Rev up the DeLorean... we're going back in time. I'll be posting articles regarding the Redskins from the past, some well known, some not-so-well known. Hope you enjoy.
These first two are articles from 75 years of the NFL
75 Seasons 1920-1995: The Complete Story of the National Football League
Introduction by Dick Butkus
Text by: Will McDonough, Peter King, Paul Zimmerman, Vic Carucci, Greg Garber, Kevin Lamb, Joe Gergen, David Rosenthal, C.W. Nevius, Ed Bouchette, Ted Brock, Tom Barnidge, Phil Barber
p. 261
The Few, The Proud, The Hogs
The It was the spring of 1983. Bob Winckler, a 290-pound offensive lineman from the University of Wisconsin, freshly picked by the Washington Redskins in the sixth round of the NFL draft, had a goal. “To be able to say you’re a Hog… let’s just say it’s something I would really want.”
No. There was no “wanting” to become a Hog. Once the original Hogs had acquired their porcine nickname during training camp in 1982, the fraternity was locked. It started one day on the practice field, where offensive coordinator Joe Bugel said, “Okay, you hogs, let’s go down to the bullpen and hit those blocking sleds.”
Some players might have resented the name, but these guys loved it. From that moment, a camaraderie began to build: Hogs T-shirts were to be worn one day a week at practice, with violators forced to pay a $5 fine that went into a kitty for a postseason party; Hogs poker games every Friday night; satin Hogs jackets to wear on road trips.
Pay attention to the five interior Hogs’ dimensions: center Jeff Bostic (6 feet 2 inches, 245 pounds), left guard Russ Grimm (6-3, 275), right guard Mark May (6-6, 285), left tackle Joe Jacoby (6-7, 295), right tackle George Starke (6-5, 260), plus tight ends Don Warren and Rick Walker. Reserves Donald Laster and Fred Dean were Hogs, too. Toward the end of the season, running back John Riggins became an honorary Hog.
During that 1982 season, which was shortened to nine games by a 57-day players’ strike, the Hogs imprinted their collective image on the NFL consciousness by leading Washington to an 8-1 record.
These first two are articles from 75 years of the NFL
75 Seasons 1920-1995: The Complete Story of the National Football League
Introduction by Dick Butkus
Text by: Will McDonough, Peter King, Paul Zimmerman, Vic Carucci, Greg Garber, Kevin Lamb, Joe Gergen, David Rosenthal, C.W. Nevius, Ed Bouchette, Ted Brock, Tom Barnidge, Phil Barber
p. 261
The Few, The Proud, The Hogs
The It was the spring of 1983. Bob Winckler, a 290-pound offensive lineman from the University of Wisconsin, freshly picked by the Washington Redskins in the sixth round of the NFL draft, had a goal. “To be able to say you’re a Hog… let’s just say it’s something I would really want.”
No. There was no “wanting” to become a Hog. Once the original Hogs had acquired their porcine nickname during training camp in 1982, the fraternity was locked. It started one day on the practice field, where offensive coordinator Joe Bugel said, “Okay, you hogs, let’s go down to the bullpen and hit those blocking sleds.”
Some players might have resented the name, but these guys loved it. From that moment, a camaraderie began to build: Hogs T-shirts were to be worn one day a week at practice, with violators forced to pay a $5 fine that went into a kitty for a postseason party; Hogs poker games every Friday night; satin Hogs jackets to wear on road trips.
Pay attention to the five interior Hogs’ dimensions: center Jeff Bostic (6 feet 2 inches, 245 pounds), left guard Russ Grimm (6-3, 275), right guard Mark May (6-6, 285), left tackle Joe Jacoby (6-7, 295), right tackle George Starke (6-5, 260), plus tight ends Don Warren and Rick Walker. Reserves Donald Laster and Fred Dean were Hogs, too. Toward the end of the season, running back John Riggins became an honorary Hog.
During that 1982 season, which was shortened to nine games by a 57-day players’ strike, the Hogs imprinted their collective image on the NFL consciousness by leading Washington to an 8-1 record.