Tarhog Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 ***Warning*** - this blog entry may result in buzzkill, irritability, and depression in some Redskins fans. Proceed with caution. Redskins fans may be making a big mistake. For years, we’ve eschewed and bemoaned the ‘wisdom’ of sports talking heads. The mocking disrespect heaped upon our beloved team and the organization that leads them has been continuous and almost unbearable. Bandwagon Redskins fans? No such thing. If you’re a Skins fan, you’re in it for the long haul. Only the truly committed could have survived the past 20 years of rooting for a team that’s an NFL laughing stock, the subject of derision for football ‘experts’ everywhere. But things have changed and more quickly than any of us could’ve imagined. With the arrival of the inarguably exciting RGIII in DC, the Redskins are suddenly media darlings. Conventional wisdom has shifted. Daniel Snyder may still be the spawn of Satan, but his dazzling new talent under center will surely lead the Redskins to multiple Super Bowl wins and dynasty status. It’s all over but the ticker tape parade down Pennsylvania Avenue. Right? Is this kind of attention and media love a bad thing, some sort of harbinger of doom? Of course not. Lord knows, fans of the burgundy and gold could use a little sunshine and optimism. Still, a nagging little voice in my head whispers to me. When Sally Jenkins and Troy Aikman are gushing over a Redskins quarterback and spreading the word that the Redskins are coming, and other teams ought to rightfully be peeing their pants, there is cause for alarm. Fans, this one included, are buying into the hype as well. With Griffin under center, anything is possible. Suddenly, it doesn’t matter that we can’t pass protect. Worst defensive backfield in the NFL? Special Teams play that scares the bejeebus out of fans at nearly every opportunity? Inconsequential. We’ve got RGIII. I’m not blind. I watch the games. I see, like everyone else what we’ve found, and what we’ve been missing all these years. Griffin is dynamic. He’s quick, smart, athletic, creative, talented, instinctive. And he’s a leader. He may be enroute to the best rookie quarterbacking season the NFL has ever seen, just a year after we thought we’d witnessed that with Cam Newton. I believe, with all my heart, that Griffin is no Michael Vick. He’s not even a Cam Newton. He’s the real McCoy. A bonafide 100% sure-fire franchise quarterback. 5 years from now, he may well be the consensus ‘best quarterback on the planet’. So what’s my beef? Despite all of the hype, promotion, and love being thrown Griffin and the Redskins way, I am not sure it means what everyone else who’s watching thinks it means –a guaranteed destiny of multiple Super Bowl wins and an era of NFC East and NFL dominance. What do we really know about what Griffin’s addition means for this team right now? We know we’re a lot better under center than we’ve been in a long, long time. We know that this team can score points, and score them in bunches. We know that, down late in the 4th Quarter, the Redskins still have a chance to win. But really, isn’t that ALL we know today? ... Click HERE to read the rest of Hype, Hope, and Victories of the Pyrrhic Variety Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsFTW Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 True story. We could see the Redskins turn into another hype machine that wins 6-10 games every year and never puts enough defense together to do anything. It sure beats the boring teams of the past 20 years though, at least for now, and the heat is on the defense more and more every week. You know its bad when you wish your DB's would just tackle the guy and let the refs call Pass Interference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylor703 Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 Nothing is guaranteed in football but in this day and age you need an franchise signal-caller to even come close to claiming a Lombardi. This team is young and it needed a season to grow but this is the start of something special. I'm incredibly pessimistic considering I've never witnessed the winning ways this franchise once had but Shanahan and Allen are building something here and I refuse to ignore that just to act like this is the same ole' Redskins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldfan Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 Tarhog, maybe you know that I grade QBs on what I can see, the tangibles. I've been doing it for a long time. As a consequence, I have a lot of opinions on QBs that are unpopular. I think Robert is the best I've ever seen. He can do much more on his own to help his team win than the comparatively nonathletic Brady or Manning. But there's a Catch 22: the more you use his legs, the more valuable he is -- but the more you use his legs, the greater the risk of injury. As good as he is, he still needs a lot of help to win championships. You are quite right about that. Archie Manning was twice as good as either of his sons, but he played for the pathetic Saints. He's not in the HOF and he holds the record for the most losses by a starting QB in NFL history. Peyton is Archie's Revenge. RG3 is super, but he isn't going to do it alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarhog Posted October 27, 2012 Author Share Posted October 27, 2012 Nothing is guaranteed in football but in this day and age you need an franchise signal-caller to even come close to claiming a Lombardi. This team is young and it needed a season to grow but this is the start of something special. I'm incredibly pessimistic considering I've never witnessed the winning ways this franchise once had but Shanahan