War Imagery Still Gone from the NFL

Hell of a ground game

In an update to what is an old story at this point, Les Carpenter at the Washington Post writes about the disappearance of war imagery in the NFL. You know, trench warfare, field generals, death marches, things of this nature. Two wars going on and all, wouldn't be prudent, gotta support the troops.

And while this is not news in general to generational football fans, it is not news in specific to readers of The Curly R. We covered this exact story one year ago when Redskins fans learned that then rookie safety LaRon Landry writes SUICIDE MISSION on his body before every game, as he has since high school, placed in the context of the Gulf War Super Bowl.



Army formation from here.

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Happy Birthday Stephon Heyer

Work it out

Please join me and the staff of The Curly R in wishing Redskins rising third year tackle Stephon Heyer a happy birthday, Stephon turned 25 on 16 January.

The Redskins nabbed Stephon as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Maryland after the 2007 draft, after right tackle Jon Jansen was injured in the first game of the season and replacement Todd Wade wore out in ten games, Stephon stepped in and started five of the final six games, including the miraculous four game win streak to propel Joe Gibbs' Redskins into the playoffs. In 2008 Stephon with new coach Jim Zorn in place beat out veteran Jon Jansen for the starting right tackle spot but relinquished it only to see veteran left tackle Chris Samuels succumb to injury, in all Stephon started seven games in 2008, a year when Clinton Portis ran for very nearly 1500 yards. Stephon is young, a hard worker and has a place on this team, optimistically he still could develop into a starter.

Happy birthday Stephon!



Stephon Heyer stretching before game fifteen against the Eagles from here.

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Russ Grimm Not Elected to Hall of Fame

This is colloquially known as a quote shit bummer unquote

Russ Grimm was not elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame today. Part of the 2009 qualifying class of seventeen, fifteen modern eligibles and two seniors candidates, Russ made it through the first cut down from fifteen modern players to ten and did not survive the second cut down to the final five modern players.

In an eleven year playing career, all with the Washington Redskins, Russ played both guard spots and center though he was at his best playing left guard. Russ was a college All-American center at the University of Pittsburgh as well as a reserve punter. Selected in the third round by the Redskins in the 1981 draft, Russ earned a starting spot as a rookie. A founding member of the Hogs, Russ helped the Redskins to four Super Bowl appearances, three of which were victories. Russ went to the Pro Bowl four times and blocked John Riggins, George Rogers and Earnest Byner twice each to 1000 yards. Russ was named to the NFL All-Decade Team of the 1980s and is one of the 70 Greatest Redskins, has been a semi- or finalist for the Hall of Fame six straight years starting in 2004. He apparently drank a lot of beer back in the day.

After his playing days were over he went right to work as a coach, by this point having coached for six years longer than he played.

But that is not really the point now. Russ should be in the Hall of Fame.


On another note, Ravens and Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe made the first cut but not the second. Once not long ago Shannon used to annoy the shit out of me but then I developed a taste for Shannon on Sirius NFL Radio, I think he is a smart football mind with a unique delivery and a sense of comedy. It was his proximity to Dan Marino and Boomer Esiason that caused the false positive on the annoying meter.



Russ Grimm in his playing days: Rick Steward / Getty Images from here via here.

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Happy Birthday Fred Davis

There's an upside in there somewhere

Please join me in wishing rising second year Redskins tight end Fred Davis a happy birthday, Fred turned 23 on 15 January and shares a birthday with my supermom Judith.

Fred was a second round draft pick by the Redskins in the 2008 draft out of USC. Fred was selected with the second of two second round picks acquired by the Redskins in that draft in exchange for the Redskins first round pick number twenty one, and makes up on third of the pass catching second round draft trio of Devin Thomas, Fred and Malcolm Kelly, supposably representing the future of Redskins receiving.

And while we have yet to see the upside of Fred, he does come with quite a pedigree. A converted receiver, Fred worked his way through the depth chart at USC under Pete Carroll and offensive coordinator Norm Chow, ending his senior year in 2007 with 55 catches for 764 yards and seven touchdowns, this after the team prevented him in his freshman year from traveling with the team for the 2005 Orange Bowl for repeated tardiness, the Trojans won that game and the National Championship. Fred learned his lesson.

Looking forward to 2009 and a whole year in the Jim Zorn system, Fred should progress and give the team another solid receiving threat.

Happy birthday Fred!



Fred Davis making his second catch of the season, in game fourteen: Getty Images from here.

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Do Not Confuse Mark Newgent with a Blogger

Or a Ravens fan

As I was perusing my Washington Examiner today I read the unfortunate story of the Baltimore Examiner's closing, their final edition will be 15 February, they were unable to find a buyer, something the reporters and support employees did not even know management was looking for. I have been busy putting together an enterprise piece on old media decay, and this is just more evidence of the death of the old ways. More on that later, that is not why we are here.

