The Brian Mitchell Appreciation Thread
 

Brian Mitchell is about to go into the Redskins Ring of Honor and I just wanted to take a minute to recognize his contributions to the team.

[url=http://www.nfl.com/players/brianmitchell/profile?id=MIT134688]Brian Mitchell[/url]

[url=http://www.redskins.com/gen/articles/Brian_Mitchell_1449.jsp]Brian Mitchell[/url]

When he was on the team he struck me as an arrogant jerk whose talents I never appreciated. My first job though in sports media put me in the position of working directly with B Mitch on a weekly basis, so I got to him know him pretty well (he probably doesn't remember me now, it's been over five years since he and I last spoke) and I really learned a lot about not only him as a person, but also that you can't assume that what people are like on the field is how they are off the field.

Yes, he is an outspoken person but he's the real deal.

Anyway, I know he has rubbed a lot of people (including myself) with some of his post-career comments but this is really about Brian Mitchell the player. And he was one of the greatest players ever to don a Redskins uniform. I'm glad he was able to retire as a Redskin and get his name inducted in the Ring of Honor

Re: The Brian Mitchell Appreciation Thread
 

Brian Mitchell is one of my favorite Skins of all time.

Not only was he a great player but there was a period of like 5 years when he was the ONLY reason I looked forward to watching the Skins. I knew we'd lose the game but still looked forward to watching him return kicks and punts and do his thing.

I'll never forgive Snyder for moving him after the 1999 season. He brings in Deion and George and all the crap but lets the heart and soul of our team go, to the Eagles no less. B-Mitch stuck with it for years on some brutal teams and always played at a high level. Then when we're finally on the verge of doing great things (or so we thought) we let him go to the fckn Eagles?!?!?!?!? I thought it was a real slap in the face to a guy that gave his best years to the franchise.

Well in 2000 B-Mitch had a good year for the Eagles and had a punt return TD and a kick return TD. I remember the Eagles-Skins game late in 2000. We were fighting for a playoff spot and the Eagles had been 5-11 the previous year so it was a must win for us at home. This young kid McNabb ran all over us and they ended our season and went to the playoffs themselves. I always thought of this game as B-Mitch's revenge. We had all the overpaid overhyped 'stars' but went nowhere, while B-Mitch was going to the playoffs with our division rivals no less. I was happy for him.

Re: The Brian Mitchell Appreciation Thread
 

Congratulations Brian! Always one of my favorite players, he's what we wanted Rock Cartwright to be (no offense to Rock).. easily one of the best returners ever.

Re: The Brian Mitchell Appreciation Thread
 

He fumbled against San Fransisco in the 93 playoffs. My day was ruined.

Re: The Brian Mitchell Appreciation Thread
 

Congrats B-Mitch. I think he deserves this honor. Hopefully this team will be able to get him a win on his special night.

Re: The Brian Mitchell Appreciation Thread
 

A great Redskin! I will be there on Monday to welcome him into the ring.

Re: The Brian Mitchell Appreciation Thread
 

I appreciate Brian Mitchell very much. I would appreciate him even more if he implores Snyder to sell the team during his speech. Calling Snyder names is also acceptable.

Re: The Brian Mitchell Appreciation Thread
 

Great player and great commentator. Not afraid to tell it like it is and that is refreshing in a town like DC where the past time is bullshitting those around you.

Re: The Brian Mitchell Appreciation Thread
 

[quote=saden1;614804]I appreciate Brian Mitchell very much. I would appreciate him even more if he implores Snyder to sell the team during his speech. Calling Snyder names is also acceptable.[/quote]

LOL I feel like we're all playing a game of how can we tie anything about the Redskins into lil D's failure as an owner...it's actually pretty amusing :)

Re: The Brian Mitchell Appreciation Thread
 

i'm kind of shocked by this,not that he wasnt a great skin,but i'm shocked he's being inducted after all the harsh things he's said about the skins.If Riggo wasnt already in there,can you ever imagine Danny would let him in now after the shit he said about him?

Re: The Brian Mitchell Appreciation Thread
 

Congrats Brian Mitchell! That dude was one heck of a football player, and you can tell despite what happened in the past, he still has a passion for this team.

Re: The Brian Mitchell Appreciation Thread
 

Congratulations to BMitch - the guy was a true Redskin. Mitchell was the heart and soul of an outstanding special teams unit here for the decade of the 90's, and I was happy that he continued to play at a high level for Philly, a sort of vindication after Snyder released him.

