Fan Mail

I want to start out by thanking anyone who has ever spent the time to send fan mail my way. I now want to apologize to the fans who sent in mail between 2008 and now because you haven't gotten shit back. Luckily the mail is not lost and in a turn of great fortune, I found over 1000 letters packed into a box in my basement today! It takes a long ass time to read 1000 letters, but once I began there was no stopping. I swear I personally read every letter, signed every card and photo. I'm sure a bunch of people are going to be pretty damn surprised to get their letters back in the the mail.

Please consider if you've sent mail and moved in the last three years, I hope you left a return address. Also taken into consideration was the cost of stamps. When received in 2008, the price of mailing a regular letter was .42 cents, which has now went up .02 cents, but no worries, I have covered all return costs. I'm sure the postal employees will enjoy selling me thousands of 2 cent stamps.

Now I would love to share some of the ups, downs, insanity, genius, lunacy, happiness and fanatical excitement that I enjoyed for most of my day.

Again, thanks to everyone for sending me such kind and thoughtful packages. I swear after sorting through every letter there was not one serious negative message. Keep in mind that the mail was no more recent than 2009 so I may get murdered in the next batch.

- If there are any Costanza envelopes I'm going to be f@%ing pissed. Probably shouldn't have, but I licked about 300 return envelopes. I made it through the day so I think I'm good. The peel and stick envelopes are much better. Buy those.

- Quick apology to all the school extra credit letters. I should have written back to you guys. It's awesome that you choose me for a school project and really cool that you wrote to me. I'm sure a ton of time went into that. I'm also sure that I'm gonna miss the semester deadline on return.

- To Austins Big and Tall. Quit sending me 20% off cards. I don't shop there. I'm sure you have good stuff, but fortunately I fit into the last size in all department stores. 38/34 and XL usually works out just fine in Nordstroms.

- To all Real Estate agents. First of all I have an agent, she's awesome. I also have about four houses in the area. No chance am I going to buy the 7.5 million dollar house in your brochure, or any house for that matter. Real estate goes straight into the trash - I'm pretty sure and by pretty sure I mean 99.9% that no house will be sold through a mail in brochure to Redskins Park.

- Katie, would have loved to attend the princess party on 10/24/09.

- Huge thanks to Karen for the $25.00 check to my scholarship fund. I'm sorry I never got that cashed, but don't you worry any longer, I'll void it for you and make sure I donate $25.00 more this year. So thoughtful.

- Emmitt, I will call or at least text Jason Campbell and Santana tomorrow and tell them what's up for you. It's been a long time coming.

- All the thank you letters to me for our breast cancer charities were very nice. So amazing to hear all the stories of these women. Breast cancer is shit. Keep fighting.

- Inmate mail is almost always a first read. I don't know why I'm fascinated by inmate mail, but I think a lot of the guys are. I had a few of those letters and was a little surprised by the text being quite short. Thought they had more time on their hands.

- To all financial advisers. I am well aware the average career of a NFL player is 3.5 years. I'm also certain that I need to continue to save for my future. I've actually formulated a pretty solid financial plan so I won't be needing any more solicitation via my Redskins fan mail box.

- Miranda - Tell your dad what's up for me. It's awesome that he's been a fan for 20 years. Well, 22 years now.

-I would prefer not to receive religious materials. No bibles, no bible DVD's and for the love of god, no Book of Mormons! I have made a very informed decision on my beliefs and am comfortable with my style of life. I don't go throwing "Religulous" DVD's in your front door because you've been saved, so I would just expect the same.

- Received at less than 10 Flat Stanley cutouts. Pretty wild. Sorry guys, Stanley is a home body. He didn't get out for many pictures.

- I should have counted the football cards I signed. No less that 500. If you want cards signed don't send really cool ones. It's hard for me to part with the awesome cards.

- If you want blue sharpie on your autograph please send blue sharpie in the package. If I grab a black one and sit down with a couple hundred letters, I'm not getting up because Steve's collection requires blue. Just the facts.

- I literally could have attended 25 weddings across the country. Congrats to all the brides and grooms circa 2008. It's almost a certainty I would drank too much and embarrassed your family at the wedding. Everyone has seen the picks from my wedding, so it's probably for the best I didn't come. Although I probably won't attend, if you're having a wedding soon, please keep in mind that an invite is in my top 5 favorite fan mail items. I'll leave the address at the bottom. Wes, your football ticket invites were awesome, but tell your wife she looks like a slut in that Cowboys jersey.

