Reid Between The Lines
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Beantown Beatdown
OH MY!!!! The Redskins went to New England, to see where they stood against one of the elite teams in the NFL. Well the Skins didn't stand, they didn't crawl. They didn't do much of anything. WHAT WAS THE GAME PLAN? If the plan was to lay down and let the Patriots have their way with you, well then thumbs up and mission accomplished. No way, I saw that coming. I told my colleagues that I thought the Skins would stay within 20. Well that dissapeared in the 2nd quarter and I'm an idiot. Not only have I been drinking the Kool Aid, I was actually selling it on the street. Nothing hurts me more than being a Redskins Kool Aid pusher.
Gregg Williams and his defense played scared. No one wanted to challenge the Pats. How can you let Tom Brady just sit there in the pocket and throw the ball. Blitz.. BLITZ.... BLITZ. Right there, I blitzed more than they did on Sunday. The Pats are a better team but not 45 points better. Gregg Williams knows his defense needed to beat up the New England receivers and play with some sort of physicality. Instead, they played rock, paper, scissors and the Pats played bomb. Bomb, wins all the time and that's what the Skins defense got. BOMBED
Is Jason Campbell a fumbler? The Patriots must have seen something on the tape because they went after Campbell's hands, when they got close to him. He holds the ball low and apparently, that just how Mike Vrabel likes it. It was like taking candy from a baby. Vrabel got close, after he just abused the Skins make shift line and then he just bullied the ball away from Jason. This game was so bad, not one player on the burgundy and gold said " I hope we see those guys down the road". You know that rallying cry that makes you think they wanna fight some more but they don't. The Skins do not want to see this team again.
As for running up the score, I only had one problem. 4th and 2 at the 12 and the score was 38-to-nothing. Belichick should have kicked the field goal. Instead, he did, what he always does and that's go for it. The Pats were not playing out of character but that time they could have taken their foot off the gas for a little bit. I think this game may have spelled the end for coach Gibbs. He looked lost and they were a mile ahead of what he was trying to do. Time will tell but this one will take a while to go away.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________THOUGHTS:
On the Red Sox: I think this should be something that we have to get used to. The Sox are pretty good and they are only getting better. This year they won with alot of youth. They have the right mixture and they are still very hungry. If you hated the Yankees winning before, well now get a chant to hate on the Red Sox because Johnathan Paplebon is going to dance, Manny is going to be Manny and the future is real bright on Yawkey Way.
On Kevin Milar: How did I miss this? He's an idiot. How dare he throw out the first ball for the Sox in the play-offs. Whether he played for Boston before, does not make a difference. Millar is getting paid by the Orioles so he should represent the Orioles when he is iin public. That was a classless move. ¶ 10:36 PM 1 Comments
Gregg Williams and his defense played scared. No one wanted to challenge the Pats. How can you let Tom Brady just sit there in the pocket and throw the ball. Blitz.. BLITZ.... BLITZ. Right there, I blitzed more than they did on Sunday. The Pats are a better team but not 45 points better. Gregg Williams knows his defense needed to beat up the New England receivers and play with some sort of physicality. Instead, they played rock, paper, scissors and the Pats played bomb. Bomb, wins all the time and that's what the Skins defense got. BOMBED
Is Jason Campbell a fumbler? The Patriots must have seen something on the tape because they went after Campbell's hands, when they got close to him. He holds the ball low and apparently, that just how Mike Vrabel likes it. It was like taking candy from a baby. Vrabel got close, after he just abused the Skins make shift line and then he just bullied the ball away from Jason. This game was so bad, not one player on the burgundy and gold said " I hope we see those guys down the road". You know that rallying cry that makes you think they wanna fight some more but they don't. The Skins do not want to see this team again.
