Going to a CAPS game v a REDSKINS game - TONIGHT WAS TERRIBLE

[mdl70]

We know now that the stadium is more catering to the 21 to 30 something single guy. Fine with me, I raised lots of Hell on gameday in my 20s too. But face it this is not the place for a family outing. Fed Ex is definately now a R rated stadium, especially a night game. No complaints just the facts. Work hard, play hard, drink hard, Hail Hard.

^^ That.

I have fond memories of my dad taking me to games at RFK when I was a kid and maybe heard one or two F-bombs during the games. I'm embarrassed now when I hear all of the cussing and see fighting in the stands around dads taking their kids to games.

A lot of people have no common sense or courtesy these days and think their tickets give them license to ignore everyone else around them. If every other word out of your mouth is yelling motherfu-ker or c-cksucker at opposing fans, you might want to stay at home or at least have some consideration for the others around you. You can be passionate and smack talk to the opposition without looking and sounding like an a-hole. Really. You can.

[Hubbs]

"Judeo-Christian"

:hysterical:

[superozman]

Pretty much most people summed up my opinion on this. Tailgating is the way to go for football. You are charged $50 to park, make it worth your while and tailgate. The Redskins opened up at 12. People mostly drink beer, 8 hours to drink? People already drank for 7 hours before you made it in...this is going to happen. I'm sorry it happened to you, but this should have been expected. (yes, sad but true that it should have been expected)

Second, while glancing through, I didn't notice this point. THIS SHOULD BE THE REDSKINS PARKING MANAGEMENT'S JOB to control tailgating in parking spots. Once spaces are needed, people should be forced to move their stuff to the front/backs of their cars while leaving room for traffic.

[SkinsNoles21]

I left Bethesda at 5pm -- got to exit 17 at 535p. I did not pull into my green lot spot until 715p. It was a mad house. It didnt have to be this way, but FEDEX traffic management gets an F and most of you are inconsiderate human beings. To those who read this and it doesnt apply, excuse me. For those who do - this was a miserable night for me and my guests and its thanks to you.

Let me say - I think going to FEDEX was miserable tonight - the worst ever and Ive gone to games for 30 years. Ill never go to a night game again. No judeo-christian valued family loving person with a kind soul could enjoy what happened to many of us tonight.

1. People - why do you feel so entitled to take up 5 spaces for your tailgate. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE FOR EVERYONE ELSE.

2. Why do you all stand in the parking aisles so no one can find a space.

3. Why once someone is pulling in to a marked space - do you look at them like they did something wrong.

4. When someone is pulling in - move your chairs and BBQ.

5. Show some class - want to drink? Get buzzed, but do you have to act like savages?

6. Cussing, cussing cussing.

7. When someone has to go to the bathroom, please stand up and let them through the aisle.

8. When someone else has to go to the bathroom - stand up and let them through without harassment.

9. Why is a restroom a place to start fights and not flush.

10. Why do you smoke in front of no smoking signs?

This had a frat party atmosphere (not the good ones - the kind youd fear for your daughter in). I feared for my safety a number of times. It wasnt fun and I couldnt enjoy the game.

Ive been to a number of CAPS games. Easy parking. Metro. Fans who show one another class and dignity. Family atmosphere.

Look, I know this wasnt meant for all of you - but to those who this applied to - think....is this the way your grandmother raised you? Cant you be decent to another fellow fan?

Arent you embarrassed no one in their right mind would bring a kid or teenager to this environment?

Arent you embarrassed HBO did an expose on FEDEX field and it was worse than ever tonight?

I left at halftime and its your fault. You know who you are and shame on you.

I totally agree with all of this ... and there were no easy tampon dispensers available too right. Because im sure you had to change yours a few times.

[FlaSk1nsfan]

its a football agme not sunday church services

[DieHardSkins88]

man the **** up *****

[LightningBuggs]

Just checked my parking pass. Says that it only entitles the owner to 1 spot. No mention of having to show up 4 hours early or risk forfeiture of a parking space.

Some of you are insufferable and are the sole reason why I hate to come to FedEx. Your sense of entitlement is beyond ridiculous.

