SB Nation - Sean Taylor

Pour Some Sugar On Me - Roger Goodell Establishes What the Fine Will Be If Dan Snyder Does Not Fire Vinny Cerrato

Sugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:45:10 -0000

In case you missed it, the Tennessee Titans owner was filmed giving Buffalo Bills fans the ol' bird from his perch on Sunday. If you aren't a Bills player, fan or employee--or Roger Goodell--you probably laughed your ass off. Goodell dropped a $250,000 fine on Bud Adams today...which leads me to my headline...because if Snyder does not fire Cerrato, he will be essentially flipping the entire Redskins fanbase the middle finger, and should be fined at least the same $250,000 amount.

Ten Yard Fight - 10 Chances To Make One Good Point

It's Dallas Week, so this week, instead of covering the league, I got 10 great memories of involving the hated Cowgirls. This is not an exhaustive list, nor is it any particular order. Feel free to add to this collection in the comments section below.

1) Darryl Grant's catch of a Dexter Manley tipped ball and subsequent touchdown in the NFC Championship game in 1982. It is one of my earliest memories of watching the Redskins period. I was barely 5 years old. The win over the despicable Cowgirls put us in the Super Bowl and the television images of RFK rocking are burned into my brain. Box score here.

2) Lavar Arrington tracking down Troy Aikman and sending him to the broadcasting booth. I admit this is kind of a macabre memory to love, but this one is great for multiple reasons. First, after so many Sundays of getting burned by Aikman over the years, it was satisfying (and fitting) that it be the Redskins that ended his career. Guys like him would and could play forever but they usually get knocked out of the league. Troy made the right decision to retire and as it turns out, he is one hell of a television broadcaster. He is generally fair and even-handed when he calls Redskins games, though since he is on the "A" team for Fox, we have rarely gotten him over the years.

3) Darrell Green's last game as a Redskin. The miserable Cowgirls were in complete disarray that week. Dave Campo's job was in question and the players on his sideline had completely phoned it in. We probably had no business beating that team but they were so obviously out of sorts it was hardly a contest. Both teams finished with losing records that year, but the going away present everyone wanted to give Darrell was a home victory over the pitiful Cowgirls. Box score here.

4) Brunell to Moss twice in the 4th quarter on Monday Night Football. I sat in stunned silence as the seconds ticked away in a loss that most likely was going to cost us the season. I was at a bar in Bethesda and as some of my buddies were ready to roll, I told them I kind of had to watch the end of this one. I had to witness the final whistle on my hopes for the season. The first touchdown to Moss was fun, but that feeling in my stomach that it was too little, too late was impossible to ignore. Then...no way...a seconddeep ball to Moss? With the lead in hand now, I was left to ponder the sick joke being played on us all that night: we come all the way back in the last minute only to lose to a field goal at the last second. The ensuing defensive stop was awesome, and everyone went crazy. Every car on the street was honking and every passerby was high-fiving. Box score here.

5) I would like to take this moment to remember a few moments from the pathetic Cowgirls' history that did not involve the Skins. Both were playoff games, and both put BIG smiles on my face. The first was back in 1998, in a playoff game against the Cardinals. Jake "The Snake" Plummer led the Cards to a huge win over Dallas. I might be mistaken, but it could have been their first playoff victory. Have the Cowgirls won a playoff game since then? Maybe they have, but I am not so sure. The second moment was more recent. When the Cowgirls had the game in hand against the Seahawks in the 2006-2007 playoffs, Romo was set to hold for a game-winning field goal. The rest is not only history, it created a whole new vocabulary. In prison, they now say, "Don't 'Romo' the soap!" I tell my two year old not to "Romo" his bottle. Cell phone users hate it when their calls are "Romo'ed".

6) The blocked field goal/Sean Taylor return a few years ago. It was a pretty classic slugfest but with the score tied 19-19, we found ourselves on defense with the low-life Cowgirls driving to put it away on the leg of Mike Vanderjagt. I remember it all too well...Jason Witten absolutely abusing Adam Archuleta for a huge gainer to set up the last-second kick. Once again, I found myself sitting in my seat awaiting the inevitable. I did not have the best angle to see the block, and once that ball was loose, it was tough to tell who had the ball. But then there was #21, making his way for the game-winner. Everyone was going nuts...but even within the moment, I knew it was overtime, since the clock was ticking down to zero during the play. Sean Taylor's head-whip was visible from my seat. It was an obvious call. When the referee announced we were going to have one more play from the end of the penalty, it was as if he actually announced, "Everyone is going to get laid." Nick Novak...47 yards...ball game. Box score here.

7) Darrell Green chasing down Tony Dorsett on Monday Night Football. This one I did not see live. I have seen it a million times though and it always makes me gawk. Forget the game itself...in one moment, one of the greatest running backs in the league was shown to be very mortal, and an unknown, undersized cornerback put himself on the map forever.

8) Jason Buck pushing the center into Troy Aikman, forcing the fumble and the ensuing Emmitt Smith gaffe that led to the Danny Copeland touchdown. I believe it was the season opener, on Monday Night Football with Mark Rypien under center for the Skins. I was a hot pretzel vendor at RFKstadium in high school and I had a knack for making sure I was selling pretzels in a section with the best view of the action on the field. On this play, I was actually behind the end zone that the Cowgirls were playing out of, and I saw the whole thing unfold. Jason Buck lined up over the Dallas center and on the snap, he bullrushed the dude right into Troy Aikman who never had a chance. Emmitt Smith made a huge bonehead error by not covering the ball (did he try and throw it or just muff it?) and we recovered for the touchdown. Only thing is, the refs never saw any of it. Danny Copeland, who had recovered the ball for the touchdown, had run almost to midfield celebrating. The refs were still looking in the pile of linemen for the ball. Everyone was yelling and pointing at Copeland, who then ran back and showed the refs the ball. I remember thinking, "Are they just going to take his word in this?" We beat the sad-sack Cowgirls handily, but that was pretty much the end of the "good old days" era. I think that was Richie Petitbon's debut? Box score here.

