The bandwagon effect. Now that we have the NFL's posterboy the bandwagon zombies are arriving. How does this make you feel?

[Dallsux]

Living in LA (Lower Alabama-and yes, Alabamians consider this the REAL LA), I am surrounded by Saints & Falcons fans. Most everyone here is a college fan, so pros don't even compute with most down here. In fact, most people, when they see my Skins gear confuse it with Florida State.

That said, most people are suddenly paying attention to the Redskins because of "this RG3 guy". I honestly don't know how I feel about it. People who didn't like the Skins before this year are suddenly "fans".

As far as "bandwagoners" go, I don't want them. They talk like they are real fans, but they have no idea what being a real fan (& the committments involved) is all about. When things start to get tough, they jump ship because they don't like rooting for a losing team.

Move on bandwagoners. This is not the team for you.

[No_Pressure]

Rene Descartes. I think therefore I am.

I know what I have been: a fan of the Redskins for quite some time, and through some horrendous seasons. I was here for the bad and I will certainly be here for the good that is to come. I do not know other people, and I'm not going to interrogate everyone I see and try to create a caste system for Redskins fans. The way I see it, if you want to be a fan of the Redskins right now, great, even if it is just because of RG3. In my early days I was a Redskins fan just because of Darrell Green, before I learned any history of the franchise and had any other reasons to like them other than "mom and dad like them also". I don't care if some people want to jump on the bandwagon. It doesn't affect me, and I'll welcome them while they're here but not mourn them when they're gone.

I don't know what else anybody really expects to do. Isn't this type of popularity and acceptance the very thing this fanbase has craved for years? Now that we're getting it we're not going to pretend we're too good for it, right?

[Hazel-Ra]

Don't like it either. It's probably part of the reason I don't play ff.

Then you and I are kindred spirits... I played in a FF league in 2002 and it just didn't feel right.

[DaGoonie55]

Here near Seattle, I'm not happy with the new crop of 20 year Skins fans that were rocking Seattle jerseys 'last week'. One guy remembers the great years when we beat the Raiders in the Super Bowl. Asked who their favorite player on the team is besides RG3 and he tells me "Portis. Had a great game last Sunday". Um, we played on Thanksgiving? Also, Portis is retired. Seattle is relevant and we're stealing fans. Its comical. I pray that we get in and face the sea chickens in the playoffs. I may paint the K5 B&G and affix a horn that plays Hail To The Redskins. Regardless, it is both satisfying and irritating that people try to play off their "bandwagoning" ways. The video that is posted earlier in this thread....when he scored I had tears in my eyes. Many of you were the same way. I feel sorry for these wishy washy fans, they won't know what that feels like. To those of you that see the silver lining after the many years of storms, I say Hail to you.

[PortisBetts]

Hell I'm trying to convince them to jump ship from any team including rivals. I'm going to get a few promise you that. Start the hype

Haha yes! I have been trying to convert my friends girlfriend. My friend is a Cowboys fan but she wont ever wear that...only natural to become a redskins fan right?!

[JCav06]

I enjoy seeing the bandwagon zombies because it means the Skins are doing something right.

[LetThePointsSoar]

The bandwagoners are what they are.

But I can guarantee that those playoff wins won't even be REMOTELY as sweet for them as they are for us who have toiled through the last 20 years. Damn, that next Lombardi is going to be one for the AGES.

[XEL]

Being a seasoned and veteran skins fan who has been through the emotional ringer through the years with this team how do you feel about all this new interest in our team? Does it make you feel angy and protective of the team like Gollum and his precious or could you care less who joins in on the fun as it is all just beggining of something special. I am not going to lie. I honestly feel a little bitter about all my friends who proclaim they were always fans (nope), the influx of jerseys wearing the B&G that you typically would never see, the facebook fans popping out of everywhere seemingly more and more every week, and fairweather people who are just joining in now that RG3 has arrived. Maybe I need counciling or something for being a selfish prick but I feel like those of us who have been through the thick and thin with this team should be granted a moment to enjoy the RG3 experience to ourselves.

I agree with this 100%. I can't stand these "life-long" or "loyal" fans when we've sat here for-.. Well, for myself, being 19, it's literally been my entire life spent waiting for the team to become good and now that it has.. I wish we had a little less attention.

[Sticksboi05]

Get off our bandwagon and go crawl into a hole. Bandwagon fans make the top 10 for worst things about sports.

[Cowboy8467]

May be at least part of the story.

