Selection Sunday is one of the most anticipated events of the college basketball season. It's the time when hearts are broken, while other teams are elated over their seed. The ACC was well represented on Sunday, with six teams making the "Big Dance". Check out below how each team fared and what team they will be playing in the First Round.
Duke
Seed: No. 1 in South Region
First round match-up: Play-in winners
Analysis: Duke caught a huge break from the Selection Committee being placed in the South Region. While a potential second round game against Louisville could prove tough, the South is weak the rest of the way. No. 2 seed Villanova badly limped into the NCAA Tournament, losing five out of their last seven games, three seed Baylor is inconsistent, and No. 4 seed Purdue is a shell of its former self without star Robbie Hummel. While certainly not a guarantee that Duke will advance to Indianapolis, there will likely be a lot of upset Dukies if they don’t capitalize on by far the easiest road to the Final Four.
Maryland
Seed: No. 4 in Midwest Region
First round match-up: Houston
Analysis: The Terrapins caught a break playing surprise C-USA champion Houston in the first round, but didn’t get much after that. Although well coached with Tom Penders at the helm, Houston has 15 losses, including UT-San Antonio and Southern Methodist. If the Terps advance past Houston, Michigan State is the likely opponent in what could be a fantastic game. Michigan State is banged up but you can never count out a Tom Izzo team, especially with studs like Kalin Lucas on the roster. Should Maryland advance to the Sweet 16 they will likely face their buzz saw in #1 overall seed Kansas. Maryland matches up horribly with the Jayhawks and would have a lot of difficulty taking them down in St. Louis.
Clemson
Seed: No. 7 in East Region
First round match-up: Missouri
Analysis: An overall pretty fair seeding for the Tigers. Clemson is a good but not great team that has strong inside play with Trevor Booker and Jerai Grant. If those two can control the paint and guard Demontez Stitt can have some success from outside, the Tigers should be able to advance. Missouri has an early season win over Kansas State, but limps into the NCAA Tournament after a loss against Nebraska. If Clemson survives, they face a Bob Huggins coached West Virginia team, in which could get ugly.
Wake Forest
Seed: No. 9 in East Region
First round match-up: Texas
Analysis: Not an easy first round game at all for Wake Forest. There was discussion that Virginia Tech and Wake Forest were battling for the last bid from the ACC, so Wake Forest is clearly happy to be in the Big Dance, but a first round game against Texas won’t be easy. Texas at one time was ranked #1 in the country but had a mid-season plummet all the way out of the rankings. Texas possesses a lot of talent but is very young and has caused lots of headaches for coach Rick Barnes. If Texas plays to its capabilities Wake Forest might not have much of a shot, but it’s hard to even think of the last time the Longhorns played well.
Florida State
Seed: 9 in West Region
First round match-up: Gonzaga
Analysis: After a quarterfinals loss in the ACC Tournament to North Carolina State, Florida State got a tough first round draw in Gonzaga. Although ranked 18th in the last AP poll, the Zags dropped all the way to an eight seed after getting blown out by St. Mary’s in the West Coast Conference championship. If they can survive America’s favorite Cinderella, Florida State gets the pleasure of playing Syracuse. Florida State-Syracuse could be a VERY interesting game, especially if Arinze Onuaku is still banged up.
Georgia Tech
Seed: 10 in Midwest Region
First round match-up: Oklahoma State
Analysis: Georgia Tech’s surprise run to the ACC conference championship game pushed them from squarely on the bubble to a No. 10 seed. Their first round game should be a very interested one against Oklahoma State and its dynamic leader James Anderson. After Oklahoma State, the Yellow Jackets would face an Evan Turner led Ohio State team. Both potential match-ups will be very interesting to see how Iman Shumpert handles the star guard and how imposing Derrick Favors and Gani Lawal can be on the inside.
Biggest ACC snub:
Virginia Tech
Hokies coach Seth Greenberg has to be steaming after his team got left out of the NCAA Tournament despite going 10-6 in the ACC. The reason why they were left out appears to be because of their OOC SOS (344). But it sets a bad precedent for an ACC team to be left out after going 10-6, especially because they beat teams like Georgia Tech and Wake Forest. It’s hard to think that teams like Utah State and Florida are more deserving than Virginia Tech to get in, but Virginia Tech can’t complain much after scheduling all creampuffs early in the season and a quarterfinals loss to Miami in the ACC Tournament.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
Receivers? Check.
