Legend Celebrated & Hopeful Star Selected

One of the most anticipated and exciting, non-sports game related events of the year had finally arrived: NFL Draft Day! After months of speculation, evaluation and the unknown of how picks and rounds would unfold, NFL teams and fans were ready for the start of the 3 day event, starting with round 1 on Thursday, April 25, 2024.

Last month, I wrote about my fun experience with Drake Maye and how the QB carousel and storylines were off and running. Where would it all lead to on draft night? Personally, I never really watched much video of any of the top QB’s and admittedly, just read and listened to a lot of analysts. I was back and forth between Maye and Daniels and leading up to draft week, was slightly leaning Daniels as my personal preference. Still, no one really knew what direction the front office was leaning. And I loved this! While there was speculation by trusted insiders like Adam Schefter about Daniels to Washington 2 weeks out, there were no leaks from the inside. Washington seemed to keep the league and rival teams guessing. And then after the multiple perspectives on the 4 QB’s Top Golf Visit, there were more reasons to wonder what may happen at #2.

But during the day, while all the hype was leading up to round 1 of the draft in just a few hours, the Burgundy & Gold released a video of our HOF Legend Darrell Green- my personal favorite Redskins player in my youth- talking about the upcoming draft. But wait…there’s more!

Yes, to Darrell’s shock, and I would add our fans’ delight: it was announced that finally, his #28 jersey would be officially retired! Seeing how this went down, how Darrell responded, and who else was involved in making this a thoughtful, very special moment, it was very moving. Here is what I said:

What a way to kick off some draft day excitement! And then, Burgundy & Gold Nation would eagerly await who our brain trust would land on at #2, in hopes of another future legend who would help bring back long-awaited Super Bowl glory, and perhaps be able to join Darrell in Canton someday. It would not be an understatement to say that this could very well be one of the, if not the most important drafts in Washington Redskins/Commanders history. With our unique draft capital, desperate need for a QB, and at the beginning of this very exciting Josh Harris Ownership Group mission, so many factors why this draft was an all-timer.

And then at number 2 after the Bears selected QB Caleb Williams as expected, it was officially announced: Jayden Daniels was indeed the guy!

My immediate perspective is that I have tremendous confidence in Adam Peters and the front office and really believe that in selecting Daniels, it was based on ample data, as they left no stone unturned. They are proving to be extremely thorough, meticulous, outside the box evaluators, and I trust them. I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt. No reason to suggest otherwise at this point. And while these draft picks are never a sure thing- especially at QB- we can only hope…we have to hope, that we got it right! I’m hopeful that we got the potential star and hopefully even better person right. And I’m also hopeful that for the first time in nearly a quarter century, a potential star QB can come into a good, classy, unified, skilled, professional organization and culture, that would give him the best chance to be the best version of himself and thrive. And it can’t be understated how important this is for elite athletes to have a chance at the highest level. Especially at QB, the most important position in all of sports.

Yes, what a day. A day of celebrating an all-time, favorite Redskins legend. And a day of celebrating the new direction of this beloved and storied franchise and hoping that maybe, possibly, we now have a legitimate chance. A chance to not only have a legitimate star at QB, but a real chance that this potential star can have a conducive atmosphere to thrive, and help the Burgundy & Gold be able to get back to high-level, sustained winning. And maybe, retire more future player jerseys like the beloved, Darrell Green.

Embed Block

Add an embed URL or code. Learn more

Capitals historic journey to The Cup- Part 1

"The Capital of the country is the Capital of the hockey playoffs!" These words by Mike ("Doc") Emerick after the final horn sounded on June 7, 2018 seemed too good to be true. Was it a dream? Had it finally happened? Yes. After 44 years as a franchise- a franchise that had the worst record in the history of the NHL in its inaugural season- the Washington Capitals have won the most sacred trophy in all of sports: Lord Stanley's Cup. 

