July 31: Happy Bday Gus Frerotte

Happy birthday Gus Frerotte. Who can forget Gus…the man that DC went gaga over, the underdog 7th round pick who beat out the 1st round “stud.” Can you remember back then? Perhaps you had a Frerotte jersey? Maybe you’re a chick reading this blog and you thought Gus was “hot.” In Gus we trusted. He played 5 seasons with the Redskins from 1994-1998. Hard to imagine but Gus has played another 10 years in the league since leaving the Redskins…yep he’s carved out a 15 year NFL career! Gus played in 52 games with the Skins, passing for 9,769 yards and 48 TD’s to go with a Pro Bowl appearance in 96’. Gus started 46 of those games with the Skins, in the 10 years since he’s started 47. In 96’, Gus led the NFL in yards per completion with 13.8 yards per. But, Gus has been a productive QB when given the chance the past couple years; he’s gone 20-10 in his last 30 starts. Gus is currently a free agent, but I having a feeling he’ll land somewhere before the end of training camp. Happy 38th birthday Mr. Frerotte…and thanks for the memories.

Happy birthday Norm Snead. Norm played 3 seasons for the Skins from 1961-63, making the Pro Bowl twice. He started all 42 games during this time and threw 71 interceptions during those 3 years. How does one make 2 Pro Bowls while throwing 50 interceptions? Now that’s another era! But, Norm is best known for being traded for Sonny Jurgensen. We have to thank Norm for that! Norm played 17 seasons in the NFL and made 4 Pro Bowls. In retirement he coach at the Apprentice School in Norfolk, VA. I only mention this because in college I gave up a home run to some guy who was about 5’6” 150lbs who played for the Apprentice School. He hit a bomb off me over the Marlboro Man in left center field at the minor league stadium there in Norfolk. I never threw a fastball again in my college career. Anyway, I’m way off subject here…happy 70th Mr. Snead!

Cheers and Hail

Redskins Training Camp: Day 1 In Review

(photo via The Cooley Zone)

Today I was sitting at my desk in Florida far, far away from Ashburn...jonesing for training camps updates. I do not have access to Twitter or most of the blogs on my work computer, so my blackberry is my best friend. And luckily for me and many others out there, many talented bloggers kept me up to date on the days actions. Here's a quick recap from day 1.

A nice recap of the day in pictures and words from official Redskin's blogger Matt Terl. (Redskins Blog)

Dan Snyder's thoughts and expectations for this season. (Redskins Insider)

Santana Moss put on muscle and notices that he's "all ripped up and cut up." (DC Sports Bog)

Again from DC Sports Bog, Clinton Portis has gotten rid of the Wesley Snipes "Demolition Man" hairdo. (DC Sports Bog)

Cooley discusses JC, short shorts and other junk. (The Cooley Zone)


From Twitter, a look at what some of the national media had to say about the Skins:

@Adam_Schefter Good sign for Redskins: Carlos Rogers working on JUGS machine, catching balls, to make up for INTs he dropped.

@SI_RossTucker The atmosphere at Skins camp is amazingly calm and subdued for first day of TC. No buzz. Polar opposite of Bills camp.

@SI_PeterKing Jason Campbell looks--and sounds--more confident and in control. Is he tough enough, and a great leader? That's what we don't know.

Cheers and Hail

July 30: Happy Birthday Jim Mcllvaine

Happy birthday Jim Mcllvaine. Jim is best remembered for parlaying his two seasons with the Bullets into a 7 year 33 million dollar free agent deal with the Sonics. Oh, I forgot to mention that Jim averaged 2.0 pts and 2.5 rebs a game during his 2 seasons with the Bullets. I’m not sure what the Sonics were expecting or thinking, but Jim did increase his production to 3.0 pts and 3.5 rebs a game in his 2 years with them. Jim lasted 7 seasons in the league and was paid not to play in the final year of his contract. Jim now works as an analyst for Marquette (his alma mater) basketball games. Happy 37th Mr. Mcllvaine.

Football Makes Everything Better

This post originally appeared at The Cooley Zone

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…well, maybe not for the 2,500 NFL players that are reporting to training camp this week. For the next 3 weeks they’re going to be sweating their sacks off in two a day practices. Knocking the shit out of each other, sitting in endless meetings and soaking achy muscles in ice tubs. How do they do that anyway? Just the thought of lowering my boys into ice…not worried about shrinkage…worried about disappearance! Anyway, I’m happier than a puppy with 2 peters because the beginning of training camp means that the 2009 NFL season is upon us and football just makes everything better! Yes, it actually improves quality of life. Sound silly? It’s not; I’ll prove it to you.

10 things football makes better.

#10 – Food – I’m trying to figure out how to lose 10 lbs before the start of the season because I know I’m going to put on 15 during the season! Wings, chips, pizza and dips all taste better during football season. I think Velveeta was invented specifically for the NFL season. It gives us all a reason to eat bad foods because that’s what you do during football games. It just is.

#9 – Sports Blogs – Let’s face it, without football, blogs kind of suck. How much baseball can we talk about? How many top 10 lists can we make up? Bloggers need coaches like Dennis Green and Jim Mora going berserk, that’s good material. Bloggers need bad play calling and underachieving draft picks. And let’s face it; you want to come here to see Cooley talking about the Cowboys, not Fatpickle talking about cheese.

#8 – Sundays – Sunday, the day for rest and relaxation. NOT! There should be nothing relaxing about Sunday. Sundays are for getting nervous, excited and pissed at the Redskins…sometimes all at the same time! So forget about reading the Sunday paper in the lazy boy and watching Tom Watson play golf. It’s so much more fun figuring out how you’re going to pay your bookie because Eli Manning threw a pick 6 in the last minute. It was a sure thing the Giants were going to beat the Bengals.

#7 – Sports Talk Radio- Similar to the bloggers, the radio personalities need some material. How long can they talk about the Orioles and Nats losing? What they need is someone to shoot themselves in the leg, they need an owner having dinner with Shanahan, they can run with that. They need the guy calling in who just lost $500 on the Eli Manning play, that’s good radio.

