What's YOUR story?

[LoyalSkinsFan]

As I've been reading through threads these last few weeks, I've noticed what seems to be a need by some posters to justify their own qualifications as "die-hard" Redskin fans. I've, personally, been following the team closely from around 1969 and am currently a season ticket holder - even though I live in Los Angeles, California - only about 4000 miles from Fedex Field. It ain't an easy commute, let me tell you. But, do those facts alone automatically ensure the placement of my name on the "die-hard" fan list?

It started me wondering...what really does make a true Redskin fan. What makes YOU such a fan? What's YOUR story?

So, tell me. Give me one example of why you consider yourself a "real" Redskin fan. Give me an instance or story that illustrates this.....that show's just a slice of you and your life and how you percieve what makes a truly great and faithful Redskin fan.

And, for those of you who might think this thread would be better served in the "offseason", well, I would simply answer that there are enough out there who may think that we've already hit the "offseason"...and that perhaps this is the time when all "true" fans show themselves and when all the bandwagon fans can finally put up or shut up.....and standing by "their" team even though things aren't going so well.

I'll start this off:

December 26, 1971. After somewhere in the neighborhood of 35 years, the Redskins make the playoffs for the first time under new coach George Allen. They lose, sadly, to the San Francisco 49ers in the first round. But, a city is buoyed by only the second winning season in many years and fans have turned out in the middle of the night at Dulles Airport to greet the team as they return home.

My father, not much of a sports fan..let alone a football fan..was struck by how hard I'd taken the loss. In just one of the many "fatherly" lessons that he thought to teach me over the years, he dragged my sleeping butt out of bed at 1AM and took down to Dulles to join in the celebration. This, to teach me that the team was a group of men doing their very best at their jobs....and though they didn't win the championship, they gave their all and we supported them the whole way....and that, most of all, even in failure, we all had a great deal to be proud of.

That being said, here is the article as it appeared in the Post on the morning of Dec. 28th. I'm the little guy on the left.

HTTR

PS: These attachments may be too small to read clearly...still, we were arrested (and me, only eight years old) but still allowed to sing Hail to The Redskins for the photographer. I can still remember the team coming down the stairs from the plane, waving at the six of us and laughing. We snuck away shortly after and were never caught. I guess I'm still a fugitive from the law...although the other guys were released and not charged later that evening.

[H-O-G]

Awesome.

I was born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia. At the age of 9, we decided to move to Ashburn, Virginia. I had been watching the redskins all my life every sunday as soon as we got back from church and just got used to rooting and cheering for them. In our new house in Ashburn (near Ashburn Ice House) My next door neighbor was a kicker for a semi pro league, who loved the Redskins. At the start of the 2000 season he asked me if I wanted to go to training camp with him. I remember my dad and him complaining about how insane our new owner was to be chargering $10 to go and watch training camp, pretty funny now that I think back about it. I remember Deion, Darrell and Champ. Watching Brad Johnson, Jeff George. I remember Albert Connell making a nice diving catch off a bomb. All good memories, at that point I was a fan. I had already been to one game in 1999. They played the Giants in November and I was kickoff kid that got to run on the field and grab the tee, (great experience by the way). I have closely followed them since we moved to Florida in 2002. EVERY sunday during the football season I drive to Gators Dockside, which is a family sports resturant and watch the redskins play in my sean taylor jersey.

Here I am today.

[barefoot]

...what really does make a true Redskin fan. What makes YOU such a fan?

Because I've been loyal since pre glory days, thru the glory days, post glory days. I was a fan when Pardee ran the show. To young to remember Allen. I go to work miserable and pissy on mondays after a loss and I'm grinning ear to ear after a win. I've payed way overpriced tickets and driven 7 hrs to see a team with sub .500 record late in a season multiple times. I sat in freekin rain/snow at FedEx with 32,000 Dallas fans giving me hell when we were getting our asses kicked until 0:00, (only 10,000 skin fans there) but I was and am still a 'skins fan ALWAYS. I'm not a season ticket holder because the money & commute are not compatable for me & family. But yeah, I've earned my stipes and can call myself a TRUE REDSKIN FAN.

[One Shot]

That's a compelling story you've got there, when I read the part about your dad taking you out of bed and bringing you to the airport I had chills all over. I don't really know why, I guess it's the fact that you have been a fan for so long and you're still going. I look forward to the day when I can look back and recall the good and bad times of the Redskins experience like all of the veterans on this forum. Getting homefield advantage on the road to the Superbowl must really be a special feeling, so much emotion and passion in one place at one time. It's bound to happen again for this franchise, and I'm bound to be there when it does.

As for the answer to your question, I don't know if it can even be defined.

[FedExFielder]

My name is Korey, I'm a Skins-o-holic.