So it's safe to say the Ravens truly have some depth at the wide receiver position now. They signed veterans Donte Stallworth and Anquan Boldin, and a few days ago they re-signed Derrick Mason. Mason was an unrestricted free agent and signed a two year, $8 million deal (earning $3.5 million the first year) to remain in Baltimore. He rounds out the experienced receiving corps, but now holds the advantage of being the only one of these veterans on the team to have experience with young QB Joe Flacco.
Head Coach John Harbaugh expressed his excitement at the news of getting Mason back for two more years. 'This is outstanding, just great news for the Ravens," he said. "Our coaches are happy. Derrick's teammates are happy and you know Joe is smiling...We would have lost something special if Derrick had gone to another team."
This will be Mason's 14th season in the NFL (eight with the Tennessee Titans before becoming a Raven in 2005). Last season, he had 73 receptions for 1,028 yards and seven touchdowns. He also holds the Ravens' record for receiving yards with 4,975 and is second in receptions with 410 and receiving touchdowns with 22.
With the draft right around the corner, now the Ravens can focus on another major priority: finding a good corner.
Sixteen Deep: Three Rounds Later
So the first three rounds of the Big East Tournament are in the books and the final four is set. And let me just say, my predictions were absolutely terrible. Now, I know I make a lot of predictions based on personal bias and nonsense things like hating Jay Wright for blowing Rutgers out like seven years ago but still, I thought I had a decent chance of doing alright. Anyway, I admit it, I was awful.
On to the first three rounds. I was initially going to cover each round each day but the first day was fairly boring (and I was so mad Rutgers fouled that guy with two seconds left) so I couldn't really muster enough strength to do it. Of course, Round 3 turned out to be crazy exciting with a bunch of upsets and a buzzer beater to cap it off. Now on to the games.
ROUND 1:
#9 USF 58 vs #16 DePaul 49
I don't think these teams really woke up until the second half. Or at least DePaul didn't. 15 points at halftime isn't good defense, it's bad offense. Surprised it was this close.
#13 St. John's 73 vs #12 Connecticut 51
UConn just did not show up for this game. I really thought they had it in them to make a run but wow, they just showed no emotion at all. I'm glad they lost, they really didn't deserve it. Only upset of this round and it wasn't that big.
#10 Seton Hall 109 vs #15 Providence 106
This is the third game in a row that made the Big East look terrible. 215 combined points in a non-overtime game is Big 12 basketball, not BE.
#11 Cincinnati 69 vs #14 Rutgers 68
Actually the best game of the day. Couldn't believe Rosario nailed that three and I was crushed when they fouled Lance. This could've been the year. Rutgers played really hard though and I was happy to see they put up a good fight against a pretty solid Bearcat squad.
ROUND 2:
#8 Georgetown 69 vs #9 USF 49
USF was just over-matched in this one. They made some nice strides this year so I hope they continue to improve but they got out-coached and out-played in every area. They shot 29 percent from the field so, yeah. But nice run.
#5 Marquette 57 vs #13 St. John's 55
A pretty good game but St. John's made it closer than it really was in the end. Marquette looked scary good shooting better than 50 percent from the field. Something about Buzz Williams is just really likable. Good game though.
#7 Notre Dame 68 vs #10 Seton Hall 56
Hate Seton Hall so was glad to see them lose. Full disclosure there. Harangody looked to be back to his old self with his 20 and 10. They look really good, too. Obviously foreshadowing of what was to come.
#11 Cincinnati 69 vs #6 Louisville 66
I watched this game start to finish. Really exciting. In fact, almost all of these games were pretty good. The tournament kept getting better. This was the only upset of the round but in reality, this isn't that big an upset. I like Cincinnati when Lance is hitting shots and playing unselfishly. Or at least, not as selfishly as he normally plays.
ROUND 3:
(Obviously, this was the most exciting round yet. Three of the four teams with double-byes lost and Cincinnati would have had a chance to put WVU away had they not committed that awful turnover. The semifinals are sure to be pretty fun.)
#8 Georgetown 91 vs #1 Syracuse 84
I saw Georgetown lose to Rutgers in a pretty close game at the RAC and this was definitely not the same team. They looked poised the entire game and played so smart. They attacked the 2-3 zone like no other team I've seen all year. They really found lanes I didn't think anyone could find in that long zone. John Thompson III really out-coached Boeheim and that's saying a lot. I thought Syracuse looked rushed and panicky most of the game. They missed shots and didn't get offensive boards. If Onuaku is out for the NCAA Tournament, I wouldn't be too confident picking them to go beyond the Sweet Sixteen. I have to say, they kind of got a raw deal with the way this worked. Georgetown was definitely the best team in this round and they played the number 1 seed. They're 22nd in the nation. No idea what they'll do in the tournament. Depends which team shows up.
