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Friday, December 14, 2012
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Badass Redskins
The Washington Redskins have played more than 1,000 games in franchise history, and plenty of badasses have donned the uniform during the team's 80 years of existence.
The 2012 roster has outside linebacker (and insurance salesman) Brian Orakpo (#98). Orakpo, a first-round draft pick in 2009 out of the University of Texas, has averaged 9.5 sacks per season in his three years in the NFL. Another (often overlooked) badass in London Fletcher. At 5-foot-10, Fletcher (#59) is small for an NFL linebacker. His size may have been why he was not drafted out of college. Or it could be because he played for tiny Division III school John Carroll University. But Fletcher was one of two undrafted free agents to make the St. Louis Rams 1998 roster. In his 14 years in the NFL, Fletcher has never missed a game. From undrafted free agent to 14 straight years in the NFL is pretty badass!
In the 80 years of the Washington Redskins, there have been plenty of badass players, but a couple of jersey numbers are truly special: 74 (George Starke), 68 (Russ Grimm), 53 (Jeff Bostic), 73 (Mark May), 68 (Joe Jacoby). Those are the original Hogs, the offensive linemen for the 1982 Redskin team.
Those offensive linemen were badass, but it would be a travesty to talk about Washington Redskin badasses and not mention perhaps the most badass player in league history. "Slingin' Sammy Baugh earned his nickname not as the quarterback with Washington or during his football playing days at Texas Christian University. A sportswriter gave him the moniker when Baugh was the third baseman for TCU.
As a member of the Redskins, Baugh (#33) was one of the first quarterbacks to make the forward pass a fixture for offenses. Being a great quarterback is all well-and-good, but what made Baugh a badass of the highest caliber is during his time Baugh was also the best punter and defensive back. Baugh could be considered a badass for his 1943 season alone. That was the year he led the NFL in passing, punting and interceptions. He was Tom Brady, Shane Lechler and Ed Reed rolled into one.
Next up: Jacksonville Jaguars
The 2012 roster has outside linebacker (and insurance salesman) Brian Orakpo (#98). Orakpo, a first-round draft pick in 2009 out of the University of Texas, has averaged 9.5 sacks per season in his three years in the NFL. Another (often overlooked) badass in London Fletcher. At 5-foot-10, Fletcher (#59) is small for an NFL linebacker. His size may have been why he was not drafted out of college. Or it could be because he played for tiny Division III school John Carroll University. But Fletcher was one of two undrafted free agents to make the St. Louis Rams 1998 roster. In his 14 years in the NFL, Fletcher has never missed a game. From undrafted free agent to 14 straight years in the NFL is pretty badass!
In the 80 years of the Washington Redskins, there have been plenty of badass players, but a couple of jersey numbers are truly special: 74 (George Starke), 68 (Russ Grimm), 53 (Jeff Bostic), 73 (Mark May), 68 (Joe Jacoby). Those are the original Hogs, the offensive linemen for the 1982 Redskin team.
Those offensive linemen were badass, but it would be a travesty to talk about Washington Redskin badasses and not mention perhaps the most badass player in league history. "Slingin' Sammy Baugh earned his nickname not as the quarterback with Washington or during his football playing days at Texas Christian University. A sportswriter gave him the moniker when Baugh was the third baseman for TCU.
As a member of the Redskins, Baugh (#33) was one of the first quarterbacks to make the forward pass a fixture for offenses. Being a great quarterback is all well-and-good, but what made Baugh a badass of the highest caliber is during his time Baugh was also the best punter and defensive back. Baugh could be considered a badass for his 1943 season alone. That was the year he led the NFL in passing, punting and interceptions. He was Tom Brady, Shane Lechler and Ed Reed rolled into one.
Next up: Jacksonville Jaguars
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Badass Buccaneers
Tampa Bay had an incredible 2010, surprising most analysts by racking up 10 wins despite having a young squad. The 2011 Buccaneers surprised analysts again, but because they took a giant step backwards and finished 4-12.
It takes effort finding a player currently on the roster who I would consider a badass (a player I could proudly buy his heresy and not have my dad roll his eyes at me.) Gone are all of the premier players on defense from the Super Bowl winning 2000 team. The only player worthy of being considered a badass would be running back LeGarrette Blount (#27). Blount is a power back who would rather over and through a defender then run around a defender, which earns points for badassness. But, truth be told, the defensive linemen are young (except Albert Haynesworth, who more a jackass instead of a badass) and the offensive line is OK but not spectacular (center Jeff Faine, tackle Donald Penn). Blount kind of wins this by default.
