Archive for November, 2009

Redskins: 18 Years Of Futility Rolled Into 1 Post

I still love the Redskins, I’ll love em’ for the rest of my life…but this year is lost. We have no mulligans, no do-overs…it’s a lost season. I had high hopes before the season started, like I do every year, but every year for the past 18…my dreams have been crushed. How, have my dreams been crushed? Well…here’s a few examples (70% of these examples were found in this book, a must have for any Skins fan!!)

I know something the Skins fans don't know!

1991- Skins win the Super Bowl but Joe Gibbs forms his NASCAR team which doesn’t seem like a big deal at the time…

1992- Skins spend their first round pick on Desmond Howard.

1993- God tells Reggie White to play in Green Bay, not Washington…God tells Joe Gibbs to retire.

What's wrong with this picture?

1994- Due to retirement/firing/cleaning house the Redskins part ways with all-time greats Jacoby, Bostic, Monk, Mann, Rypien, Petitbon and Charlie Taylor…my uncle Mojo vowels to become a Cowboy fan instead of a Redskin fan (mostly due to the Monk fiasco)…he remains a Cowboy fan to this day. Skins draft Shuler and hire Norv Turner.

1995- Redskins part with Coleman and Lohmiller….Draft Westbrook in 1st round.

1999- Originally thought to sell for the $500-$600 million, the Redskins are sold for $800 million to Dan Snyder (our first introduction to Dan’s overspending)…Snyder fires Charley Casserly and hires Vinny Cerrato…Snyder further disrespects Cooke name by re-naming Jack Kent Cooke Stadium.

2000- Dan Snyder opens his pocketbook to Jeff George, Bruce Smith, Mark Carrier and Deion Sanders…charges fans to watch training camp practices in Ashburn…cut longtime Skin Brian Mitchell…Skins go thru 5 kickers, none of them make key kicks.

2001- Schottenheimer signed as HC until…

I need a beer...Michelob Light in a can!

2002- Spurrier hired as HC…Vinny is brought back after Marty fired him…Skins sign horrible ex-Florida QB’s Matthews and Wuerffel.

2003- Final 2 roster cuts are made by Dan Snyder, of course…

2007- Sean Taylor passes.

No worries...

2008- Gibbs retires again…Zorn hired as HC, OC, QB coach…Gregg Williams fired…Cerrato promoted…2 draft picks traded for Jason Taylor…

2009- You are living it now!

Cheers and Hail

The Six Degrees Of Fatpickled

Hard to believe that 6 Degrees has been missing from the blog for nearly 6 months. What is 6 Degrees? It’s a bunch of links (6) that I have enjoyed over the past few days…and it will be back in a regular rotation here every Monday. So, click on the links and enjoy some of the best stories I’ve found on the net.

Of course Tiger is everywhere…but this is the best story out there…he needs a “Kobe special” from Zales? (TMZ)

Cheers and Hail

11/27: Happy Birthday Randy Milligan & Brendan Haywood

Happy birthday Randy Milligan. Randy played 4 seasons for the Orioles from 89-92’. “Moose” was burly figure that was generously listed at 228lbs and was surprisingly handy with a 1st baseman’s mitt. But, Randy was better with a bat and hit 59 HR’s and drove in 228 during his tenure with the Orioles. Randy also posted a .388 OBP (4th best all-time) during his O’s career. His best season came in 90’ when hit .265-20-60 in only 109 games. Randy retired after the 94’ season and currently works for the Orioles as a scout. Happy 48th Mr. Milligan.

Cheers and Hail

NFL Week 12: Pickin On The NFL

I'm on a gravy train with biscuit wheels!

I made some great strides in Week 11 for trying to reach my goals for the season. Last week I was 13-2 straight up (SU) and 9-6 against the spread (ATS.) I also hit both my lock of the week and my underdog of the week. Here are my year to date stats:

SU 106-52 .67%

Cheers and Hail

Remembering Sean

On Nov. 27th it will be 3 years since Sean Taylor’s passing. It’s still hard to imagine that he’s gone. This is a re-post of a blog that I wrote on the 1 year anniversary of his death and an Animoto that I made as a tribute. The 2nd YouTube is the Redskin’s official tribute.