#5 Marquette 80 vs #4 Villanova 76
This game was an upset but a mild one. I thought Marquette played really great basketball and Villanova just couldn't gain enough momentum to really take control. Scottie Reynolds has just been awful lately and while his numbers aren't that terrible, he needs to be doing more. Marquette answered back every time Nova hit a big shot and that was the difference.
#7 Notre Dame 50 vs #2 Pittsburgh 45
Mike Brey's slowdown offense thing is really working wonders. Maybe those Notre Dame kids really are pretty smart. They handled Pitt well and effectively used their gameplan and were never deterred. They're going to be a scary team to face in the tournament if they keep hitting their shots and you have to focus attention on Harangody.
#3 West Virginia 54 vs #11 Cincinnati 51
I knew that buzzer beater was coming. As soon as Dixon turned over the ball, I knew it was coming. Because college basketball is so unforgiving and cruel. Jay Bilas must have said it 100 times but jeez, why didn't they cover the inbounder on that play? Sure Cincinnati played great defense on that shot and it was a lucky bank but just don't let them get the ball to Butler. He hits game winners all the time. Just let it go in to some guy behind half-court or something. Also, WVU didn't have any timeouts so while unlikely, pressure on the ball could have forced an awful pass or even a 5-second call. I understand what they were doing but it's not like they double-teamed Butler or Ebanks anyway. They had a free safety out there roaming around. Seemed pretty stupid. Fun game to watch though.
So the final four are set and it should be a really fun ending. If WVU wins they could be a number 1 seed. All four teams are in but this could really jump their seeding. No big upsets have really happened in other conference tournaments and definitely not this many. I really think the Big East is a tough, tough conference and is really deep this year. I will almost guarantee five teams in the Sweet Sixteen. But we'll leave that for another post.
On to the first three rounds. I was initially going to cover each round each day but the first day was fairly boring (and I was so mad Rutgers fouled that guy with two seconds left) so I couldn't really muster enough strength to do it. Of course, Round 3 turned out to be crazy exciting with a bunch of upsets and a buzzer beater to cap it off. Now on to the games.
ROUND 1:
#9 USF 58 vs #16 DePaul 49
I don't think these teams really woke up until the second half. Or at least DePaul didn't. 15 points at halftime isn't good defense, it's bad offense. Surprised it was this close.
#13 St. John's 73 vs #12 Connecticut 51
UConn just did not show up for this game. I really thought they had it in them to make a run but wow, they just showed no emotion at all. I'm glad they lost, they really didn't deserve it. Only upset of this round and it wasn't that big.
#10 Seton Hall 109 vs #15 Providence 106
This is the third game in a row that made the Big East look terrible. 215 combined points in a non-overtime game is Big 12 basketball, not BE.
#11 Cincinnati 69 vs #14 Rutgers 68
Actually the best game of the day. Couldn't believe Rosario nailed that three and I was crushed when they fouled Lance. This could've been the year. Rutgers played really hard though and I was happy to see they put up a good fight against a pretty solid Bearcat squad.
ROUND 2:
#8 Georgetown 69 vs #9 USF 49
USF was just over-matched in this one. They made some nice strides this year so I hope they continue to improve but they got out-coached and out-played in every area. They shot 29 percent from the field so, yeah. But nice run.
#5 Marquette 57 vs #13 St. John's 55
A pretty good game but St. John's made it closer than it really was in the end. Marquette looked scary good shooting better than 50 percent from the field. Something about Buzz Williams is just really likable. Good game though.
#7 Notre Dame 68 vs #10 Seton Hall 56
Hate Seton Hall so was glad to see them lose. Full disclosure there. Harangody looked to be back to his old self with his 20 and 10. They look really good, too. Obviously foreshadowing of what was to come.
#11 Cincinnati 69 vs #6 Louisville 66
I watched this game start to finish. Really exciting. In fact, almost all of these games were pretty good. The tournament kept getting better. This was the only upset of the round but in reality, this isn't that big an upset. I like Cincinnati when Lance is hitting shots and playing unselfishly. Or at least, not as selfishly as he normally plays.
ROUND 3:
(Obviously, this was the most exciting round yet. Three of the four teams with double-byes lost and Cincinnati would have had a chance to put WVU away had they not committed that awful turnover. The semifinals are sure to be pretty fun.)