Prior to the 2017 NHL playoffs, I wrote about how I was convinced that Capitals team would indeed, finally achieve what had thus far eluded them in their highly successful and illustrious history, and at last hoist the Stanley Cup. It had to happen, right? Very much like the 2016 Presidents Trophy winning team, who went into those playoffs historically dominant and as the prohibitive favorite to win the Cup (but of course would fall to the rival Penguins), the 2017 team was once again, historically dominant and the heavy favorite to win, as the back-to-back Presidents Trophy winners. The 2017 team was in year two of GM Brian MacLellan's declared, "2 year window" of their best and all-in chance to win the Cup. If it didn't happen last year, there was a collective feeling around Capitals Nation that our "window" would close, and that the "Rock The Red" era would effectively be no more. After taking care of business against a very good, and hungry young team in the Maple Leafs in round 1, the stage was once again set for the ultimate payback opportunity vs., of course, the Penguins. Surely this would be the year to break through, right? After losing 8 of 9 playoff series’ vs this arch nemesis, and coming off the heartbreak from the previous year, there were too many reasons to think 2017 would finally be the year. There was no way the Pens could repeat as back-to-back champs. Right? I was certainly convinced it was going to happen. Now was “our time”. But the Pens jumped out to a quick 3-1 series lead and indeed looked poised to deliver yet another death blow in this painful, one-sided playoff history. But then in game 5 at home, the Caps delivered big time, and there was a sense that maybe, just maybe, the series had shifted and momentum was now in the Caps favor. But of course, there were still 2 games to go, down 3-2 and on the brink of elimination. Still facing a tough mountain to climb and needing to win in Pittsburgh to force game 7 at home, the Caps would win game 6 in dominant fashion, now clearly grabbing the momentum, and shifting all the pressure back on the Pens. I was convinced it was indeed our time. All the painful heartbreaks over the years. All the great teams falling short. All the teams that blew our own 3-1 series leads vs the Penguins (and more than any team in sports history) to get ousted from the playoffs. It was the perfect storybook way to inflict payback on our rivals: reverse history and overcome our own 3-1 deficit. It had to happen.

I went to the game with my brother-in-law. There was a noticeable buzz outside the arena before the game. Yes, there was still some typical Caps anxiety and fear of the potential heartbreak and finality, but fan excitement and anticipation was still at a fever pitch. It was our time.

With Joel entering the arena prior to game 7 vs. Pens

As hoped, the Caps came out guns blazing when the puck dropped, dominating time of possession, shots on goal, hits, and all signs indeed pointed to the Caps prevailing as they were clearly playing like the better and hungrier team at the outset. But as would so often be the case in Caps history, pucks that were shot would hit posts and golden opportunities would be thwarted. A period completely dominated by the Caps would end 0-0. I remember all to well that feeling of concern and sense of impending doom that was creeping over the arena. Then, concern turned into reality as the Pens scored early in the 2nd period. Now the entire building was scared. Could this really be happening? The Caps had some good shifts and decent opportunities and I didn’t lose hope, but as the game went on it was now feeling more and more like the painful outcome was inevitable. Then in the 3rd period, the Pens extended the lead to 2-0 and now it was indeed code red. Complete panic and disbelief ensued across the arena. Perhaps what was more shocking and disappointing than anything as the clock continued to wind down was that there didn’t seem to be any noticeable desperation, no surges from the Caps attackers. I just remember staring at the ice is shock and sadness and saying over and over again: “guys, find a way, find a way”, “keep grinding”, “c’mon, c’mon”. It was devastating. Fans continued to head out as the final agonizing minutes ticked away. Once again, the Pens had ripped out the hearts of the Capitals and their fans. Game 7 was now in the books. Series over. Season over. Best “window” of opportunity, over. It was crushing. Joel and I sat in the arena as the horn sounded, and watched as the heartbroken Capitals skated off the ice, while the Pens celebrated and then handshakes ensued. I saw Pierre McGuire giving congratulatory, and what looked to be enthusiastic handshakes to the Pens- his former team. It was sickening. The Verizon Center sounded like a library. It really was like a funeral. I vividly remember telling Joel as we walked out: “yes, this is sick. It’s painful. But as much as it hurts…it will only make the victory that much sweeter when we eventually win the Cup someday.” And while I honestly believed that, I also realized it was very likely that we really had seen our last, “best” chance end. There was no doubt that the roster- and potentially the entire organization- was going to dramatically adjust. Would the front office blow the whole thing up? Ovi actually be traded? These felt like real possibilities. On the metro ride back home, we talked with other fans who were convinced that the “Rock the Red” era, was indeed over. There wouldn’t be another real run- at least not soon.

The next day I posted the following on Facebook:

“When my boys asked if the Caps won and I told them they lost they were surprised and sad. JT said, "nooooo! How did that happen?" As much as the winning is fun, I am grateful for the constant learning and teaching moments, and how the losing teaches us much more about perspective, attitude, and endurance. Yes, the losing stings and is brutal. But more character is built from losing than winning. At the end of the day, it's just a game. Yes, I eagerly look forward to the exhilarating championships for my teams, and really hope my kids can experience this joy with me. But in the meantime, we endure, hope and are reminded that there are much more sweeter things to savor, experience joy, and be grateful for. Most of all, grateful that The Lord is good and unchanging!

Congrats to my Penguins fan friends and family.”

No doubt, the crushing defeats and painful memories endured will make the victories sweeter. But when?

Of course the fallout and criticism of the Caps- locally, nationally and worldwide- would be at an all-time high after the crushing defeat. One particular writer, Slava Malamud- from Russia- went on an epic rant on twitter, just blasting Ovi, declaring he wasn’t a leader, wasn’t a “win-first type”, and that the Caps window of opportunity was slamming shut. I remember how much I hoped to bring that up to him when Ovi and the Caps would win the Cup.

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!