9) Cooley's 3 TD performance in 2005 to propel us to the playoffs. Mark Brunell threw four total touchdown passes in a game where we absolutely dominated the detestable Cowgirls. It was one of the best games I have ever been to at FedEx. Drew Bledsoe threw three interceptions and Clinton Portis ran for 112 yards to go along with the studly performance from Cooley. Box score here.

10) I'll make this one last since I know that the wretched Cowgirls were barely trying, but in November of 2007, we grabbed the final NFC playoff spot by holding Marion Barber to -1 rushing yards and the entire team to only 1 yard rushing. They actually brought Tony Romo back out for a series in the second half but quickly removed him to prevent a certain injury. Our defense was incredibly nasty that day. Box score here.

On these, I certainly stand to be corrected on any facts I may have misstated. I am very aware of some of the older games played between the two teams that featured such greats as Ken Houston, Sonny Jurgensen, Charley Taylor...I am hopeful that those of you out there who saw these games firsthand will share your memories.

Give Me The Numbers, STAT!

PSSOM Notes...Well last week I pulled for Jim Zorn to be given another year and we had quite the lengthy discussion about it. Nothing quite as controversial about this week's edition I'm afraid. It seems though that some of my article titles are not getting through to folks. Seriously, the fact that even one person "corrected" the Animal House reference yesterday is embarrassing. Last week, one poor soul didn't get the Def Leppard reference in the title of this weekly piece (this marks the 14th edition of the PSSOM series.) We need to do better. Finally, we have to stay positive after the big win and prior to the showdown in Dallas, but we can't just forget altogether the joke of a front office we have. If we reserve all commentary on that subject for losing weeks we not only come off as whiners, we become no better than mindless kittens, distracted by the ball of yarn that is each win. I'll keep it simple and I'll keep the message on point. The following list represents a possible example of a good front office--do your own compare and contrast with Vinny Cerrato's reign of terror:

Notable First Round Draft Picks

1996 - T Jonathan Ogden
LB Ray Lewis
1997 - LB Peter Boulware
1999 - CB Chris McAllister
2000 - RB Jamal Lewis
2001 - TE Todd Heap
2002 - S Ed Reed
2003 - LB Terrell Suggs
QB Kyle Boller
2005 - WR Mark Clayton
2006 - DT Haloti Ngata
2007 - G Ben Grubbs
2008 - QB Joe Flacco
2009 - T Michael Oher

By the way, I counted and these men have combined for 39 Pro Bowls. That does not include any from Haloti Ngata, who will get his fair share I am sure. I don't particularly care for the Ravens, but Ozzie Newsome is simply a class act. Every pick may not be a Hall of Famer, but only one of these guys didn't pan out (Boller). You want to hear the worst part? They have a stated rule that every year they draft at least one offensive lineman. Now, I don't know how that has worked out each year, but holy crap is that a refreshing philosophy.

Image via www.shwiggie.com

Macho Harris beats out Quintin Demps for Eagles starting free safety job

JasonB — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:16:04 -0000

by Bradley C Bower - AP

Apparently Macho was really listening to his new boss. (AP Photo/Bradley C Bower)

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Today it was all but confirmed that rookie Victor "Macho" Harris has beaten out second year man Quintin Demps for the Eagles starting free safety job. While it hasn't yet been officially announced, Harris was practicing with the first team and Quintin Demps basically confirmed the news when he spoke after practice.

"I'm disappointed in myself," Demps said. "I just have to come out and be ready to play my role. I'm on special teams and we're still competing. I'm going to come in and compete every day. I have to help Macho out as much as I can and be humble about it," Demps said. "It's the National Football League. I had an opportunity, I didn't take advantage of it and I have to take it for what it is."

Demps acknowledged that his comments from last week may have also contributed to his demotion.

"You gotta watch what you say," said Demps. "You can't let frustrations get to you. You have to learn from your mistakes and move on."

He also admitted that he hadn't played with enough consistency throughout the preseason and credited Harris for playing "like he had nothing to lose." I do have to credit Demps for handling his demotion with a lot more professionalism and class than he handled things last week.

"We're all men. We all could tell that I wasn't being consistent enough," Demps said. "There's no sugarcoating it in the NFL. It is what it is. We're still competing. It's still a competition. I just have to go in there and compete everyday. Keep it moving."

Harris was a cornerback at Virgina Tech last year, but obviously has made the transition to safety in the NFL rather well so far. That said, he's still clearly a work in progress and will be a guy to keep a close eye on. If he continues to work as hard as he did in preseason and play with the same intensity, there's every reason to believe he'll be a good safety in this league.

Macho Harris reacted to the news via his twitter,

I'm def living my dream! and I'm blessed to be playing a childs game for a kings ransom!... that's a quote from Sean Taylor btw! One of my Favorite Players of all time!

Butch Davis Talks About Recruiting Portis, Moss, and Sean Taylor (Part II)

KevinE — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 07:21:26 -0000

via cdn2.sbnation.com

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In Part I in of our conversation with Coach Butch Davis, I really got a feel for how coaches can relate to players and be effective. Coach Davis happened to recruit 3 players during his tenure in Miami, which have become DEAR to Redskins Nation: Clinton Portis, Santana Moss and Sean Taylor.

HH: Can you talk about recruiting Clinton Portis? What was his personality like back then?

