Why the Skins were right to sign Larry Johnson

To start this off, if you;re anti-Johnson because of his comments on twitter (not going to defend them) I’m not going to change your mind, so stop reading.

All week long I’ve listened to the outrage on sports talk radio and read the anger in print about the Redskins signing free agent running back Larry Johnson last weekend. And while the argument that he’s a bad person (the gay slurs used on twitter, being violent towards women, generally a dick) is a valid one, it’s not the only one I’ve heard. Johnson is done! He’s the same running back Portis is! It just amazes me that people – in a football sense – could be so dumb.

I see three main reasons for bringing this guy in…

1 - Cheap and available – The old Spurrier argument when he picked up every Florida Gator that was in the NFL at the time. While all of those guys had proven (repeatedly) that they sucked, LJ isn’t to that point, yet. On the surface his 3 year, 12 million dollar deal looks expensive, but its supposedly pretty backloaded and if he doesn’t produce, Washington should be able to get out of it pretty easily without being hamstrung.

2 – Johnson is no shrinking violet – Because he was arguably the best running back in college and the NFL at one point, he’s got an ego. Probably bigger than it should be, but its there. Unlike Ladell Betts and Rock Cartwright who silently grumbled while they carried the load in practice while Clinton Portis “rested up” for games I can’t see Johnson being a caddy for CP this year. Johnson is going to make sure he plays and if he doesn’t, it will be because Portis had a resurgence unseen before in running backs his age (he turns 29 in September). Betts and Cartwright likely didn’t say anything because they knew it wouldn’t be good for their careers, considering Clinton’s chummy relationship with Daniel Snyder. You get the feeling Johnson’s the type of guy who will just be a general nuisance to Mike Shanahan if he feels like he’s being shortchanged…or he’ll go up to CP, bitch about him not practicing, and then punch him in the face. Either way, I get the feeling Portis will be challenged in camp for the first time in ages.

3 – a Portis/Johnson backfield is a perfect fit – LJ a 230 pound bruiser and CP the one cut, home run threat. But Jeremy, you’ve told anyone who would listen for the last 3 years that Portis is done! True, but I watched this a few weeks ago…

http://www.hulu.com/watch/124239/team-highlights-2005-washington-redskins

In essence I’d forgotten about the 2005 Clinton Portis; the guy who made the runs against the Giants and Eagles late in the season where he had defenders chasing him to the edge, and then kicked it up 2 gears. Don’t forget, CP came into the league at 204 pounds. He’s currently listed at 221. Of course, he added the muscle to avoid getting beat to smithereens after he came to DC and Joe Gibbs decided to run him like John Riggins. I’d like to see if Portis slimmed down and worked on his speed (and practiced regulary) what he could accomplish in the Shanahan offense. He was great in Denver. If he slims down and still can’t run away from anyone, we have our answer folks.

The latest story illustrating why the Skins will never win big again...

From Deadspin.com by Drew Magary http://deadspin.com/5401513/if-dan-snyder-sees-bugs-you-better-well-see-them-too

I heard this story on LaVar Arrington's 106.7 FM radio show here in DC last week. A fan called in to tell Arrington and co-host Chad Dukes about an exterminator he knew. The exterminator was called to Snyder's house to spray for pests. When the exterminator arrived, the housekeeper instructed him where to go spray. But the exterminator found no signs of pests in the space. He came down to tell the housekeeper there was no need to spray, and he didn't want to take Snyder's money for a service the Redskins owner didn't need performed (clearly, this man was honest to a fault).

The housekeeper insisted the exterminator spray the area anyway, telling the man that Snyder hated to be told he was wrong, and that it would be better for everyone if he simply sprayed the area, took his money, and went about his business. But, he explained, there's nothing there. There's no need to spray. She insisted. Apparently, you REALLY do not want to tell Dan Snyder there are no pests in his house if he believes otherwise. So the man sprayed the area for no reason, took Snyder's money, and left.

And now you know why the Redskins are considering signing Larry Johnson.

God help us here in DC.