Historically, the Bucs do have some pretty badass players, even if the franchise had a horrible reputation for about 30 years. You could go down the entire defensive roster of the Super Bowl winning year (#99 Warren Sapp, #55 Derek Brooks, #47 John Lynch), and even some of the offensive guys too (#40 Mike Alstott). But the original Tampa Bay badass is Lee Roy Selmon (#63.) The defensive end from the University of Oklahoma was the 1979 Defensive Player of the Year, a six-time Pro Bowl selection and named to the 1980s All-Decade Team. Selmon is almost solely responsible for breaking up the Buccaneer's losing ways, a pretty badass achievement for a defensive lineman.
Next up: Washington Redskins
It takes effort finding a player currently on the roster who I would consider a badass (a player I could proudly buy his heresy and not have my dad roll his eyes at me.) Gone are all of the premier players on defense from the Super Bowl winning 2000 team. The only player worthy of being considered a badass would be running back LeGarrette Blount (#27). Blount is a power back who would rather over and through a defender then run around a defender, which earns points for badassness. But, truth be told, the defensive linemen are young (except Albert Haynesworth, who more a jackass instead of a badass) and the offensive line is OK but not spectacular (center Jeff Faine, tackle Donald Penn). Blount kind of wins this by default.
Historically, the Bucs do have some pretty badass players, even if the franchise had a horrible reputation for about 30 years. You could go down the entire defensive roster of the Super Bowl winning year (#99 Warren Sapp, #55 Derek Brooks, #47 John Lynch), and even some of the offensive guys too (#40 Mike Alstott). But the original Tampa Bay badass is Lee Roy Selmon (#63.) The defensive end from the University of Oklahoma was the 1979 Defensive Player of the Year, a six-time Pro Bowl selection and named to the 1980s All-Decade Team. Selmon is almost solely responsible for breaking up the Buccaneer's losing ways, a pretty badass achievement for a defensive lineman.
Next up: Washington Redskins
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Badass Browns
Who is the best left tackle in football? If Cleveland's Joe Thomas isn't the best, he isn't far behind. Other Browns players have admitted the only reason why quarterback Derek Anderson was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2008 was because Thomas was an absolute wall on the left side. Thomas has been selected to the Pro Bowl all five years he has been in the NFL. It's pretty easy to say #73 is a badass.
Who else currently on the Browns could be called a badass? Running back Peyton Hillis was in 2010, but his refusal to play with minor injuries erased any possibility of inclusion in this discussion. Center Alex Mack (#55) has started all 48 games in his three year career, which is badass. Linebacker D'Qwell Jackson (#52) is overlooked by the other fantastic defenders in the AFC North, but he had 116 solo tackles last year, all with a pectoral problem that sidelined him the past two years. Badass, indeed.
The Browns franchise is littered with tons of badass players, and I could delve into the worthiness of RB Marion Motley (#76/#36), TE Ozzie Newsome (#82), and even QB Otto Graham (#60/#14), but the only *real* badass in Brown history is probably one of the biggest badasses in all of American sports history, not just NFL history. Jim Brown (#32) averaged 5.2 yards per carry, a feat that totally boggles comprehension considering opposing defenses knew he was going to get the ball. And he was also widely considered the best lacrosse player of all time. Brown belongs on the Mount Rushmore of Badass.
Next up: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Who else currently on the Browns could be called a badass? Running back Peyton Hillis was in 2010, but his refusal to play with minor injuries erased any possibility of inclusion in this discussion. Center Alex Mack (#55) has started all 48 games in his three year career, which is badass. Linebacker D'Qwell Jackson (#52) is overlooked by the other fantastic defenders in the AFC North, but he had 116 solo tackles last year, all with a pectoral problem that sidelined him the past two years. Badass, indeed.
The Browns franchise is littered with tons of badass players, and I could delve into the worthiness of RB Marion Motley (#76/#36), TE Ozzie Newsome (#82), and even QB Otto Graham (#60/#14), but the only *real* badass in Brown history is probably one of the biggest badasses in all of American sports history, not just NFL history. Jim Brown (#32) averaged 5.2 yards per carry, a feat that totally boggles comprehension considering opposing defenses knew he was going to get the ball. And he was also widely considered the best lacrosse player of all time. Brown belongs on the Mount Rushmore of Badass.
Next up: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Badass Vikings
The Vikings weren't supposed to be great in 2011, but not many expected Minnesota would finish with the third-worst record in the NFL at 3-13.
