SKINS SCALPED

As a working stiff, I haven't had an opportunity to see the Washington Redskins play this year. As there has been so much controversy amongst the various elements of Redskins Inc., I thought I'd take a look at the Monday Night Football. In that featured game the Redskins would take on the New York Giants.

There was much chatter about Mr. Daniel Snyder hiring Mr. Bruce Allen as the new "general manager" of the Redskins, what that might mean to the future of Jim Zorn, the present football coach, and what it meant to the team and to the fans. Sports pundits perused every angle.

With that as a preface, I made bold to get a network featuring the Monday Night Football game to manifest itself on my quirky television. I succeeded.

Almost immediately I saw that this game was between a good professional football team (Giants) and Confusion Incarnate. The Redskins football team played such an inconceivably inept game that one wondered how they managed to maintain their status as a "National Football League" team.

Then it occurred to me that there may have been a plot amongst certain Redskins to "throw the game" to hasten the exit of Jim Zorn. I do recall Jason Campbell during the training camp period making some comment about Coach Zorn's "little arm." The reference was to the coach (a former quarterback) tossing a few balls to illustrate how he wanted a pass thrown on a certain pattern. Basically, I sensed then that Coach Zorn wasn't really respected by important elements of the team.

If the players aren't "into" a coach by one means or the other, he's going to have a hard time melding them into a team with a common purpose. Instead, there will be a bunch of individuals out there, each of whom cherishes his own thing. Patterns are run by receivers according to how they think they should be run, while the quarterback throws according to how he thinks the patterns should be run. The coach has his own views about how patterns should be run, but his results are so poorly realized that an new offensive play-caller is brought in midstream. He, too, has his view of how a pattern should be run. Professional anarchy replaced professional football.

Jason Campbell got so little protection from his offensive line that he became "unglued." How could anyone focus with several Giant hands swatting at his head on every play? Further, Campbell's short passes were so inept that they brought back memories of Redskin QB Schroeder. It can't help when one is 6' 4" and one's receivers are 5' 9", while Giants are pouring into the backfield.

There were laughable plays by the Redskins in this game. Not good!

Jim Zorn appears at press time as a pathetic, stupified mensch, blandly reaching for some credible comment to serve the wolves now gathered for the feast.

The Giant dominance was so complete that they were grinning from ear-to-ear half way through the second quarter. Party time!

I did have to commend No. 44 of the Giants, who ran very well. Eli Manning, Giant QB, also looked good. If the Giants get into the Play-Offs, they may go far. Getting hot at the right time is more important than regular season records.

If the Redskins didn't purposely "dog" or "tank," then they must be judged to be a frivolous bunch without much merit. There are too many chiefs in the organization and too few braves. If they had any pride, they might offer to give back some of their pay. Not that Mr. Snyder needs it, but it might go to some worthy cause.