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A reminder of why we do it to ourselves. The talking you off the ledge thread.

jpage520

By jpage520
in The Stadium

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jpage520

jpage520

Posted
Posted

Yesterday was gut wrenching. I knew it would be. I knew it. I knew it was gonna be a sea of white and blue jerseys. But actually seeing it hurt more than I thought. Hearing the way that place would erupt on every big play the pukes made was the definitely up there as one of the lowest moments I've ever felt as a fan of this team. I, like a lot of people were filing out in droves after that last strip sack TD and a lot of sections started erupting in "nah nah nah nah...nah nah nah nah..heeey heeey heeeeeyyy...gooooodbbbyyyyyyeeee".

 

There was a point during that game that I had to be talked off the ledge by some folks in our section. As I've stated before, I'm part of that younger generation a lot of you folks that were around for the glory years often sympathize for. Started understanding and rooting for the team around '94. Never seen a SB, never seen an NFC Championship, I'VE NEVER SEEN A RECORD BETTER THAN 10-6. There was a point yesterday where I just ripped my Skins hat off my head slammed it into my seat and screamed WHY?!?! WHY DO I ROOT FOR THIS TEAM?! WHY DO I DO THIS TO MYSELF EVERY...SINGLE..YEAR!??!!...I sat down and buried my head in my hands repeating myself why..why..why? Eventually I looked up through my fingers. A couple minutes into this one of the folks we sit with reminded me that I do this every year "because it's in your bloodline". He said it confidently, but understanding. I told him I know. I know I could never leave it. And I looked around and first looked at all of the Bryant, Murray, and Romo jerseys around me. Knowing full well almost every single one of those bums have never even been within 500 miles of the state of Texas. That they CHOSE their team. And then I looked around at the kids in the Skins gear. The 9-10 year old kids next to me with their mom in burgundy and gold and their dad decked in white and blue that were screaming their heads off for their Skins every single play. The young teenage girl who always sits right in front of me who comes to EVERY game with her dad. The groups of Redskins families in the other sections. And at that moment, I took solace in that. I remembered that no matter how happy those bandwagon Pukes fans were, no matter how much gloating they did, it'll always accompany a certain amount of emptiness because I know that most of them don't have that feeling. It's not "in their bloodline". It's not a part of their life that goes so much further than just something to do on Sunday afternoons. Of course it was for some. And it's them that I'm actually happy for. I congratulate them. Those actual die-hards deserve it. Which doesn't even really need to be said so much just because they're usually the first ones who are ashamed at the behavior of their "Fan base".

 

I, just like most of you, am a lifer. I root for this team because people in my family have been rooting for this team since it came to DC. I root for them because my family taught me at a young age that loyalty matters. I never CHOSE this team. I was born into this fanbase. When I was 4 years old I was in the car with my mom on the way home from my grandmother's house. I mentioned something that even slightly resembled rooting for the Cowboys to which my mom responded that doing that would make me a "traitor" and then proceeded to not speak to me the rest of the ride home lol. I may have been young, but I got the point. It wasn't meant to be mean or anything like that. It was her way of telling me that you don't just give up on a team because they lost and you don't just pick a team because they win. You stick it out, and take the good with the bad.

 

I envy you folks who got to know what it was like to watch a winner. I dream of knowing what that feels like at some point before I die. I dream of being able to sit down with my dad and watch our Redskins win their way into the SB just like so many of you were able to. The way you were all able to gather your stories of watching the Sonnys, the Riggos, the Fun Bunch, and all the rest of our beloved heroes take our team to the top.

