Hey everyone. As some of you know I got home last week from a three month stay in Israel and I thought I'd share some pictures from my trip!

via i578.photobucket.com

via i578.photobucket.com

via i578.photobucket.com

via i578.photobucket.com

via i578.photobucket.com

via i578.photobucket.com

via i578.photobucket.com

via i578.photobucket.com

These are just a few. Any questions, things you want to know, please feel free to comment!

This piece has been sitting in google docs for a week or so now, so I thought it was high time to share it.

Gregg Williams was a good coach. He knew how to build a defense. His teams were often in the league’s top ten, sometimes top five. He didn’t need to stoop so low. He didn’t need to venture into that abyss. Everything about his elaborate bounty system reeks of complete immorality.

I got this sinking feeling in my stomach after reading about the scandal in depth. It wasn’t so much that I was disgusted at the thought of a system used to monetarily reward a player who put another human being’s health at risk--whether it was “part of the game” or not. I was hit with a gust of relief. Remember, this guy could have been our head coach. Our team could be in the precarious position that the Saints are. Yeah, I was relieved. I thought he would be an okay coach at the time, but more and more, I pictured the same disastrous, shameful downfall, and it’s just too much.

I’m still very angry at Gregg Williams, but part of me is very hurt, too. If indeed such a system existed during his tenure with the Redskins, I feel personally wronged. Those were players I idolized, I watched every Sunday, I wanted to see succeed. Now, those fond memories are tainted. I can’t remember a time when there was an egregious hit leveled against an opposing player, one so punishing that it knocked said player out of the game, because I guess I wasn’t looking for it. I debated whether to get my hands on some old tape and take a long, hard look, then I realized it would be far too painful.

Saints fans who are crying foul at Commissioner Roger Goodell’s iron fist shouldn’t really be angry at him. They should be angry at the people who continually dug their beloved team into a hole when they repeatedly lied and refused to shut down their despicable bounty program. I can’t put myself in their shoes, of course, and their reaction is only natural.

If it were me, though, I would hate the man who started it all. That same man bolted the minute things went wrong, and perhaps it had to do with the scandal. For me, it’s tragic. He handcuffed a franchise, a city, a fanbase because of some fun, twisted, shady little game. He played with the collective souls of New Orleans. Through all this, I thank the Lord almighty that he didn’t get his tainted hands on our collective souls.

Perhaps the investigation of our team isn’t over. Few, if any, players are still on the team from Gregg Williams tenure, and the coaching staff is entirely different. I don’t think we’ll be hit. We should be thankful that the bounty scandal hurricane didn’t reach the shores of the Chesapeake. I can’t even bear the thought.

"Time makes heroes but dissolves celebrities." - Daniel J. Boorstin

Part I: Where It All Started

For me? The now defunct Columbia Women’s Hospital in Washington, DC. September 22, 1994. Those who know me as a former regular poster know that I’m not very old. How old does that make me in 1999, when Daniel Snyder bought the team? Five, and still figuring what the hell that gray square thing is in the middle of the living room and why there are so many pretty changing colors. I really liked cartoons then.

When did I first discover football? Much, much later. Probably around nine years old. I’m a Redskins fan since birth, semi-knowledgeable fan (depends on who you’re talking to, of course) since 12. Point is, I’ve lived through suffering, through high, wasted draft picks and organizational dysfunction. No sense of stability, no ray of hope. We all have. And it sucks. I would use some profanity here, but I fear that would ruin the nature of the post, so I’ll stifle myself.

And here’s where the quote comes in. Over time we’ve had our unfairly large share of celebrities and very few heroes. We haven’t had a hero develop before our eyes, and I think we can here. There’s something very mesmerizing about celebrities. Robert Griffin is coming here and he’s already a celebrity. But he’s not a hero yet. Heroes are made, developed, and heroes win... at least the good ones do. The thing is, heroes aren’t infallible. They do fail. However, then they get back up and they save us. They have a drive. Celebrities often wait for good things to come. Heroes make it happen. Which brings me to my next point...