Clinton was an unbelievable story. The tape we were watching on Clinton we were actually watching the Quarterback on his football team. Late one Monday night early in the season it was like the first of September, it was Clinton's Senior year. The game by accident we picked up to watch the quarterback, Clinton was absolutely spectacular. Kickoff returns for touchdowns. Everytime he touched the ball. I remember one particular sequence he scored a touchdown... it was a long run, a 67-yard run and there was a penalty and they brought it back. They handed him the ball the very next play, and he did exactly the same thing. It was like immediately, "Get on the phone. Find out who this guy is. Do we have any kind of opportunity to recruit him?" We were fortunate with him being right there in Gainesville. For whatever reason, the Univ of Florida wasn't interested. We went full out trying to recruit him. He was a great player in college and a phenomenal player on the next level.

HH: And Santana Moss?

Santana was a totally different story. He was the biggest secret maybe in the country. We all knew in South Florida what a phenomenal kid that he was. Charismatic. Great personality. He had outstanding track times. He played with a great high school football team at Carol City, but they hardly ever threw the ball. This stat won't be 100% accurate, but he had something like 8-10-12-15 catches. Like maybe one a game. He was in a 3-point stance and blocking down field. Talking about somebody flying totally under the radar. Immediately when he got on our football team, we knew that he was special. He was a difference maker. He might be the most electrifying punt returner that I've certainly ever had the opportunity to be around. There were so many ways he could hurt a defense. Stretch em deep. Great hands. Run after catches. Electrifying. You could do all the reverses with him. We were blessed to have both of those kids on our football team.

HH: You left there right as Sean Taylor was getting there. Were you involved at all in recruiting him?

When I recruited Sean, my son went to the same school as Sean. So, I was over at Gulliver a lot picking up my son and wathing him practice. I'll never forget the year we recruited Sean, he scored 5 TDs in the championship game as the RB. That was one of the things [people don't realize in games]. They see an interception by Sean Taylor in college and the NFL and they didn't realize they just threw the ball up to one of the country's best RBs. At the time we had Willis Maghee, Clinton Portis, Najeh Davenport. We had a host of RBs..it was just more prudent to put him at safety.

HH: When I interviewed Coach Larry Coker on the phone, he had mentioned he recruited Sean.

Well, I was the head coach when Sean was there. I left the week before they all signed. Kellon Winslow Jr, Antrel Rolle. All those guys. That was quite a class.

HH: Man...I bet that 2001 Miami team could have beat the bottom third of the NFL that year.

I don't know about that but they were pretty gifted. When you go to training camp if you would, please say hello to Clinton and Santana, I'd appreciate it.

OK, so the 2001 Miami roster, which won the National Championship, included: Willis McGahee, Najeh Davenport, Andre Johnson, Antrel Rolle, Ed Reed, Sean Taylor, Clinton Portis, Philip Buchanon, Frank Gore, Rocky McIntosh, Vince Wilfork, Bryant McKinnie, Kellen Winslow, Jeremy Shockey, and Jerome McDougle. Ken Dorsey was the QB for this championship team, but wow, what a squad.

Butch Davis Chats With Hogs Haven (Part I)

KevinE — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 06:42:36 -0000

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I'd like to thank Kevin Best and James Vollono for allowing Hogs Haven to setup such a quality interview with the former University of Miami, and now UNC, Coach, Butch Davis. A special thanks to Coach Davis goes for taking time out of his schedule to do a phone interview. Part one involves the schematic questions the Redskins youth faces, the second part is Coach's stories of recruiting Clinton Portis, Santana Moss, and Sean Taylor. Here goes part one:

HH: The Redskins drafted Brian Orakpo this year, the DE out of Texas. They plan on using him as an OLB on 1^st and 2^nd downs. What is your feeling on moving players around positionally? I know you had a bunch of cases of guys moving from one position to another and then becoming an all American. Is it a tougher transition in the pros?

Every place I’ve ever coached we’ve always experimented moving players around. That was one of the things Jimmy Johnson was brilliant at going all the way back to our Oklahoma State days. Dexter Manley was originally an OLB that we moved to DE and obviously he had great success with the Redskins. A variety of guys at Miami and Dallas. Tony Tolbert who was a great player for the Cowboys. He was an OLB at the University of Texas El Paso and he came in and we made him a DE. It’s wise. I think all coaches are looking for gifted athletes that have a lot of versatility. You’re always trying to create matchups. That’s probably the biggest change in football the last 15-20 years. Slot receivers against nickel backs. Corners and multiple personnel. You’re looking for matchups. Brian is as gifted as he appears to be. I’m sure they’re going to find a lot of ways to get after the QB.

HH: The majority of WRs seem to have a hard-time transitioning to the NFL. Why do you think this is and how do you think Hakeem Nicks, who you mentored at UNC, will be his first year for the Giants?

He’s going to do extremely well. He’s a competitor. He’s got a lot of physical gifts and talents. He’s got outstanding hands. He’s a tireless worker. He’ll go out and do everything that the Giants coaching staff is going to ask him to do. The difficulty that the receivers a lot of times in some respect it’s a little bit like the difficulty that defensive linemen face sometimes have making the transition is that there not always challenged in college as much they are going to be challenged in the NFL. In the case of receivers, they may not play against press bump and run … man against really truly quality corners maybe more than two or three times a season. It’s just the quantity and the number of times. Andre Johnson, Reggie Wayne, Santana Moss and a lot the receivers we had at Miami that eventually became just phenomenal players at the next level. It is a little bit tough. We saw with Michael Irvin coming from Miami to Dallas when I was with the Cowboys in years one and two, but the great ones they eventually…they are so hungry they’ll succeed. They’ll work hard enough on their releases and identify the best way to beat certain coverages and they’ll get it.

HH: From talking with James Vollono, as well as hearing about the time he spent at Redskins Park talking to players, it is clear you built incredibly strong relationships with your players (Portis and Moss). What is it about your style or approach that elicits such love and respect from these guys so many years later?