#6 – Beer – Beer is better during the NFL season …oh who am I kidding? Beer is good all year long; the NFL season does nothing to make it better. But, when the Redskins lose, beer helps…temporarily.

#5 – Tailgating- Unless you’ve been to a Kenny Chesney or Jimmy Buffet concert this summer, you probably haven’t tailgated in awhile. Football gives us a reason to do so. Football gives us a reason for more food, Jell-O shooters, tossing the football around and cornhole. Good times with family, friends and strangers. And if you are tailgating, it sounds like Mama Cooley has the right game plan to follow.

#4 – Personal Relationships – From February to July I talk once or twice a month with some of the people that mean the most to me, but come football season, we may talk once or twice a day. We are always emailing, texting or phoning each other to talk about the games and events of the week. Football brings us closer for 6 months a year and I’m thankful for that.

#3- TV Viewing – summertime is the worst for TV, but that will end soon. We now have the NFL channel, the Sunday Ticket and TIVO working for us. We can watch an entire replay of the game in 60 minutes, anytime we want! No more reruns of the New Adventures Of Old Christine, we got choices!

#2 – Hope and Optimism – There is nothing I want to see more than a parade in Washington D.C for the Super Bowl Champion Washington Redskins. As the season starts I feel like that can happen. I see Cooley on the left and Portis on the right, Obama in the middle. I see it. I’m happy. When I finish this post I’m checking flights to Miami. I’m drinking the Kool Aid; I’ve got my Nikes on.


#1 – Fantasy Football – Is there anything better than Fantasy Football? Most of you are probably working on your cheat sheets and sleeper picks already. The drafts (more fun, food and booze) are so much fun. In late August I will travel back to VA for my league’s 12th annual fantasy draft. 12 years ago we were single college aged guys with no wives or kids. We return this year, most of us married, and we now have 12 kids among us. We’re still kids, just with more chins. We come from Florida, we come from Ohio, it doesn’t matter…football keeps us together. And I (the 22 Swinging Dicks) am going to kick some ass this year.

Now after all that, I have 1 question for you…ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?

Cheers and Hail

July 28: Happy Birthdays

On a daily basis, Fatpickled recognizes the birthdays of the men who have played, and currently play for, my favorite teams. The Redskins, Orioles, Wizards, and Terps.

Happy birthday Doug Collins. Doug was handpicked by Michael Jordan to coach the Wizards in 2000. With the arrival of Collins and Jordan’s decision to return to the court, big things were expected. 2 short years and a pair of 37-45 seasons later, both were gone.
No glory, no titles, not even any playoff appearances. Overall Doug coached 8 seasons in the NBA, including Jordan’s Bulls from 1986-89. Collin’s teams were great in the regular season, underachievers in the post season. The Bulls considered bringing back Collins this year to coach again but he removed his name as a candidate late in the process. As a player, Doug was chosen #1 overall in the 1973 draft y the 76ers. He was a 4 time All Star and averaged 17.9 pts per game over his 8 year career, but he sucks at H-O-R-S-E (watch below.) Doug currently analyzes games for TNT and NBC, and does a good job at it. Happy 58th Mr. Collins.

photo courtesy of oriolescards

Happy birthday Bob Milacki. Bob pitched 5 seasons for the Orioles from 1988-92. Bob had an incredible September call up in 1988. In 3 games he went 2-0 with a 0.72ERA including a complete game shutout. He followed that up with a stellar rookie campaign in 1989. In 89’ Bob went 14-12 with a 3.74ERA. His career never reached the same level from that point on and he retired after the 96’ season. Bob finished his career with 39 wins, 37 with the Orioles. In retirement Bob got into coaching and is currently the pitching coach for the Lakewood Blueclaws, a single A affiliate of the Phillies. Happy 45th Mr. Milacki!



Cheers and Hail

July 27: Old School Oriole Birthdays

On a daily basis, Fatpickled recognizes the birthdays of the men who have played, and currently play for, my favorite teams. The Redskins, Orioles, Wizards, and Terps.



Happy birthday Floyd Rayford. “Sugar Bear,” played 6 seasons for the Orioles from 1980-87. A fan favorite, he played every infield position (except shortstop…some guy was hogging that positionJ) and catcher. His best season came in 1985 when he batted .306 with 18HR’s and 48RBI’s. The Toy Dept recently caught up with Floyd and he has a unique take on why that season was so good for him as well as good stories of Cal and him rooming together in the minors. Floyd was traded to the Cardinals in 1983 for Tito Landrum, whom would hit the home run that sent the O’s to the World Series. Of course the O’s loved him so much that they actually purchased him back from the Cards that offseason. In retirement Floyd got into coaching and he currently serves as the batting coach for the New Britain Rock Cats. Happy 52nd Mr. Rayford.


Happy birthday Rich Dauer. Rich played all 10 seasons of his career with Orioles from 1976-85, appearing in 2 World Series and winning a ring in 83’. He ranks in the Orioles top 30 all time in games played (1,140) and hits (984.) Rich was a great contact hitter that ranked in the top 3 in the AL in at bats per strikeouts from 1980-1983, leading the league twice. Primarily a 2B he also played some 3B and had an excellent .985 fielding % for his career. He also holds the AL record for consecutive errorless games (86) and errorless chances (425) for a 2B. In retirement he has coached extensively at the major league level and was a candidate for several managerial openings, including the O’s in 2003. I hope he gets his chance one day. Rich currently is the third base coach for the Colorado Rockies. Happy 57th Mr. Dauer.

Cheers and Hail

My Take On Michael Vick

Michael Vick is out of jail and ready to play football again, and play it in the NFL. Should he be allowed to play? In my opinion 100% absolutely yes. There is no condoning what he did, it was terrible, but he spent over 18 months behind bars. He lost everything he had, the houses, the endorsement deals, over $30 million in salary. His debt to society has been paid…and then some. Donte Stallworth drives drunk and kills a man with his car and he spent less than 30 days in jail.

