The Next Chapter In Birdland

2 years ago, if someone were to ask me what my 2 biggest wishes were as it related to my sports teams, I would not have said to win a championship. I would not have just wanted a good season for my favorite teams. No, the dream scenario was that my 2 favorite sports franchises, the Washington Redskins/Commanders (I still have real difficulty calling us the Commanders and prefer just “Washington”), and the Baltimore Orioles would have new ownership. I would much rather prefer to have a good, classy, respectable franchise and culture, vs. having an occasional good season. I also came to the realization after years of getting beaten down by arguably the 2 most dysfunctional ownership situations in sports, that because of the toxic ownership situation of my 2 favorite teams, winning a championship would be so incredibly difficult. Ownership change was indeed a dream. And especially for Washington with Snyder ownership, it seemed like a pipe dream that would never happen!

But in Washington, the dream became the reality last July, officially on my birthday! And in Baltimore with the Orioles, while there were years of speculation and hoping for a future Angelos family sale, including Thom Loverro who insisted it was in Peter Angelos’ Will that the Orioles would be sold when he passed, there was never of course 100% certainty that this would ever happen.

It was one thing to dream about my 2 teams having new ownership. It was another next-level pipe dream to imagine both sales happening, within the same calendar year! In December 2023, stunning and thrilling news broke, that David Rubenstein was in talks with John Angelos, about buying the Orioles! As expected, Orioles fans in Birdland were ecstatic. Hoping. Praying!

And then on January 30, 2024, an official agreement was reached between Rubenstein and John Angelos, setting off the celebration in Birdland that we were dreaming for!

But wait, there’s more! Next-level excitement, finding out that as hoped and also dreamed about for years: my favorite player- in all of sports…Cal Ripken, was indeed an integral part of the ownership group! This was happening.

Then on Wednesday, March 27, 2024, the day before Orioles Opening Day at Camden Yards, MLB owners unanimously approved the sale to the Rubenstein group! The celebration was officially, official!

David Rubenstein statement when sale became official

Also on Wednesday after the sale became official, Cal and David Rubenstein sat down with Cal’s son, Ryan, for their first exclusive interview together. Lots of really good stuff here. And there was also a video of former players congratulating the new ownership group.

I’m not going to spend time rehashing all the mistakes that Peter Angelos made. And on a personal note, taking a moment right now to pray for the Angelos family as they mourn Peter’s passing last Saturday. I hope he had a personal relationship with Jesus when he passed and is in heaven now. It needs to be said that Peter Angelos loved Baltimore. And he loved the Orioles. He wanted to win. And in his first few years, he needs to be recognized for having the highest payroll in MLB. My Nats fan friends will not like this, but Angelos also needs to be applauded by O’s fans for shrewdly negotiating the MASN deal with MLB, controlling the majority of Nats TV profit in perpetuity, as a concession for the Nats moving to DC, affecting the Orioles market. Peter Angelos also needs to be applauded for hiring Andy MacPhail in 2007, then Buck Showalter, when he finally realized it was best that he not meddle and let baseball people make baseball decisions. And something else not to be missed, is how Angelos kept ballpark costs relatively low- including allowing fans to bring in their own food- in a desire to maintain family friendly expenses. And then John Angelos also needs to be applauded for going all-in on a needed rebuild- the first true rebuild in the illustrious history of the Baltimore Orioles- and hiring 2023 MLB Executive of the Year, Mike Elias and similarly, giving him full control of baseball operations, leading to the consensus elite pipeline the Orioles now have.

Just amazed that this new day, this new era is here. The “Next Chapter” for the Baltimore Orioles. Opening Day was filled with so much excitement, beginning with the official Rubenstein Intro press conference. Then the ownership group also bought fans beer at then annual packed out Pickles Opening Day tradition. The entire day was filled with so many things to be excited about, on and off the field.

Let’s recap what we have to be excited about in Birdland:

• Elite Pipeline- MLB ranked #1 Farm System

• MLB #1 Ranked Prospect in Jackson Holliday

• 101 wins, reigning AL East Champs

• 2023 MLB Executive of the Year

• 2023 AL Manager of the Year

• 2023 AL ROY

• 30 Year Extended Camden Yards Lease

• A True “Ace” in Corbin Burnes- who dominated in his O’s debut

I can honestly say that experiencing this dream of new ownership groups with my 2 favorite teams over the past year, in the bigger picture of franchise altering trajectory, is much better than experiencing a championship. No more of the old ownership challenges, and wondering what would be said or done that wouldn’t make sense, or could be damaging to the franchise. Everything changes now. Everything is possible. Sustained, more consistent winning is possible. Having widely respected and classy ownership is now possible. It’s a new day. A new chapter. Let’s go Orioles!

Stupidest Money Decision I Ever Made

So I have certainly had my fair share of stupid money moments over the years. What Dave Ramsey and Team affectionately call, "Stupid Tax" moments! Listening to this Ramsey episode yesterday, it once again reminded me of my all-timer story.

In the summer of 1990 while living in Olney, MD my Mom and I went out together on a Saturday morning for one of our favorite bonding and shared passion experiences: yard sale bargain hunting! Yes, going back to when I was a young kid, negotiating and getting deals was wired in me both naturally, and influentially through my Mom. On a side note, Mom had just started her successful Real Estate career that year!

A home in our neighborhood had items for sale in their garage. My prime mission at the time was hoping to find deals on my current hobby: sports cards! As hoped, there were a couple shoe boxes filled with random cards, for 5 cents each!

To my delight, there was a Rickey Henderson rookie card! At the time, I recall it was worth around $150. I actually ended up trading it for Joe Montana’s rookie card a couple years later. Check out what it's selling for now in mint condition!

But the gold mine, was they also had the Magic Johnson/Larry bird rookie combo card! At the time, this card was worth around $250-300. Again, check out what it is selling for now!

Yes, I paid a total of .10 for these 2 cards. I was feeling pretty good leaving that yard sale!

A few years ago, I wrote about how I was a big Michael Jordan fan. And a good buddy of mine, had the holy grail basketball card: Michael Jordan's 1986 fleer rookie card! At the time, it was worth around $450-500. His favorite player was Larry Bird. And he didn't have the Bird rookie. I wanted Jordan. He wanted Bird. So I swapped my Bird/Magic card, and David Robinson rookie, for his Jordan. I was ecstatic. I had some great cards, but now Jordan was my prize collection.

Then the summer of 1991 rolled around, and Jordan's Chicago Bulls won their first NBA Championship. Even though I was a Washington Bullets fan, I also pulled for Jordan and the Bulls when they made the playoffs. And now in '91, it was their time as Jordan got his first of 6 rings.

Anyone from that time remember what one of the most trendy items to wear was? Starter Jackets! And now in the fall, the Jordan champion Bulls soared to arguably the most popular and must-get starter jacket. And I jumped on the bandwagon and wanted one! There was only one problem: I didn’t have enough money saved to buy one. So I went into strategy mode of how I would make money quickly.

Problem number one? I was impulsive, and wanted the jacket now.

And keep in mind, there was no E-Bay, no online market sites- no internet at that time! We had to create a market, in person. There was a sports card show in Gaithersburg at the Casey Barn Community Center and I decided that I should sell some of my cards to get the $ needed for the Bulls jacket! Before leaving my house I looked at my Jordan rookie card. I paused, considered…should I try to sell my best card? Then I looked closely at it. While it was in very good condition, I noticed a slight nick on the bottom left corner. The stupidity impulse monster in me was growing to next-level mode. I had the brilliant idea: why don’t I attempt to use my scissors and ever so slightly trim the nick, to make it look in even better…perhaps even mint condition? Yes, I listened to stupidity, trimmed the card, and took it with me in hopes of getting a king’s ransom- hopefully a lot more than was needed for my Bulls Starter Jacket!

I talked to one of the dealers and as expected, he was interested in buying my Jordan! But there was a problem. While looking at it closely, he said that it looked like it had been trimmed and asked if I noticed and agreed. Trying to play it off, I said it looks pretty good to me and didn’t make a big deal of it. He said he would give me $50. Yes, FIFTY dollars! Internally I was stunned. Only $50? Surely it’s worth more than this! Of course it was, even with the slight trim.

Problem number two? I was desperate…and wanted the jacket now! If I could go back in time, I wish I could tell my 16 year old self to listen to the financial alarm bells going off, be patient and wait until I had the money saved, and delay the impulse for instant gratification.

So yes, in that stupid money moment of time, I agreed to exchange my 1986 Michael Jordan fleer, slightly trimmed rookie card, for a whopping $50! The thing is, most people even knew me as a shrewd negotiator at that time. I was always the one wheeling and dealing, including trading cards for more valuable cards! I had a pretty valuable card collection. But emotions took over and I clearly wasn’t thinking rationally. I had to have my Jordan Bulls Starter Jacket!

So what if I never sold that Jordan rookie card? With all the official card grading scales today (not around back in 1991), what would the trim version grade currently be worth? Or, what if I never trimmed it? What would that grade version be worth? Though hard to say exactly, I definitely recall it being in very good shape before the trim. Check out the list price of this one!

Based on a couple conversations with card collectors, I don’t think it’s far fetched to think my Jordan could possibly be worth upwards of $250,000 these days! Honestly, I can laugh and smile when I tell this story! I don’t have sleepless nights, anxiously wondering about what might have been. Hey, the optimistic side of me says if you go full-circle, I still managed to flip a 5 cent investment, into a $50 sale! Sure, it’s a painful memory but it’s also a good story that I want to remind myself, and tell others about. 2 lessons we can learn:

1. Don’t be impulsive, desperate and make stupid financial decisions. Be patient, save, and buy something when you have the money and the time is right.

2. Hold onto your valuable sports cards and let them go up in value!

Oh yeah and that Bulls Starter Jacket? I enjoyed it and had good memories. Then I sold it a few years later. Can’t even remember how much. And what is it worth today?

Good times.

When I ran routes for Drake Maye!

It was early morning and I was taking my son JT to go check out an event that featured the top NFL incoming QB draft prospects. Down the hill to our right we saw Drake Maye all by himself on a tennis court, launching passes over the fence- and over the adjacent interstate to the right! I said, “WOW! He really does have a cannon arm! Let’s go down and see if he would like for us to run routes for him.

As expected, he was very friendly and happy to throw the ball with us. I asked him if I could run some go routes and he was all-in. But unfortunately, I under-ran a few, and kept dropping balls he placed in my hands that should have been catchable. I told him my bad, that he was doing great, and that maybe I should run some simple slants instead- which were much easier for me to catch.

Next thing I knew we were sitting down and I started asking him questions. I asked if he had interacted with Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels- the other 2 top QB prospects. He said he hadn’t and that he really hasn’t had time, as his tight schedule has him focused on what he can do to improve, stay disciplined in his preparation and drills and be focused on what’s next. I also asked him what he enjoys in his free time when he travels. He said that he has a support team that travels with him that helps him manage his time, hold him accountable, and won’t let him deviate beyond the structured routine and disciplines that he holds himself to. I was very impressed and thought, this is the kind of kid I would want playing QB for my Burgundy & Gold.

Then, I woke up! Yes, this was a vivid dream I had this morning! Welcome to my funny world and I guess, something I have been thinking about a lot lately. On a side funny note: in my dream, Maye (who I wouldn’t be able to recognize if I saw him in real life!) actually looked like QB JD McCoy, in one of my favorite shows ever- “Friday Night Lights!”

But yeah, as a Washington football fan, who we draft at #2 overall is a huge topic of constant conversation among friends and media.

The widespread speculation, locally and nationally, is that the Bears take Caleb Williams #1. Still, speculation remains. Would Washington’s evaluation of Williams, a local phenom out of Gonzaga High School, be an overwhelming 1, and thus attempt to trade up one spot with the Bears to get the top QB? I will say, that IF Adam Peters and his brain trust are convinced Williams is elite, and clearly above the other top QB prospects, yes they should do what it takes to move up- if Chicago is truly open to dealing the pick.

But assuming a trade up will not happen, what will Washington do with this #2 pick? No surprise at all, and par for the course this time of year before the draft, the rumor mill swirls.

Some think a trade back to accumulate picks is possible. Would Washington find better value in passing on a QB at #2- IF they don’t absolutely love the guy- and rather, having a couple of first round picks? Perhaps taking a JJ McCarthy, or Michael Penix, Jr. later, and also draft someone like Brock Bowers, or one of the LT prospects?

Or, could Washington go the route of trying to bring back free agent QB Kirk Cousins, and still draft another QB later in the draft who could be developed for a few years under Cousins? Let me just say on this: while I love Kirk Cousins, and have well documented what I thought we should have done when he was our QB, I do not think we will go the route of bringing him back in this scenario. Now of course if Peters thinks this is the best route, I’m all in. But while a part of me would love Cousins being back and having a chance at winning redemption, I think that having this highly valued #2 pick- in a perceived very rich QB prospect draft- compels me to say that I absolutely think we need to go for it, not trade down, and draft our franchise QB at #2. While I liked a lot of things we saw in Sam Howell- especially early on in the season- the way things unraveled and his play dropped off (which could also be in large fault to Bienemy’s relentless pass-heavy attack), I’m not sure what to think about Howell’s potential. And generally speaking, when we don’t know what to make of the QB play, it’s more likely that we don’t have a franchise, QB1 star. Hope I’m wrong and maybe Howell could still be special. And I like a lot about who he is. But yes, I think we need to take another swing and draft one of the top QB’s.

So who do I prefer we take at #2? Honestly, I still have no idea. Running routes for Drake Maye didn’t convince me of anything! I haven’t watched enough on Daniels, Maye or anyone else to have any legit conclusions. While Daniels seems to have elite play-extending instincts, speed, and a good arm, he also has a very light frame- in the low 200’s. He would certainly need to pack on a lot of muscle to give him a better chance to avoid injury. And while Maye is a big guy, has his cannon arm, and is also very athletic, the concern seems to be his inconsistent accuracy and decisions on the hot routes, and his footwork.

And most importantly, what do we know about how these athletes are as people? Do they have incredible work ethic? Do they devour film? Are they the first one in the building and the last to leave? Are they gym rats? Do they eat well? Are they leaders? Do their teammates love them? Do they have a growth mindset? How do they handle adversity? All the intangibles. So essential.

At the end of the day, I am going to be very excited, and trust what Adam Peters decides is the best football decision for the organization. And let me also say that the reports of Josh Harris sitting in at QB meetings. does not bother or concern me in the slightest! From the jump, Harris has told us, that while he wants to learn, listen and be involved as an owner in various things, he will not be “involved”, as in making football decisions. He has completely turned this over to Adam Peters and his people. And I think this is completely reasonable! Zero problem with him wanting to sit in on QB meetings to listen, learn and support. Trusted source Sam Fortier laid it out:

Too many of our fans have Snyder PTSD and think this means Harris is doing the same! Absolutely not. Snyder would actually be the one running the meetings, and deciding who they would meet with! So grateful these days are behind us!

I am all-in on our tremendous ownership group. I trust what they are doing. I love the Adam Peters hire. And I gotta say, even though at first I admittedly wanted, and thought we would get Ben Johnson…the more I hear, watch and get to know more about what actually went down, and how much they also loved Dan Quinn from the jump, the more excited I am about Dan Quinn, and think we got someone who is great communicator, leader, motivator, and someone who is hungry.

Love this time of the year, and excited to see what my Burgundy & Gold decide to do in the draft and in free agency. And who knows, maybe if it’s Drake Maye, there will be a future opportunity to run routes for him!

Greatest NFL Coaching Tree

NFL Conference Championship Game weekend. One of the best sports days of the year. In the Ravens vs. Chiefs matchup, I was intrigued to see that it’s the first time that John Harbaugh gets to face his mentor, Andy Reid in the playoffs! This got me thinking, and having some fun conversations about the great coaching trees in NFL history.

There are great coaches, and then there are also great coaching trees. Most people would now say that Bill Belichick is the greatest coach- or at least the winningest coach- in NFL history with his 9 Super Bowl appearances and 6 Super Bowl Championships as Head Coach with the Patriots. Also consider, that on Bill Belichick’s coaching tree is Nick Saban, who I absolutely think is the GOAT in College Football. And of course Bill Belichick was the defensive coordinator for the great Bill Parcells, as they won 2 Super Bowls with the New York Giants, and also lost a Super Bowl with the Patriots.

And then certainly in the discussion as one of the greatest Head Coaches is the great Joe Gibbs, who in only 10 years won 3 Super Bowls for my Washington Redskins, and lost a 4th. And perhaps most impressively, he is the ONLY NFL Head Coach to win 3 Super Bowls- with 3 different, and NON- Hall of Fame, Quarterbacks! Also consider, that Gibbs took a 4th QB, Jay Schroeder, to an NFC Championship game, losing to Parcells’ Giants in the ‘86 season. And on top of this, if not for a Carlos Rogers drop on a should-have-been INT TD vs. the Seahawks, he would have taken a 5th QB, Mark Brunell, to the 2005 NFC Championship! But Gibbs would also lead the Redskins to the 2007 playoffs with yet another QB, Todd Collins, meaning that altogether, he took 6 different QB’s to the NFL playoffs. Staggering!

So getting back Andy Reid’s coaching tree. The list is very impressive with successful head coaches such as John Harbaugh, Sean McDermott, Ron Rivera, Doug Pederson, Pat Shermur, and Matt Nagy.

But then consider…where did Andy Reid come from? Reid was on the coaching tree of the great Mike Holmgren, who beat Gibbs in that ‘05 playoff game. And besides Reid, Jon Gruden was also on that Holmgren coaching tree. Who was under Gruden? Another list of impressive coaches such as: Mike Tomlin, Bill Callahan, Rod Marinelli, Raheem Morris, Jay Gruden, and Sean McVay.

And this is where it gets even more fun! In the NFC Championship game this weekend, we have Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers, vs. the Detroit Lions. Now let’s consider where Kyle Shanahan came from. Yes, it pains me and my fellow Washington football fans, as we are often reminded of what is absolutely one of biggest indictments against the disastrous Dan Snyder ownership years: the handling of Mike Shanahan- with his incredible coaching tree in the building! Yes, the 2013 Washington Redskins staff under Mike Shanahan, with Kyle, Sean McVay, Matt LaFleur, Mike McDaniel and Bobby Slowik. And not pictured below from that ‘13 staff, is also Raheem Morris- just hired as the Atlanta Falcons new Head Coach!

But then, consider where Mike Shanahan came from. You could argue that he’s on the Tom Landry coaching tree, as he got his start with the Broncos, under Dan Reaves. But shortly after, he also coached with Mike Holmgren on the 49ers! And who did they coach under? George Siefert.

And this is where it gets most impressive and my mind gets blown. Siefert coached with the 49ers, under the great Bill Walsh. Similar to Joe Gibbs, and in less than 10 years, Walsh also won 3 Super Bowls with the 49ers. And yes, like Gibbs is on the short list as one of the greatest Head Coaches in the history of the NFL.

Where do all these roads lead to? To what I think is perhaps not debatable: that the greatest NFL Head Coaching Tree belongs to…Bill Walsh.

The Josh Harris Group Future is NOW!

Did it make me sick to see all the Cowboys fans in our house yesterday? Absolutely. Did it make me sick that they beat us to win the NFC East? Absolutely. But yesterday was the only time in my life that I can remember wanting to lose to the Cowboys. And trusting it will be the last! To secure the #2 slot of draft picks for the best chance of franchise altering trajectory is huge and in the big picture, way more important than this game vs. the despised Cowboys. (Looking forward to seeing the Lions get their revenge @ Dallas in the playoffs!)

If you have been paying attention since the Josh Harris Group took over, there has been so much to like from the jump. Though I was hopeful we may have a good season b/c of the change (very wrong about predicting 11 wins!), it was never about the season on the field. No matter what happened, nothing was going to dampen my optimism with this ownership group. And it shouldn’t for other Washington fans either. Taking over in late July (on my birthday!) gave them no chance to make any moves prior to the season. They communicated that it would be a sit back and evaluate kind of season. And in spite of many fans who wanted Rivera fired before the season ended, Harris stayed true to his word: giving Ron Rivera the full season, no matter what. Which I also think was smart as staying with him when things started unraveling actually gave us the better chance to lose out and get this #2 pick!

And now, we finally get to see what we have long anticipated: the Josh Harris Group ready for their first offseason, with many moves and exciting things upcoming.

As expected, Ron Rivera was let go this morning. Harris put out a very impressive, classy statement, communicating his gratitude for Rivera, and vision for the future.

And Rivera put out a great statement as well. No, this wasn't Danny firing Zorn at 4:30AM- after making him wait around for 2 hours- immediately after the team got back from their game. This was all class and respect, from both sides.

As I have said many times: I don’t think there is a head coach- perhaps ever- that I can think of who has had to deal with more adversity and organizational challenges than Ron Rivera. Cancer. COVID. Team name changes. Investigations. Allegations. Media onslaught. Snyder. Ownership changes. You name it. Yet through it all, he fought. He was determined, and relentless in his efforts to stay the course, not give up, not give in. And do his best. And I will forever respect him and be grateful for what he did here.

Remember what we often saw and grew sick of in years past? Dan and Vinny or Dan and Bruce running around rogue with no smart plan to chase and lure HC candidates? In stark contrast, Harris is demonstrating so much more brilliance and competence, by first surrounding himself with a team of advisors- including the well-respected Bob Myers who was the elite GM of the NBA 4X champ Warriors- to help evaluate who these next hires should be.

This is what smart, forward thinking good organizations do! Not only is it impressive how quickly they have assembled a team, and are jumping into this well thought of plan in lining up multiple interviews. But they have also done it without any leaks along the way!

Now we get to see how this exciting process unfolds and who is hired. For the first time in decades- before Snyder- we are about ready to see a true, successful structure: an actual GM who has true control of football operations (possibly a team president over him), and then a HC who the GM hires, who should have full control over the roster moves, in healthy tandem with the GM, assembling and having full control over the roster.

Why have I been so excited about this offseason?

- Harris Group gets to finally start making their moves with their people.

- We get a complete overhaul from Snyder's previous connections.

- We get a new GM, and possibly team president as well.

- We get a new HC

- We have a surplus of high draft capital: #2 overall round picks, 2- 2nd round picks, 2- 3rd round picks (5 picks in top 100!), and many others!

- We have about 90M of salary cap space!

- We may get a team name rebrand announcement!

- We may get RFK stadium announcement!

Yes, if you are paying close attention, there are many reasons to be excited about the future of the Washington, Burgundy & Gold, NFL football team. We just got to experience our version of "The process" in this 2023 on field season! Time to buy now friends.

This is indeed a new day. The future is NOW!

30 Year Anniversary of the Juggernaut Washington Redskins Championship

January 26, 1992. 30 years ago tonight. The Washington Redskins capped off not only what is arguably the greatest Redskins team among their many great championship teams, but also what is widely considered the greatest team in the history of all the Super Bowl champions, by winning Super Bowl XXVI. No doubt, many great and dominant teams during the Super Bowl, and pre-Super Bowl era to consider. Off the bat for me, the 5 greatest championship teams I have personally ever watched- in no order- would be the ‘84 49ers, ‘85 Bears, ‘89 49ers, perhaps the ‘99 Rams, and yes, my beloved ‘91 Redskins. Amazing that it was 30 years ago! I was a junior in high school and per usual in those formative years of my young adult life, watching yet another championship run by my Burgundy & Gold. I have so many fond and vivid memories of that glorious season, such as going to the divisional playoff vs. the Falcons, and then the NFC Championship game vs. the Lions. I was so thrilled when leaving that game, basking in the joy of going to “The Show”, as we often referred to it back then. Between 1982-1992, the Redskins won 3 Super Bowls, won 4 NFC Championships, and went to 5 NFC Championship games! One of the most dominant team runs in sports history. I took the winning for granted. It was expected, and essentially all that I knew as a Redskins fan. Absolutely no way I could have fathomed back then, that since that 1991 Redskins championship, not only would I still be waiting 30+ years for another, but I would also still be waiting for another NFC Championship game- and even an 11+ win season! Yes, I long for and hope for that day again. But as I was telling my wife a few nights ago: even if I never see another Redskins, uh Washington…let’s just say Burgundy & Gold, championship again…just that ‘91 championship joy- and of course the other 2 Super Bowl championships that I personally enjoyed as well- has given me a lifetime of sports joy that many loyal, die-hard and long-suffering fans (like Buffalo Bills fans who had that gut-wrenching loss on Sunday night and have still never won a Super Bowl) have still never gotten to experience.

I could write so much about this team, but will try keeping it short and simple. I have thought about and debated for years how this team stacks up among the greatest of all-time. Here are just a few reasons why I think it can be argued that this squad is indeed among the very best- if not the best, of all-time. I would start with perhaps the most clear statistical barometer that you can build a strong case off of. And this would be something I just heard about earlier today: According to “Football Outsiders” advanced “DVOA” stats of teams since 1950, the ‘91 Redskins are ranked #1 overall. Right behind them are the 2007 Patriots, and the 1985 Bears. Definitely among good company. These next-level analytics consider all 3 units of offense, defense and special teams. The Redskins were so balanced, thoroughly dominating each phase, and had incredible depth at every position. Yes, they were loaded with talent (8 Pro-Bowlers!) and had HOF legends like Darrell Green, Art Monk and Russ Grimm (and should also have Gary Clark, Joe Jacoby and arguably Brian Mitchell!), but they also had so many other high-impact players. Something that stood out to me years ago was hearing Matt Millen describing his former team well, by saying that even though they didn’t have a bunch of “10’s”, no one had more “7’s and 8’s.” And of course the HOF Head Coach (still the only coach in NFL history to win the Super Bowl with 3 different QB’s!), Joe Jackson Gibbs.

Then, you consider their staggering 261 point differential. Yes, the ‘91 squad beat- often pummeled- their opponents by an average of 15+ points per game! Their high-powered offense scored the most points in the NFL. Then, their dominant defense (The “National Defense”), allowed the 2nd fewest points of anyone in the NFL. And both units were ranked near the top in every advanced offensive and defensive stat as well. And if not for resting starters in the last game and giving up more yards and points in the 2nd half, the total defense would have also been ranked #1. Amazing when we also consider how that defense pitched 3 shutouts that season…and realizing they still haven’t have a single defensive shutout in the 30 years since! Sheer dominance. So yeah, they had their dominant 14-2 record. A record that other dominant teams have also achieved. But it’s also sickening to me when I still reflect on how they lost these 2 games! It took a fluke ‘Hail Mary’ TD pass against the rival Cowboys to beat the 11-0 buzzsaw Redskins, who appeared to be cruising towards perfection and matching the ‘72, 14-0 Dolphins. Then in the last game of the season with nothing to play for and homefield wrapped up, the Redskins rested their starters (even after building a nice lead on the rival Eagles), and lost at the gun on a field goal. A team that very easily should have been 15-1, and could have been 16-0 entering the post-season. Also keep in mind, that the ‘91 squad won 9 games vs. teams who won 10+ games that season!