The lack of wins could be a reflection in the lack of badasses. Defensive end Jared Allen (#69) was a badass when he was with the Kansas City Chiefs and has continued his mullet-fueled mayhem while donning Viking purple. Allen's 22 sacks was a Favre-like fall down from breaking Michael Strahan's 22.5 in 2001.
Guard Steve Hutchinson was a badass when he came over from Seattle in 2006, but a broken thumb two years ago and a concussion last year means big #76 has not played a full season since 2009 and may not be back in 2012.
Adrian Peterson (#28) is a linebacker playing running, which is pretty badass, but an ugly knee injury forced the former Oklahoma Sooner to miss the final four games of 2011. Plus, you may want to hold off buying a #28 jersey just yet as Peterson announced on Twitter he is thinking about changing his number.
As for historically badass Vikings, the first players that jump to mind are the Purple People Eaters of the 1960s and '70s. Alan Page (#88) and Carl Eller (#81) are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and Jim Marshall (#70) is often discussed as one of the best players NOT in Canton, but The Norse Nightmare, Gary Larsen (#77) was pretty badass.
Guard Randall McDaniel (#64) started 12 straight Pro Bowls from 1989 to 2000, which is amazingly badass. Chris Doleman (#56) is fourth in NFL history with 150.5 sacks. One of my favorite all-time players was #93, John Randle, and his recent induction into Canton was well-deserved.
But if you want to really impress people with your knowledge of badass Vikings, sport either a #53 or 73 jersey. Mick Tingelhoff (#53) never missed a start at center in his 17 years with Minnesota. Ron Yary (#73) was the first offensive lineman to ever be selected with the first overall pick in the draft and only missed two games in his 15 seasons due to a broken ankle.
Next up Cleveland Browns.
The lack of wins could be a reflection in the lack of badasses. Defensive end Jared Allen (#69) was a badass when he was with the Kansas City Chiefs and has continued his mullet-fueled mayhem while donning Viking purple. Allen's 22 sacks was a Favre-like fall down from breaking Michael Strahan's 22.5 in 2001.
Guard Steve Hutchinson was a badass when he came over from Seattle in 2006, but a broken thumb two years ago and a concussion last year means big #76 has not played a full season since 2009 and may not be back in 2012.
Adrian Peterson (#28) is a linebacker playing running, which is pretty badass, but an ugly knee injury forced the former Oklahoma Sooner to miss the final four games of 2011. Plus, you may want to hold off buying a #28 jersey just yet as Peterson announced on Twitter he is thinking about changing his number.
As for historically badass Vikings, the first players that jump to mind are the Purple People Eaters of the 1960s and '70s. Alan Page (#88) and Carl Eller (#81) are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and Jim Marshall (#70) is often discussed as one of the best players NOT in Canton, but The Norse Nightmare, Gary Larsen (#77) was pretty badass.
Guard Randall McDaniel (#64) started 12 straight Pro Bowls from 1989 to 2000, which is amazingly badass. Chris Doleman (#56) is fourth in NFL history with 150.5 sacks. One of my favorite all-time players was #93, John Randle, and his recent induction into Canton was well-deserved.
But if you want to really impress people with your knowledge of badass Vikings, sport either a #53 or 73 jersey. Mick Tingelhoff (#53) never missed a start at center in his 17 years with Minnesota. Ron Yary (#73) was the first offensive lineman to ever be selected with the first overall pick in the draft and only missed two games in his 15 seasons due to a broken ankle.
Next up Cleveland Browns.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Badass Rams
The Rams have quite a history. The present, however, is historically disappointing. The 2011 version of the Rams finished with just two wins. It was a fairly forgettable group, and not many are worthy of me spending money on a jersey.
A few exemptions do stand out, though, and both have famous fathers. Defensive end Chris Long (#91) racked up 13 sacks in 2011 and continues to draw comparisons to his dad, eight-time Pro Bowl selection Howie Long. Linebacker James Laurinatis (#55) had the eighth-most total tackles in the NFL last year (142) and the third-most solo tackles (105), which I find more badass than anything his dad did as The Animal in professional wrestling.
But the current crop pales in comparison to the greats that have represented the Rams organization. Tom Mack (#65) had a Hall of Fame career at left guard, Jackie Slater (#78) should be mentioned when discussing best left tackles of all-time, and while some might want to include Orlando Pace (#76) in that argument as well, I would leave him out. Marshall Faulk (#28) may be a running back, but my criteria for badass-ness is "What jersey would my dad be OK wearing?" Since Faulk went to San Diego State, and my dad is a former Aztec, Faulk be more than acceptable.
