My Schizophrenia

I haven’t blogged in awhile. Most likely because there hasn’t been much to blog about lately since the ship started sinking. Sure, I could have written a piece a few weeks ago on why Mark Brunell needed to be replaced, since we hadn’t really addressed that question on the boards (where IS that sarcasm button when you need it?!?), but I decided against it. I could have written on what the heck has happened to the defense, or why we signed Adam Archuletta to keep Greg Williams company on the sidelines (we could have bought him a dog or a hamster and it would have been cheaper). In fact, there are a whole host of topics that I could have blabbered on about (and make no mistake, my blogs are all about self-serving blabbering…and stuff in parentheses). But when it comes down to it, I just couldn’t bring myself to write anything negative. The bottom line is that, as much as I like to sulk and moan and look mean, I’m an optimist. I’m reluctant to admit it, since it’s very not cool to be one. When I was a kid, the other kids would point and laugh and shout ‘Hey, look, there goes the optimist!’, and then they’d throw slightly rotten fruit at me (I grew up in a rather affluent neighborhood – rotten fruit was hard to come by). So I bypassed the negative stuff, and held out for when I could deliver a more positive message. After this week, I think we’re there. Jason Campbell has showed promise, and the defense looked hungry at home against the Panthers. Things are looking better – not great, but better. However, there is a danger. I see a ‘We can still make the playoffs!’ thread on the boards and I cringe. The poster lays out a seductive, complex scenario where the Redskins back into the playoffs. And once they’re there, they will of course run the table. It’s all so believable, so….delicious, I just want to succumb to it. My wide-eyed goofy optimist side exclaims ‘Hey….playoffs…yeah! It could happen! Woo hoo! We’re going to the playoffs!’ My realistic side just shakes his head. He knows that all we should really be looking for at this point is some solid development from Jason Campbell, a string of decent games from the defense, and a sign – ANY sign – of team character between now and when the season comes to a close. Dreams of playoffs and sugar plums will have to wait until next year. He begins thinking about the offseason, who the Redskins should look at drafting, which free agents they will inevitably target, what changes might happen with the coaching staff. But the realistic side can’t concentrate on all these realistic things, because there’s this loud noise coming from the other side of my brain. It’s the optimist screaming at the top of his lungs, shirt off, chest painted, beer hat on, clearly insane. So, I guess I’ll have to wait on all the realistic offseason planning until the Redskins are mathematically eliminated from the playoff picture, and the optimist in me is lying face down in the gutter, hungover and exhausted. Until then, however, I guess I’m doomed to believe until the bitter end. Call me a homer or a bandwagoner or an idiot. I can’t help it. Playoffs, here we come. Go…