Redskins Training Camp: A Jersey Collage

Redskins Training Camp is a jersey hot-zone.  It seems like every single fan is wearing a jersey.  And while Robert Griffin III jerseys are the biggest jersey at camp, fans from outside the city would most likely be surprised at some of the others.

From current starters, to legendary greats, to Dan Snyder busts, to guys who aren't on the team anymore, Redskins fans have jerseys from everywhere you can imagine.

So I walked around training camp for two days and captured as many as I could.  I missed a few, and cut out a couple.  Here is what I got:

My favorites are the F Dallas one and the Meadowlark Lemon Harlem Globetrotters jersey.

Redskins Raining Camp

Redskins Players Head To The Practice Bubble To Avoid The Storm

Tuesday afternoon's practice session was cut short after a thunderstorm rolled past Redskins Park bringing in some big lightning strikes.  As the players marched off the field and into the practice bubble, fans realized that their chances of obtaining an autograph were going to disappear.

Lightning Strikes Behind The Practice Bubble At Redskins Park

Before the rain came in, the fans were treated to some one on one WR/CB drills as well as a quick 11 on 11 session.  While Rex Grossman threw passes into triple coverage, RG3 was making much better decisions.

Cooley's training camp woes continued.  Grossman hit Cooley with a nice pass but the tight end fumbled the ball, which makes at least 3 fumbles in training camp so far including one at the one yardline in Monday's scrimmage.

RG3 Takes Reps As Orakpo Rushes The Corner, Shanahan Watches

Brandon Banks missed a wide open ball towards the sideline and after it fell off his hands like they were bricks he kicked the ball into the crowd in disgust.  A few plays later he made up for the mistake as he burned a corner for a long touchdown.

Both Terrance Austin & Anthony Armstrong performed well.  Austin has been the biggest deep threat at camp so far.

After about an hour and a half of practice, the storm rolled in and practice was cancelled.  The fans headed out into what turned out to be a half-hour traffic jam.  The rain came and passed just as the last few cars left the parking lot

Training Camp: The Fall Of Chris Cooley

Chris Cooley stood along the practice field sidelines staring to his right with a blank expression on his face.  Occasionally he looked down to sign an autograph, but after each one he glanced over to his right again.

Standing in that direction, only a few yards away, was RG3, the Redskins first round draft pick and arguably the biggest star in DC Sports.

While grown men were trampling screaming children (seriously 2 kids screamed for help as they got crushed) to try to get the coveted RG3 autograph, Cooley's presence only a few feet away went unnoticed by most fans.

Chris Cooley Watches RG3-Mania Taking Place Only A Few Yards Away

The scene that took place on Monday at training camp was just a glimpse into the fall of a player who at one time was in the top 25 NFL jersey sales.  But with injuries that piled up over the last three seasons and the emergence of Fred Davis, Chris Cooley has fallen out of favor with a number of Skins fans.

The formerly desired Cooley jerseys now share a clearance rack at the Redskins Training Camp Team Store next to the likes of LaRon Landry & Chris Horton jerseys.  Meanwhile right next to that rack are multiple racks of RG3 specific merchandise, flying off the shelves.

Former Redskin Chris Horton Jerseys Are On The Same Discount Rack As Cooley Jerseys

Cooley is still one of the classiest players on the Redskins.  While several players walk out the back way so they don't have to sign autographs, Cooley is often one of the first guys to meet the fans.  On the first day of camp when the weather was so hot people were collapsing of heat exhaustion, Cooley made it his mission to stay out on the field until everyone who waited out in the sun had an autograph.

Unfortunately for Chris, between injuries and the quarterback obsession in DC over the past few seasons, the fans are "just not that into" him anymore.  The tight end position is a crowded one, and Cooley may no longer be the main attraction.  But if you know anything about Chris Cooley, then you know he will be trying his hardest to make one big play.  And hopefully for Chris, he will once again hear the love reign down from the upper decks of FedEx field...