I’m sure that the NFL, namely Roger Goodell still wants to punish him in some way. As I said before, I think he’s already paid his debt. But, I understand that Goodell wants to run a tight ship and punish the players whose conduct is detrimental to the league. If he suspends Vick, it should be no longer than 2 games. 4 would be too long and 6 would be totally excessive. So what teams should consider signing Vick…?

My simple answer is every team has to consider signing him. He’s going to get the league minimum salary and he’s not going to cost your team a draft pick. Use him as a backup QB and slash type of WR. He could play 5-10 snaps in the “wildcat” formation. He could play a handful of snaps under center. He can play 5-10 snaps at WR. Think about your favorite team. Is there a 3rd QB or 3rd WR you wouldn’t want to replace with Vick? Think of your team’s punt returner and now replace him with Vick, doesn’t that look better? He can make a difference for a team playing 15-20 plays per game.

Now I have to go against everything I’ve said, the Redskins should not consider signing Vick. The Skins are set with their backup QB’s in Collins and Brennan and don’t need the Campbell/Vick controversy. I believe that Devin Thomas is going to have a breakout year and catch at least 50 balls…I’ll take him over Vick as a 3rd WR. There’s no room for Vick here in DC, but in New England or San Francisco…plenty of room.

Whoever signs Vick will have to deal with the backlash and repercussions. There will be organizations like PETA who will come out to the stadiums and stage rallies. The team that signs him may lose a handful of season ticket holders that revolt because they can’t give the man a second chance. I believe in second chances and think the man deserves one, I hope he makes the most of it.

Cheers and Hail

July 25: Happy Birthdays

On a daily basis, Fatpickled recognizes the birthdays of the men who have played, and currently play for, my favorite teams. The Redskins, Orioles, Wizards, and Terps.

Happy birthday Tracy Murray. Tracy played 4 seasons for the Bullets/Wizards from 1996-2000. He was a solid 6th man for them and enjoyed the best years of his career in DC. He appeared in 280 games and averaged 11.1 PPG. On a glorious night in Feb of 98’, Tracy dropped 50 points on the Warriors. Also, during the 1997 season and just a couple of months after the Stephen Davis/Michael Westbrook fight, Rod Strickland and Murray got into a fight. The same thing triggered both fights; in this case Tracy called Rod the derogatory slang name for a gay man. The results of the fight left Tracy with 7 stitches and a horrible black eye and Strickland with a bruised hand originally thought to be broken. Tracy retired after 12 seasons in the NBA and now works as an analyst for UCLA Bruins basketball games. He also has a website where you can see more photos and highlights of his career. Happy 38th birthday Mr. Murray.



Happy birthday Doug Drabek. Doug finished spent one season with the Orioles in 1998; it was his last MLB season. Like the Orioles 98’ season, 98’ was a huge disappointment for Doug. He went 6-11 with a 7.29 ERA, ouch. The Orioles stumbled to a 79-83 season under Ray Miller after leading wirer to wirer and going to the ALCS in 1997. Overall, Doug had a decent career going 155-134 with a 3.73ERA over 13 seasons. He won the CY Young award in 1990 while playing for the Pirates. Doug’s son Kyle was a 1st round pick of the Phillies 2006 and is currently rumored to be traded in a possible deal for Roy Halladay. Happy 47th Mr. Drabek.

Happy birthday Jose Bautista. Jose was a pitcher for the Orioles for 4 season from 1988-1991. Over 75 games Jose went 10-20 with a 4.79ERA, including an awful 6-15 season in 88’, the year the O’s started the season 0-21. He did however rock the jheri curl and let his soul glo! He bounced around the majors 9 seasons before retiring and getting into coaching. He is currently the manager of the Single A Great Falls Voyagers in the White Sox organization. Happy 45th Mr. Bautista.

Cheers and Hail

Roy Williams Interview

It's not often we let a Cowboy into Redskins territory, but when said ex-Cowboy is a 5 time Pro Bowler, all around nice guy and a Counting Crows fan...exceptions must be made. Roy Williams is entering his 8th NFL season and his first as a Cincinnati Bengal. Reunited with his former defensive coordinator, Mike Zimmer, expect another Pro Bowl season from Roy. He won a national title with Oklahoma and was the defensive player of the year in 2001. Watch his highlights on YouTube, he is a total bad ass on the football field. You'll also be able to watch him on this years edition of HBO's Hard Knocks, where he has promised to lay the wood to Ocho Cinco. Finally, you can follow him on Twitter, @Datboyie.
Thank you Roy for the interview.

FP: After 7 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys you are now a Cincinnati Bengal. How are things going so far in Cincy and what are your expectations for this season?

RW: I enjoyed my years while playing with the Cowboys, now I’m in a new phase in my life that is starting with the Bengals and I'm very excited about the chance to link back up with coach Zimmer. My expectations is to add to this Defense they did an awesome job last year, and I want to add to what they did, get our defense in the top 6 this year.

FP: What's your favorite moment on a football field?

RW: My favorite football moment, my first pick as a rookie against Peyton.

FP: What player or coach has had the biggest impact on your career?

RW: Coach Zimmer has had the biggest impact on my NFL career, he knows how to use me in this 4-3 defense.

FP: You played some QB in high school. Were you running the option or a drop back passer? How good were you?

RW: LOL yea I played QB in high school, I threw some but ran more LOLOLOL. Naw, I was ok. I took my team to state championship and I also played RB and WR.

FP: Did you play any other sports in High School? If so, were you good?

RW: Yea I played other sports, basketball my first year was to aggressive, didn't work out. I ran track all my years there, and I played soccer, just for fun but the coach wouldn't put me in cause they didn’t want me to get hurt. And I couldn't get in until we were winning by 3 goals. I know it sucks so I road the pine!! LOL

FP: The "horse collar" rule is sometimes called the "Roy Williams" rule. Is that fair? Is it legal in your book...what's your take?

RW: The horse collar is a rule and I have to play within the rules. Is it fair? I'll just say this… I'm an old school player when it comes to football. I watch Jack Tatum, Ronnie Lott, Steve Atwater. And you’re always taught to bring him down by any means necessary.




