What's YOUR story?

[docsandy]

I have a pair of RFK Seats in my living room. My grandparents were in Grifith Stadium on Pearl Harbor day and heard the PA announcer call for "all military personel to report immediately".

Ditto here on both counts... Dad telling that story about Pearl Harbor day was great... he could tell it so it felt like I was there (even though I wasn't even a glimmer in his eye at that point yet ).

[docsandy]

when I first read this, I thought this was another one of those "im a superfan, you suck" threads. Forgive me for the premature response, but I just get tired of other people thinknig they are bigger and better than others(not saying this person did that)

I too, dislike those kind of threads. You can't put a "grade" on a fan because they go to games, don't go to games, have all the fan memorabilia, don't have it.. a lot of it is financial.

Being a fan is what is in your heart.. not what you put on your back, or in your house or on your car.

[docsandy]

Love the thread idea. I encourage everyone to join in. Sometimes touching base with your Inner Skin is the best medicine.

You can say that again... It's easy to be a fan when a team is doing well. It during the tough times when the team really needs our support and loyalty. Every year, I look forward to the season with "fanticipation..."

[barefoot]

Thats funny...I dont remember 10000 fans at Fedex. I hope you mean RFK considering your time frame. ..............

What I meant was by the end of the game the stadium was 1/2 empty. Cowboy fans out numbered 'skins fans 3 to 1. My wife spent the 4th qtr in the concourse but I was still in my seat.

[wshngtn1]

I was a millitary brat and was born on Andrews AFB. Moved to Germany when I was two. My dad was a fan, not a superfan. I have pics of me laying with my dad on the couch watching the Skins in Germany. We only got one channel over there so I'm not sure how or why we caught a couple of Skins games. I do vaguely remember watching it but not being very interested in it. I doubt most toddlers aged 2-5 really are.

We then moved back to Ft. Washington, MD and that is when it really kicked in. I played football daily and was always either Green or Kelvin Bryant (for some reason I love Bryant back then). EVERY birthday and EVERY Xmas was probably 95% Redskins stuff. Sadly, the years I lived there I never went to game at RFK. My dad was a big believer in that you see much better on TV and going to the game wasn't worth it. I've come to disagree now.

Then we moved to Ft. Worth, TX. Cowboys sucked and you couldn't pay someone to say they were a fan. I still remember the bus stop after we were the only team they beat that one season.:doh: Then they started winning and EVERYONE was a fan. That was my first taste of bandwagon fools. I thought it was only Cowboys fans like that so my hatred for them grew even more.

These days I just recently bought my first house. After collecting Skins stuff for all those years I was able to make a 700 sq foot Redskins bar in my basement. Luckily the house came with a 7 foot maroon bar It's stuffed with just about everything Redskins you can buy...and of course two TVs with the Sunday ticket in HD.

So, without having to mention any of the ups and downs of the Skins over the years and all the little details of my Skins life in between and because of my life long investment and the investment of all of my friends and family buying me crap for so long - Oh, and for my wife putting up with the Redskins bar and the rowdy Sundays, I feel like I have the right to complain about team...however I'm not a poster that just openly rants just to be heard.

[CaptChaos86]

I was born and raised outside of charlotte nc. My dad and everyone were redskins fans before the panthers came. So i was raised watching redskins football, thats all i have ever known. I wouldnt know how to cheer for anyone else. While i dont have the money to go to every home game i still am glued to my tv set on sunday rooting for my skins. Me and my dad have had a conversation like this before. He said he knew i was a diehard fan when i was a little kid the cowboys beat the redskins and i cried like a baby. But i did finally get to see a home game this season vs. jacksonville. And it was the highlight of my life. I have never experienced anything like that. So i do consider myself diehard.

[RedskinsNation]

My story is probably the most simple of all, without going on for too long...

I was born (1977), raised, live and will die in DC. Its safe to say I've been here my whole life except college.

