Shut Up Iris

Yes, I am a Washington Redskins fan. Raised in Chicagoland during the Bears sucky years before and after the 1985 Superbowl season, it was Washington that often played on TV when the Bears were blacked out, and then in three terrific Superbowls. Players like Doug Williams, John 'Diesel' Riggins (you loveable drunk you) Art Monk, Earnest Bynar, Russ Grimm (and all the Hogs!) and of course the Chief himself, Joe Gibbs. Not only is the name 'Redskins' hilariously racist, the 'Skins have a proud tradition of winning, and playing hard and gritty football. While many Washington fans are always down on Clinton Portis, mainly for his injuries, I believe that he deserves respect and has many qualities that I personally admire.



First Clinton Portis is dedicated. In an age where many high paid players refuse certain roles, show up late for practice, camp, refinishing Coach Shananigan's deck, Clinton Portis is a team player. He is a throwback to when running backs didn't just carry the ball, they blocked and worked out of the back field as a receiver and he doesn't complain about any of those things. Better yet, he excels at all of them. He can run up the middle or slash out towards the sidelines. He can catch and run behind a screen or go deep or run a crossing route. He also gladly sacrifices his increasingly brittle body to block for the increasing number of pointless Redskins quarterbacks. There are so many teams that require a personnel change depending on what play they call and what role the running back needs to play. How many high paid running backs do we see that won't or simply can't block? How many teams are hampered by the fact that opposing defenses know that a running play isn't coming because they've just subbed in the 'receiving' running back. It's increasingly rare for a running back to do everything that is asked of him, and even rarer yet to have one that is good at all of it.



Second, Clinton Portis is fun. Off the field Portis's antics are fun, and he has fun. He's not out raping college chicks in bathroom stalls, or dog fighting, or endlessly riding around on a lawn mower, he does what we all would do were we rich. He goes out, dresses up and has a blast. It's always interesting to see a player in the NFL that finds ways to liven things up without getting arrested for drunk driving or hit and run. Sure his 'fun' side is laced heavily with 'crazy' but it's not the 'go with your friends on a drive by' type of crazy, it's the 'put on the funny teeth and act like a fool ' crazy. He doesn't always pull it off, but at least he tries.



Good old Clinton Portis, he's as cool as he is dedicated. What do I mean by cool? Have you ever seen or heard Clinton fly off the handle at a reporter? Never has he shouted or berated anyone at a press conference, no matter how inane the questions are. Like Doug Williams (remember the 'how long have you been a black quarterback' incident?) Clinton can't lose his cool. Even on the field, he runs angry, but he's all cool as soon as the whistle blows. Some people say he's too detached. Although if you're saying that you're probably some cracker-ass honky that just don't know what cool is. Clinton has cool, baby.



Finally the man has PRIDE. Shocking I know. He is one of the few players on the 'Skins that takes every set back personally and redoubles his efforts to lift his team. The three seasons that Clinton has been injured and out, it's been entirely because he came back too early to try and play. This season is a prime example. After missing three games with what should have been a season ending 'groin separation' he came back. Why? Pride. The 'Skins needed a running back and Clinton would be damned if serious pain would hold him back. So he came back, ran brilliantly, plastered a couple of defensive backs that tried to sack McNabb, and you guessed it, injured himself again and even worse. So for you Redskin 'fans' that say 'He's too injury prone' let's remember he is one of the few Redskins that will put his body on the line so that YOUR team can have a fighting chance.

So, in closing, here is to you Clinton Portis. You've been patient with douchebag fans, idiot coaches and a team owner with more money than sense and you've played damn good football with tenacity, pride and good sprinkling of crazy, balls, and of course pride. I for one, will miss you when you do retire. I also hope that retirement isn't soon. We need you, look at Ladian Tomlinson: take your time, get better and get back to us when your groincological region isn't separated.

Oh and Kyle Shanahan can't Offensive Coordinate his way out of a wet paper bag, if it wasn't for his dad being a head coach, he wouldn't have a job