WASHINGTON 16 - GREEN BAY 13
I predicted after the debacle against the Rams in week 2 that the Redskins were going to need basically an act of God to win even two of their next six games. Somehow the Redskins have managed to pull of wins against the Eagles, and even more mind boggling, a win today against Green Bay.
I think the new Redskins motto is "WIN UGLY!" Both against the Eagles and Packers the offense did just enough to keep things interesting, and the defense gave up yards but no points. In fact, the Redskins D played pretty inspired ball today. You have to give any defense that holds the Packers to a measely 13 points some credit.
I don't know what the Skins are going to do about their offense. They couldn't run for shit and if McNabb doesn't spend at least part of this coming week in traction it'll be a miracle. The biggest play of the game was the play where Packer OLB Clay Matthews went out with a hamstring injury. Up until that point, Matthews and the Packer's D had been in McNabb's face and were beating him up pretty good. After Matthews went out, McNabb seemed to have a bit more time to throw, and the Skins started moving the ball a bit (not much, but enough. Anyway, the Skins managed to score 10 oints in the 4th quarter to send it into overtime.
A missed Packer field goal, a brilliant interception by LaRon Landry, and a couple of runs by McNabb in OT, and the Skins staggered away with a victory.
The Redskins face Indy, Chicago, and Detroit in the coming weeks, and, after today, I haven't a clue what's going to happen.
GO REDSKINS!!
Monday, October 11, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Want to look like a Super Bowl caliber team? Play the Redskins
Redskins 16 - Rams 30
I'm...I'm...hell...I don't know what I am. I guess stunned might be a good word. Stunned but not surprised. I knew the Skins were going to lose the minute the Gano booted the opening kick out of bounds. How did I know? I knew because the Redskins havea history of making bad teams look like Super Bowl contenders. Against the Skins a struggling rookie QB, in this case Sam Bradford, can look like Joe Montana. Against the Skins, a struggling team, in this case the St. Louis Rams (who have won maybe 5 games in the last three seasons), can look like The Greatest Show On Turf.
This game was simply ugly from the beginning as the Rams quickly went up by 14 points. There was some spark in the Skins but a weird sputtering, "there's a short in the wiring" kind of spark. In one of the strangest moments of the game, Clinton Portis broke of a 29 yard run, but then simply fell down as defenders closed on him. Since when did CP, who has been know to throw himself bodily at defenders twice his size in pass protection, suddenly become gun shy? This team is going to make me a crazy person this year. Whether the level of crazy remains the usual "What the F*** are they doing" crazy or ratchets up to true Redskins psychosis is yet to be seen.
At the beginning of the season I felt that the Skins might be an 8-8 team at best. I have to revise that prediction. The Skins schedule leading up to the bye is as follows: Eagles, Packers, Colts, Bears, and Lions. In an alternate universe, the Skins win two for sure (Bears and Lions), maybe take the Eagles, and play well but lose to the Packers and Colts. In this universe it is perfectly possible for the Skins to head into the bye at 1-8. I'd count it as a major miracle if the Skins come away with victories against Chicago and Detroit. If they win against Philly, Green Bay, or Indy, I'm stocking up on canned goods and building a fall out shelter because, face it folks, if that happens, the end is near.
I'm...I'm...hell...I don't know what I am. I guess stunned might be a good word. Stunned but not surprised. I knew the Skins were going to lose the minute the Gano booted the opening kick out of bounds. How did I know? I knew because the Redskins havea history of making bad teams look like Super Bowl contenders. Against the Skins a struggling rookie QB, in this case Sam Bradford, can look like Joe Montana. Against the Skins, a struggling team, in this case the St. Louis Rams (who have won maybe 5 games in the last three seasons), can look like The Greatest Show On Turf.
This game was simply ugly from the beginning as the Rams quickly went up by 14 points. There was some spark in the Skins but a weird sputtering, "there's a short in the wiring" kind of spark. In one of the strangest moments of the game, Clinton Portis broke of a 29 yard run, but then simply fell down as defenders closed on him. Since when did CP, who has been know to throw himself bodily at defenders twice his size in pass protection, suddenly become gun shy? This team is going to make me a crazy person this year. Whether the level of crazy remains the usual "What the F*** are they doing" crazy or ratchets up to true Redskins psychosis is yet to be seen.
At the beginning of the season I felt that the Skins might be an 8-8 team at best. I have to revise that prediction. The Skins schedule leading up to the bye is as follows: Eagles, Packers, Colts, Bears, and Lions. In an alternate universe, the Skins win two for sure (Bears and Lions), maybe take the Eagles, and play well but lose to the Packers and Colts. In this universe it is perfectly possible for the Skins to head into the bye at 1-8. I'd count it as a major miracle if the Skins come away with victories against Chicago and Detroit. If they win against Philly, Green Bay, or Indy, I'm stocking up on canned goods and building a fall out shelter because, face it folks, if that happens, the end is near.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory
WASHINGTON 27 - HOUSTON 30
In an amazing football juxtaposition, the Redskins managed to look better and worse at the same time. The offense stepped up and the defense stepped down.