As for running up the score, I only had one problem. 4th and 2 at the 12 and the score was 38-to-nothing. Belichick should have kicked the field goal. Instead, he did, what he always does and that's go for it. The Pats were not playing out of character but that time they could have taken their foot off the gas for a little bit. I think this game may have spelled the end for coach Gibbs. He looked lost and they were a mile ahead of what he was trying to do. Time will tell but this one will take a while to go away.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________THOUGHTS:
On the Red Sox: I think this should be something that we have to get used to. The Sox are pretty good and they are only getting better. This year they won with alot of youth. They have the right mixture and they are still very hungry. If you hated the Yankees winning before, well now get a chant to hate on the Red Sox because Johnathan Paplebon is going to dance, Manny is going to be Manny and the future is real bright on Yawkey Way.
On Kevin Milar: How did I miss this? He's an idiot. How dare he throw out the first ball for the Sox in the play-offs. Whether he played for Boston before, does not make a difference. Millar is getting paid by the Orioles so he should represent the Orioles when he is iin public. That was a classless move. ¶ 10:36 PM 1 Comments
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Real Tired of the Nation
So to torture myself, I decided to watch game one of the World Series in a quaint little Red Sox establishment. It started out okay. Everybody was practicing their accents and people were trying to throw the word WICKED in, every chance they got... and then the game got underway. That's when this idea went south and the Red Sox fans, showed their true colors. They are an obnoxious bunch.
It's great to watch your team play in the classic and I don't know how hard, I would be to live with, if my team were there... it's been awhile. With that said, I have been a Yankee fan since I was 5. These young Red Sox fans are band wagoners. They haven't been through the 67 dream season and watched the Sox fail. They weren't there for Carlton Fisk and the big home run against the Reds in the World series. They have no idea who Bernie Carbo is and they equate that Fisk's home run with Goodwill Hunting... by the way, that was a great movie. These Red Sox Fans, don't know anything about Bucky "bleeping" Dent... oh the good ole days. They have no idea about the turbulent 86' play-off run. How Donnie Moore of then California Angels, committed suicide and it was attributed to the home run he game up to Dave Henderson. They didn't realize Bill Buckner, had to take his kids out of school and move, after letting that ball go through his legs in game six against the Mets. Every little league coach from there on, would tell their players, to stay down on the ball and don't "Buckner the ball".
They were not there for Mo Vaughn and they don't remember how the "REAL SOX NATION", hated Wade Boggs, when he went to the Yankees and was on top of that horse after New York won the World Series. "Young Sox Nation", started with the signing of Pedro Martinez. I don't blame him for "Young Sox Nation". I think he's a great guy. I blame Curt Schilling. He doesn't shut up. If you wanna find out how "the Schill" is doing just ask him. He is the mouth that roared and Young Sox Nation, have taken their cue from him. So all they remember is 2004 and the bloody sock.
The fans are jumping up and down, as 13 runs would cross the dish on this night. They're all high fiving and yelling...whoooooo GO Sox. What a lame chant. This is the first time, I wish I had car windows, on either side of me. When the Sox fans get annoying, I would just roll them up and pretend I don't see them. I need a defense mechanism because I get the feeling this is their year. My people are the Real Sox Nation. Young Sox Nation should work on clearing up their acne. They need to stop rooting for BIG SLOPPY and pay respect to their past. By that, I mean "PLEASE BE QUIET. By the way, right now, I am rolling up the window. ¶ 12:28 PM 3 Comments
It's great to watch your team play in the classic and I don't know how hard, I would be to live with, if my team were there... it's been awhile. With that said, I have been a Yankee fan since I was 5. These young Red Sox fans are band wagoners. They haven't been through the 67 dream season and watched the Sox fail. They weren't there for Carlton Fisk and the big home run against the Reds in the World series. They have no idea who Bernie Carbo is and they equate that Fisk's home run with Goodwill Hunting... by the way, that was a great movie. These Red Sox Fans, don't know anything about Bucky "bleeping" Dent... oh the good ole days. They have no idea about the turbulent 86' play-off run. How Donnie Moore of then California Angels, committed suicide and it was attributed to the home run he game up to Dave Henderson. They didn't realize Bill Buckner, had to take his kids out of school and move, after letting that ball go through his legs in game six against the Mets. Every little league coach from there on, would tell their players, to stay down on the ball and don't "Buckner the ball".