Growing up I basically followed/watched whatever my pop watched. He always had the Redskins on tv every Sunday afternoon no matter what. I just got next to him on the couch and enjoyed watching the games. At some point I started to actually care...and I felt like I cared more than he did (im sure i didnt but i would be the won crying after losses - LOL). I remember being scared when the games were on the line and would hide so i didnt have to view the dissapointment (if it came to that).

As a young kid I recall watching tons of games with my dad and it was what we did. Sports was everything (still is, basically) but the Redskins were the mecca of all. Thru time the Redskins just became a part of me, basically like "family". I know it sounds weird but to this day every time i see the classic logo that is the Redskins I feel like its a family member wearing it. Its weird, anything that says "Washington Redskins" or the logo is like seeing my Last name.

The Skins are just a part of who I am now and there is no changing it. All my friends, family, co-workers etc...know that I am a Redskins nut. But i admit it, there is no switch. 365 days a year Im in Redskins mode.

The past decade + has been difficult as a Redskins fan but my interest has only gone up. I dont know why...it just has. I dont miss a game on tv or in person for anything. My family has had season tix since 1993 and Ive gone to probably 50 + games in my lifetime.

I was at the final game at RFK and did manage to break off a seat bottom and still have it to this day. Unfortunately I was at that notorious "Dallas Game" where it was sleeting/raining and we got waxed 27-0 a few years ago. I make one road trip per year....this year its New Orleans...should be fine despite the bad season...cant be worse than last years visit to the Meadowlands (36-0) OUCH! WHEN we go to the super bowl again i will sell my soul to land tickets.

I could probably go on and on but I think just the fact that people are HERE and say they are REDSKINS FANS in a time like this (4-8 & miserable season) says ENOUGH.

As an above poster said....there is NO WORSE feeling than losing to the Dallas Cowboys. Especially at home. Losing to Dallas is rock bottom, for me atleast.

-

[cyfar]

Let's see, I was 6 or 7 years old and I met Darrell Green in 1985 or so because he would frequent my barber at 7th and Kennedy St. I was unaware that he played football at the time. He was really kind to everyone in the shop whenever he came in. Then someone point him out to me while he was making his return against the Bears in the 86/87 playoffs and said to me, "Cory, that's the man from the barbershop". I've been a fan ever since.

[Fifty Gut]

I haven't been a fan the longest, but just let me say this

I'm the loudest mother****ing fan you'll come across at FedEx Field

a shining example for other quiet / whine & cheese / club seat / box / snobby / ego driven fans

that includes before, during, and after the game :helmet:

[wshngtn1]

Its weird, anything that says "Washington Redskins" or the logo is like seeing my Last name.

-

EXACTLY. Especially when you are not in the DC area. I actually get the ole warm and fuzzy the moment I see someone wearing something Redskins. It feels like you know that stranger who you never talked to before better than you know every one of your co-workers. Strange, but true.

[KDawg]

I can sum up all of my commitment with one small phrase.

I have a Washington Redskins tattoo on my arm.

[iwasdoinit]

Even though I grew up in Brooklyn NY,the fact that they had all those "old guys" and the fact that George Allen didn't mind running up the score-he elected to kick a field goal against the Giants on the last play of the game while up 69 to 42- drew me to the team. I have never stopped rooting for them. I've been to games at Shea and the Meadowlands but never went to a home game until they beat Jacksonville this year. It felt strange to cheer for the home team. I was vaguely familiar with Gibbs when he came aboard. He's a winner, I wish the players stepped up for him this go-round.

[Chrisbob74]

I've posted this up before, I'll throw it up again:

What are you doing watching this?

Over the past few years of spending time on internet message boards - especially those relating to the Redskins and the world of the NFL in general - one of the most common questions posed to me is "How did you get interested in the Redskins and the NFL?".

Well, seeing as I now have this avenue to share my thoughts, I figure I may as well tell (some of) my story as well and at the same time, explain a little about the history of the sport in this country and how interest in it amongst the British public came about.

As most of you must be aware, football - or American Football as it is more commonly called here - is pretty much a minority sport. For a sport that has such a massive following and that is a major part of American culture, the awareness of the game over this side of the pond is almost non-exsistent. Until 1983, when the game first got aired on TV in the UK, I have no doubt that hardly anyone in this country was aware of the game.