I know when I'm doing the "**** dallas and their bandwagon fans" shtick I'm just hating on the team i hate, in a way where critical thinking, ethics, or logic are not really concerned too much lol.

to a much lesser level of feeling, I don't generally see "bandwagon" fans as my idea of "real" fans. that's why the term was coined.

Surely you don't think that any Cowboys fans right now are bandwagon fans? Dallas hasn't had any sustained success for almost 20 years, and have been just as mediocre as the 'skins since they last won a Superbowl.

[rumplestilskin]

Surely you don't think that any Cowboys fans right now are bandwagon fans? Dallas hasn't had any sustained success for almost 20 years, and have been just as mediocre as the 'skins since they last won a Superbowl.

Please.......I think more than any other team besides maybe the NY Yankees the Cowboys attract the bandwagon or casual fan. The fan base is so dilluted from a football perspective its unreal. I bet the average "Americas Team" fan couldn't name many players beyond Romo sits to pee, Ware and Witten and possibley Austin because he dated Kim Kardasien. LOL

[KyleVA]

The future is naow.

[Cowboy8467]

Please.......I think more than any other team besides maybe the NY Yankees the Cowboys attract the bandwagon or casual fan. The fan base is so dilluted from a football perspective its unreal. I bet the average "Americas Team" fan couldn't name many players beyond Romo sits to pee, Ware and Witten and possibley Austin because he dated Kim Kardasien. LOL

:whoknows: I don't dispute that any number of those fans could indeed be casual, but to me that is not the same thing as a bandwagon fan. Bandwagon fans like winning teams, and for better or for worse, Dallas has not been one for a very long time. As our dearly departed tr1 like to point out, the skins have more playoff victories that the Cowboys do in the last 15 years.

[Ashburn Dave]

There is nothing wrong with bandwagon fans. Some of us extreme or die hard fans might have started out as bandwagon fans. It also means we're relevant again.

[oldskoolskins]

I "hate" bandwagoners, they remind me of most cowturd fans...

[TD_washingtonredskins]

:whoknows: I don't dispute that any number of those fans could indeed be casual, but to me that is not the same thing as a bandwagon fan. Bandwagon fans like winning teams, and for better or for worse, Dallas has not been one for a very long time. As our dearly departed tr1 like to point out, the skins have more playoff victories that the Cowboys do in the last 15 years.

I don't think there are new fans in 2012 who jump onto the Cowboys. But I think there is a subset of Cowboy fans in 2012 that became fans in the mid-1990s. Now, on one hand, they became fans in a bandwagon manner. However, the fact that they are still fans shows loyalty.

My biggest thing whenever I (rarely) analyze someone's fandom is this: Are they loyal? I think you can become a fan of a team in any number of ways. Geography, access to games, relationships, etc. So, I don't usually care how someone becomes a fan of a sports team. I only care that they stay a fan of that team.

To me, a bandwagon fan (to follow a NFL life-cycle) would be someone who liked the 49ers (1980s), then the Cowboys (1990s), then the Packers (late-1990s), then the Patriots (2000s), then the Steelers (mid-2000s), and now the Giants or Texans or Ravens. If that same fan jumped on board during any of those periods but stuck with those teams during the descents...fine by me!

[Cowboy8467]

I don't think there are new fans in 2012 who jump onto the Cowboys. But I think there is a subset of Cowboy fans in 2012 that became fans in the mid-1990s. Now, on one hand, they became fans in a bandwagon manner. However, the fact that they are still fans shows loyalty.

My biggest thing whenever I (rarely) analyze someone's fandom is this: Are they loyal? I think you can become a fan of a team in any number of ways. Geography, access to games, relationships, etc. So, I don't usually care how someone becomes a fan of a sports team. I only care that they stay a fan of that team.

To me, a bandwagon fan (to follow a NFL life-cycle) would be someone who liked the 49ers (1980s), then the Cowboys (1990s), then the Packers (late-1990s), then the Patriots (2000s), then the Steelers (mid-2000s), and now the Giants or Texans or Ravens. If that same fan jumped on board during any of those periods but stuck with those teams during the descents...fine by me!

Yes, you'll get no disagreement from me there. It seems to me that even if you hopped on the bandwagon when the team was winning, as long as you stayed through the crap times (of which both of our teams are well acquainted with as of late) then it's OK. You ever claim more than one team in your lifetime however, and you are no true fan.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

Yes, you'll get no disagreement from me there. It seems to me that even if you hopped on the bandwagon when the team was winning, as long as you stayed through the crap times (of which both of our teams are well acquainted with as of late) then it's OK. You ever claim more than one team in your lifetime however, and you are no true fan.