and Allen are building something here and I refuse to ignore that just to act like this is the same ole' Redskins. Hope you're right brother Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martytheman Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 Nothing is guaranteed especially with that scumbag mara in charge. I'm normally not the tin-foil type, but it sure does seem like the league has it out for this team, and I don't see that changing any time soon. Snyder must have really pissed in alot of wheaties to earn what this team gets year in and out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sens11 Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 I always take a cautiously optimistic approach. In one vein I have this overwhelming feeling that things are different now and with Robert anything is possible. In the other I feel like things are the same ole status quo in Redskins Land. Last week was the ultimate in these two viens. It was the perfect summation of the feeling I have of optimism and then a 77 Cruz salsa dance lead me to same ole status quo feeling. Realty is that your record tells the story. At 3-4; a lose today and we are on our normal trail to 6-10. A win and we are an improved .500 team. Its a fine line but is our reality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingGibbs Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 It makes all me warm inside when I see the name Tarhog on ES again. I said lasy week that we are a playoff contender THIS year if we get a few lucky bounces and if we win in Pittsburgh today that proverbial hype machine will really get rolling. I know you said you are being cautious Tarhog, nut I sense a genuine excitement and belief in you because we do indeed, after all of these, years have a franchise QB. The likes of you, Oldfan and myself have always said "No franchise QB? No chance." Even with the piss poor play of our secondary I believe we go into every game with a chance to win because of what I am calling the reincarnation of one number 33. Yes, RGIII is that good and I'm more excited about one intangible then any other. His intelligence. The only negative to all of this? My health. I am very emotional again when watching the Redskins and it can't be good for my blood pressure. Apathy is no longer If I know Tarhog, he just can't help himself but to be emotional either. Welcome back Tarhog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rskin72 Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 I listened to all of the media love for rgiii this past week......and while I certainly like the positive attention mynteam is getting.....also realize this can be fleeting. Media types can hop off a bandwagon quicker than fat albert could waddle up to a buffet line. As we all know.....our team still has significant issues that will not be corrected inthe near future. The RGIII, Kyle and Mighty Mo show may have raised expectations for many of us.....and maybe we could be a playoff contender this season depending on some variables like turnover ratio and penalities.....but personally I think we are still a couple os seasons away from being one of those teams that is a consistent challenger for division titles, playoffs, and the sb. Wouldn't mind having the RGIII show prove me wrong, though!!! And, it is amazing how little you really need, as far as star teammates, with a star qb in the mold of a brady or manning. Give those guys a couple of decent receivers, good oline.....and your defense can be less than awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarhog Posted October 28, 2012 Author Share Posted October 28, 2012 Thanks for the replies guys. KG - interesting you brought up your health - as one of the things that lead me to this entry was noticing how angry and irritated I have gotten with recent losses. Over the past number of years, I'd kind of reached this place where I wasn't 'ambivalent' about the Redskins, but grew to expect poor performances or collapses late even with good performances. I didn't expect us to win, and thus those losses didn't have any particular sting for me. Now - I begin Mondays in the foul-mood I would have during the glory days if we lost a game we should've won. That's 100% the impact of RG3, for all the reasons you outlined. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armada58 Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 There's one indisputable fact here that no Redskins fan that I know is either overlooking or dismissing. It is that fact that, while optimism has never been higher in the last 20 years, keeps us grounded in our all around optimism for the team as whole. That fact is simple and sobering........... RGIII don't play D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsFTW Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 Now - I begin Mondays in the foul-mood I would have during the glory days if we lost a game we should've won. That's 100% the impact of RG3, for all the reasons you outlined. Didn't you just know that with 1.30 left on the clock after RG3 won the game for us that the defense would give it right back? With Eli Manning on the field? Myself and I'm sure many others called that ending in the prediction thread a week before it started. I don't know why but these losses really don't bother me that much because I know that with this once in a lifetime QB we really are that close. Just fix the damned defense. The biggest doubt for me is that Shanahan has never been known for his defenses but it isn't going to take the 85 Bears defense. Just give us the 2005 or 2007 Redskins defense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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