#8 Georgetown 91 vs #1 Syracuse 84
I saw Georgetown lose to Rutgers in a pretty close game at the RAC and this was definitely not the same team. They looked poised the entire game and played so smart. They attacked the 2-3 zone like no other team I've seen all year. They really found lanes I didn't think anyone could find in that long zone. John Thompson III really out-coached Boeheim and that's saying a lot. I thought Syracuse looked rushed and panicky most of the game. They missed shots and didn't get offensive boards. If Onuaku is out for the NCAA Tournament, I wouldn't be too confident picking them to go beyond the Sweet Sixteen. I have to say, they kind of got a raw deal with the way this worked. Georgetown was definitely the best team in this round and they played the number 1 seed. They're 22nd in the nation. No idea what they'll do in the tournament. Depends which team shows up.
#5 Marquette 80 vs #4 Villanova 76
This game was an upset but a mild one. I thought Marquette played really great basketball and Villanova just couldn't gain enough momentum to really take control. Scottie Reynolds has just been awful lately and while his numbers aren't that terrible, he needs to be doing more. Marquette answered back every time Nova hit a big shot and that was the difference.
#7 Notre Dame 50 vs #2 Pittsburgh 45
Mike Brey's slowdown offense thing is really working wonders. Maybe those Notre Dame kids really are pretty smart. They handled Pitt well and effectively used their gameplan and were never deterred. They're going to be a scary team to face in the tournament if they keep hitting their shots and you have to focus attention on Harangody.
#3 West Virginia 54 vs #11 Cincinnati 51
I knew that buzzer beater was coming. As soon as Dixon turned over the ball, I knew it was coming. Because college basketball is so unforgiving and cruel. Jay Bilas must have said it 100 times but jeez, why didn't they cover the inbounder on that play? Sure Cincinnati played great defense on that shot and it was a lucky bank but just don't let them get the ball to Butler. He hits game winners all the time. Just let it go in to some guy behind half-court or something. Also, WVU didn't have any timeouts so while unlikely, pressure on the ball could have forced an awful pass or even a 5-second call. I understand what they were doing but it's not like they double-teamed Butler or Ebanks anyway. They had a free safety out there roaming around. Seemed pretty stupid. Fun game to watch though.
So the final four are set and it should be a really fun ending. If WVU wins they could be a number 1 seed. All four teams are in but this could really jump their seeding. No big upsets have really happened in other conference tournaments and definitely not this many. I really think the Big East is a tough, tough conference and is really deep this year. I will almost guarantee five teams in the Sweet Sixteen. But we'll leave that for another post.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
NFL Draft Profile: Ndamukong Suh
Ndamukong Suh is a rarity, as he is a defensive tackle who is expected to go as high as first overall in the NFL draft. Why is Ndamukong Suh ranked so high? How did a defensive tackle gain such critical acclaim among draft experts?
Firstly, Suh is an impressive physical specimen. Despite being 6-4 and weighing 305 lbs, Suh is very fast and agile for a player his size. In his senior season, Suh recorded a career-high 85 tackles, 52 of which were solo tackles. Even more impressive, 24 of his tackles were for a loss of yards. But perhaps his biggest asset is his ability to get to the quarterback. Suh recorded 12 sacks last season, a great number for any player, but especially a defensive tackle.
As mentioned before, some of the attributes that make Suh so special is his mobility and agility. He deflected 10 passes his senior season and made his presence known on many more. He also recorded 28 hurries in 2009. It was plays like those that are the reason Suh was named AP Player of the Year in 2009. As a defensive tackle, Suh was named a finalist for the Heisman Trophy.
But there is one thing teams should be concerned with about Suh. He missed almost all of the 2005 season with a knee injury, which required surgery. While it appears as though his knee is fully recovered, Gerald McCoy might be a safer pick.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
MLS takes a step forward in labor talks
Major League Soccer is now one step closer to avoiding the same fate that befell the NHL years ago and that the NFL may face in one year's time.
In the wake of stalled talks between the league's owners and players' union, the two sides have agreed to federal mediation when talks resume this week in Washington.
Although the decisions of mediator George H. Cohen are not binding at this point -- this is mediation, not arbitration, after all -- any sign of progress is a good thing.
The hope is that Cohen's recommendations will consider enough of the union's demands, which include more guaranteed contract options and more flexible contracts, so that the possibility of a work stoppage will vanish.