I guess it started when I was a baby. My dad (from Maryland) installed the Redskins into my mind when I was young, making me watch games and tapes of the team back when we were top of the line. The whole concept of getting behind the team really stuck on me and I've been to a couple road games and a couple home games, all of which were when the team hasn't been playing well. I can't get enough of the Skins, you guys know that cuz I'm on this site all the time. I'll always be a Skins fan no matter what, and I'm glad that this site has hosted all of us knuckleheads.

[professor21]

It all started when in 1989 when Super Tecmo Bowl for Nintendo came out. 1991 with Mark Rypien heading the skins into the super bowl and winning. I have been a fan since.

The End. :eaglesuck :gaintsuck :dallasuck :helmet: :logo: :notworthy

[FedExFielder]

It all started when in 1989 when Super Tecmo Bowl for Nintendo came out. 1991 with Mark Rypien heading the skins into the super bowl and winning. I have been a fan since.

The End. :eaglesuck :gaintsuck :dallasuck :helmet: :logo: :notworthy

Dang quick and to the point my man

[mcarey032]

For me the beginning was easy I was in elementary school when they won super bowls and graduated high school when they won their last. The years post Gibbs I have been the most trying for me. For all the Dallas losses. I was at the Dallas loss at Fed Ex when Norv choked. I was at the there when Dallas beat us under spurrier 44-7, when it was raining and sleeting That game was a Christmas gift to my dad.

The years post Gibbs 1 have really tempered my loyalty to this team. I am with them when they win and with them when they lose. It is just so hard so see this team this way, especially with Joe Gibbs at the helm now losing. I guess sitting through the good times when they won and been with them when they were bad. To this day though, I can't even talk about Super Bowl 18 without getting mad. I can't believe that was one of the only AFC wins in that decade and we gave it up. That was probably the most painful early on memory. In present times, it is any time we lose to Dallas.

[dent19]

What does real mean... I'm a Skins Fan... There is nothing more real than that...

When we win, "WE" win. When we lose, "WE" lose.

And nothing I can tell you about me will make you understand it any better.....

Im A Son Of Washington..........

[professor21]

For me the beginning was easy I was in elementary school when they won super bowls and graduated high school when they won their last. The years post Gibbs I have been the most trying for me. For all the Dallas losses. I was at the Dallas loss at Fed Ex when Norv choked. I was at the there when Dallas beat us under spurrier 44-7, when it was raining and sleeting That game was a Christmas gift to my dad.

The years post Gibbs 1 have really tempered my loyalty to this team. I am with them when they win and with them when they lose. It is just so hard so see this team this way, especially with Joe Gibbs at the helm now losing. I guess sitting through the good times when they won and been with them when they were bad. To this day though, I can't even talk about Super Bowl 18 without getting mad. I can't believe that was one of the only AFC wins in that decade and we gave it up. That was probably the most painful early on memory. In present times, it is any time we lose to Dallas.

is it really true that Gibbs called foul play after this super bowl for having his locker room bugged a week before the game? i just read this somewhere...

[Raub]

My story is pretty involved and emotional. I don't know where to start.....

We were poor and couldn't afford cable. The Redskins were the local broadcast team. The End. :cry:

[JaimeDeCurry]

Born and raised right on the border between Reston and Herndon, Virginia (even though now I live in Florida). The only memories I have of my first house are sitting on my dad's lap watching the Redskins play football. My parents have never let me forget that my first word was "touchdown." My older brother was born in '82, I was born in '87, and my little brother was born in '91. My parents haven't had a kid since. Coincidence? I think not.

I was at the last game at RFK, and have a piece of my chair that I took off using a smuggled screwdriver. My uncle and dad both have pieces of turf.

My mom babysat Joe Theismann's kids (who called him Mr. "Theesmann" to poke fun), and Joe Gibbs now lives just down the road from my old house in Reston. My 5th and 6th grade teacher was Charley Taylor's wife, and Charley Taylor, Darrel Green, and Art Monk came to my school and taught gym and played football with us at reccess. They inspired me to play ball in high school and club in college.

For me, the 'Skins aren't just a once-great team that happens to be the local team where I was born. Being a Redskins fan, for me, is a way of life.

[computerclone]

Great THREAD!!!!!!!!!!!

The years you guys are born is.... well lol.... Pretty Cool:cheers:

Born and raised right on the border between Reston and Herndon, Virginia (even though now I live in Florida). The only memories I have of my first house are sitting on my dad's lap watching the Redskins play football. My parents have never let me forget that my first word was "touchdown." My older brother was born in '82, I was born in '87, and my little brother was born in '91. My parents haven't had a kid since. Coincidence? I think not.

I was at the last game at RFK, and have a piece of my chair that I took off using a smuggled screwdriver. My uncle and dad both have pieces of turf.

My mom babysat Joe Theismann's kids (who called him Mr. "Theesmann" to poke fun), and Joe Gibbs now lives just down the road from my old house in Reston. My 5th and 6th grade teacher was Charley Taylor's wife, and Charley Taylor, Darrel Green, and Art Monk came to my school and taught gym and played football with us at reccess. They inspired me to play ball in high school and club in college.

For me, the 'Skins aren't just a once-great team that happens to be the local team where I was born. Being a Redskins fan, for me, is a way of life.

[JaimeDeCurry]

Like I said...coincidence?

Hmmmm.....

Go Redskins!

[LoyalSkinsFan]

I tell ya...I've got story after story....

Like when my buddy and I left DC in a blizzard (took pics in front of the Capitol building in nothing but our OP's, sunglasses, a pennant, and the snow) and then drove 24 hours straight to Florida. Finally scored Super Bowl tickets a couple days later, only to watch the favored 'Skins get hammered by the Raiders. Drag.

And, before there WAS cable...I saw all the games on regular TV or on my huge Radio Shack AM radio that I wore while cutting lawns or raking leaves.

On and on....

Keep the stories comin' folks!

It's a great thing to be a Redskin fan....what made YOU one?

[PCS]

I'm a fan, therefore I am.

Or something like that.

[kimrobyn]

Born and raised right on the border between Reston and Herndon, Virginia (even though now I live in Florida). The only memories I have of my first house are sitting on my dad's lap watching the Redskins play football. My parents have never let me forget that my first word was "touchdown." My older brother was born in '82, I was born in '87, and my little brother was born in '91. My parents haven't had a kid since. Coincidence? I think not.

I was at the last game at RFK, and have a piece of my chair that I took off using a smuggled screwdriver. My uncle and dad both have pieces of turf.

My mom babysat Joe Theismann's kids (who called him Mr. "Theesmann" to poke fun), and Joe Gibbs now lives just down the road from my old house in Reston. My 5th and 6th grade teacher was Charley Taylor's wife, and Charley Taylor, Darrel Green, and Art Monk came to my school and taught gym and played football with us at reccess. They inspired me to play ball in high school and club in college.

For me, the 'Skins aren't just a once-great team that happens to be the local team where I was born. Being a Redskins fan, for me, is a way of life.

Awww, that was nice! Even though you haven't been around that long I do believe that you are one of the definitions of a "die-hard" Redskins fan.

[skinsngibbs4life]

I hate these types of threads.

we are all redskins fans on here. A fan is a fan is a fan. so why does it matter?

[herb mul-key]

Born in DC...grew up in Reston, Herndon...saw all the players around back in the day. My Dad went to the Naval Academy with Staubach, My mom loved Roger...ya we had some fun times in our house with the skins vs boys growing up...I had every paraphanalia piece, cards, penants jersey etc item you can imagine...I grew up loving the skins Sonny/Billy/Larry/Charley(went to school with his son Charlie Jr.)/George, been to RFK for some great games. My late 20's were the Gibbs 1 glory years !...I still can't shake my love for 'skins...sometimes I wish I could.

[FedExFielder]

I hate these types of threads.

we are all redskins fans on here. A fan is a fan is a fan. so why does it matter?

Stories are interesting to hear

[skinsngibbs4life]

Stories are interesting to hear

obviously you didnt read the first page...

[Warhead36]

I'll just post my first English Comp 101 paper of the year.

[NavyDave]

Impressive, Most Impressive.

Raised in south east DC and back in the late 60's I remember that weekly dad with his cans of Schlitz back when it was alledgedly good and his pall malls rooting for the skins with me on the floor next to his chair and my uncle rooting against them cowpokefan ( he was stationed in texas AFB).

Met and converted skinsfans around the world and received alot of skins paraphanelia one of the best being a Redskins Beer stein while in Hohenfels germany

[JaimeDeCurry]

I'll just post my first English Comp 101 paper of the year.

Do you go to Herndon High? Who's your English Comp teacher?

*EDIT: Good essay.

[GibbsFactor]

Not much to tell. I'm from the area. My family's from the area and it's what you do. Of course it doesn't hurt that my first real football exposure came in the Redskin's glory days. My first real memories were from the feeling of doom when Elway stormed out to a 10-0 lead. After that first bomb, I thought it was over. Then, the gates opened and a storm of Redskins stormed the gates! My first season I can remember, again, was a memorable one. 1991, the first year I saw every game. I haven't missed one since. I can't really afford season tickets but hope to one day get them. Instead, I resort to 3 to 4 games a year, go to training camp and root for my team no matter the score! Hail to the Redskins!