They were not there for Mo Vaughn and they don't remember how the "REAL SOX NATION", hated Wade Boggs, when he went to the Yankees and was on top of that horse after New York won the World Series. "Young Sox Nation", started with the signing of Pedro Martinez. I don't blame him for "Young Sox Nation". I think he's a great guy. I blame Curt Schilling. He doesn't shut up. If you wanna find out how "the Schill" is doing just ask him. He is the mouth that roared and Young Sox Nation, have taken their cue from him. So all they remember is 2004 and the bloody sock.
The fans are jumping up and down, as 13 runs would cross the dish on this night. They're all high fiving and yelling...whoooooo GO Sox. What a lame chant. This is the first time, I wish I had car windows, on either side of me. When the Sox fans get annoying, I would just roll them up and pretend I don't see them. I need a defense mechanism because I get the feeling this is their year. My people are the Real Sox Nation. Young Sox Nation should work on clearing up their acne. They need to stop rooting for BIG SLOPPY and pay respect to their past. By that, I mean "PLEASE BE QUIET. By the way, right now, I am rolling up the window. ¶ 12:28 PM 3 Comments
Monday, October 22, 2007
My hand is over the button
Well loyal fans of the burgundy and gold, my hand is hovering over the panic button. The Skins did not beat the Cardinals. They survived, much the way you and I survive a visit to the dentist. We get through it and forget it ever happened. Well let's not forget it happened, let's dive into it.
The Skins are 4 and 2 and as a fan, you should be confident but you know what, I am now of the idea that they are going to miss the play-offs and finish with guys pointing fingers at each other. After the game, Clinton Portis pointed his finger at the coaching staff and let me just say, he wasn't pointing his index finger. He wondered why the offense doesn't practice as hard as the defense. So let me get this straight. The guy who openly admits that he hates practice, feels his side of the ball is not practicing hard enough to win. I think I have heard it all. The Skins have a stud in Jason Campbell and Cooley, Moss, and Randel El are as good as they get. In the back field, Portis and Betts are a strong 1-2 punch. Their is no reason to finish the game and the offense has 160 total yards. If Portis is right, then their is a coaching problem.
Joe Gibbs, can not keep playing so close to the vest. He needs to air it out or Al Saunders needs to air it out. Whom ever is in charge of the offense, needs to air it out. Call it an early Christmas present to the defense. They need to work with points. Why not give them a glimmer of hope that you can do it. Also, if Portis is right, want is really going on at Redskins Park. The defense again is at championship level. The offense is having trouble busting grapes with metal shoes.
How did this Joe Gibbs change occur? I talk to players who have played with coach before and they all say, he would run something until you were able to stop it and then he would run something else. That's how confident he was in his game plan. This season, I can not think one play play that the Redskins can call their staple and they run it because they know they are going to get yards. They have no sure plays. Nothing that they feel they are better than you at. That's the difference I think. Every play they go to has a soft feel. If they are not handing the ball off to " the caveman " Mike Sellers or hitting Randel El on the bomb, they have nothing... and even those plays they have run away from.
____________________________________________________________________
THOUGHTS:
On the Patriots: Are they making teams suffer because they got caught cheating or are they just that good. Every week, it seems they go out of their way to run up the score. Against the Dolphins, they brought Tom Brady back in to throw his 6th touchdown, after sitting him on the bench. They must feel they are playing for BCS points. If this continues, teams are going to start putting "HITS" out on their players. I don't think any team can go 16 and oh but if they beat the Colts in Indy, all bets are off.
On College Football: This college football season is crazy. How many teams are going to be the flavor of the week and then lose. Let's see, South Florida, West Virginia, South Carolina, California, Oregon, Louisville. Hey Boston College you better look out!!!
