HAIL REDSKINS FANS!

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THIS WEEK'S "MUSINGS" by Tony Grasse . . .
 
Before I start my printed pontifications for you, my Austin Avenue Peeps, I needed to feel relaxed, feel at home, while being totally at peace.  I wanted a Phil Jackson-Zenlike state of mind for writing.  That way the creative juices will flow.  You know, like any given Sunday we’re together.   (So I chanted to myself, “Skins are wonderful, Skins are marvelous, each Skin, player or coach, is a sentient being who is without flaw, it is only due to delusive attachments that the truth cannot been seen by us all!”   . . . . . . Hummmm Hummmm)  Ah, I felt as though I was truly in one of my Positive, Sunday, Austin Ave Zones . . . ready to write.   I then turned to Cathy, my wife, and asked, just as I do the first thing when I arrive at Austin Ave every Sunday at 11:45 a.m., “Angel,  please bring me a Bourbon and Diet Coke.”   My wife looked at me with a jaundiced eye and said, “Who the ‘H-E-Double Toothpicks’ is Angel??”   Good news . . . I got that cleared up real quick and the ER says I’ll be out of the neck brace very, very soon.    Screw Phil Jackson, Buddha, and the horse they rode in on!   
 
But I digress….back to Redskin Football!
 
Last week:  A great win, on the road, over an offensive powerhouse -- the New Orleans Saints!   So many good things to note:
Coach Gibbs had, um, ready:
~ He found a motivational hot button – Don’t let Saints celebrate a championship on our watch.  "Keep the hats in the box”!
~ This is the Defense we expected all year! 
~ Carlos and Sean playing with confidence!
~ We got a pick!
~ Carter finally seems like he is comfortable and playing very well on a regular basis.
~ Springs is healthy and doing it all.
~ We stopped the run first.
~ The Offense was sweet as well.
~ Jason was in control all the way.
~ Ran the ball first – but still stretched the field on multiple occasions – we played Redskins Football - 2007!   
~ How 'bout that Todd Wade….Jon who???
~ Guys on both sides of the ball playing hurt and getting the job done.
Time to Tap The Breaks A Bit, Tony . . .
~ We have got to fix the Red Zone inefficiency issues.
~ Coach Gibbs Post-Game Presser comments:
~ Is he Joe Gibbs or Joe Krivak?
(You all remember Joe Krivak, coached Maryland for 4 yrs. after Bobby Ross.  He was 20-24-2, and after every game he said the same thing as Joe Gibbs this year; “I’m proud of my boys; they played hard!”  No matter what happened, it was always, “I’m proud of my boys they played hard.”  Deja vous all over again!) 
~ This week Coach Gibbs added, “I’ve never been prouder!”  Really, coach??  Reign in the hyperbole and think back to Super Bowl XXII, etc.  
~ However, I will admit, this week there was a reason to be proud.  Clearly more so than in weeks past.  But two weeks ago, after a loss, when we had eight penalties in the first half, I don’t know how you can lead off a press conference with “I’m proud of my boys, they played hard,” but we did.
~ Give me the old “young-edgie” Joe Gibbs back . . .  I miss him.   
~ No matter what, I have to remember . . . IN JOE WE TRUST!  … Zen…Zen….be positive. 
 
This week:  The St Louis Rams
To me this game comes down to one thing ~ can the Redskins, from top to bottom, coaches and players, handle success and stay focused week after week?  If we can, it will be a great sign for things to come.  Can we Walk The Walk???   We have to go back into a tough, tough, environment again, and play another Pro Bowl QB . . . back to back . . . this time it's Marc Bulger.
 
Speaking of Pro Bowlers…How About Some Pro Bowl Talk?
Pro Bowl selections came out today, and do you believe this?  Only Chris Samuels makes it as an alternate from Washington.    If you're going to pick one Redskin, and an offensive lineman at that, to me the first choice was Randy Thomas….he had a great year, too, but I guess he needs a better agent! 
 
Another long shot for special teams would have been our guy Rock Cartwright.  I may be more than a tad prejudiced here, but I’d have loved to have seen Rock get the nod. 
 
Getting back to the impact of agents and publicity machines, spin is the only way that a punk like Jeremy Shockey beats out my main man Chris Cooley at tight end!  Jeremy Shockey - - what a joke!  Talk about OVER RATED; he’s the K-Fed of Football.  Also, the Redskins wanted me to help them squash the recent rumor and state unequivocally that Fed Ex Field was not named for the aforementioned Kevin Federline.   That is just not true….Pass it on.   
 