"COOOOOOOOOOOOOLEY"


Also From Monday:  Raheem Morris Hits RG3 Harder Than Anyone At Practice

All of this week's Redskins Training Camp coverage can be found here

RG3 & Raheem Morris: Football & Fun

Robert Griffin III took the snap and headed towards the left side of the field.  His bright yellow jersey flashed past the defensive end and with a burst of speed he took the corner and headed into the endzone for a score.  At about the five yard line he high-stepped as he outran the final defender to score the TD.

The crowd went crazy.  Fans were looking at each other as if to say "did that just happen?".  That is why Redskins fans are excited about this upcoming season.  In drills RG3 was inaccurate at times, made some wobbly throws, and was sacked by the defense.  But that one run around the corner is why the Redskins drafted the Heisman Trophy winner and it has the fans hope at an all time high level.

RG3 Smiles At Raheem Morris after the D-Backs Coach Gave Him A Nice Big Shove

As RG3 ran back towards the huddle following the play, he pegged the ball across the field at Raheem Morris, the Skins new defensive backs coach.  The bullet hit the crossbar right above Raheem's head where he stood under the field goal  posts and fell at his feet.

Raheem smiled and the fans immediately let the coach have it.  "Hey Raheem.  Come on man!  You got anyone out here who can stick with RG3?"

"Nope" was all Morris could say as he shook his head.

On the very next play, Griffin took the ball and hit the same corner, scoring a second consecutive touchdown.  The fans pleaded with RG3 to throw another rocket towards Raheem Morris, but RG3 thought about it, and opted to let the fans take care of Morris for him.

"Hey Coach, you better find some new players.  Nobody can stick RG3!"

Morris just had a big smile on his face, he had nothing to say.  He knows the truth.  If his guys aren't going to stop RG3 when they know the offense, how are opposing defensive coaches going to be able to gameplan for the rookie.

Raheem Morris Comes To Give Some Dap To The Heckling Fans After Shoving RG3

When practice ended, Coach Morris came over to talk to some of the heckling fans.  On his way over he gave RG3 an NFL calliber hit, bigger than anyone out on the practice field has given the rookie on this young season.  He didn't knock over RG3, but he gave him quite a blow that loudly popped the quarterback's shoulder pads.

Both guys were all smiles, but neither had a bigger smile than any fan in the crowd.  They are just excited to have RG3 out there on the practice field instead of Rex, Beck, or anyone else.

When asked about Raheem in the press conference, RG3 said that the coach talks a lot of trash but:

"When you get him, you get him"


And RG3 Got him...

The other RG3 highlight of practice was when Colley fumbled the ball on the goalline and RG3 ran about 80 yards to push the returning defender out of bounds before the endzone.  The crowd watched as the QB chased down the defender, closing on him faster and faster by the second.  He says that fans shouldn't worry, he won't do it in a game...but it really go the fans hyped up...Fun times at Redskins Park...

Redskins Training Camp: RG3 & Ignoring The Hype

With training camp underway for the Washington Redskins, all eyes are on the man wearing the number ten Jersey, first round draft pick Robert Griffin III. For years the Redskins have been searching for a player to be cemented into the Quarterback position. They've gone the free agency route, trades, even drafting several Quarterbacks over the years.  Fail.  Fail.  Fail.

After the debacle of Rex vs Becks last season the Redskins were ecstatic to scoot up to #2 to get the QB situation fixed.  RGIII was their man, and RGIII is the plan.  The marriage between RGIII and the Redskins is currently in the honeymoon phase, so what is going to happen when they get back from Cabo?

RG3 Is The Brightest Thing In DC

From live tweets of RGIII handoffs, to SportsCenter hype, to commercials on TV, RGIII mania is out of control.  And wasn't he the #2 pick?  So who was first?  Oh yeah.  That was Andrew Luck.  What is up with him?  If it's possible, Luck is probably the least talked about #1 draft pick in history.  Why?

Cam Newton & Hype

Griffin's skill set is similar to that of Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton, at least that is what the media has decided. Newton's rookie season consisted of the Carolina Panther setting records, breaking records, and making NFL defenses look silly.  Now RGIII has to do the same thing.

