The date has arrived for Washington to unveil its new team name.
The time is finally here. After going over 18 months without a team nickname, the Washington Football Team has established Feb. 2 as the franchise’s date to unveil its new name.
Washington’s official Twitter account released the following video Tuesday morning, featuring legendary coach Joe Gibbs and former Super Bowl MVP quarterback Doug Williams. Also featured in the video is general manager Martin Mayhew.
Early on we understood Wolves — or some variation of it — was one of our fan favorites. As I’ve said all along, we take feedback from our fans seriously, and because of your interest in this name, we put Wolves on a list of options to explore fully. Once we began looking into Wolves, however, we became aware of a notable challenge: trademarks held by other teams would limit our ability to make the name our own. And without Wolves, variations like RedWolves wouldn’t have been viable either for these and other reasons.
That’s indeed interesting. You are eliminating team names because you are worried about potential legal ramifications? Washington has had 18 months to get this right. And, regardless of the choice, it’s not going to bring the fan base together but only continue to divide it.
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said his team “will win” Sunday. Has “Dallas Week” returned?
Dallas Week may have returned to Washington, at least for this year anyway.
If you were not around following the Washington – Dallas rivalry of George Allen years, you just don’t know what “Dallas Week” meant. During the Joe Gibbs years, certainly Washington had huge games with Dallas, yes, but the buildup of George Allen (1971-77) remains unmatched. In fact, it was Allen who coined the term, “Dallas Week”.
Today, Dallas coach Mike McCarthy said, “We are going to win this game. I am confident in that. The prep that is going into it; more importantly we want to improve too along the way… They are working hard, we are working hard. But we are clearly planning on going to Washington to win the game. There is no doubt about that.”
Personally, I don’t think he sounded that confident when he felt he needed to explain it.
Yet, it was a sound bite that would attract responses.
I certainly agree with Rivera “that is interesting, but it is not important.”You don’t focus on those things; you focus on preparing yourself to play on Sunday”. On the other hand, why then feel the need to explain your response further? Sometimes less is more.
In my personal opinion, Jonathan Allen had the best perspective when he replied, “The only guarantee in this world is death and taxes” (Benjamin Franklin).
Bobby McCain added, “We will let him (McCarthy) focus on being confident. We will focus on winning…”
As J P Finlay reminded Thursday amidst all the “talk”, Dallas’ three best pass rushers Randy Gregory, DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons could all be together again for the first time since Week 1.
So I am hoping for the WFT to keep their mouths shut, and simply come out and run the ball straight at the speed of the Dallas pass rushers.
Today, words also came to mind my dad told me more than a few times growing up in Berryville, VA, “Boy, there is a good reason why God gave you two ears and one mouth”.
In other words, the wise man is quick to listen and learn and much slower to speak.
The 18-year-old grandson of NASCAR and Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Gibbs won in his first Xfinity start Saturday at Daytona.
Joe Gibbs is a legend in football and NASCAR. The former Washington Football Team coach is a three-time Super Bowl champion and five-time NASCAR Cup Series champion. He is a Hall of Famer in both sports.
Joe Gibbs watched what arguably was the most emotional victory of his career Saturday at Daytona International Speedway. His grandson, Ty, won the Xfinity race. The victory came in the first start for Ty Gibbs, who is all 18 years old.
“I just am thrilled, I don’t what to say, really,” Joe Gibbs said after the victory. “When it is your grandson it is definitely different.
“It is like a dream come true for our family.”
The victory came in a race that twice went to a green-white-checkered overtime.
Gibbs came in and got four tires before overtime. He started in the sixth row and did everything to get to the front, going through the grass and dirt before finally moving to the lead and driving to victory.
USAT
On Jan. 26, 2021, JGR announced that Gibbs would make his Xfinity Series debut at the Daytona Road Course, which would be the first race of a part-time schedule he would run in the team’s No. 54 car, and he won.
Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
“This is awesome. A dream come true to me,” Ty Gibbs said through tears. “I didn’t think I had it there but we fought back and won.”
“Family is everything for me. They do so much for me. This is awesome. I can’t thank everybody enough.”
Check out Draft Wire’s exclusive interview with Hall of Fame head coach Joe Gibbs
If you were making a list of the most legendary coaches in NFL history, it wouldn’t take you long to get the Joe Gibbs.
A three-time Super Bowl champion and Pro Football Hall of Famer, Gibbs recently spoke exclusively with Draft Wire about his experience building championship teams in Washington, why getting benched might be the best thing for Dwayne Haskins, and how to get creative with trick-or-treating this year.
JM: For Halloween this year, Mars Wrigley launched TREAT TOWN – a digital trick-or-treat experience. In the app, you can go door to door collecting candy credits that you redeem for real candy. Unfortunately, Halloween isn’t going to be normal this year, but it’s great to see Mars Wrigley trying to do something special for the kids.
