RMN- Capital Investment (Portis) article

[aREDSKIN]

Capital investment

With Washington, ex-Broncos back Portis says he finally feels appreciated

By Lynn DeBruin, Rocky Mountain News

July 31, 2004

ASHBURN, Va. - Clinton Portis has moved 2,000 miles east, to a different time zone and into a much different tax bracket.

But some things never change, like the mischievous laugh that emanates as he talks about playing his former Denver Broncos teammates in his current team's first preseason game Aug. 9.

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"I just want to get the opening kickoff and run it back, then I ain't got to go in the game at all," Portis quips.

"Who knows," he adds after sensing a reporter's skepticism, "we're working on it."

When the Washington Redskins begin training camp this morning in Ashburn, don't expect to see Portis practicing kickoff returns.

But he will be the centerpiece of a revamped offense that new Redskins coach Joe Gibbs hopes will help carry the storied club back to prominence.

One look at Portis' smile as he relaxes inside his new Mercedes sport utility vehicle communicates how confident he is.

"How could I not succeed in a true system where we're geared to run. I've got a 285-pound guy (H-back Chris Cooley) in front of me. What do you think is going to happen?" he said. "I'm all smiles."

While much has been made about Mike Shanahan's system in Denver and his success running the ball, Gibbs has a proven track record as well with a power-oriented system that employs an H-back rather than a fullback.

Gibbs made a 200-yard rusher out of unheralded Timmy Smith in the 1988 Super Bowl and a 1,200-yard rusher out of an aging Earnest Byner - now Portis' position coach.

John Riggins and George Rogers also found great success with Gibbs, even though their careers were winding down.

At 22 and coming off a 1,500-yard season, Portis is undoubtedly the most talented back Gibbs has coached.

He's also the flashiest and the richest, having signed an eight-year, $50.5 million deal in March as part of a trade that sent Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey to the Broncos.

Portis insists the money hasn't changed him, only made his living conditions a bit more plush.

"Money didn't change my work ethic, and it's not going to change the style of player I am," he said. "I don't let money put pressure on me. If we get to the playoffs, I earn my money. That's what I'm worried about."

He certainly doesn't have to worry about where to spend the night.

Home a 26-room mansion "Everybody will have a couple of splurges, but it wasn't nothing ridiculous where I went out and bought a tour bus or anything," Portis said of his deal that included an $11.5 million guaranteed signing bonus.

Instead, he bought three homes.

He is building an 11,000-square-foot house for his mother on eight acres outside Gainesville, Fla., complete with swimming pool, Jacuzzi and his own studio apartment.

He's building his grandparents a five-bedroom home on four acres in Mississippi.

And he recently moved into a new home near Fairfax, not far from the Redskins training facility.

He shied away from talking about his own home, saying, "I don't want Denver fans to be upset. They might think I'm too flashy if I told you about my extravagant lifestyle here."

But his mom, Rhonnel Hearn, doesn't mind.

She calls it a mansion, with more than two dozen rooms - 26, according to Portis - and a ceiling-to-floor waterfall controlled by a light switch.

"It's so big I got lost the first few days. Every time I opened a door, it opened to a closet," Hearn said.

She said Portis, eager to make the home his own, installed huge fish tanks throughout.

And, of course, he saved a spot on one wall for the infamous championship gold belt - now retired and framed - that he donned after rushing for 218 yards and a franchise-record five touchdowns against Kansas City on Dec. 7.

Though he now bleeds burgundy and gold rather than blue and orange, Portis still has a Broncos helmet and jersey on display.

"It's not like I can't stand the Broncos," he said. "I know who made this situation possible so, of course, I'll keep the Broncos paraphernalia."

At home in D.C.

But there's no doubt he believes he has found a true home with the Redskins. And as always, he's not afraid to say it.

"I'm 22 years old. I haven't even hit the prime of my life or my career," he said.

When it comes to marketing, Portis believes the Washington area is a better fit for his colorful personality.

"I think my flamboyant lifestyle, my attitude, the way I carried myself, was too big for the Denver market," he said.

"Some people took my lifestyle the wrong way. They thought I was just a wild kid. But I ain't never got in trouble, so how can I be wild if I never got in trouble?

"Of course, I'm going to say what I want to say and will continue to say what I want to say, but this is a bigger market to market myself."

He points to a recent autograph session at a Circuit City store - one that his mom said looked like a book signing for the other Clinton in Washington.

"When I left, the line was still out the door and wrapped around the building. They were there just for my autograph," Portis said.

He admitted that it felt pretty good.

"I think Redskin fans appreciate me," he said.

"They're looking for a change. Denver fans ain't looking for a change. They're looking for John Elway and Terrell Davis to come back and play with Rod (Smith) and Eddie Mac.

"But John ain't coming back, Eddie ain't coming back and Terrell ain't coming back."

That's not to say he doesn't think the Broncos won't have a very talented team this year.

He just believes the Redskins, despite last year's 5-11 mark, have potential stars at virtually every position and a veteran coaching staff that has turned players into believers - even if the NFC East will be the league's toughest division this year.