But out of all these stats, perhaps the most eye-popping stat I have quickly referenced when building a case for the greatness of this squad over the years, is how Mark Rypien was sacked only 7 times all season! Seriously, jaw-dropping. Especially when you consider, that Ryp was not a mobile QB at all. It was a classic, drop back offensive system, not the “Run & Shoot” or “West-Coast”, quick offenses at the time. And for even greater context of this incredible stat, is when you consider how that line went up against HOF legends like LT and Reggie White- twice that season! I definitely think that the ‘91 unit of “The Hogs”, was the greatest offensive line ever assembled.

Yes, it was a year of dominance. It was a year of joy. In those days whenever the Redskins played, the entire DC area shutdown. No one wanted to miss the games. It was more than sports. It was family. It was community. It was a can’t-miss event. No one scheduled anything else. It was the highlight of the week. When the Redskins won, it brought the DMV region together, in ways unrivaled. People from all backgrounds, countries, beliefs, interests, political leanings, it didn’t matter. The Redskins were the most common unifier. I love this about sports. And how I long for this again in this area.

30 years ago tonight. Congrats to my favorite sports team of my lifetime. And I might also add, a team of many great players- and even better people- some that I am blessed to know personally. These men are sports heroes and legends in our community. Forever celebrated and not forgotten. Hail to the Redskins!

2131

Earlier this month on the weekend of September 5th & 6th, I especially missed not being able to go to Orioles games this year- my first year of not going to games since 1982. The weather was amazing. Beautiful, crisp September weather. The Yankees were in town playing the surprisingly competitive Orioles. And most notably, it was the 25th Anniversary of Cal Ripken breaking Lou Gehrig’s hallowed consecutive games record, on September 6, 1995. There would have been special ceremonies and events all weekend at The Yard. Still, the Orioles have done a great job of recounting and celebrating this historical time. I wanted to let my mind and emotions take me back to that special time and reflect on the impact of 2131, to me personally and to sports fans collectively. Thanks to those of you who will join me.

2131. There are some words or sayings in sports that stand alone. Something that most sports fans instantly know what it refers to. 2131 is not only one of the most widely known and celebrated sayings among Baltimore area and especially Orioles sports fans, but worldwide sports as well. Historically, when sports fans consider what are vastly considered the most unlikely and un-breakable records to eclipse, a few come to mind. I think that Joe DiMaggio’s 56 game hit streak is certainly near the top of that list. Or perhaps Nolan Ryan’s 7 no-hitters. Maybe Wilt Chamberlain averaging 50 points a game in one season, OR scoring 100 points in a single game! Maybe Wayne Gretzky’s all-time points total. There was absolutely a time when Lou Gehrig’s consecutive games streak of 2030 was considered not only improbable, but likely even impossible! When one considers the physical, mental and circumstantial grind of a 162 game baseball schedule, to play every game over one season is daunting. It can also be considered lucky. To play consecutive games for 5 years is unheard of. And then there’s the Iron Man, Cal Ripken and 2131.

My first Baltimore Orioles game I attended was in May of 1983 at the age of 7. A young shortstop and rising star named Cal Ripken, Jr. hit a home run that night and the Orioles won. I can remember the buzz about Cal Ripken that summer from things my Dad and others around us talked about. He was the hometown kid who had just won the Rookie of the Year in 1982. And now he was in the middle of what would be his M.V.P. season, and eventual Orioles World Series Championship season. And he is still the only player in MLB history to win ROY and MVP in his first 2 seasons! Around the time of that first game, Dad took my brother and I to “House of Cards” which was located in Wheaton, MD at the time and I got my first pack (1983 Topps) of baseball cards and to my amazement, Cal Ripken was in that pack! I vividly remember being surprised and saying that I didn’t think he was supposed to be in there because I saw that card displayed separately in the store for sale! But there it was in back of my pack, and it was an instant treasure.

In my first pack of baseball cards. Personally signed by Cal a few years later.

My brother and I were both big Cal fans from the very beginning of our fan days. In fact, as I think about beloved and most impactful sports figures in my life personally, if I had to pick one, I think Cal is that player. We went to several games with Dad during that glorious world championship season of 1983. And in every one of those games, there was Cal Ripken at shortstop. And amazingly in all the years that followed as we continued growing up and going to games, there was Cal Ripken, being introduced by longtime Orioles PA announcer, Rex Barney. Ripken was the constant and team pillar. We talked about this as we got older and grew in amazement that Cal Ripken in the lineup and his incredible endurance and consistency accompanied our formative yeas and became such a big part of our lives.

During the 1990’s as “The Streak” started gaining steam and becoming more of an actual possibility, there was a defining moment that immediately stood out to me when it happened, and was a remarkable demonstration to me of Cal’s toughness and how difficult this feat really was. I was at the game, on June 9, 1993. Cal was drilled on the wrist and appeared to be in immediate pain, but in his tough and typical way, he trotted down to first base and stayed in the game. Then, to take his toughness to another level, he bulldozed Oakland A’s catcher Terry Steinbach as he rounded the bases on a hit and tried to score. Steinbach was knocked out of the game. Ripken stayed in. I immediately turned to my brother in shock and awe and remember saying, “That’s why he’s the ‘Iron Man’!”

Cal Ripken obliterates Oakland A’s Catcher Terry Steinbach- June 9, 1993

As incredible as that first-hand witnessed moment was to the durability and borderline invincibility of the Iron Man, what we didn’t know at the time was the full extent of how badly Cal had been hurt going into that game! Just 3 days before, Cal would be in the middle of one of the worst brawls baseball has ever seen. I was at this game as well, when Orioles pitcher Mike Mussina plunked catcher Bill Hassleman (in retaliation to Mariners pitcher Chris Bosio throwing at Orioles), and the mayhem ensued. It wasn’t until a couple years later around the time of 2131, that I recall Cal telling stories about how bad his knee was twisted during that brawl and how he woke up the next morning unable to walk on it and was convinced the streak would end! It was remarkable that he continued playing. Here is Cal talking with Tom Verducci about it.

That summer of 1995 there was so much buildup and excitement with each passing game leading up to September 6. And it was amazing to witness how Cal handled the fanfare and onslaught of media frenzy. Rather than keeping to himself and dismissing the warranted attention The Streak brought, he engaged with all people with class, enthusiasm and a display of selfless generosity unlike anything I have ever witnessed from athletes in my lifetime. After each game for quite some time leading up to 2131, he would stay and sign autographs…for hours. Long lines that stretched from the field and aisle, all the way out into the lower level concourse. Everyone wanted a moment with the Iron Man, and Cal would graciously oblige. The incredible love displayed between fans and Cal Ripken during that time will always stand out to me.

Though I had just moved away to Tennessee for school in late August 1995, there was no way I was going to miss 2131. My brother and I got tickets for 2130, the record-tying game. And not to be forgotten was that incredibly, Cal also HR’d in that game! He was completely locked in. We were just mesmerized at how Cal seized the opportunity to take the dramatic to the next-level. And during the longest fan ovation we had ever witnessed when 2130 game became official, we just said, “Man, what will tomorrow be like?!” Fittingly, the Orioles won 2130, 8-0. The stage was set. It was time for the long anticipated and seemingly impossible, record-breaker.

2130 Game Ticket

So we did not have tickets for 2131. And I have always been someone who embraces ticket bargaining with scalpers, dealing with hustlers, and buying and selling. I love open negotiating! I have so many stories from games over the years. We talked to fans and scalpers at 2130 in hopes of 2131 tickets. We searched high and low on local Washington Post ads and from the limited secondary market ticket offices that we had to call. Keep in mind there was no StubHub and “online” sites back then! It was unquestionably the most difficult ticket to obtain that I have ever encountered. My brother and I went with some friends down early to Camden Yards, hoping a ticket opportunity would emerge.

I have never, and I mean NEVER seen such a frenzied, high demand of fans looking for tickets to gain access. Hundreds and hundreds of people. I can count on one hand how many people that I actually saw selling. And when a seller emerged, they were swarmed and a bidding war ensued. It was a ticket scalpers paradise. I remember one guy paying $250, which was actually a good deal on that night. But still more than I had brought. Amazingly, my friend Kevin found someone who sold him a ticket for $100! But the rest of us were still looking. As it got closer to game time, the more desperate the many without tickets would get. I witnessed some fans who didn’t have tickets, somehow get included to squeeze onto an elevator into the warehouse exclusive access and gain entry. How did this happen? But what happened next is something I have never seen at a game in my life, and I’m sure something I will never see happen again. Fans were finding spots all around the stadium to climb in. In one particular spot, fans were piling on each other’s shoulders to climb in! It looked like an invasion of a fort under siege.

This was spot where fans were piling on shoulders in droves to gain access on ramp. Right across street from Pickles Pub.

Fans were shaking the gates near the warehouse entrance and chanting, “Let us in! Let us in! Let us in!” I saw fan after fan find a spot and jump unattended areas around the stadium. Absolutely unreal, and unlike anything I have ever seen before. My friend Jason found a spot and went for it. He climbed up an area of the gate, then scaled over to the left to enter the stadium where he could then climb in where the ramps were. Jason was a very experienced rock climber so it was actually a very impressive feat done quickly- much harder than it looked.

Spot (also on Pickles Side- off Greene St) where Jason climbed up wall and scaled over to enter on left, onto ramp going up.

After I witnessed Jason make it in, what was I going to do? Time to make a public confession and share my story. I was emboldened. I wanted so badly to get into the stadium for this historic game. And hey, I wasn’t the only one doing these unthinkable things, right? All these emotions flooded my 20 year old mind. In a moment of adrenaline and motivation, I also quickly climbed up the gate and began to slide over to scale the wall. But, I then heard someone yell from inside, “Hey! Get down! Or you’re going to jail!” I immediately jumped down and took off. I will never forget how that felt as I had a moment of panic. After I calmed down and collected my emotions, I resumed my quest in pursuits of a ticket…or access somehow.

The game started, and along with the many hundreds of people, I continued to hope I would gain access. Then a few innings in, it happened. I found a gated spot that looked perfect, with no one on the other side that I could see. I got close, evaluated and prepared for the moment. Several fans behind me saw what was coming, and they started encouraging me: “GO, GO, GO, GO!”, they chanted. Then in a moment, I pulled myself up, and quickly got to the top- and jumped over. No one was on that inner side. I was in, at 2131. Other fans followed after me. Now let me also make very clear that this is something I would not condone now, and will absolutely never do again. I was young, more arrogant and risky, and quite frankly, foolish!

To the right of gate “F” access on the Camden Street (across from what is now the Hilton hotel), I jumped in at this secluded gate access point.

I went over to the “standing room” area behind the left field bullpen and picnic area to watch the game and to my amazement- but also not surprising given how many fans I witnessed climbing in- it had to be at least 15-20+ rows deep, packed with people. Way more fans than the usual amount of 300 or so extra SRO tickets they sold at the time. So many people clearly in without tickets. But I was in and even though I never sniffed the front row to see better the entire night, I got to experience the game live. And on a pretty cool side note, I came across this tweet about 2131 that only enhanced how special it was.

Seriously, whoever initiated the idea to put the streak game numbers on the warehouse and mark the moment when each game became official, was brilliant. It was a pure stroke of genius. Then there was the accompanying ceremony music. Every time I watch the 2131 game and ceremony and hear this moving and emotional song that will forever be fixed with Cal and 2131, I am affected- sometimes to tears- as my memory immediately takes me to that sweet season of time in my life. And not only these particular game moments with the streak, but also a time that connects as a bridge to childhood memories of those games with my Dad and brother leading up to 2131. This is what Cal Ripken meant to us. These are the kinds of things that Cal Ripken also means to many Orioles fans, and sports fans. Cal was a great example and inspiration to me of what it means to work hard, grind, hustle, not give up, persevere, and give it your 100% best. During that time, he became an iconic symbol of these things to people all over the world as well. To many, Cal was credited for “saving baseball” with 2131. So many factors and “untold tales” from this year, right after the devastating strike of 1994, contributed to the massive contribution that Cal made to baseball, and the sports world. His work ethic and sacrifices to keep himself prepared, engaged and keep in great physical shape was not to be overlooked. He was, and remains to this day an incredible baseball legend, and a universally embraced ambassador to the game. He is and forever will be the Iron Man.

The Last Dance

For the first time since I was 7 years old, I am currently living a life that is completely absent of something that has since been such a consistent and important part of my life that I so passionately enjoy: sports. In a recent conversation with friends, as we talked about how strange it is to be living in this kind of world right now, it suddenly hit me that if in fact there is no baseball season with fans, it will be the first time since 1982 that I have not been to an Orioles game- or any baseball game for that matter! This sinks in as a surreal and sad thought. I miss sports. I miss the thrill of victory, and even the agony of defeat. Normally this time of the year, I would be watching and going to baseball games, watching the NBA playoffs, and hopefully also be watching my Washington Capitals making a deep run to the Stanley Cup Final, in efforts to take back the Cup! Though I certainly don’t miss the later nights and sometimes exhausting tradeoff that also comes with being a big sports fan- especially when the Caps are in the playoffs- I do really miss being with people, and bonding over our sports teams.

In the middle of these unprecedented COVID-19 times in our world history with no live sports to watch, ESPN stepped up and pulled off perhaps their biggest coup ever to completely captivate our starving sports culture, with “The Last Dance.” And what an incredible docu-series it was, on so many levels! As expected, the TV ratings were incredibly high and through the roof! It was the perfect time for this long-awaited series to finally debut. And though it was still strange, in that it wasn’t involving actual live games, it was so fun for the sports world to finally engage in meaningful, real-time sports conversations via social media, and mainstream sports media outlets. It instantly became by far the most talked about “sports” news. Sports fans who have been starving for what is increasingly being missed so much. And now, we are taken back in time 20+ years to the 1990’s, to re-live and experience up close- with some footage never seen by anyone before- the greatest basketball player, and arguably one of the greatest sports dynasties of all-time.

My interest in basketball began in the late 80’s, and Michael Jordan quickly became my favorite NBA player. The interesting thing about this as I reflect, is that if I had been a college basketball fan while MJ was at UNC, I probably wouldn’t have liked him the same in the NBA! When I also started liking college basketball in the late 80’s, I was actually at first a fan of 2 of my hometown teams, MD AND Georgetown! So yes, when MJ broke the hearts of the hometown Hoyas with his winning shot in 1982, though it was a loss that I didn’t experience live, it was painful to reflect on in those early Hoyas fan days on what their dynasty could have been. It would have certainly stung and probably stayed with me had I been a Hoyas fan at that time. And then as a Terps fan, I have no doubt I would have felt differently at that time, watching MJ (who almost became a Terp!) play hard and win for rival UNC, and especially really want to beat my Terps! Both teams were very good, with Len Bias and his Terps defeating MJ and the #3 ranked Heels in 1983. I think a big “what if” in NBA sports and rivalries, would have been if Len Bias hadn’t tragically died right after being drafted by the World Champion Celtics, in 1986 . A sad day that I remember vividly. Make no mistake, the great rivalry that Bias vs Jordan was in college, could have very well been one of the greatest NBA rivalries. Perhaps similar to Bird vs. Magic.

Yes, the Bullets (now Wizards) were my favorite NBA team. But in those times, whenever the Bullets were not in the playoffs (which was virtually every season at that time), I would root for Jordan and the Bulls. One of my most despised teams in those early NBA fan years were the Celtics, and Larry Bird- who was always a painful thorn in the side to the Bullets. I loved when MJ dropped 63 points in that unbelievable playoff performance vs. the Celtics at the Garden! Seriously, to put up 63, vs that elite 1986 NBA Champion Celtics team- arguably one of the greatest teams of all-time- it was stunning. One of the single greatest performances in sports history. I loved Larry Bird’s quote in The Last Dance when he said, “That wasn’t Michael Jordan out there. That was God disguised as Michael Jordan.”

My first Bullets/Bulls game I went to was on 4/19/89, when the Bullets beat the Bulls. I remember Ledell Eackles having a good game, and still being happy that the Bullets won. But at the same time, b/c the Bullets weren’t making the playoffs and Jordan’s Bulls were, there was a part of me that wanted to see the Bulls win to better their upcoming playoff chances and momentum. I also went to see the Bullets play the Bulls the next year, and once again, I had the same mixed feelings as my hometown Bullets- led by probably my 2nd favorite player from that time, UT alum Bernard King- pull off the stunner to beat the Bulls near the end of the season! But I vividly remember that it was during that 1989 Bulls run, that I found myself rooting especially hard for MJ and the Bulls. I loved when MJ buried “The Shot”, vs the Cavs in the first round, and I was hopeful it would help fuel momentum to help them go the distance! A specific reason I pulled for the Bulls at that time was how much I couldn’t stand their arch-nemesis the Detroit Pistons, aka, the “Bad Boys”. The Pistons were notorious bullies on the court, trying to impose their will and I think, often play dirty. No one personified this reputation and infuriated me more on the court than Bill Laimbeer, who is arguably recognized as the dirtiest player in NBA history. I wanted him, and the Pistons to lose so bad. It was now time for the Eastern Conference Finals, vs the Pistons. I loved the Bulls player intro song, which in my opinion is arguably the greatest pre-game intro song and tradition of all-time! Listening to it just now gives me chills, and also brings back sweet memories. I was especially fired up when MJ and the Bulls exploded in game 3 to take the series lead, and was hopeful they would knock the Pistons out. And even though MJ continued his spectacular play, Detroit came back to win the series, and the NBA championship. Then the next year, I had hoped the Bulls would prevail over the Detroit villains in the highly anticipated ECF rematch, but again the Pistons would break hearts, and move on to win another NBA championship. Losing to the Pistons in the ECF back-to-back years was brutal. The Bulls just couldn’t seem to get past them. As someone who loves seeing underdogs slay giants, and villains be defeated, it was so satisfying to see the Bulls finally overcome their rival in 1991- especially in dominant sweeping fashion- knocking the Pistons out in the ECF. And not surprisingly, the Pistons were classless in defeat, walking off the court with no congratulations prior to the horn going off! Isaiah Thomas, Bill Laimbeer, Dennis Rodman (wild that he came to the Bulls), John Salley...so many players that I didn’t like. But they were defeated, and it was great. And then I thought it was appropriately fitting that MJ’s Bulls would have to face 5-time NBA champion, the great Magic Johnson, in the 1991 NBA Finals to claim their first. When I think of MJ’s most incredible and athletic shots, I often first go to his unbelievable shot in game 2. It was spectacular. Then watching MJ celebrate in the clinching postgame with his Dad and teammates, and cling to his hard-fought, seemingly long-awaited and deserved championship trophy, it was special. Then after their repeat championship in 1992, sports got to witness what I honestly believe is the greatest team in sports ever assembled: The United States Olympic, “Dream Team”. Though I can honestly say I have never really been an Olympics watching sports fan, the Dream Team was different, a must watch for all sports fans and true spectacle. Simply dominating, and fun to watch win the gold with extraordinary ease. And I just loved the story from Last Dance about a Dream Team scrimmage, and how Magic trash talked MJ when his squad was winning, but MJ came back with a vengeance to dominate and lead his team to victory, with conflicts and tempers flaring up on the court. Then on the team bus when there was an awkward, stunned, and complete silence after the scrimmage for several minutes, until Magic finally piped up and told Barkley, “I guess we shouldn’t have pissed the man off!” And laughter erupted, loosening up the team, and probably galvanizing them even more. Jordan was truly “The Alpha”, among “Alpha’s.”

Yes, I was a huge Jordan fan. I loved how MJ was an optimistic person, who never gave up. He was a relentless worker, fierce competitor, and a leader. He overcame incredible challenges. No one outworked him. I loved the Gatorade “Be Like Mike”, and the MCD’s commercial in showdown vs. Larry Bird! Makes me smile and happy, and brings back fond memories as I watch these right now! I owned the “Come Fly With Me”, “Michael Jordan’s Playground”, “Air Time” and “NBA Superstars”, VHS productions and watched them many times!

And of course, I was through the roof elated, when MJ came out of retirement again in 2001 to suit up for my hometown, Washington Wizards! The Wizards had won an abysmal 18 games in ‘99 and just 19 games in 2000, so they were clearly a long ways from winning. But Jordan, though clearly not quite the same player he was in his prime, instilled his tough, tenacious and relentless work ethic and was determined to help make a big difference. Though the Wizards would start that ‘01 season slow (5-12), I remember when they started catching fire, and ripped off 9 straight, and 21 of 30! It was really impressive to see, especially considering how bad the Wizards had been in recent years, as the team was now 26-21 and seemed playoff bound. My favorite moments during this stretch was when he hit “The Shot 3” vs. the Cavs, then shortly after, another classic MJ buzzer-beater vs. the Suns! Jordan was the catalyst as the incredibly mediocre Wizards were turning the corner and on a roll. But he suffered an unfortunate knee injury, and the team would then lose 9 of 10 and down the stretch while he missed 22 games, fell out of contention. Still, finishing with 37 wins- nearly double from the the year before- was an overall impressive feat, especially considering how well they were playing before MJ got hurt. Jordan certainly brought some great, thrilling moments for my Wizards. Then the next season in what would be his last NBA All-Star game, things were set up perfectly as he had the dramatic, storybook game-winning shot! Except…there were 4 seconds left and the West dramatically tied it, and won in OT to stun MJ’s East squad. The only All-Star game I have ever cared about as I wanted to see MJ win it, and get the MVP. But if I had to pick my favorite Jordan Wizards moment, it was from a game I went to! It was of course, vs. the Bulls. Yes, it was fun to see him reach the 30.000 points milestone that night, but what especially stood out was a jaw-dropping highlight, and really one of the greatest defensive plays I have ever seen, when he blocked Ron Mercer! The arena exploded. Another example of witnessing the best to ever play just do something that created shock and awe. There there were no championships and no playoffs in this actual Last Dance, it was still a very good, fun and memorable 2 years with my Wizards that I will always savor.

To me, I have long thought it will always be another one of the biggest “what if’s?” in sports. Coming off their first 3-peat, had Michael Jordan not “retired” and taken essentially 2 years off for baseball, would the Bulls have continued their dominance with perhaps 2 more championships sandwiched between their incredible 2nd 3-peat from ‘96-98…for 8 in a row? Quite possibly, yes. And then, could there have been another after ‘98- had Jerry Krause and Jerry Reinsdorf not orchestrated what to me is right up there with one of the most stunning and inconceivable, botched front-office decisions in sports history: not retaining Phil Jackson, and essentially deciding to break up the Bulls dynasty, knowing that the player dominoes would fall next as well. What makes it most stunning, is not only that they made this happen, but that this decision was made prior to the ‘97-98 3-peat season. It could have potentially caused more organizational division and risk hijacking that championship, when Krause told Phil Jackson “he could go 82-0”, and still not be brought back! A fresh reminder of this fiasco, to me was one of the biggest takeaways from “The Last Dance.” Yet even from that stunning pre-season revelation of certainty, I think in the brilliance of Phil Jackson, he still used that to help fuel his team and their drive towards that final run in declaring that season, “The Last Dance.” And then for Jordan to cap off that championship in game 6 with one of the greatest individual sequences at the end of a game to will his team to victory, culminating with the game winning shot, it was indeed storybook. I enjoyed this interview on Jordan’s take of circumstances surrounding that last season, and some other details as well. But yes, a huge “What If?”: had Jordan continued playing, and had the Bulls front office extended these contracts after ‘98, could there have been an unbelievable, “Nine-Peat” to extend this prolific dynasty? Again, I would like to think probably yes.

Another huge takeaway to me from this docuseries was seeing how MJ used- and even self-created- circumstances, conversations with rival players, adversity, and multiple challenges as ways to fuel and fire him up! Rookie Bryon Russell’s boasts to him while he was out of the league in baseball, about being able stop him certainly didn’t end well! But these examples also got me thinking: is it possible MJ embellished his well-known, “cut from high school” story? Could this have been another example of something that fueled his incredible drive?! And what about “the pizza” story? I was floored as I heard this, contrary to what has always been know as “the flu game”! What MJ did that night, whether it was the flu or food poisoning, was simply sensational. I was just wondering what those guys must have been thinking (especially if they also watched Last Dance!) when MJ still smoked them that night! And on a different side of emotions, how could you not get teary eyed watching MJ weep on the floor, no doubt missing his dad on Fathers Day, after winning the ‘96 Championship. And it was hilarious watching MJ’s expressions and laughing while watching various clips and interviews, especially when Gary Payton talked about what could have been, in the ‘96 Finals! Just like the famous “Crying Jordan” meme, I think this hysterical meme will be used for years! Here are several of the “most shocking” moments from the series. And on a side note, I also loved the soundtrack main theme.

In going through the Last Dance, it brought out some sweet emotions and memories. And I’m sure it did this in many people all across the world as well, as many people have been putting together incredible pieces and reflections of the great career and legacy of Michael Jordan. It was a personal reminder of how much I love and miss sports during this quarantine. I reflected on how much I used to love the NBA, especially during the 80’s and 90’s. My love for basketball and MJ during those days, was freshly rekindled. I watched every episode on Mondays, then pulled out my Jordan Wizards jersey and went out to shoot free throws on my home basketball goal. Definitely some of the greatest and most relaxing moments during these unprecedented times that I am grateful for and think will always stay with me, as memories of my teenage and young adult years came back as I watched, shot the basketball, and reflected on those days.

I think The Last Dance will only enhance and further solidify Michael Jordan as indeed, not only the greatest NBA basketball player of all-time, but right there for arguably the greatest, most skilled, and prolific winning athlete of all-time.

The HOF Case for Gary Clark

When I heard that my friend, and Redskins Ring of Fame legend Wide Receiver Gary Clark, was once again on the Pro Football Hall of Fame (HOF) ballot class of 2020, I was excited, and again reminded that the HOF induction process is not always a perfect one.

I want to lay out my case for why I think Gary Clark should absolutely be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Prior to his NFL debut with the Redskins in 1985, he was actually drafted by the Jacksonville Bulls of the former USFL in 1984 and had a very productive season. In fact, he told me he gives a lot of credit from those early days to Jax Head Coach Lindy Infante for teaching him the touch and go strategy against man coverage that he thought was brilliant, and would no doubt help set up future success. Fortunately for Redskins fans, the USFL would fold in 1985, bringing Gary Clark to the NFL and the start of his illustrious career with the Burgundy and Gold.