Clinton, Santana, Edgerrin…you just develop relationships with them because you treat them as people. You never looked at them. You never tried to have a relationship based on how many touchdowns they can score or the number of interceptions they make. You love them as kids. We kind of develop a philosophy. Every place I’ve ever been we want to have a family atmosphere. Treat them as our sons. If that player was your son, how would you coach him and how you want him coached. How would you care about him off the football field. I just think that’s what makes the relationship richer, deeper, and makes them better.

HH: You went from a top-ranked college program to the pros and then back to college. Is it true you enjoy coaching college better, and if so, what about your experience in the pros has helped you the most at UNC?

The ten years I spent in the National Football League I really enjoyed every single one of them. I learned a great deal. Each of those 10 years helped me become a better coach. I necessarily don’t say I like one any more than the other. I love being around athletes. I love being around football players. There certainly are differences between the 2 levels. College obviously you’re truly in a position to help the kids grow and mature. Get a college education. You can be some somewhat of a mentor to young, incoming 17, 18, 19 year old kids their freshman and sophomore years. Obviously, in the National Football league…it’s a business…it’s a job. It’s a little bit more difficult. The second stint in Cleveland was a little more difficult than the first stint in Dallas from the standpoint of salary camps and free agency and the struggles of building a football team that a lot of times you don’t have to face certainly in college or in Dallas in the pre-salary cap, free agent years.

HH: When coaching the Browns, you edged out a 17-13 win against Joe Gibbs...any memories from that game?

It was Joe’s 1^st year back. I’ve had so much respect for Joe from being a coach in Dallas when Joe was at the Redskins. He set the model for the NFC East for if you wanted to win a championship and get into the playoffs, you had to somewhat go through Washington in the 80’s and early 90s. You knew his team was going to be well prepared. What helped our football team was our previous, prior experience against Washington which really helped our players gain a little bit of a competitive advantage in that we had a pretty good grasp schematically of the offense they were going to do and it allowed our defense to have a very good day and it certainly contributed to a win.

I'll post the recruitment stories of CP, Moss, and Sean Taylor tomorrow. I got to chat with Santana about my conservation with Butch Davis and all the recruitment stories. Stay tuned.

Roy Williams Interview - Doesn't take Blame for Santana Moss TDs

KevinE — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 13:57:00 -0000

More photos » by Al Behrman - AP

Newly-signed free agent Cincinnati Bengals safety Roy Williams. Williams had gone to five pro bowls during his seven seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)

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The excellent writer over at fatpickled.com just posted an interview with former Cowboys Safety, Roy Williams. Some highlights:

FP: The "horse collar" rule is sometimes called the "Roy Williams" rule. Is that fair? Is it legal in your book...what's your take?

RW: The horse collar is a rule and I have to play within the rules. Is it fair? I'll just say this... I'm an old school player when it comes to football. I watch Jack Tatum, Ronnie Lott, Steve Atwater. And you're always taught to bring him down by any means necessary.

FP: OK, a couple questions for the Redskin fan in me. What players on the Skins did you enjoy playing against/admire the most? Did you get a chance to befriend Sean Taylor before his death?

RW: Redskins...yes I had a chance to meet and talk with Sean at the Pro Bowl, we've seen the bad boy image, on the football field, but he was actually a good guy, family man. I liked Sean a lot, sad to see him go. I actually had a sticker with his number on my shoulder pads...I think it's still on my shoulder pads.

FP: Week 2 of the 2005 season, the Cowboys are beating the Skins 13-0 with less than 4 minutes to go. Mark Brunell teams up with Santana Moss for 2 long bombs to win the game. What are your thoughts and comments looking back?

RW: As far as the Santana it's so in the past, and I would say this, it wasn't my man. I was playing the defense, how it was supposed to be played. And I caught the heat for it cause I was the safety, and people think it was my play to make and it wasn't. And that's the play people hold on to still to this day, saying I can't cover...not cool, but its life.

The horse collar reply is absurd. Players are tearing their knees on that play and you're still defending it as 'old school.' Give me a break.

The first of the 2 Santana Moss touchdowns Roy could be right, but the fact is he never even looked over to that side. The second touchdown he is chasing Tana...seems like a fail to me. I mean, you're holding a lead at the end of the game. What excuse can you POSSIBLY have for letting a wide receiver get behind you?

Joe Gibbs Chats with ESPN - Plugs his New Book 'Game Plan for Life' and Talks Favre

KevinE — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:03:46 -0000

Coach Gibbs just finished a chat with ESPN promoting his new book, Game Plan For Life. I highly recommend reading the first chapter as it gave me chills. Correction, THE FIRST SENTENCE did. My first reaction of a Coach Gibbs book was loving Jebus Jesus and all that preacher stuff. I was certainly surprised to read this line (later in the chapter), which definitely makes me want to read more:

Sean Taylor's death made me realize how fragile life can be. George Tharel's [ex-coach that mentored Gibbs] life made me recognize the lasting impact our influence can have on others. As I thought about these two lives, I evaluated the kind of impact I was having on other men. With this book and the project that will follow, I want to pass on some of the truths I've learned and the most important discoveries I've made about life. I hope it will help you avoid some of the mistakes I've made too.

I mean, what an intro to book. Tapping into the Sean Taylor emotion is certainly not something enjoy. Sean no doubt is dear to every Redskins' fan's heart, so in that sense, this book should do well. Coach then goes into the comparison as life being a game, God is the Head Coach, and the playbook is....wait for it...the Bible, and although he did not state it out-right, I'm assuming the championship is Heaven. I personally don't like to have religion forced on me, but this book doesn't appear to take that angle. I was raised in Catholic schools from grade school through college. I certainly get it, though I take it with a grain of salt. Christianity aside, there is a lot of valuable lessons to be learned through the Bible, and I feel the same could be said about Coach Gibbs' book. I will give it a read because I have found that the people that come out on top are the ones who take major risks and have failed before (Richard Branson). The famous quote "You haven't failed until you've quit trying" comes to mind.