Time moves in one direction, memory in another. - William Gibson

Part II: What it Means

The speed of life is way too fast for me. I need to slow down. When I look at our future, I try to forget our past. I really want to forget what it’s like to have Rex Grossman or John Beck or Donovan McNabb or Mark Brunell or Patrick Ramsey etc. etc.

But I can’t. I want to move forward, and my conscious mind seems to be doing that, while my pool of memories cannot be erased. Those bad moments we remember, though, can be erased with a good memories. RG3 throws a game-winning touchdown pass, Rex Grossman throws a game-ending interception. Ultimately, ten years down the road, the happy memory is going to stick with me, and the sad one is gone forever.

Essentially, we have a collection of frustrating memories because they outweigh the good ones. Our memory bank is overpowered by gloom. And what can Robert Griffin do? He can make that pain, that anger go away. He can put a smile on our face. He can make us forget. And, he can make us remember, too.

"If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?" - John Wooden

Part III: Why it Had to Happen

It wasn’t easy, and it was a risk. But time was running out. We needed a quarterback. It could pay off, or it could set our franchise back years. I was in shock when I heard about the trade. There’s so much room for mistakes. I was doubtful, a little resentful, and utterly speechless.

Mistakes, ultimately, come from rushing and unpreparedness. If we don’t think, we don’t act like we should. We were pressured, and we had to do it. Maybe if we had more time, more of a chance, things might be different. Yet, as I was thinking about all of this, my muscles tightened slightly. I was sitting there, staring at my computer screen. There was no going back. We can’t do it over. The potential for damage is done.

I was in shock, then in awe. We no longer have the luxury to make mistakes. And that’s what this trade has done. If we do something wrong, we don’t have the time to fix it. That’s okay, though, because perhaps we won’t make mistakes because now, more than ever, we know we can’t afford to.

We are navigating dangerous, murky waters. Time will pass and we can reflect on what we could have done better or could have done different. In the end, time will prove whether our decision was a good one. If he turns into a hero, check. If he makes good memories, check. If he gives us a safety net, check. If not, maybe we’ll do it very, very differently next time. That is, if there’s even a need.

Greetings from Israel everyone! Here are a few photos of my trip so far (and one from Amsterdam). Enjoy! I resized them to make it load easier, but if you want them at full size let me know!

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I came up with this crazy idea, so bear with me:

I step off the plane, tired from a long flight. I'm tanned and utterly relaxed, though, yet so excited to be home. It's been two and half long months of no football, no baseball, no Glee, no Parks and Recreation, and no sports except Israeli soccer. I'm so eager to find out what I've missed--the first 24 hours of free agency, the draft, inevitable Parks/Tiller showdowns. I survey the area after I've grabbed my bags... where's the nearest computer?

I spot the airport lounge, and pick up the pace. I place my bag softly on the ground, open up whatever default browser Dulles uses, type "www.hogshaven.com" into the search bar... and I'm greeted with the following headline:

Q&A with Our New QB

I skim the piece, not sure who the QB is, but not really caring either. "We got him," I mutter, clicking to read after the jump. It's not long, though it is highly informative. The adrenaline is rushing through as I methodically pick apart his answers in my head. This seems right, I think. Everything is going well.

I click "Home" and scroll down slightly. My eyes rest on another headline:

Redskins Draft Acclaimed by National Sportswriters

Recognition... I can't even believe it. Respect. That can't be right. That's something we've never had. And then, it dawns on me how I've missed Redskins football. And reading through every article I couldn't while I was hiking through the Judaean Hills, I feel completely home.

"Thanks," I say, although the recipient is unknown. I exit the screen, and glinting in the fluorescent airport lights is my Redskins keychain. That's a sign if I ever heard of one...

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Hi everyone. As many of you know, I'm embarking on a trip to Israel starting March 5th. I'm flying alone for a number of reasons, but that's not very important. I have a 12-hour layover in Amsterdam, and as such I'm taking a tour of the city. Some of you mentioned that you've been to Amsterdam, and I'm trying to make a list of fun places to visit in one day. I hope this fanpost can keep your thoughts organized because a comment in Bird Droppings will inevitably get lost in the shuffle.

Thanks in advance for your help. I really appreciate it!