I was watching a Skin’s game a couple of weeks ago and I was wearing my Sean Taylor 75th Anniversary Jersey (happens to be my favorite out of my collection). I was enjoying all the stress and excitement of the game when my 4 year old son asked me a question.

“Daddy, who’s jersey is this?”

“This is Sean Taylor’s jersey,” I replied.

My son then walked up to the TV and stood in front of it, his nose only inches from the screen. He stared intently at the TV for a few seconds as I asked him as politely as I can (while watching a Skin’s game) to please move out of the way.

“But Daddy, which one of those guys is Sean Taylor?”

After stumbling around for a couple seconds I came up with,
“Sean’s not playing today.”

Wow, how could I answer that? It’s a life and death question that he is not ready for, and quite frankly…maybe I’m not either. But that simple answer is not enough.

I remember so many things about Sean. I remember how excited I was that they picked him over Kellen Winslow. Excited, because I felt Taylor was a once in every ten years type of difference maker. An added bonus to this scenario brought my favorite player (Chris Cooley) to the Redskins in the 3rd round.

I remember how he intercepted a pass and returned it for a TD in his very first pre-season game. It was the Hall of Fame game against the Broncos, and Joe Gibbs‘s first game back.

I remember how his teammates nicknamed him “Meast”, because he was part man-part beast.

I remember how he may have been the best running back at the University of Miami, but he played Safety. Frank Gore, Willis Mcgahee, and Clinton Portis were the teams RB’s.

I remember how he scored a TD in the Eagles game in 2005 to clinch a playoff birth, then scored another TD in the Bucs game to seal a playoff victory.

I remember how Receivers feared going across the middle against him. No, they feared him wherever they were on the field.

I remember hearing that he got shot, and that he was clinging to life. It seemed so surreal.

I remember thinking he was so strong, he was going to pull through…but I guess God had a better plan for him.

I remember the media reporting bogus reports, implying that this was somehow Sean’s fault, some sort of retaliation for something Sean did.

I remember for a split second thinking what the media reported.

I remember the media not recanting their bogus stories. I myself am sorry for my momentary lapse in thought.

I remember thinking how there was no way the Skins would lose the following week against the Bills. They did, but then rallied as a team to make the playoffs.

I remember learning just who Sean was. The person, the teammate, the friend, companion, and father.

I remember it all, and I will continue to remember.

And some day, when my son and I are ready…I’m going to tell him all about Sean Taylor.

Cheers and Hail

11/24: Happy Birthday Ben McDonald

Happy birthday Ben McDonald. Ben played 7 seasons for the Orioles from 1989-1995. Ben came to the Orioles as the #1 overall draft pick in the 89’ draft., at the time he was the highest rated pitcher to ever come out of college. At LSU, Ben enjoyed an All-American career that was highlighted with 2 College World Series appearances, a gold medal with the 88’ US Baseball squad and the Golden Spike Award. Ben also played basketball at LSU and was inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008. As an Oriole Ben went 58-53 with a 3.91 ERA. His best season was the strike shortened 94’ season…the strike cost him a 20 win campaign. During that 94’ season Ben was 14-7 with 4.06 ERA for Johnny Oates 2nd place squad. Ben retired after the 98 season due to a shoulder injury that required 3 surgeries. In retirement Ben has worked in TV doing broadcast work for LSU baseball games, coached Fatpickle in a fantasy camp but Ben mostly enjoys fishing, hunting and wrestling alligators in his post baseball days. Happy 42nd Mr. McDonald.

Happy birthday Ledell Eackles. Ledell played 6 seasons for the Bullets from 1988-92 & 95-98’. A-Train played Guard and Forward in a 6th man role during his tenure. A solid player, he averaged 11.3 PPG in only 20 MPG during his career with the Bullets. Happy 43rd Mr. Eackles.

Cheers and Hail