The Redskins can’t begin to spell the word playoffs, but their fans can relish the nostalgia of the franchise’s glory days when Joe Theismann and Joe Gibbs join up in the broadcast booth for the first leg of NBC’s NFL playoff wild card doubleheader on Saturday.
On a conference call Tuesday, Gibbs said he had done three games in the field, but still called himself a rookie and said he’d be dependent on Theismann.
“I’ll be leaning on him,” said Gibbs. “Like his first five years in football. Keep me in a job.”
Gibbs won’t need help with game analysis. But he was a little green when it came to catch phrases, landing on one in particular at least three times during the call.
“I used to love to be in the position as a coach, when somebody has kicked your butt the first go around, I think your preparation is much easier,” said Gibbs after talking about the infamous Body Bag Game in 1990 against Philadelphia that was avenged in the playoffs, a timely subject given the rematches from Week 17 that NBC will broadcast this weekend.
“It’s hard to overcome an offensive that just completely dominates the ball, and Cincinnati’s got to find a way to slow down the rushing game. This past week, that was a complete butt kicking,” said Gibbs.
There he goes again.
Theismann said he was relishing the chance to talk about football in a way that’s different than he has all season. Clearly he’s plenty satisfied with a weekly radio show on ESPN 980.
“Having the opportunity from a players perspective, and having someone in the booth from the coach’s perspective,” said Theismann, “it really encompasses the entire concept of the game, both the execution of it and the preparation.”
He also couldn’t resist jumping in when a reporter, obviously referencing a certain coaching search, said, “Joe, your old job’s open, if you want it.”
Apparently, Theismann thought he was a candidate to replace Jason Campbell.
“The mind would love to go,” said Theismann. “The body has betrayed me a long time ago.”