Here's are some quotes from Gibbs chat today and his upcoming appearances in the DC Area:

Question: Coach, how much research did you have to do to come up with the ideas for your book on how to live successfully?
Gibbs: We did a lot of research and we had a committee working on it. We had the idea of going out into America with a research firm and find out what America needed to live a successful life.

Question: Joe, how do you feel about veteran players like Favre basically telling coaches year after year they do not want to participate in mini camps and preseason games?
Gibbs: I think any player at the professional level should have an obligation to do what the team asks him. A big part of the training at the NFL level takes place in the off-season, not when you come into camp. A player that doesn't participate makes the risk of coming into camp out of shape and getting hurt.

Question: Coach Gibbs, how come the '85 Bears didn't win more than one Super Bowl?
Gibbs: I apologize for knocking them out of the playoffs that one year. That's probably one of the best games we played in a long time, knocking them out. That's just one of those things in the NFL, it's hard to put together a number of Super Bowl appearances. All it takes is one injury and one bad play. Everyone in the NFL is so close in the competition now. It's extremely hard to win a Super Bowl.

Question: Coach, where did you come up with the idea for your new book?
Gibbs: As I thought about life, I came to the conclusion that life is a game. You and I are the players. God's our head coach and he wouldn't put us here without a great game plan. It's His word. During my years, when I veered away from his game plan, the Bible, I met real adversity. That's my story in the book. Also the book details the 11 most important topics that America says they need to have victory in to live a successful life.

Here's is Gibbs video of him reciting his upcoming appearances for the book, and naturally, wants you to pray for him. Upcoming book signings in the DMV area include:

7/28/2009 (7:30-9pm) - McLean, VA - McLean Bible Church (Tysons Campus)
7/28/2009 (7:30-9pm) - Manasses VA - McLean Bible Church (Prince William Campus) - SIMULCAST
7/28/2009 (7:30-9pm) - Manasses VA - McLean Bible Church (Loudon Campus) - SIMULCAST
7/28/2009 - (7:30-9pm) - Worldwide - http://www.joegibbslive.com/ - SIMULCAST
7/29/2009 - (11:00-1pm) - Costco - Chantilly, VA - Book Signing

Book Release from Game Plan For Life on Vimeo.

Steve McNair Highlights from Fedex Field

KevinE — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:25:31 -0000

I came across this video on the NFL Network from the pre-season game at Fedex when the Redskins hosted the Ravens on August 25, 2007. The footage is all of McNair, but one thing will stand out heavily when you watch this film.....#21. At the 1:15 mark Sean Taylor came flying through out of nowhere and nearly destroyed McNair. Landry has a nice tackle on Heap as well.

Link to video....

Since it was raining cats and dogs due to issues with the stadium lights, the game was called early in the 3rd quarter. McNair, who played every series but one up to that point, finished 14-for-19 for 98 yards with a TD pass to Derrick Mason. Todd Collins started in this game and had a nice 40-yard pass to Santana. The rain and lights dimming was the real story.

"You go out there in the second half, and the lights went out and you get the thunder in the background," Baltimore receiver Derrick Mason said.

"Football isn't played like this," Washington coach Joe Gibbs said, "going in and out and in and out."

"It's hard to turn the muscles on and off, on and off, on and off," Redskins cornerback Fred Smoot said. "I'm just happy both teams got out of here with no serious injuries. That's one thing we can't control, is Mother Nature."

The Redskins Insider has two nice posts from the effects McNair's death is having on Jason Campbell and the effect on Gregg Williams - specifically the flash-backs to the death of Sean.

I feel like I speak for a lot of people when I say McNair was one of those QBs that was a lot of fun to watch. He always seemed to find a way to make something out of nothing, and it's nearly impossible to belittle a player that battled through so many injuries. His pass to Kevin Dyson in Super Bowl XXXIV where Dyson was stopped at the 1-yard still goes down as one of the most exciting NFL plays I've ever seen. RIP Steve.

Top 50 All-Time Bills, No. 36: P Brian Moorman

Kurupt — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:15:07 -0000

Brian Moorman is the man, and he levitates. (photo source)

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P Brian Moorman (2001-present) | 6'0", 172 lbs

Notable Achievements: 2x Pro Bowl Selection (2005, 2006), 2x First Team All-Pro (2005, 2006), 3x Pro Bowl Alternate (2002, 2004, 2007), Member of Bills 50th Anniversary Team

Brian Donald Moorman was born in Wichita, Kansas on February 5, 1976. He graduated from Sedgwick High School in Sedgwick, Kansas where he lettered in football, track and basketball. Proving himself to be a great athlete, Moorman was a three-time state hurdle champion and an all-state selection in football and basketball. Following his tremendous high school athletic career, Moorman went on to become a Gorilla, playing collegiately at Pittsburg State in Kansas, the same school that crackpot actor Gary Busey played football at. During his four years in college, Moorman earned All-American honors in each season becoming the first player in school history to achieve such a feat. He was named first team All-Conference in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association each season, as well.

Proving his athleticism off the football field, Moorman also put together an incredible track career. He was named to the All-Conference team in each of his four years, for both indoor and outdoor track. He earned first team All-American honors in the 400 meter hurdles from 1997-1999. Most impressively, Moorman was the 400m National Champion from 1997-1999. Off the field/track, he was a six-time Academic All-American, for both sports. He still holds the school record for yards per punt (43.97 yards) and in the 110m hurdles (13.81 seconds), and was named to the football program's 100th Anniversary Team in 2003. Moorman graduated as the most decorated male athlete in school history, and as a result, will be inducted into the Pittsburg State Athletics Hall of Fame on September 4 for his football and track accomplishments. Despite all his athletic achievements, Moorman went undrafted in 1999.

