I Hate Lavar and Chad

[PF Chang]

The Nationals have only been here for ten years. Hockey has a smaller fanbase and the Caps have been to the Cup final once in like 40 years. The Wizards were so bad for so long that they basically lost an entire generation of fans. You can't build the sort of "generational" fanbase overnight.

 

The Redskins have sucked for the last 20+ years, but the NFL is king and they're a historically successful franchise. If they're terrible for the next 20 years, nobody will be left. Regardless, the NFL is so huge that the graph probably makes sense for most cities. 

[MattFancy]

When did I say it was a problem? I have never taken umbrage to it. All I want is other talk about nats and that's not an issue.

I have no problem with the Redskins and you keep thinking I'm bashing them, I'm not. I'm bashing the sports talk hosts who think this is a one sport town. If you can't see that there's more than one sport in this town with rabid fan base I don't know what to tell you.

 

Well of course there is. But they know what attracts the most listeners. Like I posted on the previous page, the DC Sports Bog had a post back in April about how their most read story was about the Redskins schedule. Not the Caps/Wiz playoff games. A freaking NFL Schedule. People in this town want Redskins new (right or wrong) and the local media gives it to them.

[ixcuincle]

I didn't say they didn't love the Redskins I specifically said they love more than one team and that's the truth. I don't know anyone that only follows the Redskins. Okay? Nobody. You claimed they exist.

We're all sports fans and we all love football first. That's a given. I've never ever argued differently or moped about this known fact that football runs the NFL. Check the history. I'm not blind.

What I am saying is that we follow other sports. By this mere NOTION of there being 3 other sports on this town this could not possibly be a redskins town. Maybe I am taking things too literally. But it can't be a redskins town in a major market with other teams playing.

Period.

If you want to be more specific it is a redskins nats and caps town.

[MattFancy]

I know plenty of people who just follow the NFL or just the Redskins for that matter. Sure, they'll cheer for other local teams if they do well, but they're Redskin fans first and foremost.

 

Put it this way, how many people here are Nats, Caps, Wiz fans, but not fans of the Redskins? I'd say very few. How many on here are Redskins fans but not fans of the other local teams? A decent amount.

[ixcuincle]

I'm a redskins fan first and foremost too. We all are.

You put a game Sunday for nats or caps and no one is watching. I'm not naive.

If anything I am guilty of strictly interpreting redskins town. The connotation in my opinion is that we only follow football and nothing else. That isn't true.

I understand why radio talks redskins most of the time. This has been argued ad nauseum and I'm not going to bring it up.

[MattFancy]

I'm a redskins fan first and foremost too. We all are.

You put a game Sunday for nats or caps and no one is watching. I'm not naive.

If anything I am guilty of strictly interpreting redskins town. The connotation in my opinion is that we only follow football and nothing else. That isn't true.

I understand why radio talks redskins most of the time. This has been argued ad nauseum and I'm not going to bring it up.

 

I think you're just interpreting it wrong. It's a Redskins town in the sense that the Redskins rule the sports talk around here. There's no denying that. But I don't think people actually believe that people in the area only care about the Redskins and only the Redskins.

[CBass1724]

It's not that there are not fans of the other local teams around here.  There most certainly are.  But when an article is posted on the Washington Post site or another local news/sports site, the Redskins stories get way more "clicks".  Same thing on sports radio.  If you have a segment where people can call in about the Redskins and a segment to call in about the Caps/Wiz/Nats...the Redskins segment will totally dominate. 

 

You don't have to like it, but you need to accept the reality that these are businesses and they need to appeal to the masses.  The masses obviously want Redskins/NFL talk/print.

 

These stations can talk about the Caps/Wiz/Nats all they want, but there are way more Redskins/NFL diehard fans that tune in than fans of our other local teams.  It's just the way it is. 

[tshile]

I'm shocked and insulted that anyone would dare have the nerve to imply this is a one sport city. I've never heard of anything so callous and IGNORANT in my life.

 

 

really? did you see game 6 of the wizards? a home game, and eliminiation game?

