marty Schottenheimer. After one season, he was fired and then came Steve Spurrier. You see, Snyder thought that Schottenheimer’s offense was too boring. It didn’t score enough points. So, I’m sure Mr. Snyder thought that Spurrier would light up the scoreboard, just like he did in college.

Who can remember Spurrier being lit up by the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football and showing his frustration with the longest lip slappin’, fish pucker ever recorded in history. It was no surprise then, that after two years, Spurrier was gone. In comes the return of Joe Gibbs. Moreover, it wasn’t just Joe Gibbs. It was the most expensive coaching staff in the NFL. Having outgrown his penchant for accumulating star players, like Deion Sanders, Bruce Smith, Mark Carrier, etc., Mr. Snyder assembled an “all-star” coaching staff. It’s what Joe Gibbs wanted and needed in order to be both head coach and president of the team.

Now, much has been written about Gibbs and his second stint with the team. It’s sufficed to say, it wasn’t as successful as most Redskins fans had hoped when he came back to town. Today, we have Jim Zorn. And, contrary to what others in the blogosphere have already suggested, I believe Snyder will stick with Zorn for at least four years. Why? Because if nothing else, I think Snyder learned discipline from Gibbs.

So, what is the benefit of the urgency of now? What have we attained as a team and an organization through our urgency? Not much.

That said, I understand the lack of patience in many fans. It’s been a long time. We’re thirsty, like a man dying in the desert. We’re looking for a tall, cool drink of water that a franchise QB will provide. I don’t know if that QB is Jason Campbell, Colt Brennan, or someone else. But, I’m willing to allow Campbell to at least learn what he’s supposed to be doing before we determine that he can’t do it.

Lastly, recent comments in the blogosphere suggest that Campbell didn’t look that good last year after having multiple years in Al Saunders offense. Well, it should be noted that as late as this past weekend, another notable QB struggled in the same Saunders offense: Marc Bulger. Maybe there is a reason why we released Saunders as a coach. After all, if he was really that good, why was he passed over for the Kansas City Chiefs job.

It has been said, “patience is a virtue.”

But, it has also been said, “time is the fire in which we all burn. And, patience is for those that don’t understand the concept of time.”

Getting it right is a delicate balance between patience and urgency. Right now, however, we need to be disciplined enough to be patient. We’ve planned our work for the future. Now, let’s have the patience to work our plan. This is not to suggest that anyone has an open ticket to take as much time as they need. But, in order to alleviate ourselves from having to second guess our decision later, we deserve the privilege of taking the time to make an intelligent decision, based on a body of knowledge and relevent experience; not just gut feelings.

Hail to the Redskins!

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How many Redskins fans can recall the plight of the New Orleans Saints QB, Drew Brees?

Drew Brees came in to the league as a second round draft pick of the San Diego Chargers, after having played college ball at Purdue University. While in college, Brees enjoyed significant success by setting a number of Big 10 Conference records, bowl games, the Maxwell Award for the nations most outstanding player, and a two-time finalist for the Heisman Trophy. But, his entry to the NFL game was not smooth, to say the least.

In his rookie season, Brees stepped on the field one time. After a coaching change to Marty Schottenheimer, Brees became the starter. Yet, by his third year, Brees found himself sharing the position with Doug Flutie. In his third season, he was named the starter. But, the team went 4-12 that season and thus earned the top pick in the following draft, in which they acquired Philip Rivers. But a funny thing happened along the way of on the road of public sentiment to run Brees out of town. Philip Rivers held out of training camp over a contract dispute and thus, wasn’t ready to replace Brees as the starter when the season began.

Ooops!

What happened next is truly the upside of being patient. In his fourth season, and one that he really wasn’t supposed to have, Drew Brees achieved the third best QB rating of 104.8, was elected to the Pro Bowl, and was named the NFL Comeback Player of the Year. At the end of the following season, and another strong performance, he was traded to the New Orleans Saints to make room for Rivers.

In his first season with the Saints, Brees threw for more 4,000 yards and once again earned a position in the Pro Bowl. He has continued to grow as a QB and has led the Saints to the playoffs, and even the NFC Championship game against the Chicago Bears on January 21, 2007.