Show some consideration for your fellow Redskin fans and let them park in a space.

I loved going to RFK. The fans there were united behind their team and looked out for one another. That's the exact opposite of the atmosphere at FedEx.

[Hubbs]

Been assaulted. Been a victim of battery.

Forsooth, whom amongst us heathens dared to layeth thine hands upon our holiest member? Speaketh now, or let thine tongues burn in the damned fires of hell for all eternity!

[Helmet959]

^^ That.

I have fond memories of my dad taking me to games at RFK when I was a kid and maybe heard one or two F-bombs during the games. I'm embarrassed now when I hear all of the cussing and see fighting in the stands around dads taking their kids to games.

A lot of people have no common sense or courtesy these days and think their tickets give them license to ignore everyone else around them. If every other word out of your mouth is yelling motherfu-ker or c-cksucker at opposing fans, you might want to stay at home or at least have some consideration for the others around you. You can be passionate and smack talk to the opposition without looking and sounding like an a-hole. Really. You can.

i agree with this poster and the OP. i'm a season ticket holder. i buy and go in my fathers upper level seats. 418 row 7 1-4. he's no longer able to attend. he's had upper level season tickets since the last two seasons at Griffith stadium.

i went to every home game at RFK from 1983 -1996. a young boy. the fans that sat in the upper level in those days were loud. BUT NOT RUDE. and also were not hammered. you don't have to curse nonstop and pick fights to be part of an awesome 12th man.

i'm lucky that in my upper level section i'm almost completely surrounded by older season ticket holders that still go to every game. who cheer loudly, standup alll the time, but still don't feel the need to curse at the top of their lungs. they are there to watch the game. what a novel concept?

across the aisle from me was a young redskins fan, about my age. who was hammered and kept yelling F*** DALLAS non-stop. eventually he had his F*** dallas sign taken away by security and he was told to stop cursing. i was happy to see the security response. he was beginning to take away my enjoyment from the game, because he started coming across the aisle and getting in the face of 3 respectful cowboys fans sitting right in front of me. this cowboys dad was with a 13 year old and 8 year old son, and was not trying to initiate any banter, friendly or not.

the point about that story, was that this skins fan was too drunk to pay attention to the game. and that is just sad. a couple times he started jumping up and down cheering something awesome had happened when it was hilariously the wrong time. a cowboys run for 19 yards? a cowboy field goal? my section of skins season ticket holders were laughing at him. a couple times he came over to get in their face literally during a few crucial plays.

why go to the game if youre too drunk to pay attention?

to slightly refute the OP, i thought yesterdays game was much better behaved than some of the worst i've been to over the last 4 years. it seemed like most fans were into the game. positive energy towards our team, as opposed to caring more about starting a yelling match with an opposing fan mid-game.

i'm going to sound like an old fan here, but i agree that the drunkenness and general rudeness from our own fans has gotten out of hand. it's embarrassing. and it takes my enjoyment away from the real reason i went to the game. TO WATCH THE GAME.

to the people that say no one else agrees with the OP about many of his points, you're wrong.

[PeterMP]

I'll add. Yes, I come "late" to the game. I come "late" to many of the games. I have a 4 year old and one year old (and if I brought them and then complained about the behavior, everybody would tell me not to bring them), and live 2+ hours away with "normal" traffic, and my "normal" baby sitters for the games are my parents or in-laws, both of whom live 2+ hours away from me and still ~2 hours away from DC in "normal" traffic so I get to games based on when I can take my kids somewhere or somebody can get to me, and then I can get to the game.

So you'll have to excuse me if after having driven at least ~2 hours from PA, NJ, or the eastern shore of MD (and maybe having first made the trip 2+ hours from my house to somewhere I can leave my kids) I'd like not to have to drive around the parking lot looking for an "empty" space in a lot with a bunch of spaces without cars in them.