- Listened to the CD from the band "Shitt." Not a huge fan of death metal so I can't give a formal opinion either way. Gotta say though, I was pretty pumped to open this package.

- There is no way so many fans have followed my career since I was at Utah State. It's a nice gesture, but lets be honest here, Utah State football isn't a huge draw for the vast majority of NFL fans.

- Professional football players getting naked photos in the mail is a myth. I could have sworn when I started receiving fan mail that I was going to be getting all kinds of nasty shit. Have never seen them. Not just in my box, I have never seen one lude photo. Ever.... Lame.

- William - It's awesome being a pro football player. I always dreamed of playing the game I love as a career and the benefits that go with it are unreal. I love playing for the Redskins.

- Jake - The last fish I caught was a trout. I have a boat and go out on the Potomac a ton, but am the most terrible bass fisherman of all time. I also have the worst fishing luck ever. Now I know everyone who has ever caught a fish is saying that they could take me to their special place and dominate fish, but don't buy into it. If you take me fishing we will catch less fish than you have ever before. Proven with more than 20 excellent fisherman. If you know anyone who has ever fished with me they will verify.

- Please write legibly. It's cute if I can tell you less than ten years old, but if you have such shitty hand-writing that you can't even read it yourself, then just type the letter. It's actually faster. And has spell check. (Which I usually don't use.)

- Thanks for all the Birthday and Holiday cards. My birthday is July 11. Feel free to send me a B-day card anytime. I also love the holiday cards. Nice of people. Family photos are a plus.

- Anyways, it was a ton of fun sharing just a couple of the fan mail topics that I find interesting back to all the fans. There is a ton more, so maybe I'll have to do this again in a couple weeks when I continue to get up to date on the rest of the letter. Thanks again to all the people who took the time to write. I know I'm a little sarcastic about some of the stuff, but it's an honor and a privilege to receive all the wonderful mail.

Finally I would like to end with a couple tips to fan mailing.

1. If you want an autograph it would be best to first include the item you want signed.

2. Include a stamped envelope. - And if you really know me include the extra couple cents, cause it may be that long before I get to it. I will never get an envelope, address and stamp it before sending it on its way home. I guess I'm a jerk.

3. I love receiving fan mail, but you gotta make it look different. I definitely go through the strangest looking letters first.

4. Mail to Chris Cooley at 21300 Redskin Park Drive Ashburn Va 20147.

Who Would Win

Bowling OTA's

Today the team was surprised with an exciting trip to the bowling alley. Although most of us were expecting some kind of field trip from clues left around the locker room and in playbooks, no one could actually confirm that we would spend the day off the field rolling balls. I know it doesn't sound like much, but to get a day where we can all hang together as a team and not have to be playing football is really cool.After the trip was announced, we were informed that 25 captains had been selected and we would be having a draft. Obviously, the captains selected were the guys that have been around the longest. The draft was a lottery style with all the names drawn out of a hat. Some crazy shenanigans must have been involved, because I was the last team to pick. The one bonus was that we did it like picking a fantasy football teams, so the order went 1-25 and then 25 back through 1. There were also a couple other rules to spread the teams out. An offensive player couldn't draft another offensive player in the first round, and the same for D. Only coaches and staff were to be available in the second round and then in the third round you could draft whoever you wanted.

I took Hunter Smith with my first pick, specialists were not exempt with the offence rule and I figured any punter must be a good bowler. I turned around with my second pick and took Z-man who was the first coach to be selected. Z is good at anything he does so I figured it to be a safe bet. For my third pick, after waiting for 50 other selections,  I had to take the last name on the board, Jaison Williams. I was hoping for Mr. Irrelevant to be a big time sleeper.We then bussed as a team over to the Sterling Ameri-Bowl and practice quickly ensued. I felt like we had a pretty good team early on. Hunter and Z hit a couple good rolls, but Jaison had a crazy hopping, no fingers in the ball technique. So we were skeptical about his potential. As soon as things began, the schedule was to bowl two games and keep team score - we were team Cooleywins! Z threw that in for me.

I actually bowled better than I have the last couple times. In two games I rolled a 165 and a 147. Solid! Z's high game was 134 and Hunter hit 144. Although Jaison had his crazy technique, he did hit one strike in the second game. After that, he collapsed to his knees in celebration for a solid 20 seconds, which was hilarious.