 

people couldn't even show up on time. sure, many were there for the start of the 3rd but there were still empty seats and the environment still sounded completely dull over the tv.

 

did you see the nats playoff game that went into extra innings and people left their seats for various reasons?

 

you could get into the verizon center to see the caps in their first series for $30 this year (according to some, I didn't buy tickets so I didn't see them, but that's apparently what was goin on)

 

sorry but that pretty much shows how much of a sports town we are. i hate it as much as you, but the empty seats and cheap tickets in playoff games show it to be true.

 

maybe the wizards success is too new, maybe the baseball team is too new, maybe the caps have lost their luster after losing out in the playoffs. but those are excuses and you still cannot ignore that empty seats in the playoffs = bad sports town. sucks to hear, but it's true.

 

combine that with the "average" fan at fedex that I see, and it just seems to be more true than false.

[ixcuincle]

You're talking about Washington? The same city which has mostly become Cowboy fans because of the practices of George Preston Marshall (allegedly)? 

 

There are a lot of damn Cowboy fans in DC. An amazing lot for a city with a pro franchise who is a DIRECT competitor. So there are more holes in that argument that this is a "one sport" town. 

 

Also, don't crap on the Caps and cheap tickets when the Redskins had tickets as low as 5 dollars for the Rams game. 

 

In the end, I'll say this one last time. I know Redskins run this city. No one is disputing that and no one has disputed that. It is just that there are other teams and I'll damn say that they're still strong, even if they're still young. The Nationals have a strong fanbase behind the team. Every time I ride the metro I see so many Curly W hats. We have embraced baseball again. The Capitals are a perennial playoff contender and have a strong fanbase that rocks the red. Many of us follow multiple teams. So we are a multiple team city. We are not solely focused on the Redskins. And that's why I was so offended when I heard the term "Redskins town". Redskins are an NFL franchise and by default dominate the airwaves, but we should also be appreciating our other DC sports teams. And we do. The Redskins were at Verizon to cheer on the Caps, and the Nats were there too. The Redskins (RG3) were even at Nats park. 

 

Our GM has said he wants to produce a winning environment in the stands at FedEx. He is learning from the Caps. We all work together as a damn team, all 4 of these sports franchises. We learn and grow. To single out one team is ridiculous when it is a concerted group effort between 4 sports to entertain this city's fans. That's just how I feel. 

[hail2skins]

I don't really listen to the sports talk shows that much anymore, but I used to listen to Pollin/Czaban on the way home a lot and the thing that I disliked was how structured it seemed.  They would discuss a subject for 10 minutes, maybe take 5-10 minutes of calls on the topic (if they took calls at all), and then move on to the next topic that they wanted to discuss (after the requisite "sports update" and 5-10 minutes of commercials).

 

I'd like a show where the hosts would talk about what was going in with each local team at the beginning of the show (and throw in some national story of significance) and then open the phones and let the callers at it. 

 

I agree with ix that the other local teams should get more play on the talk shows, but right now, its tough. The Wizards and Caps seasons are over (I guess you can discuss what they need to do to improve to get to the next level).  The Nats should be the center of attention, but people like to call in to offer their opinions on fixing things, and right now its tough to find things to complain about with a team that has taken 16 out of its past 20.

[tshile]

Also, don't crap on the Caps and cheap tickets when the Redskins had tickets as low as 5 dollars for the Rams game. 

 

you're comparing a playoff game for a team with a multi-time league mvp in an arena that holds ~18k people to a 3-9 team (coming off a 3-13 season) playing a regular season game against 5-7 team playing in a stadium that holds 79k?

 

?

 

what happened this past nba/nhl playoffs was embarrassing.

[ixcuincle]

As I said the industry is negative. Negative hosts and callers. If you have intellectual and smart hosts you won't get ratings.

People like crap like the man cave

[Bantu]

As I said the industry is negative. Negative hosts and callers. If you have intellectual and smart hosts you won't get ratings.

People like crap like the man cave

Agree with what you said about negative spin. Just look at the evening news on TV, you'd think the apocalypse was happening every night. Negativity = ratings.

