Redskins Awakening the Echoes

Once in a while, Life offers a confluence of circumstances that we slowly become aware of, just at the periphery of thought, but never crystallize into words.

On rare occasions, though, it will go farther that, tapping us gently on the shoulder, as if to say, "Pardon me, I believe this is what you are looking for."

I admit to such a Redskins-related moment today.

For the past few days I had been thinking in vague, general terms about the confluence of events that have happened to, in and around my favorite sports franchise since Head Coach Jim Zorn left the building in January. In no certain order of importance and by no means exclusively ...

Enter GM Bruce Allen, Son of George.

Enter Mike Shanahan, Coach of Reknown, riding in to Much Fanfare.

Enter The Over the Hill Gang, 2.0, an increasingly evident assemblage of veteran players from elsewhere, brought in to man key positions, and the Future is Now expectations such an approach inescapably brings.

Consider a Washington Redskins franchise, not far removed from another brief flirtation with return to glory, swinging for the fences again before all momentum is lost:

• Prior to Hall of Fame Head Coach George Allen's arrival in 1971 the Redskins enjoyed a very brief renaissance under legendary Hall of Fame Head Coach Vince Lombardi, who died tragically after just one season at the helm of the burgundy and gold. Before Lombardi, suffice it to say that the Redskins had not tasted glory for a very long time.

• Two years prior to future Hall of Fame Head Coach Mike Shanahan's arrival in 2010, the Redskins enjoyed a brief renaissance under returning legend and Hall of Fame Head Coach Joe Jackson Gibbs, who suddenly and prematurely resigned due to personal reasons. Before Gibbs II, suffice it to say the Redskins had not tasted glory for a very long time.

And then, just last week, Son of George threw open the doors of Redskins Park to its Players Past, an event rendered significant only by the fact that for the past decade, said alumni had been proactively, tragi-comically held at arms distance by their alma mater former team.

I think you get the drift ...

This is one of those deals you don't want to study too closely; the kind that tends to recede the closer you study it. Not unlike the little black spots that swim in front of your eyes when you stare at the sky. No matter how hard you try to look directly at them, they skitter away. You know they're there, you can see them—you just can't pin the little buggers down.

What I'm saying is there's a vibe.

Maybe it's a vibe only those of us around and cognizant way back in 1971 can feel. Hell, maybe it's one only I feel and I need to lay off the falafel at lunch.

But I don't think so.

I believe Life is cyclical. And I may be approaching 50 (October seems to be coming damn fast), but am not so ossified as to discount the possibility that sometimes, somehow, Life gives us signs ... even over silly stuff like football. We just have to allow ourselves to recognize them.

Well, I think Redskins history is circling around even as we speak—intriguingly, fascinatingly, inexorably. And I think Life thought it might be amusing if someone stuck their neck out and say so.

Which is why it may not have just been crazy random happenstance that I ran across the video posted below today. The video isn't new, just new to me. And I haven't missed many.

For the record and more linear thinkers ... no, I am not predicting the 2010 Washington Redskins will hit the ground running in Mike Shanahan's first season, turn the Capital City on its collective ear and make the playoffs. That would be trying to look directly at the little black swimmy things.

The vibe I'm getting is more tremor at this point than full-fledged earthquake.

But I definitely feel it.

Do you?