Tucked into the print version, redacted from the online version (op. cit.), is this nugget (emphasis mine):

Started in April 2008, examiner.com is quickly becoming the premier online brand for local information and events through a unique collection of original content contributed by "Examiners."

Examiners are community people with a common desire to share their knowledge and expertise with others.

Examiners are college students, civil servants, retirees, doctors, musicians, authors and stay-at-home parents who are carefully recruited and chosen as informed facilitators. Because of the screening process, as well as the Examiners' outward orientation to the community, they should not be confused with bloggers.

...Nor are the Examiners considered "citizen journalists." Their focus is communities of interest, not breaking news.

Well all righty then.

One of those 2000 Examiners happens to be my good friend Mark Newgent of Redskins Examiner. I confess I had no idea of the rigorous process required for entry into that exclusive club, my apologies Mark for treating you as just another of us unwashed and unpaid pajama wearing basement dwellers. Curly R readers head over there and give Mark some love, let's drive up his traffic and make them kick down some coin.



Mark Newgent photo by neighbor Bill.

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Get Well Jim Johnson

The NFL still needs you

This afternoon it was reported that 67 year old Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson has had a recurrence of cancer, a melanoma bone tumor that was found in his spine. Jim had a melanoma removed from the base of his spine back in 2001 and had been testing cancer free since. Back pain caused Jim to need a scooter to get around Philadelphia's practice facility in the final weeks of the season. He sat up in the booth, which he had never done before, for the final two playoff games against the Giants and Cardinals and needed a cane to get around the facilities.

This is a really fresh story and the team is not saying much but it does not sound good. This issue is described as a quote bone tumor unquote and the team spokesman made reference to other occurrences of cancer in Jim's body but would not elaborate. Oncologists contacted by the Philadelphia Daily News indicated Jim could be in for a tough time based on what has been said.

Jim started radiation treatment immediately, this week, and these treatments should help him with the pain, which is reported to be severe.

Jim is perhaps the greatest top level football coordinator never to seek a head coaching job. All Jim has done in 40 years of coaching, 17 in college and 23 in the pros, all that after a career as a college quarterback and a two year NFL career as a tight end, is develop defensive players and schemes that change games and put his teams' offenses in the best position to win. Over the past ten years maybe no team knows that better than the Washington Redskins.

Get better Jim, we are thinking about you.


Philly.com Jim Johnson photo gallery.

Hometown coverage: Iggles Blog, Bleeding Green Nation, Bounty Bowl, The 700 Level, Curly R readers head over there and show your sympathy as football fans.



Jim Johnson: Miles Kennedy / AP Photo from here via here.

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Happy Birthday Leigh Torrence

Still should be here

Please join me in wishing former Redskins cornerback Leigh Torrence a happy birthday, Leigh turned 27 on 4 January.

Leigh was an undrafted free agent out of Stanford in 2005, he was signed and then cut by Green Bay, then signed by Atlanta, seeing action in ten games that year. In 2006 the Redskins signed Leigh and put him on the practice squad, he was signed onto the regular roster before the final game that season against the Giants, Shawn Springs finally went onto injured reserve with a broken shoulder to go along with his abdominal recovery to make room.

Leigh played in all sixteen games in 2007 and made the roster as fourth cornerback in 2008 behind Shawn Springs, Carlos Rogers and Fred Smoot despite the Redskins spending a fourth round pick on cornerback Justin Tryon. Four days after the game nine debacle against the Steelers, Washington cut Leigh unexpectedly, he had become a popular player and regular special teams contributor. Leigh's release you would have thought foreshadowed more playing time for Justin, and in fact he appeared in the next three games then did not appear in the final four, his performance spoke for itself and the need to evaluate Shawn Springs and DeAngelo Hall for next season took precedence.

It is a shame that Leigh will always be remembered for giving up the 43 yard pass in game six from Marc Bulger to Donnie Avery of the Rams on third and thirteen with 1:13 left in the game and the Redskins leading 17-16. Three plays later Josh Brown was kicking a 49 yard field goal and the Redskins were losing to a previously 0-4 team. While it is true that Leigh was obviously the least talented of Washington's top four cornerbacks, the player they kept in his place, Justin Tryon could not get on the field with his level of play. I guess that is how the business goes.

Leigh was signed by New Orleans two days after being cut by Washington and appeared in every one of the Saints' remaining seven games. It is an irony of football that if Leigh makes the Saints' roster in 2009 he will once again be playing for Gregg Williams, just signed as defensive coordinator in New Orleans after not being renewed at the same position in Jacksonville, Saints head coach Sean Payton even allegedly gave up a quarter million dollars of his own salary to assure New Orleans could land Gregg.

Happy birthday and good luck to Leigh!



Leigh Torrence giving up the fateful 43 yard catch to Donnie Avery in game six against the Rams: Nick Wass / AP Photo from here.

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