Redskins fans might want to sit up and take notice of the upside of being patient with Jason Campbell. Drew Brees, as well as other QBs, have had at least two or more years in the same offense before they began to have real success. Matt Hasselbeck needed almost five years before the light came on; before he understood what he was supposed to be doing. Jason Campbell, by comparison, has had seven months! That’s it.

Now, I realize that I could capture a great deal of attention if I bash the Redskins, Jason Campbell, Jim Zorn, and especially the front office. But, I’m not going there. I fully believe that Mr. Daniel Snyder has grown tremendously as an owner and is beginning to figure it all out. It only took him about 9 years, coupled with one-on-one tutoring from Joe Gibbs.

Imagine what the Skins offense will look like once the light comes on in JC and the entire offense. Let’s be patient and allow him time to grow. The current chatter in the media, and fan comments on other blogs, about bringing in Todd Collins, and prepping Colt Brennan for next year is only going to hinder the process.

So, I’m calling all Redskins fans: Let’s remember the journey of Drew Brees and remember, there is an upside to being patient.

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An article today, by Ryan Wilson over at Fanhouse has me a bit ticked off. He quotes an unnamed source as follows:

Some scouts and executives believe Campbell is a poor fit for the West Coast offense, with his size and skills favoring seven-step drops and more deep throws, instead of the three-step drops and quick, rhythmic cadence of Zorn’s style. “When I watch that team, I think something’s going to have to give,” said one NFL executive who has studied Campbell closely and believes he could succeed as a drop-back passer. “Is it the scheme or the quarterback? At some point either the coach is going to have to change what he does to fit the quarterback, or they’re going to need a different quarterback.”

After one game, it has already started. People are beginning to question whether Jason Campbell is suited for the offense. They’re quick to comment on his performance in the last two preseason games, and the most recent game against the Giants. I will readily concede the point that the offense looked pathetic, especially in the first quarter. In fact, see my game summary and commentary as I watched. Honestly, they didn’t look ready.

That said, I fully believe it is extremely premature to grade and/or judge Jason Campbell or Jim Zorn based on the performance thus far. Let’s all remember, Joe Gibbs needed five games to figure it out. Now, I know what Ryan Wilson might say to that. He’d say, the reason Joe Gibbs turned it around after five games is because he adjusted the offense to fit his personnel. And you know what, he’d be right.

So, maybe Jim Zorn and/or Jason Campbell will adjust further. But, what I think, is that first and foremost, the will each become more comfortable with each other. And that alone will yield better results.

Lastly, with regards to JC’s size, Brett Farve is only three inches shorter. Let’s all relax, take a deep breath. We may or may not make the playoffs. But, we will be an improved team.

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“Sportz Assassin” reports on FanHouse today: “Since 1952 — that’s not a typo — the Redskins have had just three coaches with a winning overall record: Joe Gibbs, George Allen and Vince Lombardi. Great names who are all in the Pro Football Hall Of Fame. However, it should be noted that Lombardi coached just one season in D.C. before passing away before the start of the 1970 season and Gibbs second stint saw him finish with a 30-34 record.”

Hmmm…

I remember when Joe Gibbs first came to the Skins as the head coach. I recall thinking, or feeling that it was going to be the beginning of an era. Honestly. Now, it might have been because I was young, and had just started playing pee-wee football myself. But, I knew it in my heart.

Am I prepared to say the same thing about Jim Zorn. Well, not exactly. But, I will say that I do think Zorn has the right stuff. He’s not Joe Gibbs. That’s a good thing. But, already we’ve seen that Zorn likes to pop off at the mouth. He’s got that head-mouth disease. He says exactly what’s on his mind. Some might say that’s a good thing. But, Gibbs, if he was nothing else, was a master of managing the press and public perception.

Zorn however, is trying to temper himself. But, it will take some time. Beginning tonight, he’s about to find out just how little the media and fans will coddle him if he doesn’t learn to win. And, in that crucible of scrutiny, Zorn will rise or falter by how well he manages the media to manage our expectations.