Right out of the gate, Clark dazzled in his rookie campaign, compiling a whopping 72 receptions, 5 TD’s, and just under 1,000 yards. In fact, he still holds the Redskins WR record for most yards in his rookie season. Then in 1986, in spite of missing one game, Clark still had 74 catches, and 7 TD’s and nearly 1,300 yards, which were 2nd highest totals in the NFC behind Jerry Rice. And consider the era he played in, when 70+ catches per season was a really big deal, as compared to the modern era where receivers numbers are vastly elevated due to various factors, such as nuances of illegal contact, personal fouls, and other rules.

All told with the Redskins, Clark was a four time pro bowler, three time All-Pro, and two time Super Bowl champion. He was an integral part of “The Posse”, arguably the greatest WR trio ever assembled. Apart from an ‘87 strike game when Anthony Allen had 255 yards, Clark still holds the Redskins record for most receiving yards (241- and 11 catches!) in a game, which also happened to be vs the elite, all-time dominant Giants defense, during their 1986 Super Bowl Championship season.

Another interesting stat to point out is that while Gary played for the Redskins, he had more receptions (549), TD’s (58), yards (8,742), and yards per reception (16) than his HOF teammate Art Monk during the same time.

For his amazing 11 year NFL career, Clark racked up a total of 699 receptions, 65 TD’s, 10,856 yards, and 15.5 yards per reception. Of these, he had five 1,000+ yard seasons, which were also considered a more significant benchmark during that era. He also averaged 65 yards per game, and an eye-popping 15.5 yards per reception average, both of which are also in the same range as several current HOF’ers. As a Cardinal in 1994, he became the first NFL receiver to catch 50 or more passes in the first 10 seasons of his career. Then at the time of his retirement, he actually ranked in the top five in career receptions and receiving yards.

Among his many career highlights, Gary told me that his favorite regular season moment was his OT game-winning TD vs the Vikings in 1986.

There were several huge regular season games over his career, when the lights were brightest and stakes were highest, that Clark delivered in the clutch. One game that immediately stands out to me was during the historic 1991 championship run. The Redskins raced out of the gate to an impressive, virtually unstoppable start. And it wasn’t just the wins. They were lopsided, complete domination wins. And yes, right in the middle of this domination was Gary Clark, on his way to his third All-Pro season. The 7-0 Redskins rolled into the Meadowlands for a Sunday night primetime showdown vs the defending Super Bowl Champion Giants, who had been a painful nemesis, having won 6 straight vs the Burgundy & Gold. In this pivotal game, once again Gary Clark seized the spotlight and delivered when his team needed him the most. The win not only snapped the Giants win streak and propelled the Redskins to 8-0, it probably also served to really fuel the ensuing confidence and continued domination for the rest of the ‘91 juggernaut run.

Then just 2 weeks after the big Giants win- Clark accumulated an astounding 203 yards (on 4 catches!), and 3 TD’s in a lopsided onslaught vs the Falcons, propelling the surging Redskins to an eye-popping 10-0.

But what also takes Gary Clark to the next level is that he had some really good postseason success with 58 receptions, 826 yards, and 6 TD’s. Among these were very big, clutch moments. One was the game-winning TD in the ‘87 NFC Championship game vs the Vikings. Now a fascinating story that Gary told me from this game, leading up to the game winning TD: He said that he told Doug [Williams] earlier in the game that the next time they (coaching staff) called a “7 route” (corner route in their offense), that he was going to run a hook route instead because he thought they (Vikings D) were anticipating the 7 route. So on what would be the Redskins last offensive drive of the game, when the play called for the 7 route, Clark ran and Doug threw the hook route instead, and Clark scored the game-winning TD!

Then 2 weeks later in Super Bowl XXII, he would score what also turned out to be the game-winning TD vs. the Broncos during the greatest quarter in the history of football. Then during the 1991 championship run, Clark had huge post-season TD’s, that proved to be game-sealing, leave-no-doubt moments. First, vs. the Lions in the Championship game, and then vs the Bills in Super Bowl XXVI.

And in what turned out to be his last TD as a Redskin, it was also in a big, game sealing moment vs. the Vikings in the ‘92 NFC Wild Card game.

As we further evaluate Gary Clark’s HOF induction consideration, it’s important to also consider current HOF wide receivers and how Clark stacks up to them. Now of course it’s important to not just focus on player stats comparison, but nonetheless they are still very important. In particular, they are important when we compare players from around the same era. One would be John Stallworth, who had career totals of 537 receptions, 8,723 yards, 63 TD’s, 4 pro bowls. He also played 14 seasons to accumulate these totals, as compared to Clark’s 11. And like Gary Clark had in HOF teammate Art Monk, Stallworth had another HOF teammate in Lynn Swan. But as we look at Lynn Swann’s 9 year career totals, he only had 336 receptions, 5,462 yards, 51 TD’s, 3 pro bowls- all less than Clark’s totals. And yes, we all know that Lynn Swan is probably most famously known for his acrobatic catch in Super Bowl X. But Gary Clark also had exceptional catches including, ironically, this catch vs. the Steelers!

Another great HOF wide receiver of note is Fred Biletnikoff, who played for 13 seasons and had 589 receptions, 8,974 yards, 76 TD’s, and made 6 pro bowls. And his Raiders teams won 1 Super Bowl. And another relatively similar comp would be Michael Irvin, who played 12 seasons, with 750 receptions, nearly 12,000 yards, 65 TD‘s, and 15.9 yards per reception.

Yes, the regular and post-season cumulative stats are impressive. And no doubt arguably sufficient in themselves to justify HOF induction. But beyond the mere stats, I think it’s important to emphasize Gary Clark’s many intangibles, and several essential traits that are needed in a star to have well-rounded success. One of these was his incredible durability. Amazingly, he only missed 9 games his entire career! Now this doesn’t mean he stayed completely injury and pain free. He told me there were several games that he took pain killers, in spite of the many nagging hamstring and groin issues. And of course he still played at his consistently high level. Also consider that during this era, the NFL didn’t have the current standards of concussion protocols and knowledge that is more known today. In fact, he believes he probably had 3 to 4 concussions during his career. He said his mindset was that he just got his “bell rung”, and had to “shake off the cobwebs”, to get back into the game and keep giving his all. He was such a fierce competitor who wanted to do all he could in his power to help his team win. In fact, Doug Williams, who I met during an exclusive premier of his NFL “A Football Life”, when it was aired last year had some great things to say publicly about Gary that night: “Pound for pound, he [Gary Clark] was the toughest football player I ever played with in my life.”

Based on what Gary has often told me, I also think that he had an appropriate “IT” factor trait, and the kind of competitive mindset that every athlete needs: that he didn’t think too highly of himself as he would never be too comfortable and assume he had his WR position made, but would continue to play and work so hard so that he wouldn’t “lose his job” to someone else. To this day, he sings the praises of his WR Posse, other teammates, and the coaching staff, giving them lots of credit and pushing him to excel. Another fascinating aspect of his competitive mindset that he has often shared in what fueled him- and what he thinks is an important factor among teammates and in a good, winning football culture- is how much he hated to lose, perhaps even more than he wanted to win. Yes, he still loved to win, and celebrated with the best of them. Though I’m sure many have worked as hard, I am convinced no one worked harder. Gary Clark was the ideal team player, a fierce competitor, and one of the key outspoken leaders who laid it all on the line, both on game days and in preparation.

Then there is Hall of Fame NFL coach and football broadcaster, John Madden. For many years on game days, whenever a prime, often times the most important game of the weekend was scheduled, you knew we would hear the broadcaster voices of the best tandem in the NFL: John Madden, along with his play-by-play partner, Pat Summerall. I can recall several instances over the years, when Madden gushed with praise on how much he loved so many things about Gary Clark. Here is one of those examples that I found.

Yes, Madden recognized the tangible, and intangible elements of Gary Clark’s game that I think absolutely make him a legit HOF’er.

Then there is the perspective of one of Gary’s former teammates, John Booty. Here is what he told me:

“I used to hear about and see Gary prior to competing against him and he was very impressive and tough. I saw he had no fear and made big plays. When I started playing against him I experienced his competitiveness. I saw first hand how fiery he was on the sideline, his reputation meaning he wanted to win! Then when we became teammates I saw that fire first hand and I was like ‘I see why he’s a great wide receiver’! His toughness was shown by John Madden and his numbers, all pros, pro bowls, and Super Bowl Championships shows that he wanted his team to win Championships while proved he was the best at his position. He should be in the Hall of Fame!”

I also wanted the perspective of another great Redskins wide receiver, Santana Moss, who told me the following:

“I believe Gary was one of the best to do it. In his time where there were two wideouts to lead a passing attack Gary was a leader amongst a leader being Art Monk’s ‘1b’. Although people would think Monk was the guy- which he was- but Gary made his opportunities greater just because you had to check or be aware of Clark’s attack at any moment in any game! I believe 8 out of 9 seasons Gary led his receiving core with catches and yards but was still considered the ‘Robin to Batman’ (Art Monk). After all, in those days 10,000 yards would’ve given you a shoe in at the ‘yellow jacket’ and I believe he left the game as one!”

No doubt very high praises from just two of the many who I’m sure share similar perspectives.

Yes, Gary Clark was a relentless, hard-working, top-achiever during his football playing days. And he continues to be one today, and shows no signs of slowing down as he is constantly trying to find ways to make himself, and others better. His obvious and consistent personal-growth mindset that I see countless evidences of today, is no doubt something that set him apart and helped elevate his game during his playing days.

Similar to how it was when Art Monk finally got his well-deserved and egregiously long overdue HOF induction, it’s also time for the HOF selection committee to once again do the right thing and please end another long overdue induction. Yes, it’s time for Gary Clark to join this special group and put on his yellow jacket in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Best hope for Redskins fans from this season: a new Stadium in DC

While this season's record and once realistic playoff hopes is quickly spiraling downhill with one devastating injury after another, the best news for Redskins fans from this season is the best case, dream scenario: the new stadium being built on the RFK lot. And the timing of this hopeful stadium news that broke over the weekend would seemingly be perfect, then enabling Snyder to part ways with Bruce Allen, who's organizational value in negotiating a stadium deal is probably his biggest asset and why he’s actually still here. And let me say that while I think Allen needs to go, please conduct it with class and appreciation. Take the high road, which is something this organization rarely does well. While it's indisputable that Allen has made many horrible personnel decisions along the way, I’ll make note to say he has actually done some good things as well. I like how he has made efforts to bring back many Redskins legends and keep them connected to the organization, via the "homecoming" game events. I also think Bruce has a level of respect around the league (that Vinny Cerrato never had!) and has overseen some savvy contract negotiations, while mostly keeping the team in good cap positions over the years. Then again, perhaps Eric Schaffer is the bigger factor in the cap stability. But while there have been some good cap-friendly contracts and shrewd negotiations over the years, perhaps the most important one that would impact the franchise for years to come? The "Kurt" Cousins debacle. I remain adamant in my position, that the Redskins needed to keep Cousins, and I believe, made a huge mistake in letting him go. Whether Bruce or perhaps GM Scot McCloughan at the time was indeed most influential for not giving Kirk what he proposed after the 2015 season, Bruce is still most responsible. And while not paying Cousins after 2015 remains a huge mistake that I think will have ripple effects for years, even more catastrophic and gut-wrenching is when I wonder if there could have been a way to figure out how to ensure that Sean McVay didn’t leave the building. A young, rapidly rising- possibly elite head coach. A guy who we had in our organization for 7 years. If only HE could be our head coach of the future- perhaps with Kirk Cousins as his QB. I digress. It’s too painful to ponder.

Yes, the negatives far outweigh the positives, and Allen’s tenure as team President absolutely cannot continue. What is the solution? While I would love for Snyder to somehow be able to identify and land a top-proven (or perhaps young up-and-coming) guy to be new President, who would then bring in a good GM and build from the top down, here is what I think is the most realistic, and perhaps most reasonable solution in the moment: Elevate Doug Williams to President, and Kyle Smith to GM, who oversees all the roster decisions. Perhaps Eric Schaffer as VP, or at least some front-office role higher than currently. Promote guys- good guys, from within. And then what about Jay Gruden? While I have long thought that Jay is an average coach and nothing special, he has amazingly- and unfortunately- had relative "success" (compared to Snyder era norm here!) with a cumulative .500 record since '15. It's a real tough conundrum to evaluate, in particular when the team has been ravaged by key injuries, which I believe is the biggest reason the wheels have fallen off this season. But on the flip side, Gruden has a big hand in why the game performance- against a putrid Giants team without OBJ- was so abysmal. I would hope that even an injured team would play inspired, high-energy football if they were well-coached, vs. that catastrophic performance. Still, the realistic solution may actually be giving Gruden another year (unless an obviously better HC scenario presents itself) to see what he may do with a- hopefully, more healthy roster. Another reason I think it's not only most realistic, but perhaps also most necessary Gruden stays: the QB situation! With reports now that Alex Smith's 2019 season (and perhaps career) is likely in jeopardy, that leaves us with Colt McCoy as the most viable QB option in 2019. Because the Redskins are on the hook for Smith's contract, they obviously can't afford to go out and sign a decent QB on the FA market. So while perhaps a new President and GM hires a new head coach, and then drafts a QB (perhaps a Will Grier?) high in the draft who starts from scratch, the most likely scenario is rolling with the most viable option in house, Colt McCoy. Think about this: how would it seem possible that McCoy could stay and be QB in '19- if not for his biggest supporter, HC Gruden being here as well. I gotta think that Gruden and McCoy are linked together. I don’t think there is any way you can roll with McCoy as QB without Jay Gruden. Yes, I think Gruden probably stays- perhaps out of necessity, and injury excuse asterisk.

But Bruce Allen absolutely needs to be out. Here's hoping Snyder makes the right key decisions, and that the best possible news from this now catastrophic season brings the fans fresh hope of the dream scenario: a new stadium on the RFK grounds.

The Banner is Raised

Nearly four months after the Washington Capitals hoisted their first Stanley Cup Championship and then embarked on an unforgettable celebratory summer to remember, including each player having a day with the Cup (Parts 1, 2,) it was now time to get back to work. I often said during the summer, that while on one hand I wanted the euphoria and celebration of the championship to last forever, I was also ready for the boys to lace up the skates and hit the ice to defend the title.  

And now it was banner raising night. I was looking forward to making the most of everything that this special evening had to offer and wanted to soak it all in. The festivities began with the Capitals annual “Rock The Red Carpet” pre-game tradition, kicking off the new season. The players would arrive between 4:30-5:30 near the front entrance of Capital One Arena, and would stop and mingle with fans, take pictures, and sign autographs on the way inside. As expected, the Caps faithful and passionate fans came out in droves and not only filled both sides of the carpet route several deep, but along the outskirts of the street as well. It was a massive party. The Caps pre-game TV crew was outside. The NBC NHL TV crew was outside. The “keeper of the Cup”, Phil Pritchard brought the Stanley Cup, after spending a day around DC visiting places and giving away tickets to the game. Enthusiasm in welcoming the Champs home, along with anticipation for the incredible night of jubilant celebration that awaited, was at a fever pitch.

Though I was able to see every player who walked in fairly close up, I wasn’t able to get an autograph and picture of each one. I was however, fortunate to get a few pictures, and get my picture signed by TJ Oshie, John Carlson, Nicklas Backstroke, Devante Smith-Pelly, and Madison Bowey! I didn’t see a single player not sign for anyone. Everyone signed. Some signed quite a few. 

Nicky Backstrom

TJ Oshie

L to R: Bowey, DSP, Backy, Carly, Oshie

After all the players entered the building, I worked my way over to where the pre-game shows, and Phil Pritchard and the Stanley Cup were. Even though fans weren’t able to touch it, I was able to move in for some up-close pictures, including one with Phil Pritchard himself. Speaking of Mr. Pritchard, does he not have one of the most amazing jobs imaginable? Seriously, for 20+ years he has had the honor of traveling with and taking care of Lord Stanley’s Cup. He travels with players. He travels with teams. He travels with it in public to wow, amaze, and generously bless people with tickets. What a gig.

“Keeper of the Cup”- Phil Pritchard

Lord Stanley’s Cup- with Capitals included!

After all these exciting festivities, I was now ready to go back into the arena for the first time since walking out onto the jubilant and packed streets of chinatown of what ended up being the final home game of last season, the thrilling game 4 of the Final, when the Caps took our commanding 3-1 lead. It was good to be back for the opener to begin the title defense!

Now I have been asked many times, whether or not I think the Caps can, or will repeat. At the championship parade, TJ Oshie certainly fueled the thinking and put this out there for the fans! My immediate answer has been that we are no doubt still a very good team, with the core mostly intact, and should certainly be considered one of the contenders who could win the Cup. But just given the historical nature of sports and how difficult it is for any team to repeat as champions, I am preparing myself that we won’t repeat this year. And I’m completely ok and content with that. Would this squad have any Cup “hangover”? Would the epic and well-documented partying have any negative affect on conditioning and training to prepare for the season? Could the accomplishment of the long-awaited championship perhaps cause the team to lose a slight edge and not be quite as prepared and hungry this year? These are all reasonable questions I have contemplated, and heard from others as well. Now on the flip side, now that this franchise has finally achieved the once seemingly unattainable and impossible dream of a Cup, and slain so many dragons of painful history along the way, I believe it’s also reasonable to dream and legitimately hope that anything great is now possible. Could the floodgates open up and a run of championships- not necessarily in succession- be in the near future? Could the psyche and anticipation of great things from not just the team and organization, but also the entire fanbase now soar to new and unprecedented heights, vs. previous feelings among so many of inevitable doom and gloom, and ultimately heartbreak? I certainly can’t wait to find out. 

When asked about motivation for winning the Cup again, Nicklas Backstrom said. "We're capable to doing it. When you've done it once, you want to do it again. You want to have that same feeling again because it's a feeling you can't get enough of." What Backy said gives Capitals fans a good reason to hope that the players are not satisfied with one, but hopefully motivated and resolved to keep the foot on the gas peddle and build on this success.

Now going into this particular game, my feeling was that not only would it not surprise me at all if the Caps lost- especially because we were playing a very good Bruins team- but also because of the possible and unknown hangover factor. I was also not concerned in the slightest how the outcome went, nor did I honestly care. No matter what happened in the game, barring major injuries of course, nothing could dampen my enthusiasm and anticipation of this night being an unforgettable and incredible one to remember, for the ages. 

This was absolutely the best seat I have ever had, four rows behind the glass on the Caps defend (1st and 3rd period) side. And the best thing about this seat was that I was on the very end at the railing, right next to where the players would be introduced in the epic pre-game show!

Once the players came out onto the ice for warmups, the energy and excitement of what was to come would steadily grow in a crescendo of anticipation. Then once the players left the ice, in just a few moments, the extended party we had all been waiting for was about to begin. What would happen, and how?

The lights would turn off and right away as if on cue, we would all turn on our red glow sticks, just like we did during both home games of the Stanley Cup Final. The building would come alive to a next level, as the jumbotron played a new highlight production with “I Will Wait” as the theme song (which became my favorite happy song over the summer played many times in my home!), similar to the first version released after we got the Cup. It was perfect. As I stood there and recorded, I thought that indeed, all of this has been worth the wait.

Then right after this first special moment that would kick off the series of special moments, it was time to introduce the champs. The crowd was so jacked up. The noise and individual player chants were deafening. And the music from “I Will Wait” continued to play as each player skated out. It was perfect. As expected, the loudest eruption took place when the Captain, Alex Ovechkin came out last, holding Lord Stanley’s Cup.

The Captain, Alex Ovechkin bringing out Lord Stanley’s Cup!

It was sheer jubilation between who is arguably the greatest athlete in DC sports history, and the fans. And the entire time, I was so fortunate to be right next to each player coming out with my incredible seat. Absolutely thrilling.

As if the energy wasn’t already at a fever pitch, after these player intros the festivities continued on to the next phase. Since the Caps won in Vegas to clinch the Cup and weren’t able to celebrate on home ice that night, it was fitting that the home faithful would now have the opportunity to join with the team and sing “We are the Champions” on our home ice. The incredible video production crew (perhaps the best of all my favorite sports teams) absolutely killed it with a montage that perfectly synced the song with various Capitals player moments, as we the fans- and the players on the ice- sang together in perfect, glorious unison. At last, “We are the Champions”, for a local sports team. It was surreal. It was magical. I continued to savor every moment.

The crescendo of enthusiasm and energy with each ceremony continued. Then, the ultimate climax we were all waiting for was about to take place. It was time. Owner Ted Leonsis concluded his euphoric speech with, “And now, the moment we’ve all been waiting for: let’s raise this banner into the rafters! It will be here forever!” As a collective family, we cheered and stood in awe for this long-awaited moment of glory: raising the Stanley Cup Champions banner. So many emotions flooded my mind as I marveled, cheered, and fortunately, recorded the entire event- just before my phone battery (and external charger I brought), went dead.

Unquestionably one of my all-time favorite moments as a sports fan. And something I realized this summer as I reminisced and celebrated this long-awaited Capitals championship: Though I would say that all-time, the Redskins and Orioles, and UT Vols football, would be my more “favorite” teams historically if I’m ranking them- and no doubt I loved and celebrated their respective championships that I thankfully got to experience with a fierce passion- I had an epiphany that THIS Capitals championship was my favorite of my life to celebrate and savor. The first year I became a sports fan was at the age of 7, when the Redskins were marching towards their first Super Bowl Championship. I was smitten. Then that next summer of 1983, my Dad started taking us to baseball games- and the Orioles won their most recent World Series. I was so fortunate- and perhaps spoiled as a young fan to have my teams win championships with regularity, overall in 4 of my first 9 years as a fan. Little did I know that in January of 1992 (Redskins in SB XXVI), it would be the last time one of my favorite pro teams would win a championship. Now my all-time favorite sports memory shared with my Dad was when Tennessee won the football National Championship in 1998. It was glorious. It was the only Vols championship we have experienced together. And then I was euphoric when the Maryland Terps won their first basketball National Championship in 2002 (a game I was at!), which had been the most recent of my favorite teams. But since then, my favorite teams have mostly struggled, often at times to even be respectable. A long drought of collective losing and mediocrity ensued. Though I was still fortunate to experience some winning and playoff teams over these last 16 years, it had become the longest stretch I have ever experienced as a sports fan without any of my favorite teams winning a championship. Then this Capitals team snapped this longest stretch in my lifetime. It was also the Capitals’ first ever, and long-awaited- with all the epic heartbreak along the way- championship. On top of this, it was also my first championship that I got to experience with my wife and kids. This made it very special. So many great family memories during the run, capped off by taking my wife and kids to the championship parade- my first here since 1992. It was one of our most special family days ever. And then on top of this, the timing of these playoffs and championship was at the same time my beloved Mom passed away. I will always be grateful that in the midst of grieving for my Mom over the summer, this Capitals championship was sweet medicine and comfort to my soul. I will always think about Mom when I think about this Caps championship squad. Yes, my most favorite sports championship I have ever celebrated. As I watched the banner rising (TV version) into the rafters (with the same theme song that was also played during the Caps playoffs video that I had watched over and over and gave me chills at that time) I thought about what the Caps had amazingly accomplished, I thought about my sweet family memories we experienced during the championship, and I thought about my Mom. I smiled ear to ear. I cheered loudly. And I had tears of joy.

As I watched Alex Ovechkin bring the Cup back to Mr. Pritchard right next to me and put away in the chest, the Caps radio announcer John Walton belted from the mic: “the first step to going back-to-back, starts RIGHT NOW! Welcome to Opening Night!” The arena was in a frenzy. And while the actual game seemed secondary and insignificant after that incredible spectacle we were treated to, I also had the thought of how fired up the players must be! How could they come out and lose after that? The juices were flowing. The collective energy in the entire arena was contagious. And I also loved that I had seen maybe 5 Bruins fans (a passionate fanbase that typically travels well) the entire evening. The arena was completely red. It was a family. Let the title defense begin.

And as if there wasn’t enough icing on the cake to make this evening even more special, of course the national TV audience would also be treated to play-by-play by not only the absolute greatest broadcaster in hockey, but perhaps in all of sports: Doc Emerick. Always so poetic, timely, knowledgable, and in my opinion, appropriately passionate. As someone who used to want to pursue a career in sports broadcasting, I think the world of Doc Emerick. As Doc was barely able to work his way through the opening lineups, TJ Oshie lit the lamp, barely 20 seconds in! The building exploded. And then while we were still buzzing and celebrating that quick start, less than 2 minutes later Evgeny Kuznetsov buried one on the PP to incredibly make it 2-0! The Caps wouldn’t look back, guns blazing out of the gates in this title defense and firing on all cylinders. It was a juggernaut performance. In the 2nd period, the Captain himself, the “Great 8” would score his first goal of the campaign- right in front of me- to make it 3-0. And speaking of Ovi, here he is mic’d up on opening night! The Caps barrage continued with three more goals (all on my side for close up views!) in the 2nd period to make it 6-0 and the blowout was on. When I later watched the TV broadcast with my kids, they were amazed at how many times you could see me close up in the middle of the action.

Then in the closing moments as the Caps wrapped up a perfect night, with a dominating 7-0 win, I went down on the glass and celebrated with the Caps faithful. It was absolutely one of the greatest spectacles I have ever witnessed at a sporting event, and it was perhaps the best seat I have ever had at a sporting event.

It was truly a night Caps fans will always remember. The title defense begins!

How do I feel about the Nats?

Several friends have asked me if I was pulling for the Nats with my O's out and how I feel about them losing in the first round again. Here are my thoughts- that have pretty much remained consistent over these years. Would love to especially hear from my fellow Orioles/DC Sports fans how they feel about this.

First of all, I legitimately hate it for many of my friends who are legit, die-hard Nats fans. As fans, it hurts when our teams lose. And several of you Nats fans are also fellow "DC Sports" fans (Redskins, CAPS, Wizards) like me. We have won- and lost together, in amazingly painful ways over the years. I'm genuinely sorry for your pain of going through another postseason dagger. I want you to be happy and experience some sports joy!

Secondly, I wonder if the Nats would win, if it perhaps can contribute to infuse an aura of confidence in our overall local DC Sports culture- in essence contributing to lift what seems to be something of a shroud of "doom and gloom" expectation that many fans seem to embrace and expect lately, especially as the years of futility and heartbreak continue to mount. Though I emphatically believe there is no DC Sports "curse", one thing I wonder is if the growing heartbreak has such an effect on fans psyche and expectations, that perhaps can sometimes translate to have a negative affect on our teams? I do believe teams can possibly feed off of their fans expectations- positively and negatively at times. Should they? No. And perhaps this is a reach in my thinking. But if perhaps Nats success could positively affect and somehow help the other DC teams that I love ('Skins, CAPS, Wizards), this would be an attractive, silver lining factor for me to be ok if the Nats succeed. Still, can't say conclusively if this possible factor is legit or not. Speculation yes, but not certain conclusion.