American Football (ok, I'll stop calling it that now!!) first started getting shown here almost out of desperation out of a brand new TV channel to get some exclusive sports to show. A TV station called Channel 4 started in this country back in 1982 and you have to realise, at that time, cable and satellite TV in this country wasn't really around meaning us Brits had the limited choice of 3 channels to watch - two of them controlled by the same company (the BBC) - and they had control of all the major British sports that generate interest in the viewing public, football (er, I mean soccer........if I'm confusing you, don't worry, I may well confuse myself by the end of this article!), cricket, rugby etc.

Channel 4 decided that if it couldn't get a piece of those sports, it would give the British public something "different" to watch and so the birth of American Football (ok, that's the last time, I promise) in this country happened. It wasn't wall-to-wall coverage, just some highlights of the previous weeks action in a one hour show, but it quickly generated some interest. The obvious comparisions to rugby were made and for those that took an instant dislike to the game, the sneering comments such as "Why do they wear pads and helmets?", "Why does it take three hours to play a one hour game?" and "Why does it stop and start all the time?" (which, if anyone thinks about it, answers the previous question) were made.

Channel 4 started it all for most British American Football fans.

But it quickly developed a hardcore audience, many of whom still follow the game religiously today. Myself, I became aware of the game after hearing about it off some friends at school, arounds the 1983/4 season. The first game I ever watched was the Redskins beating the Cowboys (no, that wasn't the last time my 'Skins beat them!! Grrr!!) and John Riggens was the first superstar of the NFL to be known in these parts so they became my team. The Redskins enjoyed a great season in 1983, setting a points scoring record and easily advancing to Super Bowl XVIII before meeting the Los Angeles Raiders and being on the wrong end of a butt whipping (see, I'm learning, I could have called that a arse kicking!) by the Silver and Black. But by then, my allegiance was set and has remained ever since.

Over the next couple of years, the interest in the game continued to grow. Many jumped on the bandwagon that was the Chicago Bears of 1986. Talk to any Brit today about football (hurrah, remembered!) and the one player that will come to mind for many is still William "The Refrigerator" Perry, a guy more remembered by true football fans for underachieving talent in a hugh body and robbing the great Walter Payton of a touchdown in Super Bowl XX (I hope you're proud Mike Dikta!). The Niners, Redskins, Raiders and Dolphins all have loyal followings in this country due to their success in the 1980's when interest in football was at it's peak. Well, in the Dolphins case it may have had more to do with Dan Marino and Florida being a favourite holiday spot for Brits.

The one other team that got a loyal following back then was every NFL teams favourite kicktoy, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Yes, us Brits love a loser! The fanzine produced by the teams fan club in the UK was called "There's always next year". I guess they had to change the name after Super Bowl XXXVII. (Actually, as far as I am aware, the fanzine is now an internet based subscription service).

My own interest in football steadily grew over the next few years. What is it that attrached me to football? I honestly think it's a case of a tactically interesting, hard hitting, mano-a-mano game all wrapped up into a bloody good soap opera. Sex, drugs and rock n' roll...........the NFL has it all, and that's just off the field!! As I got more and more hooked, I got to learn about the things like the draft, how player movement happened in the NFL (something that has changed dramatically over the years...........bring back Plan B I say!) and more about the tactical side of the game. Also, as a fan of Rugby League (there are two types of rugby, league and union), I could see some similarities between the games but on the NFL stage, everything is just bigger and better.

Arounds 1987, as the Skins progressed towards another Super Bowl appearance, I was looking for ways to watch or listen to games live. The highlights package we got on Channel 4 was shown on a Tuesday and Sunday, showing clips and news from the previous week and as my interest got deeper, this wasn't enough. A friend of mind (a Raiders fan for his sins) informed me of something called AFRTS, the Armed Forces Radio and Television Network. At the time, this was a godsend..............live footballvia a radio!! Ok, you didn't get to choose which games you could listen to but my friend assured me that they offered live score updates and information. Hell, I'll take that I thought to myself.