Agreed 100%. Not every person becomes a fan due to being raised by 6 generations of <insert team name here> fans. When I was 5 (1982), my mom accepted a bet with a co-worker that the Redskins would beat the Dolphins in the Super Bowl. She had watched with marginal interest as the Redskins made a run to the Super Bowl, but didn't really care until someone made her put her money (a whopping $5) where her mouth was. From that day, she and I became fans of the team. Is that really a better reason to become a fan than some kid who just happened to turn on a Skins game during that era and enjoyed watching good football? I don't think so. We all have our history of how we became fans...it's the STAYING fans that defines your loyalty.

[ldysknzfn1]

I have zero respect for bandwagoners..but what can you do? They're there no matter what..it's what they do...I could care less what the mediots say...who listens to them anyway? (not I)...I'm enjoying our nice, new, shiny QB..it makes me feel good inside to watch him do his thang...they only make fools of themselves..why should I care?

[PCS]

Meh. Could care less. Though I am one who doesn't get too caught up in all the real fan,true fan,fake fan kind of thing. I know I'm a big fan and that's what matters to me. Only exception to this one,(isn't there always one of those? ),is one that came about last season and I said enough about that last year.

[RVAbrendan]

Have a buddy who has always been a Cowboys fan. Was telling me last night that he is enamored with RGIII and absolutely loves watching him play. He can't stand Romo sits to pee or the direction the Cowboys are going and wants a winner. He was telling me he is now a Redskins fan.

Now, take that for what it is (I, myself, would never jump ship. No way.), but if that's not the definition of a culture change around here, I don't know what is!

[TD_washingtonredskins]

He can't stand Romo sits to pee or the direction the Cowboys are going and wants a winner.

Here is my honest assessment of Dallas and Romo sits to pee. I think the Cowboys start every year with the potential to be a 6-10 win team. I don't think they have enough depth to win 12+ games (sound familiar?) and I think they have too much talent to ever crater. This is something that is a blessing and a curse for Cowboy fans. A blessing because the NFL is evolving to a league where the champion is crowned based on who gets hot at the right time...so in theory, if you can maximize the number of times you qualify for the playoffs, you have a shot. Very rarely does the 14-2 team win the Super Bowl these days.

As for Romo sits to pee, I'm in the minority around here but believe he is a very, very good QB. As a Skins fan, I like that he's getting older because I think he's quietly become a top QB in the NFL. The plays he makes sometimes when the team is falling apart around him are incredible.

[hp703]

Honestly. Yes.

Because why the **** not? Up until we drafted RGIII, NO ONE WAS BECOMING REDSKINS FANS. The people who say it should be reserved for people who've been through thick and thin are merely being selfish in my opinion. SHARE THE LOVE.

We should be welcoming anyone to the bandwagon with open arms.

[RedskinsNation]

This area is one of the most bandwagon areas in the country. Friends of mine that live here that arent from here cant get over how many people were born and raised within 10 mile radius of DC yet HATE HATE HATE the Redskins. I really have no answer other than maybe because we have sucked for so long? I dont know. Anywho....that being said....i think we need any fans we can get. RG3 is going to draw new folks our way and it is what it is. These ppl will probably jump ship when he leaves or if he flops. Face it, we are a bad sports town in terms of our local loyalties. The Nats and Caps fan bases have swollen in just the last couple of years. Its really a joke. The Skins have a huge following but RG3 will just make it that much bigger. My thing is when I have a relative or a co-worker or friend i guess...who now will bring up the Redskins to me knowing my interest has always been thru the roof. They now want to be associated with the Skins and obviously thats due to #10. Im rambling I know, its a mixed bag to me. I love seeing more B&G but its sorta frustrating that its due to 1 player who is taking the league by storm. Now when we play in opposing teams stadiums the place is flooded with Skins jerseys which is awesome but sometimes I almost feel embarrassed cuz everyone now thinks we are a bandwagon team due to the infatuation everyone is having with RG3.

I think the biggest knock on the bandwagoners is that when something is mentioned about the Skins as it relates to 5, 7 or 10 years ago they are CLUELESS! Same goes for the Nats.....people have no clue about the team prior to 2011 for the most part. Nothing I can do but shake my head. I guess I'd rather people be RG3 bandwagoners then Dallas ****roach bandwagoners. Oh well. HTTR!

[Cowboy8467]