I actually don't think people like the Man Cave that much. Radio shows take a long time to find their way and I don't know if JReid and Chris Paul will get that time, or even deserve it.

[SkinsGuy]

My argument has been crystal clear throughout.

All I'm saying is that we should talk other things during the other 8 months. And we do most of the time. But the Redskins always find their way in because this is an redskins town, even though we have 3 other teams with rabid fan base. That is my major gripe. THAT is what leonsis complained about which got me started. And he's right.

The junkies said it themselves that this was a redskins town. And I will never ever buy that argument as long as I live. CITY of four major sports a redskins town. Please.

We're a major sports city like NY and Chicago. Major enough to have two sports stations. Deal with it.

First off, who is the "we" you are talking about in your second sentence. Are you talking this board? Buddy, this is a REDSKIN BOARD. Not a 'D.C. Sports' board. Get over yourself already.

Secondly, deal with the fact that the overwhelming popularity of the Redskins in D.C. is a reflection of the DOMINANCE of the NFL in general in the U.S.

I think the problem here is you think the sports in general are close in popularity. They aren't. It's not like the NFL is #1, and the NBA or MLB is a close second.

It is more like this:

The NFL is here ----> 1. NFL

The other sports entities are......

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here. (MLB, NBA, NHL)

It isn't even close.

I mean, the NFL Draft was beating out other sports games in ratings. Not an NFL playoff game or even a regular season game. The DRAFT.

The NFL is king right now. Period. It isn't a mutual thing. They aren't sharing any power with any other sports entity right now.

That's why in the middle of the NBA and NHL playoff seasons, when the MLB is going into full swing, the big stories in the sports world are deflategate and the extra point change.

And the Redskins are part of that dominance. There are other factors such as the Redskins being an 80 year-old franchise so the have generations of fans all over the south (they used to be the only team in the south at one time), and other things.

However, the main reason is football is THE sport right now. You may want to believe D.C. is a 4-sport town, and it is, but the isn't spread equally. Not by a long shot.

And D.C pretty much reflects the country in that regard.

[tshile]

As I said the industry is negative. Negative hosts and callers. If you have intellectual and smart hosts you won't get ratings.

People like crap like the man cave

 

 

look around, this is how the world works. it sucks.

 

movies, music, tv shows, "news", radio, politics, damn near everything is going down this avenue. lowest common denominator. rile people up short term for ratings. etc.

 

sports is going that way too... the NFL seems to be leading the charge. it's sad to watch. you'd thing hundreds of millions of dollars would be enough to not ruin a product, but no, it's apparently not enough.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

Nothing you said addresses the massive fan base I see every time I go to a caps or nats game. This is a four sport city like it or not.

 

 

This area is home to 5 or 6 million people and you are judging the number or passion of fans based on the 30K or less who show up at a baseball, hockey, or basketball game. Of course THOSE people (and several thousand others) are passionate about the teams they follow. But on the whole, there are far more Redskins fans still in this area. Many would still trade in the success of the other 3 teams to have a decent NFL team. 

 

I have been an O's fan just as long as I've been a Redskin fan. The Orioles have treated me to 3 entertaining and 2 successful seasons in very recent history. I wouldn't think twice about trading all of that for a Redskin playoff run. There is just something about this team - it probably has to do with falling in love with them (and their success) when I was young. It's probably tied in with some nostalgic feelings I have of my childhood. 

 

Whatever the psychological reasons are, the fact is that I'd completely dismiss a team that HAS rewarded me as an adult for the chance to have the Redskins climb back to the top. I'm obviously not alone in that. 

[tshile]

I mean, the NFL Draft was beating out other sports games in ratings. Not an NFL playoff game or even a regular season game. The DRAFT.

 

 

redskins preseason games this year will making caps/wizards playoff games look like a 15 year old simpsons rerun.