[Skin'Em84]

I wanna know where you guys were sitting. I was at 225, and we were loud and obnoxious but I didn't see half the problems everyone else seems to have. I think there was 1 fight, and there was a fair amount of cussing but there were no kids, so that's okay. I think the only people that had a bad time were the nice older ladies behind us that wouldn't stand up and I swear they didn't see half the game. Even the Dallas fans were cool.

[Skinsfan1311]

I expected a crowd.

I expected excitement.

I expected decency that we all paid good money to go to this game.

I expected to not be harassed in a REDSKINS jersey.

I expected please and thank you to not result in people cursing at a REDSKINS fan.

I expected for my fiance not to get harassed in a COOLEY jersey.

I expected people who would drink and be buzzed - but not indecent.

I expected cussing when something didnt go our way - but not every play.

I expected fun and comraderie with my fellow REDSKINS fans.

I expected to get a parking space three hours before kickoff.

Sorry - I must be insane....there must be others who feel the way I do. They just arent speaking up.

I went to the CAPS/PENGUINS games. They arent 1% as bad these have become.

Thanks for your thoughts - I hear you. And Im thrilled we are 1&0. Just not so thrilled I was essentially run out of my seats by thugs at halftime.

Youre right. I should have expected to hear cussing every play. Been assaulted. Been a victim of battery. Watch people puke in the bathrooms. See numerous fights. Had my fiance groped. Youre right.

I should have expected for no one to move their BBQ after waiting in 3 hours of traffic. Youre right

I should have expected for no one to stand up when trying to get through the aisle for food/restrooms. Youre right.

I should have expected for someone to get upset when asked to please move their chair so I can get in a space. Youre right.

I should have expected to have my foot urinated on. Youre right.

I'm not going to pile on, and question you're fandom, whine & cheeser etc. I disagree with that kind of sentiment. You've been attending all the games since '99, and I'm sure that you're a great fan.

That being said, you arrived to the game over 5 hours after the lots opened. As you stated, this ain't your first rodeo. You should've known better. Seriously. A night game against our biggest rival, gates that open 8hrs early, and you decide to roll in a few hours before kick-off and got stuck in traffic?

The parking staff has always been pretty incompetent. As someone who attends all the games, you're acting as if that's some kind of big surprise.

We always look over the rail from the concourse, and shake our heads in amazement at the amount of traffic that is still coming into the stadium.

If you were "assaulted, your fiance groped, or witnessed fights, you can contact security, any stadium staff, or a police officer. They're plenty of them around. If you fear the repercussion, you can report that type of dangerous behavior, anonymously, via a text to the Redskins. The # to text is displayed prominently around the stadium.

Your post sounds like you were at a totally different game.

We take the Redskins advice. We arrive early.

We hit Redskins Rd before the lots opened. We tailgated all day and into the early evening. My wife and I sat in our seats in section 431 and we had a great experience. No fights, no groping, no urinating on shoes.

We went back to E43, for the post-game tailgate, ate some food, and chilled out while the traffic died down.

I admire the fact that you posted your experience, given the ES penchant for flaming around here.

I truly hope that yours, and your fiance's, next experience is better.

[DiscoBob]

It amazes me how everyone seems to think it's their right to act like a total jackass and detract from other fans experience during the game? Let's do the math:

$350 = 4 hours in the car + No Parking + Obnoxious Fans + Overpriced Food and Drinks

That's why I'd rather watch the game on my couch...

[HateYanksDukeCowboys]

We know now that the stadium is more catering to the 21 to 30 something single guy. Fine with me, I raised lots of Hell on gameday in my 20s too. But face it this is not the place for a family outing. Fed Ex is definately now a R rated stadium, especially a night game. No complaints just the facts. Work hard, play hard, drink hard, Hail Hard.

There's a huge fundamental flaw with that equation though. The people who are now in their 30's and mid-late 20's are the last generation of fans who will HONESTLY be able to say that they attended games as a kid and enjoyed a nice family-friendly atmosphere. Any sports marketing executive will tell you that the key to building a lifelong fanbase that generates residual income for decades upon decades is hooking those fans into the gameday environment at a very young and impressionable age. So when the current crop of 21-30 year-olds move on into their mid to late 30's and 40's, and the atmosphere at FedEx hasn't changed, who will go?