FP: You've laid down some serious hits in your career, is there one that stands out the most? Maybe one that hurt you more than the other guy?

RW: Um the hardest hit that I felt…there was a hit in the Philly game some years back when I hit Brian Westbrook. After the hit I thought I was ok, but I started to walk to the sideline and I fell face first… LOL

FP: OK, a couple questions for the Redskin fan in me. What players on the Skins did you enjoy playing against/admire the most? Did you get a chance to befriend Sean Taylor before his death?

RW: Redskins…yes I had a chance to meet and talk with Sean at the Pro Bowl, we've seen the bad boy image, on the football field, but he was actually a good guy, family man. I liked Sean a lot, sad to see him go. I actually had a sticker with his number on my shoulder pads…I think it's still on my shoulder pads.

FP: Week 2 of the 2005 season, the Cowboys are beating the Skins 13-0 with less than 4 minutes to go. Mark Brunell teams up with Santana Moss for 2 long bombs to win the game. What are your thoughts and comments looking back?

RW: As far as the Santana it's so in the past, and I would say this, it wasn't my man. I was playing the defense, how it was supposed to be played. And I caught the heat for it cause I was the safety, and people think it was my play to make and it wasn't. And that’s the play people hold on to still to this day, saying I can’t cover…not cool, but its life.

FP: You are a man of great faith and seem to have an enormous amount of happiness, positive thinking and forgiveness in your heart. How do you strap on those pads and knock the s%*t out of people?

RW: Yes I'm a believer and I play football, God's blessed me with the skill/talent to play ball. And I’m going to use my skills the best that I can to show out for God.

FP: Tell my readers about your charity.

RW: My foundation caters to help low-income single mothers. You can read up on it at www.roywilliamssafetynet.org


FP: Your very good friends with Adam Duritz from the Counting Crows, tell me about how that came to be.

RW: Adam and I met through a mutual friend that works at Cal Berkeley, like 6 or 7 years ago and we've been cool every since. Adam is a great guy.

FP: We are friends on Twitter, a place where lots of athletes and celebrities are interacting with fans. What attracted you to Twitter, what’s your favorite thing about Twitter?

RW: Yea I'm on Twitter. It’s cool to be able to talk to other people, friends and whatever the case, it’s a fast way to talk rather than pick up the phone, and others can chime in on what’s being said. I like Twitter. Sometimes people say some things that make me want to go off, but people have the right to say what they want even if it’s not something that someone wants to hear.

Cheers and Hail

JT: Trembley's plan: Pursue Craig T. Nelson's Gold's Mother

"So are you an Orioles fan?"

"Yeah, I sure am. Its not easy, but I'm a fan. What gave that away, the shirt or the hat?"

..."I've got a funny story for you. Take your shirt off and hop up on the table."

"OK"

"...deep breath....now let it out...good. Anyway; so, my mother is a big Orioles fan too, right? Well I mean she's a big fan. Watches every game, calls me many times a week to discuss those games. I mean she'll remember every pitching change and have something to say about it."

"That's a pretty dedicated fan."

"That's what I'm saying. Ok hop off the table. So she knows some people over at the O's organization, right? So somehow she gets hold of Dave Trembley's email address and sends him some email. It wasn't fan mail exactly, she sent him what she thought of various decisions he's been making, the losing, etc."

"That's awesome!"

"That's not all. Alright follow my finger with your eyes...Good. I'm going to check your ears. So she emails Trembley a few times and he responds and there is some back and forth and then Trembley invites her to lunch! So here is my mother, a little old lady, meeting with the manager of a major sports franchise for lunch. Hahaha, and she let him know what she thought in person at that lunch..hahaha."

"That's amazing! Say doc, I've got this rash on my back is there anything you can do for that?"

"Yeah, I'll give you the name of a good dermatologist, no problem. So they have lunch once and it goes well and she walks him back to the stadium afterwards, telling him how to run the team the whole way back from the restaurant. Apparently he values her opinion and likes her company because he's taken her out a few more times since then and has really taken an interest into what she thinks. Pretty cool."

"That is pretty cool. I would love to give him some of my ideas sometimes..."

"Yeah, my mom is a pretty neat lady. Alright drop trow..." *SNAP* "OK, turn your head an cough."

"Ah-hem...alright we done?"

"Yeah, we're done. Go ahead and get dressed and meet me in my office."

"Alright, thanks Dr. Craig T. Nelson's Gold"

That was a paraphrased transcript of a recent trip of mine to the doctor's office. Aside from my rash there was a pretty interesting story in there...Trembley listens to the elderly!!! If I thought the elderly knew how to use computers I would never write this article but I know they can't read Internet so I will write my concerns and criticism of Trembley for this blunder in managerial tactics.

It's not that I'm anti-elderly, it's just that the elderly don't understand the steroid laden and loosing mentality of the Orioles baseball culture. They'll give Trembley "good" advice that "works" in game situations without giving any regard to 'roid rage, egomaniac behaviorism's, or how to speak to Greg Zahn in grunts and moans (I wouldn't say that about Zahn if he wasn't a senior citizen...but because he is I know he doesn't know how to use the Internets).

Now Dr. Craig T. Nelson's Gold (his name has been changed to protect me from a liable suit, or any claim to being a good reporter) didn't divulge the nitty gritty about what advice his mother is giving Mr. Trembley, and my bid to have his mother email me to talk about this story hasn't come to fruition. I would bet the majority of her advice involves having the players ingesting more Metamucil and Fibercon (...and maybe the occasional sacrifice play to get more players into scoring position so they can actually SCORE WHEN THEY GET ON BASE!!!). Mr. Trembley may have won a few minor league championships but he'll never win in the big leagues unless he starts listening to a younger brand of adviser. The younger the better. With food the way it is these days us young people are infused with the very chemicals needed to fully understand the irrational behavior of major league ball players and how to inspire them to aspire to greatness. I'd feel much better thinking that Trembley takes the time to listen to some punk kid straight out of high school with a know-it-all devil-may-care attitude than someone from the "Greatest Generation". Shame on you for listening to older and wiser people Dave Trembley, shame on you...

