Apparently it's hard to root for the Redskins these days

Did you know that it's hard to be a Redskins fan? Examiner columnist Thom Loverro does, and he isn't a fan of what's happening on the field. In this column, he mentions that the on-the-field product is still very bad, but he's more concerned with this question: "Are the 2011 Redskins the least likable squad this franchise has fielded in a long time?"

Loverro discusses the showboating of Fred Davis, the jawing of Trent Williams and DeAngelo Hall, Jabar Gaffney's recent Twitter controversy, and he even fits in Stevie Johnson's recent touchdown celebration that mocked Plaxico Burress.

But that's it. That's why it's hard to root for the Redskins. I'll admit, I sometimes cringe when Santana Moss spins the ball when the Redskins are down a few touchdowns, or when LaRon Landry celebrates a huge tackle after surrendering a first down or a big play. But don't most teams do similar things? The Redskins are hardly the only team with players who celebrate tackles, first downs, touchdowns, or anything. And frankly, some of those moments are the most exciting for the Redskins, considering that winning the game each week isn't a viable option. I guess part of Loverro's argument could be that it's a mind-set thing -- the whole act like you've been there before thing, or how to be a professional, or whatever. But the Redskins aren't losing games because some of them like to dance when they get in the end zone.

There are plenty of players fans should enjoy rooting for, and Hall, Williams, Davis, and Gaffney are probably on that list. Here are some others:

Roy Helu
Santana Moss
Brandon Banks
Darrel Young
Ryan Kerrigan
Lorenzo Alexander
London Fletcher
Perry Riley
Brian Orakpo
DeJon Gomes
Josh Wilson
Sav Rocca

Yes, I included Rocca, the punter, who is having an amazing season. And that's not counting Chris Cooley and a couple of youngsters who should be able to contribute next season: Jarvis Jenkins and Leonard Hankerson.

I'd argue that any team that includes London Fletcher can't possibly be mentioned as any kind of "least likable squad," but that's just one opinion.

Weekly Rundown: Redskins fall to Giants in opener

Weekly Rundown is a combination of links and brief comments on stories and topics that I couldn't get to during the week. (And during football season, the links will be pretty Redskins-heavy.) If there's something important that I missed, don't hesitate to send an email or leave a comment.

• Boswell sums up another disappointing performance by the Redskins' offense: "Essentially, the Redskins' offense didn't arrive in Giants Stadium until there were only three minutes left. So, the Giants built a massive edge in time of possession and had a 350-200 superiority in yards before the Redskins drove 72 yards against a loose defense to score with 1 minute 37 seconds left." [Thomas Boswell]


• What was up with the horrible play-calling yesterday? Was it too much to ask for the offense to open things up yesterday by sticking Jason Campbell in the shotgun for a series or two while the running game wasn't working? [Mike Wise]


• Campbell's late-game pass to Chris Cooley resulted in the offense's only touchdown of the game. [Redskins Insider]


• Brandon Jacobs on LaRon Landry: "The Redskins as a whole is a pretty clean team, they just have one guy over there that was a little salty from 12 months ago. . . . [Landry] just kept at me, you know, hitting me out of bounds, got a stupid penalty, dumb fine that he shouldn't have had. He should have been smarter, you know, but it comes with experience." [D.C. Sports Bog]


• The Redskins missed too many tackles. Seriously, Mario Manningham? [D.C. Sports Bog]


• ESPN's Matt Mosley on the Redskins' quarterback: "Campbell also was upset with himself that he checked into a running play on a third-and-8 in the second half. He said he lost track of how many yards the Redskins needed and that he should have checked into a pass play." Way to stay focused out there. [NFC East Blog]


• The season's underway, but here's Richard Deitsch's 2009 NFL broadcasting guide. [Sports Illustrated]


• Tim Dierkes gives his offseason outlook for the Orioles:
  

  
  For 2010, Wigginton could take either infield corner and Scott could be an option at first base. Brandon Snyder and Michael Aubrey may also merit consideration. The O's added their third baseman of the future in Josh Bell with the George Sherrill trade. With the corners and DH spot in flux next year, it may make sense for the Orioles to add a free agent. Players such as Carlos Delgado, Nick Johnson, and Adrian Beltre are interesting on one-year deals, if the price is right.
  
  The rotation is suddenly deep enough where Uehara is being considered for a bullpen role. Matusz and Tillman are the team's aces of the future, with both getting a look this year. Arrieta isn't far behind. I wouldn't be looking to spend much on a free agent pitcher this winter.
  
  Certain players could be trade bait if Andy MacPhail doesn't consider them part of the next good Orioles club. Scott and Guthrie, both under team control through 2012, jump out as candidates. Guthrie's seen a dip in his strikeout and groundball rates this season, but he's potentially above-average in the NL.
  

  
  No arguments here. [MLB Trade Rumors]