In the last few weeks the Redskins added two wide receivers, and de facto deactivated Lloyd, for whom they paid $10 million. No one wants to be adding new receivers during the season, given that the quarterback has little or no time to get used to them.

This all shows bad personnel selection, coupled with poor decision-making during the pre-season. Of course, the team was also unable to make the necessary big move when it was possible: note that Randy Moss is starring in New England.

The Wapo in its usual manner can't get to the heart of the matter. It reports isolated issues, but won't give us the whole picture, because the powerful might be unhappy. The truth is that the owner is terrible, the front office is a mess, the president of the team makes bad personnel decisions and he is also the coach who can't call plays and make decisions quick enough for NFL time.

And there's more: the two-back idea, Betts and Portis, only works if the two backs can be on field at the same time. But these two can't, due to the Deadskins' play design. So in fact one gets cold and unfocussed while not playing, and the other gets taken out just as he is warmed up and seeing the holes.

Lots of extra money is paid for the two backs, and that extra dough isn't then available for the D-line which is definitely short of folks who for large dollars can pass rush and stop the run.

The Deadskins have innumerable coaches but no one can persuade Sean Taylor to make a large contribution in every game, the new fellow Landry actually hasn't done great yet, despite his prodigious press clippings, the cornerbacks don't all play every weekend for mysterious reasons, and the defensive coach is forever apologizing for his poor play selection. Why isn't he either fired or given some help?

On the offense, by and large the play-calling is dreadful. The Deadskins aren't actually a great running team. But the short passing game is terrible, because the qb is not given enough throws to throw which he can execute. So why isn't he allowed to throw what he can do -- intermediate crossing patterns and long throws down the sideline -- while the running backs are offered screens, draws, slants and other chances to make the most of what the injury-ridden line can give them?

It all reminds me of the current governance of the US of A. But then, everything does.

I'm sure nothing will take a turn for the better until the Deadskins change their name to Skins or some other term, such as deadskins, that doesn't seem offensive to any minority group. As one of the most racist of teams in the case of blacks, at least through to the 60's, the Deadskins have an awful heritage to live down, but the new and distressingly young owner could try to accomplish that, given that he can't apparently organize management efficiently.