 

This point right now feels like the hardest time it's ever been for me to remain a die hard fan of this team. Things are in the ****ter and it doesn't look like it's going to be cleaned any time soon. But I know I'll be there come next year. Call me a lemming all you want. But I'll be watching all the games. Following this board. Talking about the team. All just the same. I care about the Washington Redskins so much more than I care strictly about wins and losses. The memories I've had watching this team. The moments I've had that I've shared with family and friends revolving around this team can never be taken away from me. And as unlikely and bleak as it may seem, I know I still have plenty more of them to come that will mean the world to me just as the others do. Knowing that is what helps me push through. No matter how many "Misery Mondays" I have to endure, I know that at some point I'll have more "Monday Night Miracles", division saving interceptions, and legendary moments to look forward to. I'll have my own Art Monks, Larry Browns, and Charley Taylors to see go up on the ROF. And knowing that makes me happy. This push to get to them may be rough and downright sad, and I may only feel like I'm just hanging by a thread. But I know I'll get there at some point. At some point, I'll be able to wipe the joyful tears from my eyes as I get to see my boys raise a Lombardi. I'll get to tell my kids about the games I saw in person, about the legends they were too young to see, and what it felt like to be on top of the world. Ladies and gentlemen, that's why I still do it to myself. That's why I'm still here and always will be.

 

 

Hail to the Redskins

Forever

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Aireskoi

Aireskoi

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Posted
 

 

 

I care about the Washington Redskins so much more than I care strictly about wins and losses. The memories I've had watching this team. The moments I've had that I've shared with family and friends revolving around this team can never be taken away from me. And as unlikely and bleak as it may seem, I know I still have plenty more of them to come that will mean the world to me just as the others do. Knowing that is what helps me push through. No matter how many "Misery Mondays" I have to endure, I know that at some point I'll have more "Monday Night Miracles", division saving interceptions, and legendary moments to look forward to. I'll have my own Art Monks, Larry Browns, and Charley Taylors to see go up on the ROF. And knowing that makes me happy. This push to get to them may be rough and downright sad, and I may only feel like I'm just hanging by a thread. But I know I'll get there at some point. At some point, I'll be able to wipe the joyful tears from my eyes as I get to see my boys raise a Lombardi. I'll get to tell my kids about the games I saw in person, about the legends they were too young to see, and what it felt like to be on top of the world. Ladies and gentlemen, that's why I still do it to myself. That's why I'm still here and always will be.

 

 

Hail to the Redskins

Forever

 

The quoted part I agree with 100%.

 

The whole post was completely awesome and heart felt.  Nice job expressing yourself, I felt like I was sitting there in your body.

 

With that said, I wasn't born in the DMV, my father is a Bills fan, 3 of my 4 siblings are Cowboy fans, and the other was a Raider, then a Steeler now she's a Saints fan, all depending on who she is/was dating.

 

I chose to be a Skins fan at 10 years old 32 years ago, I wasn't watching football before then.  I was outside playing.

 

TV brought Joe Gibbs to me, not my address.  I chose to follow the man with the highest character and his team, Joe Gibbs and the Redskins.

 

I'm not going anywhere, and I never have.  I don't have the bloodlines, but I'm sure many others have a similar story as to how we got here.

 

We all have the choice to walk away, so we can all say it taste sweeter someday, if we ever win again.

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Springfield

Springfield

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Posted

Yesterday wasn't gut wrenching. I fell asleep for an afternoon nap right as the game started. I woke up near the end of the 3rd. We were losing to the Cowboys of all teams.

I didn't care. I'm on my way out with this team. Depending on how the draft goes I might just give up altogether. Don't worry, I'll be back when they start winning again. I will bandwagon the **** out of this garbage pile owned by Dan Snyder and not even think twice.

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2006Skins

2006Skins

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Posted

Amen brother.  I'm 29.  I've been a fan since I was 5.  First game remember watching was NFC playoffs against the Lions in what was a blowout and the second I remember was the Super Bowl.  I was an immediate fan and it's been misery ever since. 

 

But this is my team.  I'm reminded each rare time they win that feeling that I've stuck with them for each death defying victory.  I'm here, live or die for this #@$%ing team

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d3m0n

d3m0n

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well that was....depressing. keep your head up skins fan and forget about the horrible beating the cowboys dropped on you and find a little joy in the fact that YOU helped US get to the playoffs by beating the Eagles!