But year after year, I continue to land on this leaning, thus why I am ok with the Nats not succeeding: I believe that if the Nats succeed more than my Orioles, it would do more hurt to my beloved Birds than good. While on one end Nats success can do positive things, like boost the MASN ratings and revenue (that of course the O's continue to benefit from!), and perhaps even drive Angelos more to up the ante and do what it takes to maintain regional supremacy, I still believe a lot more damage to the O's can come from Nats success. A huge factor is overall fan popularity, revenue and regional supremacy. Though Nats fans hate to admit it, the DMV is still dominated by more O's fans b/c of not only our many more years and local roots while DC had no team, but also b/c of the overwhelming amount of greater historical success that my Birds can boast. The reality is that there are many "fans"- casual baseball fans- who are kind of on the fence between the two teams, some who actually pull for both, and some who are undecided who to give their allegiance to. There are also young, legit baseball fans growing up in the DMV who are in their formative years and perhaps are trying to land on who their team will be- going forward. Maybe their parents are O's, or Nats fans, and they are trying to decide where they land. A decision that can have massive long-term effects on these 2 franchises. If the Nats succeed more, I would imagine that this chunk of fans would shift more to the Nats, therefore helping their revenue more, and hurting my O's succeed more in the long-term. I want my O's to continue to win- and to always stay in Baltimore with no risk of ever leaving. I believe a big part of this is for the O's to continue to dominate the region, and maintain fan supremacy- fiscally and numerically.

On the flip side of how the Nats winning could take more fans that could otherwise go with the O's, I am already hearing from some Nats fans who are so over the annual heartbreak, that they are going to the O's! No complaints there!

Yes, I have clearly spent, what is probably too much time thinking about this trivial and non-important issue! There are certainly more important things to ponder a lot more. But a lot of you know how much I love my teams, and my sports. I don't take anything in life lightly and go all in with fierce intensity with my pursuits, thoughts and interests.

Then on top of these thoughts that I have ruminated on, I came across this piece by Al Galdi (fellow DC Sports/O's fan!), who in my opinion is one of the- and perhaps the most insightful and sharp MLB local sports radio/media analysts. As expected, he does an incredible job of breaking down not only how and why the Nats continue to lose in the postseason, but also insert this little part at the end- which resonates similarly to what I am explaining:

"These Nats playoff failures are bad for baseball in D.C. Yes, I know that’s an obvious thing to say, but here’s what I mean. Game 5 on TBS got a 14.0 television rating in the D.C. market. That’s the second-best rating ever for a Nats game locally (the 2012 NLDS Game 5 loss to St. Louis is no. 1 at 16.7). But this Game 5 got a 22.9 rating in Chicago. For comparison’s sake, the Redskins’ have drawn the following ratings over the first four weeks of the 2017 regular season: 19.1, 20.5, 23.3, 23.2. So while the Nats have a terrific fan base, there still is a ways to go. How do you enlarge a fan base? By making deep playoff runs. That’s how the Redskins became such a big deal in this city. And that’s what it will take for Nats do-or-die playoff games to do better than two-thirds of what Redskins regular-season games do."

And here is especially the dagger thats stands out- the very last sentence in his piece:

"Additionally, deep Nats playoff runs would go a long way toward reducing the still-sizable Orioles fan base in the DMV."

Spot on. This is why, though I legitimately hurt for my fellow Nats sports buddies, I am perfectly content with the Nats continued postseason failures. 

PC: Dan Steinberg, AKA: "D.C. Sports Bog

Boston Strong

Boston has become one of my favorite places in the country to visit. I love this city for several reasons. First off, as a lover of history I love the rich U.S. history represented in this city. I love the many colleges represented and the high-energy that I have seen here. As a huge sports fan, even though I pretty much despise all Boston sports teams, I love how great of a sports town Boston is. The fans are passionate, fiercely loyal, very intelligent, and in my personal experiences within the city, mostly classy. It is hard to top Boston sports fans when it comes to their deep devotion and team support. Sports is an integral part of their lives and mostly dominates their conversations and local headlines.

I first came here in 2009 because of a business conference, that is run by Buffini and Company, the business coaching network that I am a member of in my real estate career. During that trip, I actually met Brian Buffini, along with his daughter, Anna during halftime of the Wizards/Celtics game in the Garden. Yes, my Wizards (and Orioles) just happened to be in town at the same time! Brian (also a huge sports fan) and I laughed about how great it was that not only could I be there for the conference, but also enjoy two of my teams in town. I had a great plan to go to the conference, see my teams in live action, and also spend some time with one of my cousins, who was going to school at Northeastern. 

With Brian Buffini in 2009 at Celtics/Wizards game!

And of course during that trip, I also made my long-awaited visit to one of the most hallowed places in baseball history, Fenway Park, as the O's were in town to play the Sox. If you have never been to Fenway, this experience alone is always worth the trip. Fenway Park has such rich history, and is undoubtedly one of the crown jewels of not only baseball stadium experiences, but in all of sports. 

Field Tour of Fenway Park in 2009

Also during that initial trip in 2009, I was able to experience what this great city was like during Patriots Day weekend, which commemorates the battles of Lexington and Concord, in 1775. Patriots Day is a great day of celebration and pageantry in this city, and always takes place on the third Monday in April. A huge part of Patriots Day is the Boston Marathon, which in my opinion is the most prestigious and best marathon in the world. Many of you know that I have done a lot of running during my lifetime. Though I haven't done a lot of races in the past few years (mostly due to my busy season of life), I love running. I belong to a family of runners. My dad has run more miles in his lifetime than most people you will ever meet. My Mom has also run several races and marathons, all across North America. My wife also loves to run. And my wife's parents have been active runners for years and are very involved in the local running community in our area. Being in town during the famed Boston Marathon is a treat in itself as the city is invaded by runners- the very best runners- from all over the world, bringing a unique and exciting energy during the weekend. 

I also have good friends here that I have known for many years, as well as others that I have met from business conferences and sporting events. 

I first met the Lukens' family in 1997 when I was living in Tennessee during part of my college years. Mark and Kristen Lukens had moved to TN from Boston and were active members- leading the college and career ministry- of the local church we all went to, Mill Springs Baptist Church. They were like second parents to many of us, always hosting massive events in their home outside of church services: Sunday meals, fun activities, prayer meetings, Bible studies, and a host of other things. Unquestionably some of the most hospitable people you will ever meet. They love the Lord, family (have 6 of their own children and have adopted 7 others!), sharing the gospel of Christ, and building His Church. And just like most of Boston, they also love their local sports. After moving from TN to do mission work in Russia for a few years, they eventually moved back home to Boston to plant a church, where Mark is lead pastor. Spending time with them every trip I make to Boston is one of the highlights of the year. I am always encouraged and strengthened in my walk with the Lord when with them. I am amazed at how family life functions in their home, and as a young parent, have learned and observed so much from them over the years. I love how their children (all of whom I first knew when they were very young- and born!), are all close to their parents, to each other, and how much they serve their younger adopted siblings. And they have lots of fun. 

Lukens Family- minus 5 of their most recent adopted children!

And on a fun side note, I also love the food here! I often tell my wife that even my regular visits to Regina Pizzeria and dessert at Mike's Pastry- both of which Mark introduced me to- make the trip worth it!

After coming back in 2010 and 2011 for business conferences (and trips to Fenway on Patriots Day weekend!), I brought my entire family for a very special trip in 2012. My father-in-law, who as mentioned was an avid runner, accomplished a bucket list dream: he qualified for the Boston Marathon! Here's the thing about qualifying for Boston: not only is it arguably the hardest marathon in the world to qualify for, but even when you qualify, you are then placed in your age group of "qualifiers", to also then qualify within that group! So yes, just because you qualify on the extremely tough front end, it doesn't even guarantee you will make the cut on that back end in final qualification! We were all so happy for him when he qualified, and then officially got in for his first ever, qualified entry in this elite and prestigious race. We immediately booked our hotel and flights. 2012 was going to be a very special family event for Patriots Day weekend! We did the Freedom Trail, went to the Aquarium, ate some great great food, and a whole lot more. I also took my wife and kids to their first trip to Fenway. 

Sweet Fenway experience with Tess and the boys

After the game, Tess and I took the boys to go meet the Lukens' for the first time. As always, such a great time staying with them! 

Then on Patriots Day, my father-in-law was ready. It was marathon time! And according to plan, I actually jumped in at around mile 16 and ran over 6 miles with him.

Included in this stretch that he requested I run with him was the famous "Heartbreak Hill", at around mile 20.5. Running this portion with him made me all the more aware of how incredible this race is- and how special it is to the people of Boston! The enthusiasm and support of so many thousands of spectators along the way was breathtaking. There wasn't a step we took, or a view we had that didn't include cheering spectators all around us. Among these were people in their neighborhoods just sitting outside of their homes, and many of them giving away popsicles, food, water, and beer! I can't emphasize enough how much fun this was to take in. People were lined up wanting to high-five us, (some trying to kiss us), and do all that was in their power to make this prestigious and challenging race all the more enjoyable for all the runners. 

Running behind Paul as we approach Boston College

And let me also say that it was especially crucial that these many volunteers and spectators did all they could to make this 2012 race more enjoyable, because the temperatures were unseasonably hot, and downright brutal, reaching the high 80's! Definitely not ideal running conditions. Because of the heat, many runners decided to defer this race for the next year. Some had severe heat issues and couldn't finish. And sadly, I believe a few people also died because of extreme heat conditions. We were all so proud of Paul for finishing. It was a very special family memory and trip. And being there with Paul for his long-awaited Boston Marathon accomplishment, enhanced my love all the more for this great sporting event, and this great city. 

In 2013, the Orioles were once again back at Fenway prior to Patriots Day weekend. It was during this series that I first met Geoffrey Beauman, a local Boston-area native who is also a die-hard Orioles fan with Maryland family connections. We sat down by the Orioles dugout, and watched the O's do what they usually do these days in Fenway: beat the Sox. In the ninth inning, JJ Hardy smoked a liner down the 3rd base foul line. Right off the bat I saw that it was making a beeline for me. I immediately reached out and prepared to barehand it as it smacked hard off the ground, and right up off the palm of my hand. Stung unlike anything I had ever felt before. What made the pain worse was that someone else got the ricochet ball! Still wish I would have been able to get that ball! But a great memory for Geoffrey and I, and our O's friendship began. 

Per usual, I stayed with the Lukens' family during the weekend, then headed back into the city to enjoy part of Patriots Day, prior to flying back home later that day. But this Patriots Day, April 15, 2013, would turn into a day unlike any I have ever experienced. Having participated with my family in the marathon the year before, I was more familiar with the course and spectator spots. Right around the time when the winners would cross the finish line, I walked down near the finish line to take it in. As expected, the energy and excitement of the crowd was spectacular. It was as if all of Boston was willing these runners to finish strong down the final stretch on Boylston street. I happened to catch a few pics, which I had completely forgotten about until digging back in my photo album.

Little did I know that just a few yards to my left a couple hours later, an event would occur that would forever change this great city. I left that area shortly after to go get some food and go for a walk down by the Boston Common. Later on, I came back near the finish on the other side of the street right across from this picture, at the Lenox Hotel. A few minutes after arriving, a loud explosion went off across the street about 50 or so yards away from me- to the left of this picture I took. I'll never forget my initial reaction, thinking it was perhaps some kind of a celebratory, Patriots Day-like cannon, or something along those lines. Then within about 10 seconds, another explosion happens across the street, about a hundred yards or so away from me. We all immediately knew what was going on. These were bombs. Shock and panic ensued among the spectators as we saw the blasts right before our eyes. I was stunned and immediately overcome with the direct effect of terror as I witnessed people crying in horror and fleeing the scene. Was there going to be another bomb? I immediately called my wife. Everyone there became family. Boston became family. I prayed with people. I hugged people. I tried my best to help and encourage people. People were frantically trying to track down loved ones who were running and meeting them somewhere. The immediate response and resolve of the Boston PD and the countless volunteers, law enforcement, and responders was heroic. So many citizens of Boston were heroic as immediate unity and love ensued. One of those many heroes was a young man I met that afternoon during the frantic scramble to navigate through town in hopes of getting home that night. Because the T-lines and public transportation were immediately shut down, I then had to find alternative options to get to Boston Logan for my flight home. I was in a shop asking for input, when a young college student named Mike Muse, without hesitation kindly offered to drive me to the airport, so I could catch my scheduled flight home to be with my precious wife and kids. I will never forget Mike. I contact him every year on Patriots Day.  The memory of that particular Patriots Day will forever be etched in my mind and never be forgotten. I am so grateful The Lord spared me that day and brought me home to my family. My love for the city of Boston went to a deeper level as I experienced those incredible things. Though I had enjoyed visiting this city prior to this day, I then knew I wanted to keep coming back to participate with this city as much as possible, especially during this day. The love for these people became deep, and strong. Boston Strong. 

Though I wasn't able to come back in 2014 for the especially epic Boston Marathon- the great and immediate redemption from the 2013 Bombings- I was able to come back as hoped in 2015. 

Once again, my Orioles were at Fenway to play the Sox during Patriots Day weekend. And once again, Geoffrey Beauman and I would hook up and watch our O's in what would become our spot: behind the O's dugout, around the 3rd base line. In the Friday night game, while cheering on our Birds and of course wearing our gear to stand out, Manny Machado tossed a ball up to me while getting the final out of the inning and jogging off the field into the dugout. I was elated and stunned, as was Geoffrey. We both laughed about how appropriate it was that after having the foul ball smack off my hand 2 years before, I now got sweet redemption! But as amazing as that was, the next day would get even better. First, Adam Jones would toss me a ball after recording the final out in between innings. Once again, both Geoffrey and I were stunned. And then, as if 2 balls weren't enough, Chris Davis would also join in on the fun and toss me one! Not only were Geoffrey and I stunned, but the surrounding Sox fans were stunned. One of them even asked me if I would give one of my balls to a kid- a Sox fan, nearby. Sorry Sox fans, but no. I wasn't going to do do this. I was going to keep the balls for my kids. Yes, 3 baseballs. I was pretty happy. 

Jones and Crush on left. Baseballs from left to right: Machado, Jones and Davis. 

Then to cap off the fun of getting the game balls, I would capture on video a Crush HR, further extending the O's lead, and once again leading to victory. 

I stayed with the Lukens' that weekend. And I went to Fenway on Monday, and watched part of the marathon, prior to going home that night. It was so great to be back for Patriots Day weekend, for the first time since 2013. Then last year, I came back once again for a couple day weekend trip. 

In January, I would see the highly anticipated movie- at least for me: "Patriots Day", with Mark Wahlberg. In fact, when I was here, either in 2015 or perhaps even in '16, I remember the buzz about Wahlberg being down near the finish line early in the morning with some of the filming. It was an absolutely outstanding and riveting movie on so many levels. From start to finish, this movie did a magnificent job of giving us a snapshot into the lives of the many people involved, recounting key events before and after the bombings, and showing how these terrorists were brought to justice. I was on the edge of my seat as I re-lived these events unfolding and recounted details of what took place in the aftermath. Waves of emotions came flooding back to me as I rooted for these terrorists to be caught, observed how these things affected the people of the city- especially those directly affected- and cried for the lives lost and injured. Mark Wahlberg absolutely killed it. The overall supporting cast killed it. The soundtrack was great. The flow and suspense of the movie was great. Again, they nailed it. I broke down and wept at the very end, as they showed the names and pictures of the victims, one of them being a nine year old boy. 

An appropriate quote in the movie by one of the victims, Patrick Downes, was: "There are 3 things you do on Patriots Day in Boston: run the Boston Marathon, watch the Boston Marathon, or go watch the Sox at Fenway." So true. This is indeed Boston on Patriots Day.

And then last night after family Easter service and time together, I flew in again for a brief couple of days to enjoy what has now become a fun spring time tradition. I immediately went over to Regina's for dinner and while there, got to sit with Sean Reynolds and his crew, who work with Sportsnet Canada- the ESPN of Canada- who are here covering the Bruins/Senators series! We had such a great time. On a side note, Sean said he thinks the Caps will win the Cup, and that if they are in the ECF, his crew would be in DC covering the series. Hope to hook up at some point down the road. 

With Sean Reynolds in Pizzeria Regina's

What a great city. I love the people here, and look forward to many years of enjoying this fun Patriots Day tradition. Stay strong, Boston. Stay Boston Strong!

Our Time

Heartbreak. Failed expectations. "Choking Dogs". "Crapitals". The DMV has heard it all in the 42 years since the Washington Capitals came to the district. 

For the better part of their existence, the Capitals have absolutely been a great, winning franchise. Year after year, they have made fantastic and countless runs in the regular season, only to get ousted in the playoffs- often much earlier in the playoffs than anticipated based on their seeding. And in most heartbreaking fashion, out of the few times in NHL history that a team has lost a 3-1 series lead, the Caps unfathomably lead the way with five 3-1 leads, that turned into gut-wrenching series losses. No other franchise has had this happen to them more than two times since the Caps came into the league in 1974. Apart from making the Stanley Cup Finals once in 1998, and the Conference Finals one other time in 1990, even with all the dominant teams that were supposed to make deep post-season runs, there have been no other runs past the conference semi-finals.

I will insert, however that out of the many times we (yes, most of you know I am a "we" fan guy!) have painfully blown 3-1 leads, amazingly there have also been two times that we have comeback from 3-1 deficits!

First, there was the 1988 first round vs the rival Flyers when the Caps stormed back and Dale Hunter scored "the goal" in OT of game 7 to dramatically clinch the comeback. It is widely considered one of the best moments in Caps history. 

And then in 2009, the higher seeded Caps trailed the Rangers 3-1, but would also storm back to stun their rivals and close them out at home in game 7. With 5 minutes remaining and the game knotted at 1, the veteran Sergei Fedorov scored the dramatic game, and series-clinching goal to complete the comeback. Personally for me, I had been a casual Caps fan since childhood, going to an occasional game here and there, and mostly following them when they made it to the playoffs. Though I did and still do consider them in the second tier level of my favorite teams (with the Redskins and Orioles always at the top), I think it was in this moment that a new interest and excitement about this franchise, and hockey took off. I embraced the greatness and epic drama of NHL playoff hockey in a unique way for the first time. Along with many DMV area sports fans, we have been hungry for a perennial championship contender. And now we could say that the Capitals were this. It was a very sweet moment. A moment that in many ways really helped launch the "Rock The Red" era.

Since the "Rock The Red" era really began towards the end of the 2008 era, with the young and hungry Ovechkin-led squad catching fire and improbably winning their first division championship of the era, the Caps have boasted the best overall cumulative record in the NHL, with year after year of dominance. Sometimes, historic dominance. Yet year after year, the movie has ended in the same fashion: most often a loss in the conference semi-finals. 

After the dramatic 7 game clincher vs the Rangers, the Caps would revert back to their old, historic ways, by blowing a 2-0 series lead vs, none other than the hated Penguins. Yes, out of the five times the Caps have blown 3-1 series leads, the Penguins have come back on us twice. So once again, they would erase a 2 game deficit to fuel the rival hatred all the more. 

The 2009-10 season looked to be different. The surging Caps would finally break through. They would not be denied, right? Accomplishing a franchise record 121 points, the Presidents Trophy winners would enter the playoffs a heavy favorite. But in the first round, after once again jumping out to a 3-1 series lead, we would once again let history rear its ugly head, and drop a 7 game heartbreaker to the 8th seeded Montreal Canadiens. 

The Caps would win in the first round in the 2011 and '12 seasons. In 2012, after Bruce Boudreau was fired mid-season, long-time Caps legend Dale Hunter would come on the scene and lead the Caps towards a late-season run, finishing as the 7th seed in the playoffs. In the first round vs the favored, and defending Cup champion Bruins, the Caps would win game 7 in the Garden on Joel Ward's dramatic OT goal.

It was definitely another one of the sweetest moments in Caps history. Once again we asked the question: could this be it? Perhaps after the years of being the heavy favorites, the Caps would fly under the radar and actually be the team to upset the favorites. It was a fun ride. But once again in gut-wrenching fashion, the Caps would lose in 7 games to the Rangers. In game 5, the Caps looked to be heading towards a huge victory, and seizing control of the series. But with just 5 seconds left (after a horrible call to give the Rangers a 2 man advantage), the Rangers would improbably tie the game at 2, sending it to OT. And on a side note, it was so brutal having to listen to the Rangers awful goal song with all their delirious fans screaming in euphoria. We all knew what would happen then and on cue, the Rangers would indeed steal the victory, take a 3-2 series lead, then win back in The Garden in game 7. 

In the 2014-'15 season, under first year Caps coach Barry Trotz, though they finished second in the fierce Metro division to the Presidents Trophy winning Rangers, the Caps surged down the stretch and entered the playoffs a hot team. After beating a tough Islanders team in 7, the Caps once again played a familiar playoff foe in the rival Rangers. When the Caps jumped out to a surprising 3-1 lead there were mixed emotions. On one end it seems like we as fans were optimistic and hopeful that perhaps WE would be the ones who would finally oust a mighty favorite, after all the years of falling short. WE were the ones who would ride the hot goalie through the post-season, and defeat a team with loftier expectations. Would this finally be our time? But on the other end of it, were were holding our breath and staring history in the face. Another 3-1 series lead. Surely we wouldn't blow it again. There is no way this could happen. Again. But yes, history of painful blown leads would once again re-visit its ugly head and the Rangers improbably came back to win in 7 in OT. And once again, having to listen to that awful goal song!

I'll never forget seeing Braden Holtby laying on the ice after the game-winning goal lit the lamp. The Garden was in a frenzy. The Caps were stunned. Yes, it happened again. Another gut-wrenching 3-1 series loss. The memory of Braden Holtby laying on the ice stayed with me in the offseason. I couldn't believe it happened again. How would the Caps respond? How would the long-suffering fans respond?

In the offseason, the Caps made a huge splash by trading for TJ Oshie. Oshie is most famously known for his heroics in the 2014 Olympics, by almost single-handedly helping team USA knock off the heavily favored Russians. So now Oshie was paired with Ovi and Backy. Holtby was turning into a top notch goalie. And on top of this, multi-Stanley Cup winner Justin Williams also signed with the Caps. 

I was convinced the 2015-16 season was it. Still seething from the game 7 loss to the Rangers and seeing Braden Holtby laying on the ice after the puck cleared to clinch the series, I was hopeful that the team was ready, with fierce resolve, to make the long-awaited Stanley Cup championship run. 

As expected, the Caps dominated the regular season, in historic fashion and cruised to the Presidents Trophy for the second time in the Rock The Red era. But this team was different. Unlike the '10 Presidents Trophy winners, this team looked better and was ready for the deep- hopefully championship playoff run. We had Oshie. We had Williams. And as hoped, Braden Holtby indeed turned into an elite goalie. All the pieces were in place. But once again, it was the hated Penguins- who really turned it on in the 2nd half of the season and was the only team who could have beaten us- defeating us in crushing fashion in the 2nd round. Once again, it was an excruciating, OT loss that sealed it. How could this happen again? The Penguins- again?! And once again, Braden Holtby laid stunned on the ice after seeing the game and series-clinching goal light the lamp, while the home team went crazy. 

How in the world did this happen again? Was there any way the Caps could recover from that, and come back this year- perhaps with even more resolve?

In what is perhaps the best division the NHL has ever seen- certainly the best I can recall during my lifetime- the 2016-17 CAPS still seized control and emerged #1 in the Metro. And not just #1 in the fierce Metro division competition, but once again, #1 in the entire NHL, locking up the Presidents Trophy- for the 2nd straight season. This is the most dominant 2 season stretch in the regular season I have ever seen- Caps, anyone. This team is extremely talented and balanced, with deep depth on all 4 lines. They have front line superstars in Ovi, Backy, and Oshie. They have all-stars and rising stars in Shattenkirk, Kuzy, and Burky. They have an elite goalie in Holtby, and a solid backup in Grubauer. They have a proven, multi-champion leader in Justin Williams. They have defensive studs, and another Cup Winner in Orpik. And they are extremely well coached by Trotz. 

Yes, last years team was historically good and if not for running into the red hot, hated rival Penguins- the only team that could have beaten them- they would have won the Cup. But as good as that team was last year, this team is even better. And I would like to think and hope, they are fiercely resolved to not let anything stand in their path, and primed for their long-awaited run to the elusive Cup. Last years pain- and the pain of many prior years of painfully falling short- will not be forgotten, and fuel them through each round. 

Last year the juggernaut Caps clinched everything with a month to go in the season, had nothing to really play for down the stretch, and perhaps lost some of their edge going into the playoffs. But this team has been in a brawl with the fierce Metro competition, and down the stretch when things got tight and they needed to step on the gas, they still pulled away and got hot at the very end, winning 11 of 13 to close it out. 

Yes, I am hopeful and optimistic that THIS Capitals team is on their way, and ready for their long-awaited, well-deserved, and elusive Stanley Cup. Bring on the competition. Bring on the Pens. I believe THIS Caps team is a juggernaut. And right up there with the historically good '91 Redskins, will hopefully emerge as one of the greatest championship teams this area has ever seen. 

Decision Time: Kirk Cousins

Last year during the offseason, I wrote about why the Redskins absolutely needed to sign Kirk Cousins to a long-term deal. There were basically two decisions that were being heavily weighed: sign to a long-term deal after his first full- and really good season- or, place the franchise tag on him, essentially creating more of a prove-it season, determining if he was deserving of a long-term, huge $ contract. The decision was made, and with no long-term deal being reached by the 7/15 deadline, the franchise tag was indeed placed on him for the 2016 season. 

In a lot of ways, the 2016 season for Cousins was even better than the 2015 season. He surpassed his 2015 yards (and Redskins QB record) total and fell just short of the elite and revered 5,000 passing yards mark, at a gaudy 4,917. Why elite, in terms of 5,000+ yards? Because the only QB's in NFL history to pass for 5,000+ yards are Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Dan Marino and Matthew Stafford. That's it. Cousins completed 67% of his passes, good for 8th in the NFL, and ahead of Aaron Rodgers. He was also 3rd overall in yards per attempt at 8.11, making the completion % that much more impressive. He was 13th overall with 25 TD passes, ahead of MVP candidate Matt Stafford. Led by Cousins, the high-octane offense certainly had no problems moving the ball, as they finished #2 overall in the NFL with 39.8 yards per drive. In total yards per game, the offense finished with a team record and staggering total of 6,454 yards, good for 3rd overall in the NFL. And I might add, if not for the red-zone offensive inefficiencies, the team point totals (and QB passes for Cousins) could have been a lot higher. And then in QB rating, Cousins was #7 overall at 97.2.

