Bleacher Report - Articles by Troy Marine

Attention, Dan Snyder: Here's the Redskins' Blueprint for Future Success

Troy Marine — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:17:56 -0400

As I was watching my beloved Washington Redskins get humiliated by the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football the other night, I could only think about how much I hope Dan Snyder has finally hit rock bottom, and will bring someone into this organization that knows what the hell they are doing—aka a real general manager.

Then, I started to figure out how he could go about fixing this mess he created.

Things like, who could he hire as GM? Who could the Redskins hire as coach? What QB could come in and be a good fit until they are able to develop a young QB they drafted, or will draft?

As all of this is racing through my head, I started to get kind of excited. So, here it goes.

We hire Mike Holmgren to come on as the GM. It was reported last Sunday in the National Football Post that Holmgren isn’t necessarily looking to come back to the NFL as a head coach, but rather to take on a Bill Parcells type roll, preferably with his previous team, the Seattle Seahawks.

Danny, what are you waiting for? Send the plane. Tell him he can have full control of player personnel decisions and hiring a new head coach, along with $5-10 million per year. Get’er done, now!

Next, the only right thing to do would be for Holmgren to bring on Jon Gruden as the head coach. That would make perfect sense as both are from the West Coast offense school. Sherman Lewis is already here as the offensive coordinator, and they all worked together while on the Green Bay Packers staff. That was the same staff that won a Super Bowl while there in 1997.

Gruden and Holmgren were also assistants together back in 1990 on the San Francisco 49ers staff. So clearly, there’s a good history there and they work well together.

Now, on to the Quarterback position. They should bring in a veteran quarterback with experience in the West Coast offense. It should be someone they can get cheap and who would be willing to groom a young QB for the future.

My suggestion is Jeff Garcia. I know Gruden and Garcia have apparently had their issues in the past, but Garcia is feisty, and wants to win, same as Gruden. So, they might butt heads at times, but for good reasons.

And with the way our offensive line situation is going to be for the next couple of years, we will need a QB like Garcia who can run with the ball.

He's not the greatest QB, but he has proven he can win in the NFL, and it would only be a stop gap until we can get a younger QB ready to step in.

Last, but not least, they need to spend at least three of their five draft picks in 2010 on offensive lineman. In fact, they should make a couple pre-draft trades to pick up a couple more picks, and use them on offensive lineman, too.

If they draft four or five offensive linemen, at least one or two of them will end up panning out.

We know they will probably draft a QB with the first pick. With the defensive line pretty much solidified with young guns Brian Orakpo and Jeremy Jarmon ready to step in, along with Haynesworth, the only glaring need on the defensive side would be at the cornerback position, or maybe a linebacker. They can use the other couple picks to address that.

Yes, it’s going to be a long couple of years rebuilding. No, my plan won’t be an overnight fix. Yes, it’s going to take several of these pieces to come together for this to work. And no, I don’t think Snyder will follow this plan.

But, if this actually did happen, or something even remotely close, the Washington Redskins might be a relevant franchise again in the near future.

Or, it could get worse, and Snyder could move the team in the middle of the night to Los Angeles!

Ten Predictions for the Washington Redskins 2009 Season

Troy Marine — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 12:14:47 -0400

With the start of the Washington Redskins season just 8 days away, this is the time of the year Redskin fans love. There's so much hope in the air and expectations are high. There are many questions for this football team this year, so let's take a look at several areas of importance, and I will give you my ten predictions for the 2009 season.

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Five Players Not Worth Drafting For The 2009 NFL Fantasy Year

Troy Marine — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 13:37:03 -0400

In my earlier article I talked about five players worth drafting a little sooner than you might think for the upcoming fantasy season. Now let’s look at five guys you should think twice about, before drafting them as high as you might think. Most of these guys have been considered fantasy studs for several seasons, and high on people’s cheat sheets, but I think several factors have knocked them down some for the upcoming fantasy season.

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Five Players Worth Drafting for the 2009 NFL Fantasy Year

Troy Marine — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 11:16:20 -0400

With Fantasy Football season just around the corner, and draft preparation’s just beginning, here’s a look at some guys worth drafting sooner than you might think. I’m throwing out obvious choices like Peyton Manning, Adrian Peterson, and Larry Fitzgerald, and concentrating on guys that might fly under the radar a little.

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Dallas Cowboys Sign Michael Vick! (Not Really, But It Wouldn't Surprise Me)

Troy Marine — Fri, 22 May 2009 14:52:16 -0400

Michael Vick was released from a federal penitentiary in Leavenworth, KS early Wednesday morning where he had been held the past 19 months after being convicted of federal dog-fighting charges.

It seemed like a quick 19 months, but then again, I wasn’t the one behind bars.

Vick traveled from Leavenworth to Hampton, VA , where he will serve two months of home confinement, by car, with his fiancée, a videographer and several members of a security team assembled by Vick's lawyers and advisers.

He has stated that his first priority is spending time with his family, but the ultimate goal is to return to the NFL.

I would expect with his financial troubles, he filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy relief last July, and the fact he is getting ready to start a $10/hr job as a laborer for a construction company, which is part of his probation, getting back to the NFL will be second in his line of priorities.

Once Roger Goodell reinstates him, and I say once because we all know he will, my prediction is he signs with the Dallas Cowboys by the beginning of next season.

Here are four reasons why I think the ‘Boys will sign Vick.

Jerry Jones

This is what Jerry Jones does. Remember guys named Adam “Pacman” Jones, Tank Johnson, and Quincy Carter. Jerry has a knack for signing guys that have been through some kind of adversity, or should I just say convicted felons. He loves the media attention, whether it’s bad, or good.

He could sign him to an incentive laden contract, with no guaranteed money, and if it doesn’t work out, no sweat of his back.

Tony Romo

Romo has yet to show he can be the star QB for the Cowboys. I know, Jones has been quoted as saying “Romo is our guy”, but I believe just a couple months ago, Josh McDaniels, coach of the Denver Broncos, said in an interview with the NFL Network “He’s our Quarterback.”

That “he” was Jay Cutler, who is now the quarterback for the Chicago Bears.

So, I don’t care what the owner, or coach, says to the media at that time, anything can happen. I think Romo has one more year to get the job done, and if he doesn’t, Jones will need someone to lead this team, and Jon Kitna ain’t that someone.

Star Power

Bringing Vick in, even if it’s as a backup, will put butts in the seats of that new billion dollar stadium Jones will open up this year.

All he has to do is get him on the field in some capacity, whether they run the “Wildcat” formation a couple times a game, or possibly as a wide receiver or running back for gimmick plays. The guys still an elite athlete, and it I don’t think two years out of the NFL will hurt him too bad.

Insurance

We all saw what happened last year when Romo went down to injury, and Brad Johnson had to come in and save the day. It was about as disgusting as Rosie O’Donnell in a two-piece bathing suit!

As I stated above, I don’t think Kitna, who has a career 152 TD’s and 151 Int.’s, and turns 37 in September, is the answer.

If Romo does go down again, whether it’s this year, or next, Vick would give them the insurance they need to stay the course until Romo gets healthy. Or, if Vick plays well enough, I heard he was the starting quarterback for both prison teams, the Romo era could come to an end a lot quicker then everyone thought.

Obviously, this whole scenario depends on Jerry Jones, and whether or not he really feels Tony Romo is their quarterback. If he has any doubt, which is always possible once he sees how things go without Terrell Owens, Vick may be in his speed dial real quick.

Most people may not like “T.O.”, but he averaged 1,195 receiving yards and 12.5 TD’s per year in his three seasons with the Cowboys, which coincidentally was Romo’s first three years as Dallas’s starting quarterback.

I’m not saying Romo won’t produce without T.O, but I do know T.O has done it without Romo, and helped a couple different quarterbacks have great seasons before.

Only time will tell what the future holds for Vick.

For now though, as I look at Casey, my beautiful and sweet pit-bull mix, I can only hope he has learned a viable lesson, and will do whatever it takes to repair his once indestructible reputation.

But

What We Might Expect From The Washington Redskins In 2009

Troy Marine — Tue, 12 May 2009 16:51:52 -0400

With minicamp just wrapping up a week ago, OTAs starting June 1st, and training camp only two months away, lets look at the upcoming season for the Redskins, and what it might bring.

Theoretically, with this team keeping the majority of the coaching staff in place, something that rarely happens with this organization, things should be looking up in “Synderville”.

Too bad theoretically isn’t quite the same as realistically. Realistically, they will probably finish about the same as last year due to several different factors, and too many questions on the offensive side.

Jim Zorn is back for his second season as the Redskins head coach, which should bring some stability for Jason Campbell, and the ‘Skins offensive system.