 

people **** about how much coverage the redskins get. they're focusing on the wrong problem. the problem is how little support the other teams get from our "sports fans". the media plays to the ratings. there just aren't enough people that care about the wizards, caps, and nationals combined (much less individually)

 

The nationals probably have the best chance of changing that. Between not having a (long) terrible history, appear to be well run, and having some stars that are not just good but likable, I give them the best shot of coming close to the redskins (potentially passing them if things worked out right for them.) But all it'll take is a meaningful redskins season this upcoming season to squash that idea.

[autoidiodyssey]

Every city is going to have a dominant team. I imagine if you go to Dallas the Cowboys dwarf all of the other teams even though the Stars and Mavericks have won titles more recently.

 

In St. Louis the Cardinals are a bigger deal than the Rams. 

 

I'd guess that in NY the Yankees get more run than the Giants or Rangers most of the time and more than the Jets, Islanders, Mets, Knicks and Nets all of the time.

 

The Skins had a 20 year run as a relevant big time franchise. From 71 to 92 13 playoff appearances, 5 Super Bowl appearances, 3 titles and only 2 losing seasons. That is a hell of a run and anyone over the age of about 35 was around for some or all of it. The rest of the teams in this city, in their combined history, can't pull together that much success.

 

The Bullets has a great run in the 70s. 6 division titles, 4 conference titles, and the one championship. We are nearly 40 years and a name change away from any of that now. They followed up that great run with a bunch of Caps like 1st round exits and a 16 year stretch with one playoff appearance and 3 winning seasons. The Nats have only been here for 10 years. And we all know what the Caps do. 

 

It is easy to see why the Skins are still #1 in the hearts and minds of the city. They have the most recent championship and the most successful history. Until one of the other teams goes on an 80's Gibbs like decade long run, combined with continued Skins failures, I don't see that changing.  

[ixcuincle]

First off, who is the "we" you are talking about in your second sentence. Are you talking this board? Buddy, this is a REDSKIN BOARD. Not a 'D.C. Sports' board. Get over yourself already.

Secondly, deal with the fact that the overwhelming popularity of the Redskins in D.C. is a reflection of the DOMINANCE of the NFL in general in the U.S.

I think the problem here is you think the sports in general are close in popularity. They aren't. It's not like the NFL is #1, and the NBA or MLB is a close second.

It is more like this:

The NFL is here ----> 1. NFL

The other sports entities are......

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V

here. (MLB, NBA, NHL)

It isn't even close.

I mean, the NFL Draft was beating out other sports games in ratings. Not an NFL playoff game or even a regular season game. The DRAFT.

The NFL is king right now. Period. It isn't a mutual thing. They aren't sharing any power with any other sports entity right now.

That's why in the middle of the NBA and NHL playoff seasons, when the MLB is going into full swing, the big stories in the sports world are deflategate and the extra point change.

And the Redskins are part of that dominance. There are other factors such as the Redskins being an 80 year-old franchise so the have generations of fans all over the south (they used to be the only team in the south at one time), and other things.

However, the main reason is football is THE sport right now. You may want to believe D.C. is a 4-sport town, and it is, but the isn't spread equally. Not by a long shot.

And D.C pretty much reflects the country in that regard.

 

I didn't even say it was equally although I'd olove for it to be. In every city the NFL team trumps all. This is the way it is. 

 

My issue is the HUGE gap and that's not true. 

 

People have called me not a football fan or not a Redskins fan in here, I'm not stupid, I love the Redskins but I love other sports too and I think we need to give them attention too. Ted Leonsis was right. 

[hail2skins]

People have called me not a football fan or not a Redskins fan in here, I'm not stupid, I love the Redskins but I love other sports too and I think we need to give them attention too. Ted Leonsis was right. 

I agree that there should be more coverage of the other area teams on the sports talk waves.  However, when that talk does occur, don't get bummed out if the conversation tends to be critical in nature. Sports talk, when not debating who is better between person x and person y, largely focuses on suggestions on changing something or fixing something.

[Dont Taze Me Bro]

Nothing you said addresses the massive fan base I see every time I go to a caps or nats game. This is a four sport city like it or not.

