Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.sports From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Experts agree: Rypien's off this year Date: Sun, 22 Nov 92 17:26:45 EST Message-ID: \SE C;SPORTS;SPORTS VIEWS;SPORTS FORUM \HD Experts agree: Rypien's off this year David Siltman responded to my letter ["Rypien's not playing like a $3 million man," Nov. 1, Sports Forum] with his own ["Redskins don't need fair-weather fans," Nov. 9, Sports Forum]. For once, I agree with David. However, since I've questioned Mark Rypien's performance for several years, I hardly fit in his "fair weather" category. David graciously excuses my ignorance by saying, "Roger is, after all, operating with the mindset of the average fan." Yup, that's me! But, David, perhaps you'll consider the comments from some "above-average fans." On Nov. 9, Redskins writer Dave Fay wrote in The Washington Times, "Last season was magic . . . where a run-of-the-mill quarterback [Rypien] was elevated to stardom." Joe Theismann on Rypien: "He is a quarterback who has to have everything function around him at the maximum for him to be efficient" and "don't give me that offensive line crock - they're doing a good job." (Note: The Redskins have given up the second fewest sacks in the NFL). Lastly, every week Sonny Jurgensen comments that one or two members of the Posse are wide open and laments the fact that Rypien rarely sees them. I am at a loss to figure out how Rypien's poor performance is helping rather than hurting the team. He's had half of a year to "find himself." Blind loyalty to a quarterback is fine to a certain point, but enough is enough. While good quarterbacks do have bad games, they don't have two bad months. If David had bothered to look, he would have discovered that Rypien is one of the lowest-rated starting quarterbacks in the NFC. Coach Gibbs will replace a lineman if he is playing poorly, or a receiver, and he replaces Ricky Ervins for Earnest Byner, yet he can't find the courage to even spell the $3 million man to try to break the Redskins out of their touchdown drought. ROGER BUTTS Rockville The Washington Times welcomes your views. Letters should be signed originals, typed double-spaced. If responding to a published article, please include the date of publication and headline. Letters may be edited for clarity and length. Please include your name, address and daytime and evening telephone numbers to: Sports Forum The Washington Times 3600 New York Ave. NE Washington, D.C. 20002 FAX: 202/529-7869 This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM