Hate Mail

Some crazy person emailed me this picture…with threats of also having her father streak naked thru Fed Ex field…some serious and scary shit I’m dealing with. Look, if you see someone driving around VA with this tag approach with caution…the driver may appear cute and harmless but is obviously mentally challenged. This is what happens when you are raised by a Mongoloid. I do have to give props…it’s very clever. Now all you Dallas fans should rush out and get a tag that really personifies the 2009 Cowboys. I recommend:

6W-10L

Look, It's Billy Bob Thornton Part 7

Shutdown Corner did a post about some hazing the Dallas Cowboys have been doing to their rookies. When I saw the picture of Pat McQuiston, I knew I had a player for the Billy Bob Thornton game. Agree?

Pat McQuistan

Rocky Dennis

Cheers and Hail

BigDCoach, He's Got A Lot On His Mind

Twitter has had it's fair share of "fake" accounts. Most of the time they are in good nature and offer up loads of laughs. Normally the fake accounts last until someone complains to Twitter, resulting in the imposter's account being removed. Tony Larussa went as far as to threaten a lawsuit over his fake account. My opinion is if the person squatting on the account is not too vulgar or negative and identifies him or herself as a "fake," then let's enjoy the entertainment.

Which leads me to the fake Wade Phillips. Somebodies doing a pretty comical job with him. Not too over the top and not too many tweets, but LOL when the @bigDcoach does have something to say. As a Redskin fan it's fun to watch the spin that someone is putting on this old country bumpkin. I definitely recommend a follow.

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

Six Degrees Of Fatpickled

GO TERPS!!!!

The AP released a report about the NFL players lost in the Gulf.

Sidney Ponson and the O's agree to a buy-out, 4 years later

Seth Rogen went #3...bacon explosion?

Cutler is moving on, who's to blame?

You can lick a thousand kitties, but you suck 1...which Cowboy went down?

25 random things about Mel Kiper

Cheers and Hail

To T.O. Or Not To T.O.?

My first thought when hearing that Terrell Owens is going to have a reality show was, I'm out, I'd rather get kicked in the balls for a half hour.

But after more thought, I'm intrigued. It comes from my favorite channel for reality TV, VH1. From the old school "Behind The Music," to the current "Rock of Love" and "Confessions of a Teen Idol," VH1 knows their reality.

I mean, it's obvious that T.O. has some mental and personal issues. I think I need to see where that goes. If I can kill an hour captivated by Scott Baio, I think I just might get my popcorn ready for Terrell. Who knows, maybe he'll come out of the closet half way thru the season. I've always been under the premise that if your a man over 30, never been married, and you have a six pack, you're probably gay. And, if it walks like a duck, and talks like a duck, well....

T.O. knows how TV works, editing, and all that stuff!


Cheers and Hail

Six Degrees Of Fatpickled

If anyone wonders what I look like on a Sunday, here is a spot on imitation.

Zorn finally got something right this weekend.

Dallas, how about DC? (wouldn't have to change offensive systems again, probably not with his connections to Zorn)

Would this guy like to do some grocery shopping in Ashburn?

T.O. as cousin Eddie, Wade Phillips as Aunt Bethany?

It's like dating a stripper, fun while it lasts but you know it's going to end badly.

The Six Degrees Of Fatpickled

Every Monday I will post 6 links to things I find entertaining. Here's what I've been looking at today.

Jerry Jones thinks Barber is a wussy

Chris Cooley likes Anita's and Fair Oaks Mall

I don't know what to say about this

Here's a reason to eat organic foods (If the little man doesn't reach his full potential we can blame it on sausage and velveeta)

David Garrard knows how to crank up a wedding reception

This is a must every Monday Morning (Peter King finds a way to piss me off every week, but it's also insightful and entertaining)

Cheers and Hail!

Look, It's Billy Bob Thornton Part III

Tony Romo

Paul Rudd

One of these guys is a pretty good football player, the other is the QB for the Cowboys. They do have 1 thing in common, they each have the same amount of playoff wins.