It is beyond obvious that Donovan McNabb makes the Skins instantly better and that he is definitely not "done" as the Eagles seem to have thought. Find him a running game, and the Skins might actually have something.
The real surprise was the Skins D. While no one was expecting them to totally stop the high flying Texans offense, neither did anyone expect them to give up 500+ yards to Matt Schaub and company. A perennial top 10 defense, the Skins, with the exception of LaRon Landry, Brian Orakpo, and London Fletcher, looked decidedly pedestrian.
Both the Skins offense and defense had chances to win the game, but, as has been the case for too many years, couldn't come through in the end. Despite the loss, it was a fun game to watch. If this is a Redskins team truly on the mend, then I pity the St. Louis Rams next week.
...And so it goes.
In an amazing football juxtaposition, the Redskins managed to look better and worse at the same time. The offense stepped up and the defense stepped down.
It is beyond obvious that Donovan McNabb makes the Skins instantly better and that he is definitely not "done" as the Eagles seem to have thought. Find him a running game, and the Skins might actually have something.
The real surprise was the Skins D. While no one was expecting them to totally stop the high flying Texans offense, neither did anyone expect them to give up 500+ yards to Matt Schaub and company. A perennial top 10 defense, the Skins, with the exception of LaRon Landry, Brian Orakpo, and London Fletcher, looked decidedly pedestrian.
Both the Skins offense and defense had chances to win the game, but, as has been the case for too many years, couldn't come through in the end. Despite the loss, it was a fun game to watch. If this is a Redskins team truly on the mend, then I pity the St. Louis Rams next week.
...And so it goes.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Typhoon Kompasu and the Apathy Blues
It's coming on 6am in the Land of the Morning Calm, although it's not very calm as Typhoon Kompasu is rolling through, rattling the windows and doors and basically being a nuisance. The first big blast woke me around 4:30. Been up ever since.
I've been thinking about my posting something here for a while but just couldn't find the inspiration.
There's certainly a lot to get worked up about in the news these days. The politics of hate are alive and well in the US these days. The problem being that everyone's so focused on who they hate and why they hate them that no one's actually getting anything done. The US was built on compromise. The Constitution is a shining beacon to the value of compromise. It's what Americans are supposed to do well. When did the population become so blinkered and uncompromising? Of course, you can also check out the reader comments section in any online article about politics these days and be left wondering when the population got so terribly stupid.
I suppose you could blame the Republicans (fascist, right-wing, psychotic, religious nutbags) and their "Just Say No to EVERYTHING because Obama's President and We don't have Control of Congress" campaign. They make an easy target, but only because the mouth pieces of the conservative movement happen to be the ones screaming the loudest these days.
You could, I suppose, also blame the Democrats (Commie-pinko, Godless, liberal, tax and spend, tree-hugging scumsuckers) for...well...whatever it is that conservatives blame liberals for (I'm trying to be objective, but it's difficult). They make an easy target simply because they're so damn wimpy these days.
Regardless of who you blame, the fact remains that neither side could agree on the color of shit if it got dumped on their heads. It's getting old, and I'm pretty much beyond caring.
Even sport is without its clarion call these days. It's football season. Usually my favorite time of year. However, the Skins have been down so long that it's hard to work up any real excitement. Realistically, what's the best the Skins can do this season? I say 8-8. It's difficult to get hyped about 8-8. We ave yet ANOTHER new coach; yet ANOTHER new offensive and defensive scheme; yet ANOTHER off-season soap opera (Albert Haynesworth). Yawn.
The Nationals keep hope alive to a certain extent. The future does seem to be fairly bright. However, with their record at 57-76, which amazingly enough is an improvement over last year, is not something to inspire much of anything, really. The only thing Nats fans can hope for this season is that the team doesn't end up in LAST place in the entire league. Sigh
Well, it appears the wind has died down, so I can go back to bed and see if there is any inspiration buried in my sub-conscious.
...And so it goes.
I've been thinking about my posting something here for a while but just couldn't find the inspiration.
There's certainly a lot to get worked up about in the news these days. The politics of hate are alive and well in the US these days. The problem being that everyone's so focused on who they hate and why they hate them that no one's actually getting anything done. The US was built on compromise. The Constitution is a shining beacon to the value of compromise. It's what Americans are supposed to do well. When did the population become so blinkered and uncompromising? Of course, you can also check out the reader comments section in any online article about politics these days and be left wondering when the population got so terribly stupid.
I suppose you could blame the Republicans (fascist, right-wing, psychotic, religious nutbags) and their "Just Say No to EVERYTHING because Obama's President and We don't have Control of Congress" campaign. They make an easy target, but only because the mouth pieces of the conservative movement happen to be the ones screaming the loudest these days.
