July 11: Happy Birthday Chris Cooley & Len Hauss

This is chance to combine a happy birthday post with my favorite things post. Happy birthday to my favorite current NFL player, Chris Cooley. There were several events that transpired that led to Chris becoming my favorite. I have long been a fan of the tight end position (that definitely sounds gay.) Over the course of the years I’ve watched and rooted for Don Warren, Clint Didier, Jamie Asher, and Stephen Alexander. Then, in 2004 Joe Gibbs returned as coach. The rumor from that year’s draft was that the Skins were going to take Kellen Winslow Jr. out of Miami with their first round pick. This was something that I DID NOT WANT. I wanted the once in a lifetime safety, Sean Taylor. Well what do you know, the Skins actually did something I wanted and picked Taylor, upsetting Winslow Jr. and Sr. (whom Gibbs had coached in San Diego.) Then, in the third round the Skins traded to pick Chris Cooley out of Utah State. I had never heard of the guy but upon a little research I found out he led all college tight ends in receptions and was a finalist for the Mackey award…I was intrigued.

During the pre-season games that year I was able to see Cooley in action for the first time. He was playing the H-back position in Gibb’s offense. I was hooked the moment I saw this big and somewhat awkward white guy rambling down the field wearing #47. He looked like a modern day John Riggins. He earned the starting position that year and has never looked back. He now has consecutive Pro Bowl appearances to go along with 314 receptions for 3,457 yards and 28Td’s. He also has the Riggins type of personality to go with his on field performance. Marrying a cheerleader, drinking 21 shots, short shorts and a fro.

Thanks to the power of technology, I’ve been fortunate enough to be a part of Chris’s website…The Cooley Zone. Whether I’ve been commenting on others posts or writing my own, it’s been great fun. In fact, I’m pretty sure that Fatpickled would have never existed if not for Chris’s blog. Funny how things work out sometimes, happy 27th CC.

Happy birthday Len Hauss. Len played 14 seasons with the Skins, playing in 196 games, starting 192 of them! He is one of the 70 Greatest Redskins and was selected to 6 Pro Bowls. That’s some pretty impressive stuff…happy 67th birthday Mr. Hauss.


Cheers and Hail