At 5:05p.m last night, Joseph Prince Alexander was born. He is healthy and Valerie is doing great!

Wow, what a game! Congratulations to the Pittsburgh Steelers, champions again in the NFL.

So it's Day Two of the offseason, officially and I'm already and always starting to think about next season. My typical routine is give myself at least a month to relax, so that would be February, this month. You see, I'm always pushing myself. So in March I start to get running.

The thing is, I'm probably in the best shape right now. I'm not beat up at all from the past year, the injuries have healed and I'm expecting a mighty fine start to next season. Hopefully I'll be with the right team, the Redskins. That Washington defense is so good, plus there's a lot of opportunity to score touchdowns. And that's what I do. We can be a truly dominant backfield next season, so we'll just have to wait and see.

Moving my family to Washington has been great. During the season, we made some great friends and really situated ourselves. Everyone in my family loves it. We're so close to everything. Just jump on a plane and you have one hour to New York City, one hour to Cincinnati, 45-minutes to Chicago, two hours to Alabama. Seattle was so far from everything and we just love the culture out here you know. You turn the corner out here and you're able to see anything and everything.

The girls are in school and I love being able to spend the mornings, nights and weekends with them. When I say I'm giving myself the month off to relax, it means spend it with them, maybe take a vacation and then begin focusing again on returning to work when we get back. Life is all about balance. Remember that, and you'll be good to go.

Take care,
-Shaun

What an exciting time it is! We've got a new President being inaugurated today and the Super Bowl is next week! So congratulations to President Barack Obama, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers on doing great things.

As for me, my family is doing great and we're looking forward to a little vacation here together in this offseason.

I know a lot of you are wondering about my thoughts on the past NFL season, which was definitely a different experience for me, but I look at everything that happens as a positive. It's been a few weeks now where I've been able to reflect and I will say that anytime you don't play, you're like oh man, that hurts. But at the same time, I believe I'm still going to be a part of this team in the future. I know nothing's etched in stone, I understand how it works.

In signing with the Washington Redskins, I walked into a situation where I was the "other guy." So that was definitely a unique position, the guy who has to earn his spurs. So that's life, it's tough, but it's reality. But I think the Redskins are still going to invite me back and I'll have a great opportunity to show off my skills. So that's going to be exciting.

I know and the team knows that with my practices, I went hard. Even though I didn't do too much in games, I have a lot of confidence for next year. More than just stepping up. That's the good thing about having all these resources to train and get better.

And I know after some of the plays I ran, even though they were few, I did a good job. The thing is, running backs don't just run. I ran a play where I wasn't supposed to do much, but I did. For the average fans, it's hard to tell from the stands what I was doing. But I know and the Redskins know and everyone was there for me.

When you get to the pinnacle of your career, with mvps and rushing titles, that no longer becomes the goal. The Super Bowl is a great goal to strive for, but loving to play and getting the chance to get out there and compete is really the ultimate goal, and I will never lose sight of that.

Be well, everyone and I'll talk to you soon.
-Shaun

Happy New Year, friends! So is everyone holding firm and sticking to your resolutions? I'm not really a New Year's Resolution guy because I'm actually always doing that. I'm always thinking of how to get better and how to do better. So for me, my New Year's Resolution happens every month. So it's like okay, here are some goals for the year. Where am I at? Did I accomplish that?

I'm also like that throughout the football season and the summer camps, very goal-oriented. And for me, the next goal is to be ready to go for next season now that this one is coming to an end. Though it's not done yet. Nothing compares to the playoffs in the NFL. Are you watching?

For me, I'm a people person. When you're not in the playoffs, you don't root for teams as a player but I am going to cheer for the people I know. You make a lot of friends in this league and it's great seeing them do well. Like last year, one of my closest friends is Heath Evans, a fullback with the New England Patriots. And another of my other close friends is David Tyree and he plays wide receiver for the Giants. So in last year's Super Bowl, I was cheering for the offense. That's sort of how football players watch football...