With his second minicamp under his belt, Zorn was quoted as saying the team was “further ahead” than last year.

Unfortunately, for guys like Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly, it may seem like they’re in the movie “Groundhog Day”, with both of them missing minicamp again. Thomas re-aggravated his hamstring injury that kept him out of last year’s minicamp, and Kelly was still healing from February microfracture surgery on his knee, the same knee that sidelined him for much of last season.

The good news is that Fred Davis’ alarm clock was working this year, and he did participate. All reports out of Redskins Parkstate that he is one of the most athletic guys on the field, and that he could create all kinds of problems downfield for defenses.

If the Redskins are going to improve on last season’s 8-8 record, one or two of these guys will have to step into the starting line-up and make a big impact.

Once that happens, Zorn will be able to truly run his “west-coast” style offense, which requires two tight-end sets, as well as three and four wide-receiver sets.

On the defensive side, where there’s much less work to be done, the Redskins will still look to improve on their fourth ranked team defense from last season, their first under coach Greg Blache.

With the additions of Albert Haynesworth on the defensive line, and the re-signing of DeAngelo Hall in the secondary, the defense could be the heart and soul of the team this year, and what defines their season.

If Chris Horton can build on his surprising rookie campaign, and rookie defensive-end Brian Orakpo can step in and provide a pass rush. Those two, along with veterans LaRon Landry, London Flecther, Carlos Rogers, Haynesworth, and Hall could provide the necessary mix of young talent and experience to propel this defense to the best in the league.

But let’s be honest, making the playoffs will hinge on several different factors, the most important being the play at the quarterback position. The Redskins will only go as far as Jason Campbell takes them.

With everything that’s happened in the past couple of weeks concerning his job security, it will be very interesting to see how he reacts, as well as Zorn, once the season starts.

He seems to be handling it very well off the field, especially with all the questions surrounding the situation, but will it be a different story when he steps on it?

If he has a couple of bad games to start the season, does Zorn pull him in favor of Todd Collins, or possibly second year man Colt Brennan?

The offensive line will be another key to the Redskins’ success or failure, depending on whether your glass is half-full, or half-empty.

Bringing back Derrick Dockery at the guard position was a good start.

They also added some depth at the tackle position with the off-season signings of Jeremy Bridges and Mike Williams, but there’s no guarantee that either of these guys will make the 53 man roster.

Not to mention, long-time ‘Skin Jon Jansen isn’t getting any younger, and last year’s draft pick, Chad Reinhart, hasn’t shown he can step into a full-time role yet.

They will need a couple of these guys to pan out if they plan on making this a season to remember.

And probably the two most unpredictable of all these factors, injuries and schedule, which always play a big role in a team’s success.

The ‘Skins start off the season with a very favorable schedule, with three of the first six games against the St. Louis Rams, the Detroit Lions, and the Kansas City Chiefs, teams that were a combined 4-44 last season.

The fun starts after week 6, when they have to play 5 division games, including the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys twice, and games against the Atlanta Falcons, the New Orleans Saints, and a cross country trip to play the San Diego Chargers the last week of the season.

Now, we all know things change from season to season in the NFL, and some of these teams have lost key players, so I don’t put much thought into the schedule. It’s very possible their records from last year, won’t reflect the product that will be out on the field this year, especially two of the teams in their own division.

If by chance that’s the case, and a couple of these key factors go in the Redskins favor, they could be looking at a great year.

Or, what happens to the Redskins most of the time could happen. Haynesworth and Hall could be two more in a long line of high priced free-agent busts, Orakpo could have fallen to the ‘Skins at the 13th pick for a reason, they could play down to several of the easy opponents on their schedule, and injuries could deplete the offensive and defensive lines.

Then, all the Bill Cowher and Mike Shanahan talk can start.

Are There Better Things to Come From The Washington Redskins 2009 Playbook

Troy Marine — Sun, 10 May 2009 00:07:51 -0400

With Jim Zorn’s first year as the Washington Redskins head coach behind him (a season where the offense started out hot, but fizzled late), he will look to diversify and expand the offensive playbook for this year.

That will largely depend on whether second year guys Devin Thomas, Malcolm Kelly, and Fred Davis, the Redskins top three picks from last year’s draft, can get on the field, and in Thomas and Kelly’s case, stay on the field.

Already this spring, on the first day of a three-day minicamp this past weekend, Thomas re-aggravated the hamstring injury that kept him out of the 2008 training camp. Kelly was also ruled out of minicamp while his knee still recovers from the microfracture surgery he had in February.

With Zorn wanting to stretch defenses vertically and horizontally, these two guys, along with Davis, will be key to their success.

In Zorn’s “west coast” offense, which requires precise timing routes, two tight-end sets are vital to accomplishing the offensive gains he wants in his second year as a head coach. If Davis can crack the starting lineup, alongside Pro Bowl tight-end Chris Cooley, I think this offense could take the next step needed to be one of the best in the league.

From all reports out of Redskins Park, Davis is one of the most athletic guys on the roster. A big target at 6’4”, 257 pounds, getting him downfield will be important, and will cause all kinds of mismatches.

If Kelly, and/or Thomas, can gain a little more confidence and knowledge in this offense, Redskins fans could see a lot more four receiver sets. Just imagine Santana Moss and Devin Thomas on the outside, with Malcolm Kelly and Antwaan Randle-El in the slots. Talk about stretching the field.

Not only will this open up the passing game, but it will provide the room needed for the running attack to be even better this year. With defenses having to guard three and four guys downfield, and in the middle of the field, Clinton Portis will rarely see all three linebackers keying on him.

It will also allow for Portis to catch more balls out of the backfield, something he rarely did last year.

Of course, the ‘Skins will still need Jason Campbell (or whoever the starting quarterback is by this time) to deliver the ball, and in order for that to happen, they will need the offensive line to stay healthy and give him the necessary time to do that.

There’s a lot riding on all of these factors, including Zorn’s job.

Year No. 2 Under Jim Zorn: The Washington Redskins Coaching Staff

Troy Marine — Sat, 09 May 2009 23:59:49 -0400

The Washington Redskins coaching staff has many years of experience in the NFL between all of them, but little experience in their current specific positions.

Besides Joe “Buges” Bugel, the Skins’ offensive line coach, who we all know was the catalyst for the legendary offensive line called the “Hogs” back in the '80s, only Greg Blache has extensive experience at his current position, defensive coordinator.

Blache, now entering his 22nd season in the NFL, spent several years as defensive coordinator in college, as well as the USFL.

He finally broke into the NFL as a defensive line coach for the Green Bay Packers from 1988 to 1993, and held the same position with the Indianapolis Colts from 1994 to 1998, before joining the Chicago Bears in 1999 as their defensive coordinator.

In his five seasons with the Bears, his defenses always ranked near the top of the league, and were known for being aggressive and playing very physical, while forcing 138 turnovers during that span.

After joining the Redskins in 2004 as their defensive line coach, he helped them finish in the Top 10 in overall defense three out of four years (third in 2004, ninth in 2005, and eighth in 2007).

In January 2008, Blache took over as the Redskins defensive coordinator and led them to a fourth overall ranking last year, only giving up 288.8 YPG, and 18.5 PTS/G.

He will look to improve on that this year with the additions of Albert Haynesworth on the defensive line, the re-signing of DeAngelo Hall at the cornerback position, and the drafting of highly touted defensive end Brian Orakpo.

Back to "Buges", who’s been with Redskins for 14 of his 31 years in the NFL. This guy has more experience than most of the head coaches in the league combined.

He first entered the NFL with the Detroit Lions in 1975 as their offensive line coach, before moving on to be the Houston Oilers offensive line coach from 1977 to 1980, where they would set records for rushing and passing all four years.

His first stint with the Redskins started in 1981, where he was the offensive coordinator. He helped develop Washington’s most legendary line, the “Hogs”, which included beasts such as Joe Jacoby, Mark May, Russ Grimm, Jeff Bostic, and George Stark.

While leading the offense from 1981-1989, the Redskins won two Super Bowls, and broke many records, including the most points in a season (541 in 1983).

He decided to come out of retirement and rejoin the ‘Skins in 2004, after spending several seasons as a coach on the staff’s of the Arizona Cardinals (head coach – 1990-93), the Oakland Raiders (assistant head coach/offense – 1995-96 and head coach – 1997) and the San Diego Chargers (offensive line coach – 1998-2001).

From 2004-2008, he helped guide two different Redskins running backs past the 1,000 yard mark. Portis ran for 1,315 in 2004, 1,513 in 2005; 1,262 in 2007, and 1,487 in 2008, while Betts stepped in for an injured Portis in 2006 and ran for 1,154 yards.

