Good Portis stuff from Washington Times blog

[Paintrain]

http://video1.washingtontimes.com/r...ason_david.html

CP pumped for '08 season [David Elfin]

I just caught up with Clinton Portis who was at Redskin Park for the first time since the 2007 season ended with coach Joe Gibbs' surprising retirement. Here are some of the highlights from the conversation with the ever-offbeat running back..

On Gibbs' retirement:

"It came as a shock to all of us. Obviously everyone in the locker room would've loved to have coach [Gibbs] back. I'm sure everybody around here learned something from coach Gibbs. Maybe we didn't do the things that he set out to accomplish, but at the same time, people became men and learned that from coach Gibbs and that will last a lifetime."

On new coach Jim Zorn:

"With Coach Zorn on board, I think it's going to be a more relaxed setting and things are going to open up. I think you're going to see a lot of players go wild this year. I mean, wild as [in] stats, not trouble. I think there will be more opportunity to open it up and spread it out, get Cooley in great position and Santana. We'll be exploiting matchups which we really didn't do a lot of [the past four seasons under Gibbs].

"He's a relaxed person. Coach Gibbs was a great coach, motivationally and everything else, but he tended to worry. Coach Zorn is just going to let it rip whether it work or not. If it don't work, he'll try it again."

On rumors that his pal, standout receiver Chad Johnson, wants to leave Cincinnati for Washington:

"I talk to Chad a lot. I might call Chad him just to tell him how relaxed we are here Hopeflly, he can get out of Cincinnati and come join us. You always want to play with a guy like Chad. He's a great guy, very talented. Trying to top his antics week-in and week-out, I'm sure that would bring a lot of excitement."

What this kind of offense could mean for him:

"[I'll be] the Tasmanian devil. If [Shaun Alexander] did great in this system, I'm sure I'll be all right. I just gotta get my wheels back. I'm training with the Olympic team right now [joking]. I'm gonna be flying with sprinter-type speed."

On having a clear offensive boss as opposed to Gibbs and former associate coach Al Saunders:

"This system will be more like a spread, Denver system, pretty much the same play-calling, the same strategies. One idea, one philosophy, everybody get on the same page. There won't be people pulling at each other about whatever the call is going to be."

On offseason preparations:
"I've got to [take the offseason more seriously]. I'm getting older [27 in September] and wiser. I'm trying to work on team unity. A lot of the guys are here [today]. I'm sure over that over the next week, everybody will be around. It's an early jump and we're having fun."

On the absence of late safety Sean Taylor, whose locker netx to that of Portis remains encased in plexiglas:

"Sean's not here. You can talk to him, but he won't respond. You come to work with a different attitude. You don't have a day to waste. You come in every day and make the most of it."

On the NFC East rival New York Giants winning the Suiper Bowl

"At first, I didn't want them to win, but then I found myself cheering for them. It just gives us all the hope in the world. We basically ran over the Giants, dominated both games [ in 2007]. For them to go and win [the Super Bowl], show us where we at. ... If we can come together and get on the same page like they did, that can be us this year."

Great stuff, glad to hear him pumped and talking about the offense really opening up..

On a side note, anyone else getting the sense with Gibbs crew out (especially Byner) that JLC isn't getting as much scoop as the WT these days?

[MTK]

Nice, thanks for posting. CP seems pretty pumped about the new system.

[FRPLG]

Originally Posted by Paintrain

On a side note, anyone else getting the sense with Gibbs crew out (especially Byner) that JLC isn't getting as much scoop as the WT these days?

Or our man SS.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by FRPLG

Or our man SS.

I'm interviewing for new sources. Not to pleased with my batting average this offseason.

[Dirtyskin21]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

I'm interviewing for new sources. Not to pleased with my batting average this offseason.

haha, really? you think because gibbs and co. are gone we are gonna know less?

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by Dirtyskin21

haha, really? you think because gibbs and co. are gone we are gonna know less?

Well I lost one of my sources, but that was just as well anyway.

[Dirtyskin21]

i love portis. this is hes such a great guy. He's been a top running back ever since he has stepped into the league and he shows no signs of stoppin for at leat 2-3 more years. I'm glad we have him instead of bailey cus IMO, portis is WAY more important.

[skinsfan69]

Originally Posted by Paintrain

http://video1.washingtontimes.com/r...ason_david.html

CP pumped for '08 season [David Elfin]

I just caught up with Clinton Portis who was at Redskin Park for the first time since the 2007 season ended with coach Joe Gibbs' surprising retirement. Here are some of the highlights from the conversation with the ever-offbeat running back..

On Gibbs' retirement:

"It came as a shock to all of us. Obviously everyone in the locker room would've loved to have coach [Gibbs] back. I'm sure everybody around here learned something from coach Gibbs. Maybe we didn't do the things that he set out to accomplish, but at the same time, people became men and learned that from coach Gibbs and that will last a lifetime."

