Renegade7 Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 My dad and I were having a conversation about how the redskins winning and losing have such an effect on our community as a whole. He would tell me about back in the days when he was living blocks from RFK (and sneaking in), how after a win everyone would be honking their horns, giving high fives, just an overall "Hell ya, that was awesome, thank god" type of moment for at least, say, 24 hours. This was regardless of social class, color, gender, or sexuality. But if they lost, man, you could get run the F over trying to cross East Capitol street. Don't even bother looking for a job the next day, no one would be in the mood for hiring. We talked about all the times we've taken a stereo wire with a paper clip and plugged it into the back of a TV to get a scratch and claw signal of a game like last Sunday, and watch the whole thing. :hysterical: When you have so much going against you, a skins win can be just enough to make that week a lil sweeter, or with a loss that much more bitter. But we aren't the only ones; having the radio blaring in the back and taking unnecesary smoke breaks, witness, perpatrator. Working two jobs and struggling to make rent while going to school, the last couple loses have just been rippin my soul in million different directions and dripping me in rubbing alcohol. But I Keep going. We all keep going. I don't know what's going to happen next, but I'm gonna be here when it happens. Rain, sleet, hail or snow, DVR, going to the game, bar, texts from co-workers off from work, Radio, stereo clip in the back of the tv, carrier pigeon, it doesn't matter to me. And I know, through hell and high water, I'm not the only psycopath that's like this. I don't know, just a random thought that made me feel better. This is just a shout out to those that make it work, even if the redskins don't. Hope it helps. Have a blessed day. Love ya, dad... :helmet: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sideshow24 Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 I watched the entire 1991 Redskins vs. Oilers game standing in a Sears store because my parents insisted on taking me shopping with them that day. Luckily the sales people were fans and didn't make me move along. That was when being a Redskins fan was easy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TMK9973 Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 1997 - Opening day. Skins were playing Sunday night. Unfortuatnly -I had already agreed to be in a wedding that night (Thought the Odds of them being on a sunday night game to open the season were slim!). Brought a VCR from my home, bought rabbit ears from Radio shack, unhooked all the cables and boxes from the hotel room where I was staying (And where the wedding was), moved the TV to the window and set the VCR to tape the game over the air. Told everyone at the wedding that if they told me the score -I would kill em. Wedding ended around 1pm. I grabed a bag of chips, went to my room, and watched a taped version, snow filled picture, of the game..... Skins won by the way..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TMK9973 Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 BTW -That's just 1 of MANY stories I have Watching the 1985 Redskins bears playoff game in Mexico, with Spanish announcers (the Spanish announcers weren't even in the booth. they were in the studio watching the game on TV! Watching a 1984 Game against the Bills on a 2 inch B&W TV because my dad made me join the family to see "Sesame street Live" with my little 3 year old sister (BTW -The Shows was AT the DC Amory, which was NEXT to RFK, where the game was happening!) Pissing off my entire family because the same sister as above got married during the saints game last year, and during pictures, my son and I kept running upstairs to the bar to watch the game. We told them to call us when we needed to be in a picture, when we would run down, snap the shots, and run back up I could go on..... So yes - Paper clip and a wire? Hell...that's nothing.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benskins26 Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 this is a cool thread idea. I thought from the title it was referring to the way Vinny assembles our team, with a bunch of leftover junk, macguyver style (although he made it work). When I was 20, my power got shut off in my 2nd floor apartment cause my bum roommate neglected to pay the bill. I ran a series of extension cords over my back balcony to plug into my downstairs neighbor's outdoor electrical circuit to power the tv. Unethical, but it worked Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Tater Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Yeah the 80s were great, the wins made eating student's tomato soup OK. By the way, to those who never had it, take a fistful of ketchup packages from McDonald's, mix it with hot water and some pepper. Sometimes I got lucky and was able to buy a loaf of day old bread or I found a couple of quarters and was able to buy some generic potted meat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAFGA Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 In the days of B&W TV, over the air signals, and basic cable, you had to do what you had