It's funny... before the start of the year, some players usually call one or two buddies and wish them good luck. And it was really weird cause last year I called Michael Strahan and the year before that I called Peyton. And then both guys won it all! So when I look back, I was like yeah, I did call both of them, I wonder if... no it can't be!

Now did I call someone this year? Well, I did. But I don't want to say who it was yet because I don't want to jinx anything. If his team does win, then I'll freak out and I'll write about it and tell you all, then everyone will be clamoring for my phone call next year. What I should do is call one of my own teammates... that would make sense.

Well for everyone, I wish you the best and a great year ahead. Looking forward to seeing what we all can accomplish in '09. Great things!

Merry Christmas and happy holidays, everybody. One day away and I bet a lot of you are on vacation, but I couldn't resist taking the opportunity to talk about my favorite time of year.

Right now we're in Washington D.C., my girls are eating their breakfasts and we are all in the holiday spirit. It's funny, though, because I kind of live everyday like this. I'm always in a joyous and giving spirit, so I wait for everyone else to catch up with me a little bit. It's true... I've just always been the kind of person that finds reasons to give people gifts or celebrate anything or throw a party for nothing at all. So during the holiday season, there are lights everywhere and people throwing Christmas parties. So you're like, "Oh, here we go!" I've been waiting for you all, let's go!

This year is actually a bit different because we've always had people over to our house in Seattle for the holiday, been the hosts. So this year we're actually going to go to another guy's house, Antwaan Randle El's, Christmas. So it's definitely going to be unique. You know, we get to kick our heels up a little bit and relax.

The kids are definitely excited, but it's so funny because even with the whole getting presents thing, our kids want to buy people so many other gifts. You know what I mean? They're almost like, "Uh, we don't need anything." But then they'll start dropping hints and tell us what they want this year, a couple of things here or there.

When we're out buying gifts, the kids already think that someone else got their gifts already and that Santa Claus probably has everything else. You know, they'll hold onto that kind of attitude...thinking they're helping the big guy. They're getting a bit suspicious, now... They're like, Santa Claus was over here, and now he's over there. How'd he do that? And I'm like, "Ughhh". I always break it down for them, but I don't.

So different from when I was a kid. We didn't have a lot, so we could ask for anything we wanted on our Christmas list. But we always had to pick one present out that we really wanted and star it. I'm telling you, I can't remember my mom ever not getting that starred gift for me, the He-Man action figure or the Transformers toy. But it was funny because if my brother Duran wrote two things on the list, then I would write down three. Then he would write down four and I would write down five, you know. But it didn't matter because you could only put a star by one thing.

The holidays are really about family and just being together, so when we were younger, my mom, my grandparents and my aunties (my mom has six sister) would all get together at my grandparents house. I always remember us bringing friends to the party and it always seemed like everyone got a Christmas gift. They obviously bought extra gifts so everyone would get something. And I always wondered how they knew we were bringing my best friend Ray? But he would always have a gift. So that's how our family did it back then and Christmas was always special.

It's bye week here in Washington, which means we get to sit home and actually watch the games on television at home if we want. Of course, I've got so much going on outside of football now that I'm not sure I'll use my free day to watch games, but who knows.

Bye weeks are a funny thing, we practice through the week, but for a game that's two weeks away. It's obviously a great time to rest up and let some bruises heal, but I know after our last game in Pittsburgh we just want to get back out there and play.

One game I will be watching this weekend is my Alabama team, the #1 college football team in all the land!!! I was actually at the Georgia game a few weeks back, standing on the sidelines cheering my alma mater on. You know, I'm so proud of those boys. They play hard and I think they're going in the right direction. You know, I said we would be in the national championship fight in three years with Nick Saban, I was wrong. One year!

Also I'm excited to share with you that my wife and I are expecting our fourth child. I'm not sure if I wrote about that on my blog yet - I was sort of waiting to break the news until we knew where I'd be playing, and then once I got here, it's been a whirlwind.

No matter what I accomplish on a football field, there is no greater joy in the world than being a father. We have three amazing daughters and everyone is asking if we're going to find out if the next one is a boy or girl. It's exciting not knowing. We might try to hold it out until the baby's born and just find out when it's time.