Fatpickle: I Heart The Redskins

I am 34 years old and I have spent all my life building a relationship with the Redskins. To say we have had our ups and downs would be an understatement. But in the end, they are my oldest and dearest friend. Here is a little history of our relationship.

My oldest memories of the Skins date back to the late seventies. I’m not sure how I remember the games from that era, as I was only 5 years old. My Grandmother owned a bar in Herndon, VA around this time. Pictures of the Skins hung throughout the walls, and lots of Skins were customers. My Grandmother moved to another bar in the early 80’s. I would hang around the bar, as guys such as Riggins, Jacoby, Grimm, and others hung out curling 12 ounces. Another fond memory of this era was the open tryout my uncle “Mo Joe” attended while George Allen was coach. Mo is about 5’9” 260. He decided to try out for the Over the Hill Gang as a punter. The legend is that uncle Mo really got his foot into one, so much so that he lost the flight of the football. The tryout came to an end after the football landed a couple yards behind him. No “Invincible” moment there.

The glory years of the Skins, and my full blown love affair took place in the 82-92 seasons. 4 Super Bowls, 3 Titles, life was good. You got the feeling that it would be this good forever. This was along the time that I switched from hanging out in the bars (until later in life) and moved directly to Redskin's Park. My mom would drop me off at Redskins Park and pick me up later in the day after she got off work. I met and got autographs from all the players, media, and even retired players like Charley Taylor and Sonny Jurgenson.

I also got to do cool things like toss the Football with Mark Rypein, Ricky Sanders, and Gary Clark. I can still remember like it was yesterday hitting Ricky on a post pattern. Many of the players were awesome, I do remember some that were not. It’s amazing that I spent many days at Redskins Park, but I never saw Joe Gibbs. I guess he was always hard at work. My favorite memory by far was the day that I snuck onto the field and filmed practice. It was Super Bowl week before the Denver game in 87. Gibbs was always worried about spies, so I’m unsure how I was able to film 10 minutes of practice before getting kicked out. I later got the chance to ask Dexter Manley what he was going to do to John Elway in the Super Bowl. “I’m gonna kill him” Dexter replied. Sorry Cooley Bros.

I am lucky enough to be married to the greatest Wife and Mom in the world. Rebecca and I were high school sweethearts and we have been together for the better part of 18 years. We have a 4 year old son, 3 cats, and we lead the perfect life. All except for one thing, Rebecca is a Cowboy fan. So for a couple times each year things can get pretty tense. I’m happy that the Redskins have gotten the better part of the Cowboys the past couple years. My wife and son have taught me a few things. I don’t need to yell and scream obscenities while watching the game. The silent tirade I have in my head works just fine. Betting on the Skins and an over is probably not a good idea, the little man needs new shoes and to eat. A 24 hour period to be in a bad mood and get over a loss is enough, no need to be angry the whole week.

The opportunity came a few years back to convert Rebecca to be a Redskins fan. Rebecca was chosen from several hundred applicants to work for the Skins. My dreams were coming true. I was back in Redskins Park, getting tours of the locker rooms, the meeting rooms, and the field. We had season tickets, I was meeting players, and man life was good. Rebecca started on a Monday, which coincided with my annual canoe trip on the Shenandoah River. I bragged the entire weekend to all my buddies about my new found fortune. When Rebecca came home from work that Monday, the dream started crashing. The moment I saw her I could tell. She hated the job, hated the people she was working for. She wanted to quit. Dan Snyder had walked by her desk said “who are you” then walked away without waiting for a reply. Nice introduction Dan. I talked her into returning for her second day, but she resigned that day. The dream was over, and now her love for the Cowboys, and hatred of the Skins had intensified. “How can you root for that team when they made me cry?” is a question I get a lot.
The answer is I love the Redskins. Sure I feel like I have put a whole lot more into them than I have received back, but things are looking up. The team is looking great, and I am forever optimistic about our chances. The Super Bowl is in Tampa this year, which happens to be where I live. It would be wonderful to end 17 years of frustration here in my backyard. But, that's still a couple months away. For now, there is only one thing on my mind.

