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Redskins.com: Cheering against complacency

Art

By Art
in The Stadium

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Art

Art

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http://www.redskins.com/gen/articles/ExtremeSkins_Fan_View__Cheering_Against_Complacency_24669.jsp

Cheer boys and girls.

ExtremeSkins Fan View: Cheering Against Complacency

By Arthur Mills

ExtremeSkins.com

Posted: October 7, 2008

During another Jason Campbell kneel down drill, this time in Philadelphia, putting the final snaps on another victory against another NFC East rival in another team’s city, Dan Snyder hooted in the tunnel leading to the locker room, "Yeah. 4-1. In Dallas. In Philly." Clapping. Happy.

I was a few feet away. Nodding. Happy. Those two wins are monumental building blocks to a team poised on the brink of becoming a contender.

Simply being able to say we are 4-1 with wins against Dallas and Philly would be astoundingly wonderful. Being able to add the "in" part makes it this surreal, splendid, awesomeness that is fun to watch.

Believability was the theme of a high number of conversations among Redskin fans after beating the Cowboys. Assurances that it was okay to believe. Wondering if it was okay to believe. Instruction to believe now. Cautioning to be careful how much to allow yourself to believe. Oddly, while the Dallas win in Dallas seemed to immediately compel the media to express sweet somethings about the surprising ability of the Washington Redskins, fans, for the most part, remained partially reserved and unsure how hard to squeeze in our embrace of fan love.

That’s done.

We’d long suspected the Redskins could achieve more than they seemed capable of doing consistently. We now know, without doubt, we were right.

We now have a home game against St. Louis where all reserve can be cast away. All our energy and pent-up anger at past failings can be let out in a throbbing chorus of cheers and adoration destined to aid the team in crossing the last serious hurdle that stands before it and legitimacy.

Complacency.

The Redskins return home at 4-1. Return home having played the No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6 offenses in the NFL (entering the games at least). Return home having played all divisional road games. Return home with a schedule laid out like stepping stones across the bay to Tampa.

After the game Clinton Portis said the Redskins always play their best when they feel their backs are against the wall. Under adversity, with doubters, with anguish, with injury, with disrespect, the Redskins often find themselves capable of playing well. The Redskins can do the unexpected. The Redskins haven’t done the expected.

The Rams are expected.

The Rams represent the next step in the evolution of a team sitting at 4-1 that is now consistently spoken about as if it is 7-1 already. For many forward thinkers the Rams are already marked down as the fifth win of the seven consecutive wins this team is assured of.

This is dangerous, rare territory for the Washington Redskins, who for quite some time represented the team other teams marked down as a winnable game on their schedules. Portis is dead-on in his assessment the Redskins love being the disrespected underdog. By definition that means as front runners there’s a little something to be desired.

It is natural for the Redskins to feel good about themselves right now. They did something no one expected. That accomplishment took a great deal of energy and fight. The satisfaction of sending Cowboy and Eagle fans home demoralized gives room for a body to exhale. Whew. That’s over. We did it. The focus and attention to detail allowing this team to go five straight games without an offensive turnover may flag, at least slightly, no matter how well and correctly the team recites the cliche words of taking things one game at a time and restates how there are no easy games in the NFL.

This is where the fans come in.

After years of average or worse play, complacency is the least of our concerns. We’re rabidly in need of a winner. We weren’t able to cheer the team on against Dallas and Philly because those games were in Dallas and in Philly.

The Rams game now lines up as a classic example of a trap game for a team coming off an emotional high and falling a little flat.

For the players.

For the fans, the Rams game lines up as our chance to thank the team for winning in Dallas and in Philly. One of the last players off the field in Philadelphia was Chris Samuels. As he came through the tunnel he shouted up to the stands, "It ain’t too late to be a Redskins fan."

It’s also not too late to cheer for their last two victories this weekend. The Rams will face a crowd as enthused and appreciative as any FedExField crowd since that wonderful destruction given to the Cowboys in 2005. When a fan refers to his favorite football team using "we" or "us" it is a sign of our conviction that games like this is when we are a part of the team’s success.

Human nature may dictate that the players take a deep breath this week against a team the whole world expects it to beat.

Human nature for a Redskins fan dictates we use every bit of our breath to feed our emotion and enthusiasm into this team.

Because they’ve earned it.

In case they need it.

So WE can win.

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MarkB452

MarkB452

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I'm talking as little as possible from now until Sunday! Our Skins are going to get everything I have to give and I know a few others that fell the same way!!

On a side note: Be IN your seats before player introductions, PLEASE!!!

...and give this team a standing ovation!! (another tip of the hat to George Allen).

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Mark The Homer

Mark The Homer

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Great read, Art. I need a synonym for "great" because I've been using it too often in regards to your writing the past few weeks.

