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Week 12

Skins vs Seahawks

The highly anticipated return of Seattle's prodigal QB, Jim Zorn is done and over with. Kryptonite is no more!

Our new, fearless leader entered his old stomping grounds and left with the victory in hand.

It didn't happen in a very dominant fashion. In fact, we barely got out with a 'W'. 20 - 17 when the dust cleared. 3 points or 300, it doesn't matter the margin, it's a victory and I'll take that any day.

While this was no "barn burner" of a game, some things did manage to improve. We moved the ball reasonably well. Sustained some pretty decent drives but still didn't manage to score TD's with each trip to the red zone.

I will admit here that this game actually became background noise because my husband became ill and needed an ambulance ride to the ER.

Being the dedicated Skins fan that I am, I have found ways to deal with such things. Thank God that there is a local branch of the Redskins Radio network in this area now. I can listen to the games via the radio. My old cell phone has a FM radio built in and it stays charged for times such as this. I usually take it to church so that I can listen to the pre game shows that start 3 hours before the 1 pm games start. If you use a cell phone for this, folks just figure you have a headset on in case you get an important call. Win - Win.

But on this day, it becomes my only connection to my beloved team. So as I walk around my hubby's ER cubicle, I hold the phone in different positions to find the spot that affects the least static. After about 10 minutes of searching, I find the "perfect" spot. It was at the head of his bed, next to the sink, right below the window. I just had to hold the phone against the wall. Simple! I can do that! But then I got an arm cramp from trying to hold the phone against the wall while cursing the poor play I was being told about by Sonny, Sam and Larry. I even gave my daughter updates as the game progressed. A "mom play by play" if you will. I'm such a good mother aren't I? My daughter just shook her head and said, "I can't believe you're listening to that here." I was like, "what?" "I'm supposed to miss this game just because my husband has the audacity to get ill during a Redskins game?" "I think not young lady." She laughs and says, "Momma, you're crazy." I say, "darn straight..I'm a Skins fan!"

Shortly after that conversation, the doctor walks in to the room. She makes a brilliant observation. An observation that only someone with 8 years of med school could make. She looks at me and says, "so I guess you're a Redskins fan". I say, as I stand there in my Redskins hat, t-shirt, jacket and backpack, "what was your first clue Doc?" She laughs and asks me if they are playing today. I say yes, that's what I'm listening to on my phone. She then calls an orderly in to the room and says, "turn that TV on for her so that she can watch the game". He does, but the game is over by then. I thank her anyway.

My husband gets admitted to the hospital. He's got some sort of infection in his dialysis access tube. Happens quite a bit. He'll be ok.

So will I since we came out the victor.

Coach Zorn's triumphant return to the land of Starbucks and Space Needles was everything he said it would be. Tough, hard fought. We got a few turnovers. Interceptions by Landry and Springs. A miscue from Betts near the end of the game almost had me reaching for the oxygen that was plugged into the wall over my husband's bed. But on the following play, Springs get his gift specially wrapped by Matt Hassleback(beck..tomato..tomahto). Seattle's out of time outs. We simply kneel to run out the clock and head back to DC with a 7 - 4 record.

We face the Giants on this coming Sunday. A rematch of the debacle of opening day. Hope we fair better this time around.

In a few days, Redskins nation will face a painful memory as we mourn the 1st anniversary of the death of one of our own. That will be handled in a different blog on Thursday.

We'll see if that motivates or overwhelms them. Only time will tell.

Off to tace the pain and the Giants.

HTTR!