If I don’t see all y’all at Austin Ave Sunday . . . Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!    ..................................Tony G.
 
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Washington REDSKINS

~ AT ~
St. Louis RAMS
Sunday ~ December 24, 2006 ~ 12:00 Noon
Austin Avenue Grill & Sports Bar
 
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  If you missed last week's raffle
(and we KNOW it was ONLY because the game was televised
and NOT because of our losing season),
come this week for our
follow-up
"SASSY" CHRISTMAS EVE 
RAFFLE!
~ ORNAMENTS ~ GAMES ~ STOCKINGS ~ 
~TOYS ~ HATS ~
Remember ~ Trading is always acceptable AND encouraged!
 
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All I want for Christmas is . . .
The 2004-2005 Defense!  Where did they go?
A pass rush!
A consistent Offensive Line.
A solid kicker, one who can hit from 40+ on a regular basis!
A QB that will last more than 1 or 2 seasons (I'm pretty sure we've found him, but just to be sure,
    I'll ask anyway).
For Cooley to be Cooley!
For Santana Moss to continue being awesome - he is THE MAN!
 
The margin of difference between a 5-11, 6-10 or 7-9 season and an 11-5, 10-6 season is very slight.  I don't think we are far away from being one of those teams, and once we learn more than 10% of Al Saunders' playbook and play the way we are capable of, we will be!
                                                                                   .......................Chad Costa
 
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Visit the Burgundy & Gold Fan Club website at
See the new pictures from:
Hogettes' visit
Houston game
Halloween
2006 Combined Tailgate (new)
Miscellaneous Club Shots (new)
Coming Soon ~ ~ Christmas Photos!
 
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 The Burgundy & Gold Fan Club
10 years ~ 1996-2006!
 
Commemorative Club T-Shirts!
ARE STILL AVAILABLE
and are going fast!
Sizes Available:  Small, Large, XL, XXL ~ Still only $15 each
See "Kenn the T-Shirt Man"!
 
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REDSKINS TRIVIA!
Week #14 Winner ~ Mike Hord ~ two in a row!
Five questions every game day.   No cost to play.   Win a great Redskins collectible!
Turn in your answers to Chad before the end of the first quarter.
Following the raffle, the answers will be given and a winner will be drawn!
{In all fairness, no computers, history books, cheat sheets, crib notes, etc. will be allowed.}
 
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Burgundy & Gold Fantasy Football League ~ 2006 Season Update
 
Burgundy Conference:                                                        Gold Conference:
THE REDSKINS (Linda Domin, Owner)                                                                 UNSUNG HEROES (John Domin, Owner) 
HELLFISH (Matt Goldie, Owner)                                                                                   PRIMETIME (Rodney Twyman)
JOE'S TEAM (Joe Paeno, Owner)                                                                                VIRGINIA GENTLEMEN (Hank Glospie, Owner)
THE HASH SLINGING SLASHERS (John Keith, Owner)                                        SHOWTIME (Ed Murillo, Owner)
TDsnDC (Carl Murphy, Owner)                                                                                      70 CHIP (Kenn Jackson, Owner)
Conference Champs ~ First Round Bye
 
PLAYOFFS:  First Round:
Joe's Team                v.    Primetime   =  PRIMETIME 
Virginia Gentlemen  v.    Hellfish       =   VIRGINIA GENTLEMEN
 
PLAYOFFS:  Second Round:
Primetime                   v.   Redskins              =   REDSKINS
Virginia Gentlemen  v.   Unsung Heroes  =   VIRGINIA GENTLEMEN
 
B&G FANTASY FOOTBALL LEAGUE 2006 SUPERBOWL:
REDSKINS (10 ~ 3)       V.      VIRGINIA GENTLEMEN (7 ~ 6)
{The 2006 Champion will be announced next week!}
  
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~ FOR SALE ~
Custom made Dexter Manley Jersey, Youth Size XL ~ $50.00
(a $70.00 value)
Call:  Jason Woodrow at (972) 746-9074
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M E R R Y   C H R I S T M A S   T O   A L L!
                                     
H A P P Y   N E W   Y E A R!
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H A I L   T O   T H E   R E D S K I N S !
SEE YOU AT AUSTIN AVENUE!
 
Burgundy & Gold Fan Club
Bryan Capps
Chad Costa
Linda Domin
John Priddy
David Solly