Career Highlights
After failing to be selected in the 1999 NFL Draft, Moorman wound up signing with the Seahawks on April 24 of that year. He spent 1999 and 2000 in the Seahawks training camp, but failed to earn a roster spot. He was allocated to NFL Europe in 2000 where he was assigned to the Berlin Thunder. He would spend two seasons in Europe leading the league in punting in both 2000 and 2001. The Bills signed him as a free agent on July 20, 2001, which would be the birth of a brilliant NFL career for Moorman. He handled punting and kickoff duties during his "rookie" season and put up what would be career low numbers. His 40.8 yards per punt and 33.8 net yards per punt are the lowest averages in his career. He's been booming punts as one of the NFL's elite punters since then.

Following his decent, but unspectacular first year as a Bill, Moorman quickly established himself as one of the league's best the following year. He would finish fourth in the NFL in punting in 2002 with a 43.1 yards per punt average and drilled a league best (and career long) 84-yarder in a late December loss in frigid Green Bay. He continued to improve over the next three season, culminating with his first Pro Bowl berth in 2005, a year he led the NFL in punting at 45.7 yards per punt. Moorman has also routinely flirted with a 40 yard net average, long a number rarely met by NFL punters. Moorman again made the Pro Bowl in 2006, despite finishing No. 16 in yards per punt. He was selected due to finishing second in the NFL in net yards per punt and punts inside the 20. Moorman has only finished in the top five in average per punt a few times, but he routinely finishes there for net yards per punt, which is a tribute to his ability to place the ball all over the field, as well as give his consistently good coverage teams the chance to get downfield to limit big returns. He has also held on field goals and extra points for the majority of his career.

Moorman has been named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week four times in his career (Week 6 in 2004, Week 10 in 2005, and Weeks 9 and 15 in 2006. He was also named AFC Special Team Player of the Month for November of 2006. I'd have to imagine a punter earning these honors is pretty rare, and a testament to how good Moorman has been during his career.

Along with all the success Moorman has had on the field, his impact off the field is probably greater. He was given the 2005 Pro Football Weekly Arthur S. Arkush Humanitarian of the Year Award, and has been honored as the Bills Walter Payton Man of the Year twice, in 2003 and 2008, for his work off the field and his play on it. Moorman and his wife, Amber, created the PUNT Foundation in 2004 to help make a difference in the lives of Western New York children facing life threatening illnesses. The Foundation provides assistance to these children and their families, family-centered programs and events designed to enrich their lives, and provides them with unique and unforgettable opportunities. The Foundation raises money for a number of programs to enrich the lives of these sick kids, which you can read more about here. It's hard not to root for a guy like this:

"It is really an honor to be recognized but my wife and I don’t do these things to be recognized," said a humble Moorman. "We do this for the families and the kids. Just to meet kids and help them take their mind off things."

Best Moment(s)
As a punter, it's kind of difficult to really consider any plays that much better than others. But Moorman has provided Bills fans with some memories even though he's just a simple punter. He's been involved in a handful of fake punts that have resulted in first downs for the team. In back-to-back weeks early in the 2004 season, Moorman completed a 24-yard pass to CB Kevin Thomas in Oakland and then followed it up with a 34-yard rush the next week against the Patriots. His most memorable fake came in the 2008 season opener against Seattle when he executed a perfect fake field goal. He hit DE Ryan Denney for a 19-yard touchdown late in the third quarter to put the Seahawks away. And I'd be remiss not to mention the time Moorman got absolutely run over by the late Sean Taylor in the Pro Bowl. The fact that he got up and showed no fear or pain was proof of Moorman's toughness and grit. Wow, what a hit.

Parting Shot
I know, I know. Brian Moorman is just a punter and probably shouldn't be ranked this high on a list of the team's best players ever, but you know what? Moorman has been as good at his job as maybe any player in team history. He's been such a precise special teams weapon for us, and the main reason the Bills punt coverage team is so good every year. For years, Bills fans could argue Moorman was the team's best player, and it wasn't farfetched in any way. Moorman has been, and will continue to be, a fan favorite and we should all hope he's able to continue putning at a high level for another 6-8 years in Buffalo, maybe longer!

Career Stats
128 games (never missed a game)
610 punts (No. 2 in franchise history)
26,332 punting yards (No. 2)
43.2 yards per punt (No. 1)
37.3 net yards per punt (No. 1)
Long punt of 84 yards (No. 1)

Brian Moorman is the best punter in franchise history.
(photo source)

Young Chiefs Learn the Ropes at the NFL's Rookie Symposium

Joel Thorman — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:40:02 -0000

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The NFL Rookie Symposium is underway in Palm Beach Gardens, FL and all 256 rookies (Yes, that's you RyanSuccop) arrived on Sunday for the event. While one player was being sent home early, the other 255 were getting a cram session on how to do things the right way in the NFL. Alex Marvez of FOX Sports reports that the event includes a series of group panel discussions with speakers such as Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, ex-Minnesota Vikings WR Cris Carter and Kansas City's own Len Dawson, including a session titled "Choices, Decisions and Consequences."

The NFL's Rookie Symposium has been in the news in recent years. Sometimes for good, sometimes for, well, not so good things.

2004 - The late Sean Taylor was fined for failing to attend the required event.
2006 - LenDale White asked this now infamous question to a former NFL player who was speaking to the rookies on homophobia.
2007 - Troy Smith asked Roger Goodell, "When and where is the positive stuff from you going to come out?"
2008 - Jared Allen spoke about his past issues with alcohol.
2008 - Two players, including Aqib Talib of the Tampa Bay Bucs, got into a fist fight.

