The disease has hit me again

[Bill B]

I have hope for the team and one of the reasons I think they can do great is the conference we are in! If we were in the AFC I would be much more worried, (kind of reminds me of the NBA Eastern Conference compared to the loaded Western Conference). As long as we don't have to go through New England, Indy or any of the other powerful AFC teams in the regular season and playoffs we have hope.

Overall even if we go 9-7 that is still not bad considering it will be the 1st full year with Jason Campbell as the starter. Yeah the Defense had a bad year last year, but maybe the additions of Smoot and Fletcher will really turn things around and get us to the level of the previous 2 years.

I was kind of glad that we did not go out there and become huge players in free agency and that the team showed some restraint. I think this year there were a large number of teams way under the cap and a lot of the teams decided to spend lavishly on players that are not going to live up to their contracts. Is Dockery really going to prove he is worth the massive signing bonus he is getting? How about Nate Clements - would you as a GM want that much of your cap tied to one player? I think depth is something that needs to be addressed as injuries are probably going to occur. Hopefully on D the Skins have got some depth at LB and the secondary and lets hold our breath and hope the D-Line gets by with what they got.

Finally I love that the media has counted the Skins out. We are on noone's radar and we are going to surprise some teams come next year.

[#56fanatic]

For as long as I can remember I am always pumped during the offseason. "this is going to be our season" But over the last 10, there really hasn't been any thing to back that up. 1 season or 2 season's of playoff births is not the norm around here. The norm seems to be, overhyped offseasons, with mediocore seasons. I am as pumped up for this season as any. However, I am all ways sceptical about OUR team. This season is no exception. Our secondary is looking really good, quality players, quality depth. LB's are looking better. but the games are won in the trenches. I am sorry for just thinking our D line is just not that good. I have a hard time putting my faith in two 5th round draft picks from a couple of years ago. Golston may be situational, but Montgomery has never seen the field on a consistant basis. Griffin, I have no idea what happened to this guy, but he disappeared last year. Plus going to a different style of defense this year, may lead to some tough times in the early part of year. Which will lean heavily on the offense. I see us struggling again with our idenity. Our offensive line are comparable to big mack trucks. They like to run,run,run, move people out of the way, push them around and beat people up. Saunders offense just isn't that style. Now, if they can form some sort of hybrid offense of Joes and Saunders mixed together....maybe they will be ok. Obviously Campbell is the Key to this thing. I think he played well last year. I am big Campbell fan, i think he will be a good QB, but with everyone getting better in the division, its going to be really tough for us.

cautious optomism?? or realism?? who knows. But win or lose...I hope we go down swinging.

[Beemnseven]

Originally Posted by skinsguy

You're right Beems! I don't believe you! lol j/k

Remember though, I said "somewhat" optimistic.

[BrunellMVP?]

Originally Posted by BeastsoftheNFCeast

This happens to me all the time, I fall ill with dilusion about the Redskins. At first, I always say what I think will really happen (which in this case is I initially thought that the Skins were going to suck), but then I start thinking, and thinking, and thinkings some more. And I always find a way to convince myself how the Redskins will kick ass. I initially thought that our D-line was a joke, Carter is OK, Griffin is OK, Daniels is junk, Golston is below average but might be good(and neither golston or griffin are run stoppers), and Salevea is junk. Our corners are a mystery (Rogers might improve, Springs always gets injured, and we dont know how Smoot will be with us even though he sucked last year), Our MLB is too old and will be productive but not great, Washington is still good but is 31 and on the downfall of his career, McIntosh is unproven, Taylor seems to be regressing but that might be a cause of our poor defense and not his fault, so that is a mystery, and Landry is a rookie and therefore is unproven. But the disease has now hit me and hit me hard. My heart now says that the skins Defense will be studly next year (even though my brain keeps telling me im wrong, that voice is fading away and will soon be gone). I now think that we have studs at every position except D-line, where Carter and Griffin are quality, and Daniels will be good against the run. Golston is now my only worry. Hes just not a run stopper, hes a pretty good pass rusher, but that makes both our dts pass rushers. (for the record, my ideas on offense have stayed the same, it will be ok averaging maybe 20 pts a game) Am I the only one who is constantly convincing himself to believe things that go against his better judgement. I know this is the NFL and anything can happen, but in all probability it wont.

the only thing that differs between you and me is that my bipolar swings occur in a condensed timeframe. Like, sat night I'll be talking about how much the skins blow (for the same reasons you mentioned- porous D, little O,...very frustrating), yet on the way to the game (or bar) I will have begun to fool myself into thinking that we will win, so much so, that by the time I arrive in my seats (or stool), I'm confident that CP and Betts will run for 300 yards (bc they can), Santana will catch 3 Tds (bc you can't stop all our weapons), and our D will hold whatever team we are playing to under 10 pts (usually led by spectacular plays by ST and MW).
Its a very, very mentally draining process (which starts the moment i leave the stadium or bar), but without it, we would have little hope these past many seasons (save 1). So i say, embrace our psychological imbalance, as I see it, its the only certainly in our Redskins lives...

[davelavarra]

It's too damn good knowing that I'm no the only one that catches that damn disease. I'm angry during the season but every time we acquire new faces, hope hits me again and I start being positive once again.

What a damn disease!!!!!

[jdlea]

I'm a little bothered because for some reason, it's just not hitting me this year. It might be because I've been so damn busy recently that I haven't been able to take the time to think about football. It also may be that the O's have sucked the life out of me...AGAIN! Don't know, just not up for it quite yet.

[skinsfan_nn]

Damn dude you got that crap again? I think it's gonna get the best of you yet

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by jdlea

I'm a little bothered because for some reason, it's just not hitting me this year. It might be because I've been so damn busy recently that I haven't been able to take the time to think about football. It also may be that the O's have sucked the life out of me...AGAIN! Don't know, just not up for it quite yet.

The O's have been sucking the life outta me for a long time. At least they can sweep Tampa Bay. Sigh....

[KLHJ2]

Stop crying about the disease. Just do what I do. Stay drunk until they start winning. It numbs the pain.