Everyone. It’s the right answer but makes for a very short debut article by yours truly, so I will elucidate on my answer. Conspiracy theories flew after the news broke on Friday that RGIII was in fact NOT cleared to play Saturday night in the team’s third preseason game. This shocking news came just 24 hours after Griffin had been cleared by an independent neurologist. (Side note…pretty psyched I spelled neurologist without the help of spell check…#winning).
Culprit #1 – Dan Snyder. Snyder must be pissed that the Redskins didn’t get picked for HBO’s “Hard Knocks” so he decided he would turn into Mark Burnett (Google him) and make my Skins the most popular sports reality show this side of the “Legends Football League” (don’t Google it at work). The team gave up so much for the right to draft Griffin in 2012 and since they are not getting a proper return on their investment why not turn the QB competition into a “car wreck” that everyone will slow down to watch. The news media are playing in Snyder’s master plan, because like Jake Gyllenhaal in “Nightcrawler” you can make good money off of pain, blood and misery.
Culprit #2 – Mike Shanahan. Didn’t think we’d forget the rat man did you? He started this whole mess by putting Griffin back in the playoff game against Seattle and exasperating (needed spell check on that one) Griffin’s knee injury. That one decision leaves Redskins fans acting like Cub fans after Steve Bartmann wondering, ”What might have been…” Current coach Jay “I’m not anywhere near the coach of my brother John” Gruden hasn’t helped but Shanahan started this mess.
Culprit #3 – RGIII . Yep you need to look in the mirror buddy. There’s no doubt the team has treated you like dirt but you haven’t done yourself any favors when talking to the media. Last year there were times it seemed like you were throwing your teammates under the bus. One of the greatest moments of your rookie season was when you beat the hated Cowboys and then were caught on camera consoling Tony Romo. I hate the Cowboys but not Romo, so you got huge props for that show of sportsmanship. It would probably have helped your cause by showing the same respect to the guys on your own team.
Culprit #4 – Jerry Jones. Didn’t I just say that I hate the Cowboys? I know I’m reaching here, but it just seems appropriate to place blame at the feet of the master showman. Others would argue that I’m just jealous because the 72-year-old owner of “America’s Team” gets more hot 25 year olds than I do…and I find myself without a feasible argument against that charge. With that said, I do have a Houston Texans Cheerleader following me on Twitter. Scoreboard!
As a Redskins fan there are still things to be grateful for…I am a huge fan of the other two quarterbacks, Kirk Cousins and Colt McCoy. McCoy is my all-time favorite college QB, much to the dismay of my two oldest sons who were born in Austin but graduated from OU and drank the “Norman Kool-Aid” thereby hating anything and anyone associated with the Longhorns. I am also grateful for DeSean Jackson , still one of the most exciting playmakers in football. Finally I am grateful for the NFL schedule, because no matter who is under center this season in D.C., I STILL get to cheer against the Dallas Cowboys for the next 4 months!
One final thought, I have a 4th option for a starting QB this season in Washington. It’s a brilliant choice that I am quite frankly stunned no one else has brought up. What about the offspring of a former Redskins Super Bowl MVP who happens to be a star QB in another pro football league. I mean Warren Moon became a NFL Hall of Famer after an illustrious career in the CFL…why not Angela Rypien? Make it happen Dan and I will be the first person to order an Angela Rypien Fathead!