Of course, if the union is unsatisfied with the progress of the talks, players could walk away from the bargaining table with their minds instead set on when a strike would be most effective. That point could be as soon as the regular season's start in a matter of weeks, or it could be near the end of the season.
As the NHL aptly demonstrated with its own lockout during the 2004-05 season, any work stoppage this season could be potentially life-threatening to MLS. The burgeoning league has grown from 10 teams in 1996 to 16 in 2010, and a season-less year would obviously squander any momentum offered by the forthcoming coverage of the World Cup.
Keep checking in for more!
In the wake of stalled talks between the league's owners and players' union, the two sides have agreed to federal mediation when talks resume this week in Washington.
Although the decisions of mediator George H. Cohen are not binding at this point -- this is mediation, not arbitration, after all -- any sign of progress is a good thing.
The hope is that Cohen's recommendations will consider enough of the union's demands, which include more guaranteed contract options and more flexible contracts, so that the possibility of a work stoppage will vanish.
Of course, if the union is unsatisfied with the progress of the talks, players could walk away from the bargaining table with their minds instead set on when a strike would be most effective. That point could be as soon as the regular season's start in a matter of weeks, or it could be near the end of the season.
As the NHL aptly demonstrated with its own lockout during the 2004-05 season, any work stoppage this season could be potentially life-threatening to MLS. The burgeoning league has grown from 10 teams in 1996 to 16 in 2010, and a season-less year would obviously squander any momentum offered by the forthcoming coverage of the World Cup.
Keep checking in for more!
Monday, March 8, 2010
Is the ACC really in a down year?
Basketball analysts throughout this season have loudly proclaimed that the ACC is in a down year.
Some have mentioned that there is no real dominant team, while others might make mention of the fact the ACC lost the ACC/Big 10 challenge.
But by far one of the biggest reasons is because North Carolina is in a down year. Outside of the truly knowledgeable basketball writers and analysts, when a basketball journalist thinks of the ACC they think of Duke and North Carolina.
By that transitive property if North Carolina is having a bad year than all of the ACC must be having a bad year.
Unfortunately that notion would be false.
Is the ACC the best basketball conference in the country? No, the Big East with Syracuse, Villanova, and West Virginia earns that title.
But the ACC is a close second, in part because every single team is competitive.
Even the teams at the bottom of the ACC (Virginia, North Carolina, North Carolina State, and Miami) have some serious talent and some good out of conference wins.
North Carolina boasts early season victories over Ohio State and Michigan State, two teams destined for the NCAA Tournament, while even last place Miami has a few solid wins over South Carolina and Minnesota.
The conference also boasts two legitimate Final Four contenders. And before you laugh, yes both Duke and Maryland have legitimate shots to head to Indianapolis.
Duke, currently ranked fourth in the country, has the talent and coaching to make a deep run in the tournament. Led by two first team All-ACC players in Jon Scheyer and Kyle Singler, the Blue Devils have the size, 3-point shooting, and strong guard play to match-up with just about anyone in the country.
Maryland might be a bit more of an unconventional choice to go to the Final Four but I’d argue there isn’t a hotter team in the country right now than the Terrapins. Gary Williams’ boys have won seven straight ACC games to earn themselves a share of the ACC regular season championship. Although a bit underrated at #19 in the country, there is not a more entertaining player in the country than senior guard Greivis Vasquez.
Vasquez has shown his ability to take over the game at will, which is huge in a close NCAA Tournament game against an unfamiliar foe. Vasquez plus strong play from freshman Jordan Williams have made this team one of the toughest teams to beat in the country.
A lot of both Duke and Maryland’s potential success will be because or in spite of the seeds that they get. A three seed for Maryland in a good region could lend itself nicely to a long run, while a five seed against an underrated high major could prove disastrous.
Those two along with Wake Forest, Clemson, and Florida State all have a chance to make some noise in March. Both Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech, assuming they get in, could also upset a team or two if they start playing the way they were in the beginning of the season.
Some might continue to say the ACC is down, but the talent and good coaching is all still there. I feel bad for any high seeded team that gets stuck with a Derrick Favors led Georgia Tech or a Malcolm Delaney led Virginia Tech. The results won’t be pretty.
Some have mentioned that there is no real dominant team, while others might make mention of the fact the ACC lost the ACC/Big 10 challenge.
But by far one of the biggest reasons is because North Carolina is in a down year. Outside of the truly knowledgeable basketball writers and analysts, when a basketball journalist thinks of the ACC they think of Duke and North Carolina.