I grew up going to RFK, and can honestly say that I had such good times there that I spent all of my late teens and 20's swearing that if I EVER were lucky enough to be able to purchase season tickets, I would be a lifelong season ticket holder. It was those great memories as a kid that drove me to repeatedly attend games at FedEx throughout my 20's, and into my early 30's. Roundabout the time I was 27 or so, I started to notice the virtual gang-type atmosphere (Redskins fans sporting the Bloods, any other fans being the hypothetical Crips). I kept going, like beating my head into a brickwall. HORRENDOUS traffic, violent atmosphere, crappy team, jacked up vending and parking prices. I finally reasoned with myself to forget about those long-forgotten days of the past and accept the fact that going to Redskins games just wasn't an enjoyable experience anymore. So I stopped going. Approximately two years later, I got the notice that I was now eligible to purchase season tickets. Even though it's within my budget, I choose not to for the reasons mentioned above. The kids growing up today are being held away from FedEx much more than kids were when I grew up. So when these kids become twenty-somethings, what point of reference will they have to Redskins games when selecting a sports venue? Probably little to non-existent, and their loyalty won't be nearly as strong as mine was.

Those of you who nitpick one or two complaints the O.P. made (arriving late for ex.), are missing his larger point. The sum of the parts and net effect ALL of those negative experiences have on a fan is simply too much to bear. Please note the chronological nature of his tale; clearly used to take us along for the hellish ride he experienced, ALL things included. I noticed that noone contested his point about fights in the bathroom. Seriously, they happened every single game I went to, and they REALLY shouldn't.

Also, the point about the single guy aged 21-30 atmosphere should be amended to say "Single Guys 21-30 who don't plan on bringing a date are welcome." One game about 5-6 years ago, a fight broke out two rows behind us (b/t a Ravens fan and Redskins Fan, even though we were playing the Bears), and one of the guys was pushed forcefully into the back of my wife; so it's not just the kids we have to worry about here. What about senior citizens? How do those old bones feel when they get caught up in the middle of a fight?

"Deal with it, it's just the way it is" is absolutely the WRONG attitude to take.

Hail!

[jnhay]

Kind and classy of you to say. You illustrate my point exactly. Were you there?

You use the word "classy" way too much. It sounds your frustration comes from 30 years of things piling up. Just don't go to night games any more.

[hail2skins]

I left Bethesda at 5pm -- got to exit 17 at 535p. I did not pull into my green lot spot until 715p. It was a mad house. It didnt have to be this way, but FEDEX traffic management gets an F and most of you are inconsiderate human beings. To those who read this and it doesnt apply, excuse me. For those who do - this was a miserable night for me and my guests and its thanks to you.

Let me say - I think going to FEDEX was miserable tonight - the worst ever and Ive gone to games for 30 years. Ill never go to a night game again. No judeo-christian valued family loving person with a kind soul could enjoy what happened to many of us tonight.

1. People - why do you feel so entitled to take up 5 spaces for your tailgate. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE FOR EVERYONE ELSE.

2. Why do you all stand in the parking aisles so no one can find a space.

3. Why once someone is pulling in to a marked space - do you look at them like they did something wrong.

4. When someone is pulling in - move your chairs and BBQ.

5. Show some class - want to drink? Get buzzed, but do you have to act like savages?

6. Cussing, cussing cussing.

7. When someone has to go to the bathroom, please stand up and let them through the aisle.

8. When someone else has to go to the bathroom - stand up and let them through without harassment..............

To address some points here, I agree that if you're at Exit 17 by 5:45, not being able to park by 7:15 is ridiculous. I don't want to turn this into a tailgaters vs non-tailgaters debate, so I'll simply say that unfortunately that seems to be the way it is. Many years I've been in the club level and didn't find parking in the orange areas to be much of a problem. Last year I had green parking and found finding parking spots that weren't being taken up by tailgaters somewhat more difficult but not impossible, even arriving to the stadium an hour before kickoff. My advice is that if you do go back to FedEx, just go park in the orange area, even if you have a green pass. Its not like anyone is going to check or care.