I'm sure Cooleywins will not win any awards, we weren't good or bad enough to be memorable, but it was sure a great OTA!

Just to finish up. These were some of the notables from the day.

• Todd Collins rolled a 205 and when asked how he did so well he said "I just aimed at the middle arrow."
  
• Randle El actually brought his own shoes, ball, and towel - I beat him in both games.
  
• Smoot rolled a 212, and I'm sure that he kept his excitement to a minimum.
  
• The entire team was given white Redskins bowling shirts.
  
• To end the day I rolled three strikes in a row from behind the chairs, a solid 20 feet behind the line. Redskin blogger documented this on video.
  
• Anyone over 300 pounds is terrible.
  
• More than 20 guys rolled games less than 100.
  
• Only 3 guys rolled over 200.
  
• Over 100 members of the organization went to the bowling alley.
  

The 3 Amigos

Q&A Chat From NFL.com

Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
Hey, what's up. It's Chris. I'm excited to answer everyone's questions.

KJ Mahan, Lynchburg, Va 05:59 PM ET
Captain Chaos, what opposing linebacker do respect playing against the most? What have you seen from Fred Davis that makes you think he can be a big addition to this offense?
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
I have two great matchups every year with DeMarcus Ware, he's an outstanding player. He has the ability to do so many different things, he's good against the run, pass and can do it all. Fred Davis came in this offseason knowing what it takes to be a pro football player. He's working very hard in the weight room and definitely understand the offense better.

Avery, Ruston, Louisiana 06:00 PM ET
Your rookie year was the same year Joe Gibbs returned to football. What was your initial impression of the way Gibbs ran practices?
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
Gibbs' motto was: smart, tough, hard-nosed guys. And that's the way he ran practice. We had a quick tempo, but it was extremely physical.

Ryan Clutterbuck, Toronto, ON 06:01 PM ET
have you ever gotten in trouble for posting meeting or game plan notes on your blog?
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
I've never gotten in trouble for posting anything on my blog. The only gameplan notes posted on there, were overshadowed by a penis picture, which the team was not that concerned with. The NFL had a few more concerns, though.

tony, gaithersburg 06:02 PM ET
do u think the offense will be better in the 2nd year with zorn?
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
No questions asked, we'll have a better offense. It's a hard transition, even for a guy like me to make, to make adjustments to a new offense. It was even more difficult for a quarterback. We'll all be much better the second time around.

Doug Schwartz, Eddyville Oregon 06:03 PM ET
Hey Chris, I'm a high school teacher and football coach here in Oregon...I'm also a diehard skins fan! My students get extra credit when the skins win...would I be taking it too far if I painted my classroom in burgundy and gold?
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
I think that you should strongly encourage the janitorial staff to paint the classrooms burgundy and gold. You should get the art classes to put Redskins logos on top.

Jesse, Washington D.C. 06:05 PM ET
Hey chris big redskins fan.How do u think Jason Campbells mindset will be for this year with all the trade rumors surronding him cuz it sounded to me that they were trying to trade him numerous times?
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
Because it was so boldly discussed in the media, didn't mean that was exactly the team's intentions. Obviously there were talks and Jason was very disappointed in that, but he's definitely our guy now. He came back and showed great leadership in minicamp and is ready to have an outstanding season.

lampe21, philly 06:06 PM ET
whos the locker room clown
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
The fun thing about our locker room is that we have a bunch of guys who like to goof around. A day never goes by where I don't hear Smoot screaming about something.

David, Bristol, CT 06:07 PM ET
Hey Chris! What are some of your personal goals going into the season? and are u a videogamer?
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
Obviously I always want to play my best. It's important to me to contribute to the team in any way I can. As far as goals, I just want our football team to win games. I like to play videogames a lot, but it's really the only thing that ticks me off, so I try to stay away from smashing controllers.

Wazir , Fairburn, Ga. 06:09 PM ET
Who is the most serious and most intense player on the team?
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
Randy Thomas is the most serious player that I've ever been around. He's super intense.

Rahjohn, new jersey 06:11 PM ET
why are u always open, do u think that defenses just don't respect u?????????
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
It would be hard to say that I'm always open. I know that it's a different view from the TV screen than it is from the quarterback's eyes. I wish defenses had no respect for me, because I would definitely tally 20 catches a game.