You could, I suppose, also blame the Democrats (Commie-pinko, Godless, liberal, tax and spend, tree-hugging scumsuckers) for...well...whatever it is that conservatives blame liberals for (I'm trying to be objective, but it's difficult). They make an easy target simply because they're so damn wimpy these days.
Regardless of who you blame, the fact remains that neither side could agree on the color of shit if it got dumped on their heads. It's getting old, and I'm pretty much beyond caring.
Even sport is without its clarion call these days. It's football season. Usually my favorite time of year. However, the Skins have been down so long that it's hard to work up any real excitement. Realistically, what's the best the Skins can do this season? I say 8-8. It's difficult to get hyped about 8-8. We ave yet ANOTHER new coach; yet ANOTHER new offensive and defensive scheme; yet ANOTHER off-season soap opera (Albert Haynesworth). Yawn.
The Nationals keep hope alive to a certain extent. The future does seem to be fairly bright. However, with their record at 57-76, which amazingly enough is an improvement over last year, is not something to inspire much of anything, really. The only thing Nats fans can hope for this season is that the team doesn't end up in LAST place in the entire league. Sigh
Well, it appears the wind has died down, so I can go back to bed and see if there is any inspiration buried in my sub-conscious.
...And so it goes.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Not smoking and the trip through the looking glass.
I have not smoked in one full month (applause). This, according to everyone living: smokers, non-smokers, men, women, young and old, is a good thing. Well, let me tell you something. For something that is supposed to be good, I certainly feel like shit. I mean really, it's been a month. What gives? I figured I'd see some change; feel some positive difference. No. I feel worse.
Being the rational person that I am (stop snickering), I did a search on the side effects of quitting smoking cold turkey. I visited several sites, and they all pretty much said the same thing. Intial symptoms of nicotine withdrawal are irritability and depression. Well, FUCK YOU! I'm happy as a fucking clam! Goddamnit! The sites mention that sleep and even dreams can be affected. Death has stalked my subconscious literally since the day I stopped smoking. My dreams are a nightmare collage of plague, famine, and war with fields, bogs, and cities strewn with piles of bloated, decaying corpses. Needless to say, I'm not getting the rest I need. Couple this with the fact that I can't breathe anymore (?!?), and I'm having a grand old time.
What solution do these sites propose? Drink lots of water and be patient. Oh. Well, thanks for that. That will help my irritability issues for sure!
Being the rational person that I am (stop snickering), I did a search on the side effects of quitting smoking cold turkey. I visited several sites, and they all pretty much said the same thing. Intial symptoms of nicotine withdrawal are irritability and depression. Well, FUCK YOU! I'm happy as a fucking clam! Goddamnit! The sites mention that sleep and even dreams can be affected. Death has stalked my subconscious literally since the day I stopped smoking. My dreams are a nightmare collage of plague, famine, and war with fields, bogs, and cities strewn with piles of bloated, decaying corpses. Needless to say, I'm not getting the rest I need. Couple this with the fact that I can't breathe anymore (?!?), and I'm having a grand old time.
What solution do these sites propose? Drink lots of water and be patient. Oh. Well, thanks for that. That will help my irritability issues for sure!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Friday, July 16, 2010
D-DAY!!
I have spent the last few weeks getting my head around the idea, testing theories, methods, and feasibility. Well, D-Day has arrived:
TODAY I QUIT SMOKING!
To be honest, this isn't really a health decision as much as a financial one. I simply can't justify complaining about how broke I am while spending $30 a week on smokes! Sure, the health thing is a perk and coincides with the second part of my plan, which starts on D+3 when I start swimming.
The cigarette thing might not be that difficult this time around. I managed to survive this week, which was arguably the longest week of my life, with only one, count 'em, ONE, cigarette. That's down from two packs a day, so I figure I'm doin' pretty good.
My resolve will be sorely tested this weekend, as I plan to go into Daejeon and meet Ian for a night of decadence and debauchery. It's payday, and I haven't been out in three weeks. GAME ON!!! If I get through this weekend with my new-found virginity intact, I think I'll be good to go!
...and so it goes!
TODAY I QUIT SMOKING!
To be honest, this isn't really a health decision as much as a financial one. I simply can't justify complaining about how broke I am while spending $30 a week on smokes! Sure, the health thing is a perk and coincides with the second part of my plan, which starts on D+3 when I start swimming.
The cigarette thing might not be that difficult this time around. I managed to survive this week, which was arguably the longest week of my life, with only one, count 'em, ONE, cigarette. That's down from two packs a day, so I figure I'm doin' pretty good.
My resolve will be sorely tested this weekend, as I plan to go into Daejeon and meet Ian for a night of decadence and debauchery. It's payday, and I haven't been out in three weeks. GAME ON!!! If I get through this weekend with my new-found virginity intact, I think I'll be good to go!
...and so it goes!
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