By that transitive property if North Carolina is having a bad year than all of the ACC must be having a bad year.
Unfortunately that notion would be false.
Is the ACC the best basketball conference in the country? No, the Big East with Syracuse, Villanova, and West Virginia earns that title.
But the ACC is a close second, in part because every single team is competitive.
Even the teams at the bottom of the ACC (Virginia, North Carolina, North Carolina State, and Miami) have some serious talent and some good out of conference wins.
North Carolina boasts early season victories over Ohio State and Michigan State, two teams destined for the NCAA Tournament, while even last place Miami has a few solid wins over South Carolina and Minnesota.
The conference also boasts two legitimate Final Four contenders. And before you laugh, yes both Duke and Maryland have legitimate shots to head to Indianapolis.
Duke, currently ranked fourth in the country, has the talent and coaching to make a deep run in the tournament. Led by two first team All-ACC players in Jon Scheyer and Kyle Singler, the Blue Devils have the size, 3-point shooting, and strong guard play to match-up with just about anyone in the country.
Maryland might be a bit more of an unconventional choice to go to the Final Four but I’d argue there isn’t a hotter team in the country right now than the Terrapins. Gary Williams’ boys have won seven straight ACC games to earn themselves a share of the ACC regular season championship. Although a bit underrated at #19 in the country, there is not a more entertaining player in the country than senior guard Greivis Vasquez.
Vasquez has shown his ability to take over the game at will, which is huge in a close NCAA Tournament game against an unfamiliar foe. Vasquez plus strong play from freshman Jordan Williams have made this team one of the toughest teams to beat in the country.
A lot of both Duke and Maryland’s potential success will be because or in spite of the seeds that they get. A three seed for Maryland in a good region could lend itself nicely to a long run, while a five seed against an underrated high major could prove disastrous.
Those two along with Wake Forest, Clemson, and Florida State all have a chance to make some noise in March. Both Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech, assuming they get in, could also upset a team or two if they start playing the way they were in the beginning of the season.
Some might continue to say the ACC is down, but the talent and good coaching is all still there. I feel bad for any high seeded team that gets stuck with a Derrick Favors led Georgia Tech or a Malcolm Delaney led Virginia Tech. The results won’t be pretty.
The Depressing Highlights of the Offseason Champs Era
This comes to me from www.MisterIrrelevant.com. They also produce the t-shirts that are my profile picture; big ups to them as guys who really give DC sports its due in so many ways.
This list includes arguably the worst free agent pick-up in history (Archuleta), a guy who has retired and unretired almost as many times as Brett Favre (Trotter) and a coach whose biggest contributions to the Redskins were Sean Taylor/Chris Cooley and the Visor as a fashion statement:
http://product.images.fansedge.com/33-30/33-30357-F.jpg
The top (bottom?) 10 “Offseason Champs” of the Snyder era:
1. Deion Sanders — Got a seven-year, $56 million deal at the age of 32, and locks up the top spot by a) coming from Dallas, b) being part of the awful free agent class of 2000 and c) only playing one year in Washington.
2. Adam Archuleta — Also played just one year for Washington after they made him the richest safety ever with a six-year, $30 million deal.
3. Steve Spurrier — Not a player, sure, but got five years and $25 million to sink the Skins for two seasons.
4. Jeff George — The Redskins won the NFC East and Brad Johnson threw for 4,000 yards, but Snyder brought in George for four years, $18.25 million anyway. That worked out well.
5. Brandon Lloyd — After trading a third and fourth-rounder to get him, Washington gave him a new deal for six years and $27 million ($10 million guaranteed). Though his value was questionable to begin with, he tanked in D.C., catching just 25 passes for no touchdowns.
6. Jeremiah Trotter — Made the Pro Bowl four times in five years with Philly before coming to Washington for seven years, $36 million and shitting the bed before going back to Philly.
7. Mark Brunell — Cost the Skins a third-rounder plus a seven-year, $43 million deal. Gave them one good season and a bible buddy for Joe Gibbs.
8. Antwaan Randle El – ARE was much the same guy in Washington that he was in Pittsburgh, so it’s not his fault he got seven years, $31 million.
9. Albert Haynesworth – The jury’s still out, but giving seven years, $100 million ($41 million guaranteed) deal to a questionable character may come back to bite them (see also: DeAngelo Hall).
10. Jason Taylor – Came to Washington for a second and a sixth, then had the worst season of his career before going back to Miami.
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