As far as people letting you through when you wanted to use the bathroom, my only comment is that I hope you waited until after the end of a play to be asked to let through. A lot of people don't show this courtesy and it tends to really piss people off.

Otherwise, I don't know what else to say. I usually don't need to use the facilities at the stadium during the game, and have felt lucky in 10+ years to not have really seen or been involved in incidents at the stadium. It was a bit disconcerting to see several fans in the row below me throwing down during what was a tense, exciting game early in the 4th quarter......but sometimes those things happen.

[PumpkinEscobar]

First time I have seen FedEx rockin like that in some time...sorry your experience was not as good as mine.

[HateYanksDukeCowboys]

I wanna know where you guys were sitting. I was at 225' date=' and we were loud and obnoxious but I didn't see half the problems everyone else seems to have. I think there was 1 fight, and there was a fair amount of cussing but there were no kids, so that's okay. I think the only people that had a bad time were the nice older ladies behind us that wouldn't stand up and I swear they didn't see half the game. Even the Dallas fans were cool.[/quote']

Right, so aside from the kids and old people, everyone (i.e., twenty-somethings) had a great time. LOL.

"but there were no kids, so that's okay." No, that's not okay.

[Brandon Lloyd Christmas]

so let me try and recap this:

this guy had his foot peed on, his fiance groped, and was assaulted?

how is that even possible? lol

[hail2skins]

so let me try and recap this:

this guy had his foot peed on, his fiance groped, and was assaulted?

how is that even possible? lol

Because BLC was in the house in a drunken rage wanting to get rid of McNabb and bring back his man JC #17!

[Corcaigh]

You use the word "classy" way too much. It sounds your frustration comes from 30 years of things piling up. Just don't go to night games any more.

It's nothing to do with night games, a division rival, or some other excuse folks want to concoct.

My 18 year old daughter was threatened twice by Redskins fans during a pre-season game because she attended with a family who supported an opponent.

The last afternoon game we attended as a family there were fights in the stands nearby and folks vomiting on themselves.

Classy?

[tshile]

Lol at all the complaining.

This stuff cracks me up. The game day experience is what you make of it. I've been going to games since I can remember, and there's only a few things you have to do to ensure a good time. Arriving early is the most important, and can make the biggest difference. Traffic in this are is ranked worst in the nation for a reason. You add on a prime time football game, to open the season after one of the biggest offseasons this organization has had in recenent member, against the dallas cowboys, and you should have known better than to try to roll in late.

edit:

to address the other points - unfortunately when you put 90k people in an area like that, with lots of alcohol, you get some bad seeds. our section was fine last night, except maybe too much cussing, but what can you really expect?

the only suggestion I would have, is to report people when they do something ridiculous... the staff is typically very good at getting people out of there and/or arrested, but they have to know something is going on first. if noone reports it, and they don't see it, then the person/people causing the problems are allowed to stay and cause more problems...

[Brandon Lloyd Christmas]

Because BLC was in the house in a drunken rage wanting to get rid of McNabb and bring back his man JC #17!

if you watched any of the raiders highlights, you know how i excited i am that hes gone, and its hilarious to see oakland failing miserably. lol

[Go_Jibbs!]

No one with any class could have enjoyed this gameday experience.

If you are insinuating, that because I enjoyed yesterdays gameday experience I have zero class, then I find that to be a pretty biased assumption.

[nebster21]

That is the great thing about going to games. It is your choice. You may have felt the need to say these things but you should make more mention it is your thoughts. IE... I thought tonight was terrible. Your implying of thousands of "True" Redskins giving them up because things are getting outrageous is just odd. You are absolutely right this is not church. There is one next door if you would prefer that. I am sick of maybe a dozen or so people saying that tailgating is ruining it for all of us. It has not ruined it for me. Actually I think that it has just gotten better with the years. Now I am not saying the following is the case but did you ever think that you might be the problem? Now you did bring up some good points but others seemed bad but you mayhave gotten in a bad area. I personally have not come across a bad area.