WE WANT DALLAS!!

Mrs. Pickle: I Heart The Cowboys

Fatpickle’s wife is a Dallas Cowboy fan. Yep, you heard me right, Fatpickle who is the Redskins life-long, lives and breathes burgundy and gold, #1 fan, married a Cowboy fan. I too can claim to be a life-long fan because I have been routing for Dallas since I was 5 years old. My parents had a friend, who in my 5 year old mind was the best looking, funniest, most awesome person on the planet. His name was Randy.

Randy?

Randy was interesting and charming and loved the Dallas Cowboys. Therefore, I too loved the Dallas Cowboys. One memory of Randy that stands out is when we would all go to dinner at the Chesapeake Bay Seafood House. My sister and I would have to entertain ourselves for hours while we watched Randy pick crabs, my parents and his wife having finished long before him. This was to be a precursor to the type of guy I would marry. How ironic that I am still sitting and waiting for my favorite guy to finish picking crabs.

Randy taught me to love the Cowboys when I was young. I didn’t know much about them then, but I was learning to enjoy the competition, to share a common bond with someone special and to celebrate a win. And, I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t know much about them now, especially compared to Fatpickle who claims to know everything there is to know about his team. He can recite stats about the game and players (past and present) and has become a self-proclaimed addict to a certain Redskins’s blog.

Some will try to criticize that my lack of knowledge prohibits me from calling myself a die-hard Cowboys fan......

I can tell you this….I am a Cowboys fan and no one can tell me otherwise. Nope, I don’t have to know who the quarterback was when I was five (but I do, Danny White), I don’t have to have 8 jerseys and I am not afraid to admit that I had to ask my husband who our backup quarterback was (well, before we were sadly having to use him of course).

I love being a Cowboy fan. I love their uniforms and the big blue star. I love the exuberance of Jerry Jones contrasted by the ‘he looks like a teddy bear I want to hug’ likableness of Wade. I love that there is a show on CMT about the cheerleaders. I love that there was a show on HBO about the training camp. I love that Tony and Jessica are dating and I get to read about it in People Magazine. I love that they are America’s Team and that they are my team.

So, don’t question Fatpickle’s choice in marrying a Cowboy fan. He’s fine with it….just ask his BFF.....Our house is fun and loud during the big rivalry games. It’s just sad that on Monday morning our beloved Fatpickle will resume his blogging in a hungover and depressed state….he’ll get over it though…he has the other 56 times.

Go Cowboys!

Rebecca Ramey

Porkboy46: Crazy About Them Cowboys

Looks like Romo hit the buffet on the bye week!

How does a kid from Erie, PA. end up a Cowboys fan? I guess just good luck and a little help from my brother Jimmy. We had NFL helmets and we would wear them to play in the yard. I got the silver one with the star, and it's been a great fit ever since. You see I am one of those wackos that would be buried in a Cowboy's casket or have his ashes spread over Valley Ranch. Most people see that stuff and say what a nut case, to me it sounds pretty reasonable!

When it comes to the rivalry, just seeing the colors gets me all fired up! Blue and silver, burgundy and gold! I love to watch to watch old VHS tapes of them (I have every game between the two on tape since 91). Some are great, some very bad, but all are classic! Just watching the uniforms against each other on Madden gets me psyched up, nothing I love more!

My first memory of the rivalry was Tony Dorsett throwing the football at Dave Butz! There are so many great moments and here are a few of my favorites:

NOVEMBER 1991, SKINS ARE UNDEFEATED and the Cowboys come to RFK and throw everything they have at one of the best teams in NFL history. Hail Mary's, onside kicks, back up QB's and get a win!!! That started a winning streak that put them in the playoffs!