After the jump we'll take a peek at the rookies' schedule, the role of player development and how it relates to the Chiefs.

All eight of the Kansas City Chiefs 2009 draft picks are in attendance for the annual Sunday-Wednesday event. According to some, the Chiefs rookies need the cram session because of the supposed "character issues" involved with many of them. According to others, the alleged "character issues' are a major stretch. Whichever you believe (the latter), the Chiefs rookie will be infused with 3 1/2 days of "Choices, Decisions and Consequences."

NFL Rookie Symposium Schedule

Sunday: Arrival

Sunday Night 6:30-10:00: Seminars with high ranking NFL officials and NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith

Monday-Wednesday: Sessions run from 8:00AM-10:00PM every day.

Director of Player Development

One of the points Marvez highlights is the role of the Director of Player Development in each franchise. 27 of the NFL's 32 teams have a staffer whose sole duties include player development. Five teams have personnel folks that have other football related duties such as assistant coaches. The problem with this, which I've heard Marvez discuss on NFL Sirius Radio in the past, is that the idea behind the position is to act as a liaison between player and front office.

How can a player disclose personal concerns to the player development personnel when it might compromise his position on the field?

According to Christopher Henry (No, not that one), the NFL's Player Development Director, hiring personnel whose sole function is to aid in player development is the "best practice."

"The best practice is that the player development director is just a player development director and he or she does not have another job responsibility that can impact the ability to establish trust and the responsibilities of the position. I don't know if this is a trend, but I know the Commissioner is very serious about player discipline and other issues pertaining to player development. We are very aware of what we want and expect in terms of standards. We'll deal with issues as they arise."

Chiefs Player Development Staff

If this is the best practice, then the Kansas City Chiefs have done it right. According to the Mothership, the player development staff includes Executive Director Lamonte Winston and assistant Lisa Siebern.

A 16-year vet with the Chiefs, Winston was promoted to the role of Executive Director in 2006 after spending the nine previous years as Director of Player Development. According to his official bio, his job description includes serving as a "player liaison to front office personnel on both professional and personal issues." In fact, he comes from a family of player development with his brother Kevin serving as the Senior Director of Player Development with the Atlanta Falcons.

The previous regime placed much needed focus on off the field charitable activities. The rumor goes that former GM Carl Peterson placed a special clause in each player's contract that they must participate in five charitable activities ranging from attending a food bank to hosting a fundraiser.

Winston's role, and the focus of the NFL Rookie Symposium, is effectively promoting awareness of the folks with whom NFL players run around along with life after football. There's a reason players like Trent Green stick around in the community after their career is over and I believe much of that has to do with the role Winston and the Chiefs organization has in their lives during and after football.

Poll

Do you think events like the Rookie Symposium help deter players from making bad decisions?

Yes

136 votes

No

96 votes

Not sure

66 votes

298 votes | Poll has closed

Washington Redskins By the Numbers: #21 - Sean Taylor, Why We Say "We" (Interview Larry Coker)

Ken Meringolo — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:53:48 -0000

We are a fifth of the way through the list and we made it to a number near and dear to all of our hearts.

#21 - Sean Taylor

Image via thecheckup

We have featured other players who spent relatively short stretches as a Redskin. But no one like this one. To be upfront, I have to say that Sean Taylor quickly became my favorite player after he was drafted, and like any fan of a player on their favorite team, I found it insanely easy to overlook things that may have turned off other fans. I know Kevin felt the same way immediately.

Kevin had the chance last week to speak with Taylor's college coach, Larry Coker. Here is that interview:

KevinE: I see that you and Sean both started at Miami in 2001. What about Sean stood out to you when you first saw him? Did you recruit him?

Larry Coker: Yea, I recruited Sean. His physical presence, his size and his speed. Sean Taylor could have played safety, linebacker, or running back at the University of Miami. He was just a great talent. He did everything. He went to a small private high school [Gulliver] and did everything: returned kicks, punts, was running back, and was a defensive player. He was like a throw back player that you just play all the time.

KevinE: I noticed you have a Masters in guidance counseling, was there ever a time you applied those skills with Sean?

Larry Coker: Sean is like any of them. It's a transition process. Sean was always respectful. He knew his limits and certain guidelines we had to go by and he respected that...sometimes he'd push it to the limits but that was expected sometimes by some of the great players.

KevinE: Any special stories you'd like to share regarding Sean?

Larry Coker: We had one Thursday practice where we were getting ready to go up to Tallahassee and play Florida State. Sean was having a bad practice, and I didn’t feel like he was giving a great effort, so I called the team together. I said, 'Sean, you need to pick it up. I'm not taking you to Tallahassee. I'm leaving you at home.' It was an intense little discussion on Thursday. We finished it up and had a good practice. You know, you might want to look this up, I think he had 3 interceptions and returned one for a touchdown. He did about five things; he really won the game. Some of the coaches were saying, "Coach, I'm really glad you brought Sean today." It was a great head coaching decision on my part [laughing]. I hope you can find the stats on that because it was a phenomenal day. It rained the entire day in Tallahassee. It was a game we weren't suppose to win. We had lost our starting running back [Frank Gore] the week before. We were pretty heavy underdogs in Tallahassee. Sean went out and won the game for us.

KevinE: Was it difficult getting him to come to Miami?

Larry Coker: Sean wasn't that heavily recruited. I know Clemson had talked to him. None of the other major Florida schools had talked to him. I don’t know if Clemson offered him or not, but to me he was just a phenomenal player.

KevinE: I had heard the story Gregg Williams stood on the table demanding the Skins draft Sean Taylor. Did the Redskins contact you before drafting Sean?

Larry Coker: Heck, I was doing that too. The Redskins knew what type of player they wanted and they got him.

