The Redskins Blog

Thursday, March 12: The IRS Considers Me A Jock

I’ve been known to misplace my W-2 forms from time to time. It’s actually not as big a deal as it sounds like — you just call your employer, tell them that you need a replacement W-2, and voila. New tax information shows up in the mail.

But for a long time, that’s what the weeks between the start of the year and April 15 consisted of for me: losing and replacing tax documents, and eventually scrambling to file ahead of the deadline. So when five separate W-2 envelopes hit my desk a few weeks back, I figured that someone in payroll had just correctly guessed in advance that I was the sort of person who would wind up requesting replacement docs.

Wrong.

The five envelopes in fact contained something like ten separate W-2s — one for each state we traveled to for a game, with the exception of Washington state and Texas (which don’t have a state income tax).

This took me by surprise, first because I had never heard of the Jock Tax, and second because it would never have occurred to me that something called the Jock Anything would apply to me.

The so-called Jock Tax is, in essence, a tax assessed by a state to which someone has traveled to conduct business. So since I worked a game in Philadelphia, I have to file a tax return with the state of Pennsylvania for that day’s work. Read more »

Friday, March 6: Where The Offseason Stands

It’s looking like a quiet day at Redskins Park, a fairly dramatic change from the one-hour-of-sleep, round-the-clock activities of a week ago. So it seems like a good time to take a quick look at where we stand at this point in the offseason: who’s here, who’s gone, what needs have been met and so on.

Who’s Here

Well, not “literally here at this very moment”, or else the only answer would be Lorenzo Alexander, who was working out downstairs. The team has added:

• Albert Haynesworth, defensive tackle
• DeAngelo Hall, cornerback
• Derrick Dockery, guard
• Dirk Johnson, punter

The only other visit I’m aware of is Ray Willis, offensive tackle from Seattle, but to the best of my knowledge he left without a deal.

Who’s Caught On Elsewhere

The guys who are no longer with the team, and will definitely not be with the team next year because they have deals in place at other clubs.

• Demetric Evans, defensive end, with the 49ers
• Shawn Springs, cornerback, with the Patriots

The indomitable Homer McFanboy has a terrific farewell interview with Evans that’s well worth reading. Read more »

Rocky McIntosh Is Quirky, Business-Savvy, And A Good Student

A couple of weeks ago, Rocky McIntosh set up shop a cubicle not far from where I sit in Redskins Park. This wasn’t like when Antwaan Randle El made a couple of phone calls from the front desk and I joked that he was the receptionist; Rocky actually moved himself into the cube and decided it was his new office space.

There was no discernible reason for him to do this; he just showed up (wearing a red shirt, with matching glasses and watch), complained about how dirty the previous occupant had left the space, and put up some personal decorations. Read more »

Two Press Conferences Tomorrow

The press conferences for DeAngelo Hall and Derrick Dockery will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, at 5:00 in the evening.

This seems like a sensible move. It’s a snowy day here and the roads are something of a mess; it’s probably best not to ask the entire media throng — not to mention the players — to make their way through that.

But for those of you who have been eagerly anticipating these pressers since Friday … well, just a little bit longer now. Hang in there. Read more »

Vinny Cerrato Talks Signings on ESPN 980

Executive Vice President of Football Operations Vinny Cerrato went on ESPN 980 this morning to discuss last night’s signings with Andy Pollin and Kevin Sheehan.

When I left Redskins Park around 4:30 in the morning, it seemed like things were going to take more time to develop, so it’s particularly interesting for me to see Cerrato break down the timeline from last night, and explain at least a little of the bidding process.

On how last night went:

“It was a long night, it was up and down, you know. At times you felt good, at times you felt terrible. But at about 5:30 this morning, we got the deal done with Albert, and probably about midnight we got the deal done with DeAngelo.”

On how the DeAngelo Hall negotiations proceeded:

“It heated up about 11:30. I can’t remember if it was right before midnight or right after. I mean, it was right around there that they accepted the deal.”

