Things all football fans say that mean absolutely nothing

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

1. They worked out together in the off-season.

Every year some green receiver goes to his quarterback's beach house for two weeks and runs some down and outs in the yards. And fans always say, "This is why Marvin Harrison and Peyton Manning were so good." This is why Devin Thomas was supposed to make the leap this year.

If throwing a lot of passes to each other meant anything, Mikey L and I would have been the Montana-Rice of the late 1990s. Instead, I have not seen him since 9th grade. I think he works for UPS in Nicholas County, WV.

2. It's their second year in the system.

I think Joe Walton and Kevin Gilbride are responsible for this being a league-wide mantra. As we saw during the Spurrier Era, year two of a bad offense just means one more year of bad offense.

However, if JC goes out and throws 25 TDs this year and only 10 picks, expect Mike Wilbon to write a column on this during the first week of January. And expect him to insult inpatient Redskin fans in the process.

3. We need to run an attacking defense.

If Orakpo and Carter haven't combined for 10 sacks by week 6, expect fans to start ****ing about how Blache does not "attack" but rather "read and reacts.

I want someone to find an initial press conference of any coach or defensive coordinator over the last 20 years that did not claim that the team wanted to run an aggressive, attacking defense. Detroit wants to run an attacking defense. Let's see how that works out.

4. He's thinking too much/He's not thinking enough

Apparently, it is bad to be both too smart and too dumb. Peyton Manning thought too much when his team kept losing in the playoffs. Brett Favre doesn't think enough, I guess.

Frankly, I find this distrust of nerdiness and stupidity to be a great, middle-class American value.

Stupid people give you bad reality tv shows, but smart people gave you the Vietnam War.

How does this relate to the Skins? If Laron Landry ever starts struggling, I expect both complaints to rear their ugly heads.

5. The media hates us/The league hates us

Go to a Patriots or Steelers fan board. Both fan bases think there is a league-wide, New York-based conspiracy against them that prominently involves Peter King.

Just read this message board for a day to see a Skins-related topic.

[HailYeah]

6. A receiver should never, ever, EVER make the mistake of running his route short.

This never made sense to me. Whats the point in running the exact route on 3rd down if he is not going to be open? When you are well-covered you need to make an adjustment to the route, get open, make the catch, and hope you can YAC for the first down. TV announcers and fans slaughter receivers who catch a ball short of the first down - if they dont get the 1st, of course. But if they catch it short and then run for the first down, its a great play. W. T. F.

[TheLongshot]

2. It's their second year in the system.

I think Joe Walton and Kevin Gilbride are responsible for this being a league-wide mantra. As we saw during the Spurrier Era' date=' year two of a bad offense just means one more year of bad offense.

However, if JC goes out and throws 25 TDs this year and only 10 picks, expect Mike Wilbon to write a column on this during the first week of January. And expect him to insult inpatient Redskin fans in the process.[/quote']

I do think it means something here because no one but Zorn knew Zorn's offense when he arrived here. It doesn't mean that there will be an automatic improvement because of it, but dismissing it as a factor isn't right.

4. He's thinking too much/He's not thinking enough

Apparently, it is bad to be both too smart and too dumb. Peyton Manning thought too much when his team kept losing in the playoffs. Brett Favre doesn't think enough, I guess.

Frankly, I find this distrust of nerdiness and stupidity to be a great, middle-class American value.

Stupid people give you bad reality tv shows, but smart people gave you the Vietnam War.

How does this relate to the Skins? If Laron Landry ever starts struggling, I expect both complaints to rear their ugly heads.

I think you are taking that the wrong way. I think the idea is that you learn something so well that it becomes second nature to you, that you don't have to think about what you are doing because you naturally come to the correct decision because of the scheme.

The thought process comes earlier when the player reads the offense/defense. Football is a fast-twitch game where if you hesitate, you can get burned.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

6. A receiver should never, ever, EVER make the mistake of running his route short.

This never made sense to me. Whats the point in running the exact route on 3rd down if he is not going to be open? When you are well-covered you need to make an adjustment to the route, get open, make the catch, and hope you can YAC for the first down. TV announcers and fans slaughter receivers who catch a ball short of the first down - if they dont get the 1st, of course. But if they catch it short and then run for the first down, its a great play. W. T. F.

That one always seemed reasonable to me when it was talking about breaking off a route near the chains. You see receivers button hook back in front of the chains or turn their route out a half yard before the marker.

[McD5]

1. They worked out together in the off-season.

If throwing a lot of passes to each other meant anything' date=' Mikey L and I would have been the Montana-Rice of the late 1990s. Instead, I have not seen him since 9th grade. I think he works for UPS in Nicholas County, WV.

2. It's their second year in the system.

As we saw during the Spurrier Era, year two of a bad offense just means one more year of bad offense.

[/quote']

:rotflmao:

[gortiz]

He Stares down receivers

I want to kill people that say this ...fans think that on every single pass play a QB looks off one WR and then throws to another ...this happens but not EVERY PLAY. Everyone from Peyton Manning to Sammy Baugh stared down a receiver. I don't know a lot about football but I would venture to guess that QB's lock onto one guy more often then doing the old look at one side of the field and then throw to the opposite.

The notion that QB's either win a game or lose a game

Do i need to explain why this is idiotic?

Any kind of insight on an offensive lineman

really dude, WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT O-LINE PLAY?

[TheGreenMonk]

Sorry to say it but the word "we" I say it all the time and so far Snyder has yet to cut me a check!