Images via [miamipopwarner, cstv, photobucket, thestartingfive]

Part of what endeared Sean Taylor to so many Redskins' fans in such a relatively short time was the journey he managed to cram into four seasons--both on and off the field. And you can't tell that story without mentioning where that journey started. As a rookie, Taylor landed in trouble with the league for skipping out of the Rookie Symposium. He was pulled over and arrested for an alleged DUI following a Rod Gardner birthday party in October 2004. We opened the paper before the 2005 season to read that he wasn't returning Joe Gibbs' phone calls, and he had a protracted ordeal with the Miami-Dade County Police in a case involving firearms. He was fined by the league numerous times for uniform infractions, late hits, etc.

A less talented player may have very well been washed out of the "League" for a laundry list like this one. But this was "Meast", half-man, half-beast. It didn't take long for his hitting prowess to draw the attention of opposing offenses and his ability to be around the ball and to be a factor in most plays raised the eyebrow of even the casual fan. His rare combination of speed, power, nasty streak, and most of all, the results on the field all worked on the hearts and minds of the Redskins' faithful.

Gregg Williams had this to say on that:

Early in his career we used to laugh after the fact and rant after the fact. It could be frustrating to coaches when he would abort his responsibilities in the defense because of his instinctive knowledge of where the ball was going and he'd go get the ball and it would not be his responsibility to make that play, but he would still make that play. I would be angry and get after him about violating the defense and not playing it the way it was, but I'd have to shake my head, because he also knew where the ball was going and he was right in most situations.

His close relationship with Gregg Williams seemed to be having a tangible effect on and off the field. There was a real bond shared by the Williams' family and Sean Taylor. And then Sean began his own family.

via 4.bp.blogspot.com (Photo courtesy of Kirt and Tammy Dale)

By most accounts, the birth of his daughter Jackie contributed more than anything to Sean's maturity. Between the whistles on Sundays and on the practice field during the week, Taylor was attacking his profession in a way that showed pretty much everyone that he realized he was a special player, and that he was taking very seriously his chance at becoming a truly great player. Though he still kept mostly to himself publicly, it wasn't odd to hear another player talk about the smile Taylor wore that seemed to show his teammates that he was in fact growing up and enjoying something in life that had previously eluded him.

Premiere talent with obvious upside steps onto the stage. Troubled youngster struggles with professional demands in the harsh face of stardom (thank you Lester Bangs.) Blossoming superstar shows signs of "getting it." Young man appears to be in control of life, profession, direction. Bright future extinguished in cowardly act. All in barely four years.

Casual fans of the team, and fans from other teams around the league and in other sports have asked me, "When will it be enough? When will you [guys] let it go?" I explain to them that they are making a fundamental error in their assessment. You see, the whole Sean Taylor thing is not about some inability to let go of someone who left us far too early. It is the refusal to give up on the spirit of a player who embodied so many things that we wish were more prevalent in the game today. Nobody seemed to want it more than Sean when he was on the field. Was he an angel? No. But he was figuring it out, and at 24 years old, what else is there to be doing? And he went after it all the way up to the whistle, and then to the echo of the whistle. He was learning how to get the most out of his abilities, and he was leading his teammates to the same end.

It is fitting that in previous posts this week, a commenter (an Eagles commenter I believe) called out another for using the term "we" when speaking about our team. Everyone is of course entitled to their opinion. But I strenuously object to those who continuously come down on fans for using the term "we" with their inevitable asking of the question, "When were you a player on that team?"

I don't even respond to that with the old "We pay their salaries" line. While true, money is not why I believe in the royal "we" on this one. What is more constant in the grand equation here? Fans or players? For many, you are born into a family that has been emotionally supporting a team long before you got there. You are taught to be a fan. You learn how to be a fan. You grow as a fan. You pass it on to your own kids. Players come and go. But without the emotional investment of a fanbase the world of sports as we know it simply would not exist. And without players like Sean Taylor who combine their God-given talents with distinct and indisputable effort, the willingness of troubled souls in troubled times to invest themselves emotionally in sports would be nonexistent. You put all that together and that is why I will always say, "we", why I firmly believe in "we", and why I will never agree with--for example--Andy Pollen and his non-"we" saying philosophy.

Here is the newest member of the "we" family--keep in mind, he knew how to pay his respect to Sean prior to the conception of this article:

#21 Sean Taylor

Regarding the Miami versus Florida State game that Coach Coker spoke of, it was played on October 11, 2003. Miami forced FIVE turnovers that game, which propelled them to a 22-14 win over FSU. Sean actually had two interceptions, returning one for a 50-yard touchdown, hurdling a FSU player as he jetted down the sideline. Typical Sean Taylor.

"Our motto was, 'We're going to come in here and punch them in the mouth," Taylor said. "And we weren't going to stop punching them in the mouth."

In the post game interview, Coach Coker said,

"Not a lot of people actually gave us much of a chance. It just says a lot about our character."

This is a quote I'd normally read and think nothing of, but now knowing the story behind practice, it really did say a lot about the team's character, especially Sean's. Sean Taylor Game Stats:

- Recovered the ball in a blocked punt (1st quarter)
- Intercepted Chris Rix's pass (2nd quarter) - Miami then drove 75 yards for a TD (Berlin pass to Payton making the score 12-0)
- Intercepted Chris Rix's pass (2nd quarter) - Returned 50 yards for a TD (Miami 19-0)

Unfortunately there is not a stat for tackles made, but I can guarantee Sean was high on the board with those. We'd like to thank Coach Coker for taking the time to talk to Hogs Haven. He is now the head coach at the University of Texas at San Antonio. He gave us a sincere message to pass on his best to all the U players, specifically CP, Rocky, and Santana. We wish Coach the best in the upcoming season.