For the geo-challenged: Buges on channel 4

Fitz · January 8, 2004

Ok, I know that some of you who found my weekly Spurrier transcripts interesting may have wondered why they became less frequent until they ceased altogether. I have to plead extenuating circumstances First, the run-up to Christmas is my busiest time of year, filled with dawn-to-dusk work and hours upon hours on the road. Also, the few long weekends I do get are devoted to my daughter's holiday visits. So as the team (and all of us) sank deeper and deeper into despair, it became harder and harder to justify the time for what became an increasingly pointless exercise. Week after week, Spurrier would keep offering up the same old crap about coaching 'em up better, the fans deserve better, ad infinitum, ad nauseum. Trust me, you weren't missing much.

Still, I felt that I was letting some of you down. So now that happier times are upon us, let me make it up by offering this transcript of Joe Bugel's chat from Arizona with George Michael and Sonny Jurgensen on channel 4. I think you'll enjoy it He's just as big a ball of fire as he was twenty years ago, practically jumping out of the TV screen...

GM: "Joe Bugel has -- look, I hate to do this when he's listening...but you all know, some of you may remember me talking about Joe...he knows I love him. I mean, he's a special guy. He returns as the Redskins' assistant head coach to Joe Gibbs, in charge of the offensive line. Yo, Chris Samuels. Yo, Jon Jansen. You will now be appreciated. But you *will* work your butts off, and for ten seconds, if you screw up on the field, this man is allowed to say anything he wants to you. Joe Bugel, have I introduced you properly?"

JB: "You sure have, George...and I'm JACKED UP!!"

GM: "Are you wearing a Redskins jacket?"

JB: "You better believe it - Boss Hog, and look George, right here Sonny!" [shakes Super Bowl ring-bejeweled fist at camera] "We're back, we're back!"

SJ: "Joe, you wouldn't have done this for anyone else except Joe Gibbs, would you?"

JB: "Only Joe Gibbs. I have a great love and respect for the man...Hall of Famer, greatest coach I've ever been around. Great, great owner who wants to win Super Bowls, that's such a great plus. And coming back to the best city in the National Football League. Our fans - we love you. Joe said it, we all say it...we love ya."

GM: "Wait a minute, Joe Bugel...you're used to RFK, where the stands used to rock. At FedEx, everybody just sits there, because there's been nothing to cheer about since you all left."

JB: "Oh, they're going to cheer George, and we're going to rock, you know what I mean? Those fans appreciate great football, and the type of football we're going to coach, and hey! [Claps hands] Welcome back Redskins, and let's get ready to rumble!"

SJ: "Coach, has the game- Joe Gibbs has been out of this game for eleven years now. Has the game changed an awful lot in that time period?"

JB: "No. Not really Jurgy, I'll tell you, there's a lot of teams in the NFL that are pretty smart, running the old Redskins' offense that Joe Gibbs and Don Coryell and Ernie Zampese put in, so no. Joe's right on top of everything. He does his homework, as you're well aware. I think the Redskins made a great, great choice."

GM: "Joe Bugel, one of the things that the fans are so discouraged about is the fact that this team, Joe, broke the record for most penalties in the history of the Washington Redskins. You cannot believe how sloppy...how will you change it?"

JB: "Well, just by coaching and rallying this team. Because when you watch the team on film, they have good football players. That's why we're excited. That's why we're excited about coming back. Hey, discipline. Hard work. That's Joe's motto. Hard work solves a lot of problems. And that's what we're going to do."

SJ: "Coach, when you came here as a consultant for the Redskins during the season, tell us now, since you're the assistant head coach, what you saw in the offensive line...what they were doing, what they weren't doing."

JB: "First of all, let me say this. I love that offensive line. You know, I know those two tackles, I've followed them throughout their career, you know what I mean, because they're tough guys. That's a good start right there. I like the interior, adding Randy Thomas. The biggest thing is, is we've got to get back to that slobberknocker type of football. Joe Gibbs' system is run the football, play-action passes. But hey, we want to become the great running team like we were in the past."

SJ: "And improve that pass protection, right?"

JB: "Ohhhh, baby! We'll improve that pass protection! That Ramsey and Hasselbeck - we'll keep your pants and uniforms clean, that's a guar-an-tee!"

GM: "Slobberknockin' football? Does that mean 50-gut?"

JB: "Oh, we're back baby, 40 and 50-gut! 66 and 77 counter-gap, don't forget!"

GM: "Wait a minute, Joe, you've got no tight ends that understand that stuff!"

JB: "Ohhh, we do, we do. I'll tell you, we're going to surprise you, we've got some good football players right there, and we'll keep building that program. Because again, it's the best city in the National Football League, and our expectations are very high. And our football team's expectations should be extremely high, because we've got an owner and a head football coach who want to put these on their fingers again." [Taps ring]

SJ: "Coach, do you think you'll be going back to Carlisle?"

JB: "I hope so, because we have a lot of fond memories right there. But that's up to Joe and Mr. Snyder. But that was a great place to train, you know, I mean great atmosphere, all the fans all around there, but it's kind of like our second home there, it was in the past."

GN: "Let's get ready Buges, let's get to training camp tonight!"

JB: "Hey...JACKED UP, George!"

GM: "Joe Bugel, thank you for joining us, you have no idea what you've done! Thank you for joining us, coach..."

Fitz · January 8, 2004