By John Solomon
How the government's punishing of the exposure of official wrongdoing can linger for years
Mike Shanahan didn't need to play it safe. He could swing for the fence, and he did. That freedom comes with returning 21 of 22 starters from last season's 10-win division champion.
In 205 days, three of the area's four teams in the major professional sports leagues won division titles. It's a start. Let's be clear on something, though: It is hardly a finish.
They'll also savor the reason they don't have a selection Thursday. Last year's trade of three first-round picks, including those in 2013 and 2014, to position the franchise to draft quarterback Robert Griffin III filled a need to which everything else seems secondary.
Jones posed with and hugged the bust of his likeness Tuesday at a Subway restaurant in Manhattan, "amazed" at its authenticity — right down to the dreadlocks made of more than 1,000 raisins.
Continuity and building through the draft continue to be guiding principles. They have shaped their vision from the day Allen took over in Dec. 2009 and coach Mike Shanahan joined him weeks later.
Dressed in a pink tie and a dark gray three-piece suit, Griffin appeared before both chambers of the Texas Legislature for resolutions honoring his career.
By the time the NFL season starts in September, DeAngelo Hall is likely to be a distant memory. It isn't like the Redskins released a future member of the Ring of Honor when they parted ways with Hall in a salary-cap move.
General manager Bruce Allen, in his first detailed comments about the penalty, called it a "travesty of fairness." Coach Mike Shanahan, meanwhile, expressed frustration but vowed to make the best of the team's financial limitations.
Fletcher, who turns 38 in May, seriously contemplated retirement this offseason, his agent, Ben Dogra said. But Fletcher decided about 10 days ago to continue playing so he could be part of the next step in the Redskins' turnaround.
For the past four seasons, Chip Kelly coached the University of Oregon and built one of college football's most dynamic programs. The protocols he established there included scoring points, winning games and scoring more points. Now he hopes to do the same in Philadelphia.
Washington's aggressive trade last winter to move up in the draft to select Robert Griffin III continues to pay off, and this is the latest reward. With that critical puzzle piece in place, the Redskins can spend this week addressing other needs.
Vick, who was injured and inconsistent last season, eventually giving way to rookie Nick Foles, now has a three-year contract, and will compete with Foles to see who runs new coach Chip Kelly's offense this season.
Michael Vick took a significant pay cut to stay with the Philadelphia Eagles and compete for a starting job.
Robert Griffin III of the Washington Redskins has won The Associated Press 2012 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award, beating out two other sensational first-year quarterbacks.
As doctors expect Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III to rehabilitate his surgically repaired right knee ligaments and meniscus in time for the 2013 season, teammate Tim Hightower is proof that timetables are nothing more than frameworks established by precedents.