Brian G, New Jersey 06:12 PM ET
Chris, I know your a rough and tough player especially over the middle, is there a team you might have a "second guess" about going over the middle or staying back and blocking?
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
Never. Never bothers me to sacrifice my body for a catch. I like playing physical football. Obviously, I'm not going to complain when another team isn't as physical, but it doesn't bother me.

yansen, sergeant bluff 06:13 PM ET
should i draft you in the upcoming fantasy draft?
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
To be honest. I'd put myself definitely in the top-5 tight ends, I always have the potential to have a big week. Obviously there is good value there in the fourth or fifth round.

Danyaal Mahmood, Fairfax, Virginia 06:15 PM ET
What do you think about the NFL's proposal to cut off to preseason games and to make the regular season 18 games long?
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
I think it's a tough proposal. And I have to say I'm kind of two-sided on it. No one likes preseason and other than watching young players, there's not a lot of relevance to the games. But on the other hand it's tough making it all the way through the season without injuries or fatigue. So, the extra two games may be hard. All that said, if they are going to pay us accordingly for the two games, I'd rather play the two season games and get out of training camp early.

Tank, NJ 06:17 PM ET
I think Jared Cook will be better than you. What do you think?
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
I do not know who Jared Cook is. Obviously, you're not a 'Skins fan. I think Paris Hilton would probably be a better sports analyst than you.

Azim, MD 06:19 PM ET
Is training camp really as boring and tiring as other players say it is?
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
Yes.

Mass, Toronto 06:19 PM ET
Chris, Capitals or Penguins, who wins game 7 tonight?
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
All my buddies with the Caps are going to take it. Then they're going to win the Stanley Cup. Unleash the fury!

Brett, Canada 06:20 PM ET
What happend to your sick hair
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
The hair was gone midway through the '06 season. I just like the gameday picture, so I let it roll through last year. I'm working on growing it back, right now, though. The wife doesn't appreciate it as much as everyone else.

Jim, PA 06:21 PM ET
Hey Chris, if you could catch passes from any QB in history past or present (besides J.C.) who would it be?
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
John Elway, and I did get to play catch with him a month ago. I rule.

Jeff, brantford, ON 06:22 PM ET
Chris, Do you play fantasy football, and do you think it is bad for the game the way some purists do? Also, on a similar note, do you pay attention to your ratings in Madden and do you think those guys know their stuff? Thank you for doing this by the way, it's great to hear form you guys personally.
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
There's nothing about fantasy football that's bad for the game. It makes fans that much more interested in what's going on. Honestly, no players really care about it, hardly anyone plays. The guys that do it, enjoy it, but it's not that big a deal. I check out the ratings every year, but I think it's cool this year, they are going to update it every week, based on the way the player performs in the actual games. I quit playing Madden when I got beat by a nine-year old kid online.

dan snyder, md 06:25 PM ET
Do u think u deserve a raise?
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
Why not? I'll always take more money. No, I'm pretty happy with my contract. I'll keep playing.

Dave, Dayton OH 06:26 PM ET
Hey Cooley, I have read a lot of posts lately that refer to Colt Brennan. A ton of skins fans out there want to see him as the starter.(Im not one of them) Does he have the potential to be a starter in the NFL or is his arm strength to much of a concern?
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
No questions asked, Colt has the potential to be a starter in the NFL. He has all the qualities to get the job done. In the next couple of years, he'll get a shot somewhere.

albert haynesworth, md 06:27 PM ET
Are you scared of me at practice??
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
The first time I met Albert Haynesworth was at the Pro Bowl in 2007. I was told the game was pretty relaxed, play hard. In the first quarter we threw a pick and I slowly chased after the ball and Albert Haynesworth blindsided me. I've never been more upset.

Carlos, Nogales, Mexico 06:28 PM ET
Hi Chris, is the fantasy football ad "NFL pick me" for real? How many walls did you broke to catch that football !!! Hahahah
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
I had to punch through the sheet rock 10 different times and cut my arm all up doing the commercial. Reebok did a really good job cutting the commercial.