But perhaps even more impressive is when you take into consideration the advanced stats of several other key elements in evaluating QB's. Some of these, I had never even heard of until doing this expanded research! Now the first, and more commonly known is the overall "QBR", which takes into account several factors such as: passes dropped, passes thrown away intentionally, and scrambles and planned runs. Total QBR also has a "clutch" factor, for how a QB performs in high leverage situations. And beginning in 2016, QBR was also adjusted for strength of opponent. Then when we go beyond the QBR stat, there are several other advanced stats worth noting. The first is "DYAR", which is defense-adjusted yards above replacement. This is essentially the value of the QB's performance compared to replacement level, and is adjusted based on opponent and game situations, translated to total yardage. Cousins was ranked #3 overall in DYAR. Another stat is "DVOA", which is defense-adjusted value over average. These stats represent a QB's value per play, over an average QB in similar in-game situations. Cousins ranked #5 overall in this stat. 

Outside of these specific impressive stats for overall evaluation, I then came across some additional eye-popping categories that really jumped out to me. Al Galdi, one of my personal favorite local sports radio guys (also a die-hard Redskins and O's fan like myself!), is quite simply one of the best statisticians, and especially advanced analytics guys I know of. He put together some incredible factors to consider, as to how much better Kirk Cousins may be than looking at the initial surface of the most commonly known stats of evaluation. Besides some of the advanced stats I mentioned above, Galdi also references how Kirk led ALL NFL QB's in "air yards" in 2016. Galdi says,

"Air Yards are the total yards a football is thrown beyond the line of scrimmage to the point of reception.  The number is arrived at by subtracting Yards After Catch (YAC) from total passing yards.  The idea with tracking Air Yards is to differentiate between those quarterbacks who are Checkdown Charlies or benefit greatly from YAC from those quarterbacks who “earn” their passing yardage with accurate and downfield throwing.  Kirk’s 2,939 Air Yards per SportingCharts.com were 143 more than the next-best total (Drew Brees’ 2,796).  Remember this the next time you hear that Kirk is just a dink-and-dunk passer or is simply a product of the system or his weapons.  Kirk was 10th in the NFL in Air Yards in 2015 (2,258)."

The next stat that Galdi mentions that jumped out to me that I was not aware of is that Cousins faced the toughest schedule of opposing defenses that any QB faced during the 2016 season. He elaborates to say,

"Nine of the Redskins' 16 games were against teams that finished the season in the top 11 of the NFL in total defense: Pittsburgh (no. 11), the Giants twice (no. 2), Baltimore (no. 6), Philadelphia twice (no. 4), Minnesota (no. 9), Arizona (no. 3) and Carolina (no. 10). The Redskins faced just the 28th-toughest schedule in 2015. A lot of people like to discount Kirk's 2015 due to the opposition. Fine. Then upgrade his 2016 due to the opposition."

So now a big question is, how should Kirk Cousins be considered and "ranked" overall among the top NFL QB's? Should he be considered a top 10 QB? Or, perhaps even top 5? Where would the league analysts and GM's have him? No doubt, a tough answer. Personally, I don't think it's unreasonable to say that Cousins is not one of the top 5- elite QB's in the league. I also don't think it's necessarily unreasonable to say he's not in the top 10. Would most NFL coaches and GM's say they would take 5, or perhaps even 10 QB's ahead of Cousins if having their pick? Perhaps. This is a key factor. That said, do I think that one day, Cousins could widely be considered a top 10- possibly even a top 5 QB? Yes! At only 28, having played only 2 full seasons in the league, and showing continued improvement in his play, why not think he can get better? Though the stats aren't everything, they certainly help paint a good picture. I am personally hopeful, and think he can and will get even better. Besides his on the field success and improvement, he has the kinds of intangibles that I believe makes him the kind of guy you want to build your team around. He works extremely hard- on his body physically, in the film room, and on the field. He's a leader. And he's humble. One of the best windows I have personally benefitted from in trying to evaluate who Kirk Cousins is and how he thinks is simply by listening to his many weekly in-season interviews on 106.7 "The Fan" with Grant Paulsen and Danny Rouhier. There are little things I have picked up on that I think are impressive intangibles, such as the way he talks about his diet and sleep: What he eats, and when he allows himself "cheat meals". When he sleeps, and how much sleep he needs. He is no doubt very disciplined. In his interview immediately following the disappointing and devastating season ending loss to the Giants, Cousins said several things that caught my attention to enhance my feelings about him personally and his outstanding intangibles. One thing he said- and it was also how he said it- was how he wished he could just get right back at it, and begin relentless preparation for the next game- and the next season, right now. The loss stung. He was appropriately affected by it. And when talking about the game clinching INT, he completely took it on himself and accepted blame, talking about the way he threw it, and perhaps waiting too long and second guessing himself. He accepted it as a man. No blame shifting. He also talked about ways he believes he needs to improve his play. And when ending the call, he communicated his gratefulness and love to both Grant and Danny for the opportunity all season, and for the great times. Very articulate. Very genuine. And very humble. The kind of guy I would personally want to build my team around. 

Getting back to how he is currently "ranked" among the current NFL QB's. Even if he's not currently a "top 5" or "top 10" QB, what does the current NFL market say about his value? Does he deserve to be paid as a top 5 QB, in terms of what he has accomplished in his career vs. the current top 5 paid QB's? Now of course I would say no, as would most people. But that's not the point. One factor to consider is the current supply and demand of top QB talent. In this QB-driven league with so many teams desperately needing help, if Cousins is indeed made available on the open market, multiple teams would be clamoring for his services and likely create a bidding war. No doubt the market would likely get him paid "top 5" $ in this scenario. Next, with the rapidly increasing salary cap and thus contracts continually on the rise, the total amount that a "top" QB currently makes will soon not seem like as much in relative comparison to the salaries that the upward market trend will soon command. The key factor is more about the percentage of the teams cap space that the current QB market has and will command, which of course will make the total $ number a little higher than some of the comparable percentage of team cap deals that top QB's are currently paid. I have no doubt that in order for the Redskins to get a long-term deal with Cousins done, they need to have his cap percentage value be comparable to the current top 5 QB % range. And even going beyond this, it wouldn't shock me- primarily because of the mentioned supply and demand and increasing salary cap factors- if we see Cousins get the highest contract in the history of the NFL. And I will go on to say that if this is what it takes: even making Cousins the highest paid NFL player, the Redskins absolutely have to do it. The mega deal that Andrew Luck received last offseason, at 5 years and $122M and $87M guaranteed is the likely market range it will take to get a long-term deal done. 

So what do the Redskins do? What should they do? Today, February 15, 2017 is the first day that teams can assign franchise or transition tags. The official and critical two week window of opportunity begins now. By March 1st at 4PM, teams must apply one of these tag options. And then if a tag is indeed the first step, the Redskins would have until mid-July to work out a long-term deal. 

All signs seem to currently point to the Redskins applying one of the tags. And Cousins has said he is ok playing under the tag again if it comes to that. He has also said that if he had a long-term deal, he would have more "freedom to lead." My stance remains the same as it was last year, and I would say even more emphatic now than last year: the Redskins absolutely must sign Cousins to a mega, long-term deal. Sure, the possibility of a couple of high draft picks as compensation (perhaps from Kyle Shanahan with the 49ers) is somewhat enticing if offered. But the flip side risk in not retaining a highly successful- and I believe still improving- QB in this league is too substantial. For a franchise that has wandered in the QB-starved desert and had no stability at this crucial position for the better part of the past 25 plus years, they simply cannot afford to roll the dice on letting Cousins walk. Besides the risk of letting just Cousins potentially get away and not lock him up long-term, is how a decision like this would also have an organizational snowball effect. Let's say that Cousins is indeed tagged, leaving this uncertainty of his future in DC. I believe the impact of this also filters into the decisions of pending free agents of not only those who have been here (like Garcon and Jackson), but also for those who may consider coming here, when league-wide free agency begins on March 9th. If Cousins is here long-term, I would think it would make free agents more enticed to stay and come here- especially in seeing stability and continuity- whereas if there is no certainty of the future direction, I believe it makes these free agent decisions a lot more difficult.

Yes, I still trust in GM Scot McCloughan to ultimately do what he thinks is best. And I hope that what indeed would be his preference- Cousins here long-term- would happen without interference from anyone at the top and that all parties would be on the same page, and work hard towards swift and mutual resolution. The clock is ticking. And I believe the Redskins have no choice but to go all in and give Cousins what it will take to keep him here. For the long-term. 

Throwback Thursday- Father's Day- 2016

When my wife asked me what I would like to do on Father's Day this year, one thing I knew is that I wanted there to be a family Orioles game in the mix. And then when my brother, Jonathan and his family planned to come in town during this time, there would absolutely be nothing else that we would want more on Father's Day than to bring our wives and kids to Camden Yards. 

I had my ideal plan for the day all mapped out. The first thing we would do is take the kids to get their most favorite special occasion breakfast treat: donuts. While there, they would each present me with special Father's Day cards. One of them certainly foreshadowed the kind of day we were about to have!

From top to bottom: Bennett, JT, Evelyn.

After donuts, the next thing we would do is bring the kids to the old Memorial Stadium grounds where the Orioles used to play and take a trip down memory lane. Not only do I see it as a fun way to involve my kids in a significant part of my childhood memories, but also use it as a way to educate and influence them in Orioles history. And let me just say that for all you Orioles fans out there who have memories of this sweet place and haven't been back yet to see what it looks like now, you absolutely have to go. 

Right beyond the left field bleachers in the parking lot, is approximately the area where we parked on Sunday. 

What was once "The Old Grey Lady" is now a youth park, YMCA, and nursing facility with long-term care. 

It was May 3, 1983 when my Dad took my brother and I to our first game. I remember we parked across the street at the Eastern HS parking lot, he bought us O's batting helmets on the way into the game, the O's won 2-0, and my lifelong love for the Birds began. In my 9 years ('83-'91) of going to games at Memorial Stadium, my guess is that I went to approximately 100 or so games. I'll never forget walking out of that stadium on Oct 6, '91 on the last Orioles game ever at Memorial Stadium and realizing we wouldn't see baseball games anymore. 

In 2001, Memorial Stadium was sadly demolished and new plans were set in motion for what would become of this historic and symbolic fixture of Baltimore pride and history. Thanks to the Cal Ripken foundation, in 2010 a $1.5 million project for a youth development park was completed. And the best thing about the field? Home plate is at the exact spot it was back in the day at Memorial Stadium. 

And now, here we were 24 years after the O's last game there, driving to the old spot on 33rd street again. It's amazing to ponder so many childhood memories there, have recollection of so many exact spots, and then now to see what it looks like at present. 

Home plate view when O's played at Memorial Stadium.

Me with my kids at exact spot of Memorial Stadium home plate. 

At one point, while my wife and kids walked around the field and explored both player dugouts, I just stood at home plate, gazed out towards the outfield, and took it all in. A flood of memories ran through my mind. I even shed a couple of tears. Not so much tears of sadness that a childhood memory and staple of this proud city was no more, but tears of fond childhood memories and joy associated with this great place. Tears of gratefulness and love for my dad and brother, and many other friends, with whom I had spent many summer nights with in these early years of my life while going to games here and falling in love with the Orioles, this city and the many loyal fans in Birdland. 

And something else I really love about how the field is now that I didn't know? There is still an orange "Here" flag in left field, around the same spot of Frank Robinson's historic blast out of Memorial Stadium on May 8, 1966. 

Frank Robinson HR out of Memorial Stadium- May 8, 1966.

Present day "HERE" flag at field. 

Where iconic "HERE" flag flew at Memorial Stadium, showing where Robinson's HR ball went out. 

Yes, it was a very satisfying and sweet experience to take my wife and kids to this historic and special place where I have so many memories. I look forward to many more trips down memory lane- 33rd street- here in the years to come. 

We then headed back into the city to go eat lunch at The Cheesecake Factory at the Inner Harbor and meet up with my brother and his family before the game. There are few treats I love more than their cheesecakes! To no surprise, my kids were very excited to have their first taste of this dessert. 

Evelyn had the best ride. 

Probably my favorite- Reese's PB!

With stomach's satisfied, and plenty of food left over to go, we headed out with our kids to Camden Yards and some fun Orioles baseball!

With my little love, Evelyn. Bennett in background taking it all in.

The O's won going away, 11-6 to beat the rival Blue Jays, and take the series. The kids absolutely loved it. And after the game, our kids got to run the bases! 

JT- taking it all in. 

JT & Bennett

Evelyn was a little more difficult for the helpers to keep on the bases, but she loved it!

Our family, with Jonathan & his family.  

A great time all around. After all the years of Jonathan and I going to games, both with Dad and friends, and just the 2 of us sometimes, it's a sweet thing to be able to bring our wives and kids for a memorable and fun experience. We cherish these memories and look forward to many more. 

After the game we headed up I-95 to Cape May for family vacation. It was certainly about as close to a perfect and ideal Father's Day that I could have imagined. 

Man Crush Mondays- Buck Showalter

When my Orioles hired William Nathaniel "Buck" Showalter III to be manager on July 29, 2010 it was a pivotal and landmark day in the great franchise. Even though there weren't clear signs in the standings yet, team President Andy MacPhail's master building plan was in full effect as he was building this franchise from the bottom, back to the top. His next missing piece was to bring on a proven manager, who would help the young O's take the next step in their development. When the O's officially introduced Buck as manager, and when he first stepped into the dugout as manager, the O's were a dismal and MLB-worst, 32-73. The possibility of an all-time low franchise record was within reach. But things would quickly change. There was a new leader. A proven winner. A winner who had successfully built the Yankees, D-Backs, and Rangers back to respectability, pretty much from the ground up. 

While managing the Yankees ('92-'95), he was largely instrumental- and I emphatically believe deserves a ton of credit- for building the great teams that won multiple World Series championships under Joe Torre. It was Buck who helped draft and first bring up the core of those great Yankee teams: Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada, among others. It was Buck who got the Yanks back to contention, and back to the playoffs in 1995, for the first time in 14 years. And I might add that if not for the 1994 strike, Buck's Yanks may have won the World Series as they had the best record in the AL at the time (with my O's right behind!). Of course, I'm glad they didn't win the WS! And in '95 if not for one of the most memorable games in playoff history, game 5 of the ALDS, perhaps Buck stays w/the Yanks after the season. I'm certainly glad he didn't, and was happy when he walked away (because of personnel control issues with "The Boss") b/c I saw how he was building the Yanks into a perennial powerhouse again. Yes, I think Joe Torre was a good manager and did a good job. But make no mistake, I also think he was very fortunate to inherit what Buck had largely built. And I believe that if Buck would have stayed on with the Yanks, he would have likely won multiple championships. The very next year, in 1996 under Joe Torre- with Buck's core intact- the Yankees won the World Series. 

Then in 1998, he took over the Arizona Diamondbacks when they became an expansion franchise. And in just their second season, the D-Backs became the fastest expansion team ever to win an astounding 100 games. The next year, they slipped a bit and Buck was let go as D-Backs GM Jerry Colangelo said, "Buck Showalter is an intense guy in everything he does. There are those who have an opinion that there's a time and a place for that. But you also need to have an atmosphere that's conducive for players to perform at the best of their ability." (Ask the players on the Orioles about this perceived atmosphere!). Then once again, the year after Buck left, in 2001 these Diamondbacks- that Buck had mostly built- would win the World Series. It was one of the most dramatic and epic World Series' ever played, culminating in Luis Gonzalez' walk-off hit, ending the Yankees quest at a 4th straight championship. Yes, those Yankees that Buck had been instrumental in building back in the mid-90's. Jay Bell (player for the D-Backs when they won the WS) would say, "There's no question, Buck had a lot to do with what's going on here." 

Then, Buck took over the Rangers in 2004 and once again, turned around the franchise in his 2nd season as they went 89-73, and Buck won another manager of the year award. But then once again, Buck was fired after the 2006 season, in what once again seemed to be mostly about personnel control issues. 

Buck Showalter's resume is undoubtedly an impressive one. During his four managerial stints, he has won the MLB manager of the year awards in 1994 (Yankees), 2004 (Rangers), and then with the O's in 2014. And I also believe he should have won in 1999 with the D-Backs! 

In my opinion, there is no one else in baseball I would rather have managing my O's. And here's hoping he will be in the dugout (then perhaps front office) for several more years! Last year, in an extensive survey of players, managers and baseball people among the industry, Buck landed up there among the majority of voters in the top 3 of overall best managers. And a couple years ago, the MLB Network did a special: "Buck Showalter, A Life In Baseball", which in my opinion is a must watch and gives you a great snapshot into the life of this man, on and off the field. 

Yes, as I tell my wife, I have a "Man Crush" on Buck Showalter, and have for several years. No one has been more instrumental throughout the entire organization for bringing my beloved O's back to consistent winning (after 14 straight losing seasons!) than Buck. His fingerprints and leadership are all over this franchise, as it should be. And he is very humble in how he embraces and talks about the privilege of being a MLB manager, is quick to give others praise and credit with success, and doesn't take himself too seriously. 

Here are some of the many of my favorite examples of why I like Buck so much:

1. His Press-Conferences- 

Seriously, if you want to laugh, listen to good baseball stories, and really just sit at the feet and learn from a baseball genius, watch his press conferences. He is humorous, witty and incredibly intelligent in both life and baseball. Within his first week as O's manager, he talked about life with John Kruk and late night Taco Bell runs while working with ESPN. It was hilarious. There was the press conference in 2015 after the infamous "Buck Gnome" game, with his Gnome also taking it in. Then there is also the non-baseball side of him that loves and cares for the community and the City of Baltimore. This was on clear display when he spoke about the Freddie Gray riots and what Baltimore was going through. 

And then there are countless examples of when you can just listen and be in awe of how his master strategist and baseball managerial mind works. In my opinion, no one is better prepared and so skillfully thinks ahead in so many specific situations than Buck. One of these prime examples is when he talks about how he thinks through (and skillfully prepares in advance for) the bullpen match-ups: why someone pitched that night, and for how long; why someone didn't pitch that night; saving someone for the next series and specific hitters; track records of those pitchers and hitters; and just relying on pure baseball instincts. I would love if someone put together several hours of Buck press conferences as I would certainly watch them all. 

2. His relationship with his players- 

His players love him. And respect him. And Buck loves his players, and respects them. One of his best skills is finding a players' strengths, putting them in the best position to succeed, and getting them to "be as good as they can possibly be", which he quotes often. His players are fiercely loyal to Buck. And Bucks is fiercely loyal to his players. In his earlier years of managing, it was often said that Buck probably micro-managed a little too much and that his intensity and demands of his players became too much at times. Whatever the case back then, I can't imagine a better manager than Buck who currently displays an appropriate blend of intensity, demand of perfection and strongest work ethic possible, meticulous attention to detail, and knowledge of the game, while simultaneously and skillfully keeping the guys loose, making them believe in themselves and what works, being relatable, not taking themselves too seriously, and even creating a great culture of humor around the clubhouse. A great example of this was when he pranked Darren O'Day back in 2012! So good. 

Buck also doesn't shy away from appropriately and boldly confronting his players when needed through discipline and correction. I once read an example of when Manny Machado flipped his bat in an arrogant way while hitting a HR and Buck pulled him aside when he reached the dugout and confronted him by saying he was putting his teammates in a bad position by making the pitcher mad (which most managers wouldn't bother telling their players). Machado quickly respected Buck and would thank him for how he has helped him in these ways. While Buck wants his players to be who they are and have fun, he also wants them to be keenly aware of how their actions and words affect each other, as well as the fans. 

But one of the most endearing moments I can recall between Buck and a player was when Nick Markakis got drilled on the hand by CC Sabathia during the critical late season surge in 2012. Markakis, who was perhaps playing the best ball of his career at the time, had a broken thumb and it was a crushing blow (I believe costing the O's the AL East title & possibly a deeper playoff run) as he would be lost the rest of the season. After Markakis emerged from the clubhouse where he got further diagnosis on his injury, Buck embraced him as a father embraces his son. That image stayed with me and I believe epitomizes the deep love Buck has for his players. And though the injury was indeed devastating, Buck's leadership emerged once again as he led his players to see the injury as a rallying cry and all the more fuel them in their post-season run. 

One of the most special team moments I can recall from the past several years: Buck embracing Nick Markakis shortly after the devastating injury. 

3. His leadership- 

To talk about Buck's exceptional leadership is an entire piece itself, and then some. His influence on the entire Orioles organization began from the top down the day he was hired. Buck skillfully and convincingly gets his players to buy in to what he wants to do. And one of the best things, is that he indeed knows what he wants to do, and how to get there. As mentioned above, Buck immediately changed the attitude and culture when he came here. An organization that knew nothing but losing for 14 straight seasons, rose from the Abyss under Buck's leadership to surge back to the postseason in 2012.

There are countless examples within the organization that I attribute to Buck's leadership, specifically his attention to detail. One of the very first examples of these kinds of things was a story I heard about a picture that was already up in his office when he first arrived. It was a beautiful picture of Camden Yards on a gorgeous sunny game day, with a packed out house. But Buck immediately noticed a problem: "The bases were loaded and we were getting hammered", he said. "I ain't looking up at that!" The picture was immediately removed. 

Another example of this attention to detail I remember was a game when Matt Wieters was chasing a foul ball over by the O's dugout. As he neared the railing, he slipped on a little padding and flew right under the railing, somehow not getting close-lined under the chin and no doubt having an injury. It was a near disaster. And Buck immediately noticed. And the next day the little padding was removed. 

Then in the 2012 season, though I'm not sure I have ever heard who's initial idea it was, or should be given the most credit, but I would be willing to bet that it was Buck who spearheaded the plan- perhaps from observing Yankees legends at Monument Park during his managing days there- to have the 6 Orioles Hall of Famers showcased during a year long, "Orioles Legends Celebration" series, where each of the 6 would have a special ceremony, and a bronze statue of each placed in the newly renovated picnic area in CF. Each was a memorable and celebratory event, and unquestionably some of the very best events in the history of not only Camden Yards, but in Orioles history. 

And also during the final stretch of the '12 season, the team produced a players video for the fans, where Buck spoke during the intro and thanked the fans for their enormous support during the great run during the season. Buck is not only in tune with his players and the organization from top to bottom, but the fans as well. 

On August 8th, 2014 vs the Cardinals (St. Louis of course being the city that moved the Browns to Baltimore in 1954), another one of the greatest events in the illustrious Orioles history took place: the "60th Anniversary Celebration" that honored and celebrated most of the greatest players and moments in team history. While witnessing this 30-plus minute post-game extravaganza (after a blow out win over the mighty Cardinals), I stood in awe as it hit me how good things were in Birdland at that moment: not only were the O's really surging and starting to run away with the AL East title for the first time since '97, but I once again imagined that Buck's fingerprints had to be all over this event that featured so much special attention to details. 

Then in the final stretch of the amazing 2014 season that had the O's sprinting towards their first AL East title since 1997, the team once again produced a video for the fans, that would also go on to be a rallying cry all the way through the post-season: "We Won't Stop!"  Once again, Buck addressed the fans during the intro and I gotta think once again, he had a large say in initiating something like this. 

Buck's leadership was once again on display in spring training of 2015. Coming off their AL East championship and deep playoff run, the Orioles had once again tasted the sweetness of what meaningful October baseball feels like. They had also experienced the added intensity of October baseball crowd noise. Showalter had the brilliant idea of simulating crowd noise during team drills in an effort to enhance team communication during key in game moments when crowd noise made it nearly impossible to audibly hear one another. The noise Showalter chose to simulate: Delmon Young's epic game-winning double in the 2014 ALDS game 2- unquestionably the loudest game moment in not only Camden Yards history, but perhaps even in Orioles history. As ESPN columnist Jayson Stark would say, "One thing we've come to learn about Showalter is that he never does anything without a purpose. Anything. Not even pop-up drills in February."

When I took my oldest son, JT on a tour of the Orioles clubhouse I once again saw some things that I gotta think are a direct result of Buck's leadership, as it related to the clubhouse atmosphere and little things that enhanced this winning culture that he has helped bring back. 

First, there was a wall dedicated to each Orioles member of the MLB Hall of Fame. Though I'm not sure if these were there prior to Buck, with all that has happened (like HOF sculptures) since Buck's arrival, and his constant focus on embracing and learning from the rich O's history, they certainly have a Buck feel to them. Buck often talks about embracing and learning from the history, while at the same time not being inappropriately bound by it. 

O's HOF members displayed on wall in clubhouse

Also in the clubhouse on one of the walls was something I really got excited to see: pictures from Delmon Young's epic 3 run double in game 2 of the '14 ALDS! Just another way to capture a great (one of the absolute greatest!) moment in O's history and serve as a way to fuel the winning culture so when guys walk through the clubhouse they are constantly reminded of it. 

Delmon Young's epic 3 RBI double in the bottom of the 8th in game #2 of the 2014 ALDS. 

The bases clear. Hardy slides home safe. The crowd goes nuts. 

Then as you make your way into the O's dugout, you see a memorial dedicated to the most successful manager in O's history- and one of the greatest managers in MLB history: Earl Weaver. More of this below. 

Earl Weaver plaque in O's dugout

Under Showalter, the Orioles are consistently at the very top of the league in team defense as they rarely make errors and mistakes that cost them games. In 2013, they set an MLB record with only 54 errors, and the best fielding percentage ever at .991! When the Orioles lose, they rarely lose because of self-inflicted mistakes. They are trained well to do all the right things. The big and small things. Players don't miss the cutoff guy. They hustle and run out every ground ball. They each know their role and where they should be in every situation. They grind to the last out. They play great defense. They have a high respect for the game, it's traditions, and how it should be played. And they play extremely hard. I believe there is no question that Showalter's leadership and attention to detail is the main reason for these kinds of results. He brings a high level of accountability, expectation, and work ethic that permeates throughout the entire organization- from top to bottom.

Yes, the fingerprints of Buck's leadership can be felt all throughout the organization, whether it be in personnel decisions, in-game management, clubhouse atmosphere, player relations, connection to the fans, or media savviness. 

4. His love and respect for Orioles history- 

One thing I noticed that Buck immediately wanted to do upon his arrival in Baltimore was help infuse and reinvigorate throughout the organization, a pronounced awareness of the rich history that is Orioles baseball. The Oriole Way. How the game was played. How the organization had once best functioned from top to bottom. The incredible winning tradition. And the Oriole legends who helped lay the foundation and set the standard for what baseball in Baltimore was all about. Not only did he want to be instrumental in bringing these things back to the present day organizational culture, but he also wanted to learn about all of it himself, and learn from these key people. He wanted his players, all throughout the organization, to lean into these people and learn, and be inspired and affected by them. 

Right when Buck was hired, he talked about the profound influence that one time Orioles player, and then manager, Johnny Oates had on his life, both as a person and as a baseball guy. Oates was Buck's manager in the Yankees system in both AA and AAA in the early 80's. Buck would say that Oates became an inspiration to him, and that his compassion for his players was something that he really learned from. And then when Buck became manager of the Yankees in 1992, it was Johnny Oates who was at the helm managing the Birds in the opposing dugout when the two rivals clashed and had some epic battles. 