...Ok so most of those opinions were sarcastic. In all seriousness I think it's truly awesome that Mr. Trembley takes some time out of the week every so often to speak with this woman. It shows he cares not only about his job, but how the fans perceive his team. It shows he's willing to listen to any good suggestion, wherever it comes from. The O's still have a long way to go before they're a contender again, but they've got the pieces in place to make a Tampa style run at some point in the foreseeable future, and I hope a humble and caring manager--who looks like William Shatner--like Trembley sticks around to see them make that run. Kudos Mr. Shatner, I mean Trembley, kudos.

July 23: Happy Birthday Darvin Ham

On a daily basis, Fatpickled recognizes the birthdays of the men who have played, and currently play for, my favorite teams. The Redskins, Orioles, Wizards, and Terps.



Happy birthday Darvin Ham. Darvin played 1 season with the Washington Bullets in the 1997-98 season. He didn’t do much on the court, averaging just 2.0 pts and 1.8 rebounds per game. Darvin played 8 seasons in the NBA and won a championship with Detroit. He’s also played overseas and is still plugging away in the NBA’s D League. The real reason for this post is an excuse to post the highlight of his tremendous dunk in the 1997 NCAA Tournament. While playing for Texas Tech (a surprise sweet 16 team that year) Darvin shattered the backboard with a tremendous dunk that landed him on the cover of SI. Happy 36th Mr. Ham!

Cheers and Hail

July 21: Redskin Birthdays

On a daily basis, Fatpickled recognizes the birthdays of the men who have played, and currently play for, my favorite teams. The Redskins, Orioles, Wizards, and Terps.



Happy birthday Mike Sellers. Mike is coming off his first Pro Bowl season and may be the best blocking Fullback in the NFL. Mike is entering his 9th season as a Redskin and has appeared in 121 games. Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts have followed his lead block for the past 5 seasons, totaling 8,507 yards rushing during that time. Mike is also a tremendous special teams player. Happy 34th Mr. Sellers!



Happy birthday Henry Ellard. Henry played with the Redskins from 1994-1998. His 1,394yards receiving in 1994 still ranks 3rd best in a Redskin single season all-time. Overall, he appeared in 65 games and had 216 receptions for 3,930 yards for the Redskins. His career statistics are pretty impressive: 814 REC 13,777 YDS 65 TD’s and 3 Pro Bowl appearances over 16 seasons. In retirement Henry got into coaching and is currently the receivers coach for the New York Jets. Happy 48th Mr. Ellard!



Happy birthday Darryl Pounds. Darryl played 5 seasons with the Redskins from 1995-1999 appearing in 69 games. He was a 3rd round pick and a very versatile defensive back. His versatility shows in his 1997 stat line: 3 interceptions, 2 sacks, 2 touchdowns and 30 tackles. In retirement Daryl has become a major power player in DC real estate. He owns a company called Pounds Properties. Happy 37th Mr. Pounds!

Cheers and Hail

July 21: Oriole Birthdays

On a daily basis, Fatpickled recognizes the birthdays of the men who have played, and currently play for, my favorite teams. The Redskins, Orioles, Wizards, and Terps.

Happy birthday Mike Bordick. Mike had 2 stints with the Orioles covering parts of 6 seasons and 739 games. Originally signed as a free agent by the O’s in December of 96’, he had the worlds toughest job at that time…replacing Cal Ripken as the starting shortstop. He did it with the grace and professionalism that made him a fan favorite over time. In 2000 he set the major league records for consecutive error-less games (110) and chances (543) by a shortstop. He still has a link to the Orioles, as he was traded by the Orioles to the Mets for Melvin Mora in 2000. Mora is still playing for the O’s nearly 10 years later. After the 2000 trade with the Mets, Bordick resigned with the Orioles that off season via free agency. He retired after 14 seasons in 2003 with an even 1,500 hits. In retirement Mike coached his son’s high school baseball team to the MD state final game in 2007. He also worked with a former college baseball player who was trying to make a comeback at Ripken Fantasy Camp…ME! Mike is a super nice guy and I appreciated the way he played the game. He’s now a roving minor league instructor for the Toronto Blue Jays. Happy 44th Mr. Bordick!


Happy birthday Mark Williamson. Mark spent all 8 years of his career as a middle reliever for the Orioles from 1987-1994. He was a steady right hander who appeared in 365 games. The Orioles acquired Mark from the San Diego Padres along with Terry Kennedy in a 1986 trade that sent Storm Davis to the Padres. Mark was especially effective in the 89-90 seasons, going 18-7 with a 2.61ERA. Overall he finished 46-35 with a 3.86ERA. He was also a part of the Orioles last no –hitter in 1991. The no hitter was unusual in the fact that 4 pitchers (Williamson, Bob Milacki, Mike Flanagan and Gregg Olsen) combined to toss it. Happy 50th birthday Mr. Williamson!

Cheers and Hail

Wilbur Marshall: HOF Bad Ass

Wilbur Marshall was inducted this past weekend into the College Football Hall of Fame, along with 19 others including Troy Aikman, Lou Holtz and Thurman Thomas. This seems like a good time to look back at Wilbur's NFL career and his post NFL days.

Wilbur Marshall was an incredible football player. He was fast and he was strong. He could seamlessly move from fighting off big offensive tackles for sacks to covering speedy running backs in pass coverage. He could hit...hit you hard. If you are a younger person and are trying to picture Wilbur, picture LaVar Arrington...but a LaVar that actually made all the plays. He was a hybrid of Derrick Brooks and Lawrence Taylor. HE WAS A BAD ASS! Wilbur's 84 sacks/turnovers during his career are more than Hall of Famer's Jack Ham and Ted Hendricks.

After playing for the Bears from 1984-87, Wilbur signed with the Redskins as a free agent. No big deal in today's game but in 1988 there was no free agency. Wilbur was to the NFL what Curt Flood was to baseball. He took on the system and was the first free agent in 11 years to switch teams. The Skins gladly gave up 2 1st round picks for the right to give him a 5 year 5 million dollar deal.

