themurf Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 (photo by Brian Murphy) True story – the first thought that went through the head of Washington Redskins defensive lineman Stephen Bowen after he sacked New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning this past Sunday was about me. Why on earth, you ask, would a veteran defensive end such as Bowen think of me after registering his sixth quarterback sack of the season? Let me explain. This story starts three weeks ago, when Bowen and I were chatting in the post-game locker room after Washington’s disappointing 34-19 loss to the New York Jets. I told him that, while I thought he was having a very solid season, I had a bone to pick with him. You see, every time he made a play, such as dropping a quarterback or stuffing a running back for a loss, I’d point my camera on him in hopes that he’ll do a spirited dance or some kind of joyous celebration. But it never happened. Week after week, the 27-year-old just kind of looked over at the sideline and then jogged back to the huddle for the next play. And while that might make his old-school coaches smile, it does absolutely nothing for a guy like me who is standing around on the sidelines hoping to capture a compelling shot of the big fella. “I tell you what, next week, when you sack Tom Brady I want you to lose your mind,” I said to Bowen. “I want you to do a dance that would make Ray Lewis proud. I want you to lose your ever-loving mind out there. I’m telling you now – you’re going to get a sack next week and when you do, I want to see you let it all hang out.” We laughed about it and Bowen agreed to show a little emotion out there if the opportunity presented itself. Fast forward a week and, sure enough, Bowen teamed with defensive tackle Barry Cofield for the only sack of the game against New England. And yet, when I locked the camera in on the six-year pro waiting for his breakout moment, it never happened. “I froze up, man,” Bowen admitted to me in the post-game locker room. “It’s just not my forte. I’ve got to work on my dance moves. I’ve been asking my wife to help me and stuff, but she really doesn’t help me. I’m gonna have to study some moves from across the league.” At that point I suggested I should enlist the help of Cofield, thinking maybe he could pretend to use his taser on Bowen and jolt a celebration out of his teammate. “Yeah, Barry’s got to help me out,” Bowen said. Another week goes by and once again, Bowen makes a huge play for the Washington defense. During the third quarter, Bowen gave Giants guard Mitch Petrus a stutter step, froze him and then burst through the line. Manning saw him coming, but didn’t have enough time to get away. Even though Bowen was falling down as he got to the quarterback, he was still able to grab onto Manning and pull him down for an eight-yard loss. On the next play, the Giants missed a 44-yard field goal attempt and the Redskins still held a 20-3 lead. When I asked Bowen to share the first thought that popped into his head when he dropped Manning, his answer cracked me up. “I said to myself I gotta think of a dance move for you,” he said with a laugh. “Because you always get on me, I knew I had to come up with something.” Unfortunately for everyone involved, Bowen’s attempt to celebrate was less than stellar. It consisted of a primal scream and a spastic gyration. Needless to say, I wasn’t the only one who was disappointed. “He’s got nothing. It’s terrible. It’s terrible,” Cofield said when asked to rate Bowen’s post-sack celebration. “It’s not because he’s humble either. It’s because he can’t think of anything to do.” So I suggested maybe the next time Bowen got a sack Cofield could break out the taser on him. (Laughs.) “We’d probably get fined for that,” he said. “It’s a group celebration, so we can’t do it. But over the offseason we’re gonna work on it. We’ll work something out. We’re gonna have a little clinic* over the offseason at my house and we’re gonna get some well orchestrated celebrations together for next year. It’s going to be a party time next year every time we make a play.” *The highlight of this conversation was when rookie defensive lineman Chris Neild overheard Cofield and I laughing it up and talking about offseason celebration clinic. Neild leaned over and asked his teammate if he could be a part of the clinic. I’m pretty sure Cofield was joking and having fun with my goofy conversation, but his rookie teammate is now legitimately hoping it actually happens. That makes me very happy. Cofield and I aren’t the only ones who have noticed the one area lacking in Bowen’s otherwise stellar season. Click here for the full article. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LetThePointsSoar Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Nice piece murf, love the angle. On a side note, still hoping to see Barry break out the taser in the burg & gold. Unless I'm mistaken or missed it, I don't believe he has this year, has he? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweet Sassy Molassy Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Quality write-up, yet again, Murf. I like Bowen's style quite a bit. Maybe that's because I'm also a fan of guys like Tim Duncan and Peyton Manning who produce at a high level and rarely, if ever, bring much attention to themselves. He's been a great addition to this team, I'm so glad we got him over Cullen Jenkins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KDawg Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 As I walked away from Bowen, after sharing a pleasantry, I think I heard him say something along the lines of, "Man, that dude [read: murf] is a real pain in the ass!". Well, it was either him or my thought process in regards to murf. I don't remember exactly. For the record, though, on a serious note. I kinda stood around and listened while Murf had that conversation with some of the guys, while I was getting audio from others. The guys genuinely enjoyed the conversation and had some real laughs with Murf. I hesitate to say this, because I know his ego