At this time last year you had been head coach for about two and half months, officially. Were you surprised by the scale of this event?

Zorn: "I thought the enthusiasm was right. The NFL draft is kind of the official kickoff to what we are going to try to be, the start of what we are going to try to be about in 2009, and I think there's a lot of anticipation. I think the NFL does a wonderful job of preparing fans to enter into the whole football season and they do it with a great draft day, so I think it just kind of kicks that off. I wouldn't approach it any differently."

It is a weird time? I mean, you're focusing on actually improving your roster, and you're also meeting the fans and having this whole celebration....

Zorn: "There are a couple things that are amazing about that day. Obviously the draft is something that is unpredictable. It is very competitive and it draws a lot of attention but I think the most amazing thing is to see how many fans actually come out and enjoy a Redskin day when there is really no football. They come out on the hopes that it is going to be a great day for the Redskins.

"One of the amazing things is just how many people are just getting into the sport from a fan standpoint. I think there are a lot of people out there that are looking for things to do and if some just happen to say 'Oh, let's go try the Redskins as something to be interested in.'

"There's those kinds of fans out there too, just looking around for something to do and then also they get hooked.

"I do think that the true fans are the main ones that are interested in blogs like this, and then they draw their friends in and then they create new friendships, new experiences, and new conversations. That is one of the things this whole league has developed, I think, is conversation. That's what you are trying to do with this whole thing. Within conversation, relationships develop, and I think that is what the Redskins and Daniel Snyder are trying to do is to have that relationship with the fan.

"In fact, I think it even goes more than that because it doesn't just establish the Redskins' relationship with the fans, but it really establishes the fans' friendships between themselves.

"And those conversations that are going, 'Did you read the Redskins Blog today?' or 'Did you read ExtremeSkins today?' 'Yeah, well what'd they say?' 'Well it said this' 'Well I don't agree with that. I think it's this....' All those conversations create the passion for the team and to see where it is headed and to see what is going on."

So do you think that whole aspect really helps to bring in new fans?

Zorn: "Well, I think what is very interesting about the game is that certain fans really want to get to know the personalities of the players and the team itself. I think especially a lot of women are far more relationship-oriented. There are some people who focus on the hitting and the violence and the strength and the power and the speed and the science behind it, and all of that stuff is fun too.

"But I think some fans, they might enjoy parts of that, but they want to know the personalities of the players and the coaches. Once they get to know a player, let's say a player goes out in the community and he goes to Children's Hospital and he visits the kids that are sick and needing a lift. Then you get a handful of those parents who talk about Chris Cooley or they talk about Fred Smoot or whoever and then you go to Chris' blog or you go to a story about Fred and then you get to know that player a little bit more from the press and from what he is doing in his life.

"And THAT is what gets people interested. Then you want to see what he is doing on Sunday, and I think that is where a lot of true fans get generated. It might just be one encounter with a player that did something for somebody else, or a coach that was out there doing something for somebody."

Did you ever have an experience like that, when you were playing or coaching?
"Oh, no question. All the time.

"I've met people that have come up and said 'I'm not interested in football. Pro football? What is that all about? That's boring,' or, 'I don't watch that at all.'

"And I always say, 'Hey, no worries. But why don't you get to know some of the players?' You get fans that way all the time.

"Even my wife, she wasn't interested in football, but when she saw the players and the coaches and what it meant to those players and what it meant to those coaches and the organization and how lives are touched....

"I mean you just think about this, there were about 175 total coaching changes in the National Football League this year. And transfer that to not just that coach, but the families involved and then think about how many players moved teams and now you have new personalities on those teams. So all those people in Dallas now who were TO fans, will they continue to watch TO in Buffalo? Absolutely. And then there is a group of Buffalo fans that will be even more interested. It just continues to grow.

"I've seen it first-hand with me as a player and as a coach. People just want to follow your career, and then somebody that I'll meet or become acquainted with at something not even having to do with football gets interested, and so on.

"I'll give you another example: just being at a lacrosse match for my daughter at her college, there will be a parent there from maybe another team who meets me and says, 'Hey what do you?'

"And I'll say, 'Oh I coach' 'Who do you coach? You know, I don't watch football....'

"Then those people begin to look at your blog, or other sites like that, and say, you know, I'm going to find out more about Zorn, see what kind of guy he is and what the Redskins are all about.

"And then they become interested. It's pretty fascinating, really, when you think about it."

Okay. One other note -- it's a bit off-subject, but while I've got you, have you been pleased with the turnout so far at conditioning?

Zorn: "Oh yeah. I mean, our guys are working hard.

"The first week is very important because it really signifies getting started, but it's the weeks to come that become more important down the line.

"Because the first week is exciting. You know, you have the whole offseason and I think as a player you think, 'okay, yeah, I'm getting started, man. It's going to be a different year!'

"And then you get here and you see it is serious work and you are super sore and you don't know if you can take another step forward. You don't want to walk up the stairs or down the stairs because it is so painful to do it. It's those next weeks to come that are more important, because every week builds upon itself.

"I also think as a player, mentally, I think it affects you mentally and emotionally so much, the hard work it takes to get strong and to get in football shape, it takes its toll. So far, though, I think we've had major participation, and the weeks ahead are even more important."