Adam , VA 06:32 PM ET
Hey Chris who came up with the whoel Captain Choas deal? Good luck this season
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
We were playing St. Louis in 2006. I was goofing around in the locker room with a couple of buddies. It was when Gibbs was the coach and before the game, he used to elect captains by writing their name on a white board. This particular game was the first time I had been picked as a captain. Also, there was no reason behind his captain selections, I think it was just the first three names that popped into his head. I was bet that I wouldn't go onto the field and introduce myself to all the Rams captains as Captain Chaos. I had to walk up to Orlando Pace, Marc Bulger and Torry Holt and introduce myself as Captain Chaos. They looked at me like I was crazy.

aj, newport news,virgina 06:35 PM ET
did you have fun with chuck liddel singing journey? on a side note,do you follow mma?
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
I had a blast hanging out with Chuck Liddell, Brad Penny was hilarious. Steel Panther, the 80s band, was awesome. Heeeee-ooooo. I don't follow MMA.

Ricky Beachley, Frederick MD 06:37 PM ET
I like what you do with the football camps... what other charity work do you do? How can I help?
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
I've done a ton of stuff lately. I started a huge education program, where I've donated over $300,000 to schools and scholarships. I've done a bunch of breast cancer stuff, which has been great. We've also done a lot of reading events for kids. As far as helping out, take advantage of opportunities in your own community.

omar, dc 06:39 PM ET
why did you pick the number 47?
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
It got put in my locker when I showed up in the offseason as a rookie.

paul umbaugh, port richey, FL 06:39 PM ET
Sup Chris, What Do you think of the newcomer brian orakpo?
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
He has a deep voice and lots of muscles.

jim murphy, decatur il 06:40 PM ET
what is your favorite 80s band
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
Can't say. Tough between Bon Jovi, Journey, Guns n' Roses and Madonna.

Chris, VA 06:42 PM ET
My favorite Redskin is Rypien. Who's yours?
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
My favorite former Redskin is Gary Clark. Awesome dude, fun to be around, always a great guy with a lot of energy. Sonny and Sam run a close second.

andrew, kensignton md 06:43 PM ET
being from around the dc area the eastern motors commercials play all the time, and i love the one with you and alex ovi, is he really as crazy as he seems
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
Ovechkin's wild. At that photo shoot, he put five pucks through the wall, missing goals.

Mistry, silver spring, MD 06:45 PM ET
How do you think Malcolm Kelly and Devin Thomas will do this year?
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
Devin looked great in the offseason, he's worked very hard. If Malcolm's knees can stay healthy, he could be an outstanding player.

Tom M, London, UK 06:47 PM ET
What's your personal favourite - beard, 'stach or clean shaven?
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
I always have to go with somewhat of a beard. I hate clean-shaven and the moustache is cool, but too ugly.

Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
Thanks everyone, I appreciate everyone taking the time to read this. It's been fun.

Rally for the Cure = Success

I have never planned, or helped plan, an event like the one we hosted last night. The reason we did this was really my mom's idea. She recently went to a similar event in Winchester and loved it enough to want to do the same thing. We got to talking about the details and soon enough it went from a small get together to what we had last night. Which was amazing. 

Earlier in the day yesterday Chris went around Redskins park inviting the players. I think if you were there last night it was easy to see the respect these guys have for each other.  They were all willing to chip in to make a very interesting and entertaining evening. Thanks so much for all your help to those who came. 

Besides the big hearts of the Redskins in attendance, the amount of items people donated to make the auction possible was incredible. There were dinners, gift baskets, a weekend get away, UWC tickets, and autographed memorabilia galore. And people knew why we were doing it. I remember selling a pink Redskins mini helmet for $500! Unreal!

All of this was great but it couldn't have been possible without having a location. The Original Steakhouse couldn't have been nicer. I know it was for charity but free beer, wine, and food for 3 hours from the Steakhouse! That definitely set the perfect atmosphere for the night.

Last I just want to say thanks to all of you who helped at the event. It wouldn't have been the success it was without your help. Charlie Cook and his staff, Robert Bassam and everyone from Eastern Motors, Big O, students, friends, and those of you who bought tickets. I know I had a blast and hope everyone else did to. We are definitely going to try and do this again next year!

TC: No T.O.

Last offseason the Redskins conjured up a plan that involved two first round draft picks for one Ocho Cinco. As of last night, T.O. hit the market and it made me wonder if the Skins will continue the pursuit for another high profile receiver. But thankfully profootballtalk.com has confirmed that the Skins are not interested.

Our initial knee-jerk reaction to the news that Terrell Owens had involuntarily gained his freedom from the Cowboys was that Owens would most likely land with the Redskins or the Giants.

And, already, both teams have reportedly said no.