JG: We didn’t want to miss Halloween! COVID-19 has taken away everything else, but let’s get Halloween in here (laughs). I think about my grandchildren. I have eight of them. They’re between 12 and 21 years old. Every time I turn around and look at them, they have a device in their hand. Young people love their electronics and here’s a chance for them to experience Halloween digitally.
They’ll be able to work with the TREAT TOWN app. It’s a cool experience and a great idea from Mars Wrigley to allow our children to still experience Halloween. Our younger generation are gearing more and more towards digital experiences. It’s a great little program. COVID has taken away so many things from us, but we don’t have to miss Halloween. This is something that we can keep, we just have to do it digitally.
(Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
JM: You probably get asked this a ton, but do you have a proudest moment as a football coach?
JG: Gosh, I don’t think I can single out just one moment. The Super Bowls obviously stick out. The most important thing that ever happened to me while coaching, I had a reunion here in Washington about four years ago. It was a reunion of our players throughout that four Super Bowl era for us. 90 players showed up to the reunion. For me, developing those relationships was the biggest thing.
The thing about football is that it’s going to test you in ways you can’t even imagine. It’s a physical sport for the players. For me, it was always about the relationships. I’ve been through so much with those players. I still speak with many of them. The relationships were the most fun part for me.
Winning Super Bowls wasn’t half bad either (laughs). That was such a thrill for Washington and that fan base. That fan base deserves Super Bowls and it was a thrill for me to be a part of that.
I loved every bit of coaching. It’s a tough occupation but it comes with some of the greatest experiences you can imagine. You’re gonna get tested. You can also have some of the lowest points you can go through professionally (laughs).
JM: What’s your most memorable NFL draft story?
JG: When I was there with Washington, it was always an exciting process for me. My favorite part was getting the undrafted free agents that really helped our football team. We had so many good ones over the years, guys that went on to have fantastic careers. Guys like Joe Jacoby and Jeff Bostic come to mind. Both of those guys weren’t drafted. Our front office was smart enough to sign those guys. They changed the whole complexion of our team. They ended up being absolute stars for us.
We went back and looked at the history of our Super Bowls. Half of those teams were free agents. They were undrafted free agents, guys who got cut somewhere else and so on. We found a spot for so many of those guys and they helped us achieve the ultimate goal. They fit in with us.
That to me is something I take a lot of pride in. Charlie Casserly and our entire group that was involved in picking the players did an amazing job for us. Our defense led us to those Super Bowls. We had so many stars on offense and special teams, as well. That was a great experience for me.
(Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Sirius)
JM: If you could go back in time and draft a player that you passed on, or bring in a player that you just missed on, who would it be and why?
JG: I don’t think I can pick just one (laughs). I can probably give you 100 names on this one. I can go back and look at every draft I’ve ever been a part of and I’m sure we passed over somebody great or just missed out on getting a guy we wanted because he went one or two picks before us.
When you’re picking people, and we all know this in football, teams do everything they can to analyze players, yet some of those top picks don’t pan out. These are some of the top players in the entire country and you would think you have all the information necessary to make an informed decision, but you still miss on them from time to time.
The problem there is that we’re picking people. That’s a hard thing to do. When you pick a young person that’s just coming out of school, of course there’s a lot of money now involved, and you never know how it’s gonna change somebody. The whole dynamic changes. Anytime you’re dealing with people, there’s a human factor involved. It’s an extremely tough thing to do. People are complicated by nature. There’s an art to the draft.
I was fortunate enough to be around general managers and owners, Mr. Jack Kent Cooke and Mr. Daniel Snyder, they really supported us. We could sign free agents. We were always very successful in our pursuits. I’ve talked a lot about undrafted free agents, but regular free agency was huge for us, as well. We signed a lot of good players.
When I went back to Washington the second time, Mr. Snyder allowed us to be very aggressive in the free agent market. I think that my first year there, that entire free agent group we brought in changed our entire football team.
JM: The big news in Washington right now is the benching of Dwayne Haskins. He’s actually been demoted to the No. 3 QB spot, he’s not even the backup. This is a guy they drafted at 15th overall. He’s played for three different head coaches in just 13 career games. What’s your take on the decision to bench Haskins, and what’s your overall impression of him?
JG: First of all, I love Ron Rivera. I got to know him well throughout the process of him getting hired in Washington. I have great confidence in him and his entire coaching staff. Those are huge decisions that you have to make.
I look back at my career with Mark Rypien. This isn’t the end for Haskins. We first started Rypien and we had a situation there after seven or eight games where we just turned the ball over too much. We sat Mark down and I think it’s one of the best things that could have happened to him. It gave him a chance to really evaluate things. He came back and took us to a Super Bowl. He was the MVP of the Super Bowl.