[jkypoo]

5. The media hates us/The league hates us

Go to a Patriots or Steelers fan board. Both fan bases think there is a league-wide' date=' New York-based conspiracy against them that prominently involves Peter King.

Just read this message board for a day to see a Skins-related topic.[/quote']

This is so true. Living in the AFC West market for 15+ years, and now living in the NFC West market, no fan base thinks that their team is getting a fair shake. This can even be expanded into a sub-topic. Every fan base has some element of nay-sayers and doomsayers and fans who think they know better than owners and coaches. It is the balance of things, otherwise the universe would implode.

[Oldfan]

Most things said about leadership mean nothing. Just once I'd like to hear a quote about leadership made BEFORE success or failure or contrary to the expected.

"Coach Klutz gave his team a rip roaring half-time speech, then his team went out and got creamed in the second half" (But you know it must happen, right?)

"Coach Lucky's team won the championship even though he lost the locker room." (Historically, the New York Giants locker rooms require a delicate balance, not too soft, not too hard, or they will be lost).

"Quarterback Bimbo Stewart is a great leader. Despite that fine quality, his team loses every season because he stinks as a passer. "

[InsaneBoost]

Stupid people gave you Barack Obama' date=' but smart people gave you the Vietnam War.[/quote']

Seems about right.

[kiingspadee]

Sorry to say it but the word "we" I say it all the time and so far Snyder has yet to cut me a check!

I HIGHLY disagree with this and anyone that says this.

I buy jerseys, tickets, autographs, dvds, shirts, shoes, and all kinds of memorabilia. I support the team and am a fan of them...without US then what would they be? If they had NOONE supporting them at all promise you there wouldnt be a Washington Redskins.

So I predict WE will win the division this year

[Dan T.]

Seems about right.

Take it to the tailgate.

[tiger187126]

7. he has "it" "moxy" or a slew of other words that have no factual basis

[bubba9497]

I could write a book on this subject....

but my two biggest dislikes are

If I were coach.....:blahblah: :blahblah:

I want to see..... :blahblah: :blahblah:

Making definite statement about players or game plans.....

just the notion anyone has the gaul to think they know more than coaches and FO personnel is laughable and deplorable.

99% of fans don't have 1% of the knowledge or experience of even the worst NFL coach.

not to mention the lack of information such as practices, playbook, coaches tape, knowing players personally, etc...needed to make informed decision..... doesn't prevent them from believing they know more about everything :hysterical:

[bubba9497]

Take it to the tailgate.

Bingo!

keep all political references out of this forum

[bu7ch]

I hear this from fans who listen to too many players:

"It is what it is."

[“Misdirection”]

Bingo!

keep all political references out of this forum

[DallasSucks19922010]

I hate it when people act like they know how to break down a play. They dont know what play was called and how it was drawn up. You dont know if a reciever runs the wrong route or the qb completely screwed up. etc

[InsaneBoost]

Bingo!

keep all political references out of this forum

He was blasting my Vietnam War

[Hardcore Zornography]

7. he has "it" "moxy" or a slew of other words that have no factual basis

"swagger" "swag" "swagguh" "swagalicious" etc. Yeah I hate that too.

[BIGOLEBOB]

being in a system for more than one season is especially important and its a vital aspect of this team considering THE WHOLE TEAM AND THE COACHES HAD NO CLUE LAST YEAR.

People who say Drew Breeze did well in his first season with the Saints, well it wasn't EVERYBODY's first year. Just his. Last year was even the coaches first year. It is a REAL reason and not an excuse.

If Campbell throws that opening pass 3 feet farther, we start the Pitt game off with a TD and everybody including you is saying "wow, sure is a much better looking offense in year number 2" But because Jason is not accurate does that ruin the whole theory? I think not.

[Horatio]

I HIGHLY disagree with this and anyone that says this.

I buy jerseys, tickets, autographs, dvds, shirts, shoes, and all kinds of memorabilia. I support the team and am a fan of them...without US then what would they be?

Um, 3-13 instead of 8-8? :doh: Snyder knows he has a captive audience here who will buy jerseys, beer, and hot dogs no matter how bad the team is on the field. Maybe if you quit buying all that stuff (and thousands of other fans did the same), then maybe Snyder can be convinced to change his mismanaging ways. Ya gotta hit him in the wallet.

[Horatio]

9. You have to be able to run the football to win in the NFL.

No you don't. There have been tons of teams that can run the ball well in the NFL that never even got to the playoffs. Most of them were missing a QB who was EFFECTIVE (as opposed to EFFICIENT). If you look at TDs/INTs, then Jason Campbell was about as good as Ben Roethlisberger last year.

But who was more effective throwing the ball? And Ben "The Rapist" didn't have a good running game to fall back on. Campbell was bad in the red zone last year too.

Defense wins championships. You have to be able to run the football once you have scored some points...which means being able to throw the ball.

[AirMayo21]

10. He looked good in practice.

This could be arguable. But just because someone looks good in practice, doesn't mean they'll do well in a game. i.e. Taylor Jacobs

[SkinsFTW]

The assumption that the head coach knows who is the best QB for the team BECAUSE he was hired to be the head coach and his job depends upon him starting the best guy rather than the #1 draft pick.

If this was automatically true then no head coach would have ever lost his job and in fact would be a GM rather than a head coach. Kurt Warner would have been a #1 draft pick instead of an Arena league player, Flutie would have played a lot more than he did. Bledsoe would have never gotten injured in 2001 because he would have been out of the league and Brady would have been the starter already, unless he was picked #1 by the Browns in 2000 but they would have had McNabb already since they would have drafted him in 1999 instead of Couch. On and on and on.