AFRTS, positively my favourite radio station...........I just loved those service annoucements

He provided me with the details and I started to tune in. Not as easy as it sounded. AFRTS could be received on a radio in this country due to the signal in Frankfurt for American troops based in Germany but it was a weak signal and for some strange reason (that I still don't really know) it could only be received after dark. That wasn't too bad as NFL games in the UK start in the early evening due to the time difference, but that wasn't the only catch! The signal came and went and was based in between a Welsh radio station and a Spainish Sports station! Have you ever heard the Welsh dialect? It sounds like the speaker has had his or her tongue rolled up in the "y" section of the dictionary! Every second letter seems to be "y" and every word has at least 45 letters in it (I have that very famous Welsh train station name tattoed on my penis.................................................................Rhyl....!!). Add in a Spainsh guy screaming "Goooooooooooaaaaaaaal" or "Ole" every few seconds and it could make for some "interesting" listening! Games involved a commentary such as:

"First and Ten for the Redskins at the Giants 25 yard line...................Williams sends Monk in motion........play action.................Goooooooooooaaaaal................Ole..............Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch..............2nd and 3 from the Giants 17................Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch...................Rogers gets the hand off.....................Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch........................tackled at the 13................ole, ole, ole"

It was always worse when it came to critical downs or goal line situations. You could guarantee that the signal would fade and you would be trying to detect the slightest sound on your headphones of good or bad news. Then, by the time the signal had come back you had to wait for an update and try and catch up with the game and by the time you did, off went the precious signal again into a mass of Spanish Welsh.

I love football..........er, soccer, but if I could have banned it in Spain in the 1980's and 90's, I would of!

Still, those were good days, I had some of my best memories of following football and the Redskins listening to my mums old batter hi-fi in my bedroom, staying up until the late hours if the Skins were on Sunday or Monday Night Football because you knew they were certain to get aired.

As it is, with the development of satellite TV and more choice of channels, the game receives much better coverage in this country now. Although it will probably never be accepted as a "major" sport in this country, it's loyal hardcore base offer Sky and Channel 5 (Channel 4, who started it all, bailed out of the game when it got it's hands on some of the more popular British sports such as cricket), the two main channels who cover the sport here now, a safe set of ratings at times when they don't have much else to show. We get two live Sunday games off Sky, then, once the baseball season is finished, we get Sunday Night Football off Channel 5 (they are committed to showing baseball on Sundays until the season finishes) and they also show all the Monday Night games live. Once we get to the play-offs, we now get every single game live. There is also a channel called NASN (North American Sports Network) that shows pre season games and some ESPN shows such as NFL Live, NFL Primetime and some of the more off-beat stuff such as PTI and Around The Horn. It's not DirecTV or NFL Network, or whatever it is you folks get, but it's not bad, especially when your eardrums received a regular beating of Welsh hymms and Spainish football for years previous.

Lets also not forget the great invention of Al Gore for making the lives of a British football fan a lot easier..........the internet. Radio commentary and live updates as well as access to regular news, views and reviews on a fans respective team and the NFL in general are all readily available thanks to the world wide web. Compaired to the godsend that was AFRTS the internet is 1,000 steps high on the scale.................I think I might put Big Al forward for a Knighthood for services to the British NFL fan!

Arise Sir Al!

So, as it is, a combination of a desperate TV executive back in 1982, some friends in the school playground and Al Gore have lead to me being here and talking about the world of football and the NFL to all of you. I can feel the love for Al Gore growing as you read this.............ok, probably not!

[Taylor 36]

My father and his parents (actually his entire family) were/are die hard Redskins fans. When I was born, I was brought home from the hospital wrapped in a Redskins infant blanket that my grandmother had made. From that moment on, I have been surrounded by the Redskins and loved it.

I will never forget my dad screaming and jumping and waving his arms in the air while running around our living room when the Redskins won Super Bowl XVII. He actually had tears come down his cheeks, and it was the first time I can remember seeing my dad cry.