As far as possible names, we haven't decided on anything yet. We normally have a couple of ideas. Actually, we have a couple ideas for girl names and we don't really have any for boys. My daughters want a little brother, but I'd be very happy with another girl.

Speaking of the girls, they're doing great. It took a few weeks for them to get out here from Seattle and I've missed them so much. They also really enjoy watching, cheering and playing along with me. The girls LOVE that.

They're like, "We know what team we like now." And I say who's that? "The Washington Redskins." And I'm like "Alllllright. " Like me, they're all about the march to the postseason and a Super Bowl championship. I really believe the pieces are in place here and now we just have to get it done.

Talk to you,
-Shaun

Just sitting here with some free time before heading over for a walk-through... big game against the Steelers on Monday night. Monday nights are always a unique game for football players because the whole schedule is thrown off a bit, and then you're playing in front of the big national spotlight.

So after a few weeks now, I'm really starting to settle in with the Redskins and I do think I'll be here the whole year. I think I'm a very good person to have on the team in an offense like this and also in a situation where Clinton Portis is the man and he's playing very, very well and we want him to win the MVP and rush for 2,000 yards. But at the same time, you know, he can't run every single play. He's never been put in that situation.

So for me it's like what happens if they don't want to give Clinton Portis every carry? Let's go put me in and help move this offense. I've always been a guy who can put the ground game in the West Coast, which is sort of what they've got here. So for me I'm like yeah I'll do it, let's go. It just makes sense for me.

I don't know how it was before, but Redskins fans love Redskins football. And that makes it a lot of fun, especially when the team is winning. We're having a lot of fun out here. This is a team so rich with tradition, so many great players have played here. Though I'm a veteran so they didn't haze me or anything when I got here and make me learn "Hail all the Redskins..." I've got too many awards.

It's really funny because I feel like I just jumped in the scene and fit right in. It was kind of like when your cousins visit during the summer. Now all of sudden they've moved to the neighborhood and you see them all the time. I know so many of these guys. I obviously went to college with Chris Samuels and Cornelius Griffin. I played with Pete Kendall and Shawn Springs in Seattle. I was in the Pro Bowl with Clinton and Chris Cooley so many of us have been together a lot.

I kinda feel like I know everybody. So it was really exciting for me from day one.

The only thing that is a little bit strange because even when I'm here at home, I stay in a hotel. You know some of the guys on the team are like, "stay at my house" and they've been very generous, but I have to see how it goes. We'll get a small house or we'll rent for the rest of the season or something like that once my family comes out here from Seattle.

I can't wait to see them. Until then, it's all business.

Well well, so it's been a few weeks since I last checked in but I hope you forgive me as I've been pretty busy. A good busy. I'm now a member of the Washington Redskins and things are going really well! I like what's going on here, it's a great team and I'm already having lots of fun. I've already played two games here with the Skins, two wins and I'm starting to get the hang of things.

It's really an interesting process now that I look back on it. Every player has his own story, but for me and and the career I've had so far, it was more about getting healthy again and getting back to how I felt a few years ago.

Three years ago, I was the MVP. Then the first game of the next season, I broke my foot and have essentially been healing ever since. The next year after that, I broke my hand in the first game of the next season, had to carry the ball with one hand even though I couldn't really guard myself and was pretty much re-breaking it every game. I didn't want to whine and complain, but it was terrible!

So as far as this season went, some teams asked me to try out and work out and all that while others were content to just talk and answer their questions. 1.) Is he going to be able to run like he used to? and 2.) Will he be able to get his upper body strong like it was? I enjoyed the opportunity to show them a couple of drills so they could see if I could still do what I used to do. But like I've been saying for a little while now, my foot is finally healed and people were seeing me run with the bursts I used to have. I think they still assumed something was wrong with me.

Since I was still healing and getting back into shape as training camp came around, most teams already had their guys. So unfortunately in my case, somebody had to be injured for me to join a team. For some guys, it may have been frustrating that they couldn't control their own fate. Not for me. I actually like the fact that I don't have to be in control every day. I can just prepare myself for the next great thing, which always makes me hungry. Like I can't tell you the next time I'll run for a touchdown, but I CAN prepare for the next play. Just be ready. It keeps that fire inside me ready....be ready, be ready, be ready. And that's what I do. That's why I'm a versatile player. I keep chasing after the "be ready" mentality.