Bugel is looking to get the ‘Skins back to the promise land in his second tenure, and hopes offseason additions Derrick Dockery, Jeremy Bridges and Mike Williams, along with returning veterans Jon Jansen, Chris Samuels, Randy Thomas, and Stephen Hayer, will give them the experience and depth do to so.

On to the head coaching position, and second year man Jim Zorn, the guy who will probably make most of the decisions for the Redskins on game day.

I know you are probably wondering why I didn’t start this article profiling him, and instead, started with the defensive coordinator and offensive line coach. I come from an old school belief that games are won and lost on the defensive and offensive lines.

Therefore, I started out with the coaches that will have the most input, and the entire decision making, in those two areas.

Don’t get me wrong, the head coach is just as important, if not more, but a head coach is only as good as the staff around him. With the experience Blache and Bugal bring to the table, Zorn will lean heavily on them for guidance, and entrust them to run their areas, with minimal input.

This is Zorn’s 23rd NFL season, although 11 of those include playing quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks (1976-1984), the Green Bay Packers (1985), and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1987), and none of those as an offensive coordinator or head coach.

After spending eight years at the collegiate level in various capacities, Zorn broke into the NFL in 1997 as an offensive assistant with the Seattle Seahawks, before becoming the Detroit Lions quarterbacks coach from 1998-2000.

He then went back to Seattle to be their quarterbacks coach from 2001-2007, where he developed Matt Hasselbeck into a Pro Bowl quarterback, and helped the Seahawks get to Super Bowl XL in 2005.

In 2007, he directed Hasselbeck to his third Pro Bowl, while helping him set Seattle single-season marks for attempts (562), completions (352) and yards (3,966).

Zorn then left Seattle to join the Redskins in 2008 as their offensive coordinator, before being promoted to head coach in a matter of months, after the Redskins coaching search kept leading them back to him. He’s brought with him the west-coast style of offense, along with a medium—as he would say—style of demeanor.

Zorn will look to build on his 8-8 mark in his first season as head coach with the Redskins, and hope to develop Jason Campbell into a Pro Bowl caliber quarterback too.

The Redskins offensive coordinator position is held by Sherman Smith, now in his second season with Washington. Smith has been teamed up with Zorn before, both playing with Seattle from 1976-82. He will be key in helping transition the Redskins to the West Coast offense.

Smith spent the last 13 seasons as the running backs coach for the Tennessee Titans, and from 1996-2003, helped guide Eddie George to being one of the best running backs in the NFL.

This is Smith’s 24th season in the NFL, and he will be the guy counted on to bring the best offensive game plan to the table for the Redskins in 2009.

The rest of the Redskins offensive coaching staff includes Stump Mitchell, the assistant head coach/running backs coach. Stump came over from Seattle after the Redskins promoted Zorn to head coach, where he coached the running backs for the last nine seasons.

Stan Hixon, the wide receivers coach, going on his 6th year with the Redskins, and Scott Wachenheim , tight ends coach, and newest member of the offensive coaching staff, having been hired in Feburary 2009.

On the defensive side of the field, John Palermo has joined the Redskins as their new defensive line coach. He’s spent the last 30 seasons coaching at the collegiate level, most recently at Tennessee Tech University.

Kirk Olivadotti, who has been with the Redskins nine years now, and is the most tenured coach with the Redskins besides Bugal, anchors the talented linebacker’s corp.

Jerry Gray, the secondary coach, and Steve Jackson, the safeties coach, round out the defensive side.

Last, but not least, is Danny Smith, the all important special teams coach. I feel he has one of the most important jobs on the field, because as with the offensive and defensive lines, games can be won and lost with special teams play.

There’s an inside look at the Redskins coaching staff, and the main players in all the tough decision making, with some background as to how they got there.

Let’s hope with some consistency on the coaching staff this year, and offensive scheme, it will allow the Redskins to achieve their full potential.

The DC Metro Areas Best Sports Talk Radio Show: “The Junkies”

Troy Marine — Mon, 04 May 2009 11:12:40 -0400

They call themselves “The Junkies” (FKA The Sports Junkies). A money local sports talk radio show, which started in 1996, consisting of four guys that all grew up together in the DC Metro area - Maryland to be exact.

They currently broadcast on 106.7 FM WJFK in DC, and 105.7 FM WHFS in Baltimore, from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m., Monday thru Friday.

The thing I love about this show is the way the hosts interact. It’s almost like they are hanging out at a bar together, not just talking about sports, but their daily lives, along with many other entertaining topics.

They are just four real guys that knew each other growing up, having some fun. Since they grew up together, being able to find plenty of zings (as they call them) about each other isn’t hard.

Another great aspect of “The Junkies” is the interaction with their audience, not only during the show, but after. These guys do a lot of appearances. They are always out there at events, hanging out with their fans, getting them involved. They understand that if it wasn’t for the fans, they wouldn’t be where they are now.

Some of their most well known appearances include the Spring Break Party, which happened to be this past weekend, May 2, and Junkies Poker Open, their annual Texas Hold’em tournament at the Borgata in Atlantic City on May 21 (going on its 6th year!).

They’re also known for introducing their own interesting slang into the DC area. Words like pone, donkey, silly, rick, and hurting can all be heard on the show daily, as well as the local bars around this area.

I think this show has been so successful, and been on for as long as it has been, because they complement each other so well. They each have their own niche and bring their own style to the show.

Here’s a quick look at the four members of “The Junkies” and some fun facts about them.

John “Cakes” Auville

Cakes as the call him, or “Johnny Blanks” since having a vasectomy after his third child, is known best for being so silly with his wife Amy that they often have make-out sessions. He constantly gets jabbed at for being so affectionate towards her.

Who would have thought a married man could be so in love with his wife? Although Cakes had to leave his Manager job at Toy-R-Us to become a “Junkie”, he now at least gets to participate in cool dares like eating 15 hot dogs in 15 minutes, or staying in a coffin for two days (he won $2000 for that bet!).

This guys so addicted to caffeine, he often goes through 2 or 3 diet soda’s a show.

Eric “E.B.” Bickel

E.B. is probably best known as being the argumentative of the group. He’s always rick with someone, whether it’s about the Washington Redskins and how great of a team they will have this year if 15 different things happen, or something one of the other three “Junkies” said, like mainly John-Paul (“Don’t question me!!”).

He’s always up for a good fight, and that includes those unruly callers that don’t agree with him. Even know he had a stellar tennis career at DeMatha High School, he was never able to get to the next level, so he joined “The Junkies”.

He’s very passionate about the topics he discusses, and does his best to make sure you listen to his viewpoint, whether you like it or not.

Jason “Lurch” Bishop

They call him Lurch (from the show The Addams Family) because he’s 6’6”, but he’s known as the “King of Ashburn” because of all the deals he gets around town. This guy has more connections then Chuck Woolery (“we’ll be back in two and two”).

He went to Dematha High School with E.B., where he was apparently a stud basketball player, and eventually received a scholarship to play at the University of Richmond. But, even know he was tall, I guess being slow and white didn’t help him earn a spot on an NBA roster, so that’s when he became a “Junkie”.

His accomplishments include stealing money from women in college after he poned them, and attending more happy hours then a twenty-five year-old.

John-Paul “J.P.” Flaim

He goes by J.P. Sometimes I wonder if that stands for “Just Plain”. He seems to be the most normal out of the bunch, although he is a professional middleweight boxer. He’s currently 0-1, and ranked a hurting 991 out of 999, after losing his debut bout against Jay Watts.

Yeah, I’m not sure who he is either, but I do give J.P. props for entering a ring and boxing someone, even if it did earn him the nickname ‘Glass Joe”. J.P. grew up in the same neighborhood with Cakes, and right across the street from E.B. I guess that explains why he and E.B. get into it so much on the show.

These guys fight more than a Jerry Springer episode. After failing his bar exam in Maryland, which he revealed on-air, J.P. decided to stick with being a “Junkie”. He has since passed the bar exam, but loves arguing with E.B. some much, he stuck around.

I know ladies, I’m sure all of you are wondering how to get your hands on these four donkeys, but you can forget about it, because they are all happily married. Well, in Lurch’s case, I’ll just say married.

But, if you’re ever in the DC or Baltimore area, be sure to catch “The Junkies” show out. They will definitely entertain you, and put a new spin on the phrase “sports talk radio”.

Hey Hey Hey 'Skins Fans, It's Albert Haynesworth!!

Troy Marine — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 09:00:04 -0500

With the free-agency signing period just starting midnight Thursday, the Washington Redskins have done what everyone had expected them to do for a couple days now—actually, I figured this was going to happen ever since he announced he would test the market—sign Albert Haynesworth.