Right now, open up a new tab in your internet browser, go to Google, and type in "Robe". The first option in the Drop down is Mr. Griffin; over Avengers star Robert Downey Jr. and Twilight star Robert Pattinson.  (Bam! didn't think we'd drop a Twilight reference)

Griffin has maintained that he ignores most of the pressure, and that's the best thing he can do right now.  Fans are expecting wins, epic QB battles with top 5 QBs, Super Bowls, and a new dynasty.  Griffin knows that, and he knows what to do; chill.

Right now RGIII's mission is to get acclimated with the offense, get in sync with his receivers, and work behind the Redskins offensive line. He's in the right place at the right time, and has the right skills and the right mind.  It ain't the glory days yet, but they look like they could be on the way.

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Written By Adam Long @ADLegend21

Redskins Training Camp: RG3 Mania

RG3! RG3! RG3!  MVP! MVP! MVP!

Those were the chants that rang out of Redskins Park as Robert Griffin III walked to the practice field. In case you didn't know, RG3 hasn't taken 1 NFL snap yet.

 But that is the mindset of fans in a city where the most hopeful part of each season is in the offseason. The fans watched and cheered every time Griffin touched the ball, and there was a sense of hope in the mood at Redskins Park. When RG3 moved from one end of the field to the other for different stages of practice the crowds shifted along with him.

Fans Try Desperately To Get RG3's Autograph

The end of practice was a scene out old Beatles clips. The fans saw RG3 headed over to sign autographs and they flipped out. People ran towards the quarterback, trying to run through the fence that separated the players from the fans. Lawn chairs, coolers, and small children were trampled as fans begged and screamed for the rookie quarterback to sign their memorabilia. 


Only about 30 or so lucky fans ended up with an autograph.  RG3 didn't spend much time with fans but the way he went away from the crowd, then back to a new section of the crowd, made it seem like he did.


Here is a pretty awful video that doesn't cover the best trampling moments, but I had the footage, so bam:

Redskins Training Camp: Hot Opener

At noon the line began to form.  Redskins fans arrived early to stand out in the heat and wait for the gates to open at 1pm so they could secure their spot close to the field.  Signs, costumes, and jerseys of players that were no longer on the team, along with the new #1 jersey, RG3 standing...waiting...for a practice.
Camp wasn't even supposed to start until 3pm, but the chance to possibly get an RG3 autograph was enough to have people standing around burning alive for over 5 hours.

The Line 30 Minutes Before The Park Opens

Dan Snyder's propaganda team was in full effect blasting Hail to the Redskins on repeat for the entire 2 hours before practice.  There was a merchandise tent as well as a merchandise truck locked and loaded with overpriced merchandise.  The prices didn't stop hundreds of fans for dropping some cash for gear with their favorite team logo on it.

Skins Fan Shelling Out Cash Money For Merch

I walked past one fan who was smiling like a child at Disney World.  He remarked to his friend, "this is the best day of my life, I've been waiting for this for so long".  While he was clearly over-exaggerating, his sentiment marked the mood of the fans at camp.  With games being expensive and the game experience being awful, fans who can not (or will not) afford to go to a game got to experience the Redskins up close and personal.

The real story of camp was the weather.  The temperature didn't stop Mike Shanahan from having his guys practice over 2 hours.


The heat was staggering.  There were few shaded places and a tiny 10x10 "cooling tent" but even in those places the temperature was unbearable.  A 15 year old kid collapsed of heat exhaustion (he's fine) and a few other people walked themselves into the paramedics tent with heat related issues.  I guess those people didn't buy waters from the "beer man" selling $3 bottles.

Redskins High Tops, Superman Socks, RG3 Cape, Towel Cape, Football Pants, Helmet

When camp was over the fans crowded the fence to try to get autographs.  Guys like Chris Cooley and Fred Davis hung out for awhile making sure to get everything signed.  As soon as RG3 walked towards the crowd it was almost as if Cooley didn't exist.


Redskins training camp was a fun event for die hard Redskins fans and it was the official beginning of RG3-Mania.

More pictures after the jump...