Then I signed with the Redskins a couple of weeks ago, and like three days days later I'm right back in the action. In the first game I carried about three times, and my first carry was about eight yards. It's hard to kind of grasp everything. Even running and catching and getting your wind back together. You know, all that is tough. It's funny, even that first play I ran wrong. So it's hard for a player to make plays in a whole new system in three days. You know, they told me they wouldn't put me in the game in a tough situation, like with the game on the line.

But at the end of the day, running is running. Like riding a bike. You have to fin the holes and hit them hard. I was just like I'm going to run like I'm going nuts. And ah, that's what I did. I said, ok wherever it is, I'm going to hit that thing.

So thanks for all of the emails and comments and support. It means a lot. It's really exciting to be here. I'm back from our game in Detroit now and just getting settled again, so stay tuned for more in a few days or so.
Peace and love,
-Shaun.

Hello again everyone on weplay.

For all the new people who just joined, welcome aboard. I think you're going to find that you're going to really like it here. Not only have I been blogging here for awhile now and posted a bunch of stuff from when I was a kid playing football, but so have Peyton Manning, Derek Jeter, LeBron James, Summer Sanders and a bunch of other top top athletes.

So you may have seen this thing we're doing now with Pop Warner and weplay - for football teams AND cheer squads who've signed up and created their groups. It's called Alexander's Greats. I'm really excited about it because it's my first chance to really get to know people on the site on a more specific basis.

http://www.weplay.com/youth-football-cheerleading-teams

After the end of the season, we're going to pick out one team, the best Pop Warner football team on all of weplay, and I'm going to travel to your town and hang out with you.... Maybe we'll run some plays, talk about the game and just chill.

For the cheerleaders, you've got a chance to win money for your team - for new uniforms or gear or even for traveling to those competitions we see on ESPN or whatever.

As for me, right now I'm just waiting for the chance to get back out on the field. But I'll tell you this, I'm in as good shape as I've been in years. In preparing for past seasons, I'd always trained a little bit with my team and a little bit on my own, either at the University of Alabama, U of Washington or elsewhere. I've had some great coaches around me for my entire life when it comes to training, so this past summer wasn't any different from any of past 8 years. I didn't go into a team facility to work-out and train, but it doesn't really matter where I'm working, as long as I'm doing the right things and surrounding myself with people who are hungry.

I've always trained like that, with people who might be more hungry than talented. Hunger is something you always need to have, that passion for the game. So I've always stuck to that. My routine, over the entire year, is usually two days of stronger running, two days of stronger lifting, though I do run every day, along with the push-ups and sit ups every day. There might be one week with three days of heavier running or lifting, but I try and keep it balanced.

In the meantime, I'm enjoying the bonus time with my family. Hope you all are doing well, working hard and having fun.
Talk to you,
-Shaun

With Labor Day weekend here, it can only mean one thing... football is here. The college games get started, I know lots of the youth leagues are going strong already and pretty soon the NFL will be taking over Sundays.

I first started playing football in the Boone County Football League, I think, when I was in the first or second grade. As I think about it, when we were that young, I don't remember if we actually played in real games or if it was just like a practice a week where we'd run around. I think the first year I started playing in games was when I was in the third grade.

What I remember about it was that everyone got to play every position - offense, defense, special teams - we all rotated around. So when I got to high school, I was like this is easy. One position is a lot easier to play than 10.

I think I still keep in touch with the majority of the kids I played with in that league when I was a kid. It's not like I grew up in a huge city. So most of those kids were guys I grew up with and played with through high school.

Our high school team was really, really good when I was there, so a lot of the guys ended up playing college football and we kept in touch and still do today. My whole family is still in Kentucky or Cincinnati, so I get to see everyone quite often.

So good luck to everyone starting your seasons... Stay healthy, have fun and work hard. I won't be far behind you.