Now that Roger Goodell and De Smith have resolved the NFL Lockout, perhaps they can tackle the debt ceiling impasse on Capitol Hill before they leave Washington. They have more credibility than any of the yahoos in Congress. At least they wanted to get to a resolution. Congress does not.
The closer NFL owners and players got to doomsday, the more agreeable they became. The closer Congress gets to doomsday, when interest rates go up, investments go down and wrath will follow, the more agreeable they will become (I think, hope and pray).
Football isn’t life, but it is life in microcosm. I am struck by the parallels between the NFL labor conflict and the political conflict. Both played out in Washington and in Minnesota where, ironically, the State government shut down. Just had to get that out while hoping for a similar happy conclusion.
The rest of us can get back to the important news of football.
NFL teams can begin negotiating with their own free agents and with their drafted rookies beginning at 10:00 AM today. They may formally sign those players Friday. Team may trade players beginning today.
Sports Illustrated emailed a preview of NFL stories its August 1, 2011, edition. Peter King speculates about the landing spots of the top 50 free agents. King saw DE Cullen Jenkins as the only big name player to be landed by the Washington Redskins. WR Santonio Holmes would remain with the New York Jets, says King. That was always the most realistic outlook anyway. CB Nnamdi Asomugha would jump to the Houston Texans and WR Sidney Rice would land with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Asomugha would want to go with a team more likely to make the playoffs than the Redskins. The Colts could be vulnerable this year and the Texans are the team most likely to step in if that happens.
I can’t think of any reason why the Redskins would be outbid for Sidney Rice if they really want him. Jacksonville has nothing more to offer than Washington.
King sees Carlos Rogers in a Buffalo Bills uniform this season, but strangely did not see the ‘Skins backfilling the position with a cornerback of stature. Hmmm.
In the same issue, Jim Trotter does not see any team signing Donovan McNabb—as a free agent—unless No. 5 agrees to a back-up role.
it was more fun to listen to Washington Post sports writer Jason Reid this morning who said on 106.7 The Fan radio that fans would like the free agents the Redskins will sign this preseason. Reid bases that on his conversations with agents who have spoken to the Redskins. Reid would not betray confidences and gave no names. He did acknowledge that no big name quarterbacks were on the list.
Points after: Peter King must have forgot to list Santana Moss in his list of Top 50 free agents. I think the Redskins will retain Moss after he has had a chance to test the market and set a new contract price.
Hog Heaven has its own preseason housecleaning. We posted the 2011 Redskins Roster under the TEAM tag on the front page. It’s something of a chore and will be a downright challenge this preseason. It’s a convenience for our readers and our advertisers, both groups drawn from the ranks of close personal relatives.
I finally got around to publishing a Redskins blogroll, a carryover task from last season. Click on the FAVORITE LINKS tab above and see who we follow for Redskins news.
Image courtesy of Sports Illustrated Magazine. © Time Warner, Inc.
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