Cooley’s Goodbye

After being released from the Redskins, Monday, August, 28, 2012, an emotional Chris Cooley addressed the Media.

I would be in trouble when I came home tonight to not post this video, as Cooley is my fiance’s (a diehard Redskins fan) favorite player, maybe of all time.  For the her first birthday we spent together, I bought her a Cooley jersey.  Normally, that would pain an Eagles Fan, like myself, to no end but I have always respected what he has stood for.

Working on Sports Week with Lavar Arrington for a couple years, I covered the Redskins religiously as a Producer and Cameraman.  I have had the pleasure to interview Chris on several occasions and considered myself lucky to have that experience on my resume.  He was always open in the media, even on days he didn’t want to talk, even if he was injured or didn’t even play in that particular game.  Cooley enjoyed his stay in D.C. maybe more than any other athlete and embraced the fan base that backed him passionately.  Even though he played during the “Dark Ages” for the Redskins, he still had fun with the game.

My personal favorite experiences with Cooley include two different instances; which really showed his true personality.  During Redskins player only practices last year (while in the lockout), Redskins.com released an article ranking the “Top 5 Draft Picks of the Snyder Era;” Cooley was ranked third.  When The Sports Column’s own, Lou Holder, approached him for an interview (which I was filming), the first question was on that specific article.  Chris looked Lou dead in the eyes, with a straight face and quoted “WHY THE FUCK AM I NOT NUMBER ONE LOU?” This was all caught on camera and us working on the show at the time had a big laugh.

The second best run in with Cooley was during the Vikings game at FedEx Field in week 16, Christmas Eve, last season.  The NFL mandates all players to wear only licensed apparel while on the field at all times, so to keep his feet warm, Chris drew the Reebok logo (they had the exclusive rights to the apparel last season) on his slippers with a Sharpie.  When he pointed this out to several of his teammates, I was standing next to him filming pregame warm-ups.  We laughed about it, he shook my hand, said “Good Luck” and walked away.

I can only hope Chris Cooley gets another chance, but if he does not, he has a second career in media ready and waiting.  He is everything that is right with sports and deserves to be celebrated as so, whether it be in the game, calling the game or analyzing the game, no one has seen the last of one the great personalities in not just sports, but life in general.