Re: The Brian Mitchell Appreciation Thread
 

Congrats to B Mitch. He could take it to the house any time he touched the ball. Through some tough times he was our greatest threat. He deserves recognition for his playing career.

Re: The Brian Mitchell Appreciation Thread
 

Loved Mitchell on the field, off it not so much. He should be in the Hall of Fame someday.

Re: The Brian Mitchell Appreciation Thread
 

[quote=htownskinfan;614822]i'm kind of shocked by this,not that he wasnt a great skin,but i'm shocked he's being inducted after all the harsh things he's said about the skins.If Riggo wasnt already in there,can you ever imagine Danny would let him in now after the shit he said about him?[/quote]
Yeah, he'd still let the guys in; he wouldn't be all giddy though.

Re: The Brian Mitchell Appreciation Thread
 

I usually follow the saying ..."If you don't have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all". But I can make an exception.

B-Bitch was not a good RB while with the Skins. He felt he was but we was not. The team relegated him to KR/PR. Atleast he did that some what well. But to be honest with you he seemed no better or worse then Rock Cartwright. B-Bitch was good for getting us to the 30 yrd line all the time. Hardly did he ever take one to the house. Occassionally yes. He might have been good for 1 TD a year as a KR/PR.

Then he got cut and bad mouthed the team. Goes to the Eagles and had a better showing, I presume due to the KR/PR blocking scheme. He again never made the RB squad for the Eagles until someone got hurt and they were forced to use him as a RB.

Personal feelings...B-Bitch is over rated. No different then Cartwright so if the standards are similar then Cartwright is a shoe in also.

Now having said that I apologize for pissing on other peoples corn flakes. I'm happy for B-Bitch I guess. It's nice to see more of the teams past players getting acknowledged. I just wonder why he's not being put up in the Eagles stadium instead of Fed Ex, or is he going to be the first player to be put up in both? We could have had a half time show where they show the unvailing at both stadiums. Even though others in the Skins past are more worthy.

Re: The Brian Mitchell Appreciation Thread
 

From Wiki (and I know it's not always accurate but anyways)

"Mitchell was well known as a kick returner, and is the NFL's second all time leader in total yardage (23,330), thanks in large part to his 14,014 yards from kickoff returns and his 4,999 punt return yards. Both are NFL records. He also rushed for 1,967 yards on 388 carries (avg. 5.1 rushing yards), caught 255 passes for 2,336 yards, recovered 20 fumbles for 14 return yards, and scored 29 touchdowns (four kickoff returns, nine punt returns, 12 rushing, and four receiving). His 13 special teams touchdowns are also an NFL record. His nine punt return touchdowns are second behind Eric Metcalf (ten). He is also one of only four players to record four seasons of over 2,000 total yards, (the others being Marshall Faulk, Dante Hall and Tiki Barber) and missed out on a fifth by only five yards."

Rock Cartwright:

Kick returns 183
Kick return yards 4,464
Kick return average 24.4
Kick return TD's 1


So how do they compare again?

Re: The Brian Mitchell Appreciation Thread
 

Not sure if your memory is serving you that well there SBVII.

Mitchell probably could have been a pretty good RB full-time if given the chance. The Skins relegated him to return duty are you serious? He was a big contributor on offense catching balls out of the backfield and running the ball as well.

As a return man he was one of the best to have played the game, I just don't see the comparison to Rock at all. Mitchell was faster, stronger, had better vision, and was far more dangerous.

He was one of the best all-purpose players the league has seen hands down.

Re: The Brian Mitchell Appreciation Thread
 

One of my favorite players. Glad he's going to be honored tonight.

Re: The Brian Mitchell Appreciation Thread
 

Mitchell was a good player. Not great but good. One of the reasons he piled up all those return yards was during 93- 98 those teams sucked and were always getting scored on. He many opportunities to have returns. I viewed him as good return man. But to be honest he was always running his mouth, everytime he got tackled he got up and wanted to get in a fight w/ someone. It's football, not boxing.....that kind of turned me off to him. Let your play do the talking. Play football and shut up and it's carried over to his commentating. But it's a nice gesture on Snyder's part, he was a good player, I'm just not sure he should go up there w/ Riggins, Monk, Green, Dexter, Sonny, Clark and so on. Those guys were GREAT Redskins, not sure I'd put B.Mitch in that category.