On what Albert Haynesworth brings to the Redskins defense:

“I think we played outstanding defense, because we finished fourth, sixth against the points, but I think getting sacks and creating turnovers helps score points. I think it was something that we wanted to improve this offseason, and I think with the addition of Albert, I think what he does is he just distracts inside. I mean, he takes two or three blockers most of the time.

“He had eight and half sacks, but I think what he does is he helps everybody else get sacks, get turnovers. I mean, talking to all our players prior to this about, ‘What do you think about getting Albert Haynesworth,’ they were all ecstatic. I talked to London Fletcher, and Griff, and Fred Smoot. DeAngelo, right after we signed him I kinda told him what our plans were, and he says, ‘Go get the big guy, that’s what we need.’ Because if you get a push in the pocket up the middle, the quarterback cannot step up, and then it gives the outside guys a better opportunity to get to the quarterback.”

Read more »

Two More Tendered

Like kicker Shaun Suisham last night, defensive tackles Kedric Golston and Anthony Montgomery received tender offers from the team, meaning that the Redskins can match any offers they receive. So if the non-stop barrage of Albert Haynesworth rumors prove false, the middle of last year’s line remains intact. And if the rumors are correct … well, that’s either some solid depth at tackle or another competitive position battle in training camp. Read more »

Wednesday, February 25: Better Get This Hat Quick

I’m sure there’ll be plenty of pre-free-agency (pre-agency?) scuttlebutt to discuss later today, but reader Ryan was browsing NFLShop.com and came across something a little lighter to start the day with. I present to you the official Reebok Washington Redskins 2009 St. Patrick’s Flex Fit Hat!

In his email, Ryan notes, “You can essentially either wear that for one day a year, or state that you are a Redskins and a Celtics fan.”

In fact, though, even the Celtic fan approach doesn’t actually work, because the brim specifically states that it’s a “St. Patrick’s Day edition.” The whole thing strikes me as oddly specific and weird, but there you go.

The one relevant day a year is coming up fast, so you probably should get your order in soon. Me, I’m holding out for a Cinco De Mayo Redskins sombrero. Read more »

Friday, February 20: Start With Some Links

• Well, the 2009 NFL Scouting Combine is underway, so the building here is even emptier than it’s been for most of the offseason. NFL.com has a Combine blog to keep you updated on what’s going on there, in case you’re concerned that you missed something drastic during offensive linemen measurements and Wonderlic tests, or quarterback pre-physical exams. (The Sporting News has the weekend’s schedule in an easy-to-read format.) Speaking of the Wonderlic, you can take a shortened timed version online here, but I imagine it’s much tougher when you have the weight of your entire future resting on your performance.

  I’m not sold on the combine, myself. From a personnel evaluation standpoint, it’s just a piece of the puzzle — and a small one, at that — and as far as TV programming, watching a bunch of guys do the shuttle drill just doesn’t thrill me. Rich Tandler sums up my feelings pretty well in his piece Combore 2009. That said, I’m sure I’ll put in at least a couple of hours with NFL Network this weekend.

  (Hat tip to Hogs Haven for the Wonderlic link.)

• Fatpickled has a very good interview with former Redskin (and former Terrapin) linebacker Neil Olkiewicz that’s well worth a read — funny and informative in equal parts.
• Jordan Gross is no longer on the market in free agency, but the National Football Post has a good rundown of the offensive tackles who are still available.
• And Homer McFanboy continues to be embedded with the Washington Capitals, which provides me a perfect excuse to link to his coverage of Alex Ovechkin’s amazing goal from a couple nights ago, as well as the frame-by-frame breakdown on Japers’ Rink. The self-pass off the boards that starts his run might be the single niftiest move I can remember seeing in a hockey game.

