For Turner, Gratitude Is Shown

In Oakland, Washington has seemed far away to Turner, as it should. But old memories, and feelings, finally returned. "I didn't let it [come to mind] until yesterday," he said. "Then I got a lot of messages from ex-players, friends here, the people who hung with you. I've gotten a lot of messages. It's always appreciated, but I haven't spoken to them."

But he knows what some of them might say. These days, Joe Gibbs gets the kind of benefit of the doubt that Turner never received. Of course, the reason is as simple as three Super Bowl trophies. Gibbs has earned it. Turner didn't. But it stings.

"The Redskins have had a couple of tough games recently -- against the Giants [a 36-0 loss] and losing on the last play last week. I know those types of games come around, but when it happened when I was here they were my fault," Turner said in the Raiders' locker room. "It's supposed to be everybody's fault. But that's part of being the head coach."

Turner doesn't want to leave that sour grapes taste. "Everybody paints my years in Washington as something bad. It wasn't. You have high expectations, you want to live up to them. It hurts when you don't," he said. Then, that small crooked smile returned. "We were always short a field goal kicker," he said. "That would have made a lot of difference."

And how about close calls, like a possible Raiders fumble near the Redskins goal line in the final minutes that the officials saw as no fumble at all? "We would have won a lot more games," he said.

Few in Washington wish the Turner era had continued much longer. If he hadn't left, then Marty Schottenheimer couldn't have come -- and gone. And, oops, be returning to FedEx Field with his nasty Chargers next week. For that matter, Steve Spurrier couldn't have coached 'em up, headed for the hills, then returned to his glory comfort zone in the SEC. Who would want to miss all that entertainment? And, of course, Gibbs couldn't have resurrected his saga-in-progress that nobody wants to miss.

As a coach, Turner may always be remembered as Mr. Near Miss and he knows it. Asked if he thinks of all those close losses with the Redskins, he gives his characteristic self-deprecating expression and says, "I don't have to. I get reminded on a continual basis."

Still, for one day, bitter as it was for the Redskins, few would begrudge Turner his moment. "We all wanted to give him that game ball," Sapp said. "Just a little gesture for a good guy, a classy guy who's been in this game a long time."