During his first spring training with the O's in 2011, Buck would tap into the rich history of the franchise by showing a film of various highlights throughout the years to everyone. Again, not only one of his many examples of leadership on display, but linked with this was his deep appreciation and respect for those who have gone before them, won, and essentially paved the way for the present day in many ways. 

And then Earl Weaver. I have to imagine that it was partly because of Buck's love and respect for O's history, wanting to teach and infuse these things to his guys and have them be affected, and out of a humble desire to learn from those who have gone before him, Buck reached out to The Earl of Baltimore and formed a good bond with him. He started involving Earl with the team in various ways, and Earl would come often to spring training. He would speak to the team, hang out, and just have fun. I once heard Buck say that when Earl was present for those team meetings, "once that coffee set in", even though past his prime he would really light up and you could see and hear his wisdom and brilliance on display and why he was who he was. Earl loved Buck. And Buck loved Earl. And there have even been times when Buck has gone off on umps for horrendous calls and he absolutely looks like Earl Weaver out there with similar body gestures and fiery intensity! So good to watch. 

He has also had Frank Robinson speak to the team several times. And the O's legends: The Iron Man, Cal Ripken, Brooks Robinson, Eddie Murray, Jim Palmer, among others. While there seemed to be controversy among the organization prior to Buck's arrival on what former players may not have been as welcomed, or felt as comfortable being around the organization, that certainly changed for the better when Buck arrived- as it absolutely should have. Buck's goal and profound awareness of how important it was to connect the former and current Orioles, tap into the rich history, and ultimately cultivate genuine relationships as one big family has been so refreshing to see. As mentioned previously, perhaps the best examples of this- and what I think are 2 of the greatest events in Orioles history- were the "Orioles Legends Series", and the "60th Anniversary" night. 

5. His consistent winning- 

Yes, all the categories mentioned above are reasons why I love Buck.. And they all weave together and help form one consistent and essential dynamic that has defined Buck's managerial career: winning. Since 2012, the Orioles currently boast the most wins of any organization in the American League. Certainly Andy MacPhail was a big reason as a master architect who started building from the ground up. And current GM Dan Duquette's success also can't be overlooked. And as Buck would be quick to point out, it's the players themselves who really make his success possible. But at the bottom of it all, I emphatically believe that it is Buck himself who is the master linchpin who holds it all together and who is most responsible for the current success. It's a combination of his deep respect and profound understanding and love of the game. It's how he handles himself and people. It's his meticulous attention to detail and relentless preparation. And it's his brilliant in-game management skills and reliance on exceptional instincts. A prime example of this being on display was in game 3 of the 2014 ALDS vs. the Tigers. The Orioles entered the bottom of the 9th inning with a 2-0 lead and on the verge of clinching the series and advancing to the ALCS. Stud closer Zach Britton was called on to do what Zach Britton does: close out the game and shut down the opposition. But the Tigers quickly mounted a threat by getting a run, and then having the tying run on 2nd with one out. What did Buck do? He relied on instincts and went against conventional wisdom: he intentionally walked 3B Nick Castellanos to actually put the winning run on base, and have Britton face Hernan Perez next. Of course, he also set up the possible double-play ball, which Britton is a master at inducing. The strategy worked, sending the Orioles to the ALCS. 

In 2013, I took my family to Sarasota for spring training. One of the highlights was Buck signing a baseball for my son after one of the games!

Then last year ('15 season), I got what was perhaps my favorite giveaway of the year: A Buck Showalter Garden Gnome. Of course I wanted to proudly put it on visible display in our home, and initially placed it on top of the kitchen sink. But my wife had other ideas. We thought about where it could go as she understandably didn't want it as visible as I did. We eventually thought, why not in my closet? Yup, perfect spot. She would get her way and not have it as visible, while I would still be able to see it frequently. We joked that it was a great spot, so Buck could manage my closet! 

Buck Showalter has oversight to manage my closet! 

Again, there is no other manager out there that I would handpick to manage my O's over Buck Showalter. I actually started working on this piece at the outset of this season during spring training (interrupted by other pieces and work along the way!), so now as I finally complete it, we prepare to enter the second half of the MLB season. I am ecstatic to find the Birds in a familiar place under Buck: in the pennant race and competing for the post-season as they currently sit in first place in a competitive AL East. Here's to the Birds surging down the stretch and giving Buck another opportunity to "roll the dice in October" as we hope and long for the O's next- and Buck's first and long-awaited, World Series Championship! 

Video Block

Double-click here to add a video by URL or embed code. Learn more

What is the next step with Kirk Cousins?

On March 1st, the Redskins did what most thought they would do: placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Kirk Cousins. After weeks of speculation, with the majority of predictions having the Redskins exercising one of the franchise tag options by the March 1st deadline, vs. coming to terms on a long-term deal, the official decision was made. So what happens next and when? What do the Redskins want? What does Kirk Cousins want?

Prior to the tag being placed, Team President, Bruce Allen has said, "Kirk wants to be a Washington Redskin, and we want Kirk to be a Redskin." And then General Manager, Scot McCloughan similarly stated back in February, "I want Kirk here and Kirk wants to be here." And then this past week, McCloughan once again reiterated that "Kirk will be here a long time." While the tag has been placed at the moment, an agreement on a long-term deal can still be reached by July 15th. Though Cousins has said that he is comfortable playing the 2016 season under the tag if needed, I believe both sides will still find a way to come to an agreement by the deadline. Yes, there are risks on both sides to not get a long-term deal done now. And there are also risks on both sides to get a long-term deal done now. 

From the Redskins side, there is always the risk that to not sign Cousins to a long-term deal and let him play the '16 season under the tag, Cousins could ball out and perhaps play similarly- or maybe even out perform his '15 season. Either one of these scenarios would certainly set his market value even higher and bring him an even greater long-term deal, vs what could likely be had now. Of course on the flip side if Cousins doesn't play as well and perhaps shows that last year was somewhat of a perfect storm and fluke (which I don't think will be the case), then this would bode well for the Redskins from a contractual and salary standpoint and not lock them into the risk of a hefty, long-term deal right now that may not prove to be best. Now if this is the case and Cousins doesn't play well, though the Redskins won't be at risk for as much financially and would have dodged a bullet, this would of course not be the best scenario! It would be a far more devastating scenario. Because, this would mean that we don't have the franchise QB we hope and think we have! In the NFL, every team would love to be in a position of having a solid, franchise QB who they could spend $16-25M on, vs not having a franchise QB and not spending that kind of $. Yes, it would cost the Redskins a lot more to not have a franchise QB and be swimming in constant mediocrity while searching for the next QB answer, then to heavily invest in a QB! Simply put, to let Cousins play under the franchise tag this year from the Redskins perspective would be a prove-it-to-us kind of scenario. Show us that 2015 wasn't a fluke, and we'll appropriately reward you with the mega (again, likely more than what could be reached this year) long-term deal.

From Kirk Cousins side, there of course is risk as well to not accept a solid long-term deal and play under the tag in 2016. What if he did regress? Or perhaps even worse, wonder if he was to get seriously injured? Either of these scenarios would be disastrous for him and could certainly cost him a lucrative, more guaranteed deal for years to come. But from what we know about Kirk, I actually think he has no problem- and perhaps would even thrive- by betting on himself. Earlier this month when Cousins was asked how he would respond if no long-term deal was reached by the July 15 deadline, he said "I am totally comfortable playing more football, and frankly, if I don't play well next season, I don't deserve to be back. I don't deserve to have a long-term deal. I want to go out and earn it, and prove myself, and if I need to prove myself again, that's fine. I'll go see if I can do that." 

Kirk has always had to overcome adversity, and do things that no one thought he could do. When he was in high school, he wanted to play basketball, but was told by his coach that the only position for him would be third-string point guard. But he quickly emerged as the starting point guard. Then at Michigan State, he was offered a scholarship only after MSU was turned down by their top choice. And then when Cousins came to MSU, they then recruited Nick Foles who they planned to be the top guy. But once again, Cousins would prove better, beating out Foles, leading Foles to transfer. But it wouldn't stop there as MSU brought in yet another QB prospect, Keith Nichol, who was also targeted as their top QB choice. But yet again, Cousins proved better, beating out Nichol and would finally be the guy. Cousins would go on to have a solid career at MSU and quickly develop his "Captain Comeback" reputation. One of the best examples of this was in 2011 on the dramatic Hail Mary TD vs. Wisconsin! 

Yes, Cousins had a very solid career at MSU. He seemed to have a flair for the dramatic moments as he often brought his team from behind and really stepped up in clutch situations. In his final game at MSU, he led his squad to a dramatic, triple OT win vs. Georgia in the Outback Bowl. He was a hard worker. He was a respected player on and off the field. He was humble. And he was a winner. The winningest QB in the history of MSU football. 

Cousins would end up participating in the Senior Bowl, and playing for the North squad. And Redskins HC, Mike Shanahan would coach the South squad, and get his first up close look at the MSU graduate, both during and outside of the game in a lengthy conversation. So when the 2012 NFL draft rolled around, while on one level it was a shocker that the Redskins took Cousins after going all-in on RG3, it still wasn't that shocking, given Shanahan's quality time spent with Kirk, and no doubt evaluating him further after that time. 

Personally, I thought it was great move when Shanahan drafted him. Even though I was bullish and emphatic about wanting RG3 to be the guy- and didn't want any kind of a typical Redskins QB "controversy" to step in the way and hinder this- I still knew enough about Cousins to know that not only was he a quality QB who had won and played well in the clutch, but he also seemed like a classy and humble guy. If anything, perhaps he would serve as a way to eventually be traded and bring the 'Skins back some of the compensation given up for Griffin! 

How would Cousins contribute to the Redskins? When? Well, that question was answered fairly quickly in his 2012 rookie season when Griffin got injured in the Baltimore game. The Redskins were surging, going for their 4th straight win and marching towards the playoffs. In stepped Cousins in a huge situation and immediately showed Redskins Nation (and the NFL) an example of how he got his reputation while at MSU. With the Redskins trailing 28-20 and facing a 2nd & 20 at the Ravens 25 yard line, he connected with Leonard Hankerson for 15 yards. Then on 3rd & 5, he connected with Pierre Garcon for the TD. Still trailing 28-26 and needing to go for 2 for the tie and force OT, Cousins executed a brilliant QB draw for the dramatic tie. The Redskins would go on to win in OT and get that all important, 4th straight win. Then the next week when Griffin was unavailable to play vs the Browns, in stepped Cousins to lead the Redskins to their 5th straight win, 38-21 over the Browns. And Cousins was very impressive in his first NFL start, going 26-37, for 329 yards and 2 TD's. And now with what he accomplished in the past couple of weeks, it could reasonably be said that the draft pick was already well worth it and paid immediate dividends. And as we know, Griffin would come back the next week and lead the Redskins the rest of the way towards a 7 game win streak and division title. 

Now what really impressed me about Cousins during his rookie season, and over the next couple of seasons while serving as the backup to Griffin, was his humility, hard work ethic, being a team guy and not complaining, and ultimately his desire to do whatever he could do support Griffin and the team, no matter what direction they decided to go. For Cousins, no doubt this had to be difficult, being a highly successful QB out of MSU who had starting QB aspirations in the NFL. But he was patient, and kept working hard to prepare for if and when the day may come when he would play regularly, whether it be with the Redskins or someone else. His character is what has always impressed me the most. For more of an up close view into who Cousins is and what he believes, check out his book, "Game Changer". In talking about his life on and off the field, Cousins would say, "At the end of the day, it's not about me. I've got to put other people ahead of me. That's not just on the football field as a quarterback, that's in life. That's just being a servant, and to me what it means to follow Jesus and be a Christian, so I'm going to put my teammates ahead of me."

During his many QB interviews as a backup, Cousins would repeatedly say how "this is Robert's team", and "I just want to be a servant" and do what he could to help the team however he could. While he never wavered in his confidence, personal ability, and desire to play, he handled his role as a backup with sheer class and humility. And when Cousins talked about leadership, he emphasized his biblical role and desire of being a "servant leader", and how leadership was primarily about influence and his desire to influence his teammates for Christ. 

As much as I was absolutely all in for RG3 for so long and still thought he should be the guy, even leading up to the 2015 season, I also loved Cousins and thought that if by chance he was to ever become the starting QB for my 'Skins, it would be a great story. 

Well, 2015 would indeed become that time as Jay Gruden made the surprising announcement prior to the season that "Kirk has earned the right to be the starting quarterback for 2015." 

Now, it's time to reflect on the magnificent 2015 season that Cousins had. Back at the end of the pre-season when Cousins was entrusted to be the guy, I thought that perhaps at best he would go for something like 24 TD's, 18 INT's, 3,400 yards, and around an 80 QB rating. My hope was that maybe, just maybe there would be an infusion of confidence in Kirk- now knowing he had the job full-time- and so between that, and the fact that he now had more experience under his belt, hopefully his game could take off to new heights. But what we saw unfold was borderline astounding. Kirk emerged to have top 5-10 QB stats in several categories last year: completion %- 1st in league (and #7 ALL-TIME), #5 in QB rating, and #6 in total QBR. Is he now an "elite" QB? Can't say that yet. But we can say he had an "elite" season. Winning the division. Breaking club records. And leading several key game winning clutch drives, including the greatest comeback in Redskins history, in what would famously be known as the "You Like That?" game, which would ultimately fuel and unite the team, and the fans, down the stretch and be a rallying cry! 

Here is another clip from last season that showed up close, Cousins' poise, leadership, humility, talent, and enthusiasm. This is exactly the kind of guy you want at the helm under center!

Cousins is now arguably on the "Mt Rushmore" for best QB seasons in Redskins history with guys like Jurgenson, Baugh, Rypien, and RG3.  

As previously mentioned, I have always liked Cousins, and thought that he could eventually be a pretty good QB in the right situation. Elite? Though I didn't think that was likely, maybe a top half of the league QB one day. Again, I thought it was a great move to initially draft him for added insurance and possibly to eventually trade for a good haul in return as Griffin soared. I admittedly saw RG3- especially back in '12- as having what I thought to be the greater upside, especially w/his added "turbo" speed, and incredibly strong and accurate arm, as he arguably had the greatest rookie season EVER for a QB while taking the league by storm. Griffin started his career as a potential league-changing, multi-dimensional QB, who could revolutionize the game at his position and do things never done before. I thought for a while that Griffin would and should be the guy long-term. Still, after the injury in '12 and his intention to develop more into a pocket QB, it became obvious (especially in '14 season) that Cousins was the better pocket QB between the two, and that until/IF RG3 would develop into a better pocket QB, Cousins may in fact be the better option, as someone who played in and was developed into a more prototypical NFL pocket system QB in college. But of course, what do I know?! 

My main fear, starting near the end of the '13 season- and then in '14- was that the Redskins franchise, media, and fans would prematurely and impatiently give up on RG3. And worst of all, cut him prematurely. Then, he would probably go somewhere else and tear it up. It seemed to me at least that Gruden either wouldn't, or perhaps couldn't scheme it up to suit RG3's strengths in more of a zone/read option scheme. Also, would RG3 want to play in this kind of scheme? Then on top of this, would he stay healthy?

Still, even though I had personally thought for a while that RG3 should be the guy long-term, more than anything I wanted to WIN. I wanted to win with a FRANCHISE (long-term & successful) QB- who was currently on the roster. The worst scenario would have been that neither Robert, Kirk, or even Colt would be good starters long-term, and that we would once again have to push the always consistent QB re-set button, and try to find that next guy.

But near the middle of last season, it became clear to me that Cousins needs to be extended long-term. THIS is indeed the guy to build the team around. Am I convinced he has arrived and will consistently be as dominating (perhaps more!), and a top 5-10- perhaps even top 5 QB every year? Though I don't think we can say this yet, there is still reason to hope. Let's see what the next 2-3 years bring. Still, it looks to be heading in that direction and I'm all in! I'm very excited about the state of this franchise with Cousins clear emergence. 

And now for a couple other things to ponder that I was thinking about near the end of the last season:

First, who had the better season? Griffin in '12, or Cousins in '15? Though Griffin's explosive running added to how staggering his season was, Cousins' overall passing stats were perhaps even better! 

Second, and this is a staggering thought: what if the unthinkable, heartbreaking scenario wouldn't have happened: what if RG3 NEVER got hurt in '12?! Where would this franchise be? Think about this. If he never gets hurt there is no question, Cousins would have absolutely been traded that offseason! But now, could it be that perhaps the injury- though unspeakably painful and devastating at the time- could have ultimately served to allow the best long-term scenario to unfold for the Redskins? That the better long-term QB- Cousins, would end of being the franchise QB, rather than be traded after the '12 season? Out of all the bad moves the 'Skins have made over the years, perhaps one of the best moves was to not trade Cousins after RG3 got hurt! 

So yes, my position is that the Redskins absolutely need to do what it takes to lock up Cousins long term right now. Is it a roll of the dice to do it now, vs waiting a little longer to make him prove it? Sure. But I think it's a calculated risk worth taking, not only because I believe in Cousins but also because of the supply and demand of quality QB's in the market around the league. If the Redskins were to ever let Cousins go, he would get scooped up very quickly and paid a premium by one of the many QB-starved teams. The bottom line is that not only are there a lot of teams who desperately need QB's now, but there are also a lot of the top QB's now who are getting up in age and won't be around too much longer. The baton will soon be passed on (like with Manning retiring last year), and the league will soon need a massive infusion of the next line of top QB's to usher in a new era. I believe Cousins will be among them. And I hope and think it will be while wearing the Burgundy & Gold.  

Thanks RG3

On Saturday, March 10 2012 I woke up to major news: that my Washington Redskins and the St. Louis Rams had indeed pulled off a blockbuster deal that would send the Rams' coveted #2 overall pick in the draft to the Redskins in exchange for the Redskins 1st round pick (#6 overall), their 2nd round pick, and first round picks in the '13 and '14 drafts. I was elated.

In the weeks leading up to this mega-deal, the stock of one Robert Griffin III continued to soar as a surge of momentum around the league had him rapidly climbing the pre-draft ranks as most people now had him as a lock for the #2 overall pick. And there were even some people who speculated his stock could even surpass Andrew Luck, who for over a year had been essentially handed the keys to the #1 overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft. 

Known simply as "RG3", Robert Griffin III was an absolute star at Baylor University and had pretty much single-handedly brought the once sub-par mediocre program to new, unprecedented heights. In his spectacular 2011 season, it was RG3- over Andrew Luck- who won the prestigious Heisman Trophy award. Then in the 2012 NFL combine, he continued to dazzle with a rarely seen combination of blazing speed and overall freakish athleticism. Besides his athleticism, he was an excellent communicator and seemed to be very smart in how he understood schemes, film breakdown, etc. 

I was all-in. For years, as Redskins fans we eagerly and desperately wanted a "franchise QB". Someone who would not only do well at QB, and win, but would simply bring consistent stability to the QB position for several years and put a stop to the QB carousel that more consistently has dominated the state of the franchise. Shortly after reading the many posts and watching some clips of the blockbuster trade with the Rams, I went on the MVA website and look for personalized plates to help fuel the excitement. I found what I wanted: "RG32DC". Like I said, I was all-in. In fact, shortly after my plates arrived, this piece was written by Washington Post columnist, Dan Steinberg aka, "The D.C. SportsBog". And then there were subsequent pieces written by Steinberg about many other custom RG3 plates, where mine was also included (from a fan sending him pics) among the pics. While I was out and about driving, I would often encounter Redskins fans that would drive by honking, cheering, and showing excited gestures like thumbs up or pumped fists. Sometimes while stopped at a light, I would glance in my rearview mirror to see people in their cars behind me taking pics of my plate. Yes, RG3 mania among Redskins Nation and the DMV was off and running- even before the NFL draft when we would officially select him! 

My current plates on car

Then came the NFL draft. Finally, after so many weeks of banking on it, planning for it, and dreaming about it, the desired scenario for Redskins Nation came to fruition: in spite of some late questions as to whether or not the Colts may actually take Griffin, as expected, they stuck to their guns and took Andrew Luck at #1. So there it was. The waiting was finally over. Fantasy became reality. NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell stepped to the podium: "With the 2nd pick of the 2012 NFL draft, the Washington Redskins select Robert Griffin III." 

Yes, I was thrilled. Redskins Nation was thrilled. It was as if a huge burden and anxious sigh of relief had been lifted off our chests. We finally had our guy. It was a very special night. 

During the annual Redskins Draft Day Party at FedEx Field a couple days later, I was there to witness as Redskins Nation finally and officially gave RG3 a heroes welcome. 

He was now officially in the fold. The fanbase opened him with elated, passionate open arms. He even led us in a rendition of "Hail to the Redskins." It was a perfect afternoon.

Enjoying draft party with buddy "Superskin", in my "No Pressure No Diamonds", RG3 shirt

Now there was one unexpected surprise that afternoon, as the Redskins drafted Kirk Cousins. Little did we know at the time how things would turn out with these two QB's. 

In the weeks to follow, the RG3 mania continued to surge as the merchandise was out in full force, fan and media conversations were rampant, and the countdown to Training Camp was on. In the Winn home, my sons (especially JT) would constantly watch RG3 videos (Baylor highlights, combine skills, and draft videos posted above) as I did all I could to impart my enthusiasm and influence on them. Like me, they were all-in with excitement. 

Along the way, my oldest son, JT was preparing to turn 3 years old. My wife and I talked about how we wanted to celebrate his birthday and what the plan would be. Then, it hit us! And I honestly don't remember if it was actually my wife who initiated the birthday theme instead of me! Yes, an "RG3" party. Why not? He was turning 3. We saw the perfect date to celebrate was on June 3rd. And we set the party for 3PM. It was a sweet day.

My son JT's "RG3" Party: 3 years old, June 3rd, 3PM. Perfect day. 

He got an RG3 jersey. We had NFL combine-like skills contests for the kids: running the 40, long jump, catching and throwing, etc. And what I definitely remember being at the brilliant suggestion of my wife, Tessa: a Cowboys pinata! Of course, we wanted to train the kids right, teach them what we didn't like, and what deserved to be the recipient of our controlled and innocent aggression! The kids wanted candy, and they wanted to destroy the star! It was a hilarious, glorious sight to see!

Then in late July, one of the most fun and anticipated times of the year began, Training Camp! We would finally get an up close glimpse of our star QB on the practice field with the team. I took my wife and boys one afternoon. And at the end of practice, we had a singular mission: get RG3 to sign a picture for my son, JT. We weren't the only ones with this idea. As is the case for every Redskins Training Camp event, there were thousands of other fans with the same autograph pursuits. As hoped, RG3 went over to the screaming fans and began signing. I quickly observed that to get him to sign at that exact spot was nearly impossible with several rows deep of fans. So rather than go over near where he was and fight the masses, we took a chance and hoped that perhaps he would make his way down and sign more.  We found a spot to stand on the front row, several yards over to his right from where he started to sign, as the fans from that spot scurried over closer to him. Then as hoped, he indeed started making his way down and took a lot of time to sign. JT was on my shoulders with the best view in the house. When he got close to us, I had told JT to ask him if he could please sign his picture. JT called out to him. I called out to him. Even though we were on the front row, by the time he worked his way over close to us we were surrounded by so many fans that our position on the front still didn't guarantee anything. Then RG3 demonstrated exactly what I had perceived and thought about him in these several weeks of hype and hysteria leading up to finally meeting him in person: he was very classy, polite, humble and seemed to have a genuine love for the fans all around him. With a smile on his face, he took the picture JT was holding and even personalized it for him: "To Josh". A sweet moment I will forever cherish. 

Top: Bennett on shoulders; Bottom left: JT on shoulders- getting ready to find our spot for RG3 to sign: right: pic RG3 signed, "To Josh"

"Shock and Awe." This is what ESPN 980 radio co-host to "The Sports Fix", and former Washington Times- now Examiner, columnist Thom Loverro predicted days before the season opener @ the Saints on September 9, 2012. For months, the Griffin hype was pumped up and dreamed about. Now, curiosity and hope was about to be satisfied and realized. I was vacationing with my family in our favorite annual getaway location, the Outer Banks (OBX) in NC. I couldn't wait to finally watch RG3 in regular season action. Griffin would lead a FG scoring drive on the first series, then on the first play of his 2nd series, he would connect with Pierre Garcon for his first NFL TD pass- for 88 yards. During the play, Griffin was hit as he threw. As Garcon caught it and was off to the races, Griffin sat up, both hands raised in the air. It didn't seem like much in the moment but that pose, like just about everything else with Griffin at that time, caught on like wild fire and soared with immediate and trending popularity.

RG3's first career TD pass to Garcon and the pose that would simply be known as, "Griffining".

Social and mainstream media outlets immediately went crazy with it as fans from everywhere flocked to Griffin with admiration and obsession. In the days and weeks to come, random people all over the world would even pose and take selfies of them "Griffining". In a sweet moment with my son, Bennett I even captured the moment on TV while we watched on our OBX vacation.

Even Bennett observed with "shock and awe" at Griffin's first NFL pass TD! 

The Griffin-led Redskins would indeed shock the Saints- and the NFL world- by pummeling the high-powered (and undefeated at home in '11) squad. And the awe? Griffin put up arguably the most impressive rookie QB debut in NFL history by going 19-26 for 320 yards with 2 TD's, 0 INT's, a QB rating of 139.9 and 42 yards rushing. And it wasn't just the rushing yards that were impressive. It was his poise and elusiveness to extend plays. Perhaps the most impressive play was when he rolled to his left, then eluded defenders coming back right and while running threw a missile to Fred Davis downfield along the sideline. He would become the first player in NFL history to have over 300 yards passing, 2 TD's, and 0 INT's in his debut. Yes, shock and awe. 

The next day, former Washington Post columnist, and current local sports radio host on ESPN 980, Tony Kornheiser would say, "Welcome to the land of unbridled optimism." Yes, Griffin was taking the DMV area by storm- with fans and mainstream media members alike. Long time Redskins mania, fueled by this new Griffin mania, was soaring to new heights of hope and optimism. Could it be that finally, after years of waiting and often failing at a long-term solution at QB, the Redskins indeed had their long-term solution- and a very good one- at QB?! 

In the weeks to follow, both Griffins popularity and outstanding play on the football field continued to soar. He was doing things at the QB position that no other rookie- or even veteran QB- in the league had done before. It was the powerful, rocket arm. The lightning quick release. The amazing accuracy. And of course, the "turbo" speed to elude defenders and get around the edges. 