Read more »

Coach Zorn Talks At The Combine

Ah, I’ve missed Jim Zorn press conferences. Zorn, speaking from a podium to reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine today, sounded … well,very Zorn-like.

Not in the catch-phrase way, though: I didn’t hear a single “violent,” “medium,” “sudden,” or even “absolutely” as I listened to him talk, but everything else was there: the candor, the honesty, the calm humor, and the fondness for discussing medical issues in great detail.

In fact, the candor seems to have been ramped up a notch, as Zorn owns up to some clock mismanagement and some game management situations he hopes to improve. As the coach’s first major public comments of the 2009 football season, I’m liking most of what I’m hearing.

On whether saw any surprises when reviewing the 2008 season:

“There were a couple of things to look at. Number one, where we got stopped in our offensive thrust to try and get the ball in the end zone was really from the plus-50 to the plus-20. That’s where we ended a lot of drives. We have been taking a detailed look at that. There are some answers there and that is what we are trying to address as we come into our minicamps, training camps – as we start experimenting with some new ideas.

“Our overall schemes are going to stay the same, but it is how we get the ball into the red zone and then be able to score from the red zone – those are concerns of mine because we didn’t score enough points this football season.”

On the Redskins approach in free agency:

“I think every team will try to be active and we certainly will be as well, but I don’t know. We will have some guys in and I think free agency has to do with both parties trying to get together, all sides of the issue trying to get together and coming to some kind of a need-help and then being able to agree on how to get it done. I think we will have some activity, but I wouldn’t know how much or how little that is going to end up being.”

On whether the Redskins have enough space under the salary cap to be active in free agency:

“Yes. I wouldn’t know how much and that plays a part in how active we can be. Some teams can be more active than others. I’m not going to go into talking about what the space is.”

On how much he will change his personality next season: Read more »

Wednesday, February 18: A Bunch Of Light Reading For A Rainy Day

Michael Lewis has written a lot of books, but he’s probably most famous for Moneyball, the look at Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane that opened a lot of people’s eyes to some new statistical approaches to baseball.

(His more recent book, The Blind Side, is of particular interest to Redskins fans for two reasons: first, it has the most detailed analysis of the play that ended Joe Theismann’s career that I’ve ever read; and second, it serves primarily as a biography of then-high-school offensive tackle Michael Oher, who is now a highly-ranked prospect in this year’s NFL draft … a draft in which the Redskins just might be looking for tackles. But it’s not really relevant here.)

In an excellent (and LENGTHY) article in this past weekend’s New York Times Magazine, Lewis takes a look at the growing statistical changes in professional basketball by focusing on the statistically-invisible-but-actually-substantial impact for the Houston Rockets of former Terrapin-killer Shane Battier (that’s him behind Juan Dixon in the picture), and why Rockets general manager Daryl Morey values him so highly:

Battier’s game is a weird combination of obvious weaknesses and nearly invisible strengths. When he is on the court, his teammates get better, often a lot better, and his opponents get worse – often a lot worse. He may not grab huge numbers of rebounds, but he has an uncanny ability to improve his teammates’ rebounding. He doesn’t shoot much, but when he does, he takes only the most efficient shots. He also has a knack for getting the ball to teammates who are in a position to do the same, and he commits few turnovers. On defense, although he routinely guards the N.B.A.’s most prolific scorers, he significantly reduces their shooting percentages. At the same time he somehow improves the defensive efficiency of his teammates – probably, Morey surmises, by helping them out in all sorts of subtle ways. “I call him Lego,” Morey says. “When he’s on the court, all the pieces start to fit together. And everything that leads to winning that you can get to through intellect instead of innate ability, Shane excels in. I’ll bet he’s in the hundredth percentile of every category.”

It’s a sort of Moneyball-lite for the NBA, the sort of article that might bring these esoteric statistics to the mainstream, and well worth a read on its own merits.

But it also makes me wonder when the similar statistical revolution is going to come to the mainstream of the NFL. Read more »