already struggles to get into the locker room door, but he's extremely good at what he does. Others in the locker room will talk to him even when they don't want to because they think he's the best guy in there (DHall and Barnes actually said it!!). It's fun to watch him go to work in that locker room. But, really, I wish Bowen would have sacked him right there and did a little Humpty Hump dance over his prone carcass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S.T.real,lights,out Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 That was great! Good job as always Murf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrypticVillain Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 That was a good article. I hope Cofield gets a sack on Saturday. Him hitting the "Don't Taze me Bro" would be a nice Christmas present for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoLeafClover Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Don't let Joe Buck read this article. His head would explode. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hiro Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 The more I read about the new guys brought onto this team, the more I drink the Shanallen koolaid. :koolaid: Guys like Cofield, Bowen, Kerrigan and Nield are all apart of this giant culture change. The Redskins are slowly no longer becoming an NFL organization for players to just come and get paid. They're becoming a team. One that we haven't seen in years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LetThePointsSoar Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Quality write-up, yet again, Murf. I like Bowen's style quite a bit. Maybe that's because I'm also a fan of guys like Tim Duncan and Peyton Manning who produce at a high level and rarely, if ever, bring much attention to themselves. He's been a great addition to this team, I'm so glad we got him over Cullen Jenkins. Almost forgot about all the offseason Jenkins love...great point SSM... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moondog Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 I agree with everyone about Cofield. I know he's only got 2.5 sacks, but I can't recall him doing the "don't tase me bro" dance, or any celebration for that matter. I wish team celebrations were allowed. Something along the lines of Cofield and Bowen combining for a sack and both doing the "don't tase me bro" would be pretty funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToaCommander Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Nice article. I like Stephen Bowen's humility. My kinda player. Maybe a fist pump or acknowledgement but excessive celebrations should be after the game when it is in the bag. My opinion anyway, old fashion rugby player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildbill1952 Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Good story. Good insight to some of our players who have contributed at a high level and checked their egos at the door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy Levi Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 This article provided more insight in to the OP's fabulous relationship with all the players than it did on the Redskins, but I guess that's the point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riggo-toni Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 Don't let Joe Buck read this article. His head would explode. And that's one huge noggin. It's practically got its own weather system... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themurf Posted December 21, 2011 Author Share Posted December 21, 2011 Quality write-up, yet again, Murf. I like Bowen's style quite a bit. Maybe that's because I'm also a fan of guys like Tim Duncan and Peyton Manning who produce at a high level and rarely, if ever, bring much attention to themselves. He's been a great addition to this team, I'm so glad we got him over Cullen Jenkins. I think I was drawn to Bowen because his twins were born within a few days of my son. When I heard about the tragedy the Bowen family went through, it hit me hard as a first-time parent. As the season has gone on and I've gotten a chance to talk to the guy, I really do think highly of him -- regardless of how he performs on a football field. He's a high-character guy who is easy to root for. Giving him a hard time for not being flashy was just a fun way to share a little bit of insight on a player who local fans don't really know a ton about. Thanks for checking it out. The more I read about the new guys brought onto this team, the more I drink the Shanallen koolaid. :koolaid:Guys like Cofield, Bowen, Kerrigan and Nield are all apart of this giant culture change. The Redskins are slowly no longer becoming an NFL organization for players to just come and get paid. They're becoming a team. One that we haven't seen in years. I would say that anyone who isn't impressed with the players this regime has collected hasn't been paying attention. The free agents that were specifically targeted (like Bowen, Cofield, Gaffney, etc.) have all jumped into the lineup and been extremely productive without the huge price tag that previous players enjoyed here. Add in the fact that nearly all of the rookies from last year's draft class have made an impact and it's tough not to have confidence that this organization is finally in good hands. The wins aren't here yet, but I can at least see things heading in the right direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martytheman Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 That was a good article. I hope Cofield gets a sack on Saturday. Him hitting the "Don't Taze me Bro" would be a nice Christmas present for me. I don't recall seeing it this season. It would be nice if he did get a sack this weekend and did the Taze dance for the home crowd. Murf!! You need to let Cofield know he needs to do the Taze dance if he gets a sack, it's the last home game of the season!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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