WP Letter to the Editor: The Foulness at FedEx Field

[RenegadeTK]

man there is a whole lot of ranting in here....

maybe thats why they made beer more expensive... the 'thugs' wont steal enough money to be able to pay for it....

kidding aside.... ive been to several other stadiums and have not had bad experiences with cursing. my experiences at fedex were completely different. arguments, cursing, fights. i do believe its gotten a little out of hand. granted we are some of the most passionate fans in the world, passion doesnt have to mean vulgarity. to other fans it makes us look a little ridiculous

[Leonard Washington]

i can't believe so many people are attacking the letter author. drunkenness seems to be the main problem. waay too many people are walking around looking for fights or to launch a personal, sexual, and/or hygienic tirades on the most unsuspecting person just trying to enjoy the game or go home.

i've seen a guy get jumped while walking with his children, a car set on fire, numerous opposing fans get pushed or sucker punched, people get beer intentionally spilled on them, someone get their car kicked b/c they broke up a game of catch so they could drive through, and even a mentally challenged kid get teased bitterly b/c he was wearing an opposing jersey.

i think snyder has raised the price of beer not only for profit but to deter the decline of fedex. we complain about the eagles all the time, but we seem to heading down that direction or blazing the trail.

[praise_gibbs]

Alcohol enhances your emotions.

Losing sucks.

Alcohol + Losing games like its our job = Vulgar language, fights, etc etc.

It is quite an easy formula to figure out.

[SkinsFTW]

Take your kids to watch ice skating next time, dumbass.

[Mercuryrising]

I sympathize with her point of view. She left out the vomit and trash you have to step over to get to your seat before the game starts, and then navigate around on your way back to your car.

They should have a family enclosure where fans are required not to behave like sub-humans.

Its a tradeoff for all the times we went to the movies paying $12 a pop to have a date night only to hear her kids talking, yelling, crying behind us and kicking our seats while she sat there doing nothing....

[TenandSix:Unacceptable]

In Argentina, children are encouraged to yell "hijos de puta" at the visiting teams fan section. Why not us?

[joeknows]

tell dad to step up next time and deal with the situation. sounds like a coward to me. if someone were offending me and my children i would be polite with the offenders the first time, after that, any means necessary, preferably having them tossed by security. i dunno we southerners here in memphis dont have too many problems with that. these rednecks down here may like to drink but they also expect adults to be mindful when around kids. ive said it here before, we dont have those problems down here. there is always some good ole boy around that will handle it.

[SkinsFTW]

In Argentina, children are encouraged to yell "hijos de puta" at the visiting teams fan section. Why not us?

Because nobody here even knows WTF that means?

[jsmith2003]

I would think most stadiums are like this UNFORTUNATELY

I went to Skins game here in Dallas couple years ago, while we lost that game, and I can assure you I did my fare share of talking smack and profanity, I was not overboard with it. People were COMPLETELY drunk all around me and my dad. It was deplorable, I wouldn't take my 2 kids UNLESS we got to get club seating and were privatized... otherwise, they're going to hear things they shouldn't and as a parent all of us SHOULD be mindful of such things.... Come on is it really necessary to be falling over drunk at the game?? Remember you have to drive afterwards too... I'm sorry to say it, but owners just need to take a hit in the wallet and not sell the booze, best way to fix it... while there will still be cursing, and such, it won't be NEARLY as bad.

I'm like a caged lion here at home when I watch, but mom has custody and I can do so when the kids aren't here... Really who wants to pay $7 a beer anyhow, I'll stay at home and have a FINE 6-pack for that cost, or cheap 12 pack....

I'm sure there are MANY parents who fill the same way about this, it's a shame owners are so greedy, because I would LOVE to take my kids and I can't afford club seats, not going to pay that steep of a price for them to still be exposed to it while at vending stations etc....

[Stonoman]

Do you really think anyone should get drunk and puke and fight over a football game?

[Big Weirdo]

Which stadiums have "Non-Drinking Sections Only"? :laugh:

[SkinsNatsFan]

It appears to me, from what I've read here at ES and other places, that the majority of people attending games at FedEx Field are primarily there to get drunk and act their shoe size rather than their age or IQ.

I've been going to FedEx since it opened as JKC and went to DC Stadium/RFK for many years before that. The loud obnoxious drunks are not the majority, but they are obviously more vocal and visible. Pre-season night games, especially on a Friday or Saturday night, tend to have more ignorant and obnoxious people than any regular season game, day or night. The pre-season environment in the stands is significantly different from the regular season. But even then they're not the majority.