Wilbur played those 5 seasons in DC, played in all 80 games over that span. He played hurt, he played well. He roughly averaged 5 sacks, 3 int's, and 125 tackles a year during that period. WOW! He was a big time player in big time games, he made big plays when they counted.

Wilbur retired in 1995 after 12 seasons and 179 games. 2 Super Bowl titles, 3 Pro Bowl appearances and a broken body. Retirement has been a struggle for Wilbur. He fought with the NFL for years over disability benefits. Marshall has had or needed the following procedures: both knees and both shoulders replaced, 4 knee surgeries that left the knee bone on bone, fractured both ankles, nerve damage in both hands and wrist, and a compressed spine with bulging discs. He now walks with the aid of a cane, he's only 47 years old.

I am personally a huge proponent of the players that helped make the NFL what it is today. The guys that played before the billion dollar TV deals and the $100 million dollar player contracts. Players that had to take on 2ND jobs in the NFL off season, players that had to start working a regular 9-5 job the day they retired from the NFL. Players that made the NFL what it is today, a corporation that prints money. The players of yesterday deserve their share. I hope that the players of yesterday continue to fight until they get what they feel is a fair deal for them. I hope that people like Mike Ditka and Gridiron Greats continue to support the players in need.

I am thankful that I got to watch Wilbur Marshall play for the Washington Redskins and help them win a Super Bowl title in 1991. So thank you Wilbur and congrats on your HOF induction. You're one of the reasons I'm proud to be a Redskins fan.

Cheers and Hail

July 16: Happy Birthday Chip Lohmiller

On a daily basis, Fatpickled recognizes the birthdays of the men who have played, and currently play for, my favorite teams. The Redskins, Orioles, Wizards, and Terps.

Happy birthday Chip Lohmiller. Chip played 7 seasons with the Washington Redskins from 1988-1994 appearing in 112 games. From 1989 to 1992, he scored more points than any player in the NFL. In 1991, he scored more points than the Indianapolis Colts! He has a Super Bowl ring from that 91 season.

Lohmiller was drafted in the 2nd round of the 88 Draft. Although the Skins won the Super Bowl in 1987, the kicking position was a disaster. 6 different players attempted field goals that season, making only 18 of 29 attempts. Chip came in and solidified the position for the next 7 seasons. He retired after the 1996 season and remains the Redskins 2nd All-time leading scorer.

Chip had some incredible individual games is which he almost single handedly won the games himself. In 1991 he kicked 4 field goals against Dallas, each of them longer than 45 yards. The following year in 1992, he accounted for all 15 points in the Skins win vs. his hometown team, the Minnesota Vikings. All told, his trusty right foot provided 11 game winners for the Skins during his tenure.

Chip also appeared in a McDonald’s commercial spoofing the Larry Bird/Michael Jordan game of H-O-R-S-E. It’s quite comical; make sure you give the YouTube below a watch. Chip currently is the Head Football Coach at Pequot Lakes High School in Minnesota. Happy 43rd Mr. Lohmiller.

Cheers and Hail

Hello Fatpickled!

Fatpickle's note: Please welcome JT as a regular contributor to Fatpickled.

Hello, my name is Jason Anton and I am an Orioles fan, Redskins fan, Terps fan....and Miami Heat fan...and I am the newest contributor to the Fatpickled blog! Now before you notice my Miami Heat comment and ostracize me, cast me aside, and mail me the severed head of a random animal please hear me out and understand where I'm coming from.

I grew up in Ocean City, Maryland. A place familiar to many mid-Atlantic regionals as an easy vacation spot and middle ground for 'Skins, Steelers, Eagles, 76er's, Wizards, Phillies, and Orioles fans considering it's pretty close to Philly, DC, and Baltimore (and for some reason there are Steelers fans in EVERY city on the planet...and they always come complete with their own bar of some kind. In OC it's the Salty Dog Saloon). This alone gives me the right to be an Orioles fan and Redskins fan (the Heat justification will come) but that's not all that ties me to these teams and vindicates my fandom! See I was born in 1983. Not only did the Redskins win the Super Bowl in '83 (for the '82 season) with a heroic performance from Riggins, but the Orioles won the World Series AND Cal Ripken Jr. won the AL MVP award that year.

Speaking of the 'Skins '82 season Super Bowl victory, I was there! Now I didn't have great seats, and I couldn't actually see the game because my eye sockets hadn't fully developed yet, but I did eat the nachos...if you follow me. I was born in June. My parents got me a pin to commemorate my attendance that I still have.

Now, my geographic justification and my chronological justification should be enough to qualify me as a blogger on the subject of 'Skins and O's. I have been a fan, since birth, of both teams. One of my earliest memories is meeting Boog Powell and it inspired me to be a sub-par 1st baseman throughout my little league career until it was discovered that I threw a wicked side-armed fastball (and then I became a sub-par pitcher). Thanksgiving for my family has always consisted of 2 traditions outside of the food: 1-We watch the original Star Wars trilogy 2-We root for whomever isn't the Cowboys in the Thanksgiving Day game no matter who it is. I am a diehard lifelong fan and that's all I bring to the table.

I plan on delivering to you, the loyal Fatpickled RSS subscribers, my insights into all things O's and 'Skins. Everything from the great potential of the Orioles outfielders, to how comfortable my wife finds the sweatpants she bought off of Chris Cooley's website. I don't do "investigative reporting" because I'm not a fan of "facts." It's a lot easier to just make everything up and I think everyone will have a lot more fun that way...just kidding.

Alright this post is getting long so I'll wrap up. I lived in Florida for a couple of years and that's where I became a Heat fan. They won the Championship while I was down there and I got swept up in the fever of it all. Also, all anyone ever talks about in Florida is the Gators and 'Nols. To which I could ever say is: FEAR THE TURTLE! and HAIL!

Here is a picture of my daughter in a LaRon Landry jersey:

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

July 10: Happy Birthdays

On a daily basis, Fatpickled recognizes the birthdays of the men who have played, and currently play for, my favorite teams. The Redskins, Orioles, Wizards, and Terps.