On the interview between Keyshawn Johnson and Chad Johnson: That interview that aired on October 21st, was one of the best sports interviews, I have ever seen. It had give and take, from two people who consider themselves, always right. In the end, Chad won the confrontation because he was willing to keep going. Key, got tired and couldn't do it anymore. I love Chad Johnson's game. I think he's one of the best receivers going. The fans should not get down on him because his team is going through a rough patch. The Bengals are struggling and in case you have not watched, Chad has stopped celebrating. Marvin Lewis better get that fixed. He has all the talent in the world on the offensive side of the ball and it's wasting away. ¶ 1:35 PM 1 Comments
The Skins are 4 and 2 and as a fan, you should be confident but you know what, I am now of the idea that they are going to miss the play-offs and finish with guys pointing fingers at each other. After the game, Clinton Portis pointed his finger at the coaching staff and let me just say, he wasn't pointing his index finger. He wondered why the offense doesn't practice as hard as the defense. So let me get this straight. The guy who openly admits that he hates practice, feels his side of the ball is not practicing hard enough to win. I think I have heard it all. The Skins have a stud in Jason Campbell and Cooley, Moss, and Randel El are as good as they get. In the back field, Portis and Betts are a strong 1-2 punch. Their is no reason to finish the game and the offense has 160 total yards. If Portis is right, then their is a coaching problem.
Joe Gibbs, can not keep playing so close to the vest. He needs to air it out or Al Saunders needs to air it out. Whom ever is in charge of the offense, needs to air it out. Call it an early Christmas present to the defense. They need to work with points. Why not give them a glimmer of hope that you can do it. Also, if Portis is right, want is really going on at Redskins Park. The defense again is at championship level. The offense is having trouble busting grapes with metal shoes.
How did this Joe Gibbs change occur? I talk to players who have played with coach before and they all say, he would run something until you were able to stop it and then he would run something else. That's how confident he was in his game plan. This season, I can not think one play play that the Redskins can call their staple and they run it because they know they are going to get yards. They have no sure plays. Nothing that they feel they are better than you at. That's the difference I think. Every play they go to has a soft feel. If they are not handing the ball off to " the caveman " Mike Sellers or hitting Randel El on the bomb, they have nothing... and even those plays they have run away from.
____________________________________________________________________
THOUGHTS:
On the Patriots: Are they making teams suffer because they got caught cheating or are they just that good. Every week, it seems they go out of their way to run up the score. Against the Dolphins, they brought Tom Brady back in to throw his 6th touchdown, after sitting him on the bench. They must feel they are playing for BCS points. If this continues, teams are going to start putting "HITS" out on their players. I don't think any team can go 16 and oh but if they beat the Colts in Indy, all bets are off.
On College Football: This college football season is crazy. How many teams are going to be the flavor of the week and then lose. Let's see, South Florida, West Virginia, South Carolina, California, Oregon, Louisville. Hey Boston College you better look out!!!
On the interview between Keyshawn Johnson and Chad Johnson: That interview that aired on October 21st, was one of the best sports interviews, I have ever seen. It had give and take, from two people who consider themselves, always right. In the end, Chad won the confrontation because he was willing to keep going. Key, got tired and couldn't do it anymore. I love Chad Johnson's game. I think he's one of the best receivers going. The fans should not get down on him because his team is going through a rough patch. The Bengals are struggling and in case you have not watched, Chad has stopped celebrating. Marvin Lewis better get that fixed. He has all the talent in the world on the offensive side of the ball and it's wasting away. ¶ 1:35 PM 1 Comments
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Just a quick one
I am in New York visiting my parents and it's just interesting to watch how people react to the Joe Torre situation. Fans are actually sitting outside the stadium and the meeteings and Tampa and holding vigils so Torre can keep his job. Let's play both sides:
Yankee management thought Joe Torre was the flavor of the month and that up and down taste lasted for twelve years. He pointed the team in the right direction and kept them there for over a decade but now it's time to let him go. New faces and young talnet are on the Yankee horizon and just maybe, Torre is not the guy to guide the freshman, as they enter the boogeydown baseball fraternity. The one thing Torre is great at is dealing with stars. A team with more young players than cash men may be a probelm for Joe.