"Once you start smelling blood . . . if this team comes together the way we should, it's going to be hell on wheels around here," he said.

Portis, with his boastful yapping, already is that.

Arriving in style

While on a recent photo shoot with ESPN the Magazine, he stood on the steps of the U.S. Capitol and raised a $50 bill - representing his $50 million deal - and proclaimed, "I have arrived."

He also bragged that he would be printing T-shirts that feature his mug above the Capitol and a banner that reads, "Clinton: Eight More Years!"

When it comes to fashion, he admits aspiring to follow in some legendary footsteps.

"Deion Sanders brought his own style: I am right behind Deion, up there with Michael Irvin," Portis told ESPN the Magazine. "Those two put it in your mind to just be you."

With that, he pointed to the all-white dress shoes that he wore at his welcome-to-D.C. party and said, "I've never seen Deion in white shoes."

But Portis has dared to show up for a Broncos game at Invesco Field wearing pink capris and dared to admit he has worn a woman's designer hat.

"I don't think they're prepared for what they're getting ready to see," he said of Redskins fans, "But it's coming."

His new teammates, still trying to adjust to a 63-year-old head coach who has been away from the game for 12 years, admit they've gotten only a brief taste of Portis' style both on and off the field.

Chris Samuels, one of two solid tackles who will help lead the way for Portis, has seen him crack jokes and skip through tiny cracks in the defense.

"We haven't done anything yet but mini-camps, with shoulder pads and helmets, but just looking at the guy run and cut and stop and go in Keds, I think he'll be awesome," Samuels said.

Though Denver relied more on zone blocking up front and Washington's run offense is more power-oriented, Portis believes the results will be the same.

"Until God is ready to change something, I'm going to succeed in whatever system I'm in. You can put me anywhere, and I'm going to be all right," he said.

With Bailey in Denver, he believes the Broncos will be all right, too, especially after watching the all-world corner shut down Marvin Harrison with the game on the line in the Pro Bowl.

And as long as "winners" like Rod Smith and Al Wilson remain in Denver's lineup, he said the Broncos will contend in the AFC West.

"Did I say they were going to win the Super Bowl? No, I think we're going to win the Super Bowl," Portis said. "Will it be great to (face) them in the Super Bowl? Yeah."

That's why he said the preseason opener in Canton, Ohio, would be fun, but unimportant.

"If I had 400 yards, nobody is going to remember that because it was preseason," he said. "I'd rather see them in the last game of the season, with it all on the line. That's what I'd rather see."

Reminded that stranger things - the blockbuster trade, to name one - have happened, Portis' mischievous laugh returned.

"Stranger things have happened," he said.

Clintonspeak

On the eve of his first training camp with the Washington Redskins, Clinton Portis took some time to talk about the Broncos, his new team and, of course, himself.

• Will his former teammates be gunning for him if he plays in the preseason opener?

"I don't think they'll be gunning for me. It wasn't that bad. I think all my (former) teammates like me. I'm not worried about them gunning for me."

• On his relationship with Broncos coach Mike Shanahan:

"It's really no bad blood. I respect coach Mike Shanahan. I have the same ego that he has. He feels like he's produced players. I feel like I produced myself. We have the same ego. I have no problem with that."

• His immediate thoughts upon hearing the trade rumors:

"Two things. The fact that I really didn't want to leave Denver, but if I had to leave Denver, this is the only place I would have come because I felt like everybody else had a chance to draft me except the Redskins. The Redskins had just got (Steve) Spurrier, so you knew they were going for a quarterback."

• His response to suggestions Denver got the better end of the deal with Champ Bailey and a second-round draft pick:

"You can easily take a shutdown corner out of the game, just don't throw his way . . . but I can show you games where I carried us."

• On wearing a Redskin uniform:

"People are, like, 'You're not going to look right without that Broncos uniform on.' They've just got to see me in my Redskins uniform. Hee, hee, hee. That's me."

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/broncos/article/0,1299,DRMN_17_3078293,00.html

[w33dh0l3]

*sniff* I love CP.

[warren]

Originally posted by w33dh0l3

*sniff* I love CP.

Man, this guy is the best... Does he ever say the wrong thing?

[DSF]

That was a great read...

Just make sure he isnt returning kicks.

[PersonsFan]

He makes a good point too. Sure he has a reputation for being wild, but has he ever been arrested? Has anyone, here or in Denver, had to read about a court appearance? Not to my knowledge. And nobody except Holmes hits holes like Portis does.

[spjunkies]

I think he's just goofy and there's nothing wrong with that

[TheDiplomat]

Originally posted by aREDSKIN

But Portis has dared to show up for a Broncos game at Invesco Field wearing pink capris and dared to admit he has worn a woman's designer hat.

"I don't think they're prepared for what they're getting ready to see," he said of Redskins fans, "But it's coming."

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/broncos/article/0,1299,DRMN_17_3078293,00.html

WHOA :laugh: . As long as he doesn't show up in a dress (D. Rodman, R. Williams) I cannot wait to see him in action. I feel as though he is going to be our so-called "Hype-man" on O. We already have Arrington and Smoot on D. HTTR