Miles Austin? Here; Steve Smith? Here; Devin Thomas/Malcolm Kelly? Absent

A post by "Blake the Megalomaniac" To see more posts click here

My head was spinning Saturday night as I watched the Washington Capitals steal a game in Long Island against the Islanders.  The stat that began my mind’s rotation was based on just how many NHL number one drafts picks have gone onto actually perform at the level their talent warranted.  Then it got me to thinking about Alexander Ovechkin’s lack of production in the last two games.  I may have been asking too much of The Great Eight but if given the choice I might, and I put emphasis on might, have to take Sidney Crosby over the best hockey player in the world.

Granted, I believe Ovechkin and the Capitals will eventually win Lord Stanley’s Cup, the truth is they haven’t yet and Crosby has.  Crosby sets his teammates up and he scores easy goals.  By easy goals I mean the hockey equivalent to layups or dunks in basketball .  One of the main facets of his game is just hanging around the net like Mike Knuble was brought in to do for us and hammering the puck home. He’s a pest but he’s the best at it.

In the playoffs, from what I’ve seen the last two seasons I’ve watched, defense steps up, as in all sports.  When it gets tougher to score Alex’s majestic offensive presence could be aided by adding higher percentage shots (if there is such a thing in hockey) to his repertoire.  I guess the question comes down to would you rather have Kobe in his prime or Shaq in his prime?  Naturally, Ovechkin is Kobe and Crosby is Shaq.  In basketball that argument in moot now because Kobe has proven he’s not only the best player on the planet but also that he can win without the aid of another dominant and all-conquering figure.  Hopefully, Ovechkin along with all the other talent on his team will come through and bring home a championship to D.C. soon.

From two players who are at the top of their games we move to two Washington Redskins’ players who should give back their paychecks in Malcolm Kelly and Devin Thomas.

Forget about the lack of an offensive line, the QB troubles, or the systemic difficulties with management these guys have provided nothing to an organization and a team in disarray.  A team with two sub six footers who started above them last season at receiver.  A team who hasn’t scored a special teams touchdown since who knows when.  Why can’t these gus find a way to pitch in?

Eddie Royal of the Denver Broncos, who grew up right in Vinny Cerrato’s backyard has 109 catches and 5 TDs in 21 games.  Did I mention he was drafted eight places after Devin Thomas?  DeSean Jackson of our NFC east rival Philadelphia Eagles has 81 catches for 4 TDs and 2 punt return TDs in 21 games.  I didn’t mention that he was drafted 17 places after Devin Thomas, did I?  Mario Manningham of the New York Giants had 10 catches for 151 yards and a TD in week 2 against the Cowboys.  I failed to mention that those 10 catches were as many catches as Malcolm Kelly has had in his career.  Oh yah, Mario Manningham was drafted 61 places after Washington’s favorite son, Devin Thomas.  While the arguments for Steve Smith and Miles Austin over our two redshirt receivers is less convincing considering Smith has had an extra year to mature and Austin has had an extra two years the proof is still in the results.  These two guys have been well-coached and not coddled, especially in Austin’s case because he was undrafted.  When is the last time the Redskins had an undrafted player have any type of impact like Miles Austin (do not say Mike Sellers, because between missing blocks and dropping TD passes his probowl days are over)?

Did anyone see Mike Wallace for the Pittsburgh Steelers?  If my recollection serves me well then Mr. Wallace was drafted in the third round of this year and he already has 16+ receptions.

Yes, this is meant to be negative.  This is meant to be derisive.  I don’t think these guys are getting it.  Regardless of the ineptitude up and down the line in Ashburn, as a man they should be chomping at the bit to find a way, any way, to contribute to this struggling team.  I’m not at practice so I don’t know but when I watch the games and I see Thomas dropping catches or Kelly not being interested in blocking for the run I question everything I know about football.  The Redskins say the media piles on too much but we pile on because we care.  This hurts us more than it hurts them to quote a cliched parenting line.  We’re getting on them because we hope it will spur them to win? To perform? To resemble something like a football team? To care? To go all-out? To be enthusiastic? To represent us? To carry on a 77 year tradition? To never, ever quit? To play football like every player on the Vikings and Steelers played today; like losing wasn’t an option and that they were going to do whatever it took to win even if it meant their careers or their lives.

So lets call roll shall we?  Miles Austin? “Here”  Steve Smith? “Here”  Eddie Royal? “Here”  DeSean Jackson? “Here”  Mario Manningham? “Here”  Mike Wallace? “Here”  . . . Devin Thomas? “AWOL” Malcolm Kelly “Tardy”

udothedishes . . .