Chris Mortensen of ESPN reports that the Redskins have issued an adamant “no thanks” regarding the possibility of signing Owens.

This is great news for us Skins fans but still leaves us wondering, where will he go. So please share your thoughts on the recent TO situation. Which team will he implode next?

JT Hates Money

$500,000 to work out between the months of March and June - just to work out. Then an upcoming salary of $9,000,000 - for one season of play. One season! You would really have to hate to be somewhere to turn down ten million dollars for the next ten months of work. I mean, I know Miami is pretty nice, but just go ahead and make that much money while you still can and then retire anywhere you want. Hell, I would go play in Russia for 10,000,000. I would pack my bags and fly out tomorrow, "Ill see ya in February."

Jason allegedly turned down the $500,000 offer to work out with the Redskins for the off season. When the request was denied the Skins released his rights for the last season of his contract. This was obviously no surprise to JT, who wanted to stay with his family, where they live in Miami.

Now I feel like I'm judging too much and I definitely can't be that guy. Last off season I had a workout bonus of $100,000 to make 80 percent of my workouts and didn't reach it. Granted I got married and missed 10 days for my honeymoon, but I also took a week trip for Drew Brees charity. I was still very close to making the percentage. So just stating the facts of the off season program that I have been a part of for the last five years will suffice.

We will have actual workouts starting on March 16th going into May. These are the weight lifting, running, gaining strength at the gym type of workouts that anyone would expect. Of course we work very hard, but when I go into Redskins park for this type of work I spend no more than three hours in the facility. The requirements for each week are to workout four days and it can be for any four days throughout the week. Mon - Thurs, Tues - Fri or whatever combination of four days you want to make, this schedule also allows a four day weekend every week. Between the months of March and April there will be 28 of these required workouts. As May begins we get into what is called an OTA schedule.(Optional Training Activity) These will be like mini practice days. We will meet in the morning and install plays for the first couple hours, have quick lunch, then go on the field for about an hour and a half. The practices are at a quick tempo, but we wear only helmets, so little contact is involved. The day will usually last from 9 in the morning until 3 in the after noon. The requirements for the off-season end June 12. The total amount of optional/mandatory days is 52.

For JT to reach his 75 percent requirement of the deal would have had to be hear for 39 days. Had he arrived and worked for the 39 days he would have been compensated $12,820 per day. That is unreal to me! Most people pay their own money to go to the gym, but almost 13 thousand dollars a day is a pretty good membership in the other direction. Again, I will not judge this decision and I have no idea what his bank account could possibly be, but that's a shit ton of money. As for my end of the off season, I will be required to make 42 days to reach my bonus. I again would receive a check grossing $100,000. This would pay me $2300 per workout. Still pretty awesome and enough to get me into the gym.

TC: Haynesworth Exclusive

Whatever issues anyone may have about Albert Haynesworth not being a character guy need to be put to rest. I had the chance to meet the guy today after his press and he seemed to be a genuinely nice guy. In the press conference he discussed the issues of his past and I felt he did a great job of putting them to rest stating, "I'm starting a new chapter in my life after my incident and I'm looking forward to adding to it."

I know that we can talk all we want about the potential that this guy has but one thing is for sure, Haynesworth is enormous. Standing 6'6" and 320 lbs and when I shook his hand (no lie) his fingers and thumb touched with ease. Anyway, today was a fun experience for me (even though I posted a picture of Shaun Rogers earlier) and I hope you enjoy this little clip. 



If anyone would rather read the press conference check out the Redskins Blog.

TC: Haynesworth Presser

Here is a clip of today's press conference with new Redskin Albert Haynesworth. If you want to watch the full interview (20:00+ min) go to www.redskins.com. Also, check back in about an hour for an exclusive cooleyzone interview with #92. 

Playoff Breakdown Steelers vs Chargers

Playoff Breakdown Giants vs Eagles

Playoff Breakdown Titans vs Ravens

Fantasy Football Champ 2008

When Fred Smoot said this about Matt Ryan, "He's nothin'...he's a pair of shoes" I'm sure he had no idea that he would be facing Cooley's Zornado, led by the rookie QB, in the championship game of the first annual Cooley Zone fantasy football league. But thats exactly what happened and luckily for Smoot, his words rang true last Sunday. The Falcons lost and Ryan scored only 8 fantasy points helping pave the way to victory for the DC Lumber Company.