Hi! I have nothing to do for the entire month of February, and I need some reading suggestions. I thought CC could exchange some good books. Say a little about each book, maybe a one sentence plot summary, and your opinion. The books don't have to be baseball related, but if they are, great! I'll start off.

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So... I was inspired to write this after I read Heart of Darkness. Forgive any rambling, if you care to read it. It was written quickly and likely will be revised soon. Enjoy.

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Hi everyone. A few weeks ago, I wrote this post. I was pretty confident about what I was writing, and who I was insulting. I'm reading it again, and I realized that I have to backpedal a bit. This team is in a lot more trouble than I originally postulated. I guess at the time the post sounded logical. If the Redskins were injury-free--a very optimistic thought in the NFL--then I suppose I wouldn't have reason to take back most, if not all, of the arguments.

But maybe I'm not so wrong after all. Did I have high hopes after a 3-1 start? Sure, and don't deny it, a lot of Hogs Haven did. I know there were people who saw our early success as a facade, and I saw that, too. In this post, I'm going to recount my life as a fan of the Washington Redskins. They have disappointed me time and time again, and this is coming from a teenager who's never seen a 'Skins Superbowl win.

Small disclaimer: I apologize if I ramble, rant, or sound crazier than a fucking looney tune. Also, I have a tendency to beat the dead horse. My therapist says it has to do with my behavioral problems. Did I just reveal too much? See, crazy!

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Okay. We're fans, right? We're passionate, often irrational, and sometimes downright manic. It gets kind of annoying to hear the same arguments over and over, right? So I'm here to tell you why you should shut the hell up about them. Well, it's mostly because they're annoying, but other than that... I'll let you read. Without further ado...

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So you remember my Sandlot series? Well, here's another crazy story. I'm not quite sure where the plot is going--I'm pretty much winging it. If it's not funny, oh well, but tell me so I won't write another part. I think you can figure out who the characters represent, but if not, just ask me. Without further ado...

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Part 1

Part 2

So this is the final part of the little story. I hope you all enjoyed it, as I certainly had fun writing it. It helps that you all have such interesting personalities and many inside jokes. I might write more in the future if you like this last installment. Disclaimer: zk, your image has been repaired. You're welcome. Without further ado...

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Part 1

As promised, here is part two of The Sandlot: Camden Chat Style. I hope you enjoy it as much as part one, and maybe it will seem less strange to Andrew. Without further ado…

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Disclaimer: This is a joke, so I'm sorry if it falls flat on its face. I hope no one objects to me using their monikers and some inside jokes (memes, as they're called?) This is only part 1, and if you enjoy it I'll write part 2.

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Please forgive me if this post is wrought with cliches. The reason I am writing this now is that I just received my confirmation email saying I was once again going to work with special needs children this summer. In 2010, I got my first real job: a summer camp counselor. I was more than a regular counselor, though. I was tasked with working alongside a special needs camper--in my case, a young child with very severe cerebral palsy--and helping them integrate with the general, normal development kids. It was nothing short of life-changing, and ultimately caused me to rethink my plans for the future.

During the school year, I worked for an organization that pairs up high school students with young autistic children. The idea is that the high school students will be the friend they never had. I hope I was a friend to that child, as he certainly became, in a strange way, my friend.

So where does baseball come in? I’ll tell you in several parts.

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As requested, here is my plea/letter/essay about why I love Parks and Recreation, and why the viewers who tuned in during season 1 and despised the show should come back.

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OK, this is not another post to blame Snyder, or Shanahan, or Allen, or D-Mac, or anyone really. At least I won't do that intentionally. I'm not using this to vent. I'm just going to go through my expectations about the season so far.

Before the season started, I had very low expectations. Yes, we were a different team than the one we dared march out in 2009. Still, we went 4-12 and that doesn't change in one season. What else doesn't change? A decade of bad draft picks, ill-advised free agent signings, or in other words, Snyderatto. Oh, wait, I guess that was a swipe at Snyder.

