Tag: Joe Bugel

‘Commanders are one of 14 NFL teams to not….’

It’s been a while.

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Warren Sharp took a moment Sunday evening to educate his readers that 14 NFL teams have not won a playoff game in the last five seasons.

I immediately thought, “Five years? Why stop there, Warren?”

Well, technically Sharp didn’t. He did actually say “5+ years.”

Commanders fans were already quite aware of this discouraging and frustrating NFL reality. You see, we are all too aware that this NFL franchise has not won a playoff game in well over five years.

Hey Warren, try 18 NFL seasons without a team playoff win!

That’s right, Washington NFL fans have not enjoyed a playoff win since Joe Gibbs 2.0 came out of NFL retirement because he loved the franchise so much he wanted to bring it back some respect.

Gregg Williams was the defensive coordinator, Don Breaux was the offensive coordinator, and Joe Bugel was the offensive line coach.

Quarterback Patrick Ramsey started the season opener, and Mark Brunell the other 15 games. Clinton Portis gained 1,516 yards rushing, including 11 touchdowns.

Santana Moss gained 1,483 receiving yards on 84 receptions (17.7 yards per reception) and 9 receiving touchdowns. Chris Cooley generated 774 receiving yards on 71 receptions and 7 touchdowns.

Ladell Betts returned a kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown. Antonio Brown returned one 91 yards for a touchdown. No, not that “Antonio Brown.”

John Hall and Nick Novak connected on 17 of 21 field goals and all 42 extra-point attempts.

Remember linebacker Lemar Marshall?

He led the team in tackles (101) and interceptions (4). Defensive end Phillip Daniels led with 8.0 quarterback sacks. He and linebacker Marcus Washington each led with 11 tackles for a loss.

What a year that secondary had, getting their hands on balls. Safety Sean Taylor led with 12 passes defended, and corners Walt Harris and Shawn Springs collected 11 and 10, respectively.

In fact, the defense was most responsible for the last playoff win in franchise history those 18 seasons ago, when Washington went down to Tampa and beat the Bucs 17-10.

Brunell was injured and unable to pass effectively, but Coach Joe was not putting Ramsey out there against the Bucs defense. The Washington offense totaled only 120 yards. But they won the turnover battle 3-1, including a Sean Taylor 51-yard fumble recovery touchdown run.

And so it was 18 NFL seasons ago when the Washington NFL team was the “Redskins,” and they last won a playoff game.

 

You can follow Ivan Lambert on Twitter @IvanLambert18 and Commanders Wire @Washington_Wire

Washington football’s great history with ‘The Hogs’

A historical perspective on “The Hogs.”

Just when you think it is just about all over, the negative news regarding the Washington football franchise and Daniel Snyder continues.

Washington football’s great history with “The Hogs”

Apparently, the “Hogs” themselves have threatened Daniel Snyder with a lawsuit. Who were the “Hogs?” How did the “Hogs” launch?

Joe Bugel who named his offensive lineman the “Hogs” had come to Washington in 1981 as part of Joe Gibbs’ original coaching staff for the Redskins. Washington drafted Mark May (1st round) and Russ Grimm (3rd round), and grabbed Joe Jacoby an undrafted lineman out of Louisville. They were in the lineup early in that first season as the team struggled to an 0-5 start; however, progressed wonderfully to finish 8-8.

From there the foundation was laid; Washington would win the NFC East the next three seasons, and it would win the NFC four times and three Super Bowls over Joe Gibbs’ first reign as head coach (1981-92).

Joe Gibbs led Washington to three Super Bowl victories, each time with a different quarterback and featured running back. Yet, the constant was Gibbs himself and several original “Hogs:” Russ Grimm, Joe Jacoby, Jeff Bostic and Don Warren (tight end). Tight end Rick “Doc” Walker, guard Fred Dean, guard Mark May and tackle George Starke were the other original members in 1982.

John Riggins’ rugged style led to him being an honorary “Hog” and over the years as linemen and tight ends retired, new members were brought into the “Hogs” family.

Starke, the eldest of the original “Hogs”, retired following the 1984 season while Dean had been the first to depart, his last game as a “Hog” being Super Bowl XVII. May was moved from guard to Starke’s right tackle position, and Washington obtained guard R.C Thielmann.