To this day, my dad, brother, and I live and die by the Redskins. Our hearts tear apart at every defeat, and they sore at each victory. We never give up or lose faith, though we get pissed and angry as all true fans do. I have had the Redskins as a part of my life since birth, and I can't imagine them not beeing there.

I am a fan, not because I have several jerseys of players old and new; not because I have Redskins flags that I fly outside of my house; not because I have signed , framed photos and posters on my walls; not because I have Redskins cups, glasses, shot-glasses, pitchers, and thermoses; not because I have Redskins chairs and clocks and towels, and shorts, and ties, and pants; not because my dog has a jersey and collar and leash and food bowl; I am a fan because I have always believed in this team and never once turned my back on them, even when it felt like they had turned their collective backs on me.

[Brandon Lloyd Christmas]

i was never really into football, obviously when i was 9 i liked the cowboys because they won a lot (ill never forgive my dad for allowing this, damn him!) but i only started seriously watching the redskins at the end of 04. i followed somewhat through the norv and spurrior years but since i wasnt too into football at the time and the skins were god awful, i didnt really care. i got super hooked at the beginning of 05 (that first bears game was great) and ive been hooked since. i wish i was old enough to remember the glory days but considering the skins won their last superbowl when i was 8 i cant say i was ever a fan back then.

my fondest memory of the redskins as a child was trying to beat them in techmo superbowl, they were easily the best team in the game, and it was tough to stop gary clark and ernest byner! haha

[professor21]

Dang quick and to the point my man

Haha word. Lets take care of the eagles this weekend! GO SKINS!:point2sky

[Sherlock Holmes]

My justification?

My father, brother and I travelled from England to see the skins lose against the Titans at fed ex in October.

Good enough?

[professor21]

I can sum up all of my commitment with one small phrase.

I have a Washington Redskins tattoo on my arm.

that's bada** man, maybe I should get one too. GO SKINS!

[TD_washingtonredskins]

I don't need to justify myself.

I'm a real Redskin fan because, no matter how great or bad a season it is, I get butterflies in my stomach on Sunday afternoons right before kickoff. It's been that way since I was 5, and since it hasn't changed in almost 25 years, I don't see it changing anytime soon.

I live and die with this team all season long...that's my only justification I guess!

[cougarskins]

It was Nov 1955 and my dad took me to Griffith Stadium to watch the Redskins beat the 49ers 7-0. I was only 8 years old at the time and did not know a lot about football. TV was still new. (am I ancient?)

The Redskin QB was the Lil' General Eddie LeBarron. He was a pro bowl caliber QB. The QB for the 49ers was YA Tittle.

The Redskins had a 8-4 record that year according to the records and it was their best season in 10 years. They beat the Cleveland Browns on opening day that year and the Browns went on to win the championship.

In the 60's they never televised home Redskin games. Only on the radio. For a while they use to replay the game on Monday nights. We used to sit around in the college dorm in the big room and watch the replays. A bigger crowd when we knew they won.

The Redskins were never really that good until George Allen came from the Rams. I think thats really when the Redskins truely became larger than life.

The Redskins started to win and I used to listen to the games on Armed Forces Radio in Puerto Rico in the Navy. They had different games on but when it started "This is Steve Gillmartin along with Mel Campbell' I knew they were about to broadcast the Redskins game.

I have been hooked since. HAIL TO THE REDSKINS!

[DoBe]

I was born into a "Redskins family" in the late 70's. Some of my first memories are of games at RFK, Redskins sideline just a few rows off the first base dugout. I've spent nearly ever fall sunday of my entire life either at the game or watching on TV. Looking at pictures of my birthday parties growing up you'd notice a theme real quick (my mom got real good at Redskin helmet cakes). Recently got married and wore my redskins boxers (as did all my groomsmen) and their gifts were Redskins related. And my dad bought us a Redskins onesie for our not yet concieved child for a wedding present. Even got into Nascar because I found out Dale Jr. was a huge Redskins fan.

I guess I've just bled Burgandy and Gold since as long as I can remember and I'll pass down that tradition to my kids.