I guess taking last year off in the free agent pool made good old "Danny Boy" feel left out.

The Redskins signed the husky (that was my mom's nice word for me when I was a fat kid) 27 year-old Haynesworth to a reported seven-year, $100 million contract, with an NFL record $41 million of it guaranteed.

Personally, I think this is way too much money for one guy, especially one that plays about 70 percent of the time.

I know he’s a beast, and with having to face running backs like Brandon Jacobs, Marion Barber, and Brian Westbrook two times a year, he will definitely help clog up the middle, but for $100 million!

They could have signed a whole defensive line for that much.

I still don’t understand how they were even able to give him that much money, with the fact just hours earlier, they had re-signed DeAngelo Hall to a reported six-year, $54 million contract.

That’s $154 million for two guys, both with character problems, and prior on and off the field incidents in the past couple years.

I guess these hard economic times aren’t affecting Redskins Park too much, or at least the players there.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for bringing in young talent that can help the team. Especially since the defensive line, and cornerback position, needed to be addressed.

I just have a bad feeling about both these acquisitions and hope history doesn’t repeat itself.

The 6'6", 320-pound Haynesworth had 75 tackles last season for the Tennessee Titans, with a team-high four forced fumbles, and a career-high 8.5 sacks. Not too bad for an interior lineman.

The career-high thing scares me a little, but if he can just duplicate those types of numbers, and assuming they have enough money to keep Jason Taylor (or the rest of the team for that matter), the 'Skins' defense could be pretty scary.

With teams not being able to double Taylor, or Andre Carter, they may be able to get some pressure on the quarterback from the outside.

Something Redskins fans haven’t seen since the late Ronald Reagan was President.

As with any free agent signing for the Redskins, don’t hold your breath on whether or not he will work out. It either will, or it won’t.

I know this though, if it doesn’t, no one in Washington will be there to bail Snyder out.

The New York Mets Bullpen: From Late-Season Losers to Beasts of the East?

Troy Marine — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 12:20:04 -0500

It’s funny how just a couple of offseason acquisitions can make a team and its fans forget about how bad their bullpen was last year.

That was the case for the New York Mets this offseason, as their bullpen had more people coming and going than a truck-stop off of I-95.

With the acquisition of Francisco Rodriguez via free agency, and J.J. Putz through a 3 team, 12 player trade with the Seattle Mariners, the Mets bullpen has gone from a group of cast-offs, to a bunch All-Star studs.

Twenty-seven year-old Rodriguez comes over from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, after just completing the best season ever for a closer, with 62 saves. Putz, who turns 32 this month, is a former All-Star closer, with a career 3.07 ERA and 101 saves.

For a bullpen that had a 4.27 ERA last season, these two pitchers alone make the Mets one-two punch in the eight and ninth innings, arguably the best in the NL East, if not the entire National League.

I’m sure that Phillies fans would tend to disagree, seeing as their closer Brad Lidge, and talented group of relievers in front of him, finally brought a World Series title to the city of Philadelphia.

But they can’t deny the Mets are going to be a lot tougher to beat in those late innings than they were a year ago when they blew 33 save opportunities.

That leaves Pedro Feliciano, Duaner Sanchez, Sean Green, Brian Stokes, Carlos Muniz, Nelson Figueroa, and Eddie Kunz battling for appearances in the sixth and seventh innings.

I know what Mets fans are thinking…not much experience here in clutch situations. If only our starting pitchers could go at least seven innings every day out.

This may be their only weakness going into the season, with only three of these guys having more than 200 innings pitched in their careers. If the Mets are going to compete for a division crown, and make a deep playoff run, they will need a couple of of them, namely Duaner Sanchez and Pedro Feliciano, to step up and play a big role for them in 2009.

I personally think these two will have something to prove this season, after hearing all those ‘boos’ in Shea Stadium last year.

Another possible concern for the Mets bullpen is health. They’re average age is 29, second oldest only to Houston Astros. Obviously, if the Mets are going to win a division title, and compete for a World Series title, their bullpen will need to stay off the DL.

The dark horse in all of this is Billy Wagner. If Wagner’s rehab is successful—he apparently is on schedule to be back by September—and he welcomes the role of being a middle to late inning relief pitcher, this could be the best bullpen in the majors.

Only time will tell how good this NY Mets bullpen will be this year.

The only problem is, this current Mets team doesn’t have much time.

Clinton Portis and the Redskins' Running Attack: Feast or Famine?

Troy Marine — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 16:33:11 -0500

Well, the Washington Redskins’ 2008 season was much like its last couple. There were some ups, and there were some downs, but in the end, it was pretty average.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, you say? Yep, that pretty much summed up the Redskins’ rushing attack as well this year—great the first half of the season, terrible the second half.

So, since we have seven months to think about what might have been and what might be, let’s take a look at the Redskins’ running game for next year and beyond.

Clinton Portis isn’t getting any younger. He will turn 28 before the season starts, and we all know the story about running backs that are near, or over, the 30 mark—i.e. Shaun Alexander, former MVP three seasons ago, now third stringer. Their production seems to decline more than the economy in the last year.

Although he had one of his best statistical seasons since coming to Washington (1,487 yards, nine TDs), I’m seeing more and more wear and tear physically than I have in years past, especially down the stretch of the season, where after the bye week he only averaged 70 ypg after averaging 110 ypg prior to that.

I know, he’s been injured pretty much every year he’s played here, and I must admit I’m impressed with the way he goes out there every game, and for the most part plays hard and performs better than most in those situations.

But this year, it was different. Whether it was his knee, back, hip, neck, calf, or hand, it seemed like every part of his body was banged up.

Now most of that is just a long season of getting hit over and over again by 250 pound beasts. But after seven seasons of that, five with the Redskins, where he has averaged 298 carries a year—it would be higher than that if it weren't for his season ending after eight games in 2006—I’m not sure he’s got much left in the tank.

I also started to see a guy who was not only beat up physically, but mentally as well. He seemed like he was disinterested at times, maybe losing that swagger and confidence he always had. When they showed him on the sidelines during the Baltimore game, it almost looked like he had given up.

That’s not the Portis I’m used to seeing and I have been watching since he played for the Miami Hurricanes.

It seems to me that his statement on the radio show, The Sports Reporters on ESPN 980, says it all. Portis responded, after being asked if he would be happy if the running game in 2009 was like it was at the end of the 2008 season, “They don’t have to make me happy man, that’s not their job to make me happy. I just need go out there and do my thing, come to work, be there nine to five, and go home. That’s all I need to do.”

It sounds to me like he’s just going to be an average, everyday worker in DC—come to work, get his eight hours in, and then go home without anything extra, any overtime, or anymore interest in being the best running back in the league.

That spells 1,000 yard back to me, and possibly a “two-back” system, with Ladell Betts playing a more featured role.

Ladell is more than capable of handling that. It was only three seasons ago that he came in for an injured Portis, and ran for 871 yards with four TDs (three rushing, one receiving) over the last eight games of the season. That’s an average of 109 ypg. Not bad for a back-up running back.

So, with Portis’ career possibly hitting its downward turn—I think he probably has two solid years left—should the Redskins try to trade him now, while his stock is as high as it’s probably going to get?

I don’t think that will happen, considering he’s guaranteed $6.62 million in 2009, $4.4 million of his $7.69 million salary for the 2010 season, and a $9.3 million signing bonus.

Would it be wise to bring in a young, big name running back via free agency to start or split carries with Portis? Why spend the money? That’s money that could be spent on key positions that will need to be filled by next year. Linebacker and cornerback, for example.

As I stated above, Betts is more than capable of handling the load if Portis does go down to injury, or if they decide to go more toward a 50/50 split of the carries. Besides, if you think Portis is unhappy now, you might as well put him on IR for the 2009 season if you bring another big time starting running back in here.

Does it make sense to spend a high draft pick on an unproven running back out of college? It might make sense to draft a running back in one of the later rounds for the future, but don’t spend one of your first three picks on one. Use those for stud offensive and defensive linemen, which are sorely needed and are, in my mind, where football games are won.

These are only some of the questions concerning the running game that the Redskins face as they head into the offseason.

The good news is they have a top five running back returning and a solid back-up behind him. So, I think that question is answered, for now.

The bad news is, there are so many other areas with question marks, there may not be enough answers to go around. It looks like it’s going to be a long offseason in Washington, again.

Boston Celtics Make Franchise History; NBA History Next?

Troy Marine — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 04:26:06 -0500

With the Boston Celtics' 14th consecutive win Friday night against the New Orleans Hornets, they have done something that no other Celtic team has ever done. They have started out the season 22-2. For a franchise that has pretty much invented history in the NBA, it's pretty amazing this is the first time that's ever happened.