Anyway, we all thought the culture was changing when Shanahan took over. In all honesty, I think it did. Haynesworth-gate, it seems, is ongoing, and at this point it has gone on too long. That said, accountability was established, and in my mind that's a good thing. The benching of McNabb was dumb but all the anger I had at the time is largely gone because we signed him to an extension. That brings me to my next point. I think it's great that we have a QB next year so we can focus on what really matters--our depleted offensive line unit. The contract was too long and probably too expensive, but it's settled. No more worrying about drafting a quarterback in the first round. I think if we can build an at least average OL and surround him with some weapons, McNabb will improve immensely, but that's fairly obvious.

I want to go full circle now: expectations. After week 8, we were at .500. Whoa, who expected that? I certainly didn't. As I said, I had almost zero expectations that we would be "good" at this point in the season. That gave me a horrible, evil thing: hope. Hope destroys realism and makes me believe in a team that isn't actually that good.

A lot of our awful 2009 team still remains--why would that suddenly change? Change is a process. Here's a novel idea: let's take it one game at a time. I'm ready for a bunch of losses. I really am. At the end of the season, let's see where we stand. I'm not one to make predictions when we really don't know what's going to happen. 

I'm a Redskins fan until the day I die. This team has been hard to watch over the years. The good news is that it can't get that much worse than 2009. I'm not a natural optimist, or a relentless pessimist. I don't know if I'm a realist, but I'd like to think I am. With that said, HTTR.

This is a serious question. All through this dismal season the one positive for me was that we were going to get the 1st pick. I don't know much about who's available (James F, you can help me out), but I think our best bet at number one -- assuming we still have it -- is Anthony Rendon. Correct me if I'm wrong. I thought I'd look at project wins and losses and figure out what we have to do to keep our dreams alive.

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Hey everyone,

I'm not a huge basketball fan by any means -- I'm more of a casual Wizards fan. So let me premise by saying that this post is not a criticism of the Wizards, but more of an open inquiry.

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So, I remember a while back Titov posted something about the Oscars, so I figure this is OK. I apologize if it's not.

Anyway, I haven't watched TV in a while (and don't plan to until summer break) but I was wondering what everyone's favorite TV shows are, whether recent, canceled, whatever...

This post was inspired by my seder, in which a guest (whom I didn't know) said that the greatest TV show of all time is The Wire. My brother got the box set (every season) for Chanukah. I decided to start watching it. It's incredible. I can see why it could be considered the greatest.

My favorite shows of all time are:

Arrested Development -- c'mon, how can you not think this is funny?

The Office -- It's probably not the funniest show of all time, and its best days are certainly behind, but it's still a great show in my mind.

Bonanza -- Oh, TV Land...how amazing is that channel? All these old sitcoms and westerns--those were the shows my parents watched.

Full House -- don't laugh. Just don't. I grew up on this show. Sentimentality. That's why I listed it.

The Daily Show -- this show got me interested in politics (real politics, that is)

The Tonight Show -- No, not Jay Leno. Johnny Carson. Jay Leno sucks. Johnny Carson was just...amazing. The best late night talk show host ever. There. I said it.

Those are just a few. So, what are yours? List them and tell us why.

(Again, I apologize if this is not allowed...don't kill me!)

I probably could have looked this up on the internet but I'm too lazy. I'm supposed to know something about baseball, and I'm surprised I don't know the answer to this already buuut...

When the bases are loaded, and you draw a walk and it scores a runner, is it an RBI? Because technically you didn't hit anything. And does that factor into your batting average? 

Stupid question, I know.

Please cross to the sunny side of the street. We are about to play some really sucky teams, and if we don't win those games, then we can start to worry. Right now we're all a little depressed because hey, we lost a football game. But we lost to the best team in our division! There's nothing disgraceful about that kind of loss. So if everyone just takes a freakin' seat (I'm sure you're sitting right now, but how about you stand up momentarily and then sit down again - just for my sake), then all the irrational views circulating about Hogs Haven might just dissolve. The lesson: Calm down. Look forward to next week where we will watch some real blowout football.

It's hard to accept a loss, but if you look at the "regulars" (shoutout to CJHutch who's been especially...great?) they will tell you that our team is not good enough to go undefeated. The expectations for this team were high and we didn't live up to them. Big deal? Maybe. That remains to be seen. Although we've improved year by year - and the commentators exaggerate this fact - we're still not the greatest team on earth, let alone the league. Again: Calm down. Look on the bright side. That is all....