On the other side, if you put Torre's resume out there among any of the other possible candidates and take away the names, 10 division titles, 4 world series rings and 12 straight play-off appearnaces, would reall stand out. Also, the Yankees can pay whatever they want to get them a championship but expecting to get a championship is really a different story. This play-off stuff is a crap shoot, just ask the Colorado Rockies. The best a manager can do is get his team to the play-offs after that it's up to the players to get the job done. Torre has done that and he continues to do that...
____________________________________________________________________
PROUD BRO:
My brother Laurence is 5 years younger than me and he's the varsity football coach at the high school we both went to, SEWANHAKA. By the way, Vinny Testaverde also graduted from there. Anyway, watching your younger bro succeed at a sport you love and he's doing it on a teaching level, makes me proud. Football is not as big here on Long Island as it is in Virginia, Maryland and DC but the teams have talent. My brother's team has alot of talent but he is still by far, the most talented member of the squad. Laurence is patient and understands attention to detail. His gift is, he's able to convey his thoughts to his young players and he doesn't raise his voice. My brother impresses me. ¶ 10:35 AM 1 Comments
Yankee management thought Joe Torre was the flavor of the month and that up and down taste lasted for twelve years. He pointed the team in the right direction and kept them there for over a decade but now it's time to let him go. New faces and young talnet are on the Yankee horizon and just maybe, Torre is not the guy to guide the freshman, as they enter the boogeydown baseball fraternity. The one thing Torre is great at is dealing with stars. A team with more young players than cash men may be a probelm for Joe.
On the other side, if you put Torre's resume out there among any of the other possible candidates and take away the names, 10 division titles, 4 world series rings and 12 straight play-off appearnaces, would reall stand out. Also, the Yankees can pay whatever they want to get them a championship but expecting to get a championship is really a different story. This play-off stuff is a crap shoot, just ask the Colorado Rockies. The best a manager can do is get his team to the play-offs after that it's up to the players to get the job done. Torre has done that and he continues to do that...
____________________________________________________________________
PROUD BRO:
My brother Laurence is 5 years younger than me and he's the varsity football coach at the high school we both went to, SEWANHAKA. By the way, Vinny Testaverde also graduted from there. Anyway, watching your younger bro succeed at a sport you love and he's doing it on a teaching level, makes me proud. Football is not as big here on Long Island as it is in Virginia, Maryland and DC but the teams have talent. My brother's team has alot of talent but he is still by far, the most talented member of the squad. Laurence is patient and understands attention to detail. His gift is, he's able to convey his thoughts to his young players and he doesn't raise his voice. My brother impresses me. ¶ 10:35 AM 1 Comments
Monday, October 15, 2007
slipping away
The Washington Redskins can not let this happen anymore. The Packers did their best to help the Redskins with that game but for some reason the Skins, could not finish the deal. Let's see: Brett Favre played terrible, Greenbay could not run the ball, the Pack could not convert on a first and goal at the 9, Greenbay barely moved the ball in the 2nd and 3rd quarters and finally, Packer coach Mike McCarthy made some questionable calls in crunch time. With all of that, the Redskins still found a way to lose the game.
First and foremost, I know Santana Moss took the blame for the game but this was not 89's fault. He had a bad game and that's going to happen. The problem is Brandon Lloyd. If Lloyd was in the game plan, which he needs to be, then he's in there helping out and Santana doesn't have to make an already tough experience, worse. Every person, at any job has bad days, it's the support group around you that help soften the blow. That receiving core has no gimme, either they play great or they suffer. Against the Packers they suffered.
Why were the Redskins throwing the ball so much? It was your typical, bad Greenbay weather and instead playing like the burgundy and gold of old and running the ball, the Skins threw the rock about a thousand times. What are they doing? Forget about the dropped passes, just run the ball. Al Saunders and this offense is starting to look very ordinary in pressure situations. Run the ball and get it to Cooley. When they were doing that in the first half, they were rolling.