1985 was Walker’s and Riggins’s last NFL season. And when Russ Grimm went down in the 1987 season, Raleigh McKenzie was ready to step right in at left guard as the team won the NFC and Super Bowl XXII over Denver 42-10.

Without question, the best of the Hogs, who was not an original member was tackle Jim Lachey. Lachey would come in 1988 in the trade of Jay Schroeder to the Raiders. He originally played right tackle, moving May back to right guard. Later, Lachey was moved to left tackle, with Jacoby switching to right tackle.

May’s last season in Washington was the ’89 season; McKenzie’s versatility meant he played right guard, and Ed Simmons started 11 1990 games when Joe Jacoby was injured.

The best performance by the unit occurred in the 1991 season when Washington was 14-2, then won each of their playoff games by multiple scores and SB XXVI 37-24 over Buffalo after leading 37-10 and celebrating on the sidelines.

That ’91 team had added Mark Schlereth at right guard, and the flexible McKenzie was most often at left guard when Grimm suffered injuries. Yet the Hogs led Washington to be the highest-scoring team in the NFL; Mark Rypien passed for 3,564 yards, 28 touchdowns, and in all 16 regular season games was sacked only seven times!

After Gibbs retired following the 1992 season, the winning decreased, and the “Hogs” were retiring, but there were some other notable additions as “Hogs” over the next few years such as Ray Brown and Tre’ Johnson.

Yes, the “Hogs” were awesome; they brought Washington fans so much joy, so much winning, the Hogettes, and even Hogfarmers Charitable Foundation, supporting families who suffer from pediatric cancer.

In fact, there were some fans that desired the name “Hogs” over the “Commanders” as the franchise was rebranding.

Now, we have the very unfortunate news that the attempt to provide the team a mascot (a hog) is going to be met with a legal suit by some of the original “Hogs?”

The original “Hogs” feel the Commanders have no right to profit off of the name given to them some 40 years ago by Bugel. I loved the “Hogs” and still love the “Hogs.” Yet, honestly, did the group ever pursue legal standing over the last 40 years? Why only now?

 

Former Cardinals head coach Joe Bugel dies at 80

Joe Bugel, who coached the Cardinals and built the Hogs in Washington, has died at 80.

Joe Bugel, who built the legend of the “Hogs” in Washington and went on to coach the Phoenix Cardinals, died Sunday at the age of 80.

“I am absolutely devastated by the news of Joe’s passing,” Washington owner Dan Snyder said in the statement. “ … He was a man who not only gave me a better understanding of the game of football, but who also gave me perspective on what is truly important in life. I absolutely adored him and will miss him terribly. Tanya and I would like to extend our deepest condolences to Brenda and the entire Bugel family during this time.”

Bugel was Washington’s offensive coordinator and offensive line coach from 1981-82 and the assistant head coach from 1983-89.

He went on to become the head coach of the Phoenix Cardinals from 1990-93. Bugel spent time on the coaching staff of the Raiders — head coach in 1997 — and Chargers before returning to Washington as assistant head coach-offense from 2004 to 2009. Overall, Bugel was 24-56 as a head coach.

He retired from the NFL at the end of the 2009–2010 season on Jan. 13, 2010. He was a two-time Super Bowl champion (XVII, XXII).

Bugel finished having coached for 32 NFL seasons. Bugel was the architect of the dominating “Hogs” offensive line that included stalwarts Russ Grimm, Joe Jacoby, Mark May, Jeff Bostic, and George Starke.

“I am absolutely devastated by the news of Joe’s passing,” owner Dan Snyder said in the statement. “ … He was a man who not only gave me a better understanding of the game of football, but who also gave me perspective on what is truly important in life. I absolutely adored him and will miss him terribly. Tanya and I would like to extend our deepest condolences to Brenda and the entire Bugel family during this time.”

Former Washington coach Joe Gibbs paid tribute to one of his top assistants.

“Joe had an incredible passion for the game of football. He came to work every day with such great excitement and his players had tremendous respect for him,” Hall of Famer Joe Gibbs said. “The strength of our coaching staff on both sides of the ball was a key reason we had so much success. Bugel was such a big part of that and his impact was felt not only by those Redskins’ teams, but truly across the entire League. I will miss his friendship and I will always cherish our late-night arguments putting together the game plan each week.”