When all things are still possible
Thursday 30 July 2009 | forty-five days until kickoff
Be happy Redskins fans, the headline and nutgraf for day one were, respectively, No Season Ending Injuries and Worthless Trade for Unmotivated Late Career Veteran Not Completed.
The Washington Redskins 2009 training camp opened officially at 8:30am, the team may not be in game shape yet but Matt Terl at the ORB (Official Redskins Blog) found a group of fans already in midseason form, waiting for the gates to open and grilling hot dogs and toast on the side of the road. Dedication.
The Washington Post is rolling seven strong into camp. They are the journal of record so they better cover every inch. In their regular training camp series on longshots and back of the roster players, Training Camp Tracker, the WaPo spotlights Doug Dutch, undrafted rookie free agent from the University of Michigan and a Bowie Maryland native. Doug's dad was in the stands for his son's first day in an NFL camp (op. cit.). The Redskins Park practice fields do not really have stands but standing on the grass for his son's first day in an NFL camp does not carry the required gravitas so I just used stands.
The Washington Times also has a daily Training Camp Report, right tackles Stephon Heyer and Jeremy Bridges did not look terrific and weakside linebacker Rocky McIntosh admits a number of coach Zorn's 2008 motivational speeches were not motivational.
Brian Murphy at Homer McFanboy posted up ten predictions for the season.
Camp opened with defensive end slash stongside linebacker rookie Brian Orakpo still out of camp, his holdout is now at one day, his agents and the team are actively negotiating. The characteristically impolitic defensive coordinator Greg Blache is not happy about Brian's absence. Reserve and 2008 late camp signee Alfred Fincher will be taking most of the snaps at strongside linebacker.
Brian being out is good news for Chris Wilson (op. cit.), the undrafted fourth year, two with the Redskins and two with the British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League, that has shown flashes as a pass rushing defensive end. Like Brian, Chris too is being moved from three point defensive end to stand up pass rushing strongside linebacker. Chris is a Curly R favorite and I hope there is room on the team for him what with all the defensive additions.
Another early story is the backing of quarterback Jason Campbell by Redskins owner Dan Snyder, the offseason was filled with the trials and tribualtions of ownership not backing Jason as their guy, a series of no doubt uncomfortable meetings between Jason and anyone that wanted to tell him basically to STFU and deal and flirtations with not one but two quarterbacks, disgruntled Jay Cutler and thousand watt smile Mark Sanchez. Read between the lines on this broad endorsement, Jason Campbell and coach Jim Zorn are going to fly together or crash and burn together.
There is a camp dress code this season, coach Zorn wanted more uniformity on the practice field, there is a long tradition of NFL players pushing the limits in practice wear as pushback from the strict requirements on game day, I like the new training camp look.
From the get go the cornerbacks were trying to strike a new tone, punishing themselves with push ups for every dropped interception, those guys could fund themselves with musclebound arms if they are not careful.
Some idiot was actually calling for the Redskins to sign disgraced ex-con quarterback and dog killer Michael Vick. I cannot tell from the picture, is that Sascha Baron Cohen?
John Keim at The Washington Examiner, blogging training camp at Redskins Confidential, posted up thoughts on the offensive line: Chris Samuels boffo bo, Mike Williams and Jeremy Bridges floppo pu. Early prognosis is not good at right tackle. When you are mentioning the ease with which unused rising second year sixth round draft pick defensive end Rob Jackson is getting into the backfield then you have first day problems.
In a more detailed post on day one John has general praise for Albert Haynesworth, second year receivers Malcolm Kelly and Devin Thomas, is nervous about the offensive line and thinks strongside linebacker may be a quote patchwork situation unquote.
I am already sick of the Tweets creeping into regular coverage, they will not get much play on Curly R. Tweets belong on Twitter, there are dozens of places you can go there to get Redskins news, including @curlyr. And if you are on Facebook, friend Curly R up.
A bunch of players were held out of the afternoon practice notably including star acquisition defensive end Albert Haynesworth. I love the quote mental reps macguffin. Thirty-six year old Phillip Daniels also sat out which I think he earned from not blowing out his knee on the first play of the morning practice.
After practice veteran players... got to go home (op. cit.). Second year head coach Zorn continues to prove himself a players coach, he had already caved to tailback Clinton Portis and the other older players promised to take it easy on the veterans, something Joe Gibbs could never quote make up his mind about, as progressive a guy as I am there is still something about NFL players being forced to take a roomie in some sweaty dorm that I expect, on some basic level that is the time rich young men and hoping to be rich younger men are stripped of the wealth and privilege and returned to the basics of camp, the thing you do when you are trying out and getting your team together for that season. I guess that must be part of the kiss and make up between coach Zorn and Clinton.
Then... drum roll please... Brian Orakpo signed late in the evening Thursday, after day one had ended, Brian's holdout would not go into day two.
The first players out to the field for the first day of 2009 training camp, defensive end Andre Carter (in distance) and linebacker HB Blades (center): uncredited image from here, probably Matt Terl himself.
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