Moss and Portis Already Two of a Special Kind

By George Solomon
Sunday, October 8, 2006

Santana Moss, 27, and Clinton Portis, 25, are too young to be placed in historical context. But both University of Miami prodigies play for the Washington Redskins, whose 74-year history demands historical perspective at least from 1937, when the team moved here from Boston and won the first of five NFL championships.

Moss's three-touchdown, 138-yard performance Sunday at FedEx Field, which included his 68-yard, game-winning hookup with Mark Brunell in overtime, had old hands comparing him to the great wide receivers in team history. The same can be said for Portis, whose return to form after a shoulder injury in the first preseason game is a key reason the Redskins aren't any worse than 2-2 going into today's game against the New York Giants in the Meadowlands.

Moss, who was obtained from the New York Jets for Laveranues Coles, set the Redskins record for receiving yards in 2005 with 1,483 on 84 receptions, and he scored nine touchdowns. Portis, obtained in an equally controversial trade with Denver in 2004 for popular all-pro cornerback Champ Bailey, became the figurehead of the playoff team in 2005 with a team-record 1,516 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns.

What occurred Sunday may not have ensured anything definitive for the Redskins this season. What it did accomplish was to turn the karma -- at least for the moment -- Washington's way. "A special game," is how Coach Joe Gibbs described the evening to reporters afterward. "For the team and fans."

And "special" is how Moss should feel by being compared to the great Redskins wide receivers of all time: Bobby Mitchell, Charley Taylor, Art Monk, the late Jerry Smith and Gary Clark. Mitchell and Taylor were both running backs before becoming wide receivers and were tough to tackle after they'd caught the ball. Monk, who should be in the Hall of Fame with Mitchell and Taylor, was an extraordinary wide receiver and holds the team record for receptions (888) and yards (12,026). Smith was a marvelous tight end.

Sonny Jurgensen, who for years threw to Mitchell, Taylor and Smith and covered Monk and Clark from the broadcast booth, already puts Moss in their class. "I've never seen anyone operate in an open space like Moss," Jurgensen said this week. "He's like lightning in a bottle; he does amazing things when he catches the ball."

Taylor, bigger than Moss, said this week: "Moss is a little quicker than I was in the first five yards, although I knew where I was going. But he's a heck of a player, unreal actually, able to turn a five-yard catch into 60."

Jurgensen said Moss is similar to Clark in quickness and big-play ability and agreed with me that Portis reminded him of Larry Brown, whose eight-year Redskins career was cut short after the 1976 season because of knee injuries. "The sheer effort of Portis and Brown is similar; Portis is quicker but both real football players.

"Did you see Portis make those three blocks on the first Moss touchdown?" Jurgensen asked.

I saw that. But I did not see Moss's spectacular game-winner because it happened after the sun had set outside B'nai Israel Synagogue, where the final result was shared from the pulpit by congregation president Vickie Abrutyn. The announcement delighted everyone in the audience -- except those who had taped the game for later viewing. "The sharing of important scores at services is decades-old tradition," Abrutyn explained. "I just carried on the tradition."

The Manager's Farewell

Last Sunday was the final day of Frank Robinson's 51 seasons as a Major League player and manager and closed the Nationals' second season in the National League. "You have to be fortunate to have lasted this long and I'm appreciative of that," he said. Nearly 30,000 fans came to RFK Stadium to say thank you and bid farewell to Robinson, the face of the franchise since MLB took over the Montreal team in 2002 before moving it to Washington for the 2005 season and selling it this summer to the Lerner family for $450 million.

Robinson, 71, the first black manager in the big leagues, had a number of interesting observations before departing:

· "I enjoyed the way fans have received us here; we could do no wrong."

· "The situation here was limited, but I managed to the best of my ability to get the most out of the ballclub."

· "I made adjustments, but my approach to managing never changed. I've always respected the fans and the game."

· "Alfonso Soriano belongs right up there with Eddie Murray and Cal Ripken among the best players I've ever managed."

· "Fifty-one years in the big leagues doing something I loved? Mind-boggling."

In Robinson's final days as Nats manager he was warm, outgoing, gracious and even funny. It was a side he seldom showed to fans or reporters in his two years here, and that was a pity. Robinson would have helped sell the game here, but he was too old-school, too defensive over how he was judged as a manager. He felt he was paid to win baseball games and there weren't enough wins or talent on the team to make him happy. His warmest day in Washington might have been his last.

Alex the Ace

Is Caps phenom Alex Ovechkin really Bo Jackson -- the retired superathlete who seemed to be better than everyone at everything? On Monday at the team's annual golf tournament at the Springfield Golf and Country Club, Ovechkin, playing golf for the first time in his life, had a hole-in-one after hitting a bunch of 4-irons on the 160-yard fourth hole. "First time I ever swung a club," Ovechkin said, then asked, "Where's Tiger?"

Ted Leonsis, the team's majority owner, said he was playing with Olie Kolzig when informed of Ovechkin's shot. "We looked at each other and asked, 'Why aren't we surprised?' "

Leonsis is optimistic about improving the team's attendance at the Verizon Center ("we've sold 8,000, 9,000 season tickets -- 85 percent renewals from last season") and expressed optimism Tuesday that the Caps will return to the NHL playoffs. "We have two lines that can score," he said. "Our defense has improved and we have two good goalies. Our team is young, but they're growing up together."

In the Rough

Will someone explain to me how the PGA Tour can recognize a golf tournament -- the American Express Championship played last week at the Grove outside of London -- when it killed the well-supported annual golf tournament (most recently the Booz Allen Classic) in the Washington area? The PGA recognizes an event in England after deserting the capital of the United States? Is all this part of the terms of surrender following another Ryder Cup defeat? Are we destined for a life on the Nationwide Tour?

Have a question or comment? Reach me attalkback@washpost.com.