to do to watch the REdskins. They were good then. If you had cable in two rooms it was a luxury. Those were the days. Sadly, a new era has arrived. That era consists of Daniel Snyder, big screen HDTVs, satellite dishes, fiber optic transmissions, and the Redskins being irrelevant. Nowadays, if I can't watch the Redskins, I could care less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twofoot Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 I watched the entire 1991 Redskins vs. Oilers game standing in a Sears store because my parents insisted on taking me shopping with them that day. Luckily the sales people were fans and didn't make me move along. That was when being a Redskins fan was easy! Ha, I did a similar thing by watching the whole 2nd half of the 'Hand of God' game in a Best Buy a few years back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Tater Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 In the days of B&W TV, over the air signals, and basic cable, you had to do what you had to do to watch the REdskins. They were good then. If you had cable in two rooms it was a luxury. Those were the days. Sadly, a new era has arrived. That era consists of Daniel Snyder, big screen HDTVs, satellite dishes, fiber optic transmissions, and the Redskins being irrelevant. Nowadays, if I can't watch the Redskins, I could care less. Between 1985 and 1986, I didn't even have a TV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HigSkin Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 We had one of those roll around B/W TV's growing up with clumps of tin foil on the antenna (rabbit ears). We'd have to move in to the bathroom to get the best reception (outside wall). My brother and I would watch games laying in a bathtub stuffed with pillows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#98QBKiller Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Nope but I'll find a way to watch the game regardless. Good thread BTW, it's nice to read some lighthearted stuff like this sometimes especially when the Skins are playing like ****. I get mad at this team just about every week now but when Sunday rolls around I still get up early because I can't sleep, thinking about the game, ready to cheer the team on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burgold Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 My first job in high school was as an usher in a movie theatre. The rats scheduled me during the Redskins/Bears playoff game. You know the one. Anyway, I managed to find and smuggle in a small transister tv. It had about a two inch by two inch screen and had the lousiest snowiest reception, but it showed the game. Well, they put me out front that day to tear tickets and I've got the sucker in one hand. By the middle of the third quarter I had a group of about twenty guys clustered around me trying to watch that 2 inch screen and begging for play by play. The manager could do nothing but laugh. You should have heard the whoop when Darrell made his return. Strangely, I don't know if I would do that today, but the manager began a real fan of mine and the way I balanced my job, the public, and still succeeded in watching the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkB452 Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Watched the 2nd half of a 1976 MNF game against the Cardinals on a 3" B&W screen in my bedroom. My parents were in Hawaii and my mom's cousin was watching us. When Eddie Brown ran a punt back through the mud for a TD, I had to control myself from screaming as I was supposed to be in bed asleep since I had school the next day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SIXX99 Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Wow. And I complain about not getting the game in a high definition feed. I salute you all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DButz65 Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 I watched the entire 1991 Redskins vs. Oilers game standing in a Sears store because my parents insisted on taking me shopping with them that day. Luckily the sales people were fans and didn't make me move along. That was when being a Redskins fan was easy! This guy in our section (418) at RFK during that game named "Steve" bought like 25 people beers 3 times during the game.. he was mumbling about winning a lot of money on the Skins the week before.. after the 2rd round.. every one started chanting "steve steve steve steve" whenever the Skins made a good play.. cause he said he had $5k on the game , and also because we all wanted him to keep buying beers Ahh memories Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD Riggo Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Wow. And I complain about not getting the game in a high definition feed. I salute you all Having been a child who grew up in the 60s and remembering when dad brought the first COLOR TV home, and the excitement of that, I laugh AT "you kids these days." We had NO VCR's/DVR's/time shifting/live-streaming-over-the-intertubes/Youtube/torrents/.. capabilities, so if you weren't going to be anywhere near a TV, you were just going to miss it. Period. And since I live in Florida, there was also no NFL-Sunday Ticket (which I've subscribed to since 1994) so I got to see MAYBE two Skins games per year. IF I was lucky. But I also laugh WITH you because I too get ****y and throw a hissy when I have to watch a game somewhere else (like a friend's house) that's NOT in HD! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renegade7 Posted December 9, 2009 Author Share Posted December 9, 2009 We had one of those roll around B/W TV's growing up with clumps of tin foil on the antenna (rabbit ears). We'd have to move in to the bathroom to get the best reception (outside wall). My brother and I would watch games laying in a bathtub stuffed with pillows. Dude, that's love all day right there. Major props, Hig, major props. :notworthy I remember sitting with my dad and listening to the 2002 upset over the Colts. We had no power in the house, and my dad had this old, battery powered radio from the thrift shop. It was cold as hell, but I distincly remember my dad nodding his head and smirking, sayin "They talkin like we might win this one". That was the same year the Skins almost killed me (literally) on Thanksgiving day at my aunt's house in DC. Almost died choking on my mashed potatoes after that screen pass pix six before halftime, dad helped me survive it. Skins made me cry twice, too. Once, in Favre's first game in DC after the long Portis pass for the lead got called back for illegal motion and we went on to lose the game. That severe swing in emotion just broke me down at I lost it. Second time was the second TD pass for Santana in that Monday night classic against Dallas. Those were tears of joys, tho. That week was awesome, hell that whole season was the best I remember every seeing us play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky21 Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Ha, I did a similar thing by watching the whole 2nd half of the 'Hand of God' game in a Best Buy a few years back.I saw that one from section 425. I'm just so happy that game has such a cool nickname because it was the most exciting moment at Fed Ex Field ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goskinz0721 Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Here's one for you: Back in the late 60's, all home games were blacked out locally. So, we used to take the DC Transit bus to the old ULine Arena where they showed the games on a huge screen. I think tickets to watch the game were only a couple of bucks. I guess it was the precursor to "pay-per-view" TV. I saw a lot of games there when I was a kid. Pretty cool experience as it was just like being at the game only with 5000-7,000 people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan757 Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 I was in Iraq and when we were not on convoys we still got very little sleep but My buddy Carlos and I would get up at like 2 or 3 am and go to the chow hall where they would broadcast the games on AFN(armed forces Network) by the time they would end we would be late for formation but it was worth it! Die hard Skins fan for life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burgold Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Wow. And I complain about not getting the game in a high definition feed. I salute you all Wimp! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arsenic Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 i love this stuff.. it makes me realize there are others, out there, like myself. my band has practice every Sunday.. you can imagine how tough it is for me. I, somehow, make it work though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky21 Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 I was in Iraq and when we were not on convoys we still got very little sleep but My buddy Carlos and I would get up at like 2 or 3 am and go to the chow hall where they would broadcast the games on AFN(armed forces Network) by the time they would end we would be late for formation but it was worth it! Cool story from another diehard. :point2sky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nebster21 Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 I have been at wedding receptions in the hotel lobby watching the game. The first morning of my honeymoon I dragged my wife to the bar to watch the game. Flipping stations on car rides to find the game. I have done alot to watch the skins game. Oops forgot when my dad was stationed over in Germany had them taped and sent over to us as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkfan63 Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 BTW -That's just 1 of MANY stories I haveWatching the 1985 Redskins bears playoff game in Mexico, with Spanish announcers (the Spanish announcers weren't even in the booth. they were in the studio watching the game on TV! 1991. First Monday night football game of the season and it featured the Redskins vs the Lions. I was in Cancun at the time but I made sure to watch the game from my hotel room. I got spanish commentators doing the game. Didn't matter. I didn't need to know Spanish to understand the 45-0 beatdown we gave the Lions that Monday night. THAT made my vacation! I loved being a fan back then. Man I was proud to be a Skins fan. Not so much nowadays.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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