Cap flap: Skins' Portis puts Phillies cap back in closet

ASHBURN, Va. -- Sufficiently chastened for picking the wrong week to show love for the city of Philadelphia, Clinton Portis switched headgear Friday and wore a Washington Nationals baseball cap at practice.

"Nats! Go, Nats!" the Washington Redskins running back said.

Portis was making amends for the fashion faux pas he committed Thursday, when he wore a Phillies cap during his locker room interviews. That was bad timing, given that the Redskins play the Eagles on Monday night.

Portis said his misstep wasn't intentional. He simply picked out the Phillies cap because it was red, and it went with his red hoodie.

"I just had on a Texans hat. I had on a Giants hat. Who else? I had on a New York hat, so I wear a hat every day," he said. "You think I woke up, like 'Oooh, I can't put on this hat.' It say Phillies, not Eagles. You won't ever see me with green on."

It was pointed out to Portis on Thursday that the Nationals' caps are red, so he could've kept his color scheme intact without resorting to the opponent's city. He answered that he didn't own a Nationals cap.

So where did he find one?

"The Nationals sent it over," he said. "Thank you, Nats."

On Friday, Portis "got a little work in" during practice, according to coach Mike Shanahan.

Portis, who has missed four games with a third-degree separation of his left groin, will see a doctor Saturday. He hasn't been ruled out for Monday's game, but Shanahan said it's important to be careful when returning from that type of injury.

Running back Ryan Torain is day-to-day with a hamstring injury, so the Redskins might promote a back from the practice squad for the game.

Kick returner Brandon Banks caught some kicks during practice, just nine days after having knee surgery. Shanahan said Banks will be a game-time decision.

Notes: The team chose center Casey Rabach (offense), cornerback DeAngelo Hall (defense) and linebacker Lorenzo Alexander (special teams) to join quarterback Donovan McNabb and linebacker London Fletcher as captains for the rest of the season. ... Shanahan said he has cameras in every meeting room to help keep tabs on his team. He says he got the idea from Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh in San Francisco. Asked if he has cameras in the media room, Shanahan laughed and said: "I know I can't do that."

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press