New Englanders Still Bitter

As of this posting, 65% of voters throughout the country predict the Giants will defeat the Redskins in tonight's season opener. Only two states are polling pro-Washington and neither of those two is Virginia (56% voted G-Men) or Maryland (53% voted G-Men). The dissenters? New Hampshire and Massachusetts, where residents evidently haven't forgotten the humiliation Eli Manning and David Tyree helped inflict upon the Patriots in February.

Haters in the House

So let me get this straight: Eli Manning is still the Giants' quarterback, Osi Umenyiora is out for the season, and Michael Strahan is flashing his gap-toothed smile on a beach somewhere, yet 8 out of 9 "experts" -- plus most of the country -- predict the Redskins will lose tonight. I'm not saying the Skins will win, but I don't think this game is as much of a lock as people are making it out to be.

You go, David Fleming. Dare to be different.

High Octane Offense

This is for all the doubters who say Jim Zorn is in for a rude awakening in his first year as an NFL head coach; for all the wannabe NFL general managers whose idea of running a team involves taking LaDainian Tomlinson with the No. 1 pick in their fantasy drafts and who say Jason Campbell is no better than an average quarterback; for all the fans who are worried sick that the Skins will get embarrassed tomorrow night on national TV.

Calm the f%#* Dallas down.

So getting outscored 71-6 by Carolina and Jacksonville wasn't exactly the most uplifting way to close out the preseason. Watching the offense stall more often than Tuesday's traffic was frustrating, but at least you didn't have to stomach the pain of watching the defense, because it wasn't there.

The Skins will be fine. The offensive playcalling in the preseason was vanilla; tomorrow it will be petroleum. The Redskins offense practiced with gas pumps and matches this week -- another one of Zorn's zany ideas! -- in an effort to spark the struggling unit. The exclusive photo above, taken during Tuesday's practice at Redskins Park, shows Chris Cooley heading up field after making a catch, looking for a would-be defender to douse with gasoline. Mike Sellers and Rock Cartwright both practiced with diesel fuel pumps.

No, really, I think the offense will play much better. I mean, it has to. Right?

Wake Up, Washington

In today's Washington Post, Antwaan Randle El discusses his role in helping rookie receivers Malcolm Kelly and Devin Thomas adjust to life in the NFL.

"It's not just going to class, waking up and then going to practice," Randle El said. "This is all you have, and a lot of people are depending on you."

So that's the secret to breezing through college. See, I did the whole waking up thing before going to class -- I swear, the stuff they don't tell you in freshman orientation! Let's just hope Skins rookie tight end Fred "Sleepy" Davis has mastered the 'waking up' part of going to practice by now.

Meet Toby Gerhart

Some people know Toby Gerhart as the guy who set the California High School career rushing record by more than 1,000 yards (!) at Norco HS.



Other people know Gerhart as the Stanford outfielder who belted a mammoth home run against Florida State in the 2008 College World Series.



And the Oregon State football team? The Beavers know Gerhart as this:



19 carries. 147 yards. 2 touchdowns. 1 improbable season-opening win.

Get on board the Gerhart Train. Next stop: Tempe, AZ.

Let's Take a Look Under the Hood

Little girls carry lunch pails; real men wear mechanic's shirts. Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh gave blue collar shirts to his players this summer, a gesture meant to symbolize the Cardinal's workmanlike effort. I can dig it. Vintage is so in among the college crowd, the marketing possibilities are endless, and it sure beats putting a stump of wood alongside the recently returned Stanford Axe in the locker room. Here's hoping Harbaugh sports his own shirt -- with "Jim" embroidered on the name tag -- on the sideline this season.

This Will Never Get Old

Stanford kicks off the second year of the Harbaugh Era tonight against Oregon State -- the first of three brutal games (@ Arizona State, @ TCU) to start the season. The Beavers' schedule is no joke either, and OSU could be looking ahead to next week's trip to Happy Valley.

Bold predictions: Stanford rushes for more than the -8 yards they racked up in a 23-6 loss in Corvallis last year; Tavita Pritchard does nothing to make Cardinal fans forget about Trent Edwards and nothing to make them yearn for T.C. Ostrander; ESPN's Ron Franklin or Ed Cunningham will refer to Stanford as the "Cardinals" at least once; Jim Harbaugh will show more emotion after one play than Walt Harris and Buddy Teevens did in their too many years combined on the Farm. Oh, and Stanford wins, 28-14.