 

lol that probably didn't help much, huh? seriously, i've been a cowboys fan since i was a kid...and since the break up of jimmy and JJ... i had to endure years of Quincy Carter, Drew Bledsoe, Ryan Leaf, Chad Hutchinson, Drew Henson. Years of terrible play, coach after coach, mediocre and losing seasons. WE stay fans cuz that's who we are and each year opens the hopes that THIS will be year to change. 

 

sometimes it is. remember, the cowboys were picked to be dead last for the division and most people had us around 4 wins total. Now look at us. things change. 

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ComManDersFan57

ComManDersFan57

Posted
Posted

I was born into this fan base too. It's in our blood. I became a fan in the 60's when the team really sucked. We had year after year of bad losing teams, even worse than it is now. Then Sonny came along, Lombardi, George Allen, etc. Making it to our first Superbowl seemed like a miracle even though we lost. It was a party at the neighbor's house that day. I was still under age but they let me have a beer.

 

All those losing seasons made Gibbs 1.0 that much sweeter. Bandwagon fans can not feel the same joy loyal fans like us feel when winning a Superbowl, or at this point, just making the paloffs The team will turn around around again eventually. When it does, this loyal fan base will get their long awaited reward. It may not be next year, the year after or the one after that but it will come.

 

I hope no one responds to this saying, "Not as long as Snyder owns the team", "The FO sucks, we'll never do anything without a real GM", etc. etc. There's plenty of other threads for that. I'm trying to say that life long fans get more out of it when the team does well after suffering through many years of suckage.

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Fight for ole DC

Fight for ole DC

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The glory days will return again someday and your loyalty will be rewarded.

 

I remember a time before the glory days when I felt much like you....see Clint Longley. I also remember when the Patriots were terrible and the Raiders were good.

 

The sense of pride when John Riggins broke a tackle and rumbled to the end zone was overwhelming. You, too, will have a moment of glory one day that will immortalize a player and make the jersey they wear legendary.

 

The joy of winning is short lived for fair-weather fans. The joy of winning for loyal fans is what makes the "glory days" memorable.

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RemoveSnyder

RemoveSnyder

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Posted

 

Yesterday wasn't gut wrenching. I fell asleep for an afternoon nap right as the game started. I woke up near the end of the 3rd. We were losing to the Cowboys of all teams.

I didn't care. I'm on my way out with this team. Depending on how the draft goes I might just give up altogether. Don't worry, I'll be back when they start winning again. I will bandwagon the **** out of this garbage pile owned by Dan Snyder and not even think twice.

 

You know it, man. 

homer-topes.jpg

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pjfootballer

pjfootballer

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Posted

Hell, all of us that come in here everyday to piss and moan about this team still care. Maybe not like we once did, but like Spring said, we'll bandwagon the **** out of them when they are good again. We may walk away for a while or become apathetic, but we'll be back. It is in us to only root for one team. In 10 years I'm going to visit a Patriots board A.T. (After Tom) and you can bet I'll see the same posts in there that I'm seeing in here now.

Great write up OP.

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Cooleyfan1993

Cooleyfan1993

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I hope no one responds to this saying, "Not as long as Snyder owns the team", "The FO sucks, we'll never do anything without a real GM", etc. etc. There's plenty of other threads for that. I'm trying to say that life long fans get more out of it when the team does well after suffering through many years of suckage.

Not as long as Snyder owns the team. The FO sucks, we'll never win anything without a real gm :P

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Cooleyfan1993

Cooleyfan1993

Posted
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Lol If I didn't know your previous history when it comes to those debates I probably wouldn't have almost spat out my drink laughing when I read this.

Oh I only posted that cause skinfan57 said he hopes nobody responds to this saying "not as long as snyder owns the team", "the FO sucks, we'll never win anything without a GM", etc etc. So I posted EXACTLY that just for fun :lol:

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