John Riggins vs. Clinton Portis

January 30, 2:48 AMWashington Redskins ExaminerMark Newgent

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What’s media day during Super Bowl week without a little controversy. Looks like the drama that is the Redskins can’t keep off the stage when all eyes are on the Steelers and Cardinals.

Here is what Johns Riggins had to say about Clinton Portis at a Sirius Radio media briefing:

He's already a headache," Riggins said at a media briefing by Sirius satellite radio. "You mean is he going to get worse? I don't know. I said that at the end of the season and I believe that unless he changes the way he views himself and views his contributions to the team, then I think that that could be problematic for the Redskins. It's a bad situation, created probably by the people who run the team, that he's been allowed to take the course that he has.

"I don't think there's any turning back now because obviously to a certain extent Clinton Portis has the team over a barrel from my understanding of the amount of money that he's owed, guaranteed money that becomes really cost-prohibitive to get rid of him over a [salary] cap issue. There's not that many teams that would be interested in Clinton Portis, I don't think, and so they have a bad situation on their hands. [That's] my personal take on it."

For better or worse due to his contract we are stuck with Clinton Portis for a while. On the field he gives you his best, no doubt about it. However, as we saw with him disparaging the offensive line, the beef with Brian Mitchell, and his tantrum about Jim Zorn, Portis is a bit of a diva. We’re not talking Terrell Owens here, but I think Riggo is on to something here. Like I said, Portis will lay it all on the field—even when injured—and me likey. However, the diva tantrums popping off to the media when things don’t go his way were bad form. I should make one caveat here. We did get the great “Portis Pockets Straight " one liner and T-shirt from the Mitchell dust

It’s a bit ironic that this criticism comes from John Riggins. I seem to remember another rookie head coach who had to go convince him to come back to the team. Remember this:

"He had a camouflage outfit on," Gibbs remembered. "He had been hunting, him and a buddy. He had a beer can in his hand. It was 10 o'clock in the morning and he's meeting his coach for the first time and I'm thinking [sarcastically], `This guy really impresses me.' But I went in there, and I'm telling him everything. I'm telling him, `You won't have to block, you're going to run.' I'm giving him everything. He hadn't said a word. Halfway through the conversation, he says, 'You need to get me back there. I'll make you famous.' " "I thought to myself, 'Oh, my God, he's an egomaniac.' I thought, 'I'll get him back and then I'll trade him. I'm not putting up with a fruitcake.' So I fly back to Washington, and two days later he calls me. He says, 'Joe, I made up my mind, and I'm going to play next season.' I thought it was great. I've got him back, and I'll trade that sucker. But then he says, 'There's only one thing I want in my contract.' I ask what it was. He says, 'A no-trade clause.' "

Obviously Riggins was a different sort of character all together (see video below) than the divaish Portis, and unlike Portis, Riggins did make Joe Gibbs famous. If there is a similarity it’s the penchant for memorable one liners…"Loosen up Sandy Baby"

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