LAST SKINS GAME FOR ROGER STAUBACH, he leads them to 14 points in the last 2 minutes to win the game and knock the skins out of the playoffs. That was the last game of the season, the winning team won the division and the loser went home!THANKSGIVING 1996, the boys are supposed to be out of gas and Emmitt Smith is on the downside. But, Emmitt goes wild for 3 touchdowns!

DANNY BELT BUCKLE'S FIRST GAME, September 12, 1999. The Skins are up 35-14 and the Cowboys rally to win in overtime, with a great play action bomb to Rocket Ismail!

I could go on and on forever. Many people have called this the greatest rivalry in sports, and it is better than ever! You can even go to a wikipedia page all about the history.

Listen, if you don't have respect for your greatest rival then its not much of a rivalry. There were times when I was young and my brother Mike would tape pages from the Washington Post up on my ceiling after a big Skins win! During the 87 strike game the Cowboys lost, and I lost a bet. That meant that I had to burn my favorite Dallas t-shirt right after the game! There have been great days on both sides of the ball. Like Chris Cooley scoring 3 TD's as he ran over the entire Dallas secondary to blow out the Boy's on their way to the playoffs. That game brought the rivalry back from the dead! Santana Moss's 2 TD's in the closing minutes on Monday night in Texas Stadium to win 14 - 13!How about " THE RIGGO DRILL?" THE SKINS RUNNING THE SAME PLAY OVER RANDY WHITE TEN TIMES TO RUN OUT THE CLOCK IN THE NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME!! Many Skins said that the Super Bowl was a letdown after the Dallas game the week before!

There are many more. The legendary shoot-out in 1966 that Dallas won 31 - 30 when MEREDITH AND JURGENSEN WERE OUT DRINKING TOGETHER TILL 4 AM THE NIGHT BEFORE!

Ken Houston tackling Walt Garrison on the one yard line to win on Monday Night! This brings me to one more note, this rivalry should have one Monday night game every year! But Sunday night will do, this is going to be a classic! I think the winner goes to the playoffs and the loser will be the team left out. But I sure as hell would love to see a best two out of three this year!

I have a lot of friends that are big Skins fans, but I have a best friend who is a Skin's nut! We usually feel a little strange when these games roll around. Trying not to sound too cocky or rub it in (because we are sure that our team is definitely going to win!) Nothing needs to be said. We both know how deep these games cut and how bad it feels to be on the wrong end. And, we are both way superstitious ! I would just like to thank him for being such a great friend and for letting me spill my guts about these teams.
I just hope the players on both sides care half as much as some of us fans do!!!
Good luck Skins fans, you guys are going to need it.

Did I mention Clint Longley, Thanksgiving of 1974 ?

Porkboy46

The Last Word in Big D

The Skins went into Dallas this weekend as 11 point underdogs. No one in the media predicted any upsets, and to be honest, even the most die hard fans did not predict a W. But, this Redskins team is good, and they showed how good they are by dominating this game. Do not let the final score fool you, the Redskins dominated in all phases of the game, and proved to everyone that they are a force to be reckoned with.

Who would have thought that the Redskins would out coach the Cowboys? Jim Zorn came out with a great game plan, and his play calling was awesome. For the first time in 4 years, I have no idea what the Redskins are going to do on offense. During Gibbs 2, I could guess the next play 75% of the time. On the other hand, the Cowboys ran the ball only 8 times to Barber, and Felix Jones got ZERO carries. The Cowboys also had a crucial penalty, having 12 men on the field. This happened after a timeout! That's COACHING! And you can tell that the coaches listened to TO's whining. They tried to force the ball into his hands, and it just was not there.

I have to give props to the defense, excellent game. Portis ran strong, Cooley blocked hard, Tana is amazing, and JC is playing at an unbelievable level. Hip, Hip, Hooray!

Lets take care of business this week in Philly, and show everyone why this team is not only good, it is special! We play physical, we win!