If you want to talk about badass Rams, you really need to go to the defensive line. You could pick anyone from the Fearsome Foursome: Deacon Jones (#75), Merle Olsen (#74), Rosie Grier (#76) and Lamar Lundy (#85). And while Lundy is usually the forgotten member of the Foursome, the fact another defensive end wearing #85 is even more badass more be the bigger slight. Lundy was a tight end and defensive end for the Rams. That is pretty badass, but playing with a broken broken leg may be the most badass football story (until Ronnie Lott cuts off his finger). Jack Youngblood (#85) was so good as Deacon Jones' rookie backup, the Rams traded Jones the next season. Youngblood fractured his left leg in the divisional round of the 1979 playoffs. He played every defensive down in the Rams win against Tampa Bay as well as every defensive down in the loss to the Steelers in the Super Bowl. That is badass.
Next up...Minnesota Vikings
A few exemptions do stand out, though, and both have famous fathers. Defensive end Chris Long (#91) racked up 13 sacks in 2011 and continues to draw comparisons to his dad, eight-time Pro Bowl selection Howie Long. Linebacker James Laurinatis (#55) had the eighth-most total tackles in the NFL last year (142) and the third-most solo tackles (105), which I find more badass than anything his dad did as The Animal in professional wrestling.
But the current crop pales in comparison to the greats that have represented the Rams organization. Tom Mack (#65) had a Hall of Fame career at left guard, Jackie Slater (#78) should be mentioned when discussing best left tackles of all-time, and while some might want to include Orlando Pace (#76) in that argument as well, I would leave him out. Marshall Faulk (#28) may be a running back, but my criteria for badass-ness is "What jersey would my dad be OK wearing?" Since Faulk went to San Diego State, and my dad is a former Aztec, Faulk be more than acceptable.
If you want to talk about badass Rams, you really need to go to the defensive line. You could pick anyone from the Fearsome Foursome: Deacon Jones (#75), Merle Olsen (#74), Rosie Grier (#76) and Lamar Lundy (#85). And while Lundy is usually the forgotten member of the Foursome, the fact another defensive end wearing #85 is even more badass more be the bigger slight. Lundy was a tight end and defensive end for the Rams. That is pretty badass, but playing with a broken broken leg may be the most badass football story (until Ronnie Lott cuts off his finger). Jack Youngblood (#85) was so good as Deacon Jones' rookie backup, the Rams traded Jones the next season. Youngblood fractured his left leg in the divisional round of the 1979 playoffs. He played every defensive down in the Rams win against Tampa Bay as well as every defensive down in the loss to the Steelers in the Super Bowl. That is badass.
Next up...Minnesota Vikings
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Timeout? I don't need your sticking timeout!
Amy and I choose not to spank. Actually, Amy chose it and I agreed. I am fairly indifferent to corporal punishment, but Amy was pretty set against it, so we give Reese timeouts.
Luckily Reese is a pretty good kid and we haven't had to give her too many timeouts, but as she is getting older and trying to exert her independence, the punishments are becoming more frequent. Still, the timeouts are a rarity.
I would think because timeouts are rare, they would be perceived as extreme and a notice to Reese that whatever action just occurred was heinous enough to deserve punishment. I would think. Reese, apparently, thinks otherwise.
Ever since we first started giving her timeouts, she gladly (almost proudly) would walk to the corner and sit down. She would not fuss and would not fight. She would walk (sometimes smiling) right to the corner and sit down. It is not as if I want Reese to cry, but some sort of remorseful reaction would be an indication she understands timeouts are to be avoided.
A very recent example of her defiance in that face of punishment happened at a friend's house. The friends have a piano that sits in an adjoining room to the living room where all of the toys were and where everyone was congregated. Reese was immediately enthralled with the piano and went into the room to bang a key. I quickly scooped her up and told her the piano was off limits and showed her the toys and her friend in the living room. The toys and friend and living room satiated her for a bit, but Reese soon went back to the piano. I quickly scooped her up and told her the piano was off limits and showed her the toys and her friend in the living room. Again, she played and was busy, but again she made her way to the piano and hit some keys. I scooped her up and sternly told her not to do that again or else she would get a timeout. I put her down and felt a little bashful that my daughter was disobeying me so openly and other people saw it. Reese played a little bit, then made her way to the piano room again. I called her name, she turned and looked at me, I told her not to go in there or she would get a timeout, and she continued to look at me but also continued to slowly inch her way to the piano room. I told her again she would get a timeout. She smiled at me, turned, walked into the piano room and hit a key. I called her name as I walked over to her, she walked out of the piano room with a smile on her face, walked over to a corner and sat down.