Happy birthday Marty Cordova. Marty signed a 3 year 9 million dollar deal with the Orioles in 2002. His history of injuries should have scared the O’s away, but it didn’t. He basically played just one season, missing the final two after blowing out his elbow. He won the 1995 Rookie of the year award while with the Twins, but will forever be known as the player who missed a game due to burning himself in a tanning bed. Cordova now works in various capacities UFC, he’s long time friends with Dana White. Happy 40th Marty.

Happy birthday Buddy Groom. Buddy pitched 5 years for the Orioles appearing in 330 games. For a time he was a very effective lefty middle reliever. He was 15-13 with 18 saves and a 3.59 ERA with the O’s. Overall Buddy pitched 16 season in the majors and finally retired when all southpaw relievers do…when they stop getting lefties out. Happy 44th Budman.

Happy birthday Alvoid Mays. Alvoid was a backup cornerback for the Redskins from 1990-1994, appearing in 61 games. Alvoid has a Super Bowl ring from the 91 season. Alvoid later played in the Arena league and also was sentenced to prison for robbing a grocery store. Happy 43rd wherever you may be Mr. Mays.
Happy birthday Chris Wilson. Chris currently plays for the Redskins as a defensive end. He showed great promise in 2007 with 4 sacks, but seemed to go backwards last season. During this year’s OTA’s, Wilson has been practicing in more of a outside linebacker/DE hybrid position. I hope to see great things from Chris this season. Happy 27th.

Cheers and Hail

July 9: Happy Birthdays

On a daily basis, Fatpickled recognizes the birthdays of the men who have played, and currently play for, my favorite teams. The Redskins, Orioles, Wizards, and Terps.



Happy birthday Leonard Stephens. The man Steve Spurrier and Dan Snyder felt was deserving of Bobby Mitchell’s sacred number played one season in DC, catching one freakin pass. Thanks a lot Leonard, your catch was surely worth alienating a great man who’s a hall of famer who devoted over 40 years of his life to the organization. Happy f*&kin 31st, I hope you kept the ball.





Happy birthday Trent Green. Green spent the 97-98 seasons with the Skins before leaving via free agency. He actually had a pretty stellar season in 98, passing for 3,441 yards with 23 Td’s and only 11 Int’s. Both the yards and Td’s rank in the top ten all time for a Redskins single season. Unfortunately, the stats didn’t add up to wins, and The Skins decided to go with Brad Johnson in 99. Green blew out his knee in 99, allowing us the Cinderella story that is Kurt Warner. Trent went on to have a very productive 5 year run for the Chiefs before injuries and concussions took their toll. Green retired last month to pursue broadcasting opportunities. Happy 39th Mr. Green.

Happy birthday Pete Kendall. Pete has spent the past 2 seasons with the Redskins starting all 32 games and doing a very good job. He is currently a free agent after the Redskins chose not to resign him. However, I think there is some gas left in that tank and if injuries open a spot, we may not have seen the last of Mr. Kendall. In the meantime, happy 36th Pete.

Happy birthday Omar Stoutmire. The backup safety spent parts of the 2005 and 2007 seasons with the Skins. Happy 35th.

Cheers and Hail

I Don't Like The Yankees So Much

If you google "reasons to hate the Yankees," over 4.5 million results show up. I don't have that many reasons to hate them, but as a lifelong Orioles fan...there are a few things about the Yankees that burn my ass!

#1 $200 Million payroll:

OK, we all know they spend more $$ than everyone else...big deal. $134 million more than the O's. I'd take the O's young and inexpensive talent over the Yankees old and declining roster any day!

#2 They win all the time:

This is a false statement. Mike Mussina pitched in New York the past 8 years, he has the same amount of World Series rings as I do. They had a dynasty from 96-2000. For the 25 years sandwiching that era...C*&K.



#3 The Fans

First of all, they all look like this guy.

Yankee fans don't like each other, let alone any other teams fans. They invade Camden Yards when the Yanks come to Baltimore. Yelling for Deerrrricckkk Jettterrr and Mariiiiianno Riiiverra. My favorite Yankees fans? The Japanese Matsui fans that don't speak English.
Look, you can go to almost any bar or store anywhere in America and see a Yankee hat or jersey. It's no big deal. There may be 2 guys in said bar or store with Yankee hats and they won't even acknowledge each other, because it's common place. But if your wearing an O's hat in Tampa, and another guy walks in the bar wearing the same hat...that's a kinship. You have a bond.



#2 Jeffrey Maier

Let's face it O's fans, baseball is full of curses...we have the Jeffrey Maier curse. Little prick.

#1 They score hot chicks

Why wouldn't they? They all have $100 million dollar contracts. Whether it's Jeter banging Minka Kelly...or for that matter nearly every girl from my Sweet 16 Hot Chick contest, or A-Rod tapping Kate Hudson and Madonna (it would have been more impressive for Craig Nettles to bang out Madonna, she was hotter back then.) But wait, it doesn't stop there, Jorge Posada (operation Dumbo drop) has a hot wife, CC Sabathia (weighs 330) is doing well for himself, and AJ Burnett's wife is smokin! I'm sure it doesn't stop there, hell...I bet Craig Nettles wife is still hot.

Karen Burnett (Maryland girl)

And for the record, if you google "reasons to hate the Orioles," you only get 190,000 results. We win.

Cheers and Hail

July 7: Happy Birthdays

On a daily basis, Fatpickled recognizes the birthdays of the men who have played, and currently play for, my favorite teams. The Redskins, Orioles, Wizards, and Terps.

Happy birthday Michael Westbrook. Michael spent 7 seasons in Washington, as an underachieving 4th overall pick. Mostly known for sucker punching Stephen Davis, Westbrook did have a decent season in 1999. That year he hooked up with Brad Johnson 65 times for 1,191 yards and 9 TD's. The following year he blew out his ACL and was gone for good the year after. His final career numbers were not hateful, 324-4,112-26, but fall far short of Joey Galloway's, who was chosen 4 spots later (Steve Mcnair was drafted directly in front of Westbrook, RIP.)
Since retiring, Westbrook has fought in some weird MMA fights. The best thing that I can remember about Michael was his 40 yard TD reception against the Cardinals in 1997. It was the first game ever at the former Jack Kent Cooke stadium. The reception came in overtime and was a beautiful diving grab. I nearly hit my head on the ceiling jumping up and down. Happy 37th Michael.