:point2sky

[pjfootballer]

My mother's Uncle has season tickets (he's 88 now and can't go, so his family goes) and lived near the district in Forest Heights. So did my mom. She was an athlete growing up playing softball, basketball and even football (this was the 1950's). She was introduced to sports by her father who was a semi-pro baseball player in New Jersey. My mom used to go with her Uncle to watch the Redskins and Senators play in Griffith Stadium, then DC Stadium which changed to RFK. It was 1976 and the Redskins were playing the Cardinals in St. Louis in Busch Stadium. My mom was watching the game and calling Jim Hart "Farty Hart". I was 8 years old and decided to sit and watch. I knew who the Redskins were, but I wasn't interested in sitting for 3 hours. But I did. I really don't remember the final score, but I know we won. She was explaining the game to me and as the years went along, I gained more and more knowledge. Now I'm a sports junky. I knew the other team was the Cardinals, but I told my mom they looked like Woodpeckers (I guess I was watching too much Woody Woodpecker back then). The next season, I sat and watched every game. We went 9-5 and that was the last year of the 14 game schedule and the last year of the old Redskins Uniforms. In 1978 they came out wearing their current uni. I think Jack Pardee decided to change up and wear the white uniform at home against Dallass, because he said Dallass hated wearing their Blue unis. Thus, was born us wearing white at home. I've been around for the 4 SB appearances and the 3 wins. I was lucky enough to see Gibbs I and I hope he can turn it around under Gibbs II. Well, anyway, that's when I started to root for the Redskins. Been doing it for over 30 years.

This is one of the best, if not THE best threads in here. Many great stories and I hope we are all on here one day celebrating a SB victory. I don't know if the bandwidth would hold us all, but I'm sure we'd all try.

HTTR and Happy Holidays to all.

[CTaylor42]

My story...

I lived in Champaign Illinois in 1972. My best friend was a big fan of Sonny Jurgensen and wanted me to like the Redskins too. He begged me to come over to his house and spend the night and we could watch the NFC Championship game together. I never even seen a football game before that day. My family wasn't big on sports, especially football.

We layed in the middle of the living room floor and watched Charley Taylor torch the Cowboys, for 7 catches, for 146 yards and 2 TD's. It was the most fun I had in my young life. From that day forward, I was a fan of Charley Taylor and the Redskins. We also watched the Skins lose the Super Bowl to the Miami Dolphins, but it was no use. I was hooked! We use to play Football out in the yard and I would play as Charley Taylor and my friend would be Sonny Jurgensen. Ahhh...the memories.

If I knew where he lived today, I would thank him for putting me onto the Redskins. A life long love affair that I have NEVER regreted, even thru the losing seasons.

[RedskinsNation]

EXACTLY. Especially when you are not in the DC area. I actually get the ole warm and fuzzy the moment I see someone wearing something Redskins. It feels like you know that stranger who you never talked to before better than you know every one of your co-workers. Strange, but true.

Yep, for sure. I immediately feel some sort of a "bond" when i see anyone wearing anything Redskins...or hear someone yell "Go Skins" if they see me while rocking my gear.

[LoyalSkinsFan]

when I first read this, I thought this was another one of those "im a superfan, you suck" threads. Forgive me for the premature response, but I just get tired of other people thinknig they are bigger and better than others(not saying this person did that)

Haven't had time to read everything yet...I DO have a real job, by the way...but am now getting caught up. Just want to quickly address this......this is not, by any means, an "I'm a superfan/you suck" thread. My intention was to simply hear the stories of other fans and hear how and why they became such die-hard Redskin fans. It's an interesting thing, I'm finding....we're all drawn to this team for some reason..no matter how our backgrounds differ. It's almost like "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" where everyone goes off to the plateau without really knowing why. I just thought it'd be interesting to hear the tales.....

I have lots of interesting stories of my own to tell..just curious what yours were.

We've always taken pride in being the most loyal and intellegent fans in the NFL. Thought it'd be cool to see how this happened.

No harm meant.

HTTR