She knows what a timeout means. She understands that a timeout means she has to sit facing a corner. Clearly she knows this.
Her reaction to the threat of a timeout was, "The crime is worth the time. I do not mind a timeout if it means I can play the piano."
Isn't that part of what a punishment is supposed to be, a deterrent? Some people in our society do not commit crimes because they see them as immoral. Others, however, do not commit crimes because they do not want to go to jail.
So what do you do if a criminal is not deterred by the prospective punishment? Do you increase the punishment?
Just last week I was making the bed and Reese climbed onto our bathroom sink and turned on the water. This is an almost daily habit for her neither Amy nor I encourage or allow. I had scolded her earlier about it, so this time I picked her up and physically put her in her room. She was not happy about it for about 30 seconds, then she started playing in her room.
Is it time to try out spanking? Is rulers across the knuckles too Old School Catholic School Nun? I'm pretty sure Amy (not to mention the department of social services) would not look kindly on putting a toddler in stocks (the 17th and 18th Century public punishment, not NASDAQ or Dow Jones). And waterboarding is now an international crime, and I don't want to go to The Hague because Reese kicked at the dog.
Maybe the timeouts need to be longer? Maybe they need to be more frequent? Maybe they need to be in a different place? Maybe I need to send her to her room more often?
Whatever needs to happen needs to happen, because whatever is happening now is clearly not working.
Luckily Reese is a pretty good kid and we haven't had to give her too many timeouts, but as she is getting older and trying to exert her independence, the punishments are becoming more frequent. Still, the timeouts are a rarity.
I would think because timeouts are rare, they would be perceived as extreme and a notice to Reese that whatever action just occurred was heinous enough to deserve punishment. I would think. Reese, apparently, thinks otherwise.
Ever since we first started giving her timeouts, she gladly (almost proudly) would walk to the corner and sit down. She would not fuss and would not fight. She would walk (sometimes smiling) right to the corner and sit down. It is not as if I want Reese to cry, but some sort of remorseful reaction would be an indication she understands timeouts are to be avoided.
A very recent example of her defiance in that face of punishment happened at a friend's house. The friends have a piano that sits in an adjoining room to the living room where all of the toys were and where everyone was congregated. Reese was immediately enthralled with the piano and went into the room to bang a key. I quickly scooped her up and told her the piano was off limits and showed her the toys and her friend in the living room. The toys and friend and living room satiated her for a bit, but Reese soon went back to the piano. I quickly scooped her up and told her the piano was off limits and showed her the toys and her friend in the living room. Again, she played and was busy, but again she made her way to the piano and hit some keys. I scooped her up and sternly told her not to do that again or else she would get a timeout. I put her down and felt a little bashful that my daughter was disobeying me so openly and other people saw it. Reese played a little bit, then made her way to the piano room again. I called her name, she turned and looked at me, I told her not to go in there or she would get a timeout, and she continued to look at me but also continued to slowly inch her way to the piano room. I told her again she would get a timeout. She smiled at me, turned, walked into the piano room and hit a key. I called her name as I walked over to her, she walked out of the piano room with a smile on her face, walked over to a corner and sat down.
She knows what a timeout means. She understands that a timeout means she has to sit facing a corner. Clearly she knows this.
Her reaction to the threat of a timeout was, "The crime is worth the time. I do not mind a timeout if it means I can play the piano."
Isn't that part of what a punishment is supposed to be, a deterrent? Some people in our society do not commit crimes because they see them as immoral. Others, however, do not commit crimes because they do not want to go to jail.
So what do you do if a criminal is not deterred by the prospective punishment? Do you increase the punishment?
Just last week I was making the bed and Reese climbed onto our bathroom sink and turned on the water. This is an almost daily habit for her neither Amy nor I encourage or allow. I had scolded her earlier about it, so this time I picked her up and physically put her in her room. She was not happy about it for about 30 seconds, then she started playing in her room.
Is it time to try out spanking? Is rulers across the knuckles too Old School Catholic School Nun? I'm pretty sure Amy (not to mention the department of social services) would not look kindly on putting a toddler in stocks (the 17th and 18th Century public punishment, not NASDAQ or Dow Jones). And waterboarding is now an international crime, and I don't want to go to The Hague because Reese kicked at the dog.
Maybe the timeouts need to be longer? Maybe they need to be more frequent? Maybe they need to be in a different place? Maybe I need to send her to her room more often?
Whatever needs to happen needs to happen, because whatever is happening now is clearly not working.
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