Also, most of the people I've been around at FedEX that drink heavily are not obnoxious or inconsiderate to those around them. Those who are have always eventually been escorted out by either the stadium personnel or the police, after repeated warnings.

Again, this is just my experience, I can't speak for the whole stadium, but most people at the games who do start swearing alot while around kids, stop when they notice them or they are pointed out to them. Many even apologize. No big deal.

[gbear]

I'm with the writer on this one. Fed Ex is becoming a cess pool of foul language and barbarity. Some may go "Cool. That's what we want, to make it intimidating."

Somehow I think you miss the point. What's the single best Redskin fan moment you can think of? For me, it the stands rocking at RFK. They still play footage of that from old Cowboys games. Now be honest. Is what you remember about that moment the curse words? Did the cursing make that moment or is it possible to be a group of fanatics in a family friendly enviroment? Would you let your kids jump up and down and scream with those fans? Do you think that pumped up the team? I do, and multiple interviews after the fact with the players say it did.

Yet so many on here take the "you shouldn't be taking your kids" approach. Better yet we have the "I cuss deal with it croud" showing a true level class.

Growing up a fan in the 80's, I made it to only a few games (family = poor at the time). I can honestly say drunk cursing fans weren't a part of my experience. This is new. Count me in as an old foogie who misses the atmosphere at RFK, and that has nothing to do with the stadium but everything to do with the fans.

Honestly though, my favorite fan moment at the stadium wasn't that many years ago. When Sanders returned the punt against Tampa, and we went on to win a close hard fought game, I remember walking down the ramp from the nosebleeds with thousands of fans singing "Hail to the Redskins." Thousands of people with no voice left singing never sounded so good to me.

It doesn't take cursing to be passionate. It doesn't take cursing to be a memorable fan event. If you think it does, I guess I pity you...and if that makes me an old foogie intelectual snob, so be it.

As for why write it in the Washinton Post, it's beacue it is more of a plea to the fans not the team. The issue isn't the stadium. It's not the team. Those are just excuses. The problem is the fans and what we think of as appropriate behavior.

[mjdowns]

It was not an isolated incident. Members of another family traveling with us had seats in a different area and were equally appalled at the behavior around them.

The same thing happened to my wife and I when we went to the final game last year against the Giants. Filth and profanity everywhere. I am a life long die hard fan but will probably never take my wife back to a game again.

[portisizzle]

There are many MANY people that attend a Redskins football game that have zero class. Many of those type of people apparently like to post within this thread.

Now that is out of the way.

I was at a game in Buffalo where I saw someone getting removed from the stadium seating via stretcher.....because they got stabbed.

So while it is bad at Fed Ex, I have seen worse.

[Potato Sack]

And how are the cheerleaders performing like strippers a bad thing?

AMEN! :applause:

BTW, Looking forward to watching White and Slaton this year. I'm not a Mountaineer fan, but those two are fun to watch!

[fansince62]

true...can't do anything about it.

also true: the most bellicose/obnoxious fans are likely the biggest dumb arses as well. oops...wouldn't want to bruise anyone's feelings...but hey...it's football so anything is acceptable!!!!...right?

[fansince62]

Alcohol enhances your emotions.

Losing sucks.

Alcohol + Losing games like its our job = Vulgar language, fights, etc etc.

It is quite an easy formula to figure out.

so you're saying self control and acting like an adult aren't part of the equation? it is possible to drink and not be an arse.

[dockeryfan]

Kansas City.

I believe you can get kicked out for bad language. I believe you can have your season tickets revoked as well.

If an owner wanted to do this, he could just start enforcing it. Lots of out of towners would be ejected, lol. Home fans as well. But you can take kids to a KC game. It all stems from the top. If this was a priority for an owner, he could make it happen.

[Bang]

It's about behaving like an adult.

If there's kids around you, act like you've got some sense.

Don't drink more than you can handle. That seems to be the toughest part. so many people are total lightweights when it comes to beer, and by lightweights I mean not smart enough to know when is enough.

It's called growing up. If a 19 yr old kid can't handle his booze, that's to be expected. But a 40 yr old man getting loaded and acting like a dick? That's just embarrassing.

You can be just as vocal and be just as supportive or caustic without being a drunken *******. And if you can't, you've got problems.

Cursing, who cares. It's to be expected. it's not nice, but you can't expect everyone in the crowd to carry a sense personal responsibility to those around them.

All the fights among fans of the same team?

That gets old in a hurry.

~Bang

[GaryGreenMonk]

If you want to see the game in boring silence with no cussing and barely any movement around you, sure, just pay a bit more money.

It's called club level.

