How did you become a Redskins fan?

[ArmchairRedskin]

A game of NFL plinko set me on my way

[21 coming to]

I'm from Reston, Va., though I live here on the Eastern Shore now. My earliest Redskins memory is watching them on our little black-and-white TV with my dad, who was born and raised in D.C.

He showed me Sonny limping off the field as Billy Kilmer came on to replace him. I could hear the admiration in my dad's voice, and recognize it, even as a very young child. That made a big impression on me - when your father admires somebody, and you look up to your father, it really sticks.

Then neighbors of ours had two boys, Roy and Michael, I still remember, over for the summer. They were from the inner city of D.C. They were playing in my room one day and they drew an excellent Redskins helmet logo on my blackboard. It was the old one with the spear. Remember? I do.

It started to sink in with me, that this is a team that pulls people together, even ones from different backgrounds. That is important to me, too.

Then we moved overseas, where there were a lot of military families. A lot of those guys liked the Dolphins the year we lost to them in the Superbowl. I didn't know a lot about football then, but I learned all about rivalries. I also started dealing with Dallas fans. There's been no turning back.

I went to college at Georgetown University in the early 80s. You know that was a great time to be a Skins fan in D.C. When we won the Superbowl in '82, my friends and I put our keg in a big trashcan on wheels and rolled it down to the party/riot at the intersection of M Street and Wisconsin. We started giving away beers, ended up just filling them and tossing them over the crowd.

Now I have little kids, and they are Skins fans too. My boy, who is 7, watched the Vikings game with me the other night. I even saw the whole thing click for him. He said, "I'm starting to get it, Dad! I understand it!"

But he and my eldest daughter had already learned something else: the words to "Hail to the Redskins." When the Skins scored, we jumped all over the place, marching into the kitchen and out again, singing the song. Guys, like the commercial said, it doesn't get any better than that.

My wife and sister-in-law bought me some awesome Redskins gear for Christmas, and my son got a shirt too. We're decked out and ready to go for the Dallas game - the kids know all about the Cowgirls.

Dad's excited, too. Three generations, pulling for the home team and D.C. pride.

Hail.:dallasuck :logo: :notworthy

[lawboy_2000]

I grew up in Illinois and was always impressed with Gibbs' teams. Anyway, I was assigned here when I was in the military, and retired...enough said. I fell for the home team and have not looked back.

But I do have to admit that the Steelers and the Raiders are my two favorite AFC teams, but they pale next to the 'skins.

[APBT]

As I was growing up, the Steelers were begining to suck, due to Terry Bradshaws departure. The rest is history.

[Commander Chaaarmnder]

born into the family;)

[CommishDC]

Born in DC..grew up in the 80's...no need to say more!

[Fetus]

living with my dad

[Fan035]

Born in DC and my parents were huge fans.

[Burgundy Burner]

It goes back to the days of Jacob and Esau - it was my birthright. Forever etched in stone, scrolls, print, and digital. It shall be passed on. So let it be written, so let it be done.

[truckedbysellers]

Granddpa and dad were both die hard skins fans. From the day I was born my dad had me wearing Skins gear. Thank god he was a skins fan.

[ArmchairRedskin]

One of the voices in my head was a Skins fan. He convinced me.

[Kilmer21]

Born in DC and grew up in Annandale. The first season I remember is 1971 and going to The Lockeroom store in 1972 with my father to buy a #16 Ritchie Petibone jersey before Superbowl VII.

[Capt. Kaos]

Born this way! '82 skins sealed the deal for me! Met the entire team at a celebration dinner after the SB win! Of course that brings up a very sore subject in my family's history. Suffice to say that it involves a Exxon team photo ALOT of autographs and a uncle that will sell anything for a nickel!!!

[InsaneBoost]

I am from D.C. so I liked them because of that, but also I was brought up on them.

[jobedoza]

Moved here in the DC area ever since the late 80's (I was around 7 at the time). Started following sports in the early 90s when my friends in school got me into it. It felt natural to follow the DC teams, since that's what people were talking about (and being young, I didn't know much better and just went with the flow). And since the Redskins happened to be good around this time, it was easy to become a fan, and I've been one ever since!

[RammsteinSkins]

burgundy and gold DNA

SFT - good thing too or my Mom might have given me away

[Fetus]

o screw it here comes the true story of shame and fortune... and ill never live it down

I lived in Virginia for a while when iwas like 2-6 years old and well I was a skins fan but then we moved to dallas... and my youngness lead me to believe you should like the teams in the city you live in and I became a damn cowboys fan for a few years until '96 i walked into the living room one day with my few cowboys junk i had and threw it on the ground and told my dad i dont want this anymore... later that day my dad ordered my first darrel green jersey and from then on it has been on like donkey kong

[NOVA2Tampa]

Grew up in Northern VA...my dad was a hardcore Redskins fan...I am fortunate to have experienced the "glory days" in the '80s and early '90s...whether they are 14-2 or 2-14, I'm a Skins fan 4 LIFE!!!

[Burgundy&Gold4Ever]

People often ask me how I became a Redskin fan since I grew up in New York. I started following football in the early '80s. My brother was a huge Cowboy fan. Since I didn't like my brother, I decided to root for the Cowboys' archrival -- and I've been a devoted Redskin fan ever since! As a teen, my room was plastered in posters of Joe Theismann, John Riggins, etc. (along with some Mets).

[NOVA2Tampa]

BTW, my wife is a huge Skins fan, too. She grew up in Manassas...and she actually used to babysit Jeff Bostic's kids back in the day. :cool:

[chet06]

watching riggins in the early 80s....what a running back...like no other

[skinsfan44]

I was born in DC.

Enough said.

[kgilbo]

Dad was in the Navy, but both parents originally from DC area. We settled there for 4 years 80-84, just when I started watching football (8 years old in 80) really got into the Riggo teams with the fun bunch, smurfs, listening to Frank, Sonny, and Sam with the diesal horn--great stuff. As a side note, I was baptized on Super bowl sunday (super bowl VII lose to the Fish). I have stayed with the team ever since, even now living in New England since 1986--I suffered through the Hostetler/Schuler/Ferotte/Green years from afar. Went to bars in the Boston area from 1997-2003 with my Skins jersey to watch the games on satellite. Even got Direct TV in 2004 for the sole purpose of getting the NFL ticket. yes, I was there for the beat down at Gillette wearing my Sonny jersey proudly and taking my lumps. My thought is once a Skins fan, always a Skins fan--bleed Burgandy and Gold!--

[actualone]

Was a Steelers Fan as a kid around (9 years old) and my sister was a Cowboys fan. She put up a poster in the house and my dad (a Skins Fan) put an end to all of the nonsense. I've been a Skins fan ever since.

[1Adam12]

I was born. But seriously, my Dad has been a Skins fan since the 40s I believe. I remember growing up and listening to Sonny, Sam and Frank, and we always listen to the radio and watch the TV. No crappy Redskins hating TV commentators for us. I still keep up with the Redskins as much as I can with Slingbox if Armed Forces Network fails to carry the game.