Happy birthday Ralph Sampson. The Virginia native closed out his NBA career with the Bullets during the 1991-92 season. He lasted just 10 games, averaging 2.2 pts and 3.0 rebounds for a team that won just 25 games. Of course we all know that Sampson was one of the greatest college players of all-time, a 4 time All-American and 3 time AP Player of the year at UVA. He won the NBA Rookie of the year award, and was a good NBA player before his knees betrayed him. After retirement he's had a tough time, with several brushes with the law. But it's all good today, as Sampson turns 49.

July 6: Happy Birthdays

On a daily basis, Fatpickled recognizes the birthdays of the men who have played, and currently play for, my favorite teams. The Redskins, Orioles, Wizards, and Terps.


Happy birthday Joe Jacoby. The former offensive tackle for the Washington Redskins hits the big Five-O today. Born July 6, 1959, Joe played 13 years in the NFL, all with the Redskins. A 4 time Pro Bowler and 2 time All-Pro, Joe has 3 Super Bowl rings. An original member of the Hogs, he's destined to one day be enshrined in the Hall of Fame. An added bonus, he's now an Assistant Coach at my Alma mater.


Happy birthday Alvin Harper. Alvin Harper was the Brandon Lloyd of his day. Norv Turner loved to bring in ex-Cowboys during his tenure, and Harper was brought in to "stretch the field."
He stretched it all right. 1 time for 52 yds, and then for good measure he caught another pass for 12 yards. That's right. 2 catches for 64 yds in 12 awful games that 97' season. Happy 41st Mr. Harper, thanks for nothing.



Happy birthday Todd Husak. Drafted by the Skins in 2000, Husak appeared in one NFL game going 2-2 for negative 2 yards...how does that happen? He bounced around some training camps/practice squads and NFL Europe, but never became the next Gus Frerotte. He now broadcast Stanford football games. Happy 31st Todd.



Happy birthday Brian Bass. The current Orioles middle reliever was born 27 years ago today. Brian is currently 4-2 with a 4.62 ERA this season.



Happy birthday Norm Charlton. The former "nasty boy" spent one half of a season going 2-1 with a 6.94 ERA before the Orioles released him after the all-star break in 1998.

Cheers and Hail

Orioles Midseason: Magic Or Tragic?

Halfway thru the 2009 season the Orioles are definitely a work in progress. Having shown signs of improvement, they still finished the first half at 36-45...and with a firm grip on last place in the AL East. Their record also placed them 24Th out of 30 MLB teams. But, it hasn't been all bad...let's take a look at the first half, the positives (Orioles Magic) and the negatives (Orioles Tragic.)

Orioles Magic:

Adam Jones - Voted to his first All-Star game today, Jones is having a breakout year. He's almost eclipsed his numbers from last year, in every category. He batted .307-12-46 in the first half and played a gold glove centerfield. And he blew bubbles the whole time.

Luke Scott - He has swung a hot bat all year, .296-16-43, despite a stint on the DL.

Markakis, Roberts, & Huff - The big 3 have been as steady as ever. Roberts is tracking 70 extra base hits, Markakis is tracking 108 RBI's and Huff 110 RBI's.

Nolan Reimold - NOLAN! He finally got his chance and he's delivered. 9 HR's in only 45 games. He's got sneaky speed and doesn't seem over matched in any situation.

Brad Bergesen - All he has done is go 5-2 with a 3.53 ERA since being called up. His record would have been better if not for the bullpen letting him down twice. Plus, he's been lights out working with Matt Wieters.

Tragic:

Free Agent Class 2009 - Ryan Freel, Chad Moeller, and Adam Eaton are already gone from the organization. The rest of the class, Koji Uehara, Mark Hendrickson, Ty Wigginton, Cesar Izturis, and Greg Zaun range from disappointing to horribly disappointing.

Cubs prospects turned Orioles prospects - Since taking over the O's, Andy Macphail has made a point of picking up or trading for draft picks that didn't pan out during his tenure with the Cubs. Guess what...they still suck with an Orioles uniform on. I guess there's a reason we got Hill, Montanez, and Pie for next to nothing.

Middle relief - Bass, Hendrickson, Walker, Sarfate, Liz, and Ray have been absolutely horrible.

Melvin Mora - Not sure if it's age or something else?? He went nearly a month without an RBI and has 2 HR's and 9 extra base hits so far.

To Be Determined:

Matt Wieters - The knock on him coming up was that he was not going to be a good defensive catcher...so far he's been great behind the dish. His bat was slow to get going, but it's gotten hot the past couple of weeks. Expect a big 2nd half.

Cheers and Hail

Mr. Romo Comes To Washington

I don't know if wearing horizontal stripes makes you look fat, but it sure makes your tits look big!

Tony Romo visited Washington Redskins territory today, playing in a foursome with Tiger Woods at Tiger's tourney. Thanks to the wonder of Twitter, I was able to get some juicy nuggets via @dcsportsbog and @redskinsblog.

From what I can gather, Redskin's fans were pretty respectful of the game of golf and didn't give Romo too hard of a time. A few boos and some trash talking including a Redskin fan telling Romo to "hit it like it's December." Word is that the biggest applause of the day was not for Tiger, but for Jason Campbell. Very, very nice!

Some folks were complaining that Tiger should have been playing with JC. Tiger didn't play with JC for the same reasons Tiger wouldn't play with me...JC and I are not very good golfers. Plus I'm sure he enjoyed sneaking a peak at Jessica's fun bags all day.

And the best tweet of the day is this gem from Dan Steinberg "True story: Just found a random golf ball iin some rough. Romo must have fumbled it."

(photo via Shutdown Corner)

Cheers and Hail