What is up with all the tissue injuries the Redskins are having? Stephon Heyer, is the back-up to the back-up and when he went down, I knew the Skins were in trouble. The coaching staff told these guys they could work out on their own in the offseason. I am sure they all worked out but it's just not the same as working out, at the football complex, with your team mates. The Skins now have to try and practice this week and they don't have a line to practice with. Not only are guys going to have to step up but some guys are going to have to come off the street.
Lets' look ahead and who would believe this game against the Cardinals would be a must-win game. They play in New England the following week and I don't think that one is a gimme. So they better win .
___________________________________________________________________
THOUGHTS:
On the Yankees: I am a Yankees fan. Grew up in New York and rooted for them since I was 5. Reggie Jackson was my childhood her o and my dad pulled me out of school when Thurman Munson died. I still get sad on the anniversary of his death. I am a true Yankee fan and I think it's time to say goodbye to Joe Torre. He's a great coach and he's done great things not only for the team but for New York but I think he has run his course. Joe Torre needs a change of scenery and the Yankees need someone else to lead them.
On the Patriots: It's tough to watch a football team, week in and week out, just crush their opponents. That's what the Pats are doing. They didn't need spygate to get motivation but now they are using it and giving the old middle finger salute to the rest of the league. Are the dirty? You bet. Are they running up the scores? Sure. Are they the best in the NFL. No doubt.
On the BCS: Just have a play-off please. All these computer print outs and numbers make everything confusing. Please start a play-off system.. ¶ 3:56 PM 1 Comments
First and foremost, I know Santana Moss took the blame for the game but this was not 89's fault. He had a bad game and that's going to happen. The problem is Brandon Lloyd. If Lloyd was in the game plan, which he needs to be, then he's in there helping out and Santana doesn't have to make an already tough experience, worse. Every person, at any job has bad days, it's the support group around you that help soften the blow. That receiving core has no gimme, either they play great or they suffer. Against the Packers they suffered.
Why were the Redskins throwing the ball so much? It was your typical, bad Greenbay weather and instead playing like the burgundy and gold of old and running the ball, the Skins threw the rock about a thousand times. What are they doing? Forget about the dropped passes, just run the ball. Al Saunders and this offense is starting to look very ordinary in pressure situations. Run the ball and get it to Cooley. When they were doing that in the first half, they were rolling.
What is up with all the tissue injuries the Redskins are having? Stephon Heyer, is the back-up to the back-up and when he went down, I knew the Skins were in trouble. The coaching staff told these guys they could work out on their own in the offseason. I am sure they all worked out but it's just not the same as working out, at the football complex, with your team mates. The Skins now have to try and practice this week and they don't have a line to practice with. Not only are guys going to have to step up but some guys are going to have to come off the street.
Lets' look ahead and who would believe this game against the Cardinals would be a must-win game. They play in New England the following week and I don't think that one is a gimme. So they better win .
___________________________________________________________________
THOUGHTS:
On the Yankees: I am a Yankees fan. Grew up in New York and rooted for them since I was 5. Reggie Jackson was my childhood her o and my dad pulled me out of school when Thurman Munson died. I still get sad on the anniversary of his death. I am a true Yankee fan and I think it's time to say goodbye to Joe Torre. He's a great coach and he's done great things not only for the team but for New York but I think he has run his course. Joe Torre needs a change of scenery and the Yankees need someone else to lead them.
On the Patriots: It's tough to watch a football team, week in and week out, just crush their opponents. That's what the Pats are doing. They didn't need spygate to get motivation but now they are using it and giving the old middle finger salute to the rest of the league. Are the dirty? You bet. Are they running up the scores? Sure. Are they the best in the NFL. No doubt.
On the BCS: Just have a play-off please. All these computer print outs and numbers make everything confusing. Please start a play-off system.. ¶ 3:56 PM 1 Comments