This can be a real learning experience for Haskins. I think Ron and that coaching staff made the right decision. They have Kyle Allen stepping in now. I’m sure he’s ready to go. This will be an interesting time for Washington fans, which I’m probably the biggest fan in the city (laughs).
I’m pulling for Haskins, and I’m pulling for the entire franchise.
Washington chose to rename a couple of streets near the stadium after both Sean Taylor and Joe Gibbs ahead of 2020 season.
In honor of two of our greatest legends, we’re happy to announce that we are changing our Headquarters address to Coach Gibbs Drive, while a main road leading to @FedExField will now be called, Sean Taylor Road.
The Washington Football Team is finding a cool way to pay tribute to two franchise legends in D.C., both coach Joe Gibbs and safety Sean Taylor.
To do so, the team announced on Wednesday that they changed their headquarters address to Coach Gibbs Drive, with the main road leading to the stadium now going by Sean Taylor Road. The team says that road signs and signage at the stadium and headquarters to be updated prior to the 2020 season opener as part of the franchise rebrand.
“As we look forward and build a modern identity that everyone can be proud of, it’s imperative that we revere tremendous individuals who have had a positive influence on the franchise and our fanbase,” said team owner Dan Snyder in a statement. “There are no two people more deserving that Sean Taylor and Joe Gibbs.”
Coach Gibbs was a three-time Super Bowl champion, as well as being named the Coach of the Year twice in his career, and he has been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. As for Taylor, he was a legend in the making in Washington before both his life and his career were tragically cut short when he was murdered in 2007. His name has lived on in the hearts of Washington fans for years, and now it will continue on for decades into the future.
The colors of Appalachian State football were on the car Kyle Busch drove to victory Monday in the Xfinity series.
Football and auto racing have mixed big time through Pro Football and NASCAR Hall of Famer Joe Gibbs, the three-time Super Bowl champion and five-time Cup series champion as team owner of his eponymous race team.
A victory Monday was nowhere near as startling as when the Mountaineers upset Michigan in 2007, but Kyle Busch’s triumph in a car celebrating Appalachian State in the Xfinity Series Alsco 300 race hit home big time for the football family.
Getty Images
The victory came as Busch regained the lead on the last lap and took the checkered flag for a special victory. Two of the sons of the late J.D. Gibbs — Joe’s son — Jackson and Miller are players on the Appalachian State football team.
J.D. Gibbs, who followed his famous father’s path from football to stock-car racing, died in January of 2019. He was 49 and suffered “complications following a long battle with a degenerative neurological disease.
J.D. Gibbs played defensive back and quarterback at William & Mary from 1987-90,. He helped the school team to two Division I Football Championship Subdivision appearances; the team won 10 games in his senior season.
He then transitioned to join his father’s race team after his college career.
Jackson Gibbs is a junior quarterback, who transferred from UCLA. Miller Gibbs is a redshirt sophomore tight end.
Following the death of Don Shula, the NFL’s all-time leader in coaching victories, let’s take a look at his win total and those who rank behind the Miami Dolphins legend. Totals include playoff and Super Bowl/League Championship Game wins.
Following the death of Don Shula, the NFL’s all-time leader in coaching victories, let’s take a look at his win total and those who rank behind the Miami Dolphins legend. Totals include playoff and Super Bowl/League Championship Game wins.
Following the death of Don Shula, the NFL’s all-time leader in coaching victories, let’s take a look at his win total and those who rank behind the Miami Dolphins legend. Totals include playoff and Super Bowl/League Championship Game wins.
1. Don Shula (347)
(RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports)
Shula has the most victories (347) ever, Shula won an NFL-record 347 games, including playoff games and two Super Bowl victories, and guided the Dolphins to the league’s only undefeated season (17-0) in 1972.
A familiar face played a role in the Ron Rivera move.
It turns out Joe Gibbs played a part in the Washington Redskins landing Dan Snyder’s preferred head coach Ron Rivera.
Rivera, alongside a sweeping set of changes to the front office and coaching staff, is Snyder’s preferred solution as a culture change.
And Snyder’s former coach Gibbs played a part.
“Dan and I are real friends,” Gibbs said, according to the Washington Post’s Barry Svrluga. “And he was so good to me in the four years I was there, so good to my family. I felt like I could tell Ron what it was like. I tried to do that because I felt like it was really important for him.”
Gibbs said while he didn’t have a say or was asked about changes to the front office, made a point to tell Rivera about how great Snyder is when it comes to free agency, agents and the draft.
Granted, Gibbs hasn’t been around the Redskins in an official capacity in a long time. But the fact Gibbs and Rivera linked up is notable and for seasoned Redskins fans, it’s an important bit of background detail that makes the Rivera hire even more appealing.
