Ol' Ricky's Redskins Tales - Kenard Lang + Chase Young

Ol’ Ricky remembers Kenard Lang, a first-round defensive end who was one of the funnier players you’d ever meet. Plus, watch his video on Chase Young.

Ol’ Ricky sometimes needed a funny quote so he’d wander over to Kenard Lang’s locker. Twenty years later, they’re still funny.

Lang was a 1997 first-rounder out of Miami back when “The U” was a big deal. I asked if he was taking a paycut coming to the NFL. He only laughed.

Lang could zing people with a smile so even they mostly laughed. He loved to tease linemate Dan “Big Daddy” Wilkinson, who would just stare back at the young’un with disinterest.

“Oh, Big Daddy only eats salads now,” said Lang, knowing Wilkinson was listening. “Potato salad, macaroni salad, egg salad . . .”

Everybody would laugh. One day when talking of the Chicago Bears, Lang said, “Looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane.” Ooh, that one stayed on bulletin boards for a while.

Lang was a steady player for five seasons before spending 2002-05 in Cleveland and 2006 with Denver. He later coached high school football from 2008-15 before retiring.

Wonder if Kenard used that Tarzan-Jane line in pregame pep talks?

Tomorrow: Ol’ Ricky has the weekend off. See ya Monday.  Lots of stories in my book and these are the types of tales I’ll tell on my “Pizza and Pigskins Tours” later this summer.

Rick Snider is an award-winning sports writer who has covered Washington sports since 1978. He first wrote about the Redskins in 1983 before becoming a beat writer in 1993. Snider currently writes for several national and international publications and is a Washington tour guide. Follow Rick on Twitter at @Snide_Remarks.