I thought about it for a second and really didn’t believe it at first. All the great Celtic teams from the '50s, '60s, '70s and '80s, and none of them ever started a season 22-2? It’s really unbelievable to think that teams led by Bob Cousey, Bill Russell, John Havlicek, Tom Heinsohn, Dave Cowens, Larry Bird, and Kevin McHale never had a better start to the season then this current Celtic team.

I know a lot of people will argue that the talent in the NBA nowadays is a little thinner than back in those days, which may be true, but being able to win 22 out of your first 24 games is pretty impressive no matter how great the opposing talent may be. This is still the NBA, and most of the teams in this league will still challenge you night in and night out.

Then my thoughts of how great of an accomplishment this is, and how this team has made history for an already storied franchise, started to turn to something else. Could this Celtic team win 73 games and break the record for the best single season ever, currently held by the 1995-'96 Chicago Bulls?

The Bulls started out that season 23-2 before losing their third game of the season. Even more impressive, they then reeled off 16 straight wins to go 39-3 through January.

If the Celtics can get through January, which will include tough away games against the Los Angeles Lakers (Dec.25 – 5 PM), the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Detroit Pistons, and the Atlanta Hawks (who just ended the Cavs’ 11 game winning streak) and home games against the Houston Rockets, the Phoenix Suns, and the Dallas Mavericks, with only three or four losses, they will have a legit shot at re-writing the NBA record books.

There will be three keys to the Celtics winning more games than any other team in NBA history, including their own 1985-86 team, which won 67 games.

The first, and most obvious, is staying healthy. If any of the “Big Three” miss games due to injury, it will be awfully tough for this team to win any games, let alone 73.

Second, the bench will need to keep playing like they have been. That '95-'96 Bulls team had a great starting five, but their bench included Ron Harper and Toni Kukoc, who won the Sixth Man Award that year.

Last, but definitely not least, is defense. The reason the Celtics won the championship last year was because of their defense. This team feeds off of it. When they can shut a great offensive team down, their own offense thrives. It opens up the fast break and allows guys like Ray Allen, who leads the team in scoring through 24 games, open three pointers.

The Bulls had three guys on the First Team, All-Defensive Team (Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman). It may have also helped a little that they had the best basketball player on the planet, and the league leader in rebounds per game that year.

I’m sure a lot of people reading this article are probably thinking it’s way too early to be talking about this. I would tend to agree, except for the fact that the Celtics aren’t only winning, they are blowing teams out. They are winning by an average of 10.37 ppg, and only two other teams have a better point differential: the Lakers (10.63 ppg) and the Cavaliers (12.70).

There’s only one team that keeps opponents to a lower ppg than the Celtics, who hold teams to 90.45 ppg, and that’s the Cavs at 90 ppg.

Most NBA fans will probably say there’s no chance they get to that magic number of 73 wins.

They may be right.

But, those are probably the same people that said the Celtics wouldn’t win the NBA Championship last year.

The Redskins' Receivers: It's Their Time

Troy Marine — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 05:54:47 -0500

Let’s face it, if the Redskins are going to make it to the playoffs, and actually get past the first round, they are going to need their wide receivers to play a huge role.

Don’t get me wrong, having the leading rusher in the league (Clinton Portis has amassed 1,206 rushing yards through 11 games, and is on pace to record his best single season total ever) is great, but I don’t think it will get them to the promise land.

Not if they can’t get the ball down the field along the way.

The Redskins rank ninth out of 16 teams in the NFC, with 214 passing yards per game. They are 21st in the entire league, but for the purpose of the article, I'm only concerned with the NFC. Those are the teams they will need to beat in order to get to the playoffs, and to have any chance at the Superbowl.

Their number one receiver, Santana Moss, is having a pretty solid year with 53 receptions, for 773 yards, and five touchdowns, which ranks eighth, seventh, and eighth, respectively, in the conference. He's their best receiver, and always a threat to score deep. Those aren't bad numbers—he accounts for 30 percent of the Redskins scoring—but he's been inconsistent. I believe he will need to average 80 yards and a score the rest of the way if they have any chance of getting deep into the playoffs.

Chris Cooley, the 'Skins pro-bowl tight end, leads the NFC with 60 receptions and 630 yards. That's the good news. The bad news is he only has one touchdown. The Redskins will need to get him more involved in the red zone, if their big receiver, Malcolm Kelly (more on him later), doesn’t get it going.

The only other receiver that has made any impact this year for the 'Skins is Antwaan Randle El. He’s third on the team in receptions and yards, and second in touchdowns. If he can get between 700-800 yards receiving and 5-6 touchdowns, which is very possible, considering the fact that they use him on a lot of gimmick plays, this offense will be dangerous.

Back to Kelly, who finally appears to be healthy. His size and athleticism will come in handy on those fade routes in the end-zone, and those passes up the middle. He needs to step in and produce like a No. 2 receiver. If he can, the Redskins will have that third option, behind Moss and Cooley, they have sorely lacked. If he doesn’t, they are looking at a first round exit again, and that’s if they make the playoffs at all.

Jim Zorn’s offense needs to start running like a true “West Coast Offense” in order for guys like Cooley, Moss and Randle El to be as productive as they can be. Campbell is very efficient when he throws short to mid-range passes, which allows those guys to catch the ball on the run, and make big plays with their legs.

We’ve seen that he can throw the deep ball when needed—see New Orleans game—but in order to do this, he needs to hit those intermediate routes. This is where Cooley and Kelly come into play.

I think they will be the key to the Redskins' passing game for the rest of the season. If Jason Campbell is able to find them in the gaps up the middle of the field, it will draw the safeties in, and allow the deep passing game to flourish.

This is going to be vital for the success of the Redskins down the stretch, considering four of the last five teams they play are ranked in the top fifteen in rushing defense. Not making it any easier, is the fact that Zorn will need to find weaknesses in three of the best passing defenses in the NFL, as the New York Giants, the Baltimore Ravens and the Philadelphia Eagles are ranked in the top 10 in that category.

It’s looking like they will need to finish with at least 10 wins, possibly 11, to get one of the Wild-Card spots in the NFC. That means they will have to get one win against a tough team like the Giants, the Ravens, or the Eagles, and so-called easy wins against the Cincinnati Bengals and the San Francisco 49ers.

If they’re going to accomplish this, they will need their receiving corps to play above and beyond the level they have so far this season. Campbell will need to be better, and more consistent, as well.

But, like I have been saying all year long, they need the offensive line to give them the time needed, in order for all this to come to fruition.

That should be interesting.

Remembering Sean Taylor: One Year Later

Troy Marine — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 05:08:27 -0500

So, here I sit, almost a year after one of the saddest days of my life as a Washington Redskins fan. I can’t believe it’s already been a year.

I remember that day like it was yesterday. Nov. 27, 2007, two days after I had celebrated my 33rd birthday. That morning, at 5:45 AM, I was awakened by my alarm and someone on the radio saying, "If what Fox is reporting is true, Sean Taylor has passed."

Tears began to stream down my face as I lay there with my girlfriend, to whom I had suggested just six hours earlier, that if there was anyone who could live through something like this, it was Taylor.

I truly thought he would pull through this. I was still in shock that it had even happened. All I could think about was his little daughter, who had just been born 18 months prior, growing up without her father.

There are several days in sports I will never forget, like that day in June, 1986, when I walked into my kitchen only to see my dad reading the newspaper, and shaking his head. I asked him what was wrong, and all he said was, “Len Bias died last night”.

At first I thought, no way, he’s got to be joking, this can’t be real. But knowing my dad, and the fact we had just gone through the tragic death of my brother’s girlfriend five months before that, I knew he wasn't. Less then 48 hours after being drafted by the NBA champion Boston Celtics, Bias had passed away from an apparent cocaine overdose.

I was only 12-years-old at the time, and I didn’t really understand death, except for the fact it made people, especially my brother, unbelievably upset. So, I just kept asking myself why. Why would God take such a talented athlete, and human being, from this world? His family and friends didn’t do anything to deserve this. It just didn’t make sense to me. It still doesn’t.

Taylor’s death did the same thing to me. Similar questions arose. Why was he even there? Why didn’t he have hired security at his place, especially since it had just been broken into a couple of weeks earlier? Why would these individuals do this? Why am I this affected by the death of someone I didn’t even know? I had that same empty feeling I felt after Bias’ death.

See, most sports fans probably can’t relate to this feeling. I don’t know why, but I seem to attach myself to my favorite athletes, like they’re my best friends. So, when something like this happens, it affects me in a different way. I’m not sure if that’s good or bad, but it’s just the way I’m built.