Golf Channel was an audacious idea 25 years ago that has changed viewing habits and become part of the very fabric of the game.
Happy 25th birthday, Golf Channel.
On Jan. 17, 1995, the first 24-hour single-sport station launched in a mere 10,000 households, capitalizing on the cable-TV boom.
President George H.W. Bush spoke the network’s very first words, welcoming “his fellow Americans and fellow golfers to this special occasion” before handing off to hosts Lynda Cardwell and Brian Hammons, who took the reins for two hours of live programming, beginning at 7 p.m.
Golf Channel has changed the way golf fans consume the game and paved the way for the eventual creation of the NFL Network as well as MLB, NBA and NHL channels. It has grown from just 15 hours of live programming in the network’s first week (the 1995 Dubai Desert Classic was the first televised event) to more than 100 live hours from three U.S. time zones and five countries this week.
A 24-hour golf channel was the brainchild of Joe Gibbs, a Birmingham businessman who made his fortune in cable and cellular phones, and partnered with Arnold Palmer, who gave instant credibility to an idea that drew more than a few snickers. One writer called it “24 hours of chubby guys in bad clothes” and another claimed, “We’ve already got C-SPAN.”
If I hadn’t tried to hit it through the trees a few times in my life, none of us would be here. – Arnold Palmer
“There were plenty of questions about who’s going to watch it?” recalled ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt, who got his start in TV as a production associate working in Golf Channel’s video library. “We kind of figured it out as we went.”
Despite the skepticism and resistance from investors, Gibbs forged ahead in selling his vision. He touted an audience of 25 million golfers and conducted a national survey that suggested there were more than 44 million golf fans that would be interested in tuning in.
His biggest sales job may have been on Palmer himself. In what has become part of Golf Channel legend, Gibbs was in a meeting with Palmer and Palmer’s financial advisers, who had their doubts about the notion of a 24-hour golf channel. Retaining Palmer’s involvement was critical to future success. When it was Palmer turn to speak, he said, “Gentlemen, if I hadn’t tried to hit it through the trees a few times in my life, none of us would be here.”
Brandel Chamblee is one of Golf Channel’s most-opinionated commentators. (Photo courtesy Golf Channel)
That was the last time Gibbs worried about his co-founder’s participation. “It was almost like we were going to the party; it was just a question of what were we going to wear,” said Alistair Johnston, Palmer’s longtime manager with IMG, in the short film “Day One: The Making of Golf Channel.”
Another key moment that gave the start-up further legitimacy was securing a rights agreement with the PGA Tour. The contract was signed in 1994 during the Masters on the hood of a rental car.
Some photos from the earliest days of @GolfChannel – original Golf Central team, launch night studio shot, Masters 1995 Golf Talk Live … and the guy who hired the talent Mike Whelan with me last year who shared some photos and stories. #HappyAnniversaryGCpic.twitter.com/vrRHhl6LEn
Gibbs put together a consortium of six cable companies that together invested $60 million in Golf Channel. In short order, they assembled a state-of-the-art digital facility and hired a rag-tag crew, but they were still flying by the seat of their pants. Two weeks before launch, producer Dave Kamens turned to a colleague and said, “Why don’t we do 12 hours of golf and 12 hours of tennis per day. I mean, 24 hours of golf?”
“I had come from the launch of F/X seven months earlier where we put on eight live shows a day and still ran re-runs of the old Batman series,” he said. “The Golf Channel being ‘born’ as Tiger took hold of the game was mighty fortunate, but the secret sauce was Joe Gibbs’ visionary idea and the eventual viewership that scaled towards Cadillac buyers and Rolex-wearers.”
Producer Jeff Hymes remembers walking down a corridor of the gleaming new studio and Matt Scalici, vice president of network operations, was coming the other direction shortly before the network’s big debut.
“He looked at me and I looked at him and it was dead quiet,” Hymes recounts in “The Making of Golf Channel” podcast. “I said, ‘Matt, stop and listen. It will never be like this again. Starting tomorrow there will never be a dull moment in this building.’ ”
A Golf Channel crew sets up for an early morning live shot at TPC San Antonio. Photo by Erich Schlegel/USA TODAY Sports
Golf Channel has become part of the fabric of the game, with more live tournament coverage than all other U.S. networks combined. Over the past 25 years, it has become the place golf fans turn to watch everything from golf’s major professional circuits to NCAA Men’s and Women’s National Championships, Drive Chip and Putt Championship National Finals, the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, golf’s return to the Olympics, documentaries like Arnie, original programming such as more than 100 episodes of Feherty and more than 300 episodes of School of Golf as part of its news, instruction and entertainment programming dedicated to showcasing the global sport in more than 70 countries and nine languages.
“It’s fun to know that the excitement that night and the hope of a group of people actually turned out to be well-founded,” Van Pelt said.
