Sunday, November 25, 2007

Remembering the Recent (and Glorious) Past

Wasn’t 2005 great? Remember how fantastic it was watching the Redskins win their last five games to finish 10-6 and in the playoffs? Remember how they went to Tampa Bay and won a playoff game, then came really, really close to beating the Seahawks in Seattle? Remember how bleak and unlikely it all looked when they were 5-6 that year?
It was all so grand, from the 35-7 pasting of the Cowboys to complete the season sweep to the Christmas Eve thumping of the Giants to the New Year’s Day finishing touch in Philadelphia. We all had a great time, didn’t we? Isn’t it awesome that we can now hope to see it all happen again?

The Redskins have lost three straight and find themselves at 5-6. In 2005 they also lost three straight (Tampa, Oakland, San Diego) to find themselves at 5-6. A common thread here seems to be Tampa. They’re annoying. Not as annoying, however, as that putrid “Duh” series of Hyundai commercials. Seriously, every…damn…break Kelsey Grammar’s sonorous voice brought us cheeky commentary on the…merits, I guess, of that word and its tenuous connection to second-tier automobiles. Why? How could the man who brings us Sideshow Bob wallow in this nonsense (I won’t mention “Back to You”)? In any case, these commercials are well on their way to taking their place in the pantheon of all-time awful advertisements, along with the Lexus December to Remember Sales Event and anything featuring that John Mellencamp song. Watching a fourth-quarter rally die is hard enough without these putrid intrusions. Where was I? Tampa. Don’t like them. Too much pewter.

Jason Campbell has this throwing-for-300-yards thing down pat. Soon he’ll get that whole not-throwing-interceptions-inside-the-20-yard-line-with-a-win-within-reach thing settled. The defense, when not receiving apologies from the offense, continues to bail out the team and desperately try to give them a chance to win.

It’s getting a little crowded behind the Lions in the growing fight for the second wild card spot. Fortunately, two of those 5-6 teams with the Redskins, Chicago and Minnesota, are on the remaining schedule. Another, the Cardinals, are saddled by that wrenching tie-breaking loss at FedEx (they also lost to the 49ers today). Still another, the Saints, lost to the Rams. How can they possibly be a threat?

The Wizards won five straight. The Caps are 2/5 of the way to such a streak, completely perfect under Bruce II and downing teams that populate the top of the standings. Time for the Redskins to go on their 5-game tear.

For now, it’s Remember 2005. Five weeks from now, maybe it will be Remember 2007.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Your Herculean efforts to paint a bright picture in what may be the most painful period in DC sports history is appreciated. That being said, I can't take it anymore (Taylor shot and in critical condition? I dread seeing a DC sports team on ESPN's front page now because all news appears to be bad news). I say you pack it in. DC Pessimist anyone? It would certainly be an easier read (and write for you). Really, try it and see how monumentally easier your keyboard produces commentary on our teams. Time to start bitching.

Ollie said...

No way, if anything we need more optimists to help us through tough times like these.

Your ideas regarding the Redskins intrigue me. Do you have a newsletter I could subscribe to?