Cautiously optimistic, but kind of?

OK so the "maroon and black" comment is forgiven. So is opening week against the Giants that threw us into despair. We are all now officially horny for Zorny. He coached a hell of a game against the best team in the country during the regular season, and beat them up good. He even showed flexibility from his version of the West Coast offense, running Thrash in motion (which almost bit them in the butt when he slipped on the crap Texas Stadium turf while doing so) and making him the only receiving option as Campbell tossed it to him in the corner of the endzone. Zorn's offense counts on multiple receiving options (which Campbell doesn't always see) and it was nice to see him veer away from his own philosophy to win a game. But not just any game, but Dallas, in Dallas, for (maybe) the last time in Texas Stadium.



I say maybe because Dallas is still the best team in the league unfortunately. If we can sneak into the playoffs, Dallas is still more likely, due to the talent on the team, to win the East and have homefield advantage. (I'd love for the Skins to close down that stadium in January.)Fortunately for us, a lot of Dallas' players are as crazy as Jerry Jones, Snyder, and Al Davis. TO complaining about not getting the ball enough even though a third of their plays went to him and a run game with two of the most talented backs in the league got nothing going is great for the self-destruction of Dallas. Tank Johnson having to be physically restrained from going after Rock Cartwright as he danced on that stupid star after the game, narrowly avoiding another suspension in a third strike you are out league, is great for the self-destruction of Dallas. Wade Phillips looking lost the entire game, sending 12 guys onto the field after a timeout for a field goal, completely getting out-coached against their biggest rival who happens to have a rookie coach, and not being able to control your biggest stars from getting so angry that they take out their angst in front of the media is great for the self-destruction of Dallas.



Unfortunately for us, the Bengals are one of the best teams to play against while trying to get out of a (1 game) funk. Dallas might self-destruct, but its not likely at this junction. The Skins might beat Philly in what should be an easier game than last week but we will see. I'm excited about being 3-1, I'm excited Wilbon thinks we are the second best team in the pros next to the Giants, and I'm even more excited about the potential that Zorn and Campbell have. However, the last time we were 3-1 we had just beaten the Pats for the last time that season before they ran the table en route to hoisting the Lombardi Trophy. Under Spurrier we finished 5-11 that year. The consensus is if we beat Philly in Philly we should mow down the Rams, Browns, and Lions to end up 7-1. I remember heading up to Rich Stadium in Buffalo to play what was supposed to be an inferior Bills team that beat us while Norv Turner was the coach to go 7-1. We didn't make the playoffs that year either.



The point is last week was awesome and everyone should enjoy it. There is still 3/4s of the season left to go, not counting the ultimate goal, in which case we are only 4/5s of the way through. A lot can happen. Hopefully our boys, mostly veterans, can keep focus every week whether they are playing the Cowgirls our the Lions. Hopefully the cracks are starting to show in the nutcases that Jerry Jones has brought on board down south. They should get a win this week but at some point it has to burst. There is no point in getting to excited, I can sympathize with Cubs fans; somehow the Skins always seem to screw things up. But if you have lost your job, the wife is sleeping with the neighbor, you wrecked our car, lost your wallet and your dog died it is ok as long as it takes place the week after beating Dallas. Dammit it feels so good.



What did not feel good after waking up to read the Post Monday morning and reveling in the Skins victory was the article on the Nats hierarchy. Apprarently Kasten is mad at the Lerners for not spending enough money. This is crap because they have made a fair share and have an (almost) free stadium. As crazy as Snyder is at least he will spend money after he has lifted the fans wallet. ( If anyone gives any credit to Snyder or Cerrato for this recent but brief success they are crazy. This is the team Gibbs built and took to the playoffs last year. The concern was if a rookie coach would be a dropoff in the toughest division in the league. So far Zorn has done well with Gibbs' players while Cerrato did nothing. Case in point is the "go up and grab it" pass to Moss in the corner of the endzone despite just having drafted Thomas at 6'2" and Kelly at 6'4". The Skins settled for a fieldgoal. Moss had a great game, but at 5'9", maybe one of the big receivers would have been better to go to on that play. Or maybe Fred Davis, who got nothing as the backup to Cooley, but Todd Yoder did, to the tune of six points. Cerrato and Danny have still done nothing, maybe Gibbs set up a chance for Zorny.)



But at least Snyder will spend money after raiding his team's fans wallets. The Lerners have to spend money or else risking losing a fan base that is last in the bigs in TV and radio ratings and has the worst attendance for a inaugural year at a ballpark since the early 90s. But how are they not getting along with Kasten? And how is Kasten not getting along with Bowden? And how is Bowden not getting along with Acta? And are the players not getting along with Acta but not saying anything about Acta because there is the "super-secret ballplayer code" that they all adhere to about the skip? Guess what this kind of disconnect gets you. A 102 loss season and it is hard to watch. Cubs fans are abandoning their team in droves because they are down 0-2 in the series. Do you know what diehard Nattos fans would do to be in that position? Watch every game of a 102 loss season for one. Some of us are buying optimism for the future, but with a disconnect from the top to the bottom it makes things tougher. The Nats finished as the worst team in the league so we get the first pick in the draft. We got the ninth pick overall last year but could not sign him because of a $500,000 dispute in contract negotiations. If we can't even sign the top picks there isn't even a point to being this bad because the few advantages that league rules provide us do nothing for us unless we pay some cash. Even if the Lerners decide to pay the top pick in the draft this year we won't see the guy for a couple of years. Sign 2 stars in the meantime and make some memories in the brand new park. They might not be there when we go to the classic but just ask the Cubs, it doesn't happen that frequently. Give us something to watch! Its a future that can be huge for the Nattos. In the meantime as a Skins fan don't forget the past. No one was happier than I last Sunday. Lets hope Zorny, despite the fact that he did not know the team colors when he was hired, can make a brighter future for DC sports. This town has been waiting 17 years for something like that.