One of my favorite highlights from that amazing rookie campaign was vs. the Vikings in week 6. At the time, the Redskins were in the midst of a dismal 8 game home losing streak that dated back to game 2 of the 2011 season. I was there at Fed Ex Field, and it was rocking as our 'Skins build a big lead into the 3rd quarter. It looked certain the the home losing streak would finally end. But the Vikings came back to make it close. All of a sudden the Redskins were clinging to a 31-26 lead and facing a 3rd and 6, with less than 3 minutes to go in the game. The Vikings had the momentum. But then, RG3 happened. On a designed QB run, he took the snap, saw the opening, and took off towards the edge. With his "turbo" speed on full display he outraced everyone, untouched, 76 yards towards the end zone for the dramatic and game-clinching TD. Fed Ex Field was in a frenzy as the roof blew off the joint. It had been a while since we experienced such an "electrifying" moment- as called by Larry Michael, as this. We were witnessing things at the QB position we had never seen before. Loud chants of "RG-3, RG-3, RG-3" filled the air. We were smitten. 

His 76 yard TD run was the longest run by a QB in 16 years (and 5th highest in NFL history), and he totaled 138 yards rushing on the day! This guy could do it all: pass, run, and win. 

The next week the Redskins and RG3 would face a tough task on the road against the rival (and 1st place) Giants. Once again, Griffin would show flashes of greatness, as his stellar rookie campaign continued to soar to new heights. The Redskins trailed 20-16 with 2 minutes remaining, facing a 4th and 10. Griffin took the snap and quickly had to move around to avoid pressure as the play broke down. After eluding a couple defenders, somehow he found Logan Paulsen down field and converted the 4th down to extend the drive. The announcers and NFL game day crews in the studio marveled at how he did this. 

Griffin would take the 'Skins all the way down the field to a go ahead TD- a beautiful strike to Santana Moss. It was a very impressive drive, where RG3 used his legs to extend plays and throw off script, use his legs to run, and use his accurate arm to make amazing throws. It looked like the TD to Moss would be the dramatic game-winner, but unfortunately the Giants would pull out the stunner as Eli Manning hit Victor Cruz for a 77 yard TD. Still, in spite of the painful loss there was more shock and awe, and legitimate reasons to hope and be excited for greater things to come. It was becoming even more clear that we had our star QB, as the league continued to marvel at what he was doing. In the post-game, Giants DE, Justin Tuck said, "he [Griffin] makes you lose your enthusiasm for the game a little bit. I'm really mad at the football gods for putting him in the NFC East. He is going to be a headache. He is the best QB we have faced all season, for sure." Also, Osi Umenyiora said, "that guy is flat-out unbelievable. That's the best QB we've faced all year." Yes, the league was taking notice, and players on rival teams were taking notice. How good could this get?

The next 2 weeks would be brutal losses, at Pittsburgh and then at home on "homecoming" to the Panthers. All of a sudden at 3-6, in spite of the many flashes of brilliance and stellar play of Griffin, the season was on the brink of unraveling. In his post-game interview, HC Mike Shanahan basically sounded like he was conceding that the year was over, as he said he would now get the opportunity to "evaluate players and see where we're at." Though Shanahan would later come out and say he wasn't try to say the year was in fact over, most of the media and people around the league certainly interpreted his statements as such. So now, it was time for the much needed bye-week. How would the team respond after the bye? How would they respond to Shanahan's statements? Though I remember having several reasons why I said and thought that this team could go on a run (upcoming favorable schedule, how the rest of the NFC East was playing, and especially the play of RG3), I never thought what would happen next would actually happen. 

It began at home against the Eagles, right after the bye-week. Both teams were 3-6 and on the brink of the season completely unraveling. The Eagles, I believed were reeling even more, and it actually seemed likely that long-time winning coach, Andy Reid was indeed on the verge of being let go (as was always the rumor in Philly when the team struggled) if they didn't turn things around this time. The Redskins finally took advantage, unlike in 2011 when they had a similar opportunity earlier in the year to bury their I-95 rivals. A 31-6 blowout and the Andy Reid bon-voyage now seemed inevitable as the Eagles plummeted to 3-7. And Griffin, was once again spectacular, completing 14-15 for 200 yards, 4 TD's, 0 INT's, 84 yards rushing, and most notably a perfect QB rating of 158.3. He set yet another NFL record by becoming the first QB in NFL history to post a perfect rating, by attempting at least 15 passes. 

Next, it was on to Dallas to play the rival Cowboys, on Thanksgiving Day. Not only would the Redskins finally play Dallas on Thanksgiving for the first time in 10 years, but Griffin would be making his first trip back to his home state of Texas to face the Cowboys. Though they were still only 4-6, if the Redskins could somehow pull this off, yes they would still only be 5-6, but most importantly, would have beaten division rivals in back to back games, send the Cowboys also to 5-6, and have the Giants on tap next, and a legit opportunity to get right back into the NFC East race. In all the years of the Redskins/Cowboys storied rivalry, the second quarter of this particular game would become the most one-sided dominant one that any of the teams had displayed. With the Redskins trailing 3-0, Griffin hit speedster Aldrick Robinson on a perfectly thrown bomb and a 68 yard TD strike. Minutes later, Alfred Morris would plunge into the end zone to stretch the lead to 14-3. All of a sudden, while watching how this game was unfolding, I had this feeling of exuberance, sensing that my boys may indeed be preparing to really hand it to The 'Boys on their home field, on Thanksgiving day, when they hardly ever lose. The surge of momentum continued as on the next drive, Griffin would hit Pierre Garcon, who split defenders and outraced everyone to the end zone. A 59 yard TD pass, and now a 21-3 lead. But the half wasn't over. Following a DeAngelo INT with under a minute remaining, Griffin would quickly lead the Redskins inside the red zone, and with 5 seconds remaining in the half, roll out to his right and throw a perfect strike to Santana Moss in the corner of the end zone for another TD. Yes, 28 points in the quarter. The route was on in Texas. My good buddy, Redskins superfan, @superskin would tweet: "If this was a fight, they'd call it." It felt so good. The Redskins of course would ultimately win the game 38-28. 

And Griffin? Once again he was spectacular, going 19-27 for 304 yards, 4 TD's (1 INT), and another gaudy 131.8 QB rating. Now 8 TD's in 2 weeks. And the most impressive thing I was elated about was that this performance came under the bright lights and high stakes: Thanksgiving Day, with a national audience, vs the rival Cowboys, in their building, back in his home state, and when the Redskins desperately needed to win to climb back in the division race. 

The next week the other division foe, the World Champion New York Giants came to Fed Ex Field for Monday Night Football. Once again, the Redskins would prevail 17-16 to now move to 6-6, and drop the Giants to 7-5. As I left a jubilant Fed Ex Field that night, I tweeted out: "BREAKING: The Redskins will win the NFC East." I just knew it was now going to happen. Yes, all of a sudden, an NFC East crown was a legitimate possibility. Though he wasn't as spectacular, Griffin was still very good, going 13-21 for 163 yards passing, 72 yards rushing, 1 TD, 0 INT's, and a 101.9 QB rating. And now with back-to-back weeks of being showcased on prime time, playing very well, and the Redskins winning, it now seemed like Griffin may even be the front-runner for the NFL rookie of the year, even over #1 overall pick, Andrew Luck, who was also having a very solid rookie campaign, as well as star QB's Russell Wilson, Colin Kaepernick, and Ryan Tannehill who all really started to emerge as well. 

The big games kept coming as the next opponent was I-95/295 local rival, the Baltimore Ravens. Accompanied by many of their raucous fans, the Ravens would come down I-95 into Fed Ex Field at 9-3 and in very good shape in their playoff standing. Both teams were surging. It was local football rivalry at its finest, and perhaps its highest point since the 2 teams had been in the league. The game would go back and forth with each team trading scoring drives. Then, it happened. With the Redskins trailing 28-20 and facing a 2nd and 19 on their own 27 with under 2 minutes to play, Griffin did was Griffin does: he tried to make a play with his legs when the play broke down. He was flushed out to his left outside the pocket, then turned it up field to gain as much as he can. While trying to get down, he was hit by Haloti Ngata and he was down. Teammates helped him up and it was quickly evident that he wasn't right, as he was favoring his right knee and had to be helped off the field. Rookie QB Kirk Cousins came in as the Redskins faced a 3rd and 6. Pass interference was called and the Redskins had a new set of downs. But then amazingly, Griffin would come back into the game. Clearly not the same lacking mobility, he completed his first pass to Santana Moss for a first down to get into Ravens territory. Then, he stood in the pocket and completed his next pass to Pierre Garcon for 22 yards inside the red zone. But on the pass he couldn't plant his right leg and noticeably hobbled. He then had to quickly hobble down the field to the first down marker as the play clock was winding down, now less than a minute. It reminded me of when Byron Leftwich played for Marshall and had to be carried down the field during a dramatic, TD drive. On the next play however, Griffin thew it out of bounds as the Ravens brought pressure, and he was called for intentional grounding. He was clearly in pain and went down to the ground again. He motioned for the sidelines and had to come off the field. Once again, Cousins had to come in. Only 45 seconds to go and now a 2nd and 20 from the Ravens 27. Cousins quickly hit Leonard Hankerson for 15 yards and then on 3rd and five, hit Pierre Garcon for a TD with just under 30 seconds left. Down 28-26 the Redskins were forced to go for 2, and that's when offensive coordinator, Kyle Shanahan dialed up perhaps his best call of the season: a Cousins QB draw for the game-tying score! In overtime, after a dramatic punt return by rookie, Richard Crawford, Kai Forbath hit the game-winning field goal, sending myself and the rest of the Redskins faithful at Fed Ex Field into a frenzy. It was a dramatic win on many levels. The winning streak was now 4. The Redskins were now a formidable 7-6. And the chances for that elusive NFC East crown were dramatically increasing. But while we high fived and hugged many on the way out of Fed Ex Field that afternoon, an uneasy sense of concern came over me: what about RG3's knee? How serious would this be? While reading early updates on the walk out, the initial sense of many was that it could be an ACL injury, and could very well mean the end of his season! My heart sank. Yes, the streak was good, and yes, we were now legitimately in this thing. But if no RG3 the rest of the way, I was convinced we were finished, and even if by some chance we were to still win the east, we would surely be a quick out in the playoffs with no chance of advancing. So now the post-game and interviews. Though the victory was sweet and there was much to celebrate, all the attention was rather on Griffin's health: how did he get hurt, how bad is the injury, what specifically is the injury, would he play next week, would he be out for the season, why did he go back in, etc. Mike Shanahan gave his version of what happened. And renowned surgeon (and Redskins game day team Dr.), Dr. James Andrews gave his version, nearly a month later. Controversy swirled. But unexpected good news would emerge, shortly after an MRI revealed that Griffin only had a knee sprain, an LCL injury that wouldn't require season ending surgery but would be a week to week thing. I'll never forget that feeling of relief. The season wasn't lost. He would be back soon. Now, all we needed was rookie QB Kirk Cousins to hold it down vs. the lowly Browns the next week, and possibly the week after vs. the hapless Eagles and their lame duck coach, Andy Reid. 

Though Kirk Cousins would indeed get the nod to start against the Browns, Griffin tried his best to convince the coaching staff to let him play. But he simply wasn't ready yet, and risking further injury would not have been prudent. Though he started a little slow, Cousins would find his groove and reel off a very impressive rookie debut as starting QB as the 'Skins won their 5th straight game 38-21 to surge to 8-6. 

Now it was on to the Eagles. Griffin was cleared to play with a knee brace and ready to go, though not being 100%. It was obvious that Griffin didn't have the same kind of burst and was understandably playing more cautiously because of his knee. But he led the Redskins to their 6th straight victory, 27-20 to sweep their division foes, move to 9-6 and set up the ultimate final regular season showdown: a winner take all vs. the rival Cowboys! 

A Sunday night prime-time showdown to cap the regular season. A rivalry that is widely considered to be the best in the NFL. The winner takes the NFC East crown and moves on to host a playoff game the next weekend. The loser goes home and misses not only the division crown, but the playoffs entirely. It would be the most anticipated and biggest game (even over the wild- card playoff vs the Lions in '99) in the history of Fed Ex Field. With a chance to knock the rival Cowboys out of the playoffs entirely, once again the stakes were set very high for this rivalry matchup. Even though in the great history of this rivalry the Cowboys had won more games overall, it was the Redskins who won when the stakes were highest: the '72 and '82 NFC Championship games. And now, an opportunity for the highest stakes in the regular season on the last game of the season. I arrived early that afternoon with friends to tailgate as I wanted to soak it all in and savor each moment. When it came time for us to go into Fed Ex Field, the pent up energy that we had was also seen and felt among the masses as we entered the gates like caged lions ready to be turned loose. We were roaring and hungry for victory, a division championship for the first time in 13 years, an opportunity to host a playoff game, and of course a sweet win over the despised Cowboys to send them home to watch the playoffs from their TV's. Chants of "WE WANT DALLAS" and "DALLAS SUCKS" filled the air. And there was also loud singing of "Hail to the Redskins". We were ready. 

With the usual and deafening chants of "DE-FENSE, DE-FENSE", section 220 was alive and well for this epic game at the outset. Although the intensity and noise of the chants was on a different level, perhaps unmatched in all the years of going to games at Fed Ex Field. On the Cowboys' first possession, Romo thew an INT to Richard Crawford and I just knew it: I told fans all around me, "this game is won!" It was classic Romo being Romo: on the biggest stage and devastating INT's. The Redskins would eventually take the lead 14-7 in the 3rd quarter as Griffin, still gimpy and all and clearly not having the same kind of burst, scampered around the left edge for a TD inside the 10. Redskins Nation was in a frenzy. Then in the 4th quarter, Alfred Morris scampered 32 yards to pay dirt and the lead was 21-10. The frenzy reached another level. The Cowboys, however would make it interesting by cutting the lead to 21-18 and all of a sudden, it was up to the defense to stop Romo with just over 3 minutes to go. On the first play, from their own 28, Romo dropped back and, once again in typical Romo fashion in these dramatic moments, floated an ill-advised pass that was picked off by Rob Jackson. Redskins legend and radio analyst, Rick "Doc" Walker said, "what a numbskull throw." It was a dagger for Romo and the Cowboys. The outcome was now even more inevitable. Then a couple minutes later, Alfred Morris plunged into the end zone for the official nail in the coffin. The Redskins would win 28-18 and the improbable run was complete. A 7 game winning streak, amazing 10-6 finish, and yes, the long-awaited NFC East division championship. It was one of the most special moments I have ever witnessed as a Redskins fan, and probably the best regular season moment during all my years of being a fan. There were so many special moments from that night. We had knocked the Cowboys out of it, and we were division champs. 

Redskins Nation stayed in full force long after the game, with many of us hanging out by the Comcast Sports post-game show in euphoric celebration as players were interviewed. In an unexpected surprise, Pedro (Pete) Taylor, Sean's Father, also came out to mingle with the fans and share in the excitement. 

With Sean Taylor's Father, Pedro. 

Yes, it was a special night, on many levels. Here is a piece from "Sound FX" with RG3 being mic'd up. We would now prepare to host a playoff game, for the first time since our last division title in 1999. 

Though the Redskins entered the playoffs with the longest win streak in the NFL at 7 games, the Seattle Seahawks were arguably just as hot- if not more- and were still slightly favored to win, partly because of the uncertainty of how healthy RG3 may be. For the second straight week, the excitement of Redskins Nation was just as high as I could ever remember it. There was an insatiable hunger. A pent up desire to so desperately get back to the glory days of winning that so many of us had consistently known in years gone by. It was far and away the most popular and most expensive ticket in town. There was hope. Legitimate hope that even though he wasn't fully recovered, the man who was certain to win the NFL rookie of the year award and completely taken the league by storm would be leading the surging Redskins into the playoffs and amazingly, make the Burgundy & Gold one of the most dangerous teams that unquestionably no one would want to play. Could a deep run be on the verge of happening. And, gulp, was a Super Bowl run actually possible? 

Just like the Cowboys game the week before, we arrived early for tailgating. We wanted to soak up every minute with our fans and savor this rare playoff atmosphere. 

My wife and I in 220 with the face of our section and long-time game buddy, Superskin

I realized I hadn't been to a Redskins playoff game since Jan '92 when I went to the NFC Championship game, and saw our 'Skins crush Detroit to advance to the Super Bowl. I couldn't wait to enjoy every moment of this playoff memory! We settled into 220, hugging and high-fiving our game day family all around us. And it was all Redskins fans. I saw maybe 10 Seahawks fans there the entire day. I was ready to lead our section in our classic "DE-FENSE" chants and bang the column as often as possible! There was an electricity that filled the air. I had never seen Fed Ex Field so amped up in my entire life. We were ready. 

The Redskins won the toss and elected to receive. With as much precision and determination as we had seen all season, our boys drove the ball all the way down the field for a quick TD, and a 7-0 lead. Then on the Seahawks first possession, the Redskins- aided by the deafening chants of "DE-FENSE, DE-FENSE"- swarmed Russell Wilson and stymied the 'Hawks offense, forcing them to go 3 and out and punt. 

We got the ball back and once again, Griffin led an impressive drive right down the field. But then, it happened. While inside the red zone, Griffin scrambled to his right and when getting hit out of bounds, landed awkwardly on his knee. He got up slowly, clearly favoring his knee and walking gingerly back to the huddle. I immediately knew something wasn't right. Still, as he had demonstrated already vs the Ravens and since, through sheer determination and resolve he stayed in the game in spite of what appeared to be pain. And then he threw a TD pass to Logan Paulsen and all of a sudden, the Burgundy & Gold surged ahead 14-0! But how would his knee respond as the game went on? 

Unfortunately, that TD was the high point of the game, as the offense sputtered the rest of the way. Taking advantage of a wounded QB and this inability of the offense to move the ball, the Seahawks began chipping away at the lead. It was pretty obvious while watching in the stands, that Robert's mobility seemed to be getting worse and worse. But he stayed in the game. And to this day, I will personally stand by coach Mike Shanahan's decision to keep him in the game. It was a very tough decision. Griffin would describe it as he was "hurting" but not "injured." And most notably, he remained cleared by the medical staff throughout the game to stay in the game and not need to come out as there was no obvious structural compromise to his knee. Shanahan would say that Robert had "earned the right" to stay in the game, and I would agree. It was the heat of a playoff battle, on their home turf, where many NFL players over the years have similarly played through grueling pain- and obvious injuries- with a resolved attitude stay in the game and persevere. No matter what. Though Griffin continued to look unable to plant his leg strongly while throwing downfield- and his accuracy being clearly affected- there was still the sense that just maybe he could still pull something off, as he had done so often during the season. Shanahan thought the same thing. In the 4th quarter, the Seahawks would take the lead for good. 

And then, a moment that will forever be one of the saddest, most controversial, and one of the most franchise-altering plays in Redskins history, took place. With the Redskins now down 21-14 with just over 6 minutes remaining and facing a 2nd and 22 from their own 12 yard line, Griffin lined up in shotgun and the ball was snapped. Unfortunately, it was a bad snap and while Griffin moved to get the ball on the ground, his knee buckled and he crumpled to the ground. The Seahawks recovered the fumble. No doubt the game was now all but over. There was stunned silence. Not only silence because of the outcome of the game and inevitable and painful home playoff loss, but more because our star QB lay on the ground, writhing in obvious pain. It was one of the most gut-wrenching moments I have ever experienced as a fan. All we could do was stare in disbelief, confusion and concern. The thoughts raced through my mind as I pondered what was unfolding before my eyes. It was as if all the hopes and dreams of Redskins Nation that had reached near unimaginable heights- heights perhaps not experienced since the Super Bowl glory years- were crashing like black Tuesday in 1929. This was the worst possible scenario: that our star, the league-transforming, rookie phenom QB who had carried our beloved Burgundy & Gold to an amazing NFC East crown, was now seriously hurt. What kind of injury was it? How long would his recovery be? Would he ever be the same QB? All these thoughts raced through my mind during this excruciating sequence. 

The Redskins lost the game, but worst of all, lost our QB. A few days later the dreaded news was confirmed: complete tear of LCL and ACL, leading to complete reconstruction. Best case scenario was that he might be ready for the beginning of the 2013 season.

The immediate aftershock within the media- both local and national- Redskins fan base, and people in and around the league was cataclysmic. Though painful, the actual loss itself was buried in a much greater topic of endless debates that raged on for days, weeks, and months to come: Should Griffin have even played from the start? Should he have been pulled earlier during the game? Should he have pulled himself out of the game? Was Robert to blame? Were the team doctors to blame? Was Mike Shanahan to blame? These topics consumed what, in my opinion was the longest, most grueling, and most controversial Redskins offseason I can ever remember. 

I could certainly say a lot more about what transpired during that offseason, (and Griffin's amazing recovery to be "All in For Week 1"), and his remaining time with the Redskins that would entail an entire piece in itself. 

But I will conclude this tribute piece to say a heartfelt "Thank you" to Robert Griffin III for the excitement, euphoria, and "shock and awe" he brought to Redskins Nation during that glorious 2012 season. A storybook season for the ages. No one can ever take those great memories away from us. 

Thanks Peyton

"I revere football. I love the game", an emotional Peyton Manning said. "You don't have to wonder if I'll miss the game. Absolutely. Absolutely, I will." With perhaps an even more daunting challenge than keeping his composure in his many epic game day battles, Peyton somehow maintained his composure by fighting tears and waves of emotions during his farewell retirement announcement on March 7, 2016. 

Prior to Super Bowl 50, I wrote about how I met the great Peyton Manning while I was going to school in Tennessee, at the same time he was. He was the son of one of the greatest college QB's ever, and NFL QB for the Saints, Archie Manning. He was expected to succeed. When this highly touted young QB prospect committed to my Vols in 1994, along with every other UT fan, I was elated, knowing that he had all the makings of a star, on the college level and beyond. 

"Treat a man as he is and he will stay as he is. Treat a man as he can be and he should become what he can be", Peyton also said during his speech. While at UT, all the pressure and hype was certainly there to perform, big time. What and who could Peyton become as a person and player? Seeds were planted. Peyton would indeed go on to be the star that all of us Vols fans dreamed he would be, and far beyond. His former Vols HC coach Phil Fulmer chimed in and said, "He changed how the QB position is played. He's a true Tennessee legend." His play on the field was spectacular. He was a tactician. A master surgeon in how he read and dissected defenses to exploit their weaknesses, and take advantage. And he was extremely smart. His UT Offensive Coordinator, David Cutcliffe (who is emphatic about Peyton being the greatest QB to every play) would say, "Once he learns something- one time, it's in there forever." And he was uber prepared for every game situation. After his retirement speech, ESPN's Mike Golic would say, "Peyton was as well prepared for that retirement speech as he's been for any game, really impressive."  

But it wasn't just his on-field accolades. Off the field Peyton was true class. Even while at UT, he was heavily involved in the community (including volunteering at the Knoxville Boys & Girls Club that I worked at!), eagerly cooperated with the media, and was a true professional in how he handled himself in and around campus life. By all accounts, he was humble, graceful, a true leader, and an ambassador for the University. And he would quickly become not only an ambassador for UT, and Tennessee, but also in College Football while there, and eventually in the NFL at the next level. Though Peyton would not win a National Championship at UT, he was arguably the biggest reason for the incredible run of success (wins, overall recruiting talent and commitments, national media hype, etc.) including an SEC Championship vs Auburn (and over rival FL in the East) in '97, and impressive bowl wins over Ohio St and Northwestern.

One of my favorite games- and moments during the Manning UT era was when the Vols played at Alabama in '95. At that time, even though Florida was the new SEC "east" rival, the all-time UT rival- and one of the biggest in the country- was unquestionably Alabama. Alabama had owned the Vols of late, winning 9 straight. And now Peyton Manning was making his first trip into Alabama, in hopes of helping end this painful losing streak. On the very first play of the game, Manning hit Joey Kent for an 80 yard TD strike and the Vols were off and running. They would cruise to a 41-14 win on National TV, and the losing streak was over. Yes, Peyton Manning could certainly win the big game!

In his senior year of 1997, Peyton certainly seemed like the heavy favorite to win the Heisman Trophy. And his stats and incredible season absolutely seemed to warrant it. But somehow- and to this day it's still one of the biggest sports mysteries I've ever witnessed- Darren Woodson surprised the majority of the college football landscape and won the prestigious award. In Vol Nation, we referred to it as "The Heisman Heist". How Peyton didn't win it that year, I will never understand. 

Right after Manning graduated and moved on to the NFL in the '98 draft, came the Vols incredible and perfect 13-0 season and National Championship in '98, in which QB Tee Martin and that dominant Vols team- that had built off of and were assembled largely due to Peyton's influence and being at UT- would carry on the momentum and winning culture that Peyton helped fuel, to roll through the season with precision and ultimately, perfection. From 1995-'98, the Vols reeled off an eye-popping 45-5 record. I went to just about every home game while I was there during those years, and marveled at his play, and the incredible QB he was quickly becoming. No other QB in SEC history has won more games than Peyton Manning. But out of all the many things he accomplished at UT to forever win the hearts of Vols fans, I believe his most endearing moment came on March 5, 1997 when he made his dramatic announcement that he would actually forgo the upcoming NFL draft- where he would likely be the #1 overall pick and get a huge contract- and actually stay for his senior year at UT. Vols fans and all of Tennessee was ecstatic. It was so rare that a college player of his caliber and obvious elite draft status would actually elect to stay at school and not go pro when easily able. 

Peyton would also say during his speech, "Almost 19 years ago to the day, I announced my decision to forgo the draft and stay at the University of Tennessee for my senior year. It was one of the smartest decisions I've ever made. I cherished my time in Knoxville, especially my senior year. And I want Vols fans everywhere to know the unique role you've played in my life." 

Thank you, Peyton for your years of investing in the University of Tennessee. Vols Nation forever loves you. 

Peyton Manning Jersey Retirement

This played on the video board at Neyland Stadium during Peyton Manning's jersey retirement ceremony. Enjoy!

Posted by Vol Network- IMG on Thursday, August 18, 2011

Then came the 1998 NFL draft, where Peyton was indeed picked as expected, #1 overall by the lowly and perennial loser, Indianapolis Colts. The Colts had been an NFL train-wreck for years. Constantly fumbling in the draft with very high first round picks by picking the wrong players who didn't work out, would they finally get the right player in Peyton? Perhaps that horrific and perceived state of the Colts was most magnified in 1994, when ESPN draft analyst, Mel Kiper had famously said for the Colts "to pass up a Trent Dilfer, when all they have is Jim Harbaugh? Gimme a break! That's why the Colts are picking 2nd every year in the draft, not battling for the Super Bowl like other clubs in the NFL!" 