Cooley had this to say after his 3 point loss in the title game

I felt confident going into the game that I was going to go home with the trophy. I mean who expects Tampa Bay to score -3 points at home against the Chargers? That just doesn't happen. Plus I had Adrian Peterson and DeAngelo WIlliams! I am just frustrated right now...my team let me down...

In the consolation match up, it was the battle of the Manning brothers. If you don't remember from the draft video, Peyton was selected by the girls in the first round. It was a pick that surely paid off as Peyton scored 25 points in the final week leading to an victory for Team Better Halves 90-63.  

So after all that we need to thank Fantasy Trophies and we'll surely do it again next year. 


Fantasy Football Champ from Tanner Cooley on Vimeo.

Pack Wars

Chris and Clinton Portis play pack wars with Leaf Limited 2008 football cards. Check out www.blowoutcards.com for more information.


Untitled from Tanner Cooley on Vimeo.

The Guru: Christmas Wish List

10. Snow - Let's stick to the program here. The last x number of Christmases have been marked by 40+ degree weather, and even some rain and clear skies. Christmas is incomplete without powder, having Frosty parked in front of your house while you are unwrapping gifts and munching on a feast of turkey, stuffing, and egg nog. Let's have 5 inches this year- I feel like sledding.

9. Several boxes of hobby-style football cards - Now, just like CC, I enjoy shredding packs whether in a small card shop downtown or in the comfort of my own home. My favorite card brands are Donruss Elite, Press Pass Signature Edition, and (old school) Action Packed. I am most noted for shredding two packs, getting no inserts and buying the rest of the box. Receiving boxes would solve this problem. All Redskin cards would be saved for future signature opportunities.

8. A Chris Cooley Revolution Helmet - It's no secret around the NFL, Cooley's top is probably the toughest looking by far. I don't know if I could lower it to the position of a coffee table ornament. In fact, I would most likely wear the thing to class one or two days and rock it on game days. The fact that Chris smashed two of them to hell during a couple of the games is just mind-blowing to me. I think a smashed one might be better than the regular one.

7. A new business suit - Hey, it can't all be football. The thing is, I am set to graduate in May (hopefully), and I will need something snazzy to impress potential employers. That being said, it shouldn't come down to my dapper apparel, but appearance is everything. I'm already stunningly handsome, just need the suit to go with it. Maybe I will find some way to incorporate Redskin colors into the suit, or I will just apply to the Redskin office for a job. Hmmm..

6. An iPhone - My provider sucks, my phone sucks, something has to give. I get several emails from different people that say "Sent from my iPhone" I think that's pretty insane, and it has peeked my curiosity on the subject. You always want to be technically savvy. If not, just give me one of those early 90's cell phone that Zack Morris had on Saved by the Bell.

5. T.O.'s voice - Yes, you heard me. Just think, if I had T.O.'s voice then he wouldn't, and we wouldn't have to hear him talk from his ass about his relationship with (-----) . ESPN loves this MTV drama nonsense, and not many people like watching it or hearing about it. So when he was talking to Stephen A. about the whole unnecessary drama, and he was smiling say it was all fabricated by Ed Werder, Sorry, I don't believe him. Even talking about the Boys makes me ill, and I don't want to toss up my egg nog.

4. A signed game-worn CC47 jersey - He can pick the game, the jersey, the ink color, but one framed to add to my wall is a must. I think it is any fan's dream of getting his favorite player's game worn battle gear and getting it inked up. Some of the ones on the CC47 Shop are intense, and just highlight how much effort Chris gives each game. These are a little bit pricey, so hopefully ole man Kringle can come expand the budget (even with the economy) and come through for me. If not, put a couple jersey cards of 47 in those card boxes.

3. The Redskins to win out - Even though things in the second part of the season have not went our way, the players are working their asses off. Seeing the last two games as W's in the column is what I really want to see. And I think every Redskin fan does. It's good to finish strong, just like how we started. And if the Redskins beat the Eagles, my red-headed friend has to dye his hair jet-black. So let's keep that in mind.

2. Season tickets for the 2009 Season - Hey, I can wish can't I? The thing is, even though I enjoy going with my friends and their families or wearing the 47 while watching in my room, the 2009 season would be totally complete with a pair of seats somewhere in the stadium. Yes, I would accept on top of the flagpole. Or maybe I could work something out for a Guru Executive Suite, right next to Mr. Snyder with a big sign alerting to the suite and my signature above it. Back to reality, I expect to make the last home game this season and hopefully numerous next season.