At the time, I thought about how these two tragic deaths had very similar characteristics. Two unbelievable athletes, taken from their game before the sports world was able to witness their full potential.

I can only imagine what Taylor would have accomplished, not only professionally, but as a person, if his life hadn’t been cut short. It seemed like he was just starting to mature as an individual, and understand how lucky and needed he was. I’m sure bringing another human into the world will do that to you.

I followed Taylor from the time he was a high-school standout at Gulliver Preparatory School, where he was highly recruited by the University of Miami (I’m a huge ‘Canes fan). His senior year, while playing running back, defensive back, and linebacker, he racked up 1,300 yards rushing, an unbelievable 44 touchdowns, and 100 tackles.

He would eventually attend “The U”, and win a National Championship as a true freshman. During his junior year at Miami, his final year, he was named a consensus first-team All-American, the "Big East Conference Defensive Player of the Year," and he was a finalist for the "Jim Thorpe Award," which is awarded to the nation's best defensive back.

He would be drafted fifth overall by the Redskins that summer, where he would go on to be selected to two Pro Bowls, one of those occurring after his death.

If his high-school and college years, and brief NFL career, were any indications of what was to come, I think Taylor may have gone down as one of the best defensive players in NFL history, with the likes of Dick Butkus, Lawrence Taylor, Mike Singletary, and Deacon Jones.

But now, I can only imagine of what would have been.

Fortunately, the individuals—whose names I won’t mention since I don’t think they belong in the spotlight—that may have committed this crime were caught, and charged, back in December of 2007.

Four of the five suspects await trial, which, originally was scheduled for Apr. 7, 2008, but was postponed to Mar. 3, 2009. Three of the original four suspects were charged with felony second-degree murder, armed burglary, and home invasion with a firearm or another deadly weapon.

The fifth, who was identified after the initial four suspects, was charged with first-degree murder and armed burglary of an occupied dwelling. He’s believed to be the one who pulled the trigger of the murder weapon that killed Taylor.

One of the original four suspects has already entered into a plea bargain, accepting a jail sentence of 29 years. To some, that may seem like 29 years of life that young man will lose, but to me, that’s 29 more years of life he gets, that Sean Taylor doesn’t.

So, with the one-year anniversary of Taylor’s death upon us, and less than a week before he will be inducted into the Redskins' Ring of Fame, I decided to share my thoughts of that tragic day.

In the beginning, I was still asking myself why, not sure I would ever find an answer. Now, almost at the end, and having shed a few more tears along the way, I have my own idea of why he was taken from us too soon.

The man upstairs has been chosen to coach a team of all-time sports all-stars, and Sean Taylor was selected to join.

I miss you Sean, and ‘Skins fans miss you, but I have to say, that’s one heck of a team!

What's the Washington Redskins' Problem on the Field?

Troy Marine — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:50:16 -0500

After starting out 6–2, the Washington Redskins looked poised to possibly win the division and challenge the New York Giants for NFC dominance. Wow, a lot of things have changed in the last two weeks!

Where do I begin?

Let’s start with the offensive line, which, for some reason, has forgotten how to pass protect. They have given up 10 sacks in the last two games. Jon Jansen looks like a statue on passing downs.

Where’s Stephon Heyer, who was starting in the beginning of the season, until he was injured? He has been active the last two games, and hasn’t seen the field.

I thought the “West Coast Offense” was a “pass first to set up the run” scheme, which means you need to be able to pass protect. The Redskins haven’t been doing a good job in that area, and it’s a big reason why they sit at 6–4 now and on the verge of missing the playoffs.

The mental mistakes need to stop. They are 11 weeks into the season and guys have been practicing where they’re supposed to be, and what they’re supposed to be doing, for four months now.

If Devin Thomas doesn’t know when he’s supposed to be on the field (he has looked like a “deer in headlights” for most of the year), put him on the bench and keep him there. Offensive pass interference here, illegal formation there—these bad penalties always seem to happen when they are driving the ball—a.k.a. momentum killers!

Can the defensive line get any pressure on the quarterback?? What happened to that great pass rush they would have with Jason Taylor and Andre Carter on the ends? I understand Taylor has been injured most of the season, but he looked healthy Sunday night, and I don’t think he touched Tony Romo.

As a matter of fact, I don’t think any defensive players touched Romo. They haven’t put much pressure on any quarterback this year. Fifteen sacks in 10 games isn’t going to do it.

Do we ever blitz anymore? Where’s the coaches’ confidence in our cornerbacks to cover man-to-man? We constantly give the quarterbacks in this league plenty of time to throw the ball, and eventually, it’s going to hurt us.

Now it looks like we can’t stop the run either. Were we so worried about Romo throwing the ball on us that we forgot they had a pretty good running back, too? There’s no excuse for them running the ball 10 out of the last 11 plays in that game, and us not be able to get a stop with six minutes left.

This is a sure recipe for disaster against teams on our upcoming schedule like the New York Giants, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles, and San Francisco 49ers, who have all combined, as a team, for more than 950 yards rushing each.

Maybe the quarterback can try to be a leader sometimes. If someone on the offense does something wrong, well damn it, tell them they did. All the great quarterback’s in the past like Dan Marino, Troy Aikman, and Joe Montana did and all the great ones now like Peyton Manning and Brett Favre still do.

If Jason Campbell wants to be in this class someday, he needs to not be afraid of calling someone out if they screw up, that’s why he’s the quarterback. Make your teammates accountable for their actions. They will respect you more if you do, especially when you back it up.

After another disappointing loss on prime-time television to the rival Dallas Cowboys, I think the only bright spot for the Redskins was Clinton Portis. Portis battled through sprained knee ligaments to rush for 68 yards on 15 carries, after sitting on the sidelines during practices all week, and with the possibility of injuring the knee further.

I think if he was healthy (he looked very timid on most of his runs), the game would have been different, but at least he gave it a run.

He’s been banged up and playing all season, and he has carried this team on his back for most of it. It’s time for some other so-called “veterans” to step-up and take this team to the next level. Play with some heart, some urgency, something. I don’t see much of either in the Redskins.

It’s time for the coaching staff to trust the offense and defense again, like it did in great wins at Dallas and Philadelphia. They need to believe that they will do the right thing like they have been practicing for all year. Call the plays that you want to and not the plays that you think will prevent a turnover. The time is now, not when we need to win on the last game of the season.

This team has so much talent. They could be so special if they would just focus a little bit more and win those one-on-one battles in the trenches. Don’t make stupid mistakes. Just execute one more play here or there. This team is not that far off from being a great team.

I know my opinion doesn’t matter, and they could care less what I have to say. Who am I? But, if the Redskins were listening, I would challenge them to be perfect the rest of the way. Much like they were last year, when they won four straight down the stretch to get into the playoffs, after the tragic death of Sean Taylor.

This team can do it. They always play better when their backs are against the wall, something I think Joe Gibbs instilled in them the fours years he was here. This is something Coach Jim Zorn will need to continue to build upon if this team is going to go anywhere this year.

They have six games left. All six games are must-wins if they plan to make the playoffs, starting with a tough game at the Seattle Seahawks this Sunday (FOX-4:15 PM), a place the Redskins haven’t enjoyed too much in recent years.

The NFC is a log jam right now, with eight teams vying for two wild-card spots, and it’s starting to look like only one team from the NFC East will get one of those.

It should be an interesting six weeks. I think the ‘Skins can get it done, but will they?

If they don’t, well, I’m sure the Bill Cowher talk will start again.

New York Mets: The K-Rod Factor

Troy Marine — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:38:31 -0500

With the free-agency signing period just beginning Friday, I thought we should take a look at the biggest name that will be available and why the New York Mets would be smart to go get him.

Let’s look at the obvious reason. Their former closer, Billy Wagner, will be out with an arm injury for the 2009 season. I say “former” as if he’s not on the team anymore. Well at least, he isn’t yet.

Wagner will be 38 at the start of the 2010 season, when he returns after recovering from Tommy John Surgery. Even if he’s fully recovered, he probably won’t have the same stuff that got him to fifth on the all-time saves list with 385.

I wish him well, as he’s a fellow Virginian, and if anyone can do it, Wagner can. I just don’t think it will be with the Mets.

Secondly, the Mets were in a lot of close games last year. They had 76 save opportunities and only converted 43 of them. That’s only about 56 percent, which is not very good for a team that was touted as a World Series contender. Take the eventual winners, the Philadelphia Phillies, for example. They converted 47 out of 63 save opportunities (about 74 percent). No wonder they won it all!