But now there was a new "Sherrif" in town, as Jon Gruden would first say in reference to Peyton. What would be the future of the Colts now? More of the norm around the NFL at that time was to have the young, talented QB sit on the bench, learn from a vet, and ease his way into the starting lineup over time. As we have seen so often around the NFL, sometimes a seemingly really good QB is drafted and placed in an organization that is in disarray, experiences constant losing, perhaps has a bad coach, bad players, and just an overall culture of futility that would seem to give that player little to no chance of succeeding. This was exactly the case with Peyton's father, Archie who like Peyton, was one of the greatest and most celebrated college QB's ever at Ole Miss, taking them to great heights in the college football landscape. But unfortunately for him, he was drafted #2 overall in 1971 by the lowly New Orleans Saints and was placed in a nearly impossible situation where success unfortunately wouldn't take place. Was it mostly the Saints that made it so difficult for Archie- who perhaps could have been a great QB somewhere else- to thrive? Or was it that Archie just wasn't going to be as good on the next level? We will never know. But in Peyton's case, the Colts decided to go all in with their young phenom as he was immediately thrown into the fire and start for a horrible team that had gone 3-13 the year before. Would it be like Archie with the Saints? 

Again, unlike the typical norm of not just easing a young QB into starting lineup after time to learn on the bench, but also easing that young QB into more aggressive play calling once in the starting lineup, the game plan was different with Peyton. He was asked to do things rarely done before by a young QB: be a gun-slinger. Hold nothing back, don't be conservative, and take chances by throwing the ball down the field. While Peyton struggled in his rookie season (setting the NFL rookie record with 28 INT's), he also showed immediate flashes of greatness with 26 TD's and nearly 4,000 yards passing. 

Then in just his 2nd season, the Colts amazingly went 13-3 to win the division, as Peyton quickly and dramatically improved in every major QB category: yards, completion %, TD's, fewer INT's, and a higher QB rating. The once lowly Colts would put up their highest win total in their Indianapolis history, and hadn't won this many games since their Baltimore days of 1968. 

What would happen in the years to come was nothing short of astounding, and unprecedented in NFL history. Under Peyton's leadership, they would set an NFL record by having a staggering seven consecutive 12+ win seasons between '03-'09! And they would also have an unprecedented eleven 10+ win seasons with Peyton at the helm! 

Yet with all this incredible success in the regular season, followed by high hopes (and predictions by many) of a Super Bowl run, several disappointing and heartbreaking playoff losses would occur. Yes, there were games that Peyton didn't play well and certainly contributed, and there were also games where improbable circumstances took place that didn't necessarily happen because of Peyton. One of the many was the 2005 AFC Divisional playoff vs the Steelers where the #1 seeded and high-powered 14-2 (and nearly undefeated) Colts were shocked at home by the Steelers. With a little over a minute to go, the Steelers were going in for what was certainly a game-clinching TD. But Jerome Bettis fumbled near the goal line, and Nick Harper picked it up and was off to the races. But somehow Ben Roethlisberger saved the game and tackled him near mid-field. But perhaps even more improbable than the Bettis fumble, or even Big Ben's tackle, was the automatic and league-best kicker, Mike Vanderjagt missing a game-tying kick that would have sent the game to OT. He missed one kick the entire season. It was heartbreak city for Peyton and the Colts. 

But finally, after all the near-misses and playoff heartbreak, Peyton would lead the Colts to sweet redemption the next season, all the way to his first Super Bowl Championship. And on the way to get to the Super Bowl, Peyton had to first lead his Colts past rival Tom Brady and the Patriots in the AFC Championship game. What looked to be another heartbreaking and home playoff loss for the Colts with the Patriots cruising to a 21-3 halftime lead, turned into a dramatic AFC Championship comeback for the ages! Peyton had finally gotten the best of Brady when the stakes were highest. 

Yes, Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady. Peyton was the #1 overall player taken in the 1998 NFL draft. Tom Brady was picked #199 as a compensatory 6th round pick in the 2000 draft. Peyton was expected to succeed. Brady was the underdog who would replace Drew Bledsoe in 2001 and help lead the Patriots to their first Super Bowl championship over the high-octane, "Greatest Show on Turf", St. Louis Rams. 

Over the years, Brady and Manning would wage epic wars on the field, with Brady's Patriots getting the best of Manning's Colts the majority of the time. 

But as the years and storied rivalry would go on, it would end up being Peyton who would eventually get the best of Brady when the stakes were highest: including 3-1 in the AFC Championship game, and 3-2 overall in the playoffs. More of this this to come. 

Peyton would lead his Colts to yet another incredible season- and once again nearly undefeated season- in 2009 with another gaudy 14-2 record and another Super Bowl appearance vs. the Saints. And I might add, his 2nd Super Bowl with his 2nd head coach. A very mediocre coach in Jim Caldwell (who would only last 2 more years). The Colts jumped out to a quick lead, but momentum would turn against them when the Saints shocked everyone with an onside kick to start the 2nd half, resulting in one of the biggest scrums you'll ever see. The Colts were shocked, and it affected them down the stretch as the Saints would comeback and win their first Super Bowl. 

2010 would be a solid and yet another 10 win season for Colts. But something was apparently happening with Peyton's health, specifically his back and neck. In February of 2010, Peyton would have his first of 4 neck surgeries. A neck surgery that many believe was first triggered in 2006 vs. the Redskins. His neck surgeries were apparently a result of a herniated disk. Because of this condition, he would also have to undergo cervical vertebral fusion, which also resulted in damaged nerves. And as if this wasn't significant enough, he didn't (and still doesn't!) have feeling in his fingertips, because of severe nerve damage. He would go on to have 3 more surgeries, with his fourth being in September, 2011. For the first time in his NFL career and for the first time since his freshman year at UT, Peyton Manning would miss not only a game, but the entire 2011 season. And what would happen in his absence? All of a sudden, these once regularly dominant Colts teams would completely unravel and end up a league-worst, 2-14. What would this say about not only how important Peyton's play was, but also his influence and leadership? I believe a whole lot. 

And now with the surgeries mounting up, questions grew about whether Peyton could even play football again. He had lost significant arm strength. His neck and back were widely considered at high risk for significant injury and possibly long-term risks by playing football again. The 2012 season, and the start of free agency was drawing near. The Colts were in a difficult spot and had an important decision to make. Do they press on with their beloved and iconic franchise QB and hope he could play again- and at a high level- or leverage their #1 overall draft pick to take the highly touted, widely-regarded #1 QB prospect since, ironically, Peyton Manning! 

In one of the most difficult franchise decisions, perhaps in the history of the NFL, the Colts would indeed cut ties with Peyton and allow him to become arguably the biggest free agent in the history of the league. In one of the most emotional press conferences you will ever see, Peyton and owner Jim Irsay would announce the new direction that both sides would pursue. 

Stories and rumors swirled. Who were the biggest suitors? Where would Peyton want to go? One of the rumored teams was my Washington Redskins, who were supposed to have tons of salary cap flexibility and were heavily rumored to be in pursuit with a specific plan. Peyton would even meet with head coach, Mike Shanahan. But minutes before the start of free agency, the Redskins would receive shocking news that the league was imposing a $36 million salary cap penalty. This stunning and unexpected news completely shocked the Redskins, who were bracing for a likely free agent splash, after they had cleared several million dollars of cap space the year before in the "un-capped" season. Anyway, this is a different story that I could delve into for quite some time!

It was widely believed that if not for this unexpected twist in this salary cap hit, the Redskins would have more heavily pursued Peyton. The dominoes would start to fall. Prior to the start of free agency, the Redskins would pull off the blockbuster trade with the Rams for the #2 overall pick, which of course would be used to select RG3. In fact, Peyton himself was stunned by the news, while he was meeting with John Elway. But even in this huge trade, it had been surmised that the Redskins would have still pursued the possibility of both Peyton AND Griffin. But with the cap hit, that chance went out the window. Thus, John Elway and the Denver Broncos emerged as the strongest suitor in hot pursuit. In fact, John Elway texted Mike Shanahan and asked him to "put in a good word for us", when Peyton was meeting with Mike. 

Then on March 19, 2012 Peyton would agree to terms with the Broncos. In Peter King's incredible and insightful story, he documented specific details of Peyton's journey and the key moments along the way. Peyton's chapter in Denver was about to begin. Meanwhile in Indianapolis, as expected the Colts would select Andrew Luck, thus beginning their new chapter as a franchise. 

So now the Peyton Manning era in Denver would begin. How would the Broncos fare, now that the new Sherriff was in town? In 2011, the Broncos would finish a mediocre 8-8 but win the division, under fan favorite QB, Tim Tebow. But even with Tim Tebow's winning success and soaring popularity, getting Peyton Manning to come to the Broncos would be a coup and there was no question that even the popular Tebow would have a short stint in Denver and have no chance of staying. 

Just like he had done in Tennessee, and just like he had done with the Colts, once again Peyton's influence and leadership would lead his new team, the Broncos to new heights of greatness. Denver would soar to a league best 13-3 record and #1 seed in the playoffs. And if there were any questions about how Peyton would play on not only a different team, but most importantly coming off the several, seemingly career-ending neck surgeries, those questions were emphatically answered. Peyton would dominate, and seemingly not miss a beat from how he played all those years with the Colts. He would throw for nearly 5,000 yards, 68% completion %, 37 TD's and just 11 INT's. He took a mediocre 8 win team, a team that was offensively challenged to put it mildly, to a dominant team. But in heartbreaking fashion in the AFC divisional playoff, the heavily favored Broncos were shocked by the eventual World Champion Baltimore Ravens in a seemingly impossible scenario. The Broncos led 35-28 with 40 seconds to go, and Baltimore at their own 30 yard line. The Ravens needed a miracle, and they got it as Joe Flacco hit Jacoby Jones 50 yards down the field as the Broncos improbably and inexcusably let Jones get behind their prevent secondary for the dramatic game-tying TD. Once again, a Peyton-led team was victim to a flukish and shocking loss in the playoffs. But even with the crushing playoff loss, the 2012 season was an unbelievable success for the Broncos, and Peyton Manning. 

Then in 2013, the greatness and legacy of Peyton Manning was elevated to another level. An out of this world level. Manning had arguably the greatest season not only of his career, but arguably the greatest season ever for a QB in the history of the game. All at the age of 37! Manning would pass for a league record, 5,477 yards, have a league record 55 TD's, and throw only 10 INT's. And his QB rating was a gaudy 115.1. And once again, he would lead his Broncos to a 13-3 record, runaway division championship, and another #1 seed in the playoffs. On the way to his third Super Bowl, Manning would lead the Broncos over rival Tom Brady and the Patriots in the AFC Championship game. And Peyton put up amazing numbers by completing 32-43 for an AFC Championship record 400 yards, to go along with 2 TD's, zero INT's, and a 118 QB rating. Yes, once again he proved he could play well in the big game. And perhaps more importantly, he was now 2-1 vs Brady when the stakes were highest, the conference championship. 

So now Peyton was on his way to his 3rd Super Bowl, with his 3rd head coach. The high-powered Broncos offense would play the upstart Seahawks and their dominant defense. As is usually the case in Super Bowl history, the dominant defense would shut down the dominant offense. Little did anyone know at the time that this would be an ironic foreshadowing to the great ending of Peyton Manning's illustrious career. 

The 2014 season would be another dominant one for the Broncos as they went 12-4 to win yet another division championship. But in December, Peyton had gotten hurt and it was evident down the stretch as it clearly affected his play, especially in their divisional playoff loss. After the game, it was revealed that he had indeed played the last month of the season with torn right quadriceps. How many more injuries could Manning sustain?

Then the 2015 season, which would statistically be his worst season. The injuries had played a toll as it was evident that not only his arm strength wasn't the same (primarily because of the toll of the back and neck injuries), but now he would also have a plantar fascia tear in his foot, that would require a walking boot. For the first time in his career during a season, Peyton Manning would now miss time due to injury, in favor of the young Brock Osweiler. Near the end of the season there were still questions whether or not the Broncos would even go back to playing with Manning at QB when the playoffs began since he was basically a shell of his former self physically. There was definite risk. But of course, his cerebral superiority was still fully intact and never in question. Right before the regular season finale, the Broncos had lost a crushing game to the Oakland Raiders and now the once improbable was now a possibility: would the Broncos fail to make the playoffs altogether? This was certainly a possibility as the regular season concluded vs the rival Chargers. And the game didn't start great. But then, Peyton Manning would come off the bench and lead a rally to not only save the Broncos season with a playoff berth, but simultaneously helping them clinch yet again, another #1 seed! What had been a breath away from no playoffs, now amazingly turned into the road to the Super Bowl going through Denver! Still, even after the win there was the question as to whether or not head coach Gary Kubiak would actually go with Peyton Manning as the starter in the playoffs, or stay with Brock Osweiler. Kubiak made perhaps the best decision of his coaching career, he announced Peyton Manning would indeed be the starter when the playoffs began. 

In the divisional round, the Broncos trailed late and were on the verge of once again losing in their opening game. Could Peyton Manning's last game be a loss in the divisional playoffs? The Broncos were certainly on the brink but once again, Peyton led an impressive game-winning late drive to win the game and send the Broncos back to the AFC Championship game. And who would they play? None other than the New England Patriots and Tom Brady. Yes, another Manning vs Brady AFC Championship showdown. Though Peyton certainly didn't play poorly (17-32, 176 yards, 2 TD's, 0 INT's), this time, it was his defense who would carry him rather than the once dominant offenses he led. The Broncos defense pummeled Brady, and hit him more times than any QB had been hit all year. In fact, I believe it was the most Brady had been hit during any game in his career! The Broncos prevailed, sending Manning to his 4th Super Bowl, with his 4th head coach. Something no other QB in the history of the game had done. He was also taking his second team to its second Super Bowl, after taking his first team to 2 Super Bowls. Also, something no other QB in the history of the game had done. And on top of that, he was also now 3-1 vs Tom Brady in the game when the stakes were highest between the two of them- the AFC Championship game. 

To sum up Super Bowl 50 vs the Carolina Panthers I will simply say, it was one of the most dominant defensive performances we have ever, and perhaps will ever see in the Super Bowl. The Broncos, and especially game MVP, Von Miller were an unbelievable wrecking crew, who reeked havoc on Cam Newton and the high-powered Panthers offense. Ironically, very similar to how Manning and his high-powered, record-setting Broncos offense was stymied by the Seahawks just two years before, once again proving: that defense wins championships. 

So now, unlike many of the previous seasons where Peyton led high-powered offenses, only to suffer heartbreaking defeats where his defenses (or fluke instances as previously mentioned) essentially let his teams down, it was now his defense who would completely carry him and the offense. Though Manning did nothing to really lose the game, it was his defense who absolutely won the game. It was so fitting. Peyton Manning's last game would be a Super Bowl triumph. And he had now done something that once again no other QB in the history of the game has done: won 2 Super Bowls, with 2 different teams. 

So what about the Peyton Manning legacy? What about his place on the all-time QB list? And not just in terms of greatest NFL QB's of all-time, but greatest overall QB's (college and pro) of all-time. Let me start by saying that my focus of this piece isn't to primarily make a case and seek to prove where I believe Peyton's place among the greatest QB's should be. Let me also say that this topic (greatest QB's) will always be one of the most debated, and understandably very difficult topics of discussion among sports fans, players, media, coaches, etc., because there are not only so many great players, categories, and opinions, but also the additional challenge of factoring in different era's throughout the great history of the game. 

I will begin this segment by saying that I believe for anyone to make the strongest case in regards to who is the overall greatest NFL QB of all-time it would have to involve the following QB's- in no particular order: Joe Montana, Tom Brady, Johnny Unitas, John Elway, and of course, Peyton Manning. 

Where do we go from here? If we begin with championships, both Tom Brady and Joe Montana have 4 apiece. And Brady has been to 6 Super Bowls.

Now for many years, I have personally considered Joe Montana the greatest QB in the history of the NFL. I had the privilege of watching him as a boy and enjoyed following his career. He played with some incredible 49ers teams, including arguably the greatest player in the history of the NFL, Jerry Rice. Yes, Montana had some very good regular seasons as his 49ers won a lot (including 2 league MVP awards), but his best moments came when the stakes were highest: the Super Bowl. Besides winning all 4 of his Super Bowls, and earning 3 Super Bowl MVP's, perhaps his most impressive stat is that he never threw an INT in the Super Bowl! Montana also had a 16-7 career record in the playoffs. And if there was ever a QB you wanted to lead a final game-winning drive with the game on the line, Montana is arguably the best ever and probably my top choice in this particular category. I think Montana's legacy was also enhanced by what he did to take the Chiefs deep into the playoffs, including the AFC Championship vs. the Bills in the '93 season. 

And of course Tom Brady has his many accolades, some mentioned previously. When you combine his incredible regular season success (including 2 league MVP's), gaudy win totals with the Patriots, and 4 championships, it's very difficult to be much better than Brady. He also has 3 Super Bowl MVP's. And he boasts an NFL record, 22-9 record in the playoffs. 

I believe Johnny Unitas is also in the conversation, primarily because of how he really helped transform the league from such a run-heavy league to much more of the passing league we have today. For his time period, he put up some passing numbers that were very impressive. He also led the Colts to the 1958 NFL championship, in what many call "The Greatest Game Ever Played." Though his dominant and heavily favored Colts did lose Super Bowl III in shocking fashion to the Jets, they would bounce back and win Super Bowl V vs the Cowboys. Unitas also won 3 NFL MVP's. 

And then there's John Elway. Elway also had many good seasons, won 2 NFL MVP's, and also took his Broncos to 5 Super Bowls, and winning 2- his last 2 years of his amazing career. His career playoff record was 14-7. Like Montana, perhaps where Elway seemed to shine the most was when his teams had their backs against the wall and needed to pull off a comeback, late in the game. Perhaps most notably was "The Drive" vs. the Browns, in the 1986 AFC Championship. Elway was athletic and did a great job extending plays, scrambling as needed, and often making something happen off script when the play broke down. 

When I look at all 5 of these great QB's, I do think a reasonable case can be made for each one not only being in this top 5 list, but perhaps a case that someone could make for each one in arguing who is "The Greatest". 

And now for Peyton Manning. Now I am admittedly a little biased as you obviously know by now. While I emphatically believe Peyton is on the "Mt Rushmore" of greatest QB's ever, even in doing this tribute piece I now find myself even more convinced of where he stands among the greatest. 

First off, here is what I am absolutely convinced about with Peyton Manning: He is the smartest, most prepared, and best regular season QB in NFL history. On top of this, I would now also argue (became convinced of this when working on this piece) that he is the greatest overall QB (combing college and NFL play) in history. 

Next, how should we assess Peyton Manning's NFL accomplishments vs these other greats I mentioned? I will give it an attempt. 

First, while stats aren't necessarily everything, they are certainly an important category to be considered as we break everything down. Here is where Peyton Manning stands:

- NFL all-time leader in passing yards (71,940). 

- NFL all-time leader in TD passes (539). 

- NFL all-time leader in MVP's (5). 

- NFL all-time leader in passing yards for a season (5,477). 

- NFL all-time leader in TD passes in a season (55). 

- NFL all-time leader for most games with a perfect QB rating (4- including 1 in the playoffs). 

- NFL all-time leader in most game-winning drives (56). 

- NFL all-time leader in QB wins (200). 

- NFL all-time QB leader (tied with Otto Graham) with 7 All-Pro awards. 

- NFL record seven consecutive 12+ win seasons with Colts (8 total). And NFL QB record twelve 12+ win seasons including all 4 years with the Broncos. 

- NFL record eleven 10 win seasons with Colts. And NFL QB record fifteen 10+ win seasons including all 4 years with the Broncos. 

- Oldest QB in NFL history to start and win the Super Bowl. 

- Only QB in NFL history to win the Super Bowl with 2 different teams. 

- Only QB in NFL history to play in 4 Super Bowls- with 4 different head coaches. 

- 4th all-time in completion % with 65.3%- higher than Brady (63.6%); Montana (63.2%); Elway (56.9%); and Unitas (54.6%). 

But of course there are many more categories to evaluate, beyond just pure statistics. We all know that the modern day NFL is a much more pass-happy league than in years past. While a large part of this is certainly rules driven- favoring QB's in today's league more than ever- we still can't discount what generation-altering, elite QB's have done to make the league more of what it is today. One such category is the the "no-huddle" offense. And while this has been around the league for years and implemented very effectively by some of the very best QB's over time, most people would say that it was Peyton Manning who revolutionized the "no-huddle" offense, and was a master tactician at orchestrating it better than anyone who has ever played. One of Peyton's greatest strengths- that he began rapidly developing in his early UT years- was to recognize and anticipate defensive formations and schemes prior to the ball being snapped. Like many QB's who had gone before him, he would bring his teams to the line of scrimmage between plays without the typical huddle plan what to do. But in doing this, not only would he do it quickly, but with amazing calmness and seemingly not even "rushed" perfection. And then on top of this, he would often audible at the line of scrimmage as he quickly recognized something to exploit. He would also change the snap counts as a way to quickly observe how the defense would then respond. Yes, Peyton Manning would often anticipate what the defense would do before the ball was snapped. It has been said that while Manning "didn't invent the no-huddle offense, he did perfect it". He studied the game relentlessly in the film room, in books, and also in learning from one of the best, his own father, Archie. In the ESPN documentary, "The Book of Manning", one thing it talks about is how at a young age, Peyton would spend hours listening to games, and studying how various elements of the game. No doubt this early discipline and relentless pursuit of greatness would help propel him to greater heights as seasoned pro. Peyton Manning didn't just follow an offensive system he was coached in while he was QB, he pretty much ran and revolutionized his own offensive system, and succeeded incredibly with all 5 of his different NFL coaches, and 2 different teams. 

Another factor to consider is not only that Peyton somehow came back to play after the several neck and back related surgeries that could have easily ended his career, but that he came back and played at such a high, elite level- just as he had prior to the injuries, if not better! In 2013 at the age of 37, he had arguably the greatest season ever for an NFL QB, and won another MVP award. Though his arm strength and mobility clearly weren't the same, it was the previously mentioned cerebral superiority that still carried him. What he had to overcome with all the injuries, play again, and seemingly not missing a beat to be so dominant has only enhanced his incredible legacy and taken him to another level. 

Now, getting back to Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning. Let's look at more important factors to consider when comparing these two. What if Peyton Manning had played his entire career in the same organization, in the same system, and for the same Hall of Fame head coach in Bill Belichick? Belichick, the Bill Parcells' defensive guru pupil who is arguably an even greater head coach than his mentor. Belichick's defensive units have been outstanding during most of his years of coaching. It is said that "defense wins championships". What if Peyton Manning had played with the more dominant Patriots defenses, rather than Tom Brady? While with the Patriots, Belichick's (and Brady's) defensive units have been in the NFL's top 10 a staggering total of twelve times in points allowed! And they have been in the top 5, five times in points allowed. And they have been top 10 in yards allowed five times. And keep in mind that this is all the more impressive because of the many points the Patriots offense consistently score over the years, often making their opponents play from behind and needing to score a lot of points, while their defenses are more often in softer, prevent coverage with the usual leads. To contrast, Manning's Colts finished in the NFL's top 10 in points allowed only five times. And only twice in the top 5. While with the Broncos, their defenses finished in the top 10 twice. And while with the Colts, their defenses finished in the top 10 in yards allowed only twice. And I might add, an amazing three times with the Broncos. So Brady overall top 10 defensive totals in points and yards? Seventeen times! Manning's overall total with both teams? Twelve. Pretty clear to see which QB also benefitted from the better defenses over the years. 

We discussed the fluke moments that Peyton Manning was victim to in some of his biggest games: the always reliable Mike Vanderjagt missing the field goal in the '05 divisional playoff vs. the Steelers; the onside kick vs the Saints in Super Bowl XLIV, and the improbable Hail Mary vs. the Ravens in the '12 divisional playoff. And then for Tom Brady, what if the infamous Tuck rule game hadn't occurred? What if his first career playoff game ended the way it should have: with the Raiders recovering that fumble and thwarting the Pats game-tying drive? Please hear me, in this I'm not saying that Tom Brady isn't great. Not at all. I'm just inserting that it's important to consider a wide array of factors surrounding these players' career trajectory and legacy, and what kind of in game circumstances have contributed to bring them there. And on the flip side, we could also speculate, what if David Tyree hadn't made that miraculous catch in Super Bowl XLII? Perhaps Brady's Patriots would have indeed capped off the 19-0 season, and arguably own the title of the greatest individual team of all-time. We will never know. 

Now how do we rank categories of importance when evaluating and comparing all these great QB's? Clearly, the main bullet point that many will use to elevate Brady and Montana in the conversations as the greatest are the 4 Super Bowl Championships. And of course Montana's specific Super Bowl dominance, in particular with the zero INT's and clutch drive vs. the Bengals. And winning all 4 Super Bowls he ever played in. Yes, these are very important. And really the only knock on Peyton that most people reference is the less successful win % in the playoffs, and the two championships, vs 4 for Brady and Montana. Still, Peyton has 14 career playoff wins- same as Elway and more than Unitas, who of course didn't benefit from as many playoff games per season in that era. But with that, because there were fewer playoff games, we could also say that the path to the championships wasn't as arduous as it is in today's era. The Brady advantage? 4 championships, 6 total Super Bowl appearances, and 22 total playoff wins- best of all-time. No doubt, a huge bullet point. And while Brady has the overall benefit of better defenses, as well as the future Hall of Fame coach in Belichick, one might argue he also never really had WR's quite as good as Peyton. But with the WR argument, could it also be said that Peyton was the biggest reason for their success? And of course, Montana had who is widely considered the best NFL player of all-time, WR Jerry Rice. But while Peyton may have a lower win % in the playoffs than Brady, consider his career playoff stats: 63.2 completion % (62.4% for Brady), 7,339 yards (7,957 for Brady), 40 TD's (56 for Brady), 25 INT's (28 for Brady), and a QB rating of 87.4 (88 for Brady). And as I previously mentioned, Peyton also went 3-2 vs. Brady in the playoffs, including 3-1 when the stakes were highest: the AFC Championship. 

No doubt, this debate of who is the "greatest" will rage on for years. And it's a fun one. And there is likely no one who can ever "prove" and convince the masses who is the greatest and why. But what honestly began 3 weeks ago for me as a tribute piece in which at the outset I was convinced Peyton was certainly among the top 4 greatest NFL QB's ever, has now turned into what I will first say: that Tom Brady, Joe Montana and Peyton Manning are the 3 greatest NFL QB's of all-time. And I think it's reasonable for people to argue them in any order, even 1A, 1B, 1C. But for the record, after this extensive research, carefully articulated thoughts, and what I believe is bringing on board lots of important surrounding factors for consideration, my personal position is now resolved: that Peyton Manning is indeed the greatest QB in NFL history. 

Thank you Peyton. Thank you for coming to UT. Thank you for staying all 4 years at UT. Thanks for demonstrating class and sportsmanship on and off the field. Thank you for your massive contribution and relentless dedication to the great game of football. Your legacy will endure forever.