On new coach Jim Zorn:

"With Coach Zorn on board, I think it's going to be a more relaxed setting and things are going to open up. I think you're going to see a lot of players go wild this year. I mean, wild as [in] stats, not trouble. I think there will be more opportunity to open it up and spread it out, get Cooley in great position and Santana. We'll be exploiting matchups which we really didn't do a lot of [the past four seasons under Gibbs].

"He's a relaxed person. Coach Gibbs was a great coach, motivationally and everything else, but he tended to worry. Coach Zorn is just going to let it rip whether it work or not. If it don't work, he'll try it again."

On rumors that his pal, standout receiver Chad Johnson, wants to leave Cincinnati for Washington:

"I talk to Chad a lot. I might call Chad him just to tell him how relaxed we are here Hopeflly, he can get out of Cincinnati and come join us. You always want to play with a guy like Chad. He's a great guy, very talented. Trying to top his antics week-in and week-out, I'm sure that would bring a lot of excitement."

What this kind of offense could mean for him:

"[I'll be] the Tasmanian devil. If [Shaun Alexander] did great in this system, I'm sure I'll be all right. I just gotta get my wheels back. I'm training with the Olympic team right now [joking]. I'm gonna be flying with sprinter-type speed."

On having a clear offensive boss as opposed to Gibbs and former associate coach Al Saunders:

"This system will be more like a spread, Denver system, pretty much the same play-calling, the same strategies. One idea, one philosophy, everybody get on the same page. There won't be people pulling at each other about whatever the call is going to be."

On offseason preparations:
"I've got to [take the offseason more seriously]. I'm getting older [27 in September] and wiser. I'm trying to work on team unity. A lot of the guys are here [today]. I'm sure over that over the next week, everybody will be around. It's an early jump and we're having fun."

On the absence of late safety Sean Taylor, whose locker netx to that of Portis remains encased in plexiglas:

"Sean's not here. You can talk to him, but he won't respond. You come to work with a different attitude. You don't have a day to waste. You come in every day and make the most of it."

On the NFC East rival New York Giants winning the Suiper Bowl

"At first, I didn't want them to win, but then I found myself cheering for them. It just gives us all the hope in the world. We basically ran over the Giants, dominated both games [ in 2007]. For them to go and win [the Super Bowl], show us where we at. ... If we can come together and get on the same page like they did, that can be us this year."

Great stuff, glad to hear him pumped and talking about the offense really opening up..

On a side note, anyone else getting the sense with Gibbs crew out (especially Byner) that JLC isn't getting as much scoop as the WT these days?

I'm getting the feeling that we're not going to be running the jumbo packages anymore. And the more I hear about Zorn the more I'm starting to like this guy.

[Redskin Warrior]

I see someone is vouching for CJ to be on the team

[sbaughone]

<<"This system will be more like a spread, Denver system, pretty much the same play-calling, the same strategies. One idea, one philosophy, everybody get on the same page. There won't be people pulling at each other about whatever the call is going to be.">>

Oh HAIL YES!!! Me likey Zorn already. (I knew Crazy Al was a mistake...)

[Stuck in TX]

Al is old school and I think his system will work if you give it 5 years or so but nowadays teams dont have 5 years. We wanna win NOW!!.

[Rajmahal33]

Just show me the money on this one...

- I'm not saying that I don't believe that Portis is gonna have a great year (cuz I think he will), but its still dependent on the play of the O-line and JC. Are they healthy? Are they gonna be good in this system? Will there be a learning period? Yet to be determined...but I would still tend to be reserved with my predictions of success.

- Saunders/Gibbs running game not "working" the second time around was a product of the circumstances around the team. When we had success, we had a lot of it. This was b/c the O-line was healthy and we had some leadership/consistency with our QB situation. When we were mediocre we were so b/c of injuries to the O-line and, not to mention, CP himself as well as some very suspect play at QB.

But at the very least I have some hope that we are gonna deliver on this hype. Cautious optimism as is the mantra every offseason.

[skinsfan69]

Originally Posted by Stuck in TX

Al is old school and I think his system will work if you give it 5 years or so but nowadays teams dont have 5 years. We wanna win NOW!!.

Actually Joe is old school, not Al. If you ever watched any of the Chiefs or Rams games several years ago, you'd see 4-5 guys getting out in patterns all the time. This was the major difference between Joe and Al. Joe stressed protection over guys getting out in the patterns.

[CPAlltheWay012]

Anyone know how fast Clinton Portis clocks the 40 now?

In 2006 it was a 4.26 .. since then he's lost weight.. i'd be interested to find out how fast he can do it now..

[BrudLee]

Originally Posted by CPAlltheWay012

Anyone know how fast Clinton Portis clocks the 40 now?

In 2006 it was a 4.26 .. since then he's lost weight.. i'd be interested to find out how fast he can do it now..

All together now...

"Nobody gets faster as they get older."

Every time you get tackled, your body absorbs punishment. I would guess that in many measurables, CP is better than he was at the combine. Speed isn't one of them.