Now, I know some of those weren’t ninth-inning collapses, but let’s say 60 of them were legit save opportunities, where having a big-time closer would benefit. You are talking about possibly converting 55 of those. That’s 12 more than last years Mets team, and 12 more wins, which would have handed them the N.L. East in a runaway.

Insert 26-year-old Francisco Rodriguez, the record holder for saves in a season with 62. With one acquisition, the Mets would solidify their bullpen for years to come. I know what you’re thinking: How does one guy fix an entire bullpen?

The one thing the Mets did accomplish last year was getting the guys in their bullpen some experience with pitching in tough situations. Guys like Joe Smith, Duaner Sanchez, and Luis Ayala, who took over Wagner’s closing duties after being acquired from the Washington Nationals, all got extended innings.

They will be able to slip into those seventh and eighth-inning spots, and set up for K-Rod.

The doubters will say he demands too much money, with an asking price of $15 million per year for four or five years. I think the single-season saves record holder deserves that kind of money.

Last year, it was Johan Santana at the beginning of the rotation. This year, it should be Rodriguez at the back-end of the rotation. If not because he’s a stud, he’s young, and he’s a big name, but because he wants to be here. He’s been quoted recently as saying the Mets would be a “good fit” for him.

I think Met fans would agree.

Duke Blue Devils Men's Basketball 2008-09 Season Preview

Troy Marine — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:23:28 -0500

After starting out 22-1, the 2007-2008 season ended much like the last couple have for the Duke Blue Devils, an early exit from the NCAA Tournament. I know, most programs would be ecstatic to make it to the second round of March Madness, but Duke is not just any program.

Coach Mike Krzyzewski, who is coming off a summer where he won the gold medal in Bejing, is looking to get the Blue Devils back in the quarterfinals of the tournament for the first time since 2004. Maybe the experience of getting the U.S. men’s basketball team back to where it once was will help Coach K this season with the Devils. Here’s a look at what Duke fans can expect for the upcoming season.

The Dukies return everyone but DeMarcus Nelson (graduated) and Taylor King (transferred). That’s the good news. The bad news is that DeMarcus Nelson was accountable for 25% of the starting five’s scoring at 14.5 PPG. Not to mention, he was a leader on the floor.

Junior Gerald Henderson will need to step up and fill the scoring and leadership voids left with the departure of Nelson. Henderson is a legitimate superstar, and he will fight to lead the Devils back where they belong, in the Final Four.

In the backcourt, senior Greg Paulus and sophomore Nolan Smith will provide a one-two punch at the point guard position that most teams only dream of. Coach K will look to Smith to lead the Devils this season, while Paulus will have to learn how to come off the bench after being the starter since coming to Duke as a freshman.

This transition will be the key to the team’s success this year, as pressuring the ball on defense is going to be a main focus for the Blue Devils, with Nolan leading the way. If Paulus is able to come off the bench, as Jon Scheyer did last year, and provide a scoring spark, it will be a great year for Duke. Speaking of Scheyer, he moves into the starting line-up, and brings along his sharp shooting from the outside.

As in years past, Duke's perimeter shooting game is going to be vital. Guys like Scheyer, Paulus, and Singler will need to be deadly from the arc if this Duke team plans to make it further than the second round of the “Big Dance” this year.

Rounding out the backcourt is Martynas Pocius, Jordan Davis, and Elliot Williams, the Devils No. 1 ranked recruit this year. Williams will be a future star in the ACC, but will need to sit behind Paulus and Smith this year while learning the Duke offense. He will have opportunities to see the court, but only in a limited role.

Kyle Singler, only a sophomore, headlines a front court that is probably the biggest weakness of this team. He is probably the best all around player the Devils have, but unfortunately, he doesn’t have the inside game that is needed to guard the likes of Tyler Hansborough of North Carolina, and James Johnson, Chas McFarland and Al-Farouq Aminu of Wake Forest, two teams with which Duke will be competing for the ACC title.

That’s where Miles Plumlee, a 6’10” freshman that’s long and athletic, comes into play. If he can acquaint himself quickly to the college basketball level, this Duke team could go from merely being a top ten team to being a serious contender.

The rest of the front court, which includes David McClure, Lance Thomas, Brian Zoubek (finally healthy), and Steve Johnson, will provide experience and will be able to give the starters some rest when needed. Olek Czyz, the other incoming freshman for the Devils, probably won’t be much of a factor this year, but could see some minutes in mop up time.

This Blue Devil team has a lot of experience and talent, but if they are going to live up to their No. 8 AP ranking (No. 5 ESPN/USA Today Poll) and get into the Elite Eight come tournament time, they will have to find some consistency from the outside.

They don’t have a low post game, unless Zoubek or Plumlee step-up, and their pressure defense will only take them so far. Otherwise, I see this team having a good season, and possibly making it into the Sweet 16. The only problem is that a good season is not good enough for the Cameron Crazies, so I hope they prove me wrong.

That being said, the future is bright in Durham. With early signing day yesterday, came news of two big-time recruits, Mason Plumlee (Miles’ brother) and Ryan Kelly, ranked No. 9 and No. 12 respectively in ESPN’s top 100, who will join the Devils in 2010. I’m declaring it “The Year of the Dukies” for the 2009-2010 season. That’s when they will burst back onto the scene as college basketball’s premier team to beat.

Jose Theodore—Brent Johnson; Is there a goalie controversy in DC?

Troy Marine — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 13:57:57 -0500

Washington Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau keeps saying there isn’t, but what do you expect him to say? What, did you think he would just bench Jose Theodore? Not going to happen. It’s only 14 games into the season.

The Capitals had no choice but to sign Jose Theodore to a contract in the off-season after they couldn’t negotiate a deal with Cristobal Huet, who helped get the Caps to the playoffs last year after he was acquired in a late season trade. Huet left for Chicago to join the Blackhawks.

Things haven’t gone the way the Capitals had hoped for their new goaltender. He was pulled in his debut on opening night after giving up four goals in less than two periods, and it’s been up and down ever since. He’s 4-3 with a 3.44 GAA and a .877 save percentage. That’s not exactly what the Caps were looking for with their number one goalie.

So, of course, all the questions about who should be the starting goaltender for the Caps have started.

Since a November 1st game against the Buffalo Sabres during which Theodore gave up 5 goals in 5-0 loss, he hasn't touched the ice. Brent Johnson has started the last four games, going 3-1 with a 1.66 GAA, and it doesn’t look like he wants to give up the starting gig anytime soon.

Johnson hasn’t been an everyday goalie since 2001-02 with the St. Louis Blues, so this is probably exciting for him. On Sunday, Boudreau was quoted as saying, "He might (start) Monday again, but Wednesday we might have a different No. 1. I'm not into these goalie controversies. If you're playing good, you're playing good. Right now Brent is really playing well and he's in a position he hasn't been in for quite a few years. So I hope he's relishing it”.

In my opinion, whoever is playing the best at that time, which would be Brent Johnson at the moment, should get the nod each night. I also think that, unless the Caps plan to go with Johnson for the rest of the season, they better get Theodore going at some point. The more he sits on the bench, the worse his confidence gets, and that’s a not a good thing for a goaltender.

Let’s be honest, the Caps don’t stand a chance in the playoffs if they don’t have a good goalie. I’m not even sure they will make the playoffs if one of these goalies doesn’t step-up and claim the job.

Right now, it’s Johnson. He started on Monday against the Tampa Bay Lighting, and won, beating Olaf Kolzig. The same Kolzig, who started out last season as the guy in Washington, before being benched down the stretch for a hot Huet.

If he starts Wednesday night at the Carolina Hurricanes, a team the Caps are tied with in the Southeast Division, and wins, do we have a goalie controversy then?

Boudreau would probably say no.

I say yes.

My Crystal Ball: NFC East Predictions

Troy Marine — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 01:00:20 -0500

So here we are. 10 weeks of the NFL season have passed. I can’t believe the season is already halfway over! It’s time to start making some predictions about how the NFC East will play out.

It’s a tight race right now, so anything can happen, but it should be really entertaining to watch. These are in alphabetical order, according to team.

Dallas Cowboys

As Jimmy Johnson once said, “How bout them Cowboys?!” Um, maybe not. The Cowboys, losers of three out of their last four games, are in a tailspin right now, sitting 1–2 in the division.

But, they should get their star QB back this week (as well as Felix Jones), and the timing couldn’t be more perfect, with a big-time rivalry game at Washington this Sunday night (NBC–8:15 PM EST).

If Dallas, 5–4 overall, loses this game, it could be the end of their playoff hopes (and Wade Phillips' job). If they happen to go on the road and beat the Redskins, they get the Giants at home, and then a Philly team the last game of the season that might be looking to fry Andy Reid by then.

