November 20
Washington Post
columnist Leonard Shapiro
"
Not long after John Riggins retired from football following the 1985 season, I asked a network sports television executive why a colorful, quote machine of a player I'd covered since the day he came to town in 1976 hadn't been signed up immediately by a single broadcasting entity televising pro football. After all, he was smart, telegenic, funny and opinionated, everything and more you'd look for in the booth or in a studio every NFL Sunday. The short answer, and almost 25 years later I'm paraphrasing here, was that the network suits were scared of a possible runaway Diesel, if only because you never knew what he might say next. Riggins clearly lived up to that billing during his ..."
November 17
Washington Post
columnist Tracee Hamilton
"
Well, it figures. The Redskins seem to have gotten it together, finally, with Sunday's 27-17 win, overcoming injuries and strife and all that TV movie stuff. What they haven't had is a good position controversy. Here it comes. With Clinton Portis cheering from the sideline, backup Ladell Betts has, in the past game and a half, revved up the Redskins' offense, which in turn has revved up the entire team, the coaches and the fans. So what happens when Portis, out because of a concussion suffered in last week's loss to Atlanta, is healthy again? Nothing. The NFL isn't like baseball. Guys are seldom Wally Pipped in the NFL. In other words, they don't lose their starting jobs over a headache. ..."