Joe Gibbs began his first tenure as coach with a 0-5 start. He’s been quoted as saying that he believed he would be fired. Melodrama aside, he understood the nature of being an NFL coach. In fact, any executive, whether it’s in the NFL or Corporate America, must learn how to manage expectations while at the same time building and cultivating strong relationships.

There is a saying: A great relationship can overcome poor results. But great results will never overcome a bad relationship. For example, just ask Marty Schottenheimer about his experience with the San Diego Chargers.

Yet, even though Joe Gibbs never had to worry about truly poor results beyond his 0-5 start, he never forgot that critical lesson. And, of course, it shouldn’t go without saying that a great relationship is made even greater when accompanied by great results. And in that regard, Joe Gibbs won three super bowls. He should have had a fourth, but Joe Theisman was playing “drunk” that day against the Raiders.

To be successful, and write his name next to the winning coaches of the Redskins, Zorn has to do what he does best: Put Jason Campbell in a position to succeed. Teach the players well. And lastly, go beyond just calling the right plays. Rather, he must call the right plays at the right time.

Is it game time, yet!!

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Already this morning, I’ve been perusing the fan sites and blogs. I’m so eager for the game tonight.

One article by the Associated Press caught my eye. In it, they asserted that the new Redskins presented new problems for the New York Giants. Well, let’s hope so.

I don’t know about the rest of you guys, but I still have a hard time believing that the Giants are the Super Bowl champs. That goal line stand the Giants put up against the Skins seemed to spark their playoff run. In fact, during my interview with the DieHard Giants blog, I said as much. Defense is a state of mind. Any defense, regardless of the innate talent level that is present, that can adopt the attitude of, “we shall not be moved,” is going to be extremely hard to overcome.

So, while I acknowledge the talent they had on their defense last year, I don’t believe they were as good as they actually played during the playoffs, and especially in the Super Bowl. They just played lights out. It was sick.

But that was last year. They welcome our Skins tonight, and I’m expecting us to win. How could I not. I’m an optimist, remember.

The Associated Press believes that the Redskins have an advantage because of new head coach Jim Zorn. The figure that since no one has any film on him, and a database of how he calls games based on down and/or yardage, the Giants welcome the Skins with one hand tied behind their back. Hmmm… I’m not that much of an optimist. The Giants are going to bring the “rain.” They will attack Jason Campbell from all angles to rattle him early.

How Jim Zorn handles that pressure in his play calling will determine how well Jason Campbell fares.

Still, even the Giants players are indicating a hint of hesitation. Antonio Pierce is quoted as saying, “They showed a little bit, but they are working on other things and probably game planning against us a little, just like we’ve been doing against them. After the first 15 plays we’ll know what their game plan is and what their state of mind is,”

I wonder if he really believes that. Can any successful coach in the NFL be so locked into a game plan that it doesn’t change even after the other team figures it out? Hmmm… I don’t think so.

Joe Gibbs, as Clinton Portis stated, used to have the mindset that this is what we are going to do. Until they stop it, we’re going to keep doing it. And, in his first stint with the team, I recall that was mostly successful. But, as Gibbs came to realize early on in his second stint, the game is so much more fluid today. The defenses are so much more complex. And, as Portis stated, more often than not, defenses were able to stop whatever plans the Redskins had.

So, what exactly are the new wrinkles that the Redskins will offer this season? Well, for one, and perhaps the most crucial wrinkle, is the fact that Jason Campbell will not have the opportunity to audible. That’s right Skins fans. Imagine that. What a novel concept.

In the past, if the Skins came up to the line and looked over to see the defense aligned perfectly to stop the play they had called, they were expected to simply “man up” and execute; beat your man one on one, and let the dust settle where it may. If everyone wins their personal match up, we win the battle.

And in truth, that is a valid assessment. But, America would still be a colony of Britain if we insisted on following that game plan in the Revolutionary War. And, each and every season is a war, in a manner of speaking. Each game is a battle. And, each play is a specific skirmish in that battle. Who ever wins the most skirmishes, wins the battle. Whoever wins the most battles, wins the opportunity to fight the next war: the playoffs.

So, as we prepare for battle tonight, let’s hope we can be smart, creative, and out strategize and maneuver our opponent.

It’s game day!

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