I know people too who only know football and disappear in off-season. But they're not DC fans. I refuse to believe that there is a gap when everyone I know and see follows other sports when the skins season ends. In that aspect we are literally identical and just like every other city. Football ends, watch college basketball, NBA and hockey. Then baseball.

Please........massive fan base?  Come on broski,  Nats park holds 41K, opened in 2008.  Look at average attendance by year, the past three its at 31K (roughly) and was in the lower 20K going back to 2009.  Decent numbers when it opened in 2008.

 

During that same time frame, the Redskins have been top 5 in the league in attendance averaging around 78-88K people.  Clearly, there are more fans of the NFL than MLB, NBA or NHL in DC.  

 

Football city, Absolutely.  But even with current success of the Nats, Caps, Wiz, the Redskins fan base is far greater than the other three, despite the fact of lack of success.   Eventually turn into a 4 sport city?  Perhaps if they keep winning.  

 

Yes, you and many other fans are passionate fans of all four sports and since I don't live there, I don't know how much support they get or lack there of, so I'll take y'alls word for it.  It's simple though, you talk about what sells. You appease the bigger audience.

 

That audience is Redskins fans.  The fanbase of the Redskins is so much greater than the other fan base of the other 3 sports.  

 

Bigger number of fans = larger viewing/listening base = more advertising = better ratings = more $$$ = job security.  Pretty simple math and a formula that has to be followed if people want to keep their jobs.  

[ixcuincle]

It's a four sport city right now, chief. 

 

EB said we were a "transient" city and we weren't like Philly or Chicago or NY. I beg to differ. We are JUST LIKE THEM. We have 4 teams here and 2 sports radio stations. We're a major market like those big boys. 

[Dont Taze Me Bro]

It's a four sport city right now, chief. 

 

EB said we were a "transient" city and we weren't like Philly or Chicago or NY. I beg to differ. We are JUST LIKE THEM. We have 4 teams here and 2 sports radio stations. We're a major market like those big boys. 

 

I don't think DC sports is on the same level as Philly, Chicago or NY right now.  When you think of DC, it's Redskins and Bullets/Wiz (imo).  When you think of NY, it's Yankees, Knicks, Giants, Rangers.  When you think of Chicago it's Cubs, Bulls, Blackhawks, Bears.  

 

When you think of Philly it's Eagles, Sixers, Phillies, (not gonna list the Flyers cause I never think about them when I think Philly sports).  

 

Sure, you have four big sports in a major market.  But the perspective, big picture, is outside of the actual fans of the other three sports in DC, those teams are not as recognizable as the other sports teams in the cities you listed.  I think that's why the label of a football city is what DC gets.  And it will most likely be that way until the other three teams have major success over an extended period of time.

 

Just be glad you have all four major sports in your city and get the privilege of being able to attend games and see any teams you want to play.  I'm not afforded that luxury.  It's NFL and NBA.  No MLB and no NHL.

[Riggo#44]

I know plenty of people who just follow the NFL or just the Redskins for that matter. Sure, they'll cheer for other local teams if they do well, but they're Redskin fans first and foremost.

 

Put it this way, how many people here are Nats, Caps, Wiz fans, but not fans of the Redskins? I'd say very few. How many on here are Redskins fans but not fans of the other local teams? A decent amount.

 

This is a great point. I'd venture to say all of the regular posters in the baseballs threads (Nats, O's, and MLB Thread) are Redskins fans. I can't think of a single poster in there that isn't.

[Thinking Skins]

This is a great point. I'd venture to say all of the regular posters in the baseballs threads (Nats, O's, and MLB Thread) are Redskins fans. I can't think of a single poster in there that isn't.

 

Thats probably a bad example though because this is a Skins message board, not a general sports or local sports one. So we've kinda already parsed the dataset. I know other people come here who are not Skins fans, but those seem to be the exception based on the name of this place alone. It'd be different if we looked at somewhere like sportsnation or espn and compared how their different sections did. I'd wager that this time of year people are talking more about and discussing the nats than the skins just because there is more to talk about. I know BulletsForever has a very active community taht gets over 100 comments whenever they post an article so they've got a nice following.