The rest of their schedule isn’t easy though, with games at Pittsburgh, and home against Baltimore, two teams that will be fighting each other for their division title. They have pretty easy road games at Seattle and San Francisco.

Prediction – Third place

New York Giants

The Giants have the lead in the division title race at 3–0 and are hitting on all cylinders right now at 8-1. With games left at Washington and Dallas, and one at home versus the Eagles, it could get interesting down the stretch for the “G-Men.” They also have games at Arizona and Minnesota and home games against Baltimore and Carolina, teams that are a combined 24–12.

If they win two out of those four remaining non-division games, they should be fine. If not, and they have problems with the division games, they open the door for the Redskins to steal the division title. The Giants hold the key to their own destiny.

Prediction – Second Place

Philadelphia Eagles

I know you Eagles fans are going to probably hunt me down and throw snowballs at me (I’ll be waiting in my Santa outfit), but climbing out of the cellar of one of the toughest, if not the toughest, divisions in the NFL is next to impossible. The Igles are 0–3 in the division, 5–4 overall, and need a lot of help at this point.

Even if they were to run the table in the division, which would require them to win games at Washington and New York, and beat Dallas on the last day of the season, they still have Baltimore and Arizona on their schedule.

Baltimore is fighting for their own division title and Arizona is looking to possibly watch the first round of the playoffs at home for the first time ever.

Prediction – Last place

Washington Redskins

The ‘Skins are right behind the Giants with a 2–1 record in the division, 6–3 overall, but their one division loss right now is to New York. That’s the bad news. The good news is the rest of their division games are all at home, including the Giants on Nov. 30th, and their remaining schedule might be the easiest in the division.

That game against the Giants will be huge and could decide who has the upper hand in winning the division. With road games against Seattle, Baltimore, Cincinnati, and San Francisco, who are a combined 11–25, the Redskins have a great shot at winning the division.

Prediction – First place

'Skins Get a “Hall” Pass; Will DeAngelo Make the Grade?

Troy Marine — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 03:49:29 -0500

Even with a bye-week, the Washington Redskins are making headlines with the signing of DeAngelo Hall on Friday, after he cleared waivers. Hall, who was just released by the Oakland Raiders on Nov. 5th, is due to make a reported $1 million prorated over the rest of the season, making the contract worth about $492,000 (about $7.5 million less than what the Oakland Raiders paid for him—ouch!).

At first, I had mixed emotions about the signing. I’ve heard all the stories of Hall having character issues and being a cancer in the locker room. I’ve seen the incidents with coaches on the sidelines and the fights with other players on the field. Just last week, Keith Brooking claimed, while being interviewed by 680 AM The Fan in Atlanta, that Hall waited in the tunnel during halftime of the Oakland game last week to pick a fight with a Falcons player. So there is definitely risk here.

With all of that being said, I still think this is a great signing.

I know all of the ‘Skins fans are saying, “Here we go again.” As a die-hard fan myself, I know we’ve seen this before. Good old Danny boy shells out a bunch of money to sign a big name, former pro-bowl player to save the day, that ends up being a huge bust (i.e.: Bruce Smith and Deion Sanders).

There are several reasons why this deal is so different than those past mistakes. The first is obvious. We paid peanuts to bring in a guy who was an eighth overall pick in the draft just five years ago, and has 20 interceptions in 65 career games with Atlanta and Oakland.

That’s one less then Fred Smoot in 42 less games, and 11 less then Shawn Springs in 87 less games, two of the Redskins starting cornerbacks at the moment. If you want to talk about what have you done for me lately, he has three interceptions this year in eight games, one more then every cornerback on the Redskins combined.

Secondly, as stated above, Hall was just drafted five years ago. He’s only 24 (he’ll be 25 in 10 days). There’s a good chance, if he proves himself on the field and in the locker room, he will not only help the Redskins now, but in the future as well.

Washington has apparently promised Hall they won’t put the franchise tag on him next year, but he has been quoted as saying "a long term deal is possible". Shawn Springs is not getting any younger either, not to mention he’s in the last year of his deal, and probably won’t be around next year.

Not convinced? Ok, here is a couple more. I know everyone keeps bringing up his character issues, and rightfully so, but I seriously doubt a guy that just got released by a an Oakland organization that’s in disarray, and a Raider team that is 2-6, to come home (Hall’s from Chesapeake, VA) to an organization he has said he always wanted to play for, and in the thick of the NFC playoff hunt, is going to cause any problems.

With guys like London Fletcher, Marcus Washington, and James Thrash in that locker room, if Hall can’t learn to play nice for the remainder of this season, he may find himself in the Arena League next year.

Calling all special teams, if you aren’t going to put Devin Thomas back there to return punts, who, by the way, returned punts at Michigan State, Hall should get the duties, as he did at Virginia Tech.

I think it’s time to let Antwaan Randle El focus on catching balls from his QB and not from the opposing punter. He hasn’t exactly lit it up back there this year. I think Santana Moss has more return yards on one punt return this year than Randle-El does all year.

Lastly, if anything, we blocked the Dallas Cowboys and NY Giants from getting him. It had been reported that both of those teams were interested in Hall.

Had enough yet? Good, because I could go on and on for awhile about why this is a low-risk, high reward, acquisition for the Redskins.

Besides, if he comes in here, stinks up the joint, and really does have huge character issues, we release him and don’t lose anything because of it. We aren’t paying him much (well, to you and I it’s a lot, but with the money being thrown around in the NFL these days, it’s pocket change) and we were a 6-3 team before him. The way I see it, he needs us more then we need him.

In a worst case scenario, the only way I see this blowing up in our faces is, if he has a great last seven games, we sign him to a huge, multi-year contract in the off-season, and he ends up being like, well, DeAngelo Hall.

Then I’ll be convinced nothing has changed in Washington.

Well, at least with the Redskins.

The Boston "Two" Party: Can the Celtics Repeat?

Troy Marine — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 08:21:13 -0500

Here we are again with another NBA season underway. Several questions surround whether or not the Boston Celtics can repeat as NBA Champions.

The "Big Three" aren’t getting any younger. Paul Peirce is 31, Kevin Garnett is 32, and Ray Allen is 33. Will they be able to make it through a full year without any injuries? Do they still have that drive and ambition to win another championship?

Who will step up and take James Posey's place, vacated when he left via free agency? Will the role players still want to be role players instead of stars? Can coach Doc Rivers keep this team motivated enough to win again? Will Rajon Rondo take that next step and become an elite point guard?

There are a lot of questions considering this team just won the championship five months ago. Sound familiar?

Let's go back a year. Allen was traded to the Celtics on draft night. Then, shortly after that, Garnett came in a trade to join Allen and Pierce in Beantown. Questions arose about how quickly they would be able to mesh together, about the ages of the three stars, and about whether they would be able to withstand injuries.

Would the role players be able to be just that, role players? Could Rivers actually coach all this talent? Would Rondo be able to run this team? A lot of questions had to be answered, and most of them were (see below). Banner No. 17 is hanging in the rafters of the TD Banknorth Garden after 22 years of hopes, dreams, deaths, and bad luck.

There are three keys to the Celtics being able to repeat. Besides the obvious, no injuries to the Big Three, Tony Allen and Leon Powe will have to combine to take the place of Posey's scoring and lockdown defense on some of the best players in the NBA (i.e. Kobe Bryant and LeBron James).

Kendrick Perkins will need to play more minutes and stay out of foul trouble (every time he went to the bench with foul trouble last year in the playoffs, teams took advantage of it). Remember what I said above about most of the questions being answered last year? Rivers will actually have to coach this year. He rode his stars' coattails last year and he likely won't be able to do that this time around.

In this day and age, it's tough to repeat in any sport, let alone a sport that has players (and teams) moving more than U-Haul. In the Celtics’ division alone, the Atlantic Division, things have gotten tougher with the addition of Elton Brand from the Western Conference’s LA Clippers to the Philadelphia 76ers and Jermaine O'Neal moving from the Indiana Pacers to the Toronto Raptors.

The Eastern Conference as a whole has improved, as well, with Mo Williams going to the Cleveland Cavaliers from the Milwaukee Bucks, and a trade that just happened two days ago that sent Allen Iverson back to the East Coast from the Denver Nuggets to play for the Detroit Pistons, two teams the Celtics had to beat in the Eastern Conference Semifinals and Finals last year to earn the NBA championship.

Last year reminded me of my youth, when watching a Celtics game was intense and meaningful. It’s going to be another great year for Celtics fans, but if they are going to repeat, everything has to work out perfectly, and the timing has to be right.

Last year it was.

Only time will tell if it will this year.