Re: The Brian Mitchell Appreciation Thread
 

[url=http://www.csnwashington.com/pages/landing_redskins?Watch-Brian-Mitchells-Ring-of-Fame-Induc=1&blockID=84288&feedID=272]Watch Brian Mitchell's Ring of Fame Induction[/url]

Re: The Brian Mitchell Appreciation Thread
 

He is a great Redskins player and I don't know why so many so called fans hate on him. He actually won a Super Bowl in this city and tells the fans the proper way how to win football games and yet some fans call him a hater because the probably have zero clue as to how to win in this league. Brian Mitchell knows and should be appreciated for instead of the insane bashing that goes on.

I love how people want to protect players like Portis who haven't won anything significant and Mitchell says this is what is needed to win. Yet people want to say that Mitchell is hating. He had to work for everything that he got in this league and yet people say that he is not a true Redskin. Nothing can be further from the truth. He demonstrated that he is a winner, a hard worker, and lives in this community and is dedicated to it. What more could you want from a player. I would be willing to bet that there won't be 5 players on this team who will decide to retire here after they are done with football and the won't be able to contribute to this community like B-Mitch.

Way to go B-Mitch you absolutely deserve this honor and you deserve to be in the HOF.

Re: The Brian Mitchell Appreciation Thread
 

[quote=skinsfan69;615183]Mitchell was a good player. Not great but good. One of the reasons he piled up all those return yards was during 93- 98 those teams sucked and were always getting scored on. He many opportunities to have returns. I viewed him as good return man. But to be honest he was always running his mouth, everytime he got tackled he got up and wanted to get in a fight w/ someone. It's football, not boxing.....that kind of turned me off to him. Let your play do the talking. Play football and shut up and it's carried over to his commentating. But it's a nice gesture on Snyder's part, he was a good player, I'm just not sure he should go up there w/ Riggins, Monk, Green, Dexter, Sonny, Clark and so on. Those guys were GREAT Redskins, not sure I'd put B.Mitch in that category.[/quote]

Sorry you don't feel that way. B-Mitch was a player who gave his all on the field. He is second only to Jerry Rice in all purpose yards from scrimmage. He is the all time punt/KR leader. If that doesn't make him great, than what does?

Re: The Brian Mitchell Appreciation Thread
 

[quote=SBXVII;615170]I usually follow the saying ..."If you don't have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all". But I can make an exception.

B-Bitch was not a good RB while with the Skins. He felt he was but we was not. The team relegated him to KR/PR. Atleast he did that some what well. [B]But to be honest with you he seemed no better or worse then Rock Cartwright.[/B] B-Bitch was good for getting us to the 30 yrd line all the time. Hardly did he ever take one to the house. Occassionally yes. He might have been good for 1 TD a year as a KR/PR.

Then he got cut and bad mouthed the team. Goes to the Eagles and had a better showing, I presume due to the KR/PR blocking scheme. He again never made the RB squad for the Eagles until someone got hurt and they were forced to use him as a RB.

Personal feelings...B-Bitch is over rated. No different then Cartwright so if the standards are similar then Cartwright is a shoe in also.

Now having said that I apologize for pissing on other peoples corn flakes. I'm happy for B-Bitch I guess. It's nice to see more of the teams past players getting acknowledged. I just wonder why he's not being put up in the Eagles stadium instead of Fed Ex, or is he going to be the first player to be put up in both? We could have had a half time show where they show the unvailing at both stadiums. Even though others in the Skins past are more worthy.[/quote]

B. Mitch will more than likely end up in Canton one day. I can promise you Rock Cartwright won't.

Re: The Brian Mitchell Appreciation Thread
 

[quote=skinsfan69;615183]Mitchell was a good player. Not great but good. One of the reasons he piled up all those return yards was during 93- 98 those teams sucked and were always getting scored on. He many opportunities to have returns. I viewed him as good return man. But to be honest he was always running his mouth, everytime he got tackled he got up and wanted to get in a fight w/ someone. It's football, not boxing.....that kind of turned me off to him. Let your play do the talking. Play football and shut up and it's carried over to his commentating. But it's a nice gesture on Snyder's part, he was a good player, I'm just not sure he should go up there w/ Riggins, Monk, Green, Dexter, Sonny, Clark and so on. Those guys were GREAT Redskins, not sure I'd put B.Mitch in that category.[/quote]


Teams didn't suck so bad from '95-'98. Not defending Gus, but the team in general. The '95 and '96 teams were decent enough and scored more points than the guys we have now. The yardage the D gave up wasn't so good, but we did get a fair amount of INTs with MR Green and co. Ken Harvey was the real deal as well. Terry Allen was like #2 in rushing one of those seasons? The line with Lachey, Uhlenhake, and co was pretty good also.