[Dictator]

Ya know what, the lady is right IMO. I can sling it with the best of them, but there's a time and a place. It doesn't matter what sport it is, or how violent it is. Because it's violent, kids shouldn't be allowed to enjoy going to a game ? Parents shouldn't be able to give their family a day out at the game ? I grew up at football and baseball games, and it wasn't like it is today.

I couldn't agree with you more. I curse. I don't have a problem with people cursing around me. I do have a problem with people cursing around children. I do not curse around children.

"It's a football game, what do you expect?" I expect to see a football game.

Is there really a need to get plastered to enjoy the game ?

Ask the ES tailgate. It seems to be what they enjoy most according to their posts in the tailgate section. There's a lot of talk of, "I can out drink you." "You can't hold your own."

I think for many (not speaking of the ES tailgate) their primary purpose for going to game is the excuse to get as drunk as possible.

Blondie said it best "Your rights end where my begin"

EDIT:

I'd like to add, if she thinks the redskins cheerleaders are like strippers, I hope she never see's the Wizards Cheerleaders. I something think they ARE strippers.

[pointyfootball]

I'm with the writer on this one. Fed Ex is becoming a cess pool of foul language and barbarity. Some may go "Cool. That's what we want, to make it intimidating."

Somehow I think you miss the point. What's the single best Redskin fan moment you can think of? For me, it the stands rocking at RFK. They still play footage of that from old Cowboys games. Now be honest. Is what you remember about that moment the curse words? Did the cursing make that moment or is it possible to be a group of fanatics in a family friendly enviroment? Would you let your kids jump up and down and scream with those fans? Do you think that pumped up the team? I do, and multiple interviews after the fact with the players say it did.

Yet so many on here take the "you shouldn't be taking your kids" approach. Better yet we have the "I cuss deal with it croud" showing a true level class.

Growing up a fan in the 80's, I made it to only a few games (family = poor at the time). I can honestly say drunk cursing fans weren't a part of my experience. This is new. Count me in as an old foogie who misses the atmosphere at RFK, and that has nothing to do with the stadium but everything to do with the fans.

Honestly though, my favorite fan moment at the stadium wasn't that many years ago. When Sanders returned the punt against Tampa, and we went on to win a close hard fought game, I remember walking down the ramp from the nosebleeds with thousands of fans singing "Hail to the Redskins." Thousands of people with no voice left singing never sounded so good to me.

It doesn't take cursing to be passionate. It doesn't take cursing to be a memorable fan event. If you think it does, I guess I pity you...and if that makes me an old foogie intelectual snob, so be it.

As for why write it in the Washinton Post, it's beacue it is more of a plea to the fans not the team. The issue isn't the stadium. It's not the team. Those are just excuses. The problem is the fans and what we think of as appropriate behavior.

Great points all around. I'm an Iggle fan living near DC who has struggled with taking my son to even a preseason game for some of the reasons mentioned throughout the thread. Boggles my mind that people think dropping the F-bomb every other word in public is their "right" and everyone else needs to deal with it.

Football is a game and watching NFL games is entertainment. If you need to get drunk, fine, but there's no excuse for getting drunk, fighting and generally not being able to act like a fan with some class. We get enough of that in youth travel soccer!

All this being said, the last time I went to a skins/eagles game at FedEx, I enjoyed myself and actually (perish the thought) had good conversations with the Skins fans sitting near us. It was incredibly better (especially for opposing fans) than B'more, Philly, Pittsburgh and DEFINITELY the Meadowlands. The fans were polite, and the trash talking about each other's team was all in good fun.

I don't think Skins fans want to earn the Philly, Oakland, NY fan reputation. It's not a distinction easily rid of.

PF

[gbear]

Let us not aspire to be Bufalo or Philly "tough" then. :doh:

[Potato Sack]

Keep the kids at home, and wait until they are an age where they wont be scarred by such things..

This is soooooooooooooooo wrong! I went to a game with my father when I was a boy. ONE game. I was very young. It's one of the fondest memories I have from my childhood. My father and I don't speak anymore; he's preoccupied with his business and piling up his treasures rather than spending time with anyone.

But that memory of that game -- the smells....the sounds....the cheers...a waning gibbous moon above the arch lights and the crack of helmets and pads...my father passing the biggest hot dog over to me with his big hands as we yelled "TOUCHDOWN!".

It's intoxicating when it pops into my head, because it was something we did as a family. Profanity is one thing, but there are so many people out there that don't even know what the word class means anymore.

You're very misled and way off base with your response. People should be aware of whose around them and allow a child to cultivate memories with their families. It's called being an adult and having some class.