My favorite paragraph:

We now have a home game against St. Louis where all reserve can be cast away. All our energy and pent-up anger at past failings can be let out in a throbbing chorus of cheers and adoration destined to aid the team in crossing the last serious hurdle that stands before it and legitimacy.

That's it, right there. We're entering week 6, and we're in a better position now than we've been in since my college aged children were learning how to walk.

But you're right: the next game - the next three games - are what will decide whether this team is for real.

HTTR

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Gibbs Hog Heaven

Gibbs Hog Heaven

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Fantastic, "hitting the nail" SQUARLEY on the head read as always Art.

I just wish my voice could be heard amongst the lucky 90k + this coming Sunday, sighs. I'll be there in spirit, and if the reaction from my neighbours are anything to go by, they'd wish I was there too for some piece and quiet on Sundays.

Hail.

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Taylor 36

Taylor 36

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Great stuff, Art.

I have to say I am worried about the next three games. I know they CAN win those three games, but "any given Sunday" always applies in this league, and the Rams, Browns, and Lions have to be hungry for a win and tired of losing. I just hope that we stay focused. I'm sure Zorn is going to emphasise all of this in his team meetings, but the key is execution.

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marcoskins

marcoskins

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I think the complacency thing is overstated (not a terrible thing though) we're tied for 2nd in the division, and it's not like there's 6 teams. The onlt loss is the 1st place team, and the team we're tied with nearly converted an onsides kick at the end of the game.

We still have alot to prove, and Zorn does not have the personality to let our guys get ****y.

I think we come out in a balanced attack, just like the past few seasons. the only difference I could see is Zorn forcing a few more TD's early, jsut for the fact if we can gain a 3td lead in the 2nd half, he'd love to see Collins, Fred Davis, Kelly, Thomas runt he playbook for a quarter. It's unlikely, but I think Zorn would likely take a few more shots than he has....

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Art

Art

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I think the complacency thing is overstated (not a terrible thing though) we're tied for 2nd in the division, and it's not like there's 6 teams. The onlt loss is the 1st place team, and the team we're tied with nearly converted an onsides kick at the end of the game.

We still have alot to prove, and Zorn does not have the personality to let our guys get ****y.

I think we come out in a balanced attack, just like the past few seasons. the only difference I could see is Zorn forcing a few more TD's early, jsut for the fact if we can gain a 3td lead in the 2nd half, he'd love to see Collins, Fred Davis, Kelly, Thomas runt he playbook for a quarter. It's unlikely, but I think Zorn would likely take a few more shots than he has....

Complacency as I am intending to speak about it goes beyond what our record is or whether we were plausibly close to losing a game or two or not. It goes to where we are and from where we came. Three heated, road, divisional games. Two games at home against elite NFL offenses. The constant drum of huge games and big competition takes a great deal of energy to maintain.

In a big game it's easy to get that focus. When things are perceived to be possibly easier, it is harder. The Redskins wouldn't, necessarily, be complacent about winning a few games. They might simply be a little gassed against a team that is coming off a bye week that has had a coaching change and may not be able to take them as seriously as they would the Patriots or someone else coming in this week.

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LD0506

LD0506

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Another great work of Art, an instant masterpiece :applause:

I like that you mentioned Dan Snyder in this, he is often overlooked when it comes to giving credit and after all the grief he has gotten it is justice that he gets to celebrate the current run. I for one think it says something about a franchise where the owner gets that jazzed about a big win and makes no apologies for it.

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marcoskins

marcoskins

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Another sign of complacency is misery, or boredum. U simply live up to expectations, no more no less. I don't see that in The Redskins. A good example is Randel El's playful mockery of Zorn's, "hip hip hooray"...they were having fun with each other, enjoying that one moment! Great to see!!!

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Reaganaut

Reaganaut

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Once I saw where this article was headed, I feel like I have been in therapy. "Yes herr Doktor, you are right. We MUST cheer loudly for the team and scare the bejesus out of the Rams to the point where they all have dark blue stains on the front of their lycra pants."

Art is right. Let's CLAIM homefield advantage this week and annie up with our voices which will be entirely gone on Monday morning. I'll be leading the cheers from sect 106. Pump up the volume!

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Fightin4Dixie

Fightin4Dixie

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Once I saw where this article was headed, I feel like I have been in therapy. "Yes herr Doktor, you are right. We MUST cheer loudly for the team and scare the bejesus out of the Rams to the point where they all have dark blue stains on the front of their lycra pants."

Art is right. Let's CLAIM homefield advantage this week and annie up with our voices which will be entirely gone on Monday morning. I'll be leading the cheers from sect 106. Pump up the volume!

agreed, except when offense is at work ofcourse.:point2sky

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