1. A Redskin cheerleader - Speaking of wishing, this makes my number one wish to Santa. If you try and argue with me about this, then make sure you still have a pulse. Yes, all I want for Christmas is a Redskin cheerleader. God bless America. When I am at the home games, I feel like they are all looking at me. For those of you at the games feeling like they are all looking up at the higher level, you are correct in your assumptions. They are looking at section 450.

Needless to say, Santa has his hands full with this list. Hopefully he takes the list one at a time- starting with #3. Let's finish strong!!!

Hail to the Redskins

No Pro Bowl for London

Congrats to the Redskins Pro Bowlers

As everyone already knows, the Pro Bowl teams were announced yesterday. After all of controversy with all the "Vote the Redskins Ticket" promotion only four Redskins will be heading to Honolulu. There was a cluster F of media at Redskins Park today all trying to get their piece of our new pro bowlers. But before things got crazy, I sat down with Chris and asked him a few questions about getting the nod. 

Chris on making his second Pro Bowl appearance: I excited to have been voted into the Pro Bowl again. It's a tough time of the season for the team. It's really been tough the past 6 weeks. However, I feel very fortunate that my peers and the fans felt like I was good enough to be part of this game. It's a little bitter sweet because we're not winning some of these games late in the season. I am however happy with what I've been able to do in our new offense and with Coach Zorn. 

On hanging with Sellers, Portis, and Chris Samuels: I think it will be a blast. We have one more guy going down this year. It was a lot of fun with Chris and Ethan last year and I'm sure it will be a party with Mike and Clinton and Chris. I'm sure we'll have an awesome time there. Even though I'm looking forward to it, we still have some business to take care of here. Hopefully we can win a couple games.

Will Eli and Peyton make a silly brother commercial for the blog? It'll be the Cooley Zone Manning commercial. Hopefully we don't have to pay 'em a million dollars each. 

Do you think Mike Sellers will play Terry Tate in the commercial? Yes. 

I also want to say congrats to Mike Sellers, Clinton Portis, and Chris Samuels for getting voted in as well. 

"It's Pretty Bad"

Well, shit.  It's getting pretty hard to keep coming up with something to say about our team.  It's been fun keeping up with everyone on this site, but it's never been harder than now.  We have to face up to what we've created. No one could have told me we wouldn't string together three wins to finish off the season.   It's been a strange season being part of a team that works as hard as we do and seems to care as much as we do, yet has fallen off the edge.

For more than a month I've been at a loss of words concerning what has happened with the team.  I've been a part of this team for five seasons now and I can truly say I am a Redskin.  I didn't grow up cheering for the Skins, but this team is my life. Please trust me when I say I understand what winning means to our fans.  Please trust that working to win is everything to me and I will continue to do it throughout my career here.  Everyone has to be better.  I have to be better.  

On the blog side of things I went with the superstitious attitude last week to no avail. I know, it seems minuscule, but I took the pictures and this was going to be my great after the game post should we have won, so it's up. I had been going for the big hair look this season and was starting to get some length before I convinced myself for a change.  I thought since we had a chance to start fresh and just win three games, that I would start fresh with a new look.  I tried out the mohawk, but it just wasn't quite clean enough for my liking. Again with no bearing on the game considering clean was the opposite of how someone would describe our play. Superstition is bullshit.  Seriously, I just convinced myself again.  

Player Profile: Jason Fabini

We have learned a lot about Jason Fabini the past few days. 
1. He drives a smart car. 



2. He was in a major motion picture.
3. He likes short shorts.
4. He is an amazing cook.

Even after learning this there are still many things most don't know about the 34 year old Cincinnati grad. 10 years ago Jason started his career playing for the New York Jets. That first year was the closest he would come to the Super Bowl on a Bill Parcels coached team went 12-4 and won the AFC East but eventually lost to the Championship bound Denver Broncos. Over the next 9 years Jason played for 3 teams, 5 head coaches, 11 different quarterbacks, and made the playoffs 5 times. 

He has had quite a career and this weekend he will make his 128th career start. With all that experience I am hoping he can provide the team with some much needed help upfront. Because as cool as being an environmentally